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Gunmen kill Second Republic politician

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President Muhammadu Buhari (middle), receiving Sallah gift from the Permanent Secretary, FCT, Mr. John Chukwu (right) while Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo looks on during a Sallah homage to the President at the Presidential Villa Abuja, yesterday.

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July 18, 2015

Again, two planes collide at Lagos Airport

Olusegun Koiki

ess than two weeks after Emirates and Hak Air collided at the apron wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, MMA, Lagos, another disaster was again averted at the airport with two aircraft belonging to FirstNation colliding.

Sources close to the scene of the incident told our correspondent that the two Airbus 330 had on the ground collision yesterday afternoon.

No fewer than 250 passengers from the two aircraft were involved in the incident while each of the aircraft had capacity for 150 passengers.

According to the source, one of the aircraft involved in the incident was taxiing from the runway to Murtala Mohammed Airport Two, MMA2, to disengage passengers while the other aircraft was preparing to take off to Port Harcourt Airport from the same terminal.

The source further explained that the pilot may have been misdirected by the marshallers who directed the pilot to taxi to that part of the apron.

The source close to the scene of the accident confided in our correspondent that the Port Harcourt bound aircraft was parked on Gate 4 while the arriving aircraft was directed to Gate 3 of the terminal.

But, the source alleged that the marshaller misdirected the arriving aircraft to the same Gate 3, which led to the two wings brushing each other.

The incident our correspondent gathered caused massive damages to the bodies of the two aircraft.

Immediately the incident occurred, the two airplanes were grounded by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, for further investigation.

As at the time of filing this report, the two aircraft were parked at the apron wing of the airport while the Port Harcourt bound passengers were disembarked by the airline and their ticket funds were refunded.

When our correspondent contacted the Managing Director of the airline, Mr. Kayode Odukoya, he did not respond to call made to his mobile phone, but a source close to the airline confirmed the incident and said the airline would issue a press statement to that effect.

However, as at the time of filing this report, the airline was yet to do so while the Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, said it was not aware of the incident yet.

Speaking on phone with our correspondent, the spokesman for AIB, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi could not confirm the incident, but noted that its investigators were on ground 24 hours daily to conduct investigation into any incident or accident that might happen in the sector.

He said that when the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, contacts it on the incident, it would deploy its personell immediately to the scene of the accident for investigation.

It would be recalled that less than two

Henry Iyorkase

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uspected gunmen, yesterday, shot dead a second republic politician Hon. Atodza Ihindan along TorDonga road in Katsina-Ala local government area of Benue state. The incident happened while a relative of the deceased (names withheld) was with him but managed to escape death. But not without gunshot wounds.

Hon. Atodza Ihindan, a PDP stalwart and father to immediate past commissioner of commerce and Industry, Mr. Terfa Atodza Ihindan, was said to be in the company of the said relative while inspecting the fence of his new landed property where the unknown gunmen emerged and

shot him in the head in broad daylight.

Sources at the scene reveal that the relative who sustained gunshot wounds and was taken to an undisclosed hospital by sympathizers while the deceased died on the spot as result of the alleged bullet that pierced through his head.

Hon. Ihindan until recently was the chairman of the governing board of the Benue state Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, a position he held alongside other appointments in the state.

The deceased was an in law to the Senator representing Benue North Barnabas Gemade.

Hon. Hindan before the incident was a diehard supporter of Suswam Government, PDP elder and self acclaimed father of Rt. Hon. Dr. Gabriel Suswam, the immediate past governor of Benue State.

Confirming the killing the Benue state commissioner of Police Mr. Hyacinth Dagala said the incident took place in the early hours of yesterday stressing that men of the command are trailing the circumstances that led to the killing of the elder statesman.

He stated that “we shall do everything humanly possible to apprehend the perpetrators and consequently bring them to book adding that no stone will be left unturned towards ensuring that justice is being done in this case of cold blooded murder” Meanwhile, activities of assassins appears to becloud Katsina-Ala local government area in recent times as hardly a day passes by without the killing of one prominent person in one part of the town or the other.

Child abuse update:

Lagos govt takes custody of girl whipped with barbed wire

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onsequent upon her much publicised maltreatment, the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) has taken a 12 years old girl, Kafayat, who was allegedly beaten with a barbed wire by her father into custody.

It was reported last week that Kafayat’s father, Mr. Kazeem, allegedly beat her up, and left her in critical condition after she attempted to stop him from beating up her mother over lotto game.

Kafayat, a Junior Secondary School 1 student with Canal Secondary School, Orile area of Lagos State, would have died from the wound she sustained after her father flogged her, but for the intervention of

weeks ago, an Emirates aircraft, Boeing 777-200 with over 300 passengers onboard had a ground collision with Hak Air aircraft parked at the apron.

The Emirates aircraft, with the flight number EK782 Lagos to Dubai had its right hand wingtip with contact with the tail of a Hak Air aircraft parked at the apron of the airport.

AIB, who confirmed the incident, said it had commenced investigation to unravel the cause of the incident.

Immediately the incident occurred, the checked-in passengers were evacuated from the aircraft while the management of the airline commenced damage assessment of both aircraft involved in the incident.

vigilante members, who found her writhing in pain in the dead of the night at Oyingbo Market at Ebute- Metta, having ran away from home.

It was gathered that workers from WAPA learnt about Kafayat’s plight when the Vigilante Group at Ebute Metta led by one Mr. Musbau Agbodemu took the girl’s case to the government after their efforts to get the Police to look into the matter proved abortive.

When our correspondent contacted one of the women from WAPA, who took Kayafat away, she confirmed that Kafayat was in their custody, but declined to give her name.

She said: “I cannot give you my names CONTINUED ON PAGE 51

‘He infected me with HIV, but I can’t leave him’

• If the court separates you, definitely you will spread the virus.

So, for the safety of the general public, you should remain Pg 39 husband and wife — Court President

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July 18, 2015

Taming the growing menace of cultism S In the wee hours of July 10, 1999, a killer squad, believed to be members of the Black Axe, a confraternity, swooped on a hostel accommodation in Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU. By the time they left, five promising students of the OAU met an untimely death in their hands. George Iwilade, 21, aka Africa, a Law student, who was a prime target of the cultists for his stand against cultism, alongside innocent victims like Eviano Ekelemu, 24, a Medical student, Yemi Ajiteru, 30, extra-year student of Religious Studies, Efe Ekpede, 26, Psychology student, and Babatunde Oke, 24, Philosophy students were killed. The outcry that followed the gruesome murders alerted the country to the growing menace of student cultism in schools. The federal government, at the time, had swung into action with the famous riot act that directed nationwide renouncement of cult membership in schools. 13 years after, it may well appear that cultism is still a clear and present danger, threatening to mushroom into a far bigger, problem too hot to handle by conventional law enforcement, writes NICK UWERU with SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN and Patience Ogbo.

olomon Arase, Inspector General of Police, IGP, got an SOS alert from his police command in Edo state. There was a sudden surge in crime wave. The statistics were startling and frightening; even so were the casualty figures.

May 20th, 2015—Edo State Police reported fourteen secondary school students arrested for engaging in cultism. May 14th, 2015—Four Edo government officials arrested over cult activities. May 7th, 2015—Cult war in Edo claims two mothers— two mothers were killed when cultCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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‘Cultism linked with thuggery, robbery’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

ists attacked the homes of some of their targets and could not find them and vented their frustrations on their mothers… The list went on and on.

Reacting to the spate of violence and why the Edo police command had to reach out to Abuja, Samuel Adegbuyi, Edo State Commissioner of Police, explained in detail the worrying trend.

“After the presidential election of March 28, and the National and State Assembly elections of April 11, we had challenges with the increase in crime waves. These were cult-related crimes; armed robbery, kidnapping, murder and other social vices.

All these challenges became worrisome. I had no choice than to call on the assistance of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, who swiftly drafted some MOPOL personnel from Delta and Anambra States as well as personnel from Federal (SARS) Special Anti-Robbery Squad,” Adegbuyi explained.

The move paid off. In no time, a total of 227 suspects were arrested. Then comes the mind bugging discovery. Majority of the suspect were linked to one cult or the other. More or less, the upsurge in crime wave had cultism affiliation at its core.

But proving cultism membership can be tricky in the law courts. Though outlawed by relevant statutes in the country, conviction for the crime of belonging to a fraternity group is few and far in between in the country. So for the Edo state police command, the choice is to arraign the suspect for actions for which they caught them in, viz: kidnapping, murder, armed robbery and unlawful possession of firearms. For the better part of last month, the police command continued with the prosecution of the suspects. First there was the arraignment by the police of 12 suspected cult leaders. They were taken before a special magisterial court that sat inside the Command Headquarters for alleged involvement in the killings of fellow citizens in different areas of the state.

Following the parade and arraignment of about 215 other suspected criminals for cultism and conspiracy in various crimes such as murder, armed robbery, kidnapping and unlawful possession of firearms, the suspects’ trial on “holden charge” continued before Chief Magistrate F. O. Idiake with a view to establishing the culpability of the accused persons in the alleged offences.

The suspects were thereafter remanded in prison custody as the charges brought against them were said to be beyond the jurisdiction of the court, even as the continued closure of the state judiciary by JUSUN workers stalled proceedings.

But Edo is not the only state contending with this menace of cultism related

Cult members in open procession in Benin

crimes. In Lagos, policemen attached to the Homicide Unit, State Criminal Investigation Department, Lagos State police command, have began a manhunt for a 22 year old man identified as Anu Olokodana over the murder of a 20- year- old allegedly killed during a birthday bash at a swimming pool in the state.

It was gathered that the deceased, Adeleke Awosiga, was killed at a birthday party organized by his friend one Anu Olokodana, popularly known as T-Fire, following a disagreement between them at the party.

Sources said the deceased and his assailant were childhood friends but were at loggerheads as Olokadana, had been persuading the deceased to join his cult but the deceased declined.

It was gathered that Olokodana had invited friends including the deceased to a hotel earlier this month, to celebrate his birthday where they drank and danced to their satisfaction.

Trouble started at about 4.30am when the celebrant’s girlfriend one Rashida Musco Oponmija, danced with another boy and the deceased requested to dance with her but she declined and replied ‘are we mates?’

The deceased felt insulted and replied that he was older than her.

According to our source, the incident generated an argument and one other person identified as Iyanu Liasu, slapped the deceased and they fought.

Sources said the deceased and Liasu were pushed out of the dancing hall while some other friends went out to settle their differences and they were later allowed to go back to the hall.

Nigerian laws and judiciary seem to be in a daze as to how to handle cultism.

Cultism should be given high priority like insurgency and terrorism. If not, culprits will always find their way back to freedom to do more harm It was gathered that the deceased along with other friends left the dancing hall to the hotel’s swimming pool and when the party was over the deceased had come out of the pool and asked his friend one Damola, to go and bring his clothes where they kept them. But when Damola, returned Adeleke was nowhere to be found.

Another source said that at that point, the celebrant had challenged the deceased over the old disagreement and the celebrant’s friends including another one simply identified as Favour, who belong to the same cult group had pounced on the deceased and held him. “Anu then twisted his neck, he died and was pushed into the swimming pool”.

It was gathered that the whole place was immediately deserted leaving few friends of the deceased who recovered the deceased from the swimming pool.

Sources said the deceased was rushed to a nearby hospital with the help of policemen who were on patrol but he was confirmed dead and the corpse was taken to the General hospital Yaba mortuary where it was deposited for autopsy.

The suspect Olokodana, and his girlfriend Rashida, are said to be on the run and

efforts by the police and other residents to trace them have failed.

It was learnt that two suspects have been arrested by the police in connection with the incident.

According to residents, the suspects were on a spy mission at the Awosiga’s family compound where youths were gathered mourning the deceased.

A source said “Since they were not familiar faces we challenged and requested to know their mission but they were unable to explain.

“We apprehended them and took them to the Mowe, police station where they revealed that they belong to the same cult group with Olokodana and they were sent by him to find out what the family of the deceased were planning,” our source said.

The suspects had since been transferred to the Homicide section of the State Criminal Investigations Department (SCID) Panti, for a discreet investigation.

Head of the family of the deceased Evangelist Adeyemi Awosiga of the Celestial Church of Christ Mowe III, condemned the act and called for justice.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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July 18, 2015

‘Cultists are like insurgents’

On the run: Anu Olokodana, alias Tfire

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 “It is wrong for anyone to terminate another person’s life just like that. The family is in grief, all we want is justice. The suspect must be made to face the wrath of the law,” he stated.

Mrs Ololade Awosiga, the deceased”s mother while weeping profusely said “I am making a special appeal to the Lagos State Governor Akinwumi Ambode and the Commissioner of Police Cornelius Aderanti to intervene and use this incident as a special case to ensure that justice prevail as it will serve as a deterrent to other youths in the state”.

But the suspected cult gang is not relenting on the matter. It was learnt that in a show of supremacy and in solidarity for their wanted leader, the gang has subjected residents of Cele, Ibedu and its environs to intermittent attacks.

A resident who begged not to be named due to reprisal attack said, “The terror group numbering about 30 masked and armed with weapons had stormed the area at about 8 pm after the killing of the deceased. They ransacked shops, residence and robbed people of their belongings.

“They were conveyed to the area in three buses where they robbed residents of their valuables including money, mobile telephones .Those that resisted or had nothing to offer them were severely injured”.

While the police in Lagos are battling the matter, twelve men suspected to be cultists were arraigned before a special court at the Lagos State Task Force on Environment and Special Offences Unit for allegedly sponsoring a cult gang called the Awawa Boys. This was barely two weeks ago.

Adedeji Akeem, a Superintendant of

Victim: Late Adeleke Awosiga

Police and the new chairman of the task force stated that the men were arrested by officers attached to the Area G police command and handed over to the taskforce for prosecution.

SP Akeem said, “This gang known as the Awawa boys have their base at the Agege area of the state. The policemen attached to the Area G Command raided thier hide outs and arrested them. The gang is notorious and twelve of them have been arraigned in court. Task force officers will continue to conduct raids in the area and other parts of Lagos to rid the state of cultists and other criminals.”

SP Akeem however assures residents that the task force officers will not engage in arbitrary arrest.

He said, “We are going to apply dialogue by inviting the stake holders, Human Rights groups, the academics, traders and drivers to a regular meeting for us to find a common ground on how best to protect the environment from criminals and hoodlums. The governor of Lagos State Akinwumi Ambode, wants us to treat Lagosians and visitors with utmost respect.

“We are going to respect the rights of the people but we will do our job professionally.

Our team have undergone training and retraining on how best to police with a human face so there will be no arbitrary arrest by our men.

“We will engage in enlightenment campaigns on radio, TV and other media to discourage people from flouting the laws”.

SP Akeem also reiterated the commitment of the Task Force to maintaining law and order at the ever busy Oshodi market and other flashpoints in the state.

“I want to use this opportunity to warn hoodlums and street traders to stay clear from Oshodi and other flash points as we

are committed to maintaining law and order in these areas. These hoodlums should not think that because there is a new person in charge they can come back to disrupt the peace and serenity in these areas.

“Our officers are stationed at Oshodi and all the areas that have been cleared and they will arrest anybody trying to disrupt the peace in these areas. The commercial motorcycle riders are also reminded to stay clear from routes they have been prohibited from plying as they will soon begin to feel our presence. I also appeal to residents to be law abiding and cooperate with us by giving us useful information.” He added.

Indeed, Akeem’s call may well be directed to all, given that cultism related activities and violent crimes seem to be on the increase. With its close similarity to gang related crimes, there are fears by many experts that cult groups may be hijacked by more organised and deadly crimes like drug trafficking, illicit arms deals, human trafficking, high level armed robbery sieges and so on. In US, for instance, stamping out drugs trade is difficult because the barons use gang members as distributors and enforcers. Gang members are known to be fiercely loyal either out of fear or just loyalty. This makes infiltration difficult for the law enforcement agents.

With the scenario in Edo State, it is apparent that politicians apparently have a way with cult gangs. Inside sources within police commands across the country say that most political thugs were recruited from confraternities operating within schools. When recruited as thugs, they are given money to purchase weapons, protected from police and unleashed on political opponents. Innocent bystanders are also often caught in the cross-fires of rampaging cultists seeking patronages from politicians.

Explaining the dilemma of brought

about cultism in Edo state, Paul Omoruyi, a writer and Engineer, said, “Young men in Edo State today measure their status and self-worth in the society by the cult they belong to. They gallivant about despotically like untouchable kings of the jungles, wearing various bandannas to indicate their cult affiliation.

“From Black Axe, Aiye, Buccaneer, De Norsemen to Jurist Confraternities, many Edo youths have given up their lives and future to these dastardly groups because they are ill-advised about the heartwrenching perils that await them.

Omoruyi added, “While growing up as teenagers in Benin City, our drive for knowledge with the desire to become productive members of the society was so high that almost every one of us had nick-names after great inventors, philosophers, mathematicians, physicists, chemists and economists. We had friends called Pythagoras, Archimedes, Awolowo, Chinua Achibe, Faraday and Albert Einstein.

What is amazing is that majority ended up as professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,” Omoruyi observed.

The writer further stated. “Different violent cult groups now jostle for positions in the State and Local governments to raise their awareness and profiles. As I have written extensively about, sadly so, there are reports that many of the cult members are now in the payroll of government officials. Nothing is hidden under the sun – in due time, we will know how funds were being disbursed by Government officials to these groups.”

Cultism, especially in the higher institution has always been menace. But one event in 1999 brought the matter into national focus in bold relief. Precisely on CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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July 18, 2015

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‘Weak laws encourage cultism’

Cultists in open show of strength

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 July 10 of that year, barely two months into into democratic rule, the country was alerted to the new threat posed by the clandestine activities of secret cults against constituted legal entities. 15 hit men of the Black Axe Confraternity had made their way into a hostel accommodation at the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, to execute a most gruesome attack.

In that early morning attack, five promising students of the OAU met an untimely death. These were George Iwilade, 21, a Law student, who was a prime target of the cultists for his stand against cultism, alongside innocent victims Eviano Ekelemu, 24, a Medical student, Yemi Ajiteru, 30, extra-year student of Religious Studies, Efe Ekpede, 26, Psychology, and Babatunde Oke, 24, Philosophy were killed. Blood as well as tears flowed on the well-kept green lawns of the varsity campus as dawn broke on that July morning.

Though there has not been an established cause for the killings, there are however consensus that Iwilade, a prominent Student Union Government, SUG, official was the main target. His killers, allegedly might have targeted him on account of an earlier event on March 7, that year. Late Iwilade had led a group of students to arrest nine alleged cultists who had arms and ammunition with them at the staff quarters of the school. The nine boys, Evimori Kester, Dele Aromoloye, Larry Obichie, Uche Obichie, Ikechukwu Mordi, Mayowa Adegoke, Olakanmi Ogundele, Bruno Arinze and Lanre Ajayi who belonged to

the Black Axe Confraternity had been paraded around school by Iwilade and Kayode Usamot, also known as Pintos, the financial secretary of the union.

The cult boys were later handed over to the police at Moore Police Station for further prosecution. The school management sent out a release announcing a suspension of the nine boys and commended the union for its fight “in wiping out cultism” on the campus. That singular act by the students’ body was to set in motion the killings that occurred four months later. Angered that its top members had been shabbily treated which created a seeming impenetrability of the OAU by cultists and cultism, the Black Axe family got together to exert a revenge on the university, most importantly, the student leaders. Hence, the attacks that led to the deaths of Iwilade and his comrades.

The lessons from the incident and worries there from are the seeming inability of law enforcement authorities to unravel the mysteries surrounding killings and bringing the culprits to book. Indeed, some culprits were apprehended. One of those caught was Efosa Idahosa who under torture alleged that Omole had been the brains behind the attacks. He later recanted, though. Two others, Aisekhaghe Ikhile and Olufemi Samuel were tortured to death in the custody of the students and their leaders.

Idahosa would later appear in court on trial for murder alongside two other suspected cultists, Kazeem Bello and Emmanuel Oguaju. They were later discharged and acquitted after a three year criminal process by the late Justice Yusuf of the Osogbo

High Court after the defendants put up a plea of “no case submission”. Niyi Adewumi, lawyer to the students union who assisted the Osun director of public prosecution, believes that the case was caught up in the internal politics of the state judiciary at the time seeing that Justice Yusuf lost interest in the proceedings because of his being overlooked for the position of chief judge by the Bisi Akande administration.

He says in spite of a positive evidence of identification by a witness who claimed to see Idahosa with arms on the morning of the murder, the court held that he had no case to answer. After the killings, Olusegun Obasanjo, president of the newly democratized country instituted that famous riot act on cultism in schools. First, cultists were asked to renounce membership of their respective confraternities before nationwide visitations to schools. These, in the short term produced results as many students renounced membership of cultism. There was a bit of a lull after words.

But with re-election in 2003, the menace resurfaced. This time, it came in gargantuan proportion as politicians both in political office and outside it freely engaged services of cult boys to undo their opponents. In Kwara for instance, ruling party at the time, All Nigerian Peoples Party, ANPP, engaged PDP in war of attrition and brawn to win the governorship election. ANPP, reportedly engaged the services of Black Axe; while PDP, also allegedly put together a consortium of cult boys from various tertiary institutions in the state. That election period may well go down in the history of the state as the bloodiest. There were sporadic shoot-

ings and killings; maiming of lives and limbs; wilful vandalism; abductions, open and broad daylight robbery. It was testy period for law enforcement in the country.

In the heat of the crisis in Ilorin for instance, Bayo Ajia and Olayinka Are, two cultists believed to be loyal to ANPP at the time, crashed into a wedding reception in Ilorin and pumped Abdulyekeen Gobir, and AbdulGaniyu Huseini full of hot leads.

The victims died from the incident. There were those who insisted at the time that the deceased were acolytes of the PDP chieftains who later went ahead to win the 2003 elections in the state. But barely two years later Ajia and Are were arrested over the killings, charged to court and sentenced to death. Justice Joseph Fola Gbadeyan of the High Court in Ilorin in sentencing them, said two accused were guilty of the offence carried out in Ilorin. An appellate court also confirmed the sentence. But curiously, the sentence were not carried out as, reportedly, Ajia and Are were pardoned by the state government. Both men now walk free.

More or less, fight against cultism is being hobbled in the country by near absence of justice on the matter as demonstrated by the case in Ilorin. According Ifie Collins, Crime Psychologist, in the absence of punishment, crime and impunity festers. “The Nigerian laws and judicial system seem to be in a daze as to how to handle cultism,” he said. For him, cultism should be given similar priority like insurgency and terrorism. “If not, culprits would always find their back to freedom to do more harm,” he said. The effort of Edo state police command may well bear this out going by the twists in the legal procedures.

The suspects were first put in holding charges because the Magistrate Court has no power to try the matter. 129 suspects had earlier been arraigned on June 2nd and 3rd while 98 others were arraigned on June 8th 2015, for different criminal offences after thorough investigation found the accused persons with dangerous weapons such as guns, swords, cutlasses, battle axes, cult symbols, plaques, regalia, batons.

One of the suspected cult leaders, Ernest Amadasun, who identified himself as a cult leader, admitted that he and his fellow cultists were arrested at a meeting with the state police boss after they were “invited to assist” the police with “information” on the recent cult-related killings in the state.

But Adegbuyi said that the suspects could not exonerate themselves with the knowledge of the crime that they were arrested for. While progress appears to be ongoing in the matter, there is need to pray that Edo police efforts and indeed all other efforts across the country to tame cultism not end up like the instances of Iwilade in Ife, Ajia and Are in Ilorin.

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NATIONAL NEWS

July 18, 2015

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Buhari felicitates with Muslims as Ramadan ends Nick Uweru

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has rejoiced with Muslim ummah on the successful ending of the Ramadan fast.

The President said this in a statement he released as soon as the Sultan of Sokoto, Abubakar Sa’ad III announced July 17 as the day to mark Eid-el-Fitr celebrations.

In his message to Nigerians, Buhari said Nigeria is currently experiencing a challenging period, which required patience, understanding and cooperation, urging Nigerians to support him to succeed in overcoming the various challenging facing the country. The President noted that he understood the feelings of those who wanted positive change to come faster assuring Nigerians of his sincere and resolved commitment to building a prosperous country.

The message reads: “Fellow Compatriots, I greet and felicitate with you all, especially our citizens of the Islamic faith on this auspicious occasion of the 2015 Eidel-Fitr celebrations.

“I congratulate all those who have successfully completed the Ramadan fast in keeping with the injunction of our Creator.

Although we have come to the end of this year’s month of Ramadan, I believe that a greater acceptance by Nigerians of its key lessons of self-denial and sacrifice will serve our dear country well as we strive to overcome our present challenges, undo the damage done by years of bad governance and accelerate the pace of national development.

“Reviewing our dire circumstances and the many missed opportunities of the past, some commentators and ob-

servers have said that this is Nigeria’s last chance to get its act together and finally begin to fulfil its God-given potential for greatness.

“While not going that far, I certainly believe that now, more than ever before, our country needs greater selfdenial, sacrifice and patriotism from all of its citizens, if we are to quickly recover from our numerous problems and start moving in a positive direction.

“This current period of our life as a nation offers us a great opportunity to break from the vicious triangle of insecurity, corruption and under-development.

We must collectively resolve to seize this opportunity and unite to confront our problems.

“I remain wholly committed to giving the required leadership towards undoing the wrongs of the past, ensuring that Nigeria truly begins to unlock its great potential and that the benefits of our immense national resources are shared and enjoyed by all, not just by successive cabals of corrupt leaders and their cronies.

“I was very aware of your high expectations when I assumed office and I reassure you, my fellow citizens, that since my inauguration on May 29, I have been working with utmost dedication to meticulously plan and tackle the many national challenges which we identified and promised to resolve. To succeed however, I need your continued support, understanding and patience.

“I fully understand and share the thirst of my long-suffering compatriots for corruption-free government institutions that work efficiently to deliver visible development for the benefit of all citizens.

“I also share the feelings of those who think that we should be mov-

ing faster. But I urge them and all Nigerians to trust that my commitment to real and positive change in our nation is as firm as ever.

“There is indeed much work to be done, but we must do it well and carefully to ensure that the

great opportunity which we now have is not lost to the “business as usual” group who selfishly or short-sightedly prefer a status quo that panders to their personal or group interests.

“The adverse effects of years of rot, corruption,

inept and bad governance on our nation are immense, but certainly not insurmountable if we all resolve now to place the well-being of our nation above all other considerations and work wholeheartedly with the present administration to achieve

greater peace and security across the nation, and reposition our country for faster economic development and progress.

“May Almighty Allah continue to guide us and bless our dear nation.

I wish you all happy Eid-el- Fitr celebrations.”

Bishop David Oyedepo, his wife and other dignitaries at Landmark University convocation.

Twin explosions rock Damaturu prayer ground on Sallah day Olajide Omojolomoju

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win-bomb explosions were allegedly detonated at the Eid-al-Fitr prayer ground, in the area referred to as Phase One along Maiduguri road, in Damaturu, Yobe State, in the early hours of yesterday.

Sources told Saturday Mirror that people were killed in the explosion.

One eye witness to the explosion, Abdul Malik, said: “It happened at about 8am. Now we are being asked to return home. Those that had gotten close to the Eid

ground said many people were affected.”

The bomb blast, believed to have been caused by a female suicide bomber, was said to have killed at least six officers who were trying to block the road for entrance of vehicles from going.

Security operatives and men of the anti-bomb squad have cordoned off praying grounds to prevent further attacks, even as a security volunteer, Ahmad Adamu, revealed that “there were two blasts near the Eid prayer ground.

The first blast went off around 07:15am while

security volunteers, who had come earlier than worshippers, were waiting for the worshippers so they could assist in crowd control.”

A medical source told Saturday Mirror that many people were injured in the bomb blast, even as no fewer than 10 people were said to have died, even as the death toll was expected to rise as many of the injured were brought to hospital with severe injuries.

Peoples close the site of the blasts were said to the most affected.

But the Nigerian Army has confirmed 50 people dead in the two separate

Damaturu explosions.

A statement by Army spokesman, Sani Usman, reads: “This is to confirm that there were two suicide bomb explosions today at about 7:40 a.m. in Damaturu, Yobe, in which two female suicide bombers – one elderly woman and a ten year-old girl – detonated the devices.

“It occurred at screening areas for intending Muslim worshippers at Layin Gwange, Damaturu and at Phase1, in front of former state secretariat, Damaturu.”

While 43 people died in the first explosion, seven lives where claimed in the second incident.

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NATIONAL NEWS

July 11, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Dedication, discipline hallmark of new army administration —CoAS

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he new Chief of Army Staff, CoAS, Major-General Tukur Buratai, has revealed that his administration’s vision would be partly anchored on dedication and discipline of officers and men of the Nigerian Army.

Buratai, who said this when he formally took over from his predecessor, retired Lt-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, as the 20th CoAS in a brief ceremony at the Army Headquarters, Abuja, however did not expatiate on his vision and mis-

sion for the army.

