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Mixed feelings trail power sector privatisation

Vol. 5 No. 32

Sunday, August 16, 2015

News

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Air Force jets raid Sambisa Forest

•Vigilante foils suicide attack

•Abubakar

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Borno deputy gov, Zanna Mustapha dies mysteriously

•Buhari, Saraki, Amosun, PDP, APC shocked Tight security as new monarch is enthroned in Ikorodu

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Police nab woman, daughter for kidnapping 23 children

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L-R L-R: R Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Muhammadu Barkindo; Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Prof. Julius Okojie; Secretary to Adamawa State Governm ment, Dr. Umar Bindir; Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the governing council of Modibbo Adama University of Technology and Mr. Ballama Manu, during the combined 18 8 19th and 20th convocation ceremonies of the institution in Yola, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN 18th,

Bayelsa PDP chairman, Alaibe, others decamp to APC

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News

No killings going on in Nasarawa, Al-Makura replies Maku

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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What ’s new Politics

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Seven Days TALKING POINTS OF THE PAST WEEK August 16, 2015

4 feared dead as helicopter plunges into Lagos lagoon

APC set for booming rally as PDP tethers to gradual doom in Bayelsa Come Saturday, August 15, the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa State, will again witness another mass exodus, as hundreds of its former members will join the “newest bride in town ” the All Progressives Congress, APC, in what has been described as ‘mother of all rallies ’ in

Yenagoa, the state capital.

For the APC in Bayelsa State, this may be the beginning of boom for a party which could hardly boast of an elective position in the state prior to the last general election and perhaps for the PDP, it may well the beginning of a gradual doom in Bayelsa.

FG reverses Jonathan, sacks NPA boss Bayero

I once stripped before the camera –Bukky Raji Wellness

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Benefits of Exclusive breastfeeding

Breastfeading mother

The put into practice of exclusive breastfeeding has been less than optimal in various developing countries including Nigeria. More than a greater percentage of Nigerian infants are fed complimentary foods at an early stage, which are often of a poor nutritional value. In most African countries, complementary foods were introduced by 46.4% of the mothers studied, before the child was one month old.

In a clear case of reversal of one of the last-minute actions of his predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday sacked the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Alhaji Sanusi Ado Bayero, replacing him with his erstwhile predecessor, Habibu Abdullahi.

His sack came just less

than four months after he was appointed into that office.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan had on April 29, exactly one month before his exit, approved the appointment of Bayero as Managing Director of the authority, following the sack of Abdullahi.

lawmakers and state governments representatives will throng the city as a mark of tribute to the man, who has been described as bridge builder and a detrabalised Nigerian.

The late Sijuwade died in a London hospital recently at 85 years and seven months, having been born on January 1, 1930.

Bodies of Pilot, Co-Pilot of crashed helicopter recovered Bodies of the remaining two persons missing from Wednesday ’s Bristow helicopter crash in Lagos have been recovered by the search and rescue team. Our correspondent, who was at the crash site at the back of Oworonsoki Police Station, reports that the bodies, recovered at about 10.25 a.m. yesterday were that of a

Senate yesterday paid special respect to the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, as lawmakers took turns to pour encomiums on the royal father, whose death was reported about a fortnight ago.

Senators also observed a one minute silence in honour of the late Oba. Senator representing Osun East, Senator Babajide Omoworare, brought the attention of the death of the Oba to the Senate via a motion pursuant to order 42 and 52 of the Senate standing order on matters of urgent national importance.

The lawmaker took time to reel out the resume of the life and times of the late Oba. He said: “Oba Sijuwade was a great family man and highly revered in Diaspora, especially in Cuba, Dominican Republic and Trinidad and Tobago. He received many national and international awards and decorations

in honour and recognition of his various achievements. ” Senate President, Bukola Saraki, in a special condolence message described the passing on to glory of Oba Sijuade, as the end of an era in Yorubaland. Saraki said he was particularly saddened by the fact that Ooni departed at a time when the country is in dire need of his wise counsel, respected interventions and patriotic stand on issues of national significance.

While describing the transition of Oba Sijuwade as a national loss, the Senate President commiserated with members of the Olubuse royal family, people of Ile Ife, the government and people of Osun State and the entire Yorubaland over the demise of a “king who represents the best of Yoruba traditions and customs. ”

Shafar Cole CEO, SHAFCOLE USHRETTES

Goodnight Ooni Today, in the ancient city of Ile Ife, the cradle of Yoruba nation, the remains of the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, will be laid to rest. Dignitaries from all walks of life will converge on the palace to pay their last respect to the departed monarch.

The Federal Government, National Assembly

Senate honours Ooni, sends 4-man burial team

white man and a black.

The bodies were brought to the shore of the lagoon at 10.45 a.m. Sources said the white man was the helicopter ’s pilot, while the black man was the co-pilot.

The bodies had been taken to the Mainland Hospital

by Lagos State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit.

TUE MON

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WED

Passion

sort to human rights violation, saying Nigeria ’s military operations must be anchored within the framework of international rule of engagement.

Buhari ’s order came barely 24 hours after the Chadian president, Idris Derby, expressed optimism that his troops alongside those of the Multinational Joint-Taskforce MNJTF would rein in the terrorists before December.

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the newlydecorated Service Chiefs to evolve a well-coordinated plan to end the Boko Haram menace within three months.

Such an articulated plan must also see to the elimination of militancy, banditry, kidnapping and any other form of violent crime.

The president, however, warned them against any re-

SAT FRI THU

Following the persistent decline in the national resources of the country, there has been growing agitations by Nigerians for members of the National Assembly to commit to the cut of their wages, which is generally perceived to be out of tune with the economic realities in Nigeria.

The accident reportedly occurred at 3pm.

A source close to the helicopter company said the accident occurred within the tower jurisdiction and not within the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria, TRACON, jurisdiction.

As at the time of filing in this report, the cause of the crash could not be ascertained, but a source close to the helicopter company said the accident might have occurred due to engine failure.

SUN

Senate: Intrigues, politics of pay cuts

Another tragedy yesterday hit the Nigerian aviation industry as a Bristow Helicopter crashed into the Lagos Lagoon in the Oworonshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge, killing at least four people with two still missing.

The crashed helicopter with registration number 5N – BDG – 760540 was heading to Lagos Island from Escravos in the Niger Delta with 12 passengers onboard.

Buhari to Service Chiefs: Defeat Boko Haram in three months

First, I would like to say that I work with E star Television for Africa.

On Mondays when I get to the office, I arrange the station ’s movies schedule for the week.

I usually do a voice over for soap opera introduction.

I go to a movie location and get updates of the movie they are shooting for a segment on my show known as Nollywood-In-Check which I present every Sunday from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.

I go for my celebrity one-on-one interviews.

Most Fridays, I go for movie premieres I record my show, Nollywood-In-Check. That is when interviews, movie location updates, premieres and new movies are reviewed.

I go to church. After that, I head for the office to ensure the Sunday replay edition of my show is shown and I also try to gather contents for my show. These are activities for my week and they are not boring because I love my job. *By Adaeze Amos (08023012293)

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

Big Read SUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

August 16, 2015

Mixed feelings trail power sector privatisation With Nigeria’s power sector encountering inadequate funding on the part of the new investors, outrageous estimated billing, nonmetering of customers, poor power generation, transmission and distribution problems, Paul Omo Obadan takes a critical look at the whole gamut of the privatisation process which leaves much to be desired.

O

ver the years, the Nigerian electric Power supply has been epileptic, But since the inception of the Action People’s Congress’s led government of President Muhamadu Buhari administration, the Epilepsy is beginning to heal as power supply has modestly improved across board. It is hoped that this is not a flash in the pan. The government of Nigeria

has high aspirations for the country to be among the world’s top 20 economies by 2020 and in this regard, it has set up an Economic Transformation Agenda. This includes an ambitious target to generate 40,000 MW of electricity by that year, an enormous challenge, considering current power generation is only 4,000 MW. Over the years, Nigeria has failed to embark on sus-

‘ NO NOTICEABLE CHANGE AFTER UNBUNDLING OF POWER SECTOR’ 4

tained investment to add new generation capacities to its grids on yearly basis, while Nigeria’s electricity supply remained stagnant due to lack of investment.

Just last Tuesday, Senators, ordered the Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to immediately abolish the fix charges, otherwise called estimated billing, which the power distribution companies charge power consumers across the country.

The Senate directed NERC to immediately put an end to Fixed Charge of N702.00, which is being collected from electricity consumers across the Country even as senators threatened to move for reversal of the power sector privatization.

These were part of the resolutions passed by the Senate after the debate on a motion entitled:”Unfair Trade Practices of Electricity Distribution Compa-

‘ GAS SUPPLY AT HYDRO STATIONS, VANDALISM ARE PROBLEMS’ 6

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The Big Read

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘ No noticeable change after unbundling of power sector’

Buhari

Obama

Alison -Madueke

Bruce

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 nies (DISCOs) in Nigeria,” which was sponsored by Senators Sam Egwu (PDP Ebonyi North) and David Umaru ( APC Niger East).

“NERC should make a regulation to mandate the DISCOs to discontinue the practise of making consumers pay for meters, poles and transformers which by law, are properties of the DISCOs, but where the consumers purchase those items, they should give notice of the purchase to the DISCOs and should be entitled to recover their expenses from subsequent consumption of electricity,” lawmakers added.

In his concluding remarks, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, lamented that after the unbundling of the Nigerian power sector, there is yet to be any noticeable change in the power situation in the country.

Saraki also said there is something fundamentally wrong with the privatization programme, hinting that either those that bought the distribution companies lack the financial capacity to deliver or the regulatory body is ignoring them. “This is a very important topic.

The people have not seen any benefits from this privatization exercise. If it needs to be reversed, it must be reversed in the interest of Nigerians. The period of impunity is over., Saraki said.”

He stressed that Nigerians are hoping for changes in the power sector, adding that it is time for Nigeria to review the challenges facing the power sector reform.

Also speaking in favour of the motion, Senator Ben Bruce (PDP Bayelsa East), who described the situation as a big scam, accused the government of being guilty as well.

“What is happening is a big scam. This is the big-

Saraki

Amadi

SARAKI ALSO SAID THERE IS SOMETHING FUNDAMENTALLY WRONG WITH THE PRIVATIZATION PROGRAMME, HINTING THAT

EITHER THOSE THAT BOUGHT THE DISTRIBUTION COMPANIES LACK THE FINANCIAL CAPACITY TO DELIVER OR THE REGULATORY BODY IS IGNORING THEM.

gest fraud I have ever seen. This process must be investigated. The Federal Government is as guilty as those who are extorting us,” he alleged.

One of the major reasons by the Federal government to embark on the privatization was government’s inability to fund the power sector. Hence they embarked on the power reform.

Power Reform In 1999, President Olusegun Obasanjo inauguration of the Electric Power Implementation Committee, which developed the National Electric Power Policy in 2001.

The power policy resulted in the enactment of the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act of 2005 and establishment of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), after the repeal of the Act that established

the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA).

After NEPA was renamed PHCN. Government also unbundled 18 successor companies from the PHCN – six generation companies; one transmission company and 11 distribution companies.

The EPSR Act of 2005 also created the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to regulate the entry and operations of the private sector in terms of the tariff and service delivery.

The implementation of the EPSR Act was briefly suspended by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, before President Jonathan, restarted the privatisation of the assets of the PHCN in December 2010, four months after he inaugurated the Power Roadmap in Lagos on August 27, 2010.

On November 1, 2013, the Federal Government, through the BPE handed over the assets of the assets of PHCN to the private investors, after the conclusion of the privatization process.

With the successful handover of the assets to the private sector, there were high hopes that electricity supply would witness unprecedented improvement.

But this expectation as become a mirage- the more you look, the less you see.

In line with global best practices, the private investors were supposed to have raised the money used in buying the assets by themselves (equity), that is, without borrowing and then use borrowed funds (debt) to fund the upgrade of the assets for greater efficiency.

But instead of using equity to buy the assets, most of the new investors were alleged to have used 100 per CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The Big Read

Sunday, August 16, 2015

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‘ The little improvement we are seeing now is so cosmetic’ Secretary General of Nigeria Union of Electricity Employers, NUEE, and factional President of Nigerian Labour Congress, Comrade Joe Ajaero, sheds more light on the privatisation process, in this interview with PAUL OMO OBADAN. Is Nigerian cursed. Why is it impossible to have steady power supply in spite of our might. ?

Nigeria is not cursed. God sais let there be light and their was light. But I is not electricity light. For us to have electricity light, n Presidnt will pronounce let there be light and there will be light. You have to work towards it. whether you are the the President of the strongest county or not. Our past leadershave not really worked towards giving us steady power supply. They have failed to o an. And if you fail to plan, you have planned to fail. They seem to be paying lip service to the issue of power generation, and distribution and that has affected so much until the they get up fom thir slumber, things will continue to be this way. The little improvement we are seeing now is so cosmetic that it may relapse if efforts are not made to sustain it. So I is not a matter of curse, it is a question of we are were we have worked up to. If we work harder, we will move beyond this level There is a school of thought that says that the new President should review the privatization policy and if possible revert it. What is your stand on this?

One Philosopher once said that an unexamined life is not worth living. I am the people that believe that we should review the whole excercise. If it has performed well, we equally have the issue of looking at other countries , what they have done, how they are making it, then to decide whether it has to go on, if it has to go on, what and what do we need to do to make it perfect. If it has not, then we need to do something different.

In terms of companies sold and whom they were sold to, they were not transparent. The people that bought these companies were Politicians. It was like doing a favor to all of them. And then, you start to wonder whether that was the main reason for privatization. When the union I lead challenged the whole process, they told us that privatization will bring in those with managerial ability , technical competence and it wil bring in FDI that is, foreign direct investment. By the time they started privatizing, we found out that all the people were traders. None of them had no experience in the Power industry. We discovered further that all that took loan from Nigerian Banks to buy Nigerian electricity company , the issue of one doller coming in as a result of the privatization was not the case. Which means that on that three pronged basis for privatization, it did not work. And then , less than one year after they were privatized, this year alone government has movedover 200 and something billiongovernment was still ..this year alone , I am not sure they made over 400 billion dollars from the sale. Government is now subsidizing it and s even paid more money to the companies that said they bought NEPA. There is a whole lot of issues apart from those that bought it. The issue of …, the issue of tarrif increase which Nigerians are facing. It is not commmeusurate to the service and the impending more increase in tarrif. These areissues we have tolook at and have a conscious master plan for the power sector in nigeria.

The senate house on tueday ordered that they should henceforth stop etimation billing ..because it leads to high tarrif. Is this in order.?

They are right. Ataheseare the issues I mentioned earlier.

You can’t privatize without ,,,the country first. If you do that, you leave the citizens to the vagris of the market, to the dictatorship of the private sector. There is no countrythat loves its ctizens that will just go intoo privatization without m.. the country. So the issue of estimated bill and fixed charges is something that should be looked into. In those days in NEPA, we equally used to have it as meter maintenance. Bcause meter, is supposed to be the property of NEPA. And so it is expected CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 cent debt to acquire the assets.

Unfortunately, after paying for the assets around July 2013, it took a long time before they were handed over the assets because the privatization process almost became protracted, due to the unresolved labor issues, which delayed the handover.

So, by the time they took over on November 1, 2013

Ajaero

COUNTRIES PLAN AND BUILD POWER PLANTS, THEY BUILD TRANSMISSION LINES AND DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS AND THEY DON’T STOP BUILDING.

that NEPA can give you meter for maybe N20,000 free of charge.

They had what we call meter maintenance . and theyy will be putting in N5 monthly when you are paying.by that,you offset that. But even when the meter develops fault, it is their duty to come and service it so that it will function again because it is the property of NEPA. That was the initial idea. But this current on fixed charge , a situation whereby people have even paid for one year and they can’t get their meter, I don’t think it is appropriate for now.

What has countries with steady power supply done right and were has Nigeria fallen short?

From my starting comment, some of them have planned, and they have seen the dividend of planning. Countries plan, and build Power plants, they build transmission lines and distribution networks and they don’t stop building. Power sector is continuous. Because if you have 10,000 mega watts in Nigeria today, and that is the demand, tomorrow morning, somebody will build a new house, buy other gadgets and take from the 10,000 mega watts.

The demand is continuous. And then, for you to survive, there must be a conscious master plan. In 2015, we are going to add 500 mega watts to our 4000 mega watts. In 2016, we are going to add another 500 mega watts. It can’t be constant. Now if you watch, for almost 20 years, we have battling on 4000 mega watts. Which is a problem. And it takes an average of three to four years to build a power plant.

That is the gestation period. If you want to add 500 mega watts to our electricity in the next four years, you start today to build that Power plant that will give you sublime ..in the next five years. You should be looking ahead. But if you say oh, we are having 24 hours supply today, therefore, you fail to build another Plant, I think there is a problem. Secondly, the issue of having the exact number of what you need is wrong because you have ageing Power stations, you go into maintenance of such.

A power plant may be on for four, five months if there is fault, if it is a major power plant that gives you up to a 1000, if you take a 1000 out to service it because of fault,that country will just go back. ordinarily, countries provide more than what they need, to the extent that if you take off one or two stations for servicing or turn around maintenance, you won’t come short of the expected demand for that country. So we are not planning toward that area. Even some of the Power plants, the time for the turn around maintenance is has equally elapsed nobody is doing it until they collapse. Also, the issue of having energy mix. You don’t continue to depend on Gas. The little stability Nigeria is seeing today is because perhaps the crimi-

the repayment of the loan used to buy the assets was already due because the Nigerian financial system is short-term.

The implication was that the demand by the banks for the investors to repay the loans used to buy the assets put pressure on the new investors.

The development gave them no opportunity to bor-

nals either from government circle or from outside who attack pipelines that carry Gas to the stations, maybe since the new government came in, I don’t think their operation has been so much. Now the Gas is going to the Pipelines. Now if that pipeline is attacked tomorrow, the whole improvement will collapse. Countries that understand Power use Gas as emergency stations, it is not their mainstay. 40 per cent of Power generated all over the world is through coal.

So why are we not tapping coal to generate Power?

That is planning. And we have good deposits of coal in some parts of the country, Enugu, Kogi, benue and some part of the country that could give us up to 4000 mega watts that they have not explored. Some others use Hydro. With the feasibility study on Mambilla is, it is capable of giving us what we are having even today. Zungeru can give us up to a 1000 mega watts. These are hydro, water sources. If not that government is subsidizing, if we factor in the Prize of Gas, and you go into real economic prizing of electricity and it is generated through Gas, Nigerians will not be able to survive it. The cost of Gas alone is so expensive. I don’t know why it is so attractive to them here.

Some are going into wind energy. It is a mix that when you gain from here, you also gain from there. You don’t depend on only one source. Gas is almost constituting 80 to 90 per cent of our dependance. Another aspect is political power stations. If the source of Gas is Lagos for instance, you now build a pipeline in oweri. If you build a pipeline in oweri, and Gas is domiciled in Lagos, you have to construct a pipeline from Lagos to owerri. even when you build that power plant in lagos where you have Gas deposits, the person in Owerri will still get Gas supply by the time the person in lagos is getting. Why are you taking it to Owerri, probably because ‘I am from Owerri. Instead of building it were the raw materials is. That is another problem. That is why you often hear the pipelines are vandalized. If they are built at the source, all these problems wont happen.

Since Power changed hands from Government to Private hands, how has the employers been faring under this new dispensation?

There has been a lot of complaints. Majority of them are anti labor. To them, it should be one man business. The dictatorship is there. This is my company. I can sack arbitrarily without going through due process. Nigeria is a signatory to so many international conventions on dialogue and collective bargaining that employer and employee must agree on the rules in the work place. They are not following it and some of them are seeing union as a threat. They are not following it, but we are following it. However, they have enjoyed a period of holidays with us because we allowed them to stabilize, but unfortunately, we were their target. We did that because we did not want Nigerians to say that we sabotaged the process because maybe we did not want it. Because from inception, we said no to privatization. We have challenged the people to tell us were the private sector provided steady power supply all over the world. The United states generates 250,000 mega watts. That is their base power. That was the argument we put in place for a base power under the control of the government of Nigeria. Since over 25 companies were licensed to generate, you allow them even if it is 20,000 mega watts. or 50,000 mega watts to complement the 4000 base power. Now America government has that 250.000 mega watts but their target is about I,000.000 mega watts. And in that target, they allowed states, municipals, private sector to generate to complement. The implication is this, if this investors tomorrow says that they are going to sell N10 or N100 per kilo watts hour of electricity generated, and we say no, we are not going to agree to that, then we are in trouble. So if there is that conspiracy ir gang up of the private sector, we are oing to suffer it. But for a place like America, what they did was that even if this people say they are not generating, we have 250,000 mega watts by government, that will take care of even all their military base and all those social areas and power will not blink until issues are resolved. But what we have here is a situation whereby the private sector is in control of everything. Now we have transfared the little 4,0000 mega watts government has to the private sector. So as at today, no activity has taken place in the power sector apart from collecting on the government 4,000 mega watts that was transferred to private sector.

row additional funds to upgrade the assets they inherited, as they concentrated on raising money to repay the loan.

Therefore, instead of embarking on massive upgrading of the infrastructure and procurement of meCONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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The Big Read

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘ Gas supply at hydro stations, vandalism are problems’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6 ters to increase generation and ensure adequate and transparent metering, the new investors were concerned on raising funds to pay their financiers.

Hence from the beginning of last year, the investors came under pressure by their bankers, who denied them further access to credit to fund new projects or upgrade the existing assets.

Estimated billing/inadequate metering Estimated billing or what is known among consumers as “crazy bills”, which is as old as the old NEPA had also persisted, after take-over by the private investors despite a series of warning by NERC that meters must be read and electricity customers charged according to their energy consumption, the electricity distribution companies have continued to slam overestimated bills on consumers.

Low water levels The cyclic drop in the levels of water at the hydro power stations during the period of February, March, April and part of May every year re-occured in 2014 and supply dropped to all-time low.

Three months after the handover of the assets, hydro power stations at Kainji, Shiroro and Jebba witnessed a drop in water levels, which is referred to as “low deep”, which is a cyclic natural phenomenon that occur during the first quarter of every year as a result of drought.

Shortage of gas/vandalism The Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Dr. Sam Amadi, had said the solution to the cyclical problems at the hydro stations was to increase gas supply to the gas-fired power stations to compensate for the expected fall in generation from the hydro stations.

“The answer to the cyclical hydro problem is to increase gas supply so that we can compensate the expected fall in hydro power generation to the national grid by enhanced supply from gas turbines,” he said.

In the recently concluded Africa Summit in Washington, President Obama announced a US$14 billion commitment for investment in Africa by US companies.

This comes only a year after he announced “Power Africa”, a US government initiative to add over 30,000 MW of more efficient electricity generation capacity in six focus African countries, including Nigeria. During the Summit, the World Bank also announced a commitment of US$5 billion of support for “Power Africa”. This is timely.

Power has been at the top of Nigeria’s agenda for a while, as it attempts to “switch the lights on” to create a more investor-friendly environment and increase internal productivity and growth.

Existing Challenges However, challenges still exist. Nigerians do not feel the impact of the privatization due to a number of issues being faced by the Private companies.

Opportunities in the Nigerian Power Sector Despite the various challenges highlighted above, renewed focus on the privatization of the Nigerian power sector provides opportunities for international and local investment.

Opportunities exist for the construction of alternative independent power projects, such as coal fired power plants and renewables. The eastern part of Nigeria has rich coal reserves, and, in 2013, the government of Nigeria entered into a memorandum of understanding with a Chinese energy firm to build a US$3.7 billion coal power project which is expected to add 1200 MW of electricity to the national grid.

As gas prices become more competitive, particularly in relation to transportation fees, more investors may begin to give greater consideration to investing in gas pipeline infrastructure.

According to some of the experts, a review of the privatisation exercise is imperative because the supply of electricity across the country has not improved despite that

Ajaero

Nebo

Egwus Enakpene

OPPORTUNITIES EXIST FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALTERNATIVE INDEPENDENT POWER PROJECTS, SUCH AS COAL FIRED POWER PLANTS AND RENEWABLES.

the sector has been in private hands.

According to Mr Obe Enakpene, a Power expert, despite the privatization of the power sector it is needs to be reviewed. He said the new government led by Muhammadu Buhari needs to do this before it can get the issue of power supply right. “We keep inaugurating power generating plants, but I had warned in the past that power supply would keep diminishing and we have discovered that we are not making progress but rather retrogressing in the sector.

“This is beginning to happen because we are getting shorter hours of power supply whereas we are inaugurating many distribution and generation firms.”

Obe argued that an adequate gas master plan was not implemented, a development that he noted had rubbished the privatization exercise.

He said, “The reason for this is because we did not implement an adequate gas master plan. It has not been fully implemented and you are beginning to put in place generating points on a master plan that is not implemented.

Gas supply is not there. We don’t have adequate gas supply.

There are some power stations that we have in this country that don’t have pipes that take gas to them.

“Why should that be the case? Why should we not plan?

Why should we not do the first thing first? Then you inaugurate these massive projects while there are no raw materials to power them, he querried.”

President Mohammadu’s, onerous is how to fix the sorry state of electricity, stop the not so sensible estimated billing system and ensure an uninterrupted power supply. one question that Nigerians are asking is, will the administration of President Mohammadu Buhari continue with the GEJ Power Roadmap, privatization and reforms? Or will it be reversed? Recently, former vice President Atiku Abubakar in a seminar at the International Trade Fair organized by the Kaduna Chamber of Commerce, Mines and Agriculture (KADCCIMA), advised the President to reverse the power sector privatization because the process was marred with irregularities and it did not yield the

desired result as consumers are made to pay over bloated estimated bills for service that is not rendered. Also, the General Secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) and President of the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) Comrade Jeo Ajaero in an interview with Sunday Mirror called for a thorough review of the privatization of PHCN as he alleged that the privatization process was not transparent, adding that the payment of N213bn intervention fund as loan to the private owners to offset legacy gas and power debts as well as shortfalls in the Interim Rule Period (IRP) are questionable.

The President should encourage embedded power generation by involving investors that can put in place captive embedded power generation that has distribution infrastructure and the capacity to distribute. The law to allow captive power to supply electricity to households or commercial outfits should be established.

The administration should adopt another strategy different from GEJ method to protect the gas pipelines which has been a major target by pipeline vandals.

Another respondent, who lives in Festac Town, Lagos, says power supply in her area had been bad even before the November 1, handover, but it has worsened ever since.

“We use prepaid meter. Before the handover we used to buy N3,000 recharge which would last about two months, but the last N3,000 we bought since October is yet to run out because there is hardly electricity to use it. We have resorted to generating our own power, and it’s costing us a lot,” she told this magazine.

As homes are complaining, businesses too are lamenting as their cost of production and operation has spiralled upward. Meanwhile, the new investors in the power sector are reported to be groaning under the burden of acute revenue shortfall because the revenue leakages that existed before they took over the assets are largely unaddressed.

Investigation reveals that they lose at least 53 percent of every N1 collected as revenue, meaning that 53 kobo of every N1 is lost, with analysts saying that plugging the leakages would remain one of the greatest challenges the investors would continue to contend with for some time to come because not much was done to mitigate the revenue loss before the assets were transferred to them.

To address the funding shortfall experienced by the investors, the federal government also in 2014 earmarked N213 billion life-line for the new investors.

Nigerians cannot wait any further for further for the power situation to improve, it is hoped that their long enduring wait will not be in vain..

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News

Sunday, August 16, 2015

7

Borno deputy gov, Mustapha dies mysteriously •Buhari, Saraki, Amosun, PDP, APC shocked at death OBIORA IFOH, OMEIZA AJAYI, INUSA NDAHI, MAIDUGURI & LIVINUS MENEDI YOLA

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he Borno State Deputy Governor, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha, died yesterday in mysterious circumstances.

Mustapha, who hails from Biu Local Government Area of Borno State

was said to have died in his sleep yesterday morning at one of the government lodges in Yola, the Adamawa state capital.

The late Deputy Governor was in Yola to attend the graduation ceremony at Modibbo Adama University of Technology, MAUTEC, Yola .

The death of the number two citizen of Borno

was rather shocking because he was said to have his morning prayers (Asba) at a mosque, went back to his sleep, but only to be found dead on his bed on later in the morning The state government confirmed Mustapha ’s death in a press statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Alhaji Usman Jidda

Shuwa.

“It is with deep sense of utter shock and disbelief but with complete submission to the will of the Almighty Allah that the Borno State Government hereby announces the passing away of His Excellency, Alhaji Zannah Umar Mustapha, the Deputy Governor of Borno State.

L-R: Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Aboyomi Olanisakin; Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam; National Security Adviser, Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd), and Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, during their visits to Damaturu, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Car dealers protest death of colleague in Ibadan KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

H

ell was let loose yesterday in Ibadan when members of the Motor Dealer Association (MDA), Oyo State chapter stormed the Nigerian Customs Service office to protest the death of one of their colleagues which they blamed on the action of some Customs officers.

Sunday Mirror learnt that the deceased motor dealer, identified as 32 year-old, Tunde Abdul was said to have being knock down by a truck around 4:30am on Saturday at Alapako, Lagos/ Ibadan expressway when he was stopped by some Custom officers led by one Kunle Yinusa.

It was gathered that a DAF truck with registration number Osun: PRN123 XA wanted to avoid a

pothole but lost control and hit the three cars that were cleared from Lagos port by late Abdul and two orders.

The angry motor dealers blocked the road along Bodija-Secretariat axis beside the Nigerian Customs office in protest of the killing of their colleague in circumstances they described as “unacceptable. ” It was learnt that late Abdul is survived by a pregnant wife and a child.

The Public Relations Officer of MDA, Pastor Vincent Ayodeji, while addressing journalists at the Customs office in the presence of the wailing members of the association, said the harassment by Custom officers on their members along Lagos/ Ibadan expressway has become incessant, stressing that all the vehicles being transported from Lagos

port to Ibadan are legally cleared.

He said, “We heard this morning that some of our members while bringing two cars from Lagos were stopped by Custom officers around Alapako at the border between Oyo and Ogun State around 4am, so they asked for the papers of the cars and they showed them but the Custom officer asked them for a bribe which they didn ’t give them. They therefore insisted that the papers are not genuine and told them to wait till day break to be able to confirm from their office.

While they were waiting a truck coming from the opposite direction of the road crushed the vehicles.

“Unfortunately one of our three members died, his name is Tunde Abdul, one injured and that is why we have come here to allay our grievances over

the exorbitant of the Custom officers who are in the habit of harassing our members unjustly after tendering legal papers of the vehicles we are bringing into the state ” Ayodeji alleged further that it has become the tradition of the Custom officers to be demanding bribes from their members after clearing their vehicles legally from the Lagos port.

He then called on the leadership of the Nigerian Customs Service and government to conduct proper investigation into the issue and allow justice to prevai by apprehending the officers involved.

Efforts to get to the reaction of the Public Relations Officer of Customs in the state, Njeoma Nkiru, proved abortive as her phone numbers were not reachable.

“He died in his sleep this morning in Yola, Adamawa State where he was to represent Borno State Government at the convocation ceremony of Modibbo Adama University of Science and Technology, Yola.

“He was also scheduled to follow up on his earlier visit to Yola, in connection with the welfare of Borno State citizens internally displaced as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“His Excellency, Hon. Kashim Shettima, the Executive Governor of Borno State, expresses his heartfelt condolence to the family of the Deputy Governor and the entire people of Borno State for the irreparable loss and appealed for prayers for the repose of the soul of our late Deputy Governor.

“May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace, Ameen ”, the statement said.

The remains of the deceased deputy governor were flown to Maiduguri, the Borno state capital where he was buried according to Islamic rites.

The corpse, which has been at the morgue of Federal Medical Center Yola was flown back to Maiduguri at about 3pm local time.

Earlier government house sources had hinted that the National Security Adviser, Lawal Monguno was initially been expected in Yola to break the news of the demise but that did not happened before the corpse was taken to Maiduguri.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the people and government of Borno State over the death of Mustapha.

The president said he received with shock and immense sadness, news of the passing away of deputy governor A statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said the president similarly commiserates with Governor Kashim Shettima and the entire people of Borno State on the loss of Mr. Mustapha, who passed away while on an official assignment in Yola, Adamawa State.

“President Buhari joins Governor Shettima, mem-

bers of Alhaji Zannah ’s family, his friends, political associates, colleagues in the Borno State Government, constituents and supporters in praying that Almighty Allah will receive his soul and grant him eternal rest ”, he stated.

Also, Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, said that he received with shock the news of the death of Alhaji Mustapha.

Saraki in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, said it was difficult to believe the information that a man he met in Borno about a week ago during his tour of some Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs camps in Maiduguri could have left this world so soon.

Saraki said: “When I met Umar Mustapha in Maiduguri, he was so full of life that it could not have crossed ones imagination that we were meeting for the last time.

“He came across to me as a complete gentleman who was doing all in his power to assist his principal, Governor Kashim Shettima not only to defeat insurgency in the zone, but to bring succour to the entire people of Borno State, especially those adversely affected by the insurgency.

“It is a pity that today he is not going to witness the imminent end of the mindless bloodletting and destruction of property being visited on a peaceful and hospitable people in the North-East zone of the country.

“We can only take solace in the fact that he lived a good life and died in the service of his people. He was a complete gentleman and a devoted servant-leader. May Almighty Allah grant him a place among the righteous ones in Aljannah Firdaus ”, Saraki stated.

The Senate President however commiserated with the immediate family of the deceased, the Governor and people of Borno State and prayed God to grant them the fortitude to bear the sad incident.

The All Progressives Congress, APC has also expressed deep shock and

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News

Sunday, August 16, 2015

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Boko Haram: Air Force jets raid Sambisa Forest …vigilante foils suicide bombing attempt UBONG UKPONG ABUJA

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he Nigerian Air Force, NAF, in a renewed air offensive, has carried out several bombings and air strikes on terrorists positions in the dreaded Sambisa Forest.

A statement by the NAF

Headquarters yesterday, through its Director of Public Relations and Information, DOPRI, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, said that the air strike missions were in line with the Nigerian Military ’s resolve to incapacitate and further degrade the fighting spirit of the Boko Ha-

ram terror group.

Alonge said that the strike missions came after several weeks of tactical reconnaissance by the reconnaissance/ surveillance aircraft.

“The air strikes carried out by F-7NI and Alpha Jet fighter aircraft, as well as attack helicopters have

resulted in the degradation of the terrorists ’ capabilities and destruction of some of their strong holds.

“Intelligence report revealed that as aftermath of the strike missions, the terrorists have been confined and their capabilities greatly reduced,

thereby restricting their nefarious activities to small scale attacks and suicide bombings.

“The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, assures all Nigerians that the air efforts would be sustained until the Boko Haram activities become a thing of the past.

“He further stated that, the Nigerian Air Force with their support is Willing, Able and Ready to meet up with current and future security challenges of the Nation ”, the DOPRI stated.

Meanwhile, a brave vigilante group member yesterday morning, thwarted an attempt by a suicide bomber to attack and wreak havoc at Rumirgo Market in Askira Uba Local Government Area of Borno State.

This was contained in a statement issued yesterday, by the Nigerian Army

Headquarters, AHQ, through its Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman.

The Army spokesman said that the suspected suicide bomber, heading to Rumirgo market was accosted by the vigilant and security conscious vigilante. In the process of interrogation, the suspected terrorist blew himself off and died on the spot.

The vigilante member sustained injuries and has been rushed to hospital for medical treatment by troops.

The situation is under control as people go about their normal businesses.

The Nigerian Troops have been placed on maximum alert to forestall further attack.

The Nigerian Army called on the public to continue to be more vigilant and security conscious.

Police nab woman, daughter for kidnapping 23 children RICHARD NDOM CALABAR

Body of Borno State Deputy Governor, Zannah Umar Mustapha, being taken for burial at Gwage Cemetery in Maiduguri, yesterday.

Tight security as new monarch is enthroned in Ikorodu

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ndigenes of Ikorodu, Lagos State, yesterday, celebrated the enthronement of Oba Kabiru Shotobi as the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, amidst heavy presence of security personnel.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that armoured personell carriers, officers of the Nigerian Police Force, Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN) and Onyaabo (a local security group), were seen positioned at different parts of the town.

Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Owoseni, was also seen at the Ayangburen ’s Palace, monitoring the security situation.

NAN reports that the town witnessed serious traffic gridlock following the barricade of some streets around the palace by the police.

Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, congratulated the monarch

and assured him of the state ’s support during his reign.

He prayed for continued peace, unity and progress for the indigenes of the town.

Also speaking, Comrade Ayodele Elesho, former Commissioner of Information in the state, said that the programme was not the coronation ceremony of the monarch, but to celebrate him.

Elesho, who acted as the Master of Ceremony, urged the people to disregard the information circulating around the town since Friday.

“The King was coronated on August 2, according to the tradition of the land. Talks about coronation today are belated because the Oba has already been coronated.

“Today is just to celebrate his coronation and installation of chieftaincy titles on befitting members of the community, ” he said.

The Imam of Isele Mosque, Ikorodu, Alhaji Rafiu Abiodun, said that due process was followed before Shotobi emerged as the monarch.

“Shotobi performed all the traditional rites, spent 90 days at Ipebi where he was groomed according to the tradition and culture of the land, ” he said.

Abiodun, who is also a member of the Coronation and Chieftaincy Committee, said that the monarch ’s reign would bring advancement to the community and Lagos State.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were Hon. Jimi Benson, representing Ikorodu Constituency at the Federal House of Representatives and Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, representing Ikorodu Constituency at the State Assembly.

Sen. Olorunibe Mamowora, Mr. Seye Ogunleye, former Head of Service and some traditional rulers were also in atten-

dance.

Shotobi is a descendant of the Lasunwon Ruling House of Adegorushen Compound, Ajina, Ikorodu.

NAN recalls that Justice Olabisi Ogungbesan of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja on Thursday ordered that the coronation of the new Ayangburen of Ikorodu be suspended.

In her ruling, she stopped Shotobi from either “presenting himself for coronation ” or “parading himself as the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, or actualising any recognition thereon as such or exercising any of the Ayangburen royal functions.

Ogungbesan gave the order pending the determination of a suit filed by one Odupitan Eniola, from the Lambo branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy family of Ikorodu Kingdom.

The Judge said that the order was “in the interest of justice. ”

P

olicemen from Mbukpa Police Station in Calabar, capital of Cross River State, have arrested a 55 year old mother and her daughter, 27, for allegedly kidnapping 23 little children.

The age of the hungrylooking children who were scantily-dressed is said to be between three to nine years old.

The kids, who as at the time of filling this report looked highly truamatised, sat on the bare floor at the police station with most of them still crying while some were looking sleepy.

Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey said the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Henry Fadairo, would formally speak on the matter later.

The two principal actors in the kidnapped incidence were picked up on Friday following tip off by the clan head of Efut Unwanse, His Royal Highness Muri Okon Etim Effiong, who alerted the police of this social malaise.

The monarch, who addressed journalists in his palace, said that: “The

landlord of the house at No. 30 Asuquo Abasi Street alerted me that one of his tenants, Miss Inameti Etuk, was camping unusually high number of children in her one room apartment under suspicious circumstances.

“When I got there and confirmed I had to alert the police who came and evacuated them to their station on Mbukpa Street Calabar, including the suspect as well as another elderly woman whom she claimed was her mother. ” The clan head maintained that the principal suspect, the mother, claimed that she was a general overseer of a church in Akwa Ibom State where she was about to move the innocent children to before the bubble burst.

Effiong explained that the woman, whose husband ’s name was given as Mr. Daniel Etuk, a native of Ukanafun Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, initially claimed that she had official permission from the Federal Government to run an orphanage ’, and that she collected the children in order to bring them up in Akwa Ibom State.

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News

Sunday, August 16, 2015

9

Bayelsa PDP chairman, Alaibe, others decamp to APC OSAHON JULIUS YENEGOA

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ome eminent members of the Peoples Democratic Party in Bayesla State yesterday defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in what was apparently a seismic moment in Bayesa politics.

The defectors included the PDP state chairman, Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd) and former chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Timi Alaibe National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, who received the defectors at a mass rally described the event as ‘an earthquake and a unique decampment, where a party is totally decapitated ’, Buoyed by a mammoth crowd of party faithful and supporters who thronged the Samson Siasia Stadium as early as 7a.m., the defectors, which also include two former acting governors - Nestor Binabo and Werinipre Sei-

barugu - Chief Alex Ekiotenne, a former Honorary Adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and former House of Representatives members, Hon. Stella Dorgu, all swore to sweep the incumbent governor out office in the upcoming December 5 gubernatorial race.

Other defectors are Senator John Brambaifa, Senator Clever Ikisipo, former House of Representatives members, Christopher Enai, Warman Ogoriba, Bonus Indiamaowei, Nelson Belief, Nadu Karibo, former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Gideon Ekeowe and former Deputy Speaker, Fini Angaye, who all jumped into the APC ship yesterday.

Former commissioners in the state such as Lionel Jonathan, Jonathan Omu, Charity Vedalago, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, Godknows Powell, Capt.

