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Ooni: Fear grips Ife residents over silence on monarch

Crisis hits PDP Headquarters Vol. 5 No. 33

Saturday, August 1, 2015

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Workers tell NWC to resign and face EFCC

L-R: Director, Political Affairs, United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), Dakar, Mr. Ahmad Abubakar; Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, Mohamed Ibn Chambas; President Muhammadu Buhari; Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Chuka Udedibia and Polictical Affairs Officer, Unowa, Ms Falmatu Liman, after a meeting with President Buhari at the presidential villa in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

100 B’Haram militants killed in battle

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...as 5 die in Maiduguri blast

Fuel import, forex demand to drop by 25 percent ...as refineries come on stream

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20 things to note about the favourite part

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Why is there growing concern over domestic violence?

I Until his death by suicide, Collins Eze (not real name), to many was the ideal husband and capable father. Loving and happily married to his wife of 15 years, his church extolled his family as a shining example of what marriage should be. But the manner of his demise shattered the illusion of the Eze family. Unknown to the public, Eze was never a happy man. His wife made sure of that. Eze’s wife made her husband’s everyday life a living hell. She denied him companionship; starved him of sex unless there was need for procreation. This was few and far in between. Though hardly described as slight of frame like the wife, his mate was the aggressive partner: beating the husband up many times, locking him up at home while he pleaded. Only few neighbours and the little kids knew of his nightmare at home. Of those neighbours, majority insist that Eze should have shown courage as a real ‘African man’, a euphemism for wife battery. But unknown to many, Eze was shackled by his church’s dogma that appeared to hinge spiritual elevation in the church on wives happiness in the home. According to the Bible,‘The man must be a good husband of one wife, leading his home in fine manner if he must be a deacon in the church.’ This is the constant refrain drummed into men who are members of Eze’s Christian denomination. Repeated and constant complains to the church would have meant that he was weak and unable to manage his home. Getting a divorce, except on the grounds of adultery, is not an option. This was Eze’s frustration until the evening he decided to end it all by ingesting a large quantity of a poisonous substance. Eze’s instance, though normally unreported, is rife and represents one of the many dimensions of domestic violence that now has government, health and security experts worried in the country, writes NICK UWERU

nstances like that of Eze are hardly factored into a detailed prognostication of domestic violence in this part of the world. The common stereotype puts the man on the spot as the wife beater; wife killer; child molester and abuser, and so on. The common belief does not normally accommodate the woman being capable of similar vices. This belief, say many activist who agitated for the passage of the bill that seeks to forcefully outlaw the practice of wife battery became a major impediment at the national assembly at the debate that led to the passage of the law, Violence against Persons (Prohibition), VAPP, Act, 2015, signed into law on the 25th of May. When it came into the National Assembly, it was presented as Violence against Women (Prohibition) Bill. The delays in passing the bill for more than a decade stemmed from the gender-sensitive nature of the bill. Passage of the bill proved difficult CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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‘Victims suffer in silence’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 because of the significantly masculine make-up of the houses of the National Assembly. The men folk felt that women, too, are guilty of molesting, abusing and visiting violence on their husbands albeit in other manners.

The male-dominated body also resisted the addressing of issues relating to marital rape. Then there was the problem of where to draw the line between disciplining a child in the traditional manner and what would be termed as child abuse.

Although the bill was eventually signed after a more pragmatic rechristening, the arguments and controversies it threw up explains the difficulty in really dealing with the issue of domestic violence in Nigeria. The Act defines violence as “any act or attempted act, which causes or may cause any person physical, sexual, psychological, verbal, emotional or economic harm whether this occurs in private or public life, in peace time and in conflict situations. The definition is all embracing as it tries to capture every form of scenario imaginable – violence against men, women, children, political violence and so on. Further, being a national law, its provisions extend overarching protection against violence throughout the country.

This is a significant development because of the previously patchwork nature of law against violence, particularly genderbased violence.

