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Big Read Brand Xenophobia: THE

The South African nightmare

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News

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Ekiti NMA declares strike over kidnapping of medical workers

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Sunday, May 10, 2015

Vol. 5 No. 20

Resign now, Gov Aliyu tells PDP leaders ...says they should emulate defeated UK party leaders APC assures fresh graduates of better deal

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I’ll go back to school after May 29 – Amina Sambo

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PASSION

A Lifestyle

Magazine

Sunday May 10, 2015

Participants at the Lagos Carnival on Lagos Island, yesterday.

PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

Deportees from Niger begin HIV screening 1,200 arrive in Borno News

IDP camps now 21

APPLAUS E

>>27

Politics is easier than making music –Kenny Saint Best >>27

Life has taug not to be too ht me -Bola Mojeedtrusting P.7

Ogun auto crash claims five from bridal party

>>26

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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What’s new Politics

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Seven Days TALKING POINTS OF THE PAST WEEK May 10, 2015

Fuel scarcity: We’ve 1.2bn litres in Present your evidence to public, stock –NNPC translates into 31 days sufficienMu’azu dares critics cy going by the 40 million litres

Likely nominees for Buhari cabinet Passion

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Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its downstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, yesterday said 1.2 billion litres of premium motor spirit, PMS, otherwise known as petrol is in stock.

The disclosure came even as the scarcity of the product is biting harder across major cities in the country.

But, the NNPC, in a statement signed by its group general manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Ohi Alegbe, said the 1.2 billion figure

daily consumption of fuel in the country.

The statement quoted the managing director of the PPMC, Prince Haruna Momoh, to have made the disclosure in Abuja, adding that 21 additional vessels laden with petroleum products are offshore Lagos waiting to berth.

He said the NNPC had made adequate arrangements to ensure energy sufficiency in the country and reassured motorists that the noticeable queues at the filling stations would thin out in the days ahead.

Constitution Amendment: Stay action, S’Court orders N’Assembly

Life has taught me not to be too trusting -Bola Mojeed I’m an actress because I have passion for acting, and my happiest moment is when I’m in front of the camera interpreting roles, playing out other people’s character and making it look like mine.

For me, that’s thrilling. I pray that in future I will be one of the international actresses.

Wellness

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A full panel of the Supreme Court yesterday warned the National Assembly, NASS, to shelve its plans to enact into law the Fourth Alteration Act which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution.

The high bench presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmoud Mohammed, held that

since a suit had been filed on the issue, parties must maintain the status quo on the matter.

But before the court issued the warning, the CJN had raised preliminary issues on the competence of the suit and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter as presently constituted.

Pensioners accuse Jonathan of diverting benefits to fund campaign Scores of pensioners who retired from the federal civil service yesterday trooped to the streets of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital protesting the non-payment of their pensions and gratuities by the National Pension Commission, NPC. The protesters, under

the aegis of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Federal Contributory Pension Retirees Sector, stormed the Iwe Irohin House, headquarters of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Oke -Ilewo, Abeokuta with placards bearing various inscriptions.

National Chairman of the Peoples Dem¬ocratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, has described as hopeless, the allegation by Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, that he sold out the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the last general election.

Mu’azu who spoke through his twitter handle yesterday afternoon said he is not in any way moved by the controversial gover¬nor’s

Ekiti APC files six petitions at tribunal The Elections Petitions Tribuna in Ekiti State will handle only six petitions file by the All Progressives Congress, APC, to challenge the results of the March 28 and April 11 National and state Assemblies elections in some affected areas.

Three major parties – the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, APC and Labour Party, LP – participated in the elections in the state.

While LP state chairman, Hon Akin Omole, said his party would not challenge the results of the elections as a policy, the lawyer of APC, Mr Ibrahim Olanrewaju, told newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday that his party filed six petitions to challenge six seats in the elections.

It would be recalled that PDP candidates won all the three senatorial seats, six House of Representatives seats and 26 House of

Evaezi Ogoro

Barely few weeks af¬ter the 2015 general election, which All Progressives Grand Alli¬ance, APGA, almost lost all the seats in Anambra State to the Peoples Demo¬cratic Party, PDP, a group of APGA members in the state are pressuring the party’s National Chair¬man, Chief Victor Umeh to convene and conduct the party’s national con¬vention which will usher in a new leader-

ship in line with his promise at last year’s convention at Woman Development Cen¬tre Awka.

The group under the ae¬gis of APGA Mandate for Good Governance, AMGG, Anambra State chapter, said it has been watching the body language of APGA national chairman, Chief Umeh, which depicts that he was planning to play a fast one on the leadership of the party.

MON THU WED TUE FRI

At a board meeting by directors, executives and trustees, Mr. Richard Asibe (not real name) one of the driving forces of his company, was in a middle of rounding up his speech when he suddenly paused. His audience thought he was gathering his thoughts.

Then he coughed, slightly, the flat of his right palm suddenly went to his chest.

Umeh under pressure to conduct APGA national convention

SUN SAT

Prevention and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest

are patently in bad faith, morally repugnant and indecorous.”

The party also urged the President to stop his aides from overheating the polity with their incautious statements, especially relating to the transition of power.

Assembly seats in the election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Olanrewaju said that APC filed two petitions for the senatorial election while four were filed for the state House of Assembly election to challenge the victory of the PDP candidates in the affected areas.

He said the petitions for the senatorial election were filed by the APC candidates in Ekiti Central senatorial district, Mr Gbenga Olofin, and the senator representing Ekiti South senatorial district, Senator Anthony Adeniyi.

According to him, the duo is contesting the declaration of Hon Fatimat Raji-Rasaki and Chief Biodun Olujimi by INEC as winners for Ekiti Central and South senatorial districts respectively.

MUSICIAN AND AN ACTRESS

APC condemns FG’s last minute appointments All Progressives Congress, APC, has come down hard on President Goodluck Jonathan over what it called his engagement “in a rash of feverish last-minute appointments that, though may not have breached any known law,

statement, mocking him that his death claim on the President-elect, Mu¬hammadu Buhari before the election, is a good pa¬rameter to judge him as a prophet of lies.

Mu’azu said: “Fayose said he has evidence that I sold PDP out to APC during the last election, we hope it’s not the kind of evidence he once said he had that Buhari was dying when he travelled abroad before the election.”

I’m sure you will expect me to say that I hold board meetings on Mondays with my staff. Far from it. Reason being that the life of an entertainer is an unpredictable one and that is because our time and energies are channeled into the latest projects we embark on.

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

Same with Mondays and Tuesdays except that Wednesdays are my shooting days especially short films.

This fourth day of the week is what I call my cinema-watching days. I get my mind set for the weekend by going to the cinemas to watch good movies.

Remember I’m also a musician. So, on Fridays, I do intensive rehearsals with my band. Then later I try to schedule meetings with production crew for new project.

If I don’t have any event to attend, I try to keep myself busy with movies. I watch a lot of movies including my movies.

Sunday is my resting day. I got to church and I come back to rest. I’m only out on Sundays if I have an important event to attend or if I’m invited to perform which ofcourse is work for me. *By Adaeze Amos (08023012293)

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

Big Read SUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION May 10, 2015

Dead victim

Orgy of violence

A Mozambican national being murdered in front of camera

Victims returning home

Brand Xenophobia: The South African nightmare Many Nigerians, indeed decent folk world over were flabbergasted at the horrific images of black African immigrants being lynched on the Streets of South Africa that circulated on conventional and social media in recent weeks as the latest orgy of deadly xenophobic violence eclipsed the so-called Rainbow nation. Victims were burnt alive, knifed or stoned while fellow black albeit, South Africans stood aside and watched. Heads were sliced open and shops were looted in broad day light. The whole world reacted in horror at the senseless killings, including Nigeria. What really is xenophobia? What are the causes of these attacks and how can Nigeria protects her citizens. Ag Head of Investigations, Yemi Olakitan examines the subject.

T

he dictionary definition of xenophobia describes the phenomenon as a “deep-rooted, irrational hatred towards foreigners” (Oxford English Dictionary), and an “unreasonable fear or hatred of the unfamiliar” (Webster’s). The word comes from the Greek

word (xenos), meaning “strange”, “foreigner”, and, phobia, meaning “fear”.

Xenophobia can manifest itself in many ways involving the relations and perceptions of an in-group towards an out-group, including a fear of losing iden-

‘MIGRANTS PLAY POSITIVE ROLE IN S’AFRICA’ 5

tity, suspicion of its activities, aggression, and desire to eliminate its presence to secure a presumed purity.

The first is a population group present within a society that is not considered part of that society. Often they are recent immigrants, but xenophobia may be directed against a group which has been present for centuries, or became part of this society through conquest and territorial expansion. This form of xenophobia can elicit or facilitate hostile and violent reactions, such as mass expulsion of immigrants or genocide.

Xenophobia is as old as mankind. It has been in existence since Biblical times. The exodus of the Israelites from the land of Egypt can be described as xenophobic, so also is the German systematic murder of more than five million Jews during World War II. In the weeks of violence in South Africa, shops and homes owned by Somalis, Ethiopians, Malawians and other immigrants in Durban and surrounding townships have been targeted, forcing families to flee to camps protected by armed guards.

According to reports, aggression towards the immi-

SOUTH AFRICANS SICK, NEED CURE, SAYS ZUMA 6

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The Big Read

Sunday, May 10, 2015

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‘Xenophobia based on false assumptions’

People around the world protest the violence

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 grants in South Africa was reportedly triggered by King Goodwill Zwelithini who said that foreigners must pack up and leave the country. Numerous African countries evacuated their nationals as a result. The main reason for the violence is believed to be rooted in the poor economic state and the high level youth unemployment in South Africa.

The government had vowed to crack down strongly on the unrest, with a decision to put soldiers on the streets after two nights of relative quiet in both cities.

The announcement was made in Alexandra, a Johannesburg township where a Zimbabwean couple survived a shooting. The man and woman were both shot in their necks and the woman suffered an additional shot in her leg, the minister said, Both Zimbabweans were treated and discharged from hospital.

In the same Alexandra area, a Mozambican man was stabbed to death by four South African men in full view of journalists. The four South African men appeared in court and remain in police custody. The National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Velekhaya Mgobhozi said, police have struggled to contain mobs that have been attacking foreigners from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and other African countries in both the economic capital Johannesburg and in the port city of Durban.

The spate of attacks has revived memories of xenophobic bloodshed in 2008, when 62 people were killed in Johannesburg’s townships, shaking South Africa’s post-apartheid image as a “rainbow nation” of different ethnic groups.

In the wake of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, Ambassador Uche Ajulu-Okeke, the Nigerian ConsulGeneral in South Africa said Nigerians living in South Africa have lost more than N21m since the attacks started. “Nigerians have compiled damages to their property and it is totaling about 1.2 million Rand or N21 million, which will be sent to the Federal Government for further action.”

Okeke added that in Durban, two of the three Nigerians who were injured during attacks had been treated and discharged from the hospital. “The Nigerian mission in South Africa is on top of the situation. We are working hard to protect Nigerians in South Africa.

“Though, the task has not been easy, we are trying our best. In one of the hot spots at Jeppe, near Johannesburg, the mission assisted about 50 stranded Nigerians to re-settle. According to the ambassador, the Nigerian mission has been meeting with all Nigerian Union chapters in the nine provinces of South Africa to find approaches on how to stop the attacks.

“I am bringing all Nigerians together so that we work out a vigilance and alert mechanism; they will also tell me what their challenges and issues are,” she said.

A man killed on the street

ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS, XENOPHOBIA IS MOSTLY BASED ON FALSE ASSUMPTIONS, WHICH ARE

NOT ACTUALLY VERIFIED THROUGH PRACTICAL RESEARCH OR DATA ANALYSIS.

Okeke said the mission and the Nigerian Union had been working effectively to meet the problems caused by the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

President of the Nigerian Union, Ikechukwu Anyene, said, 50 Nigerians were displaced at Jeppes town, near Johannesburg. “We met about 300 Nigerians in Jeppes town, near Johannesburg, who fled for their safety and about 50 of them do not have any place to stay. We are making arrangements with the Nigerian mission in South Africa to get them a place to stay. “The Nigerian union has also presented relief materials to those affected by the attacks and we are in touch with various branches of the union in the provinces on their safety and security,” he added.

Anyene said Nigerian shops and businesses in Durban and Johannesburg had been looted and some burnt.

He said two shops belonging to Nigerians in Durban were looted and they lost goods worth 400,000 Rand.

Black immigrants from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Congo as well as Nigerians living in South Africa have been blamed for the high rate of unemployment, prostitution, crime rates in South Africa, if this is even

true, the issues cannot be dealt with by mob attacks.

According to researchers, xenophobia is mostly based on false assumptions, which are not actually verified through practical research or data analysis.

In a reaction, the South African Minister of Home Affairs, Malusi Gigaba said, more than 300 people have been imprisoned in South Africa in connection with the wave of violence against immigrants. He released a warning to those responsible, saying that they would be subject to “the full might of the law”. Soldiers have been deployed to volatile areas in Johannesburg and KwaZulu-Natal in a bid to quell anti-immigrant violence that has killed at least seven people in weeks of unrest.

Acting Nigerian high commissioner to South Africa Martins Cobham, had said, the removal of Nigerians from the country was not an option for now.

He said the situation was being checked on lower, middle and high threat levels and stressed the need for Nigerians in the country to avoid areas of high risk, abide by the laws of the host country and cooperate with local security officials.

Defense analyst Helmoed Heitman, based in Pretoria, said the decision to send troops to troubled spots showed that the government was concerned. “While it has been terrible, it has not been a total disaster and I think the decision to deploy is an attempt to prevent a disaster from taking place.”

South Africa was criticised by foreign governments, including China, Nigeria, and Zimbabwe, for failing to protect foreigners as TV stations broadcast images around the world of armed mobs looting immigrantowned shops.

President Jacob Zuma’s government was put under further pressure when images appeared in local media of men beating and stabbing Mozambican Emmanuel Sithole to death in broad daylight. The Zulu monarch was widely blamed for the attacks. He was believed to have caused an incitement with his statement in which he compared “foreigners” in South Africa to “amazeze” (lice or fleas) and exhorted them to pack up and go home.

While many South Africans expressed shock and disgust at these utterances, with several making comparisons to hate speech during the Rwandan genocide in which Tutsis were routinely referred to as cockroaches, King Goodwill Zwelithini claimed that he was quoted out of context, and the South African government has taken no action against him.

South Africa’s Equality Act allows for prosecution in cases of hate speech and incitement to violence, while Article 3 of the UN convention against Genocide also makes provisions for “direct and public incitement to commit genocide”.

Currently, several of South Africa’s urban settlements and urban business districts are awash with xenophobic sentiment and mob violence, with South AfCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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Sunday, May 10, 2015

The Big Read

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‘Migrants play positive role in S’Africa’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 ricans attacking, looting and killing nationals of other countries, most of them from other parts of Africa or South Asia.

With horrifying images and poignant victim testimony making international headlines, the Zuma administration, initially slow to react, finally spoke out against the savagery.

However, the statements by the president and others have actually done little to curb the madness. In one statement, President Jacob Zuma urges “our people to treat those who are in our country legally with respect and Ubuntu”. The qualifier of “legally” implies that those who are here illegally need not be accorded the same respect. Similarly, on a Zulu-language news broadcast on the national broadcaster, Zuma’s address can be loosely translated as: “We realise that there are people living here who are illegal, we also know that there are people who take jobs from other people, however we need to fix this matter.” It seems as though President Zuma was supporting the popular belief that immigrants are stealing South African jobs.

However, the Gauteng City-Region Observatory – a collaborative project between Wits University, the University of Johannesburg and the provincial government – conducted a survey of the informal sector in Johannesburg. Dr Sally Peberdy, a senior researcher at the Observatory – says that the belief that international migrants dominate the informal sector is false. “We found that less than two out of 10 people who owned a business in the informal sector in Johannesburg were cross-border migrants.” Peberdy argues that international migrants do play a positive role in South Africa.

“The evidence shows that they contribute to South Africa and South Africans by providing jobs, paying rent, paying VAT and providing affordable and convenient goods.” The Observatory’s study found that 31 per cent of the 618 international migrant traders rented properties from South Africans. Collectively they also employed 1,223 people, of which 503 were South Africans.

While it is undoubtedly true that some of the frustrations that have fuelled xenophobic violence are rooted in socioeconomic inequality and the high unemployment levels among South Africans (between 40 and 65 per cent according to various statistics), the situation can hardly be the fault of immigrants. It seemed it is a fall out of the apartheid regime. Investigations reveal that, there has been little attempt by officials to acknowledge that the abject living conditions of millions of poor South Africans and the lack of social services, is a contributing factor, particularly in a context of gross corruption and within government circles.

Many people outside the country are puzzled by this black-on-black violence, while others agreed that it has its roots in the past, when the apartheid government resourced one group of black South Africans to fight another in a horrifying proxy war that led to brutal and indiscriminate killings on both sides.

Certainly there is a sense among some South Africans that tend to solve problems through violence. The civil disobedience of the apartheid era, when freedom fighters vowed to make the country ungovernable, has carried over into the democratic era. Many believe that intimidation, looting and violence are still legitimate tools of political expression, while others are merely opportunistic when they join in the looting and attacks.

The tacit acceptance of such attitudes at high levels of government, and the desultory action by the police and criminal justice system, has resulted in an atmosphere of impunity, particularly when antipathy of immigrants is expressed.

Since the mid-2000s, the South African government has ignored analysts’ warnings of the potential for xenophobia, and has preferred instead to regard outbreaks of anti-immigrant violence as “criminality”.

There is also undoubted frustration that the promises of freedom, of “a better life for all” have not been

Zuma

Jonathan

realised, with the poorest of the poor actually becoming poorer while the richest appear to relish relatively indecent levels of wealth.

Add to this is a context where many “foreigners” start businesses in the poorest areas, and are seen to be earning better incomes and living better lives than those born in South Africa makes the anti-foreigner resentment becomes more entrenched, though not justified.

In the short to medium term, the Zuma administration needs to take concerted action to arrest and prosecute perpetrators of xenophobic violence, and to put into place measures to safeguard communities with large numbers of immigrant residents or workers.

Investigations reveal that of the 350 foreigners killed during the outbreak of xenophobic violence in 2008, only one has resulted in a murder conviction. This statistic continued a picture of impunity for perpetrators of such heinous attacks which will have many unanticipated repercussions for South Africa.

Already, South African entertainers and sportspeople are experiencing a backlash by having gigs and sporting events cancelled. South African professionals are being repatriated from countries such as Mozambique and Malawi, and a consumer boycott of South African exports to the rest of the continent is being organised. It is to be hoped that these signals are being noted by Pretoria and that the government will, at long last, begin to deal with the scourge of xenophobia in a concerted, considered, and far-reaching manner.

This xenophobic resentment if not checked, will cripple South Africa herself. The unrest, which began in Durban spread to at least nine provinces, and reached Johannesburg. Although President Jacob Zuma used his Freedom Day address to take a firm stance on xenophobic violence that has gripped the country, lashing out at governments who “criticise the South African government but their citizens are in our country” Reverend Andrew Akinsuyi of the Salvation of God Mission, said, “It seems as though the South African President does not know that South Africans are also living peacefully in other Africa countries without attacks.’’ he said, such utterances by the president do little to help the matter. The president out to know that South Africans are also living in other African countries and going about their businesses without harassment. He was speaking as though all South Africans are living in their home country. This is far from the truth; many of them are living in Nigeria and running companies without unnecessary interference by Nigerians”, he said.

Speaking further Akinsuyi said, “Nigeria ought to take a very strong stand against the attitude of South Africa. They should know that we can do the same to their people here in Nigeria if we choose. The government of South Africa must show a very strong commitment to eradicating xenophobia by bringing the criminals to justice. I also believe that Nigeria must as a matter of urgency solve the problem of electricity. The only reason Nigerians go to a country like South Africa to do businesses is because of our epileptic power supply. If you remove that many Nigerians will come home including those in Europe and the United states. I don’t see what South Africa has that we do not have. We must fix our energy problems and then our people will no longer go to live in countries where they might be attacked and killed”, he said.

Nigeria in response to these attacks recalled his top diplomat. Acting High Commissioner to South Africa Martin Cobham, who said he was “invited” to Abuja to discuss the anti-immigrant attacks in South Africa, which have killed at least seven people. Televised images of armed gangs attacking immigrants and looting foreign-owned stores in Johannesburg have sparked a backlash in Nigeria, where hundreds protested in front of shops owned by South African brands like MTN and Shoprite.

South Africa’s foreign ministry called Cobham’s recall an “unfortunate and regrettable step”, before taking a swipe at Abuja for its own record on protecting foreigners.

It will be recalled that last September, a church hostel collapsed in Lagos, killing 115 people, most of them South Africans. Nigeria was criticized for its slow response to the disaster and what some saw as a haphazard rescue effort. However, critics have said, this can hardly be compared to xenophobic attacks since it was an accident.

In a statement, Clayson Monyela, spokesperson for DIRCO, said the South African government was shocked that the Nigerian government would resort “to such an extraordinary diplomatic step to express outrage at actions or behaviour of another government”.

Monyela said, “We are not sure which actions or behaviour of the South African Government the Nigerian Government is protesting”.

“It is only Nigeria that has taken this unfortunate and regrettable step. If this action is based on the incidents of attacks on foreign nationals in some parts of our country, it would be curious for a sisterly country to want to exploit such a painful episode for whatever agenda.”

The South African authority said despite the recall, the country remained committed to a strong bond of friendship and bilateral relations with Nigeria despite the death of 84 South Africans at a collapsed guest house of Synagogue Church of All Nations on September 12, 2014.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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Sunday, May 10, 2015

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South Africans sick, need cure, says Zuma CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

The country took a jab at the outgoing administration of President Goodluck Jonathan saying it would raise its concerns through diplomatic channels with the incoming Muhammadu Buhari administration and referencing the failure of the current administration to rescue the kidnapped chibok girls and also end Boko Haram insurgency.

“We shall also continue to support and not blame the Nigerian Government as it battles to deal with Boko Haram that continues to kill many innocent civilians,” the statement said. “We hope that the more than 200 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram will someday be reunited with their families.”

South Africa and Nigeria have had a tense relationship since the former seized millions of dollars in cash illegally brought into its territory by Nigerian authorities.

Zuma said a frank conversation on illegal immigrants needed to take place within the Southern African Development Community as well as the African Union.

Zuma mentioned the murder of Mozambican citizen Manuel Jossias—first identified as Emmanuel Sithole—in the Alexandra Township.

“He used a false name to avoid detection by authorities as he was an illegal immigrant,” he said.

Zuma paid tribute to the three South Africans who were killed in the attacks in Durban: Ayanda Dlamini, Msawenkosi Dlamini and Thabo Mzobe, who was 14 years old.

He said South Africans were angry, adding; “We need to be cured, we are sick”.

“The latest outbreak of violence necessitates more comprehensive action from all of us to ensure that there is no recurrence. We have to address the underlying causes of the violence and tensions, which is the legacy of poverty, unemployment and inequality in our country and our continent and the competition for limited resources,” Zuma said.

He also spoke at length of how violent South African communities are, adding that “we need a psychological cure”.

“Apartheid was a violent system and it produced violent countermeasures to it. So people still believe that to fight authority you must fight government, even now, when it is your own government. We need to be helped as a society,” he said.

“They get excited. They burn the tyres; they block the roads; they destroy property; exercising their rights but interfering with the rights of many.”

Zuma then lashed out at the Economic Freedom Fighters and their trademark militancy in Parliament.

“Look at the institution that is said to be the apex of democracy, Parliament. Look at the politicians whom you have voted for, how angry they are. How defiant they are, even in Parliament,” he said to thunderous applause.

Zuma said Parliament and the office of the Speaker should be respected.

He was taking exception to the behaviour of EFF Members of Parliament who often disobey the orders of the Speaker in the national assembly.

“If the Speaker says ‘Out of my house’, you must get out. But what do some of the members of Parliament do when the Speaker says ‘Sit down’; they say ‘Speaker, I want to address you’. They will continue addressing the speaker. If the speaker says ‘Withdraw’ they say ‘I won’t withdraw’. If the speaker says ‘Out’ they say ‘I won’t go out’,” He said this was a glaring example of what he called the “violent culture of apartheid”.

“Imagine if politicians are so angry then who will rule the country.”

South African President Jacob Zuma deployed troops last week to quell the violence in Johannesburg and the port city of Durban, which forced thousands of people from their homes over the past few weeks.

Minsiter of State for Foreign Affairs, Musiliu Oban-

Ambassador Mguni Lulu

“THE LATEST OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE NECESSITATES MORE COMPREHENSIVE ACTION FROM ALL OF US TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS NO RECURRENCE.

WE HAVE

TO ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF THE VIOLENCE AND

TENSIONS, WHICH IS THE LEGACY

OF POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT AND INEQUALITY IN OUR COUNTRY

A victim set on fire

ikoro, who summoned South Africa’s High Commissioner in Abuja to demand Pretoria take “concrete steps to quell the unrest has also demanded compensation for the victims of the attacks.

Hundreds of Zimbabweans, Malawians and Mozambicans have been repatriated by their governments over the unrest, which has drawn fierce criticism of South Africans from Africans in other parts of the continent.

The South African Department of International Relations and Cooperation, has described the recall of Nigeria’s High Commissioner as an “unfortunate and regrettable” diplomatic step.

In a chat with Pa Theophilus Ajibola, an educationist, he said, “While Americans continually pride their country as “a nation of immigrants” and talks about how immigrants have helped the prosperity of the United States. South Africans are using the same reason as an excuse for the mass unemployment, abject poverty and inequality experienced in their country by native South Africans. America is said to be the nation with the highest number of immigrants in the world and yet the greatest nation. South Africa on the other hand, when faced with the same situation considered it the reason for her poverty.

“Something must be wrong with black Africans. This is a country who when they were in trouble under the heavy weight of apartheid all African nations supported and helped them especially Nigeria. It is a shame that

this same people have become xenophobic to their fellow African brothers and start attacking them, setting people on fire on the streets. It is completely unacceptable. Nelson Mandela must be angry in his grave,’’ he said.

President Barack Obama in a heartfelt televised address to the United States, explain his decision to enact sweeping immigration reforms that will shield from deportation almost five million people currently living in the country illegally. In an emotional broadcast from the White House, the president unveiled controversial executive action that will make millions of undocumented migrants eligible to live and work in what he described as “a nation of immigrants”. He urged America to show compassion to newcomers who entered the country illegally but have worked hard and put down roots yet still “see little option but to remain in the shadows or risk their families being torn apart”.

Since Obama made these announcements, no xenophobic attacks have been reported in the United States of America.

The Zulu king spewed hate and parts of South Africa went aflame. South Africans have been noted to exhibit exceptionalism, a shared self perception as non Africans. And many have tried to find the reasons for such a ‘superiority complex’ or sense of otherness. Their struggle against apartheid may have conditioned them and foisted on them a sense of uniqueness sufficient to justify the conception of brother Africans as “others”.

But nothing can explain a penchant for naked hate filled violence by black South Africans against black Africans of other nationalities. The current spate of attacks is preceded by other such events. According to reports, everyday street interaction reveals a population seething with hate for black immigrants in many parts of South Africa Many South Africans allude to the fact that many of the foreign African nationals in their country engage in nefarious activities and help to worsen the deteriorating crime situation in the country. A particular charge is laid against Nigerian nationals for example is drug peddling, advance fee fraud and armed robbery. It is true that years of apartheid have left many black South African youths and families impoverished and educationally backward. These black communities suffer many social dislocations and deprivations and all of these have contributed in raising family and social tensions. Such communities can ill afford aggravation of broken situations by immigrants. But rather than employ mob justice and barbaric methods, why wouldn’t such an aggrieved society use the criminal justice structures and immigration processes to stem any such foreign criminal proliferation. All these seem to be the aftermath of apartheid South Africa, blacks live in squalor. Yet down trodden indigenous black Africans transfer murderous aggression to fellow sympathetic black Africans. South Africa has deep seated problems of social inequality.

Many African nations sacrificed so much in the fight against apartheid and the inexplicable lukewarm attitude of South African leaders in the wake of the attacks has baffled many. A group of hitherto shackled people who, in their dark days, lived off the benevolence and charity of others in the spirit of African brotherhood, and whose freedom was purchased by the contributions of sweat and blood by many African nations What lessons can Nigeria learn from these horrendous killings? The pictures coming from South Africa are gory. Conspicuous free flow of moral outrage is good and hopefully will be effective deterrent, but emotional outpourings are not enough. Women and children have been decapitated severally following religious riots in northern Nigeria. Thousands have died in Plateau state in many ethnic religious confrontations between indigenes and “settlers”. Instigators and perpetrators have always walked away and victims have never been rehabilitated. So we can make demands on South Africa but we must set same standards for ourselves. Punish offenders; soothe victims, re-adjust the society.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday May 10, 2015

Deportees from Niger begin HIV screening •1,200 arrive in Borno •IDP camps now 21

INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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he Borno State Government has evacuated first batch of 1,200 of its citizens sent out from Niger Republic. The citizens had converged at a camp in Geidam town of Yobe State, which has border between Nigeria and Diffa in Niger Republic.

The 1,200 persons were amongst over 6,000 Nigerians asked to leave Niger after recent attacks by the dreaded Boko Haram sect.

Authorities in the French speaking country were said

to have asked the refugees to leave so they could carry out a military operation against insurgents in areas the refugees were staying. Borno is said to have 2,400 citizens out of 6,000.

Speaking to newsmen, Saturday, while receiving the first batch of 1,200 deportees at Njimtilo, the entrance to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, the Chairman of Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Alhaji Grema Terab, said Governor Kashim Shettima on Thursday ordered the immediate evacu-

ation of citizens of Borno from Geidam transit camp and gave approval for the establishment of special camp for them in Maiduguri with their welfare taken care of by the government.

He noted that a camp had already been opened and with the new development, there will be 21 internally displaced persons camp in the state capital.

Terab explained that another set of 17 mass transit buses have been dispatched to Geidam to bring in the second batch of 1,200 people.

He disclosed that more peo-

ple are still expected in the event the Nigerien government continues to repatriate more people, maintaining that the his agency is prepared for the task ahead given the fact that it has the full support of Governor Kashim Shettima.

He said “The 2,400 are not the only people we are expecting back in Borno from Niger and provisions have been made to get them housed in one of the 400 Housing Estate along Gubio Road.”

Terab said the camp was specially created for them

because of their peculiar situation, stressing that “some of them though Nigerians were born in Niger and have never been to Nigeria, we have to keep them in a camp for now, console them and treat those that are traumatized with the intention of allowing them to mix with other Nigerians in not too distant a time.

“We are equally looking at the possibility of assisting them to start a new life in the country by given them economic assistance.”

He said the state government is not ruling out collapsing the new camp into the 20 already in existence after few months.

The SEMA chairman said: “When have identified the various local government areas of origin of the deportees and we will allow them to mix up with their people in the other local governments, we will also involve them in the larger programme of rehabilitation of the victims of the insurgency.

Meanwhile, the Yobe State Agency for Control of HIV/AIDS yesterday commenced HIV/AIDS screening for over 4,000 Nigerian returnees from Niger Republic, who fled the state at

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the wake of insurgency.

Executive Director of the agency, Hajiya Farida Mamudo, said in Giedam that the agency found it necessary to establish returnees HIV status to check the spread of the virus.

Mamudo emphasised that some of the returnees lost their wives and husbands and might soon remarry to start a new life.

“Some of you lost your spouses and may re-marry again.

“It is therefore very important that you know your status before remarrying so that those who tested negative, are not married to those who tested positive,” she said.

The director told them that once they established their status, the agency would guide them against the various means of contracting the virus.

Mamudo said those that tested positive would be guided on care and support programmes.

She assured the returnees that the results of the screening would be treated with confidentiality and reminded them that the law on stigmatisation in Yobe State attracts two years imprisonment.

PDP will hold APC accountable for election promises –Ekweremadu ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

Participants dancing at the Lagos Carnival parade on Lagos Island, yesterday. PHOTO: YINKA ADEPARUSI

APC chairman assures fresh graduates of better deal LIVINUS MENEDI YOLA

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he incoming government to be formed by the All Progressive Congress will create new doors of opportunity from the very minute it assumes government at the center, National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun has said.

Oyegun, who spoke at the 7th commencement (graduation) ceremony of the American University of Nigeria, Yola founded by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, said the fresh graduates should have nothing to worry about under the APC regime.

The APC chair, who expressed regrets about the plight of fresh graduates from the country’s tertiary institutions, promised that under the new APC administration doors of opportunities will be opened to them to be gainfully employed.

Oyegun however tasked the new graduands of the AUN and other youths to prepare themselves to become the agents if change of a new Nigeria.

“Fresh graduands in Nigeria, the APC administration is ready for you and is going from the first minute to open

the doors of opportunity for you. We as a nation are going through very difficult times.

The treasury is not exhausted but these are hard times. When the times are hard the tough get going. We are hoping that you going to join us in the new trajectory that this country is going”.

The President of AUN, Dr Margee Ensign, charged the class of 2015 to go out and be the change agents Africa seriously needs from its young and promising youthful population.

President Goodluck Jonathan in his special

remarks read by Hamisu Abubakar, the former Vice Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, extolled the progress being made by the AUN, noting that it had expanded access to quality university education in the country.

Hamisu who also doubled as the representative of the Executive Secretary of the National University Commission in his special remarks said the university regulator was happy that the institution had obtained accreditation for all the courses being offered on its campus.

D

eputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, yesterday said that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would hold the All Progressives Congress, APC,government accountable for its promises to Nigerians.

Ekweremadu spoke when he led the PDP post-election committee to the Presidential Villa to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan.

The Deputy Senate President said the members of the PDP had been able to absorb the shock of defeat, stressing that they have agreed that all the bickering in the party must stop.

He stated that the members are ready to rebuild the party in order to be able to present a credible opposition for the country that would ensure that the PDP returns to power in 2019.

According to him, Jonathan had already pledged his support to the PDP post-election committee which was

set up to have an overview of the performance of the party during the March 28 and April 11 elections.

Ekweremadu said, “As you are aware, the PDP set up a committee to have an overview of our performance during 2015 election and possibly proffer a road map for the PDP to return to its past glory” “This committee has since been inaugurated and we deemed it necessary to come back to the leader of the party to brief him on our appointment and to seek his support and cooperation” “I would like to announce that Mr. President has given us his words that he will encourage and will support this process and that he is interested in the party returning to its past glory and that he is going to do everything to ensure that we remain intact and we also agreed that all bickering have to stop so that we have a position that will enable us to rebuild our party”, the Deputy Senate President added.

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News

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Scores killed in Borno Boko Haram attack INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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o fewer than 20 people including 12 terrorists were killed with scores sustained gunshot injuries when a group of suspected Boko Haram insurgents invaded Ngulde village of Askira/Uba local government area of Borno state.

Ngulde is south and about 80km drive from Askira and just 40 kilometres away from Chibok Local government area which shares local border with

Sambisa forest.

Our correspondent report that this is the second time Ngulde is witnessing Boko Haram attack, the first was last year in 2014 when the insurgents attacked the town but only burnt down the Police outpost.

Sources said the insurgents connived with some residents of the village suspected to be collaborators of Boko Haram on Wednesday at about 12 noon and wrecked havoc on innocent civilians, which led to the killing of ight residents

with several others injured, before setting ablaze some residential houses, places of worship and shops.

The source added that “with quick intervention of members or vigilantes (local hunters), no fewer than 12 of the insurgents were killed with others fled with various degrees of injuries.

“Our village came under deadly attack on Wednesday when some group of terrorists armed with AK47 rifles, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and

petrol bombs that claimed many lives with property worth millions of naira destroyed. Our Vigilantes group confronted them and repelled the attack, killing dozen of the terrorists.

“As I am speaking to you now, most of our people including old aged parents have fled the village as the terrorists vowed to come back and sack the whole village”. A surviving resident and reliable source have revealed in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

Another resident (names

L-R: Lead Consultant, VIPCG - Corporate Development International, Mrs. Vicky Idoko-Pope; Head of Water Sector Reform, Ministry of Water Resources, Mr. Benson Ajisegiri and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sara Ochekpe, during the presentation of the National Water Resources Capacity Based Network in Abuja at the weekend.

Senate presidency: Middle Belt youths drum up support for Akume JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

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group under the umbrella of Middle Belt Youth Assembly yesterday appealed to all senators-elect to support Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume, to emerge as Senate President in the forthcoming 8th Senate.

Yakubu Ndam, the President of the group, made the appeal while addressing newsmen yes-

terday in Jos the Plateau state capital.

He insisted that Akume gave the opposition a voice in the 7th Senate, adding that it was only natural that he emerged as Senate President.

In his words, “Senator Akume is very effective as minority Leader in the Senate. Therefore, it is natural that the man, who did well with little responsibility, should be given higher responsibility”.

Besides, Ndam stressed

that Senator Akume had proved to be a leader of people and resources, having single-handedly built the opposition in Benue State, a hitherto PDP- controlled state. He said Akume had over the years, proved to be concerned with the development of people and society, hence, his towering political profile.

“Senator Akume remains one of the few, who served as governor for eight years and has not been linked with any allegation of cor-

ruption and other moral impediments. Instead, he has been a dependable bridge builder and a highly detribalised Nigerian.

“As governor, it is on record that Akume showed commitment to the education sector and Provided dividends of democracy to the People of Benue as governor and deserves to be the President in order to continue to provide the needed leadership qualities to citizens of the country”, he added.

Police rescue kidnapped Niger Deputy Gov’s brother PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA.

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yuba Ibeto, the younger brother to Niger State deputy governor, Hon. Ahmed Musa Ibeto that was kidnapped last weekend at gunpoint in Ibeto, Magama Local Government Area of the state has been rescued, the state Police Command said yesterday.

It would be recalled Ibeto

was forcefully abducted at about 10 pm last week Friday by a gang of five gunmen who stormed their victim’s house and took him away The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olusola Amore said in Minna after the commissioning of a gymnasium donated by the senior officers of the state command, that Ibeto had been freed.

He explained that the victim was taken to an un-

known hideout in Kebbi State as soon as he was snatched by his kidnappers but no ransom was paid by the family before he was released.

According to him, Ibeto was abandoned in good health around Zuru -Wanta some kilometers after Dabeh in Yauri Local Government area of Kebbi State at about 3 a.m. on Wednesday.

Amore said, though no arrest has been in connec-

tion with the kidnap, but that the Police are on the trail of those behind it, while assuring that the man gang currently on the run will soon be arrested and made to face wrath of the law.

The police boss stated that the gymnasium was built with the donations from senior officers in the state in partnership with the stakeholders in order to enhance body fitness and boost operational capability of officers.

withheld) for security reason also said that, they have to flee the village and return on Thursday to bury their dead ones according to their religious rites, pointing out that, since the incident, no any security operative deployed to the village to confront the terrorists. He thanked members of the vigilante for re-

pelling the attack.

“The terrorists killed eight of our people including an 80 year old man, injured several others and looted foodstuff and livestock before they also met their waterloo from the hands of our local hunters”, a resident who did not want his name mentioned in the print, stated.

NEMA worried over non-adherence to flood disaster warnings PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

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he National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, has lamented that the major challenge confronting it is peoples’ reluctance to hid to warnings on flood disaster predicted by the Nigerian Metrological Agency, NIMET, in the country, ahead of the rainy season.

It said though floods are devastating nature-induced disasters that have persistently claimed lives, damaged property and the environment, identification and adherence to early warnings would reduce its impact on communities.

The Director General, NEMA, Alh. Muhammad Sani Sidi, who stated this during a Pre-Flood Campaign towards early Warning and Early Action for NGOs, CBOs, FBOs, and MDAs, in Minna, Niger state, said NIMET has done its part in giving prediction on flood, but it is now the

duty of people, especially communities living on flood prone areas to act.

As part of the effective measures for preparation for flood and other disasters, Sidi, who was represented at the campaign by the Head, Minna Operations Office, Mr. Slaku Lugard Bijimi, explained that the agency took the warning campaign to rural areas of the state to prepare the people, ahead of the time.

He stated that NEMA has trained many volunteers to assist in various communities in case of flood, adding that due to the devastating effect of flood in Nigeria, since 2012, it became necessary to bring stakeholders together every year after the seasonal prediction (SRP) by NIMET to discuss and prepare for the New Year rainfall.

“Early warning must lead to early action through linking warnings with mechanisms for preparedness, response and recovery, “he stressed.

Ogun auto crash claims five from bridal party FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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t least five persons including a toddler died, while 10 others sustained varying degrees of injuries in an auto crash which occurred yesterday along the Abeokuta - Siun - Sagamu expressway.

The dead were said to be among the bridal party who were travelling for a wedding ceremony in Sagamu.

The incident, which happened near the notorious Onipepeye village in the Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, involved two commercial vehicles - a Nissan Primeria marked

(LAGOS) LSD 770 BZ and a Mitsubishi Space Wagon with registration (LAGOS) GGE 950 CQ. Sunday Mirror gathered that three persons died on the spot, while two others lost their lives on the way to the State Hospital in Ijaiye, Abeokuta where they were rushed to for treatment.

An eyewitness, who attributed the cause of the accident to over speeding, explained to Sunday Mirror that the driver of the Nissan Primeria lost control, skidded off his lane and had a head-on collision with the Mitsubishi Space Wagon, which was on its way to Abeokuta from Lagos.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Sunday May 10, 2015

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Ekiti NMA declares strike over kidnappings of medical workers ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ekiti State has declared an indefinite strike

to protest the kidnap last week of a former Chief Medical Director of Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, EKSUTH, Dr Patrick Adegun and a theatre nurse with the Federal

Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Mrs. Margaret Aladenika.

The association said it arrived at the decision to withdraw all clinical services in Ekiti State until

safety of its members could be guaranteed at an Emergency General Meeting held on Friday in Ado Ekiti, It made the disclosure in a letter signed by the

President Goodluck Jonathan (4th left) Primate, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh (3rd left); Bishop of Ogbia Diocese, Rt. Rev. James Oruwori (right); the couple, George and Turnah and other officiating ministers, during the wedding between Jennifer and George at St. Matthew’s Anglican Church in Maitama, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Gov Aliyu urges PDP leaders to resign like defeated UK party leaders

G

ov. Babangida Aliyu of Niger yesterday urged leaders of Peo-

ples Democratic Party to emulate the British political leaders, who resigned after leading their parties to defeat in Thursday’s election.