Matthew Karim (rtd), Topido Amananagha, Frank Oputu, were among the defectors.

Odigie-Oyegun, who

led members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of the party to Bayelsa, said the state was making history as this was the first time he was attending a decamp where a party was totally decapitated in one fell swoop.

He declared that with the quality of defectors including its state chairman, the PDP in Bayelsa State, under the leadership of Governor Seriake Dickson has been decapitated thus leaving the party empty.

“Who can you work without the head? Nobody.

The people in Bayelsa are making history for the South-South zone. The APC leaders in Bayelsa State are very loyal and fought gallantly against the false claim that ‘it is our own ’, ” he said.

“When they overcame such false campaign, their eyes opened and they saw recklessness, under performance and failure. It was only Edo that survived their onslaught. Can we allow ourselves to lose out? When we vote, we bring back Bayelsa to the mainstream of politics, ”

the APC leader added.

He said as the power house of the nation, Bayelsans cannot afford to stay in the opposition and be left out in the development of the nation, adding that with the recent decamping, the state and indeed the region will witness massive development.

He said it was a shame that Port Harcourt, which was supposed to be the oil capital of the country and the hub of the nation ’s economy, has no international airport, even in the six years of the administration of their own son, Jonathan Goodluck.

Odigie-Oyegun, while handing over the Broom symbol of the party to the defectors, said the APC is not a party for money sharing but “it is a party to give prosperity to all persons ”.

Leader of the State APC and former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, said his joy was full due to the fact that the return of the defectors to the APC has reunited brothers and sisters.

“Today, APC is complete. We have had too much division and the division was created by parochial people. As we come together, we have seen enough of division. ” He said the rally marked

the death and end of PDP in the state, calling on party faithful to come and witness the final burial of the state PDP on December 5, and attend the victory party on Valentine ’s Day, February 14, 2016.

2015 elections: Nigerians were tired of failed PDP –Bamanga Tukur A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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ormer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, at the weekend said the emergence of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the centre in the 2015 general elections was Nigerians ’ desire for an alternative to a failed party.

Tukur also blamed the PDP ’s woes on lack of internal democracy, adding that certain people in the party did not want him to practise internal democracy that he was preaching.

According to Tukur, “Democracy is government of the people by the people, for the people, so, if the PDP fails to deliver on its promises, people

will go to the alternative.

“Change is always good, provided it is going to bring better alternative. ” The former PDP leader stated this while featuring in a Kaduna-based Liberty Radio programme, Guest of the Week.

He noted that the APC, by making all the elements relevant and allowing the people choose their leaders through elections allow the democratic system to prevail in the interest of all.

Speaking on his ordeal that forced him out as National Chairman of the party, Tukur said: “Jonathan did not insist I leave the party, there are people in PDP who felt I should not practise what I preached because discipline is very important.

10

Interview

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWS MAKER AUGUST 16, 2015

Same sex marriage debate is about politics –Bishop Okonkwo How do you feel achieving the biblical three scores and 10 years next month?

In terms of feelings, I would say that I feel happy and excited that by the grace of God I have been able to get this far, I am indeed grateful to God. What is the secret of your youthful look, you do not look like a 70-year-old?

A lot of people attribute good health and looks to exercise. They say you need to watch what you eat and the stuff, but to be honest with you, I would attribute mine to God being on my side. Yes, I do exercise, but I don ’t exercise like one preparing for the Olympics. What I do mostly, especially now, is to play table tennis; I like to swim, but I am not too sure of the swimming pools in this country and I don ’t have one. As for food, I eat everything, I eat red meat and carbohydrates, I am not saying that dieting is not good, but for me, it ’s just the grace of God. In the days past, parents encouraged their children to be doctors, lawyers etc, what was the reaction of your parents when you decided to be a minister of the gospel?

They virtually almost denied me; they did not understand why I left my banking job for the ministry. As a banker, I was comfortable and had a bright future in the then African Continental Bank. So, here was I telling them I had the calling of God and to worsen it all, of all places, a Pentecostal church which to them is Aladura. So they say if you want to answer the call of God, you should answer it in Anglican or Catholic church. They did a lot just for them to get at me or divert my attention but I was resolute, my mind is made up and nothing could change it. So for another four years I refused to have contact with them so that no one would distract my attention. But I am glad to let you know that before my father died as the ministry started growing, he was able to see that it is really destined from God. What was your wife ’s role in of all this?

Wonderful role, I cannot thank God enough for the type of wife he has given me but I always asked myself that if God didn ’t give her to me, I don ’t think I would have been able to achieve this much over the years. Because with the type of assignment we have as ministers of the gospel, two things we must tell ourselves and understand is that we are not only husband to our wife but

Bishop Mike Okonkwo is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission, TREM. The cleric, who will turn 70 next month, speaks about his ministry, same sex marriage, anti-corruption war and challenges of serving in God ’s vineyard, among others in this interview with SAIDAT ALAUSA. Excerpts:

Okonkwo

husband to every person as a woman in your church. You are also father to every person. If you have a wife that does not understand this fact and is possessive, it could destroy your work and as for me, I don ’t know how I would have been able to survive. If every day we are fighting at home and with the huge responsibility I have, there is no way I would have been able to survive but I thank God I have an understanding wife.

At what point did you meet your wife and how were you able to choose her?

My wife and I were in the same church though she came to the church before me. When I saw her I loved everything about her but I did not have the courage to talk to her. Ordinarily, I am a shy person, it is only on the pulpit that I am strong. The only way I can express it is by attacking her most of the time and she

always attacked me back too. Later I saw that she was attached to my elder sister so I told my sister that I like her and I would love to marry her. That was how she agreed to marry me. That was before I answered the call, I was still working in a bank. I was going to church, committed but after we had agreed we were going to marry, I now answered the call and then people started telling her that if she married me she would go hungry.

Could you share some of your experiences before your call, that can be a lesson to the younger ones?

Before my call, I lived all my life in Lagos, my father came here a long time ago. We actually moved down to Lagos when I was around five years old. We were living at Apapa and I was schooling at Baptist Primary School. I was also at Mayflower, Ikenne, under Dr Tai Solarin; I was there for two years before I changed my school, to a school at Ogba, in the East close to Onitsha and that was where I graduated in 1963.

You said you lived all your life in Lagos, how do you cope during the Nigerian civil war?

You know I told you I was working in a bank, but as the war intensified I had to ask for transfer because people were afraid that they were not safe in the Western Region and I was transferred to Onitsha. As it continued, they were now recruiting people by force into the army and they came to the bank but I was not picked because luckily for me I went to buy cigarettes because I smoked a lot then. My brother and I later went voluntarily because we thought they might capture us if we didn ’t go. We were trained for three months and throughout these months we never fired one shot, they never gave us any gun to use, they were just teaching us theory.

One day they just came and said they were moving us to the military headquarters and a lot of ideas were coming to our heads and in the night they were distributing guns to everyone and I told my brother not to take and he asked me what we are going to do and I told him to watch. Later, we went back towards the gate we came in from and we told the guard at the gate that we wanted to go and help pick a luggage forgotten by one of the officers when he left in the camp and surprisingly he agreed and immediately we got out, we ran into the bush.

To cut the long story short, the next morning it was ‘One Nigeria ’, the war ended. Those that were sent to the warfront that night were all killed. Looking back, I now know that God kept me because of the assignment he had for me.

Because as the war ended people went to what they wanted, smoking, drinking, womanising and others but I was able to CONTINUED ON PAGE 55

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

11

Politics PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES AUGUST 16, 2015

Senate: Intrigues, politics of pay cuts P 12 & 53

P 13

I THINK MY BECOMING PRESIDENT WAS GOOD FOR NIGERIA. IT WAS ONE OF THE GREAT STRIDES THAT NIGERIA MADE –FORMER PRESIDENT, CHIEF OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

NNPC: Buhari begins cleansing of Augean stables

Buhari

AYO ESAN

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resident Muhammadu Buhari ’s war against corruption and the cleansing of the rotten system in Nigeria has begun with the planned cleansing of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company, NNPC. His choice of the NNPC as the first port of call might have been necessitated by the scale of the rot in the oil sector.

Part of the corruption of the NNPC was revealed by the Natural Resource

Buhari ’s probe of Jonathan ’s administration in order –Sheba

Kachikwu

Governance Institute, NRGI, which said the NNPC failed to remit a total sum of $12.3 billion (N2.5 trillion) crude oil proceeds into the Federation Account over a period of 10 years.

NRGI, an international independent body that monitors the oil and gas sector globally, in a report entitled: “Inside NNPC Oil Sales: A Case for Reform in Nigeria, ” said NNPC did not forward any revenue from the sales of Okono crude oil between 2005 and 2014.

According to the report, the sales totaled over 100 million barrels with an es-

timated value of $12.3 billion.

“In other words, the corporation has provided no public accounting of how it used a decade ’s worth of revenues from an entire stream of the country ’s oil production, ” the report said.

President Buhari kicked off the long awaited cleansing of the Augean stables of the NNPC with the sack of its Group Managing Director, Dr. Joseph Dawha and the appointment in his place of Dr Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Briefly Group commends President for war against corruption

A

non-partisan pressure group, Centre for Righteous Living, CRIL, hascommended President Muhammadu Buhari and the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo on their moves to rid Nigeria from corrupt practices.Leader of the group, Rev. Solomon Adegbolagun, particularly commended the new administration on the moves to unearth the dirty deeds ofcorrupt public officers under the previous administration.

In a release made available by the organisation, Adegbolagun said, “The President deserves a pat on the back for his determination to expose and reduce corruption in public places across the nation. ” He stated further that looking into the steps already taken by thePresident and his team, one can boldly commend the administration.

“With what is presently going on, very soon, the government ’s stepswill be yielding positive results, ” he hoped.

According to Adegbolagun, “Some of such noticeable government ’sefforts include its move to look into the activities of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the President ’s warning topublic officers to answer all queries within a month, and his modest approach to governance. The President is advised to ensure thatgovernment functionaries are more prudent in the management of the nation ’s resources. ” The group also commends Buhari for his actions to stem the raging tideof Boko Haram through his visits and collaboration with neighbouring countries to join forces with his government to eliminate thereligious terrorists. “We also believe the President deserves commendation for his rejection of same sex marriage as feared by manyNigerians over his state visit to the United States of America. By this, he has shown and proved Nigeria as a religious nation with fearof God. ” The release stated further that the new government in Lagos Stateshould remember its electoral promises.

“We want to call on Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, notto forget his electoral promises to the people of the state to make Lagos more progressive and build on the legacies of his predecessor,Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN. We also want to call on Christian leaders in the state to strengthen the governor in their prayers and supportto ensure that he achieved his lofty goals for Lagos State, ”Adegbolagun said.

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Politics

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Senate: Intrigues, politic Recent moves to cut the earnings of members of the red chamber of the National Assembly and subject same to public scrutiny has sparked off division and bad blood among the lawmakers, GEORGE OJI writes.

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ollowing the persistent decline in the national resources of the country, there has been growing agitations by Nigerians for members of the National Assembly to commit to the cut of their wages, which is generally perceived to be out of tune with the economic realities in Nigeria. The reduction of the salaries of the lawmakers is seen as one of the ways of cutting down on the cost of governance in the country.

During the tenure of the past President Goodluck Jonathan ’s administration, the President committed to the cut of his salaries and those of members of the then Federal Executive Committee (FEC) to the ratio of 30 percent.

On the part of the National Assembly, members of the 7th parliament were able to cut the budget of the National Assembly from N150 billion to N120 billion in the current 2015 budget allocation.

But as the nation ’s resources continue to dwindle, there has been growing agitation for members of the National Assembly to make more sacrifices by further slashing down their salaries and allowances.

The agitation was further fueled by the misinformed report in many national dailies sometime in April this year that the salaries and allowances of the lawmakers were off the roof tops.

For instance the report stated that the wardrobe allowance of members of the National Assembly was put to about N9

billion.

With the election of General Muhammadu Buhari as the President of the country under the change mantra, Nigerians began to call for more sacrifices by elected officials as part of that change initiative.

Already, President Buhari and the Vice President, Yemi Osibanjo have committed to slashing their salaries by 50.

This development has further put pressure on members of the National Assembly to take steps to do same.

It was following this development that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki set up an ad hoc committee of the senate last month to look at the finances of the lawmakers with a view to making recommendations on either cutting the figures or indeed exposing the amount to public scrutiny.

The ad hoc committee, which was headed by Senator James Manager (Delta North) tuned in its report to the senate last week. It was reported that the committee had very tough sessions during its work because of the controversial nature of the issue at stake. For instance, while some of the committee members were of the view that the finances of the lawmakers should be made open to the Nigerian public to see, others were of the view that doing so would amount to exposing the lawmakers to grave danger.

Even the issue of cutting or not reducing the pay packages of the lawmakers

attracted no mean reactions from members of the committee. Notwithstanding their differences, the committee was able to put together a report, which it submitted to the senate. The position of the committee was that the issue should be decided by the entire senators themselves.

So, expectedly, when the report of the ad hoc committee was brought forward for debate last Wednesday, it generated even more controversies. Apparently sensing that the issue would lead to the flaring of emotions, the Senate President decided that the matter should be discussed in an executive or closed-door session.

After over two hours of deliberations, the lawmakers could not come to a compromise on the issue, thus compelling them to put off further actions on the matter to a later date. Senate President while reporting the outcome of the closed-door deliberations on the matter during plenary, stated that the report of the committee, which was said to have recommended pay cuts and transparency on the lawmakers ’ earnings should be stood down for further inputs.

“The senate in the closed door session deliberated on the report of the ad hoc committee on finance of the senate and agreed to step it down for further legislative input, ” Saraki said.

But it was gathered that most of the senators rejected the move to cut down

Sara aki

their earnings. This was also as the majority of the senators rejected the recommendations to make their earnings public. The argument of the senators in this mould was that the senate had already committed to the reduction of their budget from the usual annual N150 billion to N120 billion. According to them, the loss of N30 billion was enough contribution and commitment from their overall earnings.

To them, to be subjected to further cut in their remunerations would make it difficult, if not impossible for them to meet their personal and constituency financial commitments.

“Our budget was N150 billion. It has already

‘Buhari begins cleansing of A CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

Kachikwu, who assumed duty as the Chief Executive of the Corporation penultimate week was until his appointment, the Executive Vice Chairman and General Counsel of Exxon Mobil (Africa).

The NNPC ’s new helmsman on assumption of office pledged to work assiduously in achieving the president ’s growth aspiration for the oil and gas industry.

The sack of Dawha and the appointment of Kachikwu may not have come to many as a surprise because President Buhari had promised to beam his searchlight on the NNPC, which has a reputation for high level of corruption and gross mismanagement.

Indeed, Buhari, before his inauguration as the President, promised to carry out an overhaul of the corporation ’s activities, just as he promised to bring all culprits to book.

The appointment of Kachikwu, an oil industry corporate player and Havardtrained lawyer, many believe will help drive the anticipated Change Team that would midwife the new government ’s vision of clearing the rot in the Federal Government owned oil company.

THE SACK OF DAWHA AND THE APPOINTMENT OF KACHIKWU MAY NOT HAVE COME TO MANY AS A SURPRISE BECAUSE PRESIDENT BUHARI HAD PROMISED TO BEAM HIS SEARCHLIGHT ON THE NNPC

Following this was the sack of all eight group executive directors of the NNPC .

“The affected group executive directors are Mr. Bernard Otti, GED, Finance and Accounts; Dr. Timothy Okon, acting GED, Exploration and Production, who also doubled as the Coordinator, Corporate Planning & Strategy; Mr. Adebayo Ibirogba, Engineering and Technology; Dr. David Ige, Gas and Power; Ms. Aisha Abdurrahman, Commercial and Investment; Dr. Dan Efebo, Corporate Services; Mr. Ian Udoh, Refining & Petrochemicals; and Dr. Attahiru Yusuf, Business Development. ”

Many believer in Buhari ’ anti –corruption policy hailed the new appointment and sacking of the Executive Directors as they see the development as a major step in the fight against corruption.

The corporation under Kachikwu has also said that in a bid to restructure to a lean, efficient and business-focused organisation, the management had approved and commenced the retirement of 38 senior managers.

The statement explained that the downsizing of staff, which saw the exit of all senior managers billed to retire from now to December, 2016, was de-

Aliso on-M Mad duik ke

signed to reduce cost.

“The exercise, apart from refocusing the corporation in the direction of a leaner and more efficient organisation, has enormous cost-saving benefits, ’ ’ it said.

It listed the new general managers as Mr

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Politics

Sunday, August 16, 2015

‘Buhari ’s probe of Jonathan ’s administration in order ’ A former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abayomi Sheba, has described President Muhammadu Buhari ’s decision to probe the administration of his predecessor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, as a right step in the right direction, urging Nigerians not to misconstrue the intention of the President which he said was designed to promote probity and accountability in governance. Ayo Esan was there. Excerpts: As a member of the Federal Character Commission, what is your reaction to appointments made so far by President Muhammadu Buhari because some people felt the appointments were lopsided in favour of a section of the country?

So far, the President has acted well as an experienced administrator by going for the best hands. The appointments of Service Chiefs was purely based on merit. It was devoid of political considerations and ethnic or primordial cleavages. He has not acted contrary to the laws of the land because, less than five per cent of the available appointments have been filled. Even as it is, there is no geo-political zone that is not represented.

By the time all the appointments are made , no state in the federation will be left without representation.

But don ’t you think the President has breached provisions of the law on appointments made so far?

Not yet because appointment into all the available vacancies in the present administration has not been concluded.

Section 14(3) of the 1999 Constitution as amended states that “The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few states or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies ”. This section was amplified by the provisions in Part 1 (C) of the Third Schedule of the 1999 Constitution as amended and made justiceable by the Federal Character Commission (Establishment, etc.) Act Cap F7 LFN 2004.

The SGF, Chief of Staff, Ministers, Executive Directors, Board members, etc. are yet to be appointed. Consequently, it will be preposterous to draw any conclusion now.

How can the fears of the people be allayed that the President has not shown bias in his action regarding appointment?

The fears of our people can only be allayed by the President through strict adherence to the letters of the 1999 Constitution as amended and all the extant rules and laws that govern appointment to public office in Nigeria. As I said earlier, the President is not a novice, he knows the law and I am sure he will apply it as it is and not as it ought to be.

13

do and that is legislating for good governance and the wellbeing of Nigerians.

What is your reaction to the President ’s failure to constitute his cabinet more than two months after assuming office?

The President has not breached any law on this. I am sure that he ’s taking his time to have a full grasp of what is on ground before assigning roles to people. When Presdent Barack Obama was first elected, it took him almost seven months before appointing his cabinet. Ditto President Umaru Yar ’Adua in 2007 appointed his ministers almost three months after inauguration. It is better to understand fully what ’s on ground before constituting the cabinet than coming in with wrong people. In any case, the President has promised to do this in September. Let ’s wait for him.

Nigeria this time around deserves the best.

The President has declared his intention to probe the immediate past administration of Goodluck Jonathan, what is your take on this?

If we must reckon with what we are reading about the last administration on the social media, I think the era must be probed. How would ministers be stealing over one million barrels of crude oil per day? If it ’s true, it ’s scandalous and cruel. The probe should however be targeted at recovery of our stolen wealth and patrimony. Culprits should be punished according to the laws of the land to serve as deterrent to others.

Salaries and allowances of the nation ’s lawmakers have been described as outrageous, with some people suggesting a big slash, what is your opinion on this?

On salaries of NASS members, sincerely nothing is wrong or outrageous with the salaries as proposed by RMFAC. The problem is the bogus allowances injected when preparing the budget. This must be discouraged by this administration. Nigeria must rise again, because change has come.

She eba

WE MUST BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE HOLES AND LEAKAGES IN THE SYSTEM AND PLUG THEM. WHILE I URGE THE PRESIDENT TO

REWARD HARD WORK, INDUSTRY AND GOOD

BEHAVIOUR, SANCTIONS MUST BE METED OUT FOR ANY ACT OF IMPUNITY AND ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOUR How can the present crisis rocking the National Assembly be amicably resolved?

My appeal to the principal actors and all the dramatis personae in the National Assembly imbroglio is for them to toe the path of constitutionality and respect the supremacy of the political parties that sponsored them. There is no provision yet in our constitution for independent candidacy. Hence the parties must be respected as it ’s the norm in advanced democracies. Take for instance in South Africa, Thabo Mbeki

was asked to step down as president by his party, the ANC, and he complied.

Parties should be strengthened so that they can maintain discipline.

The time to work hard is now. They must forget all the bickering and move on with the job they are elected to do. To whom much is given, much is expected.

There is so much to be done. We need laws to tackle corruption, insecurity, kidnapping , armed robbery , banditry, etc. The electorate are tired of the infighting in the House. They should get back to the business they are elected to

What is your advice to the President with regard to the issue of corruption, how can it be nipped in the bud?

We must be able to identify the holes and leakages in the system and plug them. While I urge the President to reward hard work, industry and good behaviour, sanctions must be meted out for any act of impunity and antisocial behaviour. We must also strengthen all the anti-corruption agencies in the land, and review outdated anti-corruption laws.

The recent bailout to states by the Federal Government has been attracting mixed reactions, what is your comment on this?

It ’s a right step in the right direction.

Kudos to Mr President. Even Greece was given a lifeline recently by the European Union. Nothing is wrong with that. But it ’s important that states must make judicious use of the money and it must not be diverted. It must be used for the purpose for which it was granted.

States must also diversify their Internally Generated Revenue mechanism so that they would not always go cap in hand to the Federal Government.

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Opinion

Sunday August 16, 2015

Uncensored U nc

Sheriff S Folarin

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

T

he flashpoints in the inaugural speech of President Muhammadu Buhari following his swearing in on May 29, included national security, the power sector, corruption, intergovernmental relations, democratic culture and rule of law, unemployment, amnesty programme and probe. The security issue topped his agenda and the good part was the command centre or defence headquarters will now be moving to Maiduguri in Borno State to face Boko Haram headlong. For years, the military generals had been enjoying the warmth and covering of Abuja while the boys had been out in the cold with inferior weapons and defence instruments, battling a more vicious, more inspired and better armed Boko Haram terrorists. The coordination had been poor, incentives critical and on top of all that the boys had been summarily arrested, tried, dismissed or sentenced to death in some cases for what the superiors termed poor marksmanship or undisciplined conduct. These had led to low morale and eventual serial losses of arms and territories to the enemy. It was only on the eve of elections that the Federal Government and the service chiefs had deemed it fit to seek alternative sources of war implements, acquire better weapons and defeat Boko Haram.

The Boko Haram crisis was brilliantly described as “small fires causing large fires” with the understanding of the factors in these large fires as “the official bungling, negligence, complacency, or collusion” of those who should have taken care of the situation. There cannot be a better measure than the plan to establish a post-crisis sociological study to determine

Safety Tips with

Jonas Agwu

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

JONAS AGWU

I

love my barber but I love his saloon situated somewhere in Wuse Two at the heart of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory more. For over ten years he has crafted my hair mostly on Saturdays to make me look good. Even when I am posted out of the Federal Capital Territory, he religiously monitors my newly found barber because of the unique contour of my head which only the Almighty God can explain because the contour takes after Him. Unlike women who spend time at the saloon discussing fashion, we men spend time at the saloon discussing mostly football and national issues or politics. Saturday last week remains no different but captures its uniqueness in providing the material for this week piece. It was at the saloon that the idea for this piece was birthed. I had gone there in my usual routine to have Chike my barber at KAX salon beautify my head for the week.

On my arrival on this faithful day, I was stunned at the topic for the day. Instead of the usual politics and football, road safety was the menu. In order to have a feel of what some saintly Nigerians think of our driving behavior, I choose not to disclose my identity but to just

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An analysis of President Buhari’s agenda the origins, causes, sponsors and international connections- an assertion that will certainly have gotten some VIP masquerades behind the insurgency and some immediate and distant neighbouring countries’ leaders to start sweating in their air-conditioned offices or peeing in their pants.

While it is commendable that the Buhari administration has conceived of a holistic table and solution blueprint to the gargantuan security situation- having included other critical areas of national concern, such as kidnappings, armed robberies, cattle rustlings and Fulani herdsmen and farmers’ violent face-offs in Plateau, Nassarawa, Benue and other places; the impracticable aspect that should have not been mentioned is the promise to rescue the Chibok girls. Buhari is a retired General and should therefore know better that women captured in war situation are considered as spoils of warraped, married off, taken far away to distant lands, or even killed. And in a situation in which hundreds of girls and women are captured and kept in a vulnerable hideout as Sambisa seems to have now been, such “spoils” are either taken further away or summarily murdered. The plan to “rescue” the ladies is therefore a political tonic to warm his administration to the hearts of the Borno locals and that of the international community’s. He should have been realistic or pragmatic in that regard; at best, he should have been silent on it, as people will quote him later and use that promise against him if he fails to deliver the girls.

While condemning corruption and promising to rout it in his trademark style, he limited the blueprint to the leakages and hangers-on that often line up along the political expressway between the federal, states and local governments for cuts in allocations as well as other critical national resources. The Buhari administration will deal with the issue of providing proper accountability in the disbursement, management and spending of allocations from the Federation Account. In this regard, the three tiers of government would have to identify their places in political and fiscal federalism so as to allow

for proper and effective governance. Based on Buhari’s pedigree of incorruptibility in public administration, one would have expected a declaration of a state of emergency on corruption and a possible hint on the re-enactment of war against moral, political and financial indiscipline. This might come later, but being his trademark, it was expected that he harped on it from the outset. His expectation that the judiciary under their dispensation would have to deal with corruption cases expeditiously however, sounded gratifying.

The speech also hinted on clarification and unambiguous constitutional delineations of the powers of the three organs of government, in which Buhari tasked the legislature and judicial arms to keep faith with their constitutional roles, while also promising to ensure an outplay of cooperation and understanding between the executive and the other arms and no interference from him or the executive in the performance of the other bodies. This sounded very nice too, and qualifies Buhari to be called a true democrat “born against” military dictatorship.

Buhari was critical of the odious state of the power sector, disclosing that the country had been able to generate only about 4,000 megawatts and could only distribute about 2,000 as at last Friday, May 29. But he only assured that a careful scientific study of the situation was already on, that would provide the recipes for settling that power problem once and for all. On education, medicare and infrastructure, Buhari had one sentence for each of them, vowing to look into them with the view to overhauling them. He gave the panacea to unemployment as revival of agriculture, solid minerals mining and strengthening small and medium scale enterprises, which will provide lots of job opportunities to the youths. On amnesty for Niger Delta ex-militants, what can be deduced is that once it ends in December, that will be so much for it, as only the projects will continue to enjoy “heavy” investments. On foreign policy, Buhari seemed not sure yet what this would be as he only simplistically and uncritically mentioned that Nigeria would play any leadership role expected

of it in Africa and beyond. This did not show an understanding of the wasteful and unnecessary “leadership” roles the country had played in the distant and immediate past, while maintaining silence on what Nigeria could do in the face of sliding oil prices, global climate change and general regional security. The President has to go back to the drawing board and bring in seasoned diplomats and foreign policy architects/ scholars to review Nigeria’s foreign policy and chart a more cohesive Nigeria-centric foreign policy with an eye for leadership on the continent.

Buhari seemed to have made himself clear on probing or what many had feared as impending retribution against his old detractors and past thieves in government houses. He had once said he could not change the past; this was reiterated last Friday when he said: “a few people have privately voiced fears that...I shall go after them…There will be no paying off old scores.

The past is prologue”. This was heartwarming to the “guilty” that had always sought Buhari’s loss in his previous elections. The way the declaration was made also placed Buhari in the class of mature, focused and magnanimous statesmen, who will not allow the huge demands of good governance be undermined by petty brickbats and victimization, for which many past rulers are known.

The most compellingly interesting and probably controversial submission was Buhari’s quotable quote: “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody”. Looking at it from the angle of the preceding sentence, “Having just…sworn on the Holy Book, I intend to keep my oath and serve as President to all Nigerians”, one may see the statement as harmless and reference to the fact that as President under oath he is committed to all ethnic, religious and interest groups, and not to any particular group.

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

Madmen on the wheels listen to this seven feet client who spent over an hour lamenting at what he described as the madness on our highways. In his fit of anger, he said it is obvious that madness is the order of the day while driving on Nigerian roads. He submitted that there was indeed a funny irony as those who chose to drive sanely are actually seen as mad while the real madmen are hailed as heroes for their guts in exhibiting grass irresponsibility and disrespect for the rules that govern civil driving. This young man cited several cases when this madness is displayed.

The most common in cities such as Lagos and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory is at traffic lights. According to him, every time, he stops at a traffic light point as indicated by the red light, uncountable number of vehicles blare their horns for him to give way .

He wondered why this level of impunity is displayed when there is a Revised Highway Code which for instance says you must give way to vehicles on your right at a roundabout and stop at a traffic light point when the red light comes on. He also lamented on people who indulge in using their phones while driving and even the rate at which people speed even when they have the whole family with them in the car.

His concern prompted me to do this piece.

When I set out to do this piece I was torn between the topic, “saints and sinners and madman as drivers”, I settled for the latter because of the need to reflect the thoughts of my good friend at the saloon hoping that my view would change the attitude of some people who by their actions on the wheels naturally tag them as madmen on the wheels. This is not my first piece on this. I recall a piece I did sometime in 2014 titled learners or lunatics who in my view

rank as the first within this group. In that piece I tried to paint the picture of the nuisance learners constitute daily on our roads. In that piece, I wrote thus....if you want to know what I mean by the good and the bad, let me first state that from our observations, the good guys represent the learner-drivers who are not ashamed to be tagged, learners and such body display the “L” sign as mandated by law.

The bad guys on the other hand represent learners that refuse to display the “L” out of ego and pride and even when they do, they willingly flout all the rules that guide learners. Specifically, the National Road Traffic Regulations 2004 mandates all learner drivers to observe the following rules: attend a certified and approved driving school as prerequisite to obtaining a fresh drivers licence. In the course of this coaching the learner driver must display an ‘L’-plate, which is a square plate bearing a sans-serif letter ‘L’ for learner, which must be affixed to the front and back of a vehicle in many countries if the driver is a learner under instruction or a motor cycle rider with provisional entitlement to ride restricted motorcycles.

What this means is that this rule is a universal convention with slight variations from country to country. In the case of Nigeria, section 27, subsections 1-3 of the National Road Traffic Regulations earlier cited spells out the details as applicable to learner drivers. For the purse of this piece, let me stress here that besides displaying an ‘L’ sign, a learner driver when issued a learners permit, must be accompanied by a licensed driver-instructor sitting beside him to drive a vehicle or type stated in the permit from a period not exceeding three months from the date of issue on the highway

specified in the permit.

Besides, the permit in itself forbids the learner from carrying any person no matter the level of affiliation except the instructor. In addition, the learner-driver must at all times comply with relevant traffic rules and regulations. Unfortunately, these provisions are daily abused by learner-drivers who no doubt display the ‘L’ sign yet disregard the other provisions meant for their safety and the safety of others.

The highflying learners on their own don’t even display the ‘L’ sign and arrogantly violate all other provisions. It is even strange that motorists expose themselves to unnecessary risks by offering to drive in such vehicles.

It is also strange that women by our findings in the course of patrols rank among the greatest offenders when it comes to infractions that have to do with learner-drivers.

It is very common to see women who are learner-drivers on Sundays and during school runs flout all safety precautions by carrying children in such vehicles and even doing the same their way to worship centers. I must emphasize at this point that the rationale behind the Federal Road Safety Corps driving school standardization programme which makes it mandatory for fresh applicants to attend a certified and approved driving school, to nurture a fresh generation of drivers who will drive by the rules and help the national projection of a zero level for road traffic.

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

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15

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Man in the News Prof Itse Sagay

Chosen to walk the talk AYO ESAN

R

enowned constitutional lawyer, human rights activist and Professor of Law, Itsejuwa Esanjumi Sagay popularly known as Itse Sagay was last Monday appointed to head a seven-member Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption.

The appointment, which was made by President Muhammadu Buhari was announced by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina.

The committee ’s brief is to advise the present administration on the prosecution of the war against corruption and the implementation of required reforms in Nigeria ’s criminal justice system.

The committee, which is expected to develop comprehensive interventions for achieving recommended reforms also, has Prof. Femi Odekunle, a Professor of Criminology, Ahmadu Bello University as member.

Other members of the committee are Dr. (Mrs.) Benedicta Daudu, an Associate Professor of International Law, University of Jos; Prof. Etanibi Alemika, a Professor of Sociology, University of Jos; Prof. Sadiq Radda, a Professor of Criminology, Bayero University, Kano and Hadiza Bala Usman, a civil society activist.

In support of the Federal Government ’s efforts, an Anti-Corruption and Criminal Justice Reform Fund has been established by three international development partners namely the Ford Foundation, MacArthur Foundation and Open Society Foundation.

The $5m fund is to assist government in the implementation of key components of the Action Plan and the work of the Presidential Advisory Committee.

The fund will be managed by Trust Africa, an international development civil society organisation with programme presence in more than 25 African countries.

Responding to his appointment, Sagay has expressed the determination of the committee members to do their work diligently and be responsible to the Nigerian people.

He also said it was important for all Nigerians to support the Buhari administration in confronting corruption.

“All of us have a responsibility to assist this government to fight corruption which is the greatest scourge confronting this country today. But one thing I can tell you is that we are very committed. We are extremely committed to the Nigerian people in combating the scourge of corruption, ” he said.

On the allegation that his appointment was a compensation for his sup-

port and subtle campaign for Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the last general elections, Sagay said he was not bothered by such criticism as those peddling them are the same people the anti-graft institutions are preventing from crippling the country.

“Nothing surprises me. Those who are making the criticism are low-minded people. I don ’t bother myself about them.

These are people one has to rise above.

These are people whom institutions are being set up to curtail their activities.

These are people with no integrity. They are low-minded with no moral integrity.

“Some people will not do anything to better the society. They lack patriotism.

I am not surprised about their criticism at all. They are always concerned about themselves; self, self, self. I have no time for them, ” he said.

Sagay has always let everyone know that his allegiance is to the people and he has not been apologetic about that. Another attitude of his is his availability as no occasion is too condescending for him

to attend, especially when such an occasion is to address the cause of the rights of the people.

He is a man that has aligned himself to the cause of the masses of the people and this seems to have been with him since his early years An intellectual, Sagay studied law at the then University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and graduated in 1965. He went to Cambridge University for his LL.B exams. He came back in 1970 with a Ph.D in International Law of the university and went straight to teach in his alma mater, Unife. He also taught at the University of Benin between 1982 and 1996. While the University of Ife conferred him with the Professor of Law in 1979, he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) in 1998.

He has written several books in the field of law and now he is the Managing Partner of Itse Sagay & Co., Legal Practitioners and Consultants, based in Lagos.

Sagay lectured at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs as part of

the institute ’s lecture series (23/11/78 & 15/10/85); President, Nigerian Association of Law Teachers 1978-1979 and 1985-86; Member, Governing Board of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (1978-1984); Member, Nigerian Council of Legal Education (1979-1981 & 1984-1987); Consultant to the Oyo State Law Review Commission (1980); Appointed Law Reviewer by the Nigerian Law Reform Commission, specifically assigned to review, bring up to date, and streamline all laws of the Federation of Nigeria for the years 1967 and 1968 (1981); Member, Planning Committee, Bendel State University, Ekpoma (1982); Chairman, Committee for the preparation of a programme for the establishment of the College of Legal Studies, Bendel State University, Ekpoma (1982) and was commissioned by the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid to write a paper entitled, ‘State Terrorism in South Africa ’ as part of its working documents for a special seminar held in Lagos, Nigeria, from the 13th to the 16th of August 1984, on the theme, ‘The Legal Status of the Apartheid Regime in South Africa and Other Legal Aspects of the Struggle Against Apartheid ’. The paper is now an official document of the United Nations (1984).

He was the United Nations Consultant on Namibia, Colonialism, and Racial Discrimination (1984).

Sagay was invited by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs as a Distinguished Scholar to deliver the first of two special lectures in commemoration of the fortieth anniversary of the establishment of the United Nations Organisation on August 27, 1985, entitled: “Forty Years of the United Nations Organisation: Building a Better World for Mankind ” (1985) He was appointed Consultant for the Revision of Nigerian Mineral Law, by the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources. (1993); Counsel to Nigeria in the Cameroon/ Nigeria Boundary Case, before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) 1994; Appointed Member, Board of Trustees and Governing Board, Negotiation and Conflict Management Group (NCMG), Nigeria, 1996-2010 and Consultant to USAID and the Office of Transition Initiative, on Democratic Governance, 1998-2000.

He was also a member of the Delta State Think-Tank on Development, 1999-2007; Governing Council, Delta State University, 1999-2007; Member, Delta State Law Revision Committee, 2005 to date and Member, National Political Reform Conference, representing Delta State, February-July 2005.

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16

Wellness YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES August 16, 2015

Benets of exclusive breastfeeding TITILOPE MORAKINYO

T

he put into practice of exclusive breastfeeding has been less than optimal in various developing countries including Nigeria. More than a greater percentage of Nigerian infants are fed complimentary foods at an early stage, which are often of a poor nutritional value. In most African countries, complementary foods were introduced by 46.4 per cent of the mothers studied, before the child was one month old. Often times, these practices are as a result of traditional and modern perceptions of breastfeeding and its benefits, some of which are not based on scientific evidence.

Reduced infant and young child feeding practices have been recognized as a major contributor to the lofty burden of childhood mortality in many countries. Early childhood morbidity and mortality in several sub-Saharan African countries have been unacceptably high, as a result of poor socio-economic conditions, low quality of child health services, and low level of maternal education and inadequate dietary intake.

Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as an infant ’s consumption of human milk with no supplementation of any type such as water, juice, nonhuman milk and no food except for vitamins, minerals and medications. It has reduced infant deaths by tumbling diarrhea and infectious diseases also HIV transmission from mother to child, compared to mix feeding.

According to UNICEF on a studies cited, it was revealed that babies naturally follow a process which leads to a first breastfeed. Initially after birth the baby cries with its first breaths. Shortly after, it relaxes and makes small movements of the arms, shoulders and head. The baby crawls towards the breast and begins to feed. After feeding, it is normal for a baby to remain latched to the breast while resting. This is sometimes mistaken for lack of appetite. However, rushing or interrupting the process, such as removing the baby to weigh him/her, bathing, needle-sticks and eye prophylaxis may complicate sub-

Breastfeading mother

sequent feeding and it is advisable to wait until after the first feeding.

In an interview with Sunday Mirror, a medical practitioner with Advent Hospital, Gbagada , Lagos, Dr Tony Adekunle explains on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding according to him, he said “Breastfeeding remains the best option for infants in the first six months, It is a natural cost-effective and evidenced-based nutritional activity that promotes the optimal wellbeing and survival of infants. Breast milk contains antibodies and essential nutrients, necessary for the promotion of health and adequate development of infants. It also protects babies from several morbidities in infancy and early childhood including acute respiratory infections, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal conditions ”.

The doctor added that, a greater number of babies could be saved globally per year through exclusive breastfeeding as it decreases the risk of respiratory tract infections, diarrhea and a lower risk of asthma, food allergies, celiac disease, type 1 diabetes, and leukemia. It also improves cognitive development and decrease the risk of obesity in adulthood.

“ B r e a s t milk is the best food for healthy growth and development of infants; it is also an integral part of the reproductive practice with important implications for the health of mothers, as the composition of breast milk changes depends on how long the baby nurses at each session, as well as the child ’s age.

The first type of milk, produced during the first days after childbirth, is called colostrum.it produces foremilk, containing more of proteins and vitamins, and when the baby keeps nursing, then hindmilk is produce which has a creamier color and texture because it contains more fat ”. He emphasized On the importance of breastfeeding, he explained that “breast milk is made from

nutrients in the mother ’s bloodstream and bodily stores; it has an optimal balance of fat, sugar, water, and protein that is needed for a baby ’s growth and development.

Breastfeeding triggers biochemical reactions which allows for the enzymes, hormones, growth factors and immunologic substances to effectively defend against infectious diseases for the infant.

The breast milk also has long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids which help with normal retinal and neural development. Moreso, because breastfeeding requires an average of 500 calories a day, it helps the mother lose weight after giving birth ”.

“Most nursing mothers may feel considerable pressure to breastfeed, but the benefits of breastfeeding for the mother include less blood loss following delivery, better uterus shrinkage, weight loss, and less postpartum depression. It also increases the time before menstruation and fertility returns, known as lactation amenorrhea. While Long term benefits includes a decreased risk of breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Breastfeeding is less expensive for the family than infant formula milk ”. He maintained His words; “Breastfeeding should be started during the hour after birth and allowed as the baby wishes, however the first few weeks ’ babies may nurse eight to twelve times a day and the duration of feeding is usually ten to fifteen minutes on each breast. The frequency of feeding decreases as the child gets older, while some mothers pump milk so that it can be used later when their child is being cared for by others.

Nursing mothers should inform their healthcare provider about any medications they are taking, including herbal products. They can safely take over-thecounter drugs and prescription drugs, also receive immunizations, but certain drugs including painkillers and psychiatric drugs may pose a risk ”.

