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Ex-DSS boss ’ brother, wife kidnapped …N40m ransom demanded for bishop ’s release

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Ceding of Bakassi ungodly – Ayade

24 Perm Secs risk sack in Rivers over absence at forum

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Thankful: A migrant carrying his worldly belongings and holding a crumpled photograph of German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, as he arrives in Munich, yesterday. PHOTO: DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

Again, Boko Haram kills 50, injures scores in Borno

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Buhari launches nal phase of polio immunisation in Katsina

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What ’s new Politics

Buhari ’s appointments and clamour for Federal Character

Seven Days TALKING POINTS OF THE PAST WEEK September 6, 2015

Warri Renery to resume production rst week of November –NNPC GMD

ecently shut Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, will not be resuming operation any time soon, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Emmanuel Kachikwu has disclosed. The refinery will now resume full production

in the first week of November. It has the capacity to process 125, 000 barrels of crude oil per day. Kachikwu disclosed this yesterday during facility tour of the refinery and the adjoining Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, Jetty and Depot in Warri, Delta State.

Buhari res Marilyn Ogar, ex- DSS spokesperson, 43 others

People say I ’m pretty –Tima Wellness

Asthma, a life threatening disease

resident Muhammadu Buhari has approved the compulsory retirement of former spokeswoman of the Department of State Services, DSS, Marilyn Ogar, seven years before her due date for retirement. Buhari ’s action was routed through the Director General of the Service, Lawal Daura,

who had on assumption of office constituted a disciplinary committee to assess Ogar ’s performance, particularly in the months leading to the last general elections. Equally affected by the president ’s directive were about 43 other top officers of the service, who were promoted in March, this year.

Army uncovers bunkering site near Govt House

igerian Army yesterday said that it has uncovered massive oil bunkering site, just two kilometres from the Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt. This is even as the Chief of Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral IbokEte Ekwe Ibas, summoned ship owners in the coun-

try over the incessant crude oil theft, vowing to deal mercilessly with any attempt to undermine the country. The bunkering site, one of the largest ever discovered in the Niger Delta was also not far from the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, wharf, in Port Harcourt.

NYSC launches biometric to monitor corps members

Asthma, a chronic medical condition that affects the reversible airway obstruction characterised by a triad of bronchial smooth muscle contraction, airway inflammation, and increased secretions; it is a major health problem for all age groups. For the majority, control of asthma symptoms is readily achieved; however, in a small minority, asthma may cause death.

irector General of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Brig. Gen. Johnson Olawumi, on Thursday said six staff of the scheme were currently facing the wrath of the law for conniving with corps members to abstain fraudulently from the service. This is even, as the scheme launched biometric technology for the conduct of monthly clearance

and monitor corps members nationwide. Olawumi, while speaking at the formal demonstration of the deployment of the biometric technology for the conduct of monthly clearance of corps members in Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, said the exercise would cover all serving corps members starting from 2014 Batch ‘C ’.

berian airport contracted the virus and died in late June. Six total cases were discovered in the country from late June to July. Two people, including the teen, died, the WHO said. Because 42 days have passed since the last infected person tested clear for the disease, the WHO said it could now declare Liberia free of Ebola. Fortytwo days represents two maximum incubation periods.

bola ’s recent reappearance in Liberia is over, the World Health Organization said yesterday, prompting the group to declare the country free of the deadly virus for the second time this year. Liberia, one of three West African nations ravaged by an outbreak that has killed more than 11, 000 people in nearly two years, initially was declared Ebola-free on May 9. But a teen who lived near a Li-

Insurgency: Army reinstates 3,032 dismissed soldiers

igerian Army yesterday, announced the reinstatement of 3, 032 soldiers, whose cases were reviewed by a committee constituted by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai. The pardoned soldiers were among the 5, 000 dismissed due to various disciplinary cases in the ongoing war against Boko Haram in the North East. The Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Col. Sani Usman, made this known at a news conference in Abuja yesterday. Usman, however, said the cases presented to the disciplinary review committee were treated on merit, adding that the review pro-

cess was still on. According to Usman, only soldiers with disciplinary cases had been reinstated as those with criminal cases were not even considered by the committee. He also hinted that soldiers sentenced to death by the General Courts Martial, GCM, were also not beneficiaries of the pardon, as they were already appealing their sentences. “You would recall that the Nigerian Army sometime ago instituted a committee to review the recent disciplinary cases in the service, especially of those soldiers in the defunct “Operation Zaman Lafiya.

Chito Mark CEO GRACES HATS

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Passion

ly declared their assets in line with the extant laws of the country. According to the statement, President Buhari has two houses in Kaduna, one each in Kano, Daura and Abuja as well as two other mud houses, also in Daura. The statement said: “The documents submitted to the CCB, which officials say are still being vetted and will soon be made public, show that prior to being sworn in on May 29, President Buhari had less than N30m to his name.

FRI

One of the issues that generated controversy in the 100 days of President Muhammadu Buhari ’s administration was the recent appointments into key positions in government. When Buhari took over power from former President Goodluck Jonathan on May 29, expectations were high that the country would witness the desired change.

resident Muhammadu Buhari is worth about N30m and has seven houses, according to documents submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, yesterday. Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on the other hand has a bank balance of N94m and $900, 000. This was disclosed yesterday in a statement by Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Mr Garba Shehu as the duo formal-

Ebola: Liberia gets WHO ’s nal ‘all-clear ’

SUN SAT

Buhari, Osinbajo declare assets

The first thing that I do on a daily basis apart from Monday is prayer, to appreciate our maker for what He has done for us. Immediately after that, I distribute work to my staff and tell them what to do. Prayer first, as usual then, I set out for the workers what they ought to be doing while I go out for a while and come back and face the work. In the evening, I face my exercise.

I go to market to buy hat materials we would use once or twice a month. I give my workers work to do before I go to market. Today is sanitation day. We pray and after the prayers, we are set to do what we have started from Monday. At least to bring out completion. After morning devotion, we take the life and the flesh of God to strengthen us. I would have to meet some clients in their office. In the evening, I have my exercise. In the night, I have vigil. I take my shower, do my exercise, meet with my clients. We usually don ’t work much today. It ’s the day I relate with my customers. I go to church, come back around 12. *By Adaeze Amos (08023012293)

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Raging debate over scrapping of NYSC The National Youth Service Corps is presently under scrutiny due to increasing doubts over its usefulness and security concerns. Many have called for its abolishment, while others say it should either be made optional or the programme be restructured. PAUL OMO OBADAN takes a look at the current debate that has strong proponents on both sides.

he National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, was established by General Yakubu Gowon military administration in 1973 to foster unity among Nigerians. The unfortunate civil war, which ended in 1970, brought about deep suspicion amongst Nigeria’s numerous ethnic nationalities. It was imperative to bridge this widening gap, hence the creation of a scheme called the National

‘NATIONAL SERVICE WAS TO PROMOTE UNITY’

Youth Service Corps by Decree No. 24 of 22nd May 1973 which was established for the development and enhancement of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity. Corp members are posted to cities far from their states of origin. This action was aimed at bringing about unity in diversity in a country adjudged to have over 250 ethnic

tribes. Its present Director-General is Brig Gen Johnson Bamidele Olawumi. Graduates of Tertiary Institutions are required to take part in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme for one year. This is known as national service year. The programme has also helped in creating jobs for many Nigerian youth over the years and has facilitated inter-cultural, marital, political and even business relationships. Today, this lofty ideal is fast waning and the scheme has been met with stern criticism by Nigerians. Its relevance has come under severe scrutiny, as a cross section of Nigerians are clamoring for its restructuring, or outright abolishment in the wake of the Boko Haram scourge and insecurity in the Northern part of Nigeria. To them the lives of the nation’s youths are no

‘NYSC HAS BECOME A WASTE OF TIME’

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‘National Service was to promote unity’

Buhari

Odumakin

Jimeta

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 longer safe in the places of their primary assignment. This criticism is borne out of the fact that hundreds of corps members of corpers have been brutally maimed and killed in the regions they were posted to serve due to religious, ethnic or political violence perpetuated by the extremist terrorist groups, armed robbery attacks, auto accidents or illness. According Mr. Tunji Adeyinka, a graduate who served in 1978, many Nigerian graduates who participated in the scheme in the onset recall with nostalgia and attest to the fact that the scheme was well thought out because it enabled them have firsthand knowledge about the culture of their fellow Nigerians, it was an opportunity to travel and see the country. “Each of us looked forward to knowing and being immersed in meaningful service in the strange communities where we would be welcomed as new elite members. On arrival, both at the state capital which was the orientation, the local government headquarters and the service location institution, each ‘corper,’ as we came to be fondly called, was formally welcome with joy and dignity. Governments and community leaders, did all they could to show superlative hospitality to this new set of leaders, who were sacrificing joyfully for a more united and integrated Nigeria.” Such unforgettable and enduring experience has since been replaced with the agony of contending with Boko Haram insurgency and insecurity. However, Mrs. Belinda A. Faniyi, Assistant Director, Head, Press and Public Relations, NYSC, Lagos State allays the fears of parents and guardians posits that corps members are no longer posted to crisis ridden areas of Borno,

“EACH OF US LOOKED FORWARD TO KNOWING AND BEING IMMERSED IN MEANINGFUL SERVICE IN THE STRANGE COMMUNITIES WHERE WE WOULD BE WELCOMED AS NEW ELITE MEMBERS.

Yobe, Bauchi and the likes. “Parents should not fear. Corp members are not posted to the crisis areas anymore. They do their service in states that are not prone to Boko Haram insurgency or crisis. We are allaying their fears. We too are parents. The welfare and security of corps members is upper most to us. “It will be wise for every young graduate to serve in her state of origin.” A female graduate, who craved for anonymity said corps members should be protected in the face of the ongoing insecurity being witnessed in some parts of the North. The corps member who served in Gombe State five years ago said: “Throughout my service year, I slept with one eye open because of the menace of the insurgents. It was a harrowing experience. NYSC is still very relevant. What it needs is comprehensive restructuring. Due to the hostile nature of some states in the North, it will be wise for every young graduate to serve in his state of origin. This idea of viewing corps members as strange people will stop. The incessant killing of innocent corps members will reduce

drastically if not entirely.” Bitter experiences that some corps members had faced in the light of the prevailing security challenges across the country, fuels this kind of thinking. For instance, in the wake of the ethno-religious crisis, which rocked Plateau State between 2007 and 2008 and claimed the lives of several corps members, parents, students and stakeholders from various quarters were up in arms calling for scrapping or a review of the scheme. The development became a source of worry for many Nigerians including members of the House of Representatives, who directed the NYSC authorities to cancel postings of corps members to volatile states in the North such as Yobe, Borno, Gombe, Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi and Plateau states, which were facing security challenges. The threat of insecurity also divided opinions amongst parents and guardians with some going as far as asking the government to scrap the NYSC programme if the security of corps members could not be guaranteed. Mrs. Bimpe Shodipe, who has three undergraduate children, believes that scrapping the scheme, was a viable option instead of risking the lives of innocent children. “There is no parent who will want his child to be posted to a place where he will be killed. If government cannot guarantee the security of our children, let it scrap the programme. How do you expect a parent to feel after spending so much money to train a child in school only to lose that child because he is serving his fatherland?” But on the contrary, Wison Ubani, another parent, posits that scrapping the NYSC scheme may not be the best option as it is the only scheme that can foster national unity. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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The Big Read

Sunday September 6, 2015

‘Benefits of NYSC unquantifiable’ Mrs. Belinda A. Faniyi is the Assistant Director / Head, Press & Public Relations, NYSC, Lagos State. She sheds more light on the current debate to abolish, restructure or make optional the NYSC scheme in this interview with Paul Omo Obadan.

Some Nigerians believe that the NYSC Scheme has outlived its usefulness and should therefore be abolished. What is your take on this? In any society, you will find some people speaking for and against something. This has been on for some time now. But I think the few who say it should be scrapped are those who have not passed through the scheme. If they have passed through the scheme, they will know the benefits of the scheme or what the scheme has achieved over the years as regards why it was established. Some of them who did not even serve will agree that there is no need to scrap the scheme. Rather, just like any organization, it should be strengthened. President Muhammadu Buhari said recently that he is always happy that when he travels home, most of the times, it is the National Youth service corps members from other states that he sees in his own state. And you find that corps members, where people ordinarily will not go, regular staffs will not go, the corps members are there. They are in the nook and crannies of this country promoting unity. It is not measurable, it is not quantifiable. I for one, served in Ogun State. At that time, I don’t think I would have thought of going to that state, but today, Ogun State is a second home for me and I have learnt so much about the people, their culture, their way of life, their economy and everything about that state. I now know about their strength and their weaknesses; even better than some people who are from that state. And I think it is through the service I got to learn this. And you will find that corps members all over, they take part in community development service, they impact the communities. In fact, NYSC is a beautiful bride because you find that all government agencies, organisations, ministries, even the international community want to partner with the scheme. You find the scheme taking part in NDG’S, UNICEF programmes, WHO programmes, taking part in health, educational programmes and so many others. The community where they are posted to, you see them impacting lives. They even go on awareness campaign to inform people. The Ebola issue, awareness was created. You find those in the medical line like doctors, pharmacists, going around, helping in ensuring that the awareness was created concerning the Ebola issue. Corps members participate in all these things. And of recent, we are also talking about unemployment. The scheme now has a department of skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development. And what is the essence? We know problem with unemployment, when corps members finish school, so we are also trying to empower them with skills. It is not just the course you studied alone that can put bread on your table; you must have a skill so that if you cannot use it, you fall back on your skill acquisition. And the corps members have been doing so well. Some of them do agriculture, poultry, fishery, beading, tailor-

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 “Scrapping the scheme because of these recent challenges would amount to throwing away the baby with the bath water. As far as I’m concerned, the NYSC scheme is one of the best things that have happened to this country. Maybe, what we need to do is to restructure the system by posting people to their geo-political zones, but scrapping the scheme is definitely not a good idea,” Ubani said.

Faniyi

NYSC IS JUST A SMALL ENTITY UNDER NIGERIA. SO IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS, NYSC IS WORKING TOWARDS SOLVING THAT PROBLEM. BUT TO SAY THAT IT SHOULD BE SCRAPPED IS NOT IT. ing etc. What I am wearing now, you will not believe it, a corps member sewed it. So the benefits are so many. If people are calling for the scrapping, I am sure; it is as few people who are saying that. And just like any organisation, or wherever, even Nigeria has its own problems too. You have to find a way of solving these problems. The same thing applies to NYSC just like Nigeria which is an entity. NYSC is just a small entity under Nigeria. So if there are problems, NYSC is working towards solving that problem. But to say that it should be scrapped is not it. Apart from that, you will realise that the way higher institutions churn out graduates from schools. And the unemployment issue is a serious one. If you just churn out graduates and there is no industry and places to absorb them, the crime rate will definitely increase. And you will find out that NYSC acts like a stop gap for these corps members. When they come out of school, there is somewhere they go to – that is NYSC. And within that period, they are able to also empower themselves, rather than just push them into the labour market. This will prepare them for self-employment and combat graduate unemployment that is currently put at about 40 per cent. It will also help in reducing youth restiveness and crime. Basically, the scourge of Boko Haram in some parts of the North is one of the basic reasons for their clamour

The posting policy of the NYSC is yet another reason why so many people have become very critical of the scheme. The current NYSC posting policy is geared towards developing sectors such as rural health, primary and secondary education; rural infrastructural development and agriculture. Hence many corps members are posted mainly to primary and secondary schools regard-

to scrap it, how can the average corps member be shielded from this scourge? Corp members are not posted to the crisis ridden areas. They do their service in states that are not prone to Boko Haram insurgency or crisis. The security challenge in the country has had its ripple effects in every sector. The NYSC is not isolated. The situation has also challenged us but we are undeterred. We believe we will surmount the challenge and Nigeria will come out of it stronger and remain unified. Come to think of it, the security of all in the threatened areas is affected one way or the other. The operations or activities of the organisations in those areas are therefore affected so long as the threat exists. The NYSC, like other organisations there, is appreciative of the situation and has also devised methods of addressing this challenge in those areas while not losing focus of its objectives. That is why the leadership gave corps members posted to the affected states the option to apply for redeployment and I can tell you that no one with such a request has been denied reposting. We are parents too and we will not do anything that can cause injury or death to any of our corps members. With increasing number of corps members and dwindling revenues, some doubt the sustainability of the scheme. What is your take on this? There is no doubt that the population of corps members per year has been increasing. From a paltry 2,364 in 1973, to about 249,000 this year. Our projection based on the number of universities springing up shows that in the next four to five years, the corps population might hit 350,000. This comes with challenges because resources are also dwindling. We are working on so many strategies to reposition the scheme to meet these challenges that we are anticipat¬ing. Some people have been coming up with possible options. For example, there is an argument that the scheme could be made optional, with incen¬tives for those who volunteer to serve. Such incentives could include that the NYSC certificate could be a prerequisite for service in the military, police, and other paramilitary agencies, the civil service, and for those seeking political office. For those who make this argument, some benefits would also accrue to the scheme if service is made optional. Such benefits include: less number of corps members to manage, such that resources can be used with more impact; improved discipline and reduction in requests for concessional postings; and the fact that only those ready for service will be mobilised. At the appropriate time, we will make the positions available for government’s decision. In what way do you think the programme be strengthened? Corps members have been talking about increase in their allowance. They should look at that. We have a very hard working director general in Brig-General Olawunmi. In his tenure achieved so many, we have the hope alive and many others. Then the staff of the scheme, we engage in so much work hence I think the budget allocation for the scheme, I think there should be an upward review. We need more funds to work with and I think we need more befitting orientation camps. Also, all the state governments, local government, Federal Government, the core members contribute to development and nation building, so they should support us at the local, state and federal level.

less of their disciplines. However, many corps members are opposed to this policy because it makes them redundant in certain organisations. For instance, Deola Odusanya, a graduate of Economics CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

The Big Read

Sunday September 6, 2015

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‘NYSC has become a waste of time’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 from the University of Lagos, was posted to a local government office in Katsina State for her primary assignment in 2010 but throughout the service year, according to Odusanya, she “practically did nothing.” As in Odusanya’s case, many corps members consider the one year service as a waste of time and they would gladly trade it off for something more rewarding. Gladys Obiora, a graduate of Mass Communication, who served in Plateau State, said it was as if she was cursed to waste a year. “The experience is not worth it because I was made redundant for 11 months. The best way to engage corps members is to repeal the policy, which makes all corps members to teach or serve in rural communities. I studied Mass Communication and during the service year, I was supposed to be posted either to the print or electronic media. But I was asked to teach. Now, employers will be asking for two or three years’ experience in journalism. My brother, where will I get that when I was posted to a rural school?” Obiora asked. Mr. Collins Edo Osayi, a Public affairs analyst said the scheme has not lost its relevance. “To scrap the NYSC in Nigeria because of election crises or religious crises, which took the lives of some youth corps members is unjustified considering the immense and enduring benefits of the programme. We will always need the NYSC as a multi- lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious nation for its functions in fostering crosscultural awareness, communication, mutual understanding, cooperation and acceptance, which are necessary for national integration and cohesion. By these values, which the NYSC generates, we will achieve unity, peace and progress as a nation. I don’t believe the scheme has lost its relevance. It has been promoting integration of different ethnic groups across the country especially the youths. “We should not as a result of the recent crisis call for the scrapping of the scheme. We should try to be broad-minded and take a critical look at how the scheme has been of tremendous benefit to the country.” He however advocates a review of the scheme in view of tragic incidents that took place in the North where some members of the corps were lost to post-election violence. “For instance, provision should be made for adequate security for youths taking part in the scheme whether there is election or not. “We should all look at the unity of this country, which should be of paramount concern to everybody. If we abolish the NYSC scheme, it will endanger peace in the country, as so many things will be affected. It is better we don’t discuss or talk about its abolition at all. I strongly believe the scheme is still relevant, what we need to do is to have a review of it to ensure that we get the best out of it. The NYSC scheme as conceived by the founding fathers is a laudable one; we should not allow it to die,” he said. Associate Professor in Counseling Psychology, Department of Educational Foundations, University of Lagos, Dr. Ikechukwu Nwadinigwe however posits in the contrary. He says the scheme has lost its relevance. “NYSC from onset was a programme that was designed to bring about unity, the founding fathers believed in it and it was working then. Initially, it helped a lot in bringing the elite class together. But along the line, one of the factors that made it to be prominent was poor manpower development in the North, which the NYSC was supposed address by bringing high level or trained personnel from the South “This loss of steam and height reached its climax with the gruesome murder of 10 youth corps members in the violence that greeted the PDP political misdeed of denying the zoning formula for the selection of their presidential candidate only to return to it for other electoral and postelectoral politics. This wanton killing of budding innocent young gentlemen and ladies who are on the threshold of unfolding their life potential outside their home areas has poured opprobrium on an otherwise patriotic and most laudable scheme. “The decline of the NYSC scheme followed the same tra-

Alhaji Yerima Shettima

Olawunmi

IF WE ABOLISH THE NYSC SCHEME, IT WILL ENDANGER PEACE IN THE COUNTRY, AS SO MANY THINGS WILL BE AFFECTED. IT IS BETTER WE DON’T DISCUSS OR TALK ABOUT ITS ABOLITION AT ALL.

jectory as all aspects of Nigeria’s national life; so it is not peculiar to the NYSC and or would not have been very defining of the scheme had this unforgettable happenstances not occurred. According to Mr. Yinka Odumakin, an activist, the NYSC Scheme has come under stress recently, especially after the post-election violence that led to the killing of some members on service. But aside the post-election tragedy, five corpers were also abducted recently in Rivers State. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with the NYSC scheme. Nigerians are full of emotions and sentiments because of what happened in the North. We should not call for its scrapping but there is something wrong with our system. I think we should have a conference as to whether we want to live together as a nation or not. For, Yerima Shettima, a politician, the scheme should be reviewed. “In the first place, I don’t believe corps members should have been drafted to take part in the elections. It is like exposing their lives to unnecessary danger given the violent nature of our political set up. If at all they are going to be drafted for such risky assignment, there should have been adequate security arrangements. Having said this, I believe that corpers should only be drafted for community-oriented duties that are not violence-prone. NYSC is still relevant, but if care is not taken, some unfortunate incidents happening to these corpers while on service to their fatherland may make some people to lose faith in the scheme. It is left for our leaders to take the right steps to strengthen the relevance of the scheme. A comprehensive review of the scheme- its good and bad sides; advantages and demerits, shows that the benefits are more than otherwise. “NYSC may become optional” During a recent courtesy call on President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa, the Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier-General Johnson Olawumi, told

Nwadinigwe

the President that there were plans to make the scheme voluntary and reduce the corps population to make the programme more sustainable. Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Mrs. Rabi Jimeta had earlier told the President that the increasing number of NYSC participants posed a challenge to the scheme due to the dwindling revenue, from the national budget, to cater for their needs. She said the annual enrolment of corps participants had increased from 2,364 at inception in 1974 to 229,016 in 2014. “Given the increasing number of tertiary institutions, our projection is that the number of corps participants may rise to 300,000 by year 2020,’’ she said. However, the President affirmed his confidence and trust in the programme, saying that the objective for which the scheme was established in 1973 was still very relevant for national development now. “I firmly believe in NYSC and I think it should remain a national programme to promote integration. “Whenever I go home to Daura, I look out for corps members from Lagos, Aba and other parts of the country. “I am always thrilled to learn that except for the NYSC, some of them have never left their states of origin to visit other cities in the country,” President Buhari said.

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NEWS

Sunday September 6, 2015

Ex-DSS boss’ brother, wife kidnapped RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

arely 24 hours after the Chief of Naval Staff, CNS, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, delivered a warship to the Eastern Naval Command, in Calabar to boost its capacity to fight militancy in Calabar creeks, kidnappers whisked away the elder brother of former directorgeneral of Department of State Security Services, Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong Ekpe and his wife through the same creeks.

Sunday Mirror learnt that the victims were snatched yesterday in their Creek Town home near Calabar. Mr. Ita Ekpenyong is the immediate past DG of the DSS. A family source who

confirmed the development said both were taken away from their quiet home in the middle of the night. Telephone calls put across to the Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey, and State Security Adviser to the Governor, Jude Ngaji, were not answered. Our correspondent gathered that that the victims were initially held at gunpoint for about 30 minutes before taken away by armed men suspected to be sea militants who have now taken over the Calabar Creeks and endangered lives and maritime business. “Chief Asuquo Ekpenyong Ekpe and his wife were whisked off through

… N40m ransom demanded for abducted bishop

a narrow canal, which is only navigable at high tide off the main access creek into the main beach link of Calabar River estuary”, the source said. Our reporter learnt that soldiers were still keeping guard near the Wharf area upon learning about the kidnap. Speaker of the State House of Assembly, John Gaul, has said having been thoroughly embarrassed by cases of incessant kidnappings in the state they would soon pass

a bill to make kidnapping and cultism a capital offence. Meanwhile, the Archbishop of Abuja and Primate Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh, has advised Christians to be vigilant as kidnappers demanded N40 million ransom for the release of Right Rev. Moses Tabuwaye. Okoh gave the advice in Abuja yesterday at the 2015 Annual Pre-pilgrimage Retreat and Workshop for

staff of Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) and stakeholders. The cleric said that Bishop Tabuwaye of Gwagwalada Diocese was on his way to Awka, Anambra State, for a church programme on September 4, when the kidnappers took him away to an unknown destination. “I urge all of you Christians to be very vigilant and security conscious wherever you find yourselves. “The issue of kidnap-

ping is rampant in the country but we can still curtail the menace if we are vigilant. “If we fail to live together as brothers in prayers, we shall perish as fools, so we should endeavour to be our brothers’ keepers”, he said. NCPC boss, Mr. John-Kennedy Opara, assured that he would always give a sense of direction, and hope to ensure that God’s plans for the commission were achieved.

No plan to ban tokunbo vehicles for now - NADDC A ZA MSUE KADUNA

he Director General, National Automotive Design and Development Council, NADDC, Mr. Aminu Jalal, has said government has no plan to ban importation of fairly used cars known as tokunbo in the country.

Jalal said he had approved the mandatory patronage of made in Nigeria vehicles to boost the local automotive industries. Speaking at the flag-off of assessor and verifiers training by the National Board for Technical Education in Kaduna, Jalal added that if National Automotive Industrialisation Development Plan was strictly implemented, the importation of fairly used vehicles in the country would reduce. NADDC boss, who was represented by his Director of Infrastructure, Abdulwaheed Adetoro, stressed that its mandate to ensure the sustainable development of the automotive industry in the country using local, human and material resources would be sustained. Jalal said: “Right now, the automotive council has taken cognizance of the need to promote and boost the market, particularly for local manufactur-

ers, there must be enough market for them to sell. This will lead to the importation of vehicles to come down. That is why government has approved the mandatory patronage of local goods, especially vehicles, when the states cue into the mandatory patronage of vehicles, the influx of tokunbo vehicles will reduce in Nigeria. “The council is also collaborating with West Bank of South Africa to inject more money into vehicles finance scheme and that will encourage manufacturing of local vehicles which will create local volumes of vehicles” “Internal market will be created for local vehicles. If you use your vehicle for two or three years and you want a new one, the current value of the vehicle will be ascertained and you will take it to their assembly plants and they will change it for you, with this gradually tokunbo vehicles will be phased out.” Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary, National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, Dr. Adamu Kazaure, said the board had sponsored the training of 91 quality assurance assessors adding that NADDC had supported them to equip some polytechnic sand technical colleges with training equipment.

Submerged residential houses in Ummarari ward of Maiduguri metropolis, Borno State, yesterday.

PHOTO: INUSA NDAHI

Again, Boko Haram kills 50, injures scores in Borno INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

t least more than 50 people were feared dead with scores sustaining gunshot wounds when some group of suspected Boko Haram terrorists invaded Kirawa village of Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State, reliable sources have revealed.

Our correspondent learnt that the incident took place on Thursday when traders and buyers were busy observing their market day in Kirawa. This is coming barely two days when suspected group of insurgents laid siege to Kolori and Ba’ana Imam villages of Damboa local government area killing 23 residents andinjuring many others. Kirawa, a mountain-

ous and remote area, which is located east of troubled Gwoza town and shares international shares border with francophone speaking communities of Cameroon Republic. Sources told our correspondent that the insurgents who were armed with sophisticated weapons including AK47 rifles and petrol bombs invaded Kirawa on their market day and wreaked havoc leaving 53 people dead with over 100 injured. “Fifty of our people were shot dead with over 100 injured when a group of terrorists invaded our market square. The market always attracted Cameroonian traders and customers. “A day after the deadly attack on our market, two

female suicide bombers who attempted to detonate their improvised explosive devices strapped on their bodies were arrested by a combined team of residents and youth vigilante on Friday after Juma’at prayers”, an elder in Kirawa who did not want his name mentioned for security reasons, said. Another source who also hails from Kirawa, but resides in Maiduguri, the state capital told our correspondent that he received a distress call from one of his fleeing family members who crossed over to Cameroun after the attack left scores of people in Kirawa dead and injured after setting ablaze many shops and houses, with looting of foodstuff and livestocks

belonging to the residents. “ One of my family members from Kirawa called me on Friday evening that our community has been under deadly attack by insurgents, they had to flee to Cameroun before they got access to telecommunication services as most of the telecom masts in Kirawa and other communities around Behring mountains (Bayan Dutse) were destroyed last year by terrorists”, Mallam Ali Musa Kirawa, a resident of Maiduguri told our Correspondent. All efforts to get confirmation from the Police Commissioner, Mr. Aderemi Opadokun, proved abortive as his cell phone was not reachable at press time.

NEWS

Sunday September 6, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ceding of Bakassi ungodly, unconstitutional –Ayade RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

ross River State Governor, Prof. Ben Ayade, has described the ceding of the oil rich Bakassi Peninsula by the Federal Government to the Republic of Cameroun as the most unconstitutional and ungodly acts in recent times. Ayade, who expressed this when he received the Chief of Naval Staff, Real Admiral Ibok Ette Ibas, on a courtesy visit to Government House, Calabar, recalled: “We have a very big challenge. The ceding of Bakassi was the most unconstitutional and ungodly

act. Given the way and manner it was done the state is still hurt.” Describing it as a social injustice “that has left us with a scar”, he said “the people of Bakassi are living with an emotional and psychological scar as a result of the loss of their ancestral home. The ceding was done without a plebiscite, without a referendum which the people feel was a moral injustice. It has created a security tension; it has also created a crisis situation which rests on your shoulders to ensure that you put them under control in keeping with the presidential mandate of sanitising the

waterways. “I urge you to explore possible social and military actions that need to be taken in order to restore peace in the Akpabuyo, Bakassi and Odukpani axis of the maritime domain.” On the issue of the disputed 76 oil wells that were transferred to Akwa Ibom State, Governor Ayade quipped: “It is a very sad news to report to you that the principle of the doctrine of changing circumstance which is a maritime principle in delineation of maritime boundary was grossly abused in the way and manner that the boundary between Cross River, Cam-

eroun and Akwa Ibom was done. It was done in such a way that the maritime boundary is on a moving structure which is on top of water. Within the International Maritime Law, it is totally unacceptable. “So given the way and manner that the map is constructed, it puts us as a landlocked state. Unfortunately, in jurisprudence, there is no way you can claim that the state is landlocked when the inhabitants can go from Creek Town in Odukpani in their boat and end up in the high sea, where the oil activities within the wells that have been excluded from the state have accumulated impact by

oil migration to these areas affecting the aquaculture and farming life of our people. “Therefore, within the bounds of morality and law, it is totally inexcusable to establish that Cross River State is landlocked and not littoral state.” Querying the decision further, he said: “How can it (Cross River) not be a littoral state if I could sit in the office of the Governor and I can see a large waterfront in front of me? Given the nexus of connectivity between my personal residence and the high sea, it is grave injustice, it is such abuse of law, it is such abuse of logic and I believe in the words of Oputa JSC, who said the Supreme Court is

final not because they are infallible but they are infallible because they are final.” He said it would not be out of place should the Supreme Court reverse itself on the matter. Earlier, Vice Admiral Ibas said he was on inspection of units and departments under his command following directives from President Muhammadu Buhari that maritime security and sanity be returned within the eastern waterways of the country, explaining that the presence of a new naval ship, NNS Centenary in Calabar and another in Port Harcourt was to take on that responsibility.

Anxiety over Olu of Warri’s health

He’s alive –Brother AYO ESAN AND THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

here was palpable anxiety yesterday in Warri, Delta State and the Itsekiri nation at large over the health of the Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse II as rumours circulated on social media last night that he might have passed on.

However, the monarch’s younger brother, Prince Yemi Emiko and prominent palace chief, Chief Ayiri Emami have dismissed rumours of his passing on. Sunday Mirror learnt from competent sources that although the monarch is not dead, he is reportedly indisposed and his state of health unknown. While reacting to enquiries on the alleged rumour of his passage, Prince Emiko said he was not aware of the death of his senior brother. Emiko,who recently contested the senatorial seat of Delta South in the last election under All Progressives Congress, APC, added that if anything of such happened, the appropriate authority wouldmake it known to the public. When contacted, Chief Ayiri Emami told Sunday Mirror via a telephone call that the monarch was still alive. According to him, as a Warri palace chief if anything of such happened the council of Chiefs would make it known to the public. “Our monarch is alive. Forget the rumour you are hearing. I can confidently tell you it’s not true”, the Warriborn billionaire told our correspondent. He advised the media against spreading false rumour. On his part, popular film producer and member of the Ogidigben Export Processing Zone Interface committee, Mr Alex Eyengho, when also

contacted dismissed the report, saying that, “As I speak with you now (at about 9:12 pm) our monarch (Olu of Warri) is hale and hearty. “Irrespective of what people are saying, we the Itsekiri people are very happy that our monarch is alive and well. However, kings don’t die.” There has been widespread speculation in the state since Saturday evening that the monarch had died but was being kept secret from the public until the Council of Chiefs officially announced it. An online had reported yesterday that the monarch died on Friday in Lagos and that his remains had been returned to Warri. The Olu, who mounted the throne of his forefathers on April 2, 1987 at Ode-Itsekiri, the ancestral home of the Itsekiri history and power house of politics of Warri Kingdom, was crowned by the late doyen of Itsekiri history and the Ologbotsere of Warri Kingdom, Chief Ogbemi Rewane. His Majesty, Ogiame Atuwatse II is from the Atuwatse lineage. He was the second son of his father and the only son that is made a member of the Warri Traditional Council since 1983. Ogiame Atuwatse II was also a member of Warri Local Government Council, where he served in several capacities. A lawyer by profession, he is the second university graduate to ascend the great throne of the Warri Kingdom. It would be recalled that another traditional ruler from the Oduduwa dynasty Oni of Ife, Okunade Sijuwade died this quarter. Sijuwade died in a London hospital a few weeks back, after a brief ailment. Also there is anxiety over the fate of the Oba of Benin, Omo N’ Oba Erediauwa, who has not been seen in public for months.

L-R: Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; mother of the bride, Princess Omolara Olagunsoye; the couple, Oyindamola and Temitope and father of the bride and former Osun State governor, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, during the wedding ceremony of Prince Oyinlola’s daughter, at Our Saviour Anglican Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos Island, yesterday.

Navy denies killing MASSOB members in Anambra OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

he Nigerian Navy has denied the alleged killing for members of the Movement of the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, by its men in Anambra State.

The Central Naval Command, CNC, with headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, is in charge of Anambra, Kogi, Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states. Flag Officer Commanding, Central Naval Command, based in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Stanley Ogoigbe, who spoke to newsmen at the command’s headquarters in Yenagoa yesterday, said it became necessary for him to personally clear the air on the rumoured killing of the MASSOB members, which he described as untrue. There have been conflicting reports that there was a clash between mem-

bers of a pro-Biafra group, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra and Navy personnel in Onitsha, Anambra State, where some members of the group were allegedly killed. While some reports have it that as many as 10 were shot dead during the said clash, other sources put the number of deaths at between three and five. The FOC recounted that Navy personnel only shot into the air to scare a large number of MASSOB members who were on a protest march towards the Onitsha head bridge as the protesting youth had already overrun the police that were on duty at the bridge head and did not injure, let alone, kill a soul. Ogoigbe said, “No such act was ever committed. The MASSOB group was on a protest march. They overran the policemen that were on duty and were coming towards the Navy personnel. As they

approached, the Navy fired warning shots into the air to scare them away and they all dashed away. There was never any body that died in the process. “To our surprise, MASSOB started claiming that Navy has killed two of their men. I don’t know what they wish to achieve with this propaganda, fabricating stories against the Navy. “We just want all well meaning Nigerians to know that no MASSOB member was killed in that area of Anambra State where the Navy was keeping peace and carrying out their legitimate duties. “It was not only Navy that was there, the Police and other security agencies were also there, and they all confirmed that nobody was killed. I don’t know where MASSOB manufactured their story. That is why I am taking the responsibility to clear

the air to avoid an unwarranted tension.” Corroborating the FOC’s position, Commanding Officer, Naval Outpost, Onitsha where the incident happened, Navy Capt. Dika Kwabe, said there was no proof in the claim by MASSOB that her members were killed by the Navy. Kwabe said the Commissioner of Police in charge of Anambra State Police Command had addressed the press, debunking the rumour. He said the incident took place last Sunday when over 500 MASSOB members with machetes and sticks protested to the Onitsha Bridge where security agencies, including the Police, Navy, Road Safety Corps and the Army which made up the Anambra State security outfit codenamed “Operation KPUCHAKPU” were on duty at various parts of the area.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Sunday September 6, 2015

Buhari launches nal phase of polio immunisation in Katsina JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday launched the final phase of polio immunisation campaign at his residence in Daura council area of Katsina State. Buhari, who didn ’t deliver any speech at the brief event, however, administered polio vaccine to some selected children

from the council area. The President had arrived in the state on Friday evening at about 4:10 p.m. through the Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua International Airport before he was taken to Daura by helicopter. He was received by Governor Aminu Bello Masari along with former governor of the state, Saidu Barda, ex-deputy governor, Tukur Jikamshi, mogul, Dahiru Mangal, among

other dignitaries. It was learnt the immunisation launch was held at his residence for security reasons and to check a large number of people that often want to see and cheer him whenever he was in his hometown. Speaking during the event, Governor Masari said the President had earlier launched a similar programme in Abuja, with an order that effort be made to

make polio history by 2017. Masari said the state had, in compliance with the directive, ensured measures were put in place to launch the final phase in the state. The governor said past and present efforts in dealing with the disease and other child-killer ailments had seen the state yet to record any case of polio in the last 35 months. He said the state had

gone through its fifth round of polio immunisation, with the sixth round commencing yesterday, and that three other rounds would be administered before the year runs out. Representative of WHO and other international donor agencies, Ali Takai, said historically, 128 countries were found to have had first cases of polio in 1988.

Takai said a total of 350,000 polio cases were recorded at the time, but the figure was currently put at 37, with Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan being only countries with the disease. He however said collaboration effort was being made to eradicate polio in two years time, even as he called on parents to present their children to be immunised.

Plateau North: Tribunal dismisses case against Jang, nes petitioner N200,000 JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

A petrol-laden truck that fell along Lagos-Ibadan expressway, yesterday.

Adeyemi vs Melaye: Tribunal allows more witnesses WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

he Kogi State National Assembly Election Petition sitting in Lokoja has granted the motions sought by the petitioner, Senator Smart Adeyemi, to bring additional witnesses and present the report of election material recounting in a petition filed against Dino Melaye of the All Progressives Congress. While giving her ruling yesterday, the Chair-

man of Tribunal, Hon Akon Ikpeme, stated that the ruling became necessary to enable her commence the substantive hearing. She explained that two motions are before the Tribunal for determination, saying that there are motions to bring additional witnesses and to present the report of recount of ballot paper exercise. When the hearing began, counsel to the third respondent, Independent National Electoral Com-

mission (INEC) sought an oral application withdrawing the early reply filed in April,2015, citing section 14(1) and 47(1) of the Electoral Act as amended and thereby applied for application to withdraw it orally. Counsel to the petitioner, Adekunle Otitoju, argued that the application for withdrawal of the reply cannot be granted by the tribunal. The Tribunal however ruled otherwise. Speaking with journalists, Otitoju noted the im-

plication of the reply by INEC ’s lawyer was that there ’s no objection to the original petition. He pointed out that the Tribunal had granted Adeyemi a relief to bring in additional witnesses and the report of recounting of ballot papers be submitted. Meanwhile, the Tribunal has closed the prehearing matters to allow the trial commence in earnest. Tribunal adjourned hearing to Tuesday, September 8.

Don ’t employ foreign assistant for Oliseh, Satguru tells NFF

he Spiritual Head of One Love Family, Satguru Maharaj JI, has called on the Amaju Pinnick-led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), to desist from engaging any foreigner, especially white man to work with the Super Eagles Coach, Sunday Oliseh. He warned that the implications to do otherwise would be negatively grave on achievements recorded so far and the outcome would more or less be lik-

ened to what happens when a vehicle moving at autopilot speed is abruptly put on the reverse gear. Satguru Maharaj Ji made the call yesterday in a press statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. According to him, the grace is there now that Sunday Oliseh has come on board as the chief handler of the Super Eagles, but any attempt to bring in

a white man to assist him will amount to failures, because Africa has the supreme light. His words: “Divine providence has graced Nigeria to have the Great Light in Creation, which is the prevailing force that unravels all hidden secrets in creation and hence the bedrock for achieving breakthroughs in all fields of human endeavours, be it in sports, technology or medicine.

