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Rising clamour for return of War Against Indiscipline

News

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Ooni: Funeral rites end with Oro, Ogboni procession

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www.nationalmirroronline.net

Vol. 5 No. 33

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Electricity tariff

National Mirror Online

@NationalMirror

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NERC orders review of xed charges …Discos to also halt bulk metering

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Pregnant women, others seek ‘green police ’ jobs

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Ajimobi slammed for stopping WAEC fees

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Distressed children caught up in the migrant crisis on the Macedonian border, as police drive back crowds attempting to cross into the country, yesterday.

PHOTO: Dailymailukonline.com

Axed Immigration boss illegally recruited 1,600 ofcers –FG

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News

Fulani herdsmen kill 7 returnee IDPs, injure many

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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What ’s new Politics

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Seven Days TALKING POINTS OF THE PAST WEEK August 23, 2015

Buhari plans to use DSS to stie opposition –PDP

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eoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governors ’ Forum has described the alleged meddlesomeness of the Department of State Services, DSS, in petitions before Election Tribunals as attempt by the All Progressives Congress, APC-led government of President Mu-

Death toll in Yobe B ’Haram massacre rises to 160

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I will continue to act till I go grey -Tamara Eteimo Wellness

hammadu Buhari to stifle opposition parties.

In a communiqué at the end of its fourth post-election meeting on Wednesday in Abuja, the group said the interference of DSS in election tribunal matters, especially in PDP controlled states of Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Abia, is

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Causes and treatment of Migraine

umber of villagers killed by Boko Haram insurgents in Yobe State rose to 160 yesterday, according to locals.

But Defence Headquarters denied report of the killing, saying it could not be substantiated.

Residents of Kukuwa-

NNPC set to end fuel importation, subsidy

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igerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday said it had adopted a new business model among other measures as part of commitment to ending fuel importation and payment of subsidies on imported products in the country.

Group Managing Direc-

Migraine is usually portrayed as a sporadic disease, although another understanding of the ailment has evolved over the past few decades. Even between attacks, migraineurs have a predisposition to having another attack, and have abnormalities in cortical processing, impaired health-related quality of life.

Moreover, some migraine sufferers ’ condition is characterised by attacks of increasing frequency, at times leading to headaches on more days than not.

They are pulsating headaches, often on one side of the head.

Gari in Yobe State described how more than 150 of their relatives and neighbours drowned in a river while fleeing from militants who opened fire on the village on Thursday last week, while another eight were shot dead.

tor of the Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, who disclosed this at the Annual Conference of National Association of Energy Correspondents, NAEC, in Lagos, explained that the initiative became imperative since fuel importation and subsidy are unsustainable.

FG seeks repatriation of Okah from S ’Africa

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here were strong indications, yesterday that the Federal Government is plotting to negotiate with South African government for the release of ex-militant leader and founder of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Mr. Henry Emomotimi Okah, from prison.

Okah was convicted two

years ago by a South African court for the 2010 twin bombing of the venue for Nigeria ’s 50th Independence anniversary in Abuja and was sentenced to a 24- year term.

A reliable source who spoke with National Mirror yesterday, said that the planned release of the exmilitant leader was to enable him serve his term in Nigeria.

AIB releases crashed Bristow chopper manifest

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ine days after the Sikosky S76 C+ chopper belonging to Bristow Helicopters marked 5N-BGD crashed into Lagos Lagoon at Oworonshoki area of the Third Mainland Bridge, Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, yesterday released the flight manifest to the public.

The manifest confirmed that 12 souls were on board the ill-fated flight, including two crew members. AIB in its statement did not, however, clarify names of the survivors, but Bristow Helicopters in an earlier statement confirmed that the two crew members, Capt.

Joseph Wyatt and co-pilot, Peter Kayode Bello, did not survive the crash.

Online statement signed by spokesman of AIB, Mr. Tunji Oke-

tunbi, gave names of those on board as Mr. Ita Ekpeyong, Joshua Emekeme, Dolu Ebiejuara, Onoriode Onojete, Chukwuma Erise and Solomon Udeh.

Others are Chidi Ukwunta, Iniala Opaimi, Chris Abua, Chukwudi Onah, Joseph Wyatt (captain) and Peter Kayode Bello (co-pilot). It was, however, learnt that the survivors are Joshua Emekeme, Dolu Ebiejuara, Onoriode Onojete, Solomon Udeh, Iniala Opaimi and Chukwudi Onah.

The helicopter crashed on Wednesday, August 12, 2015, shortly before landing at Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. The helicopter had departed SEDCO oil platform offshore en-route Lagos airport.

Evaezi Ogoro MUSICIAN AND AN ACTRESS

WED TUE MON

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Fowler had his higher education in the United States where he obtained a Bachelor ’s degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Business Administration degree from the California State University.

Before joining the service of the Lagos State government, Fowler worked in the banking sector for about 20 years with long stints at Credit Lyonnais Nigeria Limited and Chartered Bank.

resident Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Dr. William Babatunde Fowler as Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS. A statement issued yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said before his appointment Fowler was Chief Executive Officer/ Executive Chairman of Lagos State Board of Internal Revenue from 2005 to 2014.

According to the statement,

I ’m sure you will expect me to say that I hold board meetings on Mondays with my staff. Far from that, because the life of an entertainer is unpredictable. Our time and energy are channeled to the latest projects we embark on.

My Tuesdays are somehow similar to my Mondays. I start the day with prayers and exercise. Then I ’m off to hold meetings with production crew and then pick some new scripts and go through them.

Same with Monday and Tuesday, except that Wednesday is my shooting day, especially short films.

THU

Passion

lice officers that retired, dismissed or died in the last five years, only about 1,500 had been replaced, leaving a large deficit.

“We talked about recruitment of police officers.

Over the years, more than 21,000 police officers have retired, some dismissed, some died. Of this number, only about 1,500 have been replaced, leaving a deficit of a very large number, ” Okiro said.

Today is what I call my cinema-watching day. I get my mind set for the weekend by going to the cinemas to watch good movies. After, I hang out with friends, especially at Open Mic Night

FRI

In a normal democratic setting, the role of the legislature in ensuring smooth running of government cannot be overemphasized. Its key function of enacting laws for the orderliness of the society as well as acting as a check on the executive has made many political scientists to describe the legislature as the engine room of democratic rule.

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hairman of Police Service Commission, PSC, Mike Okiro yesterday said the nation was in deficit of 19,500 policemen to meet security demand of the country.

Speaking with State House Correspondents after the Ministry of Police Affairs briefed President Muhammadu Buhari on activities of the ministry, Okiro said out of the 21,000 po-

As a musician, on Fridays, I do intensive rehearsals with my band. Later, I try to schedule meetings with my production crew for new projects.

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National Assembly and incessant recesses

Buhari appoints Fowler as FIRS boss

If I don ’t have any event to attend, I try to keep myself busy with movies. I watch a lot of movies, including mine. After, I would appear at women ’s empowerment programmes; I do this often to empower women.

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Nigeria needs 19,000 additional policemen –Okiro

It is my rest day. I go to church and come back to rest. I ’m only out on Sundays if I have an important event to attend or if I ’m invited to perform which, of course, is work for me.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

Big Read SUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

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August 23, 2015

Rising clamour for return of War Against Indiscipline The clamour to reintroduce the War Against Indiscipline, WAI, the key policy of the military regime led by Muhammadu Buhari and Tunde Idiagbon has been re-echoing among Nigerians since the re-emergence of President Buhari at the seat of power. Paul Omo Obadan looks at the current debate and the viability of its reintroduction.

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ndoubtedly, one of the most enduring legacies of General Muhammadu Buhari and General Tunde Idiagbon military regime of 1984 was the policy of the War Against Indiscipline, fondly called WAI. The programme’s intention was to inculcate public morality, social order, civic responsibility and discipline in Nigerians and also promote nationalism.

Disorderly and unruly Nigerians were ordered to form queues at bus stops, under the eyes of whipwielding soldiers. Civil servants who failed to show up on time at work were humiliated and forced to do “frog jumps”. Minor offences carried long sentences.

Any student over the age of 17 caught cheating on an examination would get 21 years in prison. Counter-

‘DISCIPLINE THROWN OVERBOARD IN NIGERIA’

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feiting and arson could lead to the death penalty.

One of the objectives of WAI was the encouragement of customers and citizens to be orderly in their conduct and queue up or for high demand services.

Other objectives included the encouragement of women to train their wards, as the culture then considered child raising a predominantly female skill and proper home training would groom future disciplined adults.

The second phase of the mission was to encourage hard work, which was introduced in May 1984.

This objective like many others was buoyed by the use of government-owned media, while the third and fourth phases focused on patriotism and eradicating economic sabotage and corruption. In July 1985, the General Buhari administration launched environmental sanitation as the fifth phase of the

‘WAI WILL RETURN SERENITY TO THE SYSTEM’

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The Big Read

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Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Discipline thrown overboard in Nigeria’

Chaotic traffic scene saused by indiscipline

Buhari

Adewale

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 programme.

This programme brought a sense of responsibility, orderliness and decorum to the fabric of majority of Nigerians who inculcated a sense of discipline and orderliness in their everyday life pursuit.

Nigerians imbibed ‘auto discipline’ and how to conform and maintain decorum by for example queuing up when in a public place waiting to be attended to rather than rush and push one another over. People learned how to keep their garbage and never littered anyhow, transporters organised themselves as they should and touts and motor park theft were reduced drastically, banks provided walk in and walk out fast service, hospitals were as clean as they should be and so many things were done orderly and peacefully.

Hardly would you see anyone urinating along the road side, undesirables smoking weeds openly and blowing the smoke on innocent citizens walking by, police escorts whipping people, driving recklessly and violating the traffic rules which they should have helped others to keep.

Many things were done according to rules and regulations then and if you were caught doing the opposite, instant punishment was meted out to the person. Everyone then, young and old alike understood what it meant to be civil and disciplined. Nigerians were kept on their toes to do the needful and the right thing. However, the regime drew the criticism from far and wide due to allegations of human right abuses.

Buhari’s military regime between 1983 and 1985 took full advantage of the military nature of their government and struck a kind of terror in Nigerian hearts

NIGERIANS IMBIBED ‘AUTO DISCIPLINE’ AND HOW TO CONFORM AND MAINTAIN DECORUM BY FOR EXAMPLE QUEUING UP WHEN IN A PUBLIC PLACE WAITING TO BE ATTENDED TO RATHER THAN RUSH AND PUSH ONE ANOTHER OVER.

that had never been experienced before then. This brute-force social engineering had its intended effect: the Nigerian society was cleaner, more orderly, more disciplined and less susceptible to corrupt influences.

But forced behavior can last only for as long as there was someone to enforce it.

In spite of the criticisms, a lot of Buhari’s admirers and apologists that spoke with Sunday Mirror argue that the former WAI tsar his now a converted democrat and in a democratic set up, Buhari led administration would respect fundamental human rights to drive home his moving train in order to achieve his plans and agenda to see the nation through achieving greatness.

One of his critics then was Nigeria’s first Nobel Prize winner, Professor Wole Soyinka, who, in 2007, wrote a piece called “The Crimes of Buhari” which outlined many of the abuses conducted under his military rule.

However he has continually stated that he takes re-

sponsibility for whatever happened under his watch during his military rule, saying that he cannot change the past. He has described himself as a “converted democrat”.

Buhari responded to his human rights criticism, by saying that if elected in the last election, he will follow the rule of law; there will be access to justice for all Nigerians and respect for fundamental human rights of Nigerians.

Today, 31 years after the introduction of the War against Indiscipline, the discipline has been thrown overboard and indiscipline has been the order of the day.

The gains of the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) have all been reversed as our nation has plunged into individual and collective, private and institutional indiscipline. And to make matters worse, Corruption has risen to monstrous heights both in private and government life that the nation stands a real danger of failing if these cancers are not decisively dealt with. This reality is well appreciated and captured by President Muhammad Buhari when he said on the campaign trail: “We need to kill corruption now or corruption will kill Nigeria”.

It is no exaggeration that indiscipline is becoming a norm in the society today, thereby deforming every moral value and threatening to transform the collective consciousness beyond recognition. This phenomenon has reached an unimaginable proportion in the country that people now barely see it has wrong deed but rather seen as a form of smartness.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, August 23, 2015

The Big Read

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‘Indiscipline, corruption enshrined now in social fabric’ Secretary General of Center for the Defense of Human Rights and Democracy in Africa CDHRDA, Professor Maurice Fangnon, throws more light on the clamour to re introduce the War against Indiscipline in this interview with Paul Omo Obadan.

There is a renewed clamour to bring back the War Against Indiscipline. Do you think it is the right step in the right direction?

I believe that the country will be better off if the citizens go back to War Against Indiscipline, which was started by President Muhammadu Buhari during his first coming as Military Head of State. Now that the same person is back as a democratically elected president; we feel that the battle against indiscipline could be fought and won this time around.

Successive governments after the Buhari/Idiagbon led Governments have paid little or at best half-hearted attention to addressing the monsters called indiscipline and corruption.

If we have discipline, people would obey the country’s laws; people would be conscious and afraid of stealing public fund. Let me give you an example. In Lagos, for instance, we have pedestrian bridges constructed by the government. But you discover that many people do not make use of the bridges, they cross the road to the detriment of their lives.

If there is discipline in the country people would not cross the express road where the bridges are provided. The country has a lot of things to gain from going back to war against indiscipline. In addition, when we talk about corruption, it is not only restricted to politicians in the country, the civil service in the Nigeria is a conduit pipe and I believe if we imbibe the culture of discipline, it would stem corruption in the system. The initial one witnessed some good aspects while we witnessed other aspects that tampered with people’s rights.

We are not saying because rights should be violated, people should live in a society without discipline. It will be totally wrong, because without discipline, the right itself cannot be respected.

The protection, promotion, the defense of human rights cannot be achieved if there is no discipline. If you encourage your society with indiscipline, then you are encouraging a society of anarchy. The institution called War Against Indiscipline can still come back but with some aspects that will not tamper with people’s rights. But to put emphasis on public discipline so that people will know the limit of their existence to limit their action towards the society and environment they are living in.

We want emphasis to be on discipline and at the same time peoples right should be respected. When you tell people you have a limit for what you are doing so that other people’s rights will not be tampered with, it is a way to put them in a circle of discipline so that their activity in the society continues without infringing upon the right of the others During the war against indiscipline, there was a lot of order in many aspects, like people queuing up to board public transport. In respect of public environment and sanitation. People litter the ground with dirt and they do it with impunity. If you travel overseas, a white man will drink and after finishing his drink, CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 Hence, it is imperative to act fast so as to curb this anomaly with the re-introduction of the programmeWar Against Indiscipline.

Majority of Nigerians today do not have respect for public properties and handle them roughly while some go ahead to damage them.

Analysts say indiscipline is responsible for some

Fangnon

THE PSYCHE OF THE AVERAGE NIGERIAN NEED TO BE REORIENTATED, THIS IS WHERE THE NOA COMES IN. he would hold the bottle in his hands until he sees a basket to discard it. But here in Nigeria, we see people dumping pure water sachets, and all variety of waste on the floor, inside the gutters, inside the oceans or in any available space. It is such an eyesore.

What areas or aspect of indiscipline would you want the government to tackle head-on?

Pervasive indiscipline and corruption have become enshrined in our social fabric. Hence the need to change hearts and mind and orientation is now.

Vices like driving against traffic, abuse of sirens, jumping queues, advance fee fraud (419), examination malpractices, disrespect for elders, family, community authorities, eroding of family values, disrespect for national symbols and institutions, vandalism, hoarding of goods on the high ways, lateness to school and work have become the order of the day and the list can go on and on.

There is a school of thought which says that the duties of the Police force has been over duplicated over the years, If WAI is reintroduced, the WAI corps will further encroach on the duties of the Police. People feel it is a waste of taxpayer’s money.

What is your take on this?

Government over the years has been coming up with more uniformed departments who basically usurp the functions of existing departments.

Can someone also tell me why on earth we have a Civil Defence. From the Nigeria Police Force alone, four agencies, the FRSC, EFCC, ICPC, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, have been created, thereby duplicating functions of the Police. The proliferation of security agencies whose job descriptions are duplicated. The police does virtually everything the FRSC, NSCDC, Peace Corps, LATSMA etc are doing today.

For example, the FRSC replicating is of the man-

of the challenges the nation is facing today in the country. Indiscipline among political office holders is responsible for the malicious and selfish policies in offices and corruption at high places. Indiscipline among police officers is responsible for some of the security challenges we are confronted with the country today. Apart from bad roads, indiscipline among

dates the role of the Nigeria Police in ensuring law and order on the roads. As far as I am concerned, it is wastage of taxpayers’ funds.

A cross section of people is upbeat on the impending re-launch while others are skeptical because of the earlier implementation that infringed on the rights of the people. Should people be skeptical?

The Buhari government investigated and detained the top political leaders of the Second Republic, holding them responsible for economic excesses of the previous regime. Constraints were placed on various groups, including the Nigerian Medical Association, which was outlawed, and the National Association of Nigerian Students, and it promulgated two decrees that restricted freedom of the press and suppressed criticism of the government.

Decree Number 4 forbade any journalist from reporting information considered embarrassing to any government official.

Two journalists, Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor, were convicted under the decree. Decree Number 2 gave the chief of staff at Supreme Headquarters the power to detain for up to six months without trial anyone considered a security risk. Special military tribunals increasingly replaced law courts while the state security agency, the National Security Organisation, was given greater powers.

Buhari’s controls also extended to his efforts to deal with the problems of “indiscipline” in the areas of environmental sanitation, public decorum, corruption, smuggling, and disloyalty to national symbols such as the flag and the anthem.

He declared a War Against Indiscipline and specified acceptable forms of public behavior, such as a requirement to form lines at bus stops.

What should be done to sustain this if reintroduced?

Back then, the authorities assigned to enforce the programme did their jobs very well by ensuring that Nigerians kept to instructions, and if you are found wanting, you were made to face the music. However, this time around, I want to advocate that education and enlightenment is the key.

The psyche of the average Nigerian need to be reorientated, this is where the NOA comes in.

There should be public awareness and mass education. You keep drumming it into their ears. If people are educated and aware of the ills of indiscipline, for example, the repercussion of a polluted environment, they imbibe and inculcate that and at the end of the day they eschew that which is not good. But is they are not educated through they see it as a norm.

It should be a system that gives auto discipline. Everybody should be trained to implement the WAI. Like you are in the bus stop and somebody drops something, everybody should be ready to say ‘hey pick it and look for a waste disposal bin and discard it.

And when one person is saying so, all others around should be able to say pick.

Tomorrow the person will not do it again because he would not want to encounter such embarrassment again. So we want auto discipline. Auto discipline is a philosophy, were people force themselves to be disciplined.

The mass orientation and training will bring auto discipline. It should not be that police forcing us to do what ought to be done. And when we say auto discipline, the person who violates the law against indiscipline can be easily handed over to the Police. There should be laws that guide the war against indiscipline, so that when people are charged to court.

road users is responsible for many of the accidents experienced on the roads. Aside from modest facilities in the hospitals, indiscipline among health workers is responsible for some of the death recorded in public healthcare institutions.

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The Big Read

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘WAI will return serenity to the system’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 One of the proponents of the restoration of WAI is the lawmaker representing Obokun State Constituency in the Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye.

He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set machinery in motion to fight social disorder, indiscipline and all forms of anarchy in the country as well as renewal of pursuit of a civil discipline that will respect the rights of Nigerians.

According to him, the most potent way to curb corruption among the new generation is to revive and instill discipline among youths in the country.

Speaking on the spate of moral decadence among the younger generation at a programme organised

by New Era Youth Forum in Osogbo Oyintiloye noted that if the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime of 1981 had been sustained by successive administration, the spate of indiscipline among the teeming population would have been successfully curtailed.

He said corruption that has pervade all sphere of lives in the country is a form of indiscipline that has become part of the social order in almost three decades, saying a subtle campaign against indiscipline would go a long way to curb the menace.

To actualize this agenda, Oyintiloye said the Federal Government should strengthen all enforcement institutions as well as set up a Discipline Corps especially among youths in order to restore sanity in the society.

“It is important for all of us to realise that our society is suffering from lack of discipline and this has eaten deep into all sectors. This is one of the primary problem facing Nigeria as a nation as most people do not see corruption as a social vices that most be corrected.

“The issue is that we must all agree that we have a issue with discipline among the population and I would be of the opinion that a civil discipline corps should be put in place to revive the culture of discipline among our teeming youth population, he said.

‘Begin by drawing public attention to little but important every day manifestations of Indiscipline such as rushing into buses’ In his speech at the inauguration of WAI by Major General Buhari regime on 21st March 1984, Brig General Tunde Idiagbon of blessed memory said inter alia: “I want you to bear in mind the need to emphasize self-discipline and leadership by good example. Begin by drawing public attention to little but important everyday manifestations of indiscipline such as rushing into buses, driving on the wrong side of the road, littering the streets, parks and dwelling compounds, cheating, taking undue advantage of scarcity to inflate prices for quick monetary gains, constituting ourselves into public nuisances, walking without commitment and devoting little or no time to the upbringing of our children.”

Today, 31 years later, General Tunde Idiagbon could have made the very same statement today and still be right. In fact things have actually gotten worse.

‘The reintroduction of WAI would enable Nigerians to get rid of corruption and ineptitude’ The Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Adewale Martins, has also urged President Buhari to re-introduce WAI to sanitise the nation’s moral fabric.

Martins made the plea at the celebration of his 56th birthday held at the Holy Cross Cathedral, Lagos last week.

Archbishop Martins said: “One of the major hallmarks of the military government under the then Major General Muhammadu Buhari as head of state was his strong aversion for indiscipline which led to the introduction of WAI. This no doubt helped

Soyinka

Ibini

Idiagbon

Oyintiloye

SOME PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT IF THE COUNTRY MUST WIN THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION, IT MUST RE-INTRODUCE WAR AGAINST INDISCIPLINE (WAI) BECAUSE INDISCIPLINE, IMPUNITY, AND INJUSTICE BREED CORRUPTION. to bring back sanity to the nation’s polity but unfortunately, the programme was discontinued after he left office and the result is that 30 years after, indiscipline has regrettably entrenched itself further into the nation’s fabric.”

With indiscipline and corruption more rampant across Nigeria than at any other time before, Archbishop Martins said WAI needs to be re-introduced if President Buhari is to achieve his objectives.

According to him, if WAI had been sustained by successive governments, the spate of indiscipline among Nigerians would have been successfully curtailed’ According to Emmanuel Mudiaga Ibini, a public affairs analyst, there is no better time than now to re-launch the War Against Indiscipline.

“If WAI of the Buhari/Idiagbon regime of 1981 had been sustained by successive administration, the spate of indiscipline among Nigerians would have been successfully curtailed”, he noted adding that that corruption that has pervade all spheres of life in the country is a form of indiscipline that has become part of the social order in almost three decades, saying a subtle campaign against indiscipline would go a long way to curb the menace.

“I agree to the reintroduction of the War Against indiscipline in order to correct and re-orient Nige-

rians. Some people believe that if the country must win the war against corruption, it must re-introduce War Against Indiscipline (WAI) because indiscipline, impunity, and injustice breed corruption. I totally agree. Our society is suffering from lack of discipline and this has eaten deep into all sectors. This is one of the primary problems facing Nigeria as a nation as most people do not see corruption as a social vice that must be corrected. The issue is that we must all agree that we have an issue with discipline among the population and I would be of the opinion that a civil discipline corps should be put in place to revive the culture of discipline among Nigerians, he said.”

While the situation looks quite gloomy, the task is not insurmountable as God has graciously granted Nigerians their wish to have the only man in the history of Nigeria who had not just the foresight to fight Indiscipline but also the courage to confront it head-on.

His strongest quality is his sense of discipline, integrity and Zero-Tolerance for Corruption and that must be taken full advantage of to sanitize Nigeria and there is no better time than now. With discipline instilled in every sector of the nation, people will do the right thing without being forced to do so and consequently, the nation will achieve greatness.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Sunday, August 23, 2015

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Electricity: NERC orders review of xed charges …Discos to also halt bulk metering •Improved power supply linked to anti-corruption, gas supply GEORGE OJI, LIVINUS MENEDI ABUJA AND YOLA

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he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has directed electricity Distribution Companies (Discos) to urgently restructure their fixed charges in order to ensure no Nigerian is made to pay for electricity not consumed.

The Discos have also been directed to discontinue the practice of bulk metering.

The action of NERC is in line with an earlier resolution of the Senate.

The Senate had in its resolution following a motion by Senators Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North) and David Umaru (Niger East) entitled: ‘Unfair Trade Practices of Electricity

Distribution Companies in Nigeria ’, decried the fleecing of Nigerians

by Discos through fixed charges and bulk metering, among others.

The upper chamber had directed NERC to immediately abolish fixed charges on electricity consumption, bulk metering of villages and communities.

The lawmakers specifically ordered the NERC

to immediately stop the collection of fixed charges as well as ensure that the people are not made to pay for energy not consumed.

The Commission in a seven-page response to the Senate ’s query last week said it had asked the distribution companies to find a way to restructure the fixed charge such that no one would be made to pay for electricity not con-

L-R: Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. Femi Adesina; Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria, Mr. Ima Niboro and Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, during the Guild of Editors ’ dinner in honour of the media personnel, in Abuja on Friday.

PHOTO: NAN

President Buhari, right leader for Nigeria –Obasanjo ...says 90-day ultimatum to end Boko Haram in order FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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lder statesman and former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has described President Muhammadu Buhari as the perfect leader which Nigeria as a country needs for now.

The former president, who played host to members of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, who paid a visit to him at his Presidential Hilltop Mansion in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, also said that Nigerians should support the Buhari-led government in order to effect the desired change in the nation ’s economy and polity.

Obasanjo also emphasised that Nigeria may be on the right path to greatness given the change that was brought about by the last election, but cautioned

that the citizens should “criticise positively ” where they think there is problem.

“On the issue of good leadership which was what many of us were clamouring for, there is no individual who is sequoia, there is no angel, for me there is no messiah excerpt Jesus Christ, but there are leaders who are concerned about what is happening in this country, leaders that are so passionate about this country and who are ready to stick out their neck for this country and God has given us such an individual as the President of the country.

“But all that is required of everyone, young and old, youths and even students is to give unalloyed support to the government and where we believe that we should give criticism that is objective and positive, we should give. ” He told the gathering that though many people

worked against the conduct of the general election “because God is a Nigerian, the election came, was successful and what we have seen so far is that our dream may be coming true.

“I believe very sincerely that God loves this country.

I have said it on a number of occasions that when you go through the history of this country, particularly during the pre-independence and how many times we have gone to the precipice but we have not fallen over.

“And the election you talked about is a typical section of it, many people believed that after that election there will be no more Nigeria, many had even sent their families abroad, some of us there ’s nowhere we can live abroad, they will say you with all your mouth that you were running, so you can even run out of Nigeria and come here.

“Some said that they know the NADECO route but I do not know the NADECO route and I do not want to know it. So God did it almost miraculously and the election took place although some did not want it to take place but it took place. ” Obasanjo added: “What is going on in this country, about corruption, the economy, security, we all know these and that is why some of us prepared to stick out our neck to achieve change because most of these things have not been addressed for the past six years; how can anybody tell us that they will be addressed the next four years but now we have seen a ray of hope. I will say let us encourage where we need to encourage, let us be objective where we need to be objective, let us show solidarity where we need to show solidarity. ”

sumed.

Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, NERC, Dr Sam Amadi, who signed the letter to the Senate, a copy of which is available on the commission ’s website regarding the fixed charges

by Discos, said even though the fixed charge collected was not illegal; the commission had been able to intervene in the matter.

Amadi said, “In recognition of the negative impact of the fixed charge, the commission has held several public consultations to ascertain a measure that will guarantee financial viability in the industry and not expose consumers to paying for electricity not consumed.

“Based on the intervention of the Commission, the distribution companies have agreed to find a way to restructure the fixed charge such that a consumer who does not receive electricity supply does not pay the fixed charge.

“This remodeling of the fixed charge will be part of the ongoing tariff review process being conducted by the distribution companies.

“NERC will continue to ensure that whatever model is presented for its approval is fair and reasonable, and ensures the survival of the new electricity market and improves quality of supply to consumers, ” he stated.

On the vexed issue of bulk metering of customers, the Commission said it is totally in agreement with the Senate on the need to eliminate the sharp practice.

It said it supports the Senate ’s position that electricity consumers be metered individually, even as it urged customers to reject community bulk metering.

Amadi said: “The Commission agrees with the Senate ’s position on the need to eliminate the practice of bulk billing residential customers and replace the practice with individual metering and billing.

“It is important to state that the Commission had previously abolished bulk billing in its ruling on the VGC Case NO: NERC/H/03/07. The case was brought by a customer against the VGC Estate Management and the Eko Electricity Distribution

Company in 2008. The Commission ruled in favour of the customer.

“The decision of the Commission stipulated that every customer is expected to be metered individually irrespective of the status of supply coming into the area and the class of billing should be on R2 or as appropriately determined by Disco.

He added that the Commission has however provided a leeway for estimation in situations where residential meters are not provided to customers.

“This is provided in the Estimated Billing Methodology Regulation of the Commission, ” he said: He added: “Communities who are placed on bulk billing should reject it and insist on individual metering. The Commission is in the process of completing public consultation on a proposal to cap the amount an unmetered customer can pay until he or she is metered.

“The proposal will also commit distribution companies to strict deadline for metering of all its customers. In the interim, the Commission has abolished connection of new customers without meters. ” Meanwhile, the anticorruption disposition of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the improvement in gas supply has been linked to the relative stability of power supply across the nation, the acting Managing Director of the Yola Electricity Distribution Company Engineer Baba Umar Mustapha has said.

Mustapha, who disabused insinuations linking current improvements in power supply experienced across the nation to the rainy season as most people have been made to think that power generation often peak during the rainy seasons due to power generation from the hydro power dams in the country, said the notion was incorrect.

Rather, he explained said the improvement in power supply was instead due to gas supply increases to the thermal generating plants and also because of the zero tolerance to corruption policy of the present government of President Buhari.

8

News

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Axed Immigration boss illegally recruited 1,600 ofcers –FG OMEIZA AJAYI

F

acts have emerged as to the actual reason behind the suspension of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Mr. David Shikfu Parradang.

According to his “Letter of Suspension ” seen

by our correspondent, Mr. Parradang was axed as a result of “deliberate disregard to the extant laws, insubordination to constituted authority and improper behaviour inimical to the Service that is unbecoming of a public officer... ” The letter with refer-

ence number CDFIPB/ IMM/348/Vol.1/54 was dated August 21, 2015, and signed by the Director and Secretary of the Civil Defence, Fire, Immigration and Prisons Services Board CDFIPB, A. A Ibrahim, said the suspended CG was found to have issued appointment letters

to 700 Assistant Inspectors of Immigration as well as 900 Immigration Assistants III into the Nigeria Immigration Service without approval.

He was alleged to have wilfully refused to take necessary corrective measures despite repeated advice given to him as con-

veyed in letters reference number FMI/PSO/001/ III/402 of June 11, 2015 and Ref. No. FMI/PSO/001/ III/411 of June 14, 2015.

Parradang ’s suspension on Friday was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director of Press in the Ministry of Interior, Isiaka Yusuf, and made available to journalists.

He was asked to immediately proceed on suspension yesterday while the service ’s Deputy Comptroller General, Martin Kure Abeshi, was directed to assume the reins of leadership.

The NIS had before now received perpetual knocks for its poor handling of the issuance of passports to Nigerians, a situation which often saw foreigners holding valid Nigerian passports.

The Service, which

came under fire after last year ’s botched recruitment exercise in which at least 15 applicants died, had recently said between January and March this year, it refused no fewer than 12,152 foreigners entry into Nigeria because they had no genuine reasons for visiting the country. No one has been punished since the deaths of the applicants.

In the March 15, 2014 scandalous recruitment exercise, only about 4,000 vacancies were to be filled. Unfortunately, over 700, 000 applicants were screened to participate in the exercise with each paying N1, 000. Despite extorting over N700 million from applicants, the Immigration Service under Parradang still failed to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

Fulani herdsmen kill 7 returnee IDPs, injure many in Taraba JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

L-R: Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu (right) and United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. John Entwistle, during his visit to the NNPC Towers in Abuja at the weekend.

North-West govs, security chiefs meet over cattle rustling, cross-border crimes A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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even governors of the North-West geopolitical zone yesterday held a closed doors meeting with security operatives in Kaduna to appraise the war against cattle rustling and other cross-border crimes in the zone.

Kaduna shares boundary with Kano, Katsina, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

The seven governors include those of Kano, Abdullahi Danguje; Kaduna ’s Nasir el-Rufai; Niger ’s

Abubakar Sani Bello; Sokoto ’s Aminu Tambuwal; Kebbi ’s Abubakar Bagudu Atiku; Katsina ’s Aminu Masari and Zamfara ’s Abdulazeez Yari.

All the State Directors of Department of State Security, General Officer Commanding, One Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna and Kaduna State Commissioner of Police were in attendance at the closed-doors meeting held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.

The governors met with the special Joint Task Force established to root-

out bandits in their domains, which comprises the military, Department of State Security and the Police.

Recently, the war against criminal elements in Kaduna State got a boost as the JTF operatives recorded success against cattle rustlers in the state. A team of security operatives of JTF had recovered over 3,000 cattle, 295 sheep and 14 donkeys from the rustlers from the notorious Kamuku and Kuyanbana forests in BirninGwari local council of the state.

The governors assured the Special Joint Task Force of the states ’ readiness to provide materials and other logistics to tackle the cattle rustlers and other cross-border crimes in the zone.

Speaking shortly after the meeting on behalf of his colleagues, Governor of Zamfara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors ’ Forum, Abdulazeez Yari, said in addition to adopting military approach to the war, governors from the zone planned to create job opportunities for unemployed youths.

Ganduje seeks closer ties with China ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI KANO

K

ano State Governor, Dr. Umar Ganduje, has asked the Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Gu Xiaojie to facilitate interrelationship and linkage between Kano and cities in China, for mutual

benefit.

“By connecting a city in China with Kano, we are fostering bonds between our people. By forming these relationships, our citizens would understand, appreciate, and celebrate their differences while building partnerships that would fast track socio-eco-

nomic development, ” the governor stated.

Ganduje, who made the request during a courtesy visit paid on him by the Chinese envoy, said Kano needs the presence of Chinese investors and other investors in view of its huge potential for growth and mutual profit.

His words: “Kano has over 20 dams that could be exploited in generating electricity alongside vast abutting irrigation land for agriculture, which the Chinese could harness for common benefit, in view of their possession of superior technology and experience in those sectors. ”

N

o fewer than seven internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, were yesterday feared killed, while scores were said to have been injured when armed Fulani herdsmen invaded Kortse village, Gassol local council of Taraba State.

This is the third time in less than two weeks that IDP returnees in Taraba are coming under attack despite Governor Darius Ishaku ’s directive that traditional rulers in areas affected by the prolonged crisis in the state should ensure safe return of the IDPs to their homes.

Some traditional rulers in the state were allegedly said to have compromised the security situation in their domains leading to the governor ’s recent directive.

According to an eyewitness, the returnees who have been going to their farms in groups for security reasons were ambushed on their way to a rice farm near a popular fish pond in the area, five kilometers away from Dan-Anacha town, the commercial hub of the local government.

One of the survivors, Mrs. Esther Kumashenge,

whose two sons Ushahemba Kumashenge and Sughter Kumashenge were killed in the attack, told Sunday Mirror that the attackers were from the house of one Alhaji Nyako.

According to her, the assailants sent Mrs. Goma Yakubu and one other, who came and spied on them and shortly after the attackers, who she said they knew, emerged from the bush and started attacking.

“On sighting them, we started running but their targets were the men among us and they faced them squarely, shooting and cutting them with cutlasses. They would have killed all of us if they wanted because we were armless, ” she said.

Kumashenge explained that many of the injured were receiving treatment at private hospitals at DanAnacha and First Referral Hospital in Mutum-Biyu.

Confirming the incident, Taraba State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Joseph Kwaji, a DSP told journalists that unidentified gunmen attacked six families while they were fishing in Kortse village near DanAnacha and killed two persons, while others ran for dear lives.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Sunday, August 23, 2015

9

Ooni: Funeral rites end with Oro, Ogboni procession ... as Senate pays condolence visit

BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO.

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ommercial activities in Ile Ife during the weekend remained paralysed as Oro adherents and members of Ogboni Fraternity yesterday held a procesion in honour of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade.

The procession it was gathered began from Lagere and terminated at Ooni ’s palace for mark the end of the rites of passage for the late monarch.

A source within the palace who spoke under condition of anonymity told Sunday Mirror that residents were told to stay indoors from 6am to 7pm

yesterday to avoid any confrontations.

The source added that Friday marked the seventh day of mourning of late Oba Sijuwade the period during which markets, shops were shut.

Speaking to newsmen, the Vice-President for Motorcyclist Association Ife Chapter, Mr. Idowu Akamo, said the union distributed handbills across Ile Ife to notify the peoples that motorcycles, commercial buses would not work on Saturday in the town.

However, a high-powered delegation from the Senate yesterday paid a visit to the family of the late monarch to express

their condolences.

Leading the Senate delegation was Senator Abdullahi Adamu, a twoterm former governor of Nasarawa State, who was given a chieftaincy title of Aare Obateru of the source by the late Oba Sijuade.

Other members of the delegation include Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio; Senator Gbolahan Dada from Ogun State, Senator Abiodun Olujinmi from Ekiti State and Senator Babajide Omoworare.

Speaking at the private residence of the monarch in Ile-Ife, Senator Adamu described Sijuwade as a

man with a large and open heart who accommodated people of different tribes, faiths and nationals.

Adamu stated that the late Ooni would continue to linger for long in the memories of Nigerians because of his achievements in uniting the different ethnics in Nigeria for national development, saying that the traditional was a real bridge builder.

While presenting a letter of condolence from the Senate to the Sijuade ’s family, Adamu maintained that the traditional ruler was a worthy ambassador of traditional institution, international icon and a man of good character worthy of emu-

Assistant Director, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, NAFDAC, Mr. Francis Ononiwu (left) and Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Lagos, Mr. Gabriel Abafi, speaking to newsmen, during the parade of suspected dealers on fake bottled wine and juices in Lagos, yesterday.

Oil price crash: Nigeria to earn forex from pineapple exports

OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

T

he Federal Government ’s quest to shore up non-oil exports has received a boost as the country targets exportation of pineapple in commercial quantities to Italy, Poland and other European countries.

The development is the outcome of measures put in place by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council to maximize the potential of the non-oil sector through investments, capacity development, innovation and formidable partnerships.

The General Manager,

San Carlos Farm, Mr. Obiorah Ugwo, who spoke during a facility tour by officials of NEPC, disclosed that there are huge potential for the country through the exportation of agricultural products.

The 150-hectare farm is a joint venture owned by the Enugu State Government and Mexican farming conglomerate, San Carlos.

Established in 2012, the JV which is estimated to cost the sum of $29m (N4.9bn) was targeted at commercial production of pineapple for both local consumption and export purposes.

Ugwo said owing to the potential of the agri-

cultural sector as a huge foreign exchange earner, the company has decided to venture into integrated farming through the introduction of banana and livestock, particularly cattle rearing.

He said, “This is a Joint venture and initially, it was planned to cost about $29m and we are still operating on that even though the Naira has been unstable and the government has kept faith with their own side of the bargain and that is why the project has gone this far.

“As at December 2014, we did the test export to Italy and as at now, we have about four orders to be ser-

viced and it depends on how we harvest from our fields.

“We have orders from Poland, Germany two from Italy and we have so many that we are even rejecting because we cannot service them.

“On the export angle, the experience was tough because it was tough learning on the job and by now we ’ve gotten all the certification that we needed courtesy of Nigerian Export Promotion Council. ” According to him, there is the need for the government to address some of the challenges facing the exports of the product to other countries.

lation.

Receiving the delegation on behalf of Sijuade ’s family, Oloris Ladun and Odun Sijuwade, appreciated the Senate for the honour and recognition for the departed Ooni of Ife, saying that it was highly commendable that the upper chamber identified

with the family, the people of Ile-Ife and Osun generally on the demise of the traditional ruler.

They urged the senate to work towards the unity of the country as exemplified by the late Sijuade and to continue to give respect to the traditional institutions.

LYF president urges youths to shun gay culture EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

T

he President of Lutheran Youth Fellowship, Abuja Diocese, Mr. John Dominic Dama, has condemned gay marriage and admonished youth in the country to shun all forms of social vices.

Dama, who was speaking the Diocese convention of LYF held at the Lutheran Church of Christ in Nigeria (LCCN) No 1, Bauchi, said that homosexuality was contrary to God ’s will as the Bible is clearly against it.

The Youth president, who spoke with newsmen during the three day programme which comprised of the three divisions namely Mhgwegi, Abuja and Lagos, condemned gay marriage.

He called on the Church body to rise up to ensure that homosexuality was totally eradicated and

admonish those who are deep in it to turn to God for repentance.

Speaking in the same vein, guest speaker of the convention Revered Ezekiel Abasu of ECWA Church Bauchi, said that gay and lesbianism is satanic and can destroyed society and homes like Sodom and Gomorah.

The clergy called on youths not to be deceived as homosexuality is not for God ’s children to practice adding that it is a sin of the highest order and warned that God will punish those who practice it.

Revered Abasu further advised youths in the country to place value on their bodies because it is a temple of God and advised them not to engage in sex before marriage, which is the plan of God for them explaining sex before marriage has destroyed many homes.

Islamic cleric stresses need for righteous living SEKINAH L AWAL

T

he world leader of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, his holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad, has urged true believers to promote the true teachings of Islam and set it right for others to emulate.

Ahmad who spoke at the ongoing 2015 convention of the Jamaat in Oaklands Farm, Hampshire, United Kingdom said the crises in most parts of the world as well as the activities of ISIS in the Middle East and Boko Haram in Nigeria, showed that the world was in a dark age.

Speaking to over 35,000 delegates from all over the world, he urged them to desist from speaking

evil of others as this will only create further enmity among people.

He charged people all over the world and Muslims especially, to love one another pointing out that the gathering was meant to make the Muslim a better person and change the world for better.

According to him, “Righteousness only gives the needed strength to run through anything in life and avoid vices. And vices begin by thinking ill about people, you should rather pray for people to have them change their bad attitudes.

“We must endeavour to do our best, return to God and make the society better. Brothers should respect each other ’s sentiments and abstain from vices. ”

10

Interview

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWS MAKER AUGUST 23, 2015

Mass defection to APC is immoral –Dickson The upcoming December 5 gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State has been tagged ‘mother of all elections ’, as the state has not witnessed such mass defection from a ruling party to the opposition since its creation. In this interview with journalists in Yenagoa. Henry Seriake Dickson, the incumbent Bayelsa State governor, speaks on the recent defection, the election and role of youths in the democratic process. OSAHON JULIUS was there. Excerpts:

APART FROM THOSE WHO ARE GOING IN BECAUSE OF THEIR AMBITION, WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THEIR PRIMARIES BECAUSE I HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING BAD TO ANY OF THEM, IT IS ALL POLITICS AND SOME ARE JUST CALLING A DOG A BAD NAME

Dickson

Another election is around the corner and in the past we saw youths fall prey to the antics of politicians and the political class. They were used as thugs and played negative roles. What has the government done for a mindset change to enable the youth to be wise and stay alive?