HEALTH NEWS

Ebola outbreak could end in 2015, but fight isn ’t over –UN Girl-child education key to reducing VVF, maternal mortality in Nigeria –NFPA

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senior official of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Margaret Chan, said that the Ebola outbreak in West Africa could be stopped at the end of 2015.

Chan, who stated this in New York while briefing the UN Security Council, said that in spite of the projection, the international community needed to continue the fight against the epidemic.

She remarked that the strong international response to the outbreak of the disease in 2014 put Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone – countries worst hit by it - on a path to ending the epidemic.

“If the current intensity of case

detection and contact tracing is sustained, the virus can be soundly defeated by the end of this year, that means going to zero and staying at zero, ’ ’ she said.

Chan cautioned against easing the vigilance on eradicating Ebola. All it takes is a single undetected case in a health facility, one infected contact fleeing the monitoring system, or one unsafe burial to ignite a flare-up of cases, ’ ’ she added.

The outbreak, which began in March, 2014 and has been the largest since the Ebola virus was discovered in 1976, has infected no fewer than 28,000 people, killing more than 11,000.

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he United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) at the weekend said girl-child education is the key to reducing increasing cases of Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) in Nigeria.

Ms Ratidzai Ndhlovu, UNFPA Country Representative in Nigeria said at a news briefing in Sokoto that Nigeria must invest more in the education of the girlchild to address the problem.

She said that education would have a multiplier effect on the girl-child ’s perception of life, wellbeing and general societal

development.

“To educate a woman, you educate a nation and the education of women is crucial in improving the disturbing health statistics in Nigeria, ’ ’ she said.

“With more educated women, the chances are that more children will be enrolled in schools, as the women are their custodians. In the same vein, it is our belief that more educated women would demand for access to ante-natal care and other reproductive health services.

“This also means that more women would deliver at the

health facilities, as such, reduce menace of prolonged labour which often leads to VVF as well as maternal mortality among others ” Ndhlovu further said.

She stressed that Nigeria must focus on encouraging women to patronise health centers, adding that no woman should be allowed to die as a result of child birth.

A Woman can be saved even if there are complications if she puts to bed at the hospital. ’ ’ Ndhlovu commended the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa ’ad Abubakar for partnering with the fund in the campaign to reverse the

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

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

Oba Olubuse II: An embodiment of iconoclastic royalty

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ba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, the Ooni of Ife, Osun State, died in a London hospital on July 28, 2015 at the age of 85. However, official confirmation by the Ife Traditional Council and his family only came two weeks after when his son, Prince Adetokunbo Sijuwade, on Wednesday, August 12 made the proclamation in Osogbo, Osun State capital. The period before the proclamation was defined more by the assertiveness of the popular media which, defying cultural inhibitions over such weighty issues, regaled Nigerians and the international community with snippets of the hard-tohush affair.

Born on January 1, 1930 in the ancient town of Ile-Ife to the Ogboru ruling house, Sijuwade, the grandson of Ooni Sijuwade Adelekan Olubuse I, who reigned between 1894 and 1910, studied at Abeokuta Grammar School and Oduduwa College in Ile-Ife. Armed with a secondary school education, he worked for three years in his father ’s business after which he had a two-year stint at the Nigerian Tribune.

His hunger for higher education took him to Northampton College, the United Kingdom, for a programme in Business Management. By age 30, Sijuwade was a manager in Leventis, a Greek-Nigerian conglomerate. In 1963 he became sales director of the state-owned National Motor in Lagos. A business trip to the Soviet Union in 1964 opened an expanded business vista for him to become a major distributor of Soviet-built vehicles and equipment in Nigeria. He was also into real estate and construction, among other numerous businesses.

Sijuwade was crowned on December 6, 1980 as the 50th Ooni of Ife, succeeding the late Sir Adesoji Aderemi, who had a 50-year stint on the throne, in a ceremony attended by monarchs from Kano, Benin, Opobo and Warri, as well as representatives from the Queen of England.

Sijuwade ’s 35 years reign, the second longest, exposed him both to the vagaries of modern nation-state governmental architecture, where the subjugation of the once awesomely autocratic traditional authority to that of modern government is total, and the fierce supremacy contest among the plethora of Yoruba traditional rulers in the present day South-West geopolitical zone. The most contentious had been the one between him and Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the Alaafin of Oyo. Not

even the excision of Osun State from the old Oyo State in 1991 tempered the traditional hostility.

Not to be forgotten in a hurry were his brushes with contemporary Nigerian state political actors that poignantly underscored his diminished authority.

In 1984, the military administration of Major General Muhammadu Buhari slammed a travel ban on the Ooni and his bosom friend, Alhaji Ado Bayero (now deceased), the then Emir of Kano for travelling to Israel, then a pariah to Nigeria.

There were equally several political indiscretions on the part of the late Ooni that rubbed off on his relationships with key state political actors or pitted him against his people in the larger Yoruba culture area. His open support for former

IT MUST, HOWEVER, BE STATED THAT THE

LATE OONI USED THE INSTRUMENTALITY OF HIS EMINENT POSITION IN CHAMPIONING THE CAUSE OF PEACE IN

THE SOUTH-WEST.

FOR INSTANCE, IN FEBRUARY 2009, HE HELPED BROKERED A TRUCE IN THE WAR OF ATTRITION BETWEEN

IFE AND MODAKEKE COMMUNITIES. SIMILARLY, IN AUGUST 2010 HE MEDIATED IN THE OWNERSHIP DISPUTE BETWEEN OYO AND

OSUN STATES OVER LADOKE AKINTOLA UNIVERSITY.

President Goodluck Jonathan against his closest rival, General Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in the last general elections is seen as unwholesome involvement of the nation ’s traditional institutions in partisan politics, which many believe could endanger the credibility of traditional rulers and unnecessarily expose them to the strong arm tactics of the political leaderships.

Jonathan lost that election and the Oooni was worse for it, because he would have been a marked man by the present administration at the centre.

The late Oba Olubuse II was engrossed in a similar controversy in 1993 during the June 12 crisis, a fall out of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election result won by Basorun MKO Abiola, a Yoruba mogul and politician by the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. This development snowballed into a major political crisis that shook the nation to its foundations. The late Ife monarch worked at cross purposes with the larger Yoruba interest to fight for the de-annulment of the result, when he led some Yoruba royal fathers to a meeting with General Babangida. After the meeting he made this famous statement: “Babangida is talking sense ”, which was interpreted to mean his reasons for the annulment made sense.

His unkindest stroke against the Yoruba political interest occurred months later after the coup d ’état that brought the late General Sani Abacha to power on November 17, 1993, when he forcefully canvassed Yoruba support for Abacha ’s Transition Programme. The late maximum ruler had slammed Abiola into detention for “treason ” for proclaiming himself Nigerian president on the basis of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

It must, however, be stated that the late Ooni used the instrumentality of his eminent position in championing the cause of peace in the South-West. For instance, in February 2009, he helped brokered a truce in the war of attrition between Ife and Modakeke communities. Similarly, in August 2010 he mediated in the ownership dispute between Oyo and Osun states over Ladoke Akintola University.

As Oba Sijuwade joins his ancestors, National Mirror joins Osun State and the nation in celebrating the life of a monarch that effectively blended traditional values with modernity.

Reminiscences AUGUST 16 IN HISTORY 1977: Elvis Presley dies of heart attack Elvis Presley dies at the age of 42, leaving rock and roll fans worldwide mourning his loss. Elvis was found dead at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. The cause of death is pronounced as cardiac arrhythmia which is a form of heart attack. Since his divorce from Priscilla Presley four years ago he had had problems with ill health which forced him to cancel a number of concerts due to exhaustion.

1900: South Africa - Boers prepare for war with Britain In preparation for war with Great Britain, the Boers had started importing vast quantities of food as early as 1898. Also, munitions were hoarded by those in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal.

1920: Fighting breaks out in Ireland Crowds around Dublin Castle, Ireland tried to shoot their way in at nine o ’clock at night.

The source of the trouble began when the restive crowd spotted soldiers from the Lancaster fusiliers who they believed were guilty of murdering a boy. The military fired shots over the mob ’s heads and a few shots were fired in return.

1931: India - Ghandi inspires his people After the doldrums of world war, Mahatma Ghandi in India offered hope and inspiration to his own people and those around the world. He was empathetic and loyal to those living in poverty and would not participate in the caste system. Even so, wealthy Indians vied to entertain him. Ghandi sold all his possessions and gave them to the poor.

His people called him “mahatma ” meaning “great soul ”.

1945: Germany carved up by Allies A defeated German Reich was carved up into seven areas so that the allies – France, Britain, the U.S., and Russia could put troops to occupy it. One section of Germany was France ’s responsibility and two sections each would go to the rest of the allies.

1951 China - Rebel leader seeks U.S. aid In a speech at Chautauqua in the U.S., T.F. Tsiang leader of the Nationalist China party appealed to Americans for financial and technical aid to overthrow the communist regime in China. He warned that 450 million Chinese would be subjugated and posed a threat to its neighbours unless the U.S. intervened.

1960: Costa Rica fights communism In San Jose, Costa Rica foreign officials of the American republics met to discuss problems such as the Soviet Union ’s infiltration of Cuba and Venezuela. Communism was illegal in Costa Rica, but there were 300 card carrying communists in the country.

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

EDIFYING GOD Sunday August 16, 2015

‘God’s covenant of peace and blessing’ 24

QUOTE The truth all Nigerians should know is that the present government is very interested in the masses and not the wealthy alone. But all the same we cannot rule out the fact that there are many Nigerians that are very wealthy either by straight or crook means.

Prof. Kunle Macaulay

hririistians hr ststians tia sh sh The set CChri be pre be prepa pr prep pa time is at aallll tti at come –Olorunt –Oloruntimil O oruntim Ol Olorunt timi 42 41

Harvest celebration:

Necessity in Christendom

222 & 23

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Vineyard

Briefly Ramah 2015 at NFEC

Celebration

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he 21-day annual vigil of New Foundation Evangelical Church which began on August 9, will come to a close on August 30.

The programme tagged “Ramah 2015” and “Arise and shine” as its larger theme is being held at the church premises located at 86, IsholaAgboluade pipeline, Ishasi, Ogun state.

The General Overseer and host, Rev. (Dr.) Elizabeth Keji Davies (JP) revealed that the programme is an avenue of divine intercession for citizens and the Nigeria nation to receive breakthrough, healing, to witness the light of God and the power in the blood of Jesus as well as receive salvation. He added that attendees would receive victory over bareness in all aspects of their lives.

“God’s grace has come upon us and He has promised to raise His people from dust”, he assured.

Healing from heaven at BGLM

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he stage is set for a two Sunday special programme at the Believers’ Grace-Life Ministries a.k.a. Grace-Life Fellowship scheduled for Sunday, August 16 and 23, 2015 from 9am at 2, Efon. Alaye Street, Off Akinsanya Street, Taiwo Bus-stop, Speaking on the programme, host and Senior Pastor of GraceLife, Wills Diamen claimed that the programme is set apart for healing, miracles, signs and wonders added that every attendee will receive healing irrespective of their ailments.

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

Among those to minster on the occasion is internationally acclaimed minister of the gospel, Bishop Tonye Oliver of Jesus Heals the Sick Ministry.

Sunday August 16, 2015

Nigerians urged to return to God to improve nation’s fortunes

...as AFC holds concert

Apostolic Faith Church ochestra in concert .

ODINAKA URUAKPA

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igerians have been urged to return to God in humility and in repentance, as they pray to God to heal their land because He (God) is able to heal their land if they are willing to fulfil their own part of the deal.

Giving this charge on the occasion of the concert held at the 2015 camp meeting of the Apostolic Faith Church tagged “Glorious expectation” the District Superintendent, West and Central Africa, Apostolic Faith Church, Rev. Emmanuel Adeniran, stated that the significance of the concert can be seen in the wider context of the on-going camp meeting.

“What are we doing in the camp?

We have been looking at the glory that awaits the righteous, studying the scriptures; trying to get deep understanding and still be rooted in that hope of resurrection for the righteous. So, when you look at the theme of the concert, ‘Glorious expectation’, it is derived from that of the camp, which is ‘The glory that awaits the righteous.’

Many songs that have been rendered here today are songs pointing to the hope of the believer in Christ’s return i.e. the second coming of Jesus Christ, which many including us, believe that the first aspect is the rapture of His church into glory and later on, according to the Bible, He is coming to set up His millennia kingdom; that is the sig-

nificance for us, it reminds us of those things that will happen in heaven that we are preparing for; it reminds us of the hope we have and it also prepares us to live a righteous life, waiting for the bridegroom of the church which is the bride.

If you are expecting your bridegroom, you are preparing, you are keeping yourself from all things that are terrible and corrupt, and you want to be clean in and out to ascend to the heels of God. This is the significance of it for us as a church, and for Nigeria, we believe strongly that in returning to God, the glory of God will rise up for Nigeria; all the failing glory we used to have, will become real glory of God upon our lives as individuals and as a nation. Any nation that returns to God, move away from sin and corruption into righteousness has a lot of hope to realise the favour and mercy of God and enjoy His goodness and glory; that is the wider context of the significance”, he explained.

On the seeming non performance of anti-graft bodies such as the EFCC, Adeniran insisted that every agency on earth is as effective as the people who are in that agency.

“People need to have the fear of God, get to manifest what they are doing or what they are preventing others to do which they are not doing themselves.

Every agency of government is as clean as it gets to embrace the ethical and moral principles of God. If you have the fear of God in you, it is not just when you are in the EFCC or in the police that you should exhibit it; everywhere where you are, where the fear of God is in you, and where what He preaches, the love of the other person is in you, you are now an agent of cleaning the society; a light wherever you are, and then, you will be effective.

But if you are part of the darkness you are trying to prevent, you are going to complicate the situation. Whoever is really into sanity in ethical and anticorruption institutions should first manifest that in his life; whatever you do not make choice of, you cannot be a good champion of it; you make choice of it, you let that thing change you; if it has changed you, those things you believe has manifested as positive change in you, you can then be an effective champion of that thing”, he emphasised.

The cleric further urged

those in government, their agents and workers to embrace holiness so that the glory of God would come and lighten upon them all.

“When you are preaching anticorruption, you yourself must not be corrupt, and when you are not, the people can see it in you.

You must have integrity before you can tell any person to follow you. Let all who are into governance and their agencies embrace integrity both in their private and public lives. I believe Nigeria would be better when the people embrace righteousness; a nation that returns to God must do so wholeheartedly and totally. God said if His people that are called by His name will humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways and pray, He would heal their land.

Nigerians are always praying for God to heal their land, but their own part of the deal, they are not willing to perform; let Nigerians return to God in humility and in repentance, God is well able, He is abundantly able to heal our land from top to bottom and from bottom to top and every nook and cranny of the country can therefore be clean”, he submitted”.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Miracle Arena with Bishop

S

Theo Ugochukwu

ometimes God uses pains, challenges and sufferings to draw people back to Himself.

Many prodigal persons who would have been contented with running away from God have been drawn back to Him through some adversities they are going through.

Let us examine this scriptural example in Luke 15:16-21 “And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate and no one gave him anything. But when he came to himself, he said, how many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants” And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion on him and rand and embraced him and kissed him”. Here, when the prodigal son began to be in need, and found himself eating the food that the pigs are, he came to his senses and went home to his father. So many people worshiping God today in our ministry came with tears, pains and challenges; they did every prayer you told them to do with fasting. In the process, they became stronger in the spirit and become very closer to God. Today, God has taken away their pains and wiped away their tears. 2nd Cor.7:10 says “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret”.

Sometimes, it is the will of God for you to

From the Pulpit 21

Sunday August 16, 2015

This pain will produce something good from God go through pains and challenges, why? Because it produces repentance. Are you going through some of such challenges right now? If yes is your answer, I encourage you to honestly examine yourself. Your pains and challenges may be {I emphasize ‘may be’} from the Lord for the purpose of waking you up to some areas of sin in your life, where He wants you to make amends. C. S. Lewis in his book wrote “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our conscience, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to arouse a deaf world”. Pain does have a way of waking people up. Sufferings, pains and challenges can shock people out of their lives of indifference to spiritual things. It is important to point out here that although God does use pains and challenges for good, however, a person suffering is not always related to sin. Psalms 34:19 - “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all”. Even the child of God who is walking uprightly will experience sufferings and challenges. Job also, being a classic and perfect example. Job 42:10 – 12, “And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job, when he prayed for his friends. And the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and ring of gold. And the Lord blessed the latter days of Job than his beginning”.

What are you going through right now?

Did you just lose your job, your position in life or just lost a loved one and the helper in your life? Have you come to a dead end in life and all hopes seem lost and your situation gotten that helpless? I want you to be rest assured that God has your best interest at heart.

I want you to understand, God has a definite purpose for your life. He cannot allow your destiny to crash before his eyes. Job did not end in a bad shape, even when his best friends distanced themselves from him. In the latter end, Job saw the glory of God. I prophesy to you, you will come to a glorious ending in your life in Jesus name.

Whenever you find yourself in a situation that appears to be too big for you, I implore you not to look at the size of that problems or challenges, but rather see the size of your good God. He will always make a way of escape for you. When the children of Israel got to the red sea, they thought that was the end of their journey. They saw the armies of Pharaoh fast approaching and there seemed to be no escape route from the enemy. They thought that would be the end, and immediately, they began to speak negative words of defeat, but God the master plan, the one who knows all, He that is stronger than the strongest and the all merciful God used the situation to humiliate Pharaoh and his chariots. Exd.14:10-25, “When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and

they feared greatly. And the people of Israel cried out to the lord”. And verses 24 and 25 say, “And it came to pass, that in the morning watch the LORD looked unto the host of the Egyptians through the pillar of fire and of the cloud, and troubled the host of the Egyptians, And took off their chariot wheels, that they drave them heavily: so that the Egyptians said, Let us flee from the face of Israel; for the LORD fighteth for them against the Egyptians”.

This is what the God of Miracle Assembly has been doing for us. I prophesy you will be celebrated this season in Jesus Name. That thing that is weighing you down will turn to your lifting in Jesus Name. Feel free to reach me through any of my contacts for counseling and prayers and be rest assured that the Lord will envelope you in a new garment of praise.

I love this God! Bishop Theo Ugochukwu •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

Presbyterian church marks 20 years in northern Nigeria ...reaffirms commitment to nation building

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s the Presbyterian Church marks two decades of spreading the gospel in the northern part of Nigeria on Sunday, Vice President Yemi Osibanjo, has challenged the church to ensure that it remained a worthy partner with government towards national reorientation and reawakening of ethical values.

The Vice President was speaking in Abuja on Thursday when the Moderator of the Synod of the North of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Rev. Ini Ukpuho, paid him a courtesy visit in his office as part of activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary celebrations of the Synod.

The Vice President acknowledged the historical role of the Presbyterian Church in national transformation through its missionary leaders, saying the present generation should strive to use its pulpits as a platform to provide direction to its members towards national revival.

Although he regretted that the church these days has not done enough to impact the society positively, by helping emphasize character building and integrity of the people, Professor Osibanjo said church leaders need to step up efforts to help redefine their role towards national rebirth.

“The Church has a special role to help in remoulding the character of the people,” he said.

“The Church should pursue national values and national reorientation. After 20 years, the great works started by the Presbyterian missionaries many years ago should be continued in greater vigour.”

On efforts to resolve the intractable power problem in the country, the Vice President said government’s concern was to liaise with the relevant regulatory agencies to deal with the critical issues of transmission and power generation.

He said government was working hard to resolve the challenges faced by power consumers in payment of bills, saying very soon a card payment system would be introduced to ease their troubles.

On corruption, he said government was not interested in victimizing anyone, but to ensure that people understood that there was a consequence for every act of impunity and corruption in the country.

Earlier, Rev. Ukpuho had told the Vice President that his visit was to brief him on the anniversary celebration of the Synod’s mission work in the Northern part of the country since 1995 as well as 60 years of gospel witness in the region.

“We are using the opportunity of this landmark year to take stock of

the mission work in the north and to re-strategize for greater exploits in expanding God’s kingdom and impacting our nation and the world at large,” he said.

Rev. Ukpuho urged the Vice President to consider the Presbyterian Church as a faithful partner in government’s effort to enthrone righteousness, justice, peace and development in Nigeria for the good of the people.

“We believe the days of Nigeria’s greater glory are here. Historically,

Presbyterianism has been known to be agent of national transformation,” he said.

Noting the effort of government to re-engineer Nigeria, particularly in the areas of security, power supply, war against corruption and the economy, Rev. Ukpuho said adequate attention should be given to a metering system to save the people from being ripped off with estimated bills. On economy, he said the contributions of faith-based groups should be encouraged and main-

stream into government economic policies, particularly in the provision of social services like schools, hospitals, boreholes, roads, civic and moral education.

He commended government’s effort to build a regional coalition and international cooperation to overcome the menace of Boko Haram, pointing out that Church remained optimistic that the issue of insecurity would soon be resolved, with the celebration of the rescue of the missing Chibok girls.

L-r: Assistant Director, NYSC Ogun State Mrs. Caroline Osoroh, General Secretary National Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN), Rev Dare Ajiboye, First prize winner, Oladejo Abayomi Ayoola, National President, BSN Dr Aaron Nuhu; Dr Nathaniel Danjibo, and Dr Fred Odutola at the 4th NYSC Essay Competition tagged “National Insecurity: bane of economic growth and development in Nigeria organised by BSN recently in Lagos

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Harvest celebration: H

arvest, which is one of the landmark activities in the history of Christendom can be defined as the period of reaping-in of grain and other farm products or the season for doing this, the term is used both literally and figuratively in the Scriptures.

In the past, Christian denominations especially the old generation churches, see harvest which is observed annually as a time of rejoicing and thanksgiving as well as the coming together of different family units who are members of one body bringing the first fruits of their farms, a sign of thanksgiving and in accordance with that part of scripture, Genesis 8:22 to be precise which states: ‘You shall observe the Feast of Weeks, the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of in-gathering at the year’s end.’

Some Christians have argued that in the past, harvest celebrations were not organised for the sake of making money because then, people brought flowers, fruits and other farm products to church on the day of harvest as thanksgiving offering, unlike now, when harvest festivals are meant as occasions for raising of funds for church projects. Yet some see the special envelopes printed and given out to members and non-members to solicit for donations as ways of raising funds for the development of the church.

Bazaars, which are part of the harvest celebrations is the day or time when the church or members of the harvest committee chosen for the harvest celebration decide for members and guests to come purchase the products available for sale. Though, people who are against such practices may view the method of sale as extortive because the things available for sale may be sold at unduly high prices since the auctioneer describes the goods being sold as having special blessing of heaven so that they are worth more than any amount of money anyone can offer for them; prices are haggled and products on sale usually go to the highest bidder, but those who gather for this sales, rich and poor alike, do not seem to mind, as most are seen to be happy at the way things are run there.

Moreover, some of the products bought by these bidders are donated back to the church, which in return give these items to the needy in their midst.

According to Professor Kunle Macaulay, Director of Studies, United Bible University, though harvest celebration in the church is not biblical, it is a way of making money for the church, which he said is acceptable when the people giving the money do so willingly.

“Any good way of making money is acceptable as long as people are bringing the money willingly; they are not persuaded or convinced to bring money; they are happy about the activity that comes up one in a year, they want to be part of it and they want to bring their money; I mean it is acceptable, but not

Baskets of fruit

Traditional churches have been known to celebrate annual harvests and bazaars among other activities that bring members as well as families together in an atmosphere of festivity and thanksgiving but these practice seem to be fading with the growth of Pentecostalism. ODINAKA URUAKPA speaks to clerics to find out why this is so and on biblical stance on harvest and bazaar celebration. biblical. I think it is as good as any other good way of bringing money to the church”, he said.

On the part of scripture that supports the observance of harvest and the feast of in-gathering at the year’s end, Macaulay explained that it is not everything that is in the Bible today that Christians apply or accept as part of observances.

“The Bible is historical as well as practical, so when you talk about the past or the days of the people of the Bible, you find out that really in the Old Testament, people brought fruit and livestock to the house of God and according to the Bible, they sold few things in the temple that Jesus was disturbed. But we are in a new era; this is New Testament, we are in the era of Holy Spirit, so, if people are still talking about Bible, they have to be specific; is it New Testament that says it or Old Testament? If it is Old Testament, that is Judaism, if it is New Testament, that is Christianity, so we should know when to apply them. Many things happened in the past that do not happen now, and the issue and what matters is that we must know Bible historically”, he explained.

On how Christians should perceive practices in the Old Testament, the theologian said: “It is like if you learn from people what is good and you reject from people what they do that is bad. There is nothing wrong in learn-

THE BIBLE IS HISTORICAL AS WELL AS PRACTICAL, SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PAST OR THE DAYS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE, YOU FIND OUT THAT REALLY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, PEOPLE BROUGHT FRUIT AND LIVESTOCK TO THE HOUSE OF

GOD AND ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE,

THEY SOLD FEW THINGS IN THE TEMPLE THAT

JESUS WAS DISTURBED.

ing from the past, especially the behaviour or the attitude of the people of that era. Take for instance the prophets; they were close to God, they concentrated on doing the work of God, so they were good messengers of God and we can learn from them, but that doesn’t mean that we should go to our churches with goats, chickens or lambs for God. There are certain things we learn; obeying God, being fair, being honest and so on, but when it comes to rituals and ceremony, we don’t have to bring them to Christianity. Theologically and biblically, it is not authentic to have anything like bazaar in the church because Christianity does not support it. Somebody may tell you that it is in the Bible; yes, but when was that?

All the things that took place before the time of Jesus Christ are termed as Judaism, like I said earlier, it is not right biblically and theologically, but like I also said

before, if it is a thing that would bring money to the church for the work of God, it should be accepted.”

Concerning the method of using some of the harvest proceeds to help the poor, Macaulay insisted that there are many ways of reaching the poor, depending on individual and the church’s plan to show charity.

“I can decide to take part of my salary every month to give to the poor and I can either do so during my birthday. I have seen many people who celebrate their birthday by taking one or two things to the poor or to the orphanage, that is their method, that is what they want to do; it is not biblical, it can be a way of encouraging people to know that there are some people who are less privileged, but sincerely speaking, it is not biblical”, he maintained.

Rev. Fr. Paschal Obioma, Director of

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Cover

Sunday August 16, 2015

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Necessity in Christendom Catholic Apostolate, Abbi, Delta State claimed that harvest and bazaar celebrations are age-long activities that exist in the church, though the different Christian denominations have their ways of conducting these activities.

“The way these things are done differ from place to place; you may be used to a particular form, but it may not be the way that it is done in other areas, so people are learning from other places these days, a lot of things are changing.

So if you go to a place, you learn their own form of doing these things and then you make use of it in your own area and that is what is bringing about what people think as the phasing out of some of these practices. Harvest and bazaar is there, but the ways of doing them, that is what may be different from place to place and people are learning very fast.

“The world we are in now is a global village and I believe the innovations that exist now will gear people do things in a way that would yield more money with such celebrations instead of having another time for doing launching for their building and other projects, they may decide to use the same activity to raise needed funds. If it is done in a better way, they can take the harvest method and then do it, that is what I think about it, it is not that they do not celebrate harvest, but they may do it in other ways.

Generally speaking, there has been a lot of cultural diffusion in the church; people learn from others very fast these days, even if they observe the harvest and bazaar, it may not be in the olden days’ style”, he maintained.

On why the new generation churches hold programmes where money is being raised which they should tag as harvest, Obioma said: “I have always said this; you don’t call every of these places church, they are business enterprises established by different people who use their own method for whatever they want to do. If you are talking of the Catholic Church, then you can say something that has been there is no longer happening; if you begin your own project, you know what you have in mind for beginning it and the way to operate it.”

When asked if the activities organised by the new generation churches to raise money is a way of emulating the harvest and bazaar method of the old churches, the priest said: “If you go out from the church and begin your own, you wouldn’t like to be doing the same things with the place you left otherwise why leave the place.”

In his contribution Pastor Femi Lanre-Oke of Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministries International, Abuja explained that the plan and the arrangement of individuals such as concerns harvest and other church activities is not something that one can give scriptural backing.

“One cannot say categorically that the bible wants us to do harvest, you can’t say the scripture wants us to do bazaar, but in each individual’s opinion,

Thanksgiving dance during a service

THE CLERIC POINTED OUT OTHER ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMES ASIDE HARVEST AND THE BAZAAR THROUGH WHICH THE CHURCH CAN BRING

MEMBERS TOGETHER AS WELL AS PROMOTE UNITY IN AMONG FAMILIES. they may just see these things as ways of expressing thanksgiving to God, they may feel it an administrative way of raising funds to meet the needs of the church, but you can’t give it a strict spiritual backing as a whole, that the church of God on earth must practice bazaar, that the church of God must do harvest; there is no scriptural backing that legalizes such. But as good as that may sound, you can’t say that it is totally wrong because it depends on the administration of the church and purpose behind it”, he said.

The cleric pointed out other activities and programmes aside harvest and the bazaar through which the church can bring members together as well as promote unity in among families. ”Apart from the harvest and bazaar, we have conventions, which are done annually in churches at a particular time of the year, when the church members come together to feast and celebrate together. We have that and other church activities and programmes as avenues of bringing people, families together to worship God and unite as one godly family”, he maintained.

On the intentions of Cain and Abel when they brought the first products of their land to God in thanksgiving, Lanre-Oke explained that what they did at the time was an expression of honouring God and not a form of harvest celebration on their part.

“Giving of first fruit is different from celebrating harvest; first fruit is the commandment of God; if you read

Christian worshippers

Proverbs chapter 3 verses 9-10, God said; ‘honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the first fruit of all thine increase, so that your barns may be filled with plenty and thy presses shall burst out with new wine.’

It is just an expression of honour to God; giving God the first fruit of your harvest, it is a way of telling God ‘I sanctify and dedicate this work to you, I reverence you as my source, I declare you as one who is my provider. It is an act to show an expression of honour to God, acknowledging the lordship of Christ; it is

not the same as harvest that people do in different forms now. What we see now is a medium to raise funds in most churches. Of course, the church has needs; they have to do so many things with money, the work of God also needs to progress.

Even as they do this, Christians must not forget the purpose or aim to bring people together so they can be connected to God. What Cain and Abel did at that time was a principle of the kingdom of first fruits to activate the heavens upon them and to acknowledge the lordship of God over their lives”, he explained.

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From the

Pulpit Sunday August 16, 2015

‘God’s covenant of peace and blessing’ General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, in this exhortation, teaches on benefits of God’s Covenant. Excerpts:

T

oday is a special day in the calendar of Christian religion. It is so because we are commemorating the highest event in Christendom which happens to be the focal point of our belief, for if Christ did not die, buried and resurrected, our belief will have been in vain and there would not have been any hope of restoration of the covenant we had with God before our fore-parents severed it through sin. It is at Easter that we are reminded of how God sent His son to die as a sacrifice for all our sins in order to rescue us from the impending destruction that has been earmarked for us as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve. Thus, by His death, burial and resurrection, the covenant of peace and bless blessing which mankind originally had with God at creation was restored.

I want your attention to be drawn to this covenant of peace and blessing offered to mankind by his Creator. The Almighty God established this covenant with our fore-parents in the Garden of Eden where He blessed them and gave them dominion over all other creatures but with a caveat not to eat the forbidden fruit. This warning was disobeyed and thus the covenant was placed in abeyance until Christ made the highest sacrifice to restore the covenant to mankind.

Gen. 1: 28-29 says, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 29 ¶ And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat”.

Gen. 2: 16- 17 says, “And t h e

Pastor Muoka

LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: 17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die”.

God Almighty who is the Creator and Master of all things put everything He created under the control of man. What a blessing man had when everything was subjected to him. Adam was lacking nothing in that beautiful garden where he had the privilege to among other things play host to his Creator every evening. But this blessing did not last as it was jettisoned as soon as Adam broke his part of the covenant by eating the forbidforbid den fruit.

As a result of

sin man lost everything he got from God. The consequences of Adam’s disobedient extended to all mankind as God severed all relationship with man, including the covenant of peace and blessing. Thus man started suffering and dying as our first parent, left a miserable inheritance, an unhappy portion of sin and death upon all posterity.

However because of His benevolence toward man, God sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to serve as propitiation for mankind- the atoning sacrifice by which the wrath of God is appeased. And this propitiation extends as wide as the sin extends. If Christ did not shed His blood, our sins cannot be washed away. And without shedding washof blood there would be nothing like wash ing away of sins and forgiveness of sin, and that is why Jesus went to the cross. So He died to save us from sin and satanic slavery.

Christ went on the cross of Calvary and paid the highest price for our sin, He died, was buried and on the third day resurrected for our justification and freedom. God used the occasion of His death and resurrection to recover us and restore to us all that we lost in Adam.

Rom. 5: 12 says, “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”.

The sin of Adam transmitted guilt upon our nature and threw stain on us but what we lost in Adam has been recovered by our Lord Jesus Christ who purchased salvation for us and offered it free to all men thereby restoring afresh the covenant of peace and blessing we had earlier with God. So, at Easter we reminisce and celebrate this new refreshed covenant that re-

kindles hope in man.

Easter therefore brings that optimism that no matter how difficult or how challenging our situation or condition may be, when we remember what Christ has done, we will become reassured that there is hope. It also suggests that as bad as the prevailing situation might appear, there is the expectation that things will get better if we accept Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. This is the intangible chord that helps people to get beyond the sad and disgusting situations that give them a sense of hopelessness.

Beloved, the finished work of redemption on the cross of Calvary is for all creatures. But if you are not in Christ and not born again you are not part of this work.

This is because you will still be suffering of Adam’s sin and your life will be full of sorrow, struggle, want and lack of every good thing. But Bu if you are born again, you are a partaker partake of the restored covenant of peace and blessing but if you have not started benefitting from the covenant and benefi all that Christ has made available for you, then that is why wh we brought this sermon to you, because as a freely as the sun dispenses its influences to every inhabitant of the earth, so freely freel does our Lord Jesus Christ dispenses the merits and blessings of this covenant to ev every soul of man. From the influences of this spiritual gift, no soul is reprobated any an more, only those who wilfully shut the their eyes, and hide themselves in darkness, are a deprived of the gracious benefit of this covenant.

The need to be partaker of the recovenant freshed cove Beloved, ou our repentance is absolutely necessary in order to receive salvation partakers of the peace and blessing and be partak embedded in tthe covenant made available by the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and our reluctance our Lord Jesu or failure to rreceive salvation is an invitation for crises of the world and to hell fire at last.

16:33 says, “These things I have John 16 unto you, that in me ye might spoken un peace. In the world ye shall have have peac tribulation: but be of good cheer; I tribulation overcome the world”. have overc The only onl sure foundation of peace blessing for anybody in this world and blessi depends depend entirely upon the acknowledgment of the victory of Christ edgm on the Calvary, for in Him you will be thoroughly quieted w physically , spiritually and p financially.

The above spiritual counselling is the conclusion of our Saviour’s farewell ssermon to the people of the world who want to save their w life. life Christ has by His death, burial buria and resurrection defeated death and an crises in the world but we must know that the victory is only for CONTINUED ON PAGE 41 C

PASSION

A Lifestyle Magazine

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‘Growing up was tough but I had high aspirations’ >>27

I once stripped before the camera –Bukky Raji >>26

Sunday August 16, 2015

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Passion

Sunday, August 16, 2015

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I once stripped before the camera –Bukky Raji Raji Adebukonla, affectionately called Bukky Raji by her fans, is a Yoruba movie actress who lives in Lagos. An indigene of Ondo State, she is the last child in a family of four female siblings. This actress, who studied Mass Communication at Olabisi Onabanjo University, tells ADAEZE AMOS how she once went bare-bodied before the klieg light as well as life as a movie star.

When did you start acting?

I started acting in 1999 but it was just a stage tage drama and dance. These were the two things I concentrated ncentrated on before I opted for the movie. From the beginning, I have always loved what I’m doing, from the time I was only dancing. I remember now that whenever I heard the sound of music, my soul would ld be lifted and I would spring up and dance. I used to imitate the known, good dancers easily. I danced like them and I loved it.

What aspect of your acting career do your enjoy most?

The aspect of my career I enjoy most is behind-thecamera fun. And this includes cracking jokes kes or jesting and all the fun I usually have during the time of rehearsals.

How about the challenges of work?

Some scripts can be very challenging indeed. deed. They may require lots of rehearsals. Another thing hing is that some directors can be very strict and satisfying fying them takes much effort. These are the major challenges lenges that confront me career-wise. But then, I still cope and try to overcome these challenges I mentioned. ned.

After all, it’s my job and I need to work havving known that when there is no pain, there would be no gain.

How do you cope with fame?

Because of the nature of the job I do, people want to know virtually everything about me. In fact, some want to pry into my y privacy. Even when they hear stories that at are not true, they are interested and want to know more. It is that bad! At times, the Press ess too is not helping matters. Sometimes, when hen they hear stories, they don’t call to confirm m before they publish. All the same, it is well. These, hese, I consider as the price for stardom and that is why I have chosen to ignore them.

Are there some roles you won’t accept no matter the amount at stake?

Yes, there are some roles I won’t acceptt no matter the amount involved. And that would have to be nude roles. I know some people would say I’m not professional enough to be choosy about roles or for or refusing to accept roles that have to do with nudity. But to such people, they should also know that just as we should be professionals, we have a culture that frowns owns at nudity which we should respect.

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

I would have opted for teaching or gone for TV presenting because I love reaching out to people. ople. I love impacting and touching lives.

Who are you aspiring to be like in Nollywood d and Hollywood?

In Nollywood, it is mummy Joke Silva that I’m aspiring to be like. The reason is that she doesn’t esn’t allow her profession to affect her home front. Then hen for Hollywood, I admire Angelina Jolie because she can be daring in interpretation of roles. She is so daring that I get carried with some of her roles.

What is that craziest thing a male fan had ever ver done to you?

A male fan once walked up to me in public, after the normal pleasantries and said that he had seen my movies and loved the roles I played.

Before I could say thank you, h e said he was interested in me.

H e didn’t w a i t for me to respond before he held a n d start-

ed kissing me.

What very scandal won’t you forget in a hurry?

I had one guy in my life, we were dating. He was my boss in the industry, so to say. He is late, God save his soul. After his death, I heard from people and read from the newspapers that I was pregnant for him. I was shocked when I heard it.

What regrets do you have in life?

The only regret I have is the fact that I’m the last f only have sisters and born. Then another one is that I o have a brother. I have no brother. I would have loved to h brother. Every gender four sisters, one is late, but no br family. A sister cannot has important role to play in the fa play brotherly role, I guess you get what I mean. Ours is have chosen to feel good a male-dominated society, but I hav as a woman; I have no choice over this. Happiness is a matter of choice.

What did you do right when you had a heart-break?

Well, I’m the kind of a person that th doesn’t considwhen er any issue as a do-or-die. die. So, wh hen I had a heart-break, what I did d was to look loo ok up to God. And he healed my emotional emotio onal bruises.

What do you do in your spare s time?

I listen to music an and nd I read times, novels. Most times s, I love to dance as well.

Who is the the person boat rocking the love bo oat of yourr life?

Oh he is my one and only! He e is my cutie, my only c love, heart-throb, heart-th hrob, I wouldn’t want wo ouldn’t wan nt to mention men ntion his name. n That Tha at is my little litttle secret cret for now, itt happens pen ns to b e

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

my only privacy that I’m still guarding jealously.

What is your philosophy of life?

My philosophy is that what would be would be. Let go and let God. What lesson has life taught you?

Life has taught me to live my life the way I want, to be myself always and don’t please people to displease myself.

27

‘Growing up was tough but I had high aspirations’

What is the naughtiest thing you have done with regard to the roles you interpreted in the movie you starred in?

That was taking off my top except my bra before the camera.

What part of your body can you flaunt?

I love to flaunt my face and legs.

What do you think life would have been without fashion?

Life would still have been good without fashion because it (fashion) is a relative thing.

What fashion accessory forms a larger part of your wardrobe?

Shoes and hand bags.

Can you define your style?

I’m simple and non-conformist Where do you think some women are no not getting it right in fashion?

Some women a are immodest an and lousy with wi fashion. W We get it wron wrong when we d do not consid consider our outings outin before choo choosing what to wear. For iinstance, loud lou make-up ha has its own ow peculiar peculia outings or events. events Which of the Nigerian male celebrities do d you consider a power pow dresser?

I think it is Dbanj the th musician. He H creates his h own style.

Which fashion blunder have you committed?

None, I can’t rremember be

for now maybe mayb because

Elechi

ADAEZE AMOS

F

avour Ijeoma Elechi remembers her childhood deeply. She loves to tell her story to encourage girls who are in the same situation she once was. Life was tough for her as a child but she persevered and didn’t allow that to hinder her from becoming the great woman she is today. A person’s poor background, according to her, shouldn’t cause any limitation whatsoever.

“Growing up was tough but that didn’t limit me from aspiring higher. I decided to take my destiny into my own hands.