Assuring his predecessor that the present level of discipline among the ranks and file would be maintained, burutai said: “Your tenure as the CoAS has brought discipline, everybody has sat up and indeed, discipline has already taken root once again in the Nigerian Army.

“I want to assure you that discipline wise, we will not relent, we will make sure that discipline is instilled and the highest level of discipline will be maintained in every aspect of

our operation.”

He praised Minimah for leaving behind a reformed army that was again the pride of the nation, pledging that the military under his command would strive to sustain the achievements of the previous army administration and even surpass them.

The new CoAS, who was commandant of the MultiNational Joint Task Force, MNJTF, with headquarters in N’djamena, Chad, before his appointment, pledged the loyalty of the army to the President, urging all of-

ficers and men to maintain the same level of loyalty and steadfastness to the nation.

He said: “I will like to pledge my unalloyed loyalty to Mr President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of our great nation.

“I would also like to urge all officers and soldiers of the Nigerian Army to, in the same vein, remain steadfast and loyal to constituted authorities of our great nation, Nigeria.”

Earlier, former CoAS, Minimah, said he was leav-

ing the army as a fulfilled and accomplished officer, enumerating some of the achievements of the army under his command, stressing that many of the challenges he met on ground had been addressed.

Minimah, appointed 19th CoAS 18 months ago, said he was leaving behind a combat-ready force that was better motivated and well-equipped than he met them.

He said the result in the field today has justified “all our actions and decisions that were taken in the past 18 months.”

He added: “You will recall that at the time of my appointment, our army and indeed, the nation was going through one of the worst crises of our history.

“As I hand over today, I am happy to inform you that the Boko Haram terrorism is at the throes of certain defeat, these and many other achievements were recorded as a result of our collective efforts.

“Today I am leaving behind an army that can hold its own against any adversary without batting an eyelid.

“An army that has vowed never again to concede any inch of Nigeria to terrorists, it is the legacy I am leaving behind.”

Urging his successor to remain firm and consistent on issues relating to discipline and commitment of officers and soldiers, Minimah said decisions taken by the army during his command led to the achievements recorded recently in the North-East and other parts of the country.

He urged the new army administration to build on the gains of the past few months and sustain the momentum in the battle to wipe out insurgency in parts of the North-East.

He expressed appreciation to former President Goodluck jonathan and the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari for their support for the armed forces that had culminated in the successes recorded recently.

Buratai, the 20th CoAS, is an infantry soldier and a graduate of Course 29 of the Nigerian Defence Academy, NDA, has held different command and staff positions in the military.

Osinbajo spends Sallah in Gombe

Vice President Osinbajo arrives Gombe for Sallah

...Commiserates with victims of terror attack

Defeat B’Haram with education, military action –Obasanjo V

Williams Attah GOMBE

Sebastine Ebhuomhan BENIN CITY

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ormer President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has declared that only the combination of education with military actions can defeat Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.

President Obasanjo therefore advised Nigerians to either give education the priority it deserves or the dream to have a great Nigeria would remain a pipedream.

The former President said this in Benin yesterday while delivering a lecture, titled: “Effective Edu-

cational System: A Panacea for Societal Development and Transformation,” advising the government of President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle Boko Haram insurgency with the power of education, even as it prepares to roll-out its full military might after the change of the nation’s Service Chiefs.

Obasanjo said education remains the most powerful tool to neutralise the destructive indoctrination of citizens in the North by Boko Haram.

He said: “Do the needful to exterminate the scourge and social economic development of the area con-

cerned and talk with thegroup that is ready to talk.

“Boko Haram thrives on indoctrination. Spreading hate messages to propagate its messages through popular media. We are able to counter Boko Haram hate messages with education in our schools and social media to dilute such messages for those who have been swayed by Boko Haram.

“The Nigerian airwaves and social media should also be accentuated with positive messages. We have to reverse the trend of educational backwardness of the North-East because Boko Haram was a

menace waiting to happen.

Empowering the youth with skills and taking the yoke of unemployment off them will neutralise promises by Boko Haram.”

Blaming Nigeria’s poor educational system for massive youth unemployment, Obasanjo said the moulding of characters of the youths has been completely ignored by Nigeria’s educational tutors. He concluded that Nigeria must depend on the power of education to resolve massive youth unemployment, corruption, insecurity, infrastructural decay as well the economic shambles.

ice President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday spent his Sallah holiday commiserating with the government and people of Gombe State over the terrorist attack that claimed the lives of over 50 persons at the Gombe Main Market Thursday evening.

Vice President Osinbajo, who spent over three hours in the state visiting the site of the twin bomb blasts as well as victims of the incident at the hospital and their homes, as well as the Emir of Gombe, said: “We will definitely stamp out Book Haram.”

He said President Muhammadu Buhari asked him to spend the Sallah in Gombe to commiserate

with the people and show them that the Federal Government is with them in their sad moment.

He commended the people of the State for their bravery and determination to succeed, despite the sad attack that claimed so many lives, adding that this was evident when he saw many people in the market still going about their business.

Saying that security remains the primary function of every government, osinbajo said the Buhari administration will surely secure the lives and property of every Nigerian.

Earlier before the arrival of the Vice President, Governor Ibrahim Dankwanbo had also gone round to commiserate with the victims immediately after the Eid-el-Fitr prayers.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

July 18, 2015

9

Only God can protect me —Buhari

Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said that only God can protect him as security agents including the police and soldiers may not be able to provide total security Speaking when the Muslim community in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, came to pay Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Buhari said: “Today (yesterday) and immediately after the prayers I think I was bombarded by the youths who almost overwhelmed the security, and I had to hold tight to my gown to get to my car, He said: “I was advised to enter the car from the ADC side and I refused, I went across trying to hold my hand to the wild youths who wanted to see me.

“On an occasion like this, it shows that after what happened to

President Ronald Reagan of the USA, it is only God almighty that protects leaders, because in a mob like this, anybody with a sharp knife can get access and do a lot of damage.

“So, all the policemen and soldiers that were deployed since six o’ clock in the morning before I came out two hours later in the rains cannot protect me, only God protects.”

Buhari spoke yesterday just as twin explosions occurred at the Phase 1 Eid prayer ground in Damaturu, Yobe State when two female suicide bombers detonated bombs killing at least nine people.

Also on Thursday, over 50 persons were killed in another bomb explosion in Gombe State.

Speaking further at the Sallah homage, Buhari expressed gratitude to the Muslim community in the FCT for fulfilling the tradi-

Buhari appoints Muhammadu as NSCDC boss ...as Abolurin retires Rotimi Fadeyi

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resident Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Mr. Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu as the new Commandant-General of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC. A statement issued yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Muhammadu succeeded Dr. Ade

Abolurin, who has retired from service.

The new NSCDC boss, Muhammadu, who was an Assistant Commandant-General of the NSCDC before his new appointment, hails from Muye in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State.

He holds a B.Sc in Sociology from the University of Sokoto, and a Masters in Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Buhari wished Abolurin a

happy retirement.

Archbishop Martins salutes Muslims at Eid-El-Fitri Odinaka Uruakpa

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he Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins has called on Muslim faithful in the country to utilize the spiritual gains of the holy month of Ramadan to pray for the speedy end to the incessant terrorist attacks on innocent lives across the nation Archbishop Martins, while felicitating with Muslims on the occasion of EidEl-Fitri, which marks the end of fasting, also urged them to continue to spread

the message of peace and harmony in line with the tenets of their religion, so as to help counter the hate messages of terrorists who use the name of the Islamic religion to perpetuate violence.

In his goodwill message signed by the Director of Communications, Msgr Gabriel Osu, the Archbishop congratulated the Muslim faithful on the successful completion of the Ramadan season, and urged them to continue to allow the lessons of the season to guide them in their daily endeavours.

tion of Sallah greetings for the occupant of the position of President.

The President also thanked them for their loyalty to the country, as represented by institutions and the established system.

He congratulated them

for the privilege to “come and meet me and shake hands and also take picture with me.”

He added: “Please convey my thanks and happy Sallah to all your families and relatives and I congratulate you for the privilege

you have which is only you residents of the FCT that have the privilege to come and meet me and shake hands with me and take picture with me, other Nigerians are envious of you if you don’t know it.”

Present at the homage

yesterday include Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Director General of Directorate of State Security, DSS, Lawal Daura; National Security Adviser, NSA, Mohammed Babagana Mongono and Senator Phillip Aduda.

Victims of twin explosions in Gombe on Thursday during preparations for the Muslim festival of Eid-el-Fitr.

NSCDC arrests 12 for oil theft in Ondo Ojo Oyewamide AKURE

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o fewer than 12 people have been arrested by the Ondo State command of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, for illegal bunkering activities in the coastal area of the state.

The suspected oil thieves were said to have been nabbed on Thursday around 5:30 am at Ugbo in Ilaje Local Government Area during an operation by a combined team of antivandal and armed units of the command.

The suspects include Salami Kehinde, Monehin

Ilesanmi, Jamiu Salami, Iwalokun Tokunbo, Kareem Wasiu, Ayugbo Sunday and Agbede Joguntan.

Others are Omojorukonu Monday, John Collins, Adesioye Oluwaseunfunmi, Balogun Damilare and Ayetan Omojule, State commandant of the corps, Claudius Danladi Yakubu, who paraded the suspects yesterday in Akure, the state capital, said they would remain in the command’s custody until the end of investigation.

Yakubu disclosed that more than one 1,600 litres of diesel contained in 40 kegs of 25 litre capacity jerry cans, eight kegs of 50

litre capacity jerry cans and one drum of 200 litre capacity all filled with the product were seized from the suspects and brought to the state command headquarters, Alagbaka, Akure as exhibits.

Other items seized from the suspects, according to him, included six pumping machines, one motorcycle, two power generators and three big hoses suspected to be used in siphoning the product from the pipeline.

The commandant further disclosed that the command was able to destroye more than 40,000 litres of diesel stored in surface tanks and drums in the

town.

Promising that the corps would do everything possible to stop pipeline vandalism, oil bunkering and other criminal activities in the state, he described bunkerers and vandals as enemies of Nigeria.

He urged the people of the state to always help the corps with useful information so that the criminal elements could be arrested and prosecuted in order to serve as deterrent to others who still profit from the illegal business, adding that the suspects would be charged to court for prosecution immediately after investigation.

Power transmission records new peak of 4,656mw

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anagement of the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, has disclosed that national grid transmission has recorded a new peak of 4,656 megawatts.

This is contained in a statement by TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Seun Olagunju,

in Abuja on Thursday.

The statement said that this peak was reached a few days after the last record of 4,545 megawatts was attained on July 13.

Disclosing that the new peak was attained at 10 p.m. on Wednesday, July 15, the statement said that the previous peak of

power transmission was 4,517 megawatts, attained on December 23, 2012, adding that power generation and transmission had been above 4,000 megawatts due to improvement in gas supply to the generating stations. The statement also said that improvement in equipment/infra-structure

upgrade and enhanced human capacity of system operators contributed to the progress.

TCN management therefore assured its customers that it would continue to work to enhance the capacity to transmit more quality power to the distribution companies.

10

NATIONAL NEWS

July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Dasuki’s house arrest against tenets of democracy –PDP Olajide Omojolomoju

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he opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday described the restriction of movement placed on the immediate past National Security Adviser, NSA, Col Sambo Dasuki, by the Department of State Security, DSS, as

against tenets of democracy.

This is just as it described Dasuki’s travails as illegal and unconstitutional, adding that the development is purely a situation of political persecution, saying that that Nigerians are becoming scared.

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa

Metuh, in a chat with journalists, said he was refused entry to the premises of the former NSA by security operatives on account that the house was under security watch.

Metuh said he had the mandate of his party to visit Dasuki and did so at about 12:55, adding that attempts by a cou-

ple to gain entry into Dasuki’s residence were politely rebuffed by security operatives at the gate.

Metuh said he came into Abuja following the invasion of Dasuki’s house and his detention and house arrest, adding that he drove to the house as a personal friend to see him and to

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle) with the Baale of Gberefu, Badagry, Baale Adeniyi Matutin Sanni (2nd right) expressing his appreciation to the Governor for his readiness to bring development to their community, the Resettlement Superintendent, Badagry Port & Free Zone.

Synagogue collapsed building: We’ll prosecute church, contractor, engineer –Ambode

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agos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has said that his administration will enforce the verdict of the Coroner’s inquest on the September 12, 2014 Synagogue Church building collapse in consonance with the rule of law.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Habib Aruna, Ambode said his government will uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law in the state, even as he appealed residents of the state to also respect the rule of Law. Aruna said: “His Excellency hereby reiterates his government’s

commitment to uphold and enforce the sanctity of the law in the state and calls on all Lagos residents to respect the rule of law.”

He said the Coroner’s verdict of July 7 made some recommendations which the state government will act upon accordingly.

Ambode said that one of the provisions of the Coroner Law 2007 is the provision that empowers a Coroner to commence an inquest to find out the cause and manner of death which occur in an unusual manner.

He said that consequent upon the building collapse at the Syna-

gogue Church premises, the state government applied that a coroner’s inquest be commenced into the cause of the tragic deaths.

Ambode said the state government “will cause the prosecution of the contractor, Engineer Akinbela Fatiregun of Hardrock Engineering Company Limited and Structural Engineer, Oladele Ogundeji ,who constructed and supervised the collapsed building respectively at the Synagogue Church of All Nations for professional negligence.” T He said the church will be prosecuted by the state government

for neglecting to obtain the necessary building approval before commencing the building, contrary to the provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law 2010.

Appealing to the residents of the Centre of Excellence to always allow emergency responders perform their duties of emergency as they are trained for this purpose, Ambode enjoined land owners in the state who intend to embark on construction to employ the services of qualified and competent engineers who must obtain building permit before construction.

find out what is happening.

He said: “About seven or eight security operatives came out and said that I cannot see him because the house is under security watch. And I asked them, security watch in terms of treason or terrorism? And they said they are not in a position to say.

“The last time this happened was under the military. There has never been any situation where people will be held against their will.

It is completely against his fundamental human rights. And we should be careful here because this was how it started in Zimbabwe and other countries. Before you know it, we have a dictatorship. You cannot scare us.

“We are not guilty because we served under a former President. We

are not guilty because we lost an election. We are not losers in a war.

We lost an election, not a war. We are not prisoners of war and we should not be treated like prisoners of war.

“If there is a warrant of arrest or a judge can rule that he should be detained but the fact that you shroud things in mystery and you invade someone’s house, occupy his house and detain him against his will. It’s an anathema in democracy.

“Please, Mr President, father of our nation, we ask for basic respect for human rights. Let our inalienable rights be observed and respected in a democracy: freedom, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What is happening here now is totally against the tenets of democracy,” Metuh said.

Nigeria’s food insecurity disturbing —Oyedepo Wole Adedeji ILORIN

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residing Bishop of the Living Faith Church, also known as Winners’ Chapel and Chancellor of Landmark U n ive rsity,Omu -A ran , Kwara State, Bishop David Oyedepo, yesterday called for concerted efforts by governments and people of Nigeria to achieve food security.

Oyedepo said that food, which is life and the hope of living by all creatures of God, is the first priority that every one, young and old, strives to get by working.

He stated the at the second convocation ceremony of the university held at the institution premises in Omu Aran, his country home in Kwara State, saying that it was regrettable that Nigeria was yet to attain food security despite its abundant natural and human resources.

Identifying the inefficiency of government policy to make several policies over the years on agriculture and as well assist young agro-entrepreneurs and support them in the challenges they are facing, oyedepo said that the nation’s dilemma is that its policies had not addressed the food security challenges.

He called for a greater collaboration among government, the public and the private sectors to address the problem.

Landmark University Vice-Chancellor, Prof.

Joseph Afolayan, in his address highlighted the achievements of the institution within its first four years as well as the the high level of collaborations with foreign universities to make the institution rank second among private universities and 9th among the existing varsities in Nigeria.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

July 18, 2015

11

South West

Osun Muslims pledge support for Aregbesola on Sallah day

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he Chief Imam of Osogboland, Alhaji Sheik Musa Animasaun on Friday told a huge congregation of Muslim faithful to realise why the Governor of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, cannot be accused of being the achitect of delay in the payment of salaries in the state.

The Cleric, at the praying ground marking the end of Ramadan fasting period at the state capital, said those focuing on Aregbesola are only dissipating energy as he said there is a malady afflicting the national economy for which Nigerians must seek God’s favour and interventions.

His sermons came amidst a huge crowd that set the capital agog for the Governor as popular streets of Oke-fia through Alekuwodo-Olaiya-PopoOjaba to Oke Baale was marked by excited residents who struggled to show their supppot to the governor. Huge crowd of people followed the governor from the streets to join their Muslim counterpart who had converged at the praying ground to observe this year’s Eid prayers.

Some individuasl and groups at the praying ground were seen carrying placards at the end of prayers with different inscriptions like; ”Osun needs prayers; Nigeria needs prayers”, “Ogbeni!

Allah is with you” and “Aregbesola, continue to stand by Allah. He solves all challenges,” “Dont stigmatise Aregbesola over salaries”, “Aregbe, maa ba sere lo” among many others.

In his sermon, the Chief Imam of Osogboland admonished people to desist from sins that they have eschewed during Ramadan, adding that the economic woes the nation is witnessing is as a result of sin.

He commended governor Aregbesola for the development he has brought to Osun, admonishing him to always seek God’s face in times like this.

The chief iman urged people of the state to be prayerful and put their trust in God. He pointed out

that, all that is happening in the country as regards unpaid salaries plaguing both Federal and states are not man-made but manifestations of God’s wrath.

The cleric lauded the government for the truce reached with workers and the commencement of payment of backlog of salaries in the state. In his words “All of us should put our trust in God and desist from sin, because it is sin that has brought us to where we are in the country and the state. Everything that is happening is the visitation of God on our sins, we need to turn to God to heal our land.

“We have noticed that the issue of salary in the state is getting solution, we must continue to pray that all his strategies to take Osun to his beautiful height of his dream will come to fruition. “We are all witnesses to the transformation that Aregbesola has brought to the state, the state is blessed with him. No government in the history of the state has

done what he has done, we should continue to pray that those are yet to understand his vision come to quick understanding,” The Chief Imam stressed.

The governor, after the prayers, told journalists that his government is better prepared to reverse the downward developmental trend forced on the state by the downturn in national

economiy and it’s attendant financial crisis of the past six months.

Aregbesola also commended the entire workers and pensioners in the state for their unrivalled endurance and resilience in the face of hardship caused by non-payment of salaries.

He stated that with the payment of January and February salaries, govern-

ment has commence the repositioning of the state for the better, promising that workers’ welfare will continue to be top on his administration’s agenda.

“I want our people, particularly the workers, to know that ease, happiness, joy, prosperity will always come if we demonstrate humility, stands firm in our faith, preach patience and

love and remain on the path of God. Speaking earlier in his sermon, Ustaz Kamildeen Raji commended the administration of governor Aregbesola for his lofty ideas of governance in the state, saying the feeding of school children and other infrastructural development will not be forgotten in a hurry in the history of the state.

Governor of State Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, on top of a vehicle acknowledging cheers and enthusiasms from the Muslim faithfuls, during the 2015 Eid-el-fitri celebration, at praying ground, Oke-Baale, Osogbo, Osun State yesterday.

Ikere monarch ascends throne, promises prosperity Abiodun Nejo Ado Ekiti

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ollowing completion of traditional installation rites, the new Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu, was ushered into the palace of the community yesterday amidst pomp and pageantry.

The monarch had since July 6 following receipt of instrument of office from Governor Ayodele Fayose, begun the traditional rites which ended yesterday.

With the development, Oba Adu who hails from the Ogbenuote Ruling House, has ascended to the throne which became vacant following the death of his predecessor, Oba Samuel Adegboye, of the Akaiyejo Ruling House on August 22, last year.

An elated Oba Adu told journalists in Ikere Ekiti yesterday that creation of avenues for industrialists to invest in the ancient

gateway city would be his priority.

He said: “Ikere has huge potentials as investors’ destination and I will work with my people to ensure overall development of our town as it is a strategically located community”.

The monarch said such would boost the economy of the community and as well serve as job provider, saying: “Our goal is to provide jobs for our people. When industries are in place, joblessness among our young ones would be addressed and this will eliminate crime in the city”.

He assured that he would use his new position to pursue the peace of the town in order to experience rapid socio-economic development, saying: “The platform for peace is unity.

Unity through settlement of all family disputes and reconciling aggrieved parties.”

The monarch, who received homage from tradi-

tional chiefs, quarter chiefs, age-grade groups, women groups, youths, interest groups and ethnic nationalities wishing him a peaceful reign on the throne of his forefathers, said he felt fulfilled and humbled becoming the 27th Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti.

He said: “I feel elated, humbled and proud to be chosen as the Ogoga and this will give me an opportunity to work for the peace, progress and development of Ikere because Ikere is a proud city, a city that has never been conquered in history.

“This is a thing of joy, this is a thing of great fulfilment and I am looking forward to a peaceful, fruitful and prosperous reign.”

He promised to justify the confidence reposed in him by the kingmakers and other stakeholders in the community.

The monarch also seized the opportunity to extend a hand of fellowship to other

Oba Adejimi Adu

princes who contested the throne with him, promising his readiness to always carry them and other indigenes along in the day-today running of the community.

Adu said he had started reaching out to his co-contestants and other people aggrieved by his emergence to join hands and lift the town to greater heights.

According to him, all the kingmakers have resolved to work with him and they are actively involved in the task of reconciling fellow royals on the other side of the divide.

Oba Adu said that the “calabash of salt” that he chose during the rites showed the direction of his reign that “all bitterness will be forgotten”.

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July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH

EID FITR: Kano Muslims worship amidst tight security Abdulgafar Oladimeji KANO

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illions of Kano Muslims yesterday, observed Eid Fitr prayers amidst tight security around Eid prayers grounds and roads leading to the venue.

Security operatives barred worshippers from entering the prayer grounds with polythene bags and other items, as they were only allowed access into the spiritual grounds with their praying mats.

The Kano Muslim faithful, who thronged the various praying grounds from 7.am, were restrained from parking their automobiles

and other means of transportation at a minimum of 200 meters away from the prayer venues.

Volunteer security workers aided uniform personnel in the provision of security at the EID mosques visited by this reporter, they were sighted armed with clubs, alongside scrutinizing the worshippers and debarring suspected persons from accessing the routes leading to the prayer sites.

Security personnel were also strategically stationed on all routes leading to the prayers grounds, while worshippers conducted the end of Ramadam spiritual

rites under the watch of eagle eyed men and officers of the Nigeria police force, who were assisted by plain cloth operatives and civilians.

The police, outside its regular men, also mobilized from its constabulary arm and vigilante groups to ensure the provision of adequate security for worshippers and their places of worship.

National Mirror reports that, at the Kofar Mata EID prayer ground, hundreds of security personnel formed a dragnet around worshippers as they engaged in the Ramadan spiritual observance.

Thousands of non indigenous Muslims also observed the Eid Fitr under tight security, at the Ansar Udeen Primary school prayer ground.

To ensure the provision of adequate security throughout the festive period, the Nigeria police had warned residents planning to visit recreational centers during the Sallah celebrations to be vigilante by taking cognizance of people and objects around, with a view to report any suspicious movement to security agencies.

The command further cautioned motorist to strictly adhere to traffic rules and regulations by eschewing reckless and

dangerous driving which it said often led to cases of accident during such festivities.

The statement issued Kano State Police Command Sspokesman, ASP Magaji Musa Majiya said: “Parents and guardians should accompany their children with adults to guide them throughout the festivities. This will checkmate the rampant cases of missing children. While under aged children and unlicensed persons are not allowed to operate motor vehicles”.

..as Kubwa Muslims defy rains for Eid

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uslims in Kubwa, a satellite settlement of Abuja, defied rains Friday morning to attend eid prayers.

The prayers, which held at the Eid Praying Ground, Phase 3, Kubwa, Abuja, saw a large turnout of gaily dressed Muslim faithful, most of who got drenched in the rains.

Imam Abdurrahim Muhammad, the Chief Imam of Kubwa, in his sermon, enjoined Muslims to draw from the lessons of Ramadan and continue to live responsible lives.

“The days of Ramadan were made lively through fasting and increased remembrance of Allah, while its nights were lightened through night prayers, and people retained an expected kind of behaviour.

“Ramadan has left us with several lessons, like truthfulness, piety, justice, patience and goodness, and all these should be retained afterwards.

The Imam decried the spate of insurgency in the country and urged the government to take decisive steps to end the scourge.

“Boko Haram is a major challenge to Islam and we urge government to take the necessary steps in ensuring that the menace is ended and its perpetrators and sponsors brought to book.

“It is also necessary for parents to pay more attention to proper upbringing of their children.’’

Also speaking, Mu-

hammed Mahmoud, the Chairman, Kubwa Muslims’ Community, said, “It is actually a bitter-sweet feeling because, though we are celebrating the Eid el-Fitr, so many people have been thrown into mourning by these wicked people. ``We can only pray that Allah accept the souls of the departed in paradise, and assist us in eliminating these insurgents for good,’’ he said.

Former President Shehu Shagari (left) with Governor of Sokoto State Aminu Tambuwal, at the Eid El-Fitr prayer in Sokoto, yesterday.

Nasarawa opts out of 2015 pilgrims sponsorship

Igbawase Ukumba, LAFIA

T

he Nasarawa State government has opted out of its usual tradition of sponsoring Muslim pilgrims to the holy land of Saudi Arabia this year due to the prevailing dwindling revenue which has affected the state in the recent times.

Executive Secretary of the Nasarawa State Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board, Alhaji Abubakar Hassan Nalaraba, disclosed this yesterday in Lafia, the state capital, during a press conference adding that Governor Umaru Tanko AlMakura’s decision to that regard was to allow him weigh the prevailing economic situation of the state.

He disclosed further that the welfare board has succeeded in retaining the accommodation allotted to pilgrims from the state in the holy land as tents and other accommodation meant for Nasarawa pilgrims in the Saudi Arabia are all in good shape.

According to him, “The board has approved this year’s Hajj fare at N790,500 per pilgrim which include forms, suit cases, medical screening, uniforms, hijab and Arafat day feeding expenses in order to compliment the National Hajj Commission’s efforts.”

He said that the variation in this year’s Hajj fare rate to that of the previous year which was N715,000 was occasioned by the high exchange rate of the naira being experienced.

Alhaji Nalaraba concluded by disclosing that “As of August 8, this year, a total of 1,682 intending

Justin Tyopuusu, JALINGO

G

eneral Superintendent of Deeper Life Christian Ministry, Pastor William F. Kumuyi yesterday, urged Nigerians not to lose hope in God because of the wave of insurgency ravaging communities in the northeast region.

Kumuyi was speaking at a crusade with a theme; “Total Recovery and Restoration” at the Deeper Life camp ground in Jalingo the Taraba State capital with thousands of people in attendance.

The crusade according to the organizers, who said it was earlier held in

pilgrims have indicated interest for the journey to the holy land which showed a sharp drop in

the participants in this year as compared to 1,785 pilgrims that performed the exercise last”

Insurgency: Kumuyi urges Nigerians not to lose hope Zing and would also hold in Bali was aimed at bringing message of hope, redemption, restoration and total recovery to the people especially in the face of security challenges in the northeast region.

Kumuyi, while delivering his message at the Jalingo crusade, assured the people that God would bring them out of their Red Sea and cross them over to the Promised Land of abundance, if only they would surrender their lives to Jesus Christ.

“If you have Jesus, you have more than a man; this

is the day of your healing, salvation and deliverance.

If a sinner agrees with The Lord, he will be saved. If the sick person agrees with The Lord, he will be healed and if the oppressed person agrees with The Lord, he will be delivered”, he said.

Taraba Governor, Darius Ishaku, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Former Taraba Governor, Rev.Jolly Nyame, Deeper Life state overseers from Adamawa, Borno, Plateau, Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe and Taraba were among dignitaries that graced the occasion.

Politics

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July 18, 2015

13

EFCC’s metamorphosis Lekan Adejuwon

O

ccupying the nation’s political discourse in the past few weeks is the foremost nation’s anti graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which had hitherto, been perceived by many, as a toothless bull dog.

If the EFCC had been laid back in the performance of its assigned duties, the Independent Corrupt Persons Commission, ICPC, a rival anti graft agency, may have taken an overdose of sleeping tablets leading to its apparent untimely death.

But the commission, in the past one month, suddenly woke up from its deep slumber by reopening many high profile corruption cases involving quite a number of highly politically exposed persons who, at the time of filing this report, had been guests of many Nigerian prisons pending their arraignment in court.

The development has generated a rash of mixed reactions from many observers, who saw the new development of either, as a confirmation of the widespread belief that the immediate past administration was enmeshed in monumental corruption, or the anti-graft body was deliberately incapacitated to perform its role.

Indeed, the past five years of former President Goodluck Jonathan had been described as the worst in the annals of the history of the 15 year-old commission even as the body could not prosecute one single individual, amidst gargantuan corruption allegations leveled against some active participants of the old regime.