Aliyu gave the advice in Dutse at the inauguration of a township road named after the then “`G7 Governors”

by Gov. Sule Lamido of

Jigawa.

He said that any leader, who led his political party to defeat, like it happened to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) supposed to resign.

“It is unfortunate that people had to be called to resign.

“The leaders are supposed to voluntarily resign their positions for the loss at the just concluded general elections.

‘It is unfair that they are threatening to form a factional PDP because they were asked to resign,” he said.

The gover nor noted that morality and principle were key attributes the PDP must imbibe to succeed for future elections.

According to him, what happened in the United Kingdom election on Thursday was a

reflection of morality and principle, which must be brought to the Nigerian polity.

Aliyu, who expressed delight on the naming of streets after the “G7 Governors” commended Lamido for his vision in ter ms of history, strong legal backing, with a view to enforcing the June 2015 deadline for digital broadcasting.

I’ll go back to school after May 29 – Amina Sambo OMEIZA AJAYI

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ife of the Vice President, Hajia Amina Namadi Sambo, has disclosed of what she intends to go back to the classroom to acquire more knowledge after the expiration of her husband’s tenure on May 29.

Mrs. Sambo, a graduate of Political Science from the Ado Bayero University, Kano spoke yesterday at a Walima organised in her honour by the Coalition of Nigerian Muslim Women at the National Mosque, Abuja.

Also honoured with

her was the wife of the Federal Capital Territory minister, Hajia Aisha Bala Mohammed.

Sambo, who did not disclose which institution or course of study she intends to pursue, said although she would continue to remain accessible, there will be times when she may be unable to immediately honour invitations to public engagements due to her academic pursuits.

“I will like to continue to leave my doors open in case you will call on me.

In case I say I am having exams...I am going back to school. So, do not be offended, I might be studying, but be rest assured

that I will always be with you”, she promised.

Hajia Sambo disclosed that all was now set for the commissioning of the first Islamic Library in Nigeria which is located in Kaduna state, urging the women to strive to each donate a book to the facility.

She thanked the Muslim Ummah for their support for the current administration, urging them to extend same to the incoming administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

The vice president’s wife however asked the Ummah to forgive any real or imagined shortcomings of the outgoing

administration, assuring them of her continued support even as a private citizen.

“I want to assure you that on my part, in my own little way, I will continue to be of service to humanity. I will continue to help the less-privileged in the society, the downtrodden, the physically challenged, and most importantly, to my Deen.

The Coalition of Muslim Women in Nigeria said they were honouring the two women for their efforts towards uplifting humanity. The group also hailed them for being pious and not allowing the demands of office to sway them from the right path.

Ekiti NMA Chairman, Dr John Akinbote and the Secretary, Dr. A. A. Akinyele, which was sent to Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The medical practitioners frowned at the serial kidnapping of health sector workers in the state.

While Adegun and his wife, Kikelomo, were kidnapped at about 8.00pm near their residence at Oke Ila in the state capital on Thursday, Aladenika was kidnapped on Sunday, five days earlier along Ido - Ipere Road with the killing of a yet to be identified man during her kidnap.

The kidnappers in both cases had not contacted any member of the victims’ families.

The NMA, in the letter, stated: “As a result of the above development, the house unanimously resolved to withdraw all clinical services in Ekiti State until the safety of our members can be guaranteed.”

The association had early last week raised the alarm over incessant harassment and attacks of doctors and other health workers in the state and called on the state government and law enforcement agencies to curtail the incidents.

It also called on the government to expedite action on the implementation of the adjusted revised Consolidated Medical Salary Scale Circular issued by the Federal Government since January 1, 2014.

But the Special Assistant to the Governor on Information, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, who expressed worry about the situation, appealed to the doctors to shelve their decision to embark on strike.

Ogunsuyi said such step would not be in the interest of the state, particularly for those with critical ailments.

The governor’s aide said: “Police and state government would make Ekiti secure for health workers and every worker in the state. We will put in place good measures for people to be able to move without hindrance.

“We urge them to go back to work because suspending work in the hospitals will aggravate the problem.

Ogunsuyi, who condemned kidnappings, said the state government would hold consultations with the police, doctors and other stakeholders to tame the problem.

Ramat Polytechnic Maiduguri, Borno State Office of the Registrar INVITATION FOR PRE-QUALIFICATION for the year 2014 Tertiary Education Trust Fund Library Development Intervention Projects

CORRIGENDUM Ramat Polytechnic hereby wishes to draw the attention of all interested bidders and the general public to the above captioned advert which appeared in the federal tender journal, National Mirror and Newswatch Times of Monday 20th April 2015 in respect of the following corrections; - Items vii and viii under 2.0 are to read as follows; Vii - Certificate of Compliance issued by the National Pension Commission as the evidence of compliance with the Pension Reform Act 2004 Viii - Certificate of Compliance issued by Industrial Training Fund (ITF), in compliance with Section 6(2) of the ITF amendment Act 2011.

With these corrections, the Pre-qualification is hereby shifted to 12:00 noon Monday 18th of May, 2015 Any inconvenience caused is hereby regretted.

Signed: Registrar

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Interview ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWS MAKER MAY 10, 2015

LP will form a veritable opposition –Ajulo Barrister Kayode Ajulo is the National Secretary of the Labour Party, LP. In this interview with journalists in Lagos, he speaks on the just concluded general elections, the future of his party as the mainstay of opposition among other issues of national importance. AYO ESAN brings the excerpts.

How will you assess your party’s performance in the just concluded elections and what are you hoping for in future?

Apart from rigging during the election, there are some states where we were hoping to win like when you mention Oyo State, Delta State, which was very clear. Even in Ebonyi State, they did no election there. That of Ebonyi State INEC just declared PDP candidate the winner of the election and all these will be reviewed at the tribunal. In Akwa Ibom State where we believe we were having uncommon transformation, what we saw was uncommon rigging and looting. There was no election and the entire election has to be cancelled. We are sure the tribunal will agree with us by the time we come with our avalanche of evidence and facts of what we have. In Cross Rivers too, it is the same thing. It is just so unfortunate that, that one was more of thuggery and banditry. There were no elections there too. But all-in-all, we can’t say we are not disappointed, we are not happy. And again as a lawyer I am a little bit constrained to discuss these issues particularly when one is a party in the case. You need not to do anything that will prejudice the case at hand in the tribunal. What I will say generally about the just concluded election is that I did not see it as an election. I see it more of a rigging competition where two opposing parties chose to go on rigging spree; the smartest among the two got it. For instance when you look at the North, it was more of underaged persons that took the permanent voters card, PVC, you can see it on the CNN, TVC, which is one medium that belongs to one of the parties, showing in full glaring how the underage were accredited and they voted. It is unfortunate that even INEC officials accredited them. It get to a stage that I think that we have another unwritten laws in some parts of the country.

That is in the North. And again we have to be sincere in some core south-south area what they did there is under table.

In fact, when we call it underage in the North, we call it under table in the South.

You see thumb print of election materials here and there. So, we are yet to get to where we are going in this country in

Ajulo

LET US BE SINCERE THAT IN PDP I DO NOT SEE YET AND I DON’T THINK THERE WILL BE ANYTHING LIKE OPPOSITION IN THE DNA OF PDP. THEY LACK THE CAPACITY TO BE AN OPPOSITION PARTY. terms of electioneering.

A lot of people felt that what happened to parties like Labour Party, LP, All Progres-

sive Grand Alliance, APGA and the rest of them was because they didn’t present a presidential candidate, they chose PDP

presidential candidate and that, that in a way, affected them other elections. How true is this?

One thing we have to know is that we were so clear about what we wanted and this has to do with one’s honour, we tried as much as possible to get a presidential candidate but we have criteria for that candidate. Give me, Gen. Umar in Kaduna, we can fix such a person as a candidate, even if it is Tunde Bakare, he could be our candidate too. We don’t believe in presenting just anybody as a candidate. When we realised that we cannot produce a candidate within the circumstance we found ourselves at the closing of the nomination paper, we have to endorse a candidate, and this race is a strict race between Gen. Buhari (rtd) and President Goodluck Jonathan. As a realist party and party with ideology, the only thing we need to do was to pick one out of the two men. And as God will have it, one of them had served before and one is serving, it was through their service that we choose who we were going to support. Even sometimes when you believe in something, you have to go through it, even in the face of extinction you still stand on that thing and that was what the Labour Party did. In all ramifications, today Mohammadu Buhari is the president-elect and we have congratulated him, we wish him luck but if we must say the truth, particularly somehow Labour Party is made up of workers, it is called workers’ party. Between the two, if you are to choose who is a pro-workers, it is Goodluck Jonathan. In his six years tenure as a president, not one, you can’t hear anywhere, covertly or overtly, that a single worker has been retrenched in this country. Even in the face of opposition sometimes you still have to believe in the ideology that this government has. Look at this minimum wage for civil servants, Jonathan signed it into law and this is the fifth year anniversary of it. Even at that that, minimum wage have to be reviewed because there is a provision there that every five years there must be a review and I believe if we do that, if we call ourselves pro-workers party when you know that this man is implementing what will help the workers in this country to survive, you will surely go with him. Let me talk about this Employee Compensation Act. President Jonathan really revived the Pension Act based on this there are sometimes that you have to follow policy; you follow what is reality. Even if tomorCONTINUED ON PAGE 55

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cameron’s second term victory and its implications to Britain’s future P 12, 53

11

Politics PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES MAY 10 2015

FAYOSE SAID HE HAS EVIDENCE THAT I SOLD PDP OUT TO APC DURING THE LAST ELECTION. WE HOPE IT’S BUHARI WAS DYING WHEN HE TRAVELLED ABROAD BEFORE THE ELECTION. –PDP CHAIRMAN, ALHAJI ADAMU MU’AZU.

Likely nominees for Buhari’s cabinet

AYO ESAN

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ith less than 20 days of the inauguration of General Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress, APC, administration, intense lobbying is the order of the day by different groups and individuals who contributed one way or the other to the success of the party in the last presidential election to have their men in government.

The President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari’s, residence in Daura, Kaduna and his temporary official quarters in Abuja have been turned into a Mecca of sorts as different people troop in on a daily basis to seek his favour.

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Briefly

NOT THE KIND OF EVIDENCE HE ONCE SAID HE HAD THAT

Buhari

Niger Assembly impeachment saga rattles Aliyu

David-West

Those who are either jostling for positions in the cabinet or lobbying for their cronies are busy collating curriculum vitaes for onward distribution to the incoming helmsman.

It was however gathered that though the party would make an input in constituting of the cabinet, the elected president was said to have informed the party that those that would serve in his cabinet must be people of good character who are not linked with corrupt cases either now or in the past.

Buhari, who has been lamenting the cost of governance may cut the number of ministerial nominees to the barest minimum, as he was said to have made up his mind to scrap the minister of

Amaechi

state slots. Unless he bowed to pressure from his partymen, he may not have up to 42 cabinet ministers as the country currently has.

Sources said however that Buhari is under intense pressure from the APC leadership to accommodate ministers of state to at least compensate more people in and outside the party who worked for the party’s success in the election.

Aside from pressure from his party, the constitution also mandated that political parties and cabinet positions reflect the “federal character” of the nation.

Though the final list of the cabinet would be ratified by the party, the man at the centre of it all, Buhari would give CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Nigeria should prevent a one-party monopoly –Fasehun

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he National Chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria, Dr Fredrick Fasehun, has warned the country not to allow a one-party monopoly saying a one-party system does not breed democracy but totalitarian dynasties.

Fasehun made this known while delivering his welcome address at the UPN First post-election summit tagged: Revolution through the ballot box, in Lagos Saturday.

He said a one party-system will turn Nigeria into a banana republic urging Nigerians and the Nigerian politicians to provide a robust opposition to safeguard Nigeria democracy from May 29.

He lamented that Nigerians have gone through various regimes of mutual distrust, civilian, military, liberal militocracy, and totalitarian dictatorship, all forms of governments that made Nigeria a country where patriotism has taken a flight.

“But as we always say, there is no other country to call our own except Nigeria. So we keep up the search for an Eldorado. And the search must go on until we find a land of hope, a land of peace, a land of love, where political ideologies manifest to keep Nigerian hopeful”, Fasehun said.

Delivering the summit lecture titled: Ideology and Non-ideology: Mapping the Genotype of This Generation of Nigerian Politicians”, the DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, said Nigeria is a country where party politics is not based on any ideology .

“Politicians in Nigeria are those that are in PDP in the morning, APC in the afternoon, APGA in the night and the following day they don’t belong to anyone”, Akinterinwa said.

He said politicians in Nigeria have no loyalty to any political party saying they are suffering from an incurable diseases or virus.

Fasehun

12

Politics

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cameron’s second term victory and AYO ESAN WITH AGENCY REPORTS

L

ast Thursday Election in the United Kingdom came with astounding results as British Prime Minister David Cameron confounded political pundits by winning a sensational second five-year term in office for his Conservative Party .

His victory unlike that of five years ago gave him a comfortable lead and made him free from the constraints of coalition with the centrist Liberal Democrats.

The Liberal Democrats who were Cameron’s partners in office since 2010, received shock results that almost wiped them out leading to their leader, deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, resigning his office Friday morning The Labour Party also was unable to win majority in the election and Opposition leader Ed Miliband’s resigned in the wake of the defeat.

However the separatist Scottish National Party, SNP, made an outstanding victory winning 56 seats out of 59 Scotland seats.

The final results shown that out of the 650 seats, the Conservatives had 331, Labour 232, the SNP 56 and the Liberal Democrats eight. In practice 323 Members of Parliament is the number needed to form a majority government and so Conservatives will form government without any alliance or

coalition.

The result was seen by poll observers as a vindication of Cameron’s much-criticized decision to run a largely negative campaign where he stressed the risks to Britain’s stillfragile economic recovery of a Labour government that would overspend and drive away investors through taxes aimed at the wealthy and their tax-avoiding practices.

The Scottish result may be the more significant development. The SNP, which lost a referendum to end the 308-year union with England last September, won 56 of Scotland’s 59 seats, many of them from Labour in a region that was once a stronghold for the party. Thus opened the way to significant influence in Britain’s 650-seat Westminster parliament where s Cameron’s Conservatives seek to govern with a slender majority.

One big challenge that trailed the election result is the in-out referendum on European Union membership which Cameron promised two years ago in the face of demands from eurosceptics in his centreright party.

Cameron has promised to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU and then hold an “In/Out” referendum on its membership by the end of 2017.

Though the Conservative did well enough on May 7 to remove the need to renew his coalition with the pro-European

Liberal Democrats but the Conservative leader may not have done well enough to ignore eurosceptics in his own party.

These eurosceptics may try to push him to make impossible demands in the planned negotiation with the EU knowing that, if he then fails to get what he has asked for, it will be harder to argue that Britain should stay in the Union.

The UK Independence Party, which wants to take Britain out of the EU, secured roughly one-in-eight of all votes although they ended up with hardly any parliament seat because of the way the electoral system works.

The first issue that will crop up will be over what question the British people are asked in the planned referendum. Eurosceptics may press for something like “do you want to leave the EU?” with the result that “Yes” meant “Out”, as was the case in last year’s Scottish independence referendum.

Being the “Yes” campaign would give the eurosceptics an edge in the coming battle.

Without the Liberal Democrats pulling in the opposite direction, Cameron may concede them this advantage.

Another early skirmish will be over which aspects of Britain’s relationship with the EU Cameron will seek to renegotiate. So far he has been pretty vague.

The Conservative manifesto makes four

Cam mero on

pledges: to control migration from the EU by reforming welfare benefits; to reclaim unspecified powers from Brussels; to reform the system so national parliaments can work together to block EU

Likely nominees for Buha CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

guidelines as to what criteria must be used in the final decision by the party as to who would form the cabinet. Part of the condition, according to sources, are that those that would be part of the cabinet would be subjected to public asset declaration and that those whose assets run into billions may not have a place in his government.

The APC governors and governorselect also stormed Abuja last week although the reason given for the visit was to congratulate Buhari on his victory at the polls but political observers believe the visit was to formally inform him of their desire to make input in his cabinet.

It was also gathered that the governors may send more than one nominee of which he would make the ultimate choice.

It was also gathered that some of those who made his transition committee list would be in the cabinet. They include Professor Tam David-West, Rotimi Amaechi, Festus Odimegwu, Ogbonnaya Onu, Audu Ogbeh and Lawal Jafaru Isa. Amunoemi Sokari David-West popularly known as Tam David-West was born in 1936. He is an academic, social critic, and a former federal minister. He is seen as incorruptible and frugal.

Born in Buguma Kalabari, Rivers State, he received his higher education at the University of Ibadan (1956-1958) and earned a BSc degree at Michigan

State University (1958-1960), an MSc degree at Yale University (1960-1962), and a PhD at McGill University (19641966). David-West, a consultant virologist and senior lecturer at the University of Ibadan in 1969, was subsequently promoted professor of virology in 1975.

He served as federal minister of Petroleum and Energy under Buhari (19841985), and as Minister of Mines, Power, and Steel under General Ibrahim Babangida (1986). He is a close ally of Buhari and he may head the Petroleum Ministry.

Mr Rotimi Amaechi is the outgoing

Onu

Rivers State governor and the DirectorGeneral of the Buhari/Osinbajo campaign team. He is also the Chairman of the Governors’ Forum and he made a great impact for his party in the justconcluded presidential election. His credible performance as the governor of Rivers State also puts him in good stead for a ministerial appointment.

Eze Festus Odimegwu is the immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Popu-

Fayemi

lation Commission. He may be picked as minister because he is a technocrat.

Dr Ogbonaya Onu is one of the founding fathers of the APC and was former chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP. He is seen as one who worked tirelessly with other party leaders to ensure Buhari’s victory in the last election. He is also the first executive governor Abia State.

Chief Audu Ogbeh is also a loyal party-

man and former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The Otukpo, Benue State-born politician is a known farmer and may be in charge of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Brigadier General (rtd) Lawal Jafaru Isa was Military Administrator of Kaduna State from December 1993 to August 1996 during the regime of General Sani Abacha. In September 2000 he was a leading member of the newly formed Arewa Consultative Forum.

Political pundits believw that besides those

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

13

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Man in the News Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu

Last minute headache for chief servant AYO ESAN

T

he peace and tranquility that pervaded Niger State after the last general election was stirred up last Tuesday when with less than twentythree days to the handover date on May 29, the state lawmakers allegedly threatened to impeach Governor Babangida Aliyu. Aliyu is now in a battle of wits as the legislators reportedly threatened to remove him from office before the end of his tenure.

As a way out of the brouhaha, Aliyu secured an interim court injunction retraining the members of the House from sitting.

It was gathered that the order was secured by the governor on Wednesday, May 6, at around 6 p.m. but the copy was made available to journalists the following day.

The injunction that was granted by a Minna High Court restrained the lawmakers from impeaching the governor pending the determination and hearing of the motion on notice.

The order reads in part, “…that the interim injunction is hereby ordered restraining the defendants jointly and severally from setting in motion any process of impeachment of the applicant (Governor) pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice.

“It is also ordered in the interim that the defendants are restrained jointly and severally from impeachment or imitating impeachment proceeding against the plaintiff (Governor) pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

The court has, therefore, fixed May 27 for hearing on the motion on notice.

The full drama started last Tuesday when as a precursor to the governor’s impeachment, the state lawmakers impeached the Speaker, Barrister Usman Adamu, and three other principal officers. They are set to serve Aliyu impeachment proceedings. Usman was impeached for alleged misuse of power.

The aggrieved members also alleged that the leadership failed in their responsibility by allowing the executive to starve the house of operational funds since January.

The member, representing Bida 1, Isa kawu, was nominated and elected as the new speaker by 19 of the 25 sitting members of the of Assembly.

At the beginning of the sitting that led to the impeachment of the former speaker, the chairman of the Committee for Rules and Business, Jibrin Ndagi, told the house that last Tuesday’s sitting under the leadership of protem

speak sspeaker ker became became necessary for for failure fail ilure off the former leadership to turn up for the house sitting as agreed in executive session of the house.

The member, representing Lavun state constituency, Jacob Ma’aji, moved the motion for the dissolution of the Assembly’s leadership for the new leaders to come on board as he nominated the protem speaker, Isa Kawu, whom he also proposed for the post of substantive speaker. Jibril Bawa, a member representing Suleja constituency seconded the motion for the dissolution and nomination of the leadership of the House.

Bello Ahmed, a member representing Agwara, Yusuf Kure of Paikoro constituency and Sa’adatu Kolo of Meshegu constituencies were elected as deputy

speaker, majority and Chief Whip speak ker m ajorit j it ity lleader eader d a nd dC hieff W hip hi p respectively.

It was gathered that the removal of the speaker is a prelude to the plan to impeach the governor, who they accused of owing them salaries and allowances for about five months.

In a swift reaction, the purportedly impeached speaker disclosed that he had obtained a court order restraining the House from taking the action, adding that the House violated court order.

He said the target was to serve Aliyu an impeachment notice and explained that the lawmakers wanted to remove the governor because they had not been given overhead and constituency allowances since the beginning of this fiscal year.

“As far as I am concerned, I am still the speaker and the impeachment is null and void. I have not been accused of financial misappropriation; it is because the executive has not released overheads since the beginning of the year. Don’t be surprised that impeachment notice is served on the governor of Niger State tomorrow; the governor should be prepared,” he said at the weekend Aliyu has been in the news in recent times. First, his deputy, Alhaji Ahmed Ibeto, and over 200 political office holders in January this year defected from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Ibeto attributed his defection to injustice melted out to him and other contestants in the state party primaries, describing the exercise as flawed and stage-managed to favour anointed candidates.

His words: “The electoral process that threw up Alhaji Umar Nasko as PDP governorship candidate was not in accordance with the PDP electoral law and the constitution.”

Among those who defected from PDP alongside the deputy governor are serving members of National Assembly, members of the state House of Assembly, former commissioners and former local government chairmen.

However, during the March 2015 presidential and National Assembly elections, the governor and his party lost to the APC which was in opposition. Aliyu, who is also the chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, was defeated in his senate bid by David Umaru of APC, who polled 149,443 as against the governor’s 46,459 votes. On April 11, he was trounced in his polling unit 006 in the governorship and state assembly elections where his party obtained 100 votes as against 361 for Kofar Danjuma Mainadi of the APC. Aliyu, a former senior civil servant, was elected governor of Niger State in April 2007. He was re-elected on April 26, 2011.

Born in Minna, Niger State on November 12, 1955, he attended the College of Arts and Arabic Studies in Sokoto, graduating in 1974. In 1977, he obtained the Nigeria Certificate in Education from the College of Education, Sokoto. After the mandatory one year National Youth Service, in 1978, he became a teacher at Government Teachers’ College, Minna.

Later, he went to Bayero University, Kano where he obtained a BA in Education in 1983. He went on to the University of Pittsburght, Pennsylvania, United States in 1985 and received a PhD in Public Policy and Strategic Studies in 1989.

14

Opinion

Sunday May 10, 2015

Uncensored U nc

Sheriff S Folarin

E-mail: sheffie2004@yahoo.co.uk 08094217972 (SMS only)

D

id someone say Sambisa in Borno State was a forest? You are kidding me. The amount of life discovered in that Boko Haram fort could have made it one of Nigeria’s largest hidden cities; or you can simply call it Nigeria’s Lost Atlantis now discovered. There were so many women, so many young girls and so many babies- many of the young girls were pregnant while some had just been delivered of newborns. At the last count, there were about one thousand or more “rescued” from Sambisa. But it is reasoned that no amount of Sambisa rescues can equate the finding of all or some or few of the Chibok girls.

Come to think of it-the still pictures and motions from Sambisa do not depict a jungle, or forest, as it was often referred to. It underscores a booming city, or at least, a huge baby factory for the Boko Haram movement, with the view, as reasoned by some, to procreate and produce a new generation or strengthen the demographics of the group. The findings included clusters of settlements, armories, vehicles and armoured tanks, shelters for the war commanders and troops, food dumps, drinks stores, medical supplies, et cetera.

Before now, Sambisa had been described as an impenetrable forest of evil Boko Haram generals and their renegade troops. Military authorities painted a picture of an uninhabitable place full of deadly snakes and animals that would sooner or later send the Islamists packing out of the jungle. Sambisa symbolized an unknown place that was fit only for beasts and could only serve as

The booming city called ‘Sambia forest’ very temporary hideout for felonious soldiers or terrorists, and never a place for regular living.

But the quantity and quality of civil life unraveled make a bold statement about how easily penetrable the place would have been, how palacious the place had become for the renegades as they took advantage of the timidity or indecisiveness of the Nigerian State all this while, and how it became a camp for pitiable and vulnerable Nigerian women and sex slaves. What could have been transpiring in that evil city-forest is imaginable- women and salacious young girls would be beckoned on to lie down and open their legs and the dirty rag-tag idiots called Boko Haram would have simply had rounds of sex with the hapless females. There might not be forceful carnal knowledge after all; it could just have been free and easy rounds. The children, husbands or fathers of such sex slaves could have been made to watch the orgies or simply wasted if they made any spirited verbal or physical protests.

Food, water and drugs were flowing into Sambisa, or how can survival of all of these hundreds of captives and their wicked hosts be explained? How can the child delivery and treatment of sicknesses be explicated? How have they been surviving the snake bites, scorpion stings and mosquito infestation? How were the ‘building materials’ coming in to erect the shelters or overcome the rains and sun? Sambisa was probably therefore, a huge market for some unknown but obviously prosperous merchants from among us who were living like law-abiding citizens of Nigeria.

The military authorities have shown us how much of discoveries and rescues they have made in Sambisa, and they deserve all of the salutation and much more for the intervention, gallantry and successes. The Nigerian army and air force deserve plaudits for busting the Boko Haram strongholds and liberating

Jonas Agwu

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

S

ometime in January this year, I raised my concern over the increasing cases of deaths and injuries involving pedestrians especially joggers as a result of either apathy, ignorance, deliberate ignorance or just attitude . I followed this up in February with another piece which equally shed light on the roles and responsibilities of drivers in ensuring the deaths and injury trend is reduced in line with the Federal Road Safety Commissions Corporate goals of reducing road traffic crashes by 20percent and fatalities by 30percent in 2015.

While the first piece was titled; Pedestrian Safety; Rules for joggers, the second was titled; Driver and Pedestrian Safety.

I must confess that despite all that I wrote in the above, I am still disturbed by the disturbing trend which is not changing by the day. This is why I am compelled to write again on this subject barely two

the city-forest. So much for a war that was winless and seemed unwinnable and interminable for five years. The military has truly shown their gusto and justified the tag as one of the best in Africa. They seem to have recovered their lost glory and have put their names back in the Hall of Fame.

However, why was there so much fuss about the impenetrability of Sambisa hitherto? For four years, the army venerated the warlords who hid in Sambisa and showed so much trepidation at the thought of moving in. Also, we were, on two occasions, told by the military earlier this year, that they had entered Sambisa and had found no one there.

The military spokesman and chiefs had even declared that there were no signs of people in Sambisa let alone Chibok girls.

The disclosures had made us to believe that indeed, Sambisa was a temporary cite for the miscreants who had since fled in the wake of a resurgent military power of Nigeria and the combined forces of the African neighbours to put down the Boko Haram problem. But weeks after the declaration, Sambisa city was discovered and over 1,000 women and children (mostly young girls) are now “rescued”. If about one thousand women are rescued, one can imagine how many more thousands of people in Boko Haram fighters and associates would have been residing in that place. Sambisa was thus not a forest. Human life does not exist or survive in a forest. Sambisa was a booming big city- Nigeria’s worst nightmare of a slave and enemy camp in the postmodern times.

The counter-claim of discoveries obviously indicts the military- it shows that they either were not doing their job well hitherto, or that they have been part of the fray of politicizing the whole terror stuff, just as had been speculated and concluded in some local and international circles. The phased invasions and rescues of hundreds show an apparent

thriving Republic of Sambisa that had reached such heights simply because some persons and authorities had betrayed or failed Nigeria. They were supposed to act when the die was cast, but they looked the other way and had complicit role in the fledgling Boko Haram empire in a sovereign state. The sudden intensity and activity from February 14, 2015 to date are clear even to a moron, that partisan politics was instrumental in all of these and that the military might have been hugely compromised or deceived by the politicians whose only motive was political and not nationalist or national gains.

But after these discoveries, what next?

This is what the authorities should be bothered about at this point in time. What of the many IDP camps? What of the camps outside Nigeria with tens of thousands of Nigerians now forcefully learning the language and national anthems of their host-countries? Government should attack these issues fast and holistically. Chibok girls are not even among the rescued girls; or, like the defence spokesman said, have not been ascertained to be among the rescued girls. While I insist, as always, that those Chibok girls cannot be together again one year after capture and could have been sold or married out, killed or used as human defence shields or suicide bombers; it is pertinent to point out that frantic efforts should be yet made to ascertain their whereabouts or existence, recover traces of information about what happened to them and at least, rescue some of them and reconcile them with their parents. If any of these is done, the military and government would have truly succeeded in this war against Boko Haram.

• Dr. Folarin, an Associate Professor, is the immediate past Head of Department of Political Science and International Relations, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State.

The folly of joggers

Safety Tips with

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

months after the piece was published. For starters, I wish to inform you that in August 2014,I moved to a new estate in Abuja.

The estate boasts of tarred and expansive roads but like the case in some of our roads or estates, the appropriate road furniture such as road markings or walkways are absent. This absence naturally tasks me while jogging in ensuring that all precautions are taken to avoid exposure to a possible pedestrian-vehicle collision. Like I wrote earlier, my daily routine to keep fit is a thirty to one hour walking and jogging exercise. Every time I embark on this daily exercise, I stumble on some oddities by fellow joggers who by their mien are literate but ignorant of the risk pedestrians’ face. I am therefore writing because increasing pedestrian safety will reduce road traffic fatalities and thus help us in achieving our 2015 strategic goals of reducing road traffic crashes by 20percent and fatalities by 30percent.

Like I said earlier, Pedestrian injuries and fatalities is a major global problem related to travel and road safety. In Nigeria, it is a major road safety issue especially with the absence of appropriate infrastructures such as walkways and pedestrian bridges

except in few cities, including Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory where through the partnership with the World bank, pedestrian bridges have been provided even though there is still the apathy by pedestrians to utilize them, thus causing unnecessary crashes and deaths.

Even developed societies have their fair share of this challenge where Pedestrianvehicle crashes are a major problem. The times and days pedestrians are most at risk of injury differ from those when they are most at risk of death. Pedestrian vehicle crashes knows no bounds as they occur both in urban and rural areas and in both places where there are no traffic controls and where there exist. They affect both adults and children.

No single factor is completely responsible for the problem of pedestrian-vehicle crashes resulting in injuries and fatalities.

A combination of unsafe pedestrian behavior, vehicle and driver factors, problematic physical environments, and other special conditions all contribute to them. Pedestrian-vehicle crashes occur when physical environments allow pedestrians to come into contact with moving vehicles.

These crashes occur when physical environments allow pedestrians to come into contact with moving vehicles like the case in my new estate. If this occurs without check, then a pedestrian-vehicle crash problem exists. Most, if not all of such problems will be the result of failures of the following: pedestrians who are inattentive or incapable of using the road safely; irresponsible drivers and physical environments that encourage unsafe pedestrian and/or driver behavior, or failure to adequately separate pedestrians and vehicles. Addressing these problems will provide relief, promote safety for pedestrians and reduce if not eliminate these crashes Unsafe pedestrian behavior is a major factor in pedestrian injuries and fatalities whether in low or high income countries. Most studies done on pedestrian vehicle crashes heaps about 80percent of the blame on pedestrians and this explains my emphasis on increasing pedestrian safety consciousness.

Continued next week

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

15

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wellness YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES May 10, 2015

Prevention and treatment of sudden cardiac arrest TITILOPE MORAKINYO

A

t a board meeting by directors, executives and trustees, Mr. Richard Asibe (not real name) one of the driving forces of his company, was in a middle of rounding up his speech when he suddenly paused. His audience thought he was gathering his thoughts.

Then he coughed, slightly, the flat of his right palm suddenly went to his chest.

His audience, now alarmed, watched as Asibe collapsed and began gasping for air. He was in cardiac arrest as his heart suddenly stopped pump blood to the brain, lungs and other organs. He was quickly rushed to a nearby hospital and on getting there, the sad news from the doctors was that it was too late; he was gone throwing family members, friends, and colleagues into anguish. Tears of grief flowed freely. They all kept saying the same thing; he left so soon at the peak of his career. This is the case of many in today’s world as more and more relatively young people are dispatched to the great beyond in sudden cardiac events.

The rare nature of sudden cardiac arrest among the young is precisely what makes it so attention-grabbing. According to experts, about 95 per cent of individuals that have sudden cardiac arrest die from this condition and people wonder if anything could have been done to prevent such an event, who is at risk and if one can survive an attack.

A medical study indicates that the heart is very much like an electrical pump where the electricity is generated in special cells, in the upper chamber of the heart. This electrical spark is carried through pathways in the heart so that all the muscle cells contract at once and produce a heartbeat. It pumps blood through the heart valves and into all the organs of the body so that they can do their work.

This mechanism break down in a variety of ways, but the final pathway in sudden death is the same, the electrical system is irritated, fails to produce electrical activity that causes the heart

Cardiac arrest patiants

to beat. The heart muscle cannot supply bloodto the brain and the body dies.

Cardiac arrest is the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness, it usually results from an electrical disturbance in the heart, disrupts its pumping action and stop blood flow to the rest of the body.

However sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, which occurs when blood flow to a portion of the heart is blocked. Conversely, a heart attack can sometimes trigger an electrical disturbance that leads to sudden cardiac arrest.

In an interview with Sunday Mirror, Dr Yomi Oloruntade, a medical practitioner with El Shaddel Hospital, Festac, Lagos, explains what actually generates the

ailment. Cardiac arrest a life threatening medical condition is the sudden cessation of cardiac activity, which makes the victim unresponsive with no normal breathing and signs of circulation, if corrective measures are not taken rapidly, this condition progresses to sudden death.

He said the sufferer may not have been diagnosed with heart disease but the most common reason for patients to die suddenly is coronary heart disease and heart attack, other factors that can cause include family history of coronary artery disease, smoking, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, respiratory arrest, congenital heart disease, electrocution, drowning, choking and trauma.

Dr Oloruntade, however said that car-

diac arrest symptoms are immediate and drastic, sudden collapse and no breathing, loss of consciousness and sometimes other symptoms precede sudden cardiac arrest as it may include fatigue, fainting, blackouts, dizziness, chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, palpitations or vomiting. But sudden cardiac arrest often occurs with no warning.

“The society has embraced sedentary lifestyle, which is one of the major reasons why sufferers are attacked with heart diseases unlike in the ancient days where most of these ailments are reduced. Healthy diet is important as a healthy lifestyle as victims take a variety of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Also embracing a good form of exercise for the heart such as walking a long distance, which helps to circulate blood all over the body and clear any blockage to the arteries that might lead to seizures”, he said.

According to him, “Many problems that cause cardiovascular disease begins early in life, and sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) requires immediate treatment with a defibrillator, the device sends an electric shock to the heart, while the electric shock may restore a normal rhythm to a heart that’s stopped beating. Defibrillation must be done within minutes of sudden cardiac arrest and with every minute that passes the chances of surviving sudden cardiac arrest drops rapidly”.

With fast, appropriate medical care, survival is possible administering cardio pulmonary resuscitation or compressions to the chest can improve the chances of survival until emergency personnel arrive.

“Patients should get medical advice before starting or increasing physical activity. For example, talk with your doctor if you have a chronic (ongoing) health problem, are on medicine, or have symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath or dizziness. He can suggest types and amounts of physical activity that are safe for you. Also choose foods that are low in saturated fat, little sodium and cholesterol; choose foods and beverages that are low in added sugar”, Oloruntade advised.

HEALTH NEWS

Council cautions residents against unhygienic environment

A

n official of the Ikole Local Government Council in Ekiti has cautioned landlords and residents of Ikole, Ekiti and its environs against unhygienic environment.

Mr. Tunde Famuyisan, Head, Environment Department in the council gave the warning on Friday while addressing some traders at Eleyowo market in Ikole, Ekiti State.

Famuyisan said that an unhygienic living condition was a fertile breeding ground for diseases. The people should give priority to hygiene in their daily activities, while ensuring that they cleared refuse from their environment.

“Ensure prompt evacuation of solid waste generated in the market to designated dump site and be a watchdog on other traders who may violate sanitary

regulations in the market. The fight against the outbreak of cholera and other diseases associated with poor sanitary condition should be a collective one,” he said.

He appealed to landlords who had yet to comply with the state government’s directive on provision of latrines in their houses to do so to avoid being sanctioned.

Famuyisan decried the menace of open defecation in the community, saying that anyone caught in the act would not go unpunished. He restated the council’s management commitment to improving the sanitary condition of the area through proper monitoring and sensitising of the populace on the need to imbibe hygienic living.

16

& Faces Events

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, May 10, 2015

At Energy Group retreat in Accra, Ghana

Chairman and GMD, Energy Group, Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim, CFR delivering his paper on the second day of the Management Retreat on Strategic Innovation for Sustainable Profitability held at the Energy Bank, Accra, Ghana.

L-R: Branch Head of Operations, Energy Bank Ghana, Ebenezer Offrey; Branch Manager (Trade Fair), Energy Bank, Thomas Padi and Relationship Manager (Corporate Banking), Energy Bank, Nana Kusi Yeboah.

L-R: MD/CEO National Mirror, Mr. Sunday Olajide; MD/CEO Energy Bank, Mrs. Queenette Okehie and Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim CFR.

L-R: Consultant to the Brand, Mr. Sesan Ayeni; Daily Editor, National Mirror, Mr. Seyi Fasugba, MD/CEO National Mirror, Mr. Sunday Olajide; Editor, Sunday Mirror, Mr. Ayo Olesin and Vice Chancellor, Premier University of Sao Tome, Prof. Taiwo Ajayi.

L-R: Circulation Manager, Newswatch Times, Kayode Onasanya; MD/CEO Newswatch Times, Moses Jolayemi; Editor, Sunday Newswatch Times, Lanre Oyetade; ED, Nigeria Reinsurance, Dr. Yele Akinrolabu, GMD’s Secretary, Mrs. Oyefunke Taiwo-Aminu and MD/CEO National Mirror, Mr. Sunday Olajide.

Head, Private Banking, Energy Bank, Nana Akua Otchere; Acting Head, Domestic Operations, Energy Bank, Cecilia Benyin; Branch Manager (Accra Central), Energy Bank, Juliana Akita; Branch Operations Manager (Spintex Branch), Energy Bank, Vicky Mfum.

L-R: ED, Nigeria Reinsurance, Mrs. Esther Ajayi; Acting Branch Manager (GNAT Height), Energy Bank Ghana, Ernestina Eshun and Customer Loyalty Officer, Energy Bank, Marian Markin.

Head Legal, Energy Bank, Mr. Mathias Samwine; Acting Head, Corporate Banking, Energy Bank, Mr. Ronnie Laryea; MD NICON Luxury, Bimbo Ogunlusi, MD/CEO Energy Bank, Queenette Okehie.

PHOTOS: SEYI FASUGBA

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

17

Sunday, May 10, 2015

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

SUNDAY OLAJIDE  MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO SEYI FASUGBA  DAILY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI  SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN  SUNDAY EDITOR BEN MEMULETIWON  GENERAL EDITOR DOZIE OKEBALAMA  COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE  EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR ISE-OLUWA IGE  ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF AUGUSTUS IMEKAN  ACTING HEAD, GRAPHICS

Time to address oil marketers’ disruptive proclivities

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n inefficiently run nation pays a high price to keep up some semblance of functionality. For an example of such a country, our dear Nigeria, if truth must be told, comes readily to mind. With all her immense electricity generation potential, for example, suffocating darkness has become the unfortunate companion of most Nigerians, especially the poorest of the poor that cannot afford the lowest priced generators.

Not even the privatisation of the nation’s power monopoly, Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), has solved the serious crisis in the sector.

Similarly, the oil and gas sector, especially the downstream sub sector, the focus of this leader, is even more problematic.

With the four public refineries inexplicably allowed to lie prostrate, oil marketers have had to bridge the gap between local production output and national demand for petroleum products, a situation that has resulted into a lingering lacuna, the perennial subsidy payment hoopla and the attendant consequences.

Who but the Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, could give the graphic exposition of the traumas the nation has been suffering from this absurdity. “It has become a situation where we have a cartel that can ground the nation to a halt at will. I strongly suggest that the nation has to do something about it.

It has been very stressful for four years, trying to cope with a group that controls a very important sector of a nation and they are small enough to organise themselves.” is how she paints the terrifying scenario that the country has had to cope with for some years now.

Indeed, it is true that the oil marketers have been flexing muscles in the most disruptive way with the federal authorities. For two weeks now, the nation has been reeling from severe product supply dislocations engendered by the oil marketers to protest what they called mounting subsidy debts owed them by the Federal Government.

Both the Federal Government and Major Oil Marketers Association of

Nigeria (MOMAN) have made conflicting claims of the debt figure. While the former puts the figure at N131 billion, asserting that it is based on Petroleum Pricing Products Regulatory Agency’s (PPPRA) template, the latter has quoted N200 billion. There is, therefore, the need for reconciliation to get the true figure. But the pertinent question to ask is why should MOMAN resort to this arm-twisting tactics to press home its demand for payment of debt owed?

The obvious answer, as far as this present situation is concerned, is the fear of likely repudiation of the debt or its forensic verification to determine its true value by the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari.

However, the recourse to such disruptive option by MOMAN without considerations for its troubling effects on the national economy is to say the least unpatriotic.

This newspaper is in tandem with the position of Dr. Okonjo-Iweala that something has to be done about the said rapacious cabal on the prowl in the downstream sector. That responsibility falls on the federal authorities

A PERMANENT REMOVAL OF OIL SUBSIDY FROM THE NATION’S ACCOUNTING SYSTEM HAS BECOME IMPERATIVE. ITS EXISTENCE, WHICH HAS KEPT THE DOMESTIC PRICE OF PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ARTIFICIALLY TOO LOW, IS WHY LICENSED PRIVATE COMPANIES HAVE BEEN DISCOURAGED FROM RUNNING OIL REFINERIES.

with the right impetus coming from the Presidency. The most holistic approach, though a long term one, would be the elimination of middlemen from the nation’s petroleum products supply chain. This is achievable only if the four public refineries are fixed and the privately licensed ones are encouraged to function under a realistic market-driven environment that would eliminate the current suffocating subsidy regime which is said to be gulping about N971 billion yearly from the national treasury, down from the N2.3 trillion it was in 2011.