For instance, less than five states have specifically legislated against domestic violence in the past (Ebonyi, Lagos, Jigawa, Ebonyi).

Only a few other states have legislated against female genital mutilation (Edo, Cross Rivers), a few others have developed legislation prohibiting traditional harmful widowhood practices (for example, Anambra, Cross Rivers) while only Ekiti State has developed legislation prohibiting all gender-based violence. The

Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act “VAPP Act” provides a more comprehensive, national legislative coverage against violence.

More importantly, development experts have continued to harp on the need to raise awareness of the domestic kind of violence, particularly as it affects women and children. This is because its instances and the statistics there from are staggering.

The recent case of Kafayat Kazeem might well illustrate this point well. Kafayat, a 12 year old girl in Lagos, reportedly stood up against the dad’s incessant beatings of her mother. Allegedly, the father pounces on the mother at the slightest infraction, when drunk. On this occasion, Kafayat had stood up for her mother after the father damaged the mother’s knee. In Anger, Kazeem, the father descended on his daughter, whipping her with barbed wire almost to the point of death. She had escaped, running to Oyingbo market in the dead of the night, where a vigilante group found her. Narrating her ordeal later, Kafayat said: “This is not the first time my father will beat my mother and me. I have lost count of his endless beatings. On one occasion, I begged my mother to relocate four of us, her children to Ilorin, so we can stay away from our father due to his constant beatings. I am the first child. My mother said my father will change, but he has gotten worse by the day.

“My mother is presently on admission at Charity Hospital, Orile as a result of the beating my father gave her. I could not stand his beatings anymore, so I ran away from home to meet one of my mother’s friends at Oyingbo Market, but I did not meet her when I got to the market. I was in great pains, and I decided to sleep in the market because I do not want to go back to my father’s house.

“It was while I was sleeping at the market that some vigilante men came and rescued me. I told them my plight, and they

took me to the hospital where I am presently receiving treatment.”

Agbodemu Musbau, the secretary of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria at Ebute Metta, who found the girl said that the vigilante men on night patrol at Oyingbo market on July 9, found Kafayat groaning in pains and rescued her. Publicised maltreatment, the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, took the 12 years old girl into custody.

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

The father, Kazeem, however, showed up after so much public outcry. Not only did he show up, he was made to sign an undertaking, stating that he will never hurt his child again. Agbodemu, the Secretary of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria stated that Kayafat’s father came to plead that his

daughter should be returned to him.

“He told me that he went to WAPA, and they gave him a form to fill, pledging that he will never hurt his daughter again. He brought the form to our office, and I told him he has to go back to WAPA to seal the agreement because his daughter is not with us anymore,” Mr. Musbau said.

In his defence, Kazeem stated “I am not happy with what I did to my daughter. Yes it is true that I am the one that beat her, but I did not beat her with barbed wire as she claimed. I beat her with my belt because she used a pin to pierce her younger brother’s penis, and the boy was wailing due to the injury.

“I got angry with her because it was not the first time she will misbehave in such manner. I have received several reports from her school bordering on theft, and I beat her so she can turn over a new leaf, but she is very stubborn. I was very angry CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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What are signs of domestic violence?

C entre for Health Ethics, Law and Development, CHELD, says it often receives reports mostly women who are involved in domestic violence situations. These reports come from around the country. “We have sought to from these women what sorts of abuse they have experienced and what they consider to be the signs of abuse. Some of these are obvious, others not so apparent,” says Cheluchi Onyemelukwe Onuobia, director with CHELD. As result, CHELD is able to keep what it terms ‘Red Diary’, which contains tips on what to do if you are in Nigeria and are experiencing some of these signs.

Long before the first slap, the first shove, there may be signs that a partner – husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, family member is likely to be abusive and/or violent. Most domestic violence cases start with threats and acts such as slamming of doors and breaking of properties from which it can degenerate to actual physical violence.