Yesterday in the course of inaugurating the volunteers, I made some comments I would like to repeat because it is important that the youth of this state get it right. Any politician/leader that is inciting you to violence does not love you and does not love the state because a leader should support peace and stability, unity and development. If you are a Bayelsan holding any office, elective or appointed, you should support the government. Your duty is to attract development to the state. But what they do is to stay far away and incite youths but I want to thank the youth of Bayelsa be-

cause that is changing. A number of us do not know that the state has moved forward.

Young people should guard against incitement from politicians because if you know what some of them have been doing as your representatives you will be shocked, so do not follow them. You have your right to vote any candidate of your choice when elections come but they should be talking to you about your future, the development of our state. I want to thank the youth of Bayelsa for working with the security agents we have put in place to ensure that our state continues to be peaceful.

We do not owe salaries or pensions, we only owe gratuity, which accumulated for almost 10 years and we are battling to settle that one. A number of these characters know nothing when it comes to discipline, when it comes to managing public resources. They will take even the

money for your salaries and send their thugs and hired assassins after you and you will not be able to talk. That is the sort of future you have to decide against for our state and I know you know what is wrong and right.

December 5 is around the corner and the PDP is not having the best of times as many loyalists are defecting to APC and the argument is that they are clamoring for change. Is this healthy for Bayelsa politics?

Yes, some leaders of our party are decamping but you have to understand the background. Almost all of them who are decamping want to be governors and these persons know that within PDP they have no way of becoming governorship flag bearers of the party. For them it means going to another platform to fight for governorship ticket to contest the election. But APC in Bayelsa is not a par-

ty on ground and do not be deceived, even at national level they are crumbling. You will see PDP will rise again very soon.

APC in Bayelsa is a political party that has no membership following but has only governorship candidates; the members are only governorship aspirants.

Where was APC when we conducted the House of Assembly election? How many APC legislators do we have in Bayelsa?

This is a PDP state, this is a PDP stronghold. Two factors come into play. Ambition, which is legitimate as long as they do not resort to violence for we are brothers and sisters and friends and I remain their governor.

We are waiting to see who their candidate will be that can match ’ the talk na do Governor ’ project for project, vision for vision, ideas for ideas. We are waiting for a very robust campaign. Apart from those who are going in because of their ambition, we will see what happens after their primaries because I have not done anything bad to any of them, it is all politics and some are just calling a dog a bad name.

You are also aware that our party for the first time lost power at the centre and I think it is immoral for the people who have been nurtured by the PDP over the years to defect. Many decamp because of personal ambition and to be available for federal appointment. Well, we can only wish them well. By the constitution you cannot stop anybody from CONTINUED ON PAGE 55

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

11

Politics PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES AUGUST 23, 2015

Senate: New dawn, old paradigm P 12 & 53

Dogara ’s tactical manoeuvres to peaceful recess

P 13

A LOT OF THINGS MUST HAVE GONE WRONG

Briefly

SOMEWHERE AND THE RIGHT JUDGES ARE THE PEOPLE AND THEY HAVE SPOKEN.

I THINK, IT IS NATURAL THEY NEEDED A CHANGE AFTER 16 YEARS AND THEY DID WHAT IS RIGHT; THEY DID NOT GO WILD OR FIGHT ANYBODY, THEY USED THEIR BALLOT PAPERS TO CHANGE THE GOVERNMENT

–FORMER MILITARY PRESIDENT, GENERAL IBRAHIM BADAMASI BABANGIDA.

National Assembly and incessant recesses

Ex INEC commissioner makes case for birth records

A

former Independent National Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Prof. Lai Olurode, has called on traditional birth attendants to cooperate with the commission in keeping birth records to determine voter eligibility.

Olurode said , that birth record was the only way the commission could know when a prospective voter had come of age.

The former commissioner was speaking on the possible ways to curb underage registration ahead of Kogi and Bayelsa elections, scheduled for Nov. 21 and Dec. 5, respectively.

“If it is possible to use registration of birth rather than basing age on maturity, it will be easy to know who is underage because in some cases, some people do not have birth certificates.

“Sometimes, it is easy for them to claim that they are 18, whereas they are not; if we have verifiable means through which one can cross check these claims, it will be great.

“I will call for the establishment of more centres, where people can have their births registered, if the records of their age were not available at the hospital, ” Olurode said.

Taraba Guber Tribunal adjourns till Aug. 31

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Senate in session

AYO ESAN

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n a normal democratic setting, the role of the legislature in ensuring smooth running of government cannot be overemphasized. Its key function of enacting laws for the orderliness of the society as well as acting as a check on the executive has made many political scientists to describe the legislature as the engine room of democratic rule.

In Nigeria, which has been having continuous democratic rule since 1999,

the legislature though expected to play the aforementioned critical roles but they have not performed to the satisfaction of ordinary Nigerians.

The seventh senate caused a stir when at the tail end of its tenure it was said to have passed 41 bills in just 10 minutes.

Though many of the senators later laboriously tried to explain that the process for the passed bills have been done before the day it was finally passed, many Nigerians believed that they have wasted useful months on politicking or frivolous activities and wondered why the

bills were rushed at the last minute.

It was also on record that despite the repeated assurance by the then Senate President, Senator David Mark, that the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, will be passed before the end of the tenure of the 7th senate, the bill was never passed.

It was with this at the backs of their minds that Nigerians were eagerly awaiting the activities of the 8th National Assembly and what they have noted was repeated recesses since its inauguration CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

he Taraba Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja on Saturday adjourned hearing to Aug. 31 to enable counsels attend the Bar Conference.

Justice Musa Abubakar, the Chairman of the tribunal gave the adjournment following the plea by all the counsels in the suit challenging the election of the Governor of Taraba, Darius Ishaku.

At the resumed hearing, Abubakar admitted the witnesses presented by the petitioners.

The witnesses testified in the suit filed by the APC Governorship Candidate, Sen. Aisha Alhassan, contesting the election of Ishaku of the PDP. However, the witnesses were cross examined by all the counsels involved in the suit, including Mr Mahmud Abubakar (SAN) counsel to Alhassan.

Others in the suit are Mr Kanu Agabi (SAN) counsel to Ishaku; Mr Solo Akuma (SAN), counsel to PDP, and Mr Abayomi Akanmode, counsel to INEC. The five witnesses are Salisu Musa, Kuzafa Yahaya, Ishaiku Babasani, Usman Sanusi and Charles Istifanus, who all affirmed that they were APC party agents for the April 2015.

12

Politics

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Senate: New dawn, old The report of the 18-member Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Legislative Agenda was released recently but GEORGE OJI concludes that the outcome is a mere rehash of old legislative practices and conducts, which does not provide any significant new model to lawmaking.

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gainst the previous practice where the Senate President usually sets a legislative agenda for a new senate upon inauguration, this time around, the current Senate President, Bukola Saraki chose to thread a new part by inaugurating an 18-member ad hoc committee to accomplish the task.

So, on June 25, barely a fortnight after the proclamation of the 8th senate, Saraki inaugurated the committee, which was headed by the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Ali Ndume.

Other members of the committee, who were drawn along party and regional lines, were Senators Bala Ibn Na ’Allah, Sunny Ogbuoji, Tayo Alasoadura, Uche Ekwunife, Hope Uzodinma, Ben Murray-Bruce, George Thompson Sekibo, John Owan Eno and Muhammed Hassan.

The others are Senators, Babajide Omowurare, Binto Masi Garba, Kabiru Gaya, Shehu Sani, Duro Faseyi, Mohammed Ohiare, David Umaru and Joshua Dariye.

The decision of Saraki to proceed against the norm by constituting the ad hoc committee has been interpreted by National Assembly watchers in different ways.

There is a school of thought that be-

lieve that the decision was geared towards running an all inclusive parliament by letting the agenda be democratically accomplished by a team outside of the Senate President himself.

On the flip side, another group of differing pundits believe that the action of the Senate President may not be unconnected with the belief that the committee was birthed as a public relation gimmick to respond to the negative public perception of the activities of members of the National Assembly.

In an apparent admission by the committee that members of the National Assembly suffer serious credibility shortfalls, the lawmakers stated in the introduction to their report that there is, “inherent disconnect between the Nigerian public and the parliament, ” without saying exactly the cause(s) of this disaffection.

Even though it was not expressly stated in their terms of reference, the ad hoc committee was expected to come up with recommendations that would, in line with the wave of change across the country, reposition the badly battered image of the National Assembly before the Nigerian populace.

Unfortunately, after spending about two weeks and engaging the services of, “con-

sultants and representatives of international donor agencies to assist and guide the committee during the assignment, ” most of the recommendations of the committee turned out to be nothing new from what the old approach used to be.

Perhaps, what appears to be new in the recommendations, which have since been passed on to the entire senate for deliberation and possible adoption when the lawmakers reconvene in the last week of September is the commitment to deploy more Information Communication Technology (ICT), otherwise known as e-parliament in the running of the affairs of the legislature.

The system is expected to improve the quality of legislation at the National Assembly by the establishment of internal and personal email that will be created for all senators through an internal portal that will be linked to the National Assembly website.

The committee listed four advantages it hopes the e-parliament would achieve, including making legislative information widely and readily available for citizens aimed at increasing the accountability, transparency and provision of legislation process information.

It also includes improved and faster

Ndume

means of information and service delivery to the citizenry and access to activities going on in the different constituencies of the members through their personal portals at the National Assembly.

This is in addition to increasing citizens ’ participation in legislation with improved accessibility of citizens to their representatives, creating a

National Assembly and inces CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

on June 9, 2015.

Just one day after its inauguration on the 9th of June, the legislators embarked on their first recess, which lasted for two weeks. It reconvened on the 23rd of June and proceeded on another recess after only three days of sitting.

While the National Assembly were expected to reconvene on July 21, 2015, the tussle over the election of the remaining four principal offices in the Senate, the Senate Leader, the Senate Chief Whip, the Deputy Senate Leader and the Deputy Chief Whip and in the House of Representatives, the position of Majority Leader, Deputy Majority Leader, the Chief Whip and the Deputy Chief Whip led to the postponement of the resumption to the 28th of July.

Just as watchers of political events were of the view that the national legislators would settle down for legislative duties, they proceeded on another six weeks break.

To the legislators they see nothing wrong in the latest recess as they claimed that it is their legitimate annual recess.

But the questions on the lips of political analysts is how long have the legislators worked to deserve annual leave and how necessary were the earlier recess.

It is on record that the national legislators after its inauguration in June only had 14 plenary sessions. This development has attracted criticism from many

analysts and watchers of political events in the country. They have also been agitated that with the way the legislators are going they may not make the 180 days plenary sitting required by the constitution in a legislative year.

Fiery social critic and founder of Soul Winning Chapel in Yaba, Lagos, Rev Moses Iloh said the 8th national legislature is built on a faulty foundation saying nothing good can be expected from it.

Iloh was referring to how the leadership of the National Assembly emerged in June this year. He is of the opinion that since the foundation was faulty there can actually be no positive development that can come from the 8th National Assembly.

Another human rights crusader, Comrade Sola Olawale, said the rate at which the National Assembly embarked on recess, it is like resting before doing the work saying that the reverse should be the case.

“How can you go on almost four recesses in less than three months in office? If you are employed in a private sector would you say you want to take annual leave in less than three months in office? ”, he asked, saying that the national legislators should brace for the task ahead and should stop the friviolous shunning of duties.

“This is why most of us are calling for a part time legislature. Maybe they don ’t have much to do and they are being pay-

THE QUESTIONS ON THE LIPS OF POLITICAL ANALYSTS IS HOW LONG HAVE THE LEGISLATORS WORKED TO DESERVE ANNUAL LEAVE AND HOW NECESSARY WERE THE EARLIER RECESS Sara aki

ing for doing nothing ”, he said.

Speaking on the issue, Senator representing Abia North, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa said the national legislators are a body constituted by the constitution and that they are aware that there are constitution requirements that they must sit for 180 days saying that they will not shy away from their responsibility.

Explaining the rationale for the re-

cess that have attracted criticism he said, “In every legislature, at the beginning of the four year term we will always have what you people called incessant recess, because first, after inauguration, by right members are supposed to go on two weeks recess because they have come from different places , you came in for inauguration and you need to go back and later come with your bag and baggage to come and fully report for duties in Abuja. “Some of us never lived in Abuja. “Then the annual recess,

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Sunday, August 23, 2015

13

Dogara ’s tactical manoeuvres to peaceful recess The tactical maneuvers by House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara, earned the House a peaceful recess after fruitful sessions. Our correspondent, UBONG UKPONG, examines how the peace that was returned and sustained enhanced the achievements of the House before the recess.

W

hen the House of Representatives, resumed from its rift-orchestrated recess on July 28, there was a high tension that hell would let loose, in view of the leadership crises, that tore apart the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC Representatives.

However, the Speaker, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, had to intentionally adopt certain tactical maneuvers to douse the tension, which at last, earned the House a peaceful recess after several fruitful sessions.

Prior to its inauguration on June 9, peace had eluded the House and its members, following the inability of the APC as the majority party, to have gotten it right in selecting its principal officers and leadership of the House.

Dogara had fought doggedly to assert his democratic license as a party member, in order to achieve his aspiration of occupying the prestigious office of the House of Representatives Speaker, as a ranking Member of the House, because he was not the desire of his party.

His party preferred Femi Gbajabiamila, as a consensus candidate for the job, which offended Dogara and his loyalists in the party making them to ignore the party and take the fight to the ‘right place ’, the floor of the House.

They won, owing to their doggedness and support from opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP representatives, which offended the APC, as it said the action was an unholy alliance.

The rift was further deepened by the party ’s insistence on appointing its principal officers in the House, which approach was displeasing to Dogara and his team, who believed that it was unfair to have the party ’s favourite, Gbajabiamila (Lagos APC), as the House Leader, having already filled South West ’s slot with Deputy Speaker, Hon Sulaiman Lasun (Lagos APC).

The APC had forwarded a communication to the House conveying the list of those who should occupy the four principal offices left to the party. The letter dated June 23, 2015, was addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, signed by the party ’s Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun.

Titled, “Party ’s position on Principal Officers of the 8th House of Representatives ”, the letter sought Dogara ’s support to make Femi Gbajabiamila, South West, House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa, North West, Deputy House Leader, Mohammed Tahir Monguno, North East, Chief Whip, Pally Iriase, South South, Deputy Chief Whip respectively.

This letter did not receive Dogara ’s support and when the loyal party members sensed that he was not going to consider it, they threw the House ’s plenary into fracas leading to that over one month forced recess.

The party ’s National Executive Committee, NEC tried resolving the crisis using

Dog gara

Gba ajab bia amilla

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN APPROPRIATE THAT THE COMMITTEES WERE ALL INAUGURATED BEFORE

PROCEEDING ON THIS LONG SUMMER VACATION, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN USED TO SETTLE ALL RIFTS RESULTING FROM BANANA PEELS former Speaker and Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, but Dogara insisted that having Gbajabiamila appointed House Leader would offend the principle of equity and federal character.

In a reply to the APC ’s letter on July 16, he made serious efforts trying to convince the party Chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun, to support his course, it was futile.

Hear what Dogara told Oyegun: “This is to formally acknowledge receipt of your letter Ref. No. APC/NHDQ/NAM/01/015/06 dated 23rd June, 2015.

“After the letter was received but before I could make the necessary consultations concerning the letter because of its sensitive nature, I was served with Court processes on the subject matter filed by some Members of the House and other persons and groups from the North Central and South East Zones of Nigeria. The Rules of the House enjoin us to make a determination whether discussing a matter pending in Court in the House would be prejudicial to the Case.

“However, before this determination could be made, on the 25th June, 2015, I took steps to discuss the matter in an Executive Session of the House which is open to only House Members and not the public. We were prevented from doing so by some House members who conducted themselves in a most un-parliamentary manner. It is necessary to point out that the mechanism of Executive Session is resorted to in order to iron out controversial matters in an amicable way to preserve the unity and cohesion of the House.

“Since then, efforts have been made by the Party, Progressive Governors and other interested persons to intervene and resolve the issues. We want to place on record, our unflinching loyalty and respect not only

to you as an individual, considering your antecedents, but also to the party, APC, under whose platform we were elected to the House. We have no intention whatsoever of disobeying your directives or the party ’s position on any matter. We would, of course, prefer a situation where we are consulted on matters concerning the House before directives are issued and made public.

“We feel strongly, that the issue of federal character in the election or appointment of principal officers of the House is a cardinal legal, moral and constitutional principle that should be respected by our party. It is however obvious from the letter under reference that this principle was not taken into consideration. If the letter is enforced the way it was conveyed, it will lead to the following unjust result –Speaker (North East), Chief Whip ( North East), Deputy Speaker (South West), House Leader (South West), Deputy House Leader (North West) and Deputy Chief Whip (South South).

“This will totally and unfairly exclude the South East and North Central Zones in the distribution of these political offices and lead to undue concentration of some offices in the South West and North East Zones of Nigeria.

“The House Rules provide that in filling the positions of Majority leadership of the House, namely, leader of the House, Chief Whip, Deputy Leader, Deputy Whip of the House, each candidate; “shall be a member nominated from among the members in the majority party in the House ” “Furthermore, Order 1, of the House Rules provides that “In all cases not provided for hereinafter or by sessional or other orders, Precedents or practices of the House, the House shall by Resolution regulate its procedure ” “It is evident that there are existing Prec-

edents and Practices which the House has been following for a long time and in particular since 1999. Since 1999, Zonal Caucuses of a Party have been primarily responsible for nominating Principal Officers of the House, other than the Speaker and Deputy Speaker that are elected by the entire House. ” In spite of this, the APC Chairman and the party as a whole insisted that the party ’s new position was irreversible.

It appeared that no one was willing to pay the price for peace even after President Muhammadu Buhari met with the party Chairman, Dogara and Gbajabiamila for dialogue, it was deadlocked. There was great tension on July 28, when the House resumed.

However, in what passed for a tactical maneuvering, Dogara changed the beat of his drums, the dance steps of everyone immediately changed, and the almost two months old leadership crises in the House of Representatives came to an end as he acceded to his party, the APC ’s demand seeing Gbajabiamila as the Majority Leader of the House.

The storm was over, Dogara achieved peace, the House would face its business and members would cooperate with the leadership of the House. For nine days, the House sat peacefully at its plenaries, had a robust debate, passed over 30 motions and had over 35 bills pass through first reading.

The House screened and confirmed the Service Chiefs, commenced the processes of selecting its Committees and members, as well as carried out other businesses outside the plenaries, including inaugurating an independent committee, comprising Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, professional bodies, international development partners, government agencies, to judiciously determine the proper cost of running the legislative arm of government to enable it play its constitutionally assigned responsibilities.

This, stakeholders said was a good step in the right direction, and would surely address issues of wastages and jumbo pay allegations against the National Assembly.

The long summer recess is billed to resume on September 29, and the House says it was comfortable going on the holiday because it had worked conscientiously and achieved its set goals.

House ’s adhoc Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Hon Sani Zoro, said that the House had fulfilling and rewarding sessions before the recess.

“We have exhausted all the items we had before adjournment for summer holiday. It is a usual recess on the House ’s calendar ”, He said.

Zoro said the 35 bills listed and passed through first reading could go further to second reading because they needed to be gazetted at that level and afterwards referred to the Committees, which were not yet in place, before going for passage.

It would have been appropriate that the committees were all inaugurated before proceeding on this long summer vacation, which would have been used to settle all rifts resulting from banana peels, and they would also be attending to several issues that were referred to them at the plenaries.

As it were, work is still at selection stage, but the leadership of the House is confident that there wouldn ’t be any issues as all interests would be properly considered to avoid any further crisis in the House.

It is believed that Dogara, who believes in the principles of equity, fairness and federal character, had made all arrangements to ensure that the committees are distributed to all members in a very fair and transparent manner, to take care of all problems that may arise.

Opinion

14

Sunday August 23, 2015

Uncensored U nc

Sheriff S Folarin

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

P

“

roduits Fanmilk a vendre…des produits de Fanmilk a vendre. Nous acceptions Naira, Cedi, CFA, Dollars, et meme du Biafra Pound…Fanmilk products e dey for sale…fanmilk products e dey for sale….we dey accept am for Naira, Cedi, CFA, Dollar, and even Biafran Pound”, the dairy products’ vendor shouted to the hearing of everyone, in apparent attempt to get persons to patronize him. This was at Ilacondji, at the very frontiers of Benin-Togo. The vendor, a Togolese employee of the Fan Milk Company, a Nigerian international dairy firm, could speak some pidgin English and good French. He was obviously a well-travelled West African, who had probably worked in Nigeria and lived in Ghana. I needed to find out more about his Biafran Pound.

“Mon ami”, I politely called him, “avezvous dit que vous acceptez Livre du Biafra”? (Did you say you accept Biafran currency here? “Oui”, he quipped, adding, “i lest legal ici au Togo et d’autres pays Francophones. Elle est belle et precieuse. Il est notre monnaie preferee” (It is a legal tender here in Togo and some other French-speaking countries in West Africa. It is beautiful.

It is our favourite currency).

I probed further: “S’il vous plait, pius je le voir? Quelle est la valeur a Naira? (Please, let me see it. What’s its value compared to Naira?) The response dazed me: “It is currently N368 Naira to a Biafran Pound!!!”

This was the most explosive part. N368 Naira to an illegal currency of a non-existent

Safety Tips with

Jonas Agwu

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

A

s I conclude this piece, let me first thank two of my esteemed readers for alerting me on the devils trick to mess last week’s piece. Instead of stating that drivers should give way to vehicles on the left, I erroneously lifted the UK example by stating that drivers should give to vehicles on the right. I really felt stunned by what in journalism parlance we call the printers devil.

I am humbled to have matured readers who are quick to alert me on my errors for which I sincerely apologize. Today, I wish to treat the second group or should I say class of drivers who fit into my concerned friends’ definition of madmen. These are the group who believe that restricting speed as contained in the National Road Traffic Regulations and the Revised Highway Code is insane. To explain this better please see excerpts from my piece titled, THE FLYING VEHICLES ON NIGERIAN ROADS and judge for yourself. ‘’I have chosen a focus on this topic for several reasons; the first is that speed is a major problem accounting for over 50percent of reported crashes and we need the buy in of all stakeholders to tackle it the

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Biafran Pound as a legal tender in West Africa state? Who could be behind this mint and which Central Bank is regulating and standardizing it to the extent of giving it such a global value?

I took a snapshot of the money and handed it over to the Fanmilk vendor. I bought two products from him in Naira and looked around me to find out that a startled crowd was looking at me, JJC, who was just finding out for the first time that Biafran Pound was a major means of exchange in the Francophone frontiers in West Africa. The persons crossing the border like me were just wondering what drama I was putting up and soon took their eyes away from my spectacle the moment I bought my Yoghurt and allowed the poor vendor to be.

For me, it was a moment of rare discovery. I was lost in thought, perturbed, worried at the deeper implications of the seemingly interesting finding I just made. Who is behind the Biafran Pound? Which Central Bank is printing and regulating it? Why is it a legal tender outside Nigeria? Why are Francophone countries, our so-called good neighbours and co-members of ECOWAS the ones recognizing and accepting it as a means of transaction? How come it has so much value, even higher than the British Pound and other western currencies? Who and what is Biafra in the present-day Nigeria?

The journey to Aflao was characterised by mind puzzles. Could France, Nigeria’s biggest threat in West Africa be behind this pantomime? Could the Togolese government and its counterparts in Ivory Coast and other Francophone countries be boldly supporting the re-emergence of Biafra in order to break Nigeria? Are these governments doing the bidding of France, their master or is it their own hideous agenda to reduce the power and influence of the giant around them? If not, why are these governments allowing the Biafran Pound, a symbol of decapitated and emasculated Nigeria, to be a legal tender in their territories? If the

governments are not aware, the citizens and other persons using the coastal trade routes in West Africa would not accept and spend the Pound.

Is the Nigerian government even aware of this development? If not, what then are our embassies and Ambassadors in these countries doing? Do they have any business in those countries if they could not detect and report home such delicate developments that can affect the very foundations of the Nigerian State? Is President Buhari even aware of all this nonsense going on around his sovereign state?

My discovery at Aflao was more worrisome. Ghana, a supposedly most trusted fellow Anglophone country also recognizes and accepts the use of the Biafran Pound as a means of exchange! However, most Ghanaians and Nigerians of Igbo origin, I learnt, use the currency discretely. They are not as brazen about it as the Togolese, Beninoise and Ivorians. But the Biafran Pound is the most popular currency in Ghana. My take on the Ghana episode is that the “friendly” government of that country cannot not say it does not have any security report about a Biafran Pound-business that is said to be as old in Ghana (Aflao in particular) as immediately after the Civil War. On return to Nigeria, I approached some senior Igbo colleagues in the academia, narrating my encounters and expressed my worries. Concerned but not new to them, they explained that it had been an old development, which has however gained momentum in more recent times. I was made to realize that the Igbos have not yet given up on “Biafra” and that there are grand plans to “regain” their independence. I gathered that the Pound had been a collectors’ item, which, ipso facto, would give it a lot of value, but explained that the tenability of the currency along the West African coastline is the machination of some powerful and unrepentant “Biafran leaders”, whose international goodwill and connections have

pervaded West Africa and beyond.

But, the situation is an embarrassment to Nigeria, its government and people. It is more worrisome than Boko Haram because the popularity and value of the Biafran money simply means that a break-up is already established and recognized, or is “at best”, imminent. So, while the West African leaders smile to Abuja, praising and hailing Nigeria as a giant and dependable neighbour, they go behind and mock the country, gleefully sipping wine as they manipulate its disintegration and watch the ignorant and idiotic giant cracking and bound for a collapse.

President Buhari is trusted to handle this matter with fiat. The embassies of Nigeria in Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast and other places where the Biafran Pound is acceptable must be called to account for their negligence and dereliction of duty. The Foreign Ministry should be called to question and the Nigerian military/intelligence attaches in these countries must be fired immediately. The Federal Government must invite first, the ambassadors of these countries and later the leaders and sit them down in Abuja for a hard talk. The Igbo separatist leaders must be apprehended and an international network promoting the secessionist bid, through symbols, insignias and the Radio Biafra must be brought to the table for another round of hard talk. President Buhari must take advantage of the visit of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon to address the issue of UN recognition of belligerents, which has been a factor goring the Biafran secessionist bid and indeed the acceptability of the currency of a non-existent state.

•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.

Madmen on the wheels (2)

same way everyone has become very active in fighting the Ebola scourge which is deadly but not as deadly as road traffic crashes. The second is that as you read this piece, we have barely 10 days more to cross over to the Ember months and there is the urgent need to treat the ember months like we are treating Ebola.

Thus, I have a responsibility like my brother, the former Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu did over Ebola to alert us as we gradually enter this very busy period that is characterized by increased vehicular traffic and attendant road crashes as a result of bad driving or should I say irresponsible road usage. The other reason is to alert you on the commencement of the flying ticket campaign by the Corps to address some of the increasing trends as a strategy to checkmate crashes and achieve the 2014 strategic goals of the Corps aimed at reducing road traffic crashes by 15percent and fatalities by 25percent.

I know I have written severally on speed but I am particularly interested in this topic because of the readiness of the Corps to commence a special campaign tagged, flying tickets. So if you are of those who take delight in speeding above the approved limit, you should take special attention to the piece.

As stated earlier, the thrust of the work by my friend was to conduct a survey of

the average speed of various categories of vehicles on Nigerian roads as part of the fallout on the lunch of the speed limiting devices on commercial vehicles operators in Nigeria in October, 2013. In doing this, a survey on the national average speed was carried out in five selected routes across the country. In the write-up, Speed was defined as the rate of change of distance per unit (1), or distance per unit time. It is scalar quantity which means it has magnitude but not in any specific direction unlike acceleration, a vector quantity which has both direction and magnitude.

The issue of speed according to him has been defined by WHO as a key risk factor in road traffic crashes, influencing both the risk of a crash as well as the severity of the injuries that result from crashes.

In fact, WHO and the Global Road Safety Partnership he further states, recommended that speed limiter be introduced in every country as part of the global strategy to cut down road fatalities.

Developed countries such as Canada, United States and Britain have since adopted the compulsory use of speed limiter/governor as a means of eliminating speed related road traffic crashes on their roads.(September 1,2015 is the enforcement date in Nigeria) Excessive speed on the other hand was defined as exceeding the posted limit or driving too fast under stipulated or

normal conditions. Speeding is deemed to have occurred when an individual is travelling above the accepted legal speed limit on any road. Excessive speeding is therefore defined as exceeding the legal and permissible speed limit while inappropriate speed is defined as driving at a speed unsuitable for the prevailing road and traffic conditions.

The exercise captured a total of 7,339 vehicles with 1,025 vehicles on Lagos-Ibadan being the least. Akwanga-Lafia had the highest number of vehicular speed captured with 1,867 vehicles, followed by Ninth-Mile-Obollo-Afor with 1,763 vehicles and Benin-Asaba road 1,581 vehicles.

1,103 vehicles had their speed recorded on Abuja-Lokoja road.

On all these routes, cars dominated with 61 per cent of the total vehicles recorded, followed by buses with 27 percent.

Trailers and trucks accounted for five per cent, while articulated vehicles comprising of tankers one per cent also had low records. Luxury buses accounted for only one per cent of all the vehicles captured.

These findings have further justified the need for commencement of the flying tickets campaign to check these flying vehicles.

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

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

15

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Man in the News Abdullahi Dikko,

former Controller-General of Nigerian Customs Service

Surprise exit from ‘juicy ’ post AYO ESAN

T

he former Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dikko Inde Abdullahi caused a stir during the week when he voluntarily resigned his position after months of speculations.

It is rare for people to resign from such juicy position in Nigeria and Nigerians were shocked with the decision of Dikko to resign as head of Nigeria customs, a position many Nigerians will do all within their power to aspire to and remain until they are forcefully pushed out.

It was however gathered that the Customs boss proved a rare Nigerian when resigned his appointment to silence those people who were allegedly making several allegations against his six-year tenure in office, Dikko was said to have opted to retire at the time he did because he felt that if he were to try to remain in service until he is 60, his staff development programme will be jeopardized because many trained and experienced officers will retire.

He reasoned that many current Controllers, Assistant Controller Generals, ACGs and Deputy Controller –Generals, DCGs will retire by then, hence he decided to retire in order to give them a chance to grow.

Many have been very critical of Dikko in recent times because they believe that he is a close pal of former president, Dr Goodluck Jonathan.

It would also be recalled that a pressure group, the Customs Transparency Initiative, NCTI, had dragged Dikko before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ICPC urging it to probe him over allegations of abuse of office.

Dikko sent a notification for retirement dated August 3, 2015 to President Muhammadu Buhari, and the president accepted the resignation on August 14.

In accepting Dikko ’s resignation, President commended him for his service to the nation.

The president, in the approval letter he signed personally, thanked Abdullahi for his service to the nation within the last six years.

The President ’s letter, titled “Voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service ” and dated August 14, read: “Dear, Alhaji D.I. Abdullahi. I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter Ref. No. NCS/ADM/HQ/P. 35802 of 3rd August, 2015 conveying your decision to voluntarily retire from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from Tuesday, 18th August, 2015.

Abdullahi, who enlisted in 1988 as a superintendent, rose rapidly through the ranks, becoming an assistant comptroller-general within a few years and the Comptroller-General on the 9th August, 2009.

He had an exciting 27-year career which saw him serving at Tin Can Island Port, Apapa, Imo Command, Kaduna Command, Investigation and Inspection, Headquarters, Abuja, Badagry Area Command and Seme Border. He distinguished himself as the ACG, headquarters, a feat which earned him the top position ahead of his peers.

He is credited with record of performance, especially on revenue generation and this has endeared to many Nigeri-

ans.

Besides taking the revenue of Customs from a monthly average of N30 billion to about N100 billion, Abdullahi is also credited for modernising the Customs Service through far-reaching reforms he introduced in his six-point agenda upon assumption of office.

Dikko has said that he is not afraid of the Federal Government ’s ongoing investigation into alleged non-remittance of revenues by all the relevant agencies in the country.

The Nigeria Customs Service is among the agencies being probed by the government over the allegations of Excess Crude Account differentials and non-remittance of revenues into the federation

account.

A committee raised by the National Economic Council, NEC had hired KPMG and PricewaterhouseCoopers to carry out a forensic audit of all the revenue-generating agencies.

Dikko however said that he had nothing to fear about the investigation.

He said he was leaving at the time he felt the young ones that developed the software of the NCS could come up and manage the software.

Abdullahi said the revenue generated by the NCS appreciated by 20 per cent from when he took over as Comptroller-General.

Dikko was born on May 11, 1960 in Musawa town of Katsina state. He attended Government College, Kaduna in 1974 where he obtained the West African School Certificate Examination in 1980 before he later obtained a Bachelor of Science (B. sc) degree in Economics and Master of science (M.Sc) degree in Finance from the University of Dimitrov Apostle Tshenov, Suishtov, Bulgaria. He joined the Nigerian Customs Service in 1988. He has served in various customs commands including Seme Border, Tincan Island Port, Apapa, Imo Command, Kaduna, , Badagry Area Command, Investigation and Inspection Headquarters, Abuja Badagry Area Command before he was appointed as Controller-General of Nigerian Customs Service on August 26, 2009. He had played a significant role in the transformation of the Nigerian Custom Services.

He is a receiver of numerous awards.

Among others includes, Best Anti Smuggling Command of the year (2007) awarded by the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agent; International Freight Forwards Association Award of the Highest CAC Revenue Collector of the year (2007;Badagry Prime Award for Excellence (2007);Maritime Watch Outstanding Service Award (2007).

Other awards received by Dikko are the Bold News Africa International Magazine ’s African Leadership Icon Merit Award (2008); African Leaders of Integrity Merit Award 2008;Africa Gold International Communications Award for Great African Patriotic Achiever ’s (GAPAGA) 2008; African Age International Leadership Gold Award for Excellence;African Choice International News Magazine Award for Meritorious Award for Heroic Service, 2009;Transparent Monitoring Action ’s Award for Transparent Administrator of year 2009 and Globalink International 2009 African International Role Model Leadership Gold Award for National Development.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

16

Wellness YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES August 23, 2015

Causes and treatment of Migraine TITILOPE MORAKINYO

M

igraine is usually portrayed as a sporadic disease, although another understanding of the ailment has evolved over the past few decades.

Even between attacks, migraineurs have a predisposition to having another attack, and have abnormalities in cortical processing, impaired health-related quality of life.

Moreover, some migraine sufferers ’ condition is characterised by attacks of increasing frequency, at times leading to headaches on more days than not. They are pulsating headaches, often on one side of the head.

It is a complex condition with a wide variety of symptoms. However, for many people, the main feature is an excruciating headache which can be very frightening and may result in an individual having to lie still for several hours.

The symptoms vary from person to person while one may have different signs during different attacks. The attacks may differ in length and frequency but it usually lasts for four to 72 hours and most sufferers are free from symptoms between attacks. The ailment can have an enormous impact on ones work, family and social lives.

According to the International Headache Society, they produced a classification system for migraine and types which have been adopted by the World Health Organisation, WHO, such as migraine without aura, migraine with aura, retinal migraine, abdominal, menstrual and status migrainosus.

Migraines have well defined stages while most people experience more than one pause, but not everyone will encounter the aura stage and possible have the aura symptoms without the headache.

Each phrase includes the premonitory stage which describes certain physical and mental changes such as tiredness, craving sweet foods, mood changes, feeling thirsty and a stiffneck, these feelings can last for one to 24 hours.

The Aura a stage may last from five to 60 minutes and d symptoms may include visual disturbance bance such as flashing lights or sensory signs like the pins and needles.

Another is the main att a c k stage which h consists of heada c h e s w h i c h can be between four and 72 hours as the pain can be typically described as throbbing and one-sided. The last is the resolution n and recovery ery stage or postdrome stage ge where most migraines raines fade slowly but some can be b resolved suddenly ddenly by vomv iting.

In an interview i with ith S Sunday Mirror, a medical practitioner with Frontline Hospital, Igando, Lagos, Dr. Adeola Olusoji, oji, shed more light on the causes of the illness. ness.

“Migraine can be caused used by changes in the brainstem and its interactions with the trigeminal nerve, a major pain pathway. Also, an imbalance ce in brain chemicals including secrotonin nin which helps to regulate pain in the nervous rvous system that are likely involved. Secretonin level drop during ng migraine attack may cause trigeminal system to release substances called neuropeptides which travel to the brain ’s outer covering (meninges) leading to headaches and pains, ” he explained.

He said of the risk factor: “Hormonal changes in women such as fluctua-

tions on estrogen can trigger headache mostly before or during menstrual flows, while others have an increased tendency to develop migraines during pregnancy or menopause. Foods such as aged cheeses

and processed rations may and other salty s trigger the ailment. Alcohol, especially wine and highly caffeinated beverages may cause it.

“Stress at work or home, absence of getting too much sleep may trigsleep or ge migraines in some people. Jetlag, a ger migra change of weather or barometric pressure, oral contraceptives, vasodilators such as nitroglycerin can also aggravate can prompt it. ” Dr Adeola said migraine headaches often begin in childhood, adolescence or early adulthood. He noted that one or two days before the illness, you may notice subtle changes that signify an oncoming migraine, which includes constipation, depression, food cravings, hyperactivity, irritability, neck stiffness, uncontrollable yawning, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, lightheadedness, followed by faintsometimes follow ing. treatment he said, On the treatm no cure “There is currently curren However, treatfor migraine. Ho ment is aimed at a preventing attack and ala full blown at when leviating symptoms symp lifestyle they persist. Such S enough includes getting getti reducing stress, sleep, reduci drinking plenty plent of water, certain avoiding some som foods and having havi a regular exercise. ” The medic explained that ex or overdescription of drugs dru thecounter medico cations such as naproxen, ibuprofen and paracetamol are often abortive therapies to eliminate the headache. He urged that pain killers should be taken early rather than allowing the headache to develop.

HEALTH NEWS

Fidson partners U.S. firms on product marketing

F

idson Healthcare Plc has entered into a partnership with United States firms, Immune Therapeutics, GB Pharma and American Hospitals & Resort (AHAR) Lodonal TM, for the marketing and distribution of a new product.

The partnership will leverage Fidson ’s strong and experienced marketing base, robust distribution channels and efficient customer and technical support services to promote LodonalTM, a patent-protected product that is indicated for the management of

patients with immune-compromising diseases in Nigeria.

The distribution will become effective upon completion of the ongoing National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC-approved 90 day bridging trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of the product.

Managing Director, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Dr Fidelis Ayebae, said that, “Fidson is truly excited about this collaboration with Immune Therapeutics and GB Pharma/AHAR.

WHO bemoans hostility to humanitarian workers

W

orld Health Organisation, WHO, DirectorGeneral, Margaret Chan, has called on humanity to pay attention to the contributions and sacrifices of health workers in responding to humanitarian crises.

Chan stated this recently in Geneva, while leading the health response team to five major humanitarian crises zones, from West Africa to Yemen.

She said more than 60 million people urgently require a

wide range of health care services in humanitarian crises zones.

Chan noted that since the first World Humanitarian Day was established in 2008, the demands on emergency responders had been unprecedented, with 82.5 million people in 37 countries needing humanitarian assistance.

She said front-line health workers had provided health care to millions of people under the demanding condi-

tions of outbreaks such as Ebola, natural disasters, and armed conflict.

“In West Africa, 875 health workers were infected with Ebola and more than half of them died. The efforts were made all the more heroic by the increasing frequency of attacks on health care workers and facilities.

“In 2014, WHO received 372 reports of such attacks in 32 countries, resulting in nearly 1,000 injuries and more than 600 deaths, ’ ’ she said.

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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 ISE-OLUWA IGE ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF AUGUSTUS IMEKAN ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Buhari ’s advisory committee against corruption

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enultimate week, President Muhammadu Buhari stepped up action on his declared anti-corruption war, when he constituted a seven-member Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption to be headed by the fiery constitutional lawyer and activist, Professor Itse Sagay (SAN). Its other members include Bolaji Owasanoye, a law professor, who doubles as committee ’s executive secretary; Femi Odekunle, a professor of Criminology; Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Daudu, associate professor of law; Etannibi Alamika, a professor of Criminology and Sociology; Professor Sadia Radda, also a professor of Criminology; and Hadiza Bala Usman, a pharmacist, human rights activist and Chief of Staff to Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State.

With this step taken by Mr. President, he has elevated his administration ’s anti-corruption drive to an intellectual level never seen before in the nation ’s political history. It is the very first time any Nigerian leader has gone this far in the nation ’s declared war on corruption. This newspaper commends the President for his painstaking selection process that got the nation ’s very best for the job ahead. There is no denying the fact the Committee ’s job will have salutary effects on the current anti-corruption drive, partly because of the intellectual capacity of the members and partly because of their pedigree. We wish them well in their new national assignment.

When Nigerians hear CORRUPTION, they immediately grow goose pimples, because of the damage it has done to their individual psyche and collective national psyche. Political and economic corruption has dealt unkindly too to the country as wholesale looting of public funds by past leaders at every level of government has arrested the nation ’s economic and political growth and development potential. This point was poignantly made by the late Professor Babs Fafunwa, a onetime minister of Education, in this lamentation: “Name any problem we have in this country and I will tell you that corruption is the root cause. If there is a plane crash, car crash, bad road, poor health facilities, bad economy, insecurity, bad education, corruption is at the root of all these chal-

lenges and we must kill corruption before it kills us. ” Echoing the same sentiments, the former chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, once opined that “unless corruption is brought to its knees, the Nigerian nation may manage some sort of existence, but it will be as a sick and grossly retarded nation ”. The man knew what he was talking about because he came face to face with the evil fruits of corruption during the course of discharging his duties.

So, if the nation will experience a new lease of life, according to popular imagination, the corruption scourge has to be frontally tackled. President Muhammadu Buhari ’s demonstrated commitment to the war against corruption coupled with his impeccable moral attributes and well known character traits as a disciplined statesman, gave him the highest political office in the land on his fourth attempt. He cannot, therefore, afford to let Nigerians and the international community down. This is the context we situate the painstaking selection of his Advisory Committee members, on

PRESIDENT MUHAMMADU BUHARI ’S DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT TO THE WAR AGAINST CORRUPTION COUPLED WITH HIS IMPECCABLE MORAL ATTRIBUTES AND WELL KNOWN CHARACTER TRAITS AS A DISCIPLINED

STATESMAN, GAVE HIM THE HIGHEST POLITICAL OFFICE IN THE LAND ON HIS FOURTH ATTEMPT

whose shoulders rests the success of his anti-fraud war.

It is the well considered opinion of this newspaper that strategic to the success of whatever anti-corruption strategies to be designed by the Professor Sagay-led crack team, is coming up with practical recipe that will take cognisance of all the ramifications of the ailment in context and align other intermediating variables that might impact on their implementation. It is a well known fact that theories of corruption causation have to be interpreted in the context of actual and/or likely human behaviour, drivers and interaction. What this suggests is that new insights must be made on what accounts for the ease with which high profile corrupt persons export their loot, so as to be able to devise more efficient deterring mechanisms.

There might also be the need to take another look at the agencies set up to implement the strategies with a view to realigning them for optimal efficiency.

The existence of ICPC and EFCC has not made the much needed impact in the nation ’s anti-corruption drive. They have largely relied on interventionism, by which the agencies wait for actual corrupt conduct, move in to make arrest; and go on to prosecute.

The strategy is heavy on retribution, but light on deterrence. This is because within our own socioeconomic and political contexts, we do not have strong state institutions that would complement their efforts. Our judiciary and police are susceptible to corruption and thus can easily compromise. We might need to strengthen our strategies by establishing appropriate systems, procedures and protocols that could help reduce or eliminate opportunities for corrupt practices. President Buhari ’s recent order to ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government and foreign missions to run a Treasury Single Account (TSA), to be domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is in line with this approach.