Official Federal Government records show that the nation spent about N8.8 trillion on fuel subsidy between 2006 and 2014, and close to N350 billion has been spent since January this year.

Putting the ugly situation more graphically, subsidy is said to account for 30 per cent of Federal Government’s yearly expenditure, which translates to 4.1 per cent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. This is too huge a price to pay for an economic palliative that benefits the rich more than the poor in the country.

The Nigerian state must extricate itself from this deep hole in the economy.

A permanent removal of oil subsidy from the nation’s accounting system has become imperative. Its existence, which has kept the domestic price of petroleum products artificially too low, is why licensed private companies have been discouraged from running oil refineries.

However, in the interim there is need for a total overhaul of the framework that makes for product importation by oil markets to address obvious distortions. The PPPRA negotiated template that allows oil marketers to be paid exchange rate differentials, interest rates, profit margin guarantee, plus the principal amount they spent in their business is loaded in favour of the marketers. Making the Federal Government the sole risk taker in a business that is mutually beneficial is against the principle of equity. A rework of the template to inject equity into it and make it fair to both parties to provide a win, win situation, is recommended.

Reminiscences May 10 IN HISTORY 1994: John Gacy executed John Wayne Gacy (the killer clown) is executed in Illinois, the United States for the murders of 33 young men and boys he had raped and murdered between 1972 and his arrest in 1978.

1924: U.S. - Coolidge appoints Hoover J. Edgar Hoover is appointed by President Calvin Coolidge to be the sixth director of the Bureau of Investigation (BOI), the name is changed in 1936 and J. Edgar Hoover becomes the first director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and served until 1972.

1926: Britain faces general strike With the general strike in England bringing the country to a standstill, many believe that the bolshevists are behind the strike and have infiltrated British trade unions.

1937: Feud over King George coronation With the forthcoming coronation of King George in two days time as the King of England, the government and the royal family clash over royal representation at the forthcoming Duke of Windsor’s marriage to Mrs Warfield.

1940: Churchill leads coalition govt Winston Churchill becomes the leader of a coalition government after Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain said he was stepping aside following German forces invading Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg by air and land.

1940: Germany, Italy battle for France Germany and Italy begin the battle for France beginning on 10th May and ending on June 35, at which point Germany put the non-democratic government collaborating with Germany, Vichy Government in control of the country.

1967: Rolling Stones face drug charges Two members of the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, appear before magistrates in Chichester, West Sussex, charged with drug offences.

1981: France - Mitterand becomes president Socialist Francois Mitterand combining moderates and the communist party in France has won in France ending two decades of Conservative rule starting with Charles De Gaule.

1990: China frees 211 protestors The People’s Republic of China announces the release of 211 people arrested during the protests in Tiananmen Square in 1989.

1994: Mandela becomes president The inauguration ceremony for South Africa’s first black president, Nelson Mandela, takes place in the Union Buildings amphitheater in Pretoria attended by politicians and dignitaries from more than 140 countries around the world.

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Sunday, May 10, 2015

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Praise Worship E-mail:yemiolakitan@gmail.com

E-mail:cossyodi@yahoo.com

EDIFYING GOD

QUOTE Every Christian is a minister of God, called by God to do great wonders, but what matters is how they go about it. 窶適unle Macaulay

Sunday May 10, 2015

Streengthening the thingss which remain,

by Pastor Muoka 24

The problems of church growth in Nigeria 42

PParent arenttaal ccare, arental aar , key to key to child chhild id development devel opme pment m ntt 41

Daddy G. O. , Mummy G. O. Syndrome

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20

Vineyard

Briefly TTVM holds crusade

Celebration

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ll is set for a three-day crusade of The Truth Visionary Mission Inc. located at 66 Nnadi Street off Liasu Road, IleIwe Bus stop, Ikotun Egbe, Lagos.

The programme tagged: “God will go before you” will hold from May 21-23, 5pm daily at FHA Playing Ground, 23 Road, opposite New Era Guest House by 512 Road Bus stop Festac Town, Lagos On hand to preach the Word of God are the host ministers, Pastor and Prophetess Okafor and other anointed men and women of God. While calling on all to attend and encounter Jesus who is the solution to all problems, the hosts assured all who answer the call of total salvation, healing, miracle, deliverance and breakthrough from all forms of attacks and hardship.

Sunday May 10, 2015

Clerics urged to be servants and not masters …as Archbishop Ojo celebrates birthday, launches book

APM celebrates God’s faithfulness

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scension Power Ministry, Ikeja has concluded plans to organise a 2-day community programme ahead of its 10th anniversary celebration scheduled to begin from May 16–17, 2015 at 2B, Albana crescent off, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos.

Activities lined up for the celebration includes community outreach, where food stuff, clothes and household: Items will be distributed to the residents of the Ikeja community. The people would also get free medical check-up and drugs on the occasion.

The General Overseer of the church and host, Pastor Caleb Anyamele revealed that the gesture apart from marking the church’s anniversary is also aimed at affecting the lives of people in the community.

ECDS celebrates anniversary

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he on-going activities marking the 20th annual anniversary thanksgiving service of Evangelical Church of Divine Salvation also known as Divine Salvation Bible Church tagged “Just Praise God 2015” will come to a close today, May 10 at the headquarters located at 5, Adewusi Street, Fadeyi, Ikorodu, Lagos.

According to a statement made available by the host and General Overseer of the ministry, Rev. (Dr.) Atinuke Abdusalami (JP), this year’s anniver-

Rev. Atinuke

sary/thanksgiving service is about the giving of thanks and appreciation of the Almighty God who has led the ministry this far as and the members into two decades with hale and fruitful lives.

General Overseer, Archbishop Joseph Ojo and his wife, Rev. Mrs. Esther Ojo.

ODINAKA URUAKPA

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xcitement galore! This was the mood that pervaded the premises of Calvary Kingdom Church International, a few weeks back during the book launch/birthday celebration of the General Overseer, Archbishop Joseph Ojo and that of his wife, Rev. Mrs. Esther Ojo. The three-in-one event held at the CKC Church headquarters located at Badagry, Lagos State, attracted dignitaries and clerics from far and near including the Chairman of Ray Royal Construction Company, Rev. (Dr.) Matthew Okpebholo and National President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Rev. (Dr.) Felix Omobude.

In his message taken from the Gospel of John 3:29 titled “The bridegroom and his friend”, Rev. Omobude while extolling the virtues of Archbishop Ojo commended him for his steadfastness and faithfulness over the years as he served in the vineyard of the Lord.

“As I look at all of you gathered here today to celebrate with Archbishop Ojo, my eyes go back to the days of relationships. I believe no one can blame the celebrant for not doing enough, but for doing too much. I remain grateful to Archbishop Benson Idahosa of blessed memory who he (Ojo) and people like me went through his tutelage to become who and what we are today. I commend him for his faithfulness as an usher, as a cleaner and as a driver in those days; God does not necessarily reward an office, He rewards faithfulness.

People must understand that where they are located in life is as important as their ability to locate God”, he said.

The PFN President while enumerating

the sufferings and dark days of Archbishop Ojo noted that the church of Jesus remains grateful to men and women that are stable and consistent to God, adding that no matter the hardship the celebrant has remained consistent in the matters of God. “Archbishop Ojo has not allowed his title to becloud his sense of reasoning and value; there is nothing you commit to his hands that he brings disgrace to you. He is a great servant that loves God and a true friend of the bridegroom”, he added.

Speaking on the occasion, the celebrant explained that he felt happy and fulfilled seeing the caliber of people that came to honour him and his wife, adding that he was grateful to God and gave Him the glory for making this possible.

On what prompted the three in one event, he said the book launch, his birthday and his wife’s was God’s doing since he had intended to launch the book, which was his biography written by Lawrence Akapa to mark his 65th birthday last year and due to some delays it had to be postponed for his 66th birthday.

“To the glory of God, I think there are people whose lives are designed in heaven and they realize it sometime in life, this is God’s doing because if not that, when we were getting married, we didn’t even consider the similarity in our birthday; my wife was born on April 17 and I on April 18; it is so wonderful it is a marriage designed in heaven. One can’t celebrate their birthday in absentia, so we are happy that we celebrating together. Actually the book launch should have held last year, I intended to use it for my 65th birthday, I do not mark my birthday every year, rather, I do it every five years, but the book wasn’t

ready on my 65th birthday, so we had to postpone it to this year and the outcome is this three in- one-event”, he explained.

On the way forward for the Nigerian nation after the 2015 elections, he said the theme that God gave him this year after he prayed was, “Heaven on earth” and his message in the New Year was ‘What is heaven on earth?’ He added that when things are done on earth as it is done in heaven; God’s will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

“We prayed for God’s will and I think that is what we have seen. I am not saying it was God’s will for Jonathan to loose, but God saw that if Jonathan didn’t lose, even if he had won cleanly, the other people won’t accept defeat; there would have been chaos and even war; if God will use Jonathan to give the nation peace, Nigerians should appreciate that. If God will speak to the heart of Jonathan to accept the result as it were, and even congratulate the president-elect before the final result was released, I think God heard our prayers and I am grateful to God that His will prevailed”, he submitted.

On the message he is trying to pass through his book Ojo said: “My life is like that of the Biblical Joseph who was sold to slavery in Egypt out of envy and people thought he was dead, but he came out victorious. The book once upon a Joseph is the story of a Joseph that once live, in short it captures my life story.

When people read it, they will see and learn there that it pays to serve. I have many correspondences there between the late Idahosa communicated to me. I served in Church of God Mission for 30 years, but I tell you in this dispensation, you can hardly see somebody that would serve another person for 30 years before being led to start something at an old age. I began this ministry at the age of 53 i.e.

13 years ago; I am 66 years today. I put all my youthful life in the service of another man; most of the people that played key roles here today were all offshoots of Church of God Mission; and some are still there. I got saved the same day with the current PFN president, Felix Omobude and a host of others, we all served together under the tutelage of the late Idahosa and we were very close to him. People should learn to serve and to wait on God and become rooted and a solid apprentice; some apprentices become masters because of the experience they have gathered; this and other things like the hardship I went through from the age 13, and my rough and stubborn days; all these you would read all these in the book.”

He advised the young and up-coming ministers of God to learn patience, service and understand that the future belongs to the servant.

“The problem we have in the body of Christ today, especially in the Pentecostal ministries is that very many who are masters had never served; they have never been servants and until you serve, you can’t be a good master. If you have not served, you will be a boss and in the ministry, bosses are not needed, servant leaders are needed. You can only become a servant leader if you have served yourself; that is the truth”, he noted

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From the Pulpit 21

Sunday May 10, 2015

Defeat that fear Miracle Arena with Bishop

F

Theo Ugochukwu

ear is a roadblock against victory, while faith in itself is the access road to God’s glory and blessings. Satan’s most powerful weapon is fear. If Satan will be able to disconnect you from your faith, you are totally disarmed. The Bible says (1st Peter, 5:8) … “That Satan, as adversary of Christians, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour”. The Bible is emphasizing that he (Satan) can only devour those he able to instill fear by his roaring act. He walked about seeking who will fall pray of his roaring act. If you look through the Bible you will discover that the first counseling words of Jesus to any person that has fallen captive in the hands of Satan is “Fear not”. Fear disconnects you from believing what God can do in your life, it makes you believe that God cannot deliver you. While fear disconnects us from God, faith connects us to God’s Glory and abundant grace. Bible says (Heb.11:6) “… But without faith it is impossible to please Him…” Fear and faith are enemies to reach other and they work in opposite directions to achieve opposite aims.

In Mark 5:35-42 is the story if one of the rulers of synagogue called Jairus, whose daughter was sick. The young man (Jairus) came to invite Jesus to heal the sick daughter but on their way to his house there came some people from his house and informed him that his sick daughter is already dead, but Jesus hearing their conversation, said unto Jairus, “…Be not afraid only believe”.

Jesus instantly discharged every person in

their company except Peter, James, John and Jairus himself. When they got to the house of Jairus, he dismissed the crowd that has gathered and again he took with him Peter, James, John, Jairus and his wife, inside the house, locked the door behind them and there, raised the dead daughter back to life. Child of God, in every tensed situation you must disconnect every source of fear and focus in Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith. This is to be able to overcome and get your testimonies. It must be your back in the source of fear and discouragement and your face on Jesus and His words. He is the antidote to fear.

Therefore, for you to inherit God’s promises and step into His blessings, you must defeat the fear as you grow in faith. Do not allow the fear to absorb your faith. Apostle Paul said to Timothy, the young minister, to “Fight the fight of faith” (1 Tim.6:12). Fear will question the faithfulness of God. Fear will make you to stop trusting your prophets.

In one of our Sunday services, some years back, while I was ministering, a prophecy came for one of the elders in my church, he imports and sales suits materials from Far East. I called him out before the congregation to prophecy to him that God says “…That very soon others will be crying but he will be smiling and rejoicing”. Few weeks later, after Sunday service, the wife of this elder called me in phone and was crying that the building at the back of Mandilas in Broad Street, where they use as packing store was on fire, and that the husband travelled outside Lagos. I got to the place where I saw about four storey building was totally razed down by fire. She explained to me that their goods worth millions of Naira were in that raging fire. The first thing that crossed my mind was that prophecy. Looking at the flame, I told God that He cannot be a liar. I told Him that he gave the words and I brought this man before the congregation and declared His Words (Prophecy) that he will be smiling and rejoicing while others will be crying. His words cannot be turned upside down, telling people that God is no more to be trust-

ed. You must feed your faith with the word of God to grow fatter, bigger and stronger than your fear. While the fire was still raging, I held on to God’s words (The Prophecy) concerning the young man and I know that God gave me the words. I refused to be weighed down by the sight of the inferno.

Until about 6.00pm the entire building as totally burnt down and smoke subsidized, we decided to move inside. On getting to the particular floor, we witnessed a great miracle that lifted my faith the more, and encouraged me more that I am serving a true and living God. Everything including the tiles on the walls had fallen off, and everything inside the building turned into ashes except the entire goods belonging to that Elder. The amazing wonders of this testimony that shows the entire thing as divine was that the CELLOPHANE transparent plastic materials used in wrapping the whole suit materials (the goods0 were not even melted not to talk of fire touching it.

It was an amazing miracle of the century, that in the entire building, it’s only this Elder’s goods that were spared of the great inferno. The prophecy that others will be crying while he will be smiling and rejoicing finally came to fulfillment. No matter what you may be seeing now or passing through, do not allow fear to possess you. By focusing on Jesus and on His Words, you will definitely overcome. Faith and not fear is the cooperation God needs from you to give you your expected miracles.

Always remember that fear is what Satan needs out of you to pull you down.

Where ever fearful Goliath is standing, two things are standing beside him, fame and failure. Fearful Goliath will either make a man or reduce him. King Saul lost his fame in Israel because he could not confront or face Goliath while unknown David became famous because he gathered boldness and saw Goliath as an opportunity to become somebody and he utilized it. See your Goliath as an opportunity to be decorated and

not an obstacle. Bible says (2 Tim. 1:7) “…For God hath not given us the spirit of fear but power and of love, and a sound mind…” It was with BOLDNESS that Moses confronted Pharaoh, that he should let the slaves go. It is time you confront every situation that enslaved you with boldness. Decide now with that spirit of boldness that poverty, barrenness, emptiness, failure etc, that has held you captive must leave you.

As the children of Israel got to the Red Sea, looking at it they cried unto Moses and Moses cried unto God but God asked Moses to tell the people to move forward. Moving forward was moving into the Red Sea, confronting the Red Sea. The Testimony is that as they stepped their feet into the Red Sea, it parted for them to pass through. If today, you can with BOLDNESS, confront your Red Sea, you will discover the hidden access to your lifting, victory and fruitfulness. Note that behind every fearful GIANT there is always over-flow of milk and honey. Behind every Red Sea, there is freedom from captivity of poverty; barrenness etc, beside every GOLIATH, there is fame and failure.

Be a bold DAVID the CHAMPION and not SAUL the failure for it is your time to be decorated. Fight the good fight of faith and you will stand at your podium for your decoration. Remember that fame and not failure is waiting for you behind the fearful Goliath. Gather faith and boldness as we move to the top. I LOVE THIS GOD!

•For more information, contact: Bishop Theo Ugochukwu – General Overseer, Miracle Assembly Bible Church, a.k.a. The City of Joy, 80, Ajose Street, Mende, Maryland, Lagos; Tel: 08033461482.

Email: bishopgracemiracle@ ymail.com

News

Gov Fashola tasks Nigerians on law and order …as Anglican Communion, Diocese of Lagos holds Synod ODINAKA URUAKPA

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he Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, has called on leaders and citizens of Nigeria to put law and order at the upper most of their hearts and think of ways to restore this in the life of the nation since it is the most important and of issues affecting the country.

He made this call while delivering a speech at the 3rd session of the 32nd Synod of the Anglican Communion, Diocese of Lagos tagged “The authority of the scriptures”, held recently at Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square, Lagos.

Expressing pleasure at being invited to the synod, the Chief Executive of the state, took the opportunity to condole with the Diocesan Bishop of Lagos and Dean Emeritus,

L-R: former Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice George Oguntade; Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; Diocesan Bishop of Lagos (Anglican Communion) Rev Dr Ephraim Ademowo and his wife Oluranti at the opening ceremony of the 3rd Session of the 32nd Synod of the Diocese of Lagos yesterday at Our Saviours Anglican Church, Onikan, Lagos.

Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, the most Rev. (Dr.) Ephraim Ademowo on the passage of his mother.

He said: “There is not enough that I can possibly say today except to thank all of you; the

church, the members, leaders for your prayers, counsel, support and most importantly, your votes. The last eight years have been eventful, I call them a season of hills and valleys, but I think that I can say fairly that

there were more hills than valleys and the only thing I can say in addition, is that at this moment of great expectation, all of us have a very big role to play. What it means is that our role would be bigger than those of the people we have elected into office, starting from Lagos to other states of the federation.

“Our nation will be as good as it used to be, but first, we must decide the kind society we want to live in, and we can make this decision by the actions that we either take or refuse to take and by the actions that would support or those that would condemn. The issue that I would like us to put on the front-burner is the issue of law and order, it is the most important that perhaps we have not focused on. If we look at Nigeria today and that of 40 years ago, the difference is really law and order.

Fashola while recalling the disappearance of the over 200 children in Chibok explained that corruption in the various

spheres of the economy has led to the breakdown of law order.

“When we have over 20 states not been able to pay salaries simply because there is no money, you can begin to quantify the losses that we collectively suffer because of the failure of law and order”, he lamented.

In his address, Rev. Ademowo spoke lengthily on the importance of the scriptures in the life of the Christian, maintaining that under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Christians are able to hear God, know who He is, what He has done for them, and how they can respond to Him and live their lives in fellowship with Him. The cleric also spoke on the state of the nation, harping on economical transformation, security of lives and property, the poor state of education and infrastructure, as well as the issue of unemployment which he noted to be a hot issue in the country as many of the citizens are frustrated with widespread joblessness.

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Cover

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oing by the records of wives of religious clerics, Christianity in particular, it can be deduced that it is very easy to develop Pastor’s Wife Syndrome, PWS. This is that trap where every title comes with its own expectations and in order to be known by that title you must live up to every single expectation that comes with it.

It is quite common for people to expect a pastor’s wife to display attitude or disposition that are more characteristic of a pastor’s wife than that of your average housewife like playing the piano, to be involved in nursery and children’s ministry, to have the best behaved children, be involved in every church function including cooking and catering for the congregation as occasion demands. It is also typical for others to expect the pastor’s wife to be the holiest woman in the church, to know the Bible better than anyone they have ever met, to never get angry and by no means should she laugh out loud or wear any clothing that is not at best conservative.

All the attributes mentioned above can be said to be for the pastor’s wife in the days of yore as against that of the modern day that tends to be more outspoken, active and as prominent in the scheme of things as the husband, who is pastor and head of the church.

Today’s breed of the pastor’s wives as the case maybe go as far as laying hands, counseling and praying for members of the church as they practically are assistant or associate pastors alongside their husbands.

Some of these women, especially in this part of the world, naturally take over the affairs of the ministry in the absence or deaths of their husbands and this confirms the argument of some school of thought that ministries where the wife of the Head pastor, Bishop General Overseer as the case may be plays such prominent roles, should be seen as nothing but family business.

The Director of studies, United Bible University, Ojodu, Ogun State, Prof.

Macaulay explained that what is happening is that the church in Nigeria is now personalised. “It is no longer the church of God; it does not portray the attributes of the church that was established in Jerusalem and proclaimed to all the corners of the world. The first century church was founded by Jesus Christ, but what we see today is church established by some people who call themselves men and women of God who do not work according to the will of God. They work according to their desires this is the reason when a man establishes a church, he brings in his wife as his assistant so it becomes a family enterprise. Some of them even install their children as pastors in their branches and for me this is not church, but ministry established by man, organized by man and run by man and not by the Holy Spirit.”

According to him, “When a man is called, he is called by God, who tells him exactly what to do and he would depend on God for every step or action taken in the church so the church would be controlled by the Holy Spirit and not by man. We know of some churches where the pastors die and the wives took over

Sunday May 10, 2015

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Daddy G. O. , Mummy

Church worshippers

In Christendom, it has become the order of the day for women whose husbands are ordained men of God especially head of churches to automatically assume the position of Mummy G.O or “First Lady” as some Christians choose to call them. ODINAKA URUAKPA looks as the necessity of such titles as many clerics argue that it is not a Bible-based practice. the ministry, this automatically shows they are businesspeople and they are just using the name of God to make money and to deceive people. Many of them to preach conversion, they only preach things that their members like to hear and they know if they do contrary, the people would go.”

Concerning the laying of hands by women, he said it is not the pastors alone or leadership, but divine call adding that every Christian is a minister of God called, by God to do great wonders, but what matters is how they go about it.

According to Pastor Afolarin Adebola of Freedom Christian Miracle Assembly, Lagos, the pastor’s wife should simply be a wife and not a church leader, which he noted is almost always the case in churches today where the pastors’ wives see themselves as the woman overseer or first lady.

“I had a hard time finding in Scripture where it explains the role of a pastor’s wife. I dragged out every concordance I could find. I looked at my Greek and Hebrew Lexicon, I consulted Wikipedia (the academic version), and even the urban dictionary and still, I couldn’t find it anywhere.

This idea of the pastor’s wife as a First Lady is a cultural thing and not biblical. Women who are married to pastors often receive guilt-ridden traditions and rules and roles and associate pastor-like expectations.

My wife and I met in church and I was already a licensed pastor before we got married and I have served as a pastor in a church for our entire marriage and she has known noth-

ing else since we got married. Her role in the church is not to lead women’s ministry unless she wants or children’s ministry or serve on a committee that is if she wants. The pastor’s wife’s role in the church is to be a worshipper of Jesus, a faithful church member, to serve where she wants (except committees) and be her husband’s wife. She isn’t meant to count, copy, coordinate or collate anything. She doesn’t have to counsel anyone or cajole volunteers, no matter how hard the people ask. She should be seen to be faithful, loyal, hard working, devoted to Jesus and the church”, he stated.

Pastor Adebola further advised pastors and their wives to make out time and study the scripture to see if they would find the term pastor’s wife or the biblical definition for it.

“What I discovered was that there is no such thing as a pastor’s wife or other names people may choose to call them, rather lists exist in Scripture for elders, male deacons and deaconess, but nothing mentioned for pastor’s wives. If you read the Bible, you will find lots of help-

ful principles for wives, which are also applicable to wives of plumbers, attorneys, salesmen, businessmen, politicians, or even to pastors; what God requires of wives who just happen to be married to pastors is to simply be a wife. Jesus is portrayed in Scripture as the Bridegroom and the church is the bride. The bride does not earn the Bridegroom’s love by her actions; she receives it by grace. Her responsibility is to simply respond to the Bridegroom’s love. Wives of pastors do not have to earn the affection of the congregation; they don’t need to lay hands on people. They must not let others impose extra-biblical expectations on them. Their Bridegroom Jesus, husband and children already love them, even though they are not perfect, FirstLady-like. Be the wife to one pastor that God is calling you to be and stop trying to be the perfect pastor’s wife”, he admonished.

Pastor Moses Ojo, the Pastor in charge of World Soul Winning Ministry, said though there is nothing like ‘Mummy G.O’ in the Bible, he does not have

I HAD A HARD TIME FINDING IN SCRIPTURE WHERE IT EXPLAINS THE ROLE OF A PASTOR’S WIFE. I DRAGGED OUT EVERY CONCORDANCE I COULD FIND. I LOOKED AT MY GREEK AND HEBREW LEXICON, I CONSULTED WIKIPEDIA (THE ACADEMIC VERSION), AND EVEN THE URBAN DICTIONARY AND STILL, I COULDN’T FIND IT ANYWHERE

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23

G. O. syndrome

Church of God

Redemption Camp

anything against the ministries where the pastor’s wife assume such role. ‘’I am not against people who are addressed as Daddy and Mummy G.O; the only thing is that in my church we prefer to use the term Senior Pastor and not General Overseer and there cannot be two senior pastors in the church. For now, I am in charge and my wife assists me with some other people, but I think this Mummy G.O thing is borrowed culture and now it is in vogue because everybody wants respect and recognition. Even pastors with just one branch call themselves General Overseer while their wives automatically take up the title of Mummy G.O. A General Overseer is supposed to be someone with many church branches”, he explained.

The cleric pointed out that the calling is divine, and for people who think it is when they are ordained that they are called, he insisted it is a wrong no-

tion noting that there are people who have been called from the womb just like Jeremiah whom the Bible states in Jeremiah chapter one that had been ordained right from his mother’s womb.

“When I am ministering other pastors also minister with me including my wife; they lay hands because the gift is for all, it’s just that assuming that position of leadership makes people focus on you. Ideally, there shouldn’t be discrimination or anyone feeling so

big because he is the General Overseer and decides to do any and everything in the church; this is one of the things that make people break out to begin their own ministry; there so many errors in the body of Christ which we need to correct; a pastor who wants to be El-shadai will become I shall die”, he submitted.

In his submission, the Pastor in charge of Christian Glorious Ministry, Lagos, Pastor Anthony Luke, said in the first Church, the Bishop, Apostle Peter was married but his wife was not a prominent figure in the Church and she was only mentioned in an indirect manner in the Bible.

“The wife of the first Bishop and favourite apostle, Peter was not prominent in his ministry; she was only flimsily mentioned in the Bible precisely in Matthew Chapter 8:14. We also know that Moses was married and the woman was certainly not a prominent figure beside him; when he addressed the congregation or went into the mountain his wife was not there, the only people mentioned alongside Moses were Aaron, Joshua and some of the elders of Israel. The Bible states in Ephesians 4:11-12: ‘He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the

I AM NOT AGAINST PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDRESSED AS DADDY AND MUMMY G.O; THE ONLY THING IS THAT IN MY CHURCH WE PREFER TO USE THE TERM

SENIOR PASTOR AND NOT GENERAL OVERSEER

AND THERE CANNOT BE TWO SENIOR PASTORS IN THE CHURCH

perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.’ The above scripture tells us that it is God that does the appointing in his house. If it is not God that appoints a Bishop or a Pastor’s wife in a leadership position then she will only wreak havoc in the Church. One cannot assume a position in Church based on marital status or family connections”, he maintain ed.

He insisted that the cancer in most Churches is caused by the so called Mummy G.Os or First Ladies who are not set up by God adding that the backsliding of churches is often where Pastors’ wives, many not filled with the Holy Ghost are allowed to set their own order and trend in God’s house where they reign over the women, divide the Church and sow seeds of rebellion and discord.

“This demonic concept has transformed some churches into family dynasties where Bishops’ sons, some worst than the sons of Eli, are given the pulpit and are allowed to sow evil doctrines into the fabric of the Church. These sons many of whom marry and divorce on several occasions are given free rein in the Church and subdue and kill God’s prophets. Many of these churches have backslidden from the old path of holiness and have exchanged holiness for worldliness where women no longer wear head covering, tamper with their hair and wear makeup. Concerning this Mummy G. O syndrome, it has infiltrated many churches, it has become a thing of prestige, it is however gender-driven because when the man is ordained as the Pastor or Bishop, his wife is automatically promoted as the First Lady of the Church. In other words she becomes an assistant Pastor or joint Pastor to the man”, he submitted.

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24

From the

Pulpit Sunday May 10, 2015

Strengthening the things which remain,

by Pastor Muoka General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Reviv Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, in this piece, teac teaches on how to remain rapturable. Excerpts:

Pastor Muoka

A

mos 4: 12 says, “Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel”.

Whether you are a believer or not what you must understand is that the world has come to its full circle, for there is nothing that is new in the world again.

There is nothing that will be that has not been. Everything that is, has been. What is considered to be new in the present generation has existed in the former generation. So the next agenda in the calendar of God is the rapture.

But before this will happen, God wants those who are laying claim to be His Children to strengthen the things that remain in their lives; those things that needed to be addressed should be addressed immediately for there is no more time. This is because He will not accept any excuses for disobedience no matter how little we may consider such disobedience. For, no unrighteousness shall be allowed to be carried into heaven. Anyone who repented not or refuses to forsake his wicked course of life shall never see the kingdom of God. Whoever allows and tolerates himself in any sin should know he is certainly in a state of damnation.

1Cor. 6: 9-10 says, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10. Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God”.

Many thousands of impenitently wicked souls are sentenced to hell by this one scripture. Men are very prone

to deceive themselves that though they live wickedly, yet they shall die happily, and go to heaven gloriously but God has decreed and declared the contrary.

The impenitent sinner shall never enter into the kingdom of God, for God is holy and His abode is also a holy place.

1Peter 1: 15- 16 says, “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16. Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy”.

Seeing that God is holy, we must as a matter of urgency be separated from all the defilements of the world, and entirely be consecrated to God and obedient to all His laws. That is, we must be void of all pollution, idolatry and superstition both of soul and body, for God who has called us to be His own Children is holy both in essence, and in all His laws, which are holy, just and good. If we are to be received by Him at the end of our sojourn on earth, we must conform to the image of holiness by which we resemble Him and are called His children. This is the reason this message is presented to you in order that you strengthen and correct anything that could stand as a wall of hindrance before your death or at the time of rapture.

We must avoid injustice and injuriousness towards our neighbours. Children are to be obedient to their parents.

The obedience must include inward reverence and outward respect, care to please them and to make them easy.

We must ensure that nothing should share our devotion to God for God only should be worshipped. Not even activities should take our time to reverence God. We must not turn our eyes to those who preach fables other than the word

of G God, because they may defil our conscience and defile grie our heart. We must grieve not be covetous, griping, an greedy of everything and we can lay claim to, nor in insist upon our right in a things. We are to be all h humble, honest and true in all our dealings, whatever we have in the world, we must see that we get it honestly, for we cannot be truly rich with that which is not genuinely gotten.

As we strengthen what remains to make us heavenly candidates, we must not forget to reverence the sacred name of God. We must not detain what belongs to another, particularly the wages of your workers. We must be tender to those that are weak amongst us particularly the widow, aged and little children. We ought to take heed of not doing anything which may occasion our weak brother to fall.

The fear of God that must be inculcated in our lives should keep us from doing wrong things. Judges, and all in authority, are commanded to give judgment without partiality. To be a tale-bearer, and to sow the seed of discord among neighbours is a sin before God and must be corrected.

We are to rebuke our neighbour in love.

Rather rebuke him than hate him. We incur guilt by not reproving him. We should therefore say, I will do him the kindness to tell him of his faults.

Above all, we are to put off all malice, and to put on brotherly love. We often wrong ourselves, but we soon forgive ourselves those wrongs, and we do not at all lessen our love to ourselves. In like manner, we should love our neighbour including our enemies, for so is the will of God. We must in many cases deny ourselves for the good of our neighbour. For those who profess to be Christians, they should know that to use spells and charms or the like are a sad affront to God. We must beware of deceivers who ask us, “What harm is there in those things? We must mark and avoid them.

Heb. 12: 14 says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man

shall see the Lord” We must live in peace and holiness with all men. We must follow peace through all places; trace it through all winding circumstances; and have it with all men and with a safe conscience. We must not give indulgence to those passions which lead to litigations, strives, wars and hatred. We are to make war with sin, but not with men. We should make war with bad passions and corrupt desires, but not with our fellow men. We should hate all forms of unrighteousness and not our neighbours.

The Scripture teaches good manners, and obliges us to honour those to whom honour is due. Strangers, the widows and fatherless are God’s particular care. It is at our peril if we do them any wrong. Strangers shall be welcome to God’s grace; we should do what we can to recommend Christ to them. We must make conscience of obeying God’s precepts. We are not to pick and choose our duty, but must aim at standing complete in all the will of God. And the nearer our lives and tempers are to the precepts of God’s law, the happier shall we be, and the happier shall we make all around us, and the better shall we adorn the gospel.

So it is expedient to strengthen all that remain in our lives before the coming of our Lord Jesus who will take us to our lasting peaceful abode.

Heb. 4: 12- 13 says, “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; 13. And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed”.

We must by strengthening what remains go forward courageously and keep always a right course without any staggering or stumbling. We must show examples of good life for others to follow and make every effort to bear up under their trials. The hope of victory will do much to strengthen us when we are on our duty cum journey to heaven because the desire to reach home invigorates the frame of the weary traveler. So in persecution and sickness and bereavement, the hands must not fall, the knees must not tremble, and the heart must not sink CONTINUED ON PAGE 41

PASSION

25

Sunday May 10, 2015

A Lifestyle Magazine

APPLAUSE

Politics is easier than making music 窶適enny Saint Best >>27

>>27

Life has taught me not to be too trusting -Bola Mojeed >>26

26

Passion

Sunday, May 10, 2015

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Life has taught me not to be too trusting -Bola Mojeed Bola Mojeed studied Mass Communication at Lagos State Polytechnic, LASPOTECH, but took to acting because of the passion she has for it. In this interview with Adaeze Amos, she speaks about the movies she had featured in and what life has taught her, among others.

When and why did you go into acting?

I’m an actress because I have passion for acting, and my happiest moment is when I’m in front of the camera interpreting roles, playing out other people’s character and making it look like mine. For me, that’s thrilling. I pray that hat in future I will be one of the international actresses.

With passion for acting, why didn’t you study Theatre Arts?

I studied Mass Communication at the Lagos State Polytechnic. I wished I studied Theatre Arts because that is what I’m into right now and I’m happy that I’m a known actress. At least east with over 20 movies I have starred in, my fans easily recognise me and remember some of my roles.

Who would you love to be paired with to interpret romance?

Any good actor goes for me. I can’t stand an actor that wouldn’t know when to talk and keep mum for me to respond. So, I would love to be paired with any actor. Since acting is good m a ke - b e l i eve, it’s not compulsory I

Does this mean you would love to come back as a woman if you were to relive your life?

Yes, I would like to come back as a woman because I love the role women take in the society, homes and anywhere they find themselves.

Can you relive your first time on a movie set?

Seriously, I was nervous or anxious. But despite all that I was able to deliver and interpret my role well.

Tell us some movies you have starred in.

Some of my movies I can remember off hand are ‘Sababi’, ‘Oloku Ada’, ‘Inu Ati Etu’, ‘Opalaba’, ‘Okunkun’, ‘Minaj’, ‘Ibudo’ and ‘Ore’, Others are ‘Ojowu’, ‘Oba Getto’, ‘Ewe Iyeye’, ‘Kirakita’, ‘Okoowo’, ‘Loogun Ofe’, ‘Garigari’ and so on.

Who are those in the movie world you admire?

I admire Femi Brainard, Antar Laniyan and Afeez Eniola

Is s there any role you would turn down?

I have not really seen any. I’m a versatile actress and as such can interpret nterpret every role perfectly.

Which of your movies brought you into the limelight?

It’s true that I’m in the limelight imelight already but not as much as I would have loved oved to be. There are really some hotter movies I had starred in that would have brought me more fame.

But most of those movies are not yet out.

the popular saying that ‘behind every successful man is a brilliant woman’. This means that men dominate successfully due to the knowledgeable support of women in their lives. That is what trills me as a woman.

Who motivated you to go into acting?

Halima Abubakar and Toyin Aiyemakun lured me into the movie world with their acting prowess.

choose a guy I admire. admire e.

You said you are a versav tile actress that can ca an interpret every role, does d that also include e nude roles?

I was expectexpe ecting you to ask this and you u did.

Thank God you y did so that I can n clear the air here. I won’t be able to interpret in nterpret nude or sex roles ber cause they wouldn’t w speak well of of me. I don’t think the th he audience out there the ere will appreciate it.

What aspect of your career do you enjoy so much?

I love the making m of movies, movie mo ovie locations and what wha at happens behind the camera. All these can n be fun. This includes the travelling aspect.

What thrills you as a woman? w Everything about being a b woman thrills th ill me. Remember R member b

What are those lapses in the movie world you would want to talk about?

The only major lapse I would like to point out here is piracy. For the rest, I would like to keep it in my mind for now maybe because I haven’t got to the peak of Nollywood yet.

When you had a heartbreak, what did you do right to wriggle

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Applause

Sunday, May 10, 2015

out of the pains?

I tried as much as possible to avoid being alone. I was always in the midst of friends, family or loved ones.

What are the qualities of your ideal man?

My ideal man would be handsome and a God-fearing.

What is your life philosophy?

Do onto others as you will want them do onto you. This philosophy guides me in everything I do.

27

Politics is easier than making music –Kenny Saint Best

What lesson has life ever taught you?

Life has taught me not to trust anyone.

Also, if I’m fortunate in helping people, I would do it without expecting any reward from them but from God. What puts you off people?

Hypocrisy!

When you are down, what do you do to be inspired?

I listen to music and chat up with one or two people close to me.

Aside from acting, what else do you do for a living?

For now, it’s acting alone but with time, I would love to go into clothing business.

What do you think life would have been Wh without fashion? with Oh my God, life would have been O damn boring without fashion. dam Can you define your style?

Ca My style is simple.

M What fashion accessory forms a larger Wh part of your wardrobe and what style item par won’t you be seen wearing? won Shoes dominate my wardrobe. I won’t be S seen see in bikini because it will expose my body so much given my kind of person.

ADAEZE AMOS

K

enny Saint Best has been doing what she loves best in the last 16 years - music. She started off as Kenny Saint Brown and she had to drop Brown and replace it with Best when her marriage crashed.

This mother of two does a whole lot. Aside from being a musician, she is a politician, technocrat, youth coach, who is interested in the economic development of Nigerian youths.

When she ventured into politics with the intention to serve and give more attention to the youth, she did so with all her heart. She was asked if she would have been able to do that. In other words, wouldn’t she find politics too difficult to handle?

“Music is more difficult to practise than politics. I’m serious about this. It may just be the player that wants to outplay the contender which of course is not the best way to play politics,” she said.

Buttressing her point, she described music as spiritual.

“But music is spiritual, you are dealing with spirits you don’t see or know. They come and serve you songs. Sure, you are being served by the spirits that are higher than you. And sometimes, you need to position yourself, your mind has to be calm, you have to be heartbroken to be able to bring out some good songs. For instance, for me to sing the song like ‘Alaye’, I had to be down there in the pit. I had to ask for death and death would not come. I had to overcome death and then because another spirit would come and serve me life through songs. As I sing the songs, strength had to come back to me. Before Fela called himself Anikulapo Kuti, he was a Ramsome Kuti. Michael Jackson had to go to the burial ground to contact the power of the dead for him to do ‘Thriller’. All those things that were pictured in the video, you think they were just make-up? No! It was a spirit that served him. Eventually, he looked like a ghost and he died,” she revealed.

Kenny emphasised that such spirits are not seen.

“With music, you are dealing with a spirit you don’t see. It would overpower you and then for you to be able to rule over it, you have to overpower it. But it gives you detection. It tells you how to do things and when you can’t do it like that, then it starts to trouble you. When you want more fame, some have to go and touch things. This means that the seen is touching the unseen.

Even in America, they are saying the Tiuminati. It’s the higher spirit. Music is highly deadly and highly spiritual. So, you have to overpower and overcome the spirit of music. There are two lives to music - the beginning life and the second life. A lot of people don’t survive the first life of music. I have seen many of my colleagues, they were able to push music to a level and it will be asking for a higher thing from you. It is demanding for a higher strength and the ability to be able to withstand it is not easy. It would break you and you become broke. Go and ask idris Abdulkarim, go and ask people that are into music. It has to break you.

It is either you just wash your hands and say, ‘music I’m handing off from you, I have tried and I’m tired’. Because at times you even put

your money into it and it doesn’t come back, she said.

Kenny also said that such higher spirits have the tendency of keeping you awake at nights. “Then you are dealing with that spirit that would not let you sleep. It keeps you awake and be serving you music at nights. You are awake and you are writing songs down. Go and see some musicians; they can attest to what I’m saying by their looks.

That is why people say they are abstract, they are not normal and for some, they have to be permanently on weed because it’s easier for them that way,” she disclosed.

Has she experienced these, you may ask!

“Yes, I have been there for 16 years. I have been able to have my challenges. It came through marriage, blackmail, people saying I can’t do it, pointing at me and saying who are you by the way? She is just Kenny Ogungbe’s younger sister, they are just helping her.

But I’m able to stand the heat, to prove to the whole world that music called and equipped me. I have survived it. I’m a musician and I’m happy to be one.

“Give me the stage anywhere and I will kill it. I would perform and make you dance until you forget your sorrow. I can call the spirit of music down and it blesses you and use music to bring the glory of God down upon humanity. My connection to life is music and that is why I can’t even leave it and opt for something else. It is another service; you must serve people with music. It is not the kind of music that brings attention to yourself. Such music destroys.

“When you begin to sing and you are sexy in your songs, it can destroy you. If you doubt this, go and ask Janet Jackson. Then when you sing that you are high’ in your songs, that also can destroy, because you want to be getting higher and higher. If you doubt this go and ask Whitney Houston. But if you leave the purity of music as it is, it continues to serve you even at the time of your challenges.

“You just hold on to God, cry to God. Remember crying is a song, especially when you are wailing. That was why the South Africans then, when they wailed and without even saying anything, they were hearing songs from somewhere because of their suffering and apartheid that was put upon them. So, music can just be a wailing. You just move into it and you touch the spirit of music,” she emphasised.