Most emotional abuse begins with a seeming but excessive concern for a partner’s well-being, which eventually shows itself to be a feature of control and domination. Several of the women we have spoken to state that they knew prior to marriage that their partner had abusive tendencies.

There are many signs of domestic violence in Nigeria. However, a person does not have to experience all before a relationship is seen as abusive. A glimpse of two or three of these signs is enough to raise red flags.

Volatile temperament

is not the case. This accusation may arise even where it is that partner that is being unfaithful.

An abuser may be quick to get angry, including over seemingly minor things, and may appear unable or unwilling to manage this anger. This anger may be displayed to others outside the relationship.

Dual personality

Actual physical violence

This can be in form of hitting, slapping, choking or shoving. Initial incidences may be followed quickly by penitence – apologies, gifts, even tears.

Excessive control of what the abused person does These include where he/she goes or who he /she talks to. This would include insisting that you cannot make any decision, including seemingly small decisions or personal decisions without going through the partner.

Insisting that you cannot work We see this often at CHELD. The decision about how to provide finances, take care of children should have be a mutual decision. Many abusive men in Nigeria demand that their wives must not work, including taking paid employment or running a business. This denies the woman financial independence, deters her from leaving the relationship, and damages self-esteem.

Denial of Funds

Onuobia

denies them funds including funds for essentials like the school fees of children and necessaries. In cases where women work, the abuser may leave them to carry all the financial burden of the home.

Fear of the abuser You find that you afraid of a person whom you ordinarily should feel affection and receive affection from. There is fear when it is time for the person to come home, rings the bell at the door, calls out your name et cetera

Accusation of infidelity

In many cases where women are prevented from working, an abuser often also

This sign is a common one where the partner accuses you constantly of being unfaithfully even where it is clear that this

will not bring shame to the family.

On why he beats his wife, the father stated again. “The one time I beat my wife was because Kafayat sowed the seed of discord between us. My wife used to play lotto game, and I have warned her to stop because she was wasting our money,” Mr. Kazeem narrated. “Rather than show malice or any vindictiveness, the wife was supportive of the husband. I was not at home that day, but he told me that Kafayat used a pin to pierce her brother. It was a belt he used to beat her not a barbed wire. I was mad when I saw the injury on her body, but I did not know when she ran away from home.

“I went to the Police to report that she was missing, and for days we were looking

for her. It is also true that my husband has beaten me in the past. It was a domestic matter, and he was under stress then. He is a good man, but each time he is stressed at work, he takes it out on the children. I learnt about Kafayat’s whereabouts after a friend read her story on facebook and told me where to find her.

While many may say that the whole story might be put down to one of happy ending, these might just be a prototype of the vicious cycle of domestic violence (see illustration on ‘Cycle of Abuse’). Like Kafayat’s mother, a larger population of women in Africa and other parts of the world accept domestic violence as part of marital life. Though there are insufficient data on domestic violence in Nigeria to

Charming in public, hostile/vicious in private.

The above signs are some of the signs of domestic violence to the abused person in that relationship. Many of the women we counsel at CHELD have experienced these signs, often dating from before the marriage. There are other telltale signs of this violence to outsiders as most abused persons are unwilling to disclose this to family members or even the appropriate authority. Such signs include: Embarrassing the abused person with put downs, demoralizing or humiliating statements. He or she embarrasses you, brings up the past to humiliate you, insults before others, and threatens to tell secrets.

The abuser may threaten to commit suicide if the abused doesn’t behave in a certain way or if he/she leaves the relationship The abuser may pretend that the abusive behaviour is normal or that it is the fault of the abused person. Intimidation with objects or weapons; threats to children or personal property; this may include locking one out of the home.

Pressuring or forcing the abused person into unwanted sex, making a decision or committing to a relationship. Excessive acts of jealousy and possessiveness. At the start of the relationship, an abuser will equate jealousy with love.

‘Men perceived as sole perpetrators’

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 that day with what she did to her brother and that rage led me to beat her with a belt.