Towards the twilight of Jonathan’s administration, the former President propounded a novel and almost funny method of fighting corruption through the use of technology even when it was obvious that both the EFCC and ICPC had been rendered jobless.

However, for many watchers of events in the polity, the EFCC ceased to exist after its pioneer chairman, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu quit the commission in 2007 even as successive leadership of the anti graft body, had failed to make appreciable impact in the fight against corruption, Nigeria’s most endemic disease.

The EFCC, during Jonathan’s administration, was believed to have lost its bite even as many have accused the former president of not being interested in fighting corruption.

But for Ibrahim Lemorde’s new lease of life as the EFCC’s boss three years after being in the saddle, the ‘miracle’ can only be imagined.

Beginning with a spate of celebrated acquittals of some politicians due to lack of diligent prosecution by the commission, many concerned Nigerians have expressed huge reservations about the sincerity of EFCC when the likes of former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani Kayode and former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva were let off the hook by the court on technical grounds.

Undaunted by the setback, the commission launched a fresh offensive as former Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro and the former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff were invited at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja for questioning.

Okiro was quizzed over his alleged involvement in a N275m fraud during his tenure as the Police Service Commission boss while the ex-governor of Borno State was slammed with an alleged mismanagement of N300b during his tenure in office.

The icing of the cake was the arrest of five former governors namely; Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Ikedi Ohakim of Imo State, Murtala Nyako, Adamawa, Chimaroke Nnamani, Enugu and Timipre Sylva of Bayelsa states respectively.

The five ex-governors are being prosecuted for corruption in various courts.

In the case of the immediate past governor of Jigawa State, his two sons-Aminu and Mustapha have also being quizzed and remanded in prison custody penultimate Thursday by Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano after they were slammed with 28-count charge of corruption and money laundering

Lamorde

brought against them by the EFCC. Lamido, according to the commission, is said to have abused his position as governor of Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015 by awarding contracts to companies where he has interest, using his two sons as fronts.

Former Bayelsa Governor, Sylva, who is being prosecuted by the EFCC before Justice A.F. Ademola at the Federal Court, Abuja on a fresh 50-count charge bordering on stealing and money laundering involving over N9.2billion from Bayelsa State coffers between 2009 and 2012.

In a similar vein, Nyako and his son, Abdulazis appeared before the Federal High Court in Abuja penultimate Wednesday, even as their bid for bail application filed by Chief Kanu Agabi failed.

He, alongside his son, are accused of converting huge sums of money, including N240m of state funds to develop the Hill View Estate in Mpape, Abuja between October, 2011 and June 2012, among other charges.

It would be recalled that Nyako was impeached last year over allegations of gross misconduct. He travelled out of the country soon afterwards and only returned recently upon Buhari’s assumption of office.

A Federal High Court also ordered that former governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim to be remanded in prison for money laundering involving N270m.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos and presided over by Justice Mohammed Yunusa, had last Tuesday, ordered the forfeiture of multi-billion naira assets owned by Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, the former governor of Enugu State to the Federal Government.

The forfeited assets comprised of the undeveloped properties and transmission equipment of Rainbownet Nigeria Limited; properties of Hill Gate Investment Limited (Cuena Phones Limited): assets of Cosmo 105.5FM,

Much as the EFCC appears to have started on a right

footing, the onus still lies on the commission to purge itself of the vagaries of selective justice and failure to prosecute the cases to their logical conclusions

and 22 duplex buildings at Ebeano Estate, now known as Fidelity Estate.

Others also to be ceded to the Federal Government are Rainbownet shares in Zenith Bank and Guaranty Trust Bank, whose account balance amounts to N4.6 million.

Also a former head of service of the Federation (HOSF), Steve Oronsaye is currently being interrogated by the EFCC over allegations of corruption.

Oronsaye was summoned to the EFCC headquarters in Wuse 11, Abuja on Wednesday where he was interrogated.

Oronsaye was appointed by former president Olusegun Olusegun in June 2009 and retired on November 16, 2010.

However, in September 2014, the office of the auditor general of the federation released a report that indicted him of N123 billion alleged fraud.

The 169-page report, titled ‘special audit of the accounts of the civil pensions’ found Oronsaye guilty of allegedly presiding over the looting of the nation’s resources during his tenure.

With these arrays of renewed clamp down on corrupt politicians, not a few Nigerians have been commending the anti graft agency for a job well done even though, many believe it is too early in the day to roll out the drum for EFCC. The question however, on the lips of many Nigerians is whether the current rebirth of the EFCC was consequent upon the perceived leadership charisma of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Adeleye Adewole, Chairman Centre For Organisational and Professional Ethics (COPEAFRICA), in a media chat, said the ongoing renewed efforts of the EFCC was not unconnected to the emergence of Buhari as the Head of State adding that such was the beauty of having a leader with proven moral character at the helms of affairs of any nation.

According to him, the body language of former President Jonathan sent signals to the EFCC that the agency is funded by the executive arm of government, hence, it resorts at the time to excuse of not having enough funds to carry out its statutory obligations.

“The EFCC”, he said, ‘has no money before, but where are the monies coming from now? he asked.

“We want more than arrest. We want those arrested to be fully prosecuted. We want to see action.

“The other day, a governor just walked by himself to the EFCC and began to relate with them. That is not good enough. It is quite unfortunate that the EFCC is just waking from its slumber” Continuing, the group pointed out that the emergence of Buhari was the tonic for the commission’s current activism.

“The emergence of Buhari as President is the reason for the latest noise from the EFCC. They are trying to be relevant so that they don’t lose their job because they know that there is going to be change” Adeleye maintained that Nigerians are waiting on President Buhari to give the nation an anti graft agency that will be self sufficient and independent of government with a view to restructure it and given its own direct independent source of funds.

Speaking in similar vein, Babatunde Oluajo, Public Policy Manager, and former Secretary, Zero Corruption Coalition, explained that, though Buhari may seem slow in the eyes of many Nigerians, his body language was already causing repentance virtually in all sectors of national life.

His words: “There is something leadership brings to bear in the act of governance. The former president may not have said anything to the EFCC, but his body language paralysed the EFCC “Under President Jonathan, individuals who were convicted for corruption were given a state pardon. That sends a message that you are only interested in winning elections. It was the political economy that choked the EFCC” he said However, much as the EFCC appears to have started on a right footing, the onus still lies on the commission to purge itself of the vagaries of selective justice and the failure to prosecute the cases to their logical conclusions.

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July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Why I won’t decamp to APC –Segun Adewale Segun Adewale, was the People’s Democratic Party’s senatorial candidate for Lagos West senatorial district in the April 28th 2015 election where the All Progressives’ Congress candidate, Adeola Solomon was declared the winner. Adewale however, claims that he won the election and has headed for the Election Tribunal, sitting in lkeja. The court has since fixed judgment for August 20th.

In this interview with Patience Ogbo, the politician talks about corruption in the election tribunal, the effect of non appointment of ministers and the imbroglio over the senate leadership.

Y

ou petitioned the election tribunal claiming that you won the election as a senator to represent Lagos west Senatorial District in the April 28 election, but INEC declared the APC’s candidate the winner, why are you challenging the results?

My prayer is that God should give victory to the person that won the election.

I went to the tribunal because I am the winner of the election. I did not rig or ask anyone to rig. My prayer is that God should touch the heart of the judge so that financial inducement will not make him do the wrong thing. I am the winner of that election and he should declare me as such because all the evidence I have presented to the court which the other party did not object to, show that I am the winner.

What are your grounds for taking the petition to the tribunal?

I am saying that the nomination of Mr. Adeola is invalid, that election did not hold in some wards, among other irregularities which include falsification of results. Since we started the sittings, the other party has not brought any witness. The opponent does not have any case, they are relying on my evidence just like they did in 2011 and the judge received bribe and still went ahead to declare my opponent the winner.

They are the only ones in Lagos that rely on my documents and my evidence and the tribunal still declared them the winner.

Tribunal cases are time bound and it was after the time had elapsed that INEC gave us the documents. Results from INEC show that I won the election but they did not give me the results on time so I can file it at the trial. The law is wrong in the area where they insist that the petitioner presents evidence that they won an election but the evidence is with INEC and this INEC is working for the opposition and they refused to release the results so one can file it on time, what this means is that since one does not have this evidence, and because the tribunal is time bound, then people like us, who won, will not be able to prove it at

the tribunal, and that means our victory was stolen. I wrote several letters to INEC for the results to be released to us on time but they refused to give us the document.

Even now that the judge has fixed the judgment day, we still do not have all the documents. INEC gave us just 60 percent while the remaining 40 percent is still with them .This was what happened in 2011 and despite the fact that I won the election, the judges collected bribe and gave my victory to my opponent.

You are alleged that the tribunal judges collected bribe and upturned your victory in 2011, what is your confidence that this tribunal will not do the same especially now that the APC controls the federal government?

The judiciary is separated from the executive and I believe that if any judge that wants to be corrupt, he or she will be corrupt. The APC being at the federal level does not mean that they can control the judiciary.

Take the cases of Chief Fani kayode and Chief Buraju Kashamu. Did they control the judges? If it was during the tenure of President Jonathan, people will say it was because it was Jonathan that the cases were thrown out. So, I have confidence in our judiciary as the last hope for the common man. Like I said, it depends on the judge that wants to collect bribe. When a judge earns N400,000 a month, in a year, he earns N4.8million, in ten years, that is N48million and if somebody gives him N50million, he can say, that is big money and collects it. That is our problem, where everything in Nigeria is cash and carry. So we need to change our system. We need a government that can address this situation and change the way we operate in this country. If your salary is small and you can afford to rent a house and pay gradually, then there will be no need to steal. That is why corruption is everywhere and it permeates the judiciary.

The judges that handled the election tribunal in 2011 are very corrupt or, how can I lose the election when the opponent I

Adewale

reported agreed with everything I alleged and I still lost.

What is your advice to the APC in regards to the senate presidency election won by Senator Bukola Saraki?

My advice to the APC is that they should allow Saraki to continue. This same scenario happened in 2011 and the heavens did not fall. Look at the case of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, he actually bombed the PDP and nothing happened. The truth is that Saraki and others have a stake in the party. They were at the fore front fighting for the APC. So, the APC cannot be sharing positions now and they relegate them to the background. What I am saying is that the others should tolerate them and move forward. Nigerians are suffering and it is a shame that the people they voted for are only interested in sharing positions and not thinking of governance.

People who voted for them are clamouring for change and their leaders are interested in positions. My advice to the present government is that they should quickly get down to work and move this country forward. There is no time for all these bickering because a lot of Nigerians want to feel the change for the better.

What is your take on the delay in the appointment of ministers; is it good or bad for the country?

We need ministers to get to work as fast as possible. Even if the president does not appoint other ministers, he should appoint the minister of Finance to regulate the economy. The exchange rate of a dollar to Naira is now N230. We need to bring a minister of Finance urgently to regulate. It is not the job of the CBN alone. The government can afford to delay the appointment of other ministers but not the Finance minister or things will get from bad to worst.

What in your view is responsible for this delay?

Well, the APC told us that they are tak-

ing their time. But I feel President Buhari’s age is affecting the decision even if they do not want to admit it. The President’s age is making him to move slowly and Nigeria is a very complex country where we need a leader that is physically strong and mentally alert to handle the stress that comes with the job but at his age, he has to go slow.

What is your reaction to the appointments made so far by the president?

Well, I have learnt way back during my university days that there is a south and north dichotomy in our country. The south has economic power while the north needs the political power since they do not have economic power. With this understanding, you will know that the north needs the power desperately and now that they have it, they will want to bring the resource to the north and they do not care whose ox is gored. It is unfortunate that Tinubu and the ACN went into unholy alliance with the north, thinking that they can get the power at the center, but it is now clear to them that the northerners are also very desperate.

Seeing the difficulty you are facing due to your opposition stance, will you decamp to the APC to achieve you goal of becoming a senator?

Well, I would like to state that opposition is good. There is nothing wrong with being in the opposition especially when you are not going there to serve selfish interests. I decided to contest because I saw the suffering of my people and I want to bring positive changes to them. If I want the position for myself, I would have decamped a long time. The truth is that I do not want to be tied to the apron of any godfather. I believe that if our intentions to serve are sincere and we have the interest of the people at heart, then, we do not need any god father.

Let the people’s votes count and their choices be respected, let the winners be allowed to represent the people. Since my ambition is to serve the people, I don’t need any godfather and I am not decamping.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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July 18, 2015

Talking Politics

‘We won’t accept election results under Zakari’ —Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of PDP

“I

t will be very difficult to accept any result of the election conducted by Amina Zakari.

It will be difficult for the PDP to accept result of election if we lose under Zakari,” “The INEC acting chairman was a ‘daughter’ to Buhari; hence she would not be fair in the discharge of her responsibilities as the nation’s electoral umpire.

“We have INEC and the idea is that people heading it should be above board, but the present ruling party has appointed the ‘daughter’ of the President to head the position.

“There is nowhere in the world where such has happened, a person who has a

— Alhaji Lai Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary of APC

“U

—Former President Olusegun Obasanjo

“W

“With all the people who are available as successor, what we came up with was about the best that we could think of at that time.

“One of those who wanted to do the job came to me and said, ‘Sir, I like your job, but I cannot do it the way you are doing it.’

Now, if he had told me that, should I then come and say, ‘okay, come, let me give you the job?’ He had told me that, ‘I like your job, but look, the way you are doing it, I haven’t got the stamina to do it that way.’

Then, what do you expect me to do?

“Or the one that I know that, oh!, this one, before he gets the job, he’s stinkingly corrupt. Now will I be able to defend myself before God and man if, with what I know, I give this job or I encourage the man to have this job?”

‘Blackmail won’t help your case’ —Kassim Afegbua, Special Adviser, Media and Public Affairs to Governor Oshiomhole

“T

he simple questions which the governor asked were: how come those accruals into the Excess Crude Account got depleted without the knowledge of the National Economic Council? How come monies that were supposed to accrue into the said account cannot be found in it going by the balance sheet provided by the former minister?

“How come the minister unilaterally dipped her hand into the Excess Crude Account to spend money in defiance of the constitution and the laws of the land?

How come that the minister finds it convenient to publish allocations to States

nder Nigeria’s laws, elections could not be invalidated just because one of the political parties has refused to recognise the law.”

“Under our law, elections are not invalidated just because one of the 29 political parties has refused to recognise a commission properly constituted by the law.

“If the PDP says it won’t recognise the head of the commission, who was even appointed into the commission by the PDP government, we can only wish it well.”

relationship with the President.

“I am drawing the attention of the IRI to this. Buhari has appointed his ‘daughter’ as INEC chairman; we believe there will not be fairness.”

‘I chose Yar’Adua because others were corrupt’

hat do I know about any successor? What he presents. When he gets there, he presents it differently.

“We did our best, but if you say our best is not good enough, I will say, when it comes to your turn, do better.

‘We can only wish PDP well’

and Local Governments, but refused to publish accruals into the same account for us to know the status of the account at any point in time; how much was left from where she was distributing from?

“What the governor stated was that; it was interesting to note that by December 2012, the ECA had a balance of over $10billion. This had been depleted to $2.07billion by May 2015, according to the former Finance Minister. Between January 2013 and May 2015, not more than $4billion was shared among the three tiers of government. Indeed, the last time any money was shared from the ECA was in May 2013.”

‘I trust Buhari to rout insurgents to surrender’

— Former military President, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida

“T

he President, General Muhammadu Buhari, as a military officer, understands the import of these altruistic suggestions and I trust that he will take steps to apply some of them that fit into the mainstream strategies already in place. The approach has to be a holistic one, well coordinated with full onslaught launched by the day and night to rout these insurgents to surrender.

“Let me join millions of Nigerians home and abroad in condoling with the families of those who lost their beloved ones during this carnage. Let me also commend the efforts of the Federal Government in helping to address the plights of the Internally Displaced Persons across different locations in the country.”

‘Boko Haram topmost on Buhari’s agenda with President Obama’

—Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity

“T

opmost on the agenda of President Buhari’s talks with President Obama and United States Government officials will be measures to strengthen and intensify bilateral and international cooperation against terrorism in Nigeria and WestAfrica.

“He will later hold further discussions with the Chairman of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey and the Deputy Secretary of

Defence, Robert Work on military and defence cooperation.

“The President will also meet with Vice President Joe Biden and confer with the US Attorney-General, Loretta Lynch; the US Secretary of Treasury, Jack Lew; the US Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker and the US Trade representative, Michael Froman, on United States’ support for his administration’s war against corruption as well as fresh measures to boost NigeriaUnited States trade relations”.

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Living

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Between street traders and highway thieves

The announcement by the Lagos State Government to begin the implementation of the law on street trading and begging is seen as a welcome development by many in the society, but hawkers are in a foul mood, reports JULIET UMEH

T

hese are not the best of times for Innocent Ogbuehi, a 38-year-old sausage rolls hawker who plies his trade along Oshodi Expressway, in Lagos. If he doesn’t get another dependable means of livelihood following the recent ban on street trading and begging in Lagos, he will be in hot soup. This father of two children, in order to make ends meet, has been in the business of hawking for close to six years, running as early as 7am after cars on the highway to vend his products to famished passengers who are stuck in traffic jam. He ends the forced jogging, sweating for business’ sake, after noon daily.

Without any iota of doubt, life will be an uphill battle for him and his family as from this month, since hawking sausage and meat pie on the highway is his business, the only means of fending for his family of four.

Although hawking, an activity that

puts to test his athletic skills, physical strength, courage and marketing savvy while he guarding against being hit by moving vehicles was not his planned profession, circumstances beyond his control changed his dream of becoming an accountant after his secondary education and forced him to leave everything to fate. And he wasn’t doing too badly until the ban on street trading.

He says, “The high cost of renting a shop in Lagos is the number one reason I am into street hawking. The high volume of sales I make on the expressway is another reason I am not so keen on getting a shop. Nobody wants to pay a fortune to rent a shop, only to sit down all day without making sales. We sell more on the highway and make more money than when we sell in the shops.”

His ‘cousin’ in business, Nasiru Naheem, 21, who sells soft drinks, also blamed the high cost of securing a shop in

Lagos as one of the reasons most of them are highway hawkers. Therefore, he sends this message to the state government: “I appeal to the Lagos State Government to provide trading places for us in order to reduce the risk we face when we hawk on the highways. It is easy to tell us to leave the road and rent shops, but those shops are very expensive, they are not affordable.”

Apparently, however, the governor of Lagos State is not seeing things the way of the hawkers. Worried by the

Commissioner for Environment and now Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tunji Bello, in a statement, expressed government’s concern over the return of street trading in major areas of the state.

“The state government has noted that street trading does not only constitute environmental nuisance, it also poses a security threat to residents of the state and has continued to hamper free flow of traffic on Lagos roads, which further constitutes nuisance and security threat to law-abiding citizens.

We’ve had security reports on the activities of persons who pose as beggars, especially in the traffic. Their sole aim is to perpetrate evil. We are putting a search light on this trend and one way to do that is to ensure that we take pre-emptive measures to forestall this development increased security consciousness around the country today, Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, on Wednesday, July 8, directed the Task Force on Environmental Sanitation and Other Special Offences to ensure enforcement of the existing law prohibiting street trading and begging in the state. Also, the former

“We’ve had security reports on the activities of persons who pose as beggars, especially in the traffic, but their sole aim is to perpetrate evil. We are putting a search light on this trend and one way to do that is to ensure that we take pre-emptive measures to forestall this CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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‘Most hawkers are robbers in disguise’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

development,” Bello said.

The effort of the Lagos State government to get hawkers and beggars off the streets is not new. The aim, according to official spokespersons, is to maintain sanity and improve environmental sanitation in the state. In an effort to achieve this, the Lagos State Government, some years ago, established Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), an agency of government to enforce the ban. Also, a tribunal came on its heels to prosecute hawkers who flouted the law.

Yet, despite the ubiquitous presence of its officers in every nook and cranny of Lagos, hawking on major highways has surprisingly been on the increase like a plague.

Mixed reactions have, however, continued to greet the current tough stance of the state government against hawking and begging. While many of those who spoke to Saturday Mirror see the move by the government as a welcome development, not a few condemned the government for not giving the policy a human touch or being realistic enough.

Mr. Kunle Adedoyin, a civil servant, has had two defining encounters with hawkers, and this definitely reflects in his view. He says “Most of the hawkers on the highway are robbers disguising hawkers, but with the ulterior motive of robbing unsuspecting motorists and their passengers. Sometimes, most of the hawkers act as informants to notorious armed robbers on the highways.

“They will approach your car pretending to be hawkers or beggars, while they survey your vehicles to see if you have valuables such as bags, phones, wrist watches, electronics and jewels. If they see any valuable article, they will go and inform robbers who will later attack you in traffic. Those are the criminals that walk up to your car when you are stuck in hold up and point a gun at you.”

Also, Bola Odunaike’s vicarious

feelings for a friend’s loss to robbers who masqueraded as street traders, made the lecturer in the Faculty of Social Science, Lagos State University (LASU), give the move by the Lagos State Government outright approval. Stating his reason to Saturday Mirror for his opinion, he cited the sad experience of his very close friend, who was robbed on the traffic by wristwatch and handkerchief sellers along Mile 2-Badagry Expressway some years ago as an example of what many innocent buyers go through daily on major highways.

Mrs. Titilope Adeniyi believes that

They will approach your car pretending to be hawkers or beggars, while they survey your vehicles to see if you have valuables such as bags, phones, wrist watches, electronics and jewels. If they see any valuable article, they will go and inform robbers who will later attack you in traffic.

Those are the criminals that

walk up to your car when you are stuck in hold up and point a gun at you even though most of the hawkers are not actual armed robbers, they rob people in a different manner. “They most times sell fake goods or expired products to customers in moving vehicles. I don’t usually patronise hawkers on highways because if they don’t make away with your change, they sell adulterated goods to you.”

But some Lagosians, on the other hand, believe that the government move might indirectly lead to an increase in crime in the state since no alternative source of living is provided for those who are directly affected by the law. Olawale Arowosayo, a trader at Idumota Market, Lagos Island, told Saturday Mirror that the move will increase crime in the society.

He says, “There is need for alternative provisions for those affected. I am not against the move to create a sane society, but you don’t curb crime by creating more opportunities for crime. The hawkers in question might drop their goods and join armed robbers or kidnapping gangs out of frustration, thereby causing more problems in the city of Lagos.

“Somebody has no job, he has applied to all companies in Nigeria without success; therefore he takes to hawking goods. Now you want to arrest the person.

When people are stopped from such things without alternative, they are forced to follow the hard way, the only way; and CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

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‘Frustration will drive innocent ones into crime’

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

become members of Nigeria’s exclusive club: armed robbery. Police research shows that more and more graduates are becoming armed robbers. Lagos State Government policy will only lead to increase in crime,” he declared.

Also speaking in the same vein, Mr. Mike Oyeweso sees this move by Lagos State Government to stop street trading as unripe. “I know Governor Ambode has great dreams for Lagos, coupled with the spate of insecurity in the country. But it’s a journey that should start with gradual, well-planned and non-counterproductive strategies like this one is. What becomes of the thousands of street hawkers they impetuously yank off the streets? And what more, some ‘agberos’ even depend on their selling on the streets and they take “tax” from them. What becomes of these notorious collectors when their “subjects” vanish? This is one action I can tell you will destroy a feeding cycle and spiral into yet another emergence and insurgence of criminals. They should find an alternative before taking this bold step.”

But while admitting that people must trade to survive or eke a living in Lagos, Lagos State Government has also urged those interested in doing business to seek for space in the various modern markets redeveloped by the state government to enhance their business activities. But this announcement is for the rich traders because an average stall in Gorodomu, Oshodi and Daleko and other markets across Lagos is over N1.5million per annum.

However, a businessman at Oshodi Market, Mr. Chike Uba, is against the thought that outlawing street trading would aggravate crime in the society.

Citing Oshodi Market as an example, he said: “Some years back when the former administration was about to restructure Oshodi Market, the same thing was said.

But look at the market today, it is a success story. Now, all those who perch and display their wares along the roads, where are they today?” he asked. “I am sure the state has some open markets where they can relocate. Street hawking slows down traffic a lot, selling under bridges wears out and destroys the already poorly maintained infrastructures, their action litter the streets,” he states.

Ken Ogueji, another Lagos resident has a different perspective: “This is all part of the shared sacrifice we all have to take to make Nigeria better. Change; be it for good or for bad, comes with a lot of pain and discomfort. I just hope that Lagosians are open-minded and sensible enough to see the long-term advantage and positive effect the legislation will have on Lagos State and probably Nigeria as a whole.”

“Besides, these traders are more than a handful. Drivers are forced to pull their brakes abruptly to avoid running them over. Most times, it is not the bad state of the roads or the queues at various filling stations that cause traffic but hawkers

Hawkers in the traffic

that run across highways as if the place is their sitting room.”

Mr. Leonard Okonkwo says while the government policy is a welcome development, the psychological implication on the traders and beggars may be serious. “Some of them are going to go legitimate while some may go illegitimate. Some people who have been able to raise some money may find one place where they will patch up and continue with their business. Some will go into handiwork, learning one trade or the other.

“But some will not. And for those who will not, what it means is that there is going to be high level of crime when people feel frustrated. Also some will fall into depression since they are not making a living. They will feel that they are trying to make a living and government is frustrating them. Some will feel that there is no other way even though that is not true. There are many other ways to make a living.”

But the psychologist gave some advice: “Having taken the step, the government can take some proactive steps by increasing vigilante activities, because if there’s going to be an increase in criminal activities, they should be

Government has also urged those interested in doing business to seek space in the various modern markets

redeveloped by the state government.

But this announcement is for the rich traders because an average stall in

Gorodomu, Oshodi, Daleko and the other markets across Lagos is over N1.5million per annum.

prepared to police and be the on red alert too. More shops should be built, because if that is done, then those who are into hawking can find where to display their goods.

“Secondly, government can also stimulate employment in different ways.

It can give loans to small scale industries, because when the small scale industries are happy, they employ more people.

Government can also build shops and rent them out at affordable prices.”

It is not uncommon to see little kids that are supposed to be in school hawking in traffic snarls on inter-state highways such

There’s need for alternative provisions for those affected. I’m not against the move to create a sane society, but you don’t curb crime by creating more opportunities for crime. The hawkers may drop their goods and join armed robbers or

kidnapping gangs out of frustration, thereby causing more problems

as the Ondo-Ore Road, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway and the ever busy Lagos road networks.

According to the record of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Traffic in Persons and Other Related Matters, out of 319 hawkers arrested in 2013, 117 of them were children.

Okonkwo feels sad that most people begging and hawking are children of school age. “Government should make school attractive to some of these children so that they can be motivated in going to school. Of course, the public schools are free, but then some things are not free. Some people cannot afford to go to school. Just like the free food the current administration promised to school children, if that is implemented, more children will be attracted to going to school than being on the streets. If these children are not helped and are forced to go to school, some of them can remove their school uniforms and go to hawk sachet water in order to find money to eat.”

20

LIVING

July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arrested by the hands of nemesis?

Could the ‘spirit’ of Paul Oluwayombo Okikijesu Sonoiki, a pastor, murdered by suspected armed robbers have lured his killers back into police net as believed by his neighbours and many pained by his murder. Or are the suspects being held in police custody over a second attempts at robbing the deceased home just dumb criminals who ran out of luck, asks ADEJUWON OSUNNUYI

is the money your husband went to collect ?” I told them that he didn’t go anywhere to collect any money. But they weren’t ready to hear any of my explanations, as they told me to cooperate with them.

“While I was seriously panicking, I tried to explain to them that we had no money at home, that even that night, we had nothing to eat. But while they kept threatening me, I told them that the only thing that is left in the house is Jesus.

“Several minutes later, after they had ransacked the house and they couldn’t see anything, they told one another that there was nothing in the house.”

However, the three robbers who were with the wife decided to go back to the living room.

According to her it was while she got to the living room that she discovered they were actually five in number. Immediately she saw they had left the room, she rushed to see her husband. Meanwhile, they had already put out all the lights, hence the whole place was in darkness.

“I went looking for a torch and when

W

hen Pastor Paul Oluwayombo Okikijesu Sonoiki, 54, retired from the Ogun State Judiciary in March 2015, one thing he was certain of was his certainty of having enough time to serve God and preach the gospel, especially within his neighbourhood at Olorunsogo Ajayi Egan, Obere, Atan Otta in Ogun State.

Before his retirement from the civil service as Principal Registrar, Pastor Okikijesu, as he was popularly called, had worked in different divisions of the Ogun State Judiciary. These included Otta, Owode and Abeokuta. But his real passion was spreading the gospel.

However, his dream of propagating the gospel came to an abrupt end in the wee hours of June 23, 2015, as dare-devil armed robbers stormed his house at Olorunsogo Ajayi Egan, Obere, Atan Otta, demanding to collect the pension he was alleged to have collected few days earlier.