28

Sunday, May 10, 2015

GROWING UP with

Aunty Titi

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cape fox

Hello Children, How are you going about your studies? Ensure you read your books so as to excel in your class. In this edition, we have interesting and educative articles that are meant to improve your learning ability. Have a wonderful week

ONCE UPON A TIME

T

Helping others

O

nce upon a time there was a small boy named Jude. He came from a very poor family. One day, he was passing through the forest carrying some fire wood. He saw an old man who was very hungry. Jude wanted to give him some food, but he did not have any food with him, he was very sad so he continued his journey. On his way he saw a deer that was very thirsty. He wanted to give him some water, but he did not have water for himself. So he went on his way.

Then he saw a man who wanted to make a camp but he did not have wood.

Jude asked him what he wanted and the man replied gently “I want to make a camp and I don’t have a wood”, Jude was a good boy so he gave him some woods.

The man was very happy with Jude so in return, he gave him some food and wa-

ter. Now he went back to the old man and gave him some food and gave some water to the deer. The old man and the deer were very happy. Jude happily went on his way.

However, one day Jude fell down the hill. He was in pain but he couldn’t move and no one was there to help him. But, the old man who he had helped before saw him; he quickly came and pulled him up the hill. He had many wounds on his legs. The deer whom Jude had gave water saw his wounds and quickly went to forest and brought some herbs. After sometime his wounds were covered. All were very happy that they were able to help each other.

Moral of the Story: If you help others, then they will also help you.

TONGUE TWISTER A tree-toad loved a she-toad Who lived up in a tree.

He was a two-toed tree-toad, But a three-toed toad was she.

The two-toed tree-toad tried to win The three-toed she-toad’s heart, For the two-toed tree-toad loved the ground That the three-toed tree-toad trod.

But the two-toed tree-toad tried in vain; He couldn’t please her whim.

From her tree-toad bower, With her three-toed power, The she-toad vetoed him.

he Cape fox also called the silverbacked fox usually has small black or silver gray fur with flanks and underside in light yellow. The tip of its tail is always black and it tends to be 45 to 61 cm long, not including a 30 to 40 cm (11.8-15.75 inch) tail. It is 28 to 33 cm tall at the shoulder, and usually weighs from 3.6 to 5 kg.

The Cape fox is nocturnal and most active just before dawn or after dusk; it can be spotted during the early mornings and early evenings. During the day, it typically shelters in burrows underground, holes, hollows, or dense thickets. It is an active digger that will excavate its own burrow, although it generally modifies an abandoned burrow of another species, such as the springhare, to its specific requirements. They are solitary creatures, and although they form mated pairs, the males and females are often found alone, as they tend to forage separately.

They are not especially territorial but will mark their territories with a pungent scent. Although a normally silent fox, the Cape fox is known to communicate with soft calls, whines or chirps.

However, it will utter a loud bark when alarmed. When in an aggressive mood, the Cape fox is known to growl and spit at its attacker. To show its excitement, the fox lifts its tail, the height of the tail often indicating the measure of excitement.

Cape fox are omnivorous and eat plants or animals. Although they prefer invertebrates and small mammals such as rodents, they are opportunists and known to hunt and eat reptiles, rabbits, spiders, birds, and young hares. They will also eat eggs, beetle larvae, and carrion, as well as most insects or fruits.

Cape foxes have been reported to be able to kill lambs up to three months of age; however this is a rare occurrence.

Typical of most Canid species, Cape foxes will mate for life. They are capable of breeding all year long, unlike

the Red fox, although they typically have offspring in the months from October to January while the female Cape fox has a gestation period of 51 to 53 days and gives birth to a litter of one to six cubs (or kits).

Reared underground in burrows, the cubs stay close to the den until they are about four months old. They are weaned at around six to eight weeks of age, but do not begin to forage until they are four months old. Cubs usually become independent at five months of age, at which point they will disperse more often in June or July. They weigh from 50 to 100 grams (1.7 - 3.5 ounces) at birth. Both parents will care for the young, with the male also providing for the female during the first two weeks.

A family group usually consists of the parents and their offspring, but different family groups sometimes mix during feeding. Multiple litters are possible and have been observed; however, the female usually chases out the cubs from the last litter when she is expecting another one. Cape foxes are fully grown within about a year, with both the female and the male reaching sexual maturity at 9 months. It has a life expectancy of about six years, but can live for up to 10 years.

The Cape fox is thought to help regulate populations of small mammals while predators include large raptors, such as eagles and owls, as well as caracal, leopard, hyena, and lion. They often succumb to diseases such as rabies and canine distemper, and in more recent times have started to become victims of traps set out for problem animals.

A large number of Cape foxes are killed on the road by vehicles. Many are hunted and persecuted as vermin. Some may be mistaken for jackals and held responsible for livestock losses. About 2,500 individuals are killed yearly; this is about sixteen percent of the total cape fox population but they are not regarded as a threatened species.

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

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29

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Dude Style Tattoos and studs make me complete –Muzz victorudoh804@yahoo.com 07067124302

Noted for his good dress sense, Cote d’Ivoire-born Nigerian Nollywood actor, Koita Muzz, speaks about his passion for fashion, acting and showbiz industry. The Business Administration graduate bares it all in this interview with Victor Udoh. Excerpts: Why did you choose acting as a career?

Acting has been part of me for years; I love to act and it is a way for me to express myself. I particularly love acting romantic, adventure and comedy roles.

How would you rate the Nigerian movie industry?

The industry is one of the best in Africa because of the quality of creativity in its movies. Also, the actors, picture quality of movies are of world-class standard.

What

have you achieved in Nollywood?

By the special grace of God, I have achieved a lot. I just featured in a hit movie, ‘Martisa’, which would soon be shown on screen.

I am also working on a project with Desmond Elliot, where I would be playing the major role. For now, I just finished shooting a movie with Julius Agwu; that would also be out soon. I have another movie to shoot with Royal Academy next week.

My calendar is full of

events.

What is your

brand of fashion?

I like to be simple always because of my kind of person. Sometimes, I wear designers like Muss fashion, Gucci, Versace, Louis Vuitton. They depict my brand of fashion anytime.

What is your style slogan? you are comfortable with what Be sure yo you have on.

Why do you wear tattoos and studs? tattoos and studs because they I love tatt feel like a complete man. make me fee you about being a man?

What thrills y being a man. In fact, if I return I love bei world, I would like to come as in the next w a man.

Who is your mentor?

American top act, Will Smith, is my number one mentor, because of the creinfuses in any role given to him. ativity he inf So is Ramsey Nouah, I want to be like him; my best actors in Nigeria. he is one of m you see Nollywood in the next Where do yo five years?

Nollywood as a household name I see Noll world. Moreover, watch out for me, in the world I am coming out big soonest.

Apart from acting, what else do you do?

I am into runway modelling, fashion and I design some of my outfits.

What is your philosophy of life?

Be the best in everything you choose to do; don’t depend on anyone except God. Put smiles on people’s faces every day and make sure you add value to their lives.

What is your advice to upcoming artistes?

Be yourself in everything you do.

Where do you see the Nigerian entertainment industry in the next five years?

The entertainment industry is growing fast. For instance, so many artistes are now making more money; some have even been endorsed by multinational companies. 15 years ago, no one would have believed the industry would get to this level.

How do you feel when your fans appreciate you?

I feel very happy. It gives me joy to have them talk to me.

What are your parting words for your fans?

Do what you can and leave the rest to God. Don’t look to other people, but God to put you through. Above all, always know what you want.

What books interest you and why?

I love any book that has to do with business, because I am a business-oriented person.

What is that fashion item that pisses you off?

I don’t really have problem with what people wear because I believe you wear what you are comfortable in. As long as it makes sense, I am okay with it.

What is that fashion item you can never be caught in?

I can never be caught wearing women leggings or g-string.

Where do you intend to be in the next five years?

I want my name to be household across the African continent.

&

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

You can call this line 08050324794

CELEBRATING THE JOY IN MARITAL BLISS MAY 10, 2015

Gbolahon is my answered prayer –Olaide TITILOPE MORAKINYO

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or the families of Mustapha and Jaji, their joy knew no bounds recently as they witnessed the wedding ceremony of their son and daughter.

It was the fulfilment of divine establishment for the newly wedded couple Olaide and Gbolahon as the serene state of harmony (Kwara State) was agog in funfair.

In a show of splendour, the couple thrilled well-wishers, families and friends who looked superb in their silver and turquoise blue aso ebi at the Avalon Hall, Offa, Kwara State.

Sunday Mirror learnt that the couple met at the bride uncle’s office and couldn’t take their eyes off each other. It was indeed love at first sight.

The groom quickly asked for the number from the uncle and the rest is story.

According to the bride, “it’s simple and sweet; he saw me and liked me.

Gbolahon came into my life when I was praying to God for the best man. He is my answered prayer.”

For the groom, “I just knew she was the one. At first sight, I met my wife when I least expected and today I am grateful to God for this wonderful gift.”

The event was marked with style and lovely dis-

play of romance from the couple as Olaide dazzled all in her easy, yet striking native attire. She looked captivating in her gold blouse, purple wrapper and purple headgear.

She matched her look with a gorgeous gold accessory.

Gbolahon harmonised his bride in his gold and

Ejiro is God-fearing –Groom

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t was joy as family members and friends of Ejiro Jobi and Ebenezer Omobude celebrated their holy matrimony at the New Covenant Gospel Church in Benin, Edo State, recently.

The couple, who believe that marriage should only be built on the fear of God coupled with love, tolerance, mutual understanding and trust, celebrated their wedding with panache.

The groom was decked a black suit which he paired with a white shirt and black tie. The bride wore a sequined ivory satin gown and floral hair piece.

She harmonised her bridal look with a lovely set of earrings.

According to the groom, “Ejiro is my or-

dained soul mate, she cannot be compared to any woman on earth,

and we were both in the choir. The first attraction which I could not

purple native attire.

The couple, whose wedding theme was based on their love story thoroughly enjoyed themselves and carried themselves gracefully in their outfit.

Guests also danced to the melodious tune performed by Olamide and KWAM 1, who was there with his live band.

resist was her cheerful smiles and with time, other things followed. As we moved closer to each other, the more I discovered that she is God-fearing. She sings well and some other virtues convinced me that she would be a wife material”.

According to the bride, “Ebenezer is not only my dream man but the best gift from God to me; I had an inner conviction that he is the right man for me.

“Ebenezer is an ideal man; he is humble, disciplined caring, loving and above all, he has the fear of God.” It was all smiles and fun as the couple, families and friends moved to the venue of the reception.

There was dancing, singing and of an array of food and drinks.

BABIES OF THE WEEK Al Ameen Akorede Alimi

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l Ameen Akorede A l i m i was born at Adeoye Mater nity Home, Sur u l e r e Lagos to Khadijah and Yisa Alimi. He weighed 3.5kg at birth.

The mothe r , Khadijah, said apart from the normal things that occur to women during pregnancy, such as swollen feet and occasional heart burn, she felt unusual pain at some point.

She enjoyed fruits during the period.

“Though fruits are part of normal diets for pregnant women, I had this passion for mango, which I craved for all the time,” she said.

According to the parents, Al Ameen is a

special and dear child t o their heart.

He is a loving and cute son.

He brought in divine favour and financial breakthrough to the family.

On the choice of name, the father revealed, “We named him Akorede, which means he brought in good news and wealth to us”.

“We want him to be great, fulfil God’s mandate and impact his generation positively,” Yisa added.

Michael Miller Mojekwu

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ichael Miller Mojekwu was delivered at Christ Power Global Mission church Alagbado, Lagos to Edwin and Faith Mojekwu. He weighed 3.7kg.

What d i d Faith c r ave f o r during the pregnancy? “During the pregnancy, I longed for watermelon and apple,” she said.

According to Faith, during the pregnancy, she had swollen feet.

“The obvious physical changes during the pregnancy aside from my protruding stomach was my swollen feet.”

Was she irritated by anything during the period?

“I was irritated by the scent of perfumes and b o d y

creams,” she disclosed.

What do Michael’s parents love about him?

“He is so gentle, cute and bright,” E d win said.

What do they want him to become in future? “We want him to be successful in life. We will support him as his parents in his chosen field of career,” Edwin added.

What is the meaning of his names? “Michael means archangel and Miller means worker,” Edwin emphasised.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

What to wear ‌to a zebra skin-print bash MAY 10, 2015

ADAEZE AMOS

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ost often, it is the colour code that defines a party or event. In that case, it is mandatory for every attendee to abide by the colour guide else you look odd.

So, for a touch of zebra event, you would see ladies dressed in what these two models, Ruth and Kim, are sporting on this page. A simple close-fitted zebra dress with red accessories to jazz it up is what is needed on this occasion.

Thus, if you have a touch of zebra bash to attend today, this page would be your guide.

Ensure you have your swag intact; walk and carry yourself like a lady and be comported. Also, know who designed what you are putting on even up to the shoes and clutch you are carrying so that when you are asked on the red carpet you would be able to answer correctly.

Perfect Cut

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African Look Beads bring elegance to ethnic attires ADAEZE AMOS

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o you know what brings elegance to ethnic attires? Colourful beads of all ll shapes and sizes. If you are dressed in ethnic wears and you don’t adorn n your neck, ears, ankles, wrists and head with beads, you could look incommplete. Thus, if you have a traditional marriage to attend, check out the lovely y hairstyle of the model on this page. Beads are to ethnic attires what icing is to o cake. So, why not emulate the model on this page? She chose to leave her neck k bare because she has enough beads on her shoulders. Then for your necklace, e, there are assorted colours that would blend with your outfit.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

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What tod

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Sunday, May 10, 2015

Perfect Cut

ay’s fashionistas wear with panache AD DAEZE AMOS

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f you have been away from the social radar for a long time and you unaware of what today’s fashionistas are wearing, indeed this page would guide you. Assuming you have some fabrics in your closet and you are wondering what styles to opt for, then feast your eyes on an this page and make a choice. th Better still, if you are ready to go shopping and you want to have an idea of styles to look out for, here they are on your fingertips. Check ide out what today’s style enthusiasts are wearing now and take a cue ou from them. You don’t need to lag behind in the fashion circle. fro

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L Clues to rocking your woman well OVE

TALK

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ost times, men take their women for granted. They just see them as a pleasure can that can be used any time they wish. This is not right and you will agree with me that this has affected most homes and relationships negatively.

Ask 10 women if they look forward to making love with their men and you will be surprised to have may be one out of them responding positively. But this should not be. Love making is one major reason for a relationship.

It should be worked on and made to get both parties ask for more. Who then should take up this responsibility?

The men of course. Are they not the head of the house again? Well, here is the secret .

Otherwise known as erogenous zone, they are those areas of the body that are very

Sunday, May 10, 2015

with Yemisi

Adeniran

sensitive to sensual touch.

The zones are described as parts of the body where you have a concentration of nerve endings, such that when given a sensual touch, the woman, like the man, gets some sweet sexual feeling.

Although there are other areas, most men know just one or two; majorly, they know of the woman’s breasts and her clit.

These areas I want to mention today can be termed as secondary erogenous zones.

They are very key to having real fun and therefore cannot be overlooked.

Meanwhile, let me say that the fact that those particular parts of the body appear very sensitive to one person does not mean that they do to another. But to a great extent, there are some areas that are certainly common to majority in terms of the feeling they give when they are touched.

So, to give your woman that

sweet feeling before sex, you cannot afford to ignore these zones.

Lips: Even the uninitiated would tell you that the lips are very sensitive to touch.

Apart from kissing the lips, you can lightly brush your partner’s with your own and make her to open them wider.

From that end, you can go on by licking her upper and lower lips until she allows you to go further and explore more.

Wrist: The inner side of the wrist gives you an opportunity to excite your woman.

With the sensitivity of the layer of skin in that area of the body, you are bound turn her on. You may gently nibble on the inside of the wrist and cause her to be excited.

Neck : The nape of the neck is very sensitive. Because the skin around the area is very tender, it can be easily stimulated. Kissing the back of the neck or licking it with the tip of your

tongue will certainly do some magic. The touch has to be very light for you to achieve the kind of sensation you desire. You could also massage the area in readiness for lovemaking.

Feet: Not many people consider the feet as very sensitive. However, it has been proved that a light stroke on the ankles can make a woman feel quite excited. It can be particularly pleasurable when you trace the contour of her leg with your finger. It would also not be a bad idea to carry out some massaging.

You may need a light aromatic oil to use gently in order to moderate pressure to mould her feet till she purrs with pleasure.

Knees: With the amount of nerve endings at the back of a woman’s knees, she is bound to be very sensitive to touch in that area. Caress the back of her knees and lick the area with the tip of your

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tongue. You can even nibble it lightly.

Inner thighs: The inner thighs would send a woman exceedingly excited with pleasure any day. It is an area which needs to be concentrated upon during foreplay. You can do this with your finger tips or the edge of your tongue. If well done, you would leave the woman shivering with excitement in wait for the next action.

Butt: This is considered to be one of the most erogenous zones in the body of the woman. You could caress or fondle them. Because of the denser muscle mass in the area, some pressure could cause some excitement. You are bound to turn your babe on if you do the needful.

Breasts: This is probably the clearly obvious area in a woman’s body that any man would bet could make her squirm with excitement if well touched. To achieve the desired result, you must resist the temptation to go for the nipples, which can be very attractive. Stroke or caress down the collarbone or upwards from the ribs.

Using semi circular stokes in the same direction as you go nearer the breasts will do wonders. While gently

squeezing and fondling the breasts with your hands, you should lick the nipples with your tongue. You could also nibble on the nipples and watch her shiver with pleasure.

With the fore-going, it is important to take your time to discover your woman’s most sensitive parts and capitalize on it. On the other hand, partners should also go the extra mile to guide each other through their sensitive zones. Don’t forget that not everyone responds to touch in all the parts of the erogenous zones the same way. You would be adequately guided by the response of your woman as you explore the different parts of her body. So, go ahead and explore.

Models

Sexual solutions and love products for adults I was watching a movie the other day with my children and I was on the phone.

The next thing two men began to kiss and I was desperately looking for the remote to change the channel. By the time I changed the channel, my young children began asking me why the two men were kissing. I just felt like disappearing and I told them I will explain later. What do I tell them? Mrs Ojo That kind of incident can be shocking but you know what? Children are a lot smarter than we know. Tell them the truth. Tell them that in this world, some people are attracted to the same sex. Don’t give too much detail.

Just a few words and change the subject.

They will just nod their heads and continue playing their video games. This is the world we live in. No matter how much we try, we cannot always prevent our children from seeing all the things they are not supposed to see at their age. It doesn’t make you are an irresponsible mother. It was an accident and what happened to you can happen to any parent –Uche I want to do something special for my husband. Tomorrow is his 55th birthday and I don’t want to do the same missionary sex position, which is what he wants to do every other time. What do you suggest? Grace Dear Grace, there are a million things a couple can do sexually. I think it is best I just recommend a book and a movie that can act as catalogues of sexual acts. You can then go through them and chose what you want to try on any given day. So for the book, I recommended the 365 Sex Positions. It has enough options to make your head spin. For the movie, get the Revised Guide to Kinky Sex and Other Erotic Perversions. If you are looking for something really differ-

ent, this adult movie is it. But more than anything else, men just love a woman who is generous and up for some fun. Men are simple creatures and while they appreciate the kind of thing you want to do for your husband, most will be content with plain old sex. But well done for trying. The world needs more women like you –Uche Hello. I have nonstop itching on my penis and some things that look like boils. This started a few days after I had sex. I suspect it is some kind of sexually transmitted disease but please I need your help and guidance. A friend recommended you –Mike Dear Mike, what you are experiencing requires medical examination so you have to go to the hospital immediately. Only a thorough medical test will reveal the exact cause of this itchiness and the appropriate treatment for it. Yes it is likely to be a sexually transmitted disease but you still need to know which one in particular because there are many different kinds of STDs. Candida itches as well and so does herpes but these are not the same type of STD and their treatments are different. So stop having sex for now until you have been treated and please use a condom next time around –Uche I am into beauty products and I have a client that is interested in anal toys. Do you happen to have that range of products? Mariam Yes we have a variety of anal toys, from the vibrating to non-vibrating types. Examples are the Flex Vibrating Anal Beads, Vibrating Anal Pleaser and the Booty Call Booty Beads. You can see the rest at www.zeevirtualmedia.com –Uche I got a reminder from your staff that Rhino 5 erection enhancer is now available. Is it

true? I have beenwaiting for it since Christmas – Sam Yes Sam the almighty Rhino 5 is here. I don’t know how long it will last but it is in stock at the moment –Uche I have been looking around for Big Bam Boo penis enlarger and I cannot find it anywhere. Infact I suddenly cannot find a single penis enlarger anywhere. Can you help? Chinwoke A lot of people want these products so sometimes they go out of stock.

We may have a few units left but I am sure of Extenze Plus Penis Enlarger. Call the numbers below and find out – Uche And that is it for today. Adults in need of the above novelties and treatments can call us on 08027901621or 08051924159 or

any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com.

We deliver to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@ zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD/CEO, Zee Virtual Media.

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Sunday, May 10, 2015

Pregnancy Talk

Naughtiest Thing

with

The naughtiest thing I’ve ever done

Adaeze Amos

Amaka South

08023012293 (SMS ONLY)

Make-up tips for pregnant mums

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t is true that pregnancy bestows a few surprising changes on your skin. Changes that are upsetting when you see your reflection in the mirror. But, you can sure add some colours on your face to look better. This simply means that even if your complexion becomes blotchy, prone to acne, dry or oily, you don’t have to grin and bear it for nine months. Take your time and dab your face with a bit of make-up each morning.

You may feel tired, bloated or be running late for work, but just a few minutes of clever application can give you a daylong lift. Below are some tips or guidelines for you.

Perk up your eyes To reduce puffiness and dark circles from lack of sleep, dab a light but nourishing eye cream under your eyes before your usual moisturiser. Then gently pat or brush on concealer or corrector. This should diminish that drowsy look and brighten your eyes.

Don’t worry about concealing all of the dark under-eye area, as you can follow up with a blemish balm (BB cream) or tinted moisturiser for extra coverage.

Pregnancy glow in a tube Now isn’t the time to apply heavy foundation. Pregnancy hormones may have made your skin sensitive. Or you may have developed spots, so try to let your skin breathe.

If you’re suffering from a lot of pigmentation, and have patches of darker skin on your face, a tinted moisturiser will combat this. Whatever the temporary changes to your skin, this will even out your skin tone, with no need to wear foundation on top.

BB creams and colour-correcting creams (CC creams) are multi-taskers that can give you a much-needed healthy glow, and perk up your complexion instantly. They even get rid of the flaw and you won’t feel cakey. Many also contain a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.

Smooth the cream over your cleansed face and neck, paying special attention to any blemished areas. You may want to temporarily use a slightly different shade than before you were pregnant, depending on how much your skin has changed.

Get a Blusher Blusher is your friend, both now and after your little bundle arrives. No other product can lift your face, brighten your eyes and trick people into thinking you’ve had some sleep the way that blusher can. Choose a cream blusher or cheek stain that can quickly double as a lip tint if you’re short on time.

Your face will look instantly fresher and your skin more ra-

diant. Apply it directly, or on top of a BB cream or a tinted moisturiser.

Powders and stains tend to suit normal and combination skins, while creamier or mousse formulations tend to last longer if you have dehydrated skin.

Dab a little blusher on your finger tip, then smile and lightly pat it on to the apples of your cheeks. Blend it in until you have a level of colour you prefer. Postpregnancy you may want a brighter shade than usual.

Bronzed and even more beautiful Deflect attention from tired eyes with a facebrightening bronzer. A gentle sweep of highlighting bronzer can lift even the palest of complexions. Using a big, soft brush, apply a bronzer to the tops of your cheeks, a little to your forehead and chin, and a little dab on your nose.

Gently tap any excess bronzer off the brush before applying, as you want this to enhance your make-up, not cover up all your good work.

Eye-opening tricks However exhausted or bloated you feel, pregnancy gives your eyes a natural sparkle. You just need to enhance that with a bit of clever but quick-to-apply make-up. A sweep of eye pencil, applied just above your top lashes, will help to define your eyes. Choose a thick pencil, so you don’t have to be too precise, and try one with a hint of glitter for an extra boost.

An eyelash tint will define your eyes without the need to find time to apply mascara, though do a patch test first, as your skin may be more sensitive than usual in pregnancy. Or try using eyelash curlers to open tired eyes and give instant lift to your face.

Choose a black, lash-coating mascara to give you long, fluttery lashes and more defined eyes. Wiggle the mascara wand from side to side while applying to separate and coat each lash.

Lip up lifters There’s nothing more uplifting than a new, bright lipstick. A long-lasting formula will last most of the day without the need for touch-ups. The right colour lipstick can lift your face instantly. Choose the shade that flatters your features and enhances your natural skin tone. It’s usually one or two shades darker than your natural lip colour, but don’t be afraid of trying red for a bit of daytime glamour. If you prefer a more natural look, a lightly tinted lip gloss will perk you up and is easy to apply without a mirror.

Quick facial pick-me-up For an instant skin refresher, try an unscented facial mist. This will help to reduce puffiness, calm sensitive skin and refresh your make-up.

I

I beat up a boy in primary school

can remember easily the naughtiest thing I had ever done because I seldom engaged in bad habits. When I was a kid, in primary two, I was indeed a tomboy. I got into a fight with a boy in my school. He liked to boast that he was strong and could beat up any girl that came his way.

It was actually a big fight, especially when it was between us because I was also referred to as a tough one and I didn’t want to lose my dignity or the description about myself. I emlpoyed my whole strength and beat the boy. I didn’t stop at that, I threw him on the ground and as was the norm, I stuffed his mouth with sand.

He was shocked that I could deal with him that way. He didn’t know I was that strong. Indeed, I didn’t know where I had the strength from. If you asked me then where the strength came from, I just did not know. I think it was from God because the boy was too boastful and I’m sure God wanted to ridicule him through me.

When eventually some students separated us, I was suddenly scared. My strength fizzled away and the boy was busy calling for another round of fight. I feared (though I did not show it) that if I engaged him in another round of fight, he might beat the hell out of me. So, I said to him, “See my mother is close by, in the market (the market was very close to the school). I’m going to call her now and you are going to see fight today, you want to challenge me, just wait and see,” I said panting.

I left in a hurry pretending to call my mother. The boy was afraid that with my mother, I might do the worse, not knowing that I was afraid.

I only used that as an excuse to run. That was how I escaped another round of fight and still maintained my pride in school. I did not return to the school that day but funnily, the boy respected me till I left that school.

Chief Amaka Aniekwe aka Amaka South is an actress -Victor Udoh

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Sunday, May 10, 2015

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Ofe onugbu

Hess Collection

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TITILOPE MORAKINYO

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fe onugbu otherwise known as Bitter leaf soup is very delicious Nigerian soup; it is not as bitter as its name implies can be made with Ede (cocoa yam), ofor or achi while the most popular of them all is the cocoa yam and bitter leaf Bitter leaf soup, like most other Nigerian soups is named after the particular vegetable, which is used in preparing it. But of course you need to wash this leaf to remove most of the bitter taste, so you don’t end up with a very bitter soup.

Ingredients 2kg Meat of choice (beef, chicken, pork, turkey) Bitter leaf (wash to desire) Half cup of ground crayfish Maggi or knorr seasoning Ogiri (a product of castor seeds) Dried fish (2 medium sizes) Stock fish head (1 big size) Palm oil (about 25cl) Salt and pepper to taste.

Cocoa-yam (pounded) It is better and more hygienic to wash the leaves yourself, it is a bit of time consuming but the result is worth the effort.

Preparation To soften the leaves and further remove the bitter taste, it is advisable to boil alone in ordinary water for 10 to 15 minutes, most people like to add a little quantity of edible potash to hasten this process but I highly advise against it. Reason being that this catalyst (potash) tends to affect the entire

soup in a slightly negative way.

Parboil meat and add the (hot-water) washed dried fish, stock fish and cook until it is tender, add more water then add palm oil, ground crayfish, pepper, maggi seasoning, salt and pepper to taste. Stir and allow boiling.

At this point it should give a good soupy taste (even though it would be watery).

Then add the pounded cocoa yam and also add the ogiri.

Cook till the cocoa yam dissolves, (this would likely take about ten minutes) then add the bitter leaves, stir, taste, add more salt if necessary then cook for three to two minutes and you are done with the making of Bitter leaf soup. it can go with either eba, fufu, semo, wheat or pounded yam.

ibrant red fruit, with aromas and flavors of cherry and raspberry counter-balanced with anise, black pepper spice and cedary notes from oak aging. Hess wines show varietal character, with a soft, pleasant, medium-body with appealing tannins and hints of cherry and cola spice on

the finish.

Pairs well with any dish incorporating sweet peppers, caramelised onions or roasted portobello mushrooms, a hearty bacon burger with blue cheese, barbecued shrimp, mild blue cheeses and cheddar cheese.

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Growing Up

Sunday, May 10, 2015

37

WHO INVENTED WHAT?

DO YOU KNOW THAT? Why the sky is blue

Antoine-César Becquerel discovered solar panels

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clear cloudless day-time sky is blue because molecules in the air disperse blue light from the sun than they for the red light. When we look towards the sun at sunset, we see red and orange colours because the blue light has been scattered out and away from the line of sight.

The white light from the sun is a mixture of all colours of the rainbow which was demonstrated by Isaac Newton, who used a prism to separate the different colours and so form a spectrum. The colours of light are distinguished by different wavelengths and the visible part of the spectrum ranges from red light to violet with orange, yellow, green, blue and indigo in between. The three different types of colour receptors in the retina of the human eye respond most strongly to red, green and blue wavelengths, giving us our colour vision.

WORDS ON MARBLE

Children, you must remember something. A man without ambition is dead. A man with ambition but no love is dead. A man with ambition and love for his blessings here on earth is ever so alive. Having been alive, it won’t be hard in the end to lie down and rest.

Pearl Bailey

WORD SEARCH Find and circle all the words. They y could be found in any y direction.

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he development of solar cell technology stems from the work of the French physicist Antoine-César Becquerel in 1839. Antoine César Becquerel was born on March 7, 1788 and he died in January 18, 1908. He was the father of the physicist A. E. Becquerel and grandfather of the physicist Henri Becquerel.

Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with a solid electrode in an electrolyte solution; he observed that voltage developed when light fell upon the electrode.

After passing through the École polytechnique, Antoine became engineer-officer in 1808, and went into active service with the imperial troops in Spain from 1810 to 1812, and again in France in 1814.

He then resigned from the army and devoted the rest of his life to scientific investigation.

The earliest solar cells and panels that were created were extremely inefficient and the energy conversation received from the sun stood under one per cent. In 1954, the three American researchers Gerald

A

Pearson, Calvin Fuller and Daryl Chapin were able to create a solar panel that increased the efficiency level of six per cent with direct sunlight.

Solar panels are used extensively to generate electricity and power throughout the world. Though the initial investment is quite high, the fuel is cheap and abundant; it hardly produces any pollution unlike the burning of the fossil fuels. The solar cell technology is extremely old and work started on this way back in the 1800’s.

Antoine was a member of the French Academy of Sciences and the first occupant of the chair of physics at the Museum of Natural History in Paris. In 1837, he was awarded the Copley Medal of the Royal Society of London.

His other Works: Becquerel’s earliest investigations were in mineralogy, and in 1819, he identified a crystalline form of calcium phosphate. In addition, he invented a number of instruments, including an electromagnetic balance, a differential galvanometer, and the first constantcurrent electric pile.

JOKES

t the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Officer asks a young engineering graduate, “And what starting salary are you looking for?” The engineer replies, “In the region of 100 million a year, depending on the benefits package.” The interviewer inquires, “Well, what would you say to a package of five weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50 per cent of salary, and a company car leased every two years, say, a red Corvette?” The engineer sits up straight and says, “Wow! Are you kidding?” The interviewer replies, “Yeah, but you started it.”

38

Movies & Music

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

Chidinma denies Flavour onstage at Star Music Trek

F Burna Boy

Burna Boy strips for ladies in Calabar

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or the fans, especially the females at the Municipal Garden in Calabar on May 2, it was eye candy galore at the opening leg of the 2015 Star Music Trek as dancehall superstar Burna Boy stole the show with a raunchy, energetic performance.

In the course of performing hit songs like “Run My Race”, “Don Gorgon” and “Rockstar”, Burna Boy decided to give the ladies a treat as he took off his shirt and

MI, Ice Prince, others to drop new album

MI

A

resh from being tricked into accepting an onstage marriage proposal at Friday’s pre-Trek gig at the Calabar leg of the 2015 Star Music Trek, pop star, Chidinma, has hit the headlines again after denying ‘Ololufe’ co-star Flavour N’abania while performing at the main event tagged ‘Calabar Rocks!’

In the course of her performance, which coincided with her birthday, the natural haired beauty informed the crowd that she is looking for ‘Bae’. The excited crowd replied “Flavour!” to which she replied, “But Flavour is not here now.” The crowd then sang a joyful chorus of “Happy Birthday” to her as the night of fun and music continued.

‘Calabar Rocks!’ which featured the talents of performers like Oritsefemi, DJ Snoop Damaja, DJ Big N, Burna Boy, Wande Coal, Cynthia Morgan, Black Magic and many others was the inaugural concert on this year’s Star Music Trek.

threw it into the crowd.

The excited crowd rushed to catch his shirt and female fans eagerly pushed forward to catch a glimpse of his well-toned body.

The Calabar leg of the 2015 Star Music Trek also featured exciting performances by Cynthia Morgan, Black Magic, Oritsefemi, Wande Coal, DJ Snoop Da Damaja, DJ Big N, Chidinma and Kcee.

fter weeks of heavy speculation, the rumoured collaboration project from the newly restructured Chocolate City Music label has finally been confirmed.

It will be recalled that the new record label, a merger of Audu Maikori’s Chocolate City and M.I’s Loopy Music, was announced at the 2015 Nigerian Entertainment Conference on April 22 at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos during MI’s presentation.

The compilation album called ‘The Indestructible Choc Boi Nation’ will feature all the stars on the Chocolate City - Loopy Music roster and related artistes and will be released this week for free streaming exclusively on Star Music App. Featured artistes include Ice Prince, Jesse Jagz, M.I, Nosa, Ruby Gyang, Victoria Kimani, Pryse, DJ Lambo, DJ Caise, Loose Kaynon and Dice Ailes, among others.

The label members of the former Chocolate City have been in the news a lot lately since the surprise return of Jesse Jagz as well as the release of critically acclaimed singles ‘Summer Time’ and ‘Suite 99’ which were dropped first on the Star Music App. Speaking exclusively to Star Music, M.I. said, “We are very proud and excited to enter this new chapter in our individual and collective careers and are particu-

larly delighted to partner with the premier Nigerian music mobile and web platform to bring the music to our fans. We have so much good music for our fans and we are eager to explore this avenue for reaching them.”

M.I. also confirmed that a general release of the album would follow two weeks after its release on the app.

Chidinma

Tunde, Wunmi Obe out with fifth album

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ollowing over 25 years of professional and personal collaboration in a career which has spawned several hit songs and music awards, pop duo, Tunde and Wunmi Obe aka T.W.O. have announced the release of their fifth studio album entitled T.W.O. Plus.

Featuring collaborations with artistes such as 2face, 9ice, Dammy Krane, Teniim, Segun Obe, Floss and Brace among others, the 15-track album is a fresh addition to the artistic repertoire of T.W.O who have previously been recognised for being one of the few Nigerian music acts from the 90s who have maintained their staying power with evergreen music. T.W.O. Plus employs a more urban production feel and mixes it with their signature melodies and socially conscious messages.

The couple, who are Nigeria’s most recognisable husband and wife act, first achieved recognition and public acclaim in the 90s and over the past two decades with their creative collaborations.

They have spawned successful albums such as T.W.O 4 Real, T.W.O. Legit, as well as popular anthems such as 2005 smash hits “Mogbomoya” and “Adupe”. T.W.O. Plus retains the feel-good factor from their previous albums while appealing to the nineties and

other audience.

Speaking about the new album, Tunde Obe remarked that it is the culmination of their musical careers thus far, and the result of four years of painstaking creative work.

His words: “T.W.O. has grown and evolved over the years, both as a sound and as a brand and this album is a celebration of all that is great about T.W.O. as well as a venture into a fresh sound because we have always prided ourselves on our ability to be musical innovators. I think our fans are going to love this new album because we made it with them in mind.

I, myself, find it very difficult to pick a favourite from the songs on T.W.O. Plus.”

Featuring production from elite music producers DelB, Samklef, Papi J and B. Jay Productions, T.W.O. PLUS promises to be a delightfully original and fresh marriage of sounds, which will further be complemented by the videos that are to be directed by none other than Clarence Peters of Capital Dreams Pictures.

It is a 15-track album which includes the hit singles, Green White Green ft. 2face Idibia, Omonsa, Bianu ft. Floss, and Wedding Day, whose video has already won the NMVA2014 award for Best Use of Costume.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Movies & Music

Sunday, May 10, 2015

39

AVF set to premiere four movies today

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udio Visual First (AVF) is set to premiere four movies at once in cinema today at Film House Cinema, Park Lane, Apapa, Lagos. The four exclusive movies entitled, ‘Beneath her veil’, ‘One minute man’, ‘Where does beauty go’ and ‘Night of sex’ are must watch.

Inspired to make qualitative movies available to mass audience, with as little as N200, a movie lover will have access to see a Nigerian movie. Like during the days of Ade Love and those old actors, all classes of individuals could access to the cinemas, but that’s not how it is now.

The director AVF, Adeyinka Oduniyi said, “we are trying to change that by producing 18 movies each year, we are open to partnership and sponsorship and giving access to the average Nigerian to come into the cinema and watch.

Commenting further on what determined the choice of cast, Oduniyi reveals that, “We featured Clarion Chukwura, Biola Segun Williams, Tony Umez, Yeni Kuti, Wole Ojo, Olumide Bakare, Kunle Coker, Kalu Ikeagwu, Mary Njoku and more. This cast was shortlisted because of their pedigree and talent, it’s a combination of old and new actors; a lot of us have missed this old actors and want to see them again.

Clarion

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Nollywood epic,Last Slave released

he highly rated movie, ‘Last Slave’, centred on human trafficking, is released nationwide.

Speaking at a press briefing to announce the movie’s official release, the producer and director, Henry Ozuluonye, said human trafficking still exists in Nigeria and Africa.

“When people get missing with no trace, it is possible they’ve been sold into trafficking. The message in the movie is for everyone to join hand and eradicate this. The movie is aimed at fighting human trafficking,” he noted.

According to him, there were numerous challenges in the making of the movie. He explained that managing 120 casts and crew members wasn’t easy too.

His said: “We were attacked by armed robbers on the first day, but God intervened and rescued us through Nigeria Police Force. We suffered plenty hazards owing to the location, which was in a thick forest somewhere in Enugu.”

Ozuluonye said the movie took 25 days and over six

months of editing and VFX Effect, adding that the budget was around $200,000. He admitted that ‘Last Slave’ was his biggest effort so far.

“I shot the movie after a few workshops in the United States. I came back and I exercised those skills on the movie. The scenes are so emotional that one might want to cry and it was shot with my company’s latest equipment. We plan to release it on Friday but it has been premiered in Houston, Texas. It features the likes of Francis Duru, Zulu Adigwe, Joyce Kalu, Patrick Onyeocha and Nuella Njubigbo. Everything used in the movie was made for the purpose of it.”

The Nollywood director, however, called on the government to concentrate on piracy because it was killing the creative industry.

“Before you even release the movie, it would have been pirated. The government should work adequately to check piracy. They should also make sure that necessary support is given for Nollywood to grow,” he stated.

DJ Nana and DJ Spinall

DJs Spinall, Nana thrill fans at launch of new Smirnoff cocktail

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mirnoff, the world’s number one premium spirit brand, launched its new variant, Smirnoff Ice Double Black with Guarana in an epic style at the Smirnoff Double Side party held in Lagos over the weekend.

Guests at the party witnessed an interesting double side courtesy of Smirnoff, as the iconic brand renowned for world class parties, transformed an auto workshop into an amazing party scene. The unfamiliar party scene set the pace for an exciting night for the ecstatic crowd who were eager to experience every moment of the party.

The combination of City FM presenter, Sensei Uche and MTV Base OAP, Ehis set the tone for a spectacular night of double side of fun as they got the party off to a thrilling start with loud cheers from the expectant crowd.

Guests at the event got their appetite wet when a real boxing ring transformed into rap battle. Participants engaged themselves in an interesting rap contest, landing great punch lines of smooth rap lyrics and showcased their street credibility to the delight of the rapturous crowd.

At the end of the contest, GDK proved a worthy rap gladiator in the ring, against a number of other contestants who paled in comparison to his rap prowess.

The unstoppable pair, DJ Spinall and DJ Nana’s arrival showed up in their double side appearing in complete native wear, an outfit very unusual for such an event. The duo later squared up in an impressive DJ battle as they both dropped their particular brand of mix that left the crowd breathless and excited.

R&B crooner, Kola Soul, took live performances at the party to another level with his delectable rendition before the Ginja Master, Terry G, then took the centre stage.

Terry G, spurred on by the appreciative crowd, delivered an outstanding performance of both his old and new tunes. He also showed his double side by playing the saxophone for the guests to sing along.

The night reached its crescendo when the number one African rapper, the incredible M.I, hit the stage and delivered a stunning performance that got the crowd screaming for more.

Speaking at the launch, Liz Ashdown, the Head of Marketing, Spirits and RTD, Diageo Brands Nigeria said, “Smirnoff Ice Guarana isn’t your ordinary drink as it contains Smirnoff spirit with extracts of Guarana and Soda so it was important that the double side party was anything but ordinary. It was an opportunity for the bold to experience the unexpected, double side of the Lagos party scene and enjoy the hottest new drink in the market.”

Other performances at the event included upcoming talent, the Dot Man and Nigeria’s foremost dance group, Dance Na the Ma Thing (DNMT) who showed their own double side by starting their performance acting as doctors and nurses before transforming into an incredible dance team.

According to the Smirnoff team, a series of consumer activities across major cities have been lined up for the product launch starting from July through December.

Smirnoff Ice Guarana is not for individuals below 18 years.