“Due to subtle religious manipulative inå§trigues, NFF squandered the immeasurable grace of Maharaj Ji that touched Nigeria to rule the world, soccerwise, under Stephen Keshi, as Super Eagles coach, the simple reason for our poor outing since after 2013 AFCON tournaments, being that those behind the game did not want to give the credit to Maharaj Ji, in line with nature ’s law of giving honour to whom it is due. ”

he Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Jos, the Plateau state capital, yesterday dismissed a petition filed by the senatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mrs. Ayisa Sambo against the victory of the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Senator Jonah Jang in the Plateau North Senatorial election held on March 28. In the 172-page judgement, which reading lasted for nearly four hours, the tribunal also awarded N200,000 fine against the APC candidate for not being able to prove her allegations against the PDP candidate during the elections. According to the Tribunal Chairman, Justce Olanre Akeredolu, “The issues that arise in the determination of this case are resolved against the petitioner in its entirety and are hereby dismissed ”. Counsel to the Petition-

er, Mr. Sunday Obinde, had wanted the tribunal to declare as invalid the election of Senator Jonah Jang by reason of widespread irregularities. According to him, the election was characterised by massive rigging against the petitioner including over-voting, non-accreditation of voters with the card readers, non compliance with the electoral act and outright fraud, among others. But delivering judgement, Justice Akeredolu found that all the certified true copies of documents tendered by the petitioner to substantiate her allegations failed to meet the requirement of the law, pointing out that the petitioner relied on the advice of the audience of what transpired at the polling units and not what she saw at the polling units. Akeredolu said the petitioner did not sufficiently prove allegations of overvoting and non-accreditation of voters with the card readers.

Man in court for raping daughter BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

34-year-old Muhammed Ahmed has been arraigned in court for allegedly raping his 14-year-old daughter. The accused was arraigned on a two-count charge of unlawful intercourse and assault. Ahmed had, when being paraded by the NSCDC, confessed to the crime saying: “I only have sex with her six times since April 2015. ” Addressing the court, the prosecutor, Mr. Duro

Adekunle, told the court that the accused was arrested while having sexual intercourse with his daughter. His plea was not however when the charge sheet was read in court owing to the nature of the matter. The presiding Magistrate, Mrs. Habibat Bashiru, subsequently ordered the accused to be remanded in Ilesa Prison. She later adjourned the case to October 30 when formal bail application for the accused would have been filed before the High court.

Interview

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWS MAKER SEPTEMBER 6, 2015

‘Nigeria doesn ’t need one minister from each state ’ BUHARI HAS A

Chief Ayo Opadokun is the convener of the Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reforms, CODER. In this interview with Olajide Omojolomoju and Ayo Esan, he speaks about issues as they affect the polity. Excerpts: We have had a new government in place, the All Progressive Congress, APC- led Federal Government. What is your assessment of the government as it marks 100 days in office? I admit that the Buhari- Osinbajo - led government has adopted a slogan of one of the earliest prose in Nigeria which is ‘hasting-slowly ’, and I think Nigeria will be better for it. My assessment of the three months in office of this new ruler, even without saying anything, the body language has spoken volume about their commitment to executing three cardinal matters they presented to Nigerian people upon which they are elected into office namely commitment to eradicating corruption before it kills Nigeria. Secondly, the resolve to execute the cardinal reason why government is installed to humanity, that is, the provision of security for lives and properties. Thirdly this government is doing its utmost best to tackle the endemic negatives, which have enveloped successive governments in Nigeria in the last say almost 30 years. Let me reiterate my submission therefore as follows. The Nigerian military had undermined the collective destiny of the Nigerian people on several fronts - political, economic and all their adherents, socio-economic, socio-political matters have been terribly undermined. And because the Nigerian nation had allowed the military to go back to the barracks on their own terms, negative consequences of that has very telling effects on our body politic. I would explain, if you don ’t mind. Corruption was perhaps slightly tolerable when Nzeogwu and his group overran the Nigeria political landscape. They called them ten percenters. Since the military interventions to help Nigerians from being robbed by ten percenters, it has gravitated to twenty, thousands, millions, billions and trillions areas of our lives. About five to seven or ten years ago I think undeniably I was fatalistic when said corruption as we are having it today and perversion in the manner we now have it today was the military project. When Generals Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo came to office, remember the catch word, ‘dismissed

LOT TO DO IN REFORMATION BEFORE THINGS CAN FALL IN PLACE. WE CAN SEE THAT HE HAS STARTED. TOO MANY THINGS ARE WRONG

Opadokun

with immediate effect ’, public servants were on their way back home when they heard their names mentioned as having been dismissed with immediate effect, to the extent that many of them could not even go back to their offices. They lost not only the office but their personal effects. So every known safeguard trusted by the public servants was totally undermined since then. I mean to say that the G.O., the general orders, that govern the public service was totally subverted. So what it meant to most of the public servants since then was that there was no hope for tomorrow so I better make haste while the sun is still shining. Civil servants, they are human beings, they didn ’t come from the moon, they are part of us here on earth, they were contented with what the public service gives to them and they would do their works diligently. But since somebody came using force of arms to take over government and then sack them with ignominy, it became very dif-

ficult to control the public servants from providing for tomorrow. The hereafter became a subject matter of greater consequences than the nation. The truth of the matter was the fact that, that was the commencement of serious corruption in Nigeria. Perhaps I won ’t go further than this, just that I would need to discharge my cart from keeping until the grave the serious consequences of that action on the body polity and the public services. I would leave that for some other time and for my book that is in the works. While General Murtala Mohammed was the Minister for Telecommunication, there was a very major thing that happened in that ministry. It was part of the personal crisis of his own, that he utilised government machineries to enforce against the well being of the nation. I stopped at that now. So what Babangida came to do was to totally transform the enhance status of corruption and perversion to an article of faith. So much so

that there was no public institution that was not affected thereafter. Hitherto, in the Nigeria nation, matured minds believe that corruption was not of any significant thing to us. But since the outing of General Ibrahim Babangida we have found out that no public institution was saved from being perverted. You will remember the case for which the Late Gani Fawehinmi had to face because he challenged the Supreme Court justices for collecting Mercedes Benz cars from Babangida and he filed action against them. That is to show the extent to which the entire society was corrupted. We remained so subverted and corrupted till today. Once upon a time, Nigerian judiciary was a thing of envy in the commonwealth so much that many African nations sought for Nigeria leadership in building their own judiciary. I can remember the revered Justice Udo Udoma, Dr Akinola Aguda, Dr Olu Onagoruwa and the likes . That judiciary that we were proud of is now a shadow of itself today. So we are in dire straits. What needs to be done to correct this? Buhari has a lot to do in reformation before things can fall in place. We can see that he has started. Too many things are wrong, look, a lot of scarce resources have been wasted by General Obasanjo and his allies over the so called reformation of the public service. So those who are angry that Buhari have been late in forming his cabinet, some of them may be for some genuine reasons but I know that majority have some selfish reasons. They wanted to force him into cul de sac; they wanted to undermine his resolve to turn Nigeria around for good. I therefore CONTINUED ON PAGE 55

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES SEPTEMBER 6, 2015

Lagos PDP crisis, end in sight? P 12 & 53

OYO STATE NOW EARNS AROUND N3BN FROM FEDERAL ALLOCATION WHILE WE HAVE A WAGE BILL OF MORE

N5BILLION .OUR INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE , IGR, IS N1BN; SO EVERY MONTH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO OWE IF WE DON ’T ADJUST OUR SPENDING THAN

–-GOVERNOR ABIOLA AJIMOBI OF OYO STATE.

Buhari ’s appointments and clamour for Federal Character

‘Nigerians need complete value system reorientation ’

P 52

Briefly Tribunal upholds Jang ’s election as senator

he Legislative Houses Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Jos on Saturday upheld the election of Sen. Jonah Jang of the PDP as senator representing Plateau North Senatorial District in the National Assembly. Mrs Ayisa Sambo of APC had filed a petition seeking to nullify the return of Jang by INEC as winner of the March 28 Plateau North senatorial polls. The three-member tribunal presided over by Justice Justice O.O. Akeredolu dismissed the petition for lacking in merit. The tribunal held that the petitioners failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubts. Delivering the judgment, Justice Akeredolu said that the witnesses presented by the petitioners only testified on hearsay, as they were not present at the polling units on the day of the election. She further held that the evidences presented by the petitioners were not properly certified, hence could not ``hold-sway ’ ’. ``The allegation of over-voting, which is criminal, as presented before this honourable court against the first respondent was not prove beyond reasonable doubt. ``Therefore, the petition failed in its entirety and it is hereby dismissed for lack of merit, ’ ’ she ruled. Akeredolu ordered that a compensation of N200,000 each, be paid to Jang and the PDP.

Lalong appoints NAN correspondent media aide

G Lawal

Kyari

President Muhammadu Buhari recently announced some appointments into key positions in his government which attracted reactions from Nigerians. ROTIMI FADEYI examines some of the issues raised and the agitation for balance.

ne of the issues that generated controversy in the 100 days of President Muhammadu Buhari ’s administration was the recent appointments into key positions in government. When Buhari took over power from former President Goodluck Jonathan on May 29, expectations were high that the country would witness the desired change. For Buhari, a former military Head of State, who was overthrown in a palace coup 30 years ago but now back in power as elected civilian President, managing the affairs of government is not new to

him. After Nigerians waited with bated breath for about three months to know those who would occupy key appointments in Buhari ’s government, the President on August 27 finally announced six appointments. While announcing the appointment through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President named Babachi David Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Abba Kyari as his Chief of Staff. The President also named Colonel Ha-

meed Ali (rtd) as Comptroller-General, Nigerian Customs Service; Kure Martin Abechi as Comptroller-General, Nigerian Immigration Service; Senator Ita Enang as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly (Senate) and Suleiman Kawu as Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives). But the reactions that trailed the announcement showed that many Nigerians and groups particularly from the South West and South East geo-political zones of the country are not satisfied with the choices, arguing that it was lopsided in favour of the North and does not reflect the principle of Federal Character. The Ohaneze Youth Council, OYC, while expressing disappointment over the appointments, said the situation was totally unacceptable to the Ndigbo and CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

ov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has appointed Mr Mark Longyen of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as his Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity). The appointment was contained in a statement issued by Mr. Emmanuel Nanle, Director of Press and Public Affairs, Governor ’s Office.. It said the governor also appointed Mr Jeptha Jackden as the General Manager of Plateau Radio and Television Corporation, Jos. The statement said the two appointments would take effect immediately. ``The governor is optimistic that with the injection of this crop of media practitioners, the best of the interest of Plateau will be served through their professionalism and valid contribution to information management in the state, ’ ’ it said. Longyen holds a B.Sc in International Relations from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, and Post-Graduate Diploma in Journalism from the International Institute of Journalism, Abuja.

Politics

AYO ESAN

he lingering crisis rocking the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, seemed to have been resolved as majority of the state executive of the party last Friday passed a vote of confidence on the State chairman of the party, Captain Olatunji Shelle (rtd.). Shelle was on May 11, 2015 sacked by some members of the party ’s state working committee who picked Kamaldeen Olorunoje as Acting Chairman. And since then the two, Shelle and Olorunoje has been locked up in the battle for the soul of Lagos PDP. While Olorunoje and his groups have been laying claim to the chairmanship seat of the Lagos PDP and accused Shelle of mismanaging the 2015 campaign funds, acting unilaterally in the party, and taking other steps against the interest of the party, Shelle has maintained that he remained the chairman of the party and that only the National Working Committee, NWC of the party can remove him from office . The National Working Committee, NWC however last month declared as a nullity, the purported impeachment of Shelle, as the Lagos State Chairman of the party by the Lagos State Executive. The NWC said Shelle is a member of NEC and could only be disciplined by NEC as prescribed by the PDP constitution. The NWC of the party in a statement

Sunday September 6, 2015

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Lagos PDP crisi signed by the National Legal Adviser, Barr. Victor Kwon stated that members of PDP in Lagos with genuine complains and grievances on the running of the chapter were at liberty to channel such to the NWC for appropriate action in line with the provisions of the party ’s constitution. “The NWC urges all party faithful to go about their normal activities, in accordance with the constitution of the party and extant laws of the land, ’ ’ the statement said. Last Friday, Shelle who at a stage in the crisis was allegedly forced to vacate his office at the party secretariat in Shogunle , Lagos was physically seen holding meeting with the other executive members in the state. Although heavy presence of security men mostly men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, NSCDC and the Police were noticed within and outside the premises of the party secretariat, there was peace and tranquility as the exco members were seen singing solidarity songs with Shelle. Olorunoje was however not present at the meeting. An elated Shelle showed the keys to various offices in the secretariat as an indication that he is fully in charge of the party and the secretariat. Reading the communiqué of the state executives to the journalists at the end of their meeting Friday which

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had in attendance the PDP chairmen in the Local Government Areas of the state and the Lagos State PDP youth leaders Forum, the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Barrister Taofik Gani said the party resolved at the meeting and agreed with the decision of the National Working Committee of

Olorruno oje

the party which said the alleged suspension of Shelle is illegal and passed a vote of confidence on him. He said the meeting further wave aside all allegations leveled against Shelle by some aggrieved members of the party and urged Shelle to remain focus and continue to steer the ship of the party in the state as a vibrant

Buhari ’s appointments and cl CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

that it was in clear violation of the principle of federal character as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution. The President of OYC, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in a statement he jointly signed with the group ’s Public Relations Officer, Hon. Obinna Adibe, said Buhari had demonstrated his deep hatred for Ndigbo, even after he had said he belonged to nobody but belonged to everybody. The group said, “We stand to condemn this glaring hatred for Ndigbo by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. We recall that apart from several other appointments, Buhari ’s government has also appointed Service Chiefs and in a similar manner, he sidelined the South-East zone. “As if that was not enough, the longawaited position of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, has come at last and this government deemed nobody from the South-East qualified enough to occupy that position, which was earlier zoned to Ndigbo. “We are indeed shocked by this turn of events, which are totally at variance with Mr. President ’s earlier stand that he was for nobody but that he was for everybody. We are at a loss where this statement fits in, considering all the actions he has taken so far, which are all against the interest of Ndigbo. “Where is the justice; where is the equity; where is the one Nigeria? How long shall Ndigbo be pushed to the wall? “The Ohaneze Youth Council is saying it loud and clear that these appointments

THE OHANEZE YOUTH COUNCIL IS SAYING IT LOUD AND CLEAR THAT THESE APPOINTMENTS ARE UNACCEPTABLE TO US AND WE URGE MR. PRESIDENT TO REVERSE THEM

are unacceptable to us and we urge Mr. President to reverse them, otherwise it would appear that there is a grand-design to annihilate the Igbos out of the political and economic system in this country. ” However, the Secretary General of the Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu appealed to his kinsmen to remain calm in the pattern of appointments which he said has completely excluded Ndigbo from key strategic positions in the Federal Government. The group urged Ndigbo to continue to be nation builders anywhere they are and not to be downcast by what has happened. “Ohanaeze strongly believes that a President of Nigeria is the president for all Nigerians and that equity and fairplay for all Nigerians will be respected, ” Nwaorgu said. Speaking in similar voice, Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG), a pan-Yoruba socio-

political organisation criticised Buhari over the appointments In a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Kunle Famoriyo, the group said the appointments had created many confusing interpretations, instead of galvanising the country towards an expected course to rebuild Nigeria as charted in All Progressives Congress, APC, manifestoes. Afenifere said, “Our people have hope that the new administration would engender genuine rapprochement between nationalities in Nigeria; but there are now growing perception, at least, in the Southern parts of the country, that the President might be slipping into the stereotypical Northern hegemonist he was labelled as during the campaigns. ” According to the group, Nigeria was in deep crisis prior to the last election and that a new government was acutely

Nwa aorg gu

required, stressing that the present administration must stop what appeared to be the frittering away of the goodwill invested in it and “not treat our people with disdain; as they have not forgotten that exactly this kind of insensitivity marked the point of derail for the last administration. ” The group said Buhari and APC leaders must also remember that the party is not just a political platform but a product of an ideological belief that aims to stabilise Nigeria and bring it to its full potential by nurturing the kind of union

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Politics News

Sunday September 6, 2015

Buhari ’s 100 days in ofce, an unnecessary contention –CACOL STORIES BY: AYO ESAN

he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, has said that the issue of whether or not President Mohammadu Buhari ’s 100 days in office should be treated as a tradition for performance score-card, shouldn ’t be a subject of contention at all. This came on the heels of response to questions about a report on documents entitled “One hundred things Buhari will do in 100 days ” and “My Covenant with Nigerians ” which was contained in a statement made available

by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, that President Buhari did not promise Nigerians that he would achieve specific things within his first 100 days in office. The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Debo Adeniran, speaking on behalf of the coalition stressed that “having read and listened to the spate of contentious positions taken by those we want to describe as pro and anti Buhari ’s voices, we would want to ask President Buhari to remember the prevailing political atmosphere

under which he was voted in by Nigerians, as the man competent and trusted to confront the country ’s enormous, yet multi-faceted problems. Electorates believed that he has the required courage and guts to perform and achieve the desired result, hence he should avoid, in every way possible, being eroded into adopting or formulating policies that could be seen to be anti-people. ” He said Nigerians voted for change and that, that simply means that they were dissatisfied with the ways the country was being run then and had yearned for a

shift from the status quo. “That President Buhari has been in the saddle for 100 days is a fact; that certain promises were made either directly by him or by his party, the APC, during his electioneering is also a fact. Justifiably so, Nigerians reserve the moral right to demand that he delivers on those promises ”, he said. Speaking further, Adeniran said “It therefore behoves who promised to either begin to deliver on the promises right-away or at least, begin to say something to these same people, about his mode of operation or measures

through which he intends to address pressing issues. “He could even open up with his blue-print on action plans on certain aspects of his programme. And if he believes that he has, within this relatively little time, put in place certain things, whether conclusively or in process, we do not see anything wrong in coming out to brandish his scorecard for all to see ”. The group further said, “Proactive effort is one thing, result is another; but whichever way it comes, would certainly

Osun PDP lawmaker absolves Aregbesola of non-performance

L-R: Bauchi State Deputy Chief of Staff, Alhaji Umar Tafawa-Balewa; Chief of Staff, Alhaji Abdu Sule-Katagum and Head of Civil Service, Mr. Abdon Gin, during a state ministerial briefing at the Government House in Bauchi at the weekend.

Group urges PDP to conduct free, fair, primaries in Kogi

head of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governorship primaries in Kogi State slated for Thursday this week, a group in the State PDP known as Relevant PDP stakeholders has called on the National body of the party to ensure that the primary is free, fair and transparent. The group in a statement which was signed by its President Mr. Haruna Khalid pointed out that they were making the call for free and fair, primary as a result of the information going round the state that a group which claimed to be well connected at the Party ’s National Secretariat in Abuja was allegedly planning to scuttle the primary Khalid in the statement

alleged that the group said to be headed by one Alhaji Jibirin Isah Echocho had perfected plans to begin another round of falsehood against the incumbent Governor, Idris Wada as a non-performer.. He said that after failing in their plot to label Wada as a non-performer, they have resorted to scuttling the upcoming ward congress or use other methods to achieve their aim. Khalid, who said they have been using propaganda to spread falsehood about Governor Wada, urged restraint for the interest of Kogi State. He alleged that the Echocho ’s camp is planning to sponsor an unknown aspirant in order to put spanners in the works of the primaries to split the ranks of the PDP

members. He argued that as far as the Kogi PDP is concerned nothing is known about this aspirant being prop up by Echocho in the state. “Some of the tactics they have chosen to employ is the use of fake ballot papers, spreading unsubstantiated rumours and lies through the media ”, he alleged. The Relevant PDP stakeholders further alleged that from the information available to them, the group within the party said to be headed by Echocho ‘ ’is acting the script of Abubakar Audu, the All Progressives Candidate who is known to all in the state as his in-law. ’ ’ ’ ’It was also learnt that there were plans to use court cases and propagan-

da after the primaries ”, Khalid further alleged. He group pointed out that it was baffled that the same Echocho, who had initially worked against the party ’s interest, has now suddenly shown interest in the party after his in-law Abubakar Audu had emerged the candidate of the opposition party, APC. He said this called for concern and that was why they want the national body of the party to ensure that all interests group in the party are closely monitored ahead of the primary so that no one would use any form of tactics to scuttle it. We don ’t want people who would destroy the PDP, we want free, fair and transparent primaries, ” the group said in the statement.

be better than a disturbing silence that could only open the door for unnecessary bickering, presumptions and insinuations among contending interest groups. ‘Granted that Buhari never hinged his preelection promises on a specified time-frame, as the APC is trying to remind the people, the fact still remains that promises such as, public declaration of assets; a free meal per day for school pupils; N5, 000 monthly allowance for the unemployed; and so on, were made.

inority Leaders of the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Oladejo Makinde, has exonerated the governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola of non-performance. This is just as the Assembly read a riot act over the poor handling and supervision of some of the developmental projects by civil servants and contractors. At a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Work and the contractor handling Osogbo-IkirunIla Odo road, Samya Nigeria Limited, called by the Assembly to review the work done on the project, Makinde said the accusation of non-performance against the governor was actually not true. Reacting to the explanation of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Engineer Nurudeen Adeagbo, Makinde, a member of the PDP said, “with your explanations, it is now clear that the allegations of non-performance against Mr. Governor were

Aregb beso ola

actually not his fault, but the fault of you the civil servants. “Mr. PS, I want to put it to you that you have not been doing your jobs very well. If you have supervised this project very well, this kind of situation would not have arise at all ”, he said. He described the contractor as unserious, just as he recommended sanction. The Speaker, Honourable Najeem Salaam also expressed dissatisfaction over the way and manner the project was being handle, blaming it on poor supervision. He said that the contract, being a Contractorfinance could have gone beyond the stage it is, if the contractor was actually committed. The speaker specifically blamed the technocrats in the ministry for poor supervision, saying, they have failed to justify their pay. “If you look at some of the 10 kilometer road per local government that we did, some of them are getting spoil now. If there have been proper supervision, we would have discovered all these. “Instead of doing your job properly, some of you have turned yourself to contractors at the detriment of your job ”, he said. The speaker then directed the ministry to contractors that handled those roads and asked them to go and correct their mistakes.

Opinion

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Uncensored U nc

Sheriff S Folarin

E-mail: Sheryfffolarin@yahoo.com 07051653138(SMS only)

he Nigerian President seemed to have stirred the hornet’s nest by the most recent appointment of public officers. The general belief was that his appointments since inauguration have tilted towards his own section of the country- Northern Nigeria. Seven key officers were announced two weeks ago. These included the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief of Staff to the President, Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Immigration Service, Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the President on Media and Publicity, Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), and SSA to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives). From the observation of politically alert Nigerians, only two officers- Femi Adesina (SSA Media and Publicity) and Ita Enang (SSA Senate) are not Northerners as the other five are from the North. The two offices given to the South in the latest seven appointments are also considered less strategic or significant. The SGF, CoS, CGs of Customs and Immigrations are the more important positions in terms of substance, decision-making or shots-calling as well as control of national money. The SGF, CoS and CG Customs in Nigeria are not ordinary public offices; that is where the heart of the government is, in terms of bureaucratic command, control and revenue respectively. Such appointments, it is believed, have empowered the North and clearly shown

Safety Tips with

Jonas Agwu

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

everally, I have received text messages, emails and phone calls from concern motorists on the increasing cases of lane indiscipline. The most recent was on Sunday, the 30th of September, 2015, when a couple of my friends during the old boys meeting of CMS Grammar School, Lagos, Abuja Chapter carpeted and verbally battered my colleagues and I at the Federal Road Safety Corps for what one of them described as our lack luster attitude to curb the increasing cases of lane indiscipline which is prevalent in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. The colleague whom I will simply refer to as Senior Ken, wondered why this was happening in a place like Abuja despite the prevalence of functional traffic lights and numerous junctions meant to make driving easier. He lamented that it is also common on the highway to find drivers who despite the rule that states that the left lane is for overtaking while the right lane is for slower vehicles, could remain on the left lane during a three to six hours drive without making way for other road users as mandated by the traffic regulations. At traffic light points and junctions, such drivers instead of remaining in the middle lane since they are driving straight and freeing the right or left lanes for drivers turning to either the left or right, would arrogantly block the right or the left lane and would not give way even when all the vehicles behind blare their horn to alert them. He also reminded me that

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Buhari: The appointments and the disappointments where the heart of the President is. Analysts went to the works, taking stock of the current administration’s appointments so far and surmising that they are lopsided, with the North being the most favoured. According to them, key positions, including that of the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS), Chief Security Officer, Aide de Camp, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief of Defence Intelligence, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Air Staff, among others, were offered to the North on a plate, while the Southeast and Southwest are left to scramble for the few less strategic and almost inconsequential positions. The analysts and commentators summed up the appointments as sectional, patronizing of his part of the country and unacceptable. In view of the fact that the top of the political ladder was already choked with Northerners (Senate President-a Northerner with Southwest roots and Speaker of the House of Representative, a core Northerner), it was considered inappropriate of the President to be insensitive to the sentiments of the people. They hit Buhari below the belt, calling him an ethnic chauvinist, whose actual mission and true colours are beginning to manifest. Buhari’s seeming ‘Northernization’ agenda has been thrown at us, the Change diehards, to spite our group and prove to us that Buhari is just being true to his Hausa-Fulani origin and had like a typical Northern politician or power monger, used the rest of Nigeria and dumped them out there in the cold! References were made to MKO Abiola, who was used by Shagari (a Fulani) and his North-controlled NPN to fund and win elections and was later dumped; Alimi, a Fulani warrior- Islamic scholar who used Afonja to gain Ilorin and eventually dumped/betrayed the latter; Abacha, a Hausa man who later stabbed in the back everyone he had used to stage and consolidate power after his November 17, 1993 military coup. The sentiment is that Buhari is just another Northerner who cannot be trusted and

that Tinubu, Oyegun, Amaechi and other Buhari apologists that worked for his electoral victory have just been holed up in a “One Chance” Efulefu-bound Buhari-branded commercial bus. And that the destination, if the bus would eventually stop somewhere, is the Lagos lagoon! The “Change” philosophy is thus questioned: what has changed and how does Buhari represent change when he has kept up with the old traditions and brazenly demonstrated that every Northerner in power populates and saturates the public space with his people? The old game and agenda to return power to the North and subject the massive Nigerian State of over 250 ethnic groups and with about 170 million people to Hausa-Fulani hegemony are panning out under the new leader. This is the reasoning of majority of the people, including members of the opposition party, the Southwest and Southeast folk who supported President Buhari all the way to electoral victory and some of his Northern kinsmen. While it is apparent and true that in over thirty appointments made so far by the current administration Northern Nigeria has had more slots, it makes no sense to reduce it to a ‘Northernization’ agenda. Buhari is an older man now and old age comes with experience and wisdom. He cannot be that insensitive to the ethnic and sectional dichotomies inherent in the Nigerian State as well as embers of sectional frictions that political appointments fan in this part of the world. This must have informed the choice of a Southwesterner as Chief of General Staff (the highest office in the military command structure in the land), South-Southerner as Chief of Naval Staff, Southeasterner as Director-General of the NNPC (the most important office in the oil sector in the country, which is also the controller of Nigeria’s oil wealth), South-Southerner as Inspector-General of Police, and several more. It has not only taken time for Buhari to make his appointments; it has also been speculated that the man keeps checking frantically and meticulously the records of each candidate under

consideration before finally settling for them. This implies that ethnic or sectional consideration might be far from the parameters. Buhari might have been too meticulous or too fastidious and expects anyone he wishes to make a public office holder a man or woman without blemish. This puritanical approach might be the reason he has dropped almost every Nigerian penciled down for one appointment or the other. President Buhari might have given up on those he had trusted after discovering a stain somewhere and might now have settled for appointing only those he closely knows- these might include persons he grew up with, he schooled or had military service with, people he can personally vouch for. Incidentally, most of such persons will naturally be around the geographical location of his roots. If there are others outside the North, they would be persons he knew personally or those recommended by people working with him for whom he has high regards, such as Vice-President Yemi Osibajo. For the sake of our collective and personal development as Nigerians, and for the country to bounce back, our minds should be preoccupied with development-the ultimate goal of governance; and not ethnic or sectional interests and mundane things like political appointments. The easiest way to kill the “nation” is by reading ethnic, regional or religious meaning to every act of the state. We are all black people, Africans and we are all Nigerians. The tongue does and should not count. Once we consider ourselves as One Nigeria under God, we will not budge if Buhari appoints even Fulani to all the mistrial positions in the land. Meritorious service, delivery of democratic dividends and the good national life are what matter; not tribe or tongue. •Sheriff Folarin (PhD), an Associate Professor of Politics and International Relations, is a former Head of Department of Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.

Lane indiscipline driving lane indiscipline or what he also called reckless and irresponsible driving is also pronounced in other parts of the country including the major highways. This madness he posited ,is responsible for, road traffic crashes, gridlocks in major routes within the Federal Capital such as the Nyanya-Karu axis, Kubwa highway and Gwarimpa, just to mention a few and daily paints our nation as lawless. Senior Ken summed up his worry which I share by noting that it is indeed crazy to see adults and parents who profess all kind of faith through the kind of stickers on their cars exhibit crash irresponsibility at traffic junctions, roundabouts and or traffic points. The battering I got last Sunday prompted me to do this piece with the same title, Lane indiscipline driving. Lane in discipline is when a driver intentionally straddles on to another lane that is not theirs and does not keep within the lines of their lane. Whether done intentionally but not safely, or if the driver is completely unaware, this is a form of dangerous driving that could lead to a road traffic crash and is a traffic offence. Safe and correct lane discipline is essential for smooth traffic flow and for a crash free driving environment. Bad lane discipline is often the result of a lack of unplanned journey, and lack of concentration and mostly a demonstration of gross disregard for laid down traffic rules. In the words of one of senior Ken, lane indiscipline or impunity driving is the result of lack of morals as he noted that a driver who is culturally nurtured will comply with laid down rules and show respect for others. Like I said lane indiscipline is common at roundabouts where drivers are to give way to vehicles on the right, at junctions, traffic light junctions and also along the highways I will allow the Highway Code which is our guide to teach us because I know that most Ni-

gerians even though they claim to have attended driving schools and have copies of the Highway Code rarely take time to study this vital document whose contents holds the key to their safety on the road. I have therefore decided to vomit the Highway Code contents in this regard What then are Lanes? According to the Nigerian Highway Code, lanes are spaces on the road demarcated by lines to guide traffic flow moving in the same or opposite direction. For traffic in the same direction, the lines are normally yellow. Lines separating traffic moving in the opposite direction are usually white. The lines may be broken or solid, indicating whether or not they may be crossed. Usually broken lines may be crossed while solid lines are not expected to be crossed. There are rules guiding lanes and according to the Highway Code, you are to keep between the traffic lane markings. Stay on the right- hand lane unless you are ready to overtake, to turn left or pass an obstruction. Do not unnecessary hop lane. If you need to move into another lane, first use your mirror and if it is safe to move over, signal before doing so. Do not endanger the road users by your act. After joining the highway, stay on the inside lane long enough to blend to the speed of traffic before overtaking. On a two lanes road, you are to drive in the right hand lane on a two-lane carriageway, except when overtaking while on a three lanes road On a three-lane carriageway, you may stay in the middle lane when traffic is slower on the inside lane, but you should return to the inside lane when you have passed them. The outside lane is for overtaking ONLY. If you use it always move back into the middle lane and then into the inside lanes as soon as you can, but without cutting in. The same Highway Code guides us on how to overtake thus; overtake

only on the left lane, unless traffic is moving in queues in all lanes and you have no choice but to keep moving forward where you are. Do not move to a lane on your right to overtake. Hard shoulders are meant for maneuvering during emergencies only. The hard shoulder is there for emergency use only, and you should never use it for anything like overtaking! Occasionally if other lanes of the motorway are closed the hard shoulder will be used as a temporary lane, but in virtually all road conditions you should never use the hard shoulder. When coming to junction, obey any lane indication arrows marked on the road. These markings are also there at roundabouts, traffic light junctions and highways. At the Traffic Light at Junctions, although green light means you may go, do not go forward if other vehicles ahead are held up at the junction. When the red and amber lights are showing together you must stop. It is an offence to pass a junction when the red and amber lights are shown. Make sure you stop at the stop line (double lines) to enable you see the lights. In a traffic gridlock so-called “traffic jams”, do not try to “jump the queue” by cutting into another lane or unauthorized use of siren to overtake the vehicle waiting in front of you. The Highway Code says that for slow moving vehicle on a single carriage, they way must ensure that they pull-over when four or more vehicles queue up behind them warning that failure to pull-over is a traffic violation. On a dual carriage way, all vehicles must keep to the slow lane except when overtaking. It is an offence not to do so.

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

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Sunday, September 6, 2015

Man in the News Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, AFDB President

New challenges for an achiever AYO ESAN

ormer Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi Adesina last Tuesday officially resumed duty as the new President of the African Development Bank, AfDB, taking over from the former President, Donald Kaberuka. Adewumi emerged as the President of AFDB when he beat seven other contenders for the top job in Abidjan, the capital of Cote D ’Ivoire where the African Development Bank held its Annual General Meeting on May 28, 2015. He is the 8th official president of the AFDB At his investiture which took place in Ivory Coast, prominent Nigerians such as former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, former Minister of Finance, Chief Ngozi Okonjo Iweala as well as Vice President Yemi Osinbajo were in attendance . Adesina who brings his high level of experience and expertise to head the bank is the first Nigeria to occupy the post. A son of a farmer, Adesina believes agriculture can be a major tool in reducing the rate of poverty and unemployment and that the sector has remained untapped. While he was the minister he changed the old method of gov¬ernment ’s involvement in di-rect procurement and distri¬bution of fertiliser describing it as unsustainable . His policy of deregulating of the fertiliser sub-sector cre¬ated a new lease of life for stakeholders in fertiliser business who no longer have to come knocking at the min¬ister ’s door for allocations as they were selling their fertiliser without recourse to govern¬ment Also private sector investment into agriculture rose to unprecedented level during his tenure , arising from both local and foreign direct investment because of the reforms in the agricultural sector. This in¬cludes the decision by Dan¬gote on August 2014 to invest $1 billion in commercial rice production in Nigeria, which was the largest ever single in-vestment on food production in Africa. Currently, Olam ’s investment of $70 million in a fully mechanised rice farm is visible in Nassarawa State in response to the investor-friendly policy under the Adesina ’s leadership in the ministry of agriculture. Adesina, after his election as AFDB president in May this year has promised to work hard with all Africans, namely governments to deliver more inclusive economic growth across the African continent.

He said his vision is to help build a new Africa with prosperous, sustainable and inclusive growth; one that is peaceful, secure and united, regionally integrated and globally competitive. “A continent filled with hope, opportunities, liberties and freedom, with shared prosperity for all. An Africa that is open to the world, one that Africans are proud to call home. For this new Africa, we must recognize and appreciate our remarkable gains from the past, critically reflect on emerging challenges for the future, and realign our strategic approaches to ensure that this new Africa emerges. The African Development Bank as Africa ’s foremost development finance institution has a major transfor-

mative role to play in this journey. He said the focus under his presidency would be to: Build and consolidate on the remarkable gains already made by previous Presidents of the Bank and work closely with the Bank ’s shareholders to implement its strategic plan to position the Bank for even greater performance, efficiency and effectiveness in delivering transformational impact for Africa. “Catalyze and mobilize resources globally for the Bank Group and the continent through strategic partnerships. “Leverage the Bank Group ’s market and concessional windows to ensure that adequate financial resources are available to all regional member countries from the African Development Bank

(ADB) and the African Development Fund (ADF). “Nurture first-rate multi-lingual staff at the Bank with the skills required to usher in a new Africa. The diverse gender-balanced world-class human resource pool will comprise of globally respected professionals, and performance-based incentives will be adopted to attract top-notch talent. “Foster strong ethics, transparency, good governance and accountability within the Bank to enable it become known as “Africa ’s Bank for integrity ” “Ensure that the Bank adopts a “people-oriented approach ”, able to address and meet the needs of millions of Africans – a true development Bank for Africa. “Transform the Bank into a “go-to-institution ” on development in Africa, with renewed and strong partnerships with its member countries, the Africa Union, the Economic Commission for Africa and the Regional Economic Communities. “Re-ignite the passion of the Bank ’s staff to work diligently and selflessly to attain the mission of the Bank, to spur sustainable economic development and social progress in its regional member countries. To achieve this vision, I will focus on driving execution in five key interrelated strategic priority areas that are all linked to the Bank ’s Ten Year Strategy and advances the implementation of the Africa 2063 Agenda of the African Union. Until his appointment as Minister in 2010, he was Vice President of Policy and Partnerships for the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, AGRA. He was born to a Nigerian farmer in Ogun State He received a bachelor ’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ife, (Obafemi Awolowo University) and a PhD in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University (1988). He worked at the Rockefeller Foundation since winning a fellowship from the Foundation as a senior scientist in 1988. From 1999 to 2003 he was the representative of the Foundation for the southern African area. From 2003 until 2008 to the present he was an associate director for food security. In July 2007, he was awarded the YARA Prize for the African Green Revolution in Oslo. In 2008, Purdue University ’s College of Agriculture gave him their Distinguished Agricultural Alumni Award. In 2010 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Franklin and Marshall College In 2013, he was named as Forbes African Person of the Year. On May 5, 2015, he was awarded an Extraordinary Achievement Award by Silverbird Television.

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Wellness YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES September 6, 2015

Asthma, a life threatening disease TITILOPE MORAKINYO

sthma, a chronic medical condition that affects the reversible airway obstruction characterised by a triad of bronchial smooth muscle contraction, airway inflammation, and increased secretions; it is a major health problem for all age groups. For the majority, control of asthma symptoms is readily achieved; however, in a small minority, asthma may cause death. Although the mortality rate for asthma in those aged less than 65 years are now falling, and an increasing rate of deaths in developing countries yearly. Asthma is a disease which requires continual monitoring, treatment and identifying the specific allergens or irritant causing symptoms is a particular individual. If a severe attack id not recognized in time and emergency treatment obtained, an asthmatic patient can pass out or die untimely. According to experts, Asthma rates are increasing in countries around the world and the disease currently affects over 300 million people globally, this they deduced may be due to increased levels of chemicals in our environment. In an interview with Sunday Mirror, Dr. Olaiya Awe, a medical practitioner with the Bishop Awe Medical Center, Abaranje, Lagos, defined Asthma as a long lasting inflammatory disease of the airways which require continual monitoring and treatment. He said, “Inflammation is associated with airways hyper-responsiveness that leads to recurrent episodes of wheezing, breathlessness, chest tightness and coughing, particularly at night, or in the early morning. These episodes are usually associated with widespread but variable airflow obstruction within the lung that is often reversible, either spontaneously or with treatment. In persons susceptible to Asthma, the inflammation

cause the airways to spasm and swell periodically so that the airways narrow ” He, however, said while the individual wheezes or gasps for air it makes the airways hyper responsive to stimuli such as cold air, exercise, dust mites, pollutants, stress and anxiety. “The changes that take place in the lungs of people with Asthma make the airways i.e. the breathing tubes or bronchi and the smaller bronchioles, hyperactive on different types of stimuli that do not affect the healthy lungs. In an Asthma attack, the muscle tissue i n t h e walls o f bronchi goes i n t o spasm thereby making the cells l i n i n g swell and mucus secreted into the airways ”, he explained. He stressed that these actions cause the bronchi to become narrowed, which is medically termed, Broncho constriction; as a result, the asthmatic patient has to put greater efforts to breathe in air and expel it. He insisted that avoiding or at least, minimizing exposure to Asthma triggering agents is the most effective way of managing or treating asthma, adding that it is helpful to identify the specific irritant causing the signs of asthma in an individual that include exposure to dust mites, tobacco and wood smoke.

Models

In terms of treatment, he stated that “the type of asthma being suffered by an individual determines the medication to be used by the patient and the aim of treatment is to control the disease; however, a good asthma control will prevent chronic and troublesome symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath. It also reduces the need for quick relief treatment such that it helps preserve good lung function, maintaining the normal activity level and sleep through the night. Effective control will prevent attacks that could result in an emergency room visit or hospital stay ”, he maintained. He further, noted that for asthma patients to stay healthy, they need to partner with doctors or other health care providers to help manage the ailment. Asthma has a familiar tendency whereby family history is a risk factor for the disease, with many different genes implicated. If one identical twin is affected, the probability of the other having the

disease is approximately whereby there is an increased risk to develop asthma. Medical experts need to take an active role in their asthma care by creating an action plan, which includes guidance on taking medicines properly, tackling the level of asthma control, responding to worsening symptoms and seeking emergency care when needed. Medications can help manage asthma thereby doctor consider many things when deciding which asthma medicines are best for the disease, they check to see how well a medicine works and will adjust the dose or medicine if needed. The medicine can be taken in pill form, but most are taken using a device called an inhaler. An inhaler allows the medicine to go directly to the lungs “Treatment of acute symptoms is usually with an inhaled short-acting such as salbutamol and oral corticosteroids. In very severe cases, intravenous corticosteroids, magnesium sulphate, and hospitalisation may be required. The use of inhaled corticosteroids, long-acting beta agonists (LABA) or leukotriene antagonists may be used in addition to inhaled corticosteroids if asthma symptoms remain controlled ”, However, not all inhalers are used the same way, doctor show the right way use the inhaler and it is reviewed the way to use the inhaler is used at every medical visit. When the treatment begins at first, the patients consult the medical practitioner every two to six weeks but once it controlled it may be from once a month to twice a year. The help of friends, neighbors and parents as regards sufferer of the illness sets in assisting of living a prolong life, there should be a close monitoring on an asthmatic in times of crisis and nearness of medicine inhaler in place. Parents should also endeavour that there is no discrimination among the siblings, while friends should rush an asthmatic to the nearest hospital it time of crisis.

HEALTH NEWS

WHO acknowledges Liberia for halting Ebola transmission

orld Health Organisation has again declared Liberia free of Ebola virus transmission after it effectively handled fresh incidence in June. A statement issued by the UN agency on Thursday in Kigali said Liberia ’s response to the scourge was due to intensified vigilance by government and multiple partners. “Members of the com-

munity were engaged and effectively contributed to contact tracing and social mobilization. International partners supported the government in areas such as technical assistance, provision of personnel, food, supplies and equipment ’ ’ the statement said. The transmission had previously been declared over on May 9, 2015, but the disease re-emerged

in June as six additional cases were identified. According to the statement, out of the six cases two deaths were recorded with no health worker was infected. Reports indicates that on June 29, 2015, midway through the first 90-day period, a routine postmortem swab taken from a 17 year-old male, who died on 28 June, tested positive for Ebola virus disease.