Disappointed that the money they had wanted to take from Pastor Okikijesu was nowhere available in the house, the robbers, in annoyance, cut him with a matchete on his head and later shot him in his stomach, thereby leaving him stone-dead before any medical help could be rendered .Speaking with Saturday Mirror on the day of the burial at his residence, wife of the deceased pastor, Mrs. Esther Sonoiki, in an agonised voice narrated how her husband was murdered in cold blood.

“On that fateful day, we woke up around 12 am to pray as we normally do. He carried his own bible and headed straight to the living room while I was still in the room. It was while I was still inside the room that I heard him shout ‘Jesus Christ’. When I heard that, I ran up from the bed and I also called Jesus.

“The next thing I heard was him shouting ‘Yeh! Yeh!’ So I started praying in the room before I went out to find out what was amiss. But before I could come out of the room, about three men had rushed inside the room as they were asking me, “where

Suspects

Mr. Bayo Sonoiki, who described the death of his brother as very pathetic, told Saturday Mirror that the culprits would not go unpunished.

However, just as Bayo Sonoki had wished that the culprits who killed his brother would not go unpunished even though they had escaped the day they carried out the evil act, three days later, it was

they denied being the ones that killed the pastor during the robbery operation.”

Speaking further, Joseph said the belief of the people was that the late pastor’s spirit must have led them back to the house in order for them (his killers) to be revealed.

When Saturday Mirror visited the station where the suspects were being held, the IPO, Akinrodolu Mayokun, con-

Pastor Okikijesu corpse at the morgue Late Pastor Okikijesu

I put it on, I saw my husband on the floor wriggling in pains. I was scared on seeing him with blood all over his body. He was shot and macheted severally in the head and his stomach.

“So I rushed out to call my neighbour.

When my neighbour came, he assisted me in rushing him to a nearby hospital, Oluwalogbon Hospital. It was while we got there that they referred us to General Hospital. But by the time we got to the General Hospital at Onipanu Otta, we were told that he had already given up,” Mrs. Sonoki explained as she sobbed intermittently.

Speaking about her late husband, she described him as a humble man who went about doing his work diligently. “The only joy I have now is that I know he would make heaven, because he was truly a child of God,” she said.

With the untimely death of Pastor Okikijesu, his wife might have to agonise alone for long as she is yet to have any child.

The elder brother of the deceased,

just like the spirit of the late pastor had decided to bring his killers to book as about two suspects were apprehended while trying to gain entrance into the house again.

According to the chairman of the Olorunsogo Egan CDA, Mr. Joseph Oladele, who led other members of the community to hand over the suspects to the police at Onipanu Otta Divisional Police headquarters, “On that fateful Sunday afternoon, they were trying to gain entrance into the same house where the pastor was killed .

Some people noticed that their faces were strange in the community and therefore they tried to interrogate them. However, they took to their heels trying to escape.

The one at the back was telling the one at the front not to try to wait or he would be killed. However, luck ran against them and the two of them were apprehended.

“When we questioned them on their mission in the area, they said they were trying to get clearer network signal on their telephone sets. They later confessed that they were thieves who only specialise in stealing Okada. However,

firmed that the arrested suspects were truly robbers, as investigations carried out so far revealed that the robbers specialise in stealing Okadas. Indeed, one of the people who buy the stolen Okadas from them was also arrested.

However, the police at Onipanu have transferred the case to the State CID headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, Ogun State.

When Saturday Mirror contacted the Ogun State PPRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, he confirmed that the three suspects are now with the CIID, Eleweran for necessary investigations.

The chairman of the Olorunsogo Egan CDA, Mr. Oladele, while appealing that proper investigations be carried out and justice promptly applied as applicable, decried the rate at which the robbers have been carrying out robbery operations in the community. “On that particular day, not less than five houses were raided. And that would not be the first time they have been disturbing us. We are asking the police to come to our rescue as we don’t want such things to happen again,” he said.

Entervaganza

The Saturday Mirror Magazine

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Toke ... celebrity vlogger

22

ENTERVAGANZA

July 18 , 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Celebrity

What I’m sacrificing to be a superstar —Seyi Shay

Seyi Shay, one of Nigeria’s biggest female music stars, chats with OSEYIZA OOGBODO about her constantly rising music career and discloses that though she already has a lot, but like Oliver Twist, she wants much, much more.

Congrats on your deal with Island Records. How did the deal in London come about?

Thank you. It has been in the works for a while. Island approached my management team in the UK after hearing Murda and Crazy. They had been connected with my music and work since 2014. My management team and myself thought it was a great idea and I’m happy to be working with them.

What’s the latest about you? Tell us about your newest single, Right Now. Right Now was produced by multiple Grammy award winner, Harmony Samuels. He is responsible for the success of Ariana Grande and has produced records for Chris Brown, Brandy, Fantasia, Maroon 5 and more. He is Nigerian and also a childhood friend.

The sound is a cross between lovers rock, reggae and afrobeat, right?

I love mid-tempo songs because they allow me show my vocal ability more. My video is currently on YouTube and also available for purchase on iTunes.

What actually made you go into music?

I was brought up around music. Secondary school was where it all kicked off for me. I was part of the school choir who were opportune to go to Japan to sing in 13 different cities. It was a gospel choir tour.

I was so much in my element on those stages that I knew I wanted to sing and perform as a career path. I am blessed to be doing music. Not everybody gets to do what they love. I am grateful.

What’s your strong point musically?

My strengths lie in writing melodies and singing.

What’s the biggest audience you’ve performed for?

The biggest audience would have to be when my former girl group, From Above, managed by Matthew Knowles, supported Beyoncé on her I AM Tour in 2010. Every night we opened her shows in front of about 15, 20,000 people. It was really a magical experience. I learned so much of what I use today when performing.

What are the sacrifices you’re making to be musically successful?

The time I should have spent with my family and loved ones.

What are your future plans?

They are to release an internationally viable album, to tour the world, and to represent Nigeria globally.

What’s the highlight of your music career thus far?

The highlights of my music have been touring with Beyoncé, being nominated for internationally recognized awards, performing on different stages across the globe, being signed to a label where the likes of Justin Beiber, Nicki Minaj, Bob Marley and Amy Winehouse are/were my colleagues and having a great team to do it all with.

And the low point?

I don’t get to sleep much. I am constantly working. It’s also not an easy task to struggle to be and stay at the top. Finally, I wish my mother was around to see and enjoy it all. I know she is watching.

Do you do any other thing apart from music?

Music is my one and only love.

Tell us about your family.

I was raised by my mom, a beautiful woman. I have two older brothers and one older sister. My mother was a nurse for the private medical sector in the UK and a property investor and my dad is a businessman and a pastor of a church.

Who has helped you the most in your career?

God has helped me most in my career.

I have also had a lot of support from various people in my journey. My siblings, my choir director, Matthew Knowles, Flytime, my managers now, my producers, Sound Sultan, 2face Idibia and everyone that has ever worked with me. I have had a lot of support from quite a few people, too many to mention, and I am grateful. It truly takes a village to raise a child.

Which would you regard as your most successful song so far?

Murda produced by Dokta Frabz is the most acclaimed and was really the start of all the buzz.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

July 18, 2015

Desperation?

I

f you listen to Timi Dakolo’s Wish Me Well and Darey’s Pray For Me, you’ll realize you don’t need to have the intelligence of a brain surgeon to realize that one song inspired the other, or to put it bluntly, one song copied the other.

The two songs are about a guy who decides to leave his village for the big city in search of the Golden Fleece.

While Darey has just released his own Pray For Me, Dakolo’s Wish Me Well has been out there for some time now so it’s obvious whom the copycat is here.

Though musicians regularly copy themselves, those who copy don’t really do as well as the originators and copying also portends something more ominous: that the copycat is desperate to give his career a needed lift so will throw shame to the winds by copying.

Though Darey is a popular brand that has been around for long, and his brand has been further helped by his father who was a respected entertainer, he cannot lay claim to having been as musically successful as small boys like Wizkid, Olamide, Davido, or even senior boys like 2face

… Darey copies Timi Dakolo

Darey

and D’Banj.

He has tried his best, though, has kept at it and has been silent for some time now since the video of his Special Fever, despite costarring Rita Dominic, didn’t do

Dakolo

at all well.

And like MI went back to the drawing board after the failure of his Chairman video and came back stronger, it seems Darey also did so, but his copying comeback

cannot be compared to MI’s however.

Funny enough, Dakolo, whose song has been copied, is not all the way up there musically, but now with artists copying his style, it’s

obvious that he’s on track.

And listening to the two songs, it’s painfully obvious that Darey’s is a very poor imitation of Dakolo’s own that’s very wellresearched.

Baba Ijebu gets another award

W

hen you mention Baba Ijebu, the one name that immediately comes to mind is Chief Kessington Adebutu, the man who was given the name by his teeming admirers on account of his popularity as a gaming entrepreneur.

Adebutu is believed to make billions from his businesses, but he doesn’t keep those billions to himself. He gives some of them back to society for humanitarian causes and every sector of the economy has benefitted from his

Adebutu

good will.

And because of his invaluable contributions to the society’s development, the socialite was presented a lifetime achievement award by the Youth Advancement for Qualitative Education founded by Wale Bello, Charles Onwuemene and Lina Okafor.

According to Onwuemene: “Chief Adebutu deserves this award because he really encourages and supports Nigeria’s youths in every sector; education, entertainment, sports and so on.

And we really want him to support more youths by sponsoring them on vocational courses that are as short as eight weeks and some last up to fourteen months, but the certificate that comes with it will get its owner employment.”

Speaking further, Onwuemene said, “We’ve since discovered that it’s not until youths spend years in a university to get a degree before they can get a job. With a vocational course in aviation for instance, they will get employment and we therefore want Chief to sponsor youths for vocational courses.”

Carter

Tesh Carter in comeback bid J ust when questions were about to start being asked of Tesh Carter’s whereabouts, the promising rapper has released extremely salacious photos to tell the world that she will soon be back on the

music scene.

She generated a lot of buzz with her In The Air featuring Chidinma and when she got Don Jazzy to jump on the production of her joint, The Bounce, the sky was seen as

the limit for her.

But she disappeared suddenly, to complete her education, it has now been revealed, so she’s ready again to stake her music claim.

Good luck, girl.

24

July 18, 2015

CLASSICAL LYRICS

E-NEWS

Patoranking headlines maiden African Unity Concert Asia

... ‘You need to upgrade yourselves’

Patoranking

H

eavy preparations have begun as regards the maiden African Unity Concert Asia and the central act of the night, Alubarika, Girlie Oh, Daniella Whine and My Woman My Everything singer, Patoranking, is getting set to storm Asia for the concert proudly organised by De-Jurist Promotions, one of the prominent event companies based in Asia.

According to Mr Solomon of De-Jurist, “We are majorly concerned about unity and the only way we can foster our growth and development in Asia is to introduce events like these that can bring people together to link up, have fun, explore cultural values and build links. We are leading as regards events in Asia and we recently

Sunky

staged one of the most successful events of all time for Africans here in Asia when we brought Korede Bello to perform his major hit tracks on stage.”

And on why Patoranking was selected as the major act to head the concert, he said, ‘Patoranking is a very talented artist and he’s loved so much by Africans here in Asia. He is a pure and raw talent and he infuses his songs with traditional flavours and this makes him one of the rare ones that does that and apart from all that, the girls love him.”

African Unity Concert Asia will hold on August 1st in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Patoranking will be supported by African artists based in Asia and DJs Flava and Ice will be on the wheels of steel. A freestyle

competition will also hold at the competition and the winning artist will be presented his prize by Patoranking.

Also speaking about the concert, Sunky OG, who launched his magazine, Zoom, recently in Asia, and whom is the concert’s official media partner and is in charge of all its media-related issues, said, “Malaysia is a land rich in cultural values and Africans here have come to understand that cultural links and friendly values need to be encouraged and that is why African Unity Concert Asia was created to keep cultural values alive.”

Speaking further, he said, “We also have to thank one of our major sponsors, Luc Belaire Rose, because without them, we wouldn’t be able to hold the concert.”

Havana 2015 sponsorship drive commences

O

wners of the popular Havana Carnival, SIGMA Club of the University of Ibadan and an event company, G’ENNIE Leisure Inc in Lagos, have embarked on a sponsorship drive for the activation of the 60th edition of the biggest music show on any Nigerian campus. King Sunny Ade performed at a special edition of Havana last year tagged Havana Classic which had the Governor of Oyo State, Senator Isiaka Ajimobi, among other dignitaries in attendance A brewing company, which partly supported the event last year, has already begun discussion with the event stakeholders, just as a bottling company has also concluded terms with the event agency on a non-exclusive deal

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

for now.

The Corporate Affairs Manager of G’ENNIE, Onokemi Onojobi, is confident of a successful show later this year following the promises made by corporate and private organisations to be part of a landmark anniversary event this year.

This week, the organisers plan to enter into media partnership with both print and electronic media outfits so that saturated publicity can be given the show.

Havana’s reputation was cemented with performances of great musicians that include King Sunny Ade, Dr Victor Olaiya, Sir Victor Uwaifo, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Bobby Benson and Lagbaja.

Lagbaja

Ojuelegba Remix

Artist: Wizkid featuring Drake and Skepta Chorus (Wizkid) Ni Ojuelegba They know my story For Modox Studio I dey hustle to work eh Ni Ojuelegba oh Me and city For Modox Studio We been hustle to work eh Ni Ojuelegba oh My people dey there My people suffer Dem dey pray for blessing eh Ni Ojuelegba oh My people dey there Dem dey pray for blessing For better living eh eh Hook (Wizkid) Kilo dale Aiye o le to yen oh Aiye o ni double Adura lo le se oh Call on daddy … baba God Adura a gba oh Tisu eni ba dele A fowo bo n je Verse 1 (Wizkid) I am feeling good tonight This thing got me thanking God for life Oh, I can’t explain I can’t explain eh yeh I am feeling good tonight This thing gat me thanking God for life I can’t explain I can’t explain eh yeh Refrain (Skepta) Are you feeling good tonight This thing gat me thanking God for life I just can’t explain eh eh I can’t explain now now Verse 2 (Drake] Ya Look It’s gonna be a long long time for we stop Boy better know you better know we make the scene pop All I ever needed was a chance to get the team high Only thing I fear is a head shot or screenshot Bring me dem ah bring me You know dey all call me when they need me I never go anywhere, they never see me I’m a type that take it easy, take it easy I tell girls in the very first text I say I don’t beg no lovers, I don’t beg no friends If you wanna link, we can link right now Skepy Wizzy and Drake is a team right now Verse 2 (Wizkid) Are you feeling good tonight This thing gat me thanking God for life Oh I can’t explain eh eh eh I can’t explain eh eh yah Are you feeling good tonight This thing got me thanking God for life I can’t explain eh eh eh I can’t explain eh eh I am feeling good tonight This thing gat me thanking God for life I can’t explain eh eh eh I can’t explain eh yeh Continues next week

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

25

July 18, 2015

E-NEWS

Bolatito Ladoja Idakula shares harrowing experience of her baby’s death Bolatito Ladoja Idakula is the daughter of the billionaire ex-Governor of Oyo State whom is married to popular singer, Bez Idakula. Taking a bold step, she has now disclosed to the world that her first child has died just 24 hours after birth and she writes about the pain of it.

… “I don’t need your pity”

I

t is so odd, writing about the loss of a child, you fear that the words can never fully express the pain and the gravity of the situation. But I don’t mean to just express my pain and loss. I mean to show God’s power and love even in the darkest days.

I come from a culture of silence, where speaking about certain issues is almost taboo. One of the most-kept secrets is when a woman loses a child, no one talks about it and it is almost like it never happened.

People only speak about it when the woman has another child or they find out that you have lost a child. I fall in the category of the latter. I gave birth to my beautiful daughter on the 2nd of March 2015 and she passed away on the 3rd of March 2015 after 42 weeks pregnancy.

I remember my experience and every time, I marvel at the power of God to give unimaginable peace. I found out on the 22nd of January 2015 that my daughter had a condition called congenital diaphragmatic hernia; an extremely rare condition in which the diaphragm does not fully develop and has a hole. The diaphragm is the organ that separates the chest cavity from the abdomen. When it has a hole, it leaves space for the organs in the abdomen including the stomach, liver and kidneys to go into the chest cavity. This means they take up space meant for the organs in the chest cavity and barely leave room for them to grow.

In my daughter’s case, her heart ended up being pushed to the right and her lungs barely developed. In fact she only had one lung and that was almost undeveloped. The summary of this, they told me, is that once she was born, she won’t be able to breathe on her own due to lack of lungs and the positioning of the heart. The ironic part is the fact that as they spoke I could feel her kicking and turning. This made it very difficult for me to understand what they were saying and they emphasised to me that I was keeping her alive through my placenta. They emphasized that once she was brought into the world, she had less than a 15% chance of survival only achievable with intense medical intervention. She was also a very small baby and so there was a limit to how much her body would be able to take even with intervention.

Bolatito and Bez

They literally told me she was going to die.

Now as a Christian, I only knew one thing. I had FAITH. My faith was that God would perform a miracle that’ll shock them. They only knew medicine but they didn’t know my God. Jesus woke Lazarus up from death after 3 days in the grave. Jesus Christ said that faith of a mustard seed could move mountains and I TRULY believe that. My faith was completely childlike and I prayed every day that God would perform a miracle for me. I asked God to shame the forces of evil that wanted to hurt my daughter and take her away. I called on my church, family and my husband and I told those closest to us to join us in prayer and I documented the process with videos so I could share my testimony with the world.

And my baby girl was so active, she would kick and turn when I prayed and took communion. She strengthened my faith.

When my daughter was born, after 14 hours in labour, I saw her try hard to take breaths but she couldn’t. I saw how beautiful she was in a few quick seconds before they had to take her to NICU to try to save her life. She was so small but so incredibly beautiful with SO MUCH HAIR!!! For some reason I cannot forget her beautiful head of hair. I truly believed when they took her away, they will come back to me with an apology for doubting my faith and they will realise she was completely healthy. I kept waiting for them to come and give me the update and they eventually did. But contrary to my expectations, they came to tell me just how serious the situation was

and how bad it looked. They had tried everything but it all seemed to have no effect.

They were just going to monitor her for the next few days and see if she improved. I knew when they said this that she was definitely going to improve. I am a believer in the word of God that says where there is life there is hope, so my hope did not wane for a second.

Even when the doctor came to call me that her case had deteriorated and I should come and spend some time with her, I thought it was because God needed me to be present for the miracle (lol…like God needs anyone’s help). So I was very excited to go and be with my baby girl. I will never forget entering the NICU room and seeing all the babies in their incubators and then I saw my baby girl with all types of wires on her while the Doctors were pressing her chest because her heart had stopped. She was so small and they could only use a few fingers to administer CPR and even then I knew she was going to be just fine. God waited 3 days to bring Lazarus back to life so my baby was definitely going to be fine.

I asked if I could carry her and they said yes. I put her close to my chest, and put my breast on her mouth and tried to make her suck but she just couldn’t because she didn’t have the strength, so I just held her close and talked to her and sang to her. I told her how much I loved her and how much I wanted to be her mum and how much I wanted to take her home with me. I begged God to please save my baby’s life. I told her to shame the Doctors and Nurses that told me she won’t make it through the night. My

husband took pictures of us and I still look at those sometimes. He also took pictures with her and held her close and just enjoyed having his daughter in his arms and I took pictures of them. I saw him become a Dad in the way he carried her and instructed me on carrying her and that was beautiful and comforting because I knew he was a wonderful father. As we spent time with her, the doctor and nurses kept coming to check her pulse and every time it seemed it was harder to find a pulse but that didn’t deter my faith.

Then I got really tired all of a sudden and I could barely keep my eyes open. My husband was holding our daughter and somehow I drifted to sleep. I have no idea how many minutes I had been asleep for but it felt quite long but also quite short. I can’t explain it but I knew it was God who put me to sleep to avoid seeing the actual moment she passed away. When I woke up, my husband was still holding her but I immediately knew that my baby girl had gone home to heaven to be with her ultimate father and creator. I asked my husband and he told me she was completely cold and stiff in his hands and I was okay with it. I still cannot explain how I did not run mad and how my heart was so calm. I just accepted it or maybe it was because a part of me still knew God could turn the situation around.

We eventually called the Doctor and told her our baby girl was gone and she took her from my husband’s arms. We quietly went back to our room in complete silence; there was just nothing to say.

The reason I am sharing this is not because I want a pity party but because I want to share God’s love even in the midst of pain. I want to share His love NOW. A lot of times when we go through difficult moments as Christians, we seem to forget all about God and we just wait until times get good again before sharing our testimonies.

We almost forget that it is God that holds us up when we could have broken down. It is God that sustains us and gives us the ability to move forward. I love the quote that says ‘until the doors of blessings open, praise God in the hallway.” A lot of people have marvelled at my husband and I’s ability to move forward so fluidly and so strongly but we are always quick to give God the Praise.

My best friends kept asking me the question ‘are you sleeping now’ a few days after and I always laughed because sleep was not a problem.

God told me he expects me to share this with the world and not wait until the next baby dedication. He wants you to know that He remains God even when you are hurting and He is the Balm of Gilead. I acknowledge that this was not just by my strength, God sent us so many helpers and they truly built me up during the times when I got so low that I didn’t even know how to pray or read my bible. God really would not give you a challenge you cannot handle. I have complete confidence and peace in my heart and know that greater things are coming, but right now I just want to let the world know that God is ALWAYS good even while you wait. Praise Him always!

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July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Olisa Adibua, Toke Makinwa to host Chamber and Industry Awards B

eat FM on-air personality, Olisa Adibua, and his Rhythm FM counterpart and celebrity vlogger, Toke Makinwa, have been confirmed as the hosts of the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Awards 2015.

The awards ceremony is slated to hold on Saturday August 8th at Shell Hall, MUSON Centre, Lagos and will recognize the most impactful companies/organizations with awards for being trailblazers in their industries.

A total of eighteen awards will be given out to companies in banking, insurance, pension management, E-payment, education, telecoms, professional services, healthcare, oil and gas, manufacturing, trade/retail Trade, building and construction and SMEs. One of the main performers for the night will be Geoffrey, winner of Project Fame West Africa 2014 who has been mak-

Adibua

Emeka Ike’s troubled marriage update

Makinwa

OJB breezes into Nollywood

C

C

elebrities love to make the news, and Emeka Ike is making is making it in a very hot manner right now with an issue that generates a real lot of noise: relationship problems.

And Ike is not in just any relationship problem, but the most sacred of them all, that of a married couple.

Last week, a report broke out that his wife had filed for divorce and the court proceedings on it had been adjourned.

So, last week, it was all about his wife.

This week, however, the report has it that Ike has denied knowledge of the divorce suit.

That’s not surprising however as celebrities are one set of people that can deny an issue until it becomes patently obvious to the

ing strides in the Nigerian music industry this year with his Bursting My Brain debut single airing on major radio and TV stations.

Cultural dance troupe, Atunda Entertainment, will also perform their highly rated cultural dance steps at the awards ceremony as well.

Also performing will be Nigeria’s hottest girl group, R-Cube, who were also birthed from the 2014 edition of Project Fame. The trio, which has been one to watch since releasing the eccentric Show Dem video, will be thrilling attendees with their sonorous voices and sultry dance moves.

The annual commerce and industry award was put together to recognize, promote and celebrate private and public institutions operating in Nigeria for best business practices, growth through innovations, business sustainability and positive impact on the people/society.

Ike

whole world.

A like example that readily comes to mind regarding this is that of Ike’s colleague, Funke Akindele. When her marriage was reported as being in crisis, she denied it until it got to the stage that she couldn’t anymore.

Likewise Juliet Ibrahim. The actress-singer too denied that her marriage had hit the rocks when it was first reported, but that same marriage is now no more.

Oh well, celebrities will always be celebrities and always abide by the characteristics of being celebrities.

elebrated music producer, OJB Jezreel, who made a lot of news two years ago over his kidney failure issue, is presently trending for starring in a movie, Anjola, alongside established actors that include Muyiwa Ademola, Kelvin Ikeduba and Bukky Wright.

This is good news coming from the camp of the respected music star that had to deny having issues with his transplanted kidney recently.

Considering that OJB is not a regular face in movies, maybe his presence in Anjola will help

it become more successful than if it was just the regular Nollywood faces alone in it.

Freeze gets cold feet

O Freeze

ne on-air personality that’s always having issues and making them really public Freeze of Cool FM. Though he doesn’t look like a troublemaker, his comments on most issues get him in trouble.

At the conclusion of the 2015 presidential election, he remarked that Sammie Okposo had wrongfully supported Goodluck

Jonathan and Okposo replied him pointblank that a matured person doesn’t speak anyhow and that a matured person can also support whomever he likes.

And regarding his marriage problems, he’s been making many compromising online disclosures but he’s since deleted them.

A case of cold feet?

Go carefully, Freezy.

e g a t n i V t n i r p pop

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

July 18, 2015

StyGlleam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

from

ent she every ev t a t n e r igerian fe ll and dif hat prompted N to design. a t d n a t w n as Oya man to s part of bel know k with a modern every wo formal. This is la f o e h e t ir d s o in in de rain beh intage themed lo f the day. rmal or t is the v ether fo nayo Ade, the b h eo e w c im t s ie d p y n for atte a 16 Odu ok an , lo , n r e e io u n t to have, and c iq ig e n s d ll u e e o d s c a s n e f e f o io h n t r e’ fash films, co he honou op Print, with Lov intage P ing its wearer t a sucker for old ny’s’ to ‘To Sir V nds le d b e g n g Ta giv as iffa cotto t T a lf , e n t d s e a r e n e t li im s h , a ’t be ed silk akfa twist, is d wouldn stylish o describ films from ‘Bre tion consists of e h d w d a r e e n h ig c e look, s rner to make a The des in classic tion.” The colle gold. Th c indulged d “ e ado n ll a o s c h d t r is n mo from the as th musta s w , e d lt id e r u r t s s e , r e e the end s in whit and fierc sk fabric tage hairstyles a m a d d an vin . without ive a cue complete e models here g h outing. T

I

28

STYLE & GLAM

July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fashion

Know your dom G

etting your colours done was huge in the 80s but not so much today. One clear thing, however, is that colours are individualistic, natural, influential and therapeutic. The emotions they stir are very vital to a woman’s beauty and charm.

Women who understand them look more interesting, more in control, more confident, more self-assured and ultimately more attractive.

These women have more personality in their looks, because they have created their own colour signature. To join the league of these colourful women, you need to consider these tips, • Know your dominant colour. This will help you choose the type of tones and shades of the colour that is best on you and which look just ok.

• Note also that colours will either lose or gain intensity with your choice of fabric. So a blue linen, for instance, can look lighter or softer, because it’s translucent, while a blue corduroy might gain intensity because it’s a more heavily textured fabric.

There’ll be other blues that you love but if they just don’t work on you, stop wearing them and integrate them into your life in another way.

• Be aware that a colour that may have looked great in the past, now doesn’t work so well because of a change in your hair colour or skin.

So, don’t try to force it, just try something new.

• Bear in mind too that your favourite colour is not automatically your best colour to wear. If there are colours that look great on you, but for one reason or another you don’t like the colour on you or at all, simply avoid it.

• Remember that just as it is important to wear the right colours, it’s also important to feel comfortable with the colour choice you are wearing. So, endeavour to choose carefully.

• Feel more confident about choosing colours when buying new clothes, accessories and spectacles • Know what your dominant colouring is and how this determines what colours suit you • Understand why certain shades complement your natural colouring more than others.

• Learn how to wear and combine colours to achieve the look you want in both work and play.

Fashion

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n frenzy

July 18, 2015

STYLE & GLAM

minant colours

n frenzy

29

Fashion Guest

30

STYLE & GLAM

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

July 18, 2015

‘A smiling Do you drink face is a enough water? glowing face’ Apart from being a versatile actress, Moji Olaiya, daughter of the legendary music maestro, Victor Olaiya is one pretty woman whose attitude towards life is most striking.

She told YEMISI ADENIRAN on some secret tips towards keeping beautiful at all ages.

Not many actresses enjoy success almost immediately they hit the screen like you did. What’s the secret?

I tell you God is the bedrock of my success. My father was a musician, not an actor; it was my first time of doing something like that and I thank God that I did not disappoint the person that introduced me to the Super Story crew and my viewers. I did not do anything special or secretive, I only tried to put in my best and I am glad it worked out well for me. Generally, the same thing is what I apply to anything I do. My motto is: Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well. I have been taught to always give my best to whatever I do and that is what I do to all my jobs.

Whatever role they give me, I try to give

it the best shot. I just try to make it natural; I don’t take any assignment given to me with levity, I do it with all my strength and mind. I don’t do a half way job. I am committed to my job and I always pray and wish for the best result. Even when the story line seems somehow, I always try to play well my own part so that whenever they are evaluating it, it will be clear that I did my part well.