We need to add that a successful anticorruption strategy should incorporate a set of incentives to encourage ruleabiding, and discourage rule-averse, while socioeconomic conditions that encourage corrupt conducts should be addressed promptly.

Reminiscences AUGUST 23 IN HISTORY 1905: 218 die of yellow fever in U.S. In New Orleans, United States, yellow fever was running rampant and there were 1478 sick and 218 dead. The Bluefield Daily Telegraph read, “The depressing heat probably caused a number of deaths. ” 1920: Irish freedom fighters condemn Britain The Friends of Irish Freedom (FIF) condemned the British government and Prime Minister David Lloyd for its alleged mistreatment of the Australian Archbishop, Mannix. In the middle of the high seas, the British navy arrested the archbishop aboard an ocean liner. The FIF declared that Britain and Ireland were in a state of war.

1937: China - Explosion kills 400 in Shanghai In Shanghai, China 400 people were dead and 1,000 injured after three heavy artillery shells exploded over a congested department store, a U.S. navy warehouse, and a prison.

1939: Germany signs non aggression pact Germany announces it has signed a non aggression pact with the Soviet Union.

1942: U.S. avenges Japanese attacks In Pearl Harbour, American marines were busy taking revenge on the Japanese for past offences. In the first battle, the Japanese fought on until the last man of their 92 soldiers was dead. Only six marines were killed.

1944: England - Bomber crashes into village school An American Liberator bomber crashes into English village school leaving 35 children and 20 others dead.

1953: Koreans detain U.S. captain over Mao Tze Tung Captain George C. Davison of Staten Island, New York was thrown into a Korean prison for 15 days because he penciled a moustache on a picture of Mao Tze Tung. The communist officials were not amused, but let Davison free after he had served his time.

1966: Starvation ravages Indonesia The island of Lombak which is part of Indonesia was facing the starvation of its 20,000 people. Health Officer Mohammed Jusof urged officials in Jakarta to send emergency aid to the islanders who live east of Bali.

1966: Lunar Orbiter 1 conquers the moon The Lunar Orbiter 1 takes the first photograph of Earth from an orbit around the Moon.

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Praise Worship E-mail:cossyodi@yahoo.com G-mail: ranke2015@gmail.com

EDIFYING GOD

QUOTE The saints will reign with Christ in the millennium and they will rule the nations with rod of iron. They will be in the glorified body while their subjects will still be in the flesh, in the human form.

Bishop Bernard Ojemeni

Sunday August 23, 2015

Reason for sufferingg lack,, Pastor Muoka 24

The use of spiritual power 42

Don Don’t on’t n’tt be bew bew witch w iitch itc tch yoouurse you rself see f tthr th hroug hr rough oug ouugh gh disobedie disobedi disobed sobe ieence nce nce, n e, warns arnss Pro Pr P ophet phe het et Oloruntti ilehin Ol Olor Oloruntim eehin 41

Biblical signs of the end times

22 & 23

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Vineyard

Briefly

OPROM holds prophetic, miracle crusade

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ll is set for the seven days Prophetic and Miracle Crusade of the Omolojujesu Prophetic Outreach Ministry, OPROM, which will be held at Ajah Bus-stop, opposite Alesh Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos from August 23-29, 2015 from 5pm daily.

The host and organiser of the programme, Prophet Sam Ojo OmolojuJesu, revealed that this programme is a special one set apart to intervene in prayers for Ajah Church Community, Lagos state, its leadership and also to intercede for the nation.

Omolojujesu, who is also the General Overseer and presiding pastor of Freedom Foundation Apostolic International Ministry (FARIM) added that God is willing to change the polity in Nigeria and her corporate existence, praying that attendees’ lives will never remain the same.

EPPBM holds revival programme

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lohim Pentecostal Power Bible Ministry also known as Elohim Power Ministries has concluded plans to hold a three day revival programme scheduled to begin on August 28, 2015 with Power Night from 10pm.

The programme, which has “The Lord of hosts” adopted from I Samuel 17:45 as its theme will continue on August 29 at 6pm as the grand finale comes up on August 30 at 8am at the church auditorium located at 69, Olowora Road, Ojodu-Berger, Lagos.

The host and General Overseer, Apostle Lawrence Chukwudi Udeze, while describing the programme, referred to Isaiah 31: 4-5 claiming that the God of hosts, mighty warrior and God of the Army of Israel is in charge therefore, no one can resist his power. He added that He (God) is Supreme General of all forces in the heavens and on earth assuring that everyone coming for the programme would have God fighting the battles in their lives and they will regain their freedom.

‘Healing from heaven’ at BGM

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aving concluded the first session of its special programme, Believers’ Grace-Life Ministries a.k.a. Grace-Life will conclude the programme today from 9am at 2, Efon Alaye Street, Off Akinsanya Street, Taiwo Bus-stop, Ojodu-Berger, Lagos.

Speaking on the programme, host and Senior Pastor of GraceLife, Wills Diamen claimed that the programme is set apart for healing, miracles, signs and wonders added that every attendee will receive healing irrespective of their ailments.

“First Peter 5:7 states; ‘cast all your care upon Jesus for He cares for you.’ Jesus sent us into the world to bring the healing power to the world’, he claimed.

Celebration Sunday August 23, 2015

Cleric commends Buhari

…as C and S faithful seek God’s mercy on Agelu Mountain

Worshippers at the foot of the Mountain

T

he presiding pastor of the Light Evangelical Pillar of Truth Spiritual Church, Cherubim and Seraphim, Meiran, Lagos, Prophet Ebenezer Akindele has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his stance on gay marriage as he solicited for prayers for Nigeria so that countries like United States of America will not succeed in cajoling the country into sin and deny its citizens the opportunity of making heaven.

Akindele made this remark at the annual conference of the Cherubim and Seraphim (C and S), Unification, held recently at the Mountain of Agelu, otherwise known as Agelu Jerusalem in Iseyin Local Government Area, Oyo State.

The pilgrimage, famously tagged “Agbojesu conference” which had the approval of Prophet Moses Orimolade, founder of C and S church worldwide was started by Prophet Alfred Ajayi Akintobi, Arojibika I, to bring God’s mercy closer to the C and S fold worldwide.

Agbojesu 2015, the 82nd in the series, with the theme “Hand of God is not short” saw believers from far and near; converge on the mountain seeking solution to their problems.

Prophet Samuel Olusegun Ajayi Akintobi, the fifth Baba Aladura, Agbojesu worldwide speaking on the occasion claimed that God established the conference to bring His mercy closer to His people.

“God realised that his people need mercy and thus inspired Prophet Alfred Ajayi Akintobi to establish Agbojesu in Agelu. So Akintobi came here in 1933 and started his work of evangelism in Agelu, Ibarapa and Tapa. Through this, many works of miracle have been performed here. Even a dead man has been restored back to life on this mountain”, he claimed.

Akintobi, Arojibika II, who is son of the first Baba Aladura Agbojesu, Alfred Akintobi, Arojibika I, added that the Agelu mountain conference has been a credible avenue of spreading the greatness of God in the area. He added that no one who ever climbed the mountain went away without receiving solution to their problem.

Prophet Akintobi said a committee has been given the mandate to ensure that the conference is made a big and prominent affair his it has the potential of drawing people of all nations to the country.

“We want the Federal and Oyo State government to help put the roads from AdoAwaye to Agelu and that of Osogun in motorable condition.

“If this place expands with increased number of people coming for the annual pilgrimage, good roads cannot be underemphasized.”

He added that both the central and state governments should also help to erect firms the area to boost the economy of the state.

Agbojesu conference is said to have had five presiding Baba Aladuras from inception till date, namely; Prophet Alfred Ajayi Akintobi, 1933–1964; Prophet Emmanuel Olawale, 1966–1973; Prophet Elijah Abodunrin, 1976–2003; Prophet Joshua Ishola, 2004 and Prophet Samuel Olusegun Ajayi Akintobi.

Speaking further Prophet Ebenezer Akindele said that his prayer for Buhari is that God would give him long live and that his administration, citizens of the country would continue to witness happiness.

“Buhari must not think that he succeeded at the polls without the backing of God almighty. God has instructed that Buhari must go to Mecca to bring the Boko Haram issue to Him (God) in prayer”, he claimed.

Akindele added that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to endorse same-sex marriage provoked Boko Haram unrest and that the group is still up in arms against the nation.

“Nigeria is a country that God so much loves. Remember that USA predicted war in the country over 2015 polls but God did not allow that to happen”, he said.

He also listed the seven places of power in Agelu to include the Rock of Power, located few kilometers from Ado-Awaye where he revealed that Prophet Alfred Ajayi Akintobi received the power to access other places of power in Agelu on the small rock.

“There is also the Ark of Covenant’s Triangle, which is located on Agelu Mountain where the Ark of Covenant was received by

Akintobi. The first touch of the Ark on the rock is still manifesting years after. Many miracles had been attributed to this triangle.

“Thirdly, there is the Mountain of Forgiveness located on the first mountain to be climbed before the main one on Agelu Mountain, which was designed by Akintobi through the Holy Spirit. It is said that any sin confessed on it before going to the main mountain will be forgiven. Fourthly, there is the Michael Desert; a discreet place in Agelu.

This Michael is the place Prophet Akintobi had an encounter with Angel Michael many decades ago. He keyed into a covenant gotten about the place and often retreated there whenever he needed to renew his power.

People have consistently prayed in the desert.

However, no female is allowed in there”, he revealed.

He further listed Agelu Mountain which has been the residence of God for decades as the fifth, adding that the settlers around the place lived in fear of it for many decades because they did not know the God that resided there.

“According to the settlers, the mountain was mysterious and had unpredictable effects like vibrations and emitting of smoke.

This didn’t change until Akintobi entered the forest and settled on the mountain. He introduced the people to the great God and taught them how to worship God. The sixth is the Miracle Land. Following the death of Akintobi in 1964 and the incident of his corpse’s disappearance at the grave, the church buried the coffin along with the white robe meant to cover him as shroud. People believe till date that the prophet is not dead. So they make it a habit to pray at the grave whenever they are in difficulties”, he revealed.

Listing the seventh place of wonders in Agelu as the Ark of Covenant, he said: “As Akintobi’s relationship with God waxed stronger and his battle against witches and wizards got fiercer God promised to empower him more like he did to Moses and the Israelites in the Bible. One day as he was praying the spirit of God descended on him: his eyes turned red, his hairs stood and rose above his head.

His entire body was suspended from the ground. A resounding thunder struck, followed by lightning which covered the whole mountain as an object gradually descended from the sky. Akintobi subsequently followed further instruction from God and the object today became the popular Agbojesu Ark of Covenant.”

Also speaking on the occasion, Prophet Akintobi, Arojibika II, said a committee has been saddled with the responsibility to ensure that a cathedral, big enough to hold all those that come for the annual prayer confab would soon be built. He added that beyond a cathedral, efforts would be made to erect houses at low-cost rates to ease the accommodation problems often experienced during the conference.

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Miracle Arena with Bishop

Theo Ugochukwu

1

Cor. 16:9 – “For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries”. The dark hour is a crucial in the life every man. You are seeing opportunities but surrounded by an army of adversaries.

At this point, no matter you do, things will seem not to be working. This is a dark time of life, when friends may suddenly become enemies, even your loved ones for reasons you really cannot understand, may suddenly turn their backs against you when you need them the most.

Job came to this particular check point of life, and look at what his wife, the bone of his bones and the flesh of his flesh, said to her husband in the dark hour of his life. Job 2:9-10, ‘… Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die”. But he said to her, you speak as one of the foolish women would speak. Shall we receive good from God and shall we not receive evil? In all these, Job did not sin with his lips”.

One day, a woman came to me, seeking for my help to pray that husband

From the Pulpit 21

Sunday August 23, 2015

The dark hour in a man’s life should die, that she has stopped putting food on the table for him, because according to her, the husband was not making contribution in the house. Upon my inquiry from her, I discovered that the man lost his job since two years back. I made to her see reasons that even though her husband is going through the dark hour of his life, he still represents a covering and the glory over her head, the one that God is using to stop an avalanche of insults and ridicules that many widows are going through in the hands of some family members. I told her to come to see me with her husband and her children for prayers. To the glory of God, after two months, the husband got a job in one of the airlines operating in Lagos, and the story changed.

Periods like this can be very frustrating. It is a time when you may be asking God questions in order to find out where you have gone wrong, yet you may not find any area you could have erred. Gideon in the book of Judges 6:12-13 said, “…And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him and said unto him, The Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valour. And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? And where be all this miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, ‘Did not the

Lord bring us from Egypt? But now the Lord had forsaken us, and delivered us unto the hands of the Midia-nites”. This is the dark hour in the life of the nation of Israel, a time when God had to deliver them into the hands of their enemies, it was the dark hour when Gideon must have engaged different kind of prayer strategies and yet heaven was still silent. The situation remained the same until an Angel came with a message of deliverance.

Child of God, there may come a time in your life when everywhere may seem to be dark, when even the voice of God seems far from your ears, when things begin to go contrary to your expectations, when your best friend and close relatives may abandon you to your fate.

This is the dark hour in someone’s life.

Job came to this point in his life, Joseph and Daniel came to this point, the dark hour of destiny. I experienced this hour, friends and relatives deserted me. Let us see what David said when he came to this point. 1 Sam.30:3-9’ “3So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no

more power to weep”. During this period, Satan will like to get you discouraged, because he knows that your strength comes when you are in a joyful state, worshiping and praising God. During my dark hour of life, I kept on worshiping God and studying His word, praying ‘it shall be well’. I prophesy whatever dark moment you find yourself into right now, the Lord will bring you out of it in Jesus Name. As long as Christ remain the King of kings, everything you are passing through now, that constitutes darkness in your life, that represents wilderness in your life, Heaven will turn it into divine celebration in your favor. I see light shining into your life right now. I wait to hear your testimonies soon.

You can contact me through any of the below media for prayers and counseling. God bless you.

•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

Change, the inevitable (2)

(The Coach) Pastor Moses A Omogbehin

Greetings dear readers as we continue the topic Change, the inevitable (2) Continued from last week Hindrances to positive change are as follows: 1.

Religion difference 2.

Background difference 3.

Culture 4.

Tradition 5.

Age barrier 6.

Gender difference 7.

Pride 8.

Educational difference 9.

Lack of communication 10.

Understanding difference How early you receive a positive change in destiny or any aspect of life determines the following 1.

How you will be outstanding 2.

Your understanding 3.

Greatness or success to some extent 4.

Your fulfillment 5.

Your creativity 6.

Your connectivity 7.

Your strength 8.

Your level of peace to some extent Truth about positive change 1.

It may cause you a change in character 2.

It may cause you a change in action 3.

Increasing in the rate at which you will spend your money sometimes 4.

Sometimes to change your location 5.

Sometimes you may need to change

your friends 6.

Sometimes you may need to change your appearance 7.

Sometimes you may need to change your eating pattern or habit Despite all these itemised points above, positive change is not a stress but strength. It is not to subtract but to add.

The way Christ ministered to different personalities that comes across is part in destiny has also prove the truth that God is constant but His ways, principles and strategies changes on regular or as when due.

Let us consider six different kinds of people we have both in the secular and in the kingdom. There is no way we talk about change and not talk about “people” why?

Change will never occur without a specific person or individual implementing it directly or indirectly. A law says “every object assume a state of rest until when a force is applied to it” . These personalities are 1.

Those people who make things happen: 1st sam 17: 23-32 “And as he talked with them behold, there came up the champion, the philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came out of the armies of the philistines, and spake according to the same words: and David heard them to the words: and David answer them. And all the men of Israel, when they saw the man, field from him, and were sore afraid. And the men of Israel, have ye seen this man that is come up? Surely to defy Israel is he comes up: and it shall be, that man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him, his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel. And David speak to the men that stood by him, saying, what shall be done to the man that killeth this philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? And the people answered him after this manner, saying, so shall it be done to the man that

killeth him” verse 26 and verse 32 says “David said to Saul, let no man’s heart fail because of hum; thy servant will go and fight with this philistine.

Dear reader, irrespective of your age, complexion, location, stature, qualification, background, rich or poor, I want to ask you this simple question; are you among those people that make thing happen or not?

If you are among those that make things happen, I congratulate you and appreciate your courage and I also salute your confidence (boldness and determination in making things happen for this generation and the unseen generation).

I personally welcome you to the camp of the winners, champions and the achievers.

But if your answer to that question is “no” and you want to be sincere, just to say: servant of God, how can I enter into this group you are talking about?

The steps are simple. It is as follows: A. Follow the footsteps of the elders of faith: What are the footsteps of the elders of faith one needs to know and follow?

I. Seeing life, even when all men are seeing death.

II. Determine to be successful III. Always aim higher IV. Being bold such as the young David These were the characteristics of David that made him to be among those that made things happen in his `days or in his generation.

Apart from the points highlighted above, these were his other characteristics that everyone who has determined and decided to be among people that make things happen must follow daily: I. Don’t be satisfied with the way things are been done in the time past or in the present. It can be better, it can be more colorful.

II. Don’t be satisfied with the present condition of a vision, desire, goals, life or

things. 1st Sam 17:23 III. Don’t allow other people’s fear to affect you.

IV. Never believe in impossibility of any form 1st Sam 17:24 V. Never be afraid to say what is in your heart irrespective of the situation.

VI. Always go beyond your credentials, qualifications and exposure to the world system.

VII. Always believe in your mentors and also make a move to new discoveries.

VIII. Always think for yourself and not allow men to think for you IX. Always involve in a great and resourceful thinking.

X. Always stretch yourself once in a little while as to achieve the unusual 2.

Those who watch things happen: 1st sam 17:20-22 “And David rose up early in the morning, and left the sheep with a keeper and took, and went, as Jesse had commanded him; he came to trench, as the host was going forth to the fight, and shouted for the battle for Israel and the philistines had put the battle in array army against army. And David left his carriage in the hand of the keeper of the carriage, and into the army and came and saluted his brethren; The characteristics of those who watch things to happen include the following: 1.

They are always satisfied with the way the things are: Continued next week

•I know this teaching has blessed and imparted you. Please, write and share your testimony with me through: Covenant and Fulfillment Ministries, 10, Onuwusasoigwe Close, Hostel Bus Stop, Egbe, Ikotun, Lagos.

Email: omogbehin31@yahoo.com or Call: 08034980921, 08054120540

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Biblical signs of the M

any people throughout history have been proclaiming that they were living in the last days and the end of the world was near, and some of the Biblical signs have always existed from the early days. But with the records and accounts on ground, never has there been a time before when these events were evident in so many diverse places and with such frequency and intensity. With all the adverse things and signs that abound everywhere, this generation apparently, is the first generation to fulfill all the biblical signs of the prophesied end time.

According to the American news bulletin, the Source, an estimated 32.4 million people worldwide were displaced due to natural disasters and some ministers of the gospel would argue that if one takes into consideration all the signs that abound now, there is no mistaking that the present generation is living in the last days, nearing the second coming of Jesus.

Scripture wise, these signs and warnings started with people like Noah and Lot, who warned their respective people of God’s coming judgment and destruction but the people never listened, instead they treated Noah and Lot as extremists. Then the destruction that did come found the people unprepared.

Thus, it has been written in the gospel of Luke 17:26 that it will be the same when Jesus Christ returns. As in the days of Noah and Lot, the soon return of the Lord Jesus ‘will be a snare unto the people who do not heed the warning and give their lives to Him.’ In Matthew chapter 24, Jesus spoke of wars, earthquakes and forms of disruptions, but claimed these disasters were just the beginning of sorrows as the end was not yet at hand. The word ‘sorrows’ in the original sense means birth pangs, the pain women experience in childbirth or the frequency and intensity at which the pain comes; as a woman gets nearer the birth, the pangs become more frequent and intense; this is exactly the picture painted of the signs of the end times.

These proclaimed signs are recorded to have begun not long after Jesus’ day, and as Jesus said, the end would not yet be, because these signs were just the beginning of sorrows. But throughout history people have seen the pangs (signs) become more frequent and intense, culminating in the day we live in now where wars, nation rising against nation, father rising against son and vice versa, earthquakes and other forms of natural disasters, insecurity and threat to human life by different sects, the practice and sanctioning of same sex union which led to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah in the Bible days.

The list goes on, which for many Christian leaders, all point to the seeming fact that the world must be right at the time of delivery, when Jesus is to return.

According to Pastor K. I. Bona, General Overseer of Chapel of Holiness and Testimony, Ikotun, Lagos, every true

The rapture

The frequent occurrence of natural disasters, wars raging across the Middle East and so many other signs which have been predicted to precede the end time or second coming of Jesus Christ, are from all indications being fulfilled in our day and time more than in any other generation.

Christians are left with no choice but to wonder if the said time is already upon them? ODINAKA URUAKPA looks at the implications of these worrisome and fearful developments through the prism of clerics. born-again child of God who is anticipating heaven, must be aware that all that we are experiencing today, and all that are still going to come, are all in fulfilment of the prophecies of the Lord Jesus Christ as He gave it in the book of Mathew Chapter 24, when He (Jesus) was talking about the end time.

“In the gospel of Mathew Chapter 24, Jesus spoke of the destruction, troubles and persecution that would herald His second coming and end of the world. All what He listed are actually coming to reality; we have heard of earthquakes, famine, nation rising against nation, floods and many people were recorded dead and so many other things that Christ predicted. According to the word of Jesus Christ, when we see these and other atrocious things happening, which he compared to the first pain of childbirth, then, we should know that the end of time is near.

In chapter 24 of the gospel of Mathew, Jesus took time to answer and explain things to His disciples when they were passing and called their attention to the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus said to them ‘see you not all these things? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon the other that shall not be thrown down’. When the disciples further asked Him when these things He spoke about will come and the signs, Jesus began to explain things to them,

IN THE GOSPEL OF MATHEW CHAPTER 24, JESUS SPOKE OF THE DESTRUCTION, TROUBLES AND PERSECUTION THAT WOULD HERALD HIS SECOND COMING AND END OF THE WORLD. ALL WHAT HE LISTED ARE ACTUALLY COMING TO REALITY; WE HAVE HEARD OF EARTHQUAKES, FAMINE, NATION RISING AGAINST NATION, FLOODS AND MANY PEOPLE WERE RECORDED DEAD AND SO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT and it was a really long answer because He wanted them to get the exact picture of how the end shall be”, he explained.

Bona points out that some people are not of the belief that the world would come to an end because they think that the prophecy was talking about the end of the Israel.

“All that we see now which the Bible spoke about is like the quest for knowledge, people wanting to know more, technological advancement, scientific and various forms of discoveries, the Bible states that when we see these, then, we should know that the time is near. In the book of Thessalonians chapter 5, the Bible makes us know that we should not be found slumbering so that the coming of the Lord doesn’t take us unawares.

CHRIST PREDICTED.

The passage makes us understand that as children of light who belong to the day, we should not be ignorant of things going on around us; we shouldn’t allow the mundane things of this age to cloud our vision, to draw us to spiritual heap, but be awake in the light of God”, he stated.

He further stated that it is unfortunate that some Christians are not taking these teachings seriously as many of them backsliding and the person of Christ diminishing in their lives adding that people go to church now not because of the love of Christ, but for their personal aggrandisement.

“All that we see happening now signifies that the time that was spoken about is near, so, every child of God should be aware and be on the watch through

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end times prayers and hearing of the word of God so that they may not be blown away when the time comes. When the trumpet is sounded by the angel of God, those who died in Christ shall all be resurrected back to life and shall rise to the skies to meet their master and saviour, Jesus Christ who will take them to His glory.

After the resurrection of the dead, we, who are still living, shall be transformed in the twinkle of an eye and hook up with the master in the air; it is a mystery, but the reality is that we shall be with Him where He is.”

The cleric claimed that after the rapture of the saints, there would be a period of great tribulation, as he explained that presently, the world is going through the first period of tribulation which precedes the rapture before the great tribulation when the anti-Christ will take over to rule the world and all those who were not raptured, will be made to face the wrath of Satan.

“Christians, who because of their carelessness missed rapture, will be forced to receive the mark of the beast because without this, they won’t be able to buy or sell. After that, there will be the millennia ... which will last for a period of time that the Bible stipulated, when that is gone, then, Satan will be found and cast into the bottomless pit to be held prisoner for a period of time; then Jesus would come and reign and there will be white throne judgement which comes after Jesus’ reign which is the final judgement when the earth shall be destroyed and those who died righteously, will receive inner life while those who did not receive Jesus will be judged. The Bible states in book of revelation that there shall be a book and those whose names are not found in the book shall be cast into the lake of fire which is the second death.

On his part, Pastor Afolarin Adebola, Pastor in charge of Freedom Christian Miracle Assembly, Surulere, Lagos claimed that the signs people see today do not reflect the beginning of sorrows as they are made to believe, but actually the end of the world, which had been predicted, adding that the present generation is living at the end of time.

“The beginning of sorrows actually started nearly 2000 years ago with the persecution of the early church and the destruction of Jerusalem. The historical evidence can be found in the book of Daniel 2:31-45 where King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream and saw an image wearing fine gold, the breast and arms were of silver, the belly and thighs were made of brass, the legs of iron and the feet partly iron and partly clay. From the dream Prophet Daniel had a revelation of what was to come; another kingdom inferior to the last would arise, and yet a third kingdom of brass, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom that would come, the scripture states shall be strong as iron, but the kingdom shall be divided.

More than being a sign of the times, this is a historical fact of where this present

Church building

ON HIS PART, PASTOR AFOLARIN ADEBOLA, GENERAL OVERSEER OF FREEDOM CHRISTIAN MIRACLE ASSEMBLY, SURULERE, LAGOS CLAIMED THAT THE SIGNS PEOPLE SEE TODAY DO NOT REFLECT THE BEGINNING OF SORROWS AS THEY ARE MADE TO BELIEVE, BUT ACTUALLY THE END OF

THE WORLD, WHICH HAD BEEN PREDICTED, ADDING THAT THE PRESENT GENERATION IS LIVING AT THE END OF TIME.

generation stands in earth’s history. The vision that God gave King Nebuchadnezzar as shown in the Bible book of Daniel and subsequently the interpretation to prophet Daniel, consisted of an image of a man, which depicted all the ages and ruling kingdoms from the time of Babylon until the second coming of Christ Jesus, the destroying Rock, which is the eternal kingdom of God”, he stated.

Speaking on the signs of the end time, he said: “End time signs include increase of knowledge as revealed in Daniel 12:4 ‘even to the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.’ Throughout history we have had a slow and little increase in knowledge, but take a look at the explosion of knowledge over the past 150 years. In this age, man can travel at hundreds and even thousands of miles per hour with planes and space ships to the moon. Technology has developed at a rapid pace, which has led to great improvements in computer power, scientific discoveries and the medical profession. Just look at how much we have learned about the human body with things like DNA and cellular structures, changing people’s gender from male to female and vice versa etc.”

He noted that Revelation 13:17 is portion the of the scripture that speaks of inability to buy or sell, unless one has the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name which brings the issue of the ability to enforce the mark; an end time sign that most people miss.

“Read this portion of the Bible and think about it; what needs to happen in order for the beast system to stop people from buying and selling if they refuse the mark? We need to have a worldwide financial system whereby everything bought and sold is through electronic means, not cash. The powers of this world are now trying to make cash obsolete, and are actively pushing pure electronic forms of payment, like PayPal and Google Wallet for instance. Take a look at the news and you will see this being reported in different countries of the world; Sweden close to being a cashless society, Nigeria deploying biometric technology throughout the banking system, MasterCard tracking, global economies heading for cashless societies, Israel leaders push for a cashless society, UN World Food Program pushing smart cards and digital payment, cashless society drive gaining momentum in Rwanda and the list goes on”, he noted.

Quoting the gospel of Matthew 24:37, Adebola listed violence and sexual immorality end time signs “Homosexuality has become a norm in our society. Since 2001, at least 14 countries have fully legalised same sex marriage, Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, New Zealand, Uraguay, France, with some parts of Mexico and America doing the same. Unfortunately, more countries are being added to this list all the time. As of January 2015, 36 US States now recognise

and have legalised gay marriage as the US Supreme Court declared Gay Marriage legal in a historic decision. Today, the world is full of violence and sexual immorality; you only need turn the television on to see violence, fornication and homosexuality everywhere.

The cities of the world today are especially bad and are no longer safe places to be” he lamented.

He said the prophecy made in Luke 21:2526 is being fulfilled in our day more than any other day as natural disasters are being recorded now every year.

“Are the seas and waves roaring? Yes. Tens and even hundreds of thousands of people are being wiped out from earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, Tsunamis and floods, and men’s hearts certainly fear what is happening to this world. In America in 2010, a record was set as the number of Federal Disaster Declarations given over a year was 81.

In 2011, that number was broken again in that part of the world with 99 Disaster Declarations given, costing over $32 bilion.

What we have been witnessing in Nigeria from the days of MEND in the Niger Delta to the present menace of the Boko Haram sect in the North-eastern part which has caused the country both human and property loss among other destructions being witnessed all over the world. We are really seeing things happening in this world now with regards to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy today”, he submitted.

This article continues next week

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From the

Pulpit Sunday August 23, 2015

Reason for suffering lack , says Pastor Muoka General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, in this piece, explains why people suffer lack. Excerpts:

S

o many believers are suffering lack today because they are working in isolation with the word of God and disobedient to the word of God and as a result they suffer lack. Sometimes, unbelievers who are ignorantly practising godly principle of increase are better than them which ought not to be so. If one disobeys God’s principle - whether believer or unbeliever- that person will be under curse and it is always horrible when one disobeys God because that person will be placed under heavy yoke of poverty, sicknesses, diseases, lack and hindrances.

Proverbs 10: 4-5 says: “He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 5 ¶ He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame”.

The general law of increase in God’s moral government is: be industrious and have plenty, or be lazy and be in poverty and remain in want. God has ordered in the course of His providence that he who will not work shall not eat. And He blesses the work of those that are industrious.

Those who deal with a slack hand, who are careless in godly principle of increase and never mind which end goes foremost, nor ever set their hands vigorously to their work or stick to it; those who deal with a deceitful hand will, in the end, impoverish themselves, not only by bringing the curse of God on what they have, but by forfeiting their reputation with men.

Those who are diligent and honest, who are careful about their affairs, and who do what their hands find to do, and do it with all their might, in a fair and honourable way, will have increase in all their endeavours. This is true in the affairs of our souls as well as in our worldly affairs. Slothfulness and hypocrisy lead to spiritual poverty, but those who are fervent in labour and spirit, serving the Lord, are likely to be rich in n faith and rich in good works.

Proverbs 20: 4 says: “The sluggard will not plough by reason of the cold; therefore shall he beg in harvest, and have nothing”.

Those that will not plough in seedt i m e cannot Pastor Muoka

expect to reap in harvest and therefore they must beg their bread with astonishment when the diligent are bringing home their sheaves with joy. He that will not submit to the labour of ploughing must submit to the shame of begging. They shall beg in harvest, and yet have nothing for they deserve to be starved. Those that would not provide oil in their vessels begged when the bridegroom came, and were denied.

An idle soul, one that is idle in the affairs of his soul, that takes no care or pains to work out his salvation, that do not observe God’s principles, shall perish for want of that which is necessary to the life and happiness of the soul.

Deut. 28: 15-22 says: “But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:16.

Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 17. Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.

18. Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks

of thy sheep. 19. Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 20. The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. 21.

The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 22. The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and w i t h an ex-

treme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish”.

If we do not keep God’s commandments, we will not only come short of the blessing promised, but we will lay ourselves under the curse, which is as comprehensive as of all misery as the blessing is of all happiness. The extent and power of this curse is that wherever the sinner goes, the curse of God follows him; wherever he is, it will rest upon him. Whatever he has is under a curse. All his enjoyments are made bitter; he cannot take any true comfort in them, for the wrath of God mixes itself with them. So it is good that we obey the word of o God for in that we shall be blessed. The only way to escape from this kind of suffering or o problem is to obey the word of God. Deut. 28: 1- 14 says: “And it shall come to t pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto unt the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe observ and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations nation of the earth: 2. And all these blessings shal shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 3. Blessed shalt thou be in the th city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. field 4. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the frui fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, an and the flocks of thy sheep. 5. Blessed shall b be thy basket and thy store. 6. Blessed shalt shal thou be when thou comest in, and blessed blesse shalt thou be when thou goest out. 7. The Th LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise ris up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee on one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 8. The Th LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall shal bless thee in the lan land which the th

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‘How I survived breast cancer’ >>27

I will continue to act till I go grey –Tamara Eteimo >>26

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I will continue to act till I go grey –Tamara Eteimo Tamara Eteimo grew up in Port Harcourt but of Bayelsa parentage. She studied Theatre Arts at the University of Port Harcourt. In this interview with ADAEZE AMOS, this glamorous actress and winner of ‘The Next Movie Star Reality TV Show’, unveils her lifestyle, among others.

Why did you choose acting over every other career?

I chose acting over every other thing because I have a strong passion for it. It is what I’m really good in. I went to school to study Theatre Arts, so what would you expect? Acting is my life and that’s why I chose, studied it and I would do it till I grow gray hair.

would say that every job comes with its own challenge in its own style and form. You can never predict what kind of challenge it is but the truth is that you have to be able to adapt to whatever situation you find yourself. That’s what I have been doing over the years and I hope to improve on that as an actor, personality and as a brand.

Which movie shot you into the limelight?

I would say Desperate House Girl worked magic for me. It was very interesting with Ini Edo and Mary Lazarus and the story line was amazing. That really did good in my career and shot me a step higher.

Had there been a crazy thing a male fan ever did to you?

What is the craziest thing a male fan would do to a woman if not to ask for her contact and try to get as close to her as possible? Of course, this doesn’t usually work! I don’t know where they get that idea but you can never tell; anything can happen. That’s the craziest thing really.

What is the most scandalous story written about you?

There hadn’t been any and I hope that there won’t be y. In fact,, I’m not aware of anyone y any so far.

If you weren’t acting, what would you have opted for?

If I wasn’t acting, I would have been an air hostess. I love travelling, so it would give me an avenue to see the world at my own pace because of what I do.

What movies have you starred in?

I have starred in ‘Someone Down The Line’, ‘Mrs. Somebody’, ‘Oyoma’, ‘Unblissful’, ‘Desperate House Girls’, ‘Finding Mercy’ and a couple of others on ‘Africa Magic’ such as ‘Green Eyed’, ‘Duty Experience’, ‘Out of the Ghetto’ which was a very cool and a lot of other productions.

Which was most challenging?

I wo u l d n’ t say any of them particularly w a s most challenging but I

y had a heartbreak,, what did you y do to wriggle gg When you out of the pains?

I think matters of the heart are things that one can’t really talk about. So, I wouldn’t want to discuss that. But as they say, time heals heals all wounds. That’s basically it.

How do you cope with stardom and n not let it get into your head?

This is a really strange quest tion. question.

If your kind of personality is ssuch that it’s free with everyone tthen why would it get to your h ead? head?

Of course, they always say ffame comes with its own spirit but I hope I don’t get overta aken overtaken by that spirit as a perso on. I person. would still try and be myself my yself the nice or best way I can.

I may not be easily accessible, which is normal, we all know that. But in every way, I would try to respond to as many friendly requests on social media. You know how the thing goes now, social media and all that. That is the easiest way to communicate with your fans and people who admire your work. I would try and do that as much as possible. And not slam any other actors to the face because they upcoming or they want an opportunity like I got. It’s give and take. If you give good, you get good.

What is your life philosophy?

I wouldn’t say life is not a bed of roses, it’s not also a bed of thorns. I would say life is what you make of it. So, if you want it to be a bed of roses, you have to work to make it not to be a bed of thorns!

Who are the Nigerian fashionistas you admire?

There are a lot of them I must say but I admire Rita Dominic not just for the fact that she is a good actress but because she is always picture-ready. That is what every woman should try and achieve be you an actress, super star, celebrity, always be picture-ready just like Rita.

Wh Where do you think so many ladies are getting it wrong in the fashion world?

I think so many ladies are getting it wrong in tthe fashion world when they try to be someone else other tha an themselves, especially than in what they wear. Not eve erything you see fits everything you u. It might look good you. on one person but that at does not mean it w would look good on y you. So, find your own n niche. For every y lady, if you wan nt to look good, want go ahead, look good or u unique not to imi-

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tate other person because that is the only way you would be confident and define your own style.

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‘How I survived breast cancer’

How have you given back to society?

Giving back to society is a gradual process. I have been on this for four years which limits my ability to give out but for now, a foundation and all that is still in the works.

Basically, it’s just producing my movies and also giving opportunities to other actors to come and work, get paid for what they do and be paid well too. Because it is also important, a form of job availability for those that haven’t anything to do and are good at what they do. In my own little way, it’s to produce more movies and create for other actors more jobs and help people that have passion for acting as well.

Talking about fashion, can you define your style?

My style would be simple, chic but definitely with a sprinkle of star powder because that is who I intend to be. That is what I intend to make of myself in the nearest future.

What lesson has life taught you?

Life has taught me to app appreciate every moment it gives, every time spent or not spent well is wasted and gone gone. I appreciate life, I enjoy every little moment momen I have with myself and my family becaus because I only have one strong family that would a always be with me till the end.

What thrills you most about being be a celebrity?

The amazing treatment I ge get, apart from the fact that I meet different pe people at different times. I also travel a lot and see different places which enable me to g go to different sets during the cause of my job. It’s something I love doing. I could ffulfil my passion and love for travell travelling, my passion for acting and the fact that I also get to loo look good at all esp times, especially when steppin stepping out for even events and red c carpet. The glitz and glamour just get to m trust me. me, A Any celebrity get such. And I gets love the feeling it bring with it. brings

Patsy

ADAEZE AMOS

P

atsy Ikechukwu is a breast cancer survivor. She left the shores of Nigeria in 1997 to Belgium where she became a citizen after 12 years. That was on April 9, 2009 and that was when she came back to Nigeria to take care of her two siblings after the death of her mother who was afflicted with diabetes related complications. Barely a month later, she discovered she had been living with cancer of the breast.

“I never would have expected that there would be something worse waiting for me in the near future. When I woke up in the morning of May 15, 2009, I went for medical check-up not because I suspected cancer but because I lost my nine months old nephew to cardiomyopathy.

I wanted to be sure it doesn’t run in the family. Luckily, everything was okay and there were no health issues. When I was about to leave the hospital, I remembered I used to have slight discomfort whenever I applied cream around my breasts.

The medic asked when I had my breast checked and I said never, so she sent me to the breast clinic,” Patsy recalled.

This certified personal trainer did a mammography. “That was when they said they discovered something on my right breast, that it may just be a cyst. I was asked to do a biopsy where a small piece of the breast tissue was removed for testing. I was asked to come back in three days for the result. I was nervous if not anxious and scared. I had to plead to her that I couldn’t wait for that long. She told me to come back the next day by 4 p.m.

For me, the hand of the clock was slow. I even took a walk just to be distracted. By 4 p.m. the next day, I was already waiting, praying in my mind and hoping that all was a dream. But it wasn’t because the doctor came to me and said the words no one wants to hear. ‘I am sorry. It is cancer’. And my treatment commenced almost immediately. I started with radiation and chemotherapy,” she said.

Patsy, who graduated in 2012 from The European Institute of Fitness, United Kingdom, holds a certificate in Clinical Exercise, Nutrition and Weight Management. You may wonder why she took research very seriously even when she was

undergoing her cancer treatment!

“It was my zeal to survive that led me into vigorous researches,” she explained.

Today, Patsy is alive to tell her story.

“It’s because I observed it early. Early detection is key and that is why I keep saying that self-breast examination is important because it helps you look for help early. And how to go about it is by lying down and gently massaging your breast with the tips of your fingers, especially after your monthly circle. If there is any strange thing you observed, don’t keep it to yourself, go and see your doctor,” she counselled.

When she was diagnosed, she was scared but persevered.

“I didn’t see it as a death sentence because I knew I was in good hands. But honestly, that night when I came back from the hospital, I wasn’t able to sleep well. I was scared and I started reading more about breast cancer on the internet and anything I could lay my hands on concerning breast cancer,” she remembered.

Patsy described the lump in her breast.

“It looked like a punctured hole. When it was discovered, I started receiving treatment without wasting time. The treatment wasn’t easy for me. I didn’t have enough B12 in my body and I later read that B12 deficiency was bad. The treatment and medication were draining my B12, so it wasn’t easy for me,” she said in a low tone.

Patsy suspected that what caused the cancer was “the synthetic chemicals that I was taking. For example, I consumed a lot of artificial sweetener. I used to take a lot of it in my coffee, in my tea and everything that I drank then. But later, I found out that it was bad taking too much of it, I had to stop. I googgled it on line and saw the side effects of that sweetener I was taking. One of the side effects/dangers was what I had cancer! That was why I concluded that it was what caused it because I never had cancer in my family. It was what I consumed that caused mine.

You have to get inflammatory foods out of your system. These are mostly packaged foods. Remember our forefathers never ate such foods and that is why they never had cancer. Invariably, what one eats can cause one cancer. Watch it!

If you doubt this ask your grandfather

whether he saw some children having cancer, he would tell you no! In my generation, in my life, I’m the first person to ever have cancer. So, keep carcinogenic foods out of your life. Also, watch the kind of cream you apply on your skin.

Some contain things that can cause cancer. When you apply cream on your body, you massage and it disappears, it means it has gone into your body and into your blood stream. So, watch what you apply on your body,” she advised.

Now that she has conquered cancer, her lifestyle has totally changed so as not to have it again.

“I don’t eat anyhow neither do I drink anything anyhow. I no longer eat things that are chemicalised. I eat mainly natural foods. I avoid soft drinks like a plague,” she said.

Now that the lump in her breast has gone, would she be able to breastfeed?

“Yes, I can breastfeed. Though I had surgery on my breast, it wasn’t the whole of my breast that was tampered with. I thank God because I detected it early. When I was examined, my doctor said mine was stage one breast cancer.

That means that it hadn’t spread. But I need to be careful with how I live and what I consume because I have seen cases of patients with stage one breast cancer whose lump came back after treatment and they had recovered. One’s lifestyle after survival is the key. Try also to boost your immune system, so I was told, especially the B12/white blood cells.

Mine was down and that was what resulted in the problem I had. Try and eat foods that would boost your immune system else you are looking for trouble,” she stressed.

But, in all honesty, does she nurse some fears that it might come back since you said you have seen patients with stage one cancer who after surviving, whose lumps recurred.

“Initially, I was very worried but I started taking something to boost my immune system. Now, I believe I can never have cancer again. This is not a boast, I’m not joking about this. If you change your nutritional programme and have all the essential nutrients, you cannot have cancer or even any serious disease. What you consume and your environment are important to your health,” Patsy emphasised.

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Sunday, August 23, 2015

GROWING UP with

Aunty Titi

Hagsh

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ANIMAL FACTS

Hello Children How are you? Hope you are keeping yourself busy with educational books? In this edition, there are motivating articles that are meant to improve your knowledge. Have a wonderful week.

Once upon a time

H Learn to appreciate

O

nce upon a time, there was a man who was very helpful, kindhearted, and generous. He was a man who will help someone without asking anything to pay him back. He will help someone because he wants to and he loves to. One day while walking into a dusty road, this man saw a purse, so he picked it up and noticed that the purse was empty. Suddenly a woman with a policeman shows up and gets him arrested.