USAID begins construction of warehouse for essential drugs

he United State Agency for International Development (USAID) has begun the construction of its warehouse for proper storage of essential medicines and health products in Nigeria. Speaking at the Ground Breaking Ceremony in Lagos, its Director, Mr Mike Harvey, said the project was a state-of-theart warehouse. The “Warehouse-In-a Box ’ ’ is sited at the Federal Medical Store Oshodi,

Lagos. This warehouse will serve as a storage facility, one of those planned to be built in Lagos with the support of the U.S. and the Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria.

“This facility will support the country ’s pharmaceutical supply chain, and once this is up and running, the warehouse will make sure that women, children and families in Nigeria get quality

drugs. It will also help to provide quality drugs in every part of the country, ’ ’ Harvey said. He added that the warehouse would be funded by USAID and the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria. “The total fund for the construction would be five million dollars, with USAID providing four million, while Global Fund and the private sector will source the rest, ’ ’ he said.

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Sunday, September 6, 2015

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

SUNDAY OLAJIDE MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO BEN MEMULETIWON ACTING DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN SUNDAY EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR AUGUSTUS IMEKAN ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Adebowale Adefuye, diplomat extraordinaire

igeria has lost a diplomat extraordinaire, a skilful actor in the international arena whose imaginative skills and unyielding resolve, have won for the country plaudits globally Professor Adebowale Ibidapo Adefuye, Nigeria ’s last ambassador to the United States of America, died in Washington DC on Thursday August 28, 2015 at aged 68, after a brief illness, at a time he was waiting oficially to sign off his assignment, being one of the non-career ambassadors earlier recalled by President Muhammadu Buhari. Adefuye, who was born in IjebuIgbo, Ogun State, in 1947, received his first degree in History at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in 1969 and went ahead to cap it with a PhD in 1973. He later won Fulbright Fellowship that took him to Columbia University; University of North Florida, and University of Florida in Gainesville, all in the United States. The highly cerebral academic started his teaching career at the University of Lagos, where he rose to the position of professor. Between 1985 and 87, Adefuye became the institution ’s Head of the History Department. Among the books he authored are “History of the Peoples of Lagos State ” (1987) and “Culture and Foreign Policy: The Nigerian Example ” (1993). He received his first diplomatic posting in 1987 to Jamaica as High Commissioner, with concurrent accreditation to Haiti and Belize. He was on this posting till 1991. From 1991 to 1994, he served as Deputy High Commissioner at the Nigerian High Commission in London, the United Kingdom. From there he was poached by the Commonwealth and given the portfolio of Deputy Director of Strategic Planning. After a 14 year stint at the Commonwealth, Adefuye joined the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) as an Advisor for two years between 2008 and 2010. Recognising his potential as a diplomat, the late President Umaru Musa Yar ’Adua in March 2010 appointed him as Nigeria ’s ambassador to the United States of America. He was retained in the same posting by former President Goodluck Jonathan. Adefuye ’s posting to the US came on

THE POPULAR ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADEFUYE ’S HUGELY SUCCESSFUL AND UNBLEMISHED CAREER IN INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMACY IS SEEN IN THE GLOWING TRIBUTES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD the heels of the international infamy caused by the action of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a Nigerian who attempted to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight headed from Amsterdam to Detroit on December 25, 2009. This development earned Nigeria the odious membership status of America ’s “country of interest ” terrorism watch list. The consequence was that the US authorities had had to subject Nigerians to all sorts of humiliations and indignities at the major United States airports. For Adefuye, his most compelling task on resumption was getting the US to delist Nigeria from that ignoble list. This he doggedly pursued with the mantra that Nigeria was not a terrorist country. His doggedness paid off when the then Secretary of State, Mrs. Hilary Clinton, announced the good news that Nigeria was removed from ignominious list. This became the first achievement of Adefuye. However, the greater part of the five years ’ stint of Adefuye as Nigerian ambassador to the US was used in perfecting a template for a collaborative and open dialogue with the authorities of his host country. One of the dividends of such robust engagement is the US-Nigeria Bi-National Commission, a strategic and veritable platform used extensively for expanding mutual cooperation between the two countries across a broad range of shared interests, which included pow-

er supply boosting in Nigeria and also agriculture promotion. It is instructive to note that Adefuye strategically used the US-Nigeria BiNational Commission platform to host a historic, “Nigerian Investment Power Forum, ” on March 10, 2011, where upon experts were drawn from the private and public sectors with the purpose of building partnerships between American and Nigerian companies and investors to work towards increasing electrical power generation and supply in Nigeria. One of such dividends is a $10 billion agreement Nigeria signed with General Electric (GE) to build power plants that could help increase national power supply by 10,000 megawatts. He also used the platform to facilitate a bi-national agreement on Regional Security, Good Governance, Electoral Reform, Niger Delta issues, etc between the two countries. This agreement was signed in April, 2010 by the then Secretary to the federal government, Mr. Ahmed Yayale, and former Secretary Hilary Clinton at the Department of State in Washington, DC. Adefuye ’s last major assignment was to receive President Buhari with his delegation during the former ’s official visit to the United States last July. The late Ambassador facilitated Mr. President several meetings with US leader, Barack Obama and his Vice President, senior state officials and representatives of America ’s business community. The success of this visit was largely attributed to Ambassador Adefuye ’s skills as a diplomat. The popular acknowledgement of Adefuye ’s hugely successful and unblemished career in international diplomacy is seen in the glowing tributes from all over the world. President Buhari described him as a patriotic diplomat that put higher national interest above partisan loyalty. The reaction of Chief Ojo Maduekwe, erstwhile Nigerian foreign minister and outgoing ambassador to Canada, to Adefuye ’s demise was “Nigeria is poorer for his exit ”. This newspaper ’s consolation to the family of Adefuye and the country is that he made a mark in Nigeria ’s international diplomacy worthy of emulation. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

Reminiscences SEPTEMBER 6 IN HISTORY 1915: Churchhill sponsors England ’s forst tank The first tank sponsored by the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, was produced named Little Willie in a factory in England. Before the end of World War I, the British were using them to fight the Germans. 1901: U.S. - President McKinley killed President McKinley is shot and wounded in Buffalo, New York by an anarchist named Leon Czolgosz. 1934: Austrian Army ready to fight Nazi ’s The Austrian Army is being deployed on the border with Yugoslavia as it is rumoured that the Nazi ’s will make another push into Austria in the coming days. 1941: Germany Jews ordered to wear yellow star of David The head of the Berlin Secret Police ordered all Jews over six years old to wear a yellow star of David on their coats together with the word Jew, and they are not to leave the area they have been assigned without obtaining police permission. 1943: U.S. - 79 killed as train derails A new high-speed train travelling between New York City and Washington, D.C., derails, killing 79 people. 1948: Netherlands ’ Queen Juliana inaugurated Queen Juliana was inaugurated today in Amsterdam, Netherlands. 1949: Germany - Allies abandon Volkswagen factory The Allied military authorities relinquished control of the Volkswagen factory which had become the largest car producer in Europe. 1965: India invades West Pakistan Indian troops have invaded West Pakistan, in an attack which appears to be aimed mainly at the city of Lahore. The attack is in retaliation for a covert operation by Pakistani soldiers into Indian territory. 1966: South Africa PM, Verwoerd, killed South African Prime Minister, Hendrik Verwoerd, who many believe was the architect of apartheid is stabbed to death during a parliamentary meeting in Cape Town. 1972: Germany - Israeli athletes killed A gun battle between the Palestinian group Black September who had kidnapped nine Israeli athletes from the Olympic Village in Munich ends when the nine hostages are killed in a gun battle between German Police and the terrorists at a nearby airport.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

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EDIFYING GOD Sunday September 6, 2015

Let God confront them,, says Pastor Muokaa 24

The kingdom of God is not here42now

QUOTE

First, we must understand that God’s Word is not just full of revelations, but also of spiritual pictures. This is because the Word of God is a spiritual mirror that shows us who we are, what we are worth and what we can do (James 1:2325). –Bishop David Oyedepo

‘Sata ‘S SSata ata miss mission issio ion the wo the wor

Great divide over Trinitarian doctrine 41

22 & 23

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Vineyard

Briefly Agbo Igbala ti Kristi Church holds convention

Celebration

his year (2015) annual convention of Agbo Igbala ti Kristi (Aladura) Church 70 patey street, Lagos known as and called ‘’Mount gorriebullah’’ (Ori oke ire/ Mount of Goodness) will take place from 12th through 18th September 2015. The theme for this 7day convention is ‘’O Lord do something for the sake of your name’’ (Jeremiah 14:7) This august occasion attracts people from within Nigeria and Diaspora. During this period, members are expected to engage in white fast. Also fire brand prayers are embarked upon on three hourly basis. Seminar will be part of the programmed this year and various topics centered on the needs of every Christian such as ‘’Keys to successful marriage; the church, its purpose and organization; church’s doctrine both major and minor; the Pastoral office and evangelism will be discussed’’. The seminar for each day takes place between 3:00-5:00p.m. Followed by an hour prayer that ends at 6:00p.m. Prominent ministers of God are going to minister the word of God to every participant’s soul. There will be vigil service from day one to the last day. Also lady evangelist ad tutu Thomas and evangelist dare melody are expected to feature there in order to make the occasion a memorable one. The convention is a non denominational programmed in which both Christians of different denominations and non Christian alike participate give glory to the almighty God for wonders and signs that follow because it is not a dull moment. Come and you will not remain the same. Come with your faith and our Lord Jesus Christ is ready to profer solution to your life’s challenge (s) no matter how chronic and difficult it is. Matthew 11:28-saye: ‘’come unto me all ye that lab our and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light’’. This is an occasion for you to encounter with the living God and his son, Jesus Christ. ‘’He is the way, the truth and the life. no one comes to the father except through him’’ (John 14:6) the Holy Ghost will comfort you and guide you to the right path. Have a pleasant time with your Living God.

Impact Christian Life Ministry organises crusade

mpact Christian Life Ministry (aka World Changers), an interdenominational ministry, is set to hold a 3-night power packed miracle crusade this weekend. The event which started on September 4 will end today at Harmony Land Schools Field, Agbede, Ikorodu, Lagos.

The organisers strongly believe that miracles, signs and wonders will take place at the crusade just like in their past programmes. They are encouraging people to bring sick, those with incurable diseases and hopeless cases to the venue of the crusade, as God’s power will be present to save, heal and set the captives free. Expected to minister include Dr John Osuoha and other anointed servants of God. Another Miracle crusade will also hold on Friday September 11th 2015 at Lagos State Polytechnic Field, Ikorodu, where Pastor W. F. Kumuyi will be ministering live.

Sunday September 6, 2015

Nigerians urged to preach the gospel to lost souls …as GEMI holds annual convention

Delegates from Benin Republic

JULIET UMEH

he Bishop of Grace Evangel Mission Inc., Dr. Jacob Okose, has urged Christians and Nigerians to continually put God first in all they do as well as preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to lost souls.

Okose, who gave this charge on the occasion of the grand finale of the international annual convention of Grace Evangel Mission Inc tagged “Times of Refreshing”, held in the church premises in Lagos also urged members and ministers, worldwide, to continue directing such redeemed souls so as to promote the vision of the church. Speaking on the benefits of the convention, he revealed that it is a period of spiritual rejuvenation for the worshippers after they have worked for so long, adding that it avails them as a family to brainstorm, work together, set goals for the ministry as well as refresh in the presence of God. “We want to bring everybody to flow in the same realm because we have a lot of people that have joined the ministry since the past year. We also want everybody to understand the change or dynamics in terms of administration and the direction the church is going. That is the key area we are focusing on for this convention. It is also a time for spiritual rejuvenation for the people because after working for so long, people need to take time out to refresh. This is the reason

Ministers observing the hoisting of the flag

that we are waiting for refreshment in the presence of God. It a period we as a family brainstorm, work together and set goals for the ministry”, he revealed. The week-long programme which commenced with a pre-convention of the church leadership and workers summit, featured word exposition and prayers, miracle service for impartation, life and relation issues workshop, health clinic, praise and worship saw the presence of delegates from Nigeria and abroad. Key areas which were treated indepth included seminars and Bible studies, church planting movement, raising reproducible disciples and churches, stewardship of service and resources, overcoming poverty, managing conflict in the church and society as well as rebuilding the bridges to prosperity. According to the chairman of the convention organizing committee, Rev. Mrs. Rosemary Ohio-Ehimiaghe, the aftermath of this refreshing time was a communiqué signed by the church leaders in which they testify to the transformation which had taken place in their psyche, spirits and minds. “We also aim to get empowered through the Holy Spirit to carry out exploits in our fields and initiate sustainable economic projects and ventures that will lead us and the church to be self-supportive. Equally, we plan to plant 48 churches and by the Grace of God have 1000 fresh converts to faith in the next 12 months,” she revealed. The convention proper commenced

with a glamorous opening ceremony that witnessed the hoisting of the ministry as well as attending countries’ flag, song and dance presentations, ministration f the Word as well as prayers. The neighbourhood was not left out of this event as the church used the opportunity to exercise social corporate responsibility whereby many of the neighbours enjoyed free medical services from the church. Last weekend witnessed the convention clinic opening to the general public for health check-up and free eye clinic for all and sundry. Afterwards, they continued with the seminar on church planting movement, wealth creation and dieting for all members of the church. The event was attended by delegates from branches all over Nigeria including Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Owerri in Imo State, Asaba, Onitsha-Olona and Idumuje towns in Delta State, Jalingo in Taraba State, Mubi and Michika in Adamawa State, Ejigbo, Ojodu, Ikotun and Okota in Lagos State and delegates from outside Nigeria such as Cameroon and Benin Republic. The convention which was free of emergencies, security challenges or casualties, recorded miraculous interventions as people were saved, healed, delivered and gained breakthrough such that the leaders claimed that the next convention would be a harvest of testimonies of the goodness of God in worshippers’ lives owing to the fact that they were present at the 2015 edition.

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Miracle Arena with Bishop

Theo Ugochukwu

he God we serve is a very present God and to enjoy the full presence which his divine presence presents you definitely have to be presently present in His presence. If you call God your father, it will be a serious dishonor to your destiny if you are far from His presence.

Psalm 91:1 -3 says “He who dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadows of the almighty, I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress; My God in Him I will trust. Surely he shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence”. This scripture describes the relationship of the son who is close to the father. The child that is constantly close to the father, benefits from the father. When you go far away from God, your destiny becomes a question mark and you will run dry of divine happenings. A river that departs from its source shall eventually run dry. Psalm 16:11 says “You will show me the path of life; in your presence is fullness of joy. At your right hand are pleasures forever more”. God’s presence brings joy and happiness in anyone’s life. What breaks our relationship with God is nothing but sin, because the bible says again in Isaiah 59:1-2 “Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden his face from you so that He will not hear”. When the relationship between you and your God is

Freedom Hour with

Prophet S. O.

Akinpelu Tel: 08080720684, 08056763215

omans 12:2, And be not conformed to this world but ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. This verse make it abundantly clear that we cannot afford to remain the same if you hold on to the notion that you can progress without transformation, you will never walk in the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. This should be our greatest desire. The Lord is telling us through his work exactly how to go about marketing an move for the better by the renewing of the mind” TOTAL SURRENDER.” The moment we accept Jesus as our Lord and saviour, our first change, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and begins to open our eyes to spiritual truth. After this initial step, however many have problem, where a struggling power often takes place and we sense a re-

From the Pulpit 21

Sunday September 6, 2015

Abiding in God’s presence (1) broken, you are on your own. A man started having extra marital affairs to the extent that all that he labored for were consumed by strange women. By the time somebody brought him to me he had run dry, and I asked him whether he use to pay his wife before they sleep together, and he said no, but before he came to the realisation of what has happened to him, he has ran dry. Sin is a killer of destiny. Sin separates you from the joy and prosperity of marital blessings. When the prodigal son left his father, he was on his own. Luke 15:13-14 “And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living; so when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land and he began to be in want”. He was living comfortably when he was with his father, but the moment he broke away from the covering and the presence of his father, he lost all that he had. The Holy Spirit has nothing to do with you when you are disconnected from your heavenly father because your father is your teacher, your protector and your counselor. The moment the prodigal son was disconnected from his father, things he never experienced in his life choked him. When you are disconnected from your father, your enemies and adversaries will come after you. It is deadly to confront the enemy when you are disconnected from the presence of God. Some years ago, while waiting in prayer for the move of God in the ministry, the Lord told me to tell the members to embark on a thirty days prayer. Four days to

the breaking of the fast, the Lord said that I should not break it with them until I heard from him. That was the beginning of a life of God’s divine presence. My own ended in four hundred days. The last day of the four hundred days, I saw in a revelation a very big sign post, what was written on it was “AT LAST”. This encounter became the turning point in my spiritual life. Again the Lord said to me on the 21st of July 2015, that all Fridays in Nov. 2015 should be Freedom Night. Anytime you run after the healing and leave the healer, you will lose the healing. If you run after the miracle and leave the miracle God, you will lose the miracle. It is dangerous to run after blessings and leave He who gives blessings. This is the reason a lot of people are

asking questions today and making such remarks as “I have been worshipping God for many years, yet no change in my life and situations”. It is not about running from one programme after another. It is all about abiding in God’s presence. Today, I pray that you will return to the Holy presence of your Heavenly Father in Jesus Name, Amen. •For more information, contact: Bishop Theo Ugochukwu – General Overseer, Miracle Assembly Bible Church, a.k.a. The City of Joy, 80, Ajose Street, Mende, Maryland, Lagos; Tel: 08033461482. Email: bishopgracemiracle@ ymail.com

Power to change your destiny luctance to forfeit full control over our minds, our lives and our circumstances. For a doubting THOMAS that is not sure that total surrender is the right path to take, read what took place in the life of Cain (Genesis 4:11-end) read the story and learn what happened to Seth his brother Abel’s replacement. Seth’s family begins to acknowledge and call upon the name of the lord in evening situation. Transformation means a marked changed in appearance and character. Like an eagle one of God’s amazing creation, approximately every seven years an eagle must renew itself. Their living feature becomes brittle and laden with oil and dirt. The mighty eagle retires to a cave or hiding place high above the reach of predators. There he begins the arduous process of renewal with his great beak he plucks out the wing feathers one by one; next each talon is removed, claw by claw, until the bird is defenseless except for his beak which he proceeds to smash against the rock until it too is broken off. Patiently the bird wait until his feather, talons and beak are renewed. The old eagle is gone and a new version emerges. The transformation is complete old feathers represent

old insights and failure by removing the past; we allow the new to spring forth. Isaiah 43: 18-19. Jesus told a parable explaining the stage we are before conversion and sometimes even after words John 12: 24-25, if there is no dying to our habits, attitudes and belief system how can the word empty the old and refill us with new?, unless we fill this void in our spirit with truth, we will never be set free. There will be no change or growth. Kind Saul, the predecessor of King David had a chance to lead according to his father’s plan. However, as we read in 1 Samuel 16; his willful personality and his own desires caused him to miss out the blessing of God. What was the difference between the two men? King David’s brokenness and willing to change brought repentance. He had a heart for God, why should our walk with the Lord be any different than King David or one of the original disciples? After all these are our example of how to go forth in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and walk in freedom, After their conversion to Christ the disciple gave up their home, friend

and family mattew 10:38, Luke 9:59-60. Before bearing the king, the fruit Jesus expected from you is total commitment was required for a change of Destiny from bad to Good. DREAM OF YOUR FREEDOM 1. COUGH: It is a portent of impending disaster, such as flood, fire or physical disability. If you dream of having a cough. 2. BURIAL/FUNERAL: Dream of burial is business calamity reversal and disasters 3. LANTERN/ LAMP: To light a lamp in a dream means that someone to whom you have done a kindness will reciprocate. To hand a Lantern/ Lamp so that it guide people predict that you will have a piece of good luck. To break a lamp it means that someone will distrust you. •For prayer and Counseling on your dream, call: 08080720684, 08056763215. Prophet Sam. O. Akinpelu of The Living God Freedom Church, C&S Prayer list Chapel , Agbado Railway Station, Alagbado. Lagos

Cover

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Great divide over T

he Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three consubstantial persons, expressions, or hypostases; the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit; one God in three persons that are distinct, yet are one substance, essence or nature. According to this central mystery of most Christian faiths, and as declared by the Fourth Lateran Council, there is only one God in these three persons distinct from one another in their relations of origin and in their relations with one another, they are stated to be one in all else, co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial, and each is God, whole and entire. The whole work of creation and grace is seen as a single operation common to all three divine persons, in which each shows forth what is proper to him in the Trinity. The doctrine of the Trinity has been a divisive issue throughout the entire history of the Christian church. While the core aspects of the Trinity have been claimed to be clearly presented in God’s Word, some of the side issues are not as explicitly clear as they appear to be mysterious. Beyond that, the issues are, to an extent, debatable, and nonessential as the doctrine is condemned by some Christians who claim the existence of one true God. They also claim the scriptures contain neither the word Trinity, nor an expressly formulated doctrine of the Trinity. However, according to Christian theology, the Trinitarian doctrine bears witness to the activity of a God who can only be understood in Trinitarian terms. The most influential of the New Testament texts seen as implying the teaching of the Trinity was Matthew 28:19, which mandated baptizing in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. According to Professor Kunle Macaulay, Director of Studies, United Bible University, to understand the doctrine and basis of the trinity, one needs to have good knowledge and understanding of the Bible, which he claimed is the Christians’ reference point and the last authority. “God created the heaven and earth and He told us of a son who He (God) is going to send to the world and the son eventually came and His name is Jesus Christ and according to His name again mentioned in scriptures; Emmanuel, God is with us. Also, when Jesus Christ nearly completed His assignment on earth, He said that the father would send a comforter and the name of the comforter would be Holy spirit; the Holy spirit was eventually sent on the day of Pentecost so, there is no doubt about it that we have God the father, God the son and God the Holy spirit. This Trinity is complete when you talk about complete God. When you look at the Bible, from the beginning, it says; ‘let us create.’ It means that God cannot use plural word for Himself

Jesus Christ

The Trinitarian doctrine, which reveals God as three persons in one is seen by some Christians as clearly taught in the pages of God’s Word, yet, others claim that it is a pagan doctrine and the word Trinity does not appear anywhere in Scriptures. ODINAKA URUAKPA speaks to clerics to get their view on this. alone. But because He is more than one, so He said; ‘let us create’ which means that the son was there and the Holy Spirit was there. The Bible also tells us in scriptures that the Spirit of God moved and that undeniably is the Holy Spirit. What is happening today is that people read the Bible and make up their mind what they want to believe and some people interpret the Bible to their own satisfaction or that of their followers and adherents. But as far as I am concerned, as a teacher of the Word, I don’t interpret the Bible literarily alone; I interpret the Bible biblically and theologically. It is not just reading the Bible and saying this is what the Bible says, you need to understand what the Bible is saying, why the Bible is saying it, who the Bible is talking to and the reason for that particular message. So definitely, when it comes to Trinity, there is father with His responsibilities, there is the son who has accomplished His first responsibility and is coming for the second one, and there is Holy Spirit and He is functioning right now. This is the era of the Holy Spirit and He is the one controlling, directing and fully protecting Christians nowadays. On the argument that the word ‘Trinity’ does not appear anywhere in

THOUGH, I DON’T UNDERSTAND THEIR THEOLOGY, I BELIEVE THIS IS THE THINKING OF THE JEHOVAH WITNESSES AND OTHERS WHO CONDEMN THE TRINITY. IT’S JUST SAME WAY AS THE CATHOLICS SAY THAT JESUS HAS A MOTHER WHO IS MARY AND IF A MOTHER IS GREATER THAN THE SON, IF THE SON IS WORSHIPPED, THEN THE MOTHER TOO SHOULD BE WORSHIPPED. the Bible, Macaulay said: “We read it every day; it is in the Bible. Jesus Christ said that He was sent by His father; He said ‘I have come to fulfill the work of my father’ and He said ‘I move with my father and my father is in me.’ So, definitely, there is God the son. Let me tell you something about this theological thing; theological means interpretation of the Bible for application. It is critical thinking, which is quite different from intellectual or ordinary thinking. Theological thinking is critical thinking; for instance, you can turn round and say; God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit are all one, therefore, there is only one God. Theologically, you can say ‘I don’t want to talk about the son and the Holy Spirit since

they are all inside one God, then, I will believe in God and not about son’; it all depends on the way you want to see it. Though, I don’t understand their theology, I believe this is the thinking of the Jehovah Witness and others who condemn the Trinity. It just same way as the Catholics say that Jesus has a mother who is Mary and if a mother is greater than the son, if the son is worshipped, then the mother too should be worshipped. This is a theological thinking; it is not in the Bible, but it is the way they think and this is the reason they developed Mariology or the theology of Mary. When people bring up their own theological idea, it doesn’t mean that it is correct. The Bible is the only authority

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Trinitarian doctrine and whatever people say, can be right in the sight of men, but biblically, it may not be right. What you need to do as a Christian is to consult your Bible and find out whether that one is true or wrong. This is the way theologians think; when we see or hear something, we go to the Bible; the last authority, to consult it and if whatever we seek is in the Bible, it becomes the last authority.” Director of Catholic Apostolate, Abbi, Delta State, Rev. Fr. Paschal Obioma posits that the fact that some people do not know what it means or they do not believe in it, does not mean that the Trinity does not exist. “It is not their doctrine, so they can criticise it, but it does not remove it from existence. Just like in the time of Jesus, the Sadducees did not believe in Christ’s teaching on resurrection, it did not stop Him (Jesus) from teaching it. It is not the faith of those who condemn the Trinity as they chose to have nothing to do with it. It will not stop other Christians from talking about it; we believe in God the father, God the son and God the Holy Spirit which is three persons in one God”, he maintained. Speaking on the mystery behind the Trinity, Obioma said that there are many mysteries in the world and it is left to those that are confused about something to carry out research and find out whatever they can about it. “Concerning the mystery of the Trinity, they may not be able to understand the whole thing, but just like people talk about reincarnation because you have not experienced it, does not mean that it does not exist. There are so many abstract realities, everything is not acceptable by the senses human beings have; so they are so limited and they don’t want to grow; that is the point. You cannot say because the Trinity cannot be explained, then, it does not exist. If I may ask these people who condemn those who believe in the Trinity; the God they believe in and preach, have they seen Him, have they talked to Him, have they touched Him, is He not a mystery? How can we explain what happened at the event of the Baptism of Christ; the voice and appearance of the dove-like image, the incidence at the mountain of transfiguration? Everything about God is mysterious”, he claimed. When asked why the term ‘Trinity’ is not mentioned in the Bible like the critics have rightly observed, the cleric stated that the Bible is the Christian’s point of reference and not a dictionary nor encyclopaedia where they can lookup difficult words. “We have the three persons in the Trinity presented in the Bible; we have God who created, the father who sent the son and the son who promised the Holy Spirit; are they saying that this presentation means that we are wor-

Holy Spirit

IN HIS CONTRIBUTION, ELDER SAMSON PIUS, A JEHOVAH’S WITNESS CLAIMED THAT THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE TRINITY ARE APOSTATES WHO WILL BE ANNIHILATED BY GOD BECAUSE THEY SUBSTITUTE MAN’S REASON FOR GOD’S WORD. shipping three Gods”, he asked. In his contribution, Elder Samson Pius, a Jehovah’s Witness claimed that those who believe in the Trinity are apostates who will be annihilated by God because they substitute man’s reason for God’s word. “The people who teach the doctrine of trinity claim that there are three persons in one God which they cannot explain reasonably, rather they set their reason in authority over God’s Word. If you look at the Catholic Encyclopedia and the Roman Catholic Jerusalem Bible, statements of popes and other unbelieving scholars the doctrine is shroud in mysticism and church tradition. It is confusing and contrary to normal reason; if something cannot be explained by human reason then the Bible cannot possibly teach it”, he claimed. Pius further claimed that the Trinity is a pagan doctrine that was carried over into early Christianity from sources such as Egyptian paganism, Hinduism, and the philosophy of Plato. While claiming that there is only one supreme God, he denied the divinity of Jesus Christ as well as presented the Holy Spirit as a mere impersonal force. “Those who preach and belief in the Trinity are only bringing condemnation to themselves. They are compromising the truth and as it is, there can be no compromise with God’s truths. If you must worship God; it has to be

on His (God) terms and this means that you have to reject the pagan doctrine. It contradicts what the prophets, Jesus, the apostles, and the early Christians believed and taught. It contradicts what God says about himself in his word in Isaiah 46:9 which states ‘Acknowledge that I alone am God and that there is no one else like me.’ God’s interests are not served by making him confusing and mysterious. Instead, the more that people become confused about God and his purposes, the better it suits His (God) adversary, Satan the Devil who is the god of this world. It is he (Satan) who promotes such false doctrines to blind the minds of unbelievers as stated in second Corinthians 4:4. The doctrine also serves the inter-

ests of clergymen who want to maintain their hold on people, for they make it appear as though only theologians can understand it. Accurate knowledge of God brings great relief. It frees us from teachings that are in conflict with God’s word and from organizations that have apostatized. We are told in John 8:32 that we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free. By honouring God as supreme and worshiping him on his terms, we can avoid the judgment that he will soon bring on apostate Christendom. Instead, we can look forward to God’s favour when this system ends for it has been foretold in first John 2:17 that the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever”, he submitted.

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Holy Spirit

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From the

Pulpit Sunday September 6, 2015

Let God confront them, says Pastor Muoka General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, in this exhortation, teaches on why God will fight for the righteous. Excerpts:

rethren, everything has its time and season. God by His providence governs the world, and determines when particular things and operations should happen. As the Creator, He determines and purposes when the sun shall shine and when the rain shall fall. God has given to man that portion of duration called time the space in which all the operations of nature, of animals, and intellectual beings, are carried on, but while nature is steady in its course, and animals faithful to their instincts, men devote it to a great variety of purposes which God never made time for and consequently expose themselves to confrontation. Nevertheless, as they are exposed to various degrees of danger as a result of their action and reaction to life challenges, God identifies and defends His own people. Gen. 31: 24, 29 says, “And God came to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said unto him, Take heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad. 29 It is in the power of my hand to do you hurt: but the God of your father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take thou heed that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad.” When Jacob left Laban’s house, Laban pursued him and accused him of stealing things he knew not of so that he would harm him, God confronted Laban in the dream and warned him not to lay his hand upon Jacob for any reason and say nothing against his going on with his journey, for the journey was directed by Him. As Laban and his brethren continued pursuing Jacob, they eventually caught up with him on the mount of Gilead, and he told Jacob that he had vowed to punish him for the flight, and the stealing of his teraphim, but the God of heaven had confronted and prevented him from doing it and thus he would not be harmed. Exodus 6:1-2 says, “Then the LORD said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:” The above was another example in which God confronted the enemies of His people. In this case, as soon as it was

Pastor Muoka

dawned on Pharaoh that Moses had taken the Children of Israel out of Egypt, out of his reach and leaving the nation barren of slaves, he summoned his soldiers and pursued Moses to attack Israel. But God who purposes and dictates the time for everything had determined the time has come to save His people from the hand of Pharaoh and his soldiers. Moses had been expecting what God would do, but now he shall see it. God would now be known by His name Jehovah, that is, the God performing what He had promised, and finishing His own work. God told Moses to watch and see how He will confront Pharaoh with a strong hand. Pharaoh and the Egyptians may be having upper hand in their dealings with the children of Israel before this time but the time of confrontation had come and they would be confronted by Him who is mightier than all. Beloved, you may have all the while been boxed into a hard corner by circumstances beyond y o u r control. It may be circumstances of birth, finance, p hy s i c a l inability or academic and you may have abandoned hope, but now your time to be deliv-

ered has come, for God has determined to confront all your enemies that have created such hardship to you. No matter who or what they are that are after you, your family, business, career, employment, health, marriage, etc, whether they be human beings, Satan or evil spirits, one thing is certain and that is that God has decided to confront them. Maybe these enemies are after your life, your career, etc, and they do not want you to prosper or be blessed; they may even want you dead and this has prompted you to be running from one place to another in search of solution that have been elusive till date. Never- mind, the Lord shall confront them all regardless of what they may have been doing in your life materially, spiritually, physically, academically and otherwise. It may even at this moment seem to you that these evil entities are having the upper hand and as you reflect over their activities, you tend to be sorrowful and asking rhetorically, when will the solution manifest or where is God? Well, certainly, there is an appointed time for everything and purevery pose in this life and that appointed time for your enemies to be confronted is at hand. You may have suffered for many years before now;

many things may be happening in and around you of which it appears there are no answers to them and no man appears to be able to help or provide the needed succour, or who will withstand your enemies and you are pondering who will deliver you from all these evil spirits and satanic operations. Rest assured, God shall confront them and victory shall be yours in Jesus name. Remember how God confronted Laban and his brethren on one hand and Pharaoh and all his armies who pursued after Jacob on the other hand, the Lord will surely do same for you for it is your time of victory. The possible enemies and examples Beloved, our enemies are no other entities but the devil, his demons and even human agents. They could be witches and wizards, occult men and women, marine spiritt agents, unbelievers, sp age ts, u be e e s, wicked c ed men e want and women and all those who do not wan conto recognize the personality of God, con his stitute your enemies. The devil and hi angry demons are our enemies and they victims. go from place to place looking for victims be1Peter 5:8 says: “Be sober, be vigilant; be roarcause your adversary the devil, as a roar he ing lion, walketh about, seeking whom h may devour.” his Your enemies are the devil and hi interagents. They oppose man in his best inter ests. They resist man’s efforts to do good, good his intention to return to God, his attempts attempt Sometimes, to secure his own salvation. Sometimes transforming Satan is represented as transformin somehimself into an angel of light, and some indicating times, as here, as a roaring lion indicatin intimidate the efforts which he makes to intimidat and overpower us. The lion here is not the th creepcrouching lion-the lion stealthfully creep raging ing towards his foe- but it is the ragin would monarch, who by his terrible roar woul become intimidate all so that they might becom an easy prey. war Rev. 12:7-10 says, “And there was wa fought in heaven: Michael and his angels fough against the dragon; and the dragon fought fough neither and his angels, And prevailed not; neithe heaven. was their place found any more in heaven was And the great dragon wa old cast out, that ol serpent, called calle the

CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

PASSION

Sunday September 6, 2015

A Lifestyle Magazine

APPLAUSE

‘IfIf your marriage is not working, leave’

>>27

People say I’m pretty -Tima >>26

Passion

Sunday, September 6, 2015

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People say I’m pretty –Tima Adanna Timothy Chinasa affectionately known as Tima is a songstress. This lively music diva and first female child in a family of seven siblings, studies medicine at Babcock University, Ogun State. She unfolds to ADAEZE AMOS in this interview her musical career, dress sense and part of her body she prefers to flaunt.

For how long have you been singing? I have been singing professionally for six years. I have branded myself and I have brought ht out my own style in the music circle. I’m an afro pop specialist. How have you been able to combine ne music with your medical course? It has not been easy really having ng no support from parents. I have been able to combine it well so far. But, it has been pretty difficult. When we normally ormally have summer break, I utilise t h e time t o drop a song. B u t to tell you the truth, it’s been God so far. I do

follow my heart and I pray for God’s guidance in everything that I do. I won’t forget to mention the name friend, Ijeoma, of my good known as fondly K i m berly

Soma, she has b e e n

very supportive. e. id you start singing? When exactly did I started singing nging when I was barely 10 but I went professional when I was 17. 7. What gingered me into singing is life itself and what I have gone through. ugh. Music makes me happy and it is not a bad b d idea id to go into i what makes me e glad and fulfilled in life. What I strive to o get to is to be the best in music and I know I that.. can be just that Can you relive the t first time you performed perform med becrowd? fore a large crow wd? Before I answer ansswer this would question, I woul ld like to say that I’m a very v shy first person. The firs st time I the performed on th he stage crowd, I before a large c floor felt like the floo or openswallowing ing and swallow wing me up. But I was able a to perform at last.. Since then, I have been improving on stage stage per-

f o r-

mance before a large crowd.

and batan’. batan’.

Tell us some of your songs. The first is an RnB song entitled ‘I Would Fight’ and the second an afro pop is entitled ‘Boma L o -

When you y are down, down n, what do you do to o be inspired? When I’m down, do own, what I do is to think about my my situation, life in general and tell myselff all would be well by God’s grace. Then, of o course, music is another weapon of inspiration insp piration for me. Which is the best be est time to compose songs? My best time tim me to compose a song is when I remember remem mber there are people who look down n on God’s potential for my life. That Th hat somehow gives me a kick. It gives giives me the drive to

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Sunday, September 6, 2015

prove them wrong. I compose better b songs when I remember that.

‘If your marriage is not working, leave’

Who are you aspiring to be like in future? I’m not aspiring to be like anyone. But if you ask me who my mentor is, I would say Rihanna. Though Th I don’t sing her own genre of music, m I have always loved her musical drive and her charisma. What stands your music out? The originality of my songs s stands me out. I take my time to express the true meanm ing of life through throug my songs. What is the t craziest crazie thing thin a male m fan had done d to you? T h a t was trying tr to kiss me. What is your philosophiloso phy? My philosophy is running runnin the right race and being a winner wi because people around would w like to see you fall but with God, hard work and determination determin you would succeed. So my philosophy is running the right race with determination. Can you define your style? I love fashion so much because what I wear defines define my style and personality. I love black and white, so I love things that I t wear to have a touch of black or bla white at all times. Where do you think some Nigerian Nig ladies are not getting it right in fashion? They get it wrong when their when make-up is out of place and w they wear styles that don’t fit their body shape. Then for the guys, I don’t serious think they consider fashion a ser thing, hence they dress anyhow and people that is annoying. One thing p don’t know about fashion is that it defines your type of person. What fashion accessories form a larger part of your wardrobe? My shoes and hand bags. What part of your body would you flaunt? I would say my face because iit has a prominent beauty and attraction. attrac for the When any individual meets me fo I’m so first time, it’s either they say I’ eyes or pretty or that I have beautiful ey that they love my nose and so on and compliments for so forth. I get more compliment my face than my body at first ssight. beautiful Not that my body is not beau does the enough but my face is what doe whole attraction for me.

Uzzy

ADAEZE AMOS

rincess Uzzy Ezekwe runs a beauty clinic. She is also a counsellor who empowers youths by impacting her skills on them. This style icon who is also a jeweller is displeased with some attitudes some ladies pander to. “Basically, I discovered that a lot of ladies in Nigeria have low self esteem. That is why you see some of them who are blessed or endowed with beautiful complexion and they soil it in the name of bleaching. If God wanted you to be light-skinned, it wouldn’t have been difficult for Him to do so. Any lady who does that shows that she is not proud of her natural complexion, thus battling with low self esteem. She said: “These days, some ladies even go to the extent of doing body wash to be extremely light-skinned. This is wrong! Have you asked the after effects of what you have done to your skin? “What you ought to do is to try and identify the right cosmetics for your complexion. I say this because for every skin colour, there is a right cream, soap and cosmetics. Use what would make your skin glow and by so doing you’ll look more radiant and younger. Doing the right thing at the right time makes you look younger.” What are the right things she does to keep herself glowing as a woman? “I rest when I need to, I do my exercises and I work when I have to. Of course I eat right and drink enough water. In a nutshell, doing things when you are supposed to do them puts you into less pressure and stress. By so doing, you grow younger,” she advised. To women who work and do not find time to rest, this beauty consultant has some words. “It is important to find time to rest because someday you would break down on your job. You are gradually running out without knowing it. That can make you start looking older than your age. That is why you see a lady of

30 years old, for instance, looking almost double her age. I read a book which says that when you are extremely tired and discover that you cannot do anything, you can just bend you neck down on your desk and have a quick nap for just five minutes. Make good use of the five minutes. That would have a way of refreshing and preventing you from collapsing or slumping. The short rest can work on your nerves,” she stressed. Princess Ezekwe also unveiled another major thing that makes women grow old fast. “It is hellish marriage. I discovered that some women are trapped in marriage that is not working. If you happen to be one of them, my advice to you is to leave such marriage before it leaves you a corpse. You don’t have to die if you try and your marriage fails to succeed. If you don’t want to leave him finally, you can step out and give him a break for some time and then come back again,” she counselled. But what if the person comes back and she is not allowed to move in? “Well, you go back home or wherever you went to catch your breath. Someone who loves and cherishes you would come your way. That is what I believe in. You don’t have to die there. Life is more precious than marriage. Can you remember that Skye Bank staff that died some years back? If she had taken a leave and remained in her safe haven, she wouldn’t have died. Remember her case, she left initially and later went back to her marriage and died after two weeks. That was sad. “If you have decided to remain and gulp all sorts of maltreatment from your man, it means you have chosen to live in bitterness. And living in bitterness can make you look older. I have seen some women who remained in hellish marriage, homes that are full of bitterness and they say they are there because of God. That is not the wish of God for you. You are in a place where you are being battered, broken and you think that is what God wants for you? You are getting

it wrong! Remember that as a woman, you are not meant to be battered. Women are not meant to be beaten and that’s the fact! We ought to be pampered and that is when the best would come out of us,” she said.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

GROWING UP with

Aunty Titi

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ANIMAL FACTS

Angora rabbit

How are you? I hope you are getting prepared to resume at school. In this edition, there are articles that are meant to improve your knowledge. Have a wonderful week.

Once upon a time What ’s for Dinner?

man feared his wife wasn ’t hearing as well as she used to and he thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss. Here ’s what you do, ” said the Doctor, “stand about 40 feet away from her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and so on until you get a response. ” That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was in the den. He says to himself, “I ’m about 40 feet away, let ’s see what happens. ” Then in a normal tone he asks, ‘Honey,

what ’s for dinner? ” No response. So the husband moves to closer to the kitchen, about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, “Honey, what ’s for dinner? ” Still no response. Next he moves into the dining room where he is about 20 feet from his wife and asks, Honey, what ’s for dinner? ” Again he gets no response so; He walks up to the kitchen door, about 10 feet away. “Honey, what ’s for dinner? ” Again there is no response. So he walks right up behind her. “Honey, what ’s for dinner? ” “James, for the FIFTH time I ’ve said, CHICKEN! ” Moral of the story: The problem may not be with the other one as we always think, could be very much within us..!