This is the mindset with which I do my jobs and with God on my side, I have been able to get this far. Yes, it is not everyone that is endowed with success easily but I think, I have just being privileged. It is God’s grace.

You also have this captivating smile and shape. Aren’t they part of your success story?

We thank God for His gifts but if He has not helped someone, those beautiful attributes wouldn’t have meant anything. I am not the only one that has those attributes; there are many more actresses who have more enchanting gifts than mine but like I said, I have just been privileged.

How do you think a woman can keep good looks at all ages?

Beauty, as we all know is a thing of the mind but you see, more than this, we have all come to discover that it can be worked on. A very ugly person will change dramatically if she will try and work on herself.

How do you think this can be achieved?

It is all about determination and this also may not cost much money. Just endeavour to play up that small attribute that is good about you and play down those ones that are bad. Work also on your skin, your hair, carriage and dresses. Above all, remember to smile or wear a nice smile all the time. A combination of all these will yield a god result. Keeping a smiling face gives a glowing face. It relaxes the nerves on the face and makes one appealing to others.

You should drink at least eight glasses of water per day.

• False. There’s no evidence to back that up. Experts recommend that men get about 125 ounces of water daily and that women get 91 ounces, but that includes water from all foods and beverages. Most people get enough hydration unless they’re exposed to heat stress or they’re very active for a long time.

What percentage of your body weight is water?

• 55% to 75%. The human body is mostly water: about 55% to 75%, on average (and depending on how well hydrated you are). That’s about 10 to 12 gallons of water in your body! Water makes up about 83% of blood, 73% of muscles, 25% of body fat, and 22% of bones.

Drinking water can help you lose weight.

• True. Water could help with

weight loss. Studies show that by drinking water, people tended to eat and drink fewer calories, probably because the water filled them up. As a result, they lost weight.

Hot, humid conditions can make you dehydrated

True. It doesn’t take long to get dehydrated -- especially in hot, humid weather.

So don’t exercise hard, outdoors, when it’s too hot and humid. You’ll need to take longer breaks, shorten the workout or intensity level, and dress appropriately.

Which drink is the most dehydrating?

• Alcohol. Alcoholic beverages

have the most dehydrating effect. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks do make you urinate more, but overall, they’re hydrating because of their water content. Juices, soft drinks and other sweet drinks also are hydrating. Water is usually a better choice for hydration because it doesn’t have extra calories.

The amount of fluid you need to stay properly hydrated depends on:

How much fluid you need depends upon several things, including: • Age: Kids need plenty of fluids;

they can get dehydrated much more easily than adults. Older people may need more flu-

ids because of health conditions or because they tend to lose their sense of thirst.

• Gender: Men need more fluids than women. (And pregnant women need more fluids than other women.)

• Weight: Heavier people need more water.

• Health: Conditions such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and kidney disease can increase your need for fluids.

• Environment: You need more fluids in extreme weather conditions (especially hot, humid, or cold) and at high altitudes.

You may be dehydrated if your urine looks like:

•

Concentrated apple juice.

An easy way to monitor your hydration level is to check the color of your urine. The darker your urine, the less hydrated you are. Drink enough fluids to keep your urine a lighter color. If your urine is clear or pale, chances are you are well hydrated. Other practical ways to monitor your hydration status include keeping an eye on your body weight (you lose weight as you lose water) and perspiration (the more you perspire, the more water you’re losing).

You can’t drink too much water • False. It is possible to drink too

much water. Healthy kidneys in an adult can process anywhere from 20 to 1,000 milliliters of fluid per hour. It’s not easy to overload them, but it can happen. Getting too much water, especially in a short time, is dangerous.

Symptoms of too much water include weight gain, bloating, nausea, and vomiting. Sudden cases of water intoxication can cause low blood sodium, which can result in headaches, confusion, seizures, and coma.

Which of the following is an early warning sign of dehydration?

• Thirst. Thirst is one of the first

warning signals that you may be getting dehydrated. But don’t rely on thirst alone. Other early signs are fatigue, flushed skin, faster breathing and pulse rate, and having trouble exercising. Later signs include weakness, dizziness, and labored breathing. If you think you’re becoming dehydrated, you should move to a cool place and rehydrate. Drink fluids slowly -- drinking too fast can stimulate urination, resulting in less hydration.

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31

July 18, 2015

Male Essentials

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@gmail.com

White suits for men – Practicality versus style A

ny man that chooses to wear a white suit gives a clear loud message that you are a person of power, fame, and wealth. Yep as you can see below, from Tinie Tempah to Jonny Depp, the white suit belongs on the stage.

Let’s face it even if you’re not, I still think you’re very brave. The only challenge you will have with white is keeping it clean. I love when I see men eating pasta with red sauce in a white suit, very brave indeed. The colour white symbolises purity, hence you mainly see men wear a white suit at weddings.

But what the heck it’s 2015 and men’s fashion needs to understand one thing. Comfort, practicality and style don’t match when it comes to wearing a white suit. But men you should certainly own one.

Best shirts to wear with a white suit This is entirely up to you.

But generally shirts to wear with a white suit, are your pastel colours, a light pink, grey, peach, blue, or green.

If you dare choose pattern shirts that show off your personality.

Stain versus pain If you are going to go for the white suit it’s a colour that stains really easily. Make sure you are prepared to use super technology and cleaning products. Or send your suit to the dry cleaners. Avoid messy eating.

White linen suits This is the perfect summer suit. Make sure your wardrobe, includes those powerful looking white linen suits. It’s perfect for those hot summer days. Miami Vice eat your heart out. Don’t hold back if you’re going to go for it. Then wear white from head to toe.

Make sure you have a spare change of clothes somewhere in your man’s bag.

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July 18, 2015

Angle

Male

Jide animashaun 08034710902 jidemashaun@yahoo.com

I

For sure!

f people believe that they have bad breath, it can be a source of worry and serious embarrassment to them. It can get to the extent that they will start feeling uncomfortable around other people and this can severely impact negatively on their self confidence especially in social settings. Yes it’s true that people generally tend to react negatively to odours and bad breath emanating from people around them and this can act as a barrier to good communication even if this may not be the fault of the person who may be having the bad breath or body odour. In some cases, people suffering from bad mouth or body odour where they are aware of it may tend to over react or overestimate their problems as the odours from their breath or body may not be anywhere near as bad as they think. Some will overuse performs to cover up these smells or use so many creams to the extent that they may start smelling like a flower garden in full bloom.

In truth almost every human being at one time or the other will suffer from bad breath or body odour as our diets will contain foods that will bring up bad breath or be in different harsh weather conditions that will make us sweat beyond normal while also quickly drying on our skin before we have the time to change clothes and have our baths but for some people the extent of the problem can lead to misery and become a constant source of worry to the extent that the person may not function well in a social setting as usual. In many instances the individual suffering from halitosis or bad body odour will only become aware of the condition only after having been informed of the condition by a close person because it is quite possible to have this problem without even being aware that one has it. It is mostly the manner of relaying this information that will affect how the sufferer will start relating with people.

There are a lot of ways that people can get these bodily odours ranging from illnesses like tooth decay, gum disease, yeast and other infections of the mouth, lactose intolerance to

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Relatio

Can poor hygi

eating oily food or fish, onions, excessive alcohol intake and smoking and not just from poor oral or personal hygiene. In fact, if a person drinks excessively regularly or chain smokes in all kinds of weather conditions especially in the hot sun, there will be plenty of evidence for these odours. Truth be told, individuals with one or both addictions of alcoholism and smoking may regularly produce these unpleasant odours as a result of their lifestyles. The reason why excessive consumption of alcohol and cigarette smoking can lead to bad breath and body odour can be explained by the way the body deals with both. The two substances are basically seen as toxins by the body and while it tries to convert both to less harmful chemicals through metabolic breakdown, the body will release the harmful untreatable toxins through sweat and also via the respiratory system among other methods of removing toxins from the body.

A female friend of mine in a social network group while chatting about this topic put it vividly by saying that bad mouth odour from a partner can kill sex urges or even destroy sexual satisfaction faster than the thought of her mother walking in on her and her partner during love making. She said the thought of the embarrassment for her would be as if her world had come to an end. And the same goes for me.

Most men in the circle I move in wouldn’t even want to be caught dead with bad body odours or halitosis not to talk of dating a woman who’s got it. I can remember I once was interested in a very beautiful lady while in the university who had caught my fancy then because she was not only beautiful but she had a very good diction and command of the English language. What put me off was a severe case of halitosis when I got the opportunity of getting close to her to converse. That was the end of any amorous thoughts I had about her. As much as most cases can be treated, not dealing will the problem will definitely reduce if not even kill sexual satisfaction in a relationship.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

How to have really bad sex

M

ost of us are looking for a quick fix to our sexual dilemmas. We want a pill, a DVD, or a series of complex finger movements that will magically make us less anxious and more confident about exposing our true sexual selves.

Of course no such magic pill exists. In the end, the quality of the consensual sex we have is mostly in our own hands (literally and/or figuratively). There may not be one way to have good sex, but there are a few sure fire ways to NOT get what you want sexually, and to increase the chances of having bad sex. Here are top ten ways to have bad sex.

Compare yourself to others: Sexuality may be the most subjective aspect of human experience. Forget the magazine quizzes and sex books, there is simply no meaningful way to compare yourself to a stranger when it comes to your sexuality. Plus, everyone lies about sex anyway. Comparing yourself to others will give you nothing but grief. If you want to do something useful for your sex life, focus on yourself and anyone you’re having sex with, and don’t turn away.

Ignore your body: The idea of a perfect body is fiction. None of us have perfect bodies. But we’re inundated with pieced together visions of beauty that we all compare ourselves to an unattainable ideal.

In response, many of us turn away from our bodies, pretend they, we, aren’t there. But whatever your body is like, you sexuality is part of

it, and you ignore your body at the expense of genuine sexual pleasure and empowerment. It’s not easy, but working with the body you’ve got is one crucial part of improving your sex life.

Only listen to the experts: If you really want to have bad sex, do everything sex experts tell you to do. It’s not that people with expertise don’t have something to offer, but in practice sexuality is so personal and unique that the final expert must be you and/or the people you’re having sex with. Sexual growth comes from paying attention to your own experience, your own feelings, and your own body first. Once you can do that, then it’s worth listening to what others have to say and deciding what of their advice rings true for you.

Stop paying attention: Sexuality is as much about awareness as it is about action. From birth to death, our bodies and minds never stop changing, growing, and developing. This means our sexuality never stops changing either. When you stop paying attention to your most personal sexual feelings and experiences, you shut yourself off from that change, and from aspects of your sexual self. The goal is to become less sexually ignorant as we age, not more.

Grow up, get serious: Sex is the closest thing adults have to the kind of play we engaged in when we were kids. While sex can be about all sorts of grown up things (having kids, making love, etc...) it can also just be a rollicking good time. If you make sex just

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RELATIONSHIPS

July 18, 2015

onships

iene kill love?

A

This column is x-rated one more thing that’s serious and routine, and only done in “reasonable” ways, you lose much of the power and magic of sex in our lives.

Believe that ignorance is bliss: We all live with a certain level of sexual ignorance. This ignorance keeps us at risk of many things; risk of bad sex, risk of STDs, risk of too many regretful moments.

If you want to maintain that level of risk, just keep up your level of ignorance. If you want to turn the tide then get out there and learn something about sex that’s relevant to your own life from someone who is qualified to teach you.

Confuse sex entertainment with sex education: Most of the books and magazine articles you read about sex are written by people with two qualifications; they look hip and they live in New York. Sex entertainment (movies, adult workshops, sex toy stores) can be a fun way to explore your options.

But it isn’t the same thing as sex education or sex therapy. If you’re feeling good about your sex life but want more, sex entertainment may offer a quick boost. But if you’re feeling genuinely stuck and distressed about your sexuality or your sex life, be sure to turn to a qualified sex educator, counselor, or therapist.

Keep a closed mind: Making the arbitrary decision that however you’re having sex right now is the only way to have sex is another guaranteed route to sexual disappointment. Regardless of political and religious beliefs, there are count-

This column is x-rated less ways to express and experience your sexuality. You don’t need to throw out your principles or blur your boundaries to have better sex. You just need to be creative, which is kind of the opposite of being narrow-minded.

Act like sex is something special: Our sexuality is linked to all aspects of our lives; our health, our families, our jobs and retirement, everything. In this way, sex isn’t really anything special; it’s every day and everywhere. It follows that if you want to change your sex life in a substantial way, you have to change other aspects of your life as well. But when you segregate sex from the rest of your life, whether that means putting it on a pedestal or in an old shoe box, you reduce your chances of change, and cut off awareness that can help you grow sexually.

Let fear be your guide Sex is scary. Partly because we know so little, and partly because sex demands we give up control and expose ourselves.

As a result, many of us make a preemptive retreat. We don’t talk about our desires, we don’t tell our partners what we really want to do, or even what we fantasize about doing but would never want to do in real life. We keep ourselves hidden and collude with partners by not pushing them too much. Oftentimes, fear is a reasonable response. But if you’re in a safe relationship where there is trust, the more you let fear be your guide, the less you’ll get out of the sexual relationship.

Female

33

Angle

JACQUI IWU 08165049669 email: amiicaregroup@aol.com

Big time!

person having body odor/ halitosis? What a bad romantic killer!!! Just one of them is enough to kill your romance not to talk of when you have a combination of both of them. I sincerely pity anyone reading this who is encountering any of this ugly body issue.

Body odor usually occur to most people who have or keep poor body hygiene. I keep wondering why someone living in the tropics where we have harsh sun could go home at the end of the day after sweating so much without taking a good bath.

Can people go for days without taking their baths but just using water to wash face/legs and off they scamper out of their houses? Do your own survey and you will know!

Apart from those who hate taking regular bath even when they are not lacking water and soap, there are those who experience bad odor even with having regular bath. So what can really make someone who takes regular bath still have bad or chronic body odor?

There are certain foods we eat that excrete their odor through the pores of our skin and if we do not go extra miles in maintaining very high body hygiene. Foods like garlic, onions, beans, eggs, groundnuts, soymilk, beef, fish,milk and some vegetables can really make those who do not like to keep excellent body hygiene have body odor.

Apart from the foods we eat, those who bleach their skin with certain skin bleaching products tend to have terrible body ordor. In a climatic conditions like ours, such people will over sweat and because the melanin that protects the inner skin has been scrapped off by the bleaching agents, the sun will tend to eat up the fresh revealed skin that should be protected under, destroying it and making it to smell. Such people especially women, tend to have serious issues with their partners when it comes to making love. Their body smells awful no matter how many times they bath and amount of perfume they wear.

Men who usually do not like to bath at nights smells awful and this can drive their wives away from them. Your wife has the right to reject you due to your body odor because, the idea of your body smelling is a bad turn-off when it comes to love making.

On the side of halitosis which is another bad odor from the mouth.

The foods i listed above are also among the food items that can cause it when someone who enjoys such foods do not keep good oral hygiene.

These are very healthy foods but you must ensure to keep a fantastic oral hygiene if you love eating them so much. Garlic/onions smell can last long in the mouth and smells awful.

So it is proper you brush your mouth twice in a day with a good brush and tooth paste...best after eating such foods to reduce their odor.

Another causes of halitosis is dirty stomach. There are men and women with protruding stomach.

Ever wondered what makes your stomach so big? (Apart from women who have fibroids) The contents of your stomach are filled with garbbage that should be eliminated so that when you speak, your mouth will not smell. The contents in your stomach smells out through your mouth but most of you will not belive this. By the time you detox and cleanse your inside, keeping a good oral hygiene you will see your mouth ordor will be gone for good.

Does haliotsis reduces sexual satisfaction? Big time yes!!! How do you kiss someone whose mouth smells like a garbbage? Sorry, it is another big romantic turn-off just like body odor. There is no pretence in this one because if you keep kissing someone with bad mouth odor, you are ingesting some kind of bacteria.

Yes, there are bacterias in the mouth that should be destroyed but they are just there in your mouth causing bad breathe. Anyone who keeps coming in contact with your saliva is also at risk of being infected. Why on earth must you even tolerate some with halitosis rather than tell the person to tackle the problem. If your wife or husband/love partner have halitosis, stop pretending it is not disturbing you and dying in silence, talk with him or her and get a solution for it.

The men are guilty of this and they feel they owe the women no apology for not making out time to keep a good oral hygiene. This is very wrong!

Body odor and halitosis are two body issues that no one must tolerate . They will not only destroy your romance, they will spoil your personal image.

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July 18, 2015

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Woman

‘It’s African to be curvy’ Unlike few years ago when big women were ashamed of their frame, today’s women with bigger shapes are not just proud of their size, they flaunt it and intimidate those with smaller shapes. To crown this all is Temi Aboderin Owoyemi, a young but thriving Nigerian designer who specialises in clothing curvy women. “It’s not surprising that Nigerian men tend to be crazy about curvy women. It’s simply African to be a curvy woman, “she told YEMISI ADENIRAN in this interview.

You have been in this business for some years now. How would you describe your experience so far?

Without mincing words or sounding ungrateful, I will say conveniently that I have enjoyed every bit of it. At the ini-

tial stage, it was like delving into a business that wouldn’t fly. But, I tell you, I was convinced it would and today, it is.

Right now, we have two or more fashion houses that had cropped up to do exactly the same thing we are doing here. It is

never easy doing what others are not doing or what people are not familiar with but then, it is always great to be a pace setter. This feeling was what kept me going and I thank God, it has brought me more fulfilment that I ever imagined.

We have more patrons now and in a way, this has kept us on our toes.

How would you describe the attitude of Nigerian curvy girls in recent time?

I would say, it has been very impressive. Unlike before, when women who

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Unlike before, when women who are bigger than their mates felt shy and intimidated, today’s curvy girls

have come to terms with their shapes and sizes.

They are

now proud of their look.

35

July 18, 2015

There are so

many dresses that make them look sexy and desirable. are bigger than their mates felt shy and intimidated, today’s curvy girls have come to terms with their shapes and sizes. They are now proud of their look.

There are so many dresses that make them look sexy and desirable. Dresses that will make them fit into any kind of event or gathering, so, they are more comfortable with their shapes than before. The men are also helping in this regard or should I say the time and season we are in currently, men now desire bigger women than slim men. We look prettier than slim ladies. And if you ask me, I will tell you that it is not surprising for Nigerian men to be crazy about curvy women, it is simply African to be a curvy woman What were you doing before now?

I was a project manager for many years and I guess I was quite committed to it until I became pregnant and I had to go off work. All the while and all along, fashion has always been in my blood, so, it wasn’t difficult for me to shift my total attention to it as I am doing now.

Is your company the only indigenous company in this line of business?

I can make bold to say yes because even where we have some other designers catering for this heavenly endowed ladies, they just do it by the way and not solely as we do. But very recently, like I said earlier, I came across a fashion label doing exactly what we are doing and I was like waoh! The label, from what I saw actually copied what we are doing at JPKingdom but it wasn’t any big deal to me. I see it in a positive light.

Not so many business men and women view competition and copyright issues this way. Don’t you think it’s a dangerous development?

I see no danger in it. It is only a confirmation of the good impacts we are making. If we are not doing something good, no one would have had any need to toe our line. We are set out to set a good pace and we will not frown at anyone trying to toe our line. They can only help us to get more creative, we are the original. As for competition, it is just good for it in any thriving sector. Competition is good for business any day.

What’s your clientele list like?

I won’t say they are high-earning cli-

ents in terms of their requirement. We cut across the high, the medium and the low. Anyone with a penchant for perfection is just a good client because we are very affordable.

What are other things you do?

We go into seminars, teachings to make the plus-sized feel good about themselves. We give them handouts talking about how they can take a good care of themselves, know that they are God’s creatures and how they should dress their shapes well to impress themselves and to stand confidently in any crowd.

What are the main things that has helped your business this far?

Without having to sound religious, I will say my number one help has been God. From my own personal perspective, I will say I am a very focused person like I have said before. I do not believe in mediocrity. Whatever I need to do, I do it well. Perseverance is another factor that is working for me.

How would you describe the fashion industry in Nigeria?

I will say the fashion industry has grown of age. There are more people involved, more stylish people out there which is creating rooms for creativity and lots of healthy competition in the industry. The fashion industry in Nigeria has risen even to the international level such that our Ankara, an indigenous fabric has become so popular even abroad. The industry is doing well and I believe the sky is really the starting point for all players.

What does style mean to you?

It is anything that comes naturally; it is not what you can acquire. You can build your style but you can’t acquire it. If it does not come naturally, you will always be needing people to tell you what to wear and when to wear it at any given time. This is why it is good for every stylish woman to have a style consultant to dress tem up. When you don’t naturally have style in you, you use such professionals. This is what we combine with our work at JPKingdom. We get close to our clients and dress them up according to their taste and personalities. With a style consultant at your beck and call, you will not need to worry your pretty head about your appearance. He or she does it all for you. Celebrities do this abroad, I see no reason why we can’t do it here in Nigeria.

What advice do you have for young women out there who look up to you for inspiration?

They should be focused. They should take their time to discover their calling in life and invest all into it. When I say invest all, I mean they should give their time, person and finances into it. They should not be copycats, they should be original and encourage their God-giving talents. They must be hard working and be ready to face challenges. They must be conscious of the fact that nothing good comes easy.

How fulfilled are you and where do you see yourself in the next five years?

I feel good and very fulfilled in this line of business. Anytime I come around this office, I feel happy especially after the restructuring and the move of things right now. I see this company going very far. I am glad to be making positive impacts.

Keeping ABREAST The great gender divide over sexual regrets:

Women want less casual sex, men want more!

• •

Women worry about losing their virginity to the wrong person Men worry about not having more partners be fore marriage

W

hatever gender you are, most people will occasionally find themselves having a few regrets about their love lives.

But, according to a survey, men and women tend to tell a very different story about their most disappointing decisions.

While men most often regret not having sex with more partners, women fret about sleeping with the wrong person.

Women also worry about moving too fast, while men are more concerned about the times they have not moved fast enough to get a partner into bed.

The most in-depth study of its kind – which looked at several surveys carried out by the University of Texas and the University of California in Los Angeles – found that the main regrets women reported were losing their virginity to the wrong partner, cheating or moving too fast sexually.

However the major regrets for men were being too timid to approach a possible partner, not being more sexually adventurous when young and not being more sexually active before getting married.

US academics quizzed more than 25,000 people about their sex lives.

The volunteers taking part in the study were asked to rate their remorse on a five-point scale.

The study, published in the current issue of the Archives of Sexual Behaviour, showed that 56 per cent of women regretted having casual sex.

Almost a quarter cited losing their virginity to the wrong partner as their biggest regret.

Cheating on a partner was rated as a regret by 23 per cent of women – and

moving too fast with a partner was a regret listed by 20 per cent of the women who took part.

But almost a third of men questioned said their biggest regret was not making a move on a prospective partner.

Just under a quarter said not being more sexually adventurous when they were young was one of their biggest regrets.

And not sleeping around came third, with 10 per cent of men saying it was a decision they found themselves regretting.

Researchers came to the conclusion that the responses were different because of the way we have evolved.

Psychologist Martie Haselton, one of the lead researchers, said that despite advances in healthcare and contraception, men and women still show differing attitudes to sex.

He believes the results reveal how emotions have played an important role in human survival and reproduction.

He said: “The consequences of casual sex were so much higher for women than for men, and this is likely to have shaped emotional reactions to sexual liaisons even today.

“For men throughout evolutionary history, every missed opportunity to have sex with a new partner is potentially a missed reproductive opportunity, which is a costly loss from an evolutionary perspective.

“One thing that is fascinating about these emotional reactions is they might be far removed from the reproductive consequences of the past.

“We have reliable methods of contraception. But that doesn’t seem to have erased the differences in women’s and men’s responses, which might have a deep evolutionary history.”

Parenting

36

July 18, 2015

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

12 safety devices to protect your children at home (2) CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

Use corner and edge bumpers: Use corner and edge bumpers to help prevent injuries from falls against sharp edges of furniture and fireplaces.

Corner and edge bumpers can be used with furniture and fireplace hearths to help prevent injuries from falls or to soften falls against sharp or rough edges. Be sure to look for bumpers that stay securely on furniture or hearth edges.

Use outlet covers and outlet plates: Use outlet covers and outlet plates to help prevent electrocution.

Outlet covers and outlet plates can help protect children from electrical shock and possible electrocution. Be sure the outlet protectors cannot be easily removed by children and are large enough so that children cannot choke on them.

Use a carbon monoxide (CO) detector: Use a carbon monoxide (CO) detector outside bedrooms to help prevent CO poisoning. A carbon monoxide (CO) detector can help prevent CO poisoning. Consumers should install CO detectors near sleeping areas in their homes. Households that should use CO detectors include those with gas generators or with attached garages.

Cut window blind cords: Cut window blind cords -use safety tassels and inner cord stops to help prevent children from strangling in blind cord loops. Window blind cord safety tassels on mini blinds and tension devices on vertical blinds and drapery cords can help prevent deaths and injuries from strangulation in the loops of cords. Inner cord stops can help prevent strangulation in the inner cords of window blinds. For

ParentingUpdate S

chool-age children whose mothers nurtured them early in life have brains with a larger hippocampus, a key structure important to learning, memory and response to stress.

The new research, by child psychiatrists and neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is the first to show that changes in this critical region of children’s brain anatomy are linked to a mother’s nurturing.

“This study validates something that seems to be intuitive, which is just how important nurturing parents are to creating adaptive human beings,” says

first author .. “I think the public health implications suggest that we should pay more attention to parents’ nurturing, and we should do what we can as a society to foster these skills because clearly nurturing has a very, very big impact on later development.”

The brain-imaging study involved children ages 7 to 10 who had participated in an earlier study of preschool depression that the researchers began about a decade ago. That study involved children, ages 3 to 6, who had symptoms of depression, other psychiatric disorders or were mentally healthy with no known psychiatric problems.

mini blinds, cut the cord loop, remove the buckle, and put safety tassels on each cord. Be sure that vertical blinds and drapery cords have tension or tiedown devices to hold the cords tight. When buying new mini blinds, verticals, and draperies, ask for safety features to prevent child strangulation.

Use door stops and door holders: Use door stops and door holders to help prevent injuries to fingers and hands. Door stops and door holders on doors and door hinges can help prevent small fingers and hands from being pinched or crushed in doors and door hinges. Be sure any safety device for doors is easy to use and is not likely to break into small parts, which could be a choking hazard for young children.

Use a cordless phone: Use a cordless phone to make it easier to continuously watch young children,

especially when they’re in bathtubs, swimming pools, or other potentially dangerous areas. Cordless phones help you watch your child continuously, without

leaving the vicinity to answer a phone call. Cordless phones are especially helpful when children are in or near water, whether it’s the bathtub, the swimming pool, or the beach.

Tiny Feet

NAME: David Babatunde BORN TO: Mr and Mrs Babatunde AGE: 6 months old BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

A mother’s love gives the best brain to a child - Study As part of the initial study, the children were closely observed and videotaped interacting with a parent, almost always a mother, as the parent was completing a required task, and the child was asked to wait to open an attractive gift. How much or how little the parent was able to support and nurture the child in this stressful circumstance — which was designed to approximate the stresses of daily parenting — was evaluated by raters who knew nothing about the child’s health or the parent’s temperament.

For the current study, the researchers conducted brain scans on 92 of the children who

had had symptoms of depression or were mentally healthy when they were studied as preschoolers. The imaging revealed that children without depression who

had been nurtured had a hippocampus almost 10 percent larger that children whose mothers were not as nurturing.

Culled from www.WebMD.com

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37 37

July 18, 2015

People

Meet the man who was marked for death!

Olawunmi Habeeb, a resident of Borno State narrates how some unknown persons killed his colleague and five members of his family and thereafter burnt down his house, forcing him to take refuge in a church. He spoke to MUDA OYENIRAN

“

I stay in Kawuri Village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State and I work as a transport manager for Dan Lami Enterprises. My duty is to co-ordinate all activities as regards loading and offloading of our company trucks.

We have four trucks in our fleet.

“On June 3, 2015, one of our drivers named Salih Mohammed came to my house with a man. He introduced himself to me as Alhaji Baba and said he needed our services. He said he had just purchased some goods and needed to move them to Abuja.

“I enquired about the types of goods, the date the truck was needed, the destination and other details as regards the service. I noticed that he didn’t want to divulge the type of goods he was conveying to Abuja. He said he would need the truck on June 5. And after I had showed him the rate to Abuja, which is N140, 000, he said it was okay and even promised to add N20, 000 extra.

“He said that he knew me very well in the area but didn’t know I was into transportation business and that we had a lot to gain in this new partnership. I told him not to worry but I was unsettled and really disturbed knowing full well that it is against our company policy to involve in any illegal business. So I pretended

On J une 10 2015, our office was attacked and three trucks parked there were burnt down .

I

had

to flee from the area .

12,

On J une

my house was

burnt down

to have played along because I just needed him to leave.

“On the June 4 2015, I got a call from a restricted number. I picked it and the caller said, ‘I am Alhaji Baba.