My father was a transporter and my mum a trader. When I closed at school, I used to go to the market in order to help her sell. That helped me to be hard working, especially in business. Despite my tight schedule then, I was still brilliant in school.

“Amazingly, the experiences I acquired while I was with my mother still helped me to manage my company properly. My childhood challenges made me stronger in life. Many thanks to my parents through the help of God for raising me well,” she reminisced Elechi, who is the current President of Crystal Life Africa, a multi-networking business with branches in Port Harcourt, Abuja, Togo, Accra, Monrovia and Liberia, has been giving back to the society.

“Giving back to the society is what I’m doing now by laying down real legacy.

Legacy is not about buying cars, building houses, but by letting people know how to make good money. I recruit people, especially from remote areas. Giving back to the society is about bringing people from nowhere and empowering them to become somebody. That is the best way to give back to the society,” she explained.

To women who want to be successful in their businesses, she has some words.

She unveiled the secret of her success in

business “Aside from the fact that God has been my strength, another major thing is that anyone that wants to be a successful businesswoman must understand what she wants and set a standard. Before I joined Crystal Life I had studied all the system and realised what to put in place and what to get. I set a standard for myself which I targeted to meet. I also made sure my products were available always for distributors and with that I have been able to keep the business going. I want to encourage women in business to set a standard for themselves. It is the key,” she emphasised.

Mrs Elechi admits that managing her home and business has been daunting.

“In everything one does, one should be able to set limits or work schedule. What I do is that I map out my strategies for each week and I carry my family along because they are aware of my engagements.”

This lady of songs, who launched two albums before she came into networking business says her passion in life is to render help to people. The lawyer, who graduated from University of Nigeria Nsukka says this is also her life philosophy.

“My philosophy is to help people who are in dire need by making them happy.

To show people what I did to be somebody in life and to bring the best out of those who are hopeless. This is what I have been doing and God has always been my pillar,” she stressed.

She spoke about her most remarkable day.

“It was my birthday! The reason is that my mother told me she had me in her womb for over three years before she had me. She didn’t tell me why the pregnancy lingered for that long but I guess she didn’t know. So, the day my mother’s water broke and I slipped out of her was my remarkable day. Hence each time I mark my birthday, I always remember it as the most remarkable day in my life.

And this day, I usually spend in prayer, thanking God for the life He gave me on that fateful day because the enemy never wanted me to come,” she said.

Her most unforgettable experience in life is still etched in her memory.

“It was in 2009 when Tianshi wanted to give me a BMW car, two months for me to get the award I was travelling from Lagos to Onitsha for a business seminar, when I had a serious accident. I thought I was gone because many died and I suffered severe injury. God kept me alive. When I recovered; my mum told me not to continue in the business that almost took my life but I resolved to forge ahead. And today I see the reason why God kept me,” she recalled.

The kind of women that inspire her are those “that do extraordinary things. I am moved by Oprah Winfred. That is why I read her books and watch her shows.

I’m also inspired by Joyce Meyer’s book, entitled ‘Don’t give up’. I do tell myself that if women like them could be that strong, why not me. Hence when I’m down and I read their books I get fired up,” she noted.

Her advice to African women is, “Trust in God to be successful and work hard irrespective of your husband’s status.

Believe in yourselves and don’t despise your little beginning,” she said.

This style icon left an advice to fellow fashion enthusiasts, especially those that are well known in the society.

“Being a public figure, you are expected to dress well to promote your status. This is because people would meet you for many things either officially or personally and if you don’t look good, it would affect your reputation. And remember any outfit a woman of your status wears must be modest.

Then for women who expose their body, I am not in support of that. Exposing your body is morally wrong and does not call for respect,” she said unambiguously.

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

GROWING UP with

Aunty Titi

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ANIMAL FACTS

The Bee

Hello Children, How are you doing? Hope you are enjoying your holiday; make sure you keep yourselves busy with interesting story books and novels. Have a great week.

Once upon a time

The Little Elves

T

here was once a shoemaker who, in the corner of the room where hung from no fault of his own, had become some clothes which concealed them. so poor that at last he had nothing As soon as it was midnight in came left, but a piece of leather just sufficient two little mannikins who squatted for one pair of shoes. In the evening he down on the boards and taking up the cut out the leather intending to make it prepared work, set to work with their up in the morning and as he had a good little fingers, stitching and sewing conscience, he lay quietly down to sleep and hammering so swiftly and lightly first commending himself to God. In the that the shoemaker could not take his morning he said his prayers and then sat eyes off them for astonishment. They did not cease until all was brought to down to work … but, behold, the pair of shoes was already made and there they an end and the shoes stood ready on stood upon his board. The poor man was the table and then they sprang quickamazed and knew not what to think … ly away.

The following morning the wife but he took the shoes into his hand to look at them more closely and they were said, “The little men have made us so neatly worked that not a stitch was rich and we must show our gratitude wrong just as if they had been made for to them for although they run about a prize. Presently a customer came in they must be cold for they have nothand as the shoes pleased him very much, ing on their bodies. I will make a little he paid down more than usual so much shirt, coat, waistcoat, trousers and that the shoemaker was able to buy with stockings for each and will you make a pair of shoes for each? ” it leather for two pairs.

The husband assented and one eveBy the evening he had got his leather shaped out and when he arose the ning, when all was ready, they laid next morning, he prepared to work presents, instead of the usual work, with fresh spirit …but there was no on the board and hid themselves to need - for the shoes stood all perfect see the result.

At midnight in came the elves, on his board. He did not wait either for customers for two came who paid jumping about and soon prepared to him so liberally for the shoes that he work but when they saw no leather, bought with the money material for but the natty little clothes, they were four pairs more. These also -when he at first astonished, but soon showed awoke - he found all ready-made and their rapturous glee. They drew on so it continued …what he cut out over- their coats and smoothing them down, night was in the morning turned into sang – ‘Smart and naughty boys are the neatest shoe possible. This went we cobblers we ’ll no longer be, ” - The on until he had regained his former Little Elves and so they went on hopappearance. And until he had become ping and jumping over the stools and chairs and at last out of the door. Afa prosperous man.

One evening - not long before ter that evening they did not come Christmas - as he had cut out the usual again, but the shoemaker prospered quantity, he said to his wife before go- in all that he undertook and lived haping to bed, “Let us be awake this night pily to the end of his days. to see who it is that helps us so kindChildren, youagreed can send contributions and pictures this email MORAL: God through will shower his ly. ” His wife andyour fastened up address jokkyisland@yahoo.com or call telephone number: 08050324794 a light and then they hid themselves blessings on good people.

B

ees are flying insects closely related t o w a s p s and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and production of honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently considered as a clade Anthophila. There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees in seven to nine recognized families, though many are undescribed and the actual number is probably higher. They are found on every continent except Antarctica, in every habitat on the planet that contains insect-pollinated flowering plants.

Bees are adapted for feeding on nectar and pollen, the former primarily as an energy source and the latter primarily for protein and other nutrients. Most pollen is used as food for larvae.

Bees have a long proboscis (a complex “tongue ”) that enables them to obtain the nectar from flowers. They have antennae almost universally made up of 13 segments in males and 12 in females, as is typical for the

superfamily. Bees all have two pairs of wings, the hind pair being the smaller of the two; in a very few species, one sex or caste has relatively short wings that make flight difficult or impossible, but none are wingless.

Tiny bee stingless bee species exist whose workers are less than 2 mm (0.079 in) long. The largest bee in the world is Megachile pluto, a leafcutter bee whose females can attain a length of 39 mm (1.5 ”). Members of the family Halictidae, or sweat bees, are the most common type of bee in the Northern Hemisphere, though they are small and often mistaken for wasps or flies.

The best-known bee species is the European honey bee, which, as its name suggests, produces honey, as do a few other types of bee. Human management of this species is known as beekeeping or apiculture.

Bees are the favorite meal of Merops apiaster, the bee-eater bird. Other common predators are kingbirds, mockingbirds, beewolves, and dragonflies.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Dude Style

victorudoh804@yahoo.com 07067124302

My style must have a touch of class –Kenny Kehinde Rotimi Olusola aka Kenny is a music graduate of Delta State University, Abraka. He is one guy you can’t catch shabbily dressed. The former music lecturer/resident producer at the popular PEFTI Film Institute, Lagos in this interview with Victor Udoh speaks about his style, among others.

Can you tell us more about yourself?

I’m a member of duet musical group that goes by the name Twins Affair.

I’m from Odo-Eri in Yagba West local council of Kogi State. My group Twins Affair has just produced a new single entitled ‘365 Days’ which featured the celebrated Nollywood artiste, Thelma O’khaz I did a postgraduate diploma in Journalism at the International Institute of Journalism, Abuja.

Where do you think some guys are not getting it right in the fashion world?

Some guys wear casual attires to important events thereby bringing themselves to ridicule.

What is your style?

My style is simple but it must have a touch of class. I always like looking good knowing that a guy is addressed the way he is dressed. Most importantly, I love to wear corporate outfit.

What fashion accessory can you spend much money on?

Fashion to me is not a do-or-die which I should invest heavily on when I have other important things to do with money.

Most people are crazy about designer labels. Are you also a designer label freak?

I’m not but I like to go for good outfit. I may not have a favourite fashion designer both at home and abroad but that does not mean I go for some cheap and common outfits. I’m allergic to that. But when it comes to perfumes, I’m in for designer labels because they endure. My favourite perfume is Hugo Boss.

It smells good!

What’s your favourite colour and?

Many would expect me to say blue but white is my colour any day. The reason is that it stands for purity and it is cool.

What determines what you wear?

The types of event I want to attend normally determine the type of dress I wear.

How about ladies, where do you think they are usually wrong in fashion?

By wearing dresses that expose their boobs and applying excessive make-up, some look like masquerades at the end of the day. I’m sorry for saying this but it is true.

joy producing hip-hop beats for arrtistes because they always bring the e best out of me as a music producer.

What puts you off artistes?

It is the unserious nature of many y artistes who normally book for sesssions and fail to turn up.

What inspires your songs?

God always gives me inspiration, and when this happens when I’m eating, I would stop the food and d put down some notes. My songs are e always geared towards addressing societal ills.

Can you relive your first performance before a large crowd?

This is a difficult question for me in view of the fact that I started What kind of music do you enjoy to pro- facing the crowd at a tender age of duce mostly?

10 when I was a member of the chil-I e n - dren’s choir of m my church.

Who are you aspiring to be like in the as e international m music world?

I’m aspir aspiring to be like Usherr Raymond because he is a very singer. good sing your philosophy of What is y life? is, be good My philosophy ph people to peop ple on way your w up be-

cause you may need them on your way down.

What lesson has life taught you?

Life has taught me that no condition is permanent.

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

You can call this line 08050324794

CELEBRATING THE JOY IN MARITAL BLISS AUGUST 16, 2015

TV presenter, Marcy, weds Sijuwade TITILOPE MORAKINYO

BABIES OF THE WEEK Christiana Anekwe

I

t was indeed a classy wedding as pretty television presenter, Marcy Dolapo Oni and Adegbite Sijuwade, son of the late Ooni of Ife had their traditional wedding recently.

Many celebrities, politicians and members of the royal families were present. Ladies looked stunning in their native attires while other guests were fascinating.

The Landmark Events Centre Oniru, Lagos ’ venue of the wedding was decorated with crystal and silver elements, from chandeliers to centre pieces. It was indeed a majestic affair.

The couple, who appeared amazing in their outfit and were full of smiles, could not hold back their joy as they danced to the performance of famous artiste, Sean Tizzle, who thrilled everyone with his musical lyrics. There was a lot to eat and drink as invitees were happy with the couple.

Tonto Dikeh ’s introduction ceremony with Oladunni Churchill Obasanjo

C

hristiana Anekwe was born at St. Dominic ’s Catholic Church clinic Yaba, Lagos. At the time of birth, she weighed 2.8kg.

Speaking to Sunday Mirror about her daughter, Mrs. Anekwe, a teacher, described her as ‘the most adorable ’ baby she has ever seen.

According to her, immediately she had her baby, she fell in love with her because she was so cute to look at. She told Sunday Mirror that the only challenge she has is that baby Christiana prefers to be carried in the arm rather than laid on the bed. Mrs Anekwe explained that this challenge at times made it impossible for her to do most of her chores till

Christiana is asleep.

On her pregnancy and the changes she experienced, she said during the early stage she felt very uncomfortable all the time.

There were times she would have to leave work early or not go to work at all just because of the way she felt.

Mrs. Anekwe also explained that during the period there were certain proteinous foods she normally enjoyed, especially beans.

Speaking on the choice of name for her baby, she said Christiana was the choice when her baby was to be baptised.

She prays that her daughter grows into a beautiful woman and become successful in life.

Henry Oluwasemilore Williams

N

ollywood actress Tonto Dikeh has finally disclosed her Mr X. He is Oladunni Churchill Obasanjo, she had kept the world guessing about her relationship status in the past few months but she certainly cleared things in the past weekend as Oladunni took a step by storming Tonto ’s hometown in Port Harcourt, River state for her introduction ceremony.

The beautiful actress, who was looking extremely happy at the ceremony had changed her name to Mrs. Tonto Wigo Dikeh Churchill on social media.

F

or Mr. and Mrs. Adekoya Williams of Papa Estate, Badore Ajah, in Lagos, Sunday, June 1, will always be a day of joy in their family.

This was because the family was blessed with a baby boy after five years of waiting for a child.

The family decided to name their son Henry Oluwasemilore Williams.

According to the father, who spoke to Sunday Mirror, he decided to name his baby Oluwasemilore, which means ‘God has favoured me ’ because that is what he believes God has done after five years of childlessness.

He chose the English name Henry because that is his father ’s name.

Mrs. Adekoya spoke about her pregnancy period and how it was for her as a first mother. According to her, the antenatal classes helped a lot for her to better understand her pregnancy. This helped her know the foods and physical exercises to avoid. On physical changes, she had swollen face and feet most of the time.

She explained that she feels blessed to have her kid.

Describing her baby, she says she loves everything about her son. Baby Henry according to his parents is calm.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

What to wear …to a fashion show AUGUST 16, 2015

ADAEZE AMOS

W

hen going to a fashion show, you need to put on something that depicts where are going. This is the time you need to celebrate fashion in your life, bearing in mind the kind of show you are heading off for. Ensure that your style is mind-blowing, you never can say, you may be the one to steal the show.

If you are in doubt, then see what these two ladies wore to the Nigerian Television Fashion Show that took place recently. Emma Nyra and Kiki Omeili stepped out on the red carpet and all eyes were on them. So, baby don ’t think twice about what to wear to stand out. Let these two pictures be your guide.

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Perfect Cut

African Look

African print fabrics give room for more creativity

A DAEZE A MOS

H

ave you observed what fashion designers, accessories/costume jewellers are using African print fabrics to churn out? Our home-made cotton fabric fondly known as Ankara in the South-West and Ukpo in the South-East is suitable for almost every style you can think of. You can as well use it for such accessories as bangles, suspenders, hats, caps, etc.

Take a look at what popular diva, Chidinma Ekile, did with Ankara on this page. Isn’t it mind-blowing?

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Style aficion

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Perfect Cut

ados look splendid in jewelled dresses ADAEZE AMOS

J

ust as musicians are collaborating with one another to produce great sounds, unds, so also are jewellers and fashion designers teaming up to mass-produce incredible and jewelled d dresses.

You may call them beaded dresses. Or better still embellished dresses. They are in vogue in the fashion circles. They are ideal outfits for ladies who attend churches where ornaments naments are forbidden or taboo. They can opt for jewelled dresses and not feel something regard jewellery as a tabo mething is missing in their enough shimmer or sparkle on such dresses. Or what do you think? style. After all, there is e

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

L Learning the kissing game OVE

TALK

T

with Yemisi

Adeniran

hat kissing is very important in the game of intimacy is an understatement. It is a key instrument and that real romantic couples cannot but observe before making love. It serves as a form of introduction.

However, much as almost everyone would agree that kissing is significant, hardly do many make the best use of it.

For instance, for most men, it is most of the time not properly explored before a plunge is taken into the real sexual activity. That is, even when it is being carried out as foreplay, it hardly lasts. It is done in a hurry.

Many may not agree with me, but the problem many have is that couples don ’t know how to kiss! Yes. Kissing is not all about putting the lips together or running the tongue on the other person ’s tongue or lips. Effectively done, it gives a good feeling that couples would normally want to last very long.

Why most couples prefer to get it done with very fast is because they don ’t enjoy it the way it should be. The truth of the matter is that only if couples find time to learn or do it the proper way would they know what they are missing.

Let ’s go through the techniques as put down by those who know better: Do a few soft kisses. Start slow with soft, gentle kisses and skip the tongue and the teeth — for now. If your partner seems receptive, you can move forward to French kissing.

In case you don ’t know, French kissing is a system whereby you use your tongue during a kiss. One cannot understand

why it is so referred in Western culture, anyway. While doing the kissing, avoid making your lips smack as the sound might distract. All you need to do is slow down and part your lips a little bit more if you find out that you are smacking. Also, avoid your lips against partner ’s mouth.

The slow gentle move allows you to ascertain the Models level of his or her interest.

It also allows the partner to stop if he or she feels uncomfortable.

Maintain a moderate level of saliva. Avoid too much saliva. In case your lips are becoming too wet, you should withdraw and nicely reduce it.

“Lock ” lips. If your initial kisses have gone well, try a lip lock, which can lead to closer kisses. Essentially, you ’ll “stack ” your lips. Putting your partner ’s lower lip between yours is the safest bet. Most people have larger lower lips, making them easier to grab gently with your lips.

Breathe while you kiss. Ideally, you ’ll be able to breathe softly through your nose while you ’re kissing. If that ’s not

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

possible, though, break away for a second to take a breath.

It will be wrong to feel suffocated. If you breathe hard, you will only be showing a sign of being nervous or that you are rather excited, making your partner feel flattered.

Don ’t hang your hands. Put them to use. You can place your hands lightly on your partner ’s shoulders or around his or her waist. (In Western culture, girls generally put their hands on boys shoulders while he puts his hands around her waist.). You could pull your partner closer.

Also, put your hands on the sides of his or her face, using your thumb to sweep across the cheekbone, or put one hand under his or her chin and tilt it upward. Another seriously good move is to put both hands around the back of your partner ’s head and tangle them in his or her hair, gently pulling.

Test using tongue. Once you ’re in a lip lock with your partner ’s lower lip between both of yours, lightly run the tip of your tongue over it. If you can move it slowly, the better. Then, gauge your partner ’s response. If he or she presses in closer or returns the gesture, you ’re probably clear to keep increasing the intensity of the kiss. If your partner pulls away, maybe it ’s best to pull back the tongue for now and stick to lips-only kisses.

Try French kissing (if you like). Sweep your tongue along the inside of your partner ’s lower lip. Try to move slowly and lightly at first, increasing speed and pressure only if your partner seems to respond well. Slide the tip of your tongue inside your partner ’s mouth and gently move it against the tip of his or her tongue. Use light, darting motions and keep your tongue moving — letting it sit limply in your partner ’s mouth isn ’t appealing and will bring a quick end to the kissing. Try deeper and harder strokes if your partner seems responsive.

Be sensitive however, to your partner ’s response to know whether to slow down or pull the brake. Ensure not to be too excited also to avoid hurting each other. Remember again that either of you can take the lead and of course, there is still room for an improvement. Enjoy.

Sexual solutions and love products for adults

H

ello everybody and welcome. Today is an exciting day because we will be introducing an incredible array of exciting adult products for sexual performance enhancement and enjoyment. The first topic of today is products for organ enlargement.

Penis enlargement is a topic that captivates both men and women all over the world. When it comes to sex, bigger is generally better because humans are fascinated by big sexual organs. Of course we try to encourage the less endowed amongst us to be happy with what they have got but in the event they are unable to do that, we can also recommend ways they can go about achieving enlargement.

But first, is penis enlargement possible?

The answer to that is a resounding yes.

Simply put, there are two chambers of spongy tissue in the penis that can be expanded to contain more blood and hence a bigger erect penis. The two tissues are the corpus cavernosa and the corpus spongiosum. These tissues can be expanded through the use of the right supplements and penis enlargement exercises.

Foremost amongst these supplements for enlargement is the VigRx enlargement pills for Men. The VigRx penis enlarger is ranked number one in the world by critics and industry specialists. It is a doctor recommended daily supplement that is taken chiefly to enlarge the penis while also improving the erections of the user, his sexual stamina, semen quantity and sex drive. Some users begin to see results within weeks but I will say, be patient and within a matter of months of constant use, you will see very visible enlargement.

You can gain anywhere between two to four inches in length using VigRx. The penis will be thicker as well with about half an inch to three quarters of an inch.

But here is something else you also need to know about penis enlargement. It is a

bit like body building. If you take body building drugs to gain massive muscles, you must also exercise in the gym to get maximum results. So to get the very best out of your body ’s natural potential, combine your penis enlargement pills like VigRx with the enlargement exercises. This you can easily achieve with the help of a penis pump.

Next on the list of products is what is being ranked as one of the best performance enhancers in the market right now.

A few years ago, we introduced you to the Rhino brand of erection enhancers. Well, the best of them all is Rhino 7. One capsule of Rhino 7 will keep you performing like a warrior for up to one week. Rhino 7 gives you massive erections, enlarges your penis, stops premature ejaculation, gives you stamina, erection on demand and multiple rounds of intercourse. There is nothing like being too tired to perform when you take Rhino 7. It is heavy duty ammunition for bedroom shenanigans.

Another new and exciting product we have for men is the Volume Pills. Volume Pills increase semen quantity by up to 500%. They also improve the quality of your erections, the sweetness of your climax and fertility. Unlike all the other semen volumizers that basically just increase semen quantity, Volume Pills contain L-Arginine, Zinc Gluconate Cowhage, Momordica and Tribulus. All of these ingredients make it possible for Volume Pills to increase semen quantity, strengthen erection quality and motility all at once. Volume Pills is also ranked number one in the world of all the available semen volumizers.

We also have exciting performance enhancers and mood arousers for women. It is the G Female Oral tablets, a fantastic, top of the range enhancement supplement for women. It promotes the rapid growth of female hormones to stimulate

sexual desire. So if you are a woman with in need of these treatments/novelties no urge for sex or you don ’t enjoy sex, the can call 08171912551 or 08027901621 G Female Oral Tablets is the supplement for help or visit www.zeevirtualmefor you. It starts working in as little as 10 dia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers minutes but give up to 30 to 45 minutes all over Nigeria. For enquiries email before the effect kicks in fully. The G Fe- us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.commale Oral Tablets also help with vaginal Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media. lubrication so if you are a woman that complains of vaginal dryness and pain, this super For strong erections/performance, get Rhino 7, Libigrow or Man Up. supplement will help you. For Penis enlargement get VigRx, Vimax, Extenze or Potent Pump.

G Female Oral Tablets helps To maintain erection use Couple ’s Vibrator or Sta Hard Cock Ring. women reach Stop premature ejaculation with Forever Yours Cream or Gladiator Cream. orgasm easFor painful intercourse use Mood Sensitive Lubricant or Colt Lubricant. ily and half a tablet of it To reach orgasm, get Nympho ’s Desire Arousal or Encounter Orgasm Gel. is quite effective as well. Female libido boosters are G Female Oral Tablets or Kangaroo for her.

But you can take one whole To tighten vagina use Liquid Sex Tightening Cream or Tighten it up V Gel. tablet for best Women ’s Vibrators: Hunni Bunny Vibe or Fancy Night Heat Series. results.

The effects last for To attract a partner use Optimale Cologne or Sex Aphrodisiac Essence. three whole Male Masturbators are the Real Skin Latin Pussy or Hustler ’s Choco Pussy. days of mind blowing sexu- Female strap-ons are the Afro Wooper Strap-On or Limited Edition Strap-On. al desire and r e s p o n s i v e - Male strap-Ons for weak erection: 6 inch, 8 inch or 10 inch Penile Extension. ness.

Educational adult lms are Adam & Eve Sex Positions & Maximising G Spot.

And that is all for to- Feature Films: The One, One Wild & Crazy Night or Young Hollywood day. These are We also have magazines, lingerie, games, love cushions and condoms. exciting top quality per- To order by phone, call: 08171912551, 08027901621, 08051924159, formance enhancers. Next 07038845262 or easily order at www.zeevirtualmedia.com & pay online. week, we will Other payment options include bank deposits, internet transfers, phone discuss more new prod- Transfer or cash on delivery. We deliver discreetly all over Nigeria! ucts. Adults

ZEE VIRTUAL MEDIA LOVE AND SEX PRODUCTS

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Pregnancy Talk

Naughtiest Thing

with

The naughtiest thing I ’ve ever done

Adaeze Amos

Odecee

߾ࠆ߾ࠀࠁ߾߿ࠀࠀࠇࠁ ߶ࠡࠛࠡ ࠝࠜࠚࠧ߷

Nutritional benets of potatoes during pregnancy D

o you love eating potatoes so much that it seems as if you are addicted to it? And now that you are pregnant, you are wondering if it is healthy to continue? Well the truth is that medics have itemized the nutritional values of potatoes while you are pregnant.

If you are pregnant right now, this short piece should interest you because nutrition without being told should be your highest priority. You need to adjust your diet as your pregnancy progresses to meet the growing needs of your baby.

If you want the best nutrition for your self and unborn baby, you must focus on natural foods like sweet potatoes that are highly beneficial in the course of pregnancy. Reason is that they have high nutritional content. Want to know the high nutritional content? Here they are below.

Potatoes are rich in vitamin A. This is good for both you and your unborn baby. Even the American Pregnancy Association states that you must consume 700mg of vitamin A every day during pregnancy. So, a plate of sweet potato contains 1922 mgs of vitamin A that is about 300% of the regular intake that is recommended on a daily basis.

It also has Vitamin C and iron.

Vitamin C and iron are essential for good health of your baby during pregnancy. According to the National Institutes of Health, women must take 80-85 mg of vitamin C and iron of 27 mgs during pregnancy.

Guess what? A cup of sweet potato that is baked contains 39mg of vitamin C and 1.38mg of iron.

Potato is rich in Potassium:

‘My father stripped and ogged me for disobedience ’

T

Potassium is a vital nutrient for pregnant mothers and adults as well: Pregnant women need 4.7 grams of potassium every day. Women, who are breastfeeding, must increase their potassium intake to 5 grams every day. Have you seen why you mustn ’t ignore potatoes? They contain 950 mgs of potassium that is vitally essential during pregnancy.

Potatoes have adequate fiber: This helps to

curb constipation which is a common problem during pregnancy. Dietary fiber adds natural bulk to the digestive system.

Pregnant mothers must consume 22-28mgs of fiber daily, to avoid constipation. A plate of potato contains 6.6 grams of fiber that can meet most of the dietary fiber needs of your body. Aren ’t thrilled? Even without your daily vitamins you swallow, you can trust potatoes to supply adequate nutrients.

Potatoes are also rich in vitamin B6: Vitamin B6 prevents morning sickness and helps formation of red blood cells during pregnancy.

According to the American Pregnancy Association pregnant women must consume 1.9 miligrams of vitamin B6 every day. And a cup of sweet potato contains 0.6 milligrams of vitamin C.

he naughtiest thing I have ever done as a grown up was crying when my elder brother yelled at me. This was because I woke up very late to go to work.

He reprimanded and yelled at me. Immediately he did that, I broke down and started crying. I was 23 years old at the time. He was shocked that I could cry easily like a baby.

He felt I was too childish and that got him annoyed.

I cried because no one had ever shouted at me that way. Thus I never expected that from him. I screamed continually. He walked away and left me to cry the more.

But later, he came to me and started talking that I should try and be strong like a man and not break down easily like a child. I have learnt a lot from his advice. I ’m now stronger and indeed behave like a man.

Another naughty thing that occurred when I was young was the flogging I got from my late father for disobedience.

He would not allow me to go out. One day in my village, Emii in Owerri North LGA in Imo State, I went out without telling him. When coming back, I saw him and his twin brother. They actually knew I went out. And whenever my father wanted to deal with me, his twin brother would help him do that. They would come together and beat me. On that day I came back and had to hide. I was warned never to swim in my village stream; and that was what I did. That day, they held, stripped and flogged me mercilessly. After the flogging, they pushed me outside and my friends, especially girls, gathered and were looking at me crying, naked. I was 14 years old at the time. That was a very naughty thing I wouldn ’t forget. It was the price I paid for disobeying my father, a strict disciplinarian.

–Osinachi, fondly known as Odecee, is an artiste.

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Spicy chicken and vegetable stir fry

Jacobs Creek wine

J

D

o you stir-fry at home? It is a easy, healthy method of cooking in your weekend meal collection. A simple chicken stir-fry takes a short time to prepare and a very small amount of time in the kitchen.

A colourful chicken and vegetable stir-fry has a sweet-spicy sauce and a topping of dry-roasted peanuts, adds delicious crunch. It’s one of the most home cook-friendly meal.

Ingredients 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce 1 tablespoon fish sauce 1 tablespoon rice vinegar 1 tablespoon sambal 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil 3/4 teaspoon cornstarch 2 tablespoons canola oil, 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces 8 ounces sugar snap peas 1 red bell pepper, sliced

1/2 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges 1/4 cup sliced green onions 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts Preparation Combine the first seven ingredients, stir well and set aside.

Heat a large wok or large heavy skillet over high heat.

Add 1 tablespoon canola oil to pan; swirl to coat.

Add chicken; stir-fry 4 minutes or until browned and done.

Remove the chicken and add the remaining 1 tablespoon canola oil to coat.

Add sugar snap peas, bell pepper, and red onion; stir-fry 3 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Stir in brown sugar mixture; cook 1 minute or until thickened. Stir in chicken; toss to coat.

Sprinkle with green onions and peanuts.

acob’s Creek is a small creek that runs through the wine-producing region of the Barossa Valley. The creek itself is only several kilometers long and flows westwards from its beginning in the Barossa Ranges, eventually meeting the North Para River. The watercourse is studded with ancient and picturesque River Red Gums.

It was first discovered (but not named) by Europeans in December 1837 by an expedition led Colonel William Light and was surveyed in 1839 by his assistant surveyor, William Jacob (1814–1902), as part of a wider survey of the Barossa region.

Jacob settled here in the early 1840s, whence the origin of the name. In the local aboriginal dialect it is called “Cowieaurita”, meaning “yellow-brown water”, in an area known to them as Moorooroo, which became the name of the Hundred.

In the early 1840s Jacob’s Creek was briefly home to Johann Menge, South Australia’s first geologist, who lived for some time on an island and in nearby cave on the creek. Here he grew

vegetables, and was particularly struck with the possibilities for viticulture. Menge was influential in facilitating the settlement from the Barossa Valley by German Lutheran immigrants.

The creek lent its name to the famous wine brand Jacob’s Creek, which is produced by Orlando Wines, located 2 km southwest along the Barossa Valley Highway in the small town of Rowland Flat. Johann Gramp, the founder of Orlando Wines, first planted grape vines on the banks of Jacob’s Creek in 1847.

In 1997 Orlando Wines, in conjunction with the Northern Adelaide and Barossa Catchment Water Management Board, commenced a rejuvenation project for Jacobs Creek. All non-native plants and trees, such as bamboo, ash, and olives were removed, and replanted with blue gums, red gums and other Australian native trees and shrubs.

As a result of the project, many native species of frogs, native fish, and water birds have returned, with the creek gradually returning to its former natural state.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Growing Up

Sunday, August 16, 2015

DID YOU KNOW? Dinosaurs did not eat grass

Plant-eating dinosaurs did not eat grass, and for some, lizards, turtles, eggs, or early mammals formed part of their diet. Some hunted other dinosaurs or scavenged dead animals. Most, however, ate plants (but not grass), Rocks that contains dinosaur bones also contain fossil pollen and spores that indicate hundreds to thousands of types of plants existed during the Mesozoic Era. Many of these plants had edible leaves, including evergreen conifers (pine trees, redwoods, and their relatives), ferns, mosses, horsetail rushes, cycads, ginkos, and in the latter part of the dinosaur age flowering (fruiting) plants. Although the exact time of origin for flowering plants is still uncertain, the last of the dinosaurs certainly had fruit available to eat.

WHO INVENTED WHAT? Game of basketball was invented by James Naismith

T

he game of basketball was invented by James Naismith, he was a Canadian physical education instructor who invented the game in 1891 so that his students could participate in sports during the winter.

In his original game, which he developed while at the Springfield, Massachusetts YMCA (Young Men ’s Christian Association), Naismith used a soccer ball which was thrown into peach baskets (with the basket bottoms intact). The first public basketball game was in Springfield, MA, USA, on March 11, 1892. Basketball was first played at the Olympics in Berlin Germany in 1936 (America won the gold medal, and Naismith was there).

POP

RIDDLES

TONGUE TWISTER

Ned Nott was shot and Sam Shott was not.

So it is better to be Shott than Nott.

Some say Nott was not shot.

But Shott says he shot Nott.

Either the shot Shott shot at Nott was not shot, Or Nott was shot.

If the shot Shott shot shot Nott, Nott was shot.

But if the shot Shott shot shot Shott, Then Shott was shot, not Nott.

However, the shot Shott shot shot not Shott, but Nott.

Night of Drinking

37

Question: What is a cat ’s favorite color?

Answer: Purr-ple Question: What is a cat ’s favorite song?

Answer: Three Blind Mice Question: Why can ’t a leopard hide?

Answer: Because it ’s always spotted Question: What ’s worse than raining cats and dogs?

Answer: Hailing taxis Question: What animal cheats at exams?

Answer: The cheetah Question: Why do you need a license for a dog and not for a cat?

Answer: Cats can ’t drive Question: What animals are the best pets?

Answer: Cats, because they are purr-fect!

Question: What are caterpillars afraid of?

Answer: Doger-pillars

QUOTE Every human being has within him an ideal man, just as every piece of marble contains in a rough state a statue as beautiful as the one that Praxiteles the Greek made of the god Apollo.

–Jose Marti

JOKE

A

man and his pet Owl walked into a bar. It ’s about 5pm, but they ’re ready for a good night of drinking. They start off slowly, watching TV, drinking beer, eating peanuts. As the night goes on they move to mixed drinks, and then shooters, one after the other. Finally, the bartender says: “Last call. ” So, the man says, “One more for me... and one more for my Owl. ” The bartender sets them up and they shoot them back. Suddenly, the Owl falls over dead. The man throws some money on the bar, puts on his coat and starts to leave. The bartender yells: “Hey buddy, you can ’t just leave that lying ’ there. ” To which the man replies: “That ’s not a lion, that ’s a Owl. ”

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

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Movies & Music

Sunday, August 16, 2015

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

MI Abaga, Jesse Jagz perform in Benin

Vector

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ulti-talented musical siblings MI Abaga and Jesse Jagz performed at the Star Music Trek concert, which held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin yesterday.

The two Choc Boi Nation artistes made a rare joint appearance onstage at the concert tagged, #BeninRocks alongside artistes such as Burna Boy, Wande Coal, Sheyi Shay, DJ Neptune, DJ Switch and hometown girl Cynthia Morgan.

This will only be the second time since their much-publicised reunion that the Josborn brothers performed together onstage.

Speaking before the concert tagged, #BeninRocks! MI Remarked, “I can’t wait to get in front of the crowd in Benin City and show them what I have for them. It’s going to be a party”.

Following BeninRocks! The 2015 Star Music Trek will berth in Ibadan on August 22 and finally Lagos on August 29.

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well grounded in the African music industry. ‘There is no doubt the adjudication process will be seamless and credible, we could not have put together a better team to screen the large number of entries we received.’’

Here are the AFRIMA 2015 jury members: Rab Bakari; Diaspora (Usa), Kawesa Richard; East Africa (Uganda),Rita Ray; Diaspora (Uk) Delani Makhalima; Southernafrica (Zimbabwe,Laolu ‘Akins’ Akintobi; West Africa (Nigeria),Oscar J.F. Kidjo; West Africa (Benin Republic),Robert Esong Ekukole; Central Africa (Cameroon),Chris Syren; Southern Africa (South Africa),Tabu Osusa; (East Africa) Kenya, Kiki Toure; (Central Africa) Equatoraial Guinea, Angela Martins; (Au Representative) Mozambique And Essaidi Omar; Nothern Africa (Morocco)

resh off the success of his certified rap anthem ‘King Kong’, Vector Tha Viper has been issued a challenge to prove he belongs in Nigerian rap’s upper echelon by setting a new Guinness world record for the longest freestyle rap on live radio.

This challenge was issued

by Rhythm 93.7 FM at the official unveiling of the ‘Rhythm Freestyle Fury; contest. The quarterly event is generally characterised by a variety of artistes faced with themed musical challenges, and Vector is the first ever artiste to be issued this particular challenge. In a statement issued by Vector he said, “It’s an honour for me to be selected as the very

MI

AFRIMA to unveil 2015 nominees he International Committee of All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with African Union Commission, AUC, has announced the arrival of the 13man jury panel to Lagos, the host city of the 2015 edition of the event.

They would screen the 2558 entries received ahead of the nominees unveiling conference started yesterday.

The jurors are music professionals with commendable reputation in the African and global entertainment industry.

They have been involved in many music productions, live performances, music festivals, distribution and have contributed to the success of many African music artistes who are thriving today. Reaffirming the integrity of the jury members, Adenrele Niyi, AFRIMA Programme Director stated, ‘The members of the jury are

Vector targets record for longest freestyle rap artiste

Akins

first person to take on this challenge.” He added, “I definitely relish this opportunity to set a new world record and I’m bringing my Agame.”

The show will not only feature Vector rapping nonstop, but will also have four upcoming rappers battling it out for a grand prize.

Open to the public, four people stand a chance of being among the selected rappers battling it out for the grand prize. Entrants need to upload short videos of them rapping about Rhythm FM on Instagram, tag @937RhythmFM and @ VectorThaViper using the hashtag #RhythmFreestyleFury, and get as many people as possible to like their entries.

Golden Boi set to drop ‘Jaiye Jaiye’

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ast-rising and upcoming Ilo- and rapper born in Por Harcourt. rin-based musical act Golden He hails from Oke-Ode in Ifelodun Boi, is set to release his fourth LGA of Kwara State.

He grew up listening to Tuface, official single under Golden ReDavido, Whizkid, Olu Maintain, cords entitled Jaiye Jaiye.

The sound, an up tempo/dance- Lil Wayne and Drake. He always hall song that was produced by the attended stage plays growing up award-winning producer VTEK, and says Whizkid is his icon. He Vtek, is the official producer of P- promised his fans to keep a look out saying the song is going to Square, who produced songs wow them. likes ‘Shekini’’ and ‘Eje Ajo’, His other singles ‘Jekajofor the multi-talented alented awardjo’, ‘Bonfire’, ‘Bonfire’ ‘Boogie Down ft winning duo. Jaiye Jaiye Ybeez’ are still s enjoying maswas mixed and d mastered by sive air play in Ilorin, and pla an Ilorin-based ed award-winsaid that he is going to drop ning producer Glorious beat. album and his debut d The song iss a love hopes to break into hop hit that speaks peaks the mainstream th about a guy tryLagos entertainL ing to woo a girl. ment market. m ‘Jaiye Jaiye’ is Golden Boi, who scheduled to be had his secondary h released on Auueducation at Ace gust 21. cess InternationGolden al School, MagBoi whose boro in Ogun real names State is currentare Ibrahim l y studying Law at st Golden Boi Akogun, is a multithe University of Ilorin.

Univ talented dance e hall singer, songwriter writer

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Movies & Music

Sunday, August 16, 2015

39

Egbuson, Babatope, others team up in Lunch Time Heroes

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eyi Babatope and leading player in film production, exhibition and distribution have teamed up again to produce what many have described as family movie, ‘Lunch Time Heroes’.

The film, ‘Lunch Time Heroes’, is about a group of seven students who are bad at sports who have to take part in a skill’s challenge. Their teacher is a volunteer through the National Youth Service Corps who doesn’t fit in at the upper-class school.

“A family film has never been done before here,” Babatope said on the set in Lagos. “I wanted to give African kids something to relate to, to uplift the spirit of the African child. It’s a film families can go see together.”

Hiss cast of young unknowns owns has impressed him; some were scouted through rough l o c a l churches. ches.

“The kids are just ust so good.” ” He added, “If If an African an kid can be ‘Hannah Montanaish’ we could be tapping into something big.”

The e cast of the movie e which is a blend of established faces d and new kids include de Dakore Egbuson, Omoni ni Oboli,, D i ana Yekinnn i , T i n a Mba, Tope Tedela, Bikiya GrahamhamDouglas glas a n d Kenneth

Okolie. The child stars are Kada Matthew, Cassandra Rosman, Sunshine Rosman, Donpet Enebeli, Christopher Ochiyanbo, Deborah Oboh and Louie Obioha.

The movie which was shot for 16 days will be in cinema from Friday, August 28 while the premiere will take place on the 23rd at Film House Cinema, Surulere. FilmOne Distribution will be releasing across cinemas in Nigeria.