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

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

he Angora rabbit is a variety of domestic rabbit bred for its long, soft wool. The Angora is one of the oldest types of domestic rabbit, originating in Ankara (historically known as Angora), present day Turkey, along with the Angora cat and Angora goat. The rabbits were popular pets with French royalty in the mid-18th century, and spread to other parts of Europe by the end of the century. They first appeared in the United States in the early 20th century. They are bred largely for their long Angora wool, which may be removed by shearing, combing, or plucking. Angoras are bred mainly for their wool, which is silky and soft. At only 11 microns in diameter it is finer and softer than cashmere. Most Angora rabbits are calm and docile, but should be handled carefully. Grooming is necessary to prevent the fiber from matting and felting on the rabbit. A condition, wool block, is common in Angora rabbits, and should be treated quickly. These rabbits are shorn every three to four months throughout the year. As with all rabbits, abundant and unlimited hay should be provided. The fiber the rabbit gains from the hay helps prevent wool block (also referred to as intestinal impaction). It is also recommended particularly for Angora and other long-haired rabbit species that any pellet diets have at least 13% fiber. Fiber content can be found in the nutritional analysis on the food bag. Additionally fecal impaction can be caused by dehydration, which can be prevented by providing unlimited water as well as a salt lick to encourage drinking water. Since rabbits ingest their wool when they groom themselves, clipping their wool at least once every 90 days is considered a must to prevent wool block from occurring. A dietary supplement of papaya (from the vitamin section of the grocery store) in their diet helps wool to break down in

their digestive tract. The wool swallowed by a rabbit cannot be coughed or vomited up, and will cause it to slowly starve to death as its digestive tract fills up with ingested wool; if left untreated, wool block can lead to death. It is widely held among serious Angora breeders that ample cage space to exercise and feeding fresh, horsequality hay on a daily basis will help keep the wool moving through the system and prevent wool block. It is also widely held that feeding both bromelain from fresh pineapple and papain from fresh papaya occasionally will aid in breaking down the ingested wool (they are proteolytic enzymes), and aid in its passage through the rabbits ’ system. Another helpful tip for loose wool control includes giving the rabbit a pine cone to play with. They nibble them, throw them around, and they turn into a good wool catcher in their cage. When the pine cone is all nibbled or full of wool, replace it. Rabbits do not possess the same allergy-causing qualities as many other animals. The average rabbit can live for about 7 –12 years when kept indoors and well-cared for. However, many outdoor rabbits have a shorter lifespan. Rabbits of the Angora breed are adorned with “fur ”, growths of wool on the ears and the entire face except above the nose, and front feet, along with their thick body, and wool. They are gentle in nature, but they are not recommended for those who do not groom their animals. Their wool is very dense and needs to be groomed twice a week. This is the smallest Angora rabbit of the four ARBA-recognized breeds. This breed is more common as a pet because of the facial features that give it a puppy dog or teddy bear look. If the texture of the wool is correct, the maintenance is relatively easy; if the texture of the rabbit is cottony, it requires a great deal of maintenance.

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Dude Style

victorudoh804@yahoo.com 07067124302

‘I can’t be caught in baggy jeans’ Emmanuel Ikubese is an actor and the current Mr Nigeria. He’s the first runner-up in Mr World contest. In this interview with VICTOR UDOH, he speaks about his passion for modeling, dress sense and his goals. How did you emerge Mr Nigeria considering the stiff competition? I came back from Kenya in 2014 and I wanted to curve a brand for myself. I have been anchoring a lot of shows which earned me my popularity as Femi Sugar, though I have always wanted to be known as Emmanuel. I decided to contest in the pageant because I believed that would give more recognition. I have always wanted to represent Nigeria in events and I saw this platform as an avenue to achieve that. Winning Mr Nigeria will of course enable me to represent the country in the world, and I am elated that this dream came through having ended first runner-up in the Mr World’s contest, a position that has never been clinched by a Black. But it is not just about making history, it is about impacting lives. The things I want to do with the title as a youth ambassador being looked up to, one of my aims is to foster a campaign against domestic violence, especially the female folks, a situation which has relatively increased in recent time. Speaking out is a way of creating an awareness in order to reduce the occurrence. This will be run under my foundation. Apart from this I am acting t h e suga r

season 4 in September and other films that will be coming up in the country and outside the shores of Nigeria. Why did you leave Kenya for Nigeria? I studied international relations at University of Southernton, Kenya. While I was at school, I did modelling, DJ and I dropped an album, although I recorded great music in Kenya. I just wanted to come back home to carve a name for myself, as a brand and incidentally, Mr Nigeria contest came up and thank God I won. How was your growing up like?

I grew up in Ajegunle, Lagos and I later moved to Satellite Town. I had a humble background but thank God for the love and bond that kept me and my family. My parents were there for us by making sure we got things we needed by sacrificing so much for us. Following your roles in acting, which actor or actress would act pleased to work you always be pl with? I have been diplomatic be about my roles with other rol actors and I don’t segregate. d I have worked with a lot of who I would altalented actors w work with. ways want to wor would you like to Which actress woul have a crush with? Rita Dominic and Genevieve Nnaji G because they so much a p h peal to my savour. What is that

fashion item you can never be caught in? I can’t be caught in baggy jeans, but I like fine footwear. You often clad in African outfit; why this preference over western clothes? I decided that because I used to go on suit but I felt there is a need to brand Africa in all shades and to spice the African tradition and culture, so I settled for African attires. And as youth ambassador of Nigeria and Africa by extension, I think it is imperative I portray my culture which I exhibit more off the shores of Africa. And I am proud of that. What is your advice to the government for the entertainment industry? The government should combat the scourge of piracy. The situation obviously is fast becoming worrisome as practitioners are continuously lamenting the spate of the scourge. This is a threat to their livelihood and profession. What do you think the government can do to stamp out the menace? The government should put in place measures by setting up agencies or bodies that would checkmate the activities of the miscreants. And laws that will protect artistes’ rights should be enacted and vigorwill help the industry ously enforced. This w to grow. experience like as a How was your first expe an actor? model, Mr Nigeria and a My first experience as a model was at confidence on about school which I lost c occasions. But today I am two occasion World, Africa. For acting, Mr World was my first experiSugar w ence and I was given a lead character, Femi, which charac was very impressive. I learnt a lot. My expelearn rience on Mr World rien contest did not recon ally al cause me much anxiety because I a was already used w to relating with people from different backgrounds and presenting academic works in classes. Where do you see W your yo brand in the next nex five years? I see myself in Hols lywood; lywood to carve a name as a brand bran in Nigeria. Also, to be a role model to up-coming artistes and be a source of a inspiration to tthe teeming youth; to keeping pushi pushing the brand and touching lives pos positively. Those are my goals.

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Weddings Engagements You have a story to tell us about your wedding/engagement, or your new born baby. You can call this line 08050324794

CELEBRATING THE JOY IN MARITAL BLISS Sunday, September 6, 2015

We rst met at a friend ’s house –Shola TITILOPE MORAKINYO

BABIES OF THE WEEK Zuriel Oluwadarasimi Albert

any love stories start with love at first sight but this started with love after a visit to a friend ’s home. Shola Fabajo and Fehintola Fabajo, the newest couple in town, met at a friend ’s place. It didn ’t start out as love but just a really strong friendship between them. “We met at a friend ’s place and we became close friends, ” Fehintola who described the courtship as long, enduring but worth the wait, told Sunday Mirror. “Our relationship started at a friend ’s place as friends but as we went along it turned into courtship, ” said Shola as he described the progress of their relationship. After about two years of courtship, he finally proposed to her at his house. “I summoned her to my house and I proposed to her, ” said Shola. She just had to keep him waiting to be sure that it

was the right thing to do. “And finally, she said yes, ” Shola said with joy in his voice. The couple expressed joy and excitement as they anticipated their future with one another. “I am so happy I ’m married to Tola. At first I asked myself if we were really married because of

all the excitement before the wedding, ” said Shola as he talked about how he felt after the wedding. This couple will never forget their friend ’s house for the rest of their life. The wedding took place at Gethsemane Parish, Redeemed Church of God and reception at Mainland Hotel, Lagos.

Evening stroll culminates in marriage

osin and Funmi ’s story is akin to a classic story book fairy tale from the moonlight. They met about nine years ago when they were undergraduates. Tosin was taking an evening stroll with his friends when he suddenly saw Funmi. His heart skipped beat. He decided to walk up to her and say hello. “That push was the most amazing thing that ever happened to me. Today and for the rest of my life, I will always reminisce about that push, ” he said. When Tosin eventually proposed marriage to Funmi on February 22, 2012, he was kept waiting for answer for a year. Perhaps, she needed more time to study him before accepting. Tosin recounted how he waited patiently. “I was on the waiting list for about a year before the proposal was finally reviewed and accepted. It has been years of great fulfilment and indeed a wonderful relationship; we ’ve found joy in each other and we pray the love continues to grow and glow till eternity, ” he affirmed. When Funmi was asked about her man, she sounded poetic: “Honestly, words will truly fail me if I attempt to describe “King of my heart ”. Tosin is the best thing that ever happened to me. He

aby Zuriel Oluwadarasimi Albert was born at Federal Capital Hospital, Lagos at 12.30 p.m. He weighed 3.4kg at birth. His mother, Mrs. Albert, said she felt happy carrying the pregnancy, though she went through a lot of pains during the period, which she maintained was normal for most mothers. “I must confess that I experienced a lot of pains

when I was pregnant, but I am happy that at the end of it all, I had this handsome and healthy baby who happens to be the joy of the family, ” she said. Concerning any special diet she favoured during the pregnancy, she said, “I really never had any special thing I was eating then. I ate the usual rice, beans and other meals but I ate a lot of fruits then. ”

Daniel Iretiayo Adebayo

is my confidant, mentor and pillar in times of trouble. There are truly no words to describe him. He is very industrious, talented and extremely gentle, with a mind of reaching out to people in times of need. ” For Tosin, “Funmilayo is

God-fearing, ambitious and a motivated lady. She is compassionate and soft-hearted. She was there for me during thick and thin, when I was trying to get my footing as a man. Looking at different resumes and CVs of ladies, Funmi still remains the best. She is my one in all, ” his voice love-filled.

aniel Iretiayo Adebayo was born to Mr. and Mrs. Adebayo at Federal Capital hospital Ketu, Lagos. He was born at 4:00 p.m. and he weighed 4.5 kg. According to Mrs. Adebayo, she experienced dizziness during the 1st trimester of her pregnancy. Later, she started hav-

ing discomfort mostly at nights and was restless till her delivery date. She said she went through a lot of pains trying to bring this baby to life, but at the end, it was worth it. Mrs Adebayo said the special thing about him is the way he smiles and plays, these give her joy.

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What to wear …to an Igbo traditional marriage Sunday, September 6, 2015

ADAEZE AMOS

n case you have not been to a traditional marriage of late, you really need to attend one to see styles for yourself. Today ’s brides now prefer to be creative in what they wear when they want to step out to present wine to their suitor according to the culture of Ndigbo. If you want to show how fashionable or creative you are as, strive to stand out and show your creativity on this special day of your life. Check out what Carol Uwaoma wore to such an event. You may want to create something new and different to stand out.

Perfect Cut

African Look Stand out in African hairstyles ADAEZE AMOS

frican hairstyles are creeping back into the beauty world and fashion circle if you ou care to know. Days are gone when such hairdos are left for local girls and village mamas. These days, style tyle aficionados now opt for these kinds of styles and still feel cool. So, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a lover of anything rican,, why g Afy not jjoin the bandwagon dwagon of stylish ladies donning these hairstyles and look different for once! o

Sunday, September 6, 2015

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Fulfillment in

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Sunday, September 6, 2015

personal style is imperative ADAEZE AMOS

e are now in Se September, the ninth month of the year, usually referred to in Christendom as the month nth of fulfilment. Now let’s factor this into the fashion world. Are you really fulfilled with the style you have created eated for yourself, the fashion signature you are known with? Don’t say this is not important! It is because it gives the inner satisfaction and stops you from copying other when they don’t fit you. people’s styles even whe instance, should not be seen in dresses that are below their knees. They are the ones who have Some ladies, for insta ve got hot legs to flaunt and they th choose to do so by slipping into knee-length dresses. Some seldom wear long-sleeved d dresses because they want wa to show off their toned arms and all that. and check if you are actually satisfied Thus, in n this month o of fulfilment, take e a closer cllos o er look at your wardrobe war whatt you have orr whether yo you want them. with wha ou want to change th

Perfect Cut

Sunday, September 6, 2015

L Playing love the unusual way OVE

TALK

with Yemisi

Adeniran

s far as evidences have made clear, most marriages, these days, don ’t last long before they lose grabs on the old zing and zest. The thing is as soon as the children start coming in, all cares about love and romance disappears almost with a fervent speed. Generally, it appears once marriages are consummated, the players gradually relapse into their different shells with some feeling of self accomplishment and end up in different covens even though they still live under the same roof. They consequently become co-tenants who merely engage in some sex contracts that come at random. But this is not supposed to be the situation. Love is not supposed to be lost at any point in time in homes and couples are expected to enjoy each other for as long as they live and as long as the marriages last. Did I hear you say it is not an easy task? But yes, it is. Couples are supposed to wax stronger and stronger in love no matter the age and the number of years they have been together. All they need do over and over is to ignite the dying love flame before it finally goes into extinction. It is not a matter of shifting roles this time, it is the roles of the two players involved. But without being immodest, this is basically the duty of the woman. Yes, women are to take this lead because they are the ones who easily lose their guards as soon as they are married. This is not exonerating the men but it ’s just to engage the

women in a challenge, after all, they are the ones who lay claim on the home and this is firmly grounded by the holy books. As far as the Bible is concerned, a wise woman is the one who builds her home with her hands while the foolish one pulls it down with her own hands. So, this challenge is simply for any wise woman who will be set to redeem her home from losing its love fervour. We ’ll take off first with these questions; how much of yourself do you flaunt at home? What do you wear when you are at home and how do you cloth yourself when you are about to sleep, I mean when you are in bed with him? Let us be frank with ourselves, it is absolutely wrong for you to be covering yourself up with whatever cloth or dress at home either in the name of religion or whatever. Come to think of it, if you don ’t flaunt yourself at him who else would you give the privilege and by the way, what the hell are you covering when so many girls are out there in all their nakedness to catch his attention. This is not an issue subjected to some fire branded prayer, it is what you can do, so do not engage God in such trivial things, He definitely has better things to attend to. Don ’t forget that it is this same man who came hovering all over you some years back, falling head over heels in love with you. He could not resist you then and so were you, so why the change in all of this, maybe you should sleep over this and take

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these words of advice: Bare it all: Sex is a vital issue in marriage and it must bring pleasure all the time to couples. They are to look forward to it every day and its thought should send hot sensations down their spines. Although psychologists believe seeing is believing, it is also retentive. Whatever one sees stays longer in one ’s memory than anything. This means one paramount thing you must do as a woman is to imbibe the habit of leaving nothing to imagine when it comes to clothing. Do not wear any serious outfit whenever he is around. Honestly, it is an abomination for you to have your pants on when you are at home. Whether it is time to sleep or not, try and bare it all for him to get his mind fixed on you. If you must wear anything, make it a see-through outfit and once the kids are far away from sight, let him feed his eyes on you long enough to make him lose control. Some advantages in this are as follow; *It draws his attention to you and that particular area. *It is the best way deep intimacy and sex suggestions can be made. *It offers a strip tease feeling which of course aids good sexual intercourse. This is not just for the man but also for the woman. The more your laps touch, the more excited you get and the more fun you are bound to have in that session. *It adds the element of challenge to your sex life. Imagine if you have never been caught in this habit before, your spouse is instantly challenged and a memorable night or session is bound to take place. *One other accessory you need add to yourself is the waist bead; it is an ingredient that will spice up your sexual life. *In addition, if you are sleeping without your panties on, you are both freer with each other. Not only is the possibility of the voyage very easily, it can be embarked upon as many times as possible.

Sexual solutions and love products for adults

was giving my husband oral sex the other day when I accidentally swallowed his sperm. Are there any side effects to this? – Wunmi Wunmi you have nothing to worry about. Only infected semen can be harmful and cause ailments such as strep throat and tonsillitis. But if your husband has no diseases, you have absolutely nothing to worry about. Semen is primarily made up of sugar and protein, so your digestive system will process it just like food – Uche My husband says I don ’t show emotion during foreplay. I don ’t know what to do. I can only say that I don ’t always enjoy sex and sometimes it is dry and it hurts – Faith Faith don ’t fake it if you don ’t enjoy it but you need to get help for these complaints. Vaginal dryness can be easily handled with a lubricant. The Hydro Play Water Based Lubricant will take care of this easily. Sometimes lack of sexual interest can be hormonal and at other times, it could be due to inadequate foreplay. If you don ’t get enough foreplay in bed, demand it. Slow your man down and initiate foreplay until you feel ready. If your hormones are out of sync and causing you to have low libido, a good supplement can also help you. G Female Oral Tabs, Kangaroo for Her and Total Diva are all very powerful supplements that aid female sexual desire, enjoyment and performance. And once you get all these issues fixed and you are able to enjoy intercourse again, communicate the joy you feel by being verbal. Men need to know that their women are well taken care of and that is all your husband wants – Uche I am interested in enlargement. Two friends of mine have recommended Vimax. I don ’t know if they have used it but you are the expert. Should I go for Vimax or something else? Kayode

Vimax is one of the top three best penis enlargers in the world. Users have written very good reviews about it and doctors recommend it. So yes you can go for Vimax. But you must use every enlargement supplement with a penis pump to be able to get the best results of up to four inches in growth, and also use as as directed – Uche I want your best male performance drug. I have used a lot of different types over the years and there is a lot of rubbish in the market. Please give me the best. Also, how can one identify a good performance enhancer when looking for one? The best performance enhancer we have for men is Boss Rhino Gold. In addition to giving the user super hard erections, Boss Rhino also enlarges the penis, stops premature ejaculation and gives massive performance stamina. One capsule can work for between four to seven days. As for how to find the best performance enhancers, start by checking the grammage. The best enhancers are usually from 900mg upwards. Lower grammage pills can be very mild and sometimes it is either they take a long time to work or they don ’t work at all. But they have their advantages too because some body types prefer the mild supplements. Boss Rhino Gold is 1500mg so it is very powerful. Also look out for whether the supplement contains L-Arginine and herbs such as Maca and Ginko Biloba. These are popular enhancement herbs that help with stamina and arousal in natural aphrodisiacs – Uche Please what is the difference between Max Load and Volume Pills? - Haruna In addition to increasing your semen volume by up to 500%, Volume Pills also gives erections and improves fertility because it increases motility – Uche

Please I need a dildo that looks and Adults in need of these treatments/novelfeels like the real thing. And it has to be ties can call 08171912551 or 08027901621 for big too. Hope to hear from you soon – An- help or visit www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers all over Nigegela Angela if you want a vibrating dildo, ria. For enquiries email us at custserv@ then I recommend the Afro Wooper Vi- zeevirtualmedia.com- Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media. brator. It is exactly as you described. If you prefer one that does not vibrate, then go for the Hard Man Dong. That is very good too For strong erections/performance, get Rhino 7, Libigrow or Man Up. and realistic – Uche For Penis enlargement get VigRx, Vimax, Extenze or Potent Pump. I just To maintain erection use Couple ’s Vibrator or Sta Hard Cock Ring. opened the papers the other Stop premature ejaculation with Forever Yours Cream or Gladiator Cream. day and saw that you now For painful intercourse use Mood Sensitive Lubricant or Colt Lubricant. have Vimax To reach orgasm, get Nympho ’s Desire Arousal or Encounter Orgasm Gel. penis enlarger. That is very Female libido boosters are G Female Oral Tablets or Kangaroo for her. good. I used To tighten vagina use Liquid Sex Tightening Cream or Tighten it up V Gel. to get these things from Women ’s Vibrators: Hunni Bunny Vibe or Fancy Night Heat Series. the UK when To attract a partner use Optimale Cologne or Sex Aphrodisiac Essence. I travel and I am glad that I Male Masturbators are the Real Skin Latin Pussy or Hustler ’s Choco Pussy. can get it here now. Keep it up Female strap-ons are the Afro Wooper Strap-On or Limited Edition Strap-On. – Aina Male strap-Ons for weak erection: 6 inch, 8 inch or 10 inch Penile Extension. I just tried the Boss Rhi- Educational adult lms are Adam & Eve Sex Positions & Maximising G Spot. no Pills and Feature Films: The One, One Wild & Crazy Night or Young Hollywood wow! I was in church on We also have magazines, lingerie, games, love cushions and condoms. Sunday and To order by phone, call: 08171912551, 08027901621, 08051924159, all I thought about was sex. 07038845262 or easily order at www.zeevirtualmedia.com & pay online. It is quite powOther payment options include bank deposits, internet transfers, phone erful - Bruce And that Transfer or cash on delivery. We deliver discreetly all over Nigeria! is it for today.

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Sunday, September 6, 2015

Pregnancy Talk

Naughtiest Thing

with

The naughtiest thing I ’ve ever done

Adaeze Amos

Lara Gold

߾ࠆ߾ࠀࠁ߾߿ࠀࠀࠇࠁ ߶ࠡࠛࠡ ࠝࠜࠚࠧ߷

How to avoid heartburn during pregnancy I

f you are heavy vy with child and you are experiencing heartburn, artburn, know that you are not alone in this. More ore than half of all pregnant nt women report symptoms oms of severe heartburn, so don ’t allow it weigh you down. So many pregnant mums particularly ly during their second and nd third trimesters complain in about heartburn which is also called acidic indigesigestion. For those who ho may not know w what heartburn n is maybe because they have not had it before, it is simply an irritation or burning sensation n of the esophaguss caused by stomach h contents that reeflux (comes back up) p) from the stomach. ch. This can occur to o a person when she is not pregnant but it is common in pregnant nant mums. Medical experts erts say it is due to changnging hormone levels, ls, which can affect ct the muscles of the e digestive tract and how different foods are tolerated. “Pre gnancy hormones can cause the lower esophageal sphincter (the muscular valve between the stomach and esophagus) to relax, allowing stomach acids to splash back up into the esophagus. In addition, the enlarged uterus can crowd the abdomen, pushing stomach acids upward, ” medics affirm. Can this be prevented? Yes it can, according to medics. To reduce heartburn during pregnancy without hurting your baby, you should try the follow-

ing: • Eat several small meals each day instead of three large ones. • E a t slowly.

nancy . n

your

• Avoid fried, spicy, or rich foods, or any foods that seem to cause relaxation of the lower esophageal sphincter and increase the risk of heartburn. • Drink less while eating. • Don ’t lie down directly after eating. • Keep the head of your bed higher than the foot of your bed. Or place pillows under your shoulders to help prevent stomach acids from rising into

chest. •Ask your doctor about using overthe-counter medications such as Tums and Maalox which are generally safe to take during pregn a n c y. Y o u may find that liquid h e a r t bu r n relievers are more effective because t h e y coat the esophagus. • Wear loosefitting clothing. Tightfitting clothes fitti l th can increase the pressure on your stomach and abdomen. • Avoid constipation by taking enough fruits that have much water, for example, oranges, water melon, paw-paw, etc. If your heartburn persists, see your doctors. They may prescribe medications that are safe. Heartburn usually disappears following childbirth, so don ’t lose sleep over it. Five foods that cause heartburn during preg-

Citrus foods Foods like oranges, grapefruits and tomag toes can all bring on t that burning sensath tion ti after meals. The solution: Eat tomatoes on a turkey to sandwich instead of sa in a salad. Try lowacid orange juice afa ter te you ’ve had your morning cereal. m Coffee and Soda Caffeinated beverages are known hearta burn triggers. b The solution: In addition to limiting a your coffee and soda y intake (and limiting in caffeine is good for ca pregnancy anyway) p always put something a else el in your belly before fo drinking caffeinated at beverages (like a bagel), or simply opt b for fo decaf versions. Alcohol The solution: This is a no-brainer - no drinking during pregd nancy . n Fatty foods Fried and fatty foods tend to bring on fo heartburn because h they th take longer to digest, making it easier g for food and stomach acids to slosh back up into the esophagus. The solution: Choose leaner cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products; bake instead of frying. Chocolate The solution: Eat less. Try limiting your intake to a drizzle of chocolate sauce or only two squares of a chocolate bar - and not on an empty stomach.

‘I didn ’t tell my parents I was suspended from school ’

hen I was in secondary school, I had some naughty friends. We used to go to party a lot after school. One day, the principal learnt about it and suspended us. But instead of going home to tell my parents, I went s o m ewh e re else. I couldn ’t summon up courage to face my father and relate what occurred to him. I kept pretending as if I was going to school. I was still taking my lunch money from mum and pretended as if all was well. Each time my mother asked me why I was not coming back home on school bus, I would lie that I usually remained behind with my friends so that we could do our assignments together. The poor woman believed me. She was always happy when I paid attention to my studies. But I wasn ’t neither staying behind in school to study nor even going to school at all because I was on suspension. I used to go to my friends ’ house and we would all go together to swim at Durbar Hotel, Lagos which is now called Golden Tulip. That was when my friends and I started learning how to swim. We would swim from morning till evening and I would go back home pretending to be coming from school. But one day, I wasn ’t that lucky. My father went to my school to check up on me. My principal told him that I had been on suspension for a week. When I came back home that day, he asked me where I was coming from. I lied. He

became v e r y a n g r y. D a d detested lies. He brought out his c a n e a b o u t to flog me. I ran away and boarded a bus to an unknown place. It was when I alighted from the bus that I knew that the place I ran to was Ikeja. N o t knowing where to go to, I sat beside a woman selling local gin (Paraga). I told her lies that I came from the village and that I didn ’t know my way home and didn ’t have where to stay. She pitied me. She was in her shop selling local gin till morning and her customers were trooping in. When she eventually closed for the day and that was 4.30 in the morning, I couldn ’t follow her home. I started roaming about at Ikeja. When I got tired and hungry, I decided to go home and face the consequence. I saw a bus going to Oshodi and hopped in. When I alighted at the last bus stop, I didn ’t have money again. I had to trek home from Oshodi bus stop to Amuwo Odofin which is a long distance. When I got home, my family was all worried. They asked me where I went. I told them that I didn ’t know what came over me that I started walking around not knowing what I was doing. They took pity on me and I was not beaten. •Lara Gold is a Yoruba movie actress. -ADAEZE AMOS

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Porridge Plantain

orridge plantain is one of the delicious foods eaten in the country. It is easy to prepare as it takes the same process as Porridge Yam, although with a little twist and slight change in ingredients. It is a good meal for a diabetic patient as it is very rich in iron because of the unripe plantain but once it is ripe, it becomes carbohydrate and no more safe for diabetic patients. This delicious meal is usually made with unripe plantain. However, you can use a combination of ripe and unripe plantain. Most people do this in order to achieve a faint sugary taste. Ingredients Four medium-size unripe plantain Palm oil (about 10cl) Fresh tomatoes (3-5 balls Fresh red pepper Two bulbs of medium-size onions Two seasoning cubes Meat of choice Fish of choice Crayfish (2-3 spoons) Vegetable (fluted pumpkin) You could add vegetables, as much as you want, fluted pumpkin is a good choice. How to prepare This is really easy; just parboil the goat meat

with seasoning cube, salt and any other spice or flavour of choice. Allow the water to dry, add more water and cook until the meat is soft for consumption. Introduce the fish and add another seasoning cube, a bulb of onions and a little more salt. Peel off the green outer layer of the plantain and slice to any size of your choice. Also, go ahead and slice the tomatoes, pepper and also do the same to the remaining one bulb of onions. Once the meat and fish are properly parboiled, remove the fish and continue cooking with the meat. Add about 10cl of red (palm) oil, add a cup of water (about 75cl), about two spoonful of ground crayfish, salt to taste. You may also add another seasoning cube if the solution is not as tasty as you require. Allow to boil. Add the sliced plantain, spray the sliced tomato/onions/fresh pepper at the top, and add the fish cover to cook for 15-20 minutes. Check to see if the water is dried and the plantain is properly cooked, add vegetable if you like, lower the heat and allow to simmer for two to three minutes Stir all together and you just made delicious plantain porridge. You can serve this meal with a chilled bottle of your favourite drink.

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Jacobs Creek

acob’s Creek is a small creek that runs through the wine-producing region of the Barossa Valley. The creek itself is only several kilometers long and flows westwards from its beginning in the Barossa Ranges, eventually meeting the North Para River. The watercourse is studded with ancient and picturesque River Red Gums. It was first discovered (but not named) by Europeans in December 1837 by an expedition led Colonel William Light and was surveyed in 1839 by his assistant surveyor, William Jacob (1814–1902), as part of a wider survey of the Barossa region. Jacob settled here in the early 1840s, whence the origin of the name. In the local aboriginal dialect it is called “Cowieaurita”, meaning “yellow-brown water”, in an area known to them as Moorooroo, which became the name of the Hundred. In the early 1840s Jacob’s Creek was briefly home to Johann Menge, South Australia’s first geologist, who lived for some time on an island and in nearby cave on the creek. Here he grew

vegetables, and was particularly struck with the possibilities for viticulture. Menge was influential in facilitating the settlement from the Barossa Valley by German Lutheran immigrants. The creek lent its name to the famous wine brand Jacob’s Creek, which is produced by Orlando Wines, located 2 km southwest along the Barossa Valley Highway in the small town of Rowland Flat. Johann Gramp, the founder of Orlando Wines, first planted grape vines on the banks of Jacob’s Creek in 1847. In 1997 Orlando Wines, in conjunction with the Northern Adelaide and Barossa Catchment Water Management Board, commenced a rejuvenation project for Jacobs Creek. All non-native plants and trees, such as bamboo, ash, and olives were removed, and replanted with blue gums, red gums and other Australian native trees and shrubs. As a result of the project, many native species of frogs, native fish, and water birds have returned, with the creek gradually returning to its former natural state.

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Growing Up

Sunday, September 6, 2015

DO YOU KNOW?

PUZZLE

Cernan and Ronald were last men on the moon

ugene Cernan and Ronald Evans were the last men to have set foot on another celestial body in the command module, Commander Eugene Cernan and scientist Harrison H. Schmitt drove 34 km (21 miles) in the

lunar buggy. On December 11, 1972, they left behind a plaque that reads: “Here Man completed his first exploration of the Moon, December 1972 A.D. May the spirit of peace in which we came be reflected in the lives of all mankind. ”

WHO INVENTED WHAT? Elisha Graves Otis created the elevator brake

GAMES Fierce Fashion Agents

lisha Graves Otis was an American mechanic and inventor. Otis invented the elevator brake, which greatly improved the safety of elevators. He used a ratchet on a spring to catch the elevator in the event of an accident (like a broken cable). In 1854, at the Crystal Palace Exposition in New York, Otis demonstrated how safe his

elevator was by cutting the elevator ’s cable with an axe, and the elevator car stayed where it was in the shaft. Otis ’ invention spurred the development of skyscrapers, changing the look of cities around the world forever. Otis also invented a railway safety brake and improvements to turbine engines and brass bed frames.

TONGUE TWISTER

JOKE

Coffee and a Fly

Theophilus Thistle, the thistle sifter Sifted a sieve of unsifted thistles If theophilus Thistle, the Thistle Sifter Sifted a sieve of unsifted thistles Theophilus Thistle, The Thistle Sifter, Sifted?

WORDS ON MARBLE A good character is the best tombstone, those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget me nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts, not on marble. -Charles H. Spurgeon

customer ordered a cup of coffee in a restaurant! The waiter served the coffee. The customer found a fly in the coffee. He called the waiter. Customer: How do I drink this coffee! Waiter: Don ’t you know how to drink a coffee? Customer: Waiter, see, there is a fly in my coffee. Waiter: Oh yes sir, you are right! There is a fly in your coffee. Customer: Waiter, I said, there is a fly in MMY coffee (He stressed the word MY) Waiter: Oh don ’t worry sir, the fly won ’t drink much! Customer: Waiter, it is swimming in my coffee. Waiter: Sir, do you want me to get a lifeguard for the fly sir? (Annoyed) Customer: the fly dead, it ’s irritating! Waiter: I guess, it doesn ’t know how to swim properly. Customer: How do I drink this coffee? Waiter: Don ’t you know how to drink? I will teach you! He drank the coffee! And said, this is how you should drink a coffee.

ierce Fashion Agents is an expertise game in which it ’s time for the fashion police to do its job. Every day it watches the people in town who aren ’t dressed properly. So any citizen is immediately transformed into a well-dressed person that becomes full of life and en-

ergy. All cops are equipped with various weapons that can transform the citizens ’ clothes immediately. During the game you ’ll be able to improve your skills and equipment, depending on your score. All these will help you accomplish your mission. Try your best to do your job!

RIDDLES Question: Throw away the outside and cook the inside, then eat the outside and throw away the inside. What is it? Answer Corn on the cob because you throw away the husk, cook and eat the kernels, and throw away the cob. Question: What word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it? Answer: Short Question: How do you make the number one disappear? Answer: Add the letter G and it ’s “GONE ” Question: What goes up but never comes down? Answer: Your age. Question: What travels around the world but stays in one spot? Answer: A stamp! Question: What occurs once in a minute, twice in a moment and never in one thousand years? Answer: The letter M

Movies & Music

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

& usic M Movies With Victor Udoh 07067124302 e-mail: victorudoh804@yahoo.com

ive cities across Nigeria recently got a feel of an exciting party time as Smirnoff, the world’s number one premium spirit brand, thrilled guests to an experience of a lifetime at the Spinall and Friends city tour. The thrilling parties held in Lagos, Benin, Abuja, Port Harcourt and Enugu were headlined by Smirnoff Brand Ambassador, DJ Spinall and a-list musical acts which include MI, Ice Prince, Sean Tizzle, Vector, Kiss Daniel and Burna Boy. At the upscale urban-spot Spice Route in Lagos, DJ Spinall delivered top notch performances that further amplified the already charged atmosphere. The party really got interesting as the capacity crowd breathed air of scintillating performances from top Nigerian hip-hop artiste which include Mr. Incredible (MI), Wande Coal and Perfect Gentleman Sean Tizzle. The show kicked off proper at the ancient city of Benin as hiphop mallam, Ice Prince, took the centre stage and launched into performances of his crowd pleasers including Oleku, Aboki, Super Star among others. When it was his turn to hit the stage, the ladies man Adekunle Gold did not disappoint his fans in Benin and the Federal Capital City, Abuja. The singer performed his hit tracks Sade and Orente to the delight of the amazing crowd. Guests at the Coal City of Enugu and the Garden City of Port Harcourt went into frenzy as hip-hop galala master Burna Boy rendered Check and Balance, one of his hit songs. Following that were his other tracks including Run My Race and Tonight. Ace rapper Ill Bliss and Ceaser, however, took the appreciative crowd to delight with their smooth rap lyrics courtesy Smirnoff. For now, Smirnoff Brand Ambassador, DJ Spinall, at all of the venues, created a sensation of his own by exciting the crowd to a breathtaking display of their dancing skills. His exhilarating disc jockeying prowess got the crowd pumped up and ready to dance all night. In his comment, Mr. Toluwalashe Ogunyemi, Brand Manager, Smirnoff, said the brand would continuously seek opportunities to ensure its loyal consumers remained a part of its unique party experience as Spinall and Friends tour other cities. According to Ogunyemi, “since we introduced Smirnoff Guarana the feedbacks from our esteemed consumers have been amazing.

Smirnoff’s Spinall and Friends tour thrills five cities

Spinall

A church once threw me out with my guitar –Panam

r Panam Percy Paul is an icon in the music industry particularly the gospel genre. The accomplished singer and songwriter with multiple albums which span through a 41-year experience in music, surely is a known face in most churches and his anointed for bringing God’s glory. So why will he be thrown out and ejected by a church in Jos, Plateau where he lives? The artiste who possesses six Engineering courses and three PhDs disclosed this recently at a forum, ‘A Date with Generals’ while admonishing gospel artistes and those aspiring to excel like him. Panam quipped, Panam “Some of you don’t know that I was thrown and bundled out of church once and it was traumatic for me. As a teenager I had a desire to sing and told the church

leaders about it. I was allowed but they were surprised that I brought my guitar to sing. I sang with my eyes closed. The pastor was uncomfortable. He felt I was seducing the girls by singing with my eyes closed and he told me about it. I said wasn’t it good to sing with one’s eyes closed and focused on God rather than open them. That time, churches were very religious. Two tall men in the church grabbed me, carried me on both sides and hurled me out. I landed on my guitar and that could have been the end of my life if I had landed on bare floor. I contemplated suicide wondering why God will allow the church to humiliate me. All I wanted was to sing as an expression of my love for God. Later, God told me he didn’t send me there to sing.” He also said that he has not lost his voice in over 50 years.

Sound Sultan

Odenigbo

Phyno

Olamide, Phyno celebrate their heroes

mid much fanfare, grandeur and hype, the Guinness Brand Ambassadors surprised and celebrated their own #madeofblack, MOB, heroes in Lagos and Enugu recently. Their heroes were identified as being bold, passionate, determined and selfless in helping others within their communities to achieve their dreams. Olamide identified Tunde Adebanjo aka Euro as his #madeofblack hero while Phyno celebrated Mr. Macdonald Ikem Odenigbo aka DJ Good Noise as his hero. At the home of Tunde Adebanjo, the household got a pleasant surprise as Olamide and the Guinness team visited them. Tunde, who could not hide his feelings, was full of appreciation as he welcomed the team amidst accolades for the MOB Ambassador. Also, the atmosphere at the home of Mr. Macdonald Odenigbo could be described as ecstatic when Phyno and the team visited the middle aged music producer. Acknowledging the giant strides of Guinness and the #madeofblack movement, Odenigbo agreed that “this is one of the most joyous moments in my life”. The ambassadors later presented their heroes with a specialised Guinness bottle and a certificate. Explaining the rationale behind their choices, Olamide and Phyno stated that it was important to recognise someone with a clear passion for creativity, sacrifice and zeal to make a difference. According to Olamide, Adebanjo was

celebrated “because of his selfless contribution to humanity and the society. He has done a lot for his community and environment and that is what the Made of Black campaign is all about; redefining black not as a colour but as an attitude that inspires individuals, charging them to greater feats. Adebanjo is my hero; he is made of more, made of attitude, made of swag; simply he is made of black”. For Phyno, Mr. Odenigbo is worthy to be celebrated because he is bold. He is a determined individual, who inspires others to greatness. Odenigbo, a music producer, rapper, director and disc jockey is one of the originators of Igbo rap in the 1990s. With degrees in Mass Communication and Psychology, he has worked with many hip-hop artistes including Tuface Idibia, Nigga Raw, Smart Man, Ill bliss and Obiwon. According to the Portfolio Marketing Manager, Guinness, Ms. Liz Ashdown, the #madeofblack campaign celebrates individuals who are made of more, bold and determined in achieving whatever they set their minds to accomplish. “MadeofBlack is more than an advertising campaign. This year, we are taking the campaign to the streets, turning the focus on the real made of black heroes in all walks of life across Nigeria. This year it’s all about you,” Ashdown explained. It would be recalled that Guinness recently celebrated its Made of Black ambassadors at a party in Lagos to kickstart the second phase of the #madeofblack campaign.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Movies & Music

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Bimbo Peters premieres One Fine Day

ne of Nigeria’s great actresses cum producer, Bimbo Peters, weekend premiered her maiden movie, One Fine

Day. The film that was shown at Silverbird Cinema had a lot of celebrities in attendance, such as Amanda Ebiye, Cornel Udofia and Emem Isong Alex Ekubor, among others The movie, which stars Funke Akindele, Joke Silva, Olu Jacobs, Frederick Leonard, Benjamin Touitou, Memry Savanhu and Bimbo Peters, was directed by awardwinning actor, director cum politician, Desmond Elliot and co-produced by Emem Isong. According to Peters, the movie is about rape, and to sensitise the public on its very horrible dangers as experienced all around the world. It is a gripping drama about two sisters, Tasha and Nina who experience more than your average share of sibling rivalry that is worsened by Nina’s slightly disturbed state of mind. When a tall, handsome stranger comes to claim Tasha’s hand in marriage, Nina’s behaviour takes a turn for the worse.

Could she be up to her usual anti-social cial tricks or is there more that hat lies beneath? Peters, rs, who studied acting and producing at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, geles, said she produced ed the film “to showcase wcase my talent”. The producer, who has featured atured in several movies ovies such as ‘The good od wife’, ‘Like code of silence’ and ‘Jenifass Diary’ said herr debut film “was stressful and nd challenging. But I

learnt a lot because I was privileged to work with wholesome people - the likes of Joke Silva, Olu Jacobs, and Funke Akindele.”

the I Dos, and Subterfuge. e. These films feature popularr faces such as Olu Jacobs, s, Joke Silva, Patrick Doyle, Ini ni Edo, Monalisa Chinda, A.Y Makun, Bimbo Akintola, Chidi Mokeme, Nonso Diobi and Ufoma McDermott amongst ngst many others. The producers cers involved with the films include renowned industry names like Zik Zulu Okafor, Zeb Ejiro, Obi Emelonye, Stanlee Ohikhuare and the actor-producers Desmond Elliot and Lillian AmahAluko. The eight Original Blockbusters come even as Africa Magic continues to shoot and produce other made for television films which continue to air on the various Africa Magic channels. “Nollywood remains at the centre of entertainment not just in Nigeria, but across West Africa and indeed the rest of the continent. Our relationship with the finest talent in the film and television industry not only ensures that our viewers are continuously spoilt for choice, but also ensures that the industry continues the rapid development for which it is renowned for. We continue to support the Nigerian film industry and the exceptional talent that powers it and it is this relationship that ensures that the Africa Magic channels remain the go-to source for world class, African entertainment content,” added Mba-Uzoukwu. The Africa Magic Original Blockbuster Festival kicks off on the 5th of September, 2015 and the films air on Africa

She added that working with Elliot was really challenging as “he pushed me in order to bring the best out of me”.