Ensure that the truck is provided tomorrow, June 5. I was worried be-

cause I never gave him my number.

But I knew quite well the driver, Salih Mohammed, must have done that without my consent.

“The following day, I got a call from another restricted number. I didn’t

pick it because I knew it was him. He called several times but I did not pick it. He repeated several calls on June 6 and 7, 2015.

“On June 7, 2015, he came to my house around 8:35pm with one other man, whom I have never met before.

He said he had come to warn me that a good business man does not disappoint. He abused and called me all sort of names (infidel, traitor and so on) and that I should watch my back henceforth. I told him I was sorry and gave him the excuse that the truck I intend to use was faulty.

He left angrily, and after that I became afraid because of the threat. I concluded that after all, I had not collected anything from him and did not disrespect him. So I got over it and went to bed.

“The next day, I went to the office as usual, just for us to get the news that Salih’s house was attacked.

He was killed along with five members of his family and his house set ablaze.

“I and my co-workers went to sympathise with his aged mother.

We also met some sympathisers from the neighborhood and it was during the visit that a witness was telling us that some young men in army uniform (carrying black flags) carried out the attack and that she overheard them saying, “You and your stubborn manager and the company will pay for it. You infidels, traitors and betrayers (the same words that Alhaji Baba used at me).

“I started to panic from that moment on. After we left the place, I did not go back to the office. I went straight to police station to lodge a complaint. I couldn’t go back to my house. I took refuge in one church around my area “On June 10 2015, our office was attacked and three trucks parked there were burnt down. I had to flee from the area. On June 12, my house was burnt down.

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July 18, 2015

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‘My wife has started fixing artificial nails’

• Two years into the marriage, she changed from what she used to be. She started fixing artificial nails; she becames arrogant; not submissive; untrustworthy and wayward. The climax was when she went for family planning without telling me in order to continue in her wayward ways

A

49 year-old Engineer,Mr. Niyi Azeez has told the Agege Customary Court that his wife, Mrs. Funmi Azeez

‘She always threatens to stab me with a knife’ • People kept wondering why I married her because she had always been violent.

I am sure if I did not marry her then, no man in his right senses would have done so —Husband

Stories by: Muda Oyeniran

A

44-year old businessman has dragged his wife, Mrs. Olaide Akanbi before the Iyana Ipaja Customary court over threat to life among other sundry charges. According to him, his wife is a violent woman who always threatens to stab him with a knife anytime they have minor disagreement.

He has therefore urged the court to dissolve their union so that he could have a peace of mind adding that he was fed up with the marriage “She has simply made the house inhabitable for me and I can no longer cope with her violent and unruly behavior”, he told the court The petitioner who told the court that he regretted marrying the woman said he had always known her as a street fighter since she was in secondary school saying he did not know why he married her.

“People kept wondering why I married her because she had always been violent she her secondary school days. I am sure if I did not marry her then, no man in his right senses would have done so”, he added Apart from his wife’s violent behavior, Mr. Akanbi also accused her of not being appreciative of all his contribution to the

well-being of the family saying he had been over backwards several times to please her and their children saying all he had always gotten from her was insults and abusive words.

“She insults me freely saying I have not done anything and this attitude of her always gets on my nerves but I manage to maintain my cool. In fact she has turned herself to the husband while I am the wife. She shouts on me as she likes and make jest of me in the presence of our children According to him, he spends a lot of money on the education and welfare of his four children without any commendation from his wife.

“Because I did not go beyond

secondary school level I have made up my mind that I will give my children the best of education. I pay as much as N180, 000 per term on my first daughter in a secondary school in Republic of Benin and I pay heavily on the other three children studying here in Nigeria without any contribution from my wife, yet she has remained unappreciative of my efforts”, he explained According to the petitioner, his wife has turned his children against him adding that they were now in support of their mother. “There was a time I travelled out of the country and she asked one of my children to call me that they wanted to sell my car. I was surprised how she

could suggest such a thing to the children. I was very unhappy by the development”, he said He also told the court that he has reported his wife to her people several times without any positive outcome. “Rather than calling her to order and admonishing her on her shameful behavior, they left her to continue in her ignoble ways and when they heard that I have come file for divorce in court, they have started blaming me”, he added Mrs. Ajiblola who is the respondent in the matter was absent in court and the court president, Mrs. Salewa Banjoko has adjourned the case for further hearing

‘My wife keeps beating my mother’

• He wouldn’t let me go and see my parents — Wife

A

42-year-old banker begged an Igando Customary Court in Lagos for divorce over alleged battery of his mother by his wife.

Abila said that his wife Tina, 35, with whom he has lived with for 10 years permanently beats up his mother without

any reason.

The man claimed that his wife is uncontrollable and has turned his mother into a punching bag, alleging that she is a witch.

Narrating his story he confessed that Tina once arrested his mother, claiming that she

intended to poison her food.

Ayuda also said that the wife does not want to see any of his relatives, anytime they come around the war begins.

The petitioner described his wife as a troublemaker, who regularly fought on the streets.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

has completely changed from the woman he married. According to him, his wife used to be innocent and humble when he married her almost ten years ago adding that she now exhibit strange characteristics which are alien to the woman she used to know “Two years into the marriage, she changed from what she used to be. She started fixing of artificial nails; she became arrogant; not submissive; untrustworthy and wayward. The climax was when she went for family planning without telling me in order to continue in her wayward ways”, the petitioner explained According to the petitioner, she started seeing his wife with strange men saying she used the opportunity of his frequent official travelling to engage in extramarital affairs. He cited a particular instance when he caught her red handed in another man’s car when she told him earlier that she was going to a function in her personal car.

Besides, the petitioner accused the respondent of being diabolical saying anytime they had misunderstanding, he always suffers for it. According to him, he had to pack out of the house at a stage when he could no longer bear her diabolical ways.

But in her testimony court, the respondent says the man the petitioner saw her with and accused of her of dating was her course mate at the Lagos State University (LASU).

She accused the petitioner of being short tempered saying he always bicker even over small matters.

The case has been adjourned for further hearing.

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DIVORCE COURT

July 18, 2015

39

‘He impregnated my sister’

• It’s not true — Husband

A

housewife is seeking for the dissolution of her 15-year-old marriage over alleged physical abuse and excessive drinking by her husband.

The woman, Mariam Ayoola, told a Grade 11 Customary Court in Osogbo, Osun State capital, that her husband, Stephen, also impregnated her younger sister.

She said, “Our union is blessed with four children; I’m seeking divorce because of Stephen’s constant beatings due to excessive drinking which makes him aggressive. When I married him, my younger sister was living with us and he impregnated her. I left him because of this and moved out of the house.”

“I then met another man who impregnated me, but people intervened in our differences and I returned to his house with the pregnancy. Now

that I’m seeking a divorce, he wants to claim another man’s child,” she said.

While responding to the allegations, Stephen said his wife was wayward, while also denying her claims that he impregnated his sister-in-law.

He said, “I did not impregnate her sister, it is true that her younger sister and brother were both living with us, but I had nothing to do with her. We have been married for 15 years; suddenly things changed and went from bad to worse. She moved out but later returned when the differences between us was ironed out.”

Meanwhile, despite Mariam’s insistence that he was not the father of her fifth child, Stephen said a pastor revealed to him that he was responsible for the child. “After five years, our pastor called me and told me I’m not the father of our fourth child,” he added.

‘My husband makes me sleep on the mat’

“M

y lord, anytime my husband brought home a woman, he would ask me to sleep on the mat so that the woman can sleep on our matrimonial bed,’’ were the confessions of Busayo Ogunjobi, a house wife, who has urged the Customary court in AdoEkiti to dissolve her marriage.

She alleged that her 13-yearold marriage to Ayodele Ogunjobi has been characterized with frequent beating, adultery and lack of child care.

She told the court that anytime her husband came home with a woman, he would ask

her to sleep on the mat.

She told the court that Ayodele denied being the biological father of the only child of their marriage. According to her, Ayodele abandoned her and the child when the child was three months old.

Ayodele, 32, denied beating his wife because of another woman.

He told the court he did not believe the said child was his, adding that he did some private investigations which did not favour the petitioner.

This he said was the reason he did not provide for the upkeep of both mother and child.

‘My wife keeps beating my mother’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 According to Ayuda, whenever the woman is fighting, people come to his house wanting him to separate the fighters.

And when he comes Tina transferred anger to him by fighting and embarrassing in public.

The man asked the court to dissolve the marriage as he is fed up with the union and can’t cope with her constant beating and harassment of his mother and her hostility

to siblings.

Responding to the court Tina said that she never beat her mother-in-law and it was quite the opposite.

The mother of two revealed that her husband did not allow her to go and see her parents, as he wanted her to be indoors.

Tina urged the court not to dissolve the marriage, saying that although they have some problems she was still in love with her husband.

The case has been adjourned for further hearing

‘He infected me with HIV, but I can’t leave him’

• If the court separates you, definitely you will spread the virus. So, for the safety of the general public, you should remain husband and wife — Court President

D

asola Joshua, a middleaged woman who resides in Ile-Tuntun, OkeOdo area of Ibadan, Oyo State has told a Grade ‘C’ Customary Court in the ancient city how her husband, Olusegun infected her with the dreaded Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

The distraught woman revealed this while trying to convince the court not to dissolve their 7 year old marriage according to the wishes of the plaintiff.

In his submission, Olusegun had earlier accused his wife of being headstrong and always unwilling to heed his instructions.

According to him, “My wife is a trouble maker, she doesn’t obey my instructions. She behaves irrationally. In fact, she always fights with our neigh-

bours and when I advised her, she won’t listen. There was a day I reacted negatively due to her misbehaviour and she went to report me at the police station. I can’t cope with her attitude again.”

He, therefore, asked the court to dissolve the union without hesitation.

Dasola, however, refuted the claims, saying, “I can’t leave him because he has destroyed my life. There was a pregnancy I had for him, which he forced me to abort after he had denied the pregnancy.

He even told me to go and do the abortion, now that he has destroyed me, he wanted to divorce me. I can’t accept it. He is my husband forever.”

According to her, “One day, I went to the hospital for medical check-up and the doctor told me that I’m HIV positive.

I was devastated. In fact, it seems I was no more alive that day. The doctor said I should go and call my husband.

“When he came, the doctor told him that I contracted the virus from him and he could not deny.

“My lord, since then, I have been going to the hospital every six months for medical check-up. I can’t leave him because nobody would be ready to marry me again.”

The president of the court, Mr. Ezekiel Ogundipe, granted the prayers of the defendant ordering the couple to continue to live together as husband and wife.

“If the court separates you, definitely you will spread the virus. So, for the safety of the general public, you should remain husband and wife,” he said.

EVENT

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July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Celebrities storm ESPY Awards When the 2015 ESPY (Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly) Awards held during the week in Los Angeles, California, it was expected that celebrities would attend en masse, and they did indeed. Halle Berry, Britney Spears, Evander Holyfield and Field were just some of those celebrities.

LeBron James

Halle Berry

Derek Jeter

Stephen Curry

Britney Spears

Fabolous

Kendall Jenner

Evander Holyfield

Ben Affleck

Caitlyn Jenner

Ciara

Kylie Jenner

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

July 18, 2015

Hypoglycemia R

ecently, the story broke of a Lagos State Transportation Management Agency (LASTMA) official who slumped while directing traffic somewhere in Lagos. Sadly, his death was reported the following day in the dailies. I sincerely condole with his family on this sudden loss of their breadwinner. But, why would a relatively young man, supposedly fit and active, suddenly collapse? Was it sun stroke, cardiac failure or cerebrovascular accident? Unfortunately in Nigeria, carrying out an autopsy following this kind of sudden death has not really been embraced. Therefore we may not know forever what led to the death of this gentleman; and as a result we wouldn’t be able to forestall same amongst his colleagues or even his family members. Come to think of it! Could he have died of hypoglycemia? It was Ramadan period and he could have been fasting which if combined with a rigorous exercise like the type he was involved in could make him hypoglycemic. Hypoglycemia is one of those things that can tip people into sudden coma, and if not well handled may actually lead to death.

What is hypoglycemia?

Hypoglycemia simply refers to a level of blood sugar or glucose that is too low for sustenance. Blood sugar level 60mg/ dl and below are generally regarded as hypoglycemic. Though symptoms may appear at higher or lower levels in different individuals. The body’s main source of energy is glucose. Most of the food we eat after digestion are broken down into this molecule. However glucose remains in the blood stream until insulin is released from our pancreas. It is this hormone –insulinthat now makes it possible for the glucose to enter the cells and become useful. The pancreatic pump is automatic, adjusting the quantity of insulin released based on the body’s need. Usually, excess glucose is sent into the liver for storage. When the glucose level is low, prior to eating, another hormone known as glucagon, now mobilizes the stored glucose in the liver for consumption by the cells. Any alteration in the way this system works may lead to too high level of blood sugar (hyperglycemia) or a lower than normal level (hypoglycemia).

Causes: Diabetics may experience hypoglycemia if they take an overdose of insulin, take

anti diabetic medications without eating or engage in rigorous exercise on empty stomach. In people who are not diabetic, hypoglycemia may result from any of the following: -Excessive Alcohol Consumption: Taking alcohol in excess, especially without eating can make the liver incapable of releasing stored glucose, leading to hypoglycemia -Medications: Such as quinine an antimalarial may lead to hypoglycemia. Anti-diabetic drugs taken by a non diabetic patient will almost always lead to hypoglycemia also.

-Illnesses: Kidney, adrenal or liver diseases can make the sufferer prone to hypoglycemia. Ditto for eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa where the victim experiences phobia for eating.

-Tumors: Tumors of the Pancreas which results in excess production of insulin will cause hypoglycemia - After meals: paradoxically, hypoglycemia may result following a load of heavy meal. This situation called postprandial or reactive hypoglycemia is due to a sudden surge in an otherwise normal insulin production immediately after a meal. The funny scenario though common in people, who have had stomach surgery, may occur in anyone.

Symptoms: Someone whose blood sugar is too low may experience • Intense feeling of Hunger • Shaking of the body • Sweating • Anxiety • Fast beating of the heart • Tingling lips etc.

When not immediately taken care of ,the individual may deteriorate. Because the brain doesn’t store glucose, it demands a constant supply and will keep taking whatever is available until when even this is not sufficient for its function; then other symptoms ensue such as: • Problems concentrating • Confusion • Irrational behaviour • Convulsions And eventually • Loss of consciousness Treatment/First Aid: With the early signs of hypoglycemia an individual can immediately look for a fruit juice or soft drink to take as first aid. This supply immediate glucose into the blood stream and can be repeated if symptoms do not improve immediately. When such individual is too weak to do this, people around can help by putting some quantity of honey or sugar in the mouth after placing him or her in a comfortable position .But if the individual in question has already lost consciousness, attempts should not be made to put anything in the mouth as this can lead to aspiration of such into the lungs; thereby worsening the situation.

Instead, emergency medical team should be notified immediately while the victim is placed in the recovery position. Typically, a dose of glucagon injection given by a medical personnel will reverse the anomaly.

Sometimes infusion of glucose fluid intra-

venously may be required.

Definitive treatment of hypoglycemia usually takes place in the hospital, where the cause is found and treated. This could be with medications, lifestyle modification or surgery.

Generally, most victims of hypoglycemia recover if symptoms are promptly recognized and adequate first aid and treatment given. When this is not done, severe complications may result, part of which is death.

Prevention: To prevent hypoglycemia - Avoid prolonged fasting, without eating and break the fast if you no longer can tolerate it - Check blood sugar regularly and know how to recognize symptoms when it is low - Avoid heavy drinking of alcohol especially without eating - Do not exercise while fasting or hungry - If diabetic, stick to your drug routine and carry small containers of fruit juice around - Also wear an ID such as a hand band to identify you as a diabetic and inform people around you of the signs of hypoglycemia and how to help you in emergencies - If you have recurrent history of hypoglycemia, learn to eat little quantities of food frequently while seeking a permanent solution in the hospital.

Conclusion: Thank God fasting is over and it is now time to celebrate the Eid el Fitri. So we can eat and fear no hypoglycemia .

Here is wishing every Muslim faithful, a melodious celebration. Barka de Sallah You can chat with a doctor FREE OF CHARGE at www.prettyhealthcare.com.ng. every Wednesdays and Fridays(4-8pm).

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Hubbare Sheikh Usman Danfodio:

Sokoto’s most visited site H

ubbare in the Hausa language means tomb. Fulbe, also in the Hausa language, means Fulani. There is, however, a hubbare in Sokoto State visited by no fewer than 700 people daily but the majority of the visitors are Fulbe. Welcome to Hubbare Sheikh Usman Danfodio: the resting place of the great Islamic scholar and progenitor of the Sokoto Caliphate, who died in 1817.

The gates of this great edifice are flung open as early as 6am and remain so as late as 10pm throughout the week.

Different manner of peopleacademics, tourists, special envoys, students, as well as those seeking spiritual healing and veneration from far and near, particularly in the West African sub-region-visit the tomb or hubbare.

The tomb itself is located alongside the personal residence of the late warrior. It is a spacious enclave where the late Jihadist, members of his immediate family such as his wives, sons, daughters, his disciples and companions were buried.

Also in the compound is the school of Danfodio where he taught his students from far and near.

The tomb is serviced by no fewer than four people whose duties include keeping it clean and safe and conducting visitors round from one grave to another, explaining their histories.

The grave of Shehu Danfodio is in one small room, decorated and covered with a black cloth with Arabic inscriptions on it. It is in the same room that his two sons, Hassan Dan Shehu and Sambo, were buried.

According to history, Shehu left a will that, his son, Hassan, would lead his funeral prayers after his demise, and after 40 days, Hassan would follow him to the great beyond. And that exactly was what happened.

There is, however, a caveat: women are not allowed inside the room. But they can peep through a window and pray.

There are hundreds of graves in the premises, but only seven belong to past Sultans of the Caliphate, who reigned at various periods in history.

These were Sultan Ahmadu Rufa’i, Sultan Muhammadu Maiturare, Sultan Attahiru II, Sultan Hassan Dan Muazu, Sultan Abubakar Saddiq III and Sultan Muhammadu Maccido, who died in the 2006 ADC plane crash in Abuja.

Hubbare Sheikh Usman Danfodio

The grave of Sultan Maccido is isolated from the rest of the tombs. It is close to those of the wives of Danfodio.

It is in an open space and not inside any of the rooms like the others. From there, a visitor could enter a room where the four wives of Danfodio were buried. They were Hauwa’u, Shaturu, Gabdo and Jinnu.

The grave is in the same line with that of the banner-bearer of Shehu, in every battle fought, Aliyu Jedo, who is said to be one of his grandsons. Near it is that of Shehu’s famous daughter Nana Asma’u, popularly known as Nana Uwar Daje, and Aishatu, daughter of Umaru Alkammu, who was the wife of Sultan Muhammadu Bello, Danfodio’s son and immediate successor. The grave of Muhammadu Mudagel, son of Alkammu and Mai Hillani and the Imam of Shehu, Liman Alu, come after that one. But there are two graves whose owners remain unknown, but certainly they were connected to Danfodio.

In the tomb is Shantalin Shehu. It is the traditional long cup from which Danfodio reportedly drank water during his lifetime. Some visitors who are seeking for veneration and blessings pour water inside it and drink with the belief that they would be blessed, and their problems would be solved.

According to one of the staff, even foreigners, especially Europeans and Americans, visit the tomb for research

and tourism from time to time.

According to sources Danfodio was a member of a class of urbanized Fulani living in the Hausa states in what is today known as northern Nigeria. He was a teacher of the Maliki School of Islamic jurisprudence and a follower of Qadiriyyah order of Sufism. He lived in the city-state of Gobir until 1802 when, motivated by another great scholar, Sheikh Umar Jibril, who inspired him with the reformist and revolutionary ideology and under increased repression by local authorities, he led his faithful into exile.

This exile began a political and social revolution which spread from Gobir throughout modern Nigeria and Cameroon, and was echoed in an Islamic oriented Jihad movement across West Africa. Danfodio declined much of the pomp of rulership, and while developing contacts with religious reformists and Jihad leaders across Africa, he soon passed actual leadership of the Sokoto Caliphate to his son, Sultan Muhammadu Bello.

Danfodio was also a scholar of repute and an author, who wrote more than a hundred books on religion, Islamic government, culture and society. He developed a critique of existing African Muslim elite for what he saw as their greed, paganism, or violation of the standards of Islamic

Sharia law, and heavy taxation on the peasants by the Habe emirs of that period.

Danfodio encouraged literacy and scholarship greatly, especially among women, and several of his daughters emerged as scholars and authors.

His writings and sayings continue to be much quoted today, and is often affectionately referred to as Shehu in Nigeria. Millions of Muslims in West Africa consider Danfodio an Islamic revolutionary and reformer, a divinely inspired reformer of Islam; hence the incessant visits to his mausoleum.

The Fulani or Fulbe, according to sources, visiting the Hubbare more than any other group of people. They are said to come from Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Katsina, Kano and Kaduna states and even the Niger Republic.

It is learnt that after visiting the tomb, the Fulani visitors would proceed to the Rijiyar Shehu at Minannata in the Sokoto metropolis, a well dug

by Shehu himself when he was alive, and drink from it, or go to Wurno and Gwandu or other wells believed to be sunk by him also, and then the stream at Kofar Kware, to take a bath and some grass at the bank of the stream which they give to their animals, with the belief that they would be immune from any ailment and protected from any calamities.

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July 18, 2015

LEISURE

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July 18, 2015

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From the Civil Service

Teachers pray to save education from collapse in Kogi

T

eachers and nonteaching staff in public primary and junior secondary schools in Kogi on Thursday held an inter-faith prayer session to save the State’s education sector from collapse.

The teachers, who turned out in large numbers for the prayer held at the Holy Trinity Primary School in Lokoja, also appealed to

God to touch the mind of Gov. Idris Wada and others in charge of education, to have a change of attitude to the plight of teachers and pupils.

They specifically prayed to God to give the government the courage to pay all their outstanding entitlements and rehabilitate the infrastructure in primary and junior secondary schools.

Chairman, Basic Education Staff Association of Nigeria, Lokoja Local Government chapter, Mr Mohammed Sule, said teachers embarked on prayers as efforts to make government to revitalize basic education had failed. ``Since government has abandoned us, we have to turn to God for help. We

want God to touch our leaders’ heart to have a listening ear, pay us our outstanding salaries, leave allowances and other entitlements. ``There are also infrastructure decay in the basic education sector, the standard of education is at ebb and there is no environment conducive for children to learn”, he said.

Apart from government, Sule explained that the basic education sector was in critical need of assistance from all stakeholders so that the future of the children in public schools would be guaranteed and secured.

The officiating pastors and imams at the session prayed to God to intervene in the education sector so

that the future of the children of the poor will not be in jeopardy.

They also pleaded with the state government to save the public primary and junior secondary schools in the state from total collapse, saying that the sorry state of the schools portend a great danger for the future of the state.

NSC donates vehicle to facilitate surveillance of ports’ access roads

T

he Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) has donated a pickup van to the Federal Roads Committee on Surveillance Action Against Road Abuse (FERCSARA), to aid the committee’s work in decongesting Lagos ports’ access roads.

A statement by the NSC on Thursday in Lagos said the Executive Secretary of NSC, Mr Hassan Bello, noted that the vehicle was donated as part of the Council’s Corporate Social Responsibility.

Bello was represented at the presentation of the vehicle by Mr Cajetah Agu, Deputy-Director, Compliance, Monitoring and Enforcement.

He said the Council was responding to the request from the committee for an operational vehicle to facilitate its activities.

The executive secretary urged members of the committee to make judicious use of the vehicle to justify the collaborative efforts of the council in restoring sanity in all the ports’ access roads.

The Chairman, South West Zone 2 Special Task Force of FERCSARA, Chief Austine Kelly expressed the

appreciation of his committee toward the gesture displayed by the management of the NSC. According to him, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, as the Ports Economic Regulator, is like a `father’ to different players in the maritime sector.

Kelly said the committee would always support the NSC’s aspiration of tackling the Apapa gridlock.

L-R: HOD Art Education, University of Nigeria, Mr. Sola Akeredolu; Award winning Actress, Singer, UN WFP ambassador and Amnesty International activist, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Coordinator, Yaba College of Technology, UNEVOC Centre, Dr. (Mrs.) Funmilayo Doherty, during 2015 United Nations World Youth Skills Day in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Buhari sacks NIMASA DG, dissolves agencies’ boards

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari has terminated the appointment of Mr Patrick Akpobolokemi as DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

A press release from the Presidential Spokesman, Mr Femi Adesina, on Thursday said the termination of Akpobolokemi’s appointment takes immediate effect.

He is to hand over the management of NIMASA and all government property in his possession to the most senior officer in the agency who will remain in charge until a new DirectorGeneral is appointed.

Also President Buhari approved the dissolution of the Governing Boards of Federal parastatals, agencies and institutions with effect from July 16, 2015.

Until the boards are re-

constituted, Chief Executive Officers of the affected parastatals, agencies and institutions are to refer all matters requiring the attention of their boards to the President, through the

Permanent Secretaries of their supervising ministries.

Adesina in a release said while the dissolution did not affect Federal Executive Bodies listed in the 1999

Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it covered administrative or technical committees and other similar organs established by the dissolved boards.

of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna, said that a total of 35 motorists were arrested.

Garba said that FRSC Corps Marshal Boboye Oyeyemi had launched a nationwide special sallah patrol in the state on Thursday with a view to enforcing traffic regulations.

NAN recalls that the commission had set up 144 mobile courts across the country to monitor and

prosecute motorists who violated traffic regulations during the Eid el-Fitr celebration.

He said that among the 29, 13 were convicted for driver’s licence violation, eight for number plate offences, six for over loading and eight for seatbelt violation.

Garba said the patrol would focus on traffic violations, overloading, driv-

ing under the influence of drug and alcohol and using of telephone while driving, among others. ``The measure is to ensure that drivers comply with all traffic rules and regulations throughout the sallah celebrations and keep Nigerian roads safe. ``FRSC will not relent in its efforts to change the driving culture of road users in the country,’’ he said.

FRSC Mobile Court convicts 29 for traffic offences

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he Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) Mobile Court at Kakau Unit of the Kaduna Sector Command on Friday convicted 29 motorists for various traffic offences and discharged six others.

The sector’s Legal Officer, Mr Fawzy Garba, who made this known in an interview with News Agency

Sport

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July 18, 2015

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Dream Team V1 players training ahead of their encounter with the Red Devils of Congo in Port Harcourt

African U-23 qualifier:

Congo dares Siasia’s team in Port Harcourt

Ifeanyi Eduzor

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igeria’s U-23 team coached

by Samson Siasia will tomorrow confront their Congolese counterparts in the first leg of the final qualifiers for African U-23 Championship.

The match will be played at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt with the second leg coming up in two weeks time in Brazzaville, the Congolese capital.

Team Nigeria and Congo will battle for one of the eight slots at the 2nd African U-23 Championship taking place in Senegal from November 28 - December 11, 2015.

The top three teams at that competition will qualify for the Men’s football tournament of next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil while the fourthplaced team will participate in a

play-off against an Asian side.

Tomorrow’s encounter is expected to be explosive as the Nigerians who are 1996 Olympic champions and silver medalists in the 2008 edition will be facing a rejuvenated Congolese side who eliminated Ghana’s Black Meteors in the penultimate round of qualifiers for the African Championship.

While the Coach Samson Siasia tutored side will be aiming for a comprehensive victory in the cracker to make the reverse fixture a mere formality, the Red Devils who will be led by Claude Leroy, who masterminded a 3-2 victory over the Super Eagles in Calabar during the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier with the senior national team will be hoping to cause another upset that will make them stand a chance of qualifying for the African champi-

onship at the expense of Nigeria when they host the final qualifiers in Brazzaville in two weeks time.

In order to ensure that Nigeria qualifies for the championship, Siasia has selected a crack squad made up of three players from the Flying Eagles squad who were part of the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup namely; Taiwo Awoniyi, Saviour Godwin and Musa Yahaya to join the likes of Segun Oduduwa, Iroha Ebuka, Atanda Sadiq, Ikechukwu Okorie, Etor Daniel, Etobong Elisha and goalkeepers, Daniel Emmanuel, Yusuf Mohammed and Emmason Daniel among others to prosecute tomorrow’s encounter with the Rivers State Government throwing the gates open to encourage fans troop out en mass to cheer the team to victory.

As is expected, both coaches

have spoken about the chances of their team with both handlers declaring that they will not underrate their opponents in today’s encounter.

Speaking shortly after his team’s arrival in Port Harcourt last week, Siasia noted that tomorrow’s match would be tough but they were going to put in their best to ensure they record a resounding victory against the Red Devils.

“We are quite aware that the match is going to be a tough one considering that our opponents eliminated Ghana from the qualifiers, but we are ready to see off the Congolese in the first leg,” he said.