The woman kept on asking where did he hide her money but the man replied, “It was empty when I found it, Mam. ” The woman yelled at him, “Please give it back, it ’s for my son ’s school fees. ” The man noticed that the woman really felt sad, so he handed all his money. He could say that the woman was a single mother. The man said, “Take these, sorry for the inconvenience. ” The woman left and policeman held he man for further questioning.

The woman was very happy but when she counted her money later on, it was doubled, she was shocked. One day while woman was going to pay her son ’s school fees towards the school, she noticed that some skinny man was walking behind her. She thought that he may

rob her, so she approached a policeman standing nearby. He was the same policeman, who she took along to inquire about her purse. The woman told him about the man following her, but suddenly they saw that man collapsing.

They ran at him, and saw that he was the same man whom they arrested few days back for stealing a purse.

He looked very weak and woman was confused. The policeman said to the woman, “He didn ’t return your money; he gave you his money that day. He wasn ’t the thief but hearing about you son ’s school fees, he felt sad and gave you his money. ” Later, they helped man stand up, and man told the woman, “Please go ahead and pay your son ’s school fees, I saw you and followed you to be sure that no one steals your son ’s school fees. ” The woman was speechless.

Moral: Life gives you strange experiences, sometime it shocks you and sometimes it may surprise you. We end up making wrong judgments or mistakes in our anger, desperation and frustration.

However, when you get a second chance, correct your mistakes and return the favor. Be Kind and Generous. Learn to appreciate what you are given.

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

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

agfish are marine craniates of the class Myxini, also known as Hyperotreti. Despite their name, there is some debate about whether they are strictly fish (as there is for lampreys), since they belong to a much more primitive lineage than any other group that is commonly defined fish (Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes). Their unusual feeding habits and slime-producing capabilities have led members of the scientific and popular media to dub the hagfish as the most “disgusting “of all sea creatures.

Hagfish are long, vermiform and can exude copious quantities of a sticky slime or mucus (from which the typical species Maxine glutinosa was named). When captured and held by the tail, they escape by secreting the fibrous slime, which turns into a thick and sticky gel when combined with water, and then cleaning off by tying themselves in an overhand knot which works its way from the head to the tail of the animal, scraping off the slime as it goes. Some authorities conjecture that this singular behavior may assist them in extricating themselves from the jaws of predatory fish.

However, the “sliming ” also seems to act as a distraction to predators, and free-swimming hagfish are seen to “slime ” when agitated and will later clear the mucus off by way of the same travelling-knot behavior.

Hagfish have elongated, eel-like bodies, and paddle-like tails. The skin is naked and covers the body like a loosely fitting sock. They have cartilaginous skulls (although the part surrounding the brain is composed primarily of a fibrous sheath) and tooth-like structures composed of keratin. Colors depend on the species, ranging from pink to blue-grey, and black or white spots may be present. Eyes are simple eyespots, not compound eyes that can resolve images. Hagfish have no true fins and have six or eight barbels around the mouth and a single nostril. Instead of vertically articulating jaws like Gnathostomata (vertebrates with jaws), they have a pair of horizontally moving structures with tooth-like projections for pulling off food. The mouth of the hag-

fish has two pairs of horny, combshaped teeth on a cartilaginous plate that protracts and retracts.

These teeth are used to grasp food and draw it toward the pharynx.

Hagfish are long and vermiform, and can exude copious quantities of a milky and fibrous slime or mucus from some 100 glands or invaginations running along its flanks. The typical species Myxine glutinosa was named for this slime.

When captured and held, e.g., by the tail, they secrete the micro fibrous slime, which expands into up to 20 litres (5¼ gallons) of sticky gelatinous material when combined with water. If they remain captured, they can tie themselves in an overhand knot which works its way from the head to the tail of the animal, scraping off the slime as it goes and freeing them from their captor, as well as the slime. This singular behavior may assist them in extricating themselves from the jaws of predatory fish or from the interior of their own “prey ”, and that the “sliming ” might act as a distraction to predators.

Recently, the slime was reported to entrain water in its microfilaments, creating a slow-to-dissipate, viscoelastic substance, rather than a simple gel, and the primary protective effect of the slime may be related to impairment of the function of a predator fish ’s gills. Most of the known predators of hagfish are varieties of birds or mammals; the lack of marine predators perhaps can be explained by a “gillclogging hypothesis ”, arguing that one purpose of the slime is to impair the gill function of marine animals that attempt to prey on the hagfish. If true, it could be regarded as a highly successful evolutionary strategy against predatory fish.

The hagfish ’s eye lacks lens, extra ocular muscles, and the three motor cranial nerves (III, IV, and VI), is significant to the evolution of more complex eyes.

A parietal eye and the parapineal organ are also absent. Hagfish eyespots, when present, can detect light, but as far as is known, none can resolve detailed images.

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Sunday, August 23, 2015

Dude Style

victorudoh804@yahoo.com 07067124302

‘I like to look corporate and smart’ Anambra State-born singer, Eckobig Chidiebere, recently dropped a new single entitled, ‘Change’. The singer, who combines business with showbiz, tells VICTOR UDOH that he likes to dress corporate and smart as dressing well is a serious business, among others. Excerpts: Tell us about your background.

I hail from Orumba south LGA of Anambra State. I come from a very humble family of 10 children: eight boys and two girls. My parents were small business owners.

but God did not give me that grace.

However, in all my past and present works, I have enjoyed working with people. I love collaboration. I love all genres of music as long as the lyrics are meaningful.

What are you working on?

I am currently working on so many projects. There is my brand ambassador advert to campaign for clean environment and good hygiene standards by the citizenry, among others.

What are your current challenges?

My present challenge includes getting a good record label either home or abroad that will understand my vision about music, and help my style flourish in order to make great and positive impact with it globally.

About your single album, how accepted is it on air?

The new song, ‘Change’ is gaining grounds, as change is the topic of discussion to almost all Nigerians today. People are calling from everywhere to comment on the excellent job done on it.

What top musicians influenced your career? eer?

In Nigeria, 2face Idibia inspired me e a lot in his early days with the Plantation Boys until they separated. There is Frank Edward, Sinach, and Lara George. Globally, I love the What music of Don Moen, R Kelly in his early rly days, are you I used Donnie Macclurkin,, and nd Kirk with StFranklin. nia360 reAmong Amo ong top cord artistes, ar rtistes, who do you plan to fea-

What inspires your songs?

God is the source of all great and wonderful erful inspirations, so in that wise my inspirations pirations come from Him alone, though He won’t come down from heaven to give ive me inspiration. He uses people and nd things to inspire me. There is the environment, nvironment, weather weather,, nature, birds, children, hildren, suffering, blessings, prosperity ty, everything, even death, which inspire nspire me.

Can you describe your style of music?

My style of music is rare and nd uncommon. As a poetic vocalist ocalist or singer, I do a lot ot of inspirational talking. alking. Were I to choose hoose however, I would have preferred referred to o be a rapper, er,

ture in your music soon?

I would love to feature as many top artistes that are within my reach, particularly, 2face Idibia.

What are you doing to climb the ladder of success in music?

I believe in creativity but depend mostly on the grace of God for my success. I hate imitation because it is the mother of limitation.

I however love being myself even when so many people don’t like what I do, but I always ensure I give my best possible. It is all about at what everybody looking looks at, but seeing what no one else sees.

label,

record label with? to be affiliated ingoma-

an indigenous record label based in Omaha, Nebraska in USA, but never got signed on.

Where do you see your music in the next five years?

In the next five years, music by God’s grace, will take me to global stardom and bring me into the limelight.

How was your growing up?

It was rough and tough, though I enjoyed every bit of it. Growing up from a very humble background is not easy, but to God be all the glory. I used to be a chorister in my village church, but I love sound and music, especially worship songs and R& B. Aside from music, what other things do you do?

I am also an environmental activist, international businessman, evangelist, actor, ternatio and motivational speaker. writer a you ever been discouraged about Have yo music?

Yes, ssomehow my wife was very sceptical my going into music because of the about m ugly stories stor that go with stardom. However, I assured her that God is with me and in control.

Who is your celebrity model and why?

My M celebrity model in Nigeria is Nkem Nke Owoh. I have never had a dull moment me watching him on home movies, he h is so real and very humorous. Another person is Mr. Bean, a UK actor.

I love his humorous style of acting.

What content has your music?

My music, both past and present, talks and will continue to emphasise ta on change. That is holistic change, both government and the governed. Any for go music people for musi ic that will not encourage encou positive is not posiitive change in all ramifications ram worth wo orth it.

W is your philosophy What philosop of life?

Be the best you can ca in everything you yo ou do. Don’t look at other people to plan pl lan your life. Put all hope in God, he will wil ll sure make a way for you where there th here is no way; remain rema focused. you define your Can yo dress style?

I like to look corporate and smart, por because, looking bec good is a serious goo business. bu What is that fashW ion item you love to wear?

I am comfortable on suite, beab cause it brings c out the best in my personality. It also makes me more responsible and presentable, esp pecially when I am on stage.

&

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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 AUGUST 23, 2015

Bukola is my everything –Adetayo

BABIES OF THE WEEK

TITILOPE MORAKINYO

he family of Mr. and Mrs. Alabi recently had their first child a son whom they named Olumide meaning ‘ ’My lord has arrived ’ ’. His mother who spoke to Sunday Mirror said baby Olumide is usually quiet most of the time. According to her, ‘ ’I think Olumide takes after his father, because he hardly disturbs. He is always so gentle and calm which is not something you see most children his age do ’ ’. Speaking about her pregnancy period, she says that it was a period of several changes for her, as she had swollen legs and face. According to her, “I had very small tummy, so it wasn ’t until the later stage of my pregnancy that it started showing for real that I was pregnant. Also, I had swollen feet most of the time and this restricted me from putting on some foot wear which I loved

T

S

aturday August 15th, 2015 will forever be memorable in the lives of the families of Akindiran and Adeniji as they played host to a large turn-out of guest that came from far and near to celebrate the union between their daughter Bukola Akindiran and son Adetayo Adeniji.

The holy matrimony took place at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Royal Diadem, Isolo, Lagos State. While the striking reception followed immediately at the Isolo Rotary Club, Isolo, Lagos State.

The beautiful bride, who was looking amazing in her coral cord lace with a teal green headgear and accessories, while the groom complemented her with a matching teal green cap and a white native attire.

On how they met, Bukola said “We met at the youth annual meeting called Standout at the province headquarter RCCG, Jesus House Ajao Estate in Lagos we talked, exchanged mobile num-

Olumide Alabi

bers and have been communicating ” Speaking with the couple, they elucidated on the qualities that attracted them to each other. According to the bride, who hails from Ibadan, Oyo State, she said, “He is God fearing, caring, a friend of God, he gives sacrificially and appreciates little things ”.

The groom, who hails from Aiyetoro in Ogun State could not hide his joy as he was full of smiles. He said, “I love everything about my damsel.

I call her my woman because she is my everything ”.

On the proposal, the bride said we went on a date at Elegushi beach with his friends and he proposed in front of them, I was so shocked because I never had a clue to what he just did; I gladly said YES it was a day I can never forget.

On the advice to singles, the couples said “Singles should only stick and look up to God alone because He is the only one that knows tomorrow ”.

Ibrahim nds love in Dunnie

W

hoever finds a wife has found a good thing explains the love between Dunnie Onasanya and Ibrahim Hasan as his desire for good things made him go after his beautiful bride who met in such a doubtful place at a supermarket.

It was joy when the families as well as friends and well-wishers came together to celebrate the joining together of their children, which took place at the Greystone Mansion Beverley Hills in Los Angeles recently, while the reception at the Bel Air Banquet Hall, Los Angeles.

Both creative entrepreneurs are not only partners in love but also for events, as it was a striking symbol of their love and partner-

ship when the groom proposed at the Facet Fashion Show in November two years after they met in the presence of 500 guests.

It was love made in heaven as the couple shower care and affection between one another, the bride appeared radiant in her white wedding gown sown with a collection of satin, embellished ivory bridal dress, ruffles and trimmings. The dark complexioned groom appeared dapper in his black suit which he matched with a white shirt and black tie.

It was a fun filled day of celebration, as the both parents of bride and groom were looking elegant in the same blue colour of their native attire outfit, headgear and accessories making it a memorable event in their lives, while the bridal train was looking stunning in their wears both the ladies and the handsome men.

wearing.

Speaking on what she loves most about her son, she explained that “I love everything about my son. “I am also trying to understand motherhood every day ’ ’. Baby Olumide was born at J-Rhapa Hospital in Badore, Ajah, Lagos and weighed 2.9kg at birth.

George Obinna Emeh

G

eorge Obinna Emeh was born on 30th January 2014 at Randle General Hospital, Surulere, Lagos. He weighed 2.8kg at birth.

His mother, Mrs. Chinonye Emeh, describes the day of his delivery as surprising. According to her, she had gone to work the day before and later went to the hospital since it was her ante-natal day.

A few minutes after she returned from the hospital, she started to notice signs of labour but took it as false labour since she wasn ’t due until another two weeks.

She told Sunday Mirror that she immediately went back to the hospital where she told the nurses who actually were surprised to see her there again in the way she was feeling.

She was taken to the labour ward and admitted so she could be observed by the medics. The pains and aches kept increasing till the early hours of the

morning, precisely 6am when she gave birth to her son.

Concerning the period of pregnancy, Chinonye describes it as challenging since it was her first experience, adding that she felt most uncomfortable from swollen feet and limbs which she experienced from the beginning of the pregnancy till the day of delivery.

According to her, the name ‘George ’ is one she fancies so much it is a saintly name. So she chose the name before birth and it was also the name he was called at baptism. While his father chose the name ‘ ’Obinna ’ ’ which means ‘ ’the heart of God ’ ’ as he was happy and delighted at the wonder of God in their lives.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

What to wear …to a wedding shower AUGUST 23, 2015

ADAE DAEZE EZ AMOS

A

r you getting set to attend a friend ’s wedding re sshower? That is good. This means that you are expected to dress in white attire to the function. e Remember that wedding shower is a party for the R emem bride the wedding proper. And the colour code b ride before b usually is u su ua white.

Take T Ta ak a look at what Alexandra Ailsa, a style icon and beauty expert, wore recently to an event in a Ikeja.

Perfect Cut

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African Look

Mind-blowing African print fabrics

ADAEZE AMOS

I

f you are a fashion designer who wants to create great styles, you should do so using African print or Ankara fabrics.

African print fabrics are versatile for any style you can think of. Thus, if you are looking for affordable fabrics you can use to churn out those styles you have been seeing in your dreams, you would find them in our 100 per cent cotton fabric.

You can see the superb creations on this page. Take a cue from these styles and create yours.

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Semi-nudity

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Perfect Cut

gradually vanishing in fashion circles ADAEZE AMOS

S

emi-n emi-nudity is gradually fading in the fashion world, you may have observed this! Even celebrities who usually dressed revealing vital parts that ought to be covered now step out at events properly covered. Sadly, their fans dress who copy sheepishly followed suit.

This is saying kudos to some fashion crusaders, who fought this battle. Those who were always condemning magazines, seminars, condemni half-nudeness in the name off fashion on TV, newspapers, magazine etc. They include Madam Modesty, Princess who cess Uzzy Ezekwe h runs a beauty bea b auty y centre, a tteacher who is in the business of counselling laagainst dies agains st indangers creams. decent dressing and dange rs of bleaching

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Sunday, August 23, 2015

L Put life into your relationship OVE

TALK

R

with Yemisi

Adeniran

elationships these days are gradually turning into the regular home movies that we watch. Many that claim to be married today are mere co-tenants while those who say they are in some love relationships are plainly deceiving themselves. In short, those who are expected to be lovers are now actors, pretending that all is well, suffering in silence. That should not be the case.

So, if you are in a relationship that ’s in some trouble, it might be useful to ask yourself some relevant questions: What do you each want out of the relationship? Do you still enjoy your life together? Are you ready to sacrifice time and energy to make your relationship work again? Do you still love each other? Your answers should help you pin-point the extent of the problem and whether or not you both have the energy and the will to improve things.

Let ’s look at some common causes of relationship difficulties and ways to tackle them.

Stop the blame game: When things are going badly, couples tend to ask which of them is to blame. This question isn ’t helpful. It ’s better by far for both partners to accept that they share joint responsibility for the relationship and to agree that when they are having problems they should work at them together.

Find time to work on your relationship: In today ’s busy, modern world, you need to find time for each other. This is not easy if you both have hectic careers and become even

more difficult when you have children. But if you have established that you both have a will to make things better, you might find it helpful to look at your joint schedules and find some extra time when you can be together. If you don ’t find time, improvement will be slow or non-existent. But if you can make time to talk and to be together, you may well overcome your difficulties.

Change the way you communicate: Frequently, couples stop making efforts with each other. They may even insult each other or take each other for granted. Suppose the door bell rings. One partner may yell at the other: ‘Get that will you? ’ It doesn ’t take much effort to add the word ‘please ’ or to ask in a different way, such as: ‘Would you mind answering the door? ’ This may sound a small point, but when couples bellow demands at each other, it sounds abrasive and disrespectful. When aggression becomes a habit, it can seriously damage the romance in a relationship. The key thing here is to work at continuing to show each other the respect that you did when you first met.

Make an effort for each other: Lack of respect can also be shown in appearances. It ’s sad that couples often stop making efforts with how they look. A small thing like changing work clothes for something brighter for dinner – and the woman putting on some make-up and the man having a shave – can transform a routine evening into more of an occasion.

Have an evening out: Try to have one evening out per

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week, just the two of you. If you have children this is more difficult to arrange, but, with efforts, it ’s usually not impossible. And when you have this ‘date ’, do avoid talking about your offspring or work.

Socialise as a couple: Another good thing to do is to make sure that you get some friends round on a regular basis, even if it ’s just for a takeaway or supper round the kitchen table.

You ’ll have a good laugh, and if these friends have known you since the beginning of your relationship, it will remind you of happier days and you ’ll feel younger and more carefree.

Pursue a joint hobby: It is common for people to want to exercise or go to an evening class or join a choir – but often this causes friction in the relationship because it ’s clear that as a couple the man and woman don ’t see enough of each other as it is. A solution to this is to take up an interest that both of you can do. So, have a think about table tennis, chess, ludo or some other games. This kind of joint activity often livens up a relationship and can offer stimulus and fun to both parties.

Call in the professionals: If your relationship is in real trouble and none of the above suggestions help significantly, you might want to consider a relationship expert to help you out.

And what about sex?: It is unlikely that a sex life in trouble will improve greatly if work is not put in on the whole relationship. Of course, there are times when both partners may be steamed up and the sex works wonderfully. But apart from these spontaneous and happy times, couples often complain that they don ’t make love as much as they did or that one or both partners have lost the urge. Increasingly we are seeing couples – men as well as women – who have little interest in sex. Fatigue is often the main culprit here. Many people now work such long hours that they feel permanently exhausted. Often a loss of libido can be about resentment or a pervading sense of unhappiness with the relationship itself.

Sexual solutions and love products for adults

H

ello everyone and good day. Today is a continuation of our new product review for adult sexual health. First on the list are two products designed with feminine sexual comfort and enjoyment in mind. It is no secret that the female genitalia does not always lubricate adequately during intercourse. Sometimes this is due to insufficient or absent foreplay and at other times, it can be attributed to medication containing antihistamines. Menopause in older women also causes vaginal dryness.

But whatever the case maybe, a good lubricant can take care of that. This is why the Hydro Play Lubricant is essential. It is a huge, basic water based lubricant that is easy to use and is essentially applied over the genitals before intercourse. The use of Hydro Play Lubricant will eliminate vaginal dryness and sexual pain and ensure that intercourse is both silky and pleasurable. The Hydro Play Lubricant can also be used with adult toys and as such, men can use it too.

The second product for women is the Girlgasm Orgasm Gel. As the name implies, it is designed for women who sometimes experience low sexual arousal, lack of sexual enjoyment and an inability to reach orgasm. If you are going to have sex, let it be good and pleasurable. If possible, let it be mind-blowing. Why drive around in a fancy car without reaching a destination? That is the whole idea of intimacy and the Girlgasm Orgasm Gel goes a long way to ensure this pleasurable intimate experience. Girlgasm Orgasm Gel heightens the probability of a woman reaching orgasm during intercourse and that is the ultimate sexual destination during intercourse. It also serves as a lubricant and can be used with adult toys as well.

Next on the list are supplements for male sexual enhancement. Whether you are a

man suffering from erectile dysfunction (an inability to get a firm erection or total erection loss), someone in need of stamina or one who wants to be able to have more than one round of intercourse when the occasion calls for it, these next supplements will help you achieve your goal. They consist chiefly of all natural ingredients and are more body friendly than the average synthetic aphrodisiac. First on the list is Man Up Now, a very popular male enhancement supplement. Man Up Now is great for sexual arousal and in addition, it handles erectile dysfunction, gives performance energy, multiple sex capability and orgasm intensity. So if your erection is weak or nonexistent and your performance lacks power, Man Up Now will handle that to perfection. It can be used by adult men of all ages and the dosage is one to two capsules every 48 hours. A dose can work for between 36 to 72 hours.

Now body types are different and so are adult sexual needs. That is why we endeavor to have a variety of supplements with varying strengths and capabilities.

The next aphrodisiac up for introduction is top of the range and very powerful. It does everything and it is the Boss Rhino Gold. The Rhino brand of performance enhancers is the Rolls Royce of supplements. It is the outcome of major scientific breakthroughs in pharmaceuticals.

Boss Rhino Gold gives firm erections, revives total erection loss, stops premature ejaculation, intensifies climax, enlarges the penis, increases semen production, boosts stamina and multiple rounds. Wow! You get all of these in one supplement and there is more. One capsule of Boss Rhino Gold can work for up to one week! So you only need one capsule a week.

Last but not the least is a product ranked amongst the three best penis enlargers in the world. I am talking about the Vimax penis enlargement supplement. Vimax is

not a new product. It has been around for products. Adults in need of these treata while and I have always known about it. ments/novelties can call 08171912551 or The challenge however has always been 08027901621 for help or visit www.zeevirsourcing original Vimax supplements tualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivfor good prices. So we have been able to ers all over Nigeria. For enquiries email do that now and with Vimax, not only do us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.comyou get an enlarged penis, but you also Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media. get improved erections and better ejaculatory control to avoid premature ejaculation. So it For strong erections/performance, get Rhino 7, Libigrow or Man Up. basically does e v e r y t h i n g For Penis enlargement get VigRx, Vimax, Extenze or Potent Pump. although it is more of a pe- To maintain erection use Couple ’s Vibrator or Sta Hard Cock Ring. nis enlarger. Stop premature ejaculation with Forever Yours Cream or Gladiator Cream.

As always, we advise us- For painful intercourse use Mood Sensitive Lubricant or Colt Lubricant. ers of penis To reach orgasm, get Nympho ’s Desire Arousal or Encounter Orgasm Gel. enlarg ement supplements to Female libido boosters are G Female Oral Tablets or Kangaroo for her. combine them with penis en- To tighten vagina use Liquid Sex Tightening Cream or Tighten it up V Gel. large exercises Women ’s Vibrators: Hunni Bunny Vibe or Fancy Night Heat Series. which can be achieved with To attract a partner use Optimale Cologne or Sex Aphrodisiac Essence. a penis pump.

Male Masturbators are the Real Skin Latin Pussy or Hustler ’s Choco Pussy.

Vimax is a daily supplement Female strap-ons are the Afro Wooper Strap-On or Limited Edition Strap-On. and results begin to show Male strap-Ons for weak erection: 6 inch, 8 inch or 10 inch Penile Extension. within weeks Educational adult lms are Adam & Eve Sex Positions & Maximising G Spot. of constant use but it takes Feature Films: The One, One Wild & Crazy Night or Young Hollywood months to We also have magazines, lingerie, games, love cushions and condoms. achieve maximum enlarge- To order by phone, call: 08171912551, 08027901621, 08051924159, ment.

And that 07038845262 or easily order at www.zeevirtualmedia.com & pay online. is it for today. Other payment options include bank deposits, internet transfers, phone Next week, we will dis- Transfer or cash on delivery. We deliver discreetly all over Nigeria! cuss more new

ZEE VIRTUAL MEDIA LOVE AND SEX PRODUCTS

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Sunday, August 23, 2015

Pregnancy Talk

Naughtiest Thing

with

The naughtiest thing I ’ve ever done

Adaeze Amos

Bukky Raji

߾ࠆ߾ࠀࠁ߾߿ࠀࠀࠇࠁ ߶ࠡࠛࠡ ࠝࠜࠚࠧ߷

Looking grand while pregnant

‘I stole my granny ’s wine and got drunk ’

P

regnancy is no punishment. It is not a period of sober reflection or time to look as if you are mourning. It is of course the time you should radiate and show your gratitude to God for preparing you to be a mother. Therefore, being pregnant doesn ’t mean giving up on your personal style.

There are so many maternity options now that can flatter your beautiful shape with ease – whether you ’re carrying high or low or are small or big all over.

If your body changes are stumping you, here are some inspirations. These casual chic looks keep you feeling gorgeous all the way through the third trimester.

There are actually some pregnant mums you would see and you wish to be pregnant those who rock their bumps as if tomorrow would not come. You can join them, it ’s no big deal.

Wonder how to go about that!

Take a good look at yourself from head to toe, discover where you are lagging behind in taking good care of yourself. If you are known for looking good before you became pregnant, don ’t hide under pregnancy and look shabby.

Hair Pregnancy doesn ’t stop you from taking good care of your hair. Don ’t allow it look unkempt. Some pregnant mums have lost their hubbies to girlfriends and mistresses just because they can ’t stand unkempt and smelly hair. You may not sit under the hair dryers because of your condition but nothing stops you from either braiding or weaving it psychedelically.

Your style The style of your dress is important. Don ’t slip into maternity dresses

that would always swallow you. That ’s a no-no!

Opt for something that can help you rock your bump. Some women gain just in the belly, but many discover that baby weight distributes all over. You ’re not alone if you ’re swelling everywhere from your limbs to your face.

But whether you ’re tall, fat or just feeling bigger than you usually are, don ’t let trying on clothes become a battle. Soft fabrics and longer lines are the best ways to help you feel great while still accentuating your beautiful

bump.

Start with a soft knit dress and a hemline that hits around the knee.

A touch of formfitting fabric emphasises your baby bump, but lets you move around freely.

Cover with a long sweater that nearly matches the length of the dress to keep the shape long and lean.

Complete the casual-cool look with tonal slip-ons.

A leg up Leggings are every pregnant woman ’s best friend, giving maximum comfort as your belly continues to grow. Dress up in classic black with a long tunic: The dark bottoms elongate your legs, while the flowing top is breezy and stylish. A little embroidery or beading adds

I interest, and a pair of cool clogs and a pretty cuff pull it together.

High (waist) style Select a high-waist skirt in a comfy material. Skip standard black and get playful with a lighter hue like gray or even a pattern. Tuck in a tight tank in a complementary (but different) colour, so the outfit is visibly broken up.

Throw on a breezy cardigan, espadrilles, and a statement necklace.

remember when I was growing up, a minor as I was only seven years old, my siblings and I usually travelled to my mummy ’s village for the Ileya festival because my grandmother was a Muslim. Before we travelled, my mum would buy a bottle of Bacchus tonic wine for her mother as a gift.

That was the old woman ’s favourite drink.

We would bring the wine to her well packaged. She would accept it from us very happily, thanking and blessing my mummy.

But my sisters and I usually did something dishonest because we were free with her. We would sneak into her bedroom, to her cupboard where she kept her wine. Her room was always open, so we would tip-toe and have some sips because the wine was sweet. We knew that if we begged her, she wouldn ’t have given us. She would buy us soft drinks

rather on the grounds that the wine wasn ’t meant for children.

While stealing the wine, we didn ’t even use cup, we gulped it from the bottle.

And because we drank a lot, we started being tipsy and behaved intoxicated.

My mother was alarmed when she saw us acting the way we did. She was wondering what had happened to us. Soon, we started sleeping one after the other like drunken babies that we were.

We continued stealing granny ’s wine until my mother caught one of my sisters right in the act. And she was punished. Thus, the wine was removed and hidden from us.

•Raji Adebukonla aka Bukky Raji is an actress of the Yoruba movie genre. She studied Mass Communication at Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State.

–ADAEZE AMOS

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Sunday, August 23, 2015

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Fried Bulgur Wheat

Sweet Vermouth wine

W

B

ulgur makes a healthy and quick addition to any meal because it is made up of wheat; it is specially prepared to decrease cooking time. A good source of fiber, protein, iron and vitamin B-6, and reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.

Fried Bulgur wheat is a lower calorie alternative to rice. It can also be enjoyed as a breakfast cereal because it is simple and tastes very much like fried rice.

Ingredients 2 cups bulgur wheat 1 can coconut milk 1 ½ cups shrimps 4 chicken drumsticks (bones removed and cut) 4 tablespoons vegetable oil 2seasoning cubes 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon thyme powder 1 teaspoon white pepper 2 cups mixed vegetables (Carrot, peas, cabbage, sweet corn) 1 green pepper (Tatashe) – Chopped

Directions Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Set aside Chicken Place a large pot (with a good fitting lid) on medium heat; add 1 part each of oil, curry, thyme, 1 seasoning cube, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir.

Add in coconut milk & 1 cup water.

Cover the pot, increase heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to medium and add in the bulgur and stir. Cover the pot tightly and leave the rice to cook for 15 minutes.

Set aside to cool Bulgur Place another large pot on medium heat, add in the left over oil and heat slightly. Add in chicken and cook on all sides (about 5 minutes). Add all left over ingredients and cook for 2 minutes.

Add in the precooked bulgur wheat, stir to combine. Taste and adjust for seasoning as needed.

Serve with vegetables and plantain

hile there are several types of vermouth to choose from, a popular choice is sweet vermouth.

Thought of most often to be a product of Italy, sweet vermouth is often red in color, although some brands will be white.

As the name suggests, the fortified spiced wine has a sweet flavor, which is probably derived from the upwards of 15% percent sugar that it contains. Sweet vermouth is usually anywhere from 30 to 32 proof, which is between 15 and 16 percent alcohol.

This type of vermouth is most often used in sweeter tasting cocktails, like a Manhattan.

But, many enjoy it straight up or as an aperitif.

The secret to a better tasting sweet vermouth is to serve it after it has been well chilled.

As is true when it comes to its dry counterpart, sweet vermouth is offered under several different brand names, making it difficult to figure out just which one is right for you and your palette. You’ll just have to try them all to find your favorite.

Cinzano Bianco is known for being delicate, fragrant, and also full-bodied. This brand’s sweet vermouth can be used as an ingredient in your favorite cocktail or as an aperitif. However, it is recommended that, when serving or consuming this sweet vermouth, the aromatized wine should be well chilled beforehand.

Another type of sweet vermouth offered by the same brand is the simply named Cinzano Sweet Vermouth. This type of aromatized wine is amber-red in color. It’s full, rich bouquet is attributed to the select blend of spices and herbs used to infuse the liquid. This sweet vermouth does offer a bitter aftertaste, but is delicate enough to make a wonderful addition to the classic cocktail recipe. You don’t have to mix this type of sweet vermouth with other ingredients to enjoy its flavor. Cinzano Sweet Vermouth is fabulous served with a splash of soda and the optional lemon peel or straight up.

Martini & Rossi is a brand known for its dry vermouth, as well as the following two sweet vermouth varieties.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

DO YOU KNOW?

Y

37

RIDDLES

That Fish live in the water?

ou must have seen how fast and brisk fish are in water. In order to swim, a fish does not need to make any movement other than to wag its tail

Growing Up

Sunday, August 23, 2015

from side to side. This ease of movement that fish have in water is thanks to their flexible backbones as well as some systems in their bodies.

WHO INVENTED WHAT? Parachute was devised by Leonardo da Vinci

A

parachute is a device for slowing down one ’s descent while falling to the ground. Parachutes are used to skydive from airplanes, to jump from very high places, and to help slow down the descent of spacecraft. Parachutes are also used to slow down some race cars and fighting jets. The early parachutes were made from canvas (a strong cotton cloth). Light-weight (but very strong) silk cloth was then introduced for parachutes. Modernday parachutes use nylon fabric.

The idea of using a parachute to fall gently to the ground was written about by Leonardo da Vinci. The first parachute was demonstrated by Louis-Sébastien Lenormand in 1783 in France - he jumped from a very tall tree carrying two parasols (umbrellas). A few years later, some adventurous people jumped from hot-air balloons using primitive parachutes.

FAIRY PUZZLE

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: 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 QUESTION: Take away my first letter, and I still sound the same.

Take away my last letter, I still sound the same. Even take away my letter in the middle, I will still sound the same. I am a five letter word.

What am I? ANSWER: EMPTY

JOKE

The Boss

One day a man goes to a pet shop to buy a parrot. The assistant takes the man to the parrot section and asks the man to choose one. The man asks, ‘ ’How much is the yellow one? ’ ’ The assistant says, 20000naira. ’ ’ The man was shocked and asks the assistant why it was so expensive. The assistant explains, ‘ ’This parrot is a very special one. He knows typewriting and can type really fast. ’ ’ ‘ ’What about the green one? ’ ’ the man asks.

The assistant says, ‘ ’He costs 50000 because he knows typewriting and can answer incoming telephone calls and takes notes. ’ ’ ‘ ’What about the red one? ’ ’ the man asks.

The assistant says, ‘ ’That one ’s 100,000. ’ ’ The man says, ‘ ’What does HE do? ’ ’ The assistant says, ‘ ’I don ’t know, but the other two call him boss. ’ ’

GAMES Knight mare Tower

K

night mare Tower is a skill game in which you play the role of a knight that is defending the king tower at all costs. The king sends you a letter to notifies you that his ten daughters was kidnapped by the dark king and you have to bring them back whole and unharmed. Put on your knight armor and climb the rocket that will climb up on top of the tower and the on the parks of the trip to the top of the tower you must save the princess and once you reached the top try to defeat the Dark King. Fight with many strange creatures and sliced them with the sword and remember that for each creature destroyed get extra points with that you can do many upgrades like speed is growing up. Have fun with the game Knight Mare tower

TONGUE TWISTER

WORDS ON MARBLE Building a team organization requires leaders to be knowledgeable as well as inspiring. They should understand the nature of productive teamwork and feel a passion for creating it.

–Dean Tjosvold

I thought a thought.

But the thought I thought wasn ’t the thought I thought I thought.

If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn ’t have thought so much

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Movies & Music

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

L-R: Olamide, Liz and Phyno

Olamide, Eva, Phyno unveiled as Made of Black Ambassadors

I

n its continued commitment to celebrate young Nigerians for who they are, represent what they want and give them a voice, Guinness is moving to the next step of the ‘Made of Black campaign’.

The company believes that Olamide, Phyno and Eva have made a positive impact to the #madeofblack movement and wants to make them an even more pivotal part of the next phase.

“Hence we are excited to be celebrating them,” Portfolio Marketing Manager, Ms. Liz Ashdown, disclosed this to Sunday Mirror recently.

The event, which held at Rhapsody, was an evening to celebrate Olamdie, Phyno and Eva, and showcase a cross section of real people that embody the spirit of being truly #madeofblack. The e\ vent included bold artistic performances including a skateboard and freestyle dance Performance from the DNMT dance group and personalised graffiti portraits for the brand ambassadors by Osa7.

There were also different Guinness serves throughout the day showing that there are more ways to drink black and show you are made of black. Are you part of the #drinkblackmovement?

(Use Olamide and Phyno pic Speaking at the media event to celebrate the event, Ashdown said, “Made of Black is more than an ad campaign, it is a movement. It’s about the people making bold choices, those who ask ‘why not... those doing things their way and carving out a path for themselves.”

Explaining the next steps of the campaign, Ashdown said, “This year we turn the camera around and focus on the real made of black heroes in all walks of life across Nigeria starting today with our very own brand ambassadors. We showed Nigeria made of black and now we will make you part of it by taking #madeofblack to the street and to the bars.

“Phyno is #madeofblack, because he dared to be different, standing up to pursue what he believed in; his dream and not wavering till he got it. Phyno went where many could not succeed and has made immense impact in the music entertainment industry.

“Eva believes that women can achieve anything they set their minds to and she has demonstrated this by treading a path previously believed to be reserved for men. Eva is driven by her passion to be heard. She dared to challenge the norm, and she is truly #madeofblack”.

“Olamide is a bona-fide game

changer. This he has demonstrated not only in his style of music but in the utter dexterity with which he delivers his lines and the passion with which he pursues his career. You can see and feel the raw energy when he does what he is passionate about and it is that passion we celebrate today.

Olamide is definitely #madeofblack”.

Pat Akpabio drops new album

P

rincess ‘Pat Akpabio’ is a Nigerian-American gospel singer, songwriter, producer and actress. She is the founder and CEO of La’Khush records.

A phenomenal gospel artiste with a sultry anointed voice and inspiring lyrics, whose stage presence electrifies fans internationally, she is taking gospel music to new heights.

Her new single, ‘I want to Know you more’ produced

by Supersonic Blaze is a fast tempo, rich blend of bold vocals, inspiring lyrics and afrobeat rhythm which could be dubbed a praise and worship banger that will surely make you dance to the glory of God. She said: “ ’I want to know you more’ was written in one of the most trying times of my life. I longed for God; He showed up, I came out victorious asking to know Him more in deeper revelation because I acknowledge His greatness and all the bountiful blessings in my life.”

Set to bring a new style of

gospel music to the streets, Pat Akpabio has proved she can blend contemporary secular music with traditional gospel and arrive at a unique music style. “’I want to know you more’ is the first single in anticipation of her forthcoming album ‘Unstoppable’ which is loaded with music of diverse sounds and evangelistic messages.

She has received several honours and notable recognitions that can attest to her talents. She is the ‘first’ and only Nigerian gospel artiste to be inducted and named as a voting member of the Grammy’s Recording Academy, she is the ‘first’ Nigerian gospel artist to receive The National Excellence Award, ‘first’ to have a Hall of Fame named in her honor in Liberia in 2009.

She is an Ambassador to the United Nations (POLAC) Peace Initiative and has been nominated as the Nigerian Gospel Musician of the Year in 2010 by the Nigerian Gospel Award.

Pat Akpabio

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Movies & Music

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Jesse Jagz releases album in September

Pope Henry

Bivire

Mr. and Miss Nigeria pageant holds in Lagos

I

f you guessed that a Choc Boi Nation artiste will drop an album soon, then you presumed right as Jesse Jagz would be joining the ranks of artistes who are releasing albums this year.

Jagz revealed this during an exclusive chat, just before his performance at the 6th leg of Star Music Trek 2015, which held on August 15 at Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.

“For now, I got an album on my agenda. The album entitled ‘Return of the Gods’ will drop in September. That’s going to be taking up a greater part of my time, and right now, it’s what I’m focused on.”

T

Jesse Jagz

D’lectura takes comedy to Magodo

E

mmanuel Adigwe, popularly known as D’lectura and also the front man of D’lec Enter10ment, is set to storm Magodo GRA Phase 2 for the fourth edition of his pioneer comedy/music show Lafta 101 with D’Lectura.

The show tagged, ‘An Introduction to Lafta’ and which also is the first comedy event in the history of Magodo GRA Phase 2, is organised in conjunction

39

with Ziggies Entertainment Place, an upscale hotel, resorts and event centre.

A-list comedians such as Gordons, De Don, Lekpacious Bose, Elenu, Alincology, Omini, Mr. Patrick, Baba De Baba, Laff Doctor, Eteye, Parrot, Mc Bobo Shakira and a host of others, are set to dazzle with rib-cracking and unadulterated jokes.

Meanwhile, top musicians such as African China, Kola

Soul, Kesh Ofuobi, Regy T, Jeffrey Brown, Young Icon and Asiwaju will be performing live on Sunday, September 6 at the Banquet Hall, Zigg i e s Entertainment Place.

tant, which I will not open up for now, to choose the winner. Moreover, the winner will go home with a brand new car, and will represent Nigeria internationally, including receiving a lot of modelling jobs and endorsements.”

He noted that an award will also be going to the former face of Lux, Patty Boulaye, an international star who represents Nigeria in the Diaspora.

He also promised the audience a “show they will enjoy like never before.”

Some of the artistes billed to perform are MC Galaxy, Illbliss, Evaezi, Akay (Fame 2014 Winner), Ronnie, and many more. Also there will b a special guest performance by HipHop legend/ Entepreneur Elajoe The brand is supported by these companies and individuals: Africa World Airlines, Brendance and Crusader Ltd, Souirezz, NTA, Nigezie, BEN TV UK, Dark Cypha Entertainment, MrsHustle. com, Prime TV, AMC TV, Wazobia TV, Cool TV, Bella Naija, Deebee Beauty Klinic, Spice TV, Hitz TV, Philadephia, Das Imagery, Ben Dazzled Event Management Service, Citilodge Hotel and many more.

Stella makes debut with God’s Favour

Broadway show set for Nigerian stage

F

oremost music production company, Notes Inc. Meedia, has concluded preparations to organise a neverrseen-before Broadway with the theme ‘Stage Show’,, right here in Lagos.

Tagged Magic of the Musicals, the event will showcase a breathtaking collage of popular scenes from well-known Broadway musical hits of all time, featuring some of Nigeria’s biggest celebrities in leading roles.

Speaking on the forthcoming event, Managing Director, Notes Inc. Media, Damola Adewole, stated that the event would be Nigeria’s biggest Broadway themed stage production till date He said: “What we are about to showcase to Nigeria is a grand theatre musical that will reflect the heart-warming development in Nigerian theatre. It will be a unique show because e we will be fusing the best of Broadway musicals with the best of Nigerian talents from our entertainment industry, as well as popular ular figures from different walks of life. It promises to be an exciting g time for the audience because they will have the unique opportunity to witness the Broadway experience told by our very own, right here in our country.”

Magic of the Musicals will be holding over the course of three e days from September 29 to October 1, giving Nigerians a unique opportuportunity to celebrate Independence Day in a unique way at the show w and the bazaar that will be set up during the event, featuring top Nigerian gerian brands. “We don’t want to give too much away, so we won’t be disclosisclosing any names now but we have confirmed that big names will ll perform in the Magic of The Musicals,” Adewole confirmed. “So it promises to be a truly unique independence celebration for the country ry.”

he revolutionary and content-packed Mr. and Miss Nigeria International pageant is set to rock Lagos on October 4.

About 40 male and female finalists have already been drafted to the competition proper.

Social media voting for the ‘Miss Popularity’ award begins in earnest on Instagram and Facebook platforms.

The, award-winning brand also intends to bestow the National Recognition Award to individuals and corporate bodies that have impacted our society positively. They include Elajoe Nwosu, Bryan Okawara, Ifeoma Williams, Mrs Ekanem, MC Galaxy, Chacha Fanni, Mimi Yanni, Olayinka Segelu, Zizi Cardow, African World Airlines, Olayinka Segun Demeji, 2face Idibia, Weird MC among others. organiser, Nsikak, According to the org this year’s edition of Mr and Mrs Nigeria will take a new shape and unfold hitherto unseen developments in the pageant industry.

“All the contestants will be chosen based on their intelligence, intelligenc skills, beauty etc. The judges will be looking out for something unique in each eac of the contes-

S

D’lectura

ister Stella C h i o m a Orji last week hit the muw sic market with an 8-tracker audio CD album.

Chioma as she’s fondly called by her fans is an Enugu Stateborn bo gospel artiste.

She started singing praise songs son in churches.

Her work entitled, ‘God’s Favour’ is billed for international music market.

According to Chioma, Accor during her maiden introduction at Bariga, troducti Lagos-based church, The Lagos-ba Good Shep Shepherd Deliverance Ministries under Pastor Obi Favour ban bankrolled her CD

album.