Bimbo

Denrele

Africa Magic promises groovy September with Blockbuster Festival n September, lovers of entertainment will be treated to a month of exclusive new movies featuring the biggest Nollywood stars as Africa Magic, the continent’s leading provider of entertainment for Africa by Africans, kicks off its Original Blockbuster Festival. The Africa Magic Original Blockbuster Festival is in line with Africa Magic’s mission of providing entertainment for Africa by Africans, and involves the production of eight made for television movies that feature established and renowned names behind and in front of the camera. The movies will feature on Africa Magic Showcase (DStv 151) every weekend throughout September, with the first title scheduled to show on Saturday, September 5. Speaking at an event to kick off the festival, the Regional Director, M-Net (West Africa), Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, said: “Africa Magic remains at the forefront of not only showcasing quality indigenous entertainment for Africa and the rest of the world, but also in developing world class content. Our Original Blockbusters initiative is part of our ongoing investment drive in the Nigerian film and television industry, and we have partnered with renowned actors, directors and producers to give our viewers a truly memorable September.” The eight original blockbuster films which premiered at the event are Red Card, Carpe Diem, Love Struck, Amiable, Merciful, Dowry Man, After

Denrele, Halima to host CAMA Award

Magic Showcase every weekend (Saturday and Sunday) throughout September.

Omoni

s top revellers are poised for Classic Africa Merit Award, CAMA 2015, its Season 5 awards is set to

roll. This is regarded as the nation’s most celebrated media awards when it comes to appreciation and accomplishment. The event will hold this month, at 10 Degrees Events Centre, Ikeja Lagos. The organisers in a quest to put up a formidable event, have assembled a quartet host for the fifth edition of Africa’s most talked about award of excellence. While wild, wide and crazily talented Denrele Edun will take command of CAMA lush green carpet with TV presenter, Mercy Osuya, the host of De Gallery on MITV; Nollywood most sortafter diva, Halima Abubakar will complement radio anchor, Covenant Child right. CAMA 2015 has heightened pleasure and feelings of recognition. The lush associated with this meaningful annual event fulfils several purposes and kind-hearted fun from the entire who-is-who in the world of showbiz, top notch politicians and major players in the corporate world desirable of the green carpet breeze of in-depth reward for excellence. The award is an opportunity to both thank valued citizens of Nigeria and Africa for their contributions and to reinforce the behaviours and actions for

which the award is presented. CAMA is managed in partnership with high ranking brands/print and electronic mediums who have continued to serve as a reminder of the power to celebrate a form that is proven ever more versatile in the twenty first century. The genre is enjoyed not just on the page, on air and increasingly on every sort of screen, but also in flash fiction events, short story festivals and slams. The event story has moved beyond the revival of recent years and is now experiencing a golden age. After spanning the globe for the finest in home-grown pros and cons in table of entertainment profession, we have confirmed the likes of these personalities who have made it in this year’s CAMA 2015, the ever boisterous city big boy and Chairman of Etoks Communications, who equally plays big in the oil and gas sector of the economy, Deacon Iyke Kanu, who is set to add glam to CAMA 2015 as the youngest person to chair the event in its five years of existence. Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, the Guest Speaker, will give a keynote address on ‘Winning War Against Insurgency in Contemporary African Society: The Anambra Example’. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, will serve as the Chief Host, while Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will be the Special Guest of Honour. Other special guests include the Governor of Ogun State, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun, the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Capt. Idris Wada of Kogi State, Dr. Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari of Zamfara State and the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Lessons of Life TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART

ADAEZE AMOS Adanneamos@gmail.com 08023012293 (sms only)

In need of a serious relationship/marriage Kola, handsome, loving and lives in Lagos needs a beautiful, caring and sexy lady between 16 and 24 for a relationship -08143306304. Kelvin, based in Abuja, needs a mature lady or mama for fun alone -07032364171. Chuks, 23, needs a sugar mummy who is between 40 and 50 years old -08164033744. Tunji, 30, based in Ibadan needs a responsible and God-fearing lady for a serious relationship. The lady has to be between 27 and 28 years old -09094124806. Alao, 38, single, living in Lagos and needs a single, Yoruba Muslim lady who is below 30 for marriage -08170141833. Ola needs a lady between 17 and 25 for friendship -08033991589. Peter wants a good and rich woman for marriage -08055686812. Monday needs a beautiful and good woman from abroad for marriage -09030182779. Fred, 40, needs a girl from Benin, Edo State for marriage -08035710475. Kunle, 43, with AA genotype, a civil servant needs a God-fearing lady that has a job or that is into business for marriage. She should be between 30 and 35 years old and from Ogun State -08066716162. Hakym, a printer from Lagos Island needs a caring and loving sugar mummy -07089062968. A model

Help! I have fallen in love with my doctor (2) We continue Juliet ’s story started last week. She was dating Tony, a married man. They parted ways because Tony ’s wife had got wind of their affair. But Juliet didn ’t know she was already pregnant for him. With no other man to cater for her, she eventually fell in love with her doctor.

“

I didn ’t want to tell Tony about my pregnancy because I knew that wouldn ’t make him happy. He didn ’t want anything that would jeopardise his marriage. The first thing I did was to pack out of my apartment. I felt unsafe there since Tony informed me one of my neighbours told his wife about us. “The person may also tell the woman about my pregnancy. I later registered with a hospital close to my new abode for antenatal care. It was a private hospital and the doctor was indeed caring. He took my case to the heart and gave me adequate attention each time I came for antenatal, ” she said. When Juliet was about to register in the hospital, she was told that before her date of delivery, she was supposed to bring her husband to donate a pint of blood for the blood bank in case of any eventuality. “I was shocked to hear that because that was common with general/teaching hospitals and not the private ones. I was also told that the consultant in charge of the hospital worked in a teaching hospital before he established his and

that he got that idea from where he worked before. “After I was registered, I was coming for my antenatal clinic every month according to my doctor ’s instruction. One day, a nurse told me to hold on and see the consultant who needed to see me because I was one of those few whose husbands were yet to donate blood. I was worried and decided in my mind to opt out of the hospital for another private hospital if they insisted. The reason is that I had no husband to donate blood. The man responsible for my pregnancy was not even aware because he would insist I terminate it. I had already told my mum I was pregnant, she advised me never to tamper with it. She said I should remain in Lagos, have my baby and bring it back home. She told me on the phone one night that she had already discussed with my father about it and if the baby happened to be a male child, my he wouldn ’t mind taking him not as his grandson but his own son. He needed an heir badly because he had no male child. I have five younger sisters. I was happy that my family was not angry with me for getting pregnant out of wedlock, ” she said. When Juliet sat facing Dr Eric as he was popularly called in the hospital, “I was at home with him. All the fears I had before stepping into his office gradually fizzled out. He was a nice and caring man. I learnt he was married and that

his wife absconded to the United States where both of them met and married. That was all I heard about him. I got my scoop from one commercial motorbike rider who brought me to the hospital. When he conveyed me, he told me that the doctor who owned the hospital was a consultant who studied abroad, that he was a good man who patients hardly died in his hospital but that he never had a child of his own. For that, his wife left him and travelled back to America. I smiled in admiration. “Sitting before Dr Eric, I could perceive that he was humane. He gently asked me why I refused to bring my husband to donate blood. He told me why it was necessary to have blood in the blood bank and all that, ” she she recalled. Juliet was speechless and was confused how to tell the gentleman that she wasn ’t married and that the man responsible for her pregnancy was not even aware. But the consultant tried to make her open up. “Lady, say it, don ’t hide anything from me. Whatever it is you want to say, feel free and say it. Or don ’t you know I ’m your doctor? You must not hide anything from me or am I not your doctor? ” “Yes, doctor, you are, ” “Then what are you hiding from me? ” “I ’m finding it difficult to tell you that the man whose pregnancy I ’m carrying doesn ’t know I ’m

Gbenga, 43, needs a 30-35 year-old self-employed lady from Ogun State for a relationship -08151011938. Ayo, 30, a civil servant needs a godly and educated Yoruba lady, between 24 and 29 years of age, for a relationship that would culminate in marriage -07033318447. Moses, 27, needs a serious relationship that can lead to marriage. She should be between 21 and 28 years old. She should be a workingclass, dark-skinned and beautiful. She should be living in Lagos -07087764057.

NOTICE: Please note that we don ’t do personal connections outside this column. Calls to connect privately are not allowed. Just send an SMS or email and we ’ll get your request published. The request is published on first come first served basis. Thank you!

pregnant. I ’m not even married to him. He is a married man but we were dating and when we decided to call it quits because his wife got wind of our affair, I was already pregnant for him. I couldn ’t call to tell him because he would insist I terminate the pregnancy. This is the truth doctor. I don ’t have anyone to donate blood for me, I ’m on my knees sir, help me, ” she pleaded. Dr Eric looked at her with pity, took her file and scribbled down her drugs for her and wrote something on her file. “Don ’t worry about that then. I have written something on your file, no nurse or doctor in this hospital would ask for this once they see it. But be coming on Thursdays; that is every other week to see me. That is when I ’m usually here for pregnant women, okay? ” “Okay sir, thank you, ” she hugged him. Juliet was coming every two weeks as the doctor directed. Gradually, they

started being close; Juliet loved telling stories while the doctor was a good listener. That was what Tony never liked. “He usually complained that I talked a lot, that I should learn to keep quiet at times. Doctor Eric was the opposite of Tony. He would want me to tell him everything, he loves women who talk. He said they were livelier. So, I talked, chatted and laughed while he would just be smiling and listening. He was enjoying my company so much that even when I wasn ’t due for antenatal clinic, he would call me on the phone to come over to the hospital and be with him. I used to enjoy staying with him. That was what I continued doing, I answered all the questions he asked about me not concealing anything. I told him how I met Tony because he asked. Gradually, I became fond of him. That fondness culminated in love. •To be continued.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From the Pulpit

Sunday September 6, 2015

Give bountifully to God

t is observed that all the people of the world want blessing. People can have blessing without stress or doing any other thing. Doing spiritual work to get blessing is not good at all. People do not know that doing spiritual work for blessing kills person’s star. For example if a person does money ritual, the end of the person’s life will not begood. After the person’s death, the money will varnish and the children will not be useful.

Take a look at a person that did money ritual and see what befell him or her. Some people are not money-ritualists but they are heavenly blessed and destined to be rich. So there is nothing they do for living, they will definitely be blessed richly. These people are special people destined to be blessed no matter the situation and they are heirs in families. Where an heir is found in a family, it is God’s making and only one is normally made special person in a family. He or she is required to uplift others in the family. Therefore God made some people to be special and bestow unto them special qualities e.g. Moses (Exodus 4:11-12), Samson (Judges 13:5) and Jesus Christ (Matthew 1:18-24, 2:1-12). If a person is not selected to have special qualities or attributes from God, such will continue to live a life of expectation till the end. A young man always believes strongly he would be rich but he passed on recently. This shows that he was not selected to be rich and anybody that has the same mentality could die without getting rich. Therefore, there is need for people to prepare their minds if they will have money or not. But if they are to be rich, they should be behaving like rich people. If they are not to be rich, they should commence doing things that will bring recognition for them and have impact in this world. There are some poor people that made impact in the work of God. Many people strongly believe they will be rich but their belief

General Overseer of Omnipotence Mission of God, Prophet Joshua Daramola Oloruntimilehin, in this piece, explains the mission of Satan in the world. Excerpts:

may not come to reality. The certainty of a person that he or she will be rich is more realistic than belief. This is because the elements of riches must have been seen, felt by the person. Some people must have been told by pastors, herbalists etc that they will be rich but fail to come to reality. But for a person heavenly blessed or rich, he or she needs to tow the right path. Brethren, many people are serving God but they do not feed God. People do keep domestic animals at homes e.g. fowl, duck, goat etc. In keeping them, they are taking care of them, feed them very well, so that they do not die and be useful. In same vein, serving God is to take care of Him and feed Him. People are serving God without feeding Him; instead they take good care of themselves and make God starve. How do people feed and take care of God? The Bible says in Matthew 25:35-45 “For I was hungry and you gave me food to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me... I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me” A person that fails to do God’s work, He will not do his or her work. Imagine a father that does not take care and educate his child, the child too will not take care of the father in his old age. It is imperative for people to continually do good things for God and give Him something tangible. Imagine the widow that gave all she had as offering to God (Luke 21:1-4). Also Mary who poured expensive fragrance on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair got the reward of her action when her brother Lazarus died and was revived by Jesus (John II). Some people only give to God when they are buoyant, but fail to give to God when they have little. Such people are

Prophet Oloruntimilehin

not recognized as a person who gave all he or she had. Similarly, God recognized the sacrifice of Abel than Cain (Genesis 4:1-7) Let People do what is right for God so that He in return would do the same or better for them. Some people are fond of giving God lower denominations (N5, N10, N20), dirty and mutilated banknotes as offering, whereas they have with them higher denominations and clean banknotes. People should imbibe the culture of giving God the highest denomination in their pocket during offering time in the church. Brethren, it has come to my understanding and knowledge that people need to firstly give bountifully to God before taking care of themselves. Also

‘God is ready to fight for you’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.” The Bible establishes that Satan and his angels are our adversaries and they enter into human beings who are not Christians to torment and fight humans. The Lord knows them. No matter in what form they operate or how powerful they are, God knows all about them and I give you the assurance that the Lord will confront them and grant you total deliverance cum freedom in Jesus name. These evil personalities are enemies to man’s progress. When they enter into any human being, they turn them against other human beings. They kill, steal and destroy them, also oppress the people and keep them in bondage. John 10:10 says: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly”.

When you allow these enemies gateway into your life, business, family, career and whatever, they waste very little time in destroying everything but I give God the glory on your behalf for as many who are reading this message, the Lord shall arise to confront all their enemies in Jesus name. Pharaoh was an example of those whom God confronted. He rose up against God’s people telling them they would never be allowed to go and worship the Almighty God. He cared not about the Almighty God, but in the end, he was confronted by God and his soldiers were drowned in the Red Sea. The Lord will confront all your enemies too in Jesus name. Nebuchadnezzar was another example. He rose up against God’s children and the Lord confronted him and granted them victory. The case of Meshack, Shedrach and Abednego who refused to worship the image of Nebuchadnezzar and were thrown into a huge fire but God delivered them as the fire respected the creator of fire and they were not hurt, instead their accusers were confronted by God. Herod was another example. He respected not the personality of God and was against Peter, Paul and other apostles and a certain day came he began to make an oration and all the people likened him to God Almighty and in that same event as he was

still speaking, worms ate him up alive. We have the case of Laban who rose up and pursued after Jacob in order to terminate his life and recover everything but received confrontation in a dream. If all those pursuing after you fail to make peace with you, they shall receive confrontation today in Jesus name. Remember that Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, Herod all died but he (Laban) who made peace escaped death and so your enemies have the option of either making peace and live or refuse to and perish. Exodus 12:29-33 says, “And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also. And the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they might send them out

embrace and do God’s work diligently. In return, He takes care of you and your family and everything that concerns you. He has been continually blessing me, my family and ministry because there is nothing I cannot give God. This is the secret of blessing. Let people imbibe the culture and practice it without stopping so as to enjoy the blessing of God and live a better life for the rest of their life. •2 Oloruntimilehin Street, Akinogun Pipeline, Mosan, Ipaja. •For more enquiries call: 08023020108, 08058110288; facebook.com/pastoroloruntimilehin

of the land in haste; for they said, We be all dead men.” I do not know who is troubling you, but assuredly all those troubling you shall receive confrontation from God Almighty in Jesus name and you will testify to the glory of God. Even as you are reading this message, believe me, your enemies are already being confronted in Jesus name. What you need to do now in order to qualify for this deliverance is to ensure you have a good relationship with the God Almighty and He will take over your battle and deliver you. Psalms 34:19 says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all” The righteous are God’s children and He owed them safety. No matter what the devil and his human agents do to the righteous, when the time of their deliverance comes, God will confront their adversaries and deliver them. God has designed this time to confront your enemies and grant you victory. So, if you can become a child of God today, I assure you that all those that are challenging you shall be confronted in Jesus name. It does not matter how strong that enemy may be or how long he has held you captive, what matters is that God has decided to confront him and set you free, and you shall be free in Jesus name.

From the Pulpit Learn with Kunle

Macaulay

Email: profkunlemacaulay@ yahoo.com (08023032698, sms pls)

hen Jesus appeared in Galilee, his first message was, ‘’ The time has come now. The kingdom of God is near….’’ Mk 1: 14 – 15. As a matter of fact, his main message is about’’ the kingdom of God’’. His main concern is to prepare people for the kingdom of God, so he said ‘’,…. repent and believe the good news’’. When he sent his disciples out, he said to them, ‘’….As you go, preach this message, ‘’The kingdom of heaven is near’’. Matt 10 : 7. After his resurrection, the Bible confirmed that he instructed his disciples to ‘’Go into all the world and preach the good news to all the creation’’. Mk 16 : 15.

There are many false speculations about the coming of Jesus in the clouds. It is strange that some people consider that some cataclysmic events in the modern world are signs of his coming but we should not forget that Bible reveals many cataclysmic events even after the birth of Cain and Abel and I will say authoritatively that every generation before us had experienced disasters like ours. Many people refer to the signs of the end of the age in the book of Matthew chapter 24. I love what Jesus said here, ‘’Watch out that no one deceives you….. You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen but the end is yet to come’’. Matt 24 : 4-6. It is essential to understand what God said and not what men think. Some national newspapers of recent are concerned about the signs of the end times. The signs of his coming may be important but what is more important is the prepara-

Desti Destiny Hour with Pastor Femi

Lanre-Oke

ne of darkest conspiracies over the body of Christ is to allow the knowledge of God to be abundant but make scarce the fear of God. Children of God now preach and teach the word of God with ease but also sin with ease.

The message of this dispensation of grace has been over preached while the God of judgment and the message of carrying one’s cross daily are de-emphasized. This is a major reason why a lot of Christians suffer from the miseries of closed heavens, stolen blessings, serpent bites among others in different areas of their lives. We come to the cross at salvation, we weep and genuinely repent of our sins getting washed by the blood of Jesus and from there we receive a new life as children of God and kingdom citizens. However, we forget to do something important; pick up our crosses daily and follow Jesus. The daily cross is a reminder of what you’ve sacrificed in order to follow Jesus; it is a constant reminder of your decision to say “goodbye world, I stay no longer with you, goodbye pleasures of sin. The pleasure

Sunday September 6, 2015

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The kingdom of God is not here now tion of people for his arrival. Jesus taught his disciples about his ‘’second coming’’ and his disciples also went about spreading the good news. The signs people are talking about today had been in existence since the beginning of human life. The Bible said, ‘’ No one knows about that day or hour not even the angels in heaven nor the Son but only the Father’’. It went on to warn, ‘’Be on guard. Be alert. You do not know when that time will come’’ Mk 13 : 32 – 33. Jesus confirmed that nobody will know the time and the day but Paul said even if we do not know the time or day, the fact remains that when it happens, it will be ‘’in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye….’’ 1 Cor 15 : 52. Many scholars have deceived people by predicting the time of his coming. Some Christian experts even went to calculate and gave a definite date and time. I know somebody said that we still have 25 more years to spend before his arrival. If it is by calculation, then this expert is wrong. If man is to spend 6,000 years on earth after which the earth will be destroyed, then it means that from Creation to Abram was 2,000years and from Abram to Jesus was also 2000years, now from Jesus to today is 2015 years. If we go by calculation, man has spent altogether 6,015years on earth, therefore Jesus ought to have come in the year 2000 which is 15 years ago. Jesus prophesied that preceding his coming will be great earth quacks, famines and pestilences in various places and fearful events and great signs from heaven. Lk 21 : 11. The Bible said , ‘’When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift your heads because your redemption is ‘’drawing near’’. Lk 21 : 28. The Bible said that the redemption is drawing near but not here yet. The study and understanding of the Bible is essential for grasping the message of his coming. The Bible reveals that the last days before the coming of Jesus in the

clouds will be wicked days and many will run away from Jesus and will go after false prophets and teachers. The advice of Paul to Timothy is relevant to our situation today. He said, ‘’But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without selfcontrol, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them’’.2 Tim 3; 1 – 5. There is no doubt that we are in the last days of man on earth but I need to emphasize here that even though we are experiencing all these unpleasant events, this only confirms that Jesus will come ‘’anytime’’. It can be today or tomorrow. Sincerely speaking nobody knows it. The message of his coming is for people who understand the future of man as planned by God and who will do everything to be part of the resurrection. Today, many false teachers teach that the kingdom of God is in believers, while some said that the kingdom is already established on earth and Christians must therefore live like princes and princesses. We are not the first generation to wait for the appearance of the Lord Jesus. Peter warned that in the last days scoffers will say, ‘’Where is this ‘’ coming’’ he promised?’’ Ever since our fathers died everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation’’. 2 Pt 3 : 4. Peter went on to say, ‘’ The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance’’. 2 Pt 3 : 9 The biblical lesson here is not about the signs of his coming but the advantage of his coming. There is no doubt that Jesus will come back because he said to his disciples, ‘’

I am going to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am’’. Jn 14 : 2 – 3. The message of the kingdom is to prepare people for his arrival. People who hear the message should repent, accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and then put the message into action. It is essential that as his coming is drawing near, people should not allow the temporary things of the world to attract them. John exhorts us, ‘’ Dear friends, now we are children of God and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he (Jesus) appears we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as he is pure.’’ 1 Jn 3 : 2 – 3. It is essential to expect him every day and so our hearts should be kept clean and pure always. We must live a godly life, confess all sins committed because, ‘’ He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to purify us from all unrighteousness’’ 1 Jn 1 : 9. The Bible exhorts us to ‘’….seek first his kingdom and his righteousness….’’ Matt 6 : 33. True Christians are not concerned about the perilous days or signs of his coming, they are eager to see the ‘’glorious appearing of Jesus Christ because they learned that, ‘’This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven’’. Acts 1 : 11. There are many people who are very religious in the church but have not experienced a new birth. Jesus is coming for his own – those who believe in him and those who live a righteous life. Definitely, he is coming for those who are truly born – again. •Prof. Kunle Macaulay is the Director of Studies of United Bible University, Lagos. Phone: 0802 – 303 – 2698; email : profkunlemacaulay@yahoo.com; Twitter. com/Kunle Macaulay1

The fear of God (1) of sin is for a while but the poison of it can have a lifelong effect. Sin not only makes God unhappy with you, it not only makes it impossible for Him to look at you, it holds the danger of granting legal accesses to the serpents of hell through broken hedges to strike at different areas of your life. Unfortunately, children of God sin recklessly and also plead for forgiveness absent – mindedly not knowing that legal accesses created by sin can be there for life until a conscious effort to close them and mend the broken hedges are made. Broken hedges can be in different areas of life such as marriage, finances, career, ministry and many more. The man who has one in his marriage will continually suffer the poison of hell in his home, happiness will flee and sorrow will abound, a broken hedge in finances lead to stolen blessings and inability to make ends meet no matter the effort put into it. One in career leads to stunted growth and in-explainable disasters in the line of work. The decision to live above sin delivers and ensures freedom from these miseries of life. It makes it possible to say just like the author of our salvation that “the prince of this world cometh but he has nothing in me” John 14:30. The hold of sin if not broken can bring untold miseries into the life of a child of God, it can allow the devil cart away blessings by the truckload. Many children of God have made the kingdom of darkness

very rich, they’ve sown seeds, prayed, praised God and done all they could but they have simply neglected besetting sins (Hebrews 12:1) that create broken hedges and holes for hell to have a filled day with their blessings. The prophecy proclaimed on your life ten years ago was not a lie, God’s plan for your life is for good and not evil (Jeremiah 29:11), His ears are not deaf and His hands not too short but sin makes it impossible for His blessings and great plans to reach you (Isaiah 59:1). God is not a man that will lie and He’s not a son man that He’ll repent (Numbers 23:19) but He simply is a righteous God who cannot behold iniquity. The devil knows the laws and is prompt in enforcing them while you are just being careless about sinning and its consequences. An all you can eat buffet is made available for you by God and the key to its access is the fear of God which brings a conscious departure from iniquity. The fear of God makes you flee iniquity, it makes pleasing God the focus of your Christianity, it makes your life serpent free and makes your blessings hell proof. This is a journey we intend to embark on as we prayerfully go through this topic this month. I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring all things to your understanding in Jesus name. One cannot however talk of the fear of God to an un-regenerated mind and

it is impossible to fear God if one’s love for God is no longer as hot as it should be. Therefore, to ensure that you maximally benefit from all we will say and all that the Holy Spirit will expound this month it is imperative that you give your life to Jesus and if you were once saved and now in doubt of your salvation , you need to come once again to the throne of mercy. If you want to say yes to Jesus right now; the process is simple: Believe in your heart that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself. • Believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary paying the price for your sins and rose from the dead the third day to establish your victory • Confess with your mouth that Jesus is lord and saviour. • Repent of all sins before the Lord and forsake them. • Welcome into God’s family. Now you can enjoy and experience total wealth in Christ. Please locate a bible believing church and share you newbirth experience with the church leaders. •For further prayer & counseling, Please contact: Pastor Femi Lanre-Oke, Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministries International, Plot A22 Power Crescent, Arab road, Kubwa. Abuja, +2348030752799, +2348053695097, Email: femi_lanre01@yahoo.co.uk

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Sunday September 6, 2015

Breaking up your fallow ground The Shepherd with Pastor Akinyele

Aluko

he Book of Jeremiah Chapter 4 verse 3 says: - For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Good farmers know that before they can grow anything they must first break up the ground using a hoe, plough or tractor. It is after these that the process of sowing and reaping can commence. The analogy of planting, germination and reaping was also used by Jesus Christ in the parable of the Sower. Back to the words of the prophet Jeremiah quoted above, one very important lesson we must learn from these passages focuses on the phrase, “break up your fallow ground,” is that fallow ground is either that which, having once been tilled, has long lay uncultivated; or, it is ground that is slightly ploughed, in order to be ploughed again before it is planted (or sown).

The implication of this interpretation is that the Church as an entity breaks up her own fallow ground, when she stirs up anew the decaying righteousness of her own members. The simple fact is that too many of us have been long uncultivated in righteousness and so we are like the Pharisees in the days of Jesus that only wash the outside while their innermost parts are full of dirt and evil. The country is full of many evils today; from corruption, to kidnapping, rapes, robberies, production and sale of uncertified products, and human rituals and killings just to mention a few. It is sad that a percentage of the people involved in these unwholesome activities are those born into Christianity and some of them still active church goers. The Church has a responsibility of win-

ning these souls back to Jesus Christ. It is not a question of if we can. It is tasks that must be done if we all would want to give an account that will make the Father say on that day; “welcome good servant, enter into the joy of your Lord”. The daunting task is how do we achieve this extraordinary feat? Jeremiah warns that one should not sow the seeds of repentance in unfit soil, but just as the farmer prepares the ground, by clearing it of weeds, and exposing it to the sun and air, before planting the seed, so must you regard repentance as a serious matter, requiring forethought, and anxious labour. To sow in ground that has not been properly ploughed one might as well sow on land that is full of thorns or between the rocks or on the roadside – we don’t need to be told that it is time and effort wasted. One should not be satisfied with a slight furrowing of the heart; rather, let the land that was fallowed (slightly ploughed) be broken up again with a deep furrow of true repentance. In other words, one must not be satisfied with a mere stirring of the heart - there must be a true change of thought and life. This can only happen if there is true repentance that breaks up our fruitless and hardened hearts; and...when this is done - and when the seed of the Word of Life is sown in them – the birds of the air (satanic agents) will not come and pick them away for food and worldly cares and concerns will not arise and choke out the good seed like thorns. A well prepared heart is what is needed for the full breaking up of the fallow (heart) ground. James Chapter 1 verse 21 says: Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. Why did James write like this? He saw the human heart as a garden; if left to itself, the soil would produce only weeds. He urged us to “pull out the weeds” and prepare the soil for the “implanted Word of God.” The phrase “superfluity of naughtiness” gives the picture of a garden overgrown with weeds that cannot be controlled. In a simple language,

James says that it is foolish to try to receive God’s Word into an unprepared heart. Like an ear wax that blocks hearing, moral filthiness definitely would stand as a barrier between us and the understanding and application of the word of God. The idea is that of confessing, repenting of, and eliminating every vestige and semblance of evil that corrupts our lives, reduces our hunger for the Word, and clouds our understanding of it. When that is done, we can indeed receive “the word of God,”...not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in [us] who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). How do we prepare the soil of our hearts for god’s word? The answer is a very simple one. It is first by repenting. The first Epistle of John Chapter 1 verse 9 says: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Gently and simply stated, we must get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent in a once and for all action. Our second action should be meditating of God’s love and grace through His Word, which will cause us to “plough up” any hardness that is within our hearts (Jeremiah 4:3) and finally, we must have an attitude of “meekness” (James 1:21) meaning that when we receive the Word with meekness, we accept it, do not argue with it, and honour it as the Word of God and we do not try to twist it to conform it to your thinking as many are doing today to propagate same sex marriage. If we do not receive the implanted Word, then we are deceiving ourselves. Christians who like to argue various “points of view” may be only fooling themselves. They think that their “discussions” are promoting spiritual growth, when in reality they may only be cultivating the weeds. Our hearts are the soil, and the seed is the Word of God (Luke 8:11). There are seasons to the spiritual life just as there are seasons to the soil. Sometimes, our hearts become wet and “submerged in water,” or gets dry and caked up and we have to plough up the fallow ground before the seed

can be planted. When the fallowness is eventually broken, God sends the sunshine and the rains of His goodness to water and nurture the seeds planted; but we must be patient to wait for the harvest. James pictured the Christian as a “spiritual farmer” looking for a spiritual harvest. He admonishes us to be patient and stay steady and strong (James 5:8). As Priests, Pastors, Apostles, Bishops or whatever titles we bear; we are the farmers breaking the fallow grounds and sowing the new seeds. The real farmer carries peculiar attributes. These we must also emulate. The Apostle James in his Epistle, James 5: 7-9 has this to say to us as “farmers”- 7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. The simple interpretation of the above passage is that if a man is impatient, then he had better not become a farmer because no crop appears overnight (except perhaps a crop of weeds), and no farmer has control over the weather too much rain can cause the crop to rot, and too much sun can burn it up. He must also have patience with the seed and the crop, for it takes time for plants to grow. In other words, the farmer must be long suffering. Why should the farmer willingly wait for so long? It is because the fruit is “precious” (James 5:7), and the harvest is worth waiting for. Lets us keep working and waiting the harvests is just by the corner. •Apostle Pastor Akinyele Aluko is the Shepherd of the English Service Chapel, Cherubim & Seraphim Movement Church, Surulere Sub-Headquarters, Ayo Ni O.e-mail: eyealuko2002@yahoo.co.uk, 08050463889.

A New Dispensation in Nigeria

n our last series, the roles expected of the followership were extensively enumerated. In this series, the roles expected of the leadership will be critically examined. Please read on. ‘’Then Mordecai commanded to answer, think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the kings house more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed; and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this’’. Esther 4:13-14. When Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite was promoted as the second in command to king Ahasuerus, his mission was to exterminate all the Jew in the kingdom of Ahasuerus. When the information of the intended extermination of Jews was received by Mordecai, he was troubled in heart which forced him to Esther who had just been crowned as the new Queen of king Ahasuerus. Nigeria has been under economic bondage for many years which has forced many Nigeria to engage in ceaseless and heartrending prayers which eventually culminated into the election of new leaders both in the centers and states for another four years. Many Nigeria are expecting good things from them and they should not let them down. In order to meet these expectations, Critical roles have to be played.

Appointment of ministers and other aides A leader is not expected to executed to execute the the policy put in place himself, but he has to appoint some aides to assist him to do it. the choice he makes can make or mar him as the buck stop in desk. He should therefore chooses people of like mind. When Jehu was going ng to execute judgment against the household d of king Ahab, he met jehonadab and asked jehonadab if he was of the same ame mind with him, he said yes. ‘’and he was departed thence; e; he lighted on jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him; and he saluted him, and said d to him is thine heart right, as my y heart is with thine hearth: and jehonadab ehonadab answered, it is. If it be, give ive me thine hand. And he gave his hand; and; and took him up to him into the Chariot’’. 2 kings 10:15. Lessening of burden An average ge Nigeria is groaning under multiple ple taxations imposed by three hree tiers of government and other untold hardship rdship which has made him wretched. d. When Re-hoboam succeeded Solomon,

the jews leaders sent emissaries to him to lessen the financial burden imposed on them by his father Solomon who engaged in flamboyant life contrary to the standard laid down by the Holy scripture. (Deut 17:14).when they went back, rehoboam answered them in the negative and promised to add more to their travails. It was the straw that broke the camel’s camel s back as kingdom was split into Northern and southern kingdoms. The southern kingdom was retained by him, (Kings 12:7-17) while jeroboam became the captain of the ten tribes constituting Northern kingdom Prudence in financial management ‘’A prudent

Primate I.O Oyelowo

person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simple ton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences’’. Proverbs 27:12. Prudence is about making sensible and careful judgment and decision or the avoidance of un-necessary risks. When Nehemiah became the governor in the land of Judah, he refrained himself from taking all the entitlement due to him and his associates. (Nehemiah 5:14-15) Nehemiah’s shrewdness in finance was manifested in the completion of Jerusalem wall building within 52 days against all odds. (Neh 6:15) it was as a result of his commitment to the cause of God’s project that he was made a governor for 12 years. ‘’let the elders that rule be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrines.’’1 Tim 5:17 Need for unity in the team As it is evident that the leader cannot execute his plan all alone; there s need for team work to take place. This can only take place if there is no division between team and the captain and among the team members. (Matthew 18:18—20) As Nigeria is moving gradually to the Promised Land, we shall not lag behind in Jesus name, amen. Till then Shalom!

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

From the Pulpit

T The voice of wisdom o

with Dr. David

Oyedepo

eptember is here again! For us, it shall be a month of strange miracles, signs and wonders to remember in the precious name of Jesus! God’s Word is pregnant with wonders. However, until we believe what the Word says about us, God is not committed to perform it (Luke 1:45; see also Genesis 13:14-15; Deuteronomy 28:1-13; Psalms 119:18). Again, it is important to know that the Kingdom of God is governed by mysteries, through which we command mastery over life’s situations and circumstances. However, we must understand that mysteries are divine revelations from scriptures that are wrapped up in biblical simplicities. That is why Jesus, while explaining the Parable Of The Sower to his disciples, said: …Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God (Luke 8:10-11; Mark 4:11; Ephesians 3:1-5; Colossians 1:25-27; 2 Corinthians 11:3). In other words, God’s Words are mysteries that we operate to gain mastery over life situations. However, we must receive, believe and put them to work before the wonders therein can be delivered (James 1:22). Again, it is written: Meditate upon these things (God’s Word); give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all (1 Timothy 4:15). “Profiting” in the above scripture means wonders. It is important to know that Christianity will remain an adventure in frustration without commitment to Word practice. This is

Priesthood House with Pastor Bola

Bello

he gift of God for man is incomprehensible and remarkably veiled from both Satan and man but, now being revealed to the Saints who are prepared to pay the price and sincerely align with God’s purpose and counsel. The Bible speaks about certain secret, kept from both man and angels; “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.” (Prov. 25:2). What exactly could this concealment is? How significant is this concealment to man in eternity? Could this secret be the gift of the Holy Spirit made manifest on the Pentecost? This and other issues would be addressed in this write-up. I sincerely wish you stay on to see the need to unearth this secret. The Saints have constantly stayed in the Power Gift, rejoices and celebrates in its manifestation when the best amongst the saints operate in the manifestation of the gift of the Spirit, especially the Power Gifts (1 Cor. 12:4-6). There is no doubt, such administration of supernatural manifestation has brought profits to the Church where faith, wisdom and prophetic operations has confounded the unbelievers, and brought healings and encouragements to the Saints (1 Cor. 12:6-10). This is not however, the secret which was concealed for both Angels and man. Power Gift, as important as it is to the Church, is not an operation unknown to humanity. Af-

Sunday September 6, 2015

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Engaging the Wonders in the Word! because only the Word we put to work guarantees profitable living (Wonders), not the one we preach or reverence (James 1:25). But, what are these wonders embedded in God’s Word? First, we must understand that God’s Word is not just full of revelations, but also of spiritual pictures. This is because the Word of God is a spiritual mirror that shows us who we are, what we are worth and what we can do (James 1:23-25). When we catch a glimpse of who God says we are from the mirror/glass of scripture and practice same, we are guaranteed profitable living in Christ Jesus. That is why the Bible says: Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place (2 Corinthians 2:14). Based on the above scripture, one of the wonders embedded in the Word is triumphant living. That means when we access revelation (knowledge) from God’s Word, we are divinely illuminated and empowered to triumph over every challenging situation of life. Let us examine scriptural pictures that validate our triumphant destiny in Christ Jesus. • At redemption, there was a change of position: When Jesus rose from the dead, every redeemed child of God became a part of His resurrection and is seated with Jesus in heavenly places, far above principalities and powers (Ephesians 1:20-21; 2:6). Thus, by redemption, we are above the realms where principalities and powers torment people. When we catch the picture of our new position in Christ from scriptures, our confidence in God and in confronting the powers of darkness, is enhanced (Colossians 1:13; Psalms 119:130). • Jesus is the Stone in Zion: From scriptures, we understand that Jesus is the Chief Corner Stone and every believer is sent after the same order (Ephesians 2:20; Matthew 21:42, 44). That means by redemption, we are also made lively stones and as such, we are

turned into rocks of offense. Thus, anyone who dares to stop us shall be broken to pieces and those we confront, shall be grinded to powder (John 20:21; 1 Peter 2:5). We also understand from scripture that Jesus is the living Word of God. That means the Word of God is the Stone in Zion. When we operate in that revelation, the Word turns us into rocks of offense in Zion. • God is a consuming fire: From scriptures, we understand that our God is a consuming fire. We also understand that God’s Word, is God in print. This helps us to understand that God’s Word is a consuming fire that has unlimited capacity to destroy all forms of evil stubbles on our paths (Deuteronomy 4:24; Hebrews 12:29; Daniel 3:17-28; Jeremiah 23:29). • We are turned to spiritual “illuminants”: By revelation from God’s Word, we are turned into spiritual “illuminants” and thus empowered to dominate the powers of darkness. For instance, when we turn on the light in a dark room, darkness disappears automatically. Similarly, when we walk in the reality of God’s picture for us from scriptures, we triumph over the powers of darkness, cheaply (John 1:1-5, 9; Isaiah 60:1-3, 8, 22). However, it is not enough to recognize the wonders in God’s Word; we must identify the channels of impartation that guarantee our triumphant destiny in redemption. What, then, are the Channels through which scriptural wonders flow? • Prophetic proclamations: The Bible says: Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy… (1 Timothy 4:14; Hosea 12:13). • Laying on of hands: We can experience impartation of grace and transference of spirits via laying on of hands (2 Timothy 1:6-7). • Through the prophetic mantle: God’s prophets do not only carry the anointing on their bodies but it also overflows to their garments (Psalms 45:8; Matthew 14:35-36). However, to access the flow of wonders in God’s Word through the mantle, we must engage

the following: • Believe in God’s prophet (Matthew 10:42). • Believe that the prophet is sent to us for a change of story (Luke 4:25-27). • We must believe that the prophet occupies a higher place than we do in God: Remember, water never flows uphill but downhill (Psalms 133:1-3; Hebrews 7:7). When we submit ourselves to these demands, we tap into the flow of virtue through the prophetic mantle of God’s anointed prophet. Friend, we must understand that every book in the world is made up of letters, only the Bible is made up of wonders. However, until we receive, believe and practice the demands therein, we are not entitled to the wonders embedded in God’s Word. It is, therefore, my prayer that you are imparted with grace for a diligent search of scriptures, for the wonders therein to be visible in your life! Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? If you haven’t, you can do so as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!” For further reading, please get my books: Maximized Destiny, Making Maximum Impact, All You Need To Have All Your Needs Met, Miracle seed and The Force Of Freedom. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. respectively. •I know this teaching has blessed you. Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww. org

Church as God designed it – The burden of the Kingdom and reign of Christ on earth (9) ter all, the sorcerers, the wise men, the witchcrafts and other religious faiths could also exercise in all kinds of evil powers to provoke the nature and alter things and manifest the supernatural. There is therefore, other gift, apart from the Power Gift which the Almighty God desire for man which would require diligent search before the saints can access it. In the description of this concealment, Job posits that it could not be found within the learning of men and the learning of human understanding cannot produce it (Job 28:14-15). Lucifer and its angels searched for it helplessly, since this concealment can bring so much fame yet, Lucifer could not locate it (Job 28:22). It could not be found in the depth, neither gold nor silver can purchase it for man. However, God understand it, conceal it and unveiled it through His wisdom – the First Begotten of the Father. Desire, fame and ambition could become catastrophic if it is not properly sought in God’s own way. God is not against the ambition of anybody, but it must be sought within the ambit of legality without prejudice to what could offend the laid down rule. The command of God for angels is to keep the instruction and mandate of God and stay within the measure in which they are allocated. One of the assignments of angels was highlighted thus; “Bless the LORD, ye his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word” (Ps. 103:20). Doing God’s bids and hearkening unto His voice are the major thrust of the Angels. It therefore, became an aberration of assignment when Lucifer made the following assertion; “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will

ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the most High God” (Is. 14:12b-14). This was the message Lucifer preached to the fellow angels that led to their fall. He consistently dwells in errors of inflaming his image and made the other angels to believe that they could also become what God is. He felt that he, Lucifer deserved worship in the mount of congregation and his throne should be exalted in the North side where God is seated. Satan missed the point. Such was not given to the angels but allotted to man in the infinite wisdom of God. This is the greatest gift of God for man in which angels gazed with holy envy to see the actualization of it both in this world and in the world to come. The plan of God for man was severally made known, but man could not perceive his importance and prominence. What Lucifer and his cohorts desperately sought was given to man at no own cost. This is the gift of God to man, and he was also empowered to attain it. “And God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth” (Gen. 1:26) The word “Let us” is the full representation of Elohim and their essence. It is therefore, important to note that God was not taking counsel from angels but from three personalities that constitutes Godhead. “With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment…… Behold, the nations are as drop of a bucket, and are counted as the small dust of the balance….. He charged his angels with folly” (Is. 40:14-21).