The former Super Eagles coach who believes strongly that they are going to get positive result in the match stated that his players will not underrate the Congolese because doing so could

be very dangerous.

“The players know what is at stake and that they are meeting a very good side and as such we are not going to underrate our opponents because they deserve some respect. But what I can assure Nigerians is that we are not only going to grab the three points at stake in today’s encounter but will win convincingly to make the second leg a mere formality.

Also speaking on the match, Congolese Coach, Claude Leroy, noted that they are in Nigeria to get a good result and be in an advantaged position when they host the Dream team in Brazzaville in a fortnight.

According to the French tactician, his players are capable of causing another upset against Nigeria, noting that their target is to pick the three points at stake in today’s encounter.

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Wenger wants to end title drought A

rsenal manager, Arsene Wenger believes he has a strong squad to challenge for a first Premier League title since 2004.

The Frenchman has been boosted by back-to-back FA Cup victories in the last two seasons for the Gunners and he believes this has brought a winning mentality to the side.

“Winning the title is our target and we feel we have a chance in a very competitive league,” said Wenger, a day ahead of Arsenal’s Premier League Asia Trophy final against Everton in Singapore on today.

“We finished third last year and we won the FA Cup, so that shows we are not far away. We have a good cohesive group that has the quality and ambition to do better, and that’s our aim.

“But as I have said before, we are in a league in which it is very difficult to know how good our opponents will be at this stage but it is important to focus on making sure we are as strong as we can be then we have a chance.”

“I am happy with the squad that

July 18, 2015

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Ramos will stay at Madrid, says Benitez

M

anchester United transfer target Sergio Ramos will be staying at Real Madrid, according to new Real manager Rafael

Benitez.

United made a £28.6m bid for the Spain international defender in June who it was understood wanted to leave the Bernabeu and head to Old Trafford.

So far this summer United have bought midfielders Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin, right-back Matteo Darmian and winger Memphis Depay, while offloading Robin van Persie and Nani as part of a major overhaul of the squad.

Ramos travelled with the Madrid squad for their pre-season tour of Australia and Benitez who was appointed as successor to Carlo Ancelotti six weeks ago has now confirmed that the centre-back remains “an integral part” of his plans.

“In terms of Sergio Ramos, there’s a lot of talk about his situation,” Benitez told reporters in Melbourne.

“For me, he is an enormous professional.He he does everything that the team and I ask of him.

“And for me, the matter is that the president has already commented that he is staying with the club.

“I have spoken to him at length in the summer about his future. I see Sergio as an integral part of our team, he’s a winner and that’s what we need in our team.”

Wenger

we have but if we find anyone with exceptional potential to strengthen the squad then will pursue them,” the Frenchman added.

“It depends on the market. It’s not

easy at the moment because there are many clubs out there buying and the number of players who can strengthen the really big teams is restricted.”

Ramos

Bayern close to signing Vidal Liverpool bid £32.5m for Benteke

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Vidal

ayern Munich is close to signing Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal but chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says a deal is not yet done.

After around 24 hours of negotiations, Vidal is close to making his move to a club he was on the verge of joining four years ago but Rummenigge has called for patience before the deal can be finalized.

“I’ve read about it and I’m not going to hide the fact that we are interested

in him, but I read that it was all wrapped up and I cannot confirm that,” Rummenigge told reporters at Munich Airport, as Bayern flew out for a preseason tour of China.

“As I’ve said, we’re interested, but we’re not yet so far that we’ve discussed details and signed contracts, so we need a bit of patience. I hope at the end of the day he will come.”

The prospective move has evoked memories of four years ago, when Rummenigge criticized the Chilean and said he

L

iverpool has met a £32.5m release clause for Aston Villa’s Belgium striker Christian Benteke, triggering a potential transfer.

The 24-year-old scored 12 goals in 12 games in the 2014-15 seasons to help keep Villa in the Premier League.

The Reds have bid for the player and met the asking price after receiving funds from the £49m sale of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City.

Reds manager Brendan Rodgers is believed to want cover as he seeks to reestablish his team in the Champions League, having finished sixth in the league last season.

It is understood personal terms between Benteke and Liverpool are a for-

Martinez: Everton not interested in Evans

E

verton manager Roberto Martinez has confirmed he is not trying to sign Manchester United defender Jonny Evans.

The Toffees have been linked with the Northern Ireland international in several national newspapers, including the Daily Mail and the Guardian, but Martinez says there is no truth in the rumours.

Everton have released centre-backs Sylvain Distin and Antolin Alcarez during the current transfer window but will not bid for the £7m-rated 27-year-old.

“No, there’s no truth about that, said Martinez when asked if he was pursu-

ing a deal for the player. “I know I’ve always said that I wouldn’t be commenting on any of the names that are shared around but I can tell you there is nothing true in that story.”

Martinez also reiterated his desire to build an Everton squad which could challenge for Champions League football in the long term and stressed the importance of young players to that strategy.

“We expect to be challenging for those places but we’ll have to do that in a different way, by taking time to build a solid group and by perhaps giving younger players bigger roles earlier than other clubs do.

Evans

mality, although the Anfield club do not yet have permission to do the medical.

Benteke joined Aston Villa from Genk in August 2012 for £7m and has scored 49 goals in 101

Benteke

Chelsea’s stones bid rejected

E

verton have rejected a £20m bid from Chelsea for John Stones. The player played 28 times for Everton last term with his only goal of the season coming in the 3-0 home win over Manchester United in April.

The defender has represented England at various youth levels and was named on Roy Hodgson’s standby list for last year’s World Cup in Brazil.

His fine form last season saw him make his full England debut in the 3-0 friendly win over Peru at Wembley Stadium last May. The 21-year-old’s defensive statistics compare favourably to Chelsea centre-backs John Terry and Gary Cahill. Last term, Stones averaged 1.43 tackles, 1.09 blocks and 1.52 interceptions per game, beating the Chelsea duo in all three departments.

Stones was handed Everton’s No 5 shirt earlier this week; a number worn by former stalwart Dave Watson and the Toffees see him as an integral member of their squad, with his current deal running until August 2019.

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SPORT

July 18, 2015

Bale living life on the fast lane

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MirrorGolf With Pius Anakali

Tel: 08023367071

Lawrie hungry for more open success

S

cot Paul Lawrie admits he may have to invite himself to his own tournament in a fortnight’s time unless he wins a second Open Championship title this week.

The 46 year old currently does not qualify for the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play, which he is hosting at the Murcar Links in Aberdeen.

However, after carding his second-best score in The Open during the first round at St Andrews, the winner of the 1999 Claret Jug has given himself a chance of avoiding the awkwardness of parachuting himself into his own tournament.

“I think I might get in if I win this week. Maybe it’s too late, I

don’t know,” he said after an opening six under 66 left him a shot adrift of leader Dustin Johnson at St Andrews.

“As I stand I need to invite myself to my own tournament, which I will do, obviously.

“We announced John Daly as an invite on Monday and we’re all very excited about that, and the second invite will be me as it stands.

“It’s only the first round so there’s a long way to go. There’s an unbelievable amount of world-class players playing this week so I’m not even thinking about Sunday as of yet.

“Right now I’m thinking about my lunch. I’m pretty hungry.”

No date set for McIlroy return

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ory McIlroy is recovering well from the ankle injury which has prevented him from defending his Open title this week, although no date has been set for his return.

McIlroy ruptured an ankle ligament playing football with friends on July 4 and announced four days later he would not compete at St Andrews as he took a “long-term” view of the injury.

Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke suggested that meant McIlroy would not return until “early next year” as he accepted an award on his fellow Northern Irishman’s behalf at

G

areth Bale clearly made the most of his time back in the UK ahead of the new season, with the Real Madrid star living life in the fast lane as he was pictured next to a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. Bale was granted access to the Mercedes, which retails from £148,000 and goes from 0-62mph in 3.8 seconds, from car company Auto Vivendi - who he has a membership with.

The 25-year-old can therefore enjoy using their vast collection of cars at any time whilst on his trips back to the UK. The Wales forward is relishing the start of the new season with Real, as the Spanish giants look to get back on the trophy trail after ending last season with no silverware to show for their efforts.

On Twitter Bale said: ‘Had a great summer but cannot wait

to get back in to the season and challenge for undecima’ #HalaMadrid On Thursday night Bale and his team-mates were pictured at Real’s training base, as new manager Rafa Benitez met the squad for the first time.

The former Spurs star won the Champions League and UEFA Super Cup with Real last year Bale will be hoping to rediscover the form he showed during his first year at the club, where he won the Champions League, Copa del Rey, FIFA Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup. Despite scoring 17 times and chipping in with 12 assists last season, the world’s most expensive player drew criticism from supporters as the club finished second to arch-rivals Barcelona in Lia Liga, while also getting

knocking out by Juventus in the semi-finals of the Champions League.

Bale began his professional career at Southampton, playing at left-back and earning acclaim as a free kick specialist.

He moved to Tottenham Hotspur in 2007, for an eventual £7 million fee. During his time at Spurs, managerial and tactical shifts saw him transform into a more offensive player. From the 2009–10 season, Bale became an integral part of the team, rising to international attention during the 2010–11 UEFA Champions League.

In 2011 and 2013 he was named PFA Players’ Player of the Year, and was named in the UEFA Team of the Year. In 2013 he was also named PFA Young Player of the Year and the FWA Footballer of the Year.

He joined Madrid in 2013.

the Old Course on Tuesday.

But it is understood Clarke’s comment was meant as a joke and a spokesman for McIlroy told Press Association Sport: “There was no basis for Darren’s comments. Rory’s rehabilitation is progressing well but his return date is not yet known.”

McIlroy, who could be unable to defend the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on August 6 and the US PGA Championship the following week at Whistling Straits, will be replaced as world number one if Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth succeeds him as Open champion on Sunday.

Norman: Golf needs savvy, social media types to survive

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wo-time Open winner Greg Norman says golf must embrace the digital age to attract new talent and survive.

The man nicknamed Great White Shark says the game must open up to “savvy, social media, connected with a device types with a Twitter account”.

Relaxing dress codes and playing music on the course are two ideas suggested.

Participation fell in England last year and Norman, 60, said: “If a kid wants to get in a golf cart and play loud music, let them do it, absolutely.”

He added: “The traditionalists will say you can’t do that.

“But if you want your club to survive, if you don’t want the burden of maintaining it out of your own pocket, you have to

bring in the youth.

“If someone wants to play nine holes, fine - but let the son play with his father with his headphones on. Let them dress a little bit differently.”

Norman

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July 18 , 2015

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Akinde memorial tourney ends in Lagos Ifeanyi Eduzor

O Serena

Super Falcons players celebrate after scoring a goal in a recent tournament

Rio 2016 Qualifier:

Super Falcons battle E’Guinea Ifeanyi Eduzor

N

igeria’s Super Falcons will this afternoon at the Abuja National Stadium battle the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinean in the third round of the Rio de Janeiro Olympic qualifier.

The African champions, who progressed without kicking a ball after Mali withdrew, will later travel to Bata in two weeks time for the reverse fixture to face the Guinean side that edged out Congo Brazzaville on 7-0 aggregate.

Interestingly, the Central African side boasts of four Nige-

rian players in their rank which undoubtedly poses serious threat to the African champions’ Rio dream.

Both teams are not new to each other and are considered the best female teams on the continent.

While Falcons have emerged African champions a record nine times, their Equatorial Guinea counterparts won the trophy on two occasions namely in 2008 and 2012 respectively making today’s encounter a very interesting match.

It is hoped that the Super Falcons who are still mourning the sudden demise of their media officer, Gracious Akujobi, who

passed on Thursday after a brief illness, will not affect their performance in today’s match.

Although the Super Falcons would be missing the services of Striker Asisat Oshoala and defender Onome Ebi but coach, Christopher Danjuma is optimistic that other players in the team is capable of taming the Guineans who have posted the greatest threat to Nigeria in the continent.

“It is true that we are likely to miss the services of Asisat Oshoala and Onome Ebi in the first leg but we have other quality players like Desire Oparanozie, Ngozi Okobi, Josephine Chuk-

wunonye, Francisca Ordega, Evelyn Nwabuoku, Esther Sunday and others who are capable of handling our opponent.

Danjuma who assumed the role of head coach, in acting capacity, following the sack of his erstwhile boss Edwin Okon noted that although they respect Nzalang Nacional but will ensure they score as many goals as possible in today’s cracker.

Winner of the two-legged fixture will meet the winner of the fixture between South Africa and Kenya for a spot at the women’s football event of next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

rganizers of the ongoing Samuel Akinde Memorial football competition has announced that the championship will be rounded up on Sunday, 19th, July, 2015 at the Bishop Aggey Sports Center, Ilasamaja, Mushin, Lagos.

According to a statement by the organizers made available to our correspondent, the championship which started with 32 teams will be rounded up with a final match between All Stars Football Club of Aggey and Dynamic Fc of Ojota.

The statement noted that the finals of the championship which was introduced in honour of late Coach Samuel Akinde, proprietor of Satech Football Academy, will be preceded by a novelty football match between ex-internationals and some selected players.

“I want to tell you that we are putting logistics on ground to ensure a successful hosting of the finals.

“As part of our efforts to ensure that fans are treated to the best form of football artistry, there will be a novelty football match between ex- internationals and some selected players and we urge football fans to be part of the fun the statement concluded.

Toriola, Quadri lead Nigeria to Cameroon

U-23 Qualifier: Siasia targets 4-0 win over Congo S

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igeria U23 team coach Samson Siasia has predicted a convincing 4-0 home win over Congo tomorrow when they clash in the first leg of a CAF U23 Championship qualifier in Port Harcourt.

He stated that the team is fully prepared for victory as they take another step towards featuring at next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

“We have been preparing hard for the game and I am sure we are going to win convincingly, I am looking at getting like a 4-0 win, but victory is what we will play for,” said Siasia.

Siasia will be without several of his foreign based professionals like Musa Mohammed, Kelechi Iheanacho and Moses Simon, but Turkey-based forward Umar Aminu, Taiwo Awoniyi and Godwin Saviour will be available for selection.

The effective combination of Awoniyi and Saviour was evident at last month’s FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand after they had also combined to eliminate Zambia in a 2015 All Africa Games qualifier.

However, Congo coach Claude Leroy is equally bullish ahead of this showdown after they eliminated highly-fancied Ghana in

the previous round of the qualifiers “We have a huge chance of not only eliminating Nigeria, but qualifying for the Olympics. There is no reason why we should fear them,” said the much travelled Frenchman, who last year led Congo national team to shock the Super Eagles 3-2 in a 2015 AFCON qualifier.

Siasia

Aguliefo drums support for Oliseh

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he chairman of KiriKiri All Stars Fc. of Lagos, chief Sunday Aguliefo has urged Nigerians to give the new Super Eagles Manager and ex-captain of the squad, Sunday Oliseh chance to prove his mettle.

Oliseh was last Wednesday unveiled by the NFF as replacement of Stephen Keshi who was sacked a fortnight ago by the football

house over allegations that he applied to handle Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire when he still has a two year contract with Nigeria.

Aguliefo told National Mirror at the All Stars Family Club House in Surulere that the wind of change blowing in Nigeria started from the top and as such must be allowed to affect every strata of the society.

“To the best of my knowledge, Sunday Oliseh was a good

player who represented Nigeria well during his playing days and as such the NFF should give him a chance to prove his mettle.

On the recent comment made by former Super Eagles handler Clemence Westerhof that Oliseh is not qualified to lead the Eagles, Agulefo noted that Westerhof was only playing politics with the issue and questioned why he should be commenting on another country’s affair.

ix-time Olympian, Segun Toriola and 2014 ITTF Star Player, Aruna Quadri will spearhead Nigeria’s quest for title at the 2015 ITTF Africa Senior Cup holding in Yaounde, Cameroon.

The tournament serves as qualifiers for the ITTF Men and Women World Cups holding later in the year.

The three-day championship serves off on Tuesday July 21 to 23 while it will be followed by ITTF Africa Club Championship involving teams from the continent.

At the ITTF Africa Senior Cup, two players are expected to represent each country in the men and women singles with Egypt’s El-Sayed Lashin and Han Xing as defending champions.

The winners in the men and women singles events will represent Africa at the ITTF World Cups.

According to Toriola, Nigeria has the wherewithal to clinch the title as Egypt and Congo Brazzaville are under pressure to win.

Crime Watch

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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July 18, 2015

Woman kills neighbour over clothes

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dispute between two neighbours in Ajah area of Lagos State over clothes last Wednesday, has led to the death of one of them, and landed the other in police net.

Helen Okeke and her neighbour, simply identified as Rose, had engaged in a fight at their Okota Housing Estate residence after the latter accused the former of pouring urine on her clothes, which she washed and spread on the wire to dry up.

The fight between Rose, who had her wedding scheduled for later in the year, and Helen happened around 5pm, and was brought to the notice of the landlady, Alhaja Iyabo Hamzat whose plea to the warring parties fell on deaf ears.

Tragedy struck when during the fight, Rose slumped and died after Helen slit her throat with kitchen knife.

Consequently, Helen was arrested by security operatives from Ajah Police Division, Ajiwe and later moved to the State Department of Criminal Investigation, Yaba.

Late Rose

Woman faces charges for drugging, robbing ‘Good Samaritan’

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24-year-old woman, Faith Ofeimun, on Monday appeared at a Tinubu Chief Magistrates’ Court, Lagos charged with administering drugs on one Bright Benson, causing him to sleep and stealing valuables worth N667,000.

Ofeimun is facing a three-count charge of endangering the complainant’s life, felony and stealing.

Valuables allegedly stolen include a Black Berry phone, Nokia Lumia phone, two Samsung Digital Cameras, a Samsung Galaxy tablet, Gold wrist watch, Gold necklace and N52,000 cash.

The Prosecutor, Andomena Koti, said the accused committed the offences at about 11.30pm on April 24 at 4, Tokunbo Street, Lagos Island.

Koti said that Benson informed the police that he met Ofeimun at Obalende Roundabout around 11pm on the fateful day.

He said Benson told the police that Ofeimun asked to put up with him for the night because she couldn’t get a vehicle to take her home and he agreed.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant, after accepting to accommodate her, took her to his apartment to pass the night.

He said shortly after they got to the complainant’s home, he (Benson) offered

I met her at Obalende Roundabout around 11 p.m. She asked to spend the night with me because she couldn’t find a vehicle to take her home. I agreed” the accused a bottle of malt and got one for himself.

According to him, Benson later got up to use the toilet and the accused administered some drugs in his drink.

Koti said the complainant returned and took the remaining malt drink and

thereafter fell into a deep slumber, following which Ofeimun dispossessed him of the valuables.

He said Benson eventually woke up at about 1.30pm the following day, only to discover that the accused had opened his wardrobe and had stolen the items and

fled.

The prosecutor said curiously, the accused was sighted by the complainant at the same meeting spot at around 11pm on May 14 and invited the police to arrest her.

Koti said the offences committed contravened Sections 241, 278 and 285 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

However, Ofeimun pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, M. Folami, granted the accused N100,000 bail with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till September 9 for trial.

Hairdresser docked for alleged N23,000 theft

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or an alleged burglary, a 26-yearold hairdresser, Eniola Adeniyi, was on Wednesday arraigned in Akure.

The Prosecutor, ASP Isah Atanegbe, told an Akure Chief Magistrates’ Court that the accused person broke into the room of one Mr Kokumo Bamidele and stole some of his personal items.

The items include a Samsung mobile phone valued at N8,500, Glass-shelf valued at N4,000, a rechargeable lamp worth N1,200 and a N10,000 deck player.

Atenegbe said that the accused per-

son committed the offence on July 10, at about 5 p.m. at No. 51B Oke-Ijebu in Akure metropolis.

He said the offence was contrary to section 383 and punishable under section 411 and 390(9) of the Criminal Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The accused person, however, pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge of housebreaking and stealing.

Counsel to the accused person, Mrs Olubumi Odofin, urged the court to grant her client bail on liberal terms.

In her ruling, Chief Magistrate, Mrs Victoria Bob-Manuel, granted the accused person bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum.

Bob-Manuel ordered that the surety must submit a one year tax clearance obtained from the state internal revenue. ``He must also fill an affidavit of means with two recent passports attached to it,’’ she added.

She adjourned the case till Aug. 5 for trial.

(NAN)

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CRIME WATCH

July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Assailants trail, kill businessman

•Suspects dressed in all-black outfits— Witnesses A 32-year-old businessman has been gunned down by three men wearing black at the Shimawa area, Ogun State.

Eyewitnesses in the area, who narrated how the victim, Oluwaseun Adebayo, was shot and killed, said he was trailed and killed by three men on a motorbike, all wearing black clothes.

The residents further said they were immediately alerted by the black attire of the three men.

The men allegedly trailed the deceased and shot him at a point blank range. They shot him on the chest and head just to make sure he was dead.

A resident, who gave his name as Esa Oke, said the deceased’s body spent the night on the road before it was taken away by the policemen the following day.

Oke said: “The man was shot dead beside the Community Primary School in our area.

“Imagine if the shooting had happened during school hours, one of our children could have been hit by stray bullets!

“We heard that the man was a member of a cult gang.

“We want these cult men to go into the bushes and fight their wars” “They shouldn’t do it where people live.

“We have warned hoodlums in Ogijo area to keep off our area as rival hoodlums are said to be planning a reprisal attack.

“That information alone has caused tension in our community.”

The murder of Adebayo is believed to be the handiwork of cult members.

The action led to some residents leaving the area over fear of a reprisal attack from the deceased’s members.

The incident occurred around 5pm.

One of the brave hearted residents, who stayed, said: “Adebayo doesn’t live in this neighbourhood, but we knew him as a trader.

“He was a businessman who used to come around to buy and sell vehicle scraps.

“He was on a motorbike on the day he was killed.

“A few minutes after his motorbike passed, another followed.

“There were three men on the motorbike and they were all wearing black clothes.

“Suddenly, we heard gunshots!”

Other residents alleged that the victim was a cult member.

They also said that his killers trailed him from Car Park ‘C’ Motor Park area of the Redemption Camp, to Eru Oloja area before shooting him while he was on a motorbike.

Adebayo was heading to the apartment he used to stay while in the area when his assailants swooped on him.

It was gathered that after the incident, worried and scared residents marched to Ogijo Police Division, protesting the reckless shooting in the residential area and demanding an immediate arrest of the killers.

A resident, who identified himself as Idowu, said: “We saw the victim on a com-

mercial bike, going home that fateful day.

“Immediately his motorcyclist passed through the community, we saw another commercial motorcycle.

“The second motorbike had a rider and two passengers.

“They were all wearing black clothes.

“They waylaid Adebayo.

“Before we knew what was happening, we heard gunshots.

“We all started hurriedly shutting our shops for fear of being hit by stray bullets.

“The assailants shot him near a community primary school and fled the area.”

The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident, adding that the police had arrested two men in connection with the shooting.

Adejobi said the suspects would be charged to court.

72-year-old man docked for kidnap • Allegedly abducted high court judge

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he police on Wednesday arraigned a 72-year-old man, Ahmed Adoke, and a mechanic, John Sule, before a Lokoja Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly kidnapping Justice Samuel Obayomi of a Kogi State High Court.

Adoke and Sule, both of Okene, were charged with criminal conspiracy, culpable homicide and kidnapping.

They were alleged to have on May 25, along with others now at large, criminally conspired and armed themselves with offensive weapons to commit the crime.

The prosecutor, Inspector C.S. Ayabatu, told the court that the accused persons waylaid the judge.

Ayabatu said: “The accused persons wielding AK-47 rifle and locally made pistols, disguised themselves and waylaid the judge on Ebogogo Road, close to the court premises and forcefully stopped His Lordship’s car.”

He alleged that the hoodlums instantly shot at the judge’s police orderly, Corporal Usman Musa, who died on the spot.

Ayabatu said that they “violently kidnapped Obayomi”, took him to an unknown destination and only released him after collecting an undisclosed sum of money as ransom.

He said the accused persons were arrested on June 6 by a team of Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad from Abuja and brought to Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Lokoja.

The offences contravened the provisions of Sections 97(1) and 221 of the Penal Code Law and Part 1 section 3(a)(i) (ii) of the State Kidnapping, Thuggery and Other Related Offences Prohibition Law 2010.

Adoke’s counsel, Muazu Abbas, orally applied for bail of the accused and anchored his application on Section 36(5) of the Constitution, urging the court to exercise its discretion in favour of his client.

But Ayabatu opposed the application on the ground that the offences for which cognizance was taken were not ordinarily bailable.

He said the matter was still under investigation, adding that releasing

the accused persons on bail at this stage would jeopardise police investigations, aside the fact that they could jump bail.

In his ruling, Chief Magistrate Alhassan Husaini said the offences were grave, given the attendant consequences of life imprisonment without an option of fine upon conviction, in line with the state law on kidnapping.

Husaini ruled: “I therefore hasten to refuse this application in the light of the rampant and prevalent cases of kidnapping within the state, which has been increasing and in monumental proportion.

“In consequence, I hereby order that the two accused persons be remanded at the Federal Prisons, Koton-Karfe.”

The judge adjourned the case till July 28 for mention.

Justice Samuel Obayomi, the Resident High Court Judge of Ebogogo in Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, was kidnapped on May 25 by a three-member gang, all dressed in black. He was released after 34 days in the kidnappers’ custody on June 27.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Crime Watch

July 18, 2015

Police nab certificate forgery kingpin

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wara State Police Command has arrested a suspect, Abdulmajeed Olajide who specialised in document and higher institutions certificates forgery.

The suspect was reportedly nabbed at his office located along Isale koto area of Ilorin, the state capital. According to a source who lives near Olajide’s office.

“I have mistaken the suspect for an estate manager not until I saw some police officers who came to raid his office,” explained source who witnessed his arrest.

It was gathered that among documents and certificates recovered from him included those of some Universities and Polytechnics.

Also recovered were WAEC,NECO,NYSC certificates, seals and runner stamps of private and public schools, and various local governments and State of Origin certificates among others from the suspect.

Speaking with journalists, the suspect, 38, said he had been in the illegal business for almost 10 years, stressing, “I’m

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from Ede town in Osun State. I have been in the business for up to 10 years and I have been able to make several millions of naira but let me just say about N8million.

“I sell a certificate for about N80, 000 but it depends on who I am dealing with.

Sometimes it is more than that. ?I have been buying those certificates from Oluwole in Lagos but I only put finishing touches to them here.

I receive patronage from both within and outside the state.” The spokesman of

the Police in the state, ASP Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the arrest of the suspect.

Okasanmi said, “he was arrested for being in possession of some forged documents. In the cause of investigation, it was discovered that he is the sole perpetrator of the crime.? Some Nigeria’s institutions’ certificates were found in his office when raided.”

Okasanmi, however, said that investigation was in progress to bring other people involved in the crime to book.

I could not bear the beating, and I begged my father to stop. He became furious and pounced on me.

“This is not the first time my father will beat my mother and me. I have lost count of his endless beatings. On one occasion, I begged my mother to relocate four of us, her children to Ilorin, so we can stay away from our father due to his constant beatings. I am the first child. My mother said my father will change, but he has gotten worse by the day. My mother is presently on admission at Charity Hospital, Orile as a result of the beating my father gave her.

I could not stand his beatings anymore, so I ran away from home to meet one of my

mother’s friends at Oyingbo Market, but I did not meet her when I got to the market.

I was in great pains, and I decided to sleep in the market because I do not want to go back to my father’s house. It was while I was sleeping at the market that some vigilante men came and rescued me. I told them my plight, and they took me to the hospital where I am presently receiving treatment.”

Agbodemu Musbau, the secretary of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria at Ebute Metta, stated that the vigilante men on night patrol at Oyingbo market on July 9, found the girl groaning in pains and rescued her.

Lagos govt takes custody of girl whipped with barbed wire

EFCC arraigns Kwara ex-lawmaker over N82.5m Fraud

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 but I can tell you that Kafayat is in our custody. I cannot tell you more on this because I am a civil servant, and I am not authorised to speak to the press.”

Narrating how she incurred the wrath of her father, Kafayat said: “I live with my parents at 4 Kuforiji Street Orile, Lagos State. On July 7, I ran away from home after receiving severe beatings from my father.

My offence was that I tried to stop him from beating up my mother. My father accused my mother of using his hard earned money to play lotto game, and he descended on her with anything he could lay his hands on.

“My father alleged my mother loves patronising lotto games, and he beat her up mercilessly and broke her knees in the process. Despite my mother’s cry for help, none of our neighbours came to her rescue because they are afraid of my father.

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he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned a former member of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Oladimeji Mohammed Edun alongside his company, Zarab Ventures Limited, before Justice Mahmud Abdulgafar of the High Court of Kwara State sitting in Ilorin on a 3-count charge bordering on criminal diversion of funds. According to a statement signed by the spokesperson of the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, Edun, allegedly secured

Junior secondary school girl kills self after rape

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teenage girl has hung herself from a tree in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State after she was gang raped by three men, and was scolded by her mother for opened herself to the sexual assault.