There are plans to give the English-language film a pan-African release as well as a launch in the UK. The budget of less than $100,000 is funded by his own company Phebean Films alongside distributor FilmOne. Meanwhile, Babatope’s debut feature ‘When Love Happens’ has been bee a box-office hit in Nigeria (where it has avoided avoid market-style sales and released in UK cinemas in piracy) and will be re June via Talking Drum Pictures. shoot a sequel to that film, He also hopes to sh ‘When Love Happens Again’, in London later this year. It would ffeature the cast from the first film (including Bad B Education’s Weruche Opia) with some new additions. “I want to tap into that Afro-European culture,” he said.

Afro-Europ Lagos-based Babatope grew up in Los AngeBaba les, USA and previously previou worked for American production companies companie including Ridley Scott Associates.

“I have come her here to tell stories that matter to me,” he said. “Films like ‘Hotel Rwanda’ “F and ‘Blood Diamond’, Diamon those films have ave never been told d from an African perspective,” perspective,” he said.

Oboli

Omoni Oboli, Sound Sultan laud YBLN launch

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ollywood actress, Omoni Oboli, Temitayo Etomi, a 2014 Mandela Washington Fellow, founder/CEO, Digital Jewels, Mrs. Doyin Odunfa, the founder/principal partner, George Etomi & Partners, Mr. George Etomi and Country Partner, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Mr. Uyi Akpata were among prominent personalities that graced the launch of Young Business Leaders of Nigeria (YBLN) at the Muson Centre in Lagos recently.

YBLN is a network of ‘young business leaders’ established to evolve creative methods of providing 1.2 million jobs in Nigeria.

It plans to reduce the rate of unemployment by three per cent by December 2016 and 25 per cent by December 2020. host, Etomi, Speaking at the event, the h within and outshared her experiences wit side the country. spiring EntreShe unveiled the ‘Asp preneurship Programme’, Programm which is amazing opporaimed at providing ama tunities for young Nigerians.

Niger “The programme has been September 2015. 20 scheduled for Septemb from young people will be picked p brought to Lagos to the North and brough business skills, marexperience busines finance. They keting and fin will have tthe opportuvisit real businity to vis locations and ness loc interact with busiinterac

ness owners on a one-on-one basis. They will be in Lagos for eight weeks. We are targeting 1,000 entrepreneurs by the end of 2017,” she explained.

Etomi also unveiled the ‘Employability Master Class’, which will address skill deficit in Nigerians. She enjoined those looking for employment to register online on the organisation’s website.

One of the highlights of the event was the interactive session, which was moderated by Nigeria’s youngest Editor of a national publication, Toyosi Ogunseye.

The panelists invited on stage for this session included the Founder/CEO, Digital Jewels, Mrs. Doyin Odunfa, the Founder/ Principal Partner, George Etomi & Partners, Mr. George Etomi and Country Partner, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Mr. Uyi Akpata.

During this session, the seasoned professionals responded to a series of questions from Ogunseye that bordered on several issues including the challenges of finding the right employees in a business environment by organisations.

Mrs. Odunfa also spoke on the issue of funding and how this is sometimes overemphasised.

“It is time for Nigerians to start taking advantage of opportunities. Funding is not the only problem Nigerians have to deal with when it comes to starting businesses. The truth of the matter is that funding chases good ideas. There are sources of funds that exist outside the bank,” Odunfa said.

People doubted my becoming an evangelist -Eucheria Anunobi Dakore

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Ex-soldier, Ezenwosu Okpara launches foundation

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ormer Nigerian female soldier, Ezenwosu Okpara, recently said that God has chosen her to be the queen of the world as she recently launched her own international foundation known as World Queen’s Foundation at Ikeja, Lagos.

The Anambra-born singer who had released a couple of albums to her name with about 30 songs to her credit, spoke with journalists at the event.

She was formerly known in the inner circles of the Armed Forces as African Queen, following her debut album entitled ‘Future Hope’. People in the barracks where she served noted that Babynwa is as popular as Coca-Cola.

Eucharia

o l l y w o o d actress, Eucharia Anunobi, has Anu revealed that she never planned to become a minister of God. She later discovered she discov was going to work for God of her God in the course cou acting acting career.

Anunobi said sa she had to attend a B Bible school before accepting to acce answer God’s call. According to her, people h mocked her when she made her intention known to join joi the ministry.

“I started as an actress but when I discovered the call, I enrolled in a Bible school.

“When people heard it, they mocked and laughed at me. Some asked, ‘will a prophet come out of Eucharia Anunobi’. Today, I am an evangelist acting in the office of a prophet. I travel around the world as a conference speaker,” she disclosed.

The talented actress said this at the weekend at a book launch in Lagos, where she was invited as a guest speaker.

She advised that people should always try to look for that hidden talent in them to be able to set themselves out of many. “You cannot have a destiny without a dream, you cannot have a dream without an idea,” the ‘Glamour Girls’ star said on the occasion.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Lessons of Life TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART

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

‘My uncle ’s barren wife cursed me, I ’m afraid it ’s affecting me ’ When Charity fondly known as Chacha among her friends was growing up, she lived with her uncle and Nkechi his wife. His wife had no child for her husband and she was indeed worried.

At the time, Cha-cha added to the woman ’s problems. “I used to be naughty and rude to her. I never respected her because she was not the type that would buy gifts for my mother or give money to me or my siblings, no matter how little. My mum and siblings saw her as very stingy. My uncle was raised by my father who of course was his elder brother. So, when he was living in our house, we respected and adored him.

The reason is that when he was in the university, he usually brought his girlfriends home at times and when they were leaving, they would give us gifts, just to make us happy, ” she recalled.

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here was one lady we all thought he would marry. He had graduated and got a new job “but he was still living with us. He said he didn ’t want to leave my father ’s house until he got his own apartment. That was the time he was courting Deborah. She was strikingly beautiful and my mother loved her. She was humble and was always close to my mother. She was the one that took my mother to a hair salon for the first time and she had her hair processed with relaxer and styled. You needed to have seen how excited my mum was when she came home from the salon that day. She never stopped at that, she would buy us some clothes and gave my mother money which she added to her petty trading fund.

“When my uncle eventually got his own apartment, he moved out of our house. But she stayed with us for two days before she left. She was that close to us. But later on, she parted ways with my uncle. I felt bad, we all did including my mother. When we asked my uncle what happened, he refused to disclose to us. It was later that he confided in my mother that he accused Deborah falsely of dating a man, a neighbour. And that it was later that he realised she was faithful to him. When he came to plead with her, she refused to accept his apology, insisting that since he never trusted her enough, it was needless marrying him.

“When my mother heard that, she went in search of Deborah to plead on my uncle ’s behalf but she was told by her parents that she had left Enugu for Lagos to be on her own and live her life. That was another thing my uncle hated. He didn ’t like the idea of a sin-

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gle lady living alone in such a big city as Lagos. My mother couldn ’t trace her and Deborah ’s parents didn ’t help matters. They refused to disclose her address, ” Cha-cha said.

Later on “my uncle brought another lady home to be introduced to us. That was Auntie Nkechi who was a total opposite of Auntie Deborah. She was stingy to a fault and we saw her as being wicked. After their wedding, I went to live with them.

My uncle said I should come and live with them in Enugu so that he would sponsor my university education. I gained admission into Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, to study Computer Science. Throughout the five years I lived with them, Auntie Nkechi couldn ’t conceive. I never pitied her. Even when she would be having some misunderstanding with my uncle, I would always side my uncle.

Though I wouldn ’t say anything or mediate in their affairs, my action spoke volumes. At such times, I would wake up and wash my uncle ’s car leaving her own. When she asked why, I would rudely remind her that she should go and wash her car herself, after all she wasn ’t pregnant.

She was shocked the first time I confronted her and she walked away in tears, ” she recalled.

Cha-cha was always a good girl under the observant of her uncle. She would wash her uncle ’s clothes on Saturdays and when her auntie brought hers, she would leave them soaked in the bucket for days. She was purposely doing that to annoy her. One day she

challenged her for leaving her dresses soaked in the bucket for a week. “Auntie what stops you from washing them? After all they are your clothes? ” “Cha-cha, are you talking to me in that manner? Are we mates? Don ’t you have respect?

“Respect? Did you say respect auntie? I only reserve my respect for women who have proven to be real women …women whose wombs are not closed or locked up due to their wickedness and stinginess. You knew your womb was locked up and you kept mum over that. You deceived my uncle to marry you, now see how you have kept him childless for six years.

I wonder why fate separated him and Auntie Deborah who we thought he could have married. If he had married that kind-hearted lady who was loved by my mother and siblings, this whole house would have been filled with children. Why not give my uncle children? Barren witch! If you had done so, I would have reasons to wash your clothes. ” “Cha-cha you talk to me in this manner? Remember you are a woman. You don ’t know how I feel due to my predicament, the midnight tears I shed and fears that your uncle would have been thrown out of his house one day. Yet you are there calling me names right in my presence. I pray that your womb too would also be locked up. Never would you miss your flow for once when you are married so that you would know how it feels, ” she retorted. *To be continued

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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!

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From the Pulpit

Sunday August 16, 2015

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Christians should be prepared at all times –Oloruntimilehin I t becomes pertinent to bring to the notice and acknowledgement of people of the world, particularly the believers that serving God diligently is fundamental.

There are some things people need to know and do them in the process of serving God. These have been mentioned several times before but still need to be emphasised so that people can embark on journey with God and see His favour.

If people fail to follow and observe those things, then on the day of resurrection they will not rise during rapture.

Some of these things are little but not courageous to allow truth to prevail in their lives and fear God. Anytime temptation comes and the person(s) is not saved, then he or she will wonder and complain why the unpleasant thing is happening to him or her while he or she is serving God. I want to advise and appeal to people to be prepared, and counting their days and watching their neighbours falling and dying.

They should be thinking that they are not strong or healthy than the person that died. Also be thinking or saying the person that died was righteous than they do.

Therefore people should think that they can die within a minute. People should compare themselves with a person that is hale and hearty, no medical history indicating any sickness but stumbled and died.

Then let people have it in their mind that they can die any moment. Let people be prepared with armour because the owner of life can claim it anytime.

If HE claims it where are you going?

Some people call God but they are not serving God. On the day of difficulties God will not answer them. Some people are serving God the way they like and

General Overseer of Omnipotence Mission of God, Prophet Joshua Daramola Oloruntimilehin, in this admonition, lists some of the things a Christian should do always. Excerpts:

serve God. Many people think or believe God cannot be served anyhow you they are serving or worshipping but in like. God need to be served the way HE the actual fact they are just paying lip wants to be served. serve to the work of God. People need to serve God when it is The Bible says in Isaiah 29:13-14 convenient and not convenient. The “These people are near to me with their Bible says in IITimothy 4:2 “Preach mouth and honour me with their lips but the word! Be ready in season and their hearts are far from me, their worout of season…” When it is time to ship of me is up made up only of rules serve God, no problem whatsoever and taught by men…” Brethren let your should debar people from serving service of God includes doing good, beGod. Whether a person is in a pleascause a day will come when goodness ant or unpleasant condition, he or she will not be with you again so that God should serve God at the right time so can stretch His hand that HE could save the person from a o f gooddifficult cult situation.

A child of God serves him when he orr she is hungry, afflicted, in sorrow etc. Jesus Christ said in Matthew w 10:37-39 “ He who loves father or mother her more than me is not worthy of me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

And he who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me…”

Also a person that loves his wife than Jesuss or loves her husband than Jesus is not ot worthy to be for Jesus.

So o if a person is experiencing hardship or any of his family (wife & children)) is at the verge of death, at the time of service definitely as a person of flesh esh the person will prefer to see to the person at the point of death. But whatt Jesus was emphasizing is that serve God first and HE would take care of your sick person.

It is difficult for person to abandon bandon sick child Prophet Oloruntimilehin and go to

ness to you. If you do good very well, you will receive it very well, but if you do good in a lazy manner, then you will receive it in the same manner.

Therefore serve God in good manner and truly so that you will receive God goodness.

The Bible says in Galatians 6:7-10 “Do not be deceived God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction, the one who sows to please the spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life.

Let us not be weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up…

All these are tools needed to prepare people for tomorrow so that the favour of God would be upon them.

People should realize that God owns us (Psalms 100:3) so people should take any matter concerning God seriously.

Also people should hastily do what will make God hastily reciprocate to people’s need.

Let service of God and doing good be paramount things in our lives.

For further enquiries call: 08023020108, 08058110288, 08023991354. www.facebook.com/pastoroloruntimilehin.

•For more enquiries call: 08023020108, 08058110288; facebook.com/pastoroloruntimilehin

‘God’s covenant of peace and blessing’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 24 those that have repented and accepted the renewed and refreshed covenant. Our God is the covenant keeping God and whoever that entered into this covenant by accepting Him as his personal Saviour will never be disappointed. So if you are reading this message you should make up your mind to seek God in true righteousness and holiness for Him to appear in glory and shower you with blessing.

When it is clear your relationship with the true God is broken through sin, unfaithfulness and isolation from Him, you must not hesitate to seek to enter into covenant with Him to remedy your ways and relationship with Him. When it seems there is no peace and progress, when there are crises, problems and destructions everywhere or the enemies and his human agents are having advantage over you, you must make haste to enter into covenant to seek God. This is because no evil comes upon individuals or nations without the permission and control of God and He is able and ready, when they are duly humbled, to remove problems from them and manifest towards them new tokens of His favour as enshrined in the covenant.

2Chron. 7: 13-15 says, “If I shut up heav-

en that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; 14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. 15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place”.

It is expected that as many that dishonoured God by action of deeds and thoughts must be reasonable enough to humble themselves and turn from their wicked ways, and return to the God from whom they have revolted in order to appeal to His mercy. And it is only on this strength that they will be brought into the covenant of peace and blessing availed to us by Christ.

2Chron. 15: 1- 2 says, “And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded: 2 And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you”.

Those who keep close to God shall always have His presence with them. When there are prevailing adverse situations like poverty, sickness, barrenness, no

peace, miscarriages and persecution, we should realise the wicked one is at work and quickly make haste to take refuge under the covenant. I don’t know the difficulties you are facing now, neither do I know how many years you have been subjected to such misery or who is behind it, what I know and advising you is to make haste and come under the coverage of the covenant. If that business has refused to progress to your favour, if that health problem has defied solution, if your spouse has left you or you are having disappointment, never mind, there is hope freely made available by the provision of the covenant. All you need to do is to come into the covenant and it shall be well with you. Remember if you ignore the need for His ordnances and forsake Him, He is not tied to you, but will certainly forsake you, and then you are undone, even your present triumphs will be no security to you. God has set before us what will be the dangerous consequence of forsaking Him and His ordinances, and that there is no way of having our grievances redressed, but by repenting, and returning unto God. Nobody can have real life solution, peace, progress, blessing and permanent victory without the Lord on his side.

Many men in the Bible days escaped the storms of life because they had God by their sides. Shadrack, Meshach, Abednego, Dan-

iel, Elijah and Elisha were all victorious in life because they had God by their sides. So, whenever there is problem and it is traced to be as a result of sin and unfaithfulness, you should repent and reconcile with your God so there will be restoration.

Joel 2: 23- 24 says, “Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. 24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil”.

After this Easter’s message, your life will never remain the same if you can repent from your iniquity and confess your sin. God has done everything to ensure you are not perished, and the blessing of God doesn’t elude you.

Our Lord Jesus said in the Book of Matt.

11: 28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”.

Here we have a sweet invitation, backed with a gracious encouragement. Our Lord Jesus Christ is inviting such as are weary of the burden of sin, of the slavery of Satan, of the yoke of poverty, disappointment, etc, to come unto Him for rest and ease.

Come and partake in the covenant of peace and blessing which He is offering us this Easter so that it shall be well with us.

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From the Pulpit Learn with Kunle

Macaulay

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

or a long time Nigerians were under insensitive political leaders who mismanaged the nation’s resources. Of recent, the cry for a change brought in the present government that did not only promise a change during its campaign but has actually started putting in place how to fulfill its promises. Immediately after the inauguration of a new government in Nigeria after 16 years of suffering of poor people, many people started rolling out conditions, shall I call them what they think the government should do.

The truth all Nigerians should know is that the present government is very interested in the masses and not the wealthy alone. But all the same we cannot rule out the fact that there are many Nigerians that are very wealthy either by straight or crook means. Moreover, many politicians want to maintain status quo which is to their advantage.

Media is needed to educate Nigerians of their rights and also inform them of the plans of the government. The acceptance of conservative values by many Nigerians due to their lack of political understanding has led to endorsement of conservative ideology.

Many of us may not know Awolowo, Sardauna of Sokoto and Azikiwe of blessed memory in person but history tells us of their contributions to the development of Nigeria and it tells us something revealing about our own

Desti Destiny Hour with Pastor Femi

Lanre-Oke

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elcome to a great week full of God’s grace and favour manifested in all areas of your life in Jesus Name.

Faithfulness is an important aspect in the life of every individual, a virtue that describes someone who will stand tall in life.

“Seest thou a man diligent (faithful) in his business? He shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men” Proverbs 22:29.

Faithfulness is defined as the quality of being faithful, a strict or thorough performance of duty, true to one’s word, promises or vows, adhering firmly and devotedly to a person, cause or idea. These definitions speak of the quality of someone who is consistent, unwavering in his commitment to someone, something or a cause.

In this first part, we are considering the faithfulness of God. No one can of his strength, boast of being faithful except strengthened by the One from whom faithfulness emerged. The ATS Bible Dictionary describes faithfulness as an infinite attribute of Jehovah. God’s faithfulness is beyond what anyone can imagine. David in Psalms 36: 5 tries to find the right words to describe it

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The set time is come times. Our political leaders are not like them. It was the intention of the last political leaders of this country to keep the poor from enjoying the blessings of God in this country. There is no doubt that only the poor suffered while the rich and their families enjoyed until the cry of the suffering Nigerians reached God and we were saved. In as much as I believe that we are saved, I still want to believe that the present government needs all Nigerians to succeed. We all know and trust the present President of the nation when it comes to performance because to him, there is no place for laziness. The government has started demonstrating that it does not discriminate and that it is sensitive to issues of gender, ethnicity, culture, lifestyle, beliefs and disability. Nigeria should give everybody the same opportunities – access to good education, pipe-borne water, electricity and employment.

Our life speaks of need for heroes and saints. We need men and women who care and who will speak the truth even at the risk of their lives. Our politicians are chosen to represent the interest of their people and if they have conscience or the Spirit of God in them, human situations will change in Nigeria. If Christian leaders are actually chosen by God to serve in human communities, then they should build the ‘’mind’’ of every believer to produce excellent character outwardly. As much as I love science and technology, a Babel-like over-reliance on technology in the face of the force of nature or the de-

mands of faith is stupidity. At the same time, the use of men and women who have contributed to the downfall of this nation in the present government has its dangers too.

Nigerians should be grateful unto the Lord who has blessed us with his presence in this country. I am not saying that we are completely free but we are already on the route to freedom. Many Muslims have denied that members of Boko Haram are real Muslims because true Muslims do not hate and murder.

What is important is that we are all Nigerians, created by God who purposely placed us in Nigeria, we must therefore exhibit the love of God which is the basic principle we must bear in mind. Nigeria belongs to God and God said, ‘’ I will be their God and they will be my people’’ Jere 31 :33 Let us learn to live in peace, eschew grievances and imbibe political and religious tolerance.

I have mentioned this severally that if the government is responsible for management of human and natural resources, then religious leaders must be held responsible for moral decadence in the country because it is their responsibility to build human moral and character. The two major religions in Nigeria – Christianity and Islam control the faith of over 80 per cent of Nigerians. If they are sincere and efficient then crimes will be controlled.

The message of God is for everybody in the world. No one is excluded. Peter said, ‘’ I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears

him and does what is right, is welcome to him..’’ Acts 10: 34-35. The Bible passage here does not talk about Christian denomination but individuality. It says …”the man who fears him and does what is right…’’. It shows that everybody has a duty to play in developing people and nation. Researchers have proved that the more a nation moves away from God and his will, the more problems it faces.

God controls humans and nations of the world. Jeremiah said,’’I do not know O Lord, that a man’s way is not in himself; nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps’’. Jere 10 : 23.

It is important to know that the world was created by God and man too is his handiwork, therefore, there is no way to succeed either as an individual or nation without God. Joshua challenged Israelites, ‘’ Choose for yourself today whom you will serve.’’ Josh 24 :15. I challenge you as you read this article to decide if you will serve the merciful God that created the heavens and the earth Gen1:1, who gave power to David to defeat Goliath 1 Sam 17, who gave Solomon the King wisdom to rule Israel,1kings 3: 7-15, who brought fire from heaven to Mount Carmel to shame the enemies of Elijah 1 kings 18: 16-39 and whose name Peter used to heal the lame man at the Beautiful Gate Acts 3: 1-10 The set time is now, we should stand together and make Nigeria one indivisible nation.

•Prof. Kunle Macaulay is the Director of Studies of United Bible University, Lagos. Phone: 0802 – 303 – 2698; email : profkunlemacaulay@yahoo.com; Twitter. com/Kunle Macaulay1

The faithfulness of God “Thy mercy, O Lord is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds”.

God is the only one who can be relied upon not to fail. “Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations” Deuteronomy 7:9.

1.

The faithfulness of God makes things on earth go uninterrupted, divinely programmed. Have you ever imagined how the day breaks and winds up at night without anyone manually controlling it? The sun knows the exact time to rise and set, the moon has its calculated time of appearance. The clock ticks and keeps going round. Although there are different seasons all over the world, everything is programmed and none skips its timing. What an awesome God!This is only possible because of the faithfulness of God. 2.

The faithfulness of God makes Him committed to your life and total well-being.

“But the Lord is faithful who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil” 2 Thessalonians 3:3. David testifies of this faithfulness in Psalms 37:25 “I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread”. God speaking through Prophet Isaiah assures us of His faithfulness at difficult times “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shall not be burned; neither

shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour” Isaiah 43:2-3a.

3.

The faithfulness of God makes Him keep to His Words. It is not something He is trying to do, it is just His nature. His Word goes out and like a timed bomb, at the time appointed; it is fulfilled by itself without man’s control. “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it” Isaiah 55:11. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever” Isaiah 40:8.

God is faithful to His Words and will not renege on His promises, so we can hold on to whatever He has said to us with the assurance that it will come to pass. God’s faithfulness makes Him unable to fail. Human frailties make us unable to meet up with commitments especially when they are not convenient but we can trust in the faithfulness of the Almighty God whose words are “Yea and Amen”. There is a reader of this column who is weighed down by troubles on every side and has begun to doubt the faithfulness of God. Be assured that the Almighty God is too faithful to fail and you can trust His words. “The Lord of Hosts has sworn, saying, Surely as I have thought and planned, so shall it come to pass, as I have purposed, so shall it stand” Isaiah 14:24.

4.

Finally, the faithfulness of God

makes Him committed to saving all those who call upon Him. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” Romans 10:13. God’s promise to you today is that if you will only call on Him, He will save you from sin, failure, lack, oppression etc. No matter how deep you are in sin, God’s word of assurance is that “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9.

Simply call on your father today and trust that He will save you as He has promised.

“Dear Father, thank you for sending Jesus to die for me. I believe in my heart that Jesus died and rose for my justification and I confess that Jesus is Lord over My life. Today, I confess my sins and receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I declare that I am born again in Jesus Name”.

If you have said this prayer, be assured of God’s faithfulness in John 10:28 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand”.Please join a bible believing church close to you so that you can grow in grace.

Have a fruitful week ahead. God bless you.

•For further prayer & counseling, Please contact: Pastor Femi Lanre-Oke, Jesus Praise Evangelical Ministries International, Plot A22 Power Crescent, Arab road, Kubwa. Abuja, +2348030752799, +2348053695097, Email: femi_lanre01@yahoo.co.uk

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Sunday August 16, 2015

Change, the inevitable (1) (The Coach) Pastor Moses A Omogbehin

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very leader must learn to adapt to a positive change as when due irrespective of the present situation. One of the attitude and attribute of a leader is the ability to adapt to positive change.

Oxford’s Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines change as having one state, position or direction and start having another.

The Bible says, “Jesus Christ The same yesterday and today and forever” Heb 13:8 The only thing that has remained fixed unmovable and constant His God and He would ever be. Why? Simply because he is God. He is not liable to any condition of life, such as to any chemical reaction air weather, temperature, etc He is the source of life through Him by Him, and in Him everything ‘living or not living came to existence. “Who is the image of the invisible God? The firstborn of every creature: and invisible, whether they be throne or dominion, or principalities, or power: all things were created by Him, and for Him” Col 1: 15-16.

Hear this it is normal as to kick or criticise change in every aspect of life and destiny, why?

The present and ongoing situation has being proven, tested and approved but the new ideas, vision innovation is yet to be tested, and approved. The fact is this, it is not normal to adapt to a positive change easily. Everyone you can see on the surface of the earth today

The Bride’s voice with Pastor Moses

P

Alu

raise the Lord. Some people say they are deliverance ministers and they don’t know how to lead people to receive correct deliverance. You cannot deliver someone who is not effectively under the blood of Jesus Christ. When I am conducting deliverance on a person I know is a genuine child of God and the demon is proving stubborn, I get excited because I know I have a higher power. I give that demon every reason to see why it must leave the brother or sister. That is what knowledge does.

My anointing is in the knowledge of the Word. When I quote the word for any situation, it changes that situation. The power of a lawyer is in his knowledge. That is why even when you know that somebody has committed a crime, confesses to that crime and he is brought before the court, his lawyer will study how the prosecutor has made his case. Based on this, the lawyers will tell the person he is defending to plead not guilty. He may have discovered a technical flaw in the charge brought against his client. So what a lawyer is looking at is not the actual fact but what has been presented in the court. This is from knowledge.

Blessed be the name of the Lord. It is still the same way when the devil brings accusations against anyone. And this works when a person is not under the blood. For instance, a curse cannot work against you because the case was settled on the Cross of Calvary. What the enemy is accusing you of has been nailed to the Cross. It is written that it will no more

both in the secular and in the kingdom has once kicked and criticised positive change directly and indirectly.

All we don’t understand about the mystery of positive change is this ; it has come to introduce fresh air , ease, speeding our life and destiny , help our day to day activities, help our creativities, enhancing our profitability, productivity etc.

Note this; all that Christ came to offer is to institute positive change. Positive change would continue to occur on daily and regular basis in every ramification of life.

The only thing that would forever remain unchangeable is God. Although God cannot change yet His principle and strategies change per time. This change is occurring and would forever occur in facets of destiny.

There are change all round, can’t you see it and feel it impact in the scientific world can’t you see it and feel it in the medical field. Can’t you see it in the educational sector? Can’t you see it and feel it in economics aspect. Can’t you see it in the marital, social, etc?

Inability to adapt to a positive change as when necessary or due is a way of kicking direction and in directing against God’s perfect will, why? God is the author of every positive change you can see and also feel it impact in all manner of destiny not the devil or any personality anywhere it is God. Read the scripture “For the earth shall be filled of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea” Isa 11:9. Kicking or criticising a positive change is direct kicking against God’s perfect will. The process through which positive change is occurring is as a result of fulfillment of prophecy as quoted above in Isa. 11:9.

Hear this again and again, it is normal to kick against positive change, what makes it bad is to remain kicking and criticising it.

Note this, instead of criticising positive change; rather ask a question, why? Knowledge is very deep (wide) no particular man has it all, irrespective of age, calling, years in ministry, years in marriage, years in your area of specialisation, someone somewhere knows more than you irrespective of your place of abode Nigeria or abroad.

Note the following word of strength, “It is change, continuing change, inevitable change that is the dominant factor in society today. No sensible decision can be made any longer without taking into account, not only the world as it is, but the world as it will be” said.........Isaac Asimov, the Russian-American writer and professor of Biochemistry.

“Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better” Said........Sydney Harris, the renowned American journalist.

“Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything” Said.........George Bernard Shaw, the Irish playwright, critic and political activist.

“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future” Said..........John F. Kennedy, the 36th and youngest president of the United States of American.

“The world, as we have created it, is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking” Said..........Albert Einstein, the famous philosopher and professor of physics.

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are the change we seek”

Said........Barack Obama, the 44th and current president of the United State of America “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; the courage to change the thing I can and the wisdom to know the difference” Said.......Reinhold Niebuhr, the American theologian and political commentator.

Dangers of not adapting to a positive change as when due 1.

One will be limited 2.

One will be in the dark 3.

One will live contrary to God’s world 4.

One will live contrary to the worlds system that are in line with his perfect will 5.

One will be localised 6.

It is an error 7.

It is a curse 8.

It can lead to destruction of life and prosperity 9.

Destiny will not be fulfilled 10.

One will live a complacent life 11.

One will live an irrelevant destiny 12.

It will cause one to live unrighteous life 13.

One will be without honour 14.

One will be without celebration 15.

One will not be accepted Continued from 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

There is a balm in Gilead be heard in Israel the saying that the fathers ate sour grape and the children’s teeth are set on edge. The Bible says they that sinneth shall die.

And everyone shall give account of himself. The son will not pay for the sins of the father and the father will not pay for the sins of the son.

Recently policemen came to pick a brother because they were looking for a friend of his that they said was staying with him. They came with a search warrant and after searching the brother’s house, they didn’t see his friend. They said they will arrest and detain him until he produces his friend. The wife called me and I called a senior police officer. I told him that I heard the Inspector General of Police, IGP, saying that they should stop arresting relations or friends of suspects that are on the run. I narrated what was happening to him. He said I should tell the lawyers of the brother to petition the IGP. He said the policemen that did that will be in serious trouble.

Why? How can one person commit a crime and you hold another person. The father shall not pay for the sins of the son and neither will the son pay for the sins of the father.

How can they say the curse worrying you is hereditary? How can they say it is the shrine that your fathers brought to the family that is tormenting you? This may be true because you are ignorant. But with knowledge, you can face the shrine and say, it is written. You can tell the shrine to go after your fathers that brought it and not you. Knowledge gives boldness! When you have knowledge, you won’t go about looking for people to pray for you. You do it by yourself. And Satan knows how to distract. When you are set to do your own deliverance that is when distractions will come. If Satan cannot stop you from withdrawing and travelling to the mountain, from fasting anytime you enter the spirit to pray, he will do something to scare you and cut you off.

Anytime you are praying and you see any mani-

festation that you don’t understand, continue your prayer, increase the fire.

The private prayer you pray on your own is the most powerful because there will be no one distracting you. You sort out yourself. You know how to package yourself. All times, when you want to pray some prayers, you could go naked and plead your case before God that the enemy has stripped you of every shame and that God should cover you up. These are prayers of desperation and they move God to act. These prayers drive off demons that will not make you enjoy the benefits of Calvary.

Praise the Lord. Anything you believe and confess with your mouth will surely come to pass. So, for the deliverance we will conduct here today to be permanent, make sure you get baptized. I attended a conference recently and in attendance were many ministers and pastors from end time message churches. I spoke after Dr. Cosmos Maduka (Cochairis) who gave an insight as to how he made money he spoke from experience. I told the ministers so and drew their attention to the fact that many of them preach on 1 Cor. 123 concerning the nine spiritual gifts. This scripture talks both word of knowledge, word of wisdom, faith, healing, etc and these ministers will be explaining them to their congregation. But I told them that he who does not operate any of these gifts cannot talk about spiritual gifts. The same thing with those who teach about prosperity and a poor man cannot teach about prosperity because you have to show evidence that what you are teaching is true.

I teach spiritual gifts because I operate these gifts and I know how they operate. I can tell you what to expect and it will happen. I teach prosperity because by the grace of God, I am not a poor man. This is because I know the principles and when I am going to teach you, I won’t give

you the story of another person but my own experience as to what I did and what came out.

When it comes to deliverance, I have seen people who criticize us in this church because of our kind of deliverance. You are holding sachet water today, tomorrow; you are coming with mirror and padlock. In these end time churches, they don’t conduct deliverance. All they do is to gather people and teach them mysteries, antichrist, sealed book, seven church ages, Godhead, etc. after all these teachings, they will thank God for sending a prophet to us. But what they have not asked is: where is the God of that prophet?

Amen. Those of us who conduct deliverance, there are thing we see. And if God is going to make you a deliverance minister, he deals with you in a unique way. Satan manufactures things that he uses to cage the people and there are prophetic actions that can lose you. It is not a doctrine. It is not in the Bible that you should use anything for deliverance. In the Bible, I see only two things- they entered the water, came out and they were healed. We have the example of Naaman. Handkerchiefs from Apostle Paul healed people. But it is not a doctrine.

James told us to use anointing oil on the sick. Jesus told us to only heal the sick. He didn’t tell us how we will heal the sick. When it came to William Branham, He showed him how he will do it. He told him that when he holds the hand of a sick person, he will feel a vibration. He told him to continue praying on feeling the vibration. When the vibration stops, then the person has been healed but that is not in the Bible but that was the way God chose to deal with Branham.

•Pastor Moses Alu; The Bride Assembly, Odofin Park Estate, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Ijesha Bus stop 08033524903 : Email: pastormosesalu@yahoo.com

44

From the Pulpit

T The voice o of wisdom

with Dr. David

Oyedepo

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ast week, we began this teaching series and understood from scriptures that Spiritual stewardship, which entails serving God and the interest of His Kingdom, is key to all that life will ever demand.

This is because serving God does not only pay, but it pays the best, pays supernaturally and offers incomparable returns. We also explore some returns that accrued to us when we engage Spiritual Stewardship.

This week, I will conclude this series by examining Next levels as one of the returns in Kingdom stewardship.

• Next Levels, in this context, connotes unending progress. As it is written: But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day (Proverbs 4:18).

This means that every redeemed child of God is ordained for continuous and unending progress in the journey of life.

Let’s examine three scriptures that validate this truth: Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11).

From the above scripture, we understand that of all born of women, which includes all the Old Testament saints, there is none

Priesthood House “

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with Pastor Bola

Bello

hat are the hopes and the inheritance of believers of Christ in God? Is our expectation limited to going to heaven and be joined with God in his dwelling place?

Why we are on this earth, is it only to live momentarily and go back to where we came from?

What is the endpoint of sufferings, enduring and patience, which we are exhorted to bear in this toiling world? Finding accurate answers to these nagging questions will surely help our journey in this world of chaos and sin. It’s not a gain saying that many are losing hope in which they are called. Many more are becoming disgruntled and hopelessly disenchanted with circumstances in which they desperately seek solution but without one. The hope of many seems to be upset and faith of thousand is shaking as a result of issues they do not understand.

I trust the Holy Spirit to help us to resolve issues in this write up so as to have a better understanding of our faith in Christ and to come to terms with the purpose and intent of Christ calling us into the fold.

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power.” The belief of the believer starts with what is implanted into their hearts as message of Christ wrongly or rightly. Every man is a product of what he hears (Rom. 10:10). In other words, there is proper alignment between your heart and what your ears has received over the period of time. Whatever you receive to your heart will greatly influence your heart and your

Sunday August 16, 2015

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Accessing next levels through spiritual stewardship! (2) greater than John the Baptist. In other words, every child of God carries greater potential than all the Old Testament saints, including Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Daniel, Joseph, and other Kingdom giants in scriptures. Thus, we are ordained to be greater than them. That means we are destined for unending progress and there is no limit to the impact we are ordained to generate on the earth.

The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here (Matthew 12:42).

Jesus speaking in the above scripture said that though the whole earth came to listen to the Wisdom of Solomon, His own (Jesus’) wisdom is greater. In another account, Jesus said, “As My Father has sent Me, so send I you.” That means inside every believer lies the redemptive capacity to operate in the realm of a “greater than Solomon” (John 17:18; 20:21).

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father (John 14:12).

Every redeemed child of God is destined for greater works than Jesus ever did. That means we are ordained to produce greater exploits after the order of Christ; the kind that would keep speaking long after we are no longer here on earth, if Christ tarries.

However, though “next levels” is the

heritage of the redeemed, it is not accessible by wishing. Therefore, how do we access our realm of next levels? o Redemption: As stated earlier, redemption is our guaranteed access into realms of unending progress (Proverbs 4:18). o Revelation of the Word: Putting God’s Word to work is our guaranteed access to next levels. However, until we see unending progress as our portion, we cannot access or manifest it. Remember, no one ever arrives at a future he cannot see (Genesis 13:14-15; 2 Corinthians 3:18; Isaiah 60:1-3, 8, 22). o Obedience of Faith: When we are committed to obeying every of God’s commandment, we commit Him to keep changing our levels. For instance, obedience was the stronghold of Abraham’s faith. We understand from scriptures that every instruction God gave to him was executed with timely, delightsome and stress-free obedience. No wonder he was changing levels supernaturally (Genesis 12:1-4; 17: 1-14, 24; 22: 1-3 Philippians 2:8-9; Deuteronomy 28:1).

Therefore, we need grace for timely and delightsome obedience for every instruction given to us by God. o Tireless Stewardship: Tireless and productive commitment to Kingdom stewardship is God’s ordained platform for the rise of giants. We must understand that we can never rise higher in life than our engagement in quality Kingdom stewardship. It is clear from scriptures that serving God and the interest of His Kingdom is a covenant platform that launches us into the realm of next levels.

From the parable of the talents in scriptures, the servants traded with their “pound”, returned with results and they experienced change of levels. Similarly, when we engage in spiritual stewardship, our enlargement, advancement and change of levels is guaranteed. (Luke 19:13-19).

Therefore, as you engage in serving God and His interest, I see you changing levels and the giant in you rising supernaturally in the name of Jesus Christ!

Are you born again? This means, have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord? If you haven’t, you can do so as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins. Cleanse me with Your precious Blood.

Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You Jesus for saving me!

Now I know I am born again!”

For further reading, please get my books: Wisdom that Works, Walking in Wisdom, All you need to have all your needs met, Winning Wisdom and Excellency of Wisdom.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have four services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:50 a.m., 9:40 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. respectively.

•I know this teaching has blessed you.

Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaan Land, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 7747546-8; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

Church as God designed it - Burden of the kingdom and the throne of Christ on earth (7) lifestyles. This is a general faith, and it is not limited to the followers of Christ alone but all men are being influenced and become active to what is being received to their hearts. This is the reason why many could not understand the intent of Christ for His Church since what is given to them is not what Christ intend for them. Those who profess their attachment to Christ should know the hope in which Christ brought them to the faith.

When Paul was talking about “the hope of his calling”; he was talking about the expectation of his calling the Church to himself. This hope is not individual hope but His. It is not the expectation of what individual becomes in the world, it is His expectation of what He wants us to become in Him. The proclamation of the coming kingdom and its nearness advent was the Christ’s project. The admission of believers of Christ into this kingdom is the elongation of this thrust as far as believers last on the earth (Lk. 12: 32). It is not a statement of prediction but an obvious reality in which Christ himself became an example. It is the push and major vision but with other expressions as we earnestly seek this, as the hope of our life in Christ. We are not called for ourselves but for his purpose.

However, in the pursuit of His purpose, we find life expression in Him. Also, the inheritance of believers in this world is another contentious issue. “After these things, the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, fear not, Abram, I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward (Gen. 15:1). Inheritance is the reward of son ship. It is a legacy and reward in which the father begat to his children from generation over. We could see in this scripture, what was begotten to Abram, was exceedingly greater than the material things. The reward of Abram was God not

the land. Though Abram also inherited the land, but beyond this material possession is the fact that God himself become the God of Abraham.

In other words, Abraham inherited God. In the salutation of Melchizedek to Abram, Abram was hinted of what he was to inherit. Abram inheritance was “blessed be Abram of the most High God”. Abram was re-christened as Abraham of most High God. This is the same purpose and the same calling for the New Testament Saints.

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his own will (Eph. 1:11). In other words, coming to God inheritance like Abraham is predicated upon our alignment to the purpose and counsel of God’s will, not our own will. What was pleasing to Abraham was to walk in the counsel and purpose of God even when it was obvious that he did not understand it. The reason why Abraham left Mesopotamia was not to inherit the land. Of course he had nothing of the land which was as much as foothold. Yet he moved from tent to tent obliged God, so as to walk in His counsel and purpose. Abraham ultimately became the blessing to the entire earth even till the coming generations. Walking in our own will, praying in our own way and desiring our own things is not the kingdom. The kingdom is the prevailing will of God over our own will.

Also, we have built our expectation on our journey to heaven. No, we are not called to journey to heaven, but we are called to journey to God. Paul, the apostle spent the whole of his good years journeying to know Christ. His intent was to be able to apprehend Christ and to effectively fellowship with him. He desired to be made conformable unto his death. This is not about going to the cross, but it is about total death

to the world for a fellowship with Christ. Our fellowship with the world is an enmity with God. If we fellowship with the world on the terms of the world, we become the enemy of Christ. We must fellowship with the world on the terms of Christ. In the treatise of John the beloved, he encouraged the saints that our fellowship is not with the world but with God. When we fellowship with God we shall be like God. It is therefore, a false hope when we focus on going to heaven without knowing the creator and the dweller of heaven. God cannot just bring us down from heaven to the earth without a purpose. God has purpose for man’s existence. The purpose is unveiled to man in Psalm 8:2 “Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou might still the enemy and the avenger. In Jeremiah 1:10, the vision of man was clearly stated. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out and to pull down, and to destroy and to throw down to build and to plant”. Man is a weapon of war in the hands of God. Man is the avenger of God. Man is to put to right what the devil has wronged. This is the purpose of man. Man is the fourth person of the God Head and he represents the interest of God on earth.