I am sorry that she ran away from home.

I went to the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation to see if I can get her back, but they refused to let me take her away. I am now a changed man, and I will never beat my wife or any of my children again. Government can do whatever they want with me, but they should not take my children away from me. It is not as if I am under the influence of alcohol or any hard drug; yes I used to take hard drugs in the past, but I have stopped. I only smoke cigarettes. I am a good father, and I beat her to instil discipline into her so she

back up this fact, the National Demographic and Health Survey in 2008 had it that up to 43 per cent of women thought that wife beating could be justified on the grounds of matters like burning the food; arguing with the husband; going out without asking permission; neglecting the children; and refusal to have sexual intercourse.

The research also shows a staggering revelation on just how rampant the menace is. The research showed that women in the North East were more likely to say that wife beating was justified, while women in the South West were least likely to say that wife beating was justified. Women with no education were more likely to say that wife beating was justified. Rural men were more CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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How to identify victims of domestic violence Injuries and excuses or explanations for such injuries.

Absence from work or school.

Low self esteem Personality changes Fear of conflict Isolation n individual who exhibits the above signs may be, in most cases, a victim of domestic violence.

Domestic violence often occurs be-

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hind closed doors and is still erroneously considered a personal or private matter even though the abuser’s actions affect the victims, victims’ children and household, friends, other family members, fellow workers and the community as a whole. It is a crime and should be reported immediately to the appropriate authority so as to break a vicious circle. While divorce is poorly regarded in Nigeria, it is important that one considers their safety, the safety and wellbeing of any children involved. Churches and

other religious organisations must become part of the solution in curbing domestic violence and protecting victims who tend to be

women. However, the first step to breaking free is recognizing that a partner is abusive and then getting the required help.

cern especially in Nigeria. For instance, Centre for Health Ethics, Law and Development, CHELD’s Domestic Media Alert, a collation of extreme domestic violence cases reported in the news every month, bear out these figures. In essence, there are significantly high numbers of women experiencing domestic violence. A significant number of young women, including the unmarried, believe that there are justifications for domestic violence.

As a result of these figures, not a few medical experts draw parallel between women mortality rate and prevalent cases of domestic violence. Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, recently urged residents in the state not to be afraid to speak out against sexual and domestic violence, saying that it was the first step to waging a war against perpetrators of the act.

The governor who spoke when he received the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, assured that the state government is ready to protect the identities of those who volunteer to report cases of domestic abuse and sexual violence.

“We just want to appeal to all Lagosians, they should not be afraid to speak out, we have our dedicated lines and we also know that we are going to give resources out, at

any point in time they should be ready to speak freely to us. We would protect the identities of everyone and the fact is that we should be the first point of call before we know the particular police station that we want our cases to go to”, he said.

Governor Ambode who expressed concern about the rampant cases of rape and domestic violence, also promised to put in place an institutional framework that will make the Lagos State Domestic Violence Law 2007 viable, saying that he will stop at nothing to protect the interest of women and children in the state.

“One of my cardinal programmes in the course of the campaign was that I was going to stand up for everyone and standing up for everyone is actually standing up for women and children. These groups in our society are more or less vulnerable and the weakest part of the chain in the society.

So, we need an institutional framework, we also need to create institutions that can stand up and support them.

“The society has always been very uncharitable towards issues that relate to children and to women. Lagos State in 2007, we did pass a law on domestic violence. But again beyond that, the law cannot work by itself except we create the framework that enforces our laws, that is what we are standing for and in that respect, we talked

about issues that relate to sexual and gender violence”, he said.

Charging the Team to fashion out strategies towards arresting the trend, Governor Ambode also assured that his administration will give adequate support to them, noting that the Law cannot work by itself except those who are saddled with the responsibility of enforcing it rise to the occasion.

He urged the team to pay emphasis to public awareness and enlightenment so as to ensure that victims know that the law is there to protect them as well as a government willing to ensure that justice is served.