She added that this work is to enlighten the world Christendom with song ministrations as she’s set to accomplish the purpose of God in her life. The album includes,Ebube, Aka (Use Stella pic) Chukwu Diya, Ebeniza, Jesus is Able, Anonoam Dum, Come and Answer, No One beside you, You are not a man that can lie.

Stella

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Lessons of Life TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART

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

‘My uncle ’s barren wife cursed me, I ’m afraid it ’s affecting me ’ (2) This is the concluding part of Cha-cha ’s story started last week.

When she was in Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, studying Computer Science, she was living with her uncle and his wife Nkechi. The dark-skinned Nkechi couldn ’t conceive and Chacha called her all sorts of unprintable names ranging from barren to wicked even to witch. And each time she descended on the woman tonguelashing her with all her vigour, she would break down in tears.

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My name is Dennis, 25 years old. I live in Abuja and I ’m working. I need a lady of 20-23 for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage -09030465717.

My name is Ken and I ’m mature, gentle, romantic and understanding. I ’m a graduate. I want a sexy, loving, caring sugar mummy for a serious relationship -09037415634.

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“

Cha-cha you talk to me in this manner? Remember you are a woman. You don ’t know how I feel due to my predicament, the midnight tears I shed and fears that your uncle would throw me out of his house one day. Yet you are there calling me names right in my presence. I pray that your womb too would also be locked up. Never would you miss your flow for once when you are married so that you would know how it feels, ” she retorted.

When Cha-cha heard her raining curses on her, she laughed. “I was not apologetic at all, I left her and walked into my room and while I was there, I was hearing her footsteps in her room upstairs. She was hitting her legs hard on the ground so many times. I had to tip-toe upstairs to listen to her and I heard her crying bitterly even as she cursed me. That was when I became scared and knocked on her door.

When she opened her door, I saw her naked and I was shocked. She walked to where I was standing at the threshold of her door and started cleaning her tears on my body using her hands. As she did that, she cursed me that so would another woman mock me for not conceiving because I would surely be in the same boat with her and know how it feels. While she was doing that, I suddenly became angry and pushed her hands off me and walked away.

That was the last encounter I had with her until she packed out of my uncle ’s house after eight years of barreness. What happened was that the house became hot for her. My uncle too wasn ’t helping matters.

He saw her inability to conceive as her personal problem especially after going for medical test as my auntie insisted and was told he was alright and fit to make his wife pregnant, ” she said.

One evening when Cha-cha came back from school, “I saw that she

In need of a serious relationship/marriage My name is Gabriel, 43. I need a Yoruba lady that is ready to settle down as a wife. She has to be between 30 and 35 -08151011938.

I ’m Alex, 29 years old, and I live in Abuja. I ’m fair in complexion. I want a sugar mummy between 38 years and above for a relationship -08061500561.

My name is Dada; I ’m 49 years old, 6.2ft tall and light in complexion. I ’m a single father and businessman. I need a mature, God-fearing and openminded lady for marriage, preferably a medical doctor or lawyer, between 25 and 40 years old -08039533557.

I ’m Ade, 35, from Ondo State. I need a mature lady. She has to be beautiful and ready for a real relationship that would lead to marriage. She has to be between 25 and 30 years old -08031566833.

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!

A model

had packed her things ready to vacate my uncle ’s apartment, her matrimonial home. And from what she was saying while she cried bitterly I was able to know why she was leaving. She said another lady was pregnant for my uncle and that he was getting ready to bring the lady in and that she wasn ’t strong enough to withstand the sight of her husband with another woman.

That was when I pitied her. That was my first time I actually had pity on her. I tried stopping her she refused and said that I should be happier now because a woman whose womb was not locked up was ready to move in. That was how Auntie Nkechi left my uncle and I didn ’t see her again until I got married, ” she said.

When Cha-cha got married, she invited her uncle who gave her out in marriage because then her father had died. “I did my wedding and moved into my husband ’s house as his wife. All was well, my husband brought in his sisters to live with us. About four of them. He was the only male child of his mother and was the very first. So, when he got married, all of them came to live with us in Lagos. They were respectful and I had no problem with

them. The only problem I started having was inability to conceive.

The three years I lived with my husband, there was nothing to show for it. Though nobody bothered me about it, but I was really bothered within myself. On the fifth year of my wedding anniversary and there was no conception, I became deeply worried. Started having midnight tears and that was when I remembered my uncle ’s ex-wife Nkechi.

I had a flash back of what I did to her, how I insulted her, made her cry ceaselessly, called her names, I broke down too. I was alone in my room crying one evening when I came back from work. While I was crying, my husband ’s immediate younger sister tapped on my door to see if all was well, ” she said.

When Cha-cha opened her door, she saw Florence her sister -in – law, looking worried and wondered why she was crying. When she told them that she was just coming from the naming ceremony of her colleague ’s baby, a lady that was just married barely a year ago. That was when she had a shocker from her. “Oh that one? If that is why you are crying, you need to cry the more Auntie Cha-cha, because I never knew that a beautiful lady

like you, with this kind of huge boobs would find conception difficult. I used to think that women with big breasts do get pregnant once they are touched, ” she said, laughing.

While she was laughing, Cha-cha couldn ’t believe her ears. She was dumpfounded. Florence called out to her three sisters who joined her and made jest of her. “The way my sistersin-law started treating me in that house really showed me that curses are strong and can be effective. They are now the ones that cook for my husband and that one doesn ’t see anything wrong with that. He would even give them feeding allowance and when I complain, he would just remind me to go think of how to get pregnant because time was running out of me. I live like a stranger in my husband ’s house. He prefers to sit and tell stories with his younger sisters and their numerous friends who used to come visiting. My fear is that with the way he gets closer to his younger sister ’s female friends, one may get pregnant for him

one of these days. This is my worst fears now.

“I ’m really sorry for what I did to Auntie Nkechi. I have now learnt my lessons in a bitter way. I have been searching for her to apologise on my knees but I learnt she even left the country. But in case she comes across this story let her know that I ’m deeply sorry for what I did to her. I want her to please know that it is me Charity Ofoegbu fondly known as Cha-cha who was living with her and her husband my uncle. Auntie Nkechi find a space in your heart to forgive me. You told me that it was better I go through what you went through and that was the only way I would know how painful bareness is. I ’m going through it now Auntie, you are right. It is bitter to be barren and live in the midst of sister-in-laws who are making matters worst, ” she said, in an emotion laden voice.

Readers, what else do you think Cha-cha should do to be free from her guilt.

Do you think what is happening to her is the result of the curses her uncle ’s wife heaped on her?

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From the Pulpit

Sunday August 23, 2015

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Don’t bewitch yourself through disobedience, warns Prophet Oloruntimilehin A t times when a person wants to hit good luck, the physical problem of that person would delay him or her. The problem is not from family. I have mentioned severally that people should not always attribute their problems to their families. In any person’s problem, family accounts for 2 percent (1% each for father’s side and mother’s side), 8% is from friends and principalities of the world.

Some people are created and have the nature to always perpetrate evil by being destructive and they do not see anything good in other people being successful or progressing in life. All their concern is to destroy and cause downfall of people. It is their nature and not a sin to them.

These people account for 8% while the individual accounts for 90% of his or her problems. For instance, the day the person was to be obedient and was not; when he or she was not supposed to eat and drink much but he or she did and several other acts or behaviour that led to the person’s problem.

Imagine a man known to me; six years ago, he was not taking alcohol, not womanizing, always behaving in a Godly manner.

He loved his wife dearly and the wife loved him too. Some time ago, he fell sick and was brought to me because he believed God could heal him through me. I felt he was not supposed to be sick seriously because his life style was modest and Godly. He was so generous to me and i decided to take care of him but the sickness was persisting.

On a particular day, I decided to pray for him to get well. The spirit of God told me to ask him what he did in the past. In fact, God did not reveal to me his past deed. At times, God would not reveal anything about an individual but when something is so tight, he would firstly reveal it to His prophets. The Bible says in Amos 3 verse 7, “Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servant the prophets”.

General Overseer of Omnipotence Mission of God, Prophet Joshua Daramola Oloruntimilehin, in this admonition, warns people on the dangers posed by their actions.Excerpts:

She thought God or the principalities of When the man understood my question this world were responsible for her predicaabout his past, immediately he recalled all ment. Some people who are ignorant of her his past deeds. In fact, he was one time a self-inflicted problem would be sympathetic heavy drunkard to the extent that he was with her. Also, imagine a person that utters uncontrollable, falling into gutter, a serious 200 words and 199 out of the words are lies. womanizer. He had three wives and they The same person now goes about looking for had children for him. He was a drug addict contracts. He will not get any because people and marijuana smoker. A lot of his wives’ who are awarding the contracts will also tell friends were his concubines. He divorced the person lies. all his wives when he became a born-again A lot of people bewitch themselves person and married his present wife. It is through disobedience. For inmy fervent prayer that people should not stance, a man bewitch tch themselves in the name Jesus, Amen. n. People were being sympathetic to him without knowing the atrocities he had committed mitted in the past. His sickness was the fruit ruit he was reaping from the atrocities he sowed wed in the past.

The he Bible tells us in Luke 6 verse 44, “For every tree is known by its own fruit.

For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush”. ”. Brethren, the point is that the consequence ence of the man’s past deeds was the sickness ness that befell him. The man had destroyed ed 90 percent of the glory in his life through ugh his past deeds.

Similarly milarly, a pretty woman recently confessed d to me that she had terminated 16 pregnancies. nancies. Luckily, she got a good man as a husband and has been seeking ing for the fruit of the womb for the six years. She had created the problem lem for herself elf i.e.

90% of her Prophet Oloruntimilehin problem. lem.

‘Reason for suffering lack’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 LORD thy God giveth thee. 9. The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways. 10.

And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee. 11. And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee 12. The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow. 13. And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them”.

The above verses are self explanatory.

As we do the word of God, all these blessings shall be before us and overtake us, everything we put our hands shall be blessed.

If you want to be blessed, if you want to

be free from poverty, lack, suffering, etc, you must obey the totality of the word of God. You should endeavour to read and study the word of God. Do not say you don’t know it, or you do not know what the word of God says concerning what you are supposed to do. You should seek and read the word of God, listen to the teachings in order to know what God says about anything and prepare to do it.

Isaiah 34: 16-17 says: “Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them 17. And he hath cast the lot for them, and his hand hath divided it unto them by line: they shall possess it for ever, from generation to generation shall they dwell therein.”

The passage says, ‘seek ye out’ that is you must seek after it. Do not say you don’t know the word of God or you don’t know where to find it. The injunction here is that you should look for it, read it because whatever that God says must surely come to pass whether you know about it or not.

If you seek and obey the word of God on every matter, I am assuring you God will bless you in every area of your life in Jesus name.

1Chron. 28: 8 says: “Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of

the LORD, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the LORD your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you for ever”.

It says ‘keep and seek’ for all the commandment of God. Never you say you don’t know where to find it. The Bible says ‘look for it’ ‘search for it’ and read it for therein lies your blessing. Beloved, let us make sure we seek, read and obey the word of God so that it shall be well with us because it is only God that can crown our efforts or give increase to every labour we engage ourselves. If God did not give us increase, no matter how we laboured, we will not be blessed. So, if God is the one to give you increase, you must know what His will is and what He says concerning what you are doing so as to attract reward of your labour.

1Cor. 3: 5-7 says: “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase”.

I want to let you know that God is the one that increases our labour and because of that we must obey Him, do His will and as we labour and sow, God will increase us in abundance in Jesus name.

came to me and the spirit of God revealed that he was seen in handcuff. Later, he told me that he was contemplating to undertake drug-trafficking business to Europe and informed me that this was to be the last time he would do such thing. In fact, I warned him seriously but he disobeyed the voice of God and His prophet and met his waterloo.

Recently, he called me from prison in Europe lamenting and begging for forgiveness of sin. Who is to be blamed for his problem? It is the disobedient person. Some mothers always complain that their children are not doing well, not knowing they are the cause(s) of their children not doing well. They are into extra-marital affairs and they keep concubines. They are spiritually destroying the foundation of their children which is a part of reproductive organ of a woman by allowing different kinds of semen to get into this part of the body. Some of these concubines are having bad luck or already bewitched. Invariably, the children cannot make it. Therefore, there is no married woman that lives this way that the children make it in life. There are a lot of self-inflicted problems that require people concerned to reflect on the evils or ungodly things they have done so that they can start begging and appealing to God to. After reflection, commune with God to reform your life so that you can start experiencing better and pleasant life.

•For more enquiries call: 08023020108, 08058110288; facebook.com/pastoroloruntimilehin

Psalms 75: 6-7 says: “For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. 7. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another”.

I want you to understand that God is the one that promotes and crowns our efforts.

And because of that we must ensure we know His will, obey His word and commandment and as we do, we shall be free from lack, suffering and diseases in Jesus name.

So as a result of lack of knowledge of what the will of God is, many people are suffering, many people are being destroyed and that is why we must make sure we know and do it.

Hos. 4: 6 says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children”.

If you do not know what you are supposed to do and go ahead to do contrary thing, lack and destruction will become your portion.

When you say you do not know the word of God and thus will not do it, the Lord will not exonerate you from the punishment, His word must come to pass regardless of what you think or know. But if you go seeking what the Lord says in a particular thing and do it, He will bless you in Jesus name.

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From the Pulpit Learn with Kunle

Macaulay

M

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

any people seek spiritual power for many reasons. All religions teach about spiritual power that comes from a supernatural being always refer to as God. Christianity is about the teaching of the revelation of God, the creator of heaven and earth.

The study of the Bible is about what God revealed through history, events and people. While the knowledge of the Bible is very important to human life; the application of the Word helps to convince the world that God is real.

Christianity talks about God who created the world and everything in it, Jesus Christ who died on the Cross for the sin of man and Holy Spirit who directs the affairs of the life of every believer of Jesus Christ.

There is no doubt that Christians have spiritual power given to them by Jesus Christ.

The Bible said that Jesus told his disciples, “But you will receive power when Holy Spirit comes on you… Acts 1:8 and he also said, “All authority (power) in heaven and on earth has been given to me” Matt. 28:16.

The Bible confirms that Jesus “gave them (the disciples) authority (power) to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness” Matt. 10:1. It is believed that all followers of Jesus Christ from the first century church up till today have spiritual power.

It is true that there is spiritual power that is beyond the physical realm of man and many seek this power whenever they cannot help themselves. Jesus came to show us the way to God and he calls himself “the way and the truth and the life”.

Desti Destiny Hour with Pastor Femi

Lanre-Oke

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ast week, we started the series on faithfulness and dwelt on the faithfulness of God. This week, we are considering our faithfulness, dedication and commitment unto God. From our definition last week, we saw that faithfulness is adhering firmly and devotedly to a person, cause or idea.

One of the fruits of the spirit is faithfulness, therefore, as children of God it should be our lifestyle to be faithful.Firstly, to the one who first loved us, and secondly to things committed to our trust.

Dwelling on God’s love for us should increase our faithfulness to Him. Romans 8: 32 records thatGod did not spare Jesus, but delivered Him up for us. This love should endear us to loving Him back through our faithfulness to Him. God longs for fellowship with man, He longs to commune with us but we often get too busy to be devoted to Him. Nothing in this world should take priority over our faithfulness to God. It is God’s desire that we are faithful (de-

Sunday August 23, 2015

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The use of spiritual power This is a mystery that can only be understood and used by Christians. Jesus said, „ If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” Jn. 8:31-32. Christians are connected to heavenly power through the Holy Spirit that dwells in them. The Bible said that He (the Holy Spirit) will teach them all things. The power of God in Christians is to “uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and plant”. Jeremiah1:10, this is why the first century Christians were too hot for human government of their time and Satan to subdue them. They preached the word from Jerusalem and never stopped until they got to Africa. Some of them suffered while some died for the cause they believed but the Nigerian Christians saw the power as a means of making money, buying jets and living a life that does not please God. Jesus said, “…the son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” Lk. 19:10.

The Bible said when the time had fully come, God sent his son…. to redeem… “Gal 4:4. The power in Jesus was used to destroy the forces of Satan and set man free. The Bible confirmed, “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them”. Acts 19:11-12. I have never read in any of the Bible books that the disciples sold any materials before praying or healing the sick. Our modern leaders sell anointing oil to business men and women for prosperity while “mantles” handkerchiefs are sold at a fee at revivals and church services for protection and human favour. People go to church today to enjoy music by the highly skilled musicians, enjoy the entertainment

of the pastor who has turned himself to a comedian or to buy some spiritual materials to improve their lives.

Jesus said, “ I have given you authority (power) to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy…” Lk 10:19 . He also said “…they will place their hands on sick people and they will get well” Mk 16:18. In the book of Matthew, Jesus said, “As you go, preach this message, “The Kingdom of heaven is near, Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleans those who have leprosy, drive out demons” and he warned them “Freely you have received, freely give”, Matt 10:7 – 8. It is true that science and technology have brought civilization and development but realistically and spiritually civilization can only change the method of preaching, it cannot and must not change the “message”. But today we all know that the message of the kingdom has been changed by some Christian leaders to please the modern world.

Spiritual power exists today in many forms and places but I want to concentrate on the one from God the creator of heaven and earth who gave us his Son that whoever believes him will never die but live forever.

Jesus said, “ I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me, will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these….” Jn. 14:12. We have been deceived enough by some modern Christian leaders whom preach out of contexts and who interpret the Bible wrongly to confuse Christians. Some claim that they have special favour and power from God. God has no favourite children he loves all equally and uses people as they allow themselves to be used. All Christians have the “Spirit” of Christ in them and they are controlled by the Holy Spirit. God is ready to use their brains, mouth, eyes, hearts and legs if they are ready to release them.

There are many poor people on our roads and neighbourhood that we can bless out of what we have. There are many sick people that we can remember them in our prayers.

In Nigeria, the cry of the poor and the needy is loud enough that we cannot deny this, even in mega- churches with large congregations there are poor people, jobless youths, the sick and old people and still many pastors are not sensitive to the cry of these people.

Every Christian is an instrument of the living God . Every Christian is expected to study the Bible regularly, pray without ceasing and listen to his heart always. As much as I do not want this article to be a prescriptive note, I still want to suggest that out of you will flow the blessings of God to many.

You do not need to be ordained as a pastor or evangelist neither do you need to earn a degree in theology or divinity before you can do the work of God. Think of blessing somebody with what you have, pray for somebody and speak to somebody about the livingness of God in Christ. You will experience miraculous power.

Some of the modern Christian leaders do not have any spiritual power. They are servants of Satan. They use “brain power”.

They are eloquent and powerful in convincing people psychologically to see their points. They are brain-washers. It is easy to recognize them. The moment you see a person who calls himself a man of God teaching without quoting from the Bible, talking about his personal prowess and demanding for large donation; please avoid him quickly.

He is a false teacher of the Word.

•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

Faithfulness unto God (2) voted) to: 1.

A life of worship: - The reason for our existence is to worship God. “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him” John 4:23. We were created for God’s pleasure. “Thou art worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” Revelation 4:11. It is therefore amazing that most times when we pray, we spend few minutes (if any at all) to worship God, while we use up long hours reeling out several unanswered requests. God desires that our worship will be more than our supplications.

Much more than the singing of songs, psalms or hymns, God desires a continuous lifestyle of worship (a reverent honor and homage to Him).

This life of worship enables you to still thank God in the midst of the challenges, stress and pain trusting that your Father can fix them. Someone devoted to a life of worship pleases God because He gives reverence to Him. 2.

A life of constant study of God’s Word: -You can tell how much a man/woman loves someone or something by the amount of time he/she spends with that person or on the thing he loves. One of the ways to tell a man’s

faithfulness to God is his love for the word of God, not occasionally but consistently.

If we are devoted to God, it will be a natural phenomenon to crave for His word, because it is one of the ways with which He speaks to us. David was so addicted to God’s word that he recounts in Psalms 119:97, 103 “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day… how sweet is thy words unto my taste!

Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

3.

A life of communion with God through prayers: - Prayer is communing with God. It should be a dialogue not a monologue. When you are devoted to a life of prayer, it reflects your dependency on God. Daniel was devoted to a life of prayer that the signing of the decree by the king, to cast whoever called upon God into the lion’s den did not deter him (Daniel 6:7-9). Jesus who was God personified also withdrew to a place of prayer to commune with God. Our faithfulness to God should draw us to commune with Him always.

4.

A life of service:- One of the ways to show that you are faithful to God is your service to Him. You can serve God by rendering service in your church, family, neighborhood etc. Every opportunity you have to impact lives is an avenue to serve God. “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful” 1 Corinthians 4:2.

5.

A life of giving: - Giving is an expression of love. God gave because He loved us and He expects His children to do same. We can give to God’s work, the less privileged, states and countries in distress etc. If you look round, there is someone who needs a helping hand to whom you could be of help.

In conclusion, it is important to note that you can only be faithful to the one you have a relationship with. The good news is that you can begin this relationship now if you will invite Jesus through this prayer.

Dear Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die for me. I believe in my heart that Jesus died and rose for my justification and I confess that Jesus is Lord over My life. Today, I confess my sins and receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I declare that I am born again in Jesus Name.

If you have just said this prayer, congratulations!Please join a bible believing church close to you so that you can grow in grace. God bless you.

Be expectant, it is a great week ahead in Jesus Name.

•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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43

Sunday August 23, 2015

At midnight they were roused

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hen shall the kingdom of heaven be likened into ten virgins, which took their lamp, and went forth to meet the bridegroom v5.while the bridegroom tarried they all slumbered and slept v6. And as mid-night there was a cry made. Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. “Matt 25:1-7” Kingdom from heaven headed by JESUS CHRIST our Lord for the purpose of re-establishing the kingdom of God over this rebellious part of God’s realm.

It is now to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to them it is not given. Previously hidden but now made clear so that no mystery remains for everyone who will accept the truth as revealed. When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. ‘he that hath ears to hear, let him hear” you must pay attention to this write up as directed by the Holy Spirit.

Anything said of the kingdom of heaven can also be said of the kingdom of GOD, because the former is only the earthly dispensational aspect of the late. The parables of the kingdom apply to this age, at the end Christ will come in His Glory, and the holy Angel with him then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory. And He shall reign forever and ever.

The mid-night hour sign-is an event given by the lord that hints at a deeper more.

Significant meaning- a conformational purpose occurrence that points to something beyond itself. Signs occasionally refer to celestial phenomena. Simeon can refer to a natural event, but more often it refers either a miraculous act authentication God’s activity or to an eschatological sign pointing to the final culmination of History. A Simeon serves the purpose of predicting to the final culmination of History. A Simeon serves the purpose of predicting or foreshadowing inpending events soon to occur in our world.

Parables mean a patling alongside for purposes of comparison and new understandings many of the parables grew out of the conflict situations when Jesus answered his religious critics and for the proclamation of the gospel.

Center on the kingdom of God JESUS foresaw the full future coming of the kingdom. The parables are evangelistic because they sought to stimulate a decision and change a life. They invite you and me to repent and believe, to awaken faith. The stories illustrate watchfulness.

This parable of ten virgins is about a wedding. On the wedding day the bridegroom went to the bride’s house for the ceremony then the bride and groom, along with a great procession, returned to the groom’s house, where a feast took place, often lasting a full week. That they were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with tem, “there is outward profession, but no inward reality-no spiritual life-no unctionno vital link with the source of eternal life-no union with Christ. There is nothing but the lamp of profession, and the dry wick of a nominal, notional, head belief.

This is peculiarly solemn. It bears down with tremendous weight upon that vast mass of baptized profession which surrounds us, at the present moment, in which there is so much of outward semblance, but so little of inward reality. All profess to be Christians. The lamp of profession may be seen in every hand; but ah! How few have the oil in their vessels, the spirit of life In Christ Jesus, the Holy Ghost dwelling in their hearts. Without this, all is utterly worthless and vain. There may be a most orthodox creed; one may be baptized; he may receive the Lord’s Supper: be a regularly enrolled and duly recognized member of a Christian community; be a Sunday-school teacher;

an ordained minister of religion; one may be all this, and not have one spark of divine life, not one ray of heavenly light, not one link with the Christ of God. Not there is something peculiarly awful in the thought of having just enough religion to deceive the heart, deaden the conscience, and ruin the soul-just enough religion to give a name to live while dead-enough to leave one without Christ, without God, and without hope in the world-enough to prop the soul up with a false confidence, and fill it with a false peace, until the bridegroom come, and then the eyes are opened when it is too late.

Thus it is with the foolish virgins. They seem to be very like the wise ones. An ordinary observer might not be able to see any difference, for the time being. They all set out together. All have lamps. And moreover, all turn aside to slumber and sleep the wise as well as the foolish. All rouse up at the midnight cry, and trim their lamps. Thus far there is no apparent difference. The foolish virgins light their lamps- the lamp of profession lighted up with the dry wick of a lifeless, notional, nominal faith; alas! A worthless- worse than worthless – thing, a fatal soul- destroying delusion.

Here the grand distinction-the broad line of demarcation –comes out with awful, yea, with appalling clearness. “The foolish said unto the wise, give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out” (see marginal). This proves that their lamps had been lighted; for had they not been lighted, they could not go out. But it was only a false, flickering, transient light. It was not fed from a divine source. The light of mere lip profession, fed by a head belief, lasting just long enough to deceive themselves and others, and going out at the very moment when they most needed it, leaving them in the dreadful darkness of eternal night.

“Our lamps are going out. “Terrible discovery! “The Bridegroom is at hand, and our lamps are going out. Our hollow profession is being made manifest by the light of His coming. We thought we were all right. We professed the same faith, has the same shaped lamp, the same kind of wick; but alas! We now find to our unspeakable horror, that we have been deceiving ourselves, that we lack the one thing needful, the spirit of life in Christ, the unction from the Holy one, the living link with the Bridegroom. Whatever shall we do? O ye wise virgins, take pity upon us, and share with us your oil. Do for mercy’s sake, give us a little, even one drop of that all-essential thing that we may not perish forever.” n give of his It is all utterly vain. No one can ugh for himoil to another. Each has just enough d from God self. Moreover, it can only be had ut he cannot himself. A man can give light, but give oil. This latter is the gift of God alone.

“The wise answered, saying, not so; lest there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather rselves. And to them that sell and buy for yourselves. groom came; while they went to buy, the Bridegroom and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage; and they that were ready went nd the door in with him to the marriage; and was shut.” it is of no use looking to Christian friends to help us or prop us up. No use in flying hither and thither for someone to lean upon – some holy man, or some eminentt teacher- no use building upon our church, or our creed, or our sacraments. We want oil. We cannot do without it. Where are we to get it? Not from man, not from the fathers.

We must get it from God: and He, blessed be His name of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

But mark, it is an individuall mthing. Each must have it for himself. No man can believe, or get life

for another. Each must have to do with God for himself. The link which connects the soul with Christ is intensely individual. There is no such thing as second-hand faith. A man may teach us religion, or theology, or the letter of scripture; but he cannot give us oil; he cannot give us faith; he cannot us life. It is the gift of God.” Precious little word, “gift.” It is like God.” Precious little word, “gift.” It is the gift of God. It is free as God’s air; free as His sunlight; free as His refreshing dew drops. But, we repeat, and with solemn emphasis, each one must get it for himself, and have it in himself. “None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: that he should still live forever and not see corruption. For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth forever’ (Psalm 49:7-9).what sayest thou to these solemn realities? Art thou a wise or a foolish virgin?

Hast thou gotten life in a risen and glorified savior? Art thou a mere professor of religion, content with the mere ordinary dead routine of church-going, having just sufficient religion to make thee respectable on earth, but not enough to link thee with heaven? We earnestly beseech thee to think seriously of these things.

Think of them now think how unspeakably dreadful it will be to find lamp of profession going out and leaving thee in obscure darknessdarkness that may be felt-the outer darkness of an everlasting night. How terrible to find the door shut behind that brilliant train which shall go into the marriage; but shut in thy face!

How agonizing the cry. ‘Oh, Lord, open unto us!

How withering, how crushing the response, ’I know you not,” O, do give these weighty matters a place in thy heart now, while yet the door is open, and while yet the day of grace is lightened out in God’s marvelous long suffering. The moment is rapidly approaching in which the door of mercy shall be closed against thee forever, when all hope shall be gone, and thy precious soul be plunged in black and eternal despair.

May God’s spirit rouse thee from thy fatal slumber, and give thee no rest until thou findest it in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, and at His blessed feet in adoration and worship. We shall just for a moment glance at the wise virgins. The great distinguishing feature which, according to the teaching of this parable, marks them off from the foolish virgins is that when starting at the first they “took oil in their vessels with their lamps. “In other words, what distinguishes true believers from mere professors is that the former have in their hearts the grace of God’s God s Holy Spirit; they have gotten the spirit of life in Christ Jesus; and the Holy Ghost dwelling in them as the seal, the earnest, the unction, and the witness. This grand and glorious fact characterizes now all true believers in the Lord Jesus

Christ – a stupendous, wondrous fact, mostly surely-an immense and ineffable priviledge, which should ever bow our souls in holy adoration before our God and our Lord Jesus Christ, whose accomplished redemption has procured for us this great blessing. How sad to think that, notwithstanding this high and holy privileged, we should have to read, as in the words of our parable, “they all slumbered and slept!”All alike, wise as tarried, and all, without exception, lost the freshness, fervor, and power of the hope of His coming, and fell fast asleep. Such is the statement of our parable; and such is the solemn fact of the history.

The whole professing body fell asleep. “That blessed hope “which shone so brightly on the horizon of the early Christians, verily speedily waned and faded away; and as we scan the pages of church history for eighteen centuries, from the Apostolic Fathers to the opening of the current century, we look in vain for any intelligent reference to the church’s specific hope-the personal return of the blessed Bridegroom. In fact, that hope was virtually lost to the church; nay more, it became almost heresy to teach it. And even now, in these last days, there are hundreds of thousands of professed ministers of Christ who dare not preach or teach the coming of the lord as it is taught in scripture. True it is, blessed be God, and we notice a mighty change within the last half century. There has been a great awakening. God is, by his holy spirit, recalling his people to longforgotten truths, and amongst rest, to the glorious truth of then becoming of the bridegroom.

Many are now seeing that the reason why the bridegroom tarried was simply because God was long-suffering to usward not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance precious reason! But they are also seeing that, spite of this long- suffering, our Lord is at hand, Christ is coming. The midnight cry has gone forth, ‘Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.” May millions of voices re-echo the soul stirring cry until it passé in its mighty moral power, from pole to pole, and from the river to the ends of the earth, rousing the whole church to wait, as one man, for the glorious appearing of the blessed Bridegroom of our hearts.

Brethren beloved in the Lord, awake! Let every soul be roused, let us shake off the sloth and the slumber of worldly ease and self-indulgence-let us rise above the withering influence of religious formally and dull routine-let us fling aside the dogmas of false theology, and go forth, in the spirit of our minds and in the affections of our hearts, to meet our return returning Bridegroom. May His own solemn words come with fresh power to our soul, “watch therefore therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour” may the language of our hearts and our lives be, “Even so, come , Lord Jesus.” The dark stream of evil is flowing a pace:”Awake, and be doing ye children of grace.

Contact us: - Pastor Jacob Ade David, Rapture Expectant Ministry, 54/56 Okesuna Street Lagos Island, 08023525110, 08034078158, Jacobpastordavid@yahoo. com

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From the Pulpit

Sunday August 23, 2015

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Encounter with Destiny through the Word!

T The voice o of wisdom

with Dr. David

Oyedepo

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e understand from scriptures that every child of God has a glorious destiny (Romans 8:29-30; See also 2Peter 1:3; 1Peter 5:10). Furthermore, the Bible makes us to understand that every encounter with God is an encounter with destiny. Men like Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Gideon, Peter, Paul and many others validate this fact (Hebrews11:6-10, Genesis 22:1-18, Judges 6, 7).

It is also important to know that the destiny of every believer is locked up in the Bible and it takes a diligent search in the Word to unlock it.

As it is written: And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed: And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned (Isaiah 29:11 -12).

Vision here implies the plan and purpose of God for every believer as contained in the book, called the Bible. It will require both the help of the Holy Spirit and a diligent search for anyone to access his inheritance and take delivery of same (Acts 20:32).

Priesthood House “

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with Pastor Bola

Bello

hat are the hopes and the inheritance of believers of Christ in God? Is our expectation limited to going to heaven and be joined with God in his dwelling place? Why we are on this earth, is it only to live momentarily and go back to where we came from? What is the endpoint of sufferings, enduring and patience, which we are exhorted to bear in this toiling world? Finding accurate answers to these nagging questions will surely help our journey in this world of chaos and sin.

It’s not a gain saying that many are losing hope in which they are called. Many more are becoming disgruntled and hopelessly disenchanted with circumstances in which they desperately seek solution but without one. The hope of many seems to be upset and faith of thousand is shaking as a result of issues they do not understand. I trust the Holy Spirit to help us to resolve issues in this write up so as to have a better understanding of our faith in Christ and to come to terms with the purpose and intent of Christ calling us into the fold.

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.” The belief of the believer starts with what is implanted into their hearts as message of Christ wrongly or rightly. Every man is a product of what he hears (Rom. 10:10). In other words, there is proper alignment between

We must understand that when we discover and believe the truth regarding our inheritance, God is committed to make good His promise. Just as God said to Abraham, “As far as your eyes can see,” God is committed to make same happen for us (Genesis 13:14-15; Revelation 3:18).

Our understanding of the worth of our destiny is the only way not to sell off like Esau, who sold his birthright for a morsel of meat; he wept bitterly afterwards but it was too late. We cannot fulfil our destiny in Christ without understanding our worth in redemption (Hebrews 12:16-17).

But, what is our Destiny Worth in Redemption?

From scriptures, we understand that: • We have a victorious destiny in Christ: We may be challenged, but we are not permitted to be defeated. The scripture in 2 Corinthians 2:14 validate this: 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.

This implies that Christ causes us to triumph in all our ways, including our places of work, homes and every of our journeys.

• We have a glorious destiny: We must understand that God has called us unto eternal glory, which means unending glory. That also connotes a shame-free destiny (1 Peter 5:10/ Romans 8:29-30) • We have an enviable destiny: As it

is written concerning Isaac, he went forward, became strong, waxed great and the Philistines envied him. This implies that, we are to be envied and not to be pitied (Genesis 26:14, Galatians 4:28).

• We have a prosperous destiny in Christ: We are not redeemed to suffer, but to enjoy abundance of all things (2Corinthians 9:8-11; 2Corinthians 8:9; see also Galatians 3:13-14).

• We have a destiny of fruitfulness in the covenant: Thou shalt be blessed above all people: there shall not be male or female barren among you or among your cattle (Deuteronomy 7:14/ Psalm 89:34/ Matthew 5:17).

• We have a destiny of health and vitality in the covenant: As it is written: And ye shall serve the LORD your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee(Exodus 23:25).

Serving God qualifies us for health and vitality. None of our covenant fathers were ever recorded sick; instead, they enjoyed health and vitality all through their lives. We saw for instance, Abraham went to the warfront at an old age. Anything short of health and vitality is not our portion in the covenant.

Therefore, we must confront every sickness, disease and every form of discomfort by holding desperately to our total health right as provided for in redemption (1Peter 2:24/ Isaiah 53:4-5).

• Longevity is our portion in the covenant: With long life will I satisfy him,

and shew him my salvation (Psalm 91:16).

Long life is part of our covenant rights in redemption. All our covenant fathers enjoyed long life. These include: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Joshua and many others (Isaiah 51:1-3/ Genesis 25:7/ Genesis 35:27-28/ Genesis 47:28/ Deuteronomy 37:7/Joshua 24:29).

Friend, health, vitality and long life are the preserves of the redeemed. You can accept Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord right away by saying this prayer in faith: “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 and Miracle seed. I will conclude this teaching next week.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.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 - Burden of the kingdom and the throne of Christ on earth (7) your heart and what your ears has received over the period of time. Whatever you receive to your heart will greatly influence your heart and your lifestyles. This is a general faith, and it is not limited to the followers of Christ alone but all men are being influenced and become active to what is being received to their hearts. This is the reason why many could not understand the intent of Christ for His Church since what is given to them is not what Christ intend for them. Those who profess their attachment to Christ should know the hope in which Christ brought them to the faith.

When Paul was talking about “the hope of his calling”; he was talking about the expectation of his calling the Church to himself. This hope is not individual hope but His. It is not the expectation of what individual becomes in the world, it is His expectation of what He wants us to become in Him. The proclamation of the coming kingdom and its nearness advent was the Christ’s project. The admission of believers of Christ into this kingdom is the elongation of this thrust as far as believers last on the earth (Lk. 12: 32). It is not a statement of prediction but an obvious reality in which Christ himself became an example. It is the push and major vision but with other expressions as we earnestly seek this, as the hope of our life in Christ. We are not called for ourselves but for his purpose.

However, in the pursuit of His purpose, we find life expression in Him. Also, the inheritance of believers in this world is another contentious issue. “After these things, the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward (Gen. 15:1). Inheritance is the reward of son ship. It is a legacy and reward in which the father begat to his children from generation over. We

could see in this scripture, what was begotten to Abram, was exceedingly greater than the material things. The reward of Abram was God not the land. Though Abram also inherited the land, but beyond this material possession is the fact that God himself become the God of Abraham.

In other words, Abraham inherited God. In the salutation of Melchizedek to Abram, Abram was hinted of what he was to inherit. Abram inheritance was “blessed be Abram of the most High God”. Abram was re-christened as Abraham of most High God. This is the same purpose and the same calling for the New Testament Saints.

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will (Eph. 1:11). In other words, coming to God inheritance like Abraham is predicated upon our alignment to the purpose and counsel of God’s will, not our own will. What was pleasing to Abraham was to walk in the counsel and purpose of God even when it was obvious that he did not understand it. The reason why Abraham left Mesopotamia was not to inherit the land. Of course he had nothing of the land which was as much as foothold. Yet he moved from tent to tent obliged God, so as to walk in His counsel and purpose. Abraham ultimately became the blessing to the entire earth even till the coming generations. Walking in our own will, praying in our own way and desiring our own things is not the kingdom. The kingdom is the prevailing will of God over our own will.

Also, we have built our expectation on our journey to heaven. No, we are not called to journey to heaven, but we are called to journey to God. Paul, the apostle spent the whole of his good years journeying to know Christ. His intent was to be able to apprehend Christ and to effectively fellowship with him. He desired to be made conformable unto his death. This is not

about going to the cross, but it is about total death to the world for a fellowship with Christ. Our fellowship with the world is an enmity with God. If we fellowship with the world on the terms of the world, we become the enemy of Christ. We must fellowship with the world on the terms of Christ. In the treatise of John the beloved, he encouraged the saints that our fellowship is not with the world but with God. When we fellowship with God we shall be like God. It is therefore, a false hope when we focus on going to heaven without knowing the creator and the dweller of heaven. God cannot just bring us down from heaven to the earth without a purpose. God has purpose for man’s existence. The purpose is unveiled to man in Psalm 8:2 “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou might still the enemy and the avenger. In Jeremiah 1:10, the vision of man was clearly stated. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant”. Man is a weapon of war in the hands of God. Man is the avenger of God. Man is to put to right what the devil has wronged. This is the purpose of man. Man is the fourth person of the God Head and he represents the interest of God on earth. Man is ordained to stop sin and death which the devil has brought to the world. Man is to set up a kingdom of God and bring down Christ for crowning.

This is the design of Church and the purpose of man. Man must wake up to his responsibility and stop pursuing his own agenda.

Join us at Faith Plaza, Bariga for believers conference 16th – 22nd Aug.

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

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From the Pulpit

Sunday August 23, 2015

45

Faithfulness and its rewards “…for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently [faithfully] seek him (Hebrew 11:6).

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o anything that we do in life, there is always a reward which may come in this world or the next world. God will never be unrighteous to deny us of our reward. He promised to give us rewards on earth and in age to come (see Mark 10:28-30). God’s is not a Father Christmas; He rewards us according to our faithfulness unto what He has committed into our hands.

Faithfulness is doing what you are expected to do with a loyal heart to who has committed such an assignment into your hands. God is faithful [remaining true] to his word and he is expecting us to be faithful to all he has committed into our hands (2 Timothy 2:13 – If we believe not, yet he [God] abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself). When you understand what it means to be faithful and you do your work with God with a faithful heart; you cannot be hindered in life. Faithfulness is the anchor of every reward in life.

Faithfulness can also be described as the diligent service unto God. When you are faithful, you become fruitful (productive) in everything you do for God (see Mathew 25:21).

In Hebrews 3:1-2, “wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house”. Jesus and Moses were considered faithful unto God in various assignments committed into their hands. You cannot be considered faithful when you are not responsible towards a particular task. We are doing things today without faithfulness because God is not in our heart. We have an appointed time and

The Bride’s voice with Pastor Moses

P

Alu

raise the Lord. Somebody called me the other day from Zambia and asked me to substantiate the use of water for healing and deliverance. I had to come here the following Tuesday to answer her knowing that she was going to watch us tat day I said it is not the water we bless ere that heals but it is the faith that the people have.

My attention was drawn yesterday to what William Branham said. He said it is not the minister that operates the gift but the hearer is the one that is operating the fit in a particular minister’s lives. How? He said God has endowed him with a gift and when he is telling a person about what God can do, it is the person that will reach out by faith and connect to that gift.

If this is so who then is operating the gift?

It is the person! That is the way Branham explained it.

Let us take another example of the prophetic gift. A prophet will come out and while ministering, he will say somebody is pulling him. The prophet will pick the person and tell him/her that while she was leaving the house that day he/she was praying for God to make a prophet pick him/her. A prophet will pick the microphone and suddenly, the person will begin to pull the prophet. He will bring the person out and begin to discern him/ her. Who is the one operating the fit? It is the person that ignited that fit for his/her benefit.

When I heard what Branam said, I just

Bishop Opayinka

we are living an appointed life, when we understand this, we will become faithful.

There are many areas of our life where God is expecting us to be faithful. When the Lord is talking about faithfulness, it’s not only in your spiritual service unto him alone but in several other areas of our life. The areas God is expecting us to be faithful include the following: 1. Our spiritual service: your service unto God includes your area of calling and what you are doing in your local assembly to promote the kingdom of God. Whatsoever you are doing in the house of God, you are expected to be loyal unto God. “And Moses verily was faithful in his entire house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after” (Hebrews 3:5).

In Mathew 24:45-51, the bible is talking about two servants in which one is faithful and the other not faithful. When the Lord finds faithfulness in everything you do then he blesses you. We are having unfaithful people in the society today, and that give the enemy opportunity into their life. Our days are being cut-off because of unfaithfulness.

Moses suffered all that we are suffering but

still remained faithful. We must not depart from faithfulness; our faithfulness must be everyday.

Let’s make up our mind and become faithful to God because his word is true. We should work on ourselves every day and find out where we are wrong and make necessary correction.

2. Our marriage: God is expecting us to be faithful in our marriage. He wants partners to be faithful to one another. Faithfulness to your responsibilities as a husband or wife is required by God. Many are not having good homes today because they are not faithful. If you are fulfilling the term of your agreement then you are faithful. “This is another thing you do: you flood the altar of the LORD with tears, weeping and wailing because he no longer pays attention to your offering nor takes pleasure in it from your hand. Yet you ask, ‘for what reason?’ Because the LORD acts as a witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you were unfaithful to her, your partner, the wife of your covenant”(Malachi 2: 1314) We can clearly see from this scripture that the Lord demands faithfulness from us in our marriage. Unfaithfulness in your marriage can rubbish your service before the Lord.