Man is ordained to stop sin and death which the devil has brought to the world. Man is to set up a kingdom of God and bring down Christ for crowning. This is the design of Church and the purpose of man. Man must wake up to his responsibility and stop pursuing his own agenda.

Join us at Faith Plaza, Bariga for believers conference 16th – 22nd Aug.

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

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From the Pulpit

Sunday August 16, 2015

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Understanding divine lifting

he end time church is not wired to operate from the bottom place because no one displays glory at the bottom. It is at the top that men see the splendor of God in one’s life through the lifting of the Spirit.

Divine lifting gives room for the manifestation of God’s power and empowers you to be in charge instead of being controlled by evil forces because a lifted man is a controller.

The bottom place is not an appropriate dwelling place for the children of God. Every child of God is created to be at the top because God has naturally made His children to be the head and not the tail.

God’s children are meant to be at the top in order to express the fullness of the wealth and glory of God. The original plan of God is for His children to enjoy divine lifting in all facets of life. However, divine lifting is not one-sided. When God lifts you up for the glory of His name, such a lifting affects all areas of your life.

Divine lifting is all encompassing.

I can sense it in my spirit that the time has come for the redeemed of the Lord to be lifted and enjoy divine lifting. I hear God telling me clearly that, the time to lift His children has come. The time has come for God to cause His children to reign and dominate several sectors of the society. When God wants to bless a land, He lifts the people of that land. No land goes up, when its people are down.

There is a lifting in the realm of the spirit and God is in the business of lifting His people to an enviable height even to the amazement of the person that He lifts. Anything that is short of this, is not of God. Sources of lifting Everything on earth is made possible by a spirit. Every visible operation is engineered by an invisible spirit. Lifting is also made possible by a spirit. The kind of the lifting that an individual enjoys is predicated on the kind of a spirit that is at work in the life of that individual.

Every form of lifting is ushered in by a spirit and since we have three principal spirits in operation in the entire world; suffice to say that, there are three sources of lifting in the world. You will either see any of these spirits in operation in any situation. They are: The Spirit of God---- The Holy Ghost The spirit of the devil--- The evil spirit, which appears through diabolic means.

The human spirit--- human spirit is the spirit component of man and it stands as a medium through which any of the above spirit manifests depending on who controls the individual in question.

Bishop Opayinka

In light of the above explanation, it means therefore that when an individual is lifted, there is a spirit that actually does the lifting and such a spirit could only work depending on the individual’s pledged allegiance. It is also interesting to note that, there are people that are lifted by the devil but such lifting gives room to the destruction of their lives and their destinies. That is what I called satanic lifting. Satanic lifting is initiated by the devil so as to carry out his satanic mission in the life of an individual. When the devil lifts you to the height of four meters, he will increase your destruction to the height of four thousands meters.

For every level of lifting one enjoys from the devil, there are one thousand levels of destructions that follow it.

In another word, satanic lifting leads to the exposure of your nakedness and untold hardship. Satanic lifting links you to the operating forces of the dark kingdom and allow the kingdom of darkness to have total control over your life and over what you do. Satanic lifting brings one into a covenant with the devil. It is a bait and enticement into satanic initiations.

Human beings can also lift you but since man is a transient being, any lifting that comes from him does not last forever and it will also lead you into a deep sorrow and regret. Such a lifting is man-made. This kind of lifting makes men and women to upbraid you and even scold you disgracefully. It turns your focus away from God and makes mortal men your hope.

He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s, and he has set the world on them.

1Samuel 2:8 It is the power of God that lifts a man.

That power is above every form of barrier and resistance. That power faces no limitation. When God lifts a man He sustains the man there. Divine lifting creates a place for you amongst the princes of this world and men that matter in the society.

Divine lifting leads to an unimaginable open door. It brings you into a supernatural and miraculous life. Man can give you money but no man can lift you up. Lifting only comes from God. Divine lifting takes you out of the dunghill and brings you into the place of honour. Divine lifting lands you into a glorious place to enable you inherit your inheritance. Your background and your present status is not the factor to be considered when you are to be divinely lifted because divine lifting is initiated and controlled by the forces of God’s favour. Divine lifting is a function of God’s grace.

Divine lifting is meant to change one’s level of living. It is aimed at giving you a new look and usher you into the main domain of God’s will for your life. It guarantees high connection with the people that matter in the society. Divine lifting shows forth the true nature of what God has made you to be. Divine lifting brings you into your inheritance in Christ. Divine lifting gives you the platform to enjoy the inheritance that God has freely given you through the redemptive sacrifice of Christ. Divine lifting marks the end of your sweat and the beginning of your life’s comfort.

That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.

Psalm 113:6 When God lifts a man, the mission for such lifting is to show to the whole world of the stuff that He has made of the man He lifts. Divine lifting brings out the royal status of the believers in Christ and it makes them to exercise their royal authority as kings that God has truly made them to be through the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Divine lifting gives people royal position.

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

1Peter 2:9-10 Christianity is a call to a royal priesthood; it is a call unto a holy nation and a

clarion call into becoming a peculiar people. Christianity is a journey from darkness to a marvelous light with the cardinal aim of showing forth the praise of the Almighty God. The essence of divine lifting is to make you realize the real nature of the person that God has truly recreated you to be in Christ. We are a glorious set of people. I do tell my people at the Glorious Tabernacle International in Akure, Nigeria, that God has brought us into a glorious life. In Christ Jesus, you have a glorious life. That life is full of God and it is glory oriented (John 1:12-13, 1John 5:10-12).

A peculiar people do not live at the bottom. People that are seen by God as priests do not live at the bottom. They are top people. They are at the top of every form of endeavours they found themselves.

He rises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts the needy out of the dunghill.

Psalm 113:5 Divine lifting makes you a lender and not a beggar. Divine lifting changes your financial status. It transmutes you from the pit of poverty to the zenith of prosperity. It makes a poor man to enjoy the wealth of the Almighty God. The only people that will not enjoy divine lifting are the people that are already satisfied with their current stage of life as well as those that are yet to become the sons of God. Divine lifting is a family business and it is the heritage of those that are members of God’s family. The gateway into divine lifting is for you to receive Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour (if you have not done so).To be a member of God’s family is to accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and if you have received Him already, then you are a genuine member of the family of God. Every child of God is a qualified candidate for divine lifting.

Divine lifting exposes the lifted to divine resources and it is because of this that we have the confidence to say that, when others shall say there is a casting down, those who enjoy divine lifting will say there is a lifting.

When men are cast down, then you shall say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

Job 22:29 See you next week as we journey to the throne together. Bishop Joshua KolawoleOpayinka is the presiding Bishop of Glorious Tabernacle International located Behind Ondo State Cultural Centre, Akure, Ondo State capital. Share your testimonies and prayer points with me at: O8060297831 joshuakolawoleo@ yahoo.com

News

Evangelist sets up mobile school EBERE NDUKWU

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Lagos based evangelist, Olu Gbenga has set up a Mobile Bible School, MBS, targeted at assisting Christians and non-Christians to go through Bible school without physical walls.

Gbenga, who disclosed this to Na-

tional Mirror, said the school is an innovative, set after the biblical and historically proven teaching approach used by Jesus in the case involving Emmaus in Luke 24:13-27 account.

According to him, MBS learning is purposely and timely designed to meet the prevailing worries of spirited people in the country, who earnestly desire

an exciting exploration of the word of God while they work 24/7 to make ends meet.

He said, “Graciously, the service offers high quality courses which objectively expose subscribers a systematic study of each book of the Bible on their phones and at their comfort and privacy.

“Each subscriber will likewise follow up with church history and other Bible-centred courses, simple and totally nondenominational. It is obviously a Christian school without physical walls.”

To become a beneficiary of the exciting service he said: “Subscribers only have to text MBS to 8444 on Etisalat network.”

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From the Pulpit

Sunday August 16, 2015

Breaking the powers of evil family altar (9)

Chapel of Holiness and Testimony it

with Pastor K. I.

Bona

Continued from topic 8 of last week Anyone who has married, but is suffering or rather going through some unexplainable challenges in marriage that defies solutions should sincerely answer these deliverance questions. f) Are you living with your wife without paying her bride price? g) Where you able to meet up with some marriage rites and left others undone, while your in-laws are grieved about it? h) Did you conduct your church wedding in any of the white garment churches? i) Which manner of a person gave you gift on the day of your traditional marriage or church wedding? j) Did you call any man of God filled with the Holy Spirit to pray on those gifts and sanctify them before making use of them? k) Who embraced you or your wife after the celebration? Accurate answers to these questions will tell you the source from which your marriage problems began?

Personal evil altars These are altars individually erected either consciously or unconsciously by persons through their life styles and fellowship with corrupt people, evil associations, clubs, secret societies, satanic churches and or unholy relationship. Personal evil altars are not inherited or transferred like paternal, and maternal evil altars, but it is erected in one’s life, either by the person or by the demons attracted into that person’s life by his/her daily conduct. Which is why it is very important especially among the youths to be very careful with their daily activities, such as, where they go, who they relate with, how they dress, what career they choose and such related life styles and characters. Many men and women in our society are today going through challenges in life that defy explanations because of the mistakes they made yesterday. These mistakes are not far from the personal evil altar they erected in their lives when they were youths, without knowledge of that. Today they suffer it. Beloveth, if you do not want to be a victim of evil personal altar, give your life to Jesus today; so that your daily life could be controlled and led by the Holy Ghost. For it is only those who are led by the spirit of God are free from the powers and domination of evil personal altar. Others who are not being led by the spirit of God, are being led by the evil spirits emanating from evil personal altars. Romans 8:14 says “For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” CHANNELS OF PERSONAL EVIL ALTARS a) Having sex physically or spiritually with any man or woman who has marine spir-

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b) Sharing things in common such as inner wears, other wears, creams, perfumes, make-up boxes with anyone who has marine spirit c) Sharing the same bed, or bathing together with anyone who has marine spirit and or witchcraft spirit d) Bathing together in the village river with fellow age grades e) Any person who had worn masquerade in the village f) Membership of masquerades association g) Sharing gifts giving to masqueraders, either money or material things h) Eating in a funeral functions being conducted by the heathen i) Through blood covenant j) Through personal curses, received from parents, elders, uncles prophets or prophetess k) Any person who was given birth in a herbal home. l) Consulting witch doctors m) Attending spiritual churches n) Any person who a prophet or prophetess had ever conducted spiritual work on o) Any person who had ever coveted the properties, belongings or money of someone who has died in tragedy without the knowledge of the family members, this tragedy could be motor accident, motorcycle accident, plane crash or such related tragedies p) Coveting, money, belongings or properties of anyone who died in the rivers, ocean or sea q) Through evil hook, such as novels, literatures and pornographic books r) Watching demonic movies such as Dracula films, horror films etc. s) Possessions of accursed materials t) Having guy names or pet names that are demonic u) Anyone who practices magic, and or ritualism v) Memberships of cults, occults, secret societies and evil social clubs w) Through the believe of superstations, such as reincarnations and other stories related to it x) Through paganistic dedications Dear child of God, those channels mentioned are only few among many challenges one could attract personal evil altar in his or her life. Which is why it is very important that any person wishing to be free from personal evil altar must live a holy life and separate himself/herself from anything that would be a channel, through which powers of personal evil altar could invade his/her life. In 1st Kings 12:28-29 “Where upon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, it is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem, behold thy gods, O Israel which brought you up out of the land of Egypt. And

he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.” Jeroboam, who was the first king of the northern tribe of Israel erected an altar, for himself and the children of Israel, which was never their before then. His reasons being that it was too far for the children of Israel from the Northern part to go to Judah in the Southern part to worship in Jerusalem. To get a short cut for them, he erect personal evil altar for himself and the entire kingdom. Many people have become victims of the powers of personal evil altars today, through this medium.

This is because they want the short cut.

Short cut to get wealth, money, admission, marriages, employments, and other social activities. Are you looking for a short cut to get rich? No, do not go that way. What you call the short way to get rich or anything is always, the longest way. This is because demons would use that way as a snare against you, to trap you into their net. Many people in this way have hazarded their lives and destinies, and ended shamefully. In 1st Timothy chapter 6:9-10 “But they that will be rich fall into temptations and a snare and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil, which while some coveted after they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” In 2nd Corinthians 6:17-18 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separated saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you. And will be a father unto you.

And ye shall be my sons and daughter saith the Lord almighty.” The Lord says, you should separate yourself from any person, introducing to you another way which is not the way of holiness. Almighty God says if you separate yourself he would receive you unto himself, and be a God to you. You shall be his sons and daughters. For God to be a God to you, means that he would shield you, protect you and lead you on that part you should follow. The part of righteousness and holiness, the part of progress and riches. For in Deuteronomy 8:18 “The Bible says, but thou shalt remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he snare unto Abraham thy father, as it is this day“ Psalms 1:3 “And he shall be like a tree, planted by rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his seasons, his leaf also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

How do we know those under the bondage of evil family altars?

To identify those who are under the persecution of evil family altars, these signs are evident 1) Uncontrollable sex life 2) Burning desire to have more than one wife 3) Inability to keep and maintain one home

4) Stories of marriage divorces, or death of partners 5) Always dreaming of one’s family members whether paternal or maternal 6) Eating in the dreams regularly 7) Dreams of seeing one’s father, uncle, brothers or sisters whether dead or alive 8) Being attacked and pursued always in the dream 9) Experiencing constant death in the family 10) Constant loss of babies after birth 11) Experiencing unexplainable tragedies such as death, fire, disaster, armed robbery or any such related disasters 12) Experiencing a kind of scenarios or evil pattern every year, or one’s in two years, three years, or as the case may be 13) Experiencing failure at the edge of breakthrough 14) Dreams of set-back in life such as old school, old yard, old family house, dream of snails and such evil related dreams 15) Experiencing constant wastage or loss of goods, money, material, things, favours, opportunities or things like these.

16) Unexplainable hatred and wickedness in a family 17) Always falling a victims of living in a bad house 18) Experiencing negative habit 19) Experiencing constant miscarriages 20) Dreaming of being naked regularly 21) Unexplainable cases of financial dryness Testimonies Bleeding stopped I have been bleeding for three weeks. I went to the general hospital, I was directed to run through some laboratory tests, which I did.

Nothing was found, but I kept bleeding I went to another hospital, medications were given me, but the bleeding did not stop. For three weeks now I have not been in the church. But last Sunday I heard that the programme, “the end of weeping” shall be concluded that Sunday, I told my husband, he should help carry me to church. When I was in the church I did not stand up. As the servant of God was ministering, I was feeling a cold sensation all over me. When the programme ended, the man of God asked us to bathe with the water given to us. When I went home, I immediately bathed with that water, the bleeding stopped automatically. Brethren, since that last week I am healed, praise the Lord!

Sister Success •ADDRESS: Pastor Kingson I. Bona, General Overseer Chapel of Holiness and Testimonies Ministries No. 6, David Egbetuyi street, Fagbile Estate, Ijegun-Ikotun, Lagos 08023404926, 08038206508 Website – wwwchapelofholiness.org

News

Cherubim and Seraphim Movement strengthens outreach ODINAKA URUAKPA

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eneral Leader and District Chairman Surulere Sub-Headquarters, Cherubim and Seraphim Movement, Special Apostle Prophet Sunday F. Korede has revealed the move to strengthen the church’s evangelical outreach in order to its labour of love towards members and neighbours.

Korede who made this known on the occasion of his investiture and Ordination as Gen-

eral Leader and District Chairman Surulere District, further revealed that to achieve its set goals, the church intends to make deeper inroads into the Helps Ministries through strategically designed impactful programs that will assist the less privileged in the society.

“We are embarking on this divine project so as to strengthen our labour of love towards ourselves and our neighbours; even those that portend to be enemies so that we can live up to the admonitions of Jesus Christ our Lord and savior”, he asserted.

Reminiscing and commending the ef-

forts of the founding fathers of the church, the newly elected leader said: “On a day like this, it is pertinent to remember the founding father of our faith, first, Saint Moses Orimolade Tunolase, the uneducated, itinerant preacher and evangelist from Ikare-Akoko in the present day Ondo State who after the Corpus Christi’s experience of young Abiodun Akinsowon, founded the Cherubim and Seraphim church. Secondly, the noble team who in conjunction with Prophet Gabriel Fakeye, founded this church which eventually brought to light

what the Cherubim and Seraphim truly represents within a very short span of time, among others, they were able to achieve so many laudable goals which includes having ministries that cater for all age brackets”, he revealed.

The cleric also spoke on the church’s relationship with ecumenical bodies like the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the prayers said by the church for the restoration of security in the nation, the political terrain and the myriad of crises confronting the global Christian community.s

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Endtime Revelation with Bishop Bernard

Ojemeni (JP)

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he judgment of nations will take place when Jesus Christ returns in the second coming phases 2 to take over the kingdoms of this world. Jude 1:14-15 have this to say concerning this. “And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him”.

In the book of Revelations, we are meant to understand that when Jesus comes down, He will bind Satan the dragon, and cast him into the bottomless pit; while the anti-Christ and the false prophet will be cast into the lake of fire. Meanwhile, before this, the anti-Christ will gather the armies of the nations against Israel in the bid to finally wipe them away when Jesus Christ and the armies of Heaven will invade the earth and deal with him and the armies of the nations. Revelation 19:11-16 “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Revelation 16:16 “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Revelation 20:1-6; Matthew 25:31-46 give us the full account of judgment of nations “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all

Hour of Change with Primate

Oyelowo

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or verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them’’. Mark 11:23-24 No one born of a woman is excerpted from life’s challenge of one kind or the other.

It is natural for someone who is faced with life’s challenge to relate it either to his relatives, friends, colleagues. Parents or his wife, and husband. However, it should not be over

From the Pulpit

Sunday August 16, 2015

47

Judgement of nations Bishop Bernard Chukwuma Mbamalu Ojemeni, General Superintendent of Endtime Believers’ Ministry Inc, in this piece, gives an insight into God’s judgement of nations. Excerpts: nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?

When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?......”

Jesus will judge all the people on earth who survived the great tribulation. Those who are referred to as the sheep will be on His right hand and those who are referred to as the goats will be on His left hand side.

While those on the right hand side are the righteous ones, majority of whom you find among the Jews because they will reject the mark of the beast and God also gave them some special protection during the great tribulation period.

Revelation 7:1-8 “And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

Of the tribe of Judah were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were

sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.”

Revelation 12:13-17 “And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

And any Gentile person who survives the great tribulation that is sympathetic to the course the Jews and did not receive the mark of the beast will be among the sheep on the right hand side of Jesus Christ.

While all those who are not sympathetic to the course of Israel, the Jews and have received the mark of the beast will be the goats on the left hand side of Jesus Christ who will be sent to hell fire where there will be crying and gnashing of teeth.

Note: The Woman who brought forth the man child is Israel.

The nation which Jesus Christ the Saviour of the world came from. She was nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. A time is one year. Times – two years.

Half a time – 1/2 year totaling 3½ years of the great tribulation. The sheep which are the righteous ones will inherit the millennial kingdom which is here on earth, the renovated earth where Jesus Christ and His saints will rule for one thousand years.

It is the period many people refer to as the golden age of the earth. It is a time the earth will witness the reign of peace, love

and tranquility. Satan will not be there to cause havoc.

The saints will be in their glorified body as witnessed by Peter, James and John on the day of transfiguration. Matthew 17:17 “And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.

Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid.”

And when the thousand years are over, Satan will be loosed out of prison and shall go to deceive the notions which are in the four quarters of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle and they are many, to attack the camp of the saints and the holy city and fire will come down from God out of heaven to devour them. After this, Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast (antiChrist) and false prophet are and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. Revelation 20:7-15. Knowing that these things will be so, what manner of person ought you to be in all manner of holiness and fear of God so that you can escape all these things and to stand before the Son of man – Jesus Christ. Please, if you have not given your life to Christ, please do so now.

And I invite you to come and worship with us on Sunday 9:00am at the address below.

•For further information, contact us at: Endtime Believers’ Ministry Inc.16/18, Johnson Street, off Kajola Street, Yakoyo, Lagos. Tel: 08023261219, 09095268897, 08036116881; Email: bishop.bernard@yahoo.com

Talk to your mountains, not about them flogged. Also bear in mind that among those people to whom you relate your life’s challenge are some whose case is even worse than yours.

As a result they have little or no time to give attention to you. Some are also ready to turn you to a laughing stock while some would like to keep you at a distance because you are considered a liability.

In such a case what is the way out? If a long lasting solution is your desire, it is fundamental to know the source of your tribulation (Job.10:2). Here attempt will be made to point out to three sources as man cannot be free from all. The first one is the act God. The result of God’s act for man is promotion. A good example was job. God was proud about his impeccable character as a result of which he allowed Satan to tempt him knowing full well that job would not disappoint Him. At the end.

Job passed the litmus test as a result of which job’s fortune was restored in two fold (job 42:10).

The second one is inherited sin of our first parents Adam and Eve. Related to it is generational curse. No one can say with certainty

how our forefathers spent their lives whether it was according to the will of God or otherwise.

When Cain killed his brother Abel. God had no choice than to curse the land. ’’When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength. A fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the erth’’ Gen.4:12.

Last, but not the least is our personal sin.

The cause of this is because we allow the flesh of the body to have dominion over our lives as a result of which the spirit is suppressed. The effect of this is that the spirit becomes servant to the body. The result is separation from God. James 1:1-15 says; ‘’Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil neither tempted any man; but every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his lust and enticed.

Then when lust has conceived, it bringeth forth sin and when it is finished bringeth forth death.

Having discussed sources of man’s travails, it is necessary to advise that you are not dwell on your life’s challenge for long. The lsraelites dwelt with theirs in the wildeness for long be-

cause they failed to appreciate the purpose of God for them and failed to remember the number of miracles and singns God performed before they were brought out of their land of their land of bondage. Giving un-necessary excuses as reason of your travail amount to dwelling on it. All you need to do is to find solution to it.

Deut 2:3 says’ ‘’ye have compassed this mountion long enough, turn you northward’’.

Confront your mountain with prayer incessantly and fervently. At first it will seem as if the mountain is deaf and unmoved but with time it will crack and eventually collapse. Don’t give up. Your faith while praying goes a long way to bring your mountain to submission. If you don’s have faith it means you have decided to live with it. It is faith that that can strengthen you to forge ahead.

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

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From the Pulpit

Let’s go

BIBLE with Favour

Tioluwani

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Email: letsgobible@gmail.com

hese simple, but powerful words from 1 Corinthians 13, carefully chosen and lovingly spoken at weddings but quickly faded into memory. But God want to remind you and open your heart to these Seven truths about love: 1. Love is patient. Patience waits. You should and must learn how to hold your tongue when frustrated. You should have waited to expose the fault of your spouse when he was wrong.

This means not spilling all of your husband’s faults and foibles to your closest friends or families. Patience keeps quiet all the awful things you want to reveal about your husband because “dealing with it” isn’t the same as sharing it with every woman willing to listen. Love suffereth long, it is long-suffering or patient towards all men: it suffers all the weakness, ignorance, errors, infirmities, all the forwardness and littleness of faith in the children of God; all the malice and wickedness of both families.

(Feeding them, our enemy, when they hunger, if they thirst, still giving them drink: thus continually heaping coals of fire, of melting love, upon their heads) and in every step endeavouring to overcome evil with good.

2. Love is kind. Kindness calls for sacrificial giving. It’s submitting to one another—a contest, if you will—to see who can serve each other the best. Kindness is smiling when he walks in the door. Kindness is telling him you are proud of him—even when he leaves the toilet seat up for the one-thousandth time. Even when what he is doing is not right in your eyes.

Kindness listens. It is soft, mild, and benign; it stands at the utmost distance from moroseness, from all harshness, or sourness of spirit

Sunday Mirror Sunday August 16, 2015 www.nationalmirroronline.net

The beauty of loving and inspires the sufferer at once with the most amiable sweetness, and the most fervent and tender affection. All that you have to do and give to your husband.

3. Love does not insist on its own way. This is code for “controlling.” Every marriage is made up of two broken people, just trying to make one whole piece. Your husband will have issues that you will want to fix. It doesn’t matter how much your husband’s choices upset or bother you, you have no control over his behavior. You cannot demand that he be exactly what you want him to be, because your husband’s behavior is his to own. His choices are in no way a reflection of you. If you don’t like a behavior, a hurt, a habit, or a hang-up, pray about it. Pray for him, pray for you. You have hurts, habits, and hang-ups God wants you to work on too.

God didn’t intend marriage to make you both look better to the world. God created marriage to make God look better to the world. You are expected to act out God’s script to the world not to show to the world who you are. Love is not rash or hasty in judging: it will not hastily condemn any one; it does not pass a severe sentence upon a slight or sudden view of things; it first weighs all the evidence, particularly that which is brought in favour of the accused. A true lover of his neighbour is not like the generality of men, who see a little, presume a great deal, and so jump to the conclusion. No: he proceeds with wariness and circumspection, taking heed to every step, willingly subscribing to that rule of the ancient heathens “I am so far from lightly believing what one man says against another, that I will not easily believe what a man says against himself; I will always allow him second thoughts, and many times counsel too.”

4. Love is not puffed up. It does not incline or suffer any man to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, but rather to think soberly; yea, it humbles the soul into the dust;

it destroys all high conceits engendering pride, and makes us rejoice to be as nothing. They who are kindly affectioned one to another in marriage cannot but in honour prefer one another. Those who, having the same love, are of one accord, do in lowliness of mind each esteem others better than themselves. Prov. 15:25, “The LORD will destroy the house of the proud.”

5. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

To endure is to sustain without impairment or to bear without resistance.

Though when we were little girls watching Cinderella, we thought, ‘when I find Prince Charming, my life will be perfect’. The truth is marriage is hard. You and your spouse are going to hurt each other. The beauty of love is that when you really believe what God is telling you, he gives you grace to bear all things, believe all the best in your husband, hope for the best in your marriage, and endure all the hurtful things you’ve said to each other. If you consider the hurtful and rude things you’ve done to God—yet he shows you, again and again, how he bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things in you, and he continues to love you unconditionally. Why can’t you too be more tolerable? Rejoiceth not in his iniquity—common as it is even for those to do so who bear the name of Christ. The true Christian, however, is so far from this, that he laments over either the sin or folly of an enemy; takes no pleasure in hearing or repeating it; but rather desires that it may be forgotten forever.

6. Love doth not behave itself unseemly— This is the sixth character, and implies that love is not rude, or willingly offensive to any. It renders to all their due; fear to whom fear, honour to whom honour; cour-

tesy, civility, humanity, to the entire world, in their several degrees honouring all men. You are expected to be highly submissive to your husband and you husband to honour and respect your wife. Good breeding, nay, the highest degree of it, politeness, is defined to be “a continual desire to please, appearing in all the behaviour;” If so, there is none so well-bred as the Christian, for he cannot but desire to please all men for their good to edification: and these desires cannot be hid; they will necessarily appear in all his intercourse with man; for his love is without dissimulation: it will shew itself in his whole conversation and actions. But is this really true in the home?

Rather, maybe because of the same level of education or same age etc, there seems to be no more Godly respect.

7. Love never fails. People often believe love is a feeling, but really, love is a demonstration.

It accompanies and adorns the faithful to all eternity, and makes a very essential part of their preparation for the heavenly world: in which it has an apparent advantage over many of those gifts which some are so ready to emulate and pursue, to the neglect and injury of this all-important love. 1 John 4:8, “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” There is no record of failure with Him, therefore He can never fail you. Just believe in Him and He will make your home to stand never to fall.

Loving well is freedom. It frees us from carrying unnecessary baggage and hurt. Love frees us from feeling guilty and hurting others. Love frees us to see the very best in our spouse.

•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

Overcoming the mountain’s of your life W

hat do we mean by the word “Mountain”? A mountain is an obstacle or hindrance that prevents a man from attaining his goals in life.

A mountain is an obstruction that hinders a man from possessing what belongs to him.

Mountain’s is often referred to as a big problem that hinder’s a man from fulfilling destiny, but it goes beyond that level.

There are some mountains that you need in the journey of a man’s for him to climb the leader of his glory……………..

There are times that God uses mountains to advertise you or to take a man to the needs phase of his life.

Take for instance David was confronted with the issue of GOLIATH. God used a man’s problem atimes to announce that man or bring the man to a limelight.

It was GOLIATH case that announced David and brought him to the limelight.

I pray that problem you’ve been seeing as a mountain, will turn out to be a turning point of your miracle in life.

The whole land of Israel does not know DAVID until Goliath came on board. I decree that from today “God will use your problem to announce you IJN. God uses mountain’s, obstacles, challenges to try a man for him be closer to God. It was DAVID’s relationship with God, that turned out to be the one that gave him victory over GOLIATH no matter how tall the mountain or how great the obstacles maybe, you will obtain victory if you are closer to God. In the book Act 12:1 the bible says “Now

Prophet Lai Bamidele, General Overseer of Christ Glorious End-time Evangelical Church, Abule-Egba, Lagos, in this sermon, teaches on life’s difficulties. Excerpts: about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church” if you look at it very well when Herod killed James the Church did not react, but when he picked peter as his next man to kill, the church suddenly woke up to their responsibility to pray, they realized that if they don’t pray Herod will kill all of them one by one, they now arose to pray. There are some obstacles that God will allow for you to wake up to your spiritual responsibility Joseph was a dreamer or a truth, but it was while he was faced with a big problem of having remained in the prison that he developed himself to become an interpreter of dreams.

Mountains make you to discover your potentials and gifts. You may not necessarily discover God’s plans and purposed for your life until you are face to face with a big challenge or problem.

When God wants to do the miraculous, he uses the impossibility to do the possible.

After every mountain of life, there is always a better things at the other end of the tunnel.

To climb to mountain is always a problem, but the moment you are able to climb, that mountain, there is an iota of fresh air that comes the way of a man’s life.

One things I’ve discovered about mountains is that the higher the mountain, the better the view. The greater the mountain you must climb, the greater your destiny becomes.

When your destiny is big, then your mountain and problems will also be big.

Because of the great throne of Israel that David was about to mount, the devil decided to confront him with a big giant.

The bigger the giant you are confronted with the greater your destiny becomes.

How do you confront that mountain before you (1) You may choose the option of turning back, when you turn back from your mountain today, it will be waiting for you some other days, you cannot afford to run away from the mountain that you must climb. Turning back from the mountain is not the best option for you to obtain victory in life.

(2) You may decide to rigmarole around your mountain. When you walk round your mountain you will only be wasting yourselves time.

God told Moses in the book of Exodus 14 Vs 15 “And the Lord said unto Moses, criest thou unto me? Speak unto the children of Israel that they go forward”.

When the children of Israel go to the red sea God told Moses to tell the Israelite to move forward, he did not ask them to be turning around their problems.

(3) You must be courageous enough to climb your mountain. For you to climb you mountain your required great effort and courage.

The courage to climb is much better that

Pastor Bamidele

to turn back, because as you climb, you will receive fresh air and also have a better view of life. In the book of I Sam 17 Vs 51 “Therefore David ran, and stood upon the philistine and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith, and when the philistine saw their champion was dead, they fled. When you overcome your Goliath, all your enemies will flee. ” •For counselling, contact: Pst_lai@yahoo.com.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business

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FRESH BUSINESS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Sunday August 16, 2015

Bank of Agriculture boss advocates two-year jail term for loan diversion HENRY IYORKASE

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he Managing Director of Bank of Agriculture, BOA, Prof Danbala Danju, has advocated a two year jail term for those who obtain loans under the guise of participating in its programmes but subsequently divert the funds to other ventures.

Danju, who said this at the weekend in Makurdi, the Benue State capital in an exclusive interview

with Sunday Mirror said that the National Assembly should establish an act towards sanctioning those who often divert funds purposely meant for farmers to into other uses.

He further noted that if eventually this request is granted, it will go a long way in curtailing the mis use of the loans by beneficiaries especially those who are not into agro allied businesses.

He maintained that arrangements are in the

pipeline towards assisting farmers, who might have suffered in one way or other from loss of their crops occasioned by the clashed between herdsmen and native farmers resulting in the destruction of farms, seedlings as well as lives and properties.

The BOA boss also expressed optimism that in no distant time, something will be done to ameliorate the condition of farmers and called on stakeholders to make

passionate appeals to the government to reduce the interest rate on loans for farmers specifically those affected by crisis or violence in one way or the other.

He urged the Federal Government to do everything possible to subsidize agricultural loans stressing that a situation whereby interest rates range from between 20 per cent to 25 per cent is not healthy for small time farmers, who cannot meet such obliga-

tions and sued for understanding on their behalf.

According to him, it has to be done in a subsidized manner where every farmer will be able to cue into the programme with a view to encouraging mass production of foods as it is being canvassed by the Federal Government.

Information managers task Buhari on economic recovery VICTOR UDOH

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L-R: President, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Mr. Kashim Ali; Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and President, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Mr. Ademola Olorunfemi, during the 24th Engineering Assembly of COREN, in Abuja, recently.

OGSG pays N300m compensation to landowners

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he Ogun State Government has paid over N300million compensation to groups whose lands were acquired for developmental purposes at Areke Village in the Sagamu Local Government Area of the State.

Presenting the cheques to the beneficiaries at the Bureau of Lands and Survey’s Office, at Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, the Head, Acquisition and Compensation of the Bureau, Mr. Michael Adewale, explained that the lands were given to investors who were ready to establish companies which

would create more job opportunities for the citizens and the host communities at large.

He said the proximity of Areke Communities to Flowergate Industrial Scheme would attract more investors to set up their companies in the area thereby boosting industrialization drive of the state. ‘’This present government is midwiving of this project and it has put in place various measures of compensation to improve the standard of living of the citizens in the State, therefore, the Corporate Social

Responsibilities of the investors must be fulfilled in the various communities which they are being hosted besides the monetary compensation to the communities, which includes good roads, health facilities, provision of potable water among others,’’ he said.

Adewale urged the host communities to be law abiding, partnering with the State Government and the investors in bringing dividends of democracy to the State.

Speaking on behalf of the investors, Mr. Satar Omolola of Export Trading Group,

ETG, Agro-Company Nigeria Limited, commended the State Government for bringing development to the people and promised their continued partnership with the Government in advancing the economic status of the State.

Representing the beneficiaries, Mr. Disu Olalekan thanked Governor Ibikunle Amosun for the good gesture which has brought succour to the affected communities, noting that the group was in support of the Government to move the State forward through industrialization.

NNPC GMD, other stakeholders for NAEC conference

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he Group Managing Director, GMD, of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu will be leading Federal Government delegation to the annual August conference of the

National Association of Energy Correspondents, NAEC, holding on Thursday 20th August 2015, at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

In a statement signed by the association’s Chairman, Mr. Yunus Yusuf, International Oil Companies, Down-

stream oil and gas operators, independent producers, new owners of the privatised power assets and other stakeholders, would also be at the conference to proffer solutions to issues to be discussed. The conference is expected to provide a veritable platform for the government

and the industry operators to rub minds on the ways to address energy crisis sustainability towards Nigeria development and the anticipated downstream deregulation transformation and how best to achieved them for the benefit of all stakeholders and the economy.

“Frankly the recent policy introduced by government towards encouraging sufficient production of foods and raw materials efforts should be geared towards ensuring that only the right people obtain the implements needed to prosecute the agenda”, he stressed.

he Institute of Information Management, IIM, has canvassed the need for government and its agencies to pay serious attention to information management, IM, as a tool for business integrity and economic recovery.

While calling on government and its agencies to show more commitment and set up a task force in this regard, the institute noted that good data is essential to promote foreign investments, create value, support sound government policy and promote business integrity in the country.

According to the IIM President/Chair man, Governing Council, Ambassador Oyedokun Oyewole, ensuring “maximum economic recovery” now and the overall success of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration depends on IM, as effective data access will enable researchers, policy makers, technology developers and the public access information, use and share knowledge for informed decisions.

According to him, “It not about relinquishing sensitive data. Knowing what you have and where it is, is a surefire means to ensuring the protection of sensitive material.

“In Nigeria today, bringing good practice, standards and systemic governance to management of data and info ought to be a national

priority. There is need for the new government to endorse effective IM which will ensure transparency, accountability, good governance and access to info is an essential aspect of the resources and infrastructure required for economic recovery and promotion of business integrity in government and the society with a resultant increase in economic value.”

Keynote speaker at the annual lecture titled ‘Info Management as tool for Economic Recovery and Business Integrity in Nigeria,’ Chief Olutoyin Oloniteru, defined IM as the ability to manage information in terms of their confidentialities, integrity, authentication of entities and non-repudiation of actions sent/received.

The former DirectorGeneral ICT in Ekiti State reiterated the significance of the four elements to national development. For instance, under non-repudiation, he said the issue of Senate Standing Rule that was declared a forgery by the police could have been averted using Digital Signature law - a tool of IM. Likewise information leakages such as in the war on terror, issue of conflicting figures in missing NNPC funds are issues of info integrity, which affect business integrity and economic recovery, hence problem of IM. He said authentication would have helped nail who did what like info leakages, actual figure of oil revenue and other earnings etc.

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Sunday, August 16, 2015

MAUTECH honors Jega, graduates 12,600 LIVINUS MENEDI YOLA

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he Governing Council of the Modibbo Adamawa University of Technology, Yola rolled out its drums to honour the immediate past Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC Professor Attahiru Jega at its combined 18th, 19th and 20th convocation ceremony of the institution held yesterday.

Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Kyari Mohammed, said the honorees have impacted other peoples ’ lives and made our country men and women proud by their

exemplary conduct.

“As an institution we have chosen to honour selfless service, principled leadership, honesty , good character and institution building ”, Kyari said.

Among the quartet that bagged hononary doctorate degrees are His Majesty, Okuku Uwa Umoh Adiaka III, Ekperiko I, Paramount ruler of Robot Ankara in Akwa Ibom State, Professor Ethelbert Nwakuche Chukwu, first Vice Chancellor of the institution; Comrade Ali Chiroma, a veteran labour activist and Jega, who is being honoured by the institution for turning around INEC around

from an appendage of the central government into a fiercely independent, technology-driven electoral management body.

The Executive Secretary National University Commission, Professor Julius Okojie, who represented President Muhammad Buhari as Visitor to the institution said that university system in the country is being put on a sound footing.

Kyari explained that those the institution chose to honour were neither money bags nor influential political office holders because it wanted to promote and canvass value reorientation in the awards

of honorary degrees.

“We chose to honour service, integrity and enterprise, even if they don ’t have a kobo.

“I don ’t know people of shady character but I know of people of good character, ” Kyari said.

The VC, who averred that the committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigeria universities, following the way and manner some institutions had gone about dishing out honorary degrees, agreed, to do something by adhering to a new set of value re-orientation in the awards of honorary degrees, which Kyari said was reached in one of its meetings in Keffi.

L-R Monitory officer, National Human Right Commission, Mrs. Mini Ateze; Head Public Affairs, Mrs. Patience Eke; Head Monitoring, Mrs. Nneka Anigbo; Executive Secretary National Human Right Commission, Prof Ben Angwe; Head Lagos zone, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Hiyasu Kwarba; Zonal Coordinator, South West officer, Mr. Ibi Obidigwe, during the impromptu visit to EFCC in Lagos recently.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Al-Makura makes entrepreneurship compulsory in tertiary institutions IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

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overnor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State, has said the state government would make entrepreneurship compulsory in all its owned tertiary institutions.

Al-Makura stated this in Lafia, the state capital, during the public presentation and launch of project documents on youth development and reproductive health needs in Nasarawa state by Nigeria Academy of Science and Ford Foundation.

Realising the importance of youths to the development of the state, the governor disclosed that the state government has equipped the four skills acquisition centers located in Doma, Wamba, Nasarawa and Lafia.

According to him, “The state government has also signed a technical agreement with the Singaporean government with a view to provide technical equipments and further enhance the quality of training of women and youths in various skills that will snowball into industrial development.

The governor also said the state government has also built model primary

Kogi restates commitment to payment of LG staff, teachers ’ salaries WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

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ogi State Government has reiterated its commitment to payment of local government workers and Primary school Teachers salaries.

The Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Abubarka Sadiq Ainoko, who disclosed this while briefing the journalists at his office in Lokoja over the activities of the minis-

try in bid to ensure regular payment of salaries to local government work force and primary school teachers in the state.

He explained that the percentage salary payment to local government and primary school teachers was as a result in dwindling in federal allocation accrued to Kogi state, noting that neither the state government nor the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs was responsible for delay in payment of No-

vember and December 2014 salary to teachers.

Ainoka stated that following the release of the supplementary non -oil revenue, the 21 local government councils in the state have been able to pay 100 percent of the minimum wage to the workers, noting that Lokoja LG went extra miles to additional 55 per cent of arrears.

The Commissioner also explained that the delay in payment of November 2014 teachers ’ salary in five councils and all local govern-

ment council in December was as result of over bloated vouchers after the agreed 60 per cent of minimum wage.