That study showed that domestic violence cuts across all socio-economic and cultural backgrounds. 28 per cent of all women, almost a third of all women in Nigeria, have experienced physical violence, a significant number in a country of almost 160 million, where almost half are women.

This case is rampant due to the stigma and silence surrounding the matter. There is not much research as there should be ideally on such a serious social and public health issue due to the fear, shame and silence surrounding domestic violence as well as limited funding to engage in requisite research.

‘Public must report domestic violence’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

likely to say that wife beating on any of the above-mentioned grounds was justified.

Men with a secondary education were less likely to justify wife beating than men with less education. The study further showed that educated women were more likely to have experienced domestic violence. Further, women who live in urban areas are more likely than their counterparts who live in rural areas to have experienced domestic violence. Women in the southern part of the country were also more likely to have experienced physical violence more than women in the northern part of the country. The Gender, a DFID publication in Nigeria, 2012 report also indicated that young women between the ages of 15 and 24, were most likely to have experienced physical violence. They were also most likely to justify violence, including wife beating. This trend is not peculiar to Africa alone. UN, for instance, contend that the practice is common in Muslim communities more. For instance, UN places domestic violence acceptance in Afghanistan at 90 percent; Algeria, 68 percent; Azerbaijan, 49 percent; Chad, 62 percent; Egypt,39 percent; and Ethiopia, 68 percent (see more on ‘Domestic Violence acceptance’).

These figures give much cause for con-

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Ooni: Apprehension grips Ife residents over continued silence on monarch • Speculation rife on start of burial rites Boladale Bamigbola

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here were fears yesterday in IleIfe that traditional rites, preparatory to formal announcement of the passage of Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuade, may have commenced.

There were speculations that Oro Festival is already on in the town, a development many people termed as a prelude to the formal announcement of Ooni’s death.

A palace source, however, dismissed this claim,

saying there are certain rites that must have been performed, than the ongoing Oro Festival, before the news will be broken.

The source, who preferred anonymity, said one of the conditions will be to shut down markets in Ile Ife, symbolic jingling of royal gong across town and appearance of dreaded Isogun, a chief that only makes appearance at Ile Oodua at the demise of Ooni.

It was learnt that a particular door at the backyard of Ooni’s palace that had been per-

manently closed since December,1980 when Ooni Sijuade ascended the throne, would be opened to indicate that the throne is vacant.

“Until all these conditions manifest, it cannot be concluded that Ooni has joined his ancestors. I live here in the palace and we believe Baba (Ooni) is still alive in United Kingdom.

“Preparation is in top gear for the marriage of

his son in Victoria Island in Lagos on Sunday. I can’t confirm if he will appear in person at the event, but that marriage is what is engaging all of us now,” the source said.

Another very close family source said the final rites must have begun but on a very light note so as not to scare people, stressing that the manner the passage of the monarch happened did not allow for strict adherence to tradi-

tions.

He said “some of the rites to be performed before the declaration are on. The chiefs are only being careful so as not to create panic in the town. Those rites that cannot be done secretly will be done when other arrangements have been concluded regarding moving him (Ooni) back home.

Asked whether Oro Festival is part of the final rites before declaration of Ooni death, he said: “The ongo-

ing Oro just coincided with these controversies about Baba (Ooni) . It is usually held around this period every year.”

Meanwhile, a government source informed our correspondent that members of Ife Traditional Council, at their close door meeting with Governor Aregbesola at Osun Government House, Osogbo on Thursday, told him that Oba Sijuade is still alive.

Guinea produces first ‘effective’ Ebola vaccine Marcus Fatunmole, ABUJA

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uinea is on the verge of being officially recognized as the first nation to have produced effective vaccine against deadly Ebola virus disease, EVD. The vaccine, VSV-EBOV (Merck, Sharp & Dohme) “is highly effective against Ebola” and it has “up to now showed 100 percent efficacy in individuals” on which it has been tested, the World Health Organization, WHO, said in a statement it made available on its website yesterday.