The deceased, Comfort Uche-Ume who lived with her parents at Iyienyi was said to be returning home last week Friday after she accompanied her elder sister to visit the husband at Okwoyi, a neighbour-

ing village when she was ambushed in the bush by assailants, Ndubuisi Wogu, Chinaza Ufomadu, and Francis Onwoboro who forcefully had carnal knowledge of her.

The suspects are currently on the run, and are in their early twenties.

The 15-year-old who just finished writing her junior secondary school final exam at Isieke Community Secondary School was said to have told her parents about the ugly incident and the matter was reported

at the police station on the same day.

But while police were carrying out investigation, it was gathered that Comfort’s mother was always blaming her for the rape, claiming if she had not been walking alone in the bush, her assailants would not have had the courage to assault her.

The repeated scolding by her mother made the deceased further devastated, and on Tuesday she sneaked into the bush and hung herself from a guava tree.

a contract for his company, Zarab Ventures Limited, for drilling of 43 motorized boreholes across different locations in the state under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Conditional Grant Scheme, project to the tune of N82.5m (eighty-two million, five hundred thousand naira) between 2008 and 2009, but abandoned the projects after collecting 90 percent of the contract sum.

Count three of the charge reads: “That you, Oladimeji Moh Edun (being managing director/chief executive officer and sole signatory of Zarab Ventures Limited) and Zarab Ventures Limited on or about May 21, 2009 in Ilorin within the Ilorin Judicial Division of the High Court of Kwara State, while in such capacity did dishonestly misappropriate the sum of N7,000,000.00 (seven million naira) which was part of the money entrusted to you by the Kwara State MDG’S- CGS for the construction of boreholes in some local government areas and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 308 of the Penal Code and punishable under Section 309 of the same Act. –

July 18, 2015

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Palm oil and palm kernel for export

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igerians need to think of those products in which they have competitive advantage over other parts of the world. By capitalising on this global advantage, the nation can achieve economic growth through small, medium and large scale production and processing of such products. More jobs will be created, self - sustenance will be achieved, provision for industrial raw materials and export base will be increased.

In the 50s and 60s, Nigeria was a leading world producer of palm produce, but she is today a net importer. Various efforts have been made recently by private individuals and government agencies to resuscitate the production of red oil by embarking on palm tree planting.

Today the cost of palm oil has soared beyond the reach of the average Nigerian. Its supply is by far below its demand and yet a lot of palm fruits are wasting.

Aggressive entrepreneurs can exploit this opportunity by embarking on the processing of palm oil.

Product Uses Palm oil is used domestically for cooking and industrially for the manufacture of margarine, drugs, soaps, cosmetics, and as raw material input for deodorised vegetable oil. Palm kernel, a major byproduct of palm oil production, has lots of industrial uses while palm kernel shells serve as a source of energy for small industrial concerns.

The Market Today, Malaysia is the world leader in

the production and marketing of palm oil. This is despite the fact that Malaysia took its first “tenera variety” of oil palm from Nigeria!

The stagnation of palm plantation development, domestic consumption, growing industrial demand for palm oil and other factors account for the continued supply-demand gap.

The high cost of palm oil signals a lucrative investment in the sub-sector for anyone who ventures into palm oil milling on small, medium or large scale.

Fresh palm fruits are available for the venture, just as industrial users await the extracted oil.

Raw Materials Harvested fresh fruit bunches are obtained from wild palm growers or smallholder plantations or estates scattered all over the rain forest belt of the country. For anyone contemplating a mill of higher output, however, incorporating one’s palm plantation is very essential.

Machinery And Equipment There are mills of different capacities, costs and life spans. The least modern of them mills 2.4 metric tons of fresh fruit bunches per day for eight hours, requires only seven workers, and can be powered by an 8-hp engine which takes away the drudgery of the slow traditional method.

The main components of the equipment are the stripper, boiler, digester, clarifier, water pump tank and spares. They all are obtainable locally at reasonable prices. There are more sophisticated imported machines prospective investors may consider when making investment decisions.

The high cost of palm oil signals a lucrative investment in the subsector for anyone who ventures into palm oil milling on small, medium or large scale.

Fresh

palm fruits are available for the venture, just as industrial users await the extracted oil

Palm-kernel-oil-production-equipment

Packaging A bottle of palm oil in the market today sells for between N150 and N300.

The concept in this proposed project is to package the product in P.E.T bottles, corked and labelled. There are also industrial marketing opportunities. In this case there will be need to package with drums and sell in tons.

Funding The project e can be funded wholly by individuals, co-operative societies, group of friends, NARCB and state governments under the agricultural or small and medium scale loan scheme. This is a profitable agricultural project that will readily attract financial assistance. The machinery and raw materials needed for implementation are readily available locally and production technique is

simple. Investors are advised to embark on this project.

To be able to determine the actual cost involvement, any prospective investor is advised to approach experienced industrial project development consultants for proper education and guidance.

Implementation To handle the implementation of this project professionally, prospective investors should embark upon detailed and bankable feasibility studies. After that, construction of the factory will commence, followed by procurement and installation of all the required machinery and other basic assets. NAFDAC approval is also a very important step to take at this point.

The total estimated cost for the mill is N12, 100,000, which can be broken down as follows:

Estimated Project Cost (N’000) Land and land development 1,000 Machinery and equipment 3,200 Furniture and fixtures 350 Total fixed costs

4, 500

Working capital requirement 2,500 Preliminary expenses 200 Contingency provision 350 Total 12,100 Note that mills of higher capacity will cost more than estimated above.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

July 18, 2015

SOUTH EAST

Sen. Ekwunife urges peace at Ramadan

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enator representing Anambra Central Senatorial Zone, Senator Uche Ekwunife has called on Muslim community to use the period of Eid-elFitr to cultivate peace and unity of Nigeria.

In her Sallah message, Senator Ekwunife urged Muslims to use the solemnity of this celebration to peacefully co-exist with their Christian brothers and

sisters to further deepen the peace process in the building of a virile country where peace and unity are held sacrosanct.

Senator Ekwunife used the period of Sallah celebration to congratulate the Muslims all over the country especially those within her senatorial zone and sued for peace in some parts of the North East of the country and prayed that

the issue of insurgency will be a thing of the past.

In a related development, Senator Ekwunife also eulogised Mrs. Chinyere Asika describing her as an epitome of the struggle for the liberation of Nigerian women.

“She was in her time the voice of the deprived women folk and contributed immensely to the liberty that is being en-

joyed today by Nigerian women. Even though she has gone the way of mortals, her footprints will ever remain indelible in the sands of time” “As we celebrate this life that was well spent to the glory of God, I urge the children, the family members and benefactors of our departed icon to take solace in the fact that Chief Mrs. Chinyere Asika came, saw and conquered”.

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Ikpeazu Congratulates Abia Muslims on Eid-El-Fitr

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s Muslim faithful all over the country celebrate the EidEl-Fitr which marks the end of the Ramadan, the Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu has congratulated the Abia Muslim community for observing a successful month-long prayer and fasting and wished them a peaceful and joyous celebration.

In a goodwill message to the Muslim faithful, signed by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Godwin Adindu, Governor Ikpeazu expressed his love and that of the government of Abia State towards the Muslim brethren and enjoined them to use the occasion of the Eid-El-Fitr to preach and promote peace and harmony in the state and in the country.

Governor Ikpeazu also commended the Abia Muslim community for having been a partner in progress with government in the effort to uphold the peace and

unity of the country, adding that the Muslims in the state are good patriots and ambassadors of not only the state but Nigeria in general.

The governor said he was happy that the Muslims in Abia are the authentic followers of the true teachings of Allah and the precepts of the Prophet, saying that they have demonstrated this in their life of tolerance and spirit of community which have contributed to the general atmosphere of law and order in the state.

Describing Islam as a great world religion with the main tenet of love, peace and charity, Ikpeazu enjoined Muslims all over the world to extend the spiritual benefits of the Ramadan in ensuring a world of peaceful co-existence and a world free of violence.

He said Muslims must use the occasion of the Ramadan to demonstrate that the world is united by our common humanity.

UNN to host African scientists

T L-R: Sector Commander, FRSC, Enugu State, Mr. David Mendie; Crown Mayor of Nike clan, Igwe Emmanuel Ugwu and Chairman, Enugu State Council, Mr. Louis Dilibe, during an advocacy visit by the sector commander to the Igwe at Ibeagwa Nike, Enugu State, recently. PHOTO: NAN

Ebola heroine Adadevoh, Ekwremadu, others to receive Integrity Award

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r. Stella Adadevoh, a female consultant physician, in Lagos is among the eminent Nigerians billed to receive the Integrity Award at the third Annual Dinner and Integrity Award Nite scheduled to hold in July 31st, at Sheraton Hotel Ikeja, Lagos.

Others include, Senate Vice President, Senator Ekweremadu who would receive the award fot integrity in leadership.

In a communiqué, the Secretary General of Integrity Award, Charles Okhai, said Her dedication ensured that Ebola virus didn’t become an epidemic.

We should give honor to whom honor is due. Adade-

voh was the lead doctor who attended to the late Liberian-American, Patrick Sawyer, that brought the Ebola Virus Disease to Nigeria.

Many described her as a godly doctor who stood firm to contain the Ebola virus, putting herself in harm’s way to save millions of Nigerians from the disease.

The Award will be given in various categories to individuals and corporate bodies for having displayed sense of integrity and patriotism in their place of duties. In the category of Leadership, Senator Ekweremadu will receive Integrity Award for good Governance. For professionalism Mr. Ladi Balogun, the Man-

aging Director of First City Monument Bank Plc, is to receive Professional Integrity Award.

For corporate bodies, Dr. Bembo victor, Managing Director of Mediplan Health Care Ltd and Barrister Allen Onyema, Chairman Air Peace, and Mr Babatunde Wilkey, Managing Director of BW – Meat Embassy will be honored with Integrity Award for quality Services.

Also, there will be Award for Integrity in Politics which will go to Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state, and Senator Olakunle Oluwole. For spiritual leadership. Rev Tony Akinyemi of Shepherd’s Flock International Church will be Honored with Integ-

rity Award for spiritual leadership.

For traditional leadership category, HRM Oba Afolabi Adeyemi Joachim, Owa of Ijurin Land and Oba Obateru Akinrutan of Olugbo of Ugbo Land will both receive integrity in leadership award. The event is expected to hold under the distinguished chairmanship of chairman of Elizade motors Chief Michael Ade Ojo (oon), while Assistant Inspector General of police, AIG, Tunde Ogunsakin will grace the occasion as special guest of honor being the recipient of integrity man of the year Award for 2013 and 2014.

he University of Nigeria, Nsukka will play host to African scientists in October at the Sixth Conference of Vice-Chancellors and Deans of Science, Engineering and Technology, an official has announced.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba, told a news conference in Enugu on Thursday that up to 350 scientists were being expected at the conference scheduled for October 4 to 7.

Ozumba said the conference was being organised by the African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions, the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the German Academic Exchange Service.

He said: “The bi-annual conference will provide a platform for African leaders and policy makers to exchange ideas, share experiences and good practices, sensitise policy makers and university leaders on current and emerging trends in science, engineering,

technology and innovation.

“It is for Africa’s global competitiveness and will develop strategies and actions for enhancing university education and training.”

The vice-chancellor said ANSTI, which started in 1974, had brought together 139 institutions in 35 countries in sub-Saharan Africa to focus on human capital development in science, engineering and technology.

He said the conference would address four thematic areas, including the state of science, engineering, technology and innovation education in Africa and climate change and sustainable development.

It will also discuss research commercialisation and higher education financing and making science, engineering, technology and innovation relevant for youth employability.

The conference had previously been held in Ghana (2005), South Africa (2007 and 2011), Uganda (2009) and Botswana (2013).

54

REGIONAL NEWS

July 18, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SOUTH SOUTH

Ayade preaches peace, salutes Muslims at Eid-el-Fitri

R

ichard Ndoma, Calabar Cross River State Governor, Senator Ben Ayade has enjoined Nigerian Muslims to exhibit the virtues of peace and love in their

daily dealings with men of all faith, noting that Islam as a religion of peace abhors violence in whatever guise.

The governor, who congratulated the Muslim Um-

Lale, now UniPort VC

P

rofessor Ndowa Lale has assumed office as the new Vice Chancellor of the federal University of Port Harcourt, Rivers state.

Speaking at an investiture ceremony in the institution as the 8th Vice Chancellor, Professor Lale called for collaboration among stakeholders of the university to make the place a first choice of academic pursuit.

He further promised to work for the actualisation of the dreams of the founding fathers of the institution, stressing that he would promote a robust welfare scheme, quality scholarship and guarantee staff and students discipline in the school.

Earlier, the university had conferred an Honorary Degree of Doctor of Science, (D.Sc) Honoris causa on Mr Herbert Wigwe, Chairman of Access bank, (UK) limited and board member Nigerian Mortgage Refinance company.

In his tenure address, the out gone Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Ajienka,

said, as the 7th Vice Chancellor, he set out to expand the frontiers of knowledge through creativity and innovation which brought forth rich intellectual harvest.

He recalled that he pioneered the establishment of the office of Deputy Vice Chancellor Research and Development in the country, thus laying a firm foundation for quality scholarship.

Continuing, the former VC said the university rose to become among others the centre of excellence for oil field chemical research, adding that the university was the first Nigerian partner institution with the African Virtual University, AVU, a move he said led to the establishment of an international open, distance e-learning, ODeL centre.

Ajienka who called for support for the growth of the institution from all her Alumni and friends said the university, which is 40 years, has become a beehive of activities.

mah on the success of this year’s Ramadan, urged them to imbibe the lessons learnt during the Ramadan fast to positively impact on their neighbours and the larger society.

In his Eid-el-Fitri message by his Special Assistant on Media And Chief Press Secretary, Mr Chris-

tian Ita, Governor Ayade said: “I felicitate with all Nigerian Muslims on this occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan.

“Having observed strictly the injunctions of Almighty Allah by selfdenial through fasting and prayers and by offering Zakat to the less-privileged,

A

ri, Mr. Austin Oghoferuo Desi, Management Consultant of RSDHI, stated that the NGO was incorporated in the United Kingdom in 2009 and in Nigeria in 2011.

He added that the incorporated trustees of the NGO are Mrs. Rhoda Okeoghene Otomewo, pharmacist, Mr. Austine Oghoferuo Desi, management consultant, Dr. Amabetare Biu, consultant paediatrician, Abolade Adenekan, chartered accountant and Dr. Sylvester Obiechie Nzekwue, area manager.

all vices and favour us with peace and progress.

“We in Cross River remain grateful to Almighty Allah for the peace and stability in the state.

May the peace of Allah continue to reign over the Muslim community in Nigeria and in our dear state, Cross River”

Students of Delta State University protesting the activities of criminals in the area, on Thursday.

...as Dickson hails Muslims on completion of Ramadan fast

B

ayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has lauded Muslims in the coun-

try for observing and completing their mandatory Ramadan fast for the year 2015.

NGO gives free blood pressure, blood sugar test to Warri residents Non Governmental Organization, Respite and Support for Diabetics and Hypertensive Initiative RSDHI, has organized a free fasting blood sugar and blood pressure test for over 1000 participants in Warri, Warri South Local Government Area of Delta state, with promise to extend it to other towns, villages and states across the country.

In his speech during the free fasting blood sugar and blood pressure test in War-

may you not forget the lessons learnt from the spirit of piety, alms-giving, of compassion and love for fellow men.

“We remember, as always, our country this season and I enjoin the faithful to remain steadfast and make supplications to Allah to heal our land of

According to Desi, “the NGO aimed at relieving people of sickness and preserve and protect good health of those who have diabetics or suffer from hypertension and those with weight problems by setting up respite centers equipped with qualified and diagnostic testing equipments.

“To also advance education of the public in diabetics and hypertensive related conditions and provide details of treatment and the importance of diet and exercise. To fulfill such oth-

er purposes as may from time to time be recognized as practices and mobilize communities for a healthier environment and good hygienic practices”.

Desi, explained further that many people have died from diabetes and hypertension complications because of lack of knowledge and good management of the condition, adding that the programme therefore seeks to expose participants to the prevention and management of the conditions.

In a Sallah message in Yenagoa on Friday, he called on Muslim faithful to continually live in peace with the adherents of other religions in the country, noting that all religions were one and important.

Dickson urged them to pray for the peace of the nation and the success of the governments at the federal and state levels.

He stressed that it was the only way government could bring about the much-needed development to all parts of the country.

He expressed appreciation to the Muslim community in the state for their prayers, encouragement and support.

The governor urged

them to see Bayelsa as their home where they could do their businesses and live peacefully.

He also advised them to always work with security agencies in the state to ensure the sustenance of peace in the state.

The governor assured them that his administration would continue to give equal recognition to all religions and enjoined religious leaders and followers to preach peace and unity.

“All religious leaders and followers should always preach peace, unity and good neighbourliness. The Bayelsa message of peace, which you have exemplified, should be imbibed by all Nigerians,” he said.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

July 18, 2015

Obama defines rape when asked about Bill Cosby

55

If you give a woman -- or a man, for that matter, without his or her knowledge, a drug and then have sex with that person without consent, that’s rape

P

resident Barack Obama said Wednesday that there is no precedent for revoking the U.S. Medal of Freedom -- as some have called for him to do -- given to comedian and actor Bill Cosby. But the President did outline his definition of rape.

“There’s no precedent for revoking a medal. We don’t have that mechanism,” he said.

The President then paused, and while he would not comment on the specifics of a case in which criminal or civil charges could be brought, he instead offered a definition of rape.

“If you give a woman -- or a man, for that matter -- without his or her knowledge a drug and then have sex with that person without consent, that’s rape,”

Obama said Wednesday at a White House press conference.

Earlier this month, details of a 2005 lawsuit were revealed that showed that Cosby admitted to getting prescription Quaaludes to give to women he wanted to have sex with.

Cosby admitted to getting Quaaludes to give to women Shortly thereafter, online petitions began to have Obama revoke the medal.

Former President George W. Bush awarded Cosby the medal on June 21, 2002. At the time, the White House praised Cosby for appealing to the “common humanity of his audience” through his famous sitcom and other performances.

The Cosby question came from April Ryan, Washington bureau chief for Ameri-

Cosby

Obama

can Urban Radio Networks.

Most of Wednesday’s press conference centered on the recently-negotiated deal over Iran’s nuclear

program, which will soon be under review from Congress.

Obama, who appeared to ponder whether he should answer the Cosby question, rarely steps off script at his news conferences. One

case when he did was early in his first term, when he made controversy by saying police in Cambridge, Massachusetts, “acted stupidly” when they arrested Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., who is a

friend of Obama’s.

The comment and resulting fallout over the larger question of Gates’ arrest resulted in Obama calling for a “beer summit” between Gates and the officer at the White House.

loyd Welch, the prime suspect in the 1975 case of two missing Maryland sisters, has told authorities the Lyon girls were kidnapped to sexually abuse them, investigators said at a news conference Thursday.

“The motive of the abduction of the Lyon sisters was to sexually exploit, abuse and defile them,” Bedford County, Virginia, Sheriff Mike Brown said.

Katherine and Sheila Lyon were reported missing 40 years ago after they went to a mall and never returned.

Investigators had not made any progress in the cold case until 2013, when police detectives decided to reopen the investigation.

Welch told investigators he saw his uncle, Richard Welch, sexually assault one of the girls at Richard Welch’s residence shortly after they abducted the sisters, Brown said.

Lloyd Welch also told investigators the sisters were taken so he and his uncle could sexually exploit them, the sheriff said.

Investigators told reporters they are not solely rely-

ing on information from Lloyd Welch in their investigation of Richard Welch, who has not been charged.

The sheriff also said they are investigating other members of the family.

“Richard Welch remains a person of interest in this case, as do other people,” he said.

Richard Welch’s daughter told The Washington Post that her father committed no crimes.

“I think that they are going on allegations from people that are liars,” she told the newspaper. “I think it’s a witch hunt. I know in my heart my dad would not do something like that.”

Lloyd Welch has been indicted by a Virginia grand jury on two counts of firstdegree felony murder, the sheriff said at a separate news conference Wednesday.

Lloyd Welch, a child sex offender, will be extradited from Delaware, where he is in prison.

Search warrants unsealed Wednesday said relatives told investigators Lloyd Welch burned two duffel bags on the property in 1975, according to CNN affiliate WDBJ.

Brown said the indictment was a “significant milestone in solving the case” and that officials will continue to work toward prosecuting anyone involved in the kidnapping and killing of the Lyon sisters.

Some portion of the crimes were committed in Bedford County, a roughly 200-mile drive southwest of the girls’ Maryland home, said Bedford County commonwealth’s attorney Randy Krantz, who declined to disclose the evidence.

The episode began on March 25, 1975, when Katherine and Sheila walked to the Wheaton Plaza Shopping Center to see an Easter exhibit and grab a slice of pizza.

They were supposed to come home by 4 p.m. When they didn’t, their mother called authorities and a major search ensued, according to the Charley Project, a website that profiles thousands of missing people, mainly from the United States.

The bodies of Katherine, 10, and Sheila, 12, have not been found.

Four Marines murdered in U.S. Sisters snatched for sex L A man sprays bullets from a silver convertible Mustang at a military recruiting center tucked into a Chattanooga, Tennessee, strip mall. He moves to another military facility a few minutes later, a few miles away, killing four Marines there before he dies.

Authorities have identified the man behind the carnage as Mohammad Youssuf Abdulazeez. What they haven’t said is what spurred this once accomplished student, well-liked peer, mixed martial arts fighter and devout Muslim to do it.

Terrorism is one real possibility.

Hours after Thursday’s shooting, U.S. Attorney Bill Killian told reporters that authorities are treating it as an “act of domestic terrorism.”

Ed Reinhold, the FBI special agent in charge in eastern Tennessee, stressed that investigators “have not determined whether it was an act of terrorism or whether ... it was a simple, criminal act.” He added

Abdulazeez

that as of just before midnight Thursday, “we don’t have anything that directly ties him to an international terrorist organization.”

Finding out Abdulazeez’s motive is a top priority, as is learning who he interacted with and how they might factor into the bloodshed.

“We are checking every possible place that he ... could have resided, visited, where he shopped, where he went to school, who his friends were, if he worked out at a gym,” said Reinhold. “Every possible lead.”

Gina Mule was opening up her restaurant late Thursday in a small plaza along Chattanooga’s Lee Highway when she heard a “pow, pow, pow!”

“He never got out of the car. He had a big, huge, highpowered rifle, and he was

unloading shots right into the recruiters,” referring to the offices of an armed forces recruiting center. “There had to be 20 to 30 shots.”

Watching from a nearby hair salon, April Grimmett saw a man ducking between cars.

“Shortly after that, we heard the (shots). It was very loud and very fast,” she said. “It was insane.”

It only got worse.

Over the next half-hour, Abdulazeez, a 24-year-old with an engineering degree from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, drove his rental car to a Navy operational support center 7 miles away, a law enforcement official said.

He rammed the gates of the center and got into the facility, said Reinhold, who added that investigators are still trying to pin down whether or not he got inside a building.

He was armed with an AK-47-style weapon and 30-round magazines, according to two law enforcement officials. He kept police at bay for some time before being killed, with Reinhold saying Thursday night it “has not been determined ... how he died.”

Quote

of

the

day

“Relations between Nigeria and US, which had not been too rosy before, should be reset by the visit. We expect a new tone in bilateral relations both in form and in content”.

— Jiti Ogunye, a Lagos-based human rights lawyer, while discussing Buhari’s visit to US as to bring a “salutary rapprochement” between the two countries..

Saturday, July 18, 2015. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net

Buhari’s Jugaad Innovation

M

aybe we should try open innovation in Nigeria. That simply means we openly discuss our problems and have a variety of suggestions on how to solve them. We can have public debates at various levels. We simply identify the problems and suggest solutions, with government coordinating the process and implementing the result.

Perhaps closed innovation is the answer. We can allow government to locate our problems and find solutions on the way forward, using our institutions; the Ministries, the Council of States, State Institutions, the Central Bank and other institutions of government. We have already transferred political mandates to them, so they should use closed innovation to move us forward.

Could it be that what we need is The Jugaad Innovation. Maybe government should fix the problem now, quickly, using the Indian Man’s approach. We want solution now!

What if we combine one or two or all of these frameworks and fix Nigeria? It’s more desirable to know what we want and how we want to do it. Let us know the approach we intend to use, so that we can follow the appropriate process.

What then is innovation in government?

It’s simply the art of using the best technology and capabilities to fix or create super delivery in the form of infrastructure and meet the needs of the people for dominant government programmes, super GDP and improved standard of living.

The question on the lips of Nigerians in the last thirty days has been centered on the possibility of fixing Nigeria for super delivery of social and infrastructural needs of the people. The demand is legitimate, considering the capacity of the government and the political agenda upon which the president was elected, which is ‘CHANGE.’ It appears the President is trapped in both the economic and political fronts in the performance of his job. But his vast experience has put him in a vantage position.

The President has been rising above all kinds of troubled waters in the last thirty days in office, using his priceless experience of Governance; as a General and Governor of the Northern Region, Minister of Petroleum, Head of State and Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF. Interestingly, he has also spent sixteen years campaigning for the office of President!

More significant is the fact that the political party that produced the government has no experience of federal governance, but has impeccable record of success at

CFR

T he

resource problem simply means

there is no money in the treasury to do all that was promised , not that those things will not be

done .

If

there is need to create

the resources before fulfilling

those promises , it may take a little longer than expected state governance level. It thus appears that everything will be new and time will be the currency to spend.

Even if the President desires to try the Jugaad Innovation, he may be forced by circumstances to slow down somehow to gather some momentum. This is, however, not an excuse for compromising early wins.

The early win strategy would have been the outcome of a diagnostic review of the immediate past government’s pathway performance, which is expected to have been detailed to the decision room of the President from the Strategy Office of the APC. Effective time management would have saved the President delivery gap, especially with the sixty days period of grace before the swearing in of the new government.

But it is not too late.

What then is President Buhari’s Problem?

There are two major problems confronting Mr. President as can be gleaned from various statements in the last thirty days, and there are two best ways by which the problems can be solved.

The two problems are as follows: Lack of resources and locating appropriate human capital that will hachure development.

The President cannot afford to make

any mistake, especially in solving the second leg of the problem, for if there are no resources, there must be the best of brains that can be used to create those resources.

The desire and the end result of the President’s adventure and that of APC in government is simply to improve the lives of the average Nigerian by providing basic infrastructural facilities and an improved standard of living for all, to change the lot of the common man from poverty to prosperity.

The resource problem simply means there is no money in the treasury to do all that was promised, not that those things will not be done. If there is need to create the resources before fulfilling those promises, it may take a little longer than expected.

The pertinent question here is: How long?

The implication of no resources is apparent. Earlier in this column, in an article titled “The Economy in 2015,” in which I reflected on Nigeria’s position in the global economy, I maintained that Nigeria is not on the list of the twenty fastest growing economies in 2015.

“It is interesting to know that things will move better and faster in Ghana in 2015. It appears that Ghana will attract more direct foreign investment in

the year under consideration. This is as a result of relative political stability. Ghana may improve her culture to attract more major foreign investment decisions in the New Year. It is predicted that the IMF may assist Ghana more in 2015, as Ghana is creating alternative identity to the African brand.”

In that same article, I named those countries that will witness fast growth in the year 2015 as follows: “Ghana and Sierra Leone will be among the twenty fastest growing economies in the world in the year under review. The developing countries that made the list of the twenty fastest growing economies in the world are Uganda +61%, Cambodia +7.3%, Tanzania +7.4, Zambia +7.6% Panama + 7.5%, Sri Lanka + 7.5%, Uzbekistan + 7.4%, Gambia + 7.8%, Rwanda + 7.6%, Congo + 7.0%, Ethiopia + 7.9%, Angola + 8.8%, Laos + 8.8%, Ghana + 8.15%, Mozambique + 8.7%, China +8.7%, Sierra Leone + 9.54%, Timor Leste +20.6%, Iran + 12.2% and Mongolia +13.6%.”

It will make sense for me to reproduce the article as it was published across the world. This will simply explain the point being made by the president that there are no resources at hand for some of the expectations. While government continues to work on the promises made to the people, it is very important to see how resources will be created.

The public sector and the 2015 game The challenges identified in the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, as constrains to Nigeria’s growth were not addressed in the 2015 budget, perhaps as a result of revenue decline in capital project allocation for the year. This remains a strong indicator of the country’s development.

The issues of large control of over 50 percent of revenue allocation to the 36 states and 774 local governments (autonomy) has not translated to physical development in infrastructure, health and education policies of the government at various levels. There are also serious concerns about human resource development, investment climate and agricultural policies of the government.

The Federal Government (inclusive of SURE – P) budget before presentation in 2015 came down by about 400 billion Naira, specifically, from 4.9 trillion to 4.6 trillion naira!

To be continued * Dr Jimoh Ibrahim (CFR) writes from the University of Oxford.

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