3. Civic responsibility: the Lord is expecting us to be faithful in your service to the public (Luke 16:12). As a civil servant, business owners or in any other service you are being paid to do; should be done with all faithfulness as to the Lord. “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Colossians 3:22-23) (See also Ephesians 6: 4-8) 4. Our finance: God demands faithfulness in the way we use our financial resources. Be-

ing faithfulness in your finance entails giving God what you are supposed to give unto him from what he has provided for you. Remember that no one can receive anything unless it has been given to them from heaven. Be faithful in your tithe, offering, vow and any other financial obligations as may be required from you by the Lord.

5. Our time: Be faithful to the Lord in the way you use your time. The essence of your existence is quantified by the quality of things you invest your time. Invest quality time in the things that matter (things that bring glory and honour to the Lord). Don’t spend your in worldly pleasure that has no eternal value.

Rewards of faithfulness Every act of faithfulness comes with its own reward. When you are faithful to God in a particular area of your life, you will receive the blessings (rewards) meant for the faithful in such area of life. When the Lord finds us faithful, the following experience will part of our life. Few among so many rewards of faithfulness are: • The Lord will make us master over everything (Mathew 24:45 and Luke 12:42) • The blessing of the Lord shall be upon our home (marriage) • Lifting from the Lord • Your business will receive blessings from the Lord 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

There is a balm in Gilead loved it. Faith maters so much. This is why we also anoint water and ask, you to take it. There is the gift of God in our midst. You therefore come with that faith, so it is not the water but your faith. And it can be anything else. That s why there was a Tuesday I wanted to demonstrate this fact. I asked anyone that was sick to come out. The person that came out that day was Sis. Egbouka. In the same way tat we anoint and bless water for people to drink and they will be healed and delivered, I told her if she hugs a pole in the auditorium, her sickness will disappear. She hugged the nearest pillar to her and the anointing came upon her and the sickness disappeared. Was it the pillar that healed her? Certainly not! It is the faith that a servant of God asked her to do something and there will be positive result. That is the power of the spoken word!

He said He will not let the word of His servant to fall to the ground. If you do it because I asked you to, something will definitely happen if I am a true servant of God. I told you to bring two sachets of water.

How many of you are ready to operate the gift of God that is here now? God bless you because you understand what I am saying. What we are going to do today is to invoke the owner of the Cross to flow to you through the water we will bless. It can be through anything and it can be through nothing. I can say, receive it in Jesus name and you say amen and something will happen once you have the faith.

That is what a young sister saw and I didn’t want her to misunderstood it. Every day, demons will come and beat her mercilessly; once they tell her to do something and she refuses. People will be seeing her

and know something is happening. She will be crying and begging them to leave her. They will only leave her when they have caned her to their satisfaction.

She came for deliverance and I prayed for her. She went home that night and as usual, the demons came and wanted her to do something but she refused. They wanted to cane her but she told them they cannot because Pastor Moses had rayed for her. They told her to stop calling my name. she said she suddenly discovered that there was power in my name. I corrected that impression after her testimony. She kept calling my name and the demons ran away. Since that day, the demons never came back. I know from that day, she will say my name is not ordinary.

But to correct that impression, my name is an ordinary name. Satan wants to turn you into an idolater.

What actually happened was that she was reminding those demons that a servant of God had prayed for her, and they can no longer touch her. What those demons were seeing was not Pastor Moses but angels of God that came to enforce what the servant f God had done. That was why they didn’t want her to shout my name and they ran away. If they had stayed, the covenant angel of this ministry would have fought the battle. That is why many of you have seen me in your dreams at critical moments.

There was a sister in this church who died while giving birth in the hospital.

She gave her testimony in the church here. She had gone very far and her relations were crying. She said she suddenly met me on her way. She said I asked her

where she was going, tat I shouted on her to go back and take care of her baby. According to her once I shouted on er, she turned back. She said she realized that she saw herself entering the room and entering her body. She saw people rejoicing that she had come alive. She was wondering what happen.

Why did this happen? Each time we come to the church, I am always decreeing that none of you will die cockroach death. Tell your neighbor and call your name. I will not die cockroach death. Because I say this over you and everyone says amen, heaven will enforce it.

Amen. That is the power of the spoken word. That is why the monthly anointing of brethren that is done in this assembly means a lot to me. This is the same with the anoint of brethren that is done every year on 31th December I remind God that no one that we have anointed will die cockroach death. When any one dies according to the programme of witches, that person has died cockroach death.

Once any one dies, I go on my knees and ask God what happened. Why should the brother or sister die when we anointed him/her last week or last month?

Praise the Lord. Tell your neighbor you will not die cockroach death. Say it to everybody around you.

Praise the Lord. Every evil hand upon you shall be cut off today in the mighty name of Jesus Christ.

•Pastor Moses Alu; The Bride Assembly, Odofin Park Estate, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Ijesha Bus stop 08033524903 : Email: pastormosesalu@yahoo.com

From the Pulpit

46

Chapel of Holiness and Testimony with Pastor K. I.

Bona

Continued from topic 9 of last week How do we know those under the bondage of evil family altar?

22) Experience constant still birth or unexplainable complications during child delivery 23) Living a life void of love, care and favour 24) Being abandoned, or uncared for by those you helped to rise in their lives 25) Always experiencing bad lucks 26) Experiencing constant job terminations 27) Living a life of debt 28) People not appreciating you or paying you your money when you have done work or rendered services to them 29) Experiencing unfulfilled promises and disappointments 30) Experiencing stagnancy and unnecessary delays in all phases of life 31) Inability to give account of your business capital at the end of every business year 32) Money can only enter your hands, when you have spent the last card you have 33) Inability to make savings 34) Experiencing incomplete projects 35) Hoping on multitudes of hanging opportunities that never materializes 36) Cases of committing suicide How can one be free from the bondage of evil family altar?

To be free from the bondage of powers of evil family altars. It requires a spiritual process. Being that it is a spiritual attack, it requires a spiritual approach to be free. To get this freedom seven steps should be taken.

Each of these steps are as important as the other. Failure to careful observe these steps in their sequence could result to incomplete deliverance. Provided these steps are followed using the name of Jesus, there is no level of bondage which can be said to be beyond redemption. God is willing to deliver, totally and completely when anyone approaches his altar of grace with sincerity of heart and boldness of mind through the Blood of Jesus. In Hebrew chapter 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into heavens, Jesus the son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” In the light of this scripture it is important therefore that we should examine these steps critically if any meaningful deliverance

Sunday August 23, 2015

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Breaking the powers of evil family altar (10) exercise is hoped to be conducted. These steps are as follows: 1) Repentance 2) You must be born again 3) You must know your right in Christ Jesus 4) Determine to possess your possession 5) Determine to lay down your Isaac 6) Do not accept defeat 7) Be aggressive and break the protocol Repentance Repentance is the fourth step in the fifth process of salvation. These steps are: a) Hearing the word of God b) Believing what you have heard c) Confessing what you have heard d) Repenting of your old ways of life e) Forsaking those old ways of life Without thorough repentance, genuine forsaking of old ways of life may not be.

Therefore genuine repentance is the pivot on which sincere forsaking revolves. A genuinely repented soul who has forsaken his/her old ways of life is a salvaged soul. In other words, salvation is not complete without complete repentance. This is the origination of all misconceptions of Christian faith, teachings, believes and practices among many church dominations worldwide. This is as a result of different teaching approaches given to the doctrine of repentance by different church denominations. There is a different between repenting of ones sinful life and regretting of one’s sinful life. These two are not the same. Repenting of one’s sinful life becomes a genuine repentance when it is done out of the brokenness of the spirit void of regret. However, repentance is considered not genuine when it is done out of insincerity of heart. That is when it is done out of regret. When a person regrets, over his/her action today, tomorrow, he/she could do the same thing again when the guilt of remorse have left him/her. In 2nd Corinthians 7:9-10 “Now rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance, for ye were made sorry after a Godly manner that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”

The reason why many Christians could not receive complete deliverance is that they have not thoroughly repented. A thoroughly repented soul is a salvage soul, a salvage soul is a redeemed soul, and a redeemed soul is a born again. It is those who are born again that actually need deliverance. Their spirit man, has being born again, into the kingdom of God. However, they still live in this cosmic world. For them to possess their possession, and fulfil their mandate on earth, they need to undergo deliverance. Deliverance is a spiritual battle with forces of darkness to recover their belonging in the custody of the prince of this world. Deliverance is a spiritual confrontation through warfare prayers to unseat the

giant occupying your seat. Those who are ignorant of this truth or rather those who have never considered deliverance as a serious issue in their lives have remained beggars in the affairs of life, though they are born again. Notwithstanding deliverance cannot be effective except one is born again. For it is when you are born into the kingdom you can ask for the treasures of the kingdom. Eph. 1:3 “Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.” These heavenly blessings kept for us in the spiritualties, are the innumerable treasures of glories touching every sphere of life which God has packaged for us in Christ Jesus. These treasures are kept for them that are sons. The sons are those who are born again not by the will of man but by the will of God. They are given power to possesses and command this spiritual blessings into real life. This is a function of spiritual confrontation with the kingdoms of darkness demanding your right. In contrary deliverance is not only fighting to be freed by the grip of the powers of darkness in your life, but it is all about you breaking through their camp and recovering back all your belongings.

Regrettably many claims to be born again but consistently displays characters and behaviour contrary to what they profess. Reasons being that their spiritual birth did not follow due process. Either, that they were born before time spiritually or they were born through spiritual complications.

Hearing the word of god Romans 10:14 “How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher?” The first step in the process of salvation is hearing the word of life. Not just the gospel of good news, but the message of the cross. When I say, the message of the cross, I mean, life changing messages. It is highly disheartening that many are in churches today, hearing the word of God every Sunday, yet not born again. Many would leave the church were undiluted word of God is preached to places where people are told what they love to hear. Dear child of God what quality of the word of God do you hear every Sunday. If the quality of the word of God you hear each Sunday have not changed your life, then, understand the word your hear lacked the power.

Though I believe that most people who have hardened their hearts could still be unmoved even after hearing life transforming messages. In that case, they will never be comfortable because the spirit of God would continue convicting them until they submit to the truth of the gospel. Beloveth, if you are attending a church were people are told what they like to hear, then change church. If you go to church every Sunday and come back the same, then change church.

Believing what you have heared With reference to Romans 10:14, the Bible

said, “how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed…..” For complete salvation of your soul, you must believe that Jesus, is the son of God, sent to this sinful world

by God, who died because of our sins, and was raised because of our justification and that salvation is in no other except in the name of Jesus, who God has given to all men under heaven through whose name they shall be saved. Those who have received and believeth him by faith does not need anything to support their faith. Such things as: a) Praying with candles of different colours shapes and images b) Praying with incense c) Using spiritual perfumes d) Spiritual oils, and other related spiritual materials Confessing what you have heared Romans 10:9-10 “That, if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” Confession is very important both in salvation and in deliverance. This is because it is what you confessed that you believe.

Forsaking those old ways Christians have no problem to confess their sins to God. The problem, God has with us, is that of forsaking. As I had already said earlier in this teaching, the reason why many find it difficult to forsake is because their repentance is not sincere. They only regretted over their actions.

Testimony Demonic worm passed out For the number of years, I may not count, I have been having this problem, that something moves at my throat, trying to come out, but never came out. I have gone to the hospital, for this purpose without solution. My family is aware of it. Each time I would be trying to vomit something without success. At a point in my life, I decided to own it up. I began living with it. But it was actually making my life uncomfortable. Last three weeks, somebody directed me to this church. I attended the programme “The End of weeping” after the programme, I bathed with the water the man of God gave us. Immediately the water torched my body, the object began to react violently inside me, when I noticed it has come to my stomach, I was pressed, I went to the toilet, and passed big long worm, that every member of the family who saw it were shouting. Brethren, since that day, I am healed and free, praise the Lord!

Sis. Damilola •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, 09030284883 www.chapelofholiness.org

News

Sanyaolu, Diya, others canvass support for Buhari ODINAKA URUAKPA

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igerians, irrespective of tribe and religion, have been called upon to support the Buhari administration with prayers and advice that would help take the nation to a respectable position in the comity of nations.

Giving this charge at the elevation/ conferment of chieftaincy title and awards to some members of the church, the supervising Bishop, United African

Methodist Evangelical Church Cathedral, Yaba, Lagos, Rt. Rev. Abolade Sanyaolu also advised the people that since Charity begins at home, it is the responsibility of each citizen to amplify the change championed by the Buhari administration so that it would reflect positively on the nation through discipline, transparency, fear of God and agape love, especially, to the poor and under privileged.

He charged religious and political leaders to lead their followers in genuine,

Christ-like manner as well as shun vices and crimes that would dent their image and that of the nation as well.

Also speaking on the occasion, the Baba Ijo General of the church, Lt. Gen Oladipo Diya (Rtd), his wife, Chief Mrs. Folasade Diya who was conferred the eminent elder of the church, alongside Senator Anthony Adefuye, a frontline politician and elder statesman, echoed on the need for Nigerians to endure with the Buhari administration, which they claimed is gradually restructuring the

socio economic and political tide of the country to bring meaningful change and hope which notably has eluded the nation over time.

While advising the government to tackle the insurgency problem and ensure the release of Chibok girls who have been in captivity for long and put their parents’ mind at rest, they urged citizens to endure with the administration’s subtle approach in putting things in order as well as pray for positive turnaround of the nation’s destiny.

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Endtime Revelation with Bishop Bernard

Ojemeni (JP)

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he next item in God’s endtime programme after the judgment of nations is the 1000 years reign of Jesus Christ on the renovated earth. You could recall that the earth would be so much devastated by the great tribulation prior to the judgement of nations. And so by supernatural power the earth would be renovated to be conducive for the government of Jesus Christ.

The saints will reign with Christ in the millennium and they will rule the nations with rod of iron. They will be in the glorified body while their subjects will still be in the flesh, in the human form. You can recall that during the transfiguration, Elijah, Moses and Jesus Christ were transfigured into the gloried body and Peter, James and John beheld them. Peter even suggested that they should even remain there because of the beauty of the glorified body and the scene they found themselves.

I hear some people saying we have entered the new millennium which by their calculation is now into 15 years – 2015. That at the end of 2000 A.D., the new millennium commenced and it is now 15 years into the new millennium.

Their assertion is not correct because the new millennium will be after the 6000 years man’s earth lease which will elapsed in 2040 A.D. To arrive at 2040 A.D. as the end of the 6,000 years, we took into consideration the change in the Bible or Jewish calendar of 360 days in a year to the Gregorian calendar of 365¼ days including the leap year in a year. Pope Gregory XIII in 1582 A.D. changed the Bible or Jewish calendar of 360 days in a year to 365¼ days in a year. This change pushed the year 2000 A.D. to 2007 A.D. And because the calculation of the last

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he Bible says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6.

This scripture has something to do with our message today. Many people are suffering when they should not. Many are oppressed, tormented and even stolen from by the enemy when it can be avoided, stopped and blocked.

The devil, who is the thief, is not playing with his mission work of stealing, killing and destroying. John 10:10a.

By nature, Satan is not and cannot be a gentleman. Gentlemen don’t take other people’s property by force and even kill the owners. Gentlemen don’t rape, gentlemen don’t destroy the lives of others.

Since gentleness is not in his nature since he is wicked and a destroyer, it means we are to do exactly what the bible says we should do about him. In Matt 11:12, the Bible says, “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force: God did not tell us to be gentle when dealing with the devil, with spiritual issues but that we should be violent in dealing with them.

When Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden, everything was good and peaceful. The day the devil visited, their troubles and woes started. How does the devil visit people? He visit them in their dream, he visit them by injecting thoughts into their hearts. He visits them through his human agents – witches, wizards, etc.

Whenever the devil visit, he leaves behind destruction and death.

Today, we are addressing satanic visi-

From the Pulpit

Sunday August 23, 2015

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The millennial reign of Christ 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: year 2000 did not start from A.D 1 from the birth of Jesus Christ, rather it started from A.D. 33 at the time of crucifixion of Jesus Christ, that is why the 2040 A.D. is the end of the last 2000 years that will complete the 6,000 years man’s earth lease. Remember in my previous write-up I told you that the 6,000 years man’s earth lease is divided into 3 segments of 2,000 years each.

From Adam to Abraham at the time of sacrificing Isaac so to say.

Though from our calculations, it was a little above 2000 years. However, the surplus was taken care of in the second segment – 2000 years making a total of 4000 years at the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the Cross in 33 A.D. And so the last segment 2000 years began from A.D. 33 and will end in A.D. 2040 having taken into consideration of the 7 years which the change in the Bible calendar by Pope Gregory brought about.

So what am I saying? I am saying that we have not yet entered into the new millennium.

The new millennium will be after 2040 A.D. For now it is correct for somebody to say over 2000 years Jesus Christ was born or came into this world because from birth A.D. 1 – 2007 A.D. is exactly 2000 years. It is actually over by 8 years since we are now in 2015 A.D. But it is wrong to say over 2000 years Jesus was crucified on the Cross.

This is because we still have 25 years more to complete the last 2000 years in 2040 A.D. It is after 2040 A.D. you can say it is over 2000 years Jesus Christ was crucified on the Cross of Calvary. And I strongly believe that since that will be the end of the 6th millennium from Adam, that 2041 begins the new millennium which will be when Jesus Christ and His saints will reign on earth. Exodus 20:11 God did His creative work in 6 days and rested on the 7th day.

The number 6 in God’s numerology stands

for man, work and influence of Satan. Since God worked for 6 days and rested on the 7th day so will man work for 6,000 years man’s earth lease and will rest in the new millennium, the next 1000 years after 2040 A.D. It is going to be the golden age of the earth. Satan will not be there to cause havoc.

It is going to be a time the earth will witness a regime of righteousness, peace, love and tranquility. A system that is devoid of corruption and social vices. It is going to be heaven on earth. It is going to be 1000 years of Jesus Christ reign to rid the earth of all rebellion.

Please, make sure you will be among those who will be in the millennial kingdom by totally surrendering your life to Jesus Christ and live a holy life.

Why I need to make this clarifications concerning timing is because I hear people saying since they were born they have been hearing preachers saying over 2000 years ago Jesus Christ died on the Cross, and uptill date they are still hearing it. Some of them are over 50 years and it is like the over 2000 years is just a phrase that even preachers yet unborn can be using in their preaching. Some say since they were born they have been hearing Jesus is coming soon. How soon is it? To them it is like the soon we are talking about can be thousands of years to come. That is why God has raised us as the children of Issachar of this endtime generation to guide the people of God, more especially preachers on the choice of word while preaching or praying. It baffles me to hear many pastors praying saying every evil spirit that is fighting against your progress, fall and die, or die by fire. Or I bind you evil spirit and cast you into the abyss.

All these things are wrong. Spirits do not die and the abyss is not yet open for them to en-

ter. Let us be informed and choose our words rightly to avoid causing confusion before unbelievers. When we speak let them know, we know what we are saying. And so it is right to say for nearly 2000 years, Jesus was crucified on the Cross. And also it is right now to say for over 2000 years Jesus was born or came into this world. The passages which speak about the millennial reign of Jesus Christ include – Revelation 20:4 “And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”

Jerusalem will be the capital of the millennial kingdom. That is why Isaiah 65:18-19 have this to say “ But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying.”

From verses 21-25 we are meant to understand the activities that will be going on in the millennial kingdom “And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them.

•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

Victory over evil dreams

Prophet Lai Bamidele, General Overseer of Christ Glorious End-time Evangelical Church, Abule-Egba, Lagos, in this sermon, teaches about evil dreams. Excerpts: tation through dreams and how to overcome them.

When you dream and see what you would not want to happen to you in the physical happening to you in the dream and you wake up and do nothing about it, you are playing with the head of a live snake. For instance, when you see any animal, madman, masquerade pursuing you in the dream, you had better do something about it.

A woman once dream of her husband wearing a bloodied singlet but because she did not know what to do about it, some weeks later the man died in an accident that claimed about eight lives.

Many people have died that ought not to have died. Many marriages has been destroyed that ought to be going strong.

Many people are stagnated whose lives ought to be flourishing just because they did not take care of the enemy when he attacked them.

In I Peter 5:8, Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. You can see that he is going about looking for prey. So when next you dream a bad dream, know that you have been picked as his next target, his next prey that he wants to devour.

It is true that enemy has power over those that belong to him. However, he has no power, he has no authority over those

who belongs to Jesus Christ. This is because even though we are in the world, we are not of the world. We Christians are out of his dominion and influence unless we subject ourselves to him by living in sin, by living a life of disobedience.

Those of us that belong to Jesus Christ have authority over the enemy of our soul. In I John 4:4, the Bible says, Greater is he that is in you (me) than he that is in the world. We have authority to disrupt his plans and purposes. We have authority to stop the devil once we notice his moves. Luke 10:19 also says, Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over every power of the enemy……………..Also, you are to submit ourselves to God and resist the devil and he will flee from you. James 4:7.

When you had a bad dream, you have a part to play to stop it from manifesting. Thank God, you dream and you even remember it. Some people case is even worse they dream and they don’t remember. God is just showing you, God is forewarning you to see what the enemy wants to do in your life. Your part is to rise up and say no, this evil dream shall not come to pass in my life. I cancel it in Jesus name. Your part is to embark on serious prayer and fasting to terminate the dream.

Recently, it is the dream of death that the enemy is using to terrorize many peo-

Bamidele

ple. He wants to scare them. He wants to kill them. I have ministered to many like that and glory be to God, they are alive today and doing fine because God delivered them. I once heard a case of a young woman, who had a dream that an old woman gave her a white cloth and nothing serious wad done about that dream. A week later she died. I was livid with rage. Why didn’t they declare some days of prayer and fasting and pray for her. If they had put her in violent prayer, cancel the dream and gave the case serious attention that it requires, she would not have died.

Continued next week •For counselling, contact: Pst_lai@yahoo.com.

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From the Pulpit

Let’s go

BIBLE with Favour

Tioluwani

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Email: letsgobible@gmail.com

ere’s Mclnerney’s frank, insightful take on five of the toughest questions singles ask: 1. What do I do if I’m angry with God because he hasn’t given me a spouse?

A while ago the Lord began to deal with me about my own anger toward him over my singleness. Frustration had been building inside me, and I wanted to blame God. After all, in his sovereignty, this was what he’d chosen, or allowed, for me—and I didn’t like it. I knew I had to admit to my anger, but I was afraid to do so. I thought, I can’t express that to God … I mean, this is God we’re talking about! I can’t yell at him.

But then one day several things in my life went wrong in rapid succession, and I blew up.

As I drove to a church seminar, of all things, I started to yell at God. Between my angry words, I apologized, “I’m sorry I feel this way. You have every right to strike me with a bolt of lightning.

But this is how I feel.”

The Bible says God desires truth in our innermost being (Psalm 51:6). Finally I was telling God the truth about how I felt. Even though I was seeing the situation in a wrong light, it had to come up and out, since God is the only one who could right my thinking and diffuse my anger. By stuffing my anger inside, I’d really been turning my back on him.

I’m not condoning anger with God. But we can’t just pretend it isn’t there. We can’t make it go away by a sheer act of will. Acknowledging it by being honest is the starting point. Confession follows. Then God forgives us and cleanses us (1 John 1:9).

Great people of faith—such as Moses, Job, and David—experienced anger toward God, too.

Thankfully, he understands our humanity, and he’s merciful.

2. How do I deal with haunting, sometimes unanswerable questions such as “Is there something wrong with me?” or “Am I not married because of past mistakes?”

All of us, married and single, have questions that may not be answered this side of heaven.

Hour of Change with Primate

I.O

Oyelowo

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hen came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him.

And the one women said, O my king, I and this woman dwell in one house, and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered that she was delivered also, and we were together, there was no Stanger with us in the house, save we two in the house. And this women’s child died in the night; because she overlaid it. And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine hand maid slept, and laid it in her bosom and laid her dead son in my bosom.

And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck behold it was dead; but when I had considered It in the morning behold it was not my son, which I did bear’’ I kings 3:16-21

This is the story of two harlots who lived together without any third party and who gave birth each to a child. Both of them slept together, one of them overlaid on her son which resulted in the death of the said child. As the

Sunday Mirror Sunday August 23, 2015 www.nationalmirroronline.net

The toughest questions singles ask l wish to share Still, Jesus welcomes our queries. Many times he answers our questions; sometimes, for reasons we don’t understand, he doesn’t. But in either case, it all comes down to faith.

When we don’t sense God answering these questions, we need to believe: • God has his reasons for not answering.

• He is good even if his apparent lack of response makes it seem as though he isn’t.

• What the Bible says about God and about us is true even when our experience seems contradictory.

• If God truly wants us to know the answer to the question, he’ll tell us at a later time.

Believing what’s true about God’s character ultimately resolves our questions, even if we don’t get answers. We know God loves us. Consequently, we can rest in knowing he has a good plan for our lives. Romans 8:28 says he works all things together for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose. This means even without knowing the answer to our questions, we can rest in the knowledge God can make everything turn out all right in the end. Even if the reason you currently aren’t married happens to be because of past mistakes, God can redeem those mistakes, turning them into something good.

As for the question about there being something wrong with you—well, ultimately the answer to that question doesn’t matter. There’s something wrong with everyone, married or single. “For all have sinned … “ (Romans 3:23). If there’s something about you that’s a hindrance to marriage, God can take care of it, no matter what it is. Ask him to address any issue that may be standing in the way. Then yield to him when he does. True peace and contentment come when we focus our attention on God’s ability to resolve problems more than on our tough questions.

3. If God is all I really need, why do I still yearn for something more?

While it’s certainly true Jesus is the ultimate source through which all our needs, relational and otherwise, are met, he meets those needs in diverse ways. Sometimes he does so directly, but often he does so indirectly through people and circumstances.

Many Scriptures such as Genesis 2:18 and Ecclesiastes 4:9-12—point to the necessity of human companionship. In the Epistles alone there are more than 50 references to “one another”: “love

one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9); “forgive one another” (Ephesians 4:32); “serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). God places great value on our relationships. While our relationship with God is primary, we need each other, too.

Unfortunately, a lot of false guilt can stem from a failure to grasp this truth. Here’s what can happen. Let’s say someone counsels “Mary” to find total relational satisfaction in Jesus. She earnestly tries, but because God designed us for relationship, she fails. She then begins to wonder what’s wrong with her, why she can’t get close enough to God to satisfy her unmet relational needs. Now she’s left with a false belief that her relationship with God is flawed. So poor Mary feels like a failure at human relationships (presumably because she isn’t married) and a failure at her relationship with God. We need to work hard to set singles free from this unhealthy, untruthful cycle.

4. How active should I be in the process of finding a spouse — or should I leave it all up to God? While I asked God to open the right doors and shut the wrong doors, you must act responsibly by doing the normal things one does when looking for work.

There’s a biblical basis for this dual approach of allowing God to work and taking action in the Old Testament account of how God brought together Ruth and Boaz (Ruth 2-4). I often wonder if Satan is deceiving some singles whom God has called to a role of action into thinking this is one area where they can be passive and simply wait for a spouse to show up one day on their doorstep.

On the other hand, I know people whom God instructed to continue doing the things to which he’s called them. They had an assurance from God that meeting a spouse just would happen. Certainly, for many people, God simply puts them in the right place at the right time. We see this in the account of God providing a bride for Isaac (Genesis 24).

For those who do actively seek a spouse, when are they going too far? When are they taking matters into their own hands?

I think we go too far when we get impatient

and try to force things to happen by our own doing. While it’s important to do our part, we also need to keep our hearts soft toward God, even in a long wait. The bottom line is, we need to discern what God is directing us to do, then trust and obey God. 5. Does being content mean I’ve relinquished my desire to marry?

Being content isn’t the same as saying, “I have no desire to marry.” But it’s easy for people to invert those two concepts so being discontent is equal to saying, “I desire to marry.”

And since we know discontentment is a negative thing, that puts that desire in a negative light, as if there’s something wrong with wanting to get married. This trips us up, making us feel as if we have to give up our desire in order to achieve contentment. But it is possible for a person to be content and simultaneously desire to marry. These aren’t mutually exclusive.

Throughout life, all of us — whether married or single—are bound to experience ebbs and flows in our level of contentment. Various factors influence this. For example, I’ve had instances where, within a short time, several friends got engaged, married, or had babies.

At times such as these, I may become discontented and desperately want to marry. There are other times when I can say, as the apostle Paul did in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Yes, I’d love to marry, but I’m OK being single.

Christian singles know you are supposed to live on the contentment end of life’s continuum, but it’s much easier said than done. Thankfully we can take hope in the apostle Paul’s words in Philippians 3:12-16, where he tells us that although we’ve not laid hold of perfection, we should press on and peacefully trust God will, without condemnation, show us where we’re off the mark. As with many things in the Christian life, we’re striving toward the right goal; yet in reality, we’re not always there. However, if God isn’t condemning us, let’s not condemn one another. Let’s encourage each other instead!

•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

Contend with your enemy in battle and reclaim your glory other lady was deep asleep, she swapped her dead son with the live son of her neighbor.

Relating the case of these two harlots, to every Christian’s life, we are able to derive meaning from this story.

The king here to whom the petitioner presented her case represents Jesus. No matter the gravity of your situation in life, endeavor to present your case before him and he will not let you down. Matt. 11:28 says ‘’come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give rest’’. Don’t make the mistake of by passing Jesus for solution to your life’s challenges as it will worsen your already aggravated condition. Hear his assurance and utilize it maximally. ‘’All that the father giveth me shall come to me and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out’’.(John.6:37).

The two women in question represent non-Christian and sleeping Christians. A good Christian must create time for himself in the mid night to pray. The world of today comprises different sets of people with whom we live.

Some are friendly outward, but inwardly, they are ravering wolves. (Matt. 7:15) Therefore, do not trust anybody, but show your love to your neighbor. Most of the so called close friends have sinister motive against you.

Proverbs 4:16 says ‘’ they sleep not except they have done mischief, and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall’’.

The house both of them lived symbolizes the world. This world is made up of every creature that has body, spirirt and soul while heaven is meant for the saints of God. Every creature is created in pairs; male and female, good and evil, godly and un-godly. (Isaiah 45:7).

There are some human beings who are just like wild beasts who operates in the midnight but take their rest in the day light. It is in the midnight that they hold their diabolical meeting and stamp their decision with authority (Psalm 104:20-22) Among these evil people, there is tendency that your wife, mother and or friend may be one of them. If you are not vigilant and watchful, you may be at their mercy. Micah 7: 5-7 says; ‘’Trust you not in a friend, put ye not confidence in a guide; keep the daughter riseth up against her mother, the daughterin-law against her mother in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. Therefore, I will look unto the Lord, I will wait for the God of my salvation, my God hears me.

The child here symbolizes your joy, peace and happiness which attracts

Old and Young, king and queen and ignoble to you. Do not forget it was the child that was alive which was stolen his mother was deep. Who stole your joy, peace and happiness?

This is the appropriate time for you to wake up from your slumber and rise up gallantly and reclaiming your glory. (Romans 13:11). Fight your cause to the logical conclusion, the almighty God will intervene and you will vindicated. The sword here is the word of God. Remember that when Jesus was confronted by Satan, both of them quoted from the scriptures, but at the end Jesus prevailed against him. By the special grace of God, you will subdue your enemy.

The word God is final judgment to every chronic situation. Bear in mind that the world was created with the word. There is restoration only through the word and by the word.

The word of God is final judgment to every chronic situation. Bear in mind that the world was created with the world.

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

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Business FRESH BUSINESS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Sunday August 23, 2015

Subscriber issues top new NCC leadership’s agenda The telecoms industry in Nigeria is bedevilled by many challenges. In the last 10 years, stakeholders have been pressuring the leadership of the regulatory body, the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to tackle them. And since the appointment of a new Executive Vice Chairman for the NCC, consumers and industry stakeholders have had to draw his attention to such. Isaiah Erhiawarien examines one of such challenges and the response of the new helmsman.

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major complaint of the telecoms services consumers in the country is the quality of services that mobile network providers offer and investigation by Sunday Mirror showed that efforts by regulators to solve this has so far failed.

One of such efforts is the introduction of Key Performance Indicators, KPIs by the regulatory authority.

The KPI setup by the NCC to monitor the quality of service from the operators in 2012 of which there was a Memorandum of Understanding was based on some key indicators namely: Drop Call Rate, DCR, Call Set-up Success Rate, CSSR, Traffic Channel Congestion, TCHcong and Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel Congestion, SDCCHcong.

Unfortunately, investigations revealed that the mobile network operators have not been able to achieve the target set by the NCC, thereby compelling the regulator issue to

Prof Umar Danbatta

sanctions in 2013 and 2014.

For instance, the 2014 KPI report, which resulted to the sanctions, showed that for the target 98 per cent for CSSR, MTN, Airtel, and Globacom scored 96.85 percent, 96.99 percent and 96.89 percent respectively.

For the DCR category, for the month of January, MTN and Globacom failed to meet the target, while Airtel exceeded the target with a score of 0.84 per cent.

While for the SDCONG KPI, with a target of 0.20 per cent, Airtel and Globacom failed to meet the

target, scoring 0.40 per cent and 0.58 per cent respectively, while MTN exceeded the target with a score of 0.17 per cent.

And for the TCHCONG, with a target of two per cent, all the three networks exceeded the target, as MTN scored 0.55 per cent; Globacom 0.79 per cent and Airtel 0.79 per cent.

According to the regulator’s summary, MTN failed to meet the targets set in the quality of service regulations for the CSSR and DCR computations; Globacom failed to meet the targets set for CSSR, DCR and SD-

CONG computations; while Airtel failed to meet the targets for CSSR and SDCONG computations. In all only Etisalat got a clean bill as it met all the set KPIs. Commenting on the state of the industry, President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Engr. Lanre Ajayi revealed that there are issues responsible for the MNOs inability to meet the set target of the NCC such as electricity power supply and the interference of the smooth operation of base station by miscreants resident in communities where such base stations are sited.

He said that the result of such interruption were responsible for the present state of poor quality services adding that the recent appointment of a new helmsman is expected to put an end to all that.

He disclosed that the new Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Danbatta, is a familiar stakeholder in telecommunications industry noting that he should be able to bring his wealth

Amadi calls for reprioritisation of gas usage to favour power plants GBENGA ODOGUN

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he Chairman Electricity Regulation Commission, Dr Sam Amadi has called for the reprioritisation of available gas resources to give power plants edge over other usage of the product.

Such priority if given

to the power plants would go a long way to tackle the problem of gas shortages currently militating against regular power supply across the country.

Amadi was speaking at the weekend in Lagos at the Annual conference of the Energy Correspondents Association.

Speaking through Mr. Uche Okoro, Amadi said

apart from pipeline vandalism, other factors responsible for gas shortages to power stations include competition with other usage into which gas were being put such as factories, domestic usages and connection to the West Africa Gas pipeline project.

These other usages compete with power plants in gas usage and leads to short-

ages According to him, such plants as cement plants compete fiercely with power plants and also ready to pay more for gas supply and since the gas companies were established to make money, it is only natural that available supply would be diverted to places where money would be paid at the expense of power plants.

CDNET launches career development programme in schools

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areer Development Network, CDNET, an NGO, which specialises in developing and counseling secondary school students in Nigeria in functional career choices, has concluded a Career Development Programme for secondary schools in Lagos.

The Programme tagged

“Discover Work Taster Programme” saw the students of Igbobi College, Yaba, Select International College and Reagan Memorial Baptist School, Yaba, International School, Lagos (ISL), Redeemers International School, Maryland, Baptist Academy, Obanikoro, and Queens College, Yaba, going on excur-

sion to reputable ICT companies in the state.

The Programme which involved lectures and practical demonstration of the most recent global technologies, was geared at acquainting the participating students with direct practical life experience and workings of such applications available

in global technology as well as getting a feel of the world around them, with such application of future disciplines or callings, found suitable to the immediate or distant future, by finding out the different job or career available with skills and qualifications required to succeed within the ICT sector, especially.

of experience to bear in confronting the challenges of the telecom industry in Nigeria.

He expressed optimism that the industry is expecting him to tackle issue bothering on Right of Ways, RoW, multiple taxations, promotions of Nigerian local content, vandalism of telecoms infrastructures, and promotion of e-services as well as acceleration of the implementation of the broadband plan.

Sharing his thoughts, President, National Association of Telecoms Subscribers, NATCOMS, Mr. Deolu Ogunbanjo, says the new leadership would do well by putting consumer protection at the earth of telecoms regulations. According to him, the problem of unsolicited short messaging service (SMS), has assumed an alarming dimension and need urgent solution saying that Danbatta should see consumer protection as the core regulatory pivot to bring about more improved services.

Chief Executive Officer, Internet Solution Limited, Olusola Teniola called on the new NCC leadership to focus on deepening access to adequate spectrum bands saying that it is key element to ensuring faster broadband penetration.

“Currently, we are not doing well in the area of

broadband as we have done in the voice segment. In the voice segment, we keep meeting and surpassing forecasts. So, at the rate at which we are growing in the area of broadband growth, something drastic needs to be done, if we desire to meet the 30 per cent penetration by 2018”, he pointed out.

During his first interactive meeting with the staff of the Commission, Danbatta had assured telecoms subscribers that the quality of service is a major issue plaguing the industry noting that he has resolved to deploy all resources within his disposal to tackle the problem.

He said that he understands the enormity of challenges on ground saying that he has what it takes to address them to sustain the development of the sector.

“I want to pledge that I will bring to bear, my wealth of experience in tackling the issue of quality of service in order to meet the expectations of the public that we are servicing,” he said.

He also promised to focus on internationallyacceptable ideals in telecom regulation, as stipulated by the International Telecommunications Union, ITU, calling for support and cooperation of the staff of the Commission, industry players and key stakeholders to succeed.

International agencies support women farmers with N46m ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

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omen in agribusiness in Nigeria have been offered a better chance of advancing their farm level activities and also for those involved in the various parts of the value chain in the £150,000 (N46m) GEMS4 Challenge fund. It is an economic empowerment funding window under the Fund.

The fund, a business contest, is aimed at private sector actors to encourage them to develop and adopt innovative business models and approaches that will create jobs and improve the income of the financially challenged women who engaged in Wholesale and Retail trading.

An AgroNigeria executive connected with the project, Abigial Anaba, observed that women contribute immensely to agricultural production, but unfortunately they hardly benefit from agricultural incentives and innovation because of economic suppression, social and traditional practices.

Anaba said GEMS4 is a market development project in the country, funded

by DFID/UKAid and supported by the World Bank with the mandate to stimulate market system changes that encourage growth and access.

“It is expected to create 10,000 new jobs and increase incomes for 500,000 people, especially for resource poor men and women.

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Sunday, August 23, 2015

FCE Kano staff protest reversal of status ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI KANO

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embers of the Academic Staff of the Federal University of Education, Kano, yesterday declared a one-week industrial action to protest the Federal Government ’s decision to revert Federal Colleges of Education to their former status.

The aggrieved members of the staff union accused the Provost of sabotaging the upgrading of the institution, over what they described as their selfish interest.

Speaking to reporters over the new directive, the Provost of the College, Dr Rabi Jubirila, hinted that a directive from Federal Government mandated the reversal of the univer-

sity to its former status as a college.

Jubirila said, “The letter received yesterday from the Federal Government specifically cited two major issues, directing that by the copy of this letter, you are directed to reverse the school to its original status.

She further said the letter directed her continue to administer the College as Federal College of Education and as the Provost of the College with all right and privilege ”.

The provost, who denied allegations that Provost of the Colleges was behind the reversal of the university status, insisted that “four Provosts cannot be too powerful to influence the Federal Government ’s decision ”.

Rising from its emergency congress, the Chairman of the Academic Staff union, Dr Abubakar Sadeeq Haruna considered the reversal of the College as too hasty, noting that it did not comply with the necessary due process.

To this end, Haruna regretted the reversal of the university status despite the memo forwarded to the Federal Government, highlighting the advantages of the upgrade, as well as the negative consequences the reversal may generate.

However, the Academic Union urged the Federal Government to subject the planned reversal to a national debate and subject it to due process before jumping into a hasty conclusion.

It could be recalled that the Federal Government

recently directed the immediate reversal of four Federal Universities of Education to their former status as Colleges of Education, pending further notice.

In a statement, signed by the acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Hajia Hindatu Umar Abdullahai directed the former Provost of the College, Dr. Rabi Jubirila to take charge of the administration of the college.

Also, it should be recalled that former President Goodluck Jonathan approved the upgrading of four Colleges of Education to Federal Universities of Education to award bachelor degrees in education, at the twilight of his administration.

Permanent secretaries during the briefing of heads of parastatals with Governor Muhammed Abubakar, in Bauchi, recently.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ambode seeks collaborative efforts to end child trafcking

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ife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode has urged the Association of Orphanage and Homes Operators in Nigeria (ASOHON) to assist in regulating home operations according to best practices.

She also called for the strengthening of collaboration with government and other NGOs to eradicate the social evils of child trafficking, child labour, child abuse, fake orphanage homes and the violation of child right laws.

She spoke at the maiden National Conference of ASOHON, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos on Saturday.

Mrs. Ambode commended the initiatives of orphanage homes and other care-givers in the country, however, urging them to promote awareness and respect for laws relating to rights of children.

She said that care giving for orphans and other challenged children, was a humanitarian task that comes with pain and personal sacrifice.

She said, “You took it upon yourselves within limited available resources, to keep and protect these vulnerable ones, wiping their tears when they cry; feeding them when they are hungry; offering them a shoulder upon which to

Ex-INEC commissioner makes case for birth records

A

former Independent National Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Prof.

Lai Olurode, has called on traditional birth attendants to cooperate with the commission in keeping birth records to determine voter eligibility.

Olurode said that birth record was the only way

the body could know when a prospective voter had come of age.

The former commissioner was speaking on the possible ways to curb underage registration ahead of Kogi and Bayelsa elections, scheduled for November 21 and December 5 respectively.

“If it is possible to use registration of birth

rather than basing age on maturity, it will be easy to know who is underage because in some cases, some people do not have birth certificates.

“Sometimes, it is easy for them to claim that they are 18, whereas they are not; if we have verifiable means through which one can cross check these claims, it will

be great.

“I will call for the establishment of more centres, where people can have their births registered, if the records of their age were not available at the hospital, ” Olurode said.

According to him, people do not take birth registration seriously.

“I will not canvass for

legislation because there is no way of enforcing it, people deliver in homes and villages, so how do you enforce it. ” Olurode suggested that there should be certain programmes that could enlighten people on the registration of their children as they give birth to them.

He advised politicians

rest their tired heads, putting smiles on their forlorn faces; and above all reassuring them that life is worth living after all ”.

“Your contributions to society can neither be measured nor quantified. It is my prayer that the good Lord, who delights in service to the less privileged, richly rewards you all ”.

Earlier in her welcome address, National President of the association, Rev. (Mrs.) Dele George said that ASOHON can and will assist the federal, state and local governments to add value, effectiveness and excellence to the social welfare system, as it pertains to the wellbeing of all vulnerable children.

According to her, “ASOHON is not in existence to truncate the efforts of government, we are here to collaborate and corporate as well as consolidate on the efforts of government.

Our goal is to chart a cause for our industry and brainstorm on actionable solutions to challenges confronting our orphanages and our vulnerable children ”.

George, who said that ASOHON would partner the government to make the issue of baby factories a thing of the past, urged all homes to register with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, to be full members of the association.

to avoid engaging underage persons in electioneering, adding that doing so could pose dangers to the electoral process.