40

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Lessons of Life

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART

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

‘I deeply regret marrying Humphrey’ (3) We continue Paulina and Humphrey’s enthralling story.

Solomon is my name. I need a sugar mummy who lives in Lagos or Abuja. She should be between 35 and 52 years old for a relationship -08081738463.

M

y guard couldn’t alert me that Humphrey was at the gate because I found out that the regular night parties were beginning to piss him off.

“So, I saw my husband walk in with fury written all over him. I knew I was in for trouble that night. I didn’t even know when he sauntered in but when the music suddenly stopped playing I turned to ask the DJ what happened. I saw him and the looks on his face showed he was ready to act. He walked everybody out of his house after abusing them and calling them never-do-wells.

They all stood up and left.

The first question he asked me was about his kids.

Without waiting to hear from me, he raced upstairs and saw them sleeping peacefully.

He then rushed downstairs, pounced on me and gave me the beating of my life. He had my face so battered that I ran after some of my guests who were trying to reverse in my parking space.

I hopped into the available car and pleaded with him to drive off and he did. I later lost consciousness and was taken to the hospital. It was in the morning when I woke up that I saw my face bandaged. I noticed it was Ambrose who saved me that night and brought me to the hospital.

Ambrose was one of those who advised me not to marry Humphrey because of his hot temper. When I was discharged from the hospital, he took me to his house where his wife helped to take care of me for a week before I was taken back home,” she recalled.

When Paulina was driven home, she was looking frail and her kids ran down to meet her. They were all in the living room including Ambrose and his wife when Humphrey came out to meet them. When he saw his wife, he was remorseful and blamed her for what happened. Before she spoke to her, he first walked to Ambrose and shook him and then greeted his wife casually. He never believed in shaking women and so refused to shake Ambrose’s wife. When

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My name is Lucky, 32; I need a rich lady for a serious relationship that would culminate in marriage -07064707576.

Matty Balogun is my name. I’m 78 years old, tall and fair in complexion. I’m a personal development consultant from Edo State. I need a mature lady between 48 and 56 years old for aserious, caring and loving relationship -08069145477.

I’m Lian, 26 years old, 4.7ft tall, dark in complexion and a student. I need a caring and working-class guy who can take care of my needs and love me with sincerity for a serious relationship. He should be between 28 and 34 years old -080304068350.

I am Pascal. I live and live in Lagos. I’m 33 years old technical engineer. I need a lady that is kind, God-fearing, decent, sexy and beautiful for a serious relationship. She should be between 25 and 30 years old -08032645162 and 08023583217.

My name is Henry, 23 years old, from Lagos. I need a decent, responsible and beautiful lady for a serious relationship and she should be ready to love me -08030573460.

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A model

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HE THEN RUSHED DOWNSTAIRS, POUNCED ON ME AND GAVE ME THE BEATING OF MY LIFE. HE HAD MY FACE SO BATTERED THAT I RAN AFTER SOME OF MY GUESTS WHO WERE TRYING TO REVERSE IN MY PARKING SPACE.

the couple left, Humphrey went upstairs and came down with a box. He opened it before her and apologised giving the things he bought for her. He usually found it difficult to apologise to his wife. He would prefer gifts and some soft-spoken words.

“You know you are my wife, the only woman in my life and moreover the mother of my two sons. You should have known me by now that I loathe parties with a passion. When we were dating, how many parties did I take you to? None! So, you wouldn’t expect me not to be angry when I saw my house full to the brim with your fair-weather friends and music blaring from the speakers as if my house is a night club. You pushed me into doing what I did,” he said softly.

While he was still talking to Paulina, her mind wandered off to the time they were dating. She remembered that it’s true he never liked parties or associating

with friends because, to him, he none was good enough to be trusted or confided in. He would only spend time before the TV watching sports.

But close to a decade, nothing had changed. I find his kind of lifestyle very boring to me. But I still endured and continued with him because I didn’t want my marriage to crash. Now that his anger is becoming unbearable, I’m beginning to doubt if I would continue to endure,” she said.

When her mind wandered back, she noticed that despite all that Humphrey said, he refused to utter the word sorry.

“Because of his ego, I knew he would tactically avoid it. I wasn’t surprised, he had never apologised to me before. He preferred using gifts and soft words to find his way to my heart,” she recalled.

Paulina accepted the box he gave her, opened it and saw some beautiful dresses and she smiled. But she sud-

denly stopped smiling when the pains on her lips came up. She held her lips gently trying to adjust the bandage there properly. At that, Humphrey came to her, opened the bandage gently and saw where her lower lip was sutured.

“I did this to you? Oh my God. Have you seen what those wide animals you invited in my house caused?”

His wife held him and found herself apologising to him instead of the other way round.

“I think we would begin to pray about it. This is my first time of seeing you this remorseful. I’m sorry I annoyed you but don’t let the kids know you inflicted this injury on my face.” she stressed.

When she noticed that her husband’s facial expression changed because of what she said, she was scared of annoying him again. She quickly changed it.

To be continued next week

I am Samuel, 46, single, businessman from Abia State. I’m looking for a serious-minded lady between 35 and 40years old for a relationship that would culminate in marriage. I live in Ogun State -08038434293.

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

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From the Pulpit

Sunday May 10, 2015

41

Parental care, key to child development General Overseer of Omnipotence Mission of God, Prophet Joshua Daramola Oloruntimilehin, in this admonition, explains how to overcome troubles. Excerpts:

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arenting is an issue that cannot be over-emphasized. Children look at their parents as their pride (Proverbs 17:6). Therefore how are parents taken care of their children? Are they devoting time for the children? Are parents given their children right things and nurturing them properly? What are the things parent do to take care of the children? Parents should remember that the Bible says in Ephesians 6:4 “And ye fathers provoke not your child to wrath, but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord”. There are several ways parents can take care of the children, if it is available. But the important thing used for taking care of a child is obedience. The care that is very important and powerful is to train a child to a point he or she will be obedient. There are children yet to be matured, kicking against their parent’s instruction. Parents that their children are 10years old kicking against the parent’s instructions indicate that the

parents are losing control over the children gradually. Humility and obedience are things parents require to take care of their children. So what kinds of training are given to your children?

Are your children afraid of you? Have you dishonor yourself in the presence of your children? Some fathers refused to take care of their responsibilities to children even when the children know their fathers are capable to do so. Then the children would be angry with their parents. When they are to be corrected or scolded for doing wrong things the parents pamper them. Not knowing that the parents are keeping them for future problem for the parent. The Bible says in Proverbs 23:13 – 14 “Do not withhold discipline from a child, if you punish him with the rod, he will not die. Punish him with the rod and save his soul from death”. In future children that were not corrected by their parents normally

bring trouble to the parents. Whatever a child becomes in life is the result of the training and discipline the parent gave the child. The Bible says in Proverbs 13:18 “He who ignores discipline comes to poverty and shame but whoever heeds corrections is honoured”. Are parents preparing their children for success? I have seen a situation where a child was rude, disrespectful and arrogant to the father. Also seen a father that exhibited firm control and subjected his son to disciplinary measures. What is the benefit of a child who could not give honour to his or her parents in future? It is better for the child to die today than not to give his or r. Therefore it is her parent honour. the obligation of the parent rain the to nurture and train children from infant here to adulthood where they would be betful ter persons, useful nd to themselves and he the society. The vBible says in Proverbs 22:6 “Train a y child in the way he should go and when he is old n he will not turn nfrom it”. The honct our and respect nd given to father and mother by the children are d use what they would uation to correct the situation when the children are alleged to disrespect and Prophet Oloruntimilehin dishonor another

person outside. But a child that exhibited gross indiscipline, disregard and disrespect to his or her parent in the presence of an outsider is not worthy to be the parent’s son or daughter. If such a child, in future, should buy a car, house or food for the parent, it is an abomination of the father or mother to take them. The parent could only take such things when the child has repented, show remorse and appealed to men of God to beg the parents on his or her behalf. But if the parents collect those things from the child then a curse is placed on the family. The curse will come on the child and his or her own child will do the same to him or her. It will continue unto the next generation unless the correction is done. A beh child with such behavior or attitude is caused by the parents. daughte Some daughters know the boyfriend of their t mother (a big curse), some moth mothers had coma mitted abortion for daug their daughters against wish Mothers of their wish. char such character cannot command respect from their daughters. dau Some mothers are having an affair with the boyfriends of their daughInfac I have seen ters. Infact, i all these immoral acts happened. So 75% of a child child’s problems could be traced to t h e mother because t h e child h a s been

with the mother from the womb till adolescence period. Some mothers and fathers have allowed their children to disrespect, disregard them because of these immoral behaviours. Some of these children do not have any fault. Also some parents do not have authority over their children. Some mothers have turned the children against their fathers, then the children will take the side of the mother because of their closeness. The life of a child is in the hand of the mother. Similarly, fathers do not allow their children to attain the desire level of success in life. Always they shy away from their responsibility to the children and direct the children to their mothers all the time. The fathers forget that the children bear their names. Fathers need to make proper provision for the children. Both the father and mother should jointly look how they will take care of their children. Some fathers failed to train their wards when they had money but now they have nothing, the children are not getting proper training. Some men keep concubines and spend for them instead of taking care of the home front. A concubine takes the benefits of the man, but a wife does not take the benefit because they are one for children. Obey your parents no matter what your parents are and what they do because the Bible says in Ephesians 6:1-3 “Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. Honour thy father and mother, (which is the first commandment with promise). That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on earth”. Children your father and mother are your Lords.

For further enquiries call: 08023020108, 08058110288, 08023991354. www.facebook.com/pastoroloruntimilehin.

‘Strengthening the things which remain’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24

within us. But our confidence should be in God, and the hope of heaven. The assurance that all this is for our good will reinvigorate the enfeebled frame, and enable us to bear what we once supposed would crush us to the dust. A courageous mind in the grace of God braces a feeble body, and hope makes it fresh for new conflicts. By every proper means we are to make the way to heaven as plain and easy as possible. We are to allow no obstructions in the path over which the lame and feeble might fall in the course of running the heavenly race.

We should bear in mind that a burden of affliction is apt to make a Christian’s hands hang down, and his knees grow feeble, to dispirit him and discourage him. But against this background he is expected to strive so that he may better run his spiritual race and course. Faith and patience enable believers to follow peace and holiness, as a man follows his calling constantly, diligently, and with pleasure. Peace with men, of all sects and parties, will be favourable to our pursuit of holiness. But peace and holi-

ness go together and there can be no right peace without holiness. Where persons fail of having the true grace of God, corruption will prevail and break forth.

So beware lest any lust in the heart that has not been mortified, which seems to be dead, should spring up, to trouble and disturb the whole body. Falling away from Christ is the fruit of preferring the delights of the flesh to the blessing of God and the heavenly inheritance as Esau did. But sinners will not always have such mean thoughts of the Divine blessing and inheritance as they now have. Remember, God has called us to be holy in order to make others holy through us, just as He blessed Abraham in order to use him to bless others.

Gen. 12: 1-2 says, “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2. And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing”.

All families of the earth who claim

blessing of God get that through the covenant of blessing God had with Abraham. The Children of God recover the blessing which they lost in Adam by the fulfillment of the promise God made to Abraham.

So, our standard or ancient land mark is holiness and anything short of that will be unacceptable. If that be the case, we must measure up to His grace; we must fear Him and depart from all evil.

Prov. 3: 7 says, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil”.

There is not a greater enemy to the fear of the Lord in the heart, than selfconceit of our own wisdom. The prudence and sobriety which religion teaches tend not only to the health of the soul, but to the health of the body. Should the Lord visit us with blessing, we must use it for His glory, and if He visits us with trials and sickness, let us not forget that the exhortation speaks to us as to children, for our good. We must not faint under an affliction, be it ever so heavy and long, we must not be driven to despair, or

use wrong means for relief. The father corrects the son whom he loves, because he loves him, and desires that he may be wise and good. Afflictions are so far not meant to do God’s children any hurt, but that, by the grace of God, they promote their holiness.

We must maintain orderliness for God is not an author of confusion. Let not the persons who act in the congregation in a disorderly manner not say they are under the influence of God; for He is not the author of confusion.

Our response should be to get rid of all hypocrisy, compromise, sin, falsehood and pretence and begin to maintain holiness, fear of God, respect others, become humble, obedient and be in heaven at last. We should understand that our Father in heaven is under pressure to save as many people as possible. He is set to rapture His children but He will by-pass those who are not ready. That is why He admonishes us to strengthen what remains to be strengthened. For those who are not born again yet and backsliders, they should repent or perish.

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From the Pulpit Learn with Kunle

Macaulay

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

he wish of God is that all people in the world will know him through his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus said many times that he had come to fulfill the will of his Father and in one of his final messages he said that as his Father had sent him, so he has sent his disciples.

There is no doubt that we have seen a phenomenal growth in church in Nigeria and we have come to a place of respectability among denominations. The study of church growth in Nigeria confirms that the church of God is not one big ship. The church of God in Nigeria does not in any form portray the church the Bible talks about that was established in Jerusalem and proclaimed by the disciples in the first century.

That was a moving, spirit – filled, loving, caring, fighting and praying church. The church in Nigeria is personalised, some are fully owned by their founders and their wives and children. The Bible never told us about the families of the first century disciples of Jesus Christ but the history of churches in Nigeria cannot be written without the mention of the founder and his wife. The wives of some departed pastors took over the leadership of the churches while some children of some pastors are leading some branches of the church.

The Church of God in Nigeria is going through the period of accommodation, where anything is acceptable and allowable.

Membership of church is no more based on acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Saviour or transformation by the presence of Holy Spirit. Many church goers in Nigeria have not experienced real heart holiness; they

Desti Destiny Hour with Pastor Femi

Lanre-Oke

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o ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. Matthew 28:19-20

The great commission in the passage above is directly linked with the harvest of souls in God’s Kingdom and the preservation of harvest. There are different roles and responsibilities all attached to salvation of lost souls and we need to understand that our reward is linked to how well we undertake these responsibilities. Matthew 6:33,”seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and every other things shall be added to you”. What do you seek out in the kingdom?

Harvest of souls and the preservation of this harvest.

However, we have found ourselves in the dispensation of complacent and lukewarm Christianity where the average child of God is saved and satisfied. I have come today to re-kindle your passion for kingdom servitude and stewardship. I have come to bring to your remembrance the place of being a labourer in the vineyard. I pray that heaven will fire the passion for souls into you afresh in Jesus name.

We shall study a few passages in the scriptures and with the help of the Holy Spirit

Sunday May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The problems of church growth in Nigeria have not been spiritually converted, they are unsanctified. It is clear that where carnality abounds, freedom is extinct.

The economic situation has influenced the character of church leaders in Nigeria.

It is said that the love of money is the root of all evil. Christian leaders in Nigeria are influenced by the spirit of the age. They are out to make money and show the world that they are financially comfortable. Christians in Nigeria claim to belong to Jesus Christ but very distant in their experience and practice.

The principle of centralisation of authority has made some branch pastors unfaithful to their call as the central authority demands for all the earnings of the braches with very little support from the headquarters. The pressure of church leaders from their headquarters may be legitimate but gives rise to feeling of revolt.

When we consider the qualifications of church leaders today, we find out that many of them attended secular universities and earned secular qualifications. One of the dangers we are facing in church profession today is that many Bible and theological colleges are affiliated to secular universities and they therefore become colleges of liberal arts. It is very dangerous for ministerial graduate to earn a degree that does not produce the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Nobody can be a true minister without depending on God. Our leaders today substitute the teachings of man for the “wisdom that comes from above”.

Churches in Nigeria have replaced the power of God that is present in “’where two or three gather in my name” with programmes to please the congregation. Moreover, the church is full of “elites” and pastors allow the “fear of man” to quench the “Spirit of God”. Religious fanaticism and irresponsible enthusiasm should not be encouraged simply because they are detrimental to spiritual and intellectual growth of the church of

the living God. Churches embark on programmes of expansion geared for larger churches, spending huge sums of money to maintain the church, pay the choirs, salaries and allowances of various entertainers employed. Many pastors have ignored what they ought to do and they are doing what they ought not to do.

They refuse to teach holiness. They move away from evangelism and refuse to call for fasting and prayer for a mighty outpouring of God’s Spirit. They allow anything to come to the church and do not condemn things like adultery, abortion, fornication, bleaching and divorce. They do not have the courage to preach the glorious gospel of full salvation.

We must not forget that God raises men and women to preach the doctrine of holiness in all its purity and power.

Churches in Nigeria have the opportunity to grow numerically and spiritually but have wasted this great opportunity. Christianity is about winning souls and not Christianizing Nigeria. It is about preaching the Word to the World. The Bible said, “And this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come” Matt 24:14.

Paul once wrote a letter to Timothy from prison and said, “Timothy, preach the word constantly, in season and out of season. If you do not teach them now, the time will come when they won’t listen to you. Do your best. My ministry is almost over. There remains but little for me here; but a crown of righteousness there…’’. There is a note of urgency that runs through this letter, “Be instant in season, out of season” “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine”.

What Paul was emphasising was that Timothy had an opportunity, he must therefore act quickly. The church in Nigeria is concerned about fame, position and money hence you have almost half of the congregation struggling for position without defined

responsibilities. It is not by being greatest and holding the highest position that we can play our part but by doing our best in whatever we can and in any situation we find ourselves. Paul said, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus”.

The study of the Bible reveals the “mind” of God and when carefully studied and applied, it leads to success and joy. Christians today neglect the important issues and concentrate on the trivial, thereby losing the opportunities that lead to spiritual greatness.

Paul reported to Timothy what one of his ministers did, “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world and is departed”. There is no doubt that many church leaders love the world and the pleasure of the world. This is evidenced in all church programmes and the behavior of the congregations. Paul never forgot Mark, so, he told Timothy, “Take Mark and bring him with you for he is profitable to me for the ministry”. It is important that church in Nigeria must be concerned about the spiritual welfare of the nation and Nigerians. This is an opportunity to work for salvation and spiritual welfare of the nation.

Today is the day of salvation, harden not your heart. Walk in the light when you have light. The foolish virgins who never had enough oil in their lamps found out that it was too late for them to do it and the door was shut against them. God is calling Christians in Nigeria. If you hear his voice do not only come but be ready to do his wish.

Prof Kunle Macaulay is the Director of Studies of United Bible University, Lagos Phone :0802 -303 -2698; email: profkunlemacaulay@yahoo.com Twitter: @KunleMacaulay1

Kingdom Harvest - The Harvesters’ Squad study the different kind of labourers that are essential in the King’s harvest But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Matthew 9:36-38 1.

The harvesters’ Squad (Labourers into His harvest): - The first thing to note from the passage above is that God has been ready since the day of Pentecost to save souls into the kingdom. The other factor is the willingness of men to submit to the Holy Spirit and be His mouthpiece. Apostle Peter stood up after the first infilling of the Holy Spirit and an un learned man like him spoke to the people, the Holy Ghost convicted and at that impromptu meeting 3000 souls were added to the Kingdom.

The harvesters’ squad are men who will become the mouthpiece of heaven and rise to speak to souls that are perishing, not with the eloquence of men’s words but with the power of God which is able to save. These men will realize that the convicting power of the Holy Ghost alone can save the people but they must be willing to go out and speak. They will have an understanding of the word of God and will be most patient to draw dying souls to Jesus. Every child of God is commissioned a part of this squad as long as you are saved. The great commission is the document of commissioning.

However, the condition for service in this squad is to go with the Holy Spirit; the Apostles were timid and could only hide their faces until they received boldness of God to go ahead and speak the word.

Also, members of the harvesters’ squad continue to ask for boldness in the place of prayer to be able to stand and speak the gospel irrespective of persecutions Acts 4.

What is the reward?

On earth every other thing shall be added to you – let me paint you this picture; in life you require sound health, great children, a good job, God – loving spouse, money and so much more but in order to get these things, you need to run after them all which is practically impossible. You go for money and you may sacrifice your health and your home, you go for a good home and you may sacrifice a great career etc. but when you seek the Kingdom of God which to an harvester is the salvation of souls around you, every other thing that people are dying to get and chasing after will now turn and begin to follow you. This is the wisdom secret of the harvester.

If you see a man of God doing well today, it is because he is investing in the most important thing and God is ensuring that all other things fall in place. Listen to me carefully, when you are in God’s employment, He ensures all things work well for you because He has the best employment package and benefit in the entire universe. When you are a harvester, God ensures that greater platforms are open to you to showcase you to the world and show that it pays to serve Him. Sir/ma, if you are struggling today to make ends meet, to have your children fear God, to keep your health stable among other things, you need to reflect immediately and see in what way you have neglected the great commission. Your place of work is the first place to start, you can print small cards telling people that Jesus loves them with relevant stories and Bible passages and from

there the Holy Spirit who is your senior partner takes over. This is the beginning of wisdom as a member of the harvesters’ squad.

In the passage above, apart from the harvesters’ squad, we also have a group of labourers called the Intercessors’ squad (Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest). We shall look at the roles and responsibilities of these group next week by the grace of God. Their responsibilities are multi-faceted, they function before the harvest, during the harvest and ensure the preservation of the harvest. God bless you.

You need to be born again to enrol for the great commission, your struggles in life will all come an end once you become a harvester because God’s word is settled in heaven. If you want to give your life to Jesus, the process is simple: • Believe in your heart that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself.

• Believe in your heart that Jesus died on the cross of Calvary paying the price for your sins and rose from the dead the third day to establish your victory • Confess with your mouth that Jesus is lord and saviour.

• Repent of all sins before the Lord and forsake them.

• Welcome into God’s family.

Please locate a bible believing church and share you new-birth experience with the church leaders.

•For further prayer & counseling, Please contact: Pastor Femi Lanre-Oke, Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministries International, Plot A22 Power Crescent, Arab road, Kubwa. Abuja, +2348030752799, +2348053695097, Email: femi_lanre01@yahoo.co.uk

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Priesthood House with Pastor Bola

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Bello

he gift of the benediction amongst other gifts is the most important. From the earliest times, Christians adopted ceremonial benediction into their liturgical worship, especially at the end of their services. The benediction is more than a sacrament of religious worship, neither is it the, recitation of “the grace” at the end of the Church service. The benediction is the invocation of the blessing of God upon the people. Christ at the approaching of His passion interceded for Church which has become the root and the stem of the Church.

Over and again, the benediction is a culture of Jews and it is a Patriarchal blessing upon their children mostly the first son. Benediction consists of both instructions and invocation of sacred utterances with capacity to leverage and to establish the recipient. The practice of benediction was set by the first Patriarch (God) himself after the creation, when He pronounced blessing upon man and other living things. However, instructions precede the blessing, and it is the ethos of attendance to the instructions that triggers the fulfillment of the blessing. Hence there is the need for the recipient to take note of the sacredness of the instructions and follow it up before he can lay hold on the promises contained in the benediction.

The benediction of God to man in the garden was the advantage of man over other creations before the violation of that sanctity. Since then man, has struggled to exist, sweat to possess and strive to become. Other creations suffered from the fall of man and creation has existed as foe against itself (Rom. 8:20). From the beginning of time, creation was not subjected to futility but to the blessing of the Creator.

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Sunday May 10, 2015

Church as God Designed It – The Blessedness of the Church - Part 3 The violation of the sanctity of the blessing made man to become futile and vain in soul until the redemption of the purchased possession (Eph. 1:14). Before the purchase and the subsequent possession of man through the divine blood sacrifice of Jesus by God, benedictions have severally occurred between God and man subsequent on the adherence to God’s instructions. The benediction of God upon Abraham in Genesis 22:1517 was consequent upon verse 18 of the same Chapter. “And thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice”. In the book of Acts 13:23; Jesus was referred to the seed according to the promise of God to Abraham. “Of this man’s seed hath God according to His promise raised unto Israel a savior Jesus.”

However, the benediction of God does not reside on Abraham children accordingly but to the seed who are regarded

by God as Abraham sons. Romans 9:7 say; “Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children; but in Isaac shall thy seed be called”. Isaac was a child of promise who in all intent and purposes was obedient to the Patriarchal instructions. He was easygoing and perseverance to the end even when he was face to face with death sacrifice at the mount Moriah. Isaac became the progenitor of Israel, the father of twelve tribes who are subsequently distinguished through obedience.

When Jacob was invoking benediction to his children, Judah was distinguished for scepter and priesthood. “The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be” (Gen.49:10). What brought scepter to Judah was not just benediction of Jacob alone but importantly how the tribe of Judah diligently followed God from the first Judah to the

last one called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Lord Jesus Christ. There was no iota of doubt that each of the dramatic personae in this tribe had his own weakness save the Lord Jesus, but in the midst of their infirmities, they pursued the Lord to the very end. Judah, the fourth son of Jacob was the first to receive rich and unmixed blessing. The blessing of inalienable supremacy and power (the type of Christ). “Thee will thy brethren praise and they shall gathered to you as subjects”. He was placed first as an absolute leader and the father of kings of Israel. In (Gen. 29:35), the benediction deposited unto Judah was for praise, especially from his brethren – a shadow of the kingly and priestly praise of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The noble character of Judah was seen in his advocate to his brethren to spare Joseph who would have been killed by the sword of his wicked brethren. He pleaded on behalf of Joseph and offered a better alternative to save the young innocent lad. Judah also offered himself as a sacrifice, a pledge for Benjamin and pleaded with Joseph who would have imprisoned or jailed Ruben and the rest in his days of vindication. In other words, the benediction of God does not arbitrarily manifest upon people no matter who invoke it. It is keeping to the sanctity of its instructions that attract the fulfillment of the blessing.

The prayer of Jesus Christ was contained in John 17:1-26, I will selectively make reference to certain areas of the prayer to signify the blessedness of the Church and Church as the blessing to the world. The critical aspect of this prayer is found in verse 17. The promise to Abraham was that his seed would be a blessing to the entire earth. In the Lord’s prayers, Jesus asked his Father, to sanctify the Church with His truth, for His word is truth. This is a reminder

of the promise unto Abraham that the seed of Abraham would become a blessing to the earth. The sanctification of Jesus who was the seed of Abraham was to facilitate the redemption of man from the hook of Satan. This was done through the blood sacrifice, when Jesus was hung on the cross but rose again as the Lord over death on the 3rd day.

However, the continuation of that blessing required that Jesus followers be set apart and to devote themselves to the glorious assignment and to the inalienable promise of God through Abraham.

Sanctification in the Old Testament was a spiritual ritual observed through ceremonial washing and sacrifices. The New Testament sanctification is observed and could be effected through the washing by the word of truth. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” It is the observation of the truth that set the Church apart from the world.

It is this same observation that makes the Church a blessing to the world. The Church will be discharged from the illusion of the world when the Church is exposed to the truth.

Church is the pillar of truth and righteousness. The atmosphere in which the Church is soaked or dwell determine what the Church will become. Church must begin to present the vanity of the world to the world. The propagating of the gospel is more than Jesus saves the sinners. Yes he does. More than the salvation of sinners is the sanctification of the saints where saints become the cynosure of the world and the types of Christ in all the sphere of life. This is possible. Word of truth will present God as truly as God is. This is the design of the Church.

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

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Chorister’s World

Choristers should encourage Nigerians through their songs –Ogungbesan

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luwatoyin Ogungbesan, affectionately called Cee Mama by friends and family, is a chorister who is determind to make a positive impact through music.

Born on July 12 1956, Ogungbesan is caring, soft hearted and goes the extra miles to take care of the needy and those around her. She was born to the family of late Pa. Moses Olaoye Oyebode and Madam Bolaji Oyebode of blessed memory and hails from Gbogan Local Government area of Osun State.

Speaking about her family, she said: ‘‘I happen to be the first child of a family of four. I am a Christian by religion, and I love music especially Gospel music. It makes me fulfilled especially when I sing to God in the morning and I always feel favoured

and blessed in all ways.

She started her educational taining at the Municipal Primary School, Lagos Island and concluded her secondary education in Lagos City College where she obtained her WAEC/ SSCE. She obtained her National Certificate in Education at Adeniran Ogunsanya Ijanikin, Lagos.

Throughout her academic career, Ogungbesan was known for her passion for Gospel music. She enjoys going to musical concerts and musical competitions.

On what inspires her, she said: ‘‘God almighty is my first and foremost inspiration. Also, music is part of me and I would say it runs in my family. I began to sing at a tender age in my parent’s church at the Church of the Lord Aladura. In this

early age, I loved to listen to music. It inspires me and I feel secure when I sing.

A widow, she got married to her late husband. Christopher Kolawole Ogungbesan in 1977 and the marriage was blessed with three boys.

She is currently a member of the Chapel of the Healing Cross, IdiAraba, Mushin, Lagos.

Speaking further, she said choristers should use their talents to sing songs of encouragement to Nigerians and when they sing to God, he answers their prayers and grants their requests.

“I use my music to inspire people to faith and hope in their challenges. That is what the Gospel music is all about. When people

come to church, choristers should ensure that they speak to them with assenting kind of music in order to encourage and empower Nigerians with positive faith in God,’’ she said.

From the Pulpit

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MOMENT OF MIRACLES with Pastor W.F

Kumuyi Hebrews 11:8-12 ithout faith, it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). To please God, each of us must live by faith in Christ. Abel, Enoch, Noah had faith in God and He testified of them that they pleased Him. In Abel, we learn the commencement of the life of faith; Enoch teaches us the characteristics of the continuity of the life of faith; Noah’s life and action instruct us on the conviction and courage of the life of faith. The Scripture challenges us to let “Christ dwell in [our] hearts by faith” (Ephesians 3:17), to “live by faith” (Galatians 2:20), to pray in faith (James 1:6), to resist our adversary, the devil, by faith (1 Peter 5:8,9), to overcome the world by faith (1 John 5:4), to “walk by faith” (2 Corinthians 5:7).

To please God and to walk with Him, we are to “walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised” (Romans 4:12). Abraham’s life of faith provides a pattern for our faith. His life was nothing else, but a continual practice

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Let’s go

BIBLE with Favour

Tioluwani

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Email: letsgobible@gmail.com

his is what we call TEMPTATION. And there are five ways to handle this kind of temptation.

According to DR. JULI SLATTERY, “Every married woman is at risk for an affair. If you say, “No, I’d never do that!” take to heart what Paul wrote, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12).

Every affair begins with a temptation—an attraction. Unfortunately, most of us have no idea what to do when a man other than your husband starts to pay attention to you. It feels good to be pursued again, especially if your marriage is in the doldrums. Right after Paul told us to be careful not to fall; he gave some very practical advice about how to handle temptation: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13, NIV).

While temptation is unavoidable, sin is still inexcusable. Even if you feel overwhelmingly attracted to another man (or woman), unfaithfulness doesn’t have to be your destiny. God has promised to provide a way out for those who are willing to run to him.

Don’t be surprised when it happen How many affairs would be avoided if we would simply anticipate that it’s normal to be tempted?

Yes, there will always be men more attractive than your husband, and there will be someone who seems to have all the strengths that your husband lacks. The day will likely come when you find yourself drawn to someone who appears to be better suited for you than your husband. The attraction can even be spiritual (for example, a man’s passion for the Lord is so attractive compared to your husband who seems to be spiritually dead). Since you know this day will come, prepare for it now. Come up with a plan now of what you will do when temptation comes. How will you respond? Who will you call for help? Do you have an accountability partner in place now? If you have already determined

Sunday May 10, 2015

Pattern of the life of faith of faith. The first evidence of faith in his life is his obedience to God, when He called him out of his country. From then on, his life furnishes fuller details concerning the life of faith.

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THE PILGRIMAGE OF FAITH Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 12:1-4; Joshua 24:2,3; Acts 7:2-4; Isaiah 51:2; Romans 1:5; Luke 5:32; 1 Thessalonians 4:7; Acts 13:2; 2 Peter 1:10.

“By faith, Abraham, when he was called to go out... obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went” (Hebrews 11:8).

“The Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee” (Genesis 12:1). What a challenge to his faith this was! He was called to go out of idolatry, not out of the family of God (Joshua 24:2,3; Isaiah 51:1,2). What a testing of faith this was – to be converted at 75! Abraham was already seventy-five years of age (Genesis 12:4) and long journeys and break-up of old associations are not easily undertaken by elderly people. To forsake the old life, to leave loved ones and family idolatry behind, to abandon present certainty for a future uncertainty, to go forth, not knowing where, must have seemed unreasonable to the flesh and carnal reasoning; only faith could do such a thing in answer to God’s call.

A practical separation from the world is demanded of us, for “the friendship of the world is enmity with God” (James 4:4). As it was contrary to nature for Abraham to leave family and idolatry, so it is equally contrary

to nature for the Christian to separate from the world and crucify the flesh. Abraham “obeyed; and he went out”. He obeyed not only in word, but in deed. “By faith, Abraham... obeyed” (Hebrews 11:8). Faith and obedience can never be separated just as the sun and light or fire and heat can never be separated.

“He went out, not knowing whither he went”. At the time God called him, He did not specify which land he was to journey to, nor where it was located. It was by faith, real faith in the Living God, and not by sight, that he moved forward. Many so-called Christians only obey God after considering their own personal interests. God requires unqualified obedience from us. The path of obedience must be trod, if ever you are to reach heaven.

No disobedient soul who is wrapped up in self will enter heaven.

2.

THE PROOF AND PATIENCE OF FAITH Hebrews 11:9,10; Genesis 13:12,14-18; 17:8; 26:2-5; Acts 7:5; Hebrews 11:10; 12:28; 13:14; John 14:2.

“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country...” (Hebrews 11:9). This verse brings before us the second proof of Abraham’s faith. In the previous verse, we are told of the place he left; here we are told of the place to which he was called.

We learn from him the necessity of patience and constancy of faith in waiting for the fulfillment of the promise. As it was by faith that Abraham went out of Chaldaea, so it was by faith he remained out of his native idolatrous

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country. We come out of the world to come into Christ’s Kingdom by faith and remain separated from the world through faith.

Unless a supernatural work of grace had been wrought in Abraham’s heart, subduing his natural reasoning, he would not have remained in Canaan. He stayed there, “as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles”, patiently waiting for the inheritance. The Christian also has been begotten“to an inheritance” (1 Peter 1:4), but he does not fully enter into it (into heaven) the moment he is called “from death unto life”. He, too, waits patiently for that “inheritance reserved in heaven”.

“For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose Builder and Maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10). Walking by faith, not by sight, he set his heart and eyes upon things above and not upon things below. Faith lifts the heart above and beyond earthly things to desire spiritual and heavenly things.

3. THE POWER OF FAITH Hebrews 11:11,12; Romans 4:19-21; Hebrews 10:23; Genesis 22:17; Deuteronomy 1:10; Nehemiah 9:23; Acts 10:43; 26:18; Hebrews 10:35-37.

Having spoken of Abraham’s faith, the apostle now makes mention of Sarah’s faith.

What a great blessing it is when a husband and wife are both partners and partakers of living, dynamic faith – both moving in the same direction in faith. The believing husband and the believing wife are “heirs together of the grace of life” (1 Peter 3:7).

Sarah’s faith shows the marvelous power of a God-given faith exercised in the presence of the most discouraging circumstances. Her faith was intensely practical, relying upon the faithfulness of God, absolutely and completely resting upon His promise. Her faith survived every trial to which it was exposed.

What do l do when I’m attracted to someone who isn’t my spouse ? where to “run,” you won’t be paralyzed when a true danger threatens your marriage. The only personality that you can call to help at anytime is JESUS. He is the only one that you can run to at anytime. You must therefore strive to have a very good relationship with Jesus, communicating with Him effectively. So that when the time of temptation comes, you can easily run to Him. Remember what’s real I had been meeting with Lisa for about two months before she spilled the beans. During our first several counseling sessions, she talked around her disappointment in marriage and other irritations of life. Then, the day came when she felt safe enough to tell me about Doug. They had met at the gym several months earlier and been drawn to each other immediately. Low and behold, Doug was a Christian! Lisa and Doug began “coincidentally” showing up at the gym at the same time and got to know each other. Eventually, they began meeting over coffee.

“Juli, Doug is so kind and sensitive! He loves the Lord and has really helped me grow in my faith. God knows how lonely I’ve been in my marriage. I believe he’s providing Doug as an answer to my prayer for true companionship.”

God will never answer your prayers by inviting you into sin. How could a grounded Christian woman like Lisa have gotten so far off base? Because Satan is the deceiver. He will tempt you to doubt the truth about what is good and what is evil.

God has equipped our bodies with very powerful hormones that kick in when we enter a new romantic relationship. The “tingles” of a new relationship can and will blind you from reality. If you do not fight to find “true north” according to God’s Word, you will make a disastrous decision that has far-reaching consequences. No matter how much you believe that this man will make your life better, he will not. No amount of money, great sex, or adoration can compensate for walking away from fellowship with God and representing Jesus Christ to your husband, children, and community. This is a time to get into the Word, from which you will be able to get all truth.

Run Fast

There is a time to walk and then there is a time to run. No one casually strolls out of burning building. They run for their lives. Paul says sexual temptation represents a time to run. “Flee sexual temptation!” 1 Corinthians 6:18, “Flee fornication.

Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body.” Joseph demonstrated what “fleeing” looks like. He literally ran away from Potiphar’s wife when she tried to seduce him. He didn’t stop to deliberate the consequences or figure out how he could keep the woman happy while not going “all the way.” He simply ran (Genesis 39:1-13). There’s no harm in a little flirting, you might think. Yes, there is great harm! The longer you linger in temptation, the more opportunity the Enemy has to deceive you. What does “running” look like? It means not giving the relationship any chance of developing. If you have to, change jobs, move to another neighborhood, and absolutely refuse to be alone with the person who represents the temptation.

Ask for help One of the most dangerous things to do when you are attracted to another man is to keep it a secret. You may be embarrassed to admit to a friend your secret crush, or you may be afraid that being honest will mean you have to give it up. No, just do what you have to do, not minding what the other person thinks.

In some cases, it’s appropriate to tell your husband. “Honey, I just need you to know that there is a guy at work who I’ve commit to never being alone with. Nothing has happened, but I just sense it’s a danger zone.” It would be very difficult for an attraction to take root after this type of honest conversation. If you do not believe it is wise to talk to your husband, please share the situation with a trusted friend or mentor. (Not wrong councillors).

She can pray with you, give you solid advice, and ask you the tough questions about whether or not you are taking the way of escape or continuing to play with fire.

Invest in your marriage There is an English adage that says, “The grass is greener wherever you water it.” Being attracted to another man is not only a temptation, but also an indication that perhaps your marriage needs some

watering. It’s a wake-up call that your marriage is vulnerable to infidelity. Maybe it’s time to invest in marriage counseling, get away for some time alone with your spouse, or work on romance and sexual satisfaction in your marriage. Even if you are married to an unresponsive husband who doesn’t have a strong desire to improve your marriage, how are you investing in the relationship? Do you pray daily for God to give you love and patience?

Are you intentional about learning how to build intimacy, as far as it depends upon you? I think you have to do that now. You can’t solve a problem by running away from it.

Although investing in your marriage is an important way to respond to a temptation, however investing in your relationship with God is even more important. There are some who believe that the greatest weapon against an affair is a strong marriage. I disagree. The greatest weapon is handling it spiritually, for everything that happens in the physical has its source in the spiritual. Go into serious prayers asking for Gods intervention for the Bible says, the battle is His. Hand it over unto him and let Him handle it Paul told us specifically how to arm ourselves against the schemes of the devil. He told us to be clothed with the armour of God, armour like the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth, the shield of faith, and the sword of the spirit.

My friend, never try to fight a spiritual temptation solely with emotional or psychological weapons. You will lose. God’s way of escape is to cling to him and to run to him. He is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of his glory blameless with great joy (Jude 24).

If I remain faithful throughout the duration of my marriage, it won’t simply be because I love my husband, but it will be because of how much I love the Lord. The name of the LORD is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10).

•You can send in your QUESTIONS and the Holy Spirit will be set to give you the ANSWERS. Barr. (Mrs.) Favour Tioluwani Tel: 08050272259 or 07062738213. Email: letsgobible@gmail.com

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From the Pulpit

Sunday May 10, 2015

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Taking Back Your Delayed Inheritance

his week I will be talking on how you can take back your inheritance that has been delayed for one reason or the other. As a child of God, there are blessings that the Lord has prepared for you to enjoy in Him. As a result of delay in the manifestation of these blessings, some children of God have resolved to all sort of means to get what they want; while others who don’t believe in God resolve to various others ways like visiting the grave-yard for rituals, consulting witches and wizards, and joining various evil cults. All blessings derived through these ungodly means are manipulated inheritance.

“27For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ.

28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3:27-29) If you are of Christ, you have the right as heir to inheritance of wonderful promises. Your portion in God is greatness, lifting and a fulfilled life. God’s package for His children is of good not of evil; his plan is to give us joyful end. I want you to know that no matter how unpleasant what you are going through is; the Lord’s good plan for you cannot be changed and it will surely come to pass.

But the Devil subtly came into the life of some many people in order to steal their inheritance. It may be through parental covenant with the devil, evil foundation, or any other art that can give devil access into the life of a man. John 10:10 – The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Anything that gives the devil a chance into the life of a man makes it possible for the enemy to hinder the manifestation of inheritance belonging to that person. Many have lost their inheritance through sin, fear of the devil and carelessness. For you to be alive today is for a purpose and that purpose is for your inheritance in Christ to fully manifest for all to give glory unto God. Your inheritance is great and you don’t have any reason to envy anyone. God told Abraham that his children, children will possess the gate of their enemy. Everyone that God created is a star and is not infe-

rior to anyone.

Moreover, many inheritances are wasted away because their owners are ignorant. Some people’s inheritances are under the control of the enemy while some are completely being enjoyed by the enemy. Either of these situations, such an individual will not see the manifestation of his/her inheritance but will continue to experience delay in life. There was an inheritance that God packaged for the Israelites and God told Moses to move them out of slavery to their promised land.

(Numbers 32:18-19) 18We shall not return unto our houses, until the children of Israel have inherited every man his inheritance. 19 For we will not inherit with them on yonder side Jordan, or forward: because our inheritance is fallen to us on this side Jordan eastward.

Not every one of them was able to inherit what God promised His people because of fear and lack of faith in God. When some leaders among the people were sent to explore the inheritance promised d by God, only two of them came back k with good report while the rest gave e a discouraging report about the land they were asked to explore. re. These ten leaders discouraged d the children of Israel, but Caleb eb and Joshua encouraged them m to trust in God to take overr what God has promised.