He added that the shortfall was occasioned by a faulty salary chart being used by the State Universal Basic Education Board, stressing that such payments were abnormal and haphazard, which later led to over payment of agreed percentage.

“Nevertheless I am delight to inform you that the arrears of the Novem-

ber salary. Of teachers in the affected local government areas of Okene, Ajaokuta,Ofu, Olamaboro and Omala have been paid from the non- oil revenue received ”, he stated.

The Commissioner however identified over staffing in some local government area as responsible for continued payment of Percentage salary, noting that this in accordance with the available resources to the state and believed that as soon as the situation improves.

and junior secondary schools which have been adequately equipped with manpower and instructional materials for teaching and learning, even as tertiary institutions in the state are also given priority attention.

“Government has also been able to address the issue of poor school enrolment and retention with the introduction of free feeding and tuition fees in all primary and secondary schools. We have also built and commissioned e-libraries in the state to boost learning in this ICT age.

Since assumption of office in 2011, we have intensified efforts to address low level of enrolment and retention through the provision of adequate support for the girl child education. This has yielded gainful result as most girls have continued to indicate interest in school rather than hawking and other forms of activities that has no direct bearings to their growth and development, ” he stated.

Al-Makura went further that “in a modest effort to empower the physically challenged, the state government has built special schools for various category of physically challenged in the three senatorial districts in the state, even as government will pay special attention to the provision of reproductive health services and adequate information on sexuality education.

President of the Nigeria Academic of Science, Prof Oyewale Tomori, acknowledged during the occasion the immense contributions and efforts of the Nasarawa State Government by hosting the public presentation and launch of the project documents in the state.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Opinion

Sunday August 16, 2015

51

NDLEA between facts and fiction ROLI BODE-GEORGE

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he present situation in the country where everybody seeks to take advantage of the publicly declared anti corruption stand of the current administration necessitates the response to the news story by Mr Adekunle Yusuf serialised in the Thursday August 6, Friday August 7, 2015 editions of the Nation newspapers.

Otherwise it would have been unnecessary to dignify the feature story with any response.

Further to the above, although Adekunle Yusuf interviewed the NDLEA, Head of Public Affairs, Mitchel Ofoyeju, the questions put to the Head of Public Affairs of the agency by Adekunle did not do justice to the issues raised in his article which he claimed is a product of “keeping tab on the agency for more than two years”.

If truly Adekunle Yusuf was keeping tab on the Agency for the more than two years and all he could report about the agency was the activities of the bad eggs in the agency who have long been shown the way out of the agency some of whom were prosecuted where necessary, then his so called tab was not only perverse but equally biased, which is rather unfortunate.

Mr Adekunle Yusuf will need to answer the following questions: Where was Adekunle Yusuf when the agency discovered three clandestine laboratories in Lagos and Anambra states in 2013?

Where was he when in May 2015 when the Agency discovered another 3 laboratories in Anambra state?

Where was he when in 2014 the Agency discovered and destroyed over 4,529.15 hectares of Cannabis farms in Osun, Ondo and Edo States

in one of our operations code named “Weed Eaters”?

Where was he when the United States of America removed Nigeria from the Drug Majors list in 2009 as a result of the activities of the Agency thereby easing security checks and screening on Nigerians travelling outside the country for their various endeavours.

It is unfortunate that what is suppose to count as achievements due to the credible leadership of Ahmadu Giade, the current Chairman/Chief Executive of the agency coupled with the patriotic efforts of the officers is being trivialised by the author of the new story for selfish agenda.

The agency is however not unmindful of the intentions of some political jobbers who are in collusion with some disgruntled staff and discredited former staff of the agency and possibly drug barons whose businesses are under threat to rubbish Ahmadu Giade, the CCE and the entire management team of the Agency in spite of the good works done in the last 10 years.

It is however clear that this government possesses an array of intellectual capacity and experience that will not allow itself to be misled on the true situation in the Agency as at today.

While the Agency is reluctant to join issues with the author of this mean-spirited news story, it is necessary in the public interest to provide some clarifications on the distorted information put in the public domain by the author. Contrary to the content of Adekunle’s story, the NDLEA under the leadership of Ahmadu Giade as CCE of the Agency can boast of a well trained and knowledgeable workforce capable of meeting the mandate of the Agency. This accounts for the impressive records of arrest, seizures and convictions in the last ten (10) years to justify its

effectiveness as a drug law enforcement Agency.

As a result of these improved. Agency’s counter narcotic measures, most drug barons have relocated to our neighbouring countries.

Similarly the Agency has also over the years carried out result-oriented public enlightenment campaigns on the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking within and outside the Country.

The climax of this effort led to Nigeria’s re-admission into many international organizations in drug matters after several years of exclusion.

Furthermore Nigeria has also been certified by the US Government as an efficient and global rated drug enforcement Agency since 2009 as a result of the efficiency, effectiveness and professional integrity of the Agency. One of the results of the Agency’s integrity and efficiency led the UNODC to declare the NDLEA as the best law enforcement Agency in the whole of Africa in its Annual Report of year.

The growing confidence of the international community on the integrity of the Agency has resulted in increased international collaboration with a number of drug law enforcement organisations around the world.

The Agency is presently collaborating with a number of drug law enforcement organisations. These organisations include American Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom; Federal Police (Fedpol) of Switzerland; BKA of Germany. Other countries with interest in collaborating with the NDLEA are France, Colombia, Brazil, Italy and South Africa amongst others. These collaboration and cooperation have brought a lot of benefits to the Agency. The benefits include: the establishment of the Special Enforcement Team (SET) involving the NDLEA and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of the United States of

America; and the Combine Inter- Agency Task Force (CIATF) which involves the NDLEA, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Crime Agency (NCA) of the United Kingdom. The focus of these engagements is on intelligence sharing, capacity building and logistic support.

The European Union (EU) is presently funding a five year intervention project for all organisations involved in the enforcement of organised crimes in Nigeria of which NDLEA is a major player.

It is common knowledge that the collaborators mentioned above by their known position against corruption will not invest in an organisation that is corrupt or perceived as corrupt as the featured story serialised in The Nation newspaper portrays.

The fact that the agency enjoys this international goodwill and continues to record successes in its operations as can be seen in the statistics of arrest seizures and asset forfeiture belies the position of Adekunle Yusuf the author of the news story.

The agency will continue to react as appropriate to all the lies and distorted facts calculated to rubbish the good works of the leadership and the management team of the agency.

As the historic saying goes “A prophet has no honour in his home”. While the international communities are celebrating the achievements of the agency under Ahmadu Giade some disgruntled elements who never mean well for the country are out to do a hatchet job possibly on behalf of drug barons. It is sure that they will fail woefully as they have always done.

•Bode-George is the Director General/ Secretary (NDLEA)

Changing faces of Osun work places ADEKUNLE ALABI

M

oving round some work places in Osun such as the vast secretariat of the state, the newly completed state-of-the-art schools, the newly renovated state House of Assembly complex, its new gate and Pavillion and Park and others in the state remind me of my early days at one of the Federal Government Colleges in Nigeria during the early 80s.

I vividly remember my first introductory class in Biology by one of our teachers back then. Mr. Ligali was the one who introduced us to Photosynthesis, giving us an experiment where we planted seeds and after germination, told us that plants need sunlight to survive and grow better.

Then, we kept one of the planted flowers in the sun, a condition that our teacher described as encouraging the environment, and the other placed indoor. The experiment after some days showed the flower under the conducive atmosphere flourishing and the other one withering.

We have all worked at places that we were less than excited to get up in the mornings and go to; this is an unpleasant feeling. It is much more pleasurable, and less stressful to go to a work environment that is filled with positivity and enjoyment.

A positive work environment is not only important for physical, mental and emotional health, it is also important for the productivity. The better we feel at work, the more likely we will take pride in our jobs and be loyal towards our place of employment.

Today, the latest generation presents a new set of challenges for employers, and organisations have been forced to find new, innovative ways to attract and retain them as employees.

Promoting a fun work environment is

quickly becoming one of the most widely-implemented recruitment and retention strategies in many of the world’s most successful organizations, and there’s a good reason.

Little wonder, the Rauf Aregbesola-led administration is leaving no stone unturned in promoting a fun work environment for workers of the state of the virtuous.

The former governor of Osun, Chief Bisi Akande, left among many other legacies, the vast Abeere Government Secretariat, an achievement that Osun people will forever be grateful to him for. The state before the completion of the complex was being run from rented apartments before Akande put a halt to it.

With the ouster of Akande’s administration, the secretariat was left at the point the former government left it, though fit for human habitation but without proper landscaping as it was on the blueprint conceived by the Alliance for Democracy (AD) government of Akande.

Part of the masterplan of the secretariat complex by the Akande government was a beautified environment with proper landscaping for all the ministries with access infrastructure linking each of the ministries.

After the AD government in the state, came the Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who moved workers who were hitherto operating from borrowed offices to the newly completed secretariat. However, further completion works had stopped with Akande’s exit.

Workers and others went about business using the complex at that stage until the coming of the Aregbesola-led administration, who commenced the carry-over of the project initiated by Chief Bisi Akande sixteen years ago.

According to Judith Heerwagen, a former scientist with the Pacific Northwest National

Laboratory who is now a program expert with the General Services Administration, productivity and the workplace are related in these ways: “A building can positively affect ability by providing comfortable ambient conditions, by enabling individual control and adjustment of conditions, and by reducing health and safety risks. Negative impacts on ability to do work are associated with conditions that are uncomfortable, distracting, hazardous or noxious.

“A building can positively affect motivation by providing conditions that promote positive affective functioning, psychological engagement and personal control. Moods create the ‘affective context’ for thought processes and behaviors and are directly tied to motivation. “A building can affect opportunity by providing equitable access to conditions that reduce health and safety risks, equitable access to amenities and compensatory design options where inequities exist and are difficult to eliminate entirely.”

Before the commencement of the laying of interlocked stones, pavements and the grassing of the different ministries, the work places have suffered unthinkable environmental dilapidation largely occasioned by erosion.

Aside from agencies and ministries at the government secretariat that have been beautified, another spectacle to behold is the construction going on along the road close to the Bola Ige House that serves as office to the sitting governor. Going on there is the construction of a modern supermarket and shops sitting on top of an artificial lake that is nearing completion.

It is believed that the structure when completed will in a way provide a serene and unruffled place for workers to cool off during break hours, thus enhancing performance

and productivity.

Mrs. Shola Oyetunde, a civil servant, said of the emerging beautiful scene within the complex, “One cannot wait for this beautiful project to be completed. From my own point of view, this is capable of releving workers of tension and stress during work hours.”

The Osun State House of Assembly is another work place that has undergone serious overhauling; the present administration had begun the construction of the gatehouse of the complex and the beatification of the environment, giving the place a complete facelift.

Speaking on the new lease given to the complex, the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker Osun House of Assembly, Mr. Goke Butika said, “the feedback on the new environment is fantastic, workers at the Assembly now have a place they can be proud of, and you will see some of them taking photographs around the newly renovated Assembly and the gate.

“Some of them can now invite their friends and family to come and greet them during break time or after office hours. The place is no longer that kind of environment you cannot be proud of.

“Things have changed in terms of environmental issues, their attitude towards work has moved beyond average as it was before. We are now more secured with our environment.

“The beauty the House of Assembly is having under the present administration is unprecedented, the Assembly gallery is digital, we have e-library, a canteen that none of the fast food joints in town can rival and ultra modern toilets located in strategic spots makes it difficult for workers not to be at work, they always look forward to being at work with the present environment.”

•Alabi writes from Oshogbo

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Former governors in NASS will add value to democracy –Wamakko Former governor of Sokoto, Senator Aliyu Wamakko, shares his experience after leaving office and now a lawmaker with OBIORA IFOH, saying that the present 8th Assembly has all it takes to surpass its predecessor. Excerpts: How has it been with you as a former governor who ruled for eight years and now a senator?

It has been an interesting and wonderful experience. For someone who has been at the local level of politics to now come to Abuja on a national scale and to relate, share experience and wisdom with others from across the country is very rewarding. At this age what we require is to come together and take decision in the best interest of the country.

From what I ’ve seen in the Senate so far, we have eight former governors, eight former ministers and some former House of Representatives members among others. These are the people who had served this nation in different capacities. They know the art of governance and what is good for the country and they know want to promote the growth and progress of their country. I don ’t think their motive is to come and create controversies, which is not good for the country and the electorate. My coming to the Senate has shown me that the entire National Assembly has resolved to come together to work with the executive arm of government to ensure that we deliver on our promises to Nigerians.

You are in essence saying the eighth Assembly will surpass the achievements of the seventh Assembly?

Yes of course! I say this because of the calibre of people we now have there.

They are the people who know the pains of governance, Nigerians who know what it means to keep the country together and what it means to make a pledge and redeem it for a change.

In the Senate, we have been speaking against insecurity, corruption. We speak for good governance, diversification of the economy, good foreign relations, health care delivery system, transpiration for Nigeria and so many other things. These are the basic things that Nigerians need and are waiting patiently for the National Assembly to deliver.

So we feel that we know we must come together, work as a team to see how these promises can be made a reality. It is only when we come together as a team, based on mutual respect that these goals can be achieved. There is no time to waste on argument over unnecessary issues.

It is time to face the reality. It is time for us to note what the country expects from governance and those things that we need to put in place to fulfil the general expectations of Nigerians. The good thing is that we have the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in place.

We all have to join hands to make his government to succeed. For President Buhari to succeed, we have to give him the support he requires and ensure that we are not here to create conflict, but to work in the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians.

We have to sincerely appreciate the

Wa amakko o

THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE ON ARGUMENT OVER UNNECESSARY ISSUES. IT IS TIME TO FACE THE REALITY. IT IS TIME FOR US TO NOTE WHAT THE COUNTRY EXPECTS FROM GOVERNANCE AND THOSE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PUT IN PLACE TO FULFIL THE GENERAL EXPECTATIONS OF NIGERIANS

fact that even the international community are welcoming and commending the new regime for putting in place good initiatives. So, I repeat, there is no time for unnecessary digression and bickering. What we need to do is work hard to save this country, in particular the down trodden.

The National Assembly has always been viewed by the majority of Nigerians as a place for intrigue, what is your view about this as someone just coming into the Senate?

When you have a group of people of diverse upbringing, culture and inter-

ests, it is normal for them to try and develop a mode of communicating and how to understand one another. It is not just easy for people from different backgrounds to come together and then understand themselves immediately. That is the reason for such intrigue you talk about. But to overcome it, there must be mutual trust and respect. That is how it works and that is how I see it. I am happy at the way things are and I have not seen anyone behaving abnormally. Some correspondents came to me and asked me to comment on what happened in the last Senate. I told them I could not do so because I was not there and should not

speak on what I don ’t know.

How have you been able to manage the initial bickering among yourselves that Nigerians are seeing the Senate in a new light with the hitherto aggrieved members relating peacefully now?

The magic lies on honesty, transparency and fear of God. Once you remove selfishness, it makes interactions easier.

Once you act transparently with maturity and respect, it makes the rest manageable. When we came, there was this mistrust, misunderstanding and suspicion. They were all normal in the gathering of that magnitude. I learnt a great deal when some years back I met some members of the National Assembly and even Ministers who had never visited the North and I know many from the North who did not know anything about the southern part of the country. Once such met, they ended up arguing on sentiments and emotion and the challenges of their communities.

But today, the kind of people we have there are those that know so much about this country. Before coming to the Senate, they had met at different times and so they understand one another.

That is the reason it is not difficult for them to work together as a team. And it is good that we are the ruling party and at the same time we have a vibrant opposition to always keep the ruling party on its toes. Now what I have realised is that even opposition in the National Assembly are not prepared to oppose anything from the Federal Government. Their desire is to collectively make this country greater and better. I have not seen one person who has expressed anti-government sentiments because he is from APGA, PDP or other parties. Once anything comes from the Federal Government, everybody comes together to give it immediate attention.

Take for example the screening of the service chiefs. We went to the Committee of the whole House and did the screening while we accorded everyone his due respect.

We cleared the Service Chiefs within some few minutes. This was based on the importance of their assignments.

We have insecurity in this country and we cannot play with that. Let me say that anything, being appointment and others that come from the Presidency, we will not delay or play with it. If there are any other issues that bothers our mind, we would address them by saying what we feel. But so far so good, all the appointments made by the President and the names sent to the Senate for screening were made purely on merit and they are of national outlook.

A kind of constructive engagement existed between the executive arm of government and the legislature in which case they quarrelled when necessary and agreed in other cases. Will the current Senate sustain such kind of engagement?

I don ’t want us to use the word quarrel or fight. These are strong languages CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

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53

cs of pay cuts

Man nage er

been reduced to N120 billion. That will affect our income. I have constituency offices to maintain. How do I cope with the demands of my constituents?

“If you see my phone here, you will see many requests for money. How do I meet all these? Should I go and steal? I have security men; I pay N150,000 to the police every month.

How do I do this,? ” one of the Senators who pledged anonymity queried.

At the closed door meeting, it was further gathered that there was also a strong argument that the senate cannot on its own unliterary reduce the salaries and allowances of the

senators without reaching a consensus with their colleagues from the House of Representatives, as well as the various departments, agencies and bodies that together make up the National Assembly. These other bodies include the National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS), National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) and the Public Conduct Commission amongst others.

It was gathered that following the strong opposition of majority of the senators to the recommendations of the ad hoc committee report that a decision was taken to differ further discussions on the report and to make wider consultations on the matter.

In line with the snippets from the closed door session, Senator Dino Melaye, Chairman of the Senate ad hoc committee on Media and Publicity while briefing senate correspondents corroborated the inconclusive nature of the meeting. Melaye stated that since the senate ’s budget was not independently prepared, the senate resolved at the parley to consult all stakeholders before reaching a conclusion on the report.

Said Melaye, “The senate today in the closed-door session, discussed the report of the ad hoc Finance Committee of the senate and after due deliberations by the senators, we came to the conclusion that since the budget of the senate is not independent of the budget of the National Assembly, where the budget of the House of Representatives is also inclusive.

“We also have the management, we have the National Institute of Legislative Studies, we have even the Public Conduct Commission and the National

Assembly Service Commission included in the budget.

“So, we have agreed that we should consult among other arms that share the budget of the National Assembly alongside the House of Representatives before we can draw conclusion on the report.

“So, the resolution is that we are going to interface with the House of Representatives so that we can be on the same page on the report presented. This is the resolution of the senate in the closed door session. ” Notwithstanding the inconclusive nature of the meeting, Melaye pledged that he and his colleague senators were very willing to make more sacrifices to move the nation forward by further reducing their salaries. This he said was already made manifest in the salary cut by the National Assembly from N150 billion annual budget to N120 billion.

According to the lawmaker, “The senate is ready to make sacrifices for the purpose of developmental purposes that was already indicated even in the Appropriation Act 2015, ” stressing that, “For the past five years, the budget of the National Assembly had always been N150 billion. But the 2015 budget of the National Assembly is N120 billion. ” “Already, there has been a reduction of N30 billion in the budget of the National Assembly, and this N120 billion is to be shared among the six or seven organs of the National Assembly – the National Institute of Legislative Studies (NILS), National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) the Public Conduct Commission and the Public Conduct Commission, among other arms of the

National Assembly, including the salaries and allowances of the legislative aides, numbering over 3,000, they are all inclusive. ” Somehow, since the inception of the current democratic dispensation, the National Assembly has persistently been in the news for many wrong reasons. One of the negative perceptions about the National Assembly is that the institution is reeking with corruption, fueled by excessive resources at the disposal of the lawmakers.

Rightly or wrongly, each time the National Assembly is mentioned, the impression is that the place is where people go to dig cheap gold. Why not?

In the past, people became rich over night or indeed, turned supper rich just because they found themselves as lawmakers at the National Assembly or had some dealings with the place.

There have also been several instances where some Nigerians have had to either dispose of valuable properties or took loans to facilitate their elections to the National Assembly because of the prospects of quick return of investments.

The result of this is that, each time the issue of corruption is mentioned, several eyes look towards the direction of the National Assembly.

No doubt, the greatest challenge the National Assembly is facing at the moment is negative perception. The question is how true is this and how can the lawmakers address the issue? Perhaps the best way to go about it is to seize this new wave of change to operate in the open and let all Nigerians know what goes on at the place.

Augean stables ’ NNPC ISN ’T PUBLIC SERVICE. IT ’S A CORPORATION AND WE RUN LIKE A COMPANY GENERATING MONEY FOR THE PEOPLE OF

NIGERIA. AND SO, THAT WHOLE CONCEPT OF ANYTHING GOES SHOULD STOP

Daw wha

Mele Kyari,Crude Oil Marketing Division; Ahmadu Sambo, NNPC Oilfield Services, and Dr Surajdeen Bola Afolabi, Information Technology Division/SAP. Others are Mr Zubair Aliyu, NNPC Capital; Dafe Sejebor, Nigerian Petroleum Investment

Management Services and Mrs Kemi Akitoye, Human Resources Division.

Also Mr Godwin C. Okonkwo, Finance; Bello Rabiu, Corporate Planning; Anibo Kragha, Treasury and Dalhatu Makama, Shipping.

Other group general managers are Samuel Ndukwe (Power), Mike Balami (Accounts), Yusuf Matashi (LNG), Rabiu Suleiman (Engineering and Technology) and Dr Olubunmi Oyetunde (Medical).

A hint that more sack is imminent in the NNPC was dropped by Kachikwu, who has signalled his intention to take the present restructuring of the corporation to all its cadres.

He said after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari that the ‘A to Zero ’ restructuring he has embarked upon was meant to put the right personnel in the right positions for the purpose of accountability and service delivery.

According to him, the restructuring of the organisation would be threepronged and having completed the first two, which involved Group Executive Directors (GEDs) and Group General Managers (GGMs), attention would now be focused on the lower layer.

He also dropped the hint that there would be a forensic audit to determine the state of affairs at the corporation fol-

lowing which staff needing elevation, retraining and disengagement would be identified for appropriate action.

He explained that “the whole idea is to go back to being able to look at your appraisals; how well have you done in the job and if you ’ve done very well, how do we elevate you to a position where you can offer more service. If you ’ve not done well enough, we can retrain you and if you ’ve not done well enough and there is no possibility of retraining you, we will let you go.

“At the end of the day, NNPC isn ’t public service. It ’s a corporation and we run like a company generating money for the people of Nigeria. And so, that whole concept of anything goes should stop. And this is the first stage of that whole process.

“It ’s a three-pronged process that I am pursuing. There ’s a people aspect which we are dealing with now; there is a process aspect; after the people at the right places, you are going to get forensic audit done so that we know clearly, proper forensic audit that will cover us all the way to 2014, 2015, that will be able to say to you, this is the state of the company.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 54

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‘Buhari begins cleansing of Augean stables ’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

“We are going to put processes and control in place, we are going to do retraining and repositioning and then, we are going to re-engage our majors and minors, all those who are active in the sector, for us to work as a team to try to take Nigeria forward. It ’s going to be the process stage.

“The final stage will be the business stage, which is now looking at all the existing contracts if they are good, need to be re-kitted and redone. Look at the PSCs, what do we do going forward? Look at the challenges posed by very reduced balance sheet as a result of $40-$50 per barrel type oil, what do we do to energise recovery and income growth so that government will have money to work with?

“It is a very intensive work, very calibrated work, a lot of us are not spending time sleeping. But by the next five to six months, you will begin to see a new NNPC emerging; a new process of oil administration in the country and obviously, giving fillip to Mr President ’s dream of taking the oil industry back to where it should be. ” The GMD, who did not want to be drawn into the perceived corrupt reputation of the NNPC, added: “I don ’t want to over critique an institution I have taken over please. Having said that, things have been done wrongly and things need to be done differently.

“We are doing a lot of work in terms of repositioning, restructuring, getting the right personnel in key places and setting a culture of accountability and service delivery so that the new NNPC that you are going to see will be a different institution altogether. ” On how the presidential directive for all government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to pay money accruing to government into a single ac-

Oku unb bor

O ’n neall

WE ARE DOING A LOT OF WORK IN TERMS OF REPOSITIONING, RESTRUCTURING, GETTING THE RIGHT PERSONNEL IN KEY PLACES AND SETTING A CULTURE OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND SERVICE DELIVERY SO THAT THE NEW NNPC

count would affect its agreements with Joint Venture Companies (JVCs), he indicated that the NNPC may not be able to

meet up with it as it would require funds to run the system.

However, he said the corporation was

looking into ways to ensure accountability and openness without jeopardising its ability to carry out its statutory duties.

His words: “All that is being looked at.

The reality is that to run an oil company, you ’ve got to have funds to do it. If you don ’t, you close down the corporation and the production system will close down.

“So, we are looking at how to merge the need for accountability and openness with the need to make sure that the industry itself survives. We cannot throw away the baby with the bath water. ” A public affairs analyst, Comrade Sola Olawale said he was initially not excited with the ongoing changes in the NNPC saying “In less than 13 years, the NNPC has produced no fewer than six GMDs. No organization as strategic as NNPC, that wants to be taken seriously, can have such high turnover in its management ”.

He said the continuous removal of the management may not augur well for the NNPC. He however said having watched the further steps being taking by Kachikwu after his appointment, he hopes the restructuring might bring a new lease of life to the troubled corporation..

Another public affairs analyst, Bayo Okunlola, he said the cleansing of NNPC is just the bdgining of the change programme of Buhari urging Nigerians to cooperate with the new govenemtn in its effort to clean the country of its many years of mess.

The Special Adviser for Media and Publicity to President Buhari, Mr Femi Adesina has also said that “it is within the President ’s right to fire the board members of NNPC. That is just the beginning of the house cleansing he wants to do to clear the rot in the oil sector. ”

‘Former governors in NASS will add value to democracy ’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 52

to use. We don ’t need that at this age. The issue is that where it is necessary for us to raise eyebrows in some cases, we will not hesitate to do so. We will always rise to the occasion in our bid to save this country. We will do all we can in the interest of Nigeria.

How would you assess the regime of President Buhari so far on the direction it is facing?

As far as I am concerned, President Buhari is on course and is doing the right thing. He has a vision and mission for this country. He was once there though as a Military Head of State. But I am sure that having tried three times and going across the country during the campaigns, hearing, knowing and getting familiar with the state of things, he is better equipped to deliver.

I know him to be a person of 100 per cent transparency. He is committed and has passion to change the situa-

tion in Nigeria. He does not condone corruption no matter where it comes from. He has the fear of God. I don ’t know of any past leader having this passion for Nigeria like Buhari. I believe he is doing the right thing. He is the right person to be the president of Nigeria at this point in time.

Buhari would soon be counting 100 days in office, what has he done so far that you have since noted?

As I said, one of such is the nature of the appointments he had made. All of them are based on merit. The President put aside sentiment or political patronage by putting the country first.

This caught my interest. Again, President Buhari has succeeded in raising hope on the survival of Nigeria. I think he is able to achieve this by the high level of goodwill that he currently enjoys from all parts of Nigeria. He is taking his time to study the ground and he listens to advice and suggestions a lot. You can see the manner and approach he has brought to the fight

against insecurity. He is achieving results. Look, the President means well for this country and he is determined to change the old ways of doing things.

I see Nigeria progressing with his government.

What would you say on the growing call on the President to constitute his cabinet?

People have the right to their opinions. The President said he would inaugurate his cabinet by September. He is trying to get the best. If he rushes and the appointees begin to mess up, people would ask why the rush. With human nature, you can only be too slow or too fast.

On Sokoto politics, there seems to be no acrimony between you and Governor Aminu Tambuwal unlike other states where issues like treasury is causing problem, what do you say on this?

In Sokoto, the seat of the Caliphate, I wish to be remembered for doing

the best for the state. Tambuwal being a former number four citizen of the country would not have any challenge leading Sokoto. He listens to advice, work with people and he is accessible while he listens to the yearnings of the people.

Many states were having trouble of empty treasuries. What did you do differently in Sokoto that there is no complaint against you?

Our magic was that we were not over ambitious to engage in massive borrowing. But it is better that it is the governor that should do the talking of what is there and what is not there. But I was careful to manage the resources of the state such that when I left, I did not leave a single ISPO (Irrevocable Standing Payment Order). This is how to help the incoming administration to have a stable start and governance. But by the time you leave several ISPOs, then you are not being fair to the person coming to take over. The magic is honesty, transparency and fairness.

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‘Nigerians must do things with their hands ’ commission, you pay for it yourself because you will go to any length to make it work. I am not ready to stand before God tomorrow and start telling him I manipulated my way to do these things. My heart, when it comes to education is vocation. To train people to use their hands, Nigerians don ’t know how to do things with their hands.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 receive Christ through a visit to a relation. My friends said it won ’t last but it has lasted till now.

What are the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

There are several challenges in the ministry obviously and as you begin to grow, one challenge will lead you to another. The first challenge I faced was when I lost my first child. I got married to my wife in 1980, we had our first daughter in 1982, I remember I went for a crusade in Abeokuta, Ogun State and came back a day to Christmas and she sang in the children ’s choir on Christmas Day and in the night of the 25th, she developed high fever and by early morning of the 26th she died and I was going to preach in the church on that 26th. I left her in the room with my wife and I went to preach and I never mentioned to them that I had this situation in my house. To me, as a young minister, that was one of the challenges we faced.

Another experience was when I lost my immediate younger brother who was the only support I had when I entered the ministry. With the help of God, he went to the University Teaching Hospital, Lagos and passed as a medical doctor, joined the Navy and was still active in the church supporting the ministry. One day, I was travelling out and I gave him an assignment with one of my elders and on their way back to the church, armed robbers trailed him to the church compound. I think the military training in him made him to resist and he started fighting them and he was shot. It was very devastating but one thing God always tells me is that challenges should not make you reject the call of God because at the end of that challenge another would come. The best I can do is to be the best in what God is calling me for. That is the only way I can be able to grow. There are a lot of challenges; there are challenges of not having enough funds but I thank God, He has been faithful.

Before the 2015 elections, there was fear in the country and some unpleasant predictions about Nigeria was coming from within and outside the country but now we have stability, would you attribute it to God ’s intervention?

Oh yes, I always say that the hand of God is mighty upon Nigeria. If God is not with this country, we would have separated long ago but God has a prophetic hand upon Nigeria. It is not an accident, irrespective of our various challenges and problems, I can assure you without any doubt the hand of God is on this country. Whether devil likes it or not, Nigeria is going to emerge very great.

On the issue of same sex marriage, how do you think the church, school and home can help so that Nigerian youths would not take to it?

The church should not be shocked about this same sex marriage thing because they are part of the end time

Okonkwo

IT IS NOT A HIDDEN THING THAT CORRUPTION HAS KILLED US AND IT IS ENDEMIC. IN FACT, IF YOU ARE NOT CORRUPT, YOU ARE NOT A GOOD NIGERIAN AND NOW EVERYBODY IS SAYING ‘MR. GO SLOW ’. DO THEY WANT HIM TO COME AND CLEAR THE MESS OF 16 YEARS IN TWO DAYS event and don ’t be surprised, there will be other things that will come up but I will be shocked if the church begins to get involved in it, Nations don ’t go by the Bible, they play politics, they are playing politics but the church must take a clear stand and not accept. The parents must talk about it to their children and make them know that is not the right thing. Parents and the church have the huge responsibility otherwise children may be misled.

Who is your mentor?

A lot of people have mentored me but I would say that my spiritual head in the church where I started, it was called UCC in those days. Many other anointed men of God in and outside the country were my mentors, most especially Archbishop Benson Idahosa. He was an institution on his own. If he had been alive, some of the things that are happening today might not have happened. Things Idahosa did, no one has done it. He was

a kingdom-minded man, he was bigger than the church of God Mission and he is a man that likes to raise from a little.

He didn ’t care who you are, he raised you and showed you what you can become.

Do you have succession plans in place?

I am praying to God, saying God, I am 70, this work must continue. We need people who will take it to another level because with dreams I am having recently, I don ’t think I can fulfil them.

No single person fulfils a dream. I have started thinking about it; I have started praying about it and I trust God for it.

Almost all your contemporaries have universities, are there plans on the way to have one soon?

I don ’t have anything against it but I don ’t believe that everyone must have a university. At times, all things come down to competition. You see when you get involved with what God did not

What do you really want to change in our education sector?

One of the things I would want to change in the education sector because one of the reasons of the rot we are having in the education sector is the welfare package of the teachers. It is not really enough, that is why examination malpractice is rife, because they want to survive and when this is done, we look at the curriculum. Is it in tandem with present day realities? And if moral education has been removed, we should put it back.

Again, we should go back to the kindergarten, to the nursery. Let ’s leave people in the university and secondary, let us go to nursery to begin to put hope in the new breed of Nigerians because right now, those in secondary school, in university, polytechnic and colleges of education have been made to believe that they are waiting in line to come and steal their own money. When you breed a new set and let them know that hard work pays, you will see that in the next 15 years we will have a new breed of Nigerians that have been raised who are thinking differently.

Several ministers have lost their dignity.

What have you done to have yours still intact and what advice do you have for young ministers?

One of the things I will advise a young minister is one, I have been minister of the gospel and as minister of the gospel you are supposed to represent all constituents. In other words, when it comes to the issue of politics, your desire should be how can the citizens benefit and not what is your own interest. What informs my position whenever any issue is raised is how we all can be partakers of the dividends of democracy because that puts us all on a level ground.

Do you support the anti-corruption programme of President Muhammadu Buhari?

It is not a hidden thing that corruption has killed us and it is endemic. In fact, if you are not corrupt, you are not a good Nigerian and now everybody is saying ‘Mr. Go slow ’. Do they want him to come and clear the mess of 16 years in two days? I don ’t know why we are not real with ourselves. If the only thing Buhari can achieve is just to institute the fear of corruption alone, I am not expecting him to do any magic because even if you give him eight years, he can ’t clear corruption. Can ’t you see that suddenly electricity is working, EFCC is alive; where have they been all these years? That shows you that the things are there but the reason they are not working is because they know that no one will indict them.

If there had been an indictment, there would be fear.

56

Politics

Sunday August 16, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Chairmanship tussle tears Edo PDP apart Even before serious campaigns and primaries begin for the highly anticipated governorship election in Edo State in July next year, the opposition Peoples ’ Democratic Party, PDP, is already in tatters with members and leaders openly engaging themselves and disagreeing on internal issues of leadership. SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN reports

T

hese are not the best times for the People ’s Democratic Party in Edo State with members pitted against each other over who leads the party to fight the ruling All Progressives Congress at next year ’s governorship elections.

At the centre of the confusion is the allegation of corruption hanging against Edo State PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Osi Orbih, who has also been accused by some members and leaders of the party of seeking to perpetuate himself in office as Chairman beyond his second term, which expires this month of August 2015.

Orbih and many of his followers led by the party ’s State Acting Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, have been arguing for his retention beyond next year ’s governorship election by basing their argument on the opinion that only his continued stay in office could guarantee a successful election of whoever emerges PDP candidate for the election.

They further argued that Orbih has not only managed the finances of Edo PDP very soundly, his leadership has also constantly and successfully challenged the state ruling Action Congress of Nigeria and later All Progressives Congress-elected administration of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole on issues of governance.

But those who are opposed to the Orbih group have warned of the total destruction that Edo PDP might reap from a fraudulent rubber stamp of Orbih ’s alleged self-perpetuation in power. They further warned that the party, which is presently suffering asphyxiation in Edo State directly from the loss of the Federal Government to the APC in Abuja and by extension the paucity of funds that had flowed in from Abuja before now, will not only lose thousands of members before the governorship election but could lose the election, woefully, as a result.

Notably, the strong opposition from those who do not want to see Orbih continue to hold office have recently been boosted with the sudden, unrequested support of the state ruling APC, which Publicity Secretary, Comrade Godwin Erhahon, recently lent his voice on behalf of the party to the call for either Orbih ’s resignation or his immediate sack by Edo PDP members and leaders for alleged corruption.

One of the allegations aggrieved PDP members have against Orbih is that he is a habitual loser who has not really won any election for PDP in Edo State free, fairly and credibly till date. Another allegation is that he supervised the misappropriation and embezzlement of about N1.5 billion provided for the state leadership as campaign grants and proceeds of sale of forms to candidates in Edo State before the recent general election.

Yet, another allegation is that he manages the state party in a high-handed manner and serious deficits in the areas of sagacity, accountability, transparency, communication and maturity.

For example, he has also been accused of making himself a comedian that often dances to the gallery with childish pranks and unrealistic claims and lies at press conferences and other special occasions instead of confronting and challenging the ruling APC and the state government with verifiable factual issues and healthy

Orb bih

JUST AS THE DIVISION IN PDP WIDENS, SO DOES ORBIH ’S CAMP INTENSIFY EFFORTS AIMED AT NOT ONLY BRIDGING THE GAP BUT ALSO FINDING A COMMON GROUND FOR ENSURING THAT HE RETAINS HIS POSITION

AS CHAIRMAN SO AS TO SUPERVISE PDP ’S

PARTICIPATION IN EDO STATE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION OF 2016

debates.

But defending the embattled state chairman on the allegation of misappropriation, a serious issue that presently has the party split into three opposing groups in the state, Nehikhare said: “Orbih was not the chairman of the Presidential Campaign Committee in Edo State. It was Pastor IzeIyamu. So, if there was any fund given to PDP, they should ask Ize-Iyamu and not Orbih. These lies by the APC are coming on the heels of our call to the EFCC to probe the local government funds that accrued to Edo State, which were tampered with by the Oshiomhole administration. ” The spokesman, who would not be drawn into answering questions of what positive or negative impact his defence statement could have on the fortunes of the party ’s foremost aspirant, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, further denied that N10 million released by the state party leadership for each of the 24 PDP Edo State House of Assembly election candidates was hijacked by

the same party leaders.

“There is nothing like N10 million given to our House of Assembly candidates. The APC is just cooking up these lies because we called on the EFCC to probe the finances of local governments, which the APCled government in the state misappropriated, leading to local government workers not being paid, ” Nehikhare defended on the telephone.

Also speaking positively about the PDP Chairman, a social critic and party member, Ogbeide Ifaluyi-Isibor said, “I think Chief Dan Orbih has been an extraordinary party chairman. He has been very vibrant, active, agile and up to the task. He has been able to make PDP a formidable opposition in Edo State and regularly puts Governor Oshiomhole on his feet. I think that is what true opposition is about. Dan Orbih has been very good at his job. ” But the division in the party appears to be escalating such that for some weeks after inauguration of the present member-

ship and leadership of the Edo State House of Assembly in June, the party ’s position of Minority Leader could not be filled, no thanks to the opposing and conflicting letters that were presented by the three elected members of the Assembly, each of whom presented a letter signed by the three different opposition blocks within the opposition party.

The division widened last month when Edo North Senatorial District PDP leaders called for the immediate resignation of Chief Orbih while claiming to be echoing the wish and desire of the party ’s leadership in all the 18 local government areas of Edo State besides Edo North, the senatorial political base of Orbih, who hails from Ogbona.

One of those members at the forefront of the ‘Orbih Must Go ’ campaign is Chief Omololu Ojehomon-Ogbeni, a woman who has vocally and vigorously supported the PDP and done so much for the state party in the past.

Writing on the controversial issue last week in the social media, Mrs. OjehomonOgbeni said of the Edo PDP leadership, “The state EXCO is worthless. I think Dan Orbih will be better as the publicity secretary. He also cannot function as the treasurer, financial secretary, auditor and organizing secretary. In fact, such realities create a non-transparent environment. ” Explaining some of the issues that led to the Edo North revolt against PDP leadership, she cited “having an Edo North Senatorial woman leader, who has never come up with any agenda to move women forward in the politics; having an illiterate caucus chairman in Edo North, who cannot read the party constitution and violates it at every turn; such people cannot propose a government of the people. ” On the tacit attempt by the state party leadership to forcefully pick the 2016 PDP governorship flag bearer from Edo South, Mrs. Ogbeni maintained, “We have not agreed to the zoning formula; yet, it is being shoved down our throat. Selfish agendas have emerged that cannot in anyway promote wellness and progress among the grassroots. It is not just about winning but sincerity in one ’s agenda, which must be people-oriented. ” Just as the division in PDP widens, so does Orbih ’s camp intensify efforts aimed at not only bridging the gap but also finding a common ground for ensuring that he retains his position as Chairman so as to supervise PDP ’s participation in Edo State governorship election of 2016.

The latest of peace moves is last week ’s PDP conference organized by New Dawn, a new pressure group in the party under the leadership of Senator Roland Owie. The conference brought national leaders of the PDP to Benin City including two Board of Trustees members: Founder/Group Chairman of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and former Minister of Transport, Chief Ebenezer Babatope.

Before the conference, however, Orbih inaugurated a 17-man reconciliation committee with Dokpesi as Chairman, charged with the Herculean task of beating perceived rebels into line before next year ’s election.