Olurode identified major causes of underage registration as competition among communities to outdo one another in terms of vote count, political representation and number of polling units.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Opinion

Sunday August 23, 2015

51

Ambode: Compassionate governance is the watchword NIYI ANIBABA

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e shall practice government by incentives and not government by enforcement. We shall implement creative ideas and concepts that reduce cost of running government; ideas that make life simpler and happier for our people…

Join hands with me, to offer new ideas that will pull more resources to cater for the poor and needy amongst us. This will be a compassionate government- Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode in inaugural address on May 29 2015 For a society whose citizens have been identified as being among the poorest in the world despite their nation’s enormous wealth, it is the evidence of ultimate responsive governance when an administration hoists compassion and integrity as its watchword. Not doing so amounts to breaching the sacred covenant between you and the governed. It is a treasonable crime, for which the government should cede space to another!

I believe Governor Akinwunmi Ambode clearly understood the solemn enterprise of governance when he made the pronouncement above to herald his administration as one to be judged according to how it shows compassion to the people. In less than 100 days in office, his walk in consonance with his talk has proved that he can be taken at his word.

Let’s consider some unforgettable developments and how he responded to them. Within a fortnight of Ambode’s assumption of office, the state witnessed a series of fatal petrol tanker explosions at Iyana Ipaja, Idimu and Ikorodu. The gov-

ernor abandoned scheduled state duties to visit the scenes of these tragedies in order to commiserate with the victims and the bereaved. He promptly followed it up with a meeting of oil industry stakeholders and set up a committee to work out how to end the excesses of fuel tanker drivers.

I readily recall how Ambode mingled with the people in the rain at one of the points of the explosions. Soaked in the downpour, the governor’s message was clear: I am with the common man every step of the way, come rain, come shine.

He made a pledge to assist the people cushion the heavy losses they incurred.

He has since honoured his word!

How about the case of the ApapaOshodi expressway gridlock? The governor undertook the nightmarish trip on that stretch. He punished himself by spending long hours on the highway, experiencing the pains and frustration of motorists and commuters, the better to appreciate the sufferings of those who voted him into power, so he could learn to serve them and formulate strategies to make life easier for them. It’s part of his take on the principle and practice of compassionate governance.

Now if that was a collective perspective, how about instances of the governor’s direct reach to the woman with multiple births whose husband fled home? He couldn’t stand the responsibility of catering for his family with several mouths to feed. Ambode got in touch with the family and provided a generosity that has since seen the hapless man return home. After all, they are part of the “poor and needy amongst us” the

governor referred to as he took the oath of office.

Another such personal intervention by the governor was when he left Ikoyi on his way to work. A car with a female at the wheels had overturned and Ambode halted his motorcade and joined in the operation to save life. Does that not remind one of the compassion of the Good Samaritan in the Bible whom the Lord Jesus Christ commended for setting aside his own personal convenience and time to attend to a dying victim of robbery?

Well, this allusion to empathy for the weak and the vulnerable in our midst leads me to the trending issue of the whopping eleven billion naira Governor Ambode is now paying out to our longsuffering senior citizens whose pensions and gratuities had remained unremitted for years, for nearly 20 years in some instances. It is sad that some of their colleagues died while waiting for the money. Others cannot even fully enjoy the money because of health concerns.

These elderly men and women served the state to the best of their abilities while they were still active only to be rewarded with apathy in their old age. Nothing proves a government’s genuine compassion for these old people but to give them their dues when they need it most after service to their father land.

It’s been praises and prayers galore for the governor from the thousands of citizens whose relatives and friends are benefiting from his gesture. Of course, there are still more pensioners to be redeemed. And Ambode has assured them that it would soon be their turn to smile

and dance. They have cause to believe him because of his track record. He didn’t fail the people when he handled the finances of Lagos State as its Accountant General during a most difficult period.

At the heart of every successful administration is that component of government called compassion for the people. No matter what accolades you accumulate on account of your grandiose political philosophies or ideologies, if you fail to connect to the people on their ordinary needs, you are a failure. Since representative democracy starts with the election of government by the people, it follows that the success of a ruler should be judged by how his actions address the plight of the people who constitute the driving force of government.

Indeed, politicians ought to be assessed by their answers to these questions: Do I possess the milk of human kindness that would enable me put the people first before my personal and friendship considerations? Can I be a Good Samaritan, using my personal resources to relieve their pain? Can I drop my agbada and move into the rain to sympathize with grieving citizens away from the comfort of my home? Can I go the extra mile to show compassion to the people who braved the hostile elements on Election Day to vote for me?

If the politician says yes to all these, please note that the matter isn’t settled yet until he walks the talk as Governor Ambode has done these few weeks he has been in the saddle.

•Anibaba, an educationist, wrote in from Surulere, Lagos.

Wading through the rice conundrum (1) IBRAHIM B.B. SHETTIMA

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have followed, with keen interest, in the last few weeks, the unfolding drama or needless ‘altercation’ between the Nigeria Customs Service [NCS] and members of the Nigerian Rice Millers Association [NRMA], on who should bear responsibility for the sum of N23b in potential revenue lost last year by the government as a result of unwholesome implementation of a government fiscal incentive on rice imports. This unfortunate turn of events is probably a direct consequence of the stealthy manner in which an otherwise laudable policy initiative was introduced in the first place.

Admittedly, the observed national supply gap with respect to this staple that qualifies to be classified as a sensitive product, called for both short and long term measures at the time the government introduced import quotas, at concessionary duty rates, for rice millers with verifiable investments in local production and commitment to backward integration. Yes, the Presidential approval was timely, but the sequencing of the consequential directives through circulars by the relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies [MDAs] was characterised by lethargy, poor coordination, ineffective communication [lack of clarity] and, sadly, an unpardonable resort to retrospection.

It is evident from the arguments that

have suffused the print and electronic media lately that the government approved a total of 1.3 million metric tons to be allocated to qualified rice millers as import quotas. The presidential approval giving effect to this fiscal measure was supposedly issued in May, 2014, while the Federal Ministry of Finance’s circular meant to facilitate implementation was issued in July, 2014. It is apparent that while this circular specified the criteria for prospective beneficiaries of reduced import duties, it was silent on the quotas allocated to individual importers, with only a hint that imports would be limited to the national supply gap to be determined by an InterMinisterial Committee.

Alas, it took the said committee, if ever there was one, seven [7] good months after Mr President’s approval to wake up to its responsibilities! Nigerian bureaucracy certainly needs a jolt, if I am permitted to digress. The circular purportedly issued by this committee, under the authority of the then Minister of Agriculture, was, to say the least, incredible as it allocated quotas to beneficiaries in a retroactive manner. The issue to interrogate here is whether the earlier circular from the Federal Ministry of Finance advised beneficiaries to tarry awhile, pending when allocation of quotas would be finalised by the Ministry of Agriculture or the relevant committee.

If there was no such advice, which

rational corporate entity will stymie its business by refraining from taking advantage of a scheme whose qualifying criteria it satisfied? Imagine the consequences of a seven-month lull in the importation of rice on price in the face of the identified supply gap and unabating rise in demand. The concomitant rise in the evil phenomenon of smuggling [of rice] would have exerted a heavy toll on the lean resources of the customs administration, as knee-jerk efforts would have been made to intensify patrol of, and surveillance over known unauthorised entry points.

The phenomenon of smuggling may be evil, but it seems Nigerian fiscal authorities are oblivious, if not downright ignorant, of an equally debilitating phenomenon of trade diversion. Trade diversion occurs when unfriendly trade policies in a country constrain importers to use the port facilities of its contiguous [neighbouring] countries whose policies are relatively friendlier. Therefore, if the current posture of forcing importers to pay up disputed duties is not moderated through fair hearing, the biggest beneficiary may be the Republic of Benin, whose Cotonou port offers a veritable alternative for imports destined for Nigeria. This in itself constitutes double jeopardy for the country as duty [ revenue] is not only lost as a result of the diverted trade; smuggling, with all its attendant security im-

plications, will be hard to fight, talk less of obliterating it. The way out of this conundrum will be addressed shortly. It however suffices to add here that the counterpoise to trade diversion is trade creation.

Another issue that calls for critical interrogation relates to the quality of policy formulation and implementation issuing forth from the bureaucracy. The loud silence of an important policy document on transition arrangements that will facilitate seamless operation of a dual duty regime for a product of uniform classification and valuation is symptomatic of suboptimal performance; a palpable deficit in executive capacity; negligence on the part of supervisors and an egregious lack of rigour in policy formulation.

Turning our attention to the rather tepid defence of its recent bellicose posture, the NCS, in an advertorial in the Daily Trust of 1st August, 2015, claimed its action of sealing up the warehouses of the ‘defaulting’ importers was taken after several warnings and ultimatum were ignored. It also averred that although it was aware of the litigation instituted by one of the affected importers, it relied on the powers conferred on it by the relevant provisions of Customs & Excise Management Act [CEMA].

•Shettima, an economist, trade policy analyst, is a retired Deputy Director of CBN.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Adamawa: Understanding Bindow ’s social change agenda LIVINUS MENEDI

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he recent policy thrust of Governor Mohammed Jibrilla Bindow to set up a N500 million, fund to support Small and Medium Scale Enterprises in the state, the government has said is borne out of the administration ’s desire to bring about social change to the beleaguered state.

In undertaking this revolutionary policy thrust of empowering industry and promoting enterprise among its youthful population, Governor Bindow has made it clear that his administration ’s welfare agenda will be at variance with previous welfarist programmes which only favoured the indolent.

Noting that his prime objective is to promote inclusive growth rather than favouring some lazy political hangers on with monthly handout sfor doing nothing, at the detriment of the more ebullient and hardworking crop of the populace, Governor Bindow in setting the new tone of social change for the beleaguered state which he himself at different fora has described as sadly one of the most backward and least developed states of the federation.

He is optimistic that the new approach to infrastructural provision through renewed efforts at roads construction across the state coupled with the N500 million SME funds which will allow youths to access loans ranging between N30,000 to N50,000 to support enterprise, the state would begin to witness a new era of socioeconomic change.

Against the background of the strides being made by the new All Progressive Congress, APC administration in the social re-engineering of the state, Sunday Mirror, went to town to find out if the initiative is in sync with the generality of the population.

Findings show that while a good number of the citizens support the N500 million SME fund, nevertheless, not a few, have described the effort as “little ” based on feelings that for an administration, which hopes to use the fund as the fulcrum of its social change agenda should make it look realistic by committing more funds into the programme.

Nonetheless, the policy proposal whose implementation will be in conjunction with the traditional institutions in the state has equally enjoined the endorsement of the royal fathers through their various heads.

The initiative is perhaps seen by them to have come at the right time to curb the rising youth unemployment.

The royal fathers led by the Lamido of Adamawa HRH Dr. Barkindo Aliyu Musdafa, during the Sallah Homage to Gov. Bindow, where the administration ’s N500 million SME fund initiative was unveiled, had in their separate remarks, acknowledged the spike in youth unemployment as a huge challenge requiring urgent public policy action at all levels.

Therefore, not a few youths in the state are overjoyed by the administration ’s new policy thrust that will bring some succour to a sizable youth population in the state who have faced difficulties in accessing capital for either a start up or expansion of a business concern.

Explianing details of the initiative, the Secretary to the State government, Dr. Umar Bindi said it was targeted at a minimum of 40 beneficiaries in each of the 226 political wards of the state under the pilot

Bin ndow w

Lam mido Ada ama awa a, Bark kind do Mus sda afa.

WE KNOW FULL WELL N30,000 CAN BE ENOUGH CAPITAL FOR THE ARTISAN, THAT FARMER LOOKING TO ENGAGE IN DRY SEASON FARMING, THAT FUND CAN HELP HIM TO PURCHASE A SMALL WATER IRRIGATION MACHINE scheme of the empowerment programme.

“Our people at the rural level, the subsistence farmer, the market woman and traders, do not need more than N50,000 capital to either begin or expand their business activities, yet this funds are hardly available to them, ” Bindir said.

“But to do this, the government would want to partner with the traditional institutions that would have to attest to us, on the forms that will be given to each of 40 beneficiaries, in their wards that the youths are of good character and will not abscond with the funds ”.

Governor Bindow during its roll out of the empowerment initiative, had pointed out that the initiative marked a shift from previous programmes were individuals and groups were just given monies without justification nor wealth creating benefits for the state.

He said his administration will do everything to protect the down trodden, because he owed them a debt of gratitude for electing him. He noted that for many of them, the funds to be disbursed soon may afford them the opportunity to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams.

“We know full well N30,000 can be enough capital for the artisan, that farmer looking to engage in dry season farming, that fund can help him to purchase a small water irrigation machine. While for those, badly in need of capital to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams of being self employed, this scheme, which is our own agenda for social change will make it come to fruition.

However, there are some who believe that micro-credit of between N30,000 to N50,000 is good, but still too small to plug the huge

hole created by unemployment over the years.

President, Forum of YOUWIN (Youth Enterprise with innovation in Nigeria) Awardees, Adamawa state chapter, Mr. Geoffrey Naphtali and President, National Association of Small Scale Industrialist (NASSI), Adamawa state chapter, Chaplain Obida Musa Manu, in their separate response to the state government proposal noted that if the N500 million was well harnessed and efficiently disbursed, it would take many of the youths out of the street and transform them.

Naphtali, who is also a lecturer with the Adamawa State University, said the government can do more by jerking up the credits so that budding entrepreneurs who need credits of between N1m to N2m can still get the funds they require through the scheme because of their employment generating capabilities.

Basing his argument, on recent involvement with the YOUWIN programme, he said it would be salutary if the government ’s objective with the N500 million funds is clearly defined. “If the government ’s aim is to provide a stimulus for employment generation, to get many of her unemployed youths off the street, then I daresay, there would be need to rethink the maximum amount, which can be given out as credit. Because, at best, the man given N50,000 to either start a trade or expand his craft, can only support himself and maybe the immediate members of his household. And I doubt, if he can employ up to three or more people and pay them the current minimum wage. ” He therefore strongly, advocates for the cap on the credits, which is pegged at

N50,000 to be revised upwards to between N1million and N2milion as this was likely to spur wealth creation and employment generation opportunities for its youths. He stressed that such credits, if granted will allow a lot of businesses, operated by youths in the state to get the requisite funds to boost their inventory and working capital, and in the process take up additional hands.

Obida however wants the government to supplement the scheme by drawing down on the untapped N2 billion CBN SME funds meant for the state, but still in the coffers of the bank. He said the funds if retrieved can be added to the N500 million and disbursed to small businesses in the state, through a microfinance bank, which he advocates the government should set up, so as to give structure and form to the scheme. He therefore proposed a bill to repeal the Adamawa State Homes Savings and Loans company with a legislation that will have it renamed as Adamawa Enterprise and Mortgage Microfinance Bank, with additional fiduciary functions of a microfinance bank, to disburse the funds, Obida According to him, for his association which has a membership of over 400 artisans, they required much more than N50,000 noting that most of the business need around N200,000 to N500,000 on the average to turn their enterprises around.

Analysts and public commentators, for long have been critical of the past administration ’s social welfare programmes operated at huge economic cost to the state, but, Governor Bindow ’s social change agenda which he said is conceived to correct past failed programmes through this empowerment initiative, has gained the overwhelming approval of the electorate.

Past schemes have usually ended up lining the pockets of political cronies, which they have come to see as tools of political settlement. Those who reckon with the paradigm shift, the roll out of the N500 million SME funds, will engender as a tool for social change, say it will only suffice, when compared to the immediate past administration of Gov. Bala Ngillari, who allegedly planned to expend billions of tax payers monies to reward over 600 delegates of his party the Peoples Democratic Party with N150,000 monthly payment as salaries.

This followed their appointment as Special Assistant, a rehash of his former boss, Governor Murtala Nyako ’s welfare scheme, whereby political hangers on and even miscreants were rewarded with Monthly wages ranging from between N5,000 to N1,000,000 upon their appointment as Special Assistants (SA), depending on one ’s station, for doing nothing. Many within the populace still view the SA programme as yet, a scheme for political patronage. They argued that the scheme instead of creating social change only ended up propelling laziness as many of the over15,000 people, which records showed benefited from the scheme did nothing to warrant being rewarded by the state government with the monthly wage.

Therefore, for a state, which is still backwards and grappling with a yawning infrastructural gap and growing social malaise of substance abuse occasioned by the frustrating sting of unemployment, frittering public resources on undeserving persons under whatever guise is not what this administration want to be associated with Abdulrahman Abba Jimeta, Chief of Staff, Adamawa Government House, stated while explaining the rational for the government ’s new disposition in fulfilling its constitutional responsibilities of assuring the welfare of its citizenry.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Sunday, August 23, 2015

53

d paradigm

Murray--Bru uce

vision for participation in the decision making process.

On the part of the lawmakers, the system will improve the quality of legislation at the National Assembly as all senators will get materials for deliberation, 24 hours before each sitting.

With this, unlike what is presently obtainable,

the senators will have the opportunity of reviewing the materials before coming to the chambers and prepare themselves well for quality deliberations on the floor.

Another recommendation, which appears like a new innovation in the report, is an 8-point ethical and code of conduct for senators, which in the real sense is not anything novel.

The said code of conduct in every sense is significantly not different from the commitments encapsulated in the oath of allegiance and oath of membership, which the lawmakers take upon inauguration of a new parliament.

The new ethical code of conduct recommended by the committee requires that senators should maintain high level of integrity, discipline and moral principles; conduct themselves so as to reflect the position and inspire confidence, respect, trust of colleagues and the public and encouragement of non discriminatory practices in all aspects of legislative practices.

The rest include the promotion of spirit of cooperation, fair dealings and ethical practices with other legislators and to always refrain from misrepresentation and other conduct that will bring the senate or the National Assembly to disrepute; avoid attacking the motives of fellow legislators, including making ridiculous and use of abusive and u parliamentary language and unfair comments about colleagues.

Finally, that all senators must keep in confidence any information obtained in the course of their legislative assignment.

However, in general, the recommenda-

ssant recesses MOST OF THE JOB IS DONE BEHIND

THE SCENES. MOST OF US SAY WE ARE ON RECESS BUT WE ARE BACK IN OUR CONSTITUENCY, HOLDING CONSTITUENCY MEETINGS Zorrro

which is what is happening now, is in the parliamentary calendar. The only one that people can talk of is that one month recess. When we came back from the recess, the bureaucracies to put the working tools in order, the offices among others were not there. These are the things that will enable us to move on but they were not ready and we said we will go for two weeks again. But after two weeks, there was Sallah and people needed to go for Umrah (lesser hajj), so we decided to combine it. That

is the only one that people will say it was not on our calendar but the present one is our annual vacation, it is there in the national parliamentary calendar And as we resume this will not be an issue again, we will resume our legislative duties ”, Chuabunwa said.

He however said that parliamentary work is not just plenary sittings.

“It is not that when we say we are on

tions of the committee are a reflection of the commitments and promises the lawmakers have been publicly committing to in the past without living up to them in reality.

For instance, the committee recommended that the senate would undertake prompt consideration of the following legislations; constitution amendment 2014, national conference report, Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), the National Poverty Eradication Commission establishment bill, as well as other issues of national importance on which consideration started, but not completed during the last senate.

The aforementioned bills were no doubt, exactly the same that the leadership of the 7th senate regaled Nigerians with at every turn of event during their four year tenure, yet, it is public knowledge how these same bills ended disastrously.

The recommendation that, “The 8th senate is committed to ensure that legislative activities do not suffer undue delays as a result of misplacement of priorities, sentiments and partisanship. Its activities should strictly be in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and must be guided by standing orders, bills and motions should be prioritized in line with set agenda, ” amounts to nothing new also.

On the critical issue of over-sighting of the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government, the committee merely restated the much flaunted position of the senate on the vexed issue over the years.

For instance, the committee recommended that as a statutory responsibility of the

senate, the issue of over sight functions and public hearings has to be taken seriously, through the provision of funds to enable committees carry out their functions without input from ministries, departments and agencies under their jurisdiction.

In the discharge of these functions, the committee recommended that over sight visits should be planned for every quarter as well that attention should be centered on periodic review and analysis of reports from ministries, departments and agencies before embarking on over sight.

The committee in addition recommended that committees should be empowered to fund their oversight activities without contributions by the ministries, departments and agencies involve, even as a recommendation was also made that committees should not accept patron ages or gratifications from ministries, departments and agencies.

This was also as the committee recommended that committees ’ oversight should be properly guided to avoid abuse of power.

Looking at these recommendations, one would not help but wonder the novelty in any of them.

Regarding the technical needs of the senate, the ad hoc committee recommended the establishment of the parliamentary radio and television station, electronic archives, as well as a senate museum; a historical data gallery, starting from 1999 to date.

The rest other recommendations as observed earlier were mere repetition of what the functions and responsibilities of the senate have been over the years.

break we are not working at all. The committee on ethics and privileges are meeting by now. What people called sitting is just plenary, which is just about 30 per cent of the duties of the parliament.

Most of the job is done behind the scenes.

Most of us say we are on recess but we are back in our constituency, holding constituency meetings ”, he explained.

Also speaking on the development, the Chairman, House Ad-Hoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Sani Zoro, said he did not understand what the public meant by incessant recess saying that as of now all the courts are on three month recess and that is their calendar.

He said the current six weeks break also is the annual recess of the National Assembly.

“It is also very interesting, we sit for only three days in a week but if you do comparable analysis to what obtains in other parts of the world you will see that in different jurisdictions most legislators in most countries sit for between three to four hours. This is so because the substantial part of legislative duties is done at committee level.

“These three days are days set aside for taking petitions from the constituents , deliberations in a transparent manner that would be tracked and covered by the public, by the press and whosoever because there is public gallery in the two chambers. As for the number of days that we have sat I want Nigerians to re-

lax I can assure you that not only we are going to meet constitutional requirement of 180 days for plenary in a legislative year but within the few weeks that we have sat we have achieved a lot ”, Zoro said .

But a public affairs analyst, Mr. Bayo Okunlola said though the legislature have the right and procedures for recess but that they should watch out the number of days they go on recess to avoid last minute rush like it happened during the last days of the 7th senate when 41 bills were passed under 10minuts.

He also said that the national legislators should also learn to carry along the generality of Nigerians concerning their activities.

“They need to let the public know what they are doing. If there is need for recess they should not take Nigerians for granted because they were elected

by Nigerians. They should therefore takes time to explain to Nigerians the reason they are embarking on recess or any other decision taking by them.

“The National legislators seemed to have no communication mechanism, the calendar should be explained to Nigerians and should not be shrouded in secrecy ”, he said.

Political watchers are looking at how the legislators would respond through their attitude to work when they resumed from the six weeks annual recess.

54

Politics

Sunday August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Special courts needed for corruption cases –CACOL Comrade Debo Adeniran is the Executive Chairman of the Campaign Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL. In this interview with Ayo Esan, he speaks on the issue of corruption in the country and the effort of President Muhammadu Buhari to stem it. Excerpts: How will you assess President Muhammadu Buhari ’s administration so far?

There is the need for a public declaration of his assets. You know that is important so that we know where he is coming from and we would have a baseline through which we can measure his accumulation while in the office and be able to assess his statement of account at the end of the tenure. So if he has not done that and his vice has also not done that, we are not satisfied. What we expected is that as soon as they completed their code of conduct bureau forms they hand it over to the media not minding what the code of conduct bureau will say after.

This is because the implication of not making it public early enough is that they must have garner enough strength to cow the code of conduct bureau to agree with what they dictate to them. If they are now making it open, we may not totally believe them because it would have been compromised one way or the other even if it wasn ’t they would have given that room for doubt.

Be that as it may, the other agenda which they have carried out especially in the area of anti-corruption, we are satisfied with that, that the books of the past leaders would be looked into and everybody that have been found to have soiled his hands will be punished. But what we have not seen is how adequate the punishment will be, how deterrent the punishment will be and that is what we are expecting from the regime to re-work the book to ensure that the punishment that will be meted out to corrupt criminals are truly deterrent and would be a clear departure from a slap on the wrist kind of punishment which we have witnessed in the past.

Then international relations, it has been so far so good citing the example of the President ’s visit to the G7 although we are not sure that the G7 has acted in tandem with the wish list that the president submitted to them. We are not yet sure that they have lived up to expectation. But for the government of the United States, we are sure that they have made a number of promises which we are sure is going to help our polity.

That is a good direction and there are some criminals who stole before and have started returning money. Power is relatively stable now than it used to be and the promise that the refinery will soon be working and if they are working in Nigeria there won ’t be any need to import refined products from anywhere. That means that the regime of subsidy will naturally die.

Basically it has been right steps in the right direction but there is still a long way to go, although we are still far away from the start point and that is a good omen.

How will you assess his anti-corruption programme?

It is being so good and that he said he is going to probe the last regime is a good step in the right direction and a good way to start. But beyond that , he should look into the pending petitions with anti-corruption agency and with the presidency and to ensure that every petition is investigated , is reacted to in such a way that the petitioner will not feel let down . That is the way by which you garner public will to support the government towards the eradication of corruption in Nigeria. But like I said earlier he need to re-work the books especially the legal criminal justice system

Ade eniran n

POWER IS RELATIVELY STABLE NOW THAN IT USED TO BE AND THE PROMISE THAT THE REFINERY WILL SOON BE WORKING AND IF

THEY ARE WORKING IN NIGERIA THERE WON ’T BE ANY NEED TO IMPORT REFINED PRODUCTS FROM ANYWHERE. THAT MEANS THAT THE REGIME OF SUBSIDY WILL NATURALLY DIE that makes it possible for corruption-criminals to delay the period of adjudication to their cases for as long as they wish. There should be a time limit during which such hearing could be done and any lawyer that waste the time of the court should know that if it is discovered that he deliberated waste the time of the court he should be sanctioned. Any judge that allows frivolous application when it is unnecessary should also be sanctioned. That means that there would be a commission that will oversee the adjudication into all these criminal cases to ensure that no lawyer participates in deliberate time wasting venture because some lawyers are found to conspire with the criminals to circumvent the course of justice by delaying the cases . First, they know that the trial judge could die or could be transferred and that means that the case will start pro novo. That is starting afresh.

Then frivolous application like questioning the jurisdiction of the court even if it is a magistrate court should be allowed to try corruption cases and should insist that

even the suspected corruption criminal will appeal the case to the high court. He should be the one that will embark on that.

So there is no court that should not be given the jurisdiction to try corruption cases, even if it is going to be a customary court.

So the question of them filing against the jurisdiction of the court and they will pursue that to the Supreme Court. Then they will look for other frivolous excuses to file another process they pursue it to the Supreme Court that is the way they delayed cases. There are a lot of cases still pending since the first regime of the present republic. You can find that the case of Femi Fani-Kayode spent seven good years in court Chief Uzor Kalu still has a case in court, Joshua Dariye , many of them who had even participated in the national assembly exercises and completed several terms of offices They still have pending cases in court. That regime should be abolished and to ensure that every corruption cases is not more than six months before t it is deposed off.

But some people are suggesting that there should be a special court for corruption cases. What is your view on that?

Yes, the one way out of it, is to have special courts for trial of corruption cases because corruption has become a cankerworm that to extricate it needs specialised skills and that is why we also joined former Chairman of the EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri when she suggested it. That if there is Special Court, then no court will claim to have too many cases that are not corruption cases to attend to. The specialized courts will have all the time to look at all the statutory books that have to do with corruption.

They will be well abreast of precedence and decided cases, which will help them in determining the cases in their own court. Then they will be given time limit during which the cases will be heard not the same rule that will apply in other jurisdiction that will try corruption cases, because it is an emergency situation that has to be dealt with in an emergency solution. Part of it is to make it a snappy thing like the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Aloma Murktar tried to do because any judge that engage in corrupt practices she cautioned them, query them, punish them immediately not allowing things to lie low. And she actually put machinery in motions that make quick dispensation of criminal justice even faster than what was expected to be.

The PDP senators are saying that President Buhari ’s anti-corruption drive is targeted mainly at the PDP members. They said he should also probe former Governor of Rivers State, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and former Governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu who they accused of also being corrupt.

You see, also former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was also accused of selective justice and they accused him of misuse of EFCC during his tenure. That will always come. What the opposition should do is to put together enough evidences and witnesses that can actually compel the EFCC or ICPC or Code of Conduct Bureau to prosecute some of the cases they desire to be prosecuted. Like Tinubu for example, they have made several allegations but none of these allegations have been able to stand the test of judicial process.

Now for Amaechi, I don ’t know the evidence they have but if they have evidence let them bring it to the EFCC or even to us at CACOL. We will put it in the front burner and everybody will know he has a case to answer. The practice in Nigeria is that once something affected you in a way that you don ’t desire , you continue to look for excuses and to kind of vilified the authorities that makes it possible for you to trace the court of justice.

President Muhammadu Buhari has set up a committee on war against corruption under the Chairmanship of legal luminary, Professor Itse Sagay. How do you see the set up of the committee and its composition?

It is a good thing that the committee is set up given the antecedent of Professor Itse Sagay who was an active member of ASUU when he was in the then University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University and later moved to Benin where he was an officer of ASUU and performed creditably well . Don ’t be deceived he was also a victim of the first incursion into politics by the military during President Buhari military administration.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interview

Sunday, August 23, 2015

55

‘Mass defection to APC is immoral ’ supporting me does not make him my enemy. I like decent arguments. I like to engage with whoever will emerge, whoever will have an aspiration to be governor on what you think you would have done differently. That is a conversation that I will like to have and I look forward to when the campaign starts. An issue based peaceful and robust, engaging intellectual conversation campaigns. I enjoin all of you who believe in the Restoration, the changes that we have brought about physically, and in terms of the culture of the place, to turn out en masse when the time comes to give your support. But thank you very much and in your own homes continue to pray for us.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 changing his affiliation to a political party so a number of them say they are going or have gone. These same people before the cock crowed three times like Peter did in the bible, some of them were as close to Jesus like Peter to the former president, all decamped. All I know is that power comes from God but as leader of PDP in Bayelsa we remain open to all those members who for one reason or the other are thinking of crossing to the other side as it is a wrong move. I interact with all of them.

With the way our president left office I believe the election is not about me because if I were to be contesting election in America with all I have achieved there will not even be a campaign. The way our former president left office, I believe the next election is not about me or PDP. It is about the dignity and pride of Ijaw nation, a people who have been humiliated at the federal level like this because they say we are few and our people who should hold the home base are the ones jumping ship. I do not have any problems even with the leader of the opposition party in the state, the former governor. He is my friend and brother but his politics is what I disagree with. But his own case is even understandable because he was there as part of the formation of the APC for whatever personal reasons. But people who stayed with us till we did elections should know APC does not need them. Where were they when APC was battling to get votes and register their party to secure votes for their president? They think because we have lost, the Ijaw nation should be humiliated and they are not going quietly. They are the ones that are talking but the good news is that the ordinary people of Ijaw nation will rise up and say no to this display of greed of the highest order where people cannot subordinate their own personal greed for position at the federal level for the common good.

Electioneering campaigns are underway in the state. What message are you sending out this time around?

My dear people of Bayelsa, we have all embarked on a journey, a life changing journey. For the past three years, we have moved into a very crucial phase a phase where the fate of the future and the destiny of our people will be decided. Not by anybody in Lagos, not by anybody in Abuja but by you the people.

You are aware of what we ’ve been doing.

I am not saying that we have been able to take our state to where we want it to be. No. That is not something you can do in three years or even in four years or even in eight years. Building of a state just like nation building is work in progress. What we owe you is a clear vision and we have demonstrated that. What we owe you is commitment and courage to do what is right for our people. We have demonstrated that. Now we need your support. We need your understanding as you have always displayed. We have made our state to be one of the safest.

I need to work with you and urge you

Dickson

IT IS THE PRIVATE SECTOR THAT CAN HELP US ENGAGE PEOPLE AND CREATE JOBS. THAT IS WHY I KEEP TALKING OF SECURITY AND DEVELOPMENT AND THEN PROSPERITY

again to continue to collaborate with the security agencies to ensure that even the recent cases of breaches of peace that is kidnapping and so on will be no more associated with our dear state.

That ’s not good for our image, is not good for our economy and is not good moving forward. You have seen the massive developments that we have been able to bring even in spite of the high wage bill, in spite of the debt burden that we inherited. From inheriting a state that was heavily indebted, it has become one of the least indebted. Our state does not owe salaries, does not owe pensions. But the recent downturn in the economy has slowed us down in the execution of some of our life changing projects. But these projects must continue and that means that we need support from you for stability and to consolidate what we started.

I have been consulting. I want to thank all NGOs for all their support across the length and breadth of our state. I want to thank youth groups and women groups, thank the elders. When the campaign starts, youth groups and women groups, elders, leaders of communities, and all of you, I want to again utilize that oppor-

tunity to be with you all. I call for understanding and support. I want to also talk to those who feel that things should be done differently. I will look forward to a debate with them. Those who are in the other party, I urge them to play the game according to the rules. Let ’s not slander one another, let ’s not malign one another, let ’s not propagate falsehood and blackmail propaganda. We are brothers whether we are contestants against one another or not. We must work together to develop and build a better and prosperous Bayelsa. I enjoin you all to even within your own parties try your best to make the contest peaceful as I have within the past three years or so never molested anybody who disagreed with me. With enormous powers of government, we have never harassed anybody for holding a contrary view or for saying something that my government or I disagree with. You have seen the barrage of criticism most if it for me unwarranted, unjustified, most of it unfair but as political leaders you must develop thick skin even to those who disagree with us and those who oppose us. That someone is not agreeing with me or not

When you inaugurated the volunteer scheme, you opposition has accused you of trying to raise a force that will help you bring the election, how do you see this and what plans do you have to create jobs for the youths apart from the volunteer scheme?

We are talking to our youths on the various ways we can work with them for security, for wealth creation. You talked about job creation. In all these things we are doing, you must have two things in place. First security, before you can even think of creating jobs. Creation of jobs is not to tell the civil service commission to employ people because there is a limit to what the state can afford, and what the state government needs in terms of manpower. It is the private sector that can help us engage people and create jobs. That is why I keep talking of security and development and then prosperity. Then there is infrastructure. A company that wants to spend billions wants a road to where they can site their factory, they want to have power. Now we are working to build an airport. You can imagine the jobs that will be created as a result because businessmen will now be able to fly to Bayelsa and set up businesses.

You must have security, stability in government, infrastructure. That is why we are building roads, the airport e.t.c. You can imagine what Lagos or Port-Harcourt would have been without the seaports and airports. Here we just had one rural place that became a state. I will see that we will get to Agge, now we are battling to get to Ekeremor. By November or December this year by the grace of God sand filling will be completed.

Creating jobs is not about giving hand outs to people who come to Government House. That is the mentality some of our people have and that is wrong. When the deep sea port is done, importers and exporters will be there, customs people and agencies will be there and land prices will go up. Infrastructural development fights poverty. Now prices of land have gone up on the road to Oporoma since we opened the road. That is the impact of development on the economy so job creation is a critical issue but you must first have security, the infrastructure to back it and government policies for partnership with the private sector. Agriculture is one clear way that we will use but you must have the infrastructure that will attract the business men that will come and put down their money who also have the skills to manage enterprises.

56

Politics

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Echoes of Nasarawa governorship battle at election tribunal IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

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he Nasarawa State governorship candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in the last general elections, Labaran Maku, had approached the Nasarawa State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lafia to declare him winner of the April 11 governorship election.

Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of the All Progressives Congress, APC, was declared winner of the gubernatorial election in the state. The results declared by INEC showed that Al-Makura polled 308, 536 votes to beat his challenger, Maku who got a total of 186, 151 votes.

Declaring the result at about 4:30am Monday morning at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lafia, the state governorship returning officer, Prof.

Abdulmumini Rafindadi, said having scored more votes than six other contestants in the race, Governor Al-Makura has been returned as governor for another period of four years.

About 171 witnesses were expected to testify before the tribunal as disclosed during the trial session of the petition filed by Maku The petition which had the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), All Progressives Congress (APC) as second and third respondents respectively is challenging the declaration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of the APC as winner in the April 11, 2015 governorship election by the second respondent, INEC. At the commencement of pre-trial session, counsel to Governor Al-Makura, SAN, informed the tribunal that all the parties involved in the matter, including the petitioner were ready to present 171 witnesses during proceedings.

He revealed that while the petitioner was initially going to present over 160 witnesses, the number was cut down to 60 to allow for speedy proceedings to enable the tribunal conclude its assignment within the stipulated time. He added that a total of 29 witnesses would testify for the first respondent, Al-Makura, while 55 would testify for the second respondent, INEC, and 27 for the third respondent, APC. The Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mohammed, who reiterated that the tribunal would not condone unnecessary delays from the parties involved, maintained that the tribunal was committed to dispensing justice within the constitutional 180 days even as she added that the tribunal would be allotting five minutes to each of the witnesses to enable it conclude the case within the days prescribed by law.

In an interview with journalists shortly after the pre-trial session, counsel to Governor Al-Makura, Yusu Ali, SAN, assured that the witnesses in the matter would be exhausted within the time frame given by the tribunal.

On his part, counsel to the petitioner, Henry Michael Ihunde, who expressed satisfaction with the level of cooperation from all the parties involved, noted that the action would enable the tribu-

El-M Mak kurra

Maku

POLITICAL PUNDITS ARE ANALYSING WHERE THE PENDULUM OF THE STATE ’S GOVERNORSHIP TUSSLE AT THE TRIBUNAL MIGHT FINALLY SWING TO, CONSIDERING

CERTAIN FACTS WHICH THEY CLAIMED ARE VERY MUCH GLARING

nal to dispense justice within the stipulated time.

But while ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by Mike Okorie, one of Maku ’s counsels, the head of the three-man tribunal, Justice Muhammed, granted the APGA candidate leave to inspect materials used during the election. Among the items to be inspected include Form EC8, card readers, incidence forms, and results sheets of the 1495 polling units in the state.

Speaking to journalists after the ruling, Mr. Okorie said he would immediately forward the order of the tribunal to INEC to ensure speedy inspection of the materials. But contrary to the claims by the petitioner ’s counsel to ensure the speedy inspection of the voting materials, there was a delay as they were unable to join up with the INEC staff in about 10 local government areas visited

by INEC only to appear at the 11th local government, which was Keana.

It was against this backdrop that the petitioner ’s counsel approached the tribunal seeking for an additional time which after a heated argument between the petitioner ’s and respondents ’ counsels, the tribunal chairman ruled in favour of the petitioner by adding more time to enable them complete the inspection exercise.

During the period of cross examina-

tion of Maku ’s witnesses, lead counsel to Al-Makura, Yusuf Ali, sought to know from the APGA 2015 gubernatorial candidate, who was physically at the tribunal to testify, whether his party, APGA, has won any seat in the Nasarawa State House of Assembly. But the petitioner answered that he was not challenging any house of assembly election but rather that of the governorship.

Be it as it may, events at the election petitions tribunal shows that the Justice Halima Mohammed-led tribunal has had its work simplified after the first and second defendants, Governor Al-Makura and All Progressives Congress (APC) closed their defenses in three days. This was because lead counsel to Al-Makura, Yusuf Ali, SAN, closed his defense after fielding only two witnesses, just as the second respondent, the APC, also closed its own after equally presenting two witnesses.

This turnout of events was said to have sent jitters into the camp of the petitioner, Mr. Maku, whose legal team was waiting to build their case on the flaws of the respondents witnesses who were earlier billed to present over 50 witnesses.

Speaking on the development, a counsel in Governor Al-Makura ’s legal team, Barr. Matthew Burkaa, said having failed to prove the allegations raised

in his petition before the tribunal it was safer to present only a few witnesses in situations where there is need for clarification by the respondent. He maintained that the onus of proof is responsibility of the petitioner and having failed to do that it would amount to a technical suicide to go on presenting witnesses when there is nothing to prove.

Similarly, the APC also presented only two witnesses from two polling units in Nasarawa Eggon local government and closed their defense on the same day even though each respondent has 10 days to present their witnesses.

In the same vein, INEC had also closed its case before the governorship election petitions tribunal without fielding any witness. Counsel to INEC, Hassan Liman, SAN, who opened defence during the tribunal ’s sitting tendered exhibits EC8D and EC8E containing the summary of the governorship election results and final results in the state respectively as well as election materials from six out of the 13 local government areas of the state before calling off his defence.

However, efforts by the counsel to the petitioner, Tunde Onamosi, to apply for re-opening of the case from the bar was rejected by the chairman of the tribunal.

Ruling on the application brought by Maku ’s counsel to re-open the case, the tribunal chairman said: “There is no provision for re-opening of case after it has been closed within the stipulated time allotted to each party; so we cannot go back to the case again. ” Addressing the press after closing his defence, the INEC counsel said the petitioner, Mr. Maku, has failed to discharge the burden of proof so there was no need to go into defence.

Nevertheless, political pundits are analyzing where the political pendulum of the state ’s governorship tussle at the tribunal might finally swing to, considering certain facts which they claimed are very much glaring. Accordingly, they see Maku ’s efforts towards that gigantic dream as foreclosed considering his party ’s inability to even win a single seat in the state assembly, or talking more of wining the governorship of the state.

The analysts were also basing their calculations that Maku wasn ’t the original governorship candidate of APGA, as he snatched it from his kinsman, Mathew Ombugaku, for reason of his desperation to govern the state. They also picked holes in the former minister ’s attempts to be governor due to his inability to present the 160 witnesses he had earlier pledged before the tribunal which instead, he presented only 16; which they still argued that their oral evidences did not even tally with their submission.

Above all, as the political atmosphere in Nasarawa state remains tense, despite the conclusion of the governorship election that gave the incumbent governor the victory, analysts are of the opinion that history would still repeat itself when the incumbent governor would be declared winner again at the tribunal after adoption of final addresses slated for September 9, 2015.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SMExtra

57

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

STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU Sunday August 23, 2015

T

he twins, two boys are just five months old. They cannot decipher whether their father was around them or not. The only time they needed the attention of their mother was when they are hungry or felt some discomfiture that made them unable to sleep.

Everyone, both young and old love to carry them and later give them gifts. According to a technician, Adeeko, in this part of the divide, much premium is placed on twins. That is why they are not being overlooked and whoever is lucky to have them always treasure them. They are spiritual, and they are looked upon as a special breed from God. The other two, a boy and a girl, aged between five and three are already live with their grandmother, somewhere in Ikotun on the outskirts of Lagos.

That was the situation Sunday Mirror met on ground at an area in Ikorodu, Lagos East Senatorial District, at the weekend when our correspondent caught up with their 28-year-old mother, Mrs. Rekia Ajanaku, who claimed her husband, Dare Adesanya, had abandoned her and the children since May Rekia, young, beautiful and with a voluptuous frame, her youthfulness belittle her true age. If not for providence and grace of God, would not have been alive to tell the story. ”The love of the children and determination that they should not to suffer has been my propelling force and saving grace ”, she disclosed to our correspondent.

The husband, a caterer, has since not return home, leaving the young lady and the children to their fate, she said.

According to her, efforts to locate him or bring him back home have proved abortive.

Unless help comes quickly for the Aramoko-Ekiti, Ekiti state born fashion designer, the ambition of her twins, together with the other two, to be among the greatest, add value to their family, society and the country at large, may be in serious jeopardy.

She relates her ordeals to Sunday Mirror.

“My name is Rekia Ajanaku, I am 28 years old and my father, hails from Aramoko in Ekiti State, while my mother is from Ogun State. We all live in Lagos, she disclosed to our correspondent My mother lives in Ikotun at the moment but as for my father, since March last year, I have not set my eyes on him, having been separated from my mother after a little disagreement.