Whenever henever you miss your inheritance, nce, God is annoyed. God will not be happy with anyone that is too afraid to possess his/her God given en inheritance. Some people are crying that God has not answered wered their prayers but they y are the cause of the delay ay. God was annoyed yed with the Israel-

ites because they allowed their inheritance to waste away. Some people cannot possess their inheritance because they don’t have enough faith in God. Inheritance of God for the Israelites 1.

(Deut. 6:10) The Lord promised them good and wonderful cities that they will not struggle to develop. Your own good cities may mean several good things you have been struggling to achieve. That good job, business, comfortable life etc., are all part of what may mean your own good cities.

2.

(Duet. 6:11) The Lord continues by telling them of the houses filled with good things and many other accessories that can make living beautiful and comfortable. Part of your inheritance in God is a good home (marriage) that is void of molestation and chaos. Whatsoever you needed to make your marriage a joyful one is part of your inheritance in Christ.

I want you to know that God has a wonderful package for you. He has deposited great things in you. His desire is that, there shou should manifestation be full manifestati of those things he has deposited in your life. For y you power to break the pow mandelaying the m your ifestation of yo inheritance, y you prepare should prepa yourself to do tthe following things: 1. Fight ig ignorance: You should be God able to know what G indihas for you as an in vidual apart from the t general inheriinhe tance in H i s

word. You can only possess what you know that belongs to you. That was the reason God kept telling the Israelites the extent of what He has for them. Make every effort to know your own personal inheritance in God. “7And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry be reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows; 8And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and Hivites, and the Jebusites” (Exodus 3:7-8) 2. Fight for your inheritance: The children of Israel were prepared to fight the Canaanites that were occupying their inheritance. I want you to know that there is no vacant promised land (Inheritance) anywhere, but you must fight for it through the power of the Lord. Don’t be too lazy to fight and engage every power holding back the manifestation of your inheritance. You fight through your prompt obedience to God, through your effectual and fervent prayers and generally by living a life pleasing unto the Lord. “2 And the Lord said unto Joshua, see, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour. 3 And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once.

Thus shalt thou do six days.” (Joshua6: 2-3) We are men and women of greatness and honour. We need to wake up and possess our inheritance. We must not be heavenly conscious and earthly useless, because when we are earthly useless, we cannot make heaven. Numbers 32:18-19, Moses talked to them and they saw it and were ready to possess it. We must make a determination to possess our inheritance.

When God sees determination in a man he releases heavenly power on that man.

Number 33:50-53, God have given us our heavenly inheritance. We can be great by manifesting our inheritance and glorify God. •You can send in your QUESTIONS and the Holy Spirit will be set to give you the ANSWERS. Barr. (Mrs.) Favour Tioluwani Tel: 08050272259 or 07062738213. Email: letsgobible@gmail.com

Bishop Opayinka

News Nigerians need to seek the face of God –Adedokun

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he General Overseer of Access to Christ Ministries also known as Access Chapel, Ibadan, Oyo State, Rev. Phillip Olusegun Adedokun has called on Nigerians, especially Christians to continually seek the face of God for divine intervention in the affairs of the country.

Adedokun, who gave this charge in a ser mon delivered at the church noted that negative posture inhibits destiny and purpose in life, ultimate disinheritance, dispossession, death and even total extinction is the corollary like was in the case of the Edomites (Obadiah 1: 16 – 21).

Papa Access, as he is fondly called likened the Edomites’ posture to

what mostly happens in Christian and family circles and the nation, today; “We fight and resort to har m over business deals, churches fight in the court of law over control of money, property or land; we are in a generation where failed relationships eventually tur n to enmity. We are in a generation where a brother’s success is suspected and envied and unhealthy competition is the order of the day. God expects each one to contribute to the success and development of another and He has given us the ability which is inherent in us”, he said.

DONATION … Coordinator, Assemblies of God Lagos Mainland District Rev(Mrs.) Bright Okorie, (middle) presenting food Items and cash to General Manger The Heritage Homes Orphanage, Mrs. Olakitan Osuntokun and other (WM) members as part of activities to mark the (WM) Day by the Evangel Women’s Ministries of the church in Lagos yesterday

From the Pulpit

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Sunday May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Excellence in life and ministry

greet you my readers and I wish you well.

Excellence is not expensive, it is medior-

ity that is expensive, just as knowledge is cheap and ingnorance is expensive.

Excellence began right from the creation of the universe and God was its source, Gen 1:1 But its operation began with man. Gen 1:31.

Excellence is an attractive concept, which believers grossly underrate and sometimes totally ignore. Few people professed to have it yet they never have it. Yet it is a strong component of what God expects us to display on earth why? Because He himself is an excellence God just as salvation or (being saved) does not start with money but it is sustained and maintained and re-establish with money. That is why He expects his children to live an excellence life.

Excellence is more natural visible (Physical) more than spiritual. It will take a spiritual man to understand or see excellence in mediocrity that was why? The first excellence created by God was visible or physical.

Our main book of reference is the book of Gen 1:1:31 Oxford Advance learners Dictionary defines “Excellence” as the quality of being extremely good. “And he gave some, apostle and some, prophets, and some evangelist, and some teacher, for the perfecting of the saints, for the works of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ” Eph 4:11-12.

No man is a nonentity, God has given everyone ability and grace to function well. God is not going to judge you base on what He has not given you but base on what He has entrusted in your hand (Care) Matt 25:14-30.

In this race (the kingdom of God) Ungodly competition is not allowed you are only permitted to learn from others above you, your peers and also from those below, doing well in righteous manner, 1Cor 12:31.

An excellence spirit does not start with huge amount of money but with right mind sets and ended with huge amount of money.

MEANING OR DEFINITION OF AN EX-

CELLENT SPIRIT. 1.

Excellence is fulfilling God’s purpose and plan and His will for your life and ministry Jer. 1:5-10.

2.

Living and functioning up to date.

3.

Being relevant always 4.

To be the best 5.

To stand out 6.

To be distinguished 7.

To pay attention to details 8.

It means order 9.

To be generally accepted 10.

To exist for a longer period or time 11.

To outshine 12.

To be showcased 13.

Using small thing appropriately 14.

Team work is an excellent spirit 15.

Any thing (Godly) that has a touch of fruitfulness multiplication, replenish, subdue and dominion.

16.

Bringing greatest out of smallest or relevance out of irrelevance.

17.

Ability to rest as when due is an excellent spirit Gen 2:1-3 All these definitions can be seen in Gen 1:1-3.

Warning: Whatever may be the present situation never allows your love, passion for excellence to die.

Define your standard of excellence and never compromise on it FUNCTIONS OF AN EXCELLENT SPIRIT 1.

An excellence attract favour of men that matter 2.

God is pleased 3.

God is being attracted into the scene 4.

It brings man into a position of honour and acceptability 5.

It brings relevance WHAT ARE THE ENEMIES OF AN EXCELLENCE SPIRIT (1Cor 16:9) 1.

An ingrate spirit (Sadness of heart or complaining) 2.

Absence of godly vision 3.

Walking with ungodly men 4.

Competing with others rather than complementing them

5.

Inability to think resourcefully or think productively (Eph 3:2 -0) (Absence of meditation) 6.

Procrastination 7.

Allowing side attraction and distraction 8.

Self satisfaction (Living a Complacent life) 9.

Discouragement 10.

Lack of faithfulness and commitment 11.

When you lack passion for adventure 12.

When you lack passion for information in your area of discipline and calling 13.

When you don’t always wait upon the Lord for divine direction 14.

Absence of creativity.

HOW TO REKINDLE YOUR PASSION FOR EXCELLENCE 1.

Be grateful to God for the past, present and looking toward a gracious future. It does not matter how glorious, great, colourful your past may be, something glorious would always be in the future. (There will always be room for improvement) 2.

Just love good and perfect thing or continue to increase your love and passion for excellent thing.

3.

Always go for adventure 4.

Attend conferences and seminars 5.

Love and walk with those who have excellence 6.

Go for training 7.

Always re-programme your mind for excellent things 8.

Read books: Dan 9:2 9.

Be focused 10.

Always improve on your vision daily 11.

No matter the level of your achievement in the past or present never allows complacent spirit.

• Hear these; we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence therefore is not an act but a habit – Aristotle, Greek Philosopher.

• The quality of person’s life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their chosen field of endeavor –

(The Coach) Pastor Moses A Omogbehin

Vince Lombardi, Football Player, Coach and executive.

• Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way – Booker T. Washington, African – American educator, author and civil right leader.

• We need to internalize the idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent – Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States.

• Excellence is not a skill. It is an altitude – Ralph Marston, American Writer.

Note these words of strength; excellence is first about individuals than about groups, why? The collective of excellence of individuals shows up as excellence of a group of people.

WAYS TO MANIFEST PERSONAL EXCELLENCE. How then is excellence manifested? How do we manifest personal excellence in ministry and destiny?

1.

VISION Vision: Let your vision reflect in everything you do directly or indirectly.

Your vision could be the following i.

Your ministry or calling ii.

Your business iii.

Your home, e.t.c.

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

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

Power of imagination Prophet Lai Bamidele, General Overseer of Christ Glorious End-time Evangelical Ministry, AbuleEgba, Lagos, in this exhortation, teaches on the need to be skilful. Excerpts: (Gen 11:6) –

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nd the Lord said, behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. From this verse we saw what the Children of Israel achieved by their imagination, through the power of their imagination they were able to build a city and a tower, God confounded their language because they used the gift negatively.

What is Imagination?

Imagination is the ability to create pictures in your mind. Your imagination is an invisible machine inside your mind. God gave it to you to create pictures of those things you desire. Every Christian needs this God’s – given gift to move to greater heights in life.

This is one of the most beautiful gifts that God has given mankind.

There are two major parts of your mind 1.

Memory 2.

Imagination Both are God-given gifts that can help or destroy people, they either make you or destroy you. I pray that you shall not be destroyed in Jesus’ name. What you do with this gift determine what you will get; when you imagine the positive, you get positive results, when you imagine the negative you get the same.

Let us quickly examine the two points:Your memory will photograph, file and replay pictures of your past, all the past activities and the event, whether positive or negative.

Your imagination creates and pre-plays pictures of things you want to happen in the future. This particular gift has the ability to create, organize and print pictures of things you want to happen in the future, most especially, pictures of your heart’s desire.

Most achieves usually have learned to replay the memory of their past triumphs and pre-play the pictures of their desired success.

We can find good examples of one of this achiever in the book of (1 Samuel 17: 35 – 37).

When David faced the Giant Goliath, he mentally replayed his previous victories on killing the bear and the lion, and then he used his imagination to picture and pre-lay his impending victory over Goliath.

There are things that make your imagination and dream work in life. For clarification, your imagination could become your dream; whatever you keep on imagining can become a dream.

For your dream to work, you must have respect for your dream, you must desire your dream, you must imagine your dream, and you must not let go of your imagination and the dream. Stay with it, keep on visualizing it, take a step concerning it, it will later become substance that everybody can feel or touch.

Your imagination and meditation help you

into the realms o revelation and revelation itself only flows through the heart that is properly engaged. (1 Corinthians 2: 11). Your imagination is the workshop of your mind; you can dream, design and determine what you want to happen in your life.

Whatever dominates your imagination today will likely be experienced in your life tomorrow.

It is possible to become whatever you imagine, it is possible to see whatever you imagine, and the quality of what you see will make you a high flyer, your ability to see beyond will then place you above others. Try to see something positive from your imagination, leave the realms of imagination to the realms of seeing, print a beautiful picture of the idea that appear to you and run with it. Life itself is a big book placed before you

by God Almighty for you to open, and what you see in the book will determine your destination.

Let us quickly see this from the book Luke 4: 17-21 – 17and there was delivered unto him the book of the Prophet Isaiah. And when he had opened the book he found the place where it was written. 18The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised.

19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

20And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him 21And he began to say unto them, this

Pastor Bamidele

day is the scripture fulfilled in your ears.

What did you imagine of yourself, it’s never too late to start imagine and see good about your future, Jesus Christ saw beyond the cross, he experience sorrow, he knew pain, he experience rejection. But something kept drawing him towards the cross.

Jesus mind was on the resurrection, not just Calvary. Jesus focus was the resurrection on the other side of the crucifixion, it was evident that heaven was often on his mind while he was on earth (John 14:2) in my father’s house are mansion, if it were not so, I would have told you, Jesus imagined Heaven, and discovered mansions are in heaven.

Finally, what you do with your mind or imagine determine whether you will walk, run or fly.

The book is closed until your heart is open.

•For counselling contact: Pst_lai@yahoo.com

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The Bride’s voice with Pastor Moses

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Alu

here are unbelievers that are sitting down in church. It’s true. They don’t believe that there is hell. There are people that go no church and they don’t believe the scripture that says God is a consuming fire. They don’t believe” if you believe, you will fear God. Why are you afraid of the law/ why are you not an armed robber? Or why do armed robbers run away when they see the Police? It is because they believe that if police apprehends them, they are finished. And you too that’s the reason you’re not committing crime because you know its repercussion. But how many Christians really believe that there is a reckoning day coming, a day that they will stand before God and give account of all they did while on earth?

Did you not know that it was against the law of God not to do this, not to do that but you were doing it and you will ask: why did God not stop me? I have explained that several times here.

That’s why I was telling Pastor Thomas this morning that a young girl told at the camp that one of the ministers that left this place has started his own ministry stood at the altar and preached to them and was lying concerning me and knew all that he was saying were lies. One of the things he told them was that I am deceiving the people min Bride Assembly; that I personally told him. He said I’m deceiving the people that I’m not a signatory to the

Endtime Revelation with Bishop Bernard

Ojemeni (JP)

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he Bible book of Revelations is a great mystery that the body of Christ and the entire world should be aware of because it concerns both. It is the last book of the Holy Bible having 22 chapters and 404 verses. The message is centered on the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the seven churches of Jesus Christ on earth in Asia Minor at the time of the Revelation. They are local churches existing in different locations and then of course the future events. The Revelation was handed over to Jesus Christ by God and Jesus Christ to an angel who now gave it to John the Beloved on the Island of Patmos, who was asked to make it known to the servants of God in the existing seven churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. This was during the time of persecution of the early church that John was given this assignment. In about A.D 81 – 96 John was exiled to Island of Patmos to die. There the angel of God came and gave him the revelation for the churches and the future events for the whole world. And so in summary the book of Revelation deals with three major areas

1.

The description of Jesus Christ in His Glory.

2.

The messages for the seven churches of Jesus Christ in Asia Minor based on their traits or characteristics.

And in the same vein, a close study of

From the Pulpit

Sunday May 10, 2015

47

The spirit of delusion (2) account and that I confessed to him while he was here that I am the signatory to the church account.

Now you know he knows that what he was saying was a lie. This man stood at the altar,. He vibrated after speaking in tongues so that they‘ll believe him and said Pastor Moses is a hypocrite. Now, I told them that the brother if he’s a true seed of God, God will deal with him but if nothing happens to him. For standing at the altar and lying like that, if nothing hap pens then that s evidence he’s serpent seed because his judgment has been concluded.

Now I am not making reference to only the brother but even to you sitting down here. If you find yourself in any form of evil; work of unrighteousness and nothing is happening to you; you’re enjoying you’re prospering in it, it’s also evidence you’re not a seed of God because whom the Lord loveth what does He do? He chastened. The scripture says so but those who are not His own, He leaves them until judgment day.

Why? Because their judgement has been concluded! They can continue to work their iniquity.

Praise the Lord! Now you need to know these things. There are people sitting down in the church, they have no love for the truth. Look, the gospel is so clear, the early apostles had this prophetic insight into the condition that the church will go into.

Let us read one of the conditions so that you will understand.1 Timothy chapter 4.

Bro IK read it in the Sunday school. Read it somebody. Please come with microphone.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirit, and

doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron.

That was the Holy Spirit speaking clearly more than one thousand years ago. The spirit was speaking what? Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils. This s the latter times. He said some shall depart from this Bible Christianity: the faith. They’ll be giving heed to seducing spirit and what? What do they do?

Speaking lies in what? Hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron!

Sister, sit down. This seducing spirit, what is a seducing spirit? A spirit that is trying to make you do wrong, to go against God, to fornicate spiritually. It’s a seducing spirit! Speaking lies in hypocrisy!

Who is a hypocrite? A hypocrite is someone that acts what he is not: pretending to be what he is not. That’s a hypocrite! He is claiming to be a man of God; that is hypocrisy! So he has to speak lies to make you believe that he’s a man of God. One of the things that minister told his church is that, I have given instruction to members of this church that they should call me daddy and call my wife mummy. He didn’t say it secretly but openly! And maybe that is the order I gave you here. Mummy and daddy!

And after he spoke it, another evangelist that used to be here corroborated by saying it is what my wife says that I do; that is, she is the one running this place from the back.

“They fight me tire the thing no work now dem wan fight this poor woman, dem wan join am inside.” (They fought me until they got tired and now they have started

with the poor woman). Now it’s wrong!

They know what they’re saying is wrong; they know it. Speaking lies in hypocrisy but if you read that scripture carefully, the emphasis in that scripture is not the liar, or the hypocrite, or the seducing spirit, the emphasis there is to those who will follow that spirit. Many he said will give heed to that seducing spirit. So the emphasis is you hearing them. He said they will give heed; that is they will be listening and acting on what the seducing spirit is saying.

Let us read another scripture from 2 Timothy Chapter 3. Read it from verse 1. Thus know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. Read it up to verse nine.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters , proud, blasphemers , disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers , incontinent fierce , despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, ever leaning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

•Pastor Moses Alu; The Bride Assembly, Odofin Park Estate, OshodiApapa Expressway, Ijesha Bus stop 08033524903 : Email: pastormosesalu@yahoo.com

Analysis of the book of Revelations the church history revealed that the seven churches represent different seven church ages which we are going to consider in the course of the analysis of the book of Revelation 3.

The future world events which will run their course at the end of the seventh church age, the Laodicean church age.

One beautiful thing about the book of Revelation is that there is a blessing for any one reading it, or hearing a message from it and doing the words you read and hear from it. And so each time you want Heaven to shower you with blessing that is automatic go and open your Bible and begin to read from the book of Revelation. The more you do it the more you are blessed. Revelation 1:3.

Talking about the description of Jesus Christ, John testified that while on the Island of Patmos on the Lord’s day that is the first day of the week (Sunday) that he was in the spirit when the Lord Jesus Christ appeared to him in His glory and spoke to him in a great voice as of a Trumpet saying ‘I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last. He asked him to write what he saw and send to the seven churches. And what did he see? He saw Jesus Christ in His glory in the midst of seven candlesticks clothed with a garment down to the foot, with golden girdle around His waist. His head and his hair were white as wool, white as snow, His eyes were like a flame of fire His feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace and His

voice was like the sound of many waters.

In His right hand He held seven stars from His mouth issued a sharp two-edged sword and his face was like the sunshine in full strength. He was so much afraid that he fell down and laid as a dead man but Jesus Christ lifted him up and asked him not to be afraid that he Jesus Christ is first and last, He that lives and was dead and behold He is alive for evermore, Amen, and has the keys of hell and of death. And so he was instructed to write the things he has seen - (that is description of Jesus Christ in His glory) and the things which are – that is the existing seven churches, their traits or characteristics and the different ages they represent and the things which shall be hereafter talking about the future events that will run its course after the 7th church age – the Laodicean church age. Revelation 1:19 Jesus Christ also told him the mystery of the seven stars in His right hand to mean seven angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks He was working in their midst to mean the seven churches. This is a clear indication that Jesus Christ is always mindful of His churches and He assigns angels to be in charge of every church. In this context the angels referred to the pastors of the churches. Both human angels (that is the pastors) and the Heavenly angels are all working together to make the church of Jesus Christ what it should be. Now, having understood that things, which he has seen are talking about the description of Jesus Christ in His glory. The things, which are

is talking about the 7 churches. And the first church is the church of Ephesus.

Revelation 2:1-7. The period it covered in history is in about A.D 40 – 100. In church age it represents the later part of the early church. The early church witnessed great revival. The first revival of the church of Jesus Christ is in Acts 2:42 – 47, 4:32 – 37.

This was immediately after the Apostle received the Holy Ghost baptism as they were promised by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 1:8. Salvation, Healing , Deliverance, Miracles, Signs and Wonders were the characteristics of the early church. Conversion of souls in thousands in a single meeting was witnessed in the early church and they are the signs of a church in revival. The early church preached the gospel around the world Romans 10:18. Evangelism was the characteristics of the early church under Jewish leadership. Acts 17:6.

The church of Ephesus that represents the later part of the early church lost the fire of evangelism as well as their first love for Christ. Revelation 2:5. And that is why Jesus admonishes them to go back to their first love, otherwise He will remove their lamb stand from its place. This message will continue in the next edition in which we are going to look at the seven churches starting with Ephesus.

•For further information, contact us at: Endtime Believers’ Ministry Inc.16/18, Johnson Street, off Kajola Street, Yakoyo, Lagos. Tel: 08023261219, 09095268897, 08036116881; Email: bishop.bernard@yahoo.com

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From the Pulpit

Hour of Change with Primate

Oyelowo

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nd when had removed him, he raised up for them David asking, to whom also he gave testimony and said’ I have found David the son of Jesus, a man after my own heart, who will do all my will’’ Acts 13:22.

Who then was David? He was the last born of eight children of Jesus, Samuel the prophet was sent on a mission to Jesus in Bethlehem for the main purpose of choosing somebody to replace Saul, the first king of Israel due mainly to his disobedience to Gods directive. On getting to Jesus, he sanctified Jesus and his children for the sacrifice.

After the exercise was over he started his mission to appoint a king among the seven children present, but none of them could find God’s favour. On enquiry, Jesus told Samuel that ‘’David, his last born was with the sheep in the bush/wilderness. When David who was not sanctified eventually came, he was God’s choice and greater anointing above his brothers was bestowed on him. (1 sam. 16:1-12) I decree that God will locate you where your enemy is hiding you and bring you to limelight, man.

1 Why was David after God’s heart? He did the will of God by identifying with the need of his generation and came up with solution. Israel was terrified by Golliath, a military commander of the philistines with nobody to challenge him. When David visited his brothers to deliver his father’s provisions to them, he learnt of the pre-

Chapel of Holiness and Testimony with Pastor K. I.

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Bona

nternal chains are the most stubborn to deal with.

It is easier to loose or break physical chains than spiritual ones. When someone is detained at the police station or even imprisoned, they can secure their release if they play their card well. It may be a matter of cash or connection. But the story is different for internal or spiritual chains. Internal chains are the weapons used by the powers of darkness to frustrate the lives of many. A lot of people including Christians are victims of internal chains without realizing it. Remember, sometimes when a victim prays aggressively, the powers behind the chains may give way while the chain remains intact. This is why many people have had repeated deliverance sessions without much result. Beloved, it is in your interest to break all internal or spiritual chains in your life. Nobody will do it for you. An anointed man of God may have a role to play, but you must be actively involved for result. For example, you must give your life to Christ and give yourself regularly to fasting and prayer. You will experience transformation the moment your internal chains are broken.

POWERS RESPONSIBLE FOR INTERNAL CHAINS THE HEROD: Almost everyone has this problem.

And there are different forms of spiritual chains.

Different spiritual powers or forces are behind different forms of chains. There are coven powers, marine powers, family gods, religious powers, occultic powers, talisman powers and ancestral powers.

One feature of internal chain is that it is hidden although it influences real life seriously. The powers I mentioned earlier are wicked and deadly in the way they operate; they do not listen to pleas and have no mercy in their dictionary. Pleading for mercy provokes them much. Their mission is total destruction.

Little wonder the Bible says in John 10:10, the thief cometh not but for to steal, to kill and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might it have it more abundantly.” It can be sad, to suffer without knowing the cause of your suffering. For every chain, there is a Herod attached to it. These Herods are the strong men in charge of those chains.

Sometimes, they could be strong women. They can

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David a man after God’s heart

dicament situation in which the nation of Israel found itself. As he was stirred up by the Holy Spirit, he rose gallantly to the occasion, faced the giant and subdued him.

Your adversary will become your footman in Jesus name (1 sam.17:41-51).

2 Soon after his anointing, he served under Samuel’s government as one of his military officers and as a singer. Whenever Saul was depressed in heart. He served faithfully in these dual positions inspite of monumental obstacles he faced while serving Saul. (1 Samuel 16:14-23). Do not attempt to pull off the carpet under your master’s feet as this can backfire if the plot is discovered by your master. It is one of the factors that hinder rapid promotion and in some cases; it leads to termination of appointment or summary dismissal. You will enjoy your career from the beginning to the end in Jesus name.

3 David spared Saul’s life when he the opportunity to kill him. Remember that Saul has made series of attempts to exterminate David, but on each occasion failed woefully.

Your enemy will not succeed in his diabolical act will draw people closer to you.

(1 Samuel 26:17-12). However learn to be forgiving as this act will draw people closer to you. Romans 12:19-21 says Beloved do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘vengeance is mine and I will repay, says the lord. Therefore if your enemy hungers, feed him, if he thirsts, give him a drink, for in so doing you will heap coal of fire on his head’’. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’’. Also Psalm 105:15 says: ‘’do not touch my anointed one’s and do my prophets no him’’.

4 On getting to the throne, David remembered his covenant with Jonathan his close friend, who happened to be one of Saul’s

in the north destroyed all the bore holes he dug for his people for refusing him the ticket to return to the house of assembly again.

This is not the best of behavior by a senior public officer.

In spite of these good deeds by David, he had his shortcoming as a natural being. He committed heinous crime by killing Uriah one of his security officers after he had committed immoral censure against joab’s advice not to do so. Both cases, he confessed and repented (2 Sam. 24:1-3). However, in both cases, he confessed and repented (2 Sam. 24:15-18). Learn to show remorse when you commit sin (1 John 1:9-10). Learn to show remorse when you commit sin (1 John 1:9-10).

Inspite of these heinous crimes, God promise David that his covenant with him will not become void (Jeremiah 33:20-21; 31:33-37). In keeping with this covenant, Jesus Christ came into the world through the tribe of Judah to which David belonged and from Bethlehem, his city (Matthew 2:1).

David received a pass mark from God for these remarkable achievements as a king. ‘’for David, after he served his generation by the will of God, he fell asleep and was buried with his fathers’’. Acts 13:36. My advice to the incoming governments at different levels is that they use opportunity given them by the electorate to serve to the best of their ability as this is the generation they can serve. If they do well posterity will commend them, if on the other hand, they perform below average standard posterity will judge them. Till then shalom!

sons. While saul was after David life, it was Jonathan who leaked the secret and promised to be doing so any time he had knowledge of his father’s against David. Their Covenant was anchored on safety and good will. ‘’David. Their concerning Jonathan’s household and discovered that Jonathan had a lame son named Jonathan’s household and discovered that Jonathan had a lame son named Mephiboseth. He (David) invited him to be easting with him always and he also returned his confiscated goods.

(2 Samuel 8:3-7) it is unfortunate now a days that covenant is observed in the breach especially between couples and friends. I pray the almighty God will give you the enablement to observe the covenant with various people.

5 David was dancing before the ark of Covenant of God when it was retrieved from Obed-Odem’s house. David humbled himself before the ark because it represented the presence of God for Israel. He became an ordinary person in the presence of God when he remembered where he was coming from and how God has highly exited him above his elder brothers. As a result of his humility, Michal his wife, who also happened to be saul’s daughter, derided David and she was barren until she died.(2 Samuel 6:12-16). Learn to humble yourself before God and men. ‘’Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up’’(James 4:10).

6 David made enough Provision for the buildings of the temple inspire of the face that he was denied the opportunity. David mobilized the support of eminent persons in his domain to donate for donate for the temple project and he received positive response from them.(1 Chronicles 28:2-9). I listened to news report some days ago that one the speakers of the house of Assembly

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

Internal chains be uncompromising and deadly. They enjoy watching their victims suffer or die in severe frustration.

Those Herods decide what happens to their victims.

TYPES OF INTERNAL CHAINS Chains of affliction, infertility, barrenness, death, infirmities, lack, poverty, abandonment, disappointment, hardship and wretchedness. All of these work according to the name they bear unless the Herod in charge desires otherwise. The spirit of Herod and Herodias rules as kings and queens over the affairs of their victims. Thus leaving the victims in pathetic situations all the time.

In Acts 12:1-3, we read, “Now about that time, Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the Church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.” We can see three assignments of Herod over the Church ….

(1) Persecution (2) Taking by force and (3) Killing.

Here is a prayer point for you: (1) You spirit sponsoring persecution in my marriage and in my general life, die by fire in the name of Jesus.

(2) Any of my blessings forcefully taken away from me, I recover it by fire in Jesus name.

(3) You Herod aiming to kill my destiny, receive fire and be roasted in Jesus name.

THE COVEN POWERS: These are witchcraft powers; Coven is a meeting place for the black witches. There are black witchcraft and white witchcraft.

White witches are mild in operation while black witches are rigid and more wicked in their operation. Witches are the most deadly enemies of mankind. They hate progress. They take delight in destroying good ventures and profitable foundations.

It gives them extra joy when they see people suffer and cry. They love blood and eat flesh. They oppress people with their chains. A lot of innocent men and women are suffocating under the pressure of witchcraft chain. Some lucrative and promising business have come under the chains of witchcraft powers.

There is no human venture that is free from witchcraft chains except the ones that are covered with the blood of Jesus. Unfortunately a lot of our graduates have come under the chains of witchcraft. This is why there are a lot of unemployments. Some have concluded long ago there are no jobs anywhere. Who told you that? This is a song of deceit. There are a

lot of job opportunities everywhere even in your neighbourhood. By the time you are free from witchcraft chain your eyes would be opened to see that there are lucrative job opportunities waiting beside you.

MARINE POWERS: These are powers operating from the bodies of water such as rivers, streams, lakes, oceans, flood water etc. There are three principal spirits that rule the water. The beast, snake and serpent.

These spirits oppress men with chains in different ways. Most people, especially our young men and women are bound with internal chains by these spirits. Three chains are produced from water. (A) The Beast Chain: When a person is bound by the chains of the beast, it is very serious case. The spirit of the beast automatically has influence over such a person and his family.

With the chains of the beast on the person his life and belonging are controlled by the beast.

Sometimes, the beast manifest as a she-goat. The person under the bondage of a she-goat, exhibits the following attitudes: (1) Finds it difficult to take decisions of his/her own; (2) Cannot stand on his/her decision; (3) Is very easy to deceive; (4) Sometimes, he finds it very difficult to correct a wrong habit; At other times, the beast shows itself as a dog or he-goat. People under this chain behaves as follows: (1) They have a compulsive urge for sex; (2) Very elusive to deal with; (3) Show great enthusiasm in relating with the opposite sex; (4) Most times, very aggressive and uncompromising; (5) Prone to bad temper and abusive words. These beasts do not only chain men, as most people think, but they have a lot of women under their chains. If you occasionally dreams of seeing a she-goat or a he-goat tied to a stake or being friendly with dogs in the dream you are in bondage.

At the advanced level of their chain, the beast could manifest as a lion or leopard. Statistics have show that the number of people under these chains are on the increase, especially among our youths because this is the preferred age for the oppression of the beast. People in bondage have very short life to live on earth. Such people need the gospel of salvation urgently. This is because at this stage the devil puts all his machinery together to finally destroy them. They show these characteristics: (A) Amazing interest in fighting. Infact, such people look for trouble and de-

struction; (B) They love rioting and create violence; (C) Keeping and making use of dangerous weapons; (D) Very bold to take high risks such as smuggling, drug trafficking, cocaine, 419, armed robbery and other related criminal acts. When people are under these chains. It takes the grace of God to break loose from it and they need the power of the gospel to do so.

2 Corin. 13:15-16 says, “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith, prove your own selves, know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye reprobates. But I trust God deliver you from these bondage in the name of Jesus.”

WORDS OF WISDOM 1) If you fail to deal with your weakness and separate yourself from it, it will eventually separate you from people of substance 2) The moment you start looking at where you have been you have stopped looking at where you are going.

TESTIMONY A MAN VOMITING BLOOD HEALED Six year ago, I dreamt where I ate what looked like a piece of meat somebody gave me. I fell sick four days later. The sickness was severe and made me to go to so many places in search of help but to no avail.

I visited so many native doctors and churches. I just kept vomiting blood. I could not laugh, talk aloud, walk or sleep very well. My situation degenerated everyday. Then I resigned myself to fate.

As God would have it, someone directed me to this church. During a healing service, the man of God prayed for me. Instantly, I felt relieved after a warm sensation had charged through my body. To my surprise, I discovered that I could stand on my feet strong, jump, laugh and do those things I couldn’t do before. When my wife saw me, she could not help rolling on the floor in praise of the Almighty God for what He had done. I am glad to say that I am not vomiting blood again since the day I got my healing.

Bro. Abiodun

ADDRESS: Pastor K. I. Bona, General Overseer Chapel of Holiness and Testimonies Ministries No. 6, David Egbetuyi Street, Fagbile Estate, IjegunIkotun, Lagos.

08023404926, 08038206508 www.chapelofholiness.org

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Civil Service

Sunday, May 10, 2015

49

Jang administration leaving only N18bn debt –Commissioner

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he Plateau State Government on Friday said its current debt profile was N18 billion and not N200 billion as being speculated.

Commissioner for Information and Communication in the state, Mr. Abubakar Badu, stated this at a news briefing in Jos shortly after the State’s Executive Council meeting.

Badu said that the council deliberated on the

misinformation regarding the true indebtedness of the state particularly as it concerned the bond the government recently secured.

He said that the clarification became imperative in order to put the records straight and let the public to know that the outgoing administration in the state had nothing to hide.

He revealed that the Gov. Jonah Jang’s administration inherited a debt

of N80 billion, on assumption in 2007 but was able to defray it in its first tenure.

He added that the government borrowed N48 billion to finance the execution of capital projects.

Supporting Badu, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Davou Mang, explained that the state government ‘’in its efforts to put the state on a sound financial footing’’ approached the Capital Market and secured a bond of

N28.2 billion.

Mang said that the aim of the bond was to service its rising debt profile as the bonds usually had longer gestation period, payable in seven years with low interest rate.

He said that a net issue of N25.3 billion accrued to the state out of the total sum of the bond and was used in financing the loans obtained from commercial banks.

He explained that the

difference between both figures, amounting to N2.9 billion went into sinking funds, which included professional fees and other service charges.

“From the N25.3 billion, Ecobank was paid N10 billion, Zenith Bank, N10 billion while FCMB was paid N5.3 billion.

“The intention of the administration is to make the burden of the loan easier for the incoming administration,’’ he stat-

ed.

According to Mang, the money was paid directly to the banks that the stated government collected the loans from, and the money came to the state government in cash. ``We heard that the state government collected bond in cash and shared among the outgoing officials. That is not true because nothing came to Plateau government in form of cash.

Expert laments manpower shortfall in tourism industry

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he Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Local Government Service Commission, Mr. Ashamu Fadipe, on Friday attributed manpower shortfall in tourism industry to few tourism institutions in the country.

Fadipe, a former Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Tourism and Inter-governmental Relations, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.

He, however, said that there were enough personnel in the country to train students on tourism skills.

“Although there are few tourism institutions in the country, there is need for an increase in manpower in the industry,’’ he said.

He urged the govern-

ment to establish tourism institutions in parts of the country to encourage investors to develop the sector, adding that tourism could help to alleviate poverty in the society if well developed.

“Tourism industry is the second largest sector in the world after the education sector. It is capable of employing millions of people”, Fadipe said.

The permanent secretary also said that tourism had opportunities for individuals to earn a living, adding, ``the existence of tourism centres will empower many Nigerians. ``Every community has tourism potential. The challenge is how to identify and utilise the inherent opportunities present them,’’ he said.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Lagos Ministry of Science and Technology, Mrs. Onikepo Animasahun; Governor Babatunde Fashola; Director-General, Office of Transformation, Lagos Command Centre, Mr. Toba Otusanya and Microsoft’s Senior Director (Public Sector), Middle and East Africa, Mr. Yasser Elabd, during the inauguration of Lagos Citizens Relationship Management and Performance Dashboard Systems in Lagos on Friday.

Nigeria Railway Institute graduates 205 technicians

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wo hundred and five technicians, with diverse skills, on Friday in Lagos graduated from the Nigerian Railway In-

Youth protest non-payment of salaries

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he Chairman of Employed Youths in Zamfara, Mr. Lukman Majidadi, said yesterday that more than 1,400 youths employed by Zamfara Government since May 2014 had not been paid.

Majidadi told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Gusau that the non-payment of one year salaries had affected their living condition.

He said the workers were thoroughly screened and

made to write examinations before they were given appointment letters since May 2014.

“The workers were employed from all the 14 local governments in the state and were posted to start work with immediate effect after they were given appointment letters.

“The 1,400 youths employed by Zamfara Government have not been paid since May 2014,’’ he said.

Majidadi said majority of the youths were from poor family backgrounds, adding that the non-payment of their salaries had worsened their living conditions.

According to him, some of the workers left their previous jobs to take up the new appointments.

“Some were posted to different organisations, while majority of the youths were posted to schools across the 14 local government areas.

stitute.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the skills acquisition programme of the corporation is part of the phased Federal Government overhaul and revamping of the nation’s rail transportation system.

Admonishing the technicians, Mr. Adeseyi Sijuwade, the Managing Director, Nigerian Railway Corporation, urged them to use the skills acquired for the growth of the nation’s economy.

Sijuwade, represented

by Alhaji Aminu Gusua, Director, Administration and Human Resources of NRC, said that the skills acquired from the institute would as-

sist in bridging the nation’s technical manpower needs.

The managing director also advised the technicians to utilise their skills within the ambit of the law.

“We will make sure that grandaunts are employed

by NRC when the opportunity comes but they should rather look at who they will employ,” he said.

Also speaking, Mallam Abubakar Mohammed, the Director-General, National Directorate of Employment, commended the sustained collaborative effort of the NDE and the Nigerian Railway Technical Institute.

Abubakar, represented

by Mr. Adeleye Joseph, As-

sistant Director, Vocational Skills Development Department, said that the 24-year collaboration had contributed greatly in the technological advancement of the nation and youth empowerment.

“To tackle the problem of unemployment, especially among youths and other vulnerable groups of the society, the NDE planned, designed and developed well-tested employment programmes,” he said.

Abubakar said that the import of the programme stemmed from the fact that most of the grandaunts own businesses that employ labour.

50

Business

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FRESH BUSINESS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Sunday May 10, 2015

Bulding collapse: Architects insist on professional standards ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

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ordered by the level of building collapse and other anomalies in construction jobs, which has been identified to be due to the influx of unprofessional practices by both local and foreign architects in the country, the Nigerian Institute of Architects, NIA, and Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, ARCON, have re-emphasised the standard for all practitioners to be paraded as architects.

Speaking at the Lagos Architects Forum, LAF, 2015 organised by the Nigerian Institute of Architects, NIA, the ARCON President, Arc Umaru Aliyu, said nobody would be qualified as an architect without registering with ARCON and certified by the Council as a worthy practitioner, adding that no one could be an architect without being a member of ARCON. He explained that the Council has established a

registration number tagged ‘ARCON Project No’, which every architect must get to certify they are fully registered members.

He said the Project Number would also help to curb the problem of unprofessionalism inversion either by the local or foreign architects.

Aliyu warned that if anybody is caught infringing on this act, harsh disciplinary measures shall be taken against such people as the Chief of Justice of Federation has set up ARCON Tribunal to that effect.

He further explained that political interference had been the major constraint to curbing the menace of unprofessional practice in architecture, which has contributed to persistent building collapse witnessed in the country.

He added that the concerned ministry has also not been doing its statutory duties, accusing it of busy awarding contracts without proper monitoring. He therefore appealed to the incoming government to assure the ministry is up and doing in its assigned duties.

He explained that the International Union of Architects, UIA, a non-governmental organisation and a global federation of national associations of architects to which the Nigerian Institute of Architects belongs, has become a rallying point for architects of the world and has grown to encompass the key professional organisations of architects in 124 countries and territories worldwide.

According to him, the UIA Accord on Recommended International Standard of Professionalism in Architectural Practice recognised the ARCON Act in its totality and stipulated that every foreign architect abide by it, while it recognised that there was an interest in increasing the responsible mobility of architects and their ability to provide services in foreign jurisdictions. He added that there was also a need to promote the awareness of local environmental, social, and cultural factors and ethical and legal standards.

He said, “In pursuit of excellence therefore, we recognise the need for constant

search and acquisition of knowledge on a global level, while acknowledging that our laws and international accords are sacrosanct.

“The UIA policy further clearly states that architects providing architectural services on a project in a country in which they are not registered shall collaborate with a local architect to ensure that proper and effective understanding is given to legal, environmental, social, cultural, and heritage factors. The conditions of the association should be determined by the parties alone in accordance with UIA ethical standards, local statutes and laws.

“The above policy should always be taken in conjunction with ARCON’s requirements that foreign architects working in Nigeria must have the Nigerian architect as the lead Consultant.

“On the premise of the above, ARCON wishes to once again make it clear to all and sundry that it will not stand by and watch the right of its members being trampled upon and the sources of their livelihood

Representative of Kaduna State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Samaila (right) presenting certificate of participation to Malam Jibrin Abubakar, during the closing ceremony of the 36th Kaduna International Trade Fair recently.

PHOTO: NAN

Ship owners tasked over international trading

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former Director-General, Government Inspector of Shipping, GIS, Mr. Olu Akinsoji, has urged the Ship-owners Association of Nigeria, SOAN, to participate actively in international shipping.

Akinsoji made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria

(NAN) in Lagos on Friday.

He stressed the need for stakeholders to close ranks to enable them benefit from the business opportunities in the international shipping circle. ``From my experience, I believe that a nation cannot compete favourably in international shipping if the private sector is not or-

ganised. ``This is the beginning of many more things to come and we must appreciate SOAN for putting themselves together to say they want to come together in order that they would give feedback on our aspirations as a nation. ``To partake in international shipping and even

cabotage (coastal shipping), because when you do not have private sector organised, you are not likely going to have an organised feedback. ``Which will allow you to readjust yourself as a nation concerning the policy and objectives for the developments in the maritime industry.

eroded through illegal foreign incursion.

“We wish to sound a note of caution to everyone engaged in this unwholesome act to desist from it or be ready to face the full wrath of the laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

However, a participant said there was no synergy among NIA, ARCON and the private sector in curbing the menace of quacks in the profession.