Incidentally, after a speech he delivered at the conference, in which he lambasted PDP leaders for exhibiting unbridled greed and selfishness and eventually paying the price with the Goodluck Jonathan Presidency, Dokpesi urged any member of the state executive officials desirous of returning to office to reapply.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SMExtra

57

STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU Sunday August 16, 2015

OBASOLUYI TELEWA

T

he sudden death of a bus driver, Mr. Femi Benson, an indigene of Ijagba,Ose Local Council of Ondo State, is still creating ripples among family members, neighbours and associates of the deceased when Sunday Mirror, visited the family at their Faroloye abode, in Oworonshoki, Lagos ,at the weekend.

Benson died recently on his way home after the day ’s work.

Some people believed that his death was crafted by someone he had offended but the wife, Helen, would have none of that. She disclosed to our Correspondent that her husband of 15 years died naturally.

She relates her experience on the sad incidence to our Correspondent.

“My name is Helen Benson, I am from Ijagba town, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State but we are very close to Benin, Edo state. I live in Lagos with my late husband, Mr. Femi Benson; we are both from Ijagba town.

I am 43 years old while my late husband was 48 ”, she disclosed.

“We were married for 15 years and we were blessed with children and grandchildren. My husband was a nice man, he was a bus driver and his death still makes me cry till today ”, she stated.

Narrating her ordeal that night, she said, “that very night, I never knew Daddy Blessing would die. We were even planning a lot for the remaining part of this year, but as it is often said, man proposes, God disposes.

Having closed from work that day, he came to my shop as usual enroute home. We sat together, ate and chatted for some time before he stood up and said he was going home, that was around 8pm. I told him, let me pack my things so that I can join him later. I never knew that would be our last moment together, she said.

Some minutes later, I heard a noise up front. Someone ran to me that it was my husband. I rushed there and I saw him on the ground. I called him, Daddy Blessing, Daddy Blessing. He said, leave me, leave me.

“I got olive oil and poured it on his body, I got water and pored it also but it did not work. Daddy Blessing did not stand up, he did not wake up. I called an Okada and we mounted it and rushed him to the hospital at Gbagada,

Controversy over mystery death of a 48-year-old transporter •Family members suspect foul play •He died naturally, says wife

Benson and wife when the going was good.

where he was confirmed dead before arrival. I did not report the matter to the Police because there was no record of quarreling with anyone before his sudden death ”, she added.

According to her, ” I later called the family to inform them about the painful death. We took the body home for burial. The situation we met on ground at home was not a palatable one.

At home, the family disturbed me a lot. They told me that they didn ’t hear about his being sick, how come you brought his corpse home, they queried me.

I said I didn ’t know how he died; only God knows. I narrated what I witnessed before he passed on that Wednesday night.

They told me they wanted to go the traditional way to invoke his spirit so as to identify the true cause of his death.

They said they wanted to take action. I said okay, am not afraid, amidst sobbing. In all these, my hands are clean, I knew nothing about my husband ’s death ”, she told our correspondent.

After some time, one of the family members said they should leave everything to God. So whether they pursued the traditional verification again o, I don ’t know because I wasn ’t myself again, seeing my friend, my husband for many years lying down there, unable to move, talk, stand and eat as usual, made me understand the vanity of this life.

After the burial, I had to pass through another rigorous process.

“The family said I should stay in the town to observe the 41 days mourning period but I told them there was no way I could do that

there since there was no one to fend for my needs, more so I am a Christian, a Catholic faithful.

“I pleaded that they should allow me go back to Lagos to observe it.

“What would I be eating in the town over there, who will give me money and take care of me at home. I have no parents who will take care of me ,let me go back to Lagos and observe the 41 days, I begged and begged until the family finally reached an agreement with my children, and we headed back to Lagos.

His daughter, Aina stated that, ‘I still feel the pain of my father ’s death. I saw him in April only for me to receive a sad call that he has died. His death has dealt a big blow on the family, she told our correspondent.

Till now, I cannot confirm whether the family eventually

performed the traditional ritual of examining the body and invoking his spirit. The family had suspected that their son, Benson, did not die a natural death, as Sunday Mirror reliably gathered.

Weeks after the death of the bus driver , controversy surrounding the real cause of his death is still raging.

According to a neighbor who craved anonymity, he disclosed to our correspondent that he has known the deceased for over seven years and that he was an easy going person.

According to him, “that very day he died, I saw him sitting in front of her wife ’s shop, that was around 8.30pm ,on that fateful Wednesday. He was full of life and happy as usual. I still chatted with him and called his guy name, ’ Oromasoko ’.

“It was around 9.00pm that someone informed me that Oromasoko was dead. I asked him how, because 30 minutes earlier, I saw him and we chatted, how come the sudden death. It was at this point that the caller narrated what transpired on Lone Street to me.

He stated that the late Femi Benson, having left his wife ’s shop was on his way home decided to stop at a nearby shop where he bought a sachet of water and drank it.

Having done with that, he stated that in front of the shop ,there was a drum of water with a bowl inside it.

According to the eye witness, the late Benson grabbed the bowl and drank as much water as he could to the amazement and consternation of the people around the area. The next thing the man did was to head straight to an electric pole and held on to it tightly and he fell, before help could come, he was dead.

“When such situations occur, it has deeper meaning and interpretation. Most people around the neighbourhood felt it was ‘Magun Olomi, or Magun Mamumi ’a deadly Yoruba charm entrapped on a woman as punishment for promiscuity and infidelity, whosoever has canal knowledge of her will die.

According to him, the charm can come in different forms, he stated. This frightening scenario may have prompted the family back home to wanting to scrutinize the body ”, the eye witness disclosed to Sunday Mirror, when our correspondent visited the area.

58

North

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

No killings going on in Nasarawa, Al-Makura replies Maku IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

G

overnor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nassarawa State has said that there are no killings going on in the state as claimed by former

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, in some sections of the media.

Special Assistant to Governor Al-Makura on Media and Publicity, Ahmed Tukur, stated this to journalists in Lafia when reacting to a statement credited to

the former minister alleging that there are ongoing killings in the state.

Al-Makura said: “The state is now very peaceful and everybody is enjoying a peaceful atmosphere which was necessitated by the government, in

ment might re-open the issue of the killings of dozens of security personnel

by Ombatse cult group in which he may be either directly or indirectly indicted. ” The governor added that the former minister is also scared that the Federal Government might as well look into the records of the Federal Ministry of Defense during the period

conjunction with security agencies in the state.

I want to tell the world that Maku is only politicizing the security situation in Nasarawa. The reason being that the former minister is either scared that the Federal Govern-

when he (Maku) held sway as a supervising minister when the killings of the dozens security personnel took place.

Al-Makura however called on the former minister to come forward and tell the world who were behind the killings of the security operatives at Alakyo village in the state so that the world would know who is behind the killings.

Heavy rain destroys homes, livestock in Katsina JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

H

eavy rainfall that lasted about seven hours has led to the destruction of hundreds of homes and domestic animals in Katsina State.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday evening in Malumfashi council area and its environs, also led to the collapse of four local bridges.

It was learnt that more than 600 mud houses were washed away, while 300 animals were washed away or destroyed in the flood.

An eyewitness told Sunday Mirror that six communities were adversely affected, including Unguwan Liman, Amada, Kofan Kudu, Gwanmusa, Rafin Dinya, and Tinginlin.

He said that a trailer

Prospective students registering to undertake the post UTME examination at Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Kogi guber poll: IPAC urges parties to stick to code of conduct

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he Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, yesterday advised political parties in Kogi to strictly adhere to their code of conduct in their preparations for the governorship election in the state on November 21.

State chairman of IPAC, Mr. Ibrahim Itodo, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lokoja.

Itodo said the parties must ensure the conduct of free, fair and transparent party primaries to forestall any form of crisis.

He cautioned against imposition of candidates,

saying: “one of the codes emphasises on the conduct of free, fair and transparent party primaries, which is central to good conduct of the main election on November 21.

“This is because imposition of candidates is disastrous and it can lead to defection of party supporters to other political parties. ’ ’ Itodo added that lack of internal democracy had been the bane of many political parties in the country.

“Now that we have Permanent Voter Card (PVC) and Card Reader, any party that imposes an un-

popular candidate on the people will have itself to blame.

“This is because the electorate will always want to prefer any party that fields the most popular candidate, ” he said.

Itodo urged all contestants to always support the candidates that emerged from their party primaries, rather than defecting after losing in the contest.

He also urged political parties to always invite IPAC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to observe the conduct of their primaries in line with the

provisions of the Electoral Act. “There is a synergy between these two bodies; INEC and IPAC are collaborating to ensure that there are credible party primaries, and free, fair, credible and acceptable gubernatorial election, ” he said.

On security, before, during and after the election, the IPAC chairman expressed optimism that the state ’s inter-agency security led by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Samuel Ogunjemilusi, would provide necessary security during the poll.

El-Rufa ’i appoints Amirul Hajj, saves N221m from sponsorship stoppage

K

aduna State Government said it has appointed the Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Jibril, as the 2015 Amirul-Hajj for the state.

A statement by the me-

Abducted persons released in Benue HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

G

overnor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has commended his Taraba State counterpart, Ishaku Dickson, for the safety and guaranteed security of its citizens in his state.

Ortom, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Targema Takema, said this at the weekend in Makurdi during the handover of three

of its abducted citizens that were rescued by security operatives in Benue State.

Takema praised the efforts of those at the border communities, who worked assiduously towards rescuing the victims from the hands of their abductors adding that despite few challenges threatening harmonious coexistence among the people.

He announced that while three of the indigenes were rescued by the

combined efforts of the community and law enforcement agents in a similar vein three of Benue citizens who were also saved from den of kidnappers in Taraba State were handed over to Benue State Government.

The secretary to the state government noted that no meaningful development will ever take place in an atmosphere of chaos and enjoined the two states to put the past behind them and reunite for greater chal-

lenges ahead of each other.

Governor Dickson, in his remark, sued for peace and understanding towards rebuilding a virile neighbourhood for a better tomorrow.

Governor Dickson represented by the Secretary to the Taraba State Government, Mr. Anthony Joloson, pledged that they are working round to ensure that all the displaced indigenes that fled the state in the wake of crisis return.

He implored that the gov-

that was parked close to one of the bridges, was washed away during the rainfall.

He also said that several shops close to the road were washed away, including wielding equipment as well as doors, windows and gates.

As at time of reporting, residents were still moving around to salvage whatever they could find, with some domestic animals being recovered miles away from home.

Though nobody was killed in incident, it was however learnt that a pregnant lady was wounded after the house she was staying in collapsed on her.

According to the eyewitness, the council area and state environmental protection agency was making effort to assist those affected.

ernment is working round the clock to ensure that all of her citizens were protected and stated that there is no harm to panic under the present circumstance.

Those released on the side of Benue includes Kpadoo Ornguga and Dabo while Taraba had Janet Elijah, Patricia Ibi and Moses Danlami.

It will be recalled that these persons were abducted on the 5th of August in one of the border towns on both states ’ boundaries.

dia aide to Gov. Nasiru ElRufa ’I, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, yesterday in Kaduna, explained that government ’s decision to stop sponsoring people for pilgrimages had saved the state more than N221.8 million.

The statement however said the government would send 116 officials and guides that would ensure smooth Hajj operations for the 5,682 pilgrims from the state.

“The government will discharge its obligation to the pilgrims and send a delegation of guides, preachers, medical personnel, media professionals and pilgrim officers.

“The official delegation will be led by the Emir of Birnin-Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Jibril, who is the 2015 Amirul-Hajj.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South

Sunday, August 16, 2015

Final rites continue for Ooni Sijuade BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

W

orshippers of the 201 deities in Ile Ife till early yesterday held a series of traditional rites on the late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Sunday Mirror reliably learnt yesterday.

Though details of how the rites were done could not be got, a very reliable palace source said after the inter-denominational service held in his honour on Friday, the Enuwa Square where the event was held was cordon off.

“Before 4 p.m. when the restrictions of moment

would start, people loitering around palace area were told to leave and the traditionalists took over the area ”, the source said.

It was further learnt that as early as 3:30 p.m. in Friday, representatives of the deities had started arriving in the palace in preparation for the final

rites on the remains of the late monarch.

“As at then, the remains of Oba Sijuade were still being expected in Ile Oodua. But the representatives of the deities were already on ground. The remains later arrived in the evening and the rites began.

“Apart from the representatives of the deities, all members of Isoro Cult were also on ground. And it was purely an affair for those that were really concerned.

“No member of Oba Sijuade ’s family was involved in the rites but after completing the process Saturday (yesterday) morning, an item under wrap, we are told must be given to the family of the late monarch ”, the source concluded.

When asked if the remains of Oba Sijuade had been buried, he simply responded: “Only members of Isoro Cult can answer that ”.

Meanwhile, a socio-

59

political group in Osun state, yesterday expressed worry over the inability of Governor Rauf Aregbesola to personally receive the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo at the interdenominational service held in honour of late Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade in Ife on Friday.

The group, Osun Renaissance, OR, said it called for worry that Governor Aregbesola was “somewhere else when the second most powerful man in the country was in his state ”, stressing that the development sends wrong signals to rest of the country.

Umahi set to appoint caretaker chairmen for LGs ALIUNA GODWIN ABAKALIKI

E APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun (right) and former governor of Bayelsa, Chief Timipre Silva, during APC mega rally in Yenagoa, PHOTO: NAN yesterday.

‘Expulsion of Ekiti PDP, SEC members breach court process ’ ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he Tunde Olatundeled faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State has described the expulsion of its members by the Chief Idowu Faleye-led State Executive Committee, SEC, as contempt of court.

Faleye had on Friday announced the resolution of the SEC, which expelled Olatunde; the state secretary, Dr Tope Aluko; and two other SEC members for alleged anti-party activities.

But Olatunde said in Ado Ekiti yesterday that the manner through which four members of his group was expelled had eroded the integrity of the court of law.

The embattled factional chairman said his group had approached an Ado Ekiti High Court to file a process against the party from taking any punitive measure against them over their revolt against Faleye.

It would be recalled that the Olatunde faction had announced the suspension of Faleye and his replacement with the embattled factional leader.

But the Faleye-led PDP, which said Faleye was the authentic state chairman also suspended Olatunde and three others before they were later expelled from the party.

Olatunde said for Faleye to have taken the option of expulsion when a court process was pend-

ing was tantamount to contempt of court.

He said that his group would use all constitutional means to seek redress and ensure that those found culpable were committed to jail.

“Shortly after we were suspended, we went to court to challenge our suspension while also asking court to restrain the party from taking further decision pending the time the Reconciliation Committee to be constituted by the National Working Committee, NWC, arrives in Ekiti.

“We are assuring that we will use every legal means to ensure that Faleye and his collaborators are jailed for contempt.

Though we are not rul-

ing out the reconciliation being proposed by NWC, we are ready to embrace it. But if they fail, then we will resort to legal means ”, Olatunde said.

But the PDP State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Jackson Adebayo, said: “There is no contempt of court in anything that the SEC did because the expulsion was done before the aggrieved went to court.

“If they understand the meaning of contempt of court, they will not go to court for injunction after an action had been taken.

“Our party is a law abiding organisation which will continue to respect the rule of law that ’s why we have followed all known due process in the matter at hand ”, he stated.

bonyi State Governor, Mr Dave Umahi, yesterday revealed his preparedness to appoint Caretaker Committees to run the Local Government Areas and development centres in the state.

The governor, who announced this during a media chat in Abakaliki, said the appointment had become necessary as “we have realised that we cannot start local government elections immediately. ” He said: “the State House of Assembly had amended the law on Local Governments to enable us appoint caretaker committee chairmen; and had assented to our request to expand the management committees so that representation would be wider. ” The governor explained that stakeholders had been directed to go back and meet in their various constituencies to harmonise their choice for appointments as management committee members, Development council Coordinators and ward liaison

officers.

Umahi lamented the continued fall in the prices of crude oil and its negative effect on the allocations to the state, regretted that while the revenue accruing to the state was seriously declining, its debt profile was on the increase due to the high cost of projects he inherited from the past administration.

He however noted that the State Ministry of Works had invited contractors handling on- going projects to come for a joint measurement of work done to ascertain the actual value of the state indebtedness to them.

Governor Umahi also reiterated his administration ’s to stamp out corruption from all the sectors of the state and urged all former political office holders indicted by the State House of Assembly, to quickly return to government all the funds allegedly stolen by them.

He expressed regret over the dilapidated state of schools in the state, saying that a study conducted by a consultant hired by the government had shown that pupils still sit on the floor to learn in some schools.

Leboku Festival: Cross River govt urged to give cash instead of cars RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

T

he Council of Traditional Rulers in Yakurr local council of Cross River State has urged the Cross River State Government to convert the star

prize gift of cars often given to winners of Mr and Miss Leboku to cash instead of cars.

Briefing journalists at the pre-Leboku festival with a theme; ”The Myths of Culture and Harvest ” at the weekend at the Umor Otutu

Palace in Ugep, Yakurr Local Government Area of Cross River State, the Obol Lopon Of Ugep, HRH Obol Ofem Eteng, urged the state government not to give cars again as prizes to winners of the Leboku International Cultural Festival but

rather convert the cars gift to cash.

The monarch stated the cars prizes if converted to cash would make the winners bring more impact to the winners, their families and the entire Yakurr community because the cash

could be used for educational pursuit instead of cruising round the town with no money in their pockets to maintain the cars.

“I had not said that to own a car is bad but what we are saying here is that

when one have a car and has no sustainable income to fuel and maintain this car that car becomes a burden and a huge liability to the owner and the resultant effect is that that car would be abandoned ”, the monarch queried.

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My satisfaction is my biggest motivation– Firmino P. 62

Sport

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Enyeama shines in Lille draw at Monaco

KEEPING YOU ABREAST OF SPORTING NEWS AUGUST 16, 2015

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Ighalo steadies on rise to fame PIUS ANAKALI

H

e is the rave of the moment, the player everybody wants to see. So far, he has not disappointed. Playing in his first Premier league football last weekend, Nigeria International Odion Ighalo netted a goal after coming in as a substitute.

If anybody had expected any short from Odion Ighalo, he would have been wrong because of his consistency since the beginning of the year. And suddenly, it feels almost as though, out of nowhere, a new Nigerian striking star has been born.

He has actually been on the brink of stardom for a while now. The striker scored 20 goals in the Championship last term, proving too much for second-tier defences with his explosive change of pace and astute off-the-ball movement.

In the season’s opener last weekend against Everton, his class was evident in the Watford’s 2-2 draw.

And the result represents an admirable start to a journey that will definitely be tortuous.

Ighalo, despite being a substitute, was Watford’s hero, outsmarting John Stones before slipping through Everton backline and hammering past goal keeper Tim Howard.

Just liked last season, Ighalo is the talk of the town. Last year he was rated high having scored 13 goals in nine games, helping his club to maintain the top six before making it to the Premier League this season.

The 25-year-old was born in Lagos and began his career in Nigeria. He played Prime F.C. and Julius Berger FC, where he was discovered by FIFA agent Marcelo Houseman who recommended him to Atta Aneke, being subsequently taken on trial by Norway’s Lyn Football.

He made his Tippeligaen debut in 2007 at the age of 18, scoring in a 2–0 home win against Viking FK. He netted six goals in 13 games in his second year to help his team to the seventh position, and subsequently arose interest from other clubs in the country, with SK Brann reporting Lyn to the Football Association of Norway for unfairness in the negotiation process.

He later moved to Watford’s partner club Udinese in 2008. His first real break came when he moved to Spain with Granada – who also have links with Watford – and he scored 35 goals over two loan spells.

Ighalo joined Watford initially on loan at the beginning of the season before making the deal permanent in October.

His nine goals this year starting from January including four against Blackpool and two apiece

against Charlton, Brentford and Rotherham attracted lots of interest then. But his manager Jokanovic is not the type that heap praise on any individual.

Speaking on the performance he simply said, he said: ‘There is no memory in football, this game is already history and so is his part in it. ‘Ighalo is just doing his job - he is in a good moment.’ But it seems that good moment is not about to end soon.

And with the Super Eagles newly appointed coach Sunday Oliseh out to rebuild, Ighalo, it seems will play a big role in Oliseh plan.

Early in the year, he had the opportunity of playing for the Super Eagles, when the then Coach Dan Amokachi after seeing Ighalo a series of solid performances selected him for the first time, and the latter stated.

Impressed by the call up then Ighanlo was reported to have said; “I feel good because it is my dream to play for my country”.

He gained his first cap two days later, starting in a 0–1 friendly home loss to Uganda.

Now with Amokachie out of the senior national team, Oliseh will be happy he has an Ighalo at a time the Eagles are struggling to assert their authority in the continent.

Back in the premier league, there is this feeling that Ighalo will be a thorn in the flesh of defenders.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sunday August 16, 2015

Enyeama shines in Lille draw at Monaco

Knockout IFEANYI Eduzor

A

S Monaco took a brief hold on top spot in Ligue 1 after just two games despite being held to a drab goalless draw at home by Lille on Friday night.

But their stay is unlikely to last 24 hours as Saturday night’s fixtures seem sure to see them overhauled.

An error-ridden match yielded few chances, although Monaco had the visitors pegged back in their own for the first half hour but were unable to capitalise on some swift running down the left by Portuguese winger Ivan Cavaleiro.

In the end it was Lille who finished the stronger but neither side ever seriously threatened to break the deadlock.

Having allowed a few early careless tackles to pass unpunished, referee Benoit Millot had no hesitation in

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08055829770 ifeduz24@yahoo.com

Cotto to defend title against Alvarez

P Enyeama

reaching into his pocket for the first yellow card of the evening 24 minutes in after Lille defender Sebastien Corchia went in late on Cavaleiro with a crude challenge.

Corchia’s interest in the game ended

shortly afterwards, however, when he was involved in a clash of heads with Cavaleiro as they both went up for a cross in the area and he was laid out before being hauled off and taken to hospital as a precaution.

uerto Rico’s Miguel Cotto is to defend his WBC middleweight belt against twotime world champion Saul Alvarez of Mexico on 21 November.

The fight at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas will be Cotto’s 11th bout against Mexican opposition.

Cotto, 35, who has won titles in four divisions, has rebuilt his career after bringing

in trainer Freddie Roach.

“Fans will enjoy a real fight, another classic battle in the Puerto Rico vs Mexico rivalry,” said Cotto.

Manny Pacquiao trainer Roach joined Cotto in 2013 after the Puerto Rican had lost two consecutive fights.

Cotto has since won his last three fights and boasts 40 victories in 44 bouts while Alvarez has just one loss in 45 contests.

Dolphins sign 13 new players George had played for Ocean Boys and was last on the books of Sharks in 2012. Perhaps the biggest name added to the side is Oduokpe Oghogho of Bayelsa United.

Oghogho played for Sunshine Stars in the 2013/14 season, scoring against Dolphins in Port Harcourt.

Coach of the side, Stanley Eguma says the management has done their best to strengthen the club as the fight to move out from the relegation area intensifies.

IFEANNYI EDUZOR

R

elegation strugglers, Dolphins Fc of Port Harcourt have added thirteen players to their ranks in the midseason transfer window.

Among the new players coming in, two were from Premier League clubs, while the rest were signed up from amateur sides and football academies. One of them, Amakiri George was unattached.

“It’s not a one man show. It’s a club’s affair. Every department must work. We did not have money to get players but I have done my best to get these ones and we will keep working hard not to go on relegation,” Eguma said.

Five of the new players already had their debuts against Abia Warriors in Port Harcourt on Match Day 22. Oghogho Oduokpe, Ebuka Nnebue and Godwin Obinze started the game against Abia Warriors, while Ebitimi Agogo and Abia Israel were second half subs.

NPFL leaders Enyimba held at Bayelsa Utd

A

first half goal almost at the break by Raphael Onwurebe put a dent on Enyimba’s chance on opening a four-point lead at the top of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

Onwurebe’s goal cancelled out Sikiru Lawal’s superb finish just before the half hour mark to put the outcome of the game at 1-1.

Enyimba head coach, Kadiri Ikhana, had to do without Ezekiel Bassey and Nzube Anaezemba who were not listed in the match day squad owing

to knocks as well as Christian Obiozor still out on the sidelines.

Ikhana opted for a four-man attacking line-up with Andrew Abalogu and Mfon Udoh playing wide off front men, Musa Najare and Ifeanyi George.

Bayelsa United gaffer, Evans Ogenyi, handed Samuel Tswanya, a start after he re-joined the club in the mid-season transfer window following his release by champions Kano Pillars.

Bernard Ovoke should have done

better on 18 minutes when he had a clear sight of Enyimba’s goal but he shot straight at goalkeeper Femi Thomas.

A minute later, Kamal received a pass on the arc of Bayelsa United’s box and he also aped Ovoke by shooting straight at goalkeeper Gideon Gambo.

But in the 27th minute, Kamal produced a sublime finish when he dinked inside of Gabriel Adeboye to roof the ball past Gambo for the opening goal of the game.

Emenike brace gives Al Ain Super Cup

E

mmanuel Emenike scored twice as Al Ain beat Al Nasr 4-2 to win this year’s UAE Super Cup. Nigeria striker Emenike, who is on loan from Turkish club Fenerbache, was on target in the fourth minute for the opening goal and he completed his

brace in the 72nd minute.

Al Nasr drew level in the 50th minute through Jamal Ibrahim Moroof and scored a late goal in stoppage time to put some respectability in the scoreline.

Last week, Emenike helped his

Musa helps CSKA to derby win

S

uper Eagles winger, Ahmed Musa continued his rich vein of form for Russian club, CSKA Moscow as he scored in the club’s 2-1 win over Spartak Moscow on match day five of the Premier League.

Musa scored in the 35th minute to temporarily give CSKA a 2-0 lead following Sergei Ignashevich’s opening goal in the 31st minute.Dmitri Kombarov’s penalty in the 36th minute merely represented scant consolation for Spartak as the Army Club maintained her perfect start to the new season.

CSKA Moscow top the Premier League standings with maximum points from five games, three points clear of champions, Zenith St.Petersburg who however have a game in hand. Friday’s goal at Otkrytie Arena represented Musa’s second in the league and fourth in all competitions as he has also scored twice in this season’s Uefa Champions League. Musa scored 12 goals in all competitions for CSKA Moscow last season.

Miguel Cotto (L) fights against Austin Trout during their WBA Super welterweight title fight at Madison Square Garden.

AAG: Apochi assures on gold medal

O

ne of the country’s tournament hopefuls at the forthcoming All Africa Games slated for September 4- 19 in Congo Brazzaville, Efetobor Apochi has assured Nigerians that nothing short of a gold medal will satisfy him when hostilities begins in the Central African nation.

Apochi , who won a silver medal at the 2011 All Africa Games in Maputo, Mozambique as well as a bronze medal at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games noted that having won silver four years ago, he will be go-

ing for the ultimate medal in Congo.

The boxer who fights in the 91kg (Heavyweight) stated that he is mindful of the opposition from North Africans but was quick to add that he has what it takes to dominate the heavyweight division at the Games.

“I am preparing very well for the Games because I want to improve my second place finish in the last Games.

“Having won silver four years ago in Maputo, I want to go for the gold medal this time around and I am confident that I will achieve the target”, he concluded.

God and salt water healed my injury, says Pacquiao

team clinch another trophy in Morocco. fter tearing his roIt is now left to be seen if new tator cuff in May’s Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh will “Fight of the Century” pick Emenike for next month’s against Floyd Mayweather and undergoing a surgical AFCON qualifier in Tanzania. procedure at the capable hands of Dr. Neal ElAttrache days later, Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao decided he wouldn’t bother with a scheduled July rehab session in the US, much to the chagrin of promoter Bob Arum.

Pacquiao whose recovery was expected to take 9-12 months, has revealed a rather unique “cure” that he actually seems to believe has put him back on track; the mighty powers of the Good Lord, and Salt water.

“I’m fine,” he said. “It’s God’s

A

Musa

work. I never saw a doctor. I never did rehab. All I did was to swim in the sea as often as I could. The salt water healed my wound.”

Pacquiao

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SundayAugust 16, 2015

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The FIFA World Cup 2014 was a momentous event for Brazil’s national football team. Their disappointing end to the competition not only brought about a change of coach but also gave many new players a chance to prove themselves for A Seleção. Roberto Firmino is one of them. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has delivered a string of impressive performances since moving from Tombense to German side Hoffenheim in 2011. With six goals and seven assists to his name in the present league campaign, he is one of his team’s top scorers and has played a major role in helping the club from the Kraichgau region to reach their current position of seventh in the Bundesliga. squad?

I’ve got to keep performing week in, week out for Hoffenheim; if I can do that then I think I’ve got a pretty good chance. It all starts at TSG and goes from there.

xxx

What personal targets do you want to achieve with the national team?

I haven’t thought about that at all. I just want to be called up and play as often as possible.

Firmino: n o i t c a f s i t a My s t s e g g i b y m is motivation FIFA.com: What does 12 November 2014 mean to you? It was the day you made your Brazil debut against Turkey…

Roberto Firmino: It was the realisation of a lifelong dream. Every boy in Brazil wants to play for their country, from when they start kicking a ball about in the streets as a youngster.

Brazilians often reiterate just what an honour it is to play for

the national team. What is it that makes A Seleção so special?

The team is a symbol for the entire country. Brazil are record world champions and some of the greatest players in footballing history have played for this country: Pele, Zico, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo. They are legends recognised all over the world, just like the nickname A Seleção. To run out onto the pitch in that shirt is simply unbelievable. It was a little surreal for me at first, but I think I did a good job.

You scored your first international goal in only your second game – and a stunning goal at that. How did that feel?

I really can’t describe it. It was phenomenal. I could feel that it was a good shot the moment it left my foot, but for it to end up in the top corner was wonderful.

How do you rate your chances of continuing to be named in the

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was not long ago. Do the national team still discuss it at all? What is the overall mood like within the squad?

By the time I joined the side it was no longer an issue and the atmosphere within the camp was good. Of course that exit to Germany was a bitter setback. I watched the match in the team room at our running training camp in Westerburg and couldn’t really believe what I was seeing. I think every Brazilian had imagined that World Cup ending differently.

A Selecao experienced significant upheaval after the tournament.

What do Brazil need to change to get closer to being among the best in the world again?

As in every side, the coach naturally plays an important role. He gives very clear instructions and determines the team’s playing style. I don’t think Brazil are far from the top, and I think they’ll show that again in future.

How important is coach Dunga for you?

He’s the one who called me up into the national side for the first time, so he’s an important figure for me. He and the other members of the squad made my first stint with Brazil easy – it really was a great experience.

How do you view your role within the national team?

Have I got a role yet?

I’ve only been called up three times and I’ve played four games so far. I’m a young player

who still needs to find his place, and I hope I’ll get an opportunity to do that. Neymar has his role within the side, so does Oscar, so does David Luiz – they’re players who are much further along in their careers than me.

You are enjoying a good season with Hoffenheim. What sets the 2014 team apart?

The different characters within the squad work really well together.

There’s a good atmosphere within the dressing room, and that’s important for a start. What’s more, we’ve had a clear philosophy ever since Markus Gisdol became coach in April 2013. We want to play TSG football and constantly continue improving. This continuity and the painstaking work that goes with it are extremely important factors in the team’s performances.

What’s possible for TSG this season?

We’ll see. We go into every match with the same objective – to win – but every week we come up against another opponent with a similar aim.

We can only make the absolute best of our opportunities in every game.

If we can do that, we’ve done our job.

You’ve been in Germany since 2011. Has German football made you a more complete player?

I think so. When I arrived at Hoffenheim I could already play football, but I’ve developed physically, technically and tactically since then.

The Bundesliga is one of the world’s best leagues. I had to adapt and improve to get by here, and although I’ve now reached a good level, there’s still more left to do. My own dissatisfaction is my biggest motivation.

Your contract with Hoffenheim runs until 2017. Do you want to stay in Germany and TSG or do you feel drawn to another club or even another league?

2017 is still a long way off. We’ll see what happens.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sunday August 16, 2015

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Pochettino: Stoke draw felt like a defeat Mourinho C/Place Vs Arsenal set for City Gunners aim challenge to bounce D back M

auricio Pochettino criticised “soft” Tottenham’s defending after a 2-2 Premier League draw with Stoke City which he said felt like a defeat.

First-half goals from Eric Dier and Nacer Chadli put Tottenham in command at White Hart Lane on Saturday, as Stoke looked destined to suffer back-to-back defeats to begin the season.

Mark Hughes’ side refused to be beaten, though, and substitutes Joselu and Stephen Ireland played a key role as they battled back from two goals down to rescue a point.

Striker Joselu, making his Premier League debut, was upended by Toby Alderweireld 12 minutes from time and Marko Arnautovic slotted home the resulting penalty.

Mame Biram Diouf then levelled five minutes later by heading home Ireland’s inviting cross to stun the home side and Pochettino cut a frustrated figure after the London club’s late collapse.

He said: “It feels like a defeat. I’m very disappointed.

Pochettino

espite appearing in a sombre mood while issuing a statement regarding his fall out with the club’s medical team during Friday’s press conference, manager Jose Mourinho was all smiles as he watched over his players.

The Premier League holders will be desperate to return to winning ways after their controversial opening day 2-2 draw with Swansea City - during which Thibaut Courtois was dismissed for a foul on Bafetimbi Gomis.

A

lexis Sanchez is primed to return to the Arsenal attack and inject some energy into the side that lost at home to West Ham last weekend.

Sanchez, who was only fit enough to come off the bench in that defeat following his Copa America exploits this summer, is set to start as Arsene Wenger’s side look to get their season up and running against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

And the Chile star was put through his paces during Saturday morning’s training session, showing his usual enthusiasm for the game.

However, 6ft 3ins frontman Giroud, who netted 19 goals last season despite being out for three months with a broken leg - has no doubts he has what it takes to spearhead Arsenal’s Barclays Premier League challenge.

‘I showed great mental strength last year and I had good stats,’ said Giroud,, wh whose injury-time whos ose os se iin nju j ry-tim time e strike settled a 4-0 FA Cup final victory over Aston al vi ic cttor o y ov o er A ston st on Villa at Wembley.

Mourinho

Pellegrini backs Sterling to improve M

anchester City manager M Manuel a uel Pe an Pell Pellegrini lleg eg gri rini rin ni believes Raheem Sterling will justify his ng g w illl just il ju ust stiify ify h i is hefty price tag and improve his prov ve on h iss goalscoring return for the Premier L League contenders. eagu ea gue gu u co ontten ende ders rs.

City prised Sterling to Manchester Liverh ster he er ffrom rom ro m Li L verr pool in a deal believed to be rising £49million ng n g tto o £4 49m mil illi lion li on llast astt as month - making him the most ex expensive English xpe pens nsiv ive e En Engl glis ish h player in history and the club’s rrecord signing. ecord ec ord si sign gnin ing. g.

Sterling produced an assured p performance e fo er form rman a ce on debut as City defeated West Brom m 33-00 in their Premier League opener on Monday, having two good opportunities to open his account at The Hawthorns.

Mourinho: Player welfare comes first

C Sterling

helsea manager Jose Mourinho insists the welfare of his players is paramount, but has refused to explain why two members of his medical staff have been stood down from their matchday duties.

N I G E R I A

N60mVol. 5 No. 32

Sunday AUGUST 16, 2015

Back Page

Comment E-mail:

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

with Jim Unah

R

ecently, some candidates that could not access the post-UTME screening form on the University of Lagos website went on the rampage protesting their exclusion from the list of selected candidates.

Expectedly, this development triggered off unhealthy rumors and wild allegations that the University of Lagos unilaterally fixed 250 as cut-off mark qualifying candidates to access its post-UTME screening form. But some candidates claimed that they scored more than 250 and were still excluded from the institution’s list of selected candidates for the test. Yet other candidates claimed that they accessed the form with 230 and 235 marks; implying that neither 250 nor 230 can be definitively said to be the cut-off mark of the university. Other candidates speculated that the discrepancy between 250 and other lower marks on the list is the outcome of the collusion between the University of Lagos and the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board, JAMB; as the latter was allowed to insert their preferred candidates with lesser marks to reach a truce with the university.

Earlier, a national committee comprising the major stakeholders in the higher education industry had met and fixed 170 and 150 as cut-off marks for the universities and the polytechnics and colleges of education,

www.nationalmirroronline.net

N150

I N

F I G U R E S

N600m

Money the - Amount the Governor of National Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, Sports Commission, NSC, gave to the judiciary to enable them renovate spent on cricket in two years. courts and administrative complex in the state.

Confused, arbitrary JAMB cut off marks

respectively. This decision has been quietly criticized as more of the product of political expediency rather than a concern for the quality and enhanced standard of higher education in the country.

Recognition of the fact that what may be politically correct may be utterly damaging to the over-all health of the nation by thinking people might have produced the unfolding scenario of confused and arbitrary fixing of cut-off marks by the JAMB and the universities.

Unfortunately, three culprits have been identified by the concerned candidates and parents as responsible agents in this unfolding scenario of confusion and arbitrariness in the fixing of cut-off marks for the screening test of tertiary institutions. The first is the stakeholders body that fixed 170 and 150 as cut-off marks; the second is the JAMB, and the third is the University of Lagos.

In my view, neither the stakeholders’ body nor the JAMB and the University of Lagos are to blame for the ongoing confusion. If you unfortunately find yourself in a putative federal union in which one cap is designed to fit into the different sizes of heads in the country, you would find yourself in a situation in which you are either wearing ridiculously over-sized cap or having some fat heads painfully and ludicrously stuffed into ill-fitting tiny caps. In either case, the effect would be confusing, laughable and pitiable as exemplified in the ongoing confusing and arbitrary fixing of cut-off marks for tertiary institutions in the country.

There are educationally backward regions in the country where majority of candidates who desire tertiary education for whatever reason can barely score above 150 marks. Since the country is poorly struc-

tured on a unitary-federalism where resources are heavily deposited in the centre, it would not be out of place for citizens from educationally less developed states to agitate uproariously in stakeholders meetings that their level of development becomes the criterion of selection. Likewise, it would not be out of place for universities from educationally rapidly developing regions that desire to approximate global standards to insist quietly on higher marks for the selection of their candidates. Nor would it be utterly unreasonable for the central admission body to accommodate the conflicting criteria of selection when under intense pressure. The real culprit is our unitary-federalism that stunts civilized growth, innovation and creativity.

While all this embarrassing drama is going on, the candidates’ right of choice is ruthlessly abridged. This is unfair and unacceptable. The appropriate thing to do in the circumstance is for the JAMB to process candidates ’application forms to their institutions of first choice as done in the past for the current post-UTME screening tests.

In the next admission exercise, before the country is restructured to allow groups, institutions and individuals to develop in accordance with their capacities and capabilities, the JAMB should specify clearly in its admission form, at the point of application, that certain marks cannot be accepted by certain institutions for their screening tests; that candidates’ application forms would be processed and listed according to performance and pre-fixed and pre-publicized cutoff marks of the universities, and that those with the rock bottom minimum score would be placed in institutions that would accept them.

THERE ARE EDUCATIONALLY BACKWARD REGIONS IN THE COUNTRY WHERE MAJORITY OF CANDIDATES WHO DESIRE TERTIARY

EDUCATION FOR WHATEVER REASON CAN BARELY SCORE ABOVE 150 MARKS.

SINCE THE COUNTRY IS

POORLY STRUCTURED ON A UNITARY-FEDERALISM

WHERE RESOURCES ARE HEAVILY DEPOSITED IN THE CENTRE, IT WOULD NOT BE

OUT OF PLACE FOR CITIZENS FROM EDUCATIONALLY LESS DEVELOPED STATES TO AGITATE UPROARIOUSLY IN STAKEHOLDERS MEETINGS THAT THEIR LEVEL OF DE-

VELOPMENT BECOMES THE CRITERION OF SELECTION.

This, in my view, is the way to mediate and resolve the ongoing confusion and put the allegations and counter allegations of arbitrary fixing of cut-off marks to an end.

What has been said here has not benefited from the official position of the University of Lagos.

US PGA: Jones takes two-shot lead

M

att Jones led the US PGA Championship from fellow Australian Jason Day after the second round was completed on Saturday at Whistling Straits.

Jones, 35, took a two-shot lead in Wisconsin after finishing a round of 65, interrupted

by Friday’s storm, to head into round three on 11 under par.

England’s Justin Rose returned to finish his round with a par on the 18th and stay third on eight under par.

“In any major championship that’s great after two days,” said Rose.

“I’m in a good position, ob-

viously. Right there, eight under par.”

Making only his eighth appearance in a major, Jones sank a 15-foot putt at the parfour sixth before draining a

50-footer at the eighth on the way to a bogey-free sevenunder-par 65.

That left him two shots ahead of compatriot Day, who briefly held the outright

lead at 10 under before he bogeyed the par-four 18th to card a 67.

“I played great,” said Jones. “It’s amazing to be in the lead at a major.

“I’ve been in the lead on a Tour event, but a major’s a different story. I’m going to have fun with it.”

On Friday, world number two Jordan Spieth powered to six under with a 67 as he threatens his third major win of 2015, while Northern Ireland’s world number one Rory McIlroy moved to two under after a 71.

Premier League Results

Southampton 0 – 3 Everton Sunderland 1 – 3 Norwich Swansea 2 – 0 Newcastle Tottenham 2 – 2 Stoke Watford 0 – 0 West Brom West Ham 1 – 2 Leicester

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