It should be sufficient to know that angels were not involved when the Elohim decided to make man in the image of God. “The image of God and after the likeness of God” is the precise relationship in which man should stand as fourth person of God head in the kingdom of God. He was made as the overseer and the representative of God and to bring the will and the purpose of God’s kingdom against the backdrop that Satan is cast down to the earth where Satan will bring same insanity and rebelliousness amongst the created species upon the earth. Evidently, Satan was older than man on the face of the earth; nonetheless man was empowered with the gift of God’s likeness which Satan does not possess. Though, man fell for Satan tricks, when he made man to believe that man was not like God and that man can only be like God when man disobeys the instruction of God. The resolute counsel of God is the truth accomplished; and so, man was restored through the penal judgment of Christ; the just for the unjust when Christ took up the responsibility of the rebelliousness of man (1 Pet 1:18). Jesus Christ, the son of God restored the gift of God’s likeness back to man and man could seat together with God in heavenly places far above power and dominions and every name that is named both in heaven and in the earth. In spite of this restoration however, Satan has not stopped its deception and man in his folly and greed could still fall to the trap of the devil.

•Pastor Bola Bello – The Priesthood House, bolabelo@gmail.com 08033704564

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From the Pulpit

Sunday September 6, 2015

The Father’s love

ove means an intense emotion of affection, warmth, fondness, and regard towards a person or thing. To love someone is to have a passionate desire, longing, and feelings for him or her. Everybody wants to be loved and experience the warmth feeling of be accepted. People in search for love go extra mile to get married, look for job, acquire material things, thinking they will find love by having those things but to the disappointment of many. Love is important in a man’s life as it forms the foundation of every good thing in life. The Father’s love for us is the unconditional caring, affection and burning desire of God for us to see our life reflecting His glory and beauty. The love of God for us has usher in so many good things for mankind. The Father’s love has made God to give us all that is needed for us to live as a shining light on earth (John. 3: 16) 16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. - KJV As we can see that the Father’s love is expressed in given His Son and this resulted into multiplication of many sons unto him; that is the reason a life will be stagnant when the flow of love ceases in their life. It takes the Father’s love to give us His son to die for us. Remember that God will always love us in respective of any situation we find ourselves. The depth of father’s love towards us 1. He made a sacrifice: The love of the Father made Him sacrifice himself for us. The sacrifice He made for us brought life. The father’s love saved us from death. He shed his blood because of the love he has for us. The blood of Jesus is ever fresh to help us in time of trouble (John 3: 16) 16: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. The sacrifice the Lord made for us has brought unimaginable dominion over the kingdom of darkness. God didn’t love us because we are good but just because he wanted to show us His love (Romance 5: 6-8)

The Bride’s voice with Pastor Moses

Alu

Continued from last week Chorus: The Original Life, the Original Seed The Original Word is what I believe The Son of man is revealed The seventh seal will be unveiled The Original Life, the Original Seed. We are the Word made flesh today This is what the scripture says And our names are seen within, Redeemed and perfect without sin, Yes, we are anointed and inspired,By our God, Who’s the Original Life. Our eyes of understanding He has opened up at last. And sweet victory is ours Who were chained down in the past. True Jubilee has sounded. And we have responded To our God, Who’s the Original Life.

Bishop Opayinka

6: For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7: For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8: But God commendethhis love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 2. Freedom from condemnation: The love of the father has freed us from condemnation that may arise from the quilt of our sins. As long as you have confessed your sins unto the Lord, you must learn to also forgive yourself as God has forgiven you (Jn.3:17). 17: For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. Since you are now in Christ, there is no more condemnation for you, Rom 8: 1-There is therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Remember that you are now a new person in Christ (2

Cor. 5:17), Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. People may want to condemn you but not God. Don’t allow the devil to continuing victimising you for what you have done in the past. Forgive yourself and access the love of God. 3. Access to good things of God: You can access all the good things created by God since he has become your father. Your portion in life is the good things created by God not bad and unpleasant things, Gen 1: 31a says “ God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” Those good things are for you. You have access to them through the love of God. Every good thing in life comes from the Lord, Jam. 1:17, Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. All the good things of life belong to you as a child of God. You don’t glorify God by liv-

ing a wretched life. God has made them available so that you may truly serve Him. 4. A new life: The love of the Father has brought us a new life. The old nature in an unregenerate life is a sure path way to destruction and eternal damnation. The love of the Father fashioned out a new way for us to escape the destruction the old nature has brought upon us (Ephesians 4:22-24). 22: That ye put off concerning the former conservation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 23: And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 24: And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Since you have become a child of God, your new life is created in righteousness of God which was given you by Him. Allow your mind to be renewed by this knowledge so that your whole may be transform into the very nature the Lord wants you to be (Romance 12:2) 2: And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. The Father has given you His Spirit to help you live this new life without any struggle. Come boldly unto the Father and embrace all that are embedded in this inexhaustible love of God for you. You have a new life in God which was made possible by the love of the father. The Father’s love has brought us so much blessing, grace, freedom and lots more; instead of wallowing in the pool of devil’s condemnation, let’s embrace the boundless love of the Father towards us and live a fulfilled life. See you next week as we journey to the throne together. Bishop Joshua KolawoleOpayinka is the presiding Bishop of Glorious Tabernacle International located Behind Ondo State Cultural Centre, Akure, Ondo State capital. Share your testimonies and prayer points with me at: O8060297831 joshuakolawoleo@yahoo. com

Homosexuality: An abomination (2) We are called unto adoption Full authority and power Sleeping saints’ will wake and join us For translation in this hour. Gentiles’ days soon will be over Glory, Hallelujah To our God, Who’s the Original life. That is our hope. One of these days, we shall see him in the sky. The Bible says so and I believe the Bible. By way of exhortation, I want to call our attention to something because there are lots of people that come here that want to go to heaven. There are many that come here that do not want to go to heaven but they want to go to church. Some of these people have discovered that what they go searching for in the bush (babalawo-native doctors), they can now get in the church where there is the power and anointing of God. So instead of going to the native doctor and be given concoction to eat, they decide to come to the church carrying the Bible and when you see them, you will think they are Christians but the Bible says, “By their fruits, you will know them”. So I am not talking to those ones tonight. I told you some time ago, that I learnt

something in the parable of the wheat and tare in the Book of Matthew Chapter 13. I brought it out in the sermon The Identification of a church. There, I pointed out that the church is a mixed multitude but more importantly, the parable in Matthew Chapter 13 brings the picture out clearer. Here the farmer went to his farm and planted good seeds (wheat) but when men went to sleep, the enemy (satan) went to that same farm and planted tares. I used this same parable to explain the mystery of iniquity. The servants went to the farm and discovered that the good seeds were there and so were the tares. They were worried and came to tell the master, Master, was it not good seeds you planted, how come tares are there also? The farm is the church of Jesus Christ. The owner of the farm is the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says we are born again by the incorruptible seed of the word. The word of God is that seed that was sown and it is supposed to bring forth fruits of righteousness but somehow, while men (our apostolic fathers who laid the foundation of the church and the gospel we are to build upon) slept

(died), satan anointed his own ministers; not another faith but the same church and planted his seed and the church is now in the condition she is. That parable went further to state that the servants of the owner of the vine yard asked him if they should go and uproot the tares but he told them not to so do but allow both the wheat and the tares to grow, so that in their effort to uproot the tares, they will not end up uprooting the wheat; that they should allow both until the harvest (ieend of time). The reason is that the wheat and the tares grow together and they look identical so how would you identify which are the wheat and which are the tares? It is only by their fruits that you will know which is which. A true seed of God can mingle so much with tares and get so influenced and begin to act like the tares and you will think he/she is a tare not knowing he is only acting under the influence of tares. Continued next week •Pastor Moses Alu; The Bride Assembly, Odofin Park Estate, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Ijesha Bus stop 08033524903 : Email: pastormosesalu@yahoo.com

From the Pulpit Chapel of Holiness and Testimony with Pastor K. I.

Bona

Continued from topic 11 of last week

hese are but few, among the thousands of spirits that inhabits the earth, and heavens making themselves lords and master to many human souls, they were able to dominate. In 1st Corrin. 8:5-6 “For though there be that are called gods whether in heaven or in earth, or there be gods many, and lords many. But to us there is but one GOD, the father of whom are all things and we in Him and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and we by him.” Beloveth which of these spirits has made himself a Lord and a master over you, which exhibits his fruits through your daily lifestyle. In 2nd Corrin. 13:5-6 “Examine yourselves whether you be in faith, prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates. But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. A reprobate mind is a rejected mind, an accursed mind. A mind which the Holy Spirit has left to wander away in the forest of his/her own reasoning and imagination. The Bible says, that the spirit of God wishes that we are not reprobates. Nonetheless, the same spirit of God commanded us to examine ourselves. Dear child of God, who are you? Which spirit is leading you? Is it the spirit of the living God? Or any of the spirits in this corrupt world? Examine yourself by your own fruits. Your fruits can be assessed and defined from your character, behaviour, attitude and habits. Your fruits is what people in your neighbourhood, place of work, business place, market place, your family members, your church members, and or your wife or husband says you are. In other words, how have people defined you? The definition they gave you and the truth you told yourself would help give you a clear definition of who you really are. However the truth of the matter is that anyone who claims to be born again without living his/her daily life according to the truth of the gospel we believe and preach has no part with Christ in eternity after this life. Secondly, anyone who is being controlled and led by any of these mentioned spirits of this age or the spirits related to them, who hear the teaching of salvation and closes his/her mind from receiving, and his/her heart from repenting and forsaking of his/her old ways of life shall have his/her soul forever damned in hell fire after this life. You must know your rights in christ jesus. The rights of Christians are those benefits and privileges we enjoy through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Philippians chapter 4:19 “But my God shall supply all your

Sunday September 6, 2015

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Breaking the powers of evil family altar (12) need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” All these needs that God has supplied to us in Christ Jesus, are the right and privileges we are supposed to enjoy in Christ. When a child of God knows and understand that he/she has rights and privileges in Christ, it becomes a license and authority to him/her over the devil. Ignorance of this rights gives the devil an edge over Christians. Which is why it is very important that any Christian wishing to be free, from the powers of evil family altar must know his/her right in Christ. It is very unfortunate that majority of our Christians today who parade the street as children of God, do not know their right in Christ. Which is why devil is having an advantage over them in diverse phases of life. Ignorance of your opportunities in Christ Jesus makes you a slave and a servant in your father house. Our right in Christ Jesus, is the reason why Jesus suffered and died for us. If there were nothing for us to benefit from his death, then Jesus died in vain. God forbid. Beloveth, are you living and enjoying the benefits of the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus or are you still living a life of bondage and frustration even after accepting and confessing Christ. Sit up, now itemize the rights you have in Christ and go for it. Out of the uncountable benefits we have in the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus, these few need be mentioned for the purpose of this teaching. They are as follows: a) Through the condemnation and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus our sins were forgiven. Eph. 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace” b) Through the grace of God, by sending his only begotten son into this sinful world to save the lost, we all have received salvation- Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord Jesus shall be saved” c) When we receive the Lord Jesus, by confessing and forsaking our sins, and live the rest of our lives here on earth according to the truth and holiness of the gospel, our names shall be written in book of life and we enjoy eternity in Christ after this life. Rev. 20:15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” d) When we believe that Jesus was sent by God to save sinners in this world, of which we are among them, and when we shall have faith on the finished work of God in Christ Jesus at the Christ of calvary and his resurrection we are justified. e) In Christ Jesus we are delivered from the powers of darkness, and all the evil works of the wicked – Col. 1: 12-13 “Giving thanks unto the father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Who hath delivered me from the power of darkness, and hath translated us unto the kingdom of his dear son.” f) By hanging Jesus on the tree of Calvary, we all have received freedom from curses – Gal. 3:13 “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of

the law being made a curse for us, for it is written, cursed is every one hangeth on a tree” Not only did he make us free from curses, he also cancelled every judgment placed upon us by an evil authority or dominion. g) By his stripes we are all healed, and in him our infirmities and diseases were taken away – Isa. 53:5 “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed” Matt. 8:17 “That is might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying himself took our infirmities and bare our sickness.” h) In Christ Jesus, we have dominion over all the works of darkness, and non shall have power over us. Luke 10:18-19 “And he said unto them, I behold satan as lighting fall from heaven. Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpion, and over all the powers of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” i) In Christ Jesus, God gave us the treasures of darkness and the hidden riches of the gentiles. Isa. 45:3 “I will give thee the treasure of darkness and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the Lord which call thee by thy name am the God of Israel.” Determine to possess your rights in christ jesus Before any Christian possess his/her right in Christ Jesus, he/she must be a son in faith. This is not just being a son in the natural life; but being a son in the spirituality in faith in Christ Jesus. This is because the world of this present age is anxiously waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God who are determined to occupy their placement and positions in the Lord, while functioning positively in their rights in Christ Jesus. In the gospel of luke chapter 19:13 “And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them occupy till I come.” From the beginning of the parable which Jesus told his disciples in Luke chapter 19 from verse 11, figuratively the ten servants represented the total number of men and women on earth, while the ten pounds, represented each measure of grace. Their master, represented the kings of kings and the lords of lords, who is God almighty. The instruction given to them to occupy, means they should function successively with these measures of grace to fulfill their destinies. These destines were their rights in Christ Jesus. Every individual in this life, no matter how degraded, respected or dishonoured, rich or poor, has a destiny to fulfill. Fulfillment of these destinies are the possession and enjoyment of your rights and benefits in Christ Jesus. This dream can only be fulfilled and realized when you become a son. There are powers vested upon sons to actualize this. In John chapter 1:12 “But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name” This power is the Holy Ghost dwelling in the Christian that makes him/her a son.

This is because in the realm of the Spirit there is no gender difference. We are all sons in Christ. In Romans 8:14 “For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God” The advantages of the power vested upon sons 1) Through the power of the Holy Ghost resting upon the sons they have understanding of divine nature, they can easily dominate it, occupy it, and / or exploit it. 2) Through the power of the Holy Ghost sons exercises total control over the issues of life. 3) Through the power of the Holy Ghost sons brings deliverance to many 4) Through the power invested upon them they lives all their lives thinking and operating in the realm of dominion. 5) With the power of the Holy Ghost upon them, all things are made subject to them in submission 6) Operating in the realm of power, their voices become an authority in the kingdom of darkness 7) Sons live a life of praise to God 8) Sin does not have dominion over them any more 9) Their daily lives reflect the light of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 10) As ambassadors of Christ here on earth, they command kingdom treasures. How can one become a son in the kingdom? This requires processes. Just as we all were born into this natural world as babies, and we grew to children, then to adulthood, which is sonship level. We need also to be born into the world of spirituality by the word of God as new born babies, then we grow to children stage and finally to adulthood, which is sonship level. Which is why the word of God admonished use to us the things of this life to compare with how it happens in the heavenlies. Testimonies Yoke of delay in marriage broken I have daughters, who have all reached the age of marriage. But years were passing by, without any suitor coming for any of them. I brought their names to the man of God, he prayed and prophesied on them. Brethren, today one of my daughters has married, conceived and gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. What my enemies thought that could never happen to me, God has done it. I just came back from visiting my daughter and her newly born baby, praise the Lord! Mummy Osigwe •ADDRESS: Pastor Kingson I. Bona General Overseer Chapel of Holiness and Testimonies Ministries No. 6, David Egbetuyi street, Fagbile Estate, Ijegun-Ikotun, Lagos 08023404926, 08038206508,Website – wwwchapelofholiness. org

News

Theologians to converge on Ibadan

ational President of Association of Christian Theologians, ACTS, Prof. Augustus Olakunle Macaulay has commended the National Universities Commission (NUC) for closing fake and unrecognized tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Speaking at a press conference held on proposed conference of theologians in the country, Macaulay claimed that the NUC took a good step in the right direction because Nigerians deserve quality education, adding that the commission would have nothing do to with Christian

and theological institutions since they are intellectually-spirited education. He advised all colleges accredited by ACTS; a regulatory body officially established in 2002 to protect the integrity of Christian and theological education and practice in Nigeria, to make sure that they maintain only religious courses in their institutions. “ACTS, as a Christian and theological regulatory body is all out to protect the integrity of Christian and theological education and practice in Nigeria”, he maintained. According to Prof. Moses Ajayi, National Secretary of the association, Nigerian theolo-

gians, heads of Bible and theological colleges, Christian experts and theological students from all states in the federation will converge in Ibadan, Oyo State from September 9-10, 2015 at Christian Council of Nigeria (Institute of Church and Society) along University of Ibadan Road, Sango, Oyo State for a national theological conference tagged “The Nigerian theological academic system and the challenges of secularism.” “The forum will be attended by Christians and theological experts as the major discussion will be on infiltration of the church of God by non-spirit filled leaders that have in-

troduced secularism. The forum will be an avenue to look into possibility of providing adequate training for church leaders to minimize errors in the interpretation of Bible messages”, he revealed. The chairman of Oyo/Osun States Chapter of Association of Christian Theologians, ACTS, Prof. S. O Ferguson revealed that a meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the association will hold on September 8, 2015 as the Oyo/Osun States chapter of the association will be officially inaugurated on the occasion. A good number of Christian leaders are expected at the event.

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Endtime Revelation with Bishop Bernard

Ojemeni (JP)

he end time programme of 6,000 years man’s earth lease can be likened to the game of football. Anyone familiar with the game of football will understand what it means to say the game is now in the injury time. It is a time every player tries to step up his performance level in order to cover lost ground or to Increase achievement in the field of play. In most cases 5 minutes to the end of the match is always very crucial. Then comes the full time and of course 1 to 3 minutes of extra time as the case may be before the game is over. Now with this picture of a football game in mind, let us see why the end of the world is in injury time of just 25 years to the end of the 6,000 years man’s earth lease. The 6,000 years man’s earth lease is divided into 3 segments of 2000 years each. From Adam to Abraham 2,000 years, from Abraham to crucifixion of Jesus in A.D. 33 = 2,000 years comprising 14 generations. Matthew 1:17 “ So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.”. The 1st and 2nd segments equal 4000 years. And so Jesus died for us in man’s 4000th year of existence. God created the physical light – sun, moon and stars on the 4th day. Genesis 1:14-20. And during the great tribulation, it is the 4th angel that will strike the sun, moon and stars in both the trumpet and bowl judgments, Revelation 8:12; 16:8. God is a God of numbers. And because the physical lights were created on the 4th day that is why God assigned the 4th angels to strike the physical lights created on the 4th day. That is also the same reason Jesus came in man’s 4000th year of existence as spiritual light. John 8:12; Malachi 4:2 refers to Jesus as the sun of righteousness. And from A.D. 33 to date, 2015A.D. is 1,975 years having put into consideration the 7 years the change in

From the Pulpit

Sunday September 6, 2015

The world in injury time Bishop Bernard Chukwuma Mbamalu Ojemeni, General Superintendent of Endtime Believers’ Ministry Inc, in this piece, gives an insight into God’s judgement of nations. Excerpts: the Bible or Jewish calendar of 360 days in a year to 365¼ days of the Gregorian calendar of 1582 A.D. by Pope Gregory XIII brought about. Revelation 11:3 makes it clear that the Bible calendar is 360 days, when it refers to 3½ of great tribulation when God’s special messengers will operate – 1,260 days. When you divide 1,260 days by 360 days, you will have 3½ years: And Revelation 13:5 talks about 42 months of anti-Christ’s reign and when you divide 42 months by 12 months in a year you will have 3½ years of 360 days in a year. Also Revelation 12:6 speaks of the same period of time when Israel will be under the persecution of anti-Christ for 1,260 days (3½ years). To know the number of years affected by the change in calendar. From 1582 A.D. to 2000 A.D. is 418 years. Then the difference in days per year is 5¼ days including the leap year. Therefore, the number of days in 418 years that were affected are 2,194½ days and when you divide 2,194½ days by 360 days you will have 6 years, 34 days. This 6 years, 1 month and 4 days. Take a look at the following table of the comparison of the Gregorian calendar/the Bible or Jewish calendar. Gregorian calendar Bible or Jewish calendar The year 2000 A.D. 1993 A.D. 2001 1994 2002 1995 2003 1996 2004 1997 2005 1998 2006 1999 2007 2000 That is early 2007 A.D. of Gregorian calendar according to our calculation is the Bible of Jewish calendar of 2000 A.D. Sometime in 2007 A.D. the Ethiopians marked their year 2000 which means that they are still working with the Bible calendar. What it then means is that it is in 2007 A.D. that the real year 2000 completed. Out of the 33

years A.D. when Christ was crucified, we have spent 8 years to date. That is 2008 to 2015. And when you subtract 8 years from 33 years, you are left with 25 years to the end of the 3rd segment of 2,000 years that will complete the 6,000 years man’s earth lease. That is to say out of the 6,000 years given to man to operate on earth, we have spent 5,975 years. It is just like saying, out of the 1 hour or 60 minutes given to us, we have spent 59 minutes, 45 seconds remain only 15 seconds. All I am trying to let us know by the help of the Holy Spirit is to let the children of God in particular and the entire world know that the end time is already here with us. The programme and government of man on earth will soon be over when the kingdoms of this world will soon become the kingdoms of our Lord Jesus Christ and His saints. When you look at 6,000 years man’s earth lease vis-à-vis, 1 hour or 60 minutes time piece you will discover that the remaining 25 years to complete 6,000 years man’s earth lease is just remaining exactly 15 seconds. Think of it. You are given an assignment of 1 hour, you have spent 59 minutes 49 seconds, you are left with 15 seconds. That is to show you the shortness of time. The 6,000 years man’s earth lease is based on the 6 days God did His creative work. Exodus 20:11; II Peter 3:8 make it clear that God’s one day equals man’s 1000 years. Psalm 90:4 also buttresses the same point. In Genesis 2:17 God warned Adam that the day he eats the forbidden fruit, he will surely die. And because Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he could not live beyond God’s one day which is man’s 1,000 years. Though, he died spiritually, but physically he continued to live. Adam died at the age of 930 years. Genesis 5:5. No man on earth has lived beyond 1,000 years. We are told in Genesis 5:27 that Methuselah the man who lived longest on earth died at age of 969 years. Man could not cross God’s boundary set for him as a result of sin.

We expect that before the deadline. 2040 A.D. the last sign for the rapture which is the future invasion of Israel by Russia and her allies which are Iran, Iraq, Ethiopia, Libya, Germany, Turkey and many other countries that hate Israel, and the supernatural destruction Russia and her allies will have taken place. Israel and the entire world will be left with 7 years to the deadline. In prophetic study it is known as 70th week of Daniels prophecy. Daniel 9:27; Ezekiel 39:8-10. By our calculation, this is expected to take place in 2033 A.D. That is when the anti-Christ, the President of future United States of Europe will sign a 7-year peace treaty with Israel (the Jews) and the rest of their Arab neighbours. I Thessalonians 5:3-4, Daniel 9:27. Brethren because of the shortness of time, there is the need for Endtime and holiness preachers to step up their programmes of Revival towards winning many souls to Christ, Lukewarm Christians to be revived and even the backsliders to be restored. This is the time of the 11th hour workers in the Lord’s vineyard to increase the pace at which they are working. Matthew 20:6-9. There is the need for the rich brethren who understand the programme of end time to rally round true servants of God in this area and support them financially to be able to reach more audience with messages of Salvation, holiness, end time etc. Be warned and be careful. Your soul is at stake if you fail to accept the truth. Accept Jesus today as your personal Lord and Saviour and come and worship with us on Sunday 9am in the address below: •For further information, contact us at: Endtime Believers’ Ministry Inc.16/18, Johnson Street, off Kajola Street, Yakoyo, Lagos. Tel: 08023261219, 09095268897, 08036116881; Email: bishop.bernard@yahoo.com

Raising glorious children Prophet Lai Bamidele, General Overseer of Christ Glorious End-time Evangelical Church, Abule-Egba, Lagos, in this sermon, teaches about raising glorious chldren. Excerpts: (Psalm127vs3-5)

salm127 vs 3-5: - Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward (4) As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man :So are the children of the youth. (5) Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Have you ever seen a situation, where a child is begging for a certain toy and the parent don’t wish to buy? But under a barrage of pressure from the child, the parent changes NO to YES. Many parents think that, good parenting means bending to the will of their children. A poll was taken in United State some years back of 750 children age 12 to 17. When asked how they respond when their parent tell them no, nearly 60 percents of the children said that they keep asking. Their parents feel that such permissiveness show love. A proverb says, if one is pampering one’s servant from youth on, in is later life he will become a thankless one, pampering children, giving them all they want, may cause them to grow up to be thankless, spoiled, willful, unappreciative

adults. (Proverb 22 vs 6): Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. Wise parent follow this direction, settings, enforcing clear, consistent and reasonable rules. They do not confuse love with permissiveness nor do they reward children for whining, nagging or throwing, rather they agree with Jesus, let your YES mean YES, your NO, NO (Matt 5 vs 37): But let your communication be, yea, yea: Nay, Nay: For whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil. I pray that we shall not see evil in Jesus name (amen). Any child that is not properly raise brings evil to their parent, your children shall not bring evil to you. What is then involved in training of children Let me first define training: - Training is the process of learning the skill that you need to do a job If training has to do with accusation of skill, how many skills did most of the parents acquire before giving birth to their child. It’s the training you received whether from your parent or

society that you will pass on to your child. You cannot give what you did not have. So if training is an act of skill accusation, I will implore us to acquire this skill before giving birth to a child or as a parents try to continue to acquire the skill till we get our require desire. Let us consider a powerful illustration from the Bible: Like arrows in the hand (Psalm 127 vs 4 – 5). Like arrow in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them. Children are the arrow, while parents are the mighty man, or warrior, just as a warrior knows that his arrow will not hit the target by chance. Loving parents realize that child re4aring cannot be a haphazard business; they want their children to reach a target – a fulfilling life as happy, responsible adults, to be able to make good choices, to be wise and avoid needless problems. If this arrow must to achieved, this must be thoroughly prepared, well protected and powerfully directed towards its target 1. THOROUGHLY PREPARING THE ARROW: - Arrow is prepared very carefully. It carved from wood and made as straight as pos-

Bamidele

sible. The tip had to be sharp, with feather attached to stabilize the arrow in flight, keeping it on course. Parents want their children to be like this straight arrow upright, free from deviation. Therefore as a parent do not turn a blind eye to serious faults, rebuke and correct, the children (prov22 verse 15)(Ephesians 6 verse 4) Discipline plays a vital role in forming a straightening out a child’s mind and character. •For counselling, contact: Pst_lai@yahoo.com.

From the Pulpit

Let’s go

BIBLE with Favour

Tioluwani

Email: letsgobible@gmail.com https://letsgobible.wordpress.com

Continued from last week

herefore marriage is a civil institution representing society’s interest in procreative acts and a means of regulating the manner and place into which children come into being and are reared.

Marriage is not a right it is instead a responsibility - a restriction of the rights of individuals involved that derive from their potential procreative responsibility to their offspring and society. The so-called marital benefits that same-sex couples seek have been reserved for traditional families by society as both an incentive and reward for their commitment to lifelong fidelity and for preserving the best possible environment for regulating their procreative potential and subsequent child rearing. Since same-sex couples do not posses procreative potential nor fulfill this social responsibility they are simply not eligible for marriage and the accompanying benefits. It is this procreative potential that makes traditional marriage singularly unique among all human relationships and is therefore in the interest of every civilization.

Voice of Salvation with Pastor Toyin

Adesuji

elcome to the voice of Salvation column.This week, we are walking into the realm of divine favour and I pray it shall be favour for success in Jesus name. To start with, what is FAVOUR? FAVOUR is an act of kindness from God to Man and from Man to Man. Besides, Favour means a kind or helpful act that you do for someone. Above all, walking in divine favour simply means walking out of labour because it is the favour of God that terminates the labour of life. Walking in divine favour is an act of being engulf in gracious kindness. No one walk in divine favour and labour for nothing but for something and something else. To be straight forward, walking in divine favour is to be walking in divine help in order to reach out to the unfortunate. Basic texts Daniel 1 vs 9 states “Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs.” Exodus 3 vs 21 states “And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and it shall be, when you go, that you shall not go empty-handed.” Prophetic nuggets 1.Blood of Jesus destroy every mark of disfavour upon my body in Jesus name. 2. Every enemies of divine favour in my life, die by fire in Jesus name. 3. O Lord, let your favour silence opposition in my life in Jesus name. 4. Current of favour, flow into my life and things in Jesus name.

Sunday Mirror Sunday September 6, 2015 www.nationalmirroronline.net

You can make it right (2) Marriage is designed for sex and sex is designed for marriage, non-marital sex ultimately harms the individual and society. Marriage is also exclusively heterosexual in that it conforms to the biological design and fulfills the reproductive principle. While same-sex couples may enjoy an emotional bond and even engage in sexual acts, they are unable to achieve this one-flesh union due to the fact that there is no biological communion such as that achieved through procreative acts. Apart from that, the Bible says this is an abomination. Sex becomes recreational and not relational, only engaging the physical and to a limited extent the emotional. In this sense, sex outside of a marriage commitment remains an act of taking, not of giving. This is not and cannot ever be defined as marriage. This view of sexual intimacy can never provide the emotional, physical and spiritual safety that a socially esteemed marriage commitment offered by God. As Christians we must affirm that God is not opposed to sex, even great and pleasurable sex, rather God opposes the abandonment of those with whom we have sex. This is why God has created and requires the lifelong commitment unique to marriage prior to having sex – for our pleasure and protection as well as the so-

cial and familial roles and responsibilities. According to studies conducted in Canada, Sweden and the United States couples that cohabitate prior to marriage have substantially higher divorce rates. The recorded differences range from 50 to 100 percent higher. Cohabitation is associated with greater marital conflict and poorer communication. Cohabiters perceive a greater likelihood of divorce than couples that did not cohabitate before marriage, and longer cohabitation was associated with higher likelihood of divorce. Cohabitation is not related to marital happiness, but it is related to lower levels of marital satisfaction, higher levels of marital disagreement, and marital instability. The dissolution rates of women who cohabit premaritally with their future spouse are, on average, nearly 80 percent higher than the rates of those who do not. Married couples were significantly more egalitarian in their role expectations than cohabitating subjects. Rates of violence for cohabitating couples were twice as high and the overall rates for “severe” violence was nearly five times as high when com-

pared with married couples. “Currently cohabitating and post marital cohabitating individuals are less committed to their present partner as regards to the possibility of sexual encounters with others outside of the current relationship.” “Cohabiting couples seldom accumulate wealth in the same way that married couples do. They are far more tentative about their relationship; less inclined to invest together in homes, stocks, and furniture; and more likely to do such things as keep separate bank accounts and take separate vacations.” “The physical and sexual abuse of children is much higher in cohabiting families. Conclusion: Marriage is simply the highest of all human relationships and therefore must never be entered into lightly. It is the means of procreating humanity, nurturing and training subsequent generations, producing social order and for the Christian, the best means for perpetuating the Gospel. Do not allow anything; pregnancy, money, negative influential person etc push you into marriage. •You can send in your QUESTIONS and the Holy Spirit will be set to give you the ANSWERS. Barr. (Mrs.) Favour Tioluwani Tel: 08050272259 or 07062738213. Email: letsgobible@gmail.com

Walking in divine favour

Walking in divine favour is like a fresh stimulus that makes things to work to your advantage and also guarantee your future. Frankly speaking, walking in divine favour makes life and things to work in alliance to your expected end. How to receive divine favour 1. Be a firebrand christian - Become a doer of the word and always pray without ceasing. Life application- Luke 18 vs 1-7( the unjust Judge). You can receive and walk in favour by your persistence in prayer and consistent usage of the word of God. 2. Live in forgiveness- Make forgiveness a habit and you shall walk tall in divine favour. Life application- Despite all that Joseph brethren did to him, Joseph did not revenge but forgives in totality. 3. Faithfulness- You must be faithful to operate under perpetual divine favour. Faithfulness is a catalyst of divine favour. Life application - Genesis 39 vs 9. Joseph’s faithfulness made him to stand and walk in continuous divine favour. He said” how then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God.” 4. By keeping the word and meditating Joshua 1 vs 8, Proverbs 3 vs 1-4 Life application- Daniel 9 vs 2, Proverbs 3 vs 1-4. Daniel was a product of divine favour as a result of his scriptural understanding. 5. Showing favour- A popular parlance says, having been loved, you should love. This sentence is basically applicable to divine favour. We can as well say” Having been favoured, you should favour.” Life application- Esther 2 vs 21-22. Mordecai got wind of a plan to kill king Ahasuerus and leaked it, thereby sparing the king’s life. A time came when Mordecai was also to be killed, but his earlier seed of favour will not allow it. For reference check Esther 6 vs 1-3 6. Favour comes through preaching the gospel or being kingdom focus- Proverbs 3 vs 4 & Matthew 6 vs 33. LIFE APPLICATION- Basically, your practical involvement with God in His purpose guarantees divine favour and walking in it. In addition, sacri-

ficial giving towards God’s kingdom or business is a trigger for divine favour- 1st King 3 vs 1-15 7. The power of worship, praise & thanksgiving- A person with the heart of worship, praise and thanksgiving has gotten power to walk in divine favour. With these qualities, you will steer clear of murmuring- Psalm 100 vs 4, Mark 6 vs 21-23 Life application- Anytime you worship God, God makes people to give you preferential treatment. Anytime you thank God, God makes your tank to be filled and when you praise Him, God comes down to raise you by act of divine favour. Paul and Silas experienced the favour of God in prison in the process of praising God. 8. Your confession- Of a truth, whatever you confess determines what you shall possess. Your mouth is a weapon of authority ordained by God to keep you in perfect dominion. If you say positive things based on the word of God in your heart, you will get positive result. Remember: what you speak determines what you shall pick. - Proverbs 18 vs 21. Life application - David and Goliath trade in words as a matter of fact, it was a battle of words in confession of their gods. At last, David confessed and possessed the confession he made in reality of his God, the Almighty God; 1st Samuel 17 vs 46-58. Hindrances to walking in divine favour 1. SIN: Sin is a hindrance to walking in divine favour. Romans 3 vs 23, Romans 6 vs 23 & Judges 16 vs 11-20 2. Disobedience: 1st Samuel 15 vs 20-26 3. Lack of mercy & kindness: Proverbs 3 vs 3 4. Laziness, complacency and love of sleep: proverbs 20 vs13 5. Lack of diligence: proverbs 22 vs 29 6. Unrighteousness in all ramifications: job 33 vs 26 BENEFITS OF WALKING IN DIVINE FAVOUR 1. It brings real total transformation of a life, business, career, marriage, ministry, etc. - Esther 2 vs 1-17

2. Walking in divine favour qualifies you for uncommon breakthroughs (Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Joseph, Esther, and the man at the pool of Bethsaida) 3. Favour gives speed and quickens your steps towards greatness and fulfillment (Ruth, Mordecai, Mephiboseth) 4. Above all, walking in divine favour works out possibilities from impossibilities. To be outspoken, until favour shows up, delay continues. Walking in divine favour is a lifestyle of unusual Grace, Glory and Mercy. Prayer points 1. Anointing of divine favour, fall on me in Jesus name. 2. Holy Spirit, position me for favour in Jesus name. 3. Mantle of fire and divine favour fall upon me now in Jesus name. 4. By the divine favour of God, I shall make it in Jesus name. 5. Among the crowd, O Lord, single me out for divine favour in Jesus name. Your spiritual growth is so paramount to us. We love to be in touch with you if you have been blessed through this message. In case you have some spiritual needs, we would like to be identified with you so as to keep praying for you and possibly be of help to you in your spiritual growth. I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the salvation int’l prayer christian church. We hold two services on Sundays: 1st service - 7.20am and 2nd service 9.30am Please write & share your testimony with us through: Salvation point publication P.O. BOX 9526, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria Or SALVATION INTERNATIONAL PRAYER CHRISTIAN CHURCH 136, Isawo Road, Agric, Ikorodu, Lagos, Nigeria.Phone: 09091431316 Email: info@ salvationinternationalng.org www. Salvationinternationalng.org

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Business FRESH BUSINESS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Sunday September 6, 2015

Single treasury account fears hit banking stocks JOHNSON OKANLAWON

he lead indicator of the Nigerian Stock Exchange fell by 1.86 per cent in August, as banking stocks plunged after President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive on the establishment and operation of Treasury Single Account and disappointing earnings for the half year ended June 30, 2015. In a circular dated August 7, with reference number HCSF/428/S.1/120, the Head of Service of the Federation, Danladi Kifasi, said all payments must be made to Accountant General (Federal Sub-Treasury), Account No. 3000002095. From early August, cautious trading occasioned by uncertainties surrounding the policy direction of the new government has weighed on the stocks. Analysts still doubt the possibility of the stock market rerouting north as there are not much positive news capable of driving the trend. For instance, the All Share Index which opened the month at 30,247.83 points, closed on Monday at 29,684. 84 points, while market capitalisation depreciated N159 billion to close at N10.2 trillion, from the opening figure of N10.367 trillion on August 3, 2015, the first trading day of the month. The banking index, which dropped most closed at 308.11 points, shedding 2.68 per cent. Unity Bank Plc dropped highest value, depreciating 29.5 per cent to close at N1.41 per share, from N2.00, followed by Union Bank Plc with 19.0 per cent to close at N6.30 per share, from N7.50 at the beginning of the month. Diamond Bank Plc fell by 66 kobo or 17.2 per cent to close at N3.18 per share, while First City Monument Bank Plc declined 31 kobo or 11.5 per cent to close at N2.39 per share. Other laggards are Zenith Bank Plc, Sterling Bank Plc, Wema Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Eco Bank Plc, United Bank fro Africa Plc and Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc. Reacting to the negative performance of the banking stocks in the review period,

... Unity Bank, Union Bank drop most the Managing Director of Lambert Securities Limited, Mr. David Adonri, said majority of the banks lost value because of the investors’ reaction to the single treasury account. He said, “A lot of investors reacted to the single treasury account and that was why the management of few banks came to us and said they didn’t rely much on public funds.” Also, research analysts at GTI Securities Limited, an investment firm, advised investors to trade with caution, saying that a good number of stocks still trade at attractive positions. “We strongly

believe that whosoever will take medium to long term position in the market now is not only hedging on advantages of discounted value but also expected capital appreciation as soon as the market reverses trend.” Bankers had pressurized the former government of Goodluck Jonathan, which had initiated the policy in December 2014, to soft pedal on the implementation which was originally scheduled for February 2015, on the reasons of a likely negative impact on the economy. It was learnt that the implementation would adversely affect liquidity in the

banking system and end up putting pressure on interest rates and availability of credit to the economy. Another research firm, Afrinvest Group, said, “Whilst the directive issued came as the first official statement by the Presidency on the TSA, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, had earlier began withdrawing its funds from banks for retirement into CBN. “This had an impact on liquidity level in the banking system, resulting in a surge in money market rates during the period as banks scrambled for funds to cover their liquidity positions.

L-R: WiniGroup- IVETEC trainees on new digital content authoring tools, Babcock University lecturers, Dr. Ochei John; Dr. Effedua Hyacinth; Barr. Omodiale Paul and Mr. Akinleye Waheed, during the training programme on the campus premises in Ogun State, recently.

Over 500 dancers converge on Benin for Dance with Peter

he Glo-sponsored Reality TV show, “Dance with Peter” moved to Benin-City at the weekend with over 500 individual dancers and groups converging on the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre to vie for the centre’s six regional slots. The competition at the Benin centre was very keen, with youths demonstrating sublime dancing dexterity, which made it extremely difficult for the panelsof judges comprising Nigeria’s dance icon and Guinness Book of World Record holder, Kaffy, Don Flexx and Dipp who stood in for Peter of Psquare, to select the best 6. Kaffy said at the audition that, “we had an amazing pool of outstanding talents to choose from”. The first outing of the contestants witnessed an out-

standing performance by a 10-year old girl, Sophia. This earned a resounding “yes” from the judges for her to proceed to the next level of the audition. “I am happy that I made it to the next stage. I will give everybody here a wow performance when next I come on stage and all of you will say wow, this girl is wonderful”, said Sophie who displayed stunts too good for her tender age. Sophie, who attends Cherish Montessori Academy in Warri, Delta State, stated further that if she made it to the final contest in Lagos, “I will do my best to win the prize and use the proceeds to further my education and dancing career”. A dance group at the audition, the Fantastic 4 Dancers also spoke about their expectations, saying that the group

would do its best and “we very much hope to impress the judges and make it to the Lagos final”. Also speaking about the audition, The Dance Overflow, another dancing group led by Eggisohe Akpes, promised “a mind-blowing performance to appreciate Globacom for providing this huge platform for us as a group to demonstrate our talents”. A female dancer at the audition, Blessing Ebruphilor, commended Globacom for “consistently supporting Nigerians and for believing in the greatness of this country”, while another female dancer, Mercy Obehi, said that, “beyond my desire to qualify for the next stage, I want to give credit to Globacom for organising this youth engagement show. I will forever remember today in my dancing career”.

“With the TSA implementation now extended to all federal MDAs, the Nigerian banking industry, on an aggregate basis, would be affected in terms of deposits and funding cost structure.” In relation to this FBN Capital, an investment arm of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, stated in its money market

reports last weekend that the NNPC withdrew about N400 billion from the banks last month pushing Open Buy Back, OBB, and overnight interest rates to a record high of 50 per cent. It, however, stated that this pressure was corrected when FACC inflow came to the banks within the same period.