Meanwhile, the Chairman, NIA Lagos Chapter, Ach. Ladipo Lewis, said the theme of this year LAF, “Lagos 6.0 – The Business of Architecture” was so apt at the time the country was

transcending into the largest economy in Africa and the world last economic frontier. He promised that the Institute would focus on all facets of architectural practice to develop successful businesses that would stand the test of time and compete favourably in the global market place, as well as explore opportunities for multifarious business models.

“Key to this is a continuous evaluation of our current legislation on planning, approval processes, master plans and regulations, which we need as a roadmap to developing a first class city,” he said.

Diamond Bank GMD explains dividend cuts JOHNSON OKANLAWON

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iamond Bank has said that it reduced the dividend pay-out for the financial year ended December 31, 2014 to support the bank’s retained earnings.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos, the Group Managing Director, Mr. Uzoma Dozie, explained that the dividend policy of the bank was determined by the need to balance what is paid to shareholders and what is reinvested in the company.

He said the pay-out ratio was reduced when funds were needed to finance some new projects, which allowed the bank to retain much of its earnings for the benefit of growing its business in the years ahead.

He added that the last six months witnessed some turbulence for the bank considering the last general election activities and other policies that aimed at stabilising the currency and economy at large.

On the bank’s outlook, he noted that the bank is targeting 270 branches in the current financial year.

Although, he added, the bank is currently working on migrating as much transactions as possible to online platforms, it believes that in the medium term, physical branches will continue to be

the hub of financial services and transactions.

According to him, the bank’s five years strategic plan, in terms of size, industry positioning, financial rations and perception indices, will begin to yield more results in the current financial year.

He said, “The economic outlook for the country expected to be more favourable, so as to take deeper root, the bank expects to begin to harvest from the activities of the past years.

“Today, the bank is one of the leading banks in Nigeria, respected for its excellent service delivery, driven by innovation and operating on the most advanced banking technology platform in the market. It has over the years leveraged on its underlying resilience to grow its asset base and to successfully retain its key business relationships.”

Outlining the growth strategies of the bank, Dozie noted that the bank creates value for shareholders through quality of partnership with like-minded institutions and organisations in the country and around the world.

He said that over the years, the bank has productive partnership with International Finance Corporation, Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access and World Women Banking.

Opinion

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net Sunday May 10, 2015

51

A castle in the air TUNDE OLOFINTILA

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do State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, must have spoken the mind of many at the 19th Convoca-

tion ceremony of Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, a fortnight ago when he said the long-term challenge of funding university education in Nigeria should not depend on mere goodwill alone but on deliberate planning and looking inward. He pointedly advocated a revisit of the national education policy to make it possible for the children of the poor to have the best quality education.

To drive his point home, he advised Nigeria’s education managers to take a cue from the famous and up-beat Oxford University which at some point in its otherwise luxuriant history had to reverse its decision to admit only the children of the elite by creating a quota to ensure a worker with basic intellect had admission into the university.

In a veiled condemnation of the ever dwindling revenue allocation to education by all tiers of government, Oshiomhole wondered whether the $200 or its Naira equivalent being paid by an undergraduate per annum could deliver quality university education in the same clime where a child’s parent pays as much as N200,000/year for secondary school education but pays N50,000/ year in a tertiary institution for another child of his.

To drive his point home, Oshiomhole attributed the same malady as being responsible for the propensity of an average Nigerian man to squander N1 million to serve the best culinary repast and choicest wines at his warped birthday bash but finds it extremely difficult if not entirely impossible to support his child’s education.

No wonder then that the Nigerian society appeared to have been strewn with what Dr. Adetolu Ademujimi described as education without character, warped and twisted morality as a result of which the Nigerian state is bedeviled with a high spate of armed robbery, drug peddling, kidnapping, different shades and shapes of terrorism, corruption as well as insecurity in the face of the multitude of its educated elite.

It is only a country with an unpardonably high dosage of education without character that could produce societal reprobates like religious extremists, internet scammers, accounting professionals who cook books, pharmaceutical firms that revel in fake and counterfeit drugs, legal practitioners that cut corners, Judges that sell judgments to the highest bidders to become what the late Hon. Justice Kayode Eso tagged ‘billionaire judges’ and doctors who forget surgical blades in the bowels of their patients, Journalists and musicians who praise-sing the worst in the society and deify them as heroes and models as well as teachers who spend more time outside the classrooms pursuing unholy pastimes, leaving their students unattended to.

Sometimes in the immediate past, The Nation’s Hardball painted a rather gruesome picture of the injustice education without character has visited on Nigeria. Just look at the unpalatably irritating list: the most corrupt country in the world, one of the worst places to be born, a place of high infant and maternal mortality, one of the leading countries with the least school enrolment and a member of the countries with the most impoverished population as well as one of the countries with the highest polio virus prevalence.

There are some other seemingly elegant, but derogatory indicators like Nigeria being among the leading private jet owners, a country with the highest importation of rice and wheat despite its vast arable land, a country least conducive

for setting up business and a country with the highest crude oil theft as well as being the country running the most expensive democracy in the world.

Traditionally, university degrees are awarded after graduating students must have fulfilled two paramount parameters/conditions: learning and character, with character coming before learning. In those days, if a student made a First Class in learning but scored low in character, the university would not award such a student its First Class because the university would not want to send a bad ambassador out to the world.

But today, how many of our universities can boldly say they award their certificates only to students who have been adjudged worthy in learning and character?

It does not end there. It is a well-known fact that Nigerians have an uncanny penchant to titles. They had since left the palatial palaces of royal fathers for the ivory tower, shopping for titles to satisfy and further inflate their already bloated egos. Unfortunately, the universities are ever ready to play ball by making these academic titles available for the highest bidders, not minding whether they are worthy and deserving of such titles in the first instance.

What does this picture reveal, particularly as education is a whole system of comportment, learning, dressing, character and respect for others? Our educational system has lost colour and character and that is why the private and missionary universities have come in to fill the void as they are able to turn their students into total men and women who will fit into any position in life, no matter their course of study, be it Medicine, Engineering, Archeology or the languages and change Nigeria.

It is a well-known fact education involves a blend of three elements of the Head, the Heart

and the Hand (the three H’s) and any society that fails to achieve this blend will end up producing half-baked graduates with certificates in learning who will be roaming the streets perpetrating all forms of crimes because they are bereft of character.

Because they cannot use their hands in small scale businesses, which will become big in future, they become over-dependent on the society, forgetting that their university certificates are not meant to secure jobs, but to make them all-rounder that can turn things around for good.

Nigerian leaders and followers, and particularly the students should always remember the mercurial words of Joseph Addison, an English Essayist, who once said that: “Education is a companion which no misfortune can depress, no enemy can alienate, no deposition can enslave. At home, (it is) a friend, abroad, an introduction, in solitude, a place and in society, an ornament. It chastens vice, it guides virtue, it gives, at once, grace and government, to genius. Without it, what is man? A splendid slave, reasoning savage”.

If we are not to become mere splendid slaves and reasoning savages, we must appreciate the place and the import of education, garnished with learning and character, as a tool to developing a person into a total man. For any parent to think he could pay $20 or its Naira equivalent to procure quality university education when some other parents are spending millions of Naira on their children at secondary school level is nothing but building a castle in the air. Indeed, it the equivalent of what the Master of the Rolls, Lord Thompson Denning, once described as building something on nothing.

It will fall like a house of cards. Such bizarre and ludicrous investment is not only grotesque and calamitous, it is an unpardonable sin.

May we have the courage to plug into that which is just and profitable and may the wind of change blow in all directions, including our educational landscape.

Let’s unravel this Chibok girls’ abduction mess, please! (1) My point exactly!

NICK UWERU

Email:nickuweru@gmail.com 08182042961

W

ith Bala, as I choose to call him, naughty issues often easily get untangled.

Questions, puzzles, worries associated with my job as a reporter, I mean.

Bala is a policeman by the way, and I refer to him by that name because most of what he tells me is off record. But this gentle man is one hell of a crack detective with some years tucked in his belt. My favourites of all his experiences and ones which I shamelessly tap into are those he acquired as a State Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, operative.

He also worked on quite a number of cases relating to kidnaps in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He recently helped me resolve the nagging puzzles in my mind surrounding the 276(?) girls abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

I have always believed that the public isn’t aware of half of the real gist on the Chibok girls’ abduction.

At the time Bala and I got talking, the military had over run Sambisa, that forest enclave believed to habour the last of Boko Haram hide outs. The place, as earlier believed by military authority, is where the abducted girls were kept, purposely to be used as human shields by the insurgents in the event that the military

eventually find their cojones and raid the place.

Well, in the last one week, Sambisa has capitulated to the offensives of Nigeria’s Special Forces. To the army’s credit, the insurgents have been put to flight, that is, those who were lucky to escape the fight. Perhaps more glorious for the invading forces was the rescue of more than 500 girls and another 100 women and children in Sambisa. But so far, there has been no sign of any of the missing Chibok girls.

To me, it doesn’t make any sense that the girls are not in Sambisa as earlier believed.

Bala, my police officer friend, tends to agree with me on this because having worked cases relating to kidnap and abduction, the facts on ground, as we both see it, don’t fit anymore with prevailing beliefs on the matter.

“It looks more like the girls don’t want to be found,” Bala blurted out to me, earlier in the week.

“It is either that or we are probably fixated on an abduction that never took place,” snorted Bala, bewildered, after the military authorities disclosed that none of the girls rescued were among the missing Chibok girls.

I do realise that this view, as expressed by Bala and has drawn more than a passing interest in me, is highly suicidal for any one’s career. If I recall correctly, Mr President Goodluck Jonathan lost his job principally for allowing his body language betray doubts as to the authenticity of the Chibok abduction. And we must not forget, too, the eternal ridicule the president’s wife, Patience, has since been subjected to ever since the ‘Na only you waka come’ episode.

But however objectionable these thoughts may be, I am of the opinion that the authorities, and indeed all our carabenieri, secret police, must begin to pursue the Chibok abduction case from another set of fresh insights,

this time with more open mindedness. Concerned public should also do so.

We could start asking questions on the 500 or so women and children reportedly rescued from Sambisa and what the army says about them. For the better part of this week, the public has been regaled with horrifying tales of how beastly the captives were treated by the feeing insurgents.

The shock from the tales notwithstanding, we must ask some focused questions.

We could ask why, for instance, the fleeing insurgents would make away with the 276 girls living five hundred others for the invading Special Forces to rescue.

Maybe Abubakar Shekau, leader of Boko Haram plans on using the girls as a getaway ticket. Come to think of it, the Chibok girls are globally popular and any government would give anything to have them back safely.

But then again, this raises another set of questions: How could an under siege insurgents, highly depleted, demoralised by killings of its key commanders in the last two months and completely encircled by a reinvigorated Nigerian army, Nigerien, Cameroonian and Chadian troops, have spirited away 276 girls before the army arrived Sambisa?

This question is particularly germane considering that the army had conducted top grade reconnaissance on the various hide outs of Boko Haram in the dreaded forest.

Apart from the Nigerian satellites that the army makes diligent use of as I have been reliably informed, there are the drone facilities operated by the Air Force plus that of France.

How could the army have missed spotting the girls being spirited away in haste from Sambisa by a presumably ragtag Boko Haram?

So far, the army has been largely mum about details of the 500 or so women and children rescued. I, for one, would like to know how they were abducted and from where;

who were their relatives and why the public was kept so much in the dark about the identities of these victims until they were rescued; they need to tell us their stories, individually and collectively so that we can make sense of these ugly incidents that may forever blight our national psyche.

Even more importantly, we need to know from them if the Chibok girls were ever in Sambisa.

Now, come to Bala and his sense of loss at the details of the Sambisa rescue, I think the public need to view the Chibok saga less from the emotional side. Yes, it is quite heart rending for 276 girls to go missing and government seem to flounder in its every attempt to rescue them. But I also think that if we would make any sense of this tragedy or rescue the hapless girls, common sense, sober and sombre thinking would make the difference.

To do this, we must think less of emotive matters. Our thoughts must be more clinical and forensic like that of a crack detective asked to effect the rescue of an abducted victim. Of course, the Chibok abduction, as some may argue, shares no similarity with the everyday kidnap cases that the police and the public face up to, regularly.

But then, the crimes are similar in the main. Rather than one, two, or three victims, being kidnapped by some random abductors, 276 Chibok girls were taken by one of the deadliest terrorist organisations in modern history.

So in determining how to bring back our girls, we must treat the case like that of a kidnap.

Parents and relatives must now come out to put faces to their anguish.

We must now pump back street channels for information on the whereabouts of the missing girls. I believe that the armies made captures of some of the insurgents in Sambisa.

Let’s pump them for more details on the possible whereabouts of the girls.

(To be continued)

52

Politics

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Udom will continue the good legacies of Akpabio –Ukpe Anietie Ukpe is the Chief Press Secretary/ Senior Special Assistant, Media to the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio. In this interview with journalists, he bares his mind on various issues including the just concluded elections and various accomplishment of Governor Akpabio. AYO ESAN brings the excerpts.

On the recently concluded 2015 elections, the opposition is alleging that Governor Akpabio used the power of incumbency to ensure that PDP recorded massive victory in Akwa Ibom state, what is your view on this?

A lot depends on what you refer to as the power of incumbency. This was supposed to be an open race since an incumbent was not contesting. But APC was in a dilemma on two counts. One, Governor Akpabio had written his name into folklore and legend with his unprecedented achievements and uncommon transformation of Akwa Ibom State. Two, there was a stature-gap between the PDP’s Governorship Candidate, Deacon Udom Emmanuel, and the rest of the field. Mr. Emmanuel was without blemish and a consummate administrator with sterling qualities. Faced in this nowin situation, APC clutched at straws, and resorted to attempting to trivialize the monumental achievements of Governor Akpabio. That was counterproductive and hit a raw nerve with the people, who see what the Governor had done everyday.

Therefore, if by the power of incumbency you mean that Akpabio used the goodwill the good people of the state have for him, then I am with you all the way.

If you mean that as the Head of Government in power he touched more lives in this state right now than any other Akwa Ibom person living, then you are right.

If you quantify all the good he has done in the state and its people and the well of gratitude which accompany him, then you are on cue. If the opposition did not expect him to use this goodwill to attract votes to his party and his party’s candidate, then they need democratic re-education.

It is a myth to think of the power of incumbency otherwise.

Some stakeholders in the state are saying that Governor Akpabio influenced the sack of four lawmakers in the state house of assembly. What is your view on this?

Governor Akpabio is not a member of the House of Assembly, and the House is not accountable to him. So how did he influence the House? Moreso, the House attributed its decision on the matter to relevant portions of the Constitution. So did Governor Akpabio write the Constitution? It is a point of law. Governor Akpabio’s name should be left out of the internal matters of the House of Assembly.

goodwill. Some went on radio and would tell barefaced, regrettable lies. APC did not tell Akwa Ibom people what they had in mind for them. They did not connect with the people.

Do you think Emmanuel Udom will continue the legacies of Gov. Akpabio?

Certainly. Both the incumbent and the incoming are two of a kind. Mr. Emmanuel shares Governor Akpabio’s love for the people, his integrity and his forthrightness. He shares his sense of patriotism and statesmanlike comportment.

They are like brothers from different mothers.

What are the maintenance structure Akpabio has put in place to ensure continuous maintenance of his various projects that he will be leaving behind?

The projects, which need maintenance contracts, have had such maintenance contracts signed, sealed and delivered.

So that has been taken care of.

Within eight years of stewardship of Gov. Akabio in the state what is the area he has affected the lives of the people of the state most?

The parable of the Blind Men of Hendostan and the elephant should answer your question. It is what each man touches that he delights in. But taking the global and holistic picture, I believe that the greatest transformation is that of moulding a new Akwa Ibom person -respected in our country and standing tall in any part of the world. The next should be the free and compulsory education, which has led to triple enrolment in our primary and secondary schools.

Ukpe

I BELIEVE THAT THE GREATEST TRANSFORMATION IS THAT OF MOULDING A

NEW AKWA IBOM PERSON -RESPECTED IN OUR COUNTRY AND STANDING TALL IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD. THE NEXT SHOULD BE THE

FREE AND COMPULSORY EDUCATION, WHICH HAS LED TO TRIPLE ENROLMENT IN OUR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS.

Emmanuel Udom will be the next governor of the state come May 29, what are the laudable legacies Gov. Akpabio will be leaving behind for him and his administration?

exhausting and exciting. He has done so much that you cannot mention it all in one interview without being exhausted.

Yet it is so exciting to talk about them.

Free and compulsory education, free healthcare for babies up to five years, pregnant women and the aged, the Ibom International Airport which he met at site-clearing level and completed, the Ibom E-Library, the Ibom Nest of Champions Stadium, Tropicana Entertainment Centre, Sheraton by Four Points, massive road construction, flyovers, underground pipe-jacking system, rural electrification, specialist hospital… the list goes on.

Talking about the legacies of Governor Akpabio is like a mountain hike –

What is your view on the APC’s call for cancellation of governorship election

result in Akwa Ibom state?

I consider it unfortunate. Have you noticed that all over the country, only the PDP candidates have called victorious APC candidates to congratulate them?

APC needs to tone down their war rhetoric and show more respect to the wishes of the people. The entire APC campaign in Akwa Ibom was built on two propaganda techniques – name-calling and bandwagon. In name-calling they dissipated their energies abusing the PDP and calling its officials all kinds of names. In bandwagon, they dredged up some politicians, who have lost steam and relevance, and told the people, “See Otuekong ABC, Senator KLM and Obong XYZ are supporting us, so join the bandwagon.” But these people had no electoral value or

As Gov. Akpabio is stepping into senate, what will be his senatorial and legislative agenda?

I can say that we have the highest expectations that his representation in the red chamber will be legendary and will be a watershed in effective and competent representation. He is already a treasure in Akwa Ibom and he is set to become a national gem in the Senate. A goldfish has no hiding place.

How did the PDP recorded massive victory in the state?

The magic wand is the uncommon transformation of the state by the Akpabio administration and the love the people of the state have for Governor Godswill Obot Akpabio.

Are you saying that the PDP’s victory in the state can be attributed to the love that people of Akwa Ibom have for Gov. Akpabio?

I positively confirm that.

President Goodluck Jonathan also received massive votes in Akwa Ibom state?

President Jonathan’s achievements were underpublicised nationally. But Akwa Ibom people knew what he had done, because Governor Akpabio used to talk about them. I believe he is the CONTINUED ON PAGE 56

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Sunday, May 10, 2015

53

its implications to Britain’s future Party

Last Parliament

New Parliament

+/-

Conservative

302

331

+29

Labour

256

232

-24

Scottish National

6

56

+50

Lib Dems

56

8

-48

DUP

8

8

-

Sinn Fein

5

4

-1

Plaid Cymru

3

3

-

Social Democratic & Labour Party

3

3

-

Ulster Unionist Party

0

2

+2

UKIP

2

1

-1

Green

1

1

-

Respect

1

0

-1

Others

6

1

-5

Speaker

1

0

-1

legislation; and to end Britain’s commitment to “ever closer union” in Europe.

Whether or not these are feasible objectives will depend on the detail of what Cameron demands.

One problem is that there will probably not be a change in the EU treaties before the UK’s referen-

dum – unless, perhaps, Greece quits the euro zone and this triggers an emergency repair job to the bloc’s economic arrangements.

But if there isn’t a new treaty, Cameron will only be able to get diluted versions of what he has promised. Maybe he can get

a commitment from other EU leaders to reform the phrase on “ever closer union” when and if there is a treaty change. Perhaps he can persuade the European Commission to abandon any legislation that half national parliaments propose.

The knottiest issue may be reform of benefits, both because immigration is a hot topic with the electorate and because Cameron has been fairly specific on his demands. Among other things, he wants to stop EU migrants gaining access to so-called in-work benefits until they have lived in the country for four years. While many other leaders are sympathetic, the particular plan may run foul of treaty commitments not to discriminate against EU citizens from other countries.

Cameron’s eurosceptics will presumably try to box him in on all these issues. It will be important that he maintains wiggle room.

Another issue is the date for the referendum. Cameron has promised that it will be by the end of 2017 but said he would like it to be earlier if possible.

If there was a prospect of a new EU treaty, there would be a good reason for waiting until 2017. But, in the absence of that, Cameron would be best advised to go for an earlier vote.

This is partly because of the EU economic cycle. Euro zone economies are likely to grow this year as a result of the European

ari’s cabinet

Ogbe e

Is saiah

who may be picked from the transition committee, there are otherssuch as the former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi.

Fayemi was with the APC governors in Abuja when they visited Buhari. Also Senator Chris Ngige, Governor Raji Fashola, Mr. Nda Isaiah, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi , Mr Rotimi Akeredolu and Oby Ezekwesili may make Buhari’s cabinet.

Dr. Fayemi is seen as a strong contender for position in the incoming cabinet. His organisation of the much cherished, rancour-free and credible presidential pri-

mary election of the APC in Lagos late last year will be a plus for him. Buhari emerged the APC candidate from the Convention. Fayemi holds a doctoral in War Studies from the prestigious Kings College, University of London, England. His experience and extensive international contacts will be valuable for Buhari’s government. He may head the External Affairs Ministry

Dr Ngige is a former governor of Anambra State. He recently lost his aspiration to return to the upper chambers of the national assembly for the second time and may be compensated with a ministerial post having been over the years a loyal party man and force to reckon with in the scheme of things as far as the South-East is concerned.

Fashola (SAN), who is the outgoing governor of Lagos State, remains one of the strong pillars of the party. His achievement in Lagos in the last eight years has been a yardstick of measuring success for other governors. He may definitely be an integral part of Buhari’s cabinet. Cerebral and in tune with world developments, Fashola surely will be a useful material for the Buhari administration.

Mr. Nda-Isaiah, who contested the APC presidential primary with Buhari and lost, has since put his loss aside and contributed positively to Buhari’s campaign. The publisher of Leader-

Central Bank’s new massive money-printing operation. But the effects of the ECB’s quantitative easing will wear off and, with oil prices rising again, there’s no certainty that the euro zone will perform well from mid-2016 onwards. Cameron will find it harder to persuade the British people to stay in the EU if it looks like the UK is shackled to a corpse.

The EU political cycle is another reason to prefer an earlier referendum. In 2017, there is a general election in Germany and a presidential one in France.

Neither country will find it easy to agree to concessions to Britain close to its own elections It is far from certain that Cameron will be pulled hither and thither by his eurosceptic wing. After all, he will feel pumped up by an election victory, which is, in many ways, a vindication of his leadership. The prime minister may, therefore, have the courage to face down any rebels in his party.

In this regard, the fact that Cameron has promised not to stand for a third term as prime minister in 2020 could strengthen his hand. Although he will still need to hang on in power until then, he will presumably now focus on his long-term legacy – and he almost certainly doesn’t want to go down in history as the man who took Britain out of the EU CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

ship Newspapers is one of those that will make the Buhari cabinet when it is constituted.

Sunday Mirror learnt that Malam Bolaji Abdullahi may get a ministerial appointment with the support of his godfather, Senator Bukola Saraki. He may therefore fill the slot of Saraki/Abdulfatah in Kwara.

A former Deputy Editor of Thisday Newspapers, Abdullahi was in April 2007 appointed as the Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology in Kwara State, a position he held until May 2011.

He was later appointed Minister of Youth and Sports by President Goodluck Jonathan before Saraki left the PDP and he was dropped. He may return to the Sports Ministry.

Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) is the former President of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA. He also contested the governorship election in Ondo State and lost to Governor Olusegun Mimiko. He is a close associate of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and may get his nod to join the cabinet.

Mrs Oby Ezekwesili is a former Minister of Education. A chartered accountant, she was a co-founder of Transparency International, and served as one of the pioneer directors of the global anti-corruption body based in Berlin Germany.

She served as Minister of Solid Minerals and later as Minister of Education during the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. She later served as the VicePresident of the World Bank’s Africa division from May 2007 to May 2012. She may likely be Obasanjo’s nomineee in the Buhari cabinet.

54

Politics

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Niger Assembly impeachment saga rattles Aliyu

T

he robust and healthy relationship Niger State Governor, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu publicly claimed he enjoys with the state House of Assembly that led to the passage of many bills was put to the test last week as he was forced to run to a Minna High Court to obtain an order to restrain the members of the house from impeaching him from office, just a few weeks away from May 29 handing over date.

This is coming at the heels of the impeachment, last Tuesday, of the Speaker, Hon. Adamu Usman of Mokwa constituency, perceived to be a loyalist of the governor, and his replacement by Hon. Isah Kawu of Bida 1 Constituency.

Usman’s “sins” include his alleged romance with the executive and not working hard enough to ensure payment of the legislator’s entitlement of close to N1 billion among other issues.

Though, the outsed speaker insists he is still the speaker of the house, and his impeachment illegal, he has warned Governor Aliyu that what befell him was a signal that he is next on the line. However, the new speaker has maintained that he is in charge as the decision of the members was in conformity with the rules of the game and that the governor was not their target.

Usman, who at a press conference admitted that the members grievances were legitimate, said he was happy that their action was not due to financial mismanagement.

“Since January 2015, we have never received overhead cost because of problems associated with federal account.

Everybody is aware. I do not control finance, as it comes I disburse. So, the impeachment beats my imagination.

“Whatever you see today is illegal because the Mace is under my custody. So whatever decision they took today (Tuesday), it is illegal.”

“Myself the Speaker, my deputy, the Chief Whip and the Majority Leader are still in charge. There are grudges that government had not done anything to them as expected. We are making efforts to see what we can do about it. But we are hearing they carried out an impeachment without any offence.

Already a motion ex-parte is before a Minna High Court.

Aliyu

USMAN’S “SINS” INCLUDE HIS ALLEGED ROMANCE WITH THE EXECUTIVE AND NOT WORKING HARD ENOUGH TO ENSURE PAYMENT OF THE LEGISLATOR’S ENTITLEMENT OF CLOSE TO N1 BILLION AMONG OTHER ISSUES.

In a signed press statement, Aliyu disagreed with the ousted speaker that he was the target of the impeachment, pointing out that the crisis rocking the house was an internal issue.

“The speculation is sponsored by mischief makers and should be discarded for what it is. The governor has enjoyed robust relationship with the House and that has not changed.

The action of the House is internal and the decision to change leadership has no other ulterior motive more than the change of leadership which they have allegedly done,” according to Aliyu.

Nonetheless, the governor invited the new leadership to his residence for a parley to placate them to maintain the houses’ status quo, but it was gathered that the effort met a brick wall. The members were said to have insisted that the only way it can be achieved was to dispatch all the security personnel drafted to the assembly complex away to enable members enter.

Obviously, jolted by the stance of the new leadership, Aliyu ran to the court to save himself, as it was also learnt that the new leadership may not spare him as it is bent on disgracing him out of office.

Aliyu, had in a motion ex-parte application moved by his counsel Rotimi Ojo, prayed for the order of the court for interim injunction restraining the defendants (lawmakers) from setting in motion against him pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The court presided over by Justice Idris Evuti in a case no NSHC/MN/ 54/20125 filed on 6/5/2015 also stopped the defendants from appointing an Acting Governor in the state pending the determination of the motion on notice.

According to him, “The defendants are restrained from accepting any nomination of any purported candidate for the position of the Acting Governor of Niger state or howsoever described from assuming the plaintiff ’s position pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice”.

The court has slated May 27, 2015 for hearing of the substantive case.

A source in the house that would not want the name in print told Sunday Mirror that aside from the issue of their unpaid N18m owed each of the 27 members by the state government, and their inability to go on oversight functions as they should, they accused the governor of not implementing some of the bills, they passed.

One such instance is the refusal to sack all political appointees, and dissoCONTINUED ON PAGE 56

Cameron’s second term victory and its implications to Britain’s future CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

Christopher Howarth, senior policy analyst at think-tank Open Europe, said Cameron faced three tests -- renegotiating Britain’s relationship with Europe, persuading his lawmakers to support the measures and selling them to the public.

He was optimistic that Cameron could persuade European partners who want to keep Britain in the EU of the need for reform but said the negotiation must be approached carefully.

Howart said “If he asks for too much, he might not get what he wants and look like a failure,”. “If he asks for too little, it may be written off by some.”, he further said.

While most Conservative lawmakers were likely to be persuaded to join Cameron in campaigning to stay in Europe, a hardcore of “awkward squad” eurosceptics would likely remain opposed.

“There will be MPs who aren’t satisfied whatever the prime minister comes back with,” Howarth said.

Opinion polls currently suggest that Britons will vote to stay part of Europe and Cameron will campaign to stay in, provided he can secure reforms such as tightening rules on immigration and state benefits.

But much could change during the referendum campaign in a country whose eurosceptic strain was highlighted at

Thursday’s election when the anti-EU UK Independence Party won some 12 percent of the vote.

The spectacular rise of the pro-independence SNP is also likely to be a thistle in Cameron’s side.

Nicola Sturgeon’s party, which harbours a deep loathing of the Conservatives, won 56 out of 59 Scottish seats in the Commons, a nine-fold increase on its previous tally of six.

SNP lawmakers including heavyweight former party leader Alex Salmond could cause trouble for Cameron at Westminster, particularly if the Conservatives’ small majority shrinks further.

The SNP could “start to talk up an inde-

pendence referendum again” if the rest of Britain voted to leave the EU against the will of broadly pro-European Scots.

If his majority is chipped away, Cameron could work with parties such as Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionists to keep his government in power.

John Major, the last Conservative premier before Cameron, used a similar tactic to cling to power after losing his majority in 1996, before being ousted in the 1997 election.

Although Cameron’s previous coalition with the Liberal Democrats was dogged by squabbles, he may soon yearn for the relative stability it offered.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interview

Sunday, May 10, 2015

55

‘No regrets for supporting Jonathan’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

row there is another election and if we are given the same circumstance, we will still go with him. But if tomorrow Gen. Buhari helps our interest, of course, we will go for him but as now, no regrets.

I BELIEVE THAT OUR OPPOSITION WILL

Do you mean you have no regrets supporting President Jonathan during the last election ?

Of course, there is no regret. Honestly.

How would you assess INEC’s performance during the elections?

INEC’s performance gives me a lot concerns because I believe if INEC has a rule and regulation and where that rule and regulation are flouted, aided by the members of the commission then there is issue. That shows you that what happened in the North was the issue of underage voting while what happened in the south was the issue of under table voting and it shouldn’t have been like that. INEC is not prepared for that election. The card reader failed woefully to the extent that on the day of election, the number one citizen of this country spent 35minutes just to be accredited. And again, one has to commend him because had it been, it was another person, he could have walked away and that would have been the end of the election. Had it been we have somebody who is very erratic as president , you know the person will just walk away and that would have been the end of that election.

So, these are the things we have to look at.

The card reader failed us. The question that we should ask is this, how can we tell ourselves that we had an election when we were told before the election that we were going to use card reader and the card reader failed. And in some places you told us that you used card readers; like the case of Kano, if it could take only one person 35 minutes to be accredited, and you have over one million voters accredited within some hours without any void, that is strange. In my unit, just a single unit, nine votes were void but in a whole state, Kano, not a single vote was void. And when it comes to the educational background of the two states, we need not contend which one is the most educated. But we as a party cannot cry more than the bereaved, the loser of the election had accepted, who am I? Especially when we did not have a candidate.

Are you likely to cross to the winning party?

Well, let me speak for myself, as Kayode Ajulo, there is no way. You know sometimes it is always good for you to follow your condition. That is what makes a man.

The definition of a man is to speak his term and to continue without fear. Members of PDP have been a friend and a client and the same with APC. Let me cite an example, Chief J.P Clark, is more-or-less the grandfather of PDP, he has been a client for over a decade, yet I still find myself in LP. Even in APC, their case in Ekiti State I am the leading counsel. I picked it from the High Court to the Court of Appeal and to the Supreme Court, despite that I am in Labour Party. We always have where we meet. When it comes to the issue of poli-

NOT BE LIKE THE

APC, OPPOSITION THAT ALL THEY HAVE BEEN OPPOSING IS TARGETED TOWARDS ONE THING, TO BE IN CHARGE OF THE POWER. YOU DON’T NEED TO DO THAT.

Ajulo

tics, particularly your conviction politically, LP is where I belong. Because the essence of life is how you must be in a party that believe in your ideal and is powered by the people that believe in equal competition.

The face of opposition, after the election, by 29th May has come under critic, people were of the opinion that PDP will not serve as a viral opposition and by that, the speculation is that your party, a fringe party, will kind of come together to support the PDP. What hope do we have for a viral opposition?

Let us be sincere that in PDP I do not see yet and I don’t think there will be anything like opposition in the DNA of PDP. They lack the capacity to be an opposition party. And when you look at most of the characters that made up of PDP, even 90 per cent of the characters in the party traditionally cannot be opposition. And mind you, most of them, you can see they have been silence all these days may be precisely because they have lost the election, I don’t know. To really highlight the whole point, you see the few hours after the elections results were announced, two serving senators within two hours when they were returned as a senator, they jettisoned that party. That one really signifies something. And I believe Nigerians and even the party need to take serious stand up on that because this has already come to show the position of the party when it comes to election. Some of them are even afraid not that they lack words to say. They are afraid that if they should say anything Buhari will come after them, so they prefer to remain muted wherever they are. So, how do you expect such people to be in opposition? By the character of the PDP, by

the way they were being formed it shows that there is no way they can stand to be in the opposition.

But it was said that if there is no viral opposition, democracy is in danger, will Labour Party step into that shoe?

That is what we are thinking in LP. We are already doing that. What we need to do is to look at the political speed of Nigeria, who is filling the opposition? I am being sincere about these things sometimes we call APC the opposition when PDP was there; they are not even the opposition. The only thing they have been doing is to head the civil society, head the labour movement to be in opposition. But in the real sense, the real opposition is me as an activist because we drive with the people and you know NUJ is part of the work going on, the civil society is there, we will come together and drives it because without the opposition then our democracy is in danger. That is even the essence of keeping the democracy because without choice, if we leave the APC with PDP, there will be no choice for any Nigerian.

There will be no choice for us and that is the reason we need to come together.

We need to help ourselves to ensure that it happens. But I am not talking for the quest of power. I believe that our opposition will not be like the APC, opposition that all they have been opposing is targeted towards one thing, to be in charge of the power. You don’t need to do that.

What we will do is that where APC and PDP led governments are doing the right thing, we will praise and even commend them but where they are found wanting, they should know that Kayode Ajulo and the Labour Party will not keep quiet.

And there are some of the things they are

doing that we have been raising issues because we know one of the best things to be in opposition is to at least have your intelligence around the party to know what they are doing. We have been shouting and we have been raising dust that there will be a mass retrenchment of workers very soon.

If you remember we raised it then, when we raised it, the only thing they come back to tell us is that the outgoing administration is employing some workers. And till 29thof May they have the right to employ whosoever they want to employ. The question we should ask is, are these people they are employing not Nigerians? The people they are employing are they not suppose to have employment? As they are coming they should create more. At least that is what they promised Nigerians. And when Nigerians were asking them what they have to do, you now heard them saying they should not expect them to perform miracle. The question we need to ask Buhari is that, did he promise Nigerian miracle? If he does, he must perform that miracle. Because the essence of anybody voting for him was base on that promises and for him not to do that then that is uncharitable.

What is Labour Party’s next line of action?

Our next line of action, I can remember we did our post mortem of the election. What we did was that where we were robbed off our victory we find it applicable under the law to keep on pursuing our mandate. And mind you, we have to look at the history of Labour Party, this is exactly what happened during Ondo State election after the election another person was announced as the winner, Labour Party for two years pursued the case rigorously and at the end of the day we have our mandate back. LP has history of struggle. Struggle is our life and we will continue to do that.

And another thing is that, we will ensure we constitute a consensus and viable opposition in Nigeria. We will praise where praise is necessary and we will attack where attack is inevitable.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Niger Assembly impeachment saga rattles Aliyu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 54

lution of State Boards with effect from May 1, until now.

According to the source, they claimed were still angered by the lack of support they from the governor and the PDP during the elections, while some were unable to win the primaries, those who won did not got the required support, among others.

And knowing they are not returning, he said they embarked on such course of action if not only to get their unpaid money, but to take their pound of flesh on him as well.

A top source within the government in a chat, also told the Sunday Mirror that the lawmakers in his opinion came out too late in pressing home their legitimate demands.

“Personally, I think the lawmakers deserve what is happening to them. Why did they have to wait this before acting?”

Even members of the public accused the lawmakers of failing in their responsibilities to the people as their representatives.

One of them said, “We allegedly learnt, each of them collected N1 million to declare the seats of two of their colleagues vacant for dumping the PDP for APC, instead of working for people and fighting for what rightfully belongs to them then. As it is now, they have shot themselves in the leg because, I don’t see how, they will achieve their goal.”

Indications that all was not well in the house came to the fore as early as 7:30am, last week Tuesday, when all roads leading to the assembly complex were closed by security operatives to both human and vehicular movement with over 200 armed policemen and other security agents stationed at the main entrance of the assembly to prevent members from entering.

But, the 21 members defied the presence of the security personnel at the gate and entered the complex after heated argument by breaking the padlock and the chain used in locking it.

“Are we prisoners? Did we beat anyone? Did we cause riot? Why should you lock us in? These people are trying to

Ibetto

Usm man n

WE ALLEGEDLY LEARNT, EACH OF THEM COLLECTED N1 MILLION TO DECLARE THE SEATS OF TWO OF THEIR COLLEAGUES VACANT FOR DUMPING THE PDP FOR APC, INSTEAD OF WORKING FOR PEOPLE AND FIGHTING FOR WHAT RIGHTFULLY BELONGS TO THEM THEN.

create trouble when there is no trouble”, some of the members were seen to be saying.

An hour later, the Mace was smuggled into the house and the impeachment process started with the floor opened by the member representing Agaie constituency, Hon. Abdullahi Akwanu, who noted that after the executive meeting of the house on Monday, it was agreed that the house should sit for business today (Tuesday), saying, “ to our surprise, no leader of the house, including the speak-

er was around for reason known to him.”

Akwanu, who is also the house committee chairman, Business and Rules, drew the attention of the house to Order 8 of the house standing rules which provides that in the absence of the speaker from the house without any reason, a speaker temporal be appointed.

Against this backdrop, a motion was moved by Hon. Usman Dada, representing Bosso Constituency for the appointment of a speaker temporal and this was seconded by another member, and Hon.

sure in him and we did not know it.

A lot of Nigerians, including Prof Wole Soyinka, criticized President Jonathan’s handling of the Boko Haram insurgency and made it a campaign issue. It is believed that , that cost him some support and votes. What is your take on this?

Isah Kawu, representing Bida 1 was immediately nominated for the position of the speaker temporal by Hon. Abdullahi Akwanu.

This was seconded by Hon. Jacob Maggi Gana, representing Lavun Constituency, who argued that the refusal of the leadership to show up as agreed was responsible for the embarrassment and moved for the removal of the leadership.

And, immediately, the speaker temporal requested for nomination for the new leadership of the house.

While, Hon. Isah Kawu is the new speaker of the house, Hon. Bello Ahmed (Agwara) Deputy speaker, Hon. Yusuf Kure(Paikoro) Majority leader, while Hon. Sa’adatu Kolo (Mashehu) is Chief Whip The new speaker was immediately sworn in by the Clerk of the house, Mallam Adamu Kagara.

It will be recalled in May 2012, the house was also enmeshed in a similar leadership crisis in which the Assembly had three members presiding as Speakers within one week. And, incidentally, the new speaker, Hon. Isah Kawu, a two term member of the house and the ousted speaker, Bar. Adamu Usman, a one term member was among the three.

On May 22, 2012, the then speaker, Hon. Gamunu, who held sway from May 2011 was impeached on May 15, 2012 and Hon. Isah Kawu was nominated to take over, but one week latter, the same members rose up against him after allegedly collecting the sum of N 10 million each from the state government to sack him and elect Bar. Usman, whose impeachment on Tuesday saw to the emergence of Kawu again as speaker of the house.

It was further gathered Hon. Kawu was not the first choice of the members to be their new speaker, but they had to jettison the other lawmaker for him , because of his sincerity and uprightness and the belief that he can adequately face the executive without betraying their ‘interest’.

Following, the development at the house, the police command has continued to station officers and men at the Niger State Assembly complex to prevent the lawmakers and staff from gaining access into their offices to carry out their duties.

Udom will continue the good legacies of Akpabio CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52

best President in Nigeria’s history but unfortunately his publicity did not seem to match his momentum. There was, unfortunately, gap between his administration’s performance and its communication.

Do you have any regrets about supporting Jonathan given that he failed in the presidential elections?

None whatever. I am a standup man. I am like Apostle John. When all the disciples of Jesus abandoned Jesus because they saw the hostile mob, he stood with Jesus till His crucifixion. This generation does not understand President Jonathan, but history will note that we had a trea-

What is your expectation from Buhari’s government?

Fortunately, he is not new to the job.

There should be minimal learning period for him. He should hit the ground running. He should also let everyone know that he is in charge and that he is the President of Nigeria – not APC President of Nigeria. APC has a sense of entitlement to the presidency, but on May 29, he will take an oath of office and oath of allegiance to Nigeria and the Nigerian constitution, which will place the national interest above every other interest (party included). I hope and pray that he will do well.

You can criticize the President based on the fact that the buck stops on his table. But you have to note that every country has personnel trained in security and defense. These are men and women who, after secondary school, attended the Nigeria Defense Academy, got commissioned and have attended several courses within and outside Nigeria on national security, counter insurgency, intelligence networking, warfare etc. President Jonathan is a zoologist and a lecturer.

He had to depend on these men who are the experts in security for information on how to engage Boko Haram and what to tell Nigerians. You can blame him on this account as much as you can blame him for the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the last African Cup of Nations.

But now I think President Jonathan has the last laugh with the recent successes against Boko Haram. Thanks to him, Boko Haram is on the verge of extinction and he has proved his critics wrong. What happened? I think he studied the situation and considered his options, while the critics were on a road show. Then he took the right decisions and now Boko Haram will soon be history.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SMExtra

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STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU Sunday May 10, 2015

Amuwo-Odofin market leaders cry out over harassment, extortion

•They should come out with evidence against me – Abiola OLUSEGUN KOIKI

H

e came into Amuwo-Odofin Market Complex at Mile 2 in Lagos as an alabaru (load carrier) in the early 1990s.