“I did not go beyond secondary school and I was able to use my certificate to enroll as auxiliary nurse in an hospital in Lagos. I could not continue my nursing training because the way people were packing up scared me terrible. I was always

Agony of mother with four children abandoned by husband …Landlord threatens her with eviction

Rekia and her innocent twins

afraid when I see people suddenly drop dead. So I cannot stand it, that made me to quit.

“The reality of life became dawned on me six years ago when a man named Segun Oyepintemi, from Ikale,Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, impregnated and abandoned me, leaving my girl named Sarah, who is now five years old and a boy, Daniel, who is three years old now in my custody. When Oyepintemi disappeared and refused to cater for me and the children, I resigned to fate. I summoned courage and told my father that I would like to learn fashion designing so as not to waste time ruminating over problems that only God can solve.

My father enrolled me at Tayo Fashions in Shomolu, and paid all the necessary fees.

What was to cut short my ambition and aspiration of becoming a woman of my own after my failed marriage to Oyepintemi, was already lurking around me but I did not know.

Suddenly, a little disagreement broke out between my father and mother which led to their separation. That separation affected and altered my plans for life and that of my

children till now.

At Shomolu, I was still going to work sleeping wherever I could find to lay my head on.

Whenever it rained I would pack myself up at night. I wondered while I was suffering like that because my father built a house around powerline area before it was demolished. Moreso, I was happy living with my parents before the unfortunate encounter with reality of life.

When I could not cope with sleeping outside after the close of work, meanwhile, my second born, Daniel, was always with me then while Sarah remained with my mother One night, we were just wandering around Onipanu area of Lagos State, when Dare accosted us.

I narrated my situation to him and he agreed to house me and my boy. From there I was going to work until he asked me out. I did not like it at all, I told him, you are a brother and my baby has a father, just for me to have a place to sleep and finish my learning and find means to establish for myself.

According to her, “I knew quite alright that after the initial approach, I was already in trouble should I not agree for him. I discovered that whenever

I returned home from work, the countenance on his face was sending wrong signals.

When the pressure from him became so intense and in order not to lose where I was still managing and as an apprentice, I agreed to date him involuntarily.

In a short while, I became pregnant and we relocated to Ikorodu area, and that put paid to my apprenticeship as an aspiring fashion designer. With that, I have disappointed my father who showed great interest in me and enrolled me there in the first place.

These were the thoughts running in my mind while there in Ikorodu, but there was nothing I could do since I was heavily pregnant when actually I did not want to do so.

My husband, Dare, was nice to me, even to have accommodated me and my baby in the first place.

I was always following him to where he was doing his catering services, serving people together.

How things turned out now, I cannot really understand.

One thing I noticed was that since the first day his mother noticed me, I knew the battle line was drawn. Dare ’s mother, who hails from Ipari near Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, one day told me that I am making her uncomfortable.

Since then, nothing I would ever do that would please her and my

husband again.

When my twins came in March this year, the woman was absent during the naming ceremony.

A day to the naming, when my husband complained that there was no money for it, I opted for a low key so that we name them at home quietly but my mother insisted that it must be done elaborately so as show appreciation to God. Meanwhile, after his mother had confronted me, Dare was always beating me but the boys around and landlord always come to my rescue.

When I was seven months pregnant, he beat me mercilessly to the extent that he dragging me out of the room but the boys living our house and landlord always come to my rescue. At times, it could be those in the neighbourhood ”, she lamented.

At a point, he flung the plate that he was using to eat at me and it would have cut my neck but God saved me.

When I was nine months pregnant, he pushed me out and did not want me to come in, so I left for his mother ’s place to stay with her. When I got there, at times at midnight, she would send me out and after wandering around for some time, people around would ask me to go in and sleep in the passage ”, she bemoaned.

Sunday Mirror spoke to her husband, Dare, on phone and he denied all the allegations against him. His reply was: “Oga journalist, don ’t mind her o, she ’s telling lies, she ’s lying ”, was all we got before hanging up the phone. Several efforts made by our correspondent to speak further with him and his mother, Mrs. Adesanya were vehemently turned down, as he was not picking his calls again.

Rekia ’s mother, who spoke to our correspondent corroborated her daughter ’s story.

She said that Dare always tortured the wife. She stated that “when we packed to the area newly, the lady was pregnant then and always cries. At a point my husband went to plead to him but he got a rude shock from him.

And since over four months now, he has not been seen in the area. ” The landlord, one Mr. Kunle, disclosed that, ‘it is true that the said husband always beat Rekia and at the moment they owe house rent. Even for over four months now the husband has not returned home, leaving the lady to struggle and suffer with the children. wRekia wants to go into Fashion Designing again so as to be able to care for her children, but still longs to have her man back.

She said, ‘I am scared of men, I cannot stand the thought of marrying another man again ”, she said.

58

North

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Insurgency: Victims lament ordeal in hands of terrorists VICTOR UDOH

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ictims of insurgency in the north had the opportunity recently to recount their ordeals in the hands of Boko Haram terrorists, who have

stepped up attacks lately on security personnel and government functionaries.

The forum, a press conference, was organised by National Christian Centre, Abuja in collaboration with Christian Association of Nigeria and Americas,

CANA. Anguished testimonies were told of the grisly killing of Nigerians by the terrorist group, with many in the audience lamenting the inability of the Nigerian government to shield its citizens from such brutality.

Mr. Habila Adamu of Potiskum Local Government Area of Yobe State narrated how a gang of terrorists bearing AK47 rifles stormed his house, telling him they had come to do the “work of Allah. ” The terrorists while

harassing the victim wondered how he could remain a Christian “while we (terrorists) preach the gospel of Mohammed to you and you refuse to accept him. ” Hence, they shot him in the face which he miraculously survived, together with his wife and children.

His neighbor, an elder, was however unlucky, as he and his children were killed on the occasion.

Another victim, Mrs. Deborah, said Boko Haram killed her husband, took away their two children and returned three months later to kill her remaining

son.

For Olamuyiwa Eyiaro, who used to live happily with his family in Mubi town, Adamawa State, Boko Haram brought terror.

He said the sect members at about 5a.m. would ride into town on motorcycles and stay in Mubi till sunset. Later they would mobilize, fire gunshots into the air, and seek to abduct any young girl around.

Eyiaro narrated how, while climbing a hill towards the Cameroon border to evade sect members, his visiting mother slipped and fell to her death, and he watched helplessly.

El-Rufai launches Keep Kaduna Clean campaign A ZA MSUE KADUNA

K Sokoto State Governor aminu Tambuwal (3rd right) inaugurating a special sanitation in Sokoto, yesterday.

PHIOTO: NAN

Dangote Foundation offers free medical services in Katsina

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angote Foundation has launched a free medical services initiative in Katsina State targeted at vulnerable and poor Nigerians and help bridge the huge gap in effective healthcare delivery across the nation.

A statement by the foundation said that “the overwhelming turn-out of beneficiaries is a pointer to the fact that Nigeria ’s health sector is in comatose, not even with the incessant strike by various categories of medical personnel which has now become a fad in the sector. ” The foundation said it had not just started helping

out in the area of health but that the free medical service is a new joint initiative, which is a continuation of its efforts aimed at creating wider access to health care for less privileged Nigerians.

Thousands of ailing people, including sickly elderly and malnourished children alike trooped out to the General Hospital in Kankia Local Government area of the state, venue of the exercise and were treated free.

The free medical outreach in Katsina State include free consultations, medicines and minor operations; advocacy on health and nutrition to women as

well as training of interns and medical personnel, who in turn would offer medical advice to the people.

The programme was in collaboration with the Katsina State Government; Give-Back Nigeria, a UK based Charity Organization and Gachi Development Foundation.

The state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, who flagged off the three-day medical services expressed appreciation to the Dangote Foundation and its collaborators for the gesture and described it as a service to humanity for which God would surely

reward.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation, Mrs. Zouera Youssouffou said the Foundation decided to sponsor the free medical outreach because the health sector is a critical part of the Foundation ’s focus in contributing to the upliftment of the society and her people.

She stated that issues bordering on the health of Nigerians have always been of concern to Dangote Foundation and that was the reason it has been involved in all efforts at ensuring poor Nigerians also benefit from sound health care services.

aduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday launched Keep Kaduna Clean campaign and said government would construct landfills and suitable waste transfer stations in three zones of the state.

Flagging off the campaign at Badarawa Primary School, Kaduna City where heaps of waste were dumped beside the school, El-rufai said landfills and waste transfer stations will be constructed in three major urban centres, Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan to process and dispose of solid waste sustainably.

El-Rufai said his administration will not allow state urban centres to become sprawling slums that drenched in rubbish and effluence adding that towns and cities cannot be permitted to be defaced by waste.

According to him: “As we promised in the APC

Kaduna Restoration Programme, our party ’s manifesto in charge of planning, environmental and urban management to collaborate with local governments and municipalities. This is to ensure that our streets are cleaned; that solid and liquid waste are collected, processed and disposed off in an environmentally-sustainable manner.

“The state government will also construct landfills and suitable waste transfer stations in our three major urban centres-Kaduna, Zaria and Kafanchan to process and dispose of solid waste sustainably. The local governments will do the same for the towns and villages within their jurisdiction ”.

El-rufai added: “We would also embark on the beautification of our neighbourhoods.

Government will recover public land to ensure that green areas, parks and recreational facilities are provided in all towns and villages in the state.

Kogi House decries lack of motorable roads in Ibaji LG WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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ogi House of Assembly has decried the “complete ” absence of motorable roads in Ibaji Local Government of the state and urged the Federal and the state Government to come to the aid of the people.

The house made the call at plenary last Friday in Lokoja following the adoption of a motion by

the member representing the constituency, Mr. John Abah calling on government to provide at least, one major link road in the area.

While presenting the motion, Abah stated that the Local Government created in 1996 with an area of 13,375 square kilometers with a projected population of over 200,000 and a total of 97 towns and villages had no link road at all.

“In Ibaji, it is not that the roads are bad, the fact is that there are no roads at all, we are completely cut off from the rest part of the state because of lack of roads.

“Ibaji has suffered a lot of neglect, degradation and under development for numerous years and the good but worried people of Ibaji are also hard working, law-abiding and supportive of successive government programmes

since the creation ”, he said.

Abah however regretted that the constituency never enjoyed government provisions in terms of social amenities as it was completely devoid of government presence other than the Idah-Onyedega road constructed by former governor, Ibrahim Idris.

He pointed out that the area presently needed to have a road constructed

from the headquarters of the council, Onyedega to Ujeh and two others from Odogwu to Echeno and Odeke through Ubale to Affa.

The legislator however implored the government to construct for now, the Onyedega-Ujeh road to alleviate the sufferings of the purely agrarian and fishing people to enable them open up communication with the outside world.

The motion which was

seconded by, Mr. Ukubile Ochijenu (PDP-Idah) said that the people were rendered incommunicado as there were no roads at all due largely to the terrain.

Majority of members at plenary supported the motion with Oluwatoyin Lawal (Yagba-West), stated that his friend from the area who bought a car was only able to show the keys to his people as there was no road to take the car home.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South

Sunday, August 23, 2015

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Pregnant women, others scramble for green police jobs in C ’River RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

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bout 9,000 job seekers including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, physically challenged and several university graduates yesterday convened at the U.J. Esuene Stadium to compete for the 1,000 green police jobs created by the government to ensure proper protection

of the state ’s forestry resources.

Applicants from seven local government areas including Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Akamkpa, Biase, Odukpani, Calabar Municipality and Calabar South arrived at the stadium as early as 6 a.m. to undertake the physical exercise routine of six kilometre walk, which started at about 7 a.m. before returning to the stadium

for credentials screening exercise.

The state governor, Prof Ben Ayade, had said that the green police when formed would take the responsibility of protecting the state vast rain forests which are being depleted on daily basis by timber logger and lumberpersons.

Ayade also promised the people of the state that his signature projects would be the provision of

a thousand jobs in his first 100 days of assumption of office.

One of the applicants, Esther Manson Okon, an indigene of Akamkpa local council, who is five months pregnant stated that she applied for the job with the expectation that when employed, she could become self reliant and it would reduce the huge burden placed on the shoulders of her husband.

“I have three other children and this is the fourth, things have been very hard for me and my husband so when I heard about the green police job, I decided to apply so that I can help my husband, ” she said.

According to her, pregnancy will not be a barrier to her effective performance if given the privilege.

“My other three children are grown up and so I can do very well because I am just 32 years old, so I am still young to work and help my husband. ” A breastfeeding mother, Atim Bassey, from Calabar South local council said that her baby is just three

months old and stressed that she could do better than those who have not given birth.

“You can see that I went round the distance that they took us and was not tired but those who have not given birth could not do it so I am strong enough to do the work. ” Commenting on the issue, State Security Adviser, Mr Jude Ngaji said that the job opportunity was meant for Senior Secondary School Certificate holders and Ordinary National Diploma graduates but many university graduates also applied and assured that they would be committed to do the job if given the opportunity.

Oyo PDP berates Ajimobi over suspension of WAEC fees, hajj sponsorship he Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday came hard on the state government over its recent decisions to cancel the payment of the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, fees for students writing the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination and the introduction of school fees.

The party said the decisions were indictments on how badly Governor Abiola Ajimobi had run the state in the last four years.

This is just as it flayed the government for cancelling the sponsorship of annual Hajj pilgrimage.

While Governor Ajimobi hinged the decisions on the poor state of the economy, the PDP said it was not satisfied, stating that the government ’s inability to properly plan for the future and its dependence on federal allocations brought the state to its present sorry state.

The PDP, in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, signed by

its state Chairman, Alhaji Yinka Taiwo, said with such decisions that will hurt the people of the state, the All Progressives Congress, APCled government in the state has proved to the people that it is “deceptive, dishonest and incapable of leading the state successfully ”.

Taiwo compared Ajimobi to the biblical King Rehoboam in 1 Kings 12:11, who immediately after ascending the throne promised to add to the people ’s yoke.

He noted that it was curious that the governor, despite not paying salaries as and when due and running an economy that is harsh to the survival of businesses, had decided to pile more woes on the people.

He said: “It is not only shameful that Ajimobi, who promised free and qualitative education, has cancelled the payment of WAEC fees and reintroduced school fees, it is appalling that under his watch, the educational standard of the state has gone down, with the state coming a distant 34th and failing to meet the national average, which was 31.29 per cent in the 2014 WAEC results.

tion were beyond what the economy of the state could cope with and called for more judicious management of the state ’s resources.

The communiqué reads: “We also demand immediate disbandment of an armed group called ‘State

Boys ’ to give indigenes freedom to express themselves.

“Also, the governor should henceforth respect opinions of others, especially stakeholders and the situation of education in Osun at the moment is critical and needs urgent attention.

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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L-R: Paramount Ruler of Alesa Community, Eleme LGA, Chief Emperor Nkpe; General Manager, and Head of Projects Execution, Genesis Energy Group, Mr. Deji Obatayo and Manager, Public Affairs Department, Port Harcourt Refining Company, Mr. Felix Ejuweke, during the inauguration of PHOTO: rehabilitated Alesa community in Eleme, Port Harcourt at the weekend.

Dickson seeks a political, disciplined civil service OSAHON JULIUS YENAGOA

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ayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has charged the newly appointed Head of Service of the State, Dr Peter Singabele, to further depoliticise and instil more discipline in the service to achieve improved service delivery.

This is as he called on all political appointees to redouble their efforts at re-connecting with the people, particularly at the grassroots in a bid to spread the positive message of restoration irrespective of the lean financial times.

Dickson spoke at two separate events at the state capital as he swore in the

new Head of Service and a member of the state Civil Service Commission, Dr Boumakuma Kpokiri, the commissioner for Sports Development, Mr. Perekiye John Buruboyefe and four special advisers.

The governor stressed the need for public servants to uphold the principles of neutrality and absolute loyalty to the government in power.

He frowned at a situation where some civil servants engaged in partisan politics, noting that the development was not only against the ethics of the profession, but also negatively impacted on efficiency and effectiveness of the public service.

Describing the public service as the most im-

portant sector in service delivery in a government, Dickson vowed not to allow political considerations to determine who became head of the state civil service.

He expressed continued commitment to promoting workers ’ welfare within limits of available resources, pointing out that apart from regular payment of salaries and pension entitlements even in the face of the current economic meltdown bedevilling the nation, his administration has, to a very large extent, addressed the issue of office accommodation for workers.

Speaking to the new political appointees, Dickson said as active members of the Restoration Govern-

ment, assembly and executive council members as well as other political appointees have a duty to identify with the challenges of their constituents towards making life more meaningful for them.

His words: “I like to use this opportunity to call on all political appointees; this is when you should reward your government.

This is when you should prove yourself as active members of the restoration team. Every weekend, every activity back home, every social activity, this is the time that commissioners, assembly members and other appointees need to reconnect to their people; prioritise and assist them in however little you can. ”

Why we often criticise Aregbesola –PDP BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

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eoples Democratic Party, PDP, Osun State chapter, has explained that it did not harbour any grudge against Governor Rauf Aregbesola, but hinged its constant

criticism of his administration on non delivery on pre-election promises.

Reading the communiqué of Osun Central Senatorial Stakeholders ’ meeting held in Osogbo, a third republic lawmaker representing Central Senatorial District, Sena-

tor Olu Alabi, demanded immediate conduct of elections into 30 local government areas, eight years after the last one was held.

The party disclosed it would not oppose any legitimate tax and told people to cooperate with govern-

ment, only when asked to pay statutory dues, but lamented that many projects embarked upon by the government are carrying astronomical costs.

It added that costs of many road contracts awarded by the present administra-

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Sport

Football was easy for me –Hagi P. 62

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Eagles axe league hotshot Ejike P. 61

AUGUST 23, 2015

Deciding to play for Nigeria was easy –Ekong You won your first Nigeria cap in June under Stephen Keshi and have been called up by new coach Sunday Oliseh, meaning you created a big impression first time out, what changes do you anticipate in the technical input of the new coach assuming he spoke to you about his personal plans?

I am grateful coach Oliseh has recognized that and called me up again, I have spoken with him but will hear and learn more about his personal plans when I meet up with the team and technical crew at camp.

There’s always culture shock when you come to a new environment, how did you cope and which new traditions have amused you the most among the players?

It wasn’t a big shock, I have been to Nigeria countless times and my father is still based in Lagos. I enjoyed the togetherness of the group which was created by things like praying together before the game. Everyone made me feel welcome.

How important was it making the decision to play for Nigeria, was the Dutch senior team an option?

I have played for the Dutch junior representative teams up to U20s so it could have been an option. But having to make the choice I wanted to represent Nigeria and I was very proud to put on the shirt and hopefully continue to do so.

The NFF is reaching out to many players born abroad, you have come back home to play for your father’s country alongside players like Leon Balogun and Steven Ukoh, what signal does this send to other younger players with Nigerian heritage?

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Dutch-born Nigeria defender William Troost-Ekong made his debut for the former African champions last June against Chad. The game ended 2-0 in favour of the Super Eagles in front of a big crowd in Kaduna.

William impressed the crowd, the media and the coaches as he partnered with Kenneth Omeruo. New coach Sunday Oliseh must have seen that performance and called the former Dutch national youth team player to his first squad that will play against Tanzania on September 5 in Dar es Salam.

While the Nigeria Football Federation has not hidden its desire to bring home players with Nigerian heritage born abroad, the decision of players like TroostEkong to turn up for their fatherland and their success with the Eagles could help swing a new generation of players’ decisions to come home. In this interview with Goal Nigeria chief editor Lolade Adewuyi, William talks about returning to the Super Eagles for the game against the Taifa Stars as well as his plans for the season at Norwegian side Haugesund where he is playing on loan from Belgian side Gent.

I like to see Leon, Steven and I as great examples of players of a younger generation that are showing that it is the right choice to make. But there have been others in the past who have also done that. It should be an internal desire to represent Nigeria; I honestly don’t think it is a hard choice.

When you made your debut for the Eagles in June, the team had just come together for its first game after the Afcon debacle, was there disappointment among the squad and how did they gather together to defeat Chad?

I didn’t experience that like they did, but there was a real focus to look forward to the opening game of the new campaign against Chad and the games that followed in order to restore Nigeria’s reputation.

You played well with Kenneth Omeruo in central defense, it was the first time both of you combined, how was it comfortable reading him and do you think you can continue to build on this partnership?

It is up to coach Oliseh who he wants to play. I think my first outing with Kenneth went well, he is a good player and having both played in Holland and England at certain levels it made it easier to read each other’s style. I will be competing for my place in the starting team again.

Who made it easiest for you to settle into camp when you arrived in June and how were you received by the bulk of players?

The bulk, like I mentioned earlier everyone from the

players to the technical staff were welcoming and you earn the respect on the pitch.

The most experienced player in the squad is goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama who spoke to the younger players about forgetting the debacle of the Afcon crash, how were you able to play in front of him without getting jitters during your debut?

That was an important factor. Vincent is a great keeper and leader so having that kind of experience behind you during a game gives you the confidence to excel and execute my task within the team well.

You have played in three matches for Haugesund, starting well you won two and lost one, how important is it that you have a good season at the Norwegian side before returning to Gent?

It is always important to have a good season. I ended last season in Holland well which earned me my move to Gent, now I want to continue to build on that in Norway.

I think I am making a good impression here too. Playing time in a top flight is most important for any player to progress in their career.

How important is it to get three points in Dar es Salam next month? Do you think this Nigeria team has overcome the shock of missing the last Afcon?

It is very important. We plan to build on the start against Chad and I think the right mindset, hard work and quality is there to qualify for the next Afcon.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sunday August 23, 2015

Eagles axe league hotshot Ejike H eartland striker Bright Ejike has been released by the Super Eagles and so will not return to the team’s training camp when it reopens later this week.

Ejike, who has represented at U20 level, is the second leading scorer in the league with 11 goals this season.

Warri Wolves midfielder Lordson Ichull has also been dropped.

Already, Heartland pair of Nelson Ogbonnaya and goalkeeper David Obiazo have been sent home on account of injury The Eagles have also released Kingsley Sokari and Oghenekaro Etebo to the country’s U23 team, who are preparing for next month’s All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.

“Coach Oliseh has had to reshuffle the team for different reasons mainly owing to injuries and the All-Africa Games assignment of the U23 team. For this reason, seven new players have been called up.

The Head Coach has directed that

Knockout IFEANYI Eduzor with

08055829770 ifeduz24@yahoo.com

Afolabi set for cruiserweight title fight

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ruiserweight boxer, Ola Afolabi, will on November 4, 2015 at the Basket- Hall Arena, Kazan Russia, meet Russian, Rakhim Chakhkiyev for the IBO Cruiserweight title.

Afolabi whose last fight was in April when he lost by a points decision to Argentine Victor Ramirez noted that he is looking forward to the fight which will enable him achieve his dream of becoming a World champion. According to the 35 year old boxer, his fight with the 32 year old Russian who defeated Junior Wright last May to become IBO Cruiserweight champion is coming at an im-

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the new players report to the Bolton Abuja on Monday, August 24, 2015 White Hotels and Apartments in with the other players retained,” Achor disclosed.

The FC Ifeanyiubah chairman did an official presentation to their West Ham counterparts which included the managing director of the English club, Angus Kinnear.

Kinnear, it was learned, expressed interest in working with the Nigerian club and the first meeting culminated in another meeting in which Ifeanyi Ubah met with West Ham chairman David Gold.

The meeting between the FC Ifeanyiubah owner and Gold was a private discussion believed to be centred on the proposed relationship between the two clubs.

Supersport.com has been informed that there is every likelihood that Ubah will be meeting Gold again to formalise their relationship that would see both clubs involve in exchange programmes, players’ scouting, youth football development and training for coaches as well as business alliances.

Godwin Saviour gets jersey No 30 at Oostende

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igeria U23 striker Godwin Saviour will wear jersey number 30 at Belgian club KV Oostende after he signed a three-year contract with the highflying Belgian club on Friday.

On Saturday, he also jumped straight into action when he turned up for the KVO second team in a friendly against second division SV Roeselare. It was just

a day after he arrived in Belgium.

“The warm welcome I received at the club has further boosted my confidence and I wish to do even more to justify my new deal,” Saviour told AfricanFootball.com “I have been shown my flat and taken around the stadium and training ground.

“That was why when I was asked to feature for the second

Bala in line for Trencin debut

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portant time in his career, with a promise not to disappoint his fans.

“This is a big opportunity for me to show my numerous fans that I still posses the killer punches that will make me a champion and I promise not to disappoint them on November 4”, he stated.

Afolabi has fought 29 times in the Cruiserweight division since he turned pro in 2002. He has won 21 of the fights, lost four times and has four draws.

Chakhkiyev, a former Olympic champion, has fought 24 times since turning pro in 2009, winning 23 times and losing only once.

Brigh Ejike

Ifeanyiubah, West Ham to enter partnership

igeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side FC Ifeanyiubah have held preliminary talks with the management of English outfit, West Ham United and are close to sealing a partnership, supersport.com can report.

Dr Ifeanyi Ubah, owner of the NPFL side, and Chukwuma Ubah, chairman of the club, were among the contingent of the Nationwide League One that met with West Ham officials in London last week over two days.

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igerian youngster Aliko Bala is set to make his competitive debut for Slovakian champions, AS Trencin, in their season opener against Ružomberok at the Mestský futbalový štadión Na Sihoti on Sunday.

The teenage winger, who joined the Trencin club in June, has been named in the match day squad by Ivan Vrabec.

The winger has told supersport.com of his excitement of joining the AS Trencin setup.

Bala is already braced for the challenge at the Trencin club and wants to hit the ground running.

“I am very happy with my move to Trencin. I hope to show myself well and to give my best for my new club,” the 18-year-old said.

The attacking winger is regarded as a direct replacement for Moses Daddy Simon, who left the club for Belgian side, KAA Gent in January this year.

One man, who worked with Bala on a daily basis while cutting his teeth as a football apprentice at the famed GBS Academy in Jos, Ibrahim Ahmed, spoke of the winger’s talent.

team in a friendly on Saturday, I did not hesitate. I am ready to give everything to my new club as soon as possible.”

The FC Sports of Jos star, 18, also said he picked No 30 because other numbers he would have fancied have already been snapped up.

“It’s a good number and I hope it brings me some luck,” he said.

He goes on to state that Bala “is a very big talent with a big future.”

“Aliko is a very big talent with a big future. He’s one of the best we have worked with here at the academy. He is nicknamed Di Maria due to his style, his great pace, amazing dribbles and scoring ability,” said the GBS Academy head of operations.

Bala has been assigned squad number 16 and will team up with his Nigerian compatriots, Kingsley Madu and Rabiu Ibrahim, who have been capped at senior international level.

Ola Afolabi (L) exchanging punches with Marco Huck during their cruiserweight title clash

I’m ready for Ankrah, says Durodola

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BC cruiserweight title number 4 contender, Nigeria’s Olanrewaju Durodola (20, 2,18KOs) said he is ready to take on Ghanaian champion Paakwesi Ankrah when they meet today for the WBC African cruiserweight title.

The fight will be the first professional contest of the WBC American Continental champion in his country since moving to the United States Olanrewaju, an ex- Olympian last fought in July in Brazil where he defended his title against Argentine Walter Cabral to retain his WBC American Continental title.

There will also be a 12-round West Africa Boxing Union light heavyweight title

contest between Nigeria’s Jude Ilo and Ghana’s Tricky Commey and an eight-round super middleweight contest between Commonwealth Super Middleweight champion, Isaac Ekpo and Ismael Tetteh of Ghana while Ghana’s Aryee Ayitey will take on Nigeria’s former light middleweight champion Wahab Adebisi in an eight-round contest.

Other fights of the night will see former Commonwealth super flyweight champion Yakubu Kareem taking on Akeem Muri in the bantamweight division, while Otto Joseph will battle Ola Adebakin in a six-round lightweight challenge.

The fight is being promoted

by Freels and Threels in association with Brila Sports Exposures, Ma Kitchen, Superior Belt and Subline Solutions.

Edo to host boxing championship

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bout 200 boxers drawn from the South- South geopolitical zone of the country will participate in the maiden edition of the Open Boxing Championship slated for Sept. 30 to Oct. 4 in Benin, Edo State Capital.

Edo State Boxing Association Chairman, Wellington Okoh, told knockout that the championship will also feature members of the military and Para-military organizations. He said each of the six states in the South-South zone would

present 20 boxers, while two or three officials would accompany the boxers from each state.

Okoh noted that the primary aim of the championship was to discover new boxers that would replace the ageing ones even as he appealed for corporate organizations to partner with the association in ensuring that the championship becomes a success.

“We are organizing the championship for boxers in the South- South zone to discover hidden talents at the grassroots.

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SundayAugust 23, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The traditional playmaker or No10 has always set pulses racing. One such magician was Romania’s Gheorghe Hagi, a creative genius blessed with a skill set that allowed him to make the extraordinary look ordinary. Hagi lit up the game with his goals, sublime passing and mazy dribbles, making an indelible mark throughout a career that took him from Steaua Bucharest to Galatasaray via Barcelona and Real Madrid. In his native Romania, the man they call the Maradona of the Carpathians is not so much a legend as a mythical figure. Working magic with his wondrous left foot, he inspired the Tricolorii to some of their most impressive performances.

The highlight of his 124-cap international career was a stellar display at the 1994 FIFA World Cup USA™, where he led his team to the last eight, a stage the Romanians also reached at UEFA EURO 2000. A year later he hung up his boots at the age of 36 to become national team coach, staying in the job for two years before continuing his career in the dugout in Turkey with Bursaspor and Galatasaray and in Romania with Politehnica Timisoara and Steaua. He branched out in 2009, opening the Gheorghe Hagi Football Academy, which now supplies talented youngsters to Viitorul Constanta, a recently founded club owned and managed by Hagi himself. Having turned 50 earlier this year, the tireless Hagi is as active and inventive now as he once was on the pitch. Reflecting on his career and the plight of the modern-day playmaker, he gave an exclusive interview to FIFA.com.

very important parts in my career and my development as a player.

I worked hard and I did my very best at every club I played for. That was my way of loving them. And though I spent more time at Galatasaray than anywhere else; five years, I’ll never forget the times I had at Farul, Steaua, Real, Barça and Brescia, or with Romania.

Hagi: Football y s a e s a w for me You’ve been a player, coach and club president. Which of the three has given you most enjoyment?

Gheorghe Hagi: I’m really enjoying coaching right now, but I loved playing more than anything else.

Football has always seemed to me to be a very easy game.

was at its peak too. We were good enough to beat anyone and we had every chance to win the World Cup. We were so close, and then we had those last five minutes [Romania conceded a late equaliser to Sweden in extra time and went out on penalties].

You won a number of titles during your career and played in some prestigious competitions. Looking back, what achievement are you most proud of?

I’m very proud of our performance at the 1994 World Cup. I played the best football of my career there and that Romania team

You scored a famous lob against Colombia in the group phase at USA 1994. Was that your most memorable goal?

I scored a few of them. I have great memories of my winning freekick for Steaua Bucharest against Dynamo Kiev in the 1986 UEFA Super Cup in Monaco, and the

party that followed (laughs). I also enjoyed the two goals I scored from the halfway line for Real and Barça.

But I obviously remember my goal against Colombia at the World Cup in 1994, from out wide. It’s hard for me to pick just one out of all those goals, and, in any case, I think I left behind some pretty good memories at all the teams I played for.

Is there one club that’s particularly close to your heart?

I’d love to say Romania, but you’ve asked about clubs. I’ve honestly loved all of them, without exception. All these clubs, in their own different ways, have played

You’re one of a small group of players to have run out for Real Madrid and Barcelona.

What do you make of their rivalry?

It’s good for both teams. It helps them develop, progress and motivate their players. Los classicos provide quality football and they help take the sport forward.

That’s what you have to remember above all else.

Are you a Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo fan?

I really like both of them. I would have loved to have coached them, to have the pair of them in my team. I must confess to having a bit of a soft spot for the leftfooted one though. I was a left-footed player myself, which explains it.

Why do you think we are seeing fewer and fewer players like you, the traditional No10?

I think there’s a shortfall in training. I’m sure there are lots of creative players around, but they need looking after more and they need confidence. Maybe they’re not getting enough.

If you don’t have these players in the final third of the pitch, though, matches can get tricky and the football can get ugly. I think the game needs these No10s, players who can bring a touch of fantasy and creativity. Scoring goals is part of the essence of the sport, and we should make it illegal for

games to end 0-0. If you start getting 3-2 and 4-4 scorelines, the stadiums would be full.

Tricolorii fans have had little to cheer about in recent years. Why is it that Romania have qualified for just one major tournament since 2000 (UEFA EURO 2008, when they were knocked out in the first round without winning a match)?

Because we weren’t able to create a good generation of new players after we retired. Football is a team sport. We’ve got two or three good players at the moment but we don’t have what you’d call a ‘team’. We’ve got good players but they’re not a unit yet. They’re not thinking like a group. Even so, I’m hopeful we can qualify for the EUROs and that we’ll manage to create a new generation of talented footballers, like we were in our day.

You coached Romania in 2001. Is that an experience you’d like to repeat?

I can’t say no to the Romanian national team. You never know, and we’ll just have to see.

It’s also depends on me and what I can accomplish as a coach. But, yes, I really enjoyed being in charge of the team, even if, technically speaking, I was on my own a little bit. It wasn’t a problem though, and I enjoyed my work.

Do you have any regrets about your career?

The Ballon d’Or! I should have won it in 1994. There’s no doubt in my mind that I was the best player at the 1994 World Cup, but unfortunately for me Romania lost in the quarterfinals, which perhaps cost me the Ballon d’Or. I know that I was at my peak and that I was very close to getting it. It wasn’t to be, though.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

B

rendan Rodgers is confident he has found the blueprint for Liverpool to record a rare win at Arsenal on Monday.

Liverpool have won just once in their 12 visits to the Emirates Stadium - a 2-0 Premier League victory in August 2011 - and were beaten 4-1 in last season’s corresponding fixture just four months ago. But Rodgers believes his side, buoyant after beginning the season with successive 1-0 wins over Stoke City and Bournemouth, have what it takes to turn the tables on Arsene Wenger’s men this time around.

Sport

Sunday August 23, 2015

Arsenal v Liverpool:

Rodgers eyes rare Emirates win

Ozil in action

Benitez ‘thrilled’ with Real squad R

eal Madrid coach Rafael Benitez is content with his squad and says the club do not intend to sign another striker amid continued speculation regarding Karim Benzema’s future.

Benzema has been repeatedly linked with a move to Arsenal during weeks but Arssena nal durin ng rrecent ng ecen ec en nt we w week eeks ek ks bu ut re rremains mains part of a Real squad by Kovacic sq quad bolstered bolste te ere r db y this week’s ssigning igni ig n ng off Ma ni Mateo Ko Kova va acic cic ci from fr m Inter.

Int ntter.

Kovacic on Sunday, K va Ko acic could debut against Sporting Gijon o n Su und nday ay,, with Benitez competitive w th wi hB enitez set to take charge of his first c ompe om p titiive e ffixixix ture Santiago Bernabeu. ture since arriving at the S tu anti an t ag go Be B rn nab a eu eu..

The Spaniard was quizzed make-up his qui u zzzed on on the the ma th make ke e-up -u up of h is side on is Saturday, telling repo reporters: “II th think ortter ers: “ hink k I ha have ve a great squad, I’m thrilled with whatt I h have av ave ve and my job job is to improve what we have.

“As for the line-up, I am not going to say say, y, they are all motivated to play and we will work with al all players a ll off tthe h p he layers so that they feel that they can be starter starters. rs. s. “[Gareth] Bale is not a player with a fixed fixe fi xed d position posi siiti siti t on n like [Cristiano] Ronaldo, Jese [Rodriguez] o orr B Benzema. enzema en ma..

Cassano: No Zlatan, no championship for Milan

Golf: Woods in hunt for first season title

T

iger Woods rolled back the years to tie for the lead after his second round at the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The 14-time major winner battled back from a three-putt bogey at the first hole to card a five-under-par 65 at Sedgefield Country Club at he battles to secure his place at the FedEx Cup play-offs.

Woods needs to secure at least outright second place at the Wyndham to do so and he finished Friday on 11-under for the tournament to leave him out in front alongside PGA Tour rookie Tom Hoge. Former world No 1 Woods, who has seen his ranking plummet to 286, played down his efforts after the round, and he admitted he had to work hard to turn in a good performance.

Ibrahimovic

M

ilan must sign Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic to end their four-year drought without a Serie A title, according to Antonio Cassano.

Ibrahimovic has been linked to Milan throughout the current transfer window, with club president Silvio Berlusconi claiming the Sweden international would be welcomed back to the San Siro “with open arms”.

Cassano’s two-year stint at the San Siro matched that of Ibrahimovic, and the former reckons Milan “cannot win the Scudetto” without the latter.

The attacking duo played together at Milan in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons, combining for 49 Serie A goals and 39 assists.

63

Woods

De Gea

De Gea is not for sale –LvG L

ouis van Gaal has made the unequivocal declaration that Manchester United are not selling David De Gea. The goalkeeper is a target for Real Madrid, but while Van Gaal is not playing the 24-yearold as the transfer window remains open, he is adamant he will not leave. De Gea is in the final year of his contract and has refused lu-

crative offers of an extended nded d deal deall but, de bu ut,, while ut w ile wh he is set to depart on a free ee transfer next ne ex xt sumsummer, Van Gaal suggested Un will counUnited wil ll not n t co oun un untenance cashing in on him days. m in the next ne ext 10 ex 10d days.

The Dutchman was b bullish u lish ulli ul lish after aftter er seeing seein ee ein ing ng Pedro join Chelsea when n he declared declla lare red d that th hatt United can attract any players who are a for sale.

N I G E R I A

N46.1bn Vol. 5 No. 33

Sunday AUGUST 23, 2015

Back Page

Comment E-mail:

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

with Jim Unah

T

he new policy of the apex bank— the Central Bank of Nigeria— CBN, in regard to the operation of foreign currency or domiciliary accounts in commercial banks in the country deserves closer scrutiny; not only because of its capacity to assist in stabilizing the exchange rate of the Naira, but also because it has become a subject of much misunderstanding and mischievous interpretations.

De-Dollarisation, to my understanding, in the context of the CBN directives to commercial banks on domiciliary accounts, means the reduction or total elimination of the visibility of the dollar in commercial transactions in the country. It implies the promotion of the use of the local currency—the naira—in virtually all commercial transactions within the country.

Without resorting to platitudes, I think that a similar policy obtains in developed and well regulated banking systems the world over. The de-dollarisation policy accords with global monetary best practices where regulators are alive to their responsibilities. Now how did the CBN articulate its de-dollarization policy to the banks?

According to the CBN, foreign currency accounts, especially the dollar accounts

www.nationalmirroronline.net

N150

I N

-The amount Nigerian Communication Commission, NCC, Telcos spent on SIM card registration in five years.

F I G U R E S

-Money Rotary N20m International donated for building of mobile clinics in Nigeria in order to fight polio.

The CBN de-dollarisation policy

operated and maintained by commercial bank customers in Nigeria are no longer to receive cash deposits henceforth. Operators or owners of such dollar denominated domiciliary accounts are forbidden by law to make dollar cash deposits or payments into such accounts. Likewise, dollar transfers from such accounts to banks outside the country are prohibited by the new CBN regulatory law. But dollar transfers from banks outside the country into dollar domiciliary accounts in commercial banks in Nigeria are allowed by law.

What this means is that cash in foreign (dollar) currency can be paid into your account from outside the country, but no such dollar cash payment can be made by anybody, including you the owner, into your dollar domiciliary account within the country.

However, you can withdraw cash from your dollar account subject to the daily approval limit of the CBN. Foreign (dollar) currency can be paid into your account from outside the country, but no such foreign (dollar) currency can be paid into same account by you or anybody within Nigeria. You can collect dollar from your account but cannot pay dollar back into your account.

In doing this, the CBN allows the re-introduction of eligible and legitimate channels of disbursing foreign exchange to end users such as the Business Traveling Allowance—BTA; the Personal Traveling Allowance—PTA, as well as payment for medical bills, school fees, et cetera. There are also channels for official sourcing of foreign exchange for business transactions such as legitimate importation of commodities into the country and payments or remittances for investments abroad. But items in the restricted import list cannot be supported

by the CBN in the sourcing of foreign exchange. Businessmen who bask in the euphoria of importing restricted articles and luxury goods should go elsewhere to source for foreign exchange for their transactions.

Now people are saying all sorts of things and attributing the free fall of the naira to the avalanche of monetary policies issuing forth from the apex bank. Importers are complaining that the CBN policies are making it impossible for them to access foreign exchange to operate their businesses. But what type of business are they talking about, anyway? Is it the importation of generators, toothpicks, luxury cars or commodities like rice and palm oil that are produced in large quantities in the country already? Shouldn’t a bungling nation at some point take stock of its failures and adopt a reformative transformative posture and return to the path of buoyancy and sustainable growth? Isn’t that what the CBN is trying to do with its avalanche of monetary policies?

I am even beginning to think that the whole business of domiciliary account is otiose. Why should the banking public be required to operate domiciliary accounts when channels can be created, as in other climes, for local currency accounts to be debited according to the prevailing exchange rate in the event of offshore transactions? If I am to pay hospital bills or school fees in foreign countries like the USA, for instance, why can’t my Naira account in Nigeria be debited using the official exchange rate to offset such bills or fees? Why should the bank customers be made, like idiots, to go to the parallel market to buy dollars from profiteering middlemen, pay such dollars into their domiciliary accounts before they could make remittances to offset bills or fees

WHY SHOULD THE BANK CUSTOMERS BE MADE, LIKE IDIOTS, TO GO TO THE PARALLEL MARKET TO BUY

DOLLARS FROM PROFITEERING MIDDLEMEN, PAY SUCH

DOLLARS INTO THEIR DOMICILIARY ACCOUNTS BEFORE THEY COULD MAKE REMIT-

TANCES TO OFFSET BILLS OR FEES IN EXTERNAL TRANSACTIONS? WHAT

LUDICROUS BANKING PRACTICE IS THAT in external transactions? What ludicrous banking practice is that?

It is gratifying to note that the new dispensation of the CBN has come to realize the supreme idiocy in allowing the selling and buying of dollars in the open market only for such cash to be paid back into domiciliary accounts for external and even for several internal commercial transactions. That realisation has given rise to the re-activation of conventional banking channels to meet bank customers’ foreign exchange needs, in what has been christened “de-dollarisation” of commercial transactions.

The nation may indeed begin to regain control of its economy through the deft maneuvers and doughty monetary policies of the CBN.

AfroBasket: Ogechi leads Nigeria past Uganda

N

igeria trounced Uganda, 98-59, on Friday to improve to 2-0 in Group A at AfroBasket 2015.

Tournament debutant Uganda led for the opening 35 seconds of the game but very soon Chamberlain Oguchi made sure to end their expectations.

The Nigerian shooting guard responded with electrifying plays to set a tournament high, by hitting 8 of his 14 three-point attempts.

Oguchi led all scorers with 30 points, while Uganda’s Stephen Omwony fin-

ished with a team-high 20 points.

It was Uganda’s second defeat in as many games in the event. They face the Central African Republic

(CAF) on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Stan Okoye made headlines not so much for his 10 points in Nigeria’s winning effort, but for breaking the back-

board after attacking the basket with such ferocity with 2:17 left to play. The game resumed after an hour-long period to replace the backboard.

Premier League Results

Man United 0 - 0 Newcastle Crystal Palace 2 - 1 Aston Villa Leicester City 1 - 1 Tottenham Norwich City 1 - 1 Stoke City Sunderland 1 - 1 Swansea City West Ham 3 - 4 Bournemouth Premier League Fixtures

West Brom v Chelsea Everton v Man City Watford v Southampton

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