CIS initiates moves to partner with AfDB JOHNSON OKANLAWON

o deepen the Nigeria’s capital market, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) is set to partner with the management of African Development Bank (AfDB). Under the new plan, the two institutions are to work together in ensuring the viability of the commodities market and listing of Agro Allied companies to boost activities in agriculture in line with the Federal government’s plan to diversify income base by shifting attention from oil. Addressing the Capital Market Correspondents at the weekend, the Institute’s Acting President, Mr. Oluwaseyi Abe, who congratulated the newly appointed President of AfDB, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina explained that the CIS had been working closely with Adesina during his tenure as the Minister of Agriculture. Abe explained that both the CIS and AfDB had many things in common, especially in the areas of creating awareness on the benefits of promoting active commodities exchange and the listing of companies in the agro allied industry. “We need active and transparent commodities exchange in order to develop our agricultural sector as a huge source of income rather than depend on crude oil. This is in tandem with the Federal Government Policy of diversification of the economy. The agro allied companies require standardization of products and effective pricing mechanism to thrive. The CIS trains manpower in this regard” Abe said.

According to him, other areas of partnership with AfDB include listing of power related institutions to access capital through the various relevant market platforms, and partnership with CIS for empowerment on its Diploma Programme to create employment and support financial inclusion programme of the government, especially into the rural communities. “The CIS is willing to engage AfDB on how we can harmonise our Diploma Programme. The ultimate is to empower the holders of our Diploma to create employment and enhance the government’s financial inclusion programme especially into the rural communities”, he said. Collaborating with him, the institute’s second Vice President, Mr. Dapo Adekoje reiterated the plan to deepen the market through effective operation of the commodities exchange. The Institute’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Mr. Adedeji Ajadi explained that the professional Diploma was already generating interest in the public as many youths are now writing the examination. Abe announced that the Institute’s 2015 Annual Conference of Stockbrokers would hold on October 29 and 30 with the theme: “Entrepreneurship and the Capital Market: Fast Tracking a New Economy for Africa.” He explained that the focus of the Institute’s Professional Diploma was not only to grow membership but develop a new generation of entrepreneurs who would become foot soldiers in the various sectors of the financial market.

Sunday September 6, 2015

24 Perm Secs risk sack in Rivers over absence at forum DENNIS NAKU

PORT HARCOURT

o fewer than 24 Permanent Secretaries in Rivers State risk being sacked for failing to appear at the people ’s forum organised to mark the 100 days of Governor Nyesom Wike. The forum was one of the events earmarked to present the administration ’s score-card in the last 100 days of Wike, which also served as an interactive session between the governor and the masses The sack threat was sequel to the absence of the permanent secretaries in the Ministry of Works, Paulinus Nwankwala, who was called up by the governor to respond to questions asked by the people about the con-

dition of roads in Etche local government area of the state. A visibly angry Wike then requested to know how many permanent secretaries were in the state employ and the number of those present at the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, venue of the event in Port Harcourt. Informed that there are 49 Permanent Secretaries, all of who were duly invited for the forum, but only 25 were present, he asked that the names of those present should be written. According to you, “You can see that some of those (permanent secretaries) who were not appointed by us are trying to sabotage our government. “We will use the neces-

sary law to replace those permanent secretaries who are not here, ” he said. Wike used the occasion to intimate the people of the state that though his administration inherited an empty treasury from the previous administration, he has been able to embark on eighty six (86) road projects 98 per cent of which have been completed within the period under the review. Governor Wike stated that Rivers was not among the states given bail out by the Federal Government, saying he was putting the records straight because soon the rumour mill and some politicians would begin to spread false information. “Rivers State is not

among the states in Nigeria that have been give bailout by the federal government. All the projects we have done so far, we sourced for funds. “We did not get any bail out from the federal government, ” Wike declared, even as he expressed optimism that he would get victory at the election petition tribunal sitting in Abuja after which his government will settle down for real business of developing the state. “We have matched our pronouncements with actions. We have restored dignity and independence to the Judiciary and the State Assembly. Even those who shut the courts have taken refuge in the courts to protect them.

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New Taraba police boss warn ofcers against corrupt practices JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

ewly posted Commissioner of Police to Taraba State, Ekechukwu Nwodibo has warned officers and men of the command to desist from corrupt practices that could portray the force in bad light. Nwodibo gave the warning yesterday in Jalingo at a meeting with men and officers of the command on assumption of office. He told the officers that the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase and the police management team have a vision for a people-friendly policing anchored on respect for human rights, intelligence gathering and safer highways that Nigerians can be proud of and not a corrupt police capable of damaging police image. “I told them that nobody should bring money to me. For those extorting

money from motorists on the highways, a monitoring team will be put in place and those caught would be used as example. “We have our internal discipline mechanism and we must implement it to the later to maintain an international best practice for policing, ” he said. Emphasising the need for a people friendly policing, Ekechukwu said the command under his watch would encourage restorative justice where police can help people with disagreements to settle and make friends among themselves without necessary arresting, detaining and charging them to court. The police commissioner however commended men and officers of the command for maintaining a peaceful Taraba and urged them to keep it up. He warned criminals to leave his command or face fire as his command would not have mercy on any criminal.

Tariff Review: IBEDC set to engage customers BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

L-R: Country Manager, Nigeria, Roche, Herman Addae; President, Cancer Education and Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CEAFON), Prof. Durosinmi-Etti; representative, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Ngozi Azodo and Deputy Head of Mission, Swiss Embassy, Daniel Cavegn, during the launch of the Health Journalists Academy in Lagos, at the weekend.

Akwa Ibom to spend N500m on ambulance services –Commissioner

he Akwa Ibom Government says it is planning to establish a functional ambulance service, estimated to cost about N500 million in order to boost healthcare delivery in the state. Dr Dominic Ukpong, the State Commissioner for Health, who addressed newsmen yesterday in Uyo, said that the envisaged services would be part of government ’s emergency

medical programme. Ukpong said the ambulance services would likely take-off as pilot projects in 20 out of the 31 local government areas of the state. The commissioner said that the emergency medical services would help to reach all parts of the state for now, pending when the state would provide primary healthcare services in communities. “Many things have gone

wrong, the primary healthcare is almost extinct, the secondary health system is bad. “The state has no money to revamp all the comprehensive health centres or cottage hospitals now. “So we want to establish the emergency medical services, where people can call and the ambulance will come to carry them to see doctors, ” Ukpong said.

Ukpong, who noted that the health services in the state were not efficient, promised to improve the situation. “I have visited some hospitals at nights, some have no lights, some hospitals have no bedding, no security at nights. “Many people go to the hospitals and do not see the doctors or nurses and there are no drugs.

he management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, yesterday said it intends to engage its customers in interactive session regarding the proposed tariff review, ordered by the National Electricity Regulatory Council, NERC. This was disclosed by Kikelomo Owoeye, the Osun regional communication officer, branding and communication of the company while speaking with newsmen on the planned tariff review in Osogbo. Owoeye said the plan to review tariff was sequel to the advice given by the NERC in view of the realities on ground and to enable the distribution companies remain in business. She said: “Tariff review

is necessary to ensure that electricity tariff is set at levels that are reasonable and cost reflective to both customers and IBEDC. “We have done proper evaluation of the gains the review will bring for both our company and our esteemed customers. “The review will enable us improve electricity supply, provide better services, improve infrastructure like substations, metering and so much more. The decay in the electricity infrastructure needs massive investment. “From our findings during our stakeholders meetings held across the region, many of the substations are not in sound state. Supply lines across towns in the region need to be upgraded. More transformers and meters are needed. We want to review the tariff to be able to serve better ”.

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Opinion

Sunday, September 6, 2015

BRF deserves a brighter rewarding future HALIM ATOBATELE

he immediate past governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN is not your average ‘Joe’. The gangly 52- year-old lawyer with a steely mien was governor of Lagos State for eight years and received critical acclaim for his performance while in office. However, recently that acclaim has begun to unravel in a most profound way. Fashola did not become governor strictly on the merit of any performance in the public sector, because he only served for a few years as Chief of Staff to former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He was thereafter practically installed as Governor of Lagos State by his boss who blew away a crowded field of aspirants on his behalf. So deep was the angst of the other aspirants like Hakeem Gbajabiamila, Aro Lambo, Jimi Agbaje etc. that many were sure that the PDP would cash in and the destroy the Action Congress (AC) in Lagos. That did not happen and the AC in Lagos under the leadership of Tinubu went from strength to strength until it morphed into the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the rest is history. Fashola’s reputation continued to grow under the cover of Tinubu’s protection and political statecraft but the strain of an errant protégé was beginning to unravel culminating in the “True Face of Lagos” saga that tested Fashola’s real ambition to supplant his mentor. Eventually, Fashola got a second term ticket and won convincingly, crushing the PDP in what remains one of its most humiliating defeats in history. In his second term, BRF as he is popularly called felt it was time for him to make a clear stake for his mentor’s political empire. Egged on by some young Turks and sheer hubris, he began his onslaught against the Jagaban

Borgu’s political structure. With the weight of his office as Governor, he began to chip away at Tinubu’s political structure in a most insidious way. In the process of this assault, he began to alienate the AC/APC political base and wittingly/unwittingly created an inroad for a resurgent PDP under the leadership of the deadly trio of Bode George, Musliu Obanikoro and Seye Ogunlewe. During the APC’s first convention in Abuja, it was rumoured that Fashola with the help of some South-West renegades attempted to supplant Tinubu’s choices for the National Party positions. However, he apparently lost out in that naive maneuver cementing his reputation as a “baby” politician without the deft political touch of his mentor. The pig and the port Fashola has the gift of the garb and used it to cement his reputation as a performer in Lagos and Nigeria. He speaks ex-tempore in Yoruba and English in such a manner that you are usually swayed by his logic and message. He deployed the gift effectively for his party - the APC during the recent 2015 elections. He was a serious thorn in the flesh of the PDP and President Jonathan as people listened and believed when he spoke. He was thus seen as one of the promoters of Akinwunmi Ambode for Governor of Lagos State. However, the truth is that BRF did not get there willingly. First, his body language suggested that he did not support his party’s choice to give the governorship slot to a Christian from the Lagos East senatorial zone. He was reported to have preferred Obafemi Hamzat, his Commissioner for Works, who is the son of Olatunji Hamzat, a powerful APC Chieftain and a traditional ruler in Ogun State. He was in fact seen as one of the frontrunners for the governor slot until he committed political hara-kiri by granting an interview to the Nigerian Tribune newspaper where he stated that Tinubu only had

“one vote”. BRF however repeatedly denied supporting any aspirant; instead he was heard to say that he supported a healthy contest, as it would strengthen the Party and democracy while generating excitement and activity for the electorate. However, one thing was clear that Akinwunmi Ambode was not his favoured candidate and some say he was entitled to that choice against the apparent preference of Asiwaju. After all he was a governor for eight years who was entitled to anoint his successor just like his predecessor had done. He refused to be cowed by the various entreaties of his mentor to adopt the Ambode project, instead he chose to deploy his considerable financial arsenal behind his “real candidate” Supo Shasore his former Attorney General and friend whom he had propped up with juicy appointments. The line was drawn for an epic battle that was to take place at the battlefield venue of the primaries called Onikan Stadium. Arrayed on one side was Asiwaju, and his vast network of loyal field soldiers and captains and on the other side was his political son BRF and some young turks and an imaginary army bent on confronting and defeating the party leader. The result was predictable. BRF was crushed in a most heinous way by a political machine that had been honed and tested over time. Ambode scored 3,735 votes and Supo Shasore scored 121 votes. Long before the final counting had started, Shasore slunk out of the stadium with an air of defeat swirling around him. BRF apparently sensing that the game was up reluctantly signed-up and began to deploy his support for Akinwunmi Ambode’s quest to be Governor. However, there were still unfounded rumours of him hobnobbing with the enemies to snooker his mentor. It was rumoured that he was

even plotting an unholy alliance with the opposition to give a last minute checkmate to Asiwaju’s machine. This was however dismissed by political watchers as unlikely given that Lagos PDP was too desperate and would likely renege on any sinister plot no matter how profitable. On April 11 2015 history was made and Akinwunmi Ambode a civil servant with 27 years experience in the Local and State Government Administration was elected Governor of Lagos State. Let’s get piggy People love the underdog or should I say the “underpig”? The recent attacks against BRF by various groups have elicited both sympathy and scorn from Nigerians. Some have said that the attacks were baseless and only designed to disenfranchise him from consideration as a top aide of President Muhammadu Buhari. Others have insisted that the attacks had merit as BRF had skeletons in his closet and might have questions to answer. BRF was clearly irritated by those attacks and issued his now infamous press statement castigating the “dirty wrestling pigs” and “mud merchants”. Rather than silence the attacks, it invigorated a legion of enemies who opened up a fully volley of attacks on him. The mud began to fly and the APC faithful even chose to stay away from his recent book launch to avoid being stained. Governor Akinwunmi Ambode apparently chose to ignore the unfounded whispers that he and Asiwaju were behind the attacks against BRF. Instead, he concentrated on fulfilling the promises he made to Lagosians but apparently still did BRF a favour by yanking the revealing procurement website that BRF himself had created in his avowed quest for transparency before he left office. •Dr. Atobatele, a social affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos Island

100 Days After, Ambode treads on steadily (1) ABAYOMI JOHNSON

hat has worked for Lagos State in the last 16 years of Nigeria’s democratic experience is continuity in government. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu who was the trail blazer as Governor of Lagos State in the Third Republic laid a good foundation on which his predecessor, Babatunde Raji Fashola built. Fashola’s successor, Akinwunmi Ambode has taken the baton and is rearing to build more on the foundation of his predecessors. If you say Ambode has hit the ground running in the first 100 days, you may not be wrong. What encouraged Lagosians who have no patience for sloppiness is Ambode’s inaugural speech, a total package and powerfully delivered. The speech recognised the potentials of all Lagosians irrespective of age, sex, tribe or any other status, as long as they reside in Lagos. The speech was a combination of his action plan for the unbroken chain of developmental efforts for the State as well as motivational for our youths whom he urged to dream and work towards the actualization of the dream adding that nothing is impossible if one is determined. A person’s background should never be a barrier to his success in life just as his own humble background has not been an obstacle to becoming the Governor of Lagos State. Ambode has keyed in to the State Development Plan spanning 2012-2025. The plan is structured under four pillars: (1) Social Development and Security; (2) Infrastructural Development; (3) Economic Development and (4) Sustainable

Environment. The main thrust of the development plan is to embolden Lagosians to brace up for the challenges ahead as they have been doing with his predecessors in the face of the harsh economic challenges the rest of the country face today. He promised to run an open government founded on new ideas of reducing the cost of government and a government of incentives and not of enforcements. Ambode has kick started the process of actualizing these programmes in the last 100 days. As a retired Accountant-General of the State, he is aware of the importance of the civil service as the main engine of growth and the implementer of government policies; therefore, he wasted no time in meeting with the Body of Permanent Secretaries in the State to intimate them of the impending reforms of the civil service. He presented his agenda to them especially in areas of harmonization of some ministries explaining that harmonization of Ministries is not duplication of Ministries as he is aware of the financial constraints of the State. He went ahead to create the new Ministries of Wealth Creation and Employment, Office of Overseas Affairs and Investment (LAGOS GLOBAL) and the Office of Civic Engagement among others. The Governor has since matched words with action. Three weeks after his assumption in office, he announced his decision to realign the Ministry of Rural Development, Parastatals Monitoring Office as well as Political and Legislative Powers Bureau. He also scrapped the Office of the Special Adviser on Taxation and Revenue, Debt Management Office while he merged the office of Works and Office of Infrastructure; Office of Drainage Services and Office of Environmental Service, with optimism that it would improve

the process and procedure of service delivery and create opportunities for global competitiveness. On August 5, Governor Ambode also appointed 19 new Permanent Secretaries; an appointment he said was based on merit, competence and track record. In the last three months, while the appointments of the commissioners and special advisers of the Governor is still being awaited, the Permanent Secretaries have adequately held forth, keeping the wheel of governance moving at a steady pace. The wealth of experience of Governor Ambode having spent 27 years in the State Civil Service before voluntarily retired has also helped in creating a synergy between his office and the various ministries. Ambode’s first baptism of fire was the unfortunate tanker fire incidents in Iyana Ipaja on Tuesday, June 2, at Idimu on June 6, and another in Lekki on June 7 barely days after he was sworn in, which caused extensive damage to properties of Lagosians in those areas. His mien, somber look, and sadness written all over his face as he was almost shedding tears because of the wanton destruction of properties, is a sign that he is a caring governor. He was full of empathy for those who lost valuables although he thanked God that no life was lost. Despite not being in the state when the first incident occurred, he immediately took the next flight back to Lagos and straight to the scene. To assure the victims that they had a shoulder to rest on, he directed his officials to furnish him with the report of the incident in 48 hours within which he will do something to assist the victims. He has since compensated the victims as promised. Worried about the occurrence of two petrol tanker accidents and three others averted in a space of one week, Governor Ambode immedi-

ately summoned a meeting with petrol marketers and set up a fact finding committee to investigate and ascertain the causes of the incidents. Not many will forget Governor’s Ambode’s milk of kindness to Mrs. Ruth Uche, the mother of three set of twins whose husband absconded from their home in Agege, Lagos. On reading her plight on the pages of newspaper, Governor Ambode immediately directed his deputy, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule to provide welfare support for the embattle mother of six. Today, Mrs Uche, her children and her run-away husband who is back home, are living comfortably. Prior to Mrs. Uche’s plight, Ambode had on his second working day in office intervened to save the life of the 2015 baby of the year in the state, Miss. Oluwajomiloju Goodness Ogundimu who was diagnosed with a heart defect that required surgery. Today, baby Ogundimu is hale and hearty after a successfully surgery in India. Retirees from the various parastatals and agencies of the state across board rejoiced as Governor Ambode early in August approved N11billion to offset arrears owed since 2010, not only for Lagos State Government mainstream retirees but also retirees in Local Governments and Parastatal organizations. The development, Governor Ambode said was part of efforts put in place by his administration to find a holistic solution to the issue of payment of pension entitlements to retirees under the Pay As You Go pension Scheme which was discontinued in April, 2007 as well as outstanding accrued pension rights due to retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme. Johnson wrote from Surulere, Lagos Continued next week

Politics

Sunday September 6, 2015,

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‘Nigerians need complete value system reorientation ’ General Secretary of the Bible Society of Nigeria, Rev. Dare Ajiboye, in this interview with ODINAKA URUAKPA, speaks extensively about insecurity in the country and ways to tackle it. Looking at the essay/symposium for the NYSC, organised by your organisation, the Bible Society of Nigeria, what would you say prompted you to focus on insecurity and the economy Annually, we consider topics that are germane and relevant to our socio-economic and political situation and this year, we have decided to pick this topic on insecurity as it affects our economic growth and development. We need not be told that today in Nigeria, we have the challenge of insecurity and it has affected our economy drastically. When you look at exchange rate toady and every other thing, of course, not only insecurity would have caused that, but again I will still attribute it a lot to insecurity. If you know the number of barrels of oil that is being stolen on daily basis and taken to other countries; it is affecting the price of crude oil in the market because the law of demand and supply is applicable. When the supply is more than demand, then everything will go down, why is it that we don ’t have security to curb these people who take the oil through our high sea? If we have security, there will be no opportunity for people to steal our fuel and sell it at cheaper prices abroad. Not only that, when you look at the northern part of the country today, we face the issue of Boko Haram which has caused many people to abandon their productive activity and go to other places to start all over again. This is the reason we are looking at insecurity as it affects productivity and the economy negatively in Nigeria; we felt it is a worthy topic to discuss by these young ones, probably too as they discuss this topic, one or more of them who are here today, in the future, will be among the people who will get to power and would be able to fight all these things that have constituted nuisance to our economy. Recently, during the celebration of the world youth day, some people advocated a political party for youths in Nigeria, what is your take on this? My worry about advocating for youth political party is the challenge of Nigeria is not about age, but about state of mind. The state of mind of Nigerians, young and old are depraved, no wonder, the Bible states that the heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it. When you look at the advocates of the young ones having their party, when they get there you will be surprised that the first thing they want to do is how to siphon the economy. Let us go back to secondary schools; even primary schools today, most of the pupils cheat to pass exams. If you are talking about corruption, corruption has brought us to the level we are today

Ajib boye

IF GOVERNMENT CAN TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF UNEMPLOYMENT, THROUGH INFRASTRUCTURAL PROVISION, I THINK DEFINITELY NIGERIA WOULD BE BETTER IN THE AREA OF SECURITY

and if you are advocating for a political party that will be for the young ones whom some of them are already corrupt, for me, it ’s not about party belonging to young or old people, it is about changing our orientation about our value system. Our value system must change, value of immediate gratification, our value system should not be such that you want to become a millionaire overnight without thinking of how hard we should work to be able to get there; so it is not about having political party for the young ones, it is about changing our mind set. Speaking about insecurity, we know that youths constitute a large portion of our population and are easily used to carry out nefarious activities, what else do you think should be done to arrest the situation on ground? When you talk about the challenges we are facing today, what the government should today especially to stem the tide of insecurity, I want to suggest first and foremost that instead for the government to bother itself about providing employment, the government should worry about how to provide infrastructure and leave the private sector and individuals

to provide all the needed employment. Of course I am not saying that government should not provide employment, but they cannot provide all the employment; if they should provide electricity, good road, security, you will be surprised that at the end of the say, every Nigerian would be able to do one thing or the other to start off their own business. As I speak with you today, most individual businesses have died and why is this so? They can ’t afford a generator, they can ’t afford even to pay for the electricity because it is so high and at the same time, they are not getting the supply. So when you look at this, it is difficult for small scale businesses to spring up and what drives an economy, it is not only about the big companies, small scale businesses will help us a great deal to provide small employment opportunities for fresh graduates who would be able to employ one or two persons, and with that, unemployment will go down. If government can tackle the problem of unemployment, through infrastructural provision, I think definitely Nigeria would be better in the area of security. How do we really fight corruption?

When you talk about corruption, the government is trying to fight corruption; well, I hope we would be able to fight it well and make the thing work. Why am I saying this, who are the people fighting the corruption? I am sorry to say this; at times some of the people who would have even sponsored people into office, are they not corrupt themselves; are you going to fight those people also, and if you are not able to fight those people, you have not even started. So, if they are fighting corruption in Nigeria, it should start not with respect to any party; you should not have any respect for any person, even if you have sponsored any person into office, if he is corrupt, pick him up and probe the person. This is the only way we can have success in fighting corruption. Secondly, I want to suggest that fighting corruption should start with us as individuals and we should not leave it to the government. Families should start asking questions from their members ‘Where did you get this money from? ’ If somebody is earning N100,000 and on monthly basis, he is bringing home things that are above N200,000, then the wife should ask questions; the children should ask questions, but today, when they bring it home, we applaud them not minding how they have gotten such money. That is why to me, let us start with ourselves, by being honest, by not being corrupt and then, let us fight others who are corrupt. Our church and Islamic leaders should also help us in fighting corruption. People bring this money to the church, to the mosque to pay tithe, to give as offering and whatever you want to call it and nobody is asking them; ‘where did you get this money from? ’ instead of that, they get positions in our religious institutions as people who are highly respected. If we are going to fight corruption, government alone cannot fight it; individuals should join, religious leaders should join and everyone should join in the fight. What words of advice do you have for youths of this nation? My advice to the youths is one hard work cannot be compromised; you can never sacrifice hard work on the altar of being successful. If you want to be successful, hard work is still very relevant. Stop thinking about this smartness people talk about, yes you could be smart; smartness is very good, but smartness without hard work will not take you far. So, young ones should work harder, they should stop even cheating from school. When you cheat to get certificates, you cannot defend that certificate when you get out there; we wait for you when you come for employment. We interviewed somebody recently who had distinction after HND, the person could not speak one sentence correctly, and we were wondering; this person bagged distinction not in engineering, but in a course where English is needed, then how did he get distinction; something is wrong somewhere. Our youths must learn how to get their certificates legitimately when they are still in school and studying, and when they go out there, they should be hard working when they are working.

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Politics

Sunday September 6, 2015

is, end in sight?

Geo orge e

Oba anik koro o

chairman. Gani said the Lagos PDP exco urged the aggrieved party members to shed their swords and embrace peace for the overall interest of the party while insisting that issue of discipline will henceforth be taking serious in the state chapter of the party. According to him , the party regret al the

distraction of the past and is ready to forge ahead and is ready to commence the meetings of the party at all levels in the state . The communiqué also assured members of the party in the state that they should immediately get set for the e-registration of members as well

as starting the preparation for the Local Government elections in their respective local government areas and the Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs. In his response, Shelle said the resolution of the meeting marks a new dawn in the history of the Lagos State chapter of the PDP saying that he is ready to work with all the members of the party towards achieving the best . He said there were a lot of distractions in the past but that he thanked God that he was able to weathered the storm. He said the NWC of the party has spoken that he remains the chairman of the party in the state saying that is the position of the party ’s constitution. “The crisis has come and gone and we have to chat the way forward. The Local Government Election is coming up and we are hopeful to win majority of the cases at the tribunal ”, he said. Shelle said he will ensure everybody is back on board saying the plan for the 2019 general elections is on already and that everybody will be giving the room to have a rethink. He also pledged that the party under him will ensure that discipline is maintained urging every member of the party to toe the line of party ’s constitution.

Shelle said though some members o f the state executives were absent at the meeting their absence cannot be attributed to their opposing his affirmation as the State chairman. On his main rival, Olorunoje, Shelle said he is ready to mend fence with him and that he is ready to work with every member for the progress of the party. The crisis engulfing the party has its roots in the race to the e 2015 general elections.The outcome of the governorship primaries election where Mr. Jimi Agbaje emerged the party ’s candidate was not welcomed by the camp of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, wh insisted that the primary was manipulated in favour of Agbaje by Chief Olabode George and the state chairman, Shelle. Shelle is believed to be a god son of George. The simmering controversy was however resolved , following the intervention of former Vice President, Namadi Sambo and the former President, Mr Goodluck Jonathan, who reappointed Obanikoro as Minister.. Supporters of Obanikoro, has however insisted Chief Olabode George manipulated the state chairman, Capt. Tunji Shelle (rtd) to favour Agbaje during the primary. Hence political analysts and observers are of the view that crisis rocking the party was more or less a premacy battle between George and Obanikoro. Obanikoro has however said that he has no hands in the crisis and said that the executive members who suspended Shelle were all above forty years and so could not be teleguided.

lamour for Federal Character NOBODY CAN FAULT THE FACT THAT THE PERSONS APPOINTED WERE APPOINTED ON MERITS. IN TERMS OF THE SPREAD, THE PRESIDENT HAS PREROGATIVE TO

APPOINT AND HE KNOWS THERE IS FEDERAL CHARACTER

Abdulra ahee em

that produced the party. “Therefore, the party has a responsibility to all Nigerians, as custodian of that ideology, by ensuring that every policies and decisions of the Federal Government – including appointments to public offices – are done to promote development across all spectrums. “While we call for the continued support of our people for Buhari ’s administration, we also want to remind Mr. President that Yoruba people have never been a cannon fodder and will resist any such treatment. ”, the group said.

The reactions to the recent appointments of the President has even taken another dimension as it has become a legal issue in the court of law as an Abuja-based lawyer, Dim-Ydebuani Marcel dragged Buhari to court over the 25 appointments he made so far which excluded the South East geo-political zone. In the suit filed by his counsel, Jude Ifesemen on August 31, barely four days after the President announced the appointments, Marcel asked the court to determine whether the 25 appointments made so far by Buhari was not against the spirit of section 14(3) of 1999 constitution as amended. He also want the court to decide “Whether the exclusion of South-East geopolitical zone in the 25 appointments made so far by Buhari is unconstitutional and divisive? “Whether there are no qualified and

credible or corrupt-free persons from the entire South East zone? “Whether the Chairman, Federal Character Commission has in the circumstance of this case, discharged its statutory duties under paragraph 8(1), (a), (b) and (c) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 constitution. Whether the Chairman, Federal Character Commission has in the circumstance of this case, discharged its statutory duties under paragraph 8(1), (a), (b) and (c) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) ”. The plaintiff prayed the court for an order compelling Buhari to reverse the appointments so far made to observe and comply with the principle of Federal Character as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

He also sought an order of court compelling the Chairman, Federal Character Commission to invoke paragraph 8(1) (c) of the Third Schedule to the 1999 constitution (as amended) and order of court declaring all the appointments so far made null and void for violation of the principle of Federal Character enshrined in the constitution. But the President ’s spokesman, Me. Femi Adesina, while reacting to opinions expressed by many Nigerians and groups that the appointments favour the North said the appointments would balance out very soon. Adesina said the President was aware of Federal Character and expressed the belief that there would be balance by the time he made more appointments this month. While saying appointments were Buhari ’s prerogative, Adesina noted that nobody can fault the fact that those named so far were appointed on merits. He also said it would not be fair to blame the President for positions that were filled as a result of elections, like those of the National Assembly and appointments made as a result of next in command, like those of the acting Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission and that of the Chief Justice of Nigeria. “Nobody can fault the fact that the persons appointed were appointed on merits. In terms of the spread, the President has prerogative to appoint and he knows there is federal character. I am sure that CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

Politics

Sunday September 6, 2015

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‘Anti-corruption war shouldn ’t be discriminatory ’

When they have one term, they will be able to do whatever they want to do and people will have dividends of democracy because they will concentrate on governance instead of scheming for a second term. With these two terms, first they will do well during the first term because they know they will seek another term and after that they will change and will not do anything Most governors don ’t do much during the second terms.

Hon. Don Ohakwe is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Imo State. He also aspired to the Imo State House of Assembly in the last general election. In this chat with journalists in Lagos, he speaks about issues as they affect Imo State and Nigeria at large. Ayo Esan brings the excerpts. The recent appointment by President Muhammadu Buhari is attracting some criticism because they said some section of the country including the East where you hails from has not get much of the appointments so far. What is your take on this? Some people are saying we didn ’t vote for the president that is why he is not giving the East any appointment. But that is not true, some people voted for him in the South East , although majority of his votes didn ’t come from the area. He should not because he didn ’t get much of his votes from the South East and because of that deny us our rights .President Buhari should follow the principle of federal character in his appointments. Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan followed this principle. This is not a military regime. But some people said he has the right to pick his kitchen cabinet and that this is not subject to federal character. But if we just keep quiet, we may lose out totally. You remember he has said that he is going to have only 19 ministers. So we have 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT and he must please remember the South East in his appointments. What is your stand on the Buhari anti-corruption crusade? I support him 100 per cent on the fight against corruption. We know the fight against corruption is a just fight. He should not be discriminatory in the fight against corruption. So many members of the APC are also corrupt and he should not spare them, they should be prosecuted. The fight against corruption should not be used to witch-hunting the PDP members or former President Jonathan ’s ministers, ADC, Special Advisers and so on. Governor Rochas Okorocha is on his sec-

What do you make with various billboards showing his handshake with the United States of America president, Mr. Barrack Obama. We learnt the billboards are placed in many areas of Imo State? I don ’t know why he is displaying his handshake with Obama but I don ’t want to insult him. But I know Obama is a fellow human-being. Imo State is one of the states that are owing WAEC but we know that the government is adopting free education in the state. How is the running of education in Imo State? I like going into what I know. I don ’t really knowing much about the state owing WAEC and I don ’t want to comment on what I don ’t know. But if that is so then I don ’t think the free education is real. I don ’t know how you will say you are an Ambassador of peace when you know you an architect of war . Ohakwe

ond term as the governor of Imo State, how will you assess his performance? From the look of things as we speak now he is not doing much. And we cannot say he is just into second term and we cannot assess him, but father used to tell me that when you see a child that will run fast and would be intelligent you will know from early stages. I just came back from home and I saw people at FMC chanting song of war with placards calling for payment of salaries. That is not how it is supposed to be. In this second term he is not the same Rochas that we know. We don ’t know what has happened but his first term was better than what we are witnessing now. Even my grandmother who used to sing and clap for Rochas is singing a different tune. My father who is a retiree said Okorocha is owning them three months to five months salaries. It is not supposed to be like that . I also got the information that he mortgaged the 27 local governments we have in the state . The former Finance Commissioner,

former Speaker of the House of Assembly , the current vice- chancellor of the Imo State University who is Rochas ’ cousin we learnt are being investigated by the EFCC. The reason why he is owing workers now is because every allocation that comes to the state is debited by the banks where the state has borrowed money . That is what is called direct debiting. You know I am into finance. That is why the governor cannot pay. I am calling on the authority to investigate him. We can ’t keep quiet on this kind of thing . I must talk. Is it because he is on second term and he knows he won ’t be seeking people ’s mandate again. Probably that is why some people are suggesting one term for governors and president, are you in support of this? I think it is good for the governors to have one term. Like former President Goodluck Jonathan suggested a single term of six years, I think that is better.

Your party, the PDP is in the opposition in the state. What is your advice to the PDP leaders in Imo State because it seems they have not put the Governor on his toes? I am a leader in the PDP and my advice is that we should calm down and we should remain in our party . We should not defect to the APC or any other party. We should not put our eggs in the same basket, one party system is not good for the country. We should form a virile opposition and criticize the government constructively. It is unfortunate that some PDP members are jumping into the APC. No we need to stay back and build the party for future election.My advice to fellow PDP members in Imo State is to look well and we should start preparing for the future. It is true that we have not been playing the opposition role as expected; we are trying to put ourselves together because after what happened in the last election, it will take time to reorganized but we are doing that now. I know that the PDP will bounce back and will win future elections in the state.

Buhari ’s appointments and clamour for Federal Character CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

there will be balance in the future. These are still early days. At the end of the day, we will have a balance. “By the time more appointments are made, it will balance out. The President is trying to get the very best of Nigerians, key positions and no key positions should not be the issue ”, Adesina said. In his own reaction, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole said Buhari deserves commendation instead of condemnation for having the uncommon courage to take plausible decisions in the appointments he has made so far. While supporting the appointments, Oshiomhole said they were based on merits and not political sentiments or ethnic consideration.

The Edo governor who made his position known in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Peter Okhiria, explained that it was time to use the best hands to confront the peculiarity of the country ’s problems and not descend to the level of geopolitical balancing. According to Oshiomhole, unusual methods should be used to solve an unusual problem, adding that the level of decay required very seasoned hands and incorruptible Nigerians that would help to translate the APC agenda of change for the benefit of all Nigerians. He stated that governance should not be reduced to political patronage of bread and butter saying that the system has become so rotten and corrupt as a result of manifest incompetence and mismanage-

ment. “If we must make a huge difference in the lives of Nigerians, things must be done differently. We cannot continue to apply same template in the recruitment of persons and expect different results. The new appointees are Nigerians who have served the country in different capacities before now and deserved every bit of our cooperation and support to make them excel in their new jobs ”, Oshiomhole said. However, for many Nigerians, the issue of appointments into positions in government has become topical considering the fact that every region of the country wants to be represented at the federal level and therefore the clamour for proper and adequate representation.

But as more appointments are expected to be announced this month by the Buhari-led administration, Nigerians are hoping that the coming appointments would douse the fears that people from the north and being favoured in the affairs of government to the detriment of Nigerians from other parts of the country. It is also expected that the coming appointments would address some of the complaints and agitations by concerned Nigerians and groups as that the principle of Federal Character be observed. Nigerians are hoping that the coming appointments would douse the fears that the North are being favoured in the affairs of government and to the detriment of Nigerians from other parts of the country.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interview

Sunday, September 6, 2015

‘APC must punish rebels in its midst ’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 say that, thus far the steps they are taking are commendable to rightly headed people who do not want us to continue in the same very dark path Nigeria state has followed till today. For me it appears an ungodly path of the Nigerian state to be busy clamouring every day that he must appoint ministers. He must appoint this one, and that one. What are you appointing ministers to go and do in the first place? In which part of the Nigerian constitution have they found out that Buhari must appoint ministers within a stipulated time frame? The man in power who is now in seek of relevant information to which most us are not aware is taking his time to do the right thing. For example, I have always canvassed several times that Nigeria needed not the number of people they called ministers either for or of. Chief Obafemi Awolowo governed the entire western region which is now about eight or nine states with about 15 or 16 ministers. Look at those states now and look at the number you have in the executives. As soon as you appoint them you are going to give them new cars. You go and hire house for them or you monetized all these. Now they have authority, to appoint their own special assistants, in addition to personal assistants. You must pay their drivers. Some of the chief executives must have two or three cars. One must be available for madam to go to market; one must be available to carry their children to schools and back, before the Oga can perform his duties. I saw the face of shameless characters when Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola did not appoint commissioners for long and they kept on abusing him. But the man know what he was doing, he look at the entire income, the entire money that comes into the coffers of Osun State. And he must have said to himself that if I had removed these ones to pay the commissioners, their special assistants, the personal assistants, and buy vehicles for them how much would remain. And in any case may be for reasons of ignorance or for mischief they failed to understand that in the last 16 years Nigeria has been spending between 78 and 82 per cent of her total earnings to run her bureaucracy, which you called recurrent expenditure. Where is the money for any capital project for any development? And so the clamour is that it does not make sense to just what the military fashioned in the 1999 constitution and said one minister per state. While must you continue in that kind of shoddy state. This government is working on the basis of reducing from 36 or 38 to 19 or 20. The Chief Executive who was elected by the people to provide services must be see of relevant facts to be able to say these following departments, agencies and the likes can go together under one ministry. That is what is being done. So for me I would rather have their snail- speed than to have the jet speed of the marauders who had governed us. That is my preliminary observation as to my understanding of what had happened since they came to office. Don ’t you think the crisis in the national assembly will be a burden on the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to really move ahead with his programme for the country? Whether we like it or not one fact is

Opadokun

BEFORE ANYONE CALLS HIMSELF A MEMBER OF A POLITICAL PARTY HE MUST HAVE READ THE PARTY ’S CONSTITUTION AS IT RELATES TO ITS AIMS AND OBJECTIVES. HE MUST BE ABREAST OF THE MANIFESTO OF THE PARTY

starring us at the face and that has to do with the readiness and the willingness of the party in office to enforce discipline internally. Before anyone calls himself a member of a political party he must have read the party ’s constitution as it relates to its aims and objectives. He must be abreast of the manifesto of the party. For you to be registered as a member, you must have subscribed willingly, voluntarily to the constitution and the manifesto. So whenever, a party man having run on a party platform decides to frustrate or to deny or to work totally against the party ’s cardinal position on any subject matter, the party must be alive enough to enforce stiffest sanction that is available particularly when the purpose of which the party man decided to do is a total rebellion to bring the party low and subject it to ridicule. Under I think section 9 and several sub-sections in the APC constitution which they presented to the nation and which is in the public domain. Any conduct that brings the party into public ridicule and contempt must be visited with stiffest punishment that is available. So what happened at the National Assem-

bly has to be understood in that respect. Some of us are not partisan politicians but we have suffered as activists. Some of us, we paid our sweat some of us lost our blood, some of us lost our liberty and freedom while some lost their lives to restore Nigeria to the current state where we are. We thought that Nigeria are making a choice among the political parties that were around .Two of them seems to me the largest. Many Nigerians made a choice of All Progressive Congress, APC as opposed to the PDP. But it is sad that some members from APC can collaborate with the opposition, PDP for their own selfish gain, giving the impression that they can undermine the party in order for them to emerge as leaders of the National Assembly, those members do not wish the party well, and they do not want the party to remain in office. They have given earliest indication that they can undermine and they will continue to undermine the party about its programmes execution. Therefore such leaders don ’t deserve to remain in office. So as they keep on now to trying to massage the ego of Presi-

dent Buhari and his running mate, if the party fails to impose the stiffest sanction on them , the party will pay dearly for it. There is no other offence that can be much more grievous than what they have done. Their party , the APC , in attempting to mend fences wrote the so called senate president and the speaker of the House of Reps , this is the party ’s wish for principal offices in your own area of the national assembly one of them eventually , Dogara eventually accepted Femi Gbajabiamila, other things remain the same . The distinguished medical doctor/ political juggernaut had refused to obey the party ’s wish, yet we are reading from various newspapers account his people they are going round to appeal to people so that the party leaders and the president can accommodate their wickedness. So I do not believe that the party will help itself if they submit themselves to such ridicule. They have been ridiculed publicly, and come to think of it, it was a deliberate act, in every matter if a group of people decided to go and forge party rules in order for them to emerge as leaders and they are now going round to beg people and they think that should be enough, I know such talks are idle talks . What are you talking about, the party says this is what we want, you are not being forced to come to APC, you came voluntarily, you knew the rule, and you undermine the rule. And to give it further dents, you went ahead to forge the House rule. I felt again embarrassed when I read in the papers that a supposedly Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Richard Akinjide said the affairs of the National Assembly is their private matter. I don ’t know where he read his law, that forgery is a matter for the National Assembly to deal with. Forgery is a criminal offence and we have a criminal code that tells us as to what must be done. So the Nigeria police had concluded its investigation and they have established that the House rule that was used by the 7th Assembly had been tampered with, had been forged. It is on the basis of this forgery that the so called new leaders have emerged. Since, that is the nature there is no ‘I beg you sir ’ in this matter they just must go. And they must face the consequence of forgery as enunciate in our law. So I have no doubts in my minds, there is no way by which the Nigeria nation, can go on keeping these shameless forgers to continue in office. They must pay for the consequences of their action so that it will serve as deterrents for others to come. You know about a month or two months ago I said Buhari cannot fight corruption with Saraki as the leader of the national assembly. I remained very faithful to my recommendation. But some people believe that meting out punishment to Saraki and others may break the party and they feel that it will be too early for the ruling party to face such a crisis now. What is your position on this? I don ’t know what you mean by breaking the party. A group of people who called themselves members of the party have openly rebelled and they want to sustain the rebellion, then you say the party should not break. It is your refusal to impose sanctions on the erring members that disobeyed the party that will break the party. Because if there is no deterrents, what will restrain other people from doing worst things to the party. That is where I stand.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SMExtra

with OBASOLUYI TELEWA 07033840936 Email: bazo_ telewa@yahoo.com

STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU Sunday, September 6, 2015

OBASOLUYI TELEWA

o 1, Akinyemi Street, off Ijoka Road, Akure, the Ondo State capital, the residence of Accord Party (AP) chieftain, Mrs. Ronke Adelugba , has not been the same following the sudden death of the female politician. The 50 year-old-Adelugba was allegedly beaten to death by a team of policemen from Ala Police Station, Akure, after an argument. Until her death, she was the Woman Leader of Accord Party in Ward 5, Akure South Local Government. Already, the police hierarchy in Ondo State has suspended two Inspectors Fabunmi Oladipupo and Haruna found culpable in the alleged murder pending the outcome of the autopsy that was conducted on the female politician. Sunday Mirror investigations revealed that 10 policemen were arrested and interrogated . Eight of them were discharged, while two of them were found culpable pending the outcome of the autopsy and if found guilty will be charged to court for the necessary action. Narrating his mother ’s ordeal that fateful day, one of the children of the deceased , who gave his name as Henry, disclosed to our correspondent that when the policemen came calling at their residence, her mother only asked one question from the leader of the team before she was beaten by two of them. According to him, one hit her on the head with a stick, while another hit her at the back with a gun butt. He stated that as soon after his mother collapsed and died, the alleged killers ran away without accomplishing their task of arresting the criminals they claimed to have traced to the vicinity. He maintained that severe beatings by the policemen accounted for her death since the mother had no record of illness. According to him, “It was the policemen who took her remains to the hospital at about 9pm on Sunday August 30, 2015. For snuffing life out of her mother, he said, that the family has resolved to seek justice for her wrongful death in the hands of the law enforcers. A resident told our correspondent that the policemen came to the area that fateful day in a white Hilux van with registration number NPF4236B, after searching a nearby bush for some hoodlums believed to be smoking Indian hemp in the neighbourhood. According to him, “The policemen are in the habit of raiding bars and drinking joints in the area every weekend just to arrest young boys who would later be asked to secure bail with money ranging from N5,000 toN10,000 without being charged for any offence. The eye witness said that when the policemen came to Adelugba ’s residence to see if the boys they were trailing were hiding there, the deceased insisted that only her children were in the three bedroom house with her.