Today, he has buildings and shopping arcade in the same market.

But, Mr. Saheed Abiola, popularly known as Zayd 1 is alleged to be terrorising the traders who go against his laid down rules and regulations in the same market using thugs. Even though, he does not belong to the executive comiitee running the market, he is alleged to have formed a parallel government with the executive led by the Babaloja General, Alhaji Abbas Yusuf.

Just on April 22, 2015, all the market women staged a peaceful protest halfnaked to the Lagos State Governor’s office at Alausa Secretariat in Ikeja, the State House Assembly, the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs and proceeded from there to the office of the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo to complain about the maltreatment meted out to them by Zayd 1 and his group.

The protesting women with different inscriptions written on their placards like ‘Fashola, please save us from Zayd 1’, ‘We can’t have two parallel leaders in our market’ and ‘Saheed is a killer’ among many others showed injuries inflicted on them allegedly by Zayd 1 and his boys whenever they go against his directives.

Zayd 1 is purported to be dropping the name of a strong politician in the country as one of his sponsors and boasted that inasmuch the politician was still alive and kicking, no one could challenge his authorities.

But, Saheed in an interview with our correspondent debunked most of the allegations levelled against him by the market leaders, but kept silent on his usage of force and thugs to forcefully collect levies from the marketers.

The Women leader of the market, Madam Catherine Omotoyosi, displayed to the public the injuries she received on her right breast and back due to her insistence of not paying a particular levy imposed on them by Sayd 1.

According to her, she was dragged on the ground for several minutes by the thugs while she was hit severally with a heavy iron, adding that in the process, she was hit on one of her breasts and back. As at the time our correspondent interviewed the women, the injury had developed into a big sore with offensive

x

Mr. Saheed Abiola, a.k.a zayd 1

x

The protesting market women

x

Babaloja General, Alhaji, Abass Yusuf

odour oozing out from that part of her body.

In his interview with our correspondent, the Babaloja General, Alhaji, Abass Yusuf described Zayd 1 as a troublemmaker who doesn’t believe in abiding by the stipulated rules and orders of the market leaders despite not been an executive member.

Yusuf claimed that some police personnel at the Amuwo-Odofin division are on the payroll of Zayd 1 while the several past local government chairmen and the incumbent administrator could do nothing to control his nefarious activities.

He said, “We don’t have effective control and administration of this market due to the bad behavior of Zayd 1. He has publicly declared himself as the chief opposition leader of my administration. In the past, he used to rape hawkers and other people within the market and we have always lodged a complaint with the constituted authorities, but mots times, he gets off the hook through his collection and name dropping.

“He has involved himself in the collection of money in the market. At first, he wanted me to cooperate with him in the running of the market, which I se-

verely kicked against and told him that there are committees in place and rule of law that must be followed in the running of the market.

“He’s been terrorising us for almost 16 years in this market and we have met with the State Government and when we came back from there, he threatened to eliminate me and others if we pushed the case further. I could not get help from constituted authorities and we are compelled to succumb to his threats.”

Also speaking, the Women Leader of the market, Madam Catherine Omotoyosi, called on the State Government to intervene in the matter before it gets out of hand.

She alleged that on April 21, 2015 when she and others refused to pay him the illegal levies he had been collecting in the past from them, they were subjected to massive beating by Sayd 1 and his thugs in the market.

She added, “He should leave everything about the market to the committees that we have in place, but he doesn’t want to do this. He has bought over all the policemen in Festac. He tears our clothes and strips us naked severally in the open without challenges from any quarters. We have been to the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs

The protesting marketing women in half nood and even to the State Government, but no response from anyone of them.

“He illegally takes over peoples shops and resells them at different rates of N50,000 to N200, 000. It’s only women that can fight this cause. No one appointed him into any position in this market. He has turned us to his ATM machines that he can just come and take money from us whenever he’s in need of any.”

But in his response, Alhaji Abiola challenged any of the accusers to come out with concrete evidence against his nefarious activities in the market.

The self-styled Babalaje of AmuwoOdofin Market insisted that the market leaders were not cooperating with him and others in the market because he did not allow them to continue to shortchange the marketers and denied using touts or thugs to harass market people within the area.

He said that Babaloja, the market leader and other market men and women were only envious of him because of the way he has been generating money for the development of the market.

He added, “They should know those who beat them up and I have never cut anybody’s light since I came to this area despite the fact that many of them owe PHCN”.

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North NEWS

Sunday May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Kogi vows to fish out perpetrators of bomb attack on radio station WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

K

ogi State Government has vowed fish out and to bring book, the perpetrators of bomb attack on a private radio station, Tao FM, in which four persons were killed.

The government stated that there will be no hiding place for those behind the bombing of radio station in Kuroko,

Adavi LGA of Kogi State.

The state governor, Captain Idris Wada, made this promise while speaking during the visit to the station, founded

by Dr. Tom Adaba, renowned broadcaster and former Director-General of National Broadcasting Commission.

The governor assured that the radio station, which has become the

Crack in Taraba APC as vice chairman is suspended JUSTIN TYOPUUSU JALINGO

T

he Taraba State chapter of the All Progressive Congress, APC, has witnessed a crack as the deputy chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Martin Ibrahim, is alleging a witch hunt over his suspension.

Ibrahim in a press briefing yesterday in Jalingo accused the state APC chairman, Alhaji Ardo Jika, of illegally suspending him from the party for no just course.

According to him, the state chairman started developing a cold feeling with him shortly before the party national convention in Lagos where Gen. Mohammadu Buhari won the party’s ticket.

He maintained that while he was against public announcement that Taraba delegates were solely for Atiku, the chairman and the party’s candidate, Sen. Aisha Jummai Alhassan, insisted on Atiku and made the announcement.

Ibrahim further explained that the development made the chairman to sideline him in all the party’s major activities, which led to the party’s abysmal performance in the presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

He alleged that the chairman sent thugs and some party officials to his house who forcefully took the official car attached to him with some of his personal belongings including a cash of N950,000.

The suspended deputy chairman said he has

concluded plans to take the matter to the national secretariat of the party since a member of the party is not suppose to take a party matter to a court of law.

But when contacted, the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Jika Ardo, who confirmed that the official car attached to his deputy was retrieved, noted that the deputy chairman does not have the constitutional right to have an official car attached to him.

On the issue of suspension Ardo said since it was Matin Ibrahim that said so, it should be considered as such.

voice of Ebira people, would be given the necessary support and encouragement to resume operation.

Wada, who was represented by his Deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, described the bombing of the FM radio station as callous and senseless, stressing that the radio station was so dear to the people of Ebiraland.

Wada described the perpetrators behind the bombing of the radio station as wicked and people

who hate development, stressing thet there was no justification for the attack.

Wada said information in the present time is power, wondered the reason behind the destruction said it is not only a loss to Ebiraland but to the state as a whole.

Capt Wada assured of support that will reawaken the station, sympathised with the management and staff of the media house for the loss

of lives and properties.

The Governor prayed God to grant the family of the four dead persons the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, said government is concerned and committed to arrest insecurity issues across the state.

The deputy governor also paid a courtesy call on the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, and commiserated with the royal father on the destruction done to the radio station.

The governor assured that efforts were on to track and punish the perpetrators of the crime, said such destructive action will not be condone by the government especially as the people of the area have in recent times lived peacefully with one another.

In his remarks, Ibrahim, called for more security presence in the area, said the bombing came as a shock to the people and commended government for their concern.

L-R: Governors: Babangida Aliyu (Niger), Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Emir of Kazaure, Alhaji Najib Adamu, during the inauguration of township road named after the then G7 Governors in Dutse, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Yobe senate caucus drums up support for Lawan presidency INUSA NDAHI DAMATURU

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eader of the Yobe State Senate Caucus in the North East sub-region of the country, Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim has Sunday endorsed the candidature of Sen. Ahmed Ibrahim Lawan to contest the Senate President on behalf of the state government and its people.

The endorsement was contained in press state-

ment issued yesterday by Ibrahim and made available to newsmen in Damaturu, the state capital.

Lawan, according to the statement, is Chairman of Senate Committee on Public Accounts and had been representing his people from Northern Yobe State constituency and District at the National Assembly since 1999.

Our correspondent also learnt that Lawan, Sen. Bukola Saraki, and Sen.

George Akume, are currently the leading candidates for the Senate Presidency to run its affairs in the next four years, after the expiration of Sen. David Mark’s tenure on June 6, 2015.

Ibrahim in the statement described Lawan as “energetic, hardworking and possessing progressive values.”

The statement reads: “Senator Ahmad Ibrahim Lawan has demonstrated

clear commitment to progressive values. He is energetic and hardworking and he has what it takes to lead the 8th Assembly,” noting that his cognate experience places him above his peers.

The Yobe caucus also solicited for the support of the other parts of the Northeastern and the generality of the senators for Lawan’s aspirations in the Upper Legislative Chamber of National Assembly.

It was also learnt yes-

terday that 12 serving and senators-elect from the South West geo-political zone are backing Lawan for the Senate Presidency.

Their unanimous decisions to support Lawan’s Senate President’s candidature , according to Sen. Ibrahim was said to have been taken following recent “consultations and meetings with Lawan on his aspiration to occupy the number three seat in the country.

Emir Sanusi visits El-Rufai, says Kaduna elected competent governor A ZA MSUE KADUNA

T

he Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, yesterday in Kaduna paid a congratulatory visit to Kaduna state governorelect, Malam Nasir ElRufai and urged his to be focused to ensure delivery of his campaign promises.

The governor-elect’s spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan who stated this in a statement made available

to journalists in Kaduna said the Emir who led Kano Emirate Council’s delegation after congratulating the governor-elect said the people of Kaduna state have elected a competent and capable governor who will provide sound leadership.

The traditional ruler also counseled the people of the state irrespective of religion, ethnicity and political inclinations to pray and support El-Rufai for peace and development.

The Emir expressed his

confidence that El-Rufai will provide strong leadership, good governance and unite the diverse peoples and faith communities of Kaduna State.

Sanusi further charged El-Rufai to remain focused on responsive and dedicated leadership and never to lose his connection to the people.

The emir, who recalled his decades of friendship with El-Rufai, said that he is delighted “that Nigerians with such ability and

experience are stepping forward to offer themselves for leadership.”

Sanusi prayed that God would grant El-Rufai a successful tenure and bless the people of Kaduna State.

Commending the emir for the visit, El-Rufai praised him for his prominent role in helping to provide a positive redefinition of traditional leadership.

The statement also quoted the governor-elect as saying he will not disappoint his fellow citizens.

El-Rufai said, “I am grateful and humbled by your visit and prayers, I promise the people of Kaduna that I will not disappoint them. I will govern with fear of Almighty God and will unite our diverse people towards attaining real development.

“Our doors are open to all segments of our society; we will be listening government and conscious of common good and to the glory of Almighty God. I will not let our citizens down by

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South NEWS

Sunday May 10, 2015

59

Gunmen kidnap Buhari’s campaigner in Delta THEOPHILUS ONOJEGHEN WARRI

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he Delta State Chairman of Buhari Supporters Organisation, one of the groups that rooted for the victory of the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, Dr. Isaac Tobore Ajuashi,

has been kidnapped by gunmen.

Dr. Ajuashi, Sunday Mirror learnt, was kidnapped at his residence in Oghara, also home town of former state governor, Chief James Ibori, Ethiope West Area of the state, Friday night.

The victim is the father of Edirin Ajuashi Ejidiran, candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Ethiope West, in the just concluded House of Assembly election.

The spokesperson of the state police command, Celestina Kalu,

confirmed the abduction when contacted.

Kalu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, DSP, told our correspondent that the state chairman of Buhari Supporters Organisation was whisked away by the armed men with his Toyota Sequoia SUV to

unknown destination.

According to her, “Be informed that information reached me this afternoon that one Ajuashi ‘m’ of Ogini Road by Ogini Grammar School was kidnapped by unknown gunmen yesterday in his compound at about

2100hrs.

She however assured that her men were already investigating the incident so as to free the victim from his captors.

All efforts to speak with family members proved abortive at the time of filing this report.

Navy reads Riot Act to ship operators on crude oil theft RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

T

he Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, has given an order to officers and personnel of the Nigerian Navy to arrest and impound local-

ly-owned or foreign ship that are ladened with stolen or contraband goods along the Calabar waterways and its environs.

Vice Admiral Usman dropped the warning yesterday in Calabar at the official opening of a three blocks of 15 classrooms built by Nigerian Navy Officers’ Wives Association NOWA at Atimbo Navy barracks secondary school in Calabar.

The Navy boss emphasised that such ship shall now be confiscated for use as Federal Government of Nigeria’s property.

“Nowadays, we have arrested many ships with stolen crude oil and other illegal products on Nigerian waters. We hardly release such ships whether they are of foreign origin or not until justice is seen to have been done. In fact, we are actually looking at forfeiting such to the Federal Government of Nigeria; once we do that we confiscate such illegal products and jail the culprits”, he said.

The navy helmsman maintained that on his watch as chief of naval staff, officers and ratings have done very well in the area of prosecuting those committing piracy and other maritime crimes adding that the Navy is beginning to be better equipped.

“We are beginning to have better naval platforms and other structures. With the look of things we are now having a more effective and effi-

cient navy that is well regarded and respected.

“We are having better access to training, too.

These are enabling our officers and men to adapt to modern attitude, and to maintain our platforms without necessarily going abroad”, he said.

National President of NOWA, Mrs. Lami Ohiama Jibrin, praised the navy for encouragement, which has translated to structural benefit to Nigerians and their schoolgoing children.

L-R: Representative of Bristol Helicopters, Mr. Mayowa Babatunde; founder, Sebeccly Cancer Care and Support Centre, Omolola Salako; Sebeccly ambassador, Chioma Akpotha; representative of the wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Ladun Ogunbanwo; board member, Sebeccly, Mrs. Adetoun Omojole and a patron, Prof. Josbert Dunkan, during a news conference on breast cancer awareness campaign in Lagos recently.

Imoke’s former SA drags PDP senator- elect to court in C’River RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

F

ormer Special Assistant to Gov. Imoke on Political Affairs, Mr. Emmanuel Ironbar, has dragged the PDP senatorelect for Cross River Southern Senatorial district, Chief Gershom Bassey to court claiming that he lacks the required credentials to represent the people of the district at the Senate.

Ironbar, a plaintiff in the matter had in a suit No FHC/CA/CS/19/2015 prayed the court to disqualify Mr. Gershom for failure and refusal to present his Certificate of National Youth Service to the Second INEC when demanded.

He said that having claimed in his Form C.F. 001 to have graduated from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 1984 at the age of twenty-two (22) years, stressing that such act renders him ineligible to contest for the office of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“Whether the failure and/or refusal of the first respondent to present himself to the mandatory National Youth Service Corps pursuant to the provisions of the Section 2 of the National Youth Service Corps Act, 2004 is a violation of one of the provisions of

the Act which is punishable under Section 13(1) (a) of the act”.

Ironbar is also calling for scrutiny of Bassey’s WAEC certificate and has asked the court to determine “whether the letter dated October 29, 2014 purportedly written by the Officers of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and addressed to the Company Secretary of the Cross River State Water Board Limited and marked as “Confidential” constitutes an evidence of the Respondent’s education up to Secondary School Level as required by the provisions of Section 65(2)(a) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The former SA had earlier deposed to an affidavit in

support of the originating summons in part, “that as an informed and concerned citizen of the Senatorial District, I have developed particular interest in the quality and integrity of persons seeking to represent us under any political party platform, so as to ensure quality representation for me and any other constituents and deliver infrastructural development like roads, water etc that will be of direct benefit to me and my family members”, he said.

But the defendant, in a counter affidavit, denied the claims.

“Save and except as is herein after expressly admitted, I deny each and every paragraph of the Plaintiff ’s affidavit in support of

his originating summons.

“I am a holder of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), School Certificate having sat for and passed, in Division One, the West African Schools Certificate Examination conducted by the West African Examination’s Council in May/June 1977 at Federal Government College, Sokoto. Shown to me and marked “Exhibit GHB” is a copy of the Statement of Result issued to me by the then School Principal after the release of the result. “ I could not present the Original of the WAEC Certificate to the 2nd Defendant because as at the time I went to Federal Government College, Sokoto, for the original Certificate, all the yet to be claimed Cer-

tificates from the date of inception of the college to 1986 were gutted by fire”, the counter affidavit maintained.

According to him, “The confirmed result by the examining body, WAEC, tallies with my result contained in the Master Sheet of the College, a copy of which was made available to me.

Shown to me and marked EXHIBIT GHB is a Certified copy of a page of the Federal Government College, Sokoto, WAEC Master sheet shown my name and scores in the said May/June 1977 examination.

Further hearing on the suit was adjourned to May 25, 2015 for the counsels to argue on the joiner application as the legal tango continues.

Oluwakemi Central Mosque turbans Alhaja Popoola

D

evout Muslim matriarch, Alhaja Alisatu Apinke Popoola, wil be turbaned today as Otun Iya Adeen of Oluwakemi Ogunoloko Ajumoni Central Mosque at its premises located at 22 Ogunloko Road, Mafoluku Oshodi, Lagos.

For Alhaja Popoola, who was born in the 1937 at Abeokuta, Ogun State and participated in virtually all the Islamic activities she is aware of, it is double celebration as

she also clocks 78 years today The mother, grandmother and business woman while speaking on her journey through life, gave all thanks and gratitude to the Almighty Allah His grace and mercy upon her life and taking her through the years as a young growing woman to the stage of maturity where she has seen her children becoming important and successful personalities just as she had dreamt.

“I thank the Almighty Al-

lah for everything that took place in my life - good, bad and ugly. He created us, and it is He alone that takes man to the deserved position in life.

“Growing in the midst of so many male siblings, I didn’t have the opportunity of acquiring western education, but to God’s glory I made it eventually in business and as I speak, my children both male and female by the grace of God are well educated”, she said.

Alhaja Alisatu Apinke Popoola

60 0

Sport S port

Sport

Abidal: Messi is still the best P. 62 KEEPING YOU ABREAST OF SPORTING NEWS MAY 10, 2015

Sunday y Mirror Miir M Mir irr ror ro or o r www.nationalmirroronline.net w.nationalmirroro on on nlline in ne n e.ne .n net ne

Mijatovic: vic: Ancelotti can lead Madrid to or y CL glory P. 63

y a m e t o g Why Dan a i r e g i N n i t s e v n i r neve football PIUS ANAKALI

W

hen itt comes to sports, Nigeria is a pool of talents. Name the sport, talents abound. Athletics, boxing, judo, karate and even in football there are talent everywhere.

In all these however, same problem cuts across; maladministration, inefficiency and corruption.

Those problems are even more pronounced in football and that perhaps explain why, in spite of the huge investments in football, the country has struggled to make major impact.

And that also explained the mixed reactions that trailed Aliko Dangote’s decision to invest in a London club; Arsenal FC, instead of a local club like Kano Pillars, the Kano State owned football club, for instance.

Described as a die-hard fan of Arsenal, the Kano born billionaire, the report says, had discussed

buying a stake in the club five years ago before talks with the owners fell through.

“I still hope, one day at the right price, that I’ll buy the team,” Dangote, 58, said. “I might buy it, not at a ridiculous price but a price that the owners won’t want to resist.

I

know my strategy,” Dangote was quoted as saying.

While some see the desire as a positive development, others simply wondered why a foreign club side when there are clubs in Nigeria yearning for such support. su Imagine Dangote takes just a little of his fortune and invests in a club like Kano Pillars, that already have a very strong fan base, build its own stadium, equip it to meet just imagine what international standard, jus a massive rebranding it will wi have on that general, they arteam, and the league in ge gued.

Imagine the competition a big name like league.

Dangote will bring to the Nigerian N investors will seek to Surely, more private investo effect, they argued invest on the league. The effe further will be massive. kickstart a revo“Dangote will not only k but he’ll create lution in the local league, b families, and have his jobs, enrich Nigerian familie name boldly written in the halls of Nigerian sports history”, added an analyst. with MirrorSports But reacting in a chat wit Onigformer Super Eagles coach, Adegboye A inefficiencies in the system binde said the inefficiencie has made it difficult ffor men n like Dangote to invest in football back k home. home e.

He recalled the d days of the defunct Abeokuta, Abiola Babes of Abe eokuta, the Iwuanyawu Nationale of Owerri, Owerrri, Leventis Julius United of Ibadan, Ju ulius Berger Be erger Fc of Stores Lagos, Stationary Sto ores of Lagos, describing them all as v victims of the rot in the system. common Sure, it’s com mmon to t hear of matches played d well over 990-minutes 90-minu utes just because cau use the home side si ide must win,

there had been reports of day light robbery on the football field, there has been cases of threat to Refs lives, there had been cases of pitch invasion with little or no sanction as a deterrent.

With those vital issues going unchecked on daily basis, how many Nigerians can go watch football without being harassed.

“I won’t blame him”, Onigbinde explained further. “He has the right to spend his money the way he wants it. He is a businessman who want returns on his money, he is a man who wants thing to be done properly, and the question to ask is if investing in Nigeria’, will give Dangote what he hopes to see in the league”, Onigbide asked, adding that the security challenges in the country alone can scare anyone from the stadium.

Onigbinde’s thinking better explain what may become the fortune Gabros International which was recently bought over by Ifeayin Uba. One can only hope that as the billionaire thinks of his ambition in faraway England, he also thinks of the legacy he can create here.

One can only hope that with these revelations, those saddled with the task of remoulding Nigeria football see it first as a task that must be achieved.

Until that is done and the entire sports sector is restructured, Nigeria sports may never get the required investment.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sunday May 10, 2015

Keshi hails Flying Eagles A

s they get set for the FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand, Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has hailed the quality in the team.

Keshi, himself a former Flying Eagles coach, having led Nigeria to the Africa Youth Championship in Ethiopia in 2001, says the current Flying Eagles team has very good players and he’s proud of them.

“I’ve seen them play sometimes and I think they have very good players,” he said, “I have also worked with some of them; Iheanacho, Awoniyi and Alampasu so I know how good they are.

“I am not surprised they are doing well and I hope they continue to do well,” he posited.

The Super Eagles gaffer went on to reiterate that Super Eagles callups await those that can show him

Knockout IFEANYI Eduzor with

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Mayweather rules out Pacquiao rematch

F Flying Eagles in group photograph

they are ready to step up to the big league.

“The players are talented no doubt and if they show me they are ready, I will bring them in. I have no problems with that.

“I brought three of them in be-

fore the CHAN last year, and if I see that they are ready for the Super Eagles, they will come in.

“But we have to understand there is a difference with playing for the U20 and the Super Eagles,” he stressed.

Falcons to play friendlies ahead of W/Cup

F

ollowing their progression to the third qualifying round for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, chairperson of the Nigeria National Women’s League and executive committee member of the Nigeria Football Federation, Dilichukwu Onyedinma says the Super Falcons will now concentrate on playing ‘proper’ friendly games in preparation for the Women’s World Cup. The Falcons were due to play their Malian counterparts today in an Olympic Games qualifier, but the Malians pulled out at the last minute, which means Nigeria won’t play anymore Olympic qualifiers until July, by which time they must have participated at the forthcoming World Cup. And Dilichukwu says now is the time to get the team playing ‘proper’ friendlies

ans preparing properly for the World Cup. “Since the Malians have decided not to come we have to focus on the World Cup now,” she said.

“This is the time we start playing proper friendly matches and preparing properly for the competition.

“We couldn’t do all that when we were not through with the Olympic qualifiers because we didn’t want any distractions for the girls.

“Now that we have made progress it’s time to focus squarely on preparing for the World Cup,” she added.

Sl10.ng can confirm that the team will have a training camp in Canada, where the World Cup holds and Dilichukwu says this is in order to get them acclimatised to how the World Cup will be.

“They’ll camp in Canada before the start of the World Cup and this is to get them used to the weather, pitches and everything there,” she confirmed.

Emordi under fire, gets sack notice ABDULGAFAR OLADIMEJI KANO

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61

he coach of Nigeria premier league side, Kano Pillars, Okey Emordi has been given the herculean task of wining his next four matches or face severe penalty from his employer.

The club management yesterday issued the soccer tactician and members of his technical crew with the ultimatum, urging them to change tides of results recorded in their last three matches or be ready to exit from the club.

In a communiqué issued after the club’s board meeting, which was signed by the club secretary, Suraju Tudun Wada, the management of Sai Masu Gida handed a target of four consecutive wins to Emordi and his crew.

The decision, which was communicated to sportswriters by the club spokesman, Rilwan Idris Malikawa said “ Kano Pillars Fc board have issued its technical crew headed by Okey Emordi a target of four consecutive matches to

be won.

“The board at its meeting took the decision, because of the recent poor performances by the club, if the crew fail to meet the target, they will face further action,” Malikawa said.

National Mirror had reported that, the Okey Emordi tutored side failed to clinch a point in their last three matches; Pillars fell 1-0 to Heartland in Owerri, lost by same margin to Kwara United in Ilorin, before going down to 3SC in Ibadan respectively

O

matsone Aluko is pleased to have overcome his injury worries and believes his recent run at Hill City continues as he looks to help the Tigers in their battle to escape relegation from the Barclays English Premier

loyd Mayweather says he will not fight Manny Pacquiao again after branding the Filipino a “coward” and a “sore loser”.

Mayweather took his unbeaten record to 48-0 in Las Vegas with a unanimous point’s victory over Pacquiao last week.

Pacquiao, 36, claimed his performance was restricted by a shoulder injury, but Mayweather dismissed the explanation as an “excuse”.

“He lost,” said the American, 38. “He knows he lost.

I lost a lot of respect for him after all of this.”

Mayweather says he did not detect any physi-

cal problem for Pacquiao during their welterweight contest.

“He was fast. His left hand was fast, his right hand was fast and he was throwing them both fast and strong.”

Mayweather said early this week that he would consider fighting Pacquiao again but changed his mind few days later.

“I have changed my mind because he’s a sore loser and he’s a coward. If you lose, you must accept defeat.”

Mayweather says his last fight before retirement will be in September, with Britain’s Amir Khan as possible opponent.

Floyd Mayweather (L) exchanging blows with Manny Pacquiao during their “fight of the century” clash last Saturday at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas.

Froch stripped of WBA title

W

BA super-middleweight champion, Carl Froch has been stripped of his title for failing to defend it and he is considering announcing his retirement next week.

Froch, 37 who has already given up his IBF belt, has not fought since defeating George Groves at Wembley nearly a year ago.

A clash with Julio Chavez

Jr. in Las Vegas in March was postponed because of an elbow injury he sustained during training.

Speaking on the development, his promoter, Eddie Hearn noted that they have no problem with the decision from the WBA. “They need to keep their belts active and that’s not possible with Carl’s current position.

Peter needs time to recover – Nigerian Police

T

he Nigerian Police Force says Nigerians should not expect the quick return of former heavyweight boxing champion, Samuel Peter, to the global boxing arena.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Peter, a former WBC heavyweight champion, took a break from

Aluko banishes injury demons League.

Aluko has started the last four games and impressed with his performances, helping Steve Bruce’s team to six important points in the process.

The 26-year-old acknowledges the milestone which he

infers bodes well for the club.

“I think this is the first time I’ve started four consecutive games since we got promoted, so it’s been great for me,” he was quoted as saying on the club’s official website, www. hulllcitytigers.com.

boxing following his defeat in round nine by Robert Helenius of Germany in 2011.

Sani Mohammed, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Sports at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, told NAN that though, Peter had resumed training, he would need enough time to return to his best.

The former Glasgow Rangers man added that confidence has returned to his game as a result of his ability to stay fit.

He also talked about Saturday’s dogfight with Burnley in the run-in to the Premiership season.

62

Sport

Sunday May 10, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Abidal: Messi is still the best

NO, I’M NO OT SURPRISED BECAUSE

HE’S A GOOD PER-

Everybody knows the Eric Abidal story. In 2011, while at the top of his game with Barcelona, the French defender was diagnosed with a liver tumour and had to suspend his career to pursue treatment. Then, incredibly, after a liver transplant and a 402-day fight against illness, he made his comeback for Barça on 6 April 2013,which earned him widespread admiration.

Abidal was not just content to be back on a pitch again, however. Ending the season by claiming a fourth Liga title with the Catalan giants, he went on to help Monaco finish Ligue 1 runners-up in 2013/14, his last full season as a professional also featuring a return to the France team.

The 35-year-old eventually called time on his career at the end of 2014, following a six-month stint at Olympiacos, leaving him free to look back in pride at his achievements.

In addition to his quartet of Liga crowns, he also clinched three French titles with Lyon and won the UEFA Champions League twice with Barça, not to mention his runnersup medal with Les Bleus at the 2006 2014 FIFA World Cup™. FIFA.com met up with the iconic full-back for an exclusive interview.

FIFA.com: Eric Abidal, how does it feel to be retired? Have you found time for old hobbies or taken up any new ones since ending your career?

Eric Abidal: At the start, I was very happy to be able to do my profession and make a career of it. Now that I’ve stopped, I’ve rediscovered a sense of freedom that you just don’t have as a player – a calmness in your daily life. There’s less stress and less to get worked up about. You have more time for family and friends, and to do things at the weekend. Real life, basically. It’s a huge advantage to have the choice to retire, rather than having to stop because of injury or something else. I really needed to retire to be able to feel fulfilled.

Do you miss any of it?

Yes and no. My profession was a team sport, meaning that you share your daily life with the staff and other players. I miss that side of things because you form very strong and intense bonds over a number of years. Nowadays, it feels different when I go back to clubs to see somebody. There’s still just as much passion and friendship, even if I don’t get to experience that on a day-to-day basis.

Do you have any plans to take up a new profession?

I’m not under contract, but I do a little work as a pundit on television, I help out Olympiacos on the sponsorship and marketing front and I also do some work for UEFA. On top of that, there’s also my foundation, which is named after me and fights against cancer.

That’s something I’m well placed to speak about. It was important for me to be able to help out in my own way, even if it’s a difficult fight.

What is the goal of your foundation?

The goal is to raise money, finance treatments and raise awareness about the need to donate organs. Not everyone has access to social security and medicine is expensive. We want to help children and adolescents, and we also want to help families by ensuring them a level of comfort at hospital via psychological and material support.

After retirement, players are often able to look back and take stock of their careers. What are you proudest of?

It’s not necessarily a moment from my career, but what I tried to put into practice on the pitch were the he lessons I learned from my parents. That’s what helped me grow my clubs, and adapt at all in n a number of e n t dif fercountries.

U l t i mately y, that’s what makes you y o u who

are, as opposed d to anything else. My parents taught ht me respect, politeness liteness and to be good od in every sense of the word.

You are one off the few French players ayers to have been successful at Barcecelona. Have you u been surprised by what Jeremy Mathieu eu has achieved this season?

No, I’m not surprised because he’s a good person and well educated. I know him well, l, and now that he’s at Barcelona we see each other more often. He’s e’s had a typical career journey, progressing step by step, and moving ng from Valencia to Barcelona took k him to a new level.

His goal was to o play for a big club and tie down a place in the national team, and I think that he’s not too far from that hat now. He’s a versatile player, which hich is always very useful for a coach. ch.

You rubbed shoulders oulders with some excellentt players at Barça.

How do you rate ate the current attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis uis Suarez compared to the talents alents you played with?

In my six years ars there, I saw that the club always ys wanted to have a high-quality attacking trident, with each player yer ending the season with excellent llent statistics. The difficulty is getting tting three players of that quality y to function well together. I’m pleased leased with what I see now because use these three perform together very well and every defence in Europe rope is frightened of them. They’re re all different and each player does es his job in his own way for the good d of the team.

You played with th some fantastic forwards, but who impressed you the most in y your role as a defender during

SON AND WELL EDUCATED.

I KNOW HIM WEL LL, AND NOW THA AT HE’S AT BARCELONA WE SEE EACH OTHER MO ORE OFTEN N.

mark. That’s what helped me grow and prove myself as a defender.

training?

You don’t often get to h a v e real 11 v 11 matches during training.

It’s more about small games on 30m pitches, where players much shoot more than they dribble. For me, Messi is still the best. I also trained with [Zinedine] Zidane, [Thierry] Henry and [Nicolas] Anelka. Each of them was difd ferent and had his hiis own strengths, strengthss, but all off t h e m w e r e tough to tackle or

What are your thoughts on how Messi has evolved this season?

Leo is a very intelligent player. He started out very young at Barcelona and reached a new level each season.

He’s still a true goalscorer but he’s also a fully rounded player who can drop back into midfield to make the difference or go on a spectacular 40m run and either provide an assist or score a goal. For me, he remains and will always be the greatest phenomenon there is.

Turning to the France team, Patrice Evra said recently that “the old man won’t give an inch” and that those hoping to replace him at left-back needed to “wake up”. What advice would you give to Gael Clichy, Lucas Digne, Benoit Tremoulinas and Layvin Kurzawa in their attempts to dislodge him?

(Laughs) I don’t necessarily have any advice to give them because I think that transition will happen naturally. It’s good that he’s said that and it could be good for the youngsters, forcing them to raise their game in order to take over from him in style.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sunday May 10, 2015

63

Barton slams ‘bad eggs’ at QPR Ancelotti

J

Sturridge S Stu Stur tu ttur urridg rid dg d ge

vic: Mijato tti can Ancelo adrid to lead M y CL glor

F

ormer Real Madrid forward Pedrag Mijatovic is confident coach Carlo Ancelotti has what it takes to lead the club to a second consecutive Champions League title.

Madrid are looking to become the first team to retain the crown in the Champions League era as they host Juventus on Wednesday in the semi-final second leg, but must overturn their 2-1 defeat in Turin on Tuesday.

Ancelotti, though, has come under criticism with his team sitting two points behind Barcelona in La Liga and in danger of slipping out of the continent’s most prestigious competition.

Figo surprised by quiet Blatter

oey Barton has accused ac “one within or two bad eggs” eg of not QPR’s dressing room r giving their all in the club’s fight from the Preagainst relegation fro mier League.

19th, could poQPR, who are 19th tentially be relegated on Saturday depending on how other results go, while defeat at Manchester te City on Sunday Sund will definitely consign them to an

immediate return to the Championship.

Barton commended the majority of the squad for giving their all to the cause, but says if it were down to him certain players would have left Loftus Road by now.

“There’s a few people who need to have a good look at themselves,” he told Sky Sports.

“Whatever happens on Sunday and the next two games, you have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and say ‘I did everything I can’. Some people haven’t done that.

Del Piero

Job not done for Juve - Del Piero

J Barton

uventus great Alessandro Del Piero warned his former club it would take a team effort to complete the job against Real Madrid.

Massimiliano Allegri’s men claimed a 2-1 win over Real in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League semi-final tie on Tuesday.

David De Gea admits frustration at Man Utd

D

avid De Gea has admitted his frustration with Manchester United’s form in recent weeks that has seen them lose the last three games.

To make matters worse they have also failed to even score a single goal during that run – the club’s worst in 14 years in the league.

That leaves them still locked in a battle to secure Champions League football next season with them four points clear of Liverpool in fifth place.

And De Gea says although they have been unlucky in some of those defeats they need to put p that behind them and show strength.

De Gea

Pellegrini: City need a player like Messi

M

Figo

L

uis Figo criticised Sepp Blatter for not presenting an election proogramme, describing it as “weird”. rd” d”.

Portugal great Figo is running ng g for f FIFA president against Michael Praag, el van v Prince Ali bin Ali-Hussein and d Blatter Bl Blatter in the election on May 29.

Blatter is the favourite to be re-elected re-e -elected despite the public campaigns of his opponents. ent n s.

Figo said it was unusual that tha hat the 79-year-old Swiss was yet to present his ideas. eas. s “I think it’s a surprise because ause u e in all elections there’s always a programme about abo bout the organisation’s future and football’s future,” ture re,” Figo told Perform.

“So it’s a surprise one of the candidates can andidates have not presented a programme. It’s weird. eird eird.

anchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini insists that, in order to progress, the club will need to find a player like Lionel

Messi who can make the difference for the former Premier League champions.

Messi’s virtuoso two-goal performance in Barcelona’s midweek success has again seen him hailed as the greatest player in the world, a title he

has frequently laid claim to over the past decade.

And Pellegrini feels City need a star player who can have a similar effect on his team as Messi does at the Nou Camp, but he believes there is much more to Barca than the Argentinian.

Pellegrini Pel P Pe elllegr egri gri rriini rini ni

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Comment E-mail:

nwaunah@yahoo.com Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Dean, School of Languages and General Studies, The Premier University of Sao Tome and Principe

with Jim Unah

T

he former Vice-President of Nigeria under the General Olusegun Obasanjo’s Peoples Democratic Party, PDPled government, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku, has called on the incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari to re-bundle or reverse the PHCN privatization exercise conducted and concluded less than 16 months ago by the out-going President Goodluck Jonathan’s dispensation.

In the Leadership newspaper of 28 April, 2015, which published the statement credited to Atiku Abubakar, the reason adduced for the call for the reversal of the privatization of the power sector is that past governments, including that of Olusegun Obasanjo in which he functioned as Vice-President, and the incumbent administration of Goodluck Jonathan had sunk enormous resources on power projects but failed to resolve the intractable problems of sufficient and efficient electricity supply to Nigerians.

According to Atiku, the past governments had failed to solve the power sector problems because they used long term, rather than short term, strategies in confronting and tackling them. Curiously, the

www.nationalmirroronline.net

N150

-Amount the Governor of Akwa-Ibom state , Godswill Akpabio donated to National Youth Service Corp NYSC, last week Thursday

T

F I G U R E S

N12.5m

-The amount Life Continental Lager Beer gave to budding and talented businessmen and women within the South East

The Atiku PHCN re-bundling campaign

former Vice-President did not provide a clue to the solution. More disconcerting still is that Alhaji Atiku did not offer any explanation why the confounding atrocities of the ECN-PHCN since the attainment of nationhood, especially under the almost 40 years of military rule did not succeed in providing regular electricity service to the country.

He did not also consider the calamitous effect a reversal of the PHCN privatization would unleash on the investment climate of the country, seeing that some huge financial and technical resources have been sunk into the distribution companies (discos) and the generation companies (gencos) by their new private owners. If for more than 50 years of existence a behemoth publicly owned-electricity company such as the PHCN had failed woefully to provide uninterrupted power supply to consumers, is it the less than 16 months of existence of the discos and the gencos that should warrant a call from a former number two man of the country to de-license them, and rail-road electricity consumers back to the PHCN to be further traumatized, tortured and rapaciously exploited by a callous power monopoly that has no inkling of providing electricity service to anybody, including themselves?

Needless to say, the major problem facing the newly privatized discos and gencos is the shortage of gas supply arising principally from the nefarious activities of gas pipeline vandals, majority of whom are sponsored and protected by highly placed citizens, primarily out of sabotage and

mainly out of criminality. How to deal with the vandals and provide safety and protection for the operators and the pipelines respectively is what every patriotic Nigerian should urge the in-coming government to muster the political will to deal with.

Seeing where we are coming from with the PHCN for well over 50 years of selfserving, criminally exploitative operations of the power sector, a PHCN privatization reversal is certainly not an option. No one should advise anybody to embark on such a suicide mission. One can understand some mischievous political spoilers and jobbers desperately gravitating to the newly elected helmsman for patronage. Not a former number two citizen that some of us, by virtue of that office which he held for eight years, still hold him in high esteem.

Whatever his reservations about the privatization process of the power sector, the painful memories of his battles with his former boss, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who sought to no avail to remove him as Chairman of the National Council on Privatization—NCP, the catastrophe that befell the national economy when businesses relocated to neighboring countries such as Ghana because of failure of the power sector to provide electricity service for industrial uses under the operations of the defunct PHCN, cannot be equated with the teething problems and scourge of gas pipeline vandalism bedeviling the privatized discos and gencos.

It is this—gas pipeline vandalism-- that Alhaji Abubakar Atiku should help find lasting solutions to; not the reversal of

Egyptian Government seizes Aboutrika’s assets he Egyptian authorities have seized assets of former national football star Mohamed Aboutrika, amid allegations that he helped fund banned Islamist movement the Muslim Brotherhood.

The authorities said a court was expected to decide on the issue soon. But a defiant Aboutrika said he would stay in Egypt to work for prosperity.

Aboutrika publicly endorsed the successful 2012 presidential bid by Mohamed Morsi, a Brotherhood member.

Morsi was ousted by the army in 2013.

An ensuing crackdown on Morsi, Egypt’s first freelyelected leader and Brotherhood members has left hundreds of people dead and thousands in

I N

jail.

The Egyptian authorities said they had seized Aboutrika’s assets; including his shares in a number of companies.

In response, the 36-year-old former midfielder tweeted: “Confiscate the money or confiscate the money’s owner, I will not leave the country, and

I will continue to work for its prosperity.”

If an investigation proves that he has been funding the Muslim Brotherhood the whole case will go to court or he may even be detained temporarily while the investigation continues.

The decision has already

spilt Egyptians into two, with the footballer’s numerous fans supporting him and others siding with the authorities.

Aboutrika, a star of Cairo’s Al-Ahly and the national team retired in 2013. During his career he was four times named as Africa’s best player of the year.

ACCORDING TO ATIKU,

THE PAST GOVERNMENTS HAD FAILED TO SOLVE THE POWER SECTOR PROBLEMS BECAUSE

THEY USED LONG TERM, RATHER THAN SHORT

TERM, STRATEGIES IN

CONFRONTING AND TACKLING THEM.

the Jonathan power sector privatization which has taken the country and the private sector much distress, investors’ time and resources to accomplish. It is certainly too early in the day, with the amount of groundwork accomplished in both hydro and gas powered power plants all over the country to begin to conceive of a reversal.

Such thoughts and utterances from highly placed former state actors are very dangerous to the health of the economy as they have a capacity of de-incentivizing foreign direct investments in heavy infrastructure projects in the country.

My point in all of this is that the new helmsmen should be assisted with patriotic, well intentioned admonition that builds on what had been accomplished by previous governments; not occasioning a verbal hemorrhage on the economic power base of the country.

Why Dangote may never invest in Nigeria football P. 60 PREMIERSHIP RESULTS

Everton 0-2 Sunderland Aston Villa 1-0 West Ham Hull City 0- 1 Burnley Leicester 2-0 Southampton Newcastle 1-1 West Brom Stoke 3- 0 Tottenham Crystal Palace 1-2 Man Utd Today’s Matches

Man City v QPR 13: 30 Chelsea v Liverpool 16:00

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