Battered to death

…two policemen held, may face trial after autopsy

The suspects

Unconvinced, the policemen wanted to arrest her children but the woman leader resisted. She did not want her children arrested without cogent reason or warrant of arrest. Her fear was based on the experiences of neighbours in the past and those that had fallen victim to such arrests. “Within minutes, she was gone ”, he said. The eyewitness added that in a daring move, residents carried the lifeless body of the woman to the station where the policemen came from. Sunday Mirror learnt that the remains were later deposited at the morgue of the State Specialist Hospital, Akure by the policemen. While confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer,(PPRO) Wole Ogodo, stated that when the woman was being interrogated by the policemen in her house, having trailed some hoodlums to her end, she started panting and died after the policemen left her residence. Not satisfied with the situation, the Police Command has vowed to unravel the cause of the politician ’s death. Sunday Mirror learnt that immediately after the incident, the police had swung into action with the suspension of Inspectors Fabunmi Oladipupo and Haruna Idris. However, eight others were freed. The outgoing Police Commissioner in the State, Mr. Isaac Eke, said that the command had begun investigation into the circumstances surrounding the politician ’s death. He briefed

journalists on the latest development while receiving the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of zone11, Oshogbo, Mrs. Kalafite Adeyemi , who was on a familiarisation tour. Eke said the police took the disciplinary action in order not to sweep the case under the carpet. He added that the Command was waiting for autopsy to ascertain the cause of Adelugba ’s death. He assured that the cause of the death would be unraveled. Putting the record straight, the police boss said, “What happened was that 10 policemen in two patrol vehicles from Oda Divisional headquarters, Ala Quarters led by Inspector Fabunmi Oladipupo, who is station officer of the division, while acting on a tip-off stormed a hide-out at Sijuade area of Akure, where criminals smoke Indian hemp and engage in other nefarious activities Unfortunately on arrival, some of the suspects fled and they pursued them. ”Two of the suspects ran into a woman ’s house. In the heat of the argument, the woman, a single mother, physically restrained the police from whisking the duo of Awolumate Bamijoko Bolajoko and Babatunde Thomas. Unfortunately , the deceased fell down during the melee .The next thing we heard was that the woman had died. The cause of her death is being investigated. The arrested officers will tell us what happened ”, he added. Speaking to Sunday Mirror from

Arase, Police IG

Akure at the weekend, the PPRO, Ogodo , said 10 of the policemen were arrested and interrogated. Two of them were found culpable, while eight others were discharged and acquitted. According to him, the two culpable officers have been suspended until the outcome of the autopsy being conducted. He said expert opinion is being awaited to show the extent of their involvement. After the outcome of the autopsy, if they are found culpable, they will be charged to court ”, the PPRO said.

North

Sunday September 6, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Hajj: Pray for Buhari ’s success, Shettima tasks pilgrims

…as inaugural flight departs Maiduguri BINUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

overnor Kashim Shettima yesterday called on pilgrims performing the 2015 hajj in Saudi Arabia to offer spe-

cial prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari to succeed in his determination to put an end to Boko Haram insurgency in the northeast and the rest of the country.

The governor spoke when he addressed the first batch of 320 pilgrims inside a Medview Airline aircraft ready to fly them to Medina from the Maiduguri International Airport,

which was reopened about two months ago after being shut for nearly two years. Shettima, who was obviously happy, said it was gratifying that hajj pilgrims were being airlifted

L-R: Deputy Speaker, Plateau State House of Assembly, Alhaji Yusuf Gagdi; Speaker, Mr. Peter Azi and Governor Simon Lalong, during the inspecPHOTO: NAN tion of the chamber facilities of the State House of Assembly Complex in Jos yesterday.

from Maiduguri as against the bitter experiences last year when they had to go through Jigawa and Kano to the holy land, a situation he attributed to politics aimed at undermining his administration. The governor told the pilgrims that President Buhari, who just marked his first 100 days in office, had demonstrated so much love for the people of the northeast geo-political zone and it was clear that his administration was committed to not only ending the Boko Haram insurgency but also stimulating the economy of the region. He said it was therefore a duty for all citizens of the northeast, especially those embarking on spiritual journeys to make out time to offer prayers for the President to succeed in his effort to make Nigeria a better place for all citizens. Shettima urged the pilgrims to pray for Borno State to speedily recover from the destruction it faced and for his administration to succeed in its plans to fix and reposition the state to compete favour-

ably with other progressive States in the country. The governor informed the pilgrims that his government had secured one of the best accommodations for them in Makkah and Madina within close distances to the holy Mosques in the two cities, adding that Borno ’s accommodation ranks among the best in this year ’s hajj, maintaining that it has been the standard initiated and maintained by his administration since 2011. The inaugural flight took off at 3:03 p.m. with a second flight expected yesterday ’s night. A total of 2,437 pilgrims were expected to perform the hajj from Borno State. Government officials supervising the airlift plan that two flights with different capacities take off daily at the Maiduguri airport. The officials were confident that all pilgrims would be airlifted in good time given the fact that the state government had provided the necessary support required to ensure a hitch free exercise.

YDP to contest Kogi guber poll, seeks credible aspirants UNHCR donates relief WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

head of the November 21 governorship election in Kogi State, the newly registered political group, Young Democratic Party, YDP, has declared its readiness to present a credible candidate and participate in the election. The party also called on credible aspirants to seek its platform to actualise their dream of governing the state. While addressing jour-

nalists in Lokoja yesterday, the state Chairman of YDP, Hon. Emmanuel Chienga, said the party was a revolutionary political platform for the emancipation of the country. His words: “YDP is very and ever ready to favourably participate in the forthcoming governorship election and we have developmental agenda for Kogi State that is known for richness in culture and potential fertile for food production and mineral resources. Our party will ensure the political, eco-

nomic and social development of the country. ” He pointed out that YDP was founded on the principles of social democracy toward fulfilling the aspirations of young and vibrant Nigerians, adding that a situation where some politicians choose to manipulate their platforms based on personal interest was not healthy for developmental politics where the electorate expects dividend of democracy. Chienga added that the party has no moneybag politicians behind its for-

mation, saying that YDP was the brainchild of a few young people of like minds who believe in the unity and development of Nigeria. Calling on the young people of Kogi to rise up for liberation of the state through fervent prayers, the state chairman sad YDP remained the political party to watch. He denied the rumour making the rounds that Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was sponsoring the registration of the party to scuttle the 2015 general elections.

Nigeria, Cameroun border skirmishes over, says Benue council boss HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

he Caretaker Chairman of Kwande local council area of Benue State, Hon. Mrs Helen Ikpambese, has said that intermittent border clashes between boundaries of Benue and Cameroun republic have ceased among the two neighbours. Ikpambese, giving an update to Sunday Mirror at the weekend in Adikpo, the headquarters of the

council, stated that the irregular uprising between the people living on each side of the border areas has ceased to rear its ugly head again. She further attributed the reign of peace since assumption of duty barely three months ago as an act of God, stressing that there ’s no confrontation in either way by both parties and called on the people to remain steadfast in sustaining the peaceful atmosphere. She also reiterated the

commitment of her leadership qualities which place emphasis towards ensuring that normalcy is returned unlike before where thenook and cranny of the council were engrossed in confrontation leading to one part constantly carrying arms against the other at the slightest provocation. Ikpambese explained that before now, crisis appeared to have enveloped the council as the aggrieved parties were always at daggers drawn

over one issue or another “but I can beat my chest with enthusiasm ” and inform the general public that all is history. She implored her Camerounian counterpart to sustain the peaceful atmosphere currently enjoyed by the two countries, stressing that no meaningful development would ever take place in an atmosphere of chaos and sued for collective efforts and understanding of the situation.

materials to IDPs in Taraba JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

nited Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, yesterday donated non-food items worth millions of Naira to victims of Boko Haram attacks taking refuge in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital. Head of field unit of the commission, Daniel Istifanus Bisu, while presenting the materials to the 150 households who benefitted in the first phase of the donation sympathised with them over their present condition and urged Nigerians to embrace peace. He lamented the lingering Boko Haram attacks in the northeast and communal crises in Taraba State that have forced thousands to flee their homes, urging Nigerians to unite against forces that tend to tear them apart. The UNHCR chief said the mandate of the commission was to take care of refugees staying in

countries other than their own, but the IDPs were also going through hard times, hence the intervention of the commission. Bisu thanked the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, and the Red Cross in Taraba for properly documenting IDPs and segmenting them into camps for easy distribution of materials. Permanent Secretary, State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Nuvalga Dan-Habu, thanked UN High Commission for Refugees for their assistance to the IDPs. Represented by Paul Tino, a director in the agency, Dan-Habu said the state was currently playing host to over 43,000 registered IDPs who fled Boko Haram attacks in some states in the region as well as communal attacks in the state. He called on NGOs and public-spirited individuals to also assist the IDPs, saying the state government alone cannot cater effectively for the IDPs.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South

Sunday September 6, 2015

Ooni: Aderin joins race to throne, claims it ’s Giesi ’s turn ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

s the race to the Ooni of Ife stool continues, Omooba Adetunji Babatunde Aderin II has formally declared his intention to become the next Ooni of Ife, having applied to the king-makers officially as part of the process towards claiming the exalted traditional position belonged to his family. Claiming to be the real prince of the house of Giesi, Aderin vowed to ascend to the throne

of his ancestors by right and as a matter of inheritance. Aderin, a United Kingdom-based businessman, said he is the great grandson and a direct descendant of Aderin Ologbenla, the warrior king of Ife from the Giesi ruling house, and rightful heir to the throne of Ife. According to him, his great grandfather, Oba Aderin Ologbenla reigned from 1880 to 1893 as the last Ooni of Ife from the Giesi ruling house. He explained that his

grandfather Adetunji Aderin I whom he is named after was the eldest son of Aderin Ologbenla and his eldest son Adeniran Aderin is father to Omooba Adetunji Aderin. Aderin claimed that by the rotational cycle from Aderin Ologbenla 18801893 (Giesi ruling house) to Adelekan Olubuse I 18941930 (Ogboru ruling house) to Ademiluyi Ajagun 1910-1930 (Lafogido ruling house) to Adesoji Aderemi 1930-1980 (Osinkola ruling house) the throne should have gone Giesi again in 1980 but because of the

1976 resolution, it had to go to Ogboru ruling house, thereby positioning the Giesi ruling house to be the next in line after Ogboru. He maintained that it would be sheer injustice for anyone outside the Giesi ruling house to be the next Ooni of Ife, which the kingmakers were fully aware of, despite the attempt of some to suggest otherwise. He added that the throne of the Ooni of Ife is not such to be politicised or monetised as the Giesi ruling house has

L-R: Celebrant, Chief (Mrs.) Alimot Alake Oshinowo; business mogul and philanthropist, Sir Kessington Adebutu; Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (2nd Right); son of the celebrant, Ogun State Director-General of Bureau of Lands, Mr. Wale Oshinowo, during the coronation of Mama Oshinowo as the ‘Yeye Oba of Idena ’ to mark her 90th birthday in Iperu Remo, Ogun State, yesterday.

Bayelsa PDP unity group shuns Dickson ’s entreaties OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

ttempts being made by the faction loyal to the Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, in the Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples ’ Democratic Party, PDP, to woo the PDP Unity Group, another faction of the party in the crisis may have hit another brickwall, a few days to the public declaration of the governor for a second term. Indications to this emerged yesterday as the PDP Unity group, insisted on the implementation of Article 14.5 of the PDP constitution, which requires the party to nominate an Acting Chairman from the Central Senatorial District where the

immediate past chairman hails from. It would recalled that the group had argued that since the governor ’s faction has succeeded in removing the late Col. Sam Inokoba (retd) who is from the Central Senatorial District, the party must have to follow due process by nominating an acting chairman where the exCchairman hails from as required by the party constitution. But the party has refused to yield to their demands, especially as the incumbent acting chairman of the party is a loyal supporter of the governor, as any attempt to remove him may perhaps spell doom for the governor at the party primaries coming up soon.

In a press release signed by the coordinator of the Unity group, Mrs. Maria Ebikake, and made a available to newsmen in Yenagoa, they reiterated their neutrality in seeking a level-playing field for any member of the party in the state who wishes to contest the forthcoming governorship primaries. The group also disassociated from an interactive session extended to one of its leaders through the Secretary of the party, saying it was not time for merry making considering the enormous challenge ahead of the party, which include the marauding opposition of the All Progressives Congress, APC,. The statement reads, “In our determination

to achieve this goal of internal democracy as provided in our party constitution, we have had several meetings with the national delegation, led by the Acting Board of Trustees Chairman, Dr. Halibut Bello Mohhammed, where far reaching decisions was taken that are awaiting implementation for the overall interest of our party, especially as we approach the gubernatorial election in the state. Chief among such decisions was the nomination of an Acting Chairman from the Central Senatorial District where the immediate past chairman originated from, to fulfil the current zoning formula in line with Article 4.5 of the PDP constitution. ”

not produced Ooni since Ologbenla reign in 1880. The prince explained that his reason for stepping up to the mantle was due to the fact he is the great grandson of a warrior king and it would be a disservice to the legacy of Aderin Ologbenla if

he as his great grandson refuses to step up to the plate and fight like a true warrior king. “What is mine is mine and it would be wrong not to fight for my right or allow the hard work of my forefathers to be wasted ”, he said.

Ex-C ’River commissioner dumps PDP for APC RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

former commissioner representing Cross River State in the Federal Character Commission and one time Head of Service in the state, Chief Wilfred Inah yesterday said he has quit the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to join the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Inah disclosed this when a high powered delegation of the APC Stabilisation and Mobilisation Committee led by the state vice chairman for central senatorial district in the state Hon. Cletus Obun paid him a courtesy visit in Calabar The former Federal Commissioner stated that he decided to quit the PDP for the APC due to the existence of internal democracy which exists in the APC, especially as was demonstrated in

the fair play and integrity that characterised the APC primary elections at all levels. Inah said that he was very well disposed towards APC because of its evident virtue of justice and patriotism, adding that the appeal for his membership amounted to “Preaching to the already converted ”. He assured the APC Stabilisation and Mobilisation Committee that within a very short time, he would complete the formalities for joining the APC. “Joining the APC was like home-coming for I had worked for President Buhari in his presidential elections of 2003 and 2007, ” he said. Speaking earlier, Obun maintained that the APC was in dire need of men of integrity like Chief Inah whose pedigree and credentials in terms of politics are very intimidating.

Herbalists blame tourism neglect for extinction of cultural festivals ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

erbal medicine practitioners have bemoaned the gradual extinction of cultural festivals in the country blaming the trend on nonchalant attitude to culture and tourism. The Ekiti State Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP), Chief Jacob Orisamika, lamented that the situation was very disturbing and unfortunate. Orisamika said in Ado Ekiti at the weekend that tourism, particularly cultural festivals, had the capacity to change the country ’s economy if well harnessed, especially in the face of the falling oil prices. He said development

of the tourism sector and promotion of cultural festivals in Ekiti State were capable of generating revenue for the state and reverse its dependence on federal allocation which is now dwindling. Osamika, who owns Baba Oranmiyan Tradomedical Centre, called on the traditional rulers to partner with the government and private investors to explore the tourism potential of the state for optimum benefits. NANTMP praised the state governor for promoting cultural tourism with a view to boosting the state economy. It urged private investors to key into the governor ’s agenda to propel cultural tourism in the state through huge investments in the sector for rapid expansion of the state ’s economy for more revenue earnings.

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Iniesta: We’re out to win everything P. 62

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Eaglets to train in Argentina

SEPTEMBER 6, 2015

Ujah: This is my chance fter making the FIFA Confederations Cup Brazil 2013 squad, Germany-based Anthony Ujah was within a post of having a dream come true by playing the following summer for Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. However, there was disappointment when then-coach Stephen Keshi left the exciting striker home. Ujah, who at the time had just gained promotion with Cologne into the German Bundesliga, vowed that he would work hard to get back into the mix, and he has done that, scoring his way into new boss Sunday Oliseh’s first roster and now on a track to reach Russia 2018 with the Super Eagles. After ten goals last term as Cologne finished 12th Ujah earned interest from other clubs, and in the end he signed with fellow Bundesliga club Werder Bremen with an eye on the next mundial. “Although I had offers from clubs in China and Russia where I would have earned more money, I decided to sign for Bremen,” Ujah told FIFA.com. “I chose a club, which I believed would help me develop as a player and bring me back to the national team set-up.” Ujah said he was relieved and elated to see his plan come to fruition when he was named in Oliseh’s team for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Tanzania and a friendly against Niger a few days later. “It is very, very important for me to get another chance to play for my country because up to now I have not had so much success, but with the new coach and the new set-up I hope this will be my chance,” he explained. “I think the move to Werder Bremen played a role because I had a very good pre-season. With our style of play, with the offensive

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Ibe

football in Bremen, its a dream for every striker iker to be a part of. I think it will make me a better player.” .” Of course his bigger goal is making the e team for November’s 2018 World Cup qualifiers, which ich will be against the winner of the two-legged tie between een Djibouti and Swaziland. He believes he can keep himself mself in the new coach’s plans. “Sunday Oliseh played in the German Bundesliga, ndesliga, so I hope that will speak for me” Ujah said. “He e is well informed because the German league is not a small mall league. It is the league where the world champions came me from.” A goal, a celebration and a billy goat Ujah broke into European football with Norwegian club Lillestrom, scoring an astonishing 27 league gue goals in just 36 matches before moving on to Mainz. He sees the path of his career going from strength to strength, gth, saying: “I think every move I have made has worked out.” ut.” The only small argument to that has to do o with a famous goal celebration gone awry during Cologne’s gne’s home win against Eintracht Frankfurt in March thiss year. Ujah was in brilliant form, setting up his side’s third hird before scoring the fourth himself. Ujah was so excited after the goal that he e ran up to Hannes VIII, the club’s billy goat mascot, and tried ried to pull him onto the field. A tug-of-war developed between tween Ujah and the goat’s handler, which was documented in widely published photographs. “It was just too much emotion,” Ujah said with a smile. “I had previously celebrated with the goat, but I never came in contact with it. Cologne is a club I love so much,

and the club mascot, the billy goat, is like a symbol for the club. “There is no game where the goat is not there, come rain, come sunshine, whatever the ways weather is, the goat is alI there. So when I came close I did not was half out of my mind, know what I was thinking at the But directly moment. So I just did it. ent.” after the game I felt differThe incident caused a huge reaction zoo to show and Ujah had to go to the be cruel to the that he had not meant to goat. “And then a few days later it was the I had to go back goats’ birthday and an nd journalists,” Ujah again with over 200 explained. “It was a horrible week pened, but I learned after this hapfrom it. I am not someone who is mean to animals or disrespectful I apologized. in any way, so The 24-yearold affirms he has learnt his lesson and will stay far away from Bremen’s mascot (a dog) and Nigeria’s (an eagle). “They are more dangerous!” Ujah exclaimed. “I promise I am not going close to any mascots any more.

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Sunday September 6, 2015

Eaglets to train in Argentina N igeria’s Golden Eaglets, who put sword to Brazil, are expected to set up a pre-World Cup training camp in Argentina before they head off to Chile for the FIFA U17 World Cup in October. “We will train in Argentina to prepare for the World Cup in Chile,” disclosed Emmanuel Amuneke. The Eaglets are top of an invitational tournament in Suwon, South Korea, on four points after they beat Brazil 2-1 on Friday. Their final game in Suwon will be Sunday afternoon against Croatia, who they will also clash with at the World Cup. Four-time world champions Nigeria are also drawn against hosts Chile and USA in the first round of Chile 2015.

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Mayweather: I’m not going to underrate Berto

ound-ForPound fighter, Floyd Mayweather says that he is not going to underrate Andre Berto even as he insisted that his September 12 pay-per-view clash will be his last fight. “When you at a boxer with little or nothing to lose, he works much harder because he’s got a chance to be one of the top boxers in the world. In boxing, anything can happen, so I’m prepared mentally and physically. I’m in top shape, I’m sure he’s in top shape and he’s ready.

Eaglets players

But I’m not going to overlook him. I want to win just like he wants to win, so I’m pushing myself every day. As I get older, I’m working harder. According to him because of the importance he attaches to the fight, he is preparing more that he did during his record- breaking showdown with Manny Pacquiao, insisting that his opponent is a perfect opposition. “I am preparing seriously for the fight and the preparations I have put in place is more than what I did during the Manny Pacquiao fight because I expect Berto to give me a very good challenge.

Okoronkwo scores in Saabrucken win

ormer Nigeria youth international Solomon Okoronkwo was among the goals for his German regional league team Saarbruken when they beat Sar 05 Saarbruken 3-1. The 28-year-old striker gave his team a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute. He has now scored two goals in six league games.

Okoronkwo

He has played for Hertha BSC, Erzgebirge, Sandhausen(All in Germany), Saturn Moscow Oblast (Russia), Aalesund (Norway) and Pesci Mecsec (Hungary). He represented Nigeria at U20 and U23 levels, winning FIFA U20 World Cup silver in 2005 and Olympic silver medal in 2008.

Coach Tenger denies retirement rumour

obi Stars technical adviser, Justin Tenger has said he will not quit coaching at the end of his stint at the Makurdi-based side. The veteran coach had hinted to end of his coaching career at Akwa United but rescinded the decision to take up the hot job at Lobi Stars. The former Niger Tornadoes coach was in the news lately quoted as saying he will quit the professional at the end of the 2014/15 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season. Tenger said he still have a lot to contribute to the coaching profession

as long as he stays fit and healthy. “I cannot remember telling anybody that I will quit the coaching career at the end of the ongoing 2014/15 league season. “I cannot retire now when I still have a lot to contribute to the profession not even after my tenure at Lobi Stars. “I think whoever that put out that report of my intention to quit at the end of the season must be a mischief maker as well as self seeking. “I won’t retire even after 2015, I’m fit and healthy so will still be

available for some years to come,” said the former Gombe United coach to supersport.com. Tenger said his side will continue their good performance of late at El Kanemi Warriors in match day 28 clash on Sunday in Katsina. “We will continue the good performance against Sharks in the Sunday’s clash at El Kanemi Warriors in Katsina. “We have regained our strength and the players are operating at high height so the neutral venue is an incentive to contest for the three points at stake.

Falcons eye AAG win against Congo

uper Falcons coach, Chris Danjuma is positive his side will start on a winning note against hosts and newcomers, the Red She-Devils of Congo Brazzaville. The African champions will square up against the Central Africans on Sunday in the opening Group A clash of the women’s football event at the ongoing All Africa Games in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo. The Nigerians have the privilege of taking just four overseas players to the quadrennial multiple sports showpiece namely, Desire Oparanozie, Esther Sunday, Evelyn Nwabuoku and Onome Ebi. Danjuma said his side will approach as Cup final the clash against Congo to serve a strong notice of their intention to end the

campaign on gold. “Squaring up against the hosts in the first match of any championship is usually difficult as you are meant to confront the partisan crowd as well as the officials. “However, we have our match plan intact which is to kickoff our title campaign on a winning note. “Bookmakers have already awarded the match to us based on the pedigree of both teams but we won’t be fooled or take the Congolese for granted as there are no minnows or pushovers in the round leather game. “Our mission to Brazzaville, Congo is more than the gold medal but restore the prestige of Super

Falcons on the continent. “We want to play ourselves back into the hearts of Nigerians after the futile attempt to win the 2016 Rio Olympic ticket. “We want to excel, we want to win the gold medal, that’s our ambition and aspiration,” said Danjuma to supersport.com. Falcons won gold in the 2003 and 2007 editions of the Games after three appearances while Congo are debuting in the women’s football tournament in its fourth edition. Nigeria’s next match after Congo will be against Tanzania on Wednesday while the last group clash will be against Ivory Coast on Saturday.

Floyd Mayweather (L) exchanging blows with Manny Pacquiao during their mega fight in May

Pacquiao will retire next year –Arum

anny Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum says the fighter will retire next year to focus on becoming President of the Philippines. He stated that the 38 year old boxer, who is a member of his country’s congress wants to become a senator next year and follow it up with a shot at the Philippines Presidency which accounts to why he wants to quit box-

ing. “Pacquiao will fight again next year but his goal is to become a senator in the Philippines, which he will be next year, and then to be president.” Arum added, “I think Manny will retire once he’s elected to the Senate of the Philippines which is next year after which he will hang his gloves.” Manny has been involved in politics for years in the Philippines; and has been elected to Congress twice.

Brook blames Khan for not fighting him

BF welterweight champion Kell Brook, currently looking forward to his October 24th clash with Argentina’s Diego Chaves, has hit out at bitter divisional rival Amir Khan blaming him for not accepting to fight him insisting that if the fight doesn’t come next year, then it probably never will. Fans angry at being promised the big fight by promoter Eddie Hearn, were not expecting Khan to accept the offer as he had already stated he believed Brook needs to fight bigger names before considering to fight him. “It’s all down to Amir, I’m the

world champion. I just want please the fans. He’s letting the fans down, not just his British fans but fans all over the world who want to see this fight,” Brook said to Talksport Radio in the UK. “Let’s get it right, he’s a good fighter and it’s going to be an exceptional fight so we just need to get in and see who the number one is. “My team and I know we are going to beat him. His team spoke to my promoter, Eddie Hearn, but we need to speed it up. It needs to happen at Wembley, hopefully next summer, but if it doesn’t happen next year I’m not sure it will happen,” Brook concluded.

Sport

Sunday September 6, 2015

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Andres Iniesta can be a disconcerting figure, whether he is toying with you on the field of play or sitting opposite you for an interview. Cautious and with the softest of voices, his manner seems at odds with that of the global star who secured Spain their one and only FIFA World Cup to date. Always remembered for his joking remark during the victory parade in Madrid, where he told the multitudes, “Si lo sé, no meto el gol” (If I’d known, I wouldn’t have scored), as he struggled with the acclaim and attention that followed his winning goal in the Final. FI However, just as he does in every game, the Albacete native met the challenge head on when he sat down with FIFA.com to discuss a difficult 12 months and the road ahead. After a trophy-less 2014 with Barcelona and Spain’s group-stage elimination in Brazil, the midfielder, cha chatted exclusively about those disappointments, his immediate future and the challenges facing a Barça side vying to ‘win everything’ this year.r.

Iniesta: We’re out to win g n i h t y r e ev FIFA.com: We know you’re not too comfortable talking about your merits, but what sets you apart from other midfielders and keepS getting you included in the world team of the year? Andres Iniesta: No, it’s just difficult to try to single out something you have that others don’t. Everyone possesses these qualities. From a personal standpoint, considering my style of play or my position on the field, I try to read the game quickly as I watch moves develop and work out where my team-mates will be to link up with them. Every player has a designated role and job to do, and you just try to interpret that as best you can. What I will say is that I find it very pleasing that my fellow pros have this perception of me and continue to include me in this team of the year, despite there being so many great players to choose from. You’d have to agree that in the modern game, where there’s so little space and you have to run a lot more than people think, the Iniestas of this world are very much required… Well, a lot of things are required. If this was an individual sport and not a team one, we wouldn’t be talking about any of this. So everyone has a job to

do. Eleven of us make up the team and each of us has to be the best in his position. After that, you as an individual try to exploit your own qualities to the utmost. But yes, it’s true that in a sport that appears very physical at times, that bit of skill, quality or the ability to turn a game at the precise time can make the difference. After all, there’s so little between teams nowadays. You said recently that, on balance, 2014 hadn’t been a good year for you as you hadn’t achieved your goals. Was that even more frustrating because you’d been so used to success? Well there have been other not-sogreat periods in my career too. It happens when you set yourself goals and objectives but don’t reach them. In that scenario, it’s difficult to talk about positives. But that’s part of sport as well. When you don’t achieve something, you need to be even more motivated the following year for whatever is coming next. Let’s be clear, though. This doesn’t happen because you’ve not tried hard enough I mean, we all want to win – but sometimes you come up short and it just can’t be called a ‘positive’ year.

Which Whic Wh ich ic h hurt hu h urtt more: losing more mo ore: re e: lo losi osi sing ng g Liga L Lig La iga a on the e nall ma matchday orr fi-fi n na matc t hd tc day yo out gogo ing ou ut in n tthe he ffirst irrst st round att the World Cup Brazil? da dC up iin n Br Bra azill? Both were re hard to digest, dig di gestt, given ge giive giv ven their th hei eir significance. We [Barcel [Barcelona] had ellon ona] a]] h ad d had had a very difficult year in many man ny respects, r sp re spec ec cts t so to lose the league title at home me e iin n the final game was a big, big disappointment. The same applies to the World Cup. For a country like Spain, with the players we had, we expected to have a very good tournament and go a lot further than the first round. However, when you don’t do things well at tournaments like these, you pay a heavy price. And that’s what happened to us. Did you continue to follow the World Cup after your elimination or did you need some distance? Yes, well you still follow it, but it feels different when you’re no longer part of it. You don’t experience it the same way. Would you agree with those who hailed it as the best World Cup ever? Well, it had a bit of everything. There were some games with wonderful play and others that didn’t deliver as much. That said, a World Cup is a unique and incomparable landmark, where you

gather the v e r y best. In that sense Spain wasn’t, wasn’t or rather we w weren’t, good go enough. That was painful, given all a that had gone before and the team we had. We W should have gone a bit further at the very least. least We imagin imagine you were urging on Lionel Messi in the Final… Fi Yes we were watchit. In that sense, it ing it was a pity he couldn’t get his hands on the trophy. There were certain simiT larities between that Final and ours against the Netherlands [at South Africa 2010], like the chances missed and the winner coming in extra time. In truth, though, Germany had a really good World Cup. Do you think they were deserving champions? At the end of the day, everyone has their own take on that depending on how they interpret things. When you become champions, it’s very hard for anyone to take that away from you or say you didn’t deserve it. In the case of Germany, I think they had a very good tournament, but so did Argentina. Both were in the Final on merit. Turning to your club, it’s been a rather turbulent start to 2015 for Barcelona. When you show up for work, how much are you affected

by what what’s written writte said or s in the media? Look, t h e r e ’s no denying that when there’s so much talk on the outside and when it’s not outsid about football or your play, abo it can affect things. You ttry, or at least should try, to ignore all of that because a lot of it isn’t true. The sheer number of reports can annoy you. That said, we know we’re at a club where a lot is asked of you, where everything is magnified tenfold. There are so many opinions and a lot of things can come from that. When things aren’t going exactly to plan, then we have to deal with those kind of situations. The only way we can change that and make the public more settled is by playing well and winning. That way they forget a bit about all the stuff on the outside and focus instead on what their players are doing on the pitch. What surprised you most about what was said at the time? The possible departure of Messi? I hope and wish that Leo can be with Barça for a long time, because he has been, is and will be fundamental to our competing for honours. That’s my sole desire. And what are Barça’s aspirations at present? We are out to win everything we can and have a lot to look forward to. We’ve got a great team and the disappointment of last year has to be a motivation for us to show our true colours and try to end this season with a smile on our faces and our fans celebrating a title once more.

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anchester United were pursuing Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Raphael Varane in the summer transfer window, according to Real Madrid president Florentino Perez. The Old Trafford club’s pursuit of Sergio Ramos earlier this summer was widely reported, with the defender ultimately choosing to stay at the Santiago Bernabeu and extend his contract. But Perez has revealed that Louis van Gaal had his eye on three additional Madrid stars, all of whom ignored advances from clubs to remain with Rafael Benitez’s men for 2015-16. “We know that United showed interest in Bale, Benzema and Varane,” Perez told

Sport

Sunday September 6, 2015

Cadena Ser. Bale has been linked with Manchester United for almost a year, with his troublesome second season at Madrid causing some to speculate he would return to England two years after leaving Tottenham for 100 million. But that La Liga-to-Premier League move never materialised, with France international Benzema also rejecting any suggestions he might leave the Spanish capital for interested suitors Arsenal. Varane has been linked with United since he was a highly-rated prospect at Lens, but Zinedine Zidane’s presence at Madrid helped the club beat their Champions League rivals to his signing in 2011.

United wanted Bale, Benzema and Verane

Bale

Queiroz accuses Utd of panic buying after Fergie exit F ormer Manchester United assistant Carlos Queiroz has hit out at David Moyes and Louis van Gaal for the way they handled the transition from Alex Ferguson and accused the club of panic buying. Queiroz enjoyed two spells as assistant his second coming on the back an unsuccessful stint with Real Madrid - to Ferguson, who retired from management in 2013 after winning 38 trophies with United. Successor Moyes was sacked before the end of his first season, which United eventually finished in seventh, with Van Gaal coming in to lead them back to the Champions League in unconvincing fashion the following year. Queiroz told The Guardian: “I have great admiration and respect for Louis van Gaal and David Moyes, they are great coaches that I admire but I think they made some critical and crucial mistakes in the transition from Alex.” Criticising Moyes’ changes to the coaching staff, he said: “It was not necessary to turn everything upside down with the staff with people like Mike Phelan, people that know the insides of the club.

Robben out for four weeks, Bayern confirm

Robben

ayern Munich have confirmed that Arjen Robben will be out for four weeks after the winger limped out of Netherlands’ 1-0 defeat to Iceland on Thursday. Robben, 31, left the pitch only 31 minutes into his country’s damaging Euro 2016 qualifying loss at the Amsterdam Arena after picking up a groin injury.

Navas

Navas in surprise Barca link

arcelona have been linked with a surprise January swoop for Manchester City winger Jesus Navas. The City wideman faces extra competition for a regular starting role at the Etihad this season following the big-money arrivals of Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne, although he has started all four Premier League games so far for Manuel Pellegrini’s side. Spanish paper Mundo Deportivo claims Barca are interested in the former Sevilla man and will launch a bid for the 29-year-old when they can again add to their squad following the lifting of their transfer embargo early in the new year.

‘Chelsea are ‘warehousing’ loan players’ C

Mourinho

helsea’s use of the loan market has been criticised by Professional Footballers’ Association chief Gordon Taylor as the Premier League champions have sent 33 players out. Jose Mourinho’s side have let the likes of Juan Cuadrado (at Juventus), Marco van Ginkel (Stoke City) and Victor Moses (West Ham) depart this window, while have also used feeder Eredivisie club Vitesse to move players on to gain more experience. However, Taylor does not agree with that approach. “It’s a bit of a worry with so many Chelsea players out on loan. It’s almost a warehousing of players. You wonder whether it brings into question the integrity of the various competitions,” he told The Mirror. “From a player’s point of view, you can see they would want to go out on loan if there is not a firstteam place available. “But Chelsea have an academy so you have to wonder how it is they have such a phenomenal number of players out there.

N I G E R I A

N9.6trn

Vol. 5 No. 35

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 6, 2015 www.nationalmirroronline.net

Comment E-mail:

nwaunah@yahoo.com Jim Unah is Professor of Philosophy, University of Lagos.

with Jim Unah enerating revenue through pension contributions for investment in infrastructure appears to be one of the unadvertised intentions of government for creating the new pension scheme under the control of the National Pension Commission—PenCom. But that cannot succeed if government plays the ostrich when the concern regarding the safety and, then, stress-free access of beneficiaries to their entitlements is in issue. There should be incontrovertible evidence on ground to convince the doubting Thomases that retirees can collect their benefits without complications and extra cost of endless journey to Abuja, for the contributory pension scheme to succeed. Additional evidence required to attract contributors to the scheme is to make existing contributors part managers of the invested pension funds, in the kind of investment(s) that workers could directly feel the impact of and obtain benefits from, whilst still in service. A few examples will suffice. It is unarguable that a primary function of government is the provision of basic amenities such as water and infrastructure such as roads. To speak of a functional transportation system, you will need to put good motorable roads in place. It is impossible to

have an effective and functional transportation system without a good network of roads and even rail infrastructure. Workers are the ones who suffer the most ultimately if the roads are bad and if there is no good railway system to move them and their valuables about. Housing, especially urban housing, is one of the critical areas of need of the Nigerian worker. Pension fund accruing from workers’ contributions can be appropriated to develop housing schemes or road networks in areas where they can attract good rent or toll, respectively; both to meet the infrastructure needs of the people and generate revenue, which can, in turn, swell the pension contributors’ retirement savings accounts. Water scarcity is endemic in the city of Ibadan and environs. A couple of times that the students of the University of Ibadan had demonstrations, it was largely because of water scarcity. Why has it not occurred to government to utilize part of university workers’ pension contributions to address that problem of water scarcity and resolve it squarely? Why does government find it more convenient to allow pension funds to accumulate in quantities that it appoints cronies to manage and embezzle? Rather than use accumulated workers’ contributions to create welfare for the people and still assure the safety of the funds, it has become conventional for the funds to be allowed to accumulate in quantities that can be stolen by devious fund administrators. Why is this so? Does government not desire the happiness of the people? What is the consequence of having successive governments that are insensitive to the needs of the people? The Arab Spring looks far away, like fairy tale, to bother the perpetra-

F I G U R E S

N10bn

-The sum exgovernor Rotimi Ameachi insists he left in Rivers State treasury.

tors of official graft in government; but the Boko Haram is here with us. With revelations of irregularities and fraud trailing both the old pension scheme under the former Head of Service and the new scheme under the management of the Pension Commission, shouldn’t perpetrators of pension fraud be brought to justice to put an end to such malfeasances? Generating fund for infrastructure is laudable provided the infrastructure in question will be provided in the standard and quality that would truly serve and benefit the people. That is a surer way to attract more participants to the scheme, rather than the impression being created that even with glaring evidence of unpaid pension benefits, unremitted deductions and wrongful debiting of contributors’ retirement savings accounts, that the state could use armtwisting legislations to compel compliance of reluctant would-be contributors. Government and pension fund administrators should stop the use of subtle coercion to intimidate pension contributors, and put mechanisms in place to address the manifest issues of fraud and irregularities that trial the activities of pension fund custodians. They should stop creating the impression that they hold the power of life and death in their hands just because they find themselves in a position of authority. God is the giver of genuine positions, not man. In his pride and little knowledge, man thinks he is the master and overlord. Unfortunately, he is merely an expatriate resident on earth. Whatever he thinks he is, if he analyzes himself existentially, he will find that he lives in expatriate conditions. He is not the master. He is not the overlord.

Oliseh happy with Eagles Tanzania draw H ead Coach of the Super Eagles, Sunday Oliseh, has insisted he is happy with one point, after they drew 0-0 with Tanzania in Dar es Salaam. The former African champions struggled to create and convert chances in Oliseh’s first official game in charge and now have 4 points from their first two matches. “The first half was not good for us. The second half was a little better. I am happy with the one point,” Oliseh said afterwards. “You can’t expect the boys to gel from the beginning that’s why am happy with the one point.”

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Concerns about safety of pension contributions

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N150

-The amount Nigeria needs for Micro Small Medium Enterprise, MSME, funding.

The former national team captain, was however full of praise for goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, who gave a good account of himself on his debut. “It is unfair to say Ikeme had

a decent game. He was actually fantastic.” Oliseh commended. Eagles acting Captain, Ahmed Musa, described the match as tough saying, “Football has changed, there are no

small teams. Tanzania gave us a good game.” Reacting Super Eagles former coach, Christian Chukwu described the goalless draw a fair result. He said the barren

GOVERNMENT AND PENSION FUND ADMINISTRATORS SHOULD STOP THE USE OF SUBTLE COERCION TO INTIMIDATE PENSION

CONTRIBUTORS, AND PUT MECHANISMS IN PLACE TO ADDRESS THE MANIFEST

ISSUES OF FRAUD AND IRREGULARITIES THAT TRIAL THE ACTIVITIES OF PENSION FUND CUSTODIANS.

Chinelo Anohu Amazu, DG of PenCom, should rise to the challenge if she does not want her administrative gab to be smeared with the blood of fraud which appears to have become the stock-in-trade of people in government these days. It is one thing for her to desire a fraud-free pension commission. It is quite another to walk the talk, as they say. Let Lady Amazu use her tenure to achieve two clear objectives that, in turn, without her prompting and that of her principals, should attract more contributors to the pension scheme. Let her work night and day to ensure the safety of the pension funds in the custody of her commission, and let her digitalize the operations of pension benefits in such a way that retirees get their entitlements with ease, without the usual tears and shame of alienation that characterize the collection of pension benefits in Nigeria.

draw in the Afcon clash is a far better result for the Nigerian side than an outright defeat. “Well, the goalless draw is a better result than outright defeat. The Eagles side are new under a new coach, Sunday Oliseh. The result is quite good for the rebuilding process. “At least Oliseh and his new wards have received their baptism. I know they will improve in the next matches. “I’m really happy we did not lose because I was worried of the harsh weather and its impact on the team.

Oliseh

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