However, more conclusive evidence is needed on its capacity to protect humanity, the health agency stated, adding that the independent body of international experts - the Data and Safety Monitoring Board - that conducted the review advised that the trial should continue.

VSV-EBOV follows Zmapp and Nano Silva that had earlier been tested and failed to cure Ebola.

VSV-EBOV “ring vaccination” trial began in affected Guinean communities on 23 March this year to evaluate the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of a single dose of the vaccine by using the ring vaccination strategy. At the time the release was made available, over 4 000 close contacts of almost 100 Ebola patients,

including family members, neighbours, and co-workers, WHO informed, had voluntarily participated in the trial.

“The trial stopped randomization on 26 July to allow for all people at risk to receive the vaccine immediately, and to minimize the time necessary to gather more conclusive evidence needed for eventual licensure of the product. Until now, 50% of the rings were vaccinated 3 weeks after the identification of an infected patient to provide a term of comparison with rings that were vaccinated immediately.

“This now stops. In addition, the trial will now include 13 to 17-year-old and possibly 6 to 12-year-old children on the basis of new evidence of the vaccine’s safety,” the statement added.

Reacting, Guinea’s national coordinator for the Ebola response, Dr Sakoba Keita, was quoted as saying the vaccine was Guinea’s gift to West Africa and the world.

Similarly, DirectorGeneral of the WHO, Dr Margaret Chan said: “The credit goes to the Guinean Government, the people living in the communities and our partners in this project.

An effective vaccine will be another very important tool for both current and future Ebola outbreaks. This is an extremely promising development.”

Traders in confusion as a section of Mile 12 market Ketu was gutted by fire in Lagos at about 5:45pm on Thursday.

NIAP blames collapse of local industries on porous borders Obiorah Ifoh, ABUJA

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ollowing its rally yesterday in Abuja, the Nigerian Initiative For Accountability And Probity, NIAP, has blamed the collapse of local industries in Nigeria on the nation’s ill-manned and porous borders, saying this has led to proliferation of prohibited goods as well as the collapse of local industries in Nigeria.

Making its position known after its rally in Abuja, NIAP’s convener, Dr. Bashir Maru, con-

demned the granting of what he termed , ‘frivolous import waivers’ granted to friends and cronies of top government functionaries , saying the decay being recorded in the system has negatively impacted on the system and hence the need for new order.

Maru, who expressed concern over the activities of smugglers and the security challenge in the nation, said it was regrettable that such lapses in the nation’s borders had further jeopardised the war against Boko Haram and allowed prohibited

weapons as well as arms and ammunition to be assessed by the sect, thereby complicating the challenge of terrorism.

While noting that the ‘The Nigerian Government has lost large amounts of revenues to the activities of these smugglers’, the organ said there was need to overhaul the system towards greater efficiency, transparency and resultsorientation.

The organ which called for the quick overhaul of the Nigerian Customs, said it was time for a new order to be instilled in

the administration of one of the nation’s most resourceful parastatal.

He said he was optimistic that if concerted efforts were deployed towards securing the nation’s borders, he was sure that new government of President Muhammadu Buhari would find the Customs as an indispensable tool that could effectively be utilised in the war against insurgency, protection of local industries as well as its additional responsibility of being a major revenue earning organ for the nation.

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Fuel import, forex demand may drop by 25 percent as refineries come on stream Udeme Akpan

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here are strong indications that the coming back on stream of two Nigeria’s refineries will lead to about 25 per cent drop in the demand for foreign exchange which oil marketers use in importing the product.

Two of the nation’s refineries, Port Harcourt and Warri, were shut for turnaround maintenance, TAM a few weeks ago - a development which drastically reduced the capacities of the nation - to process adequate fuel and other petroleum products for domestic consumption.

The development also encouraged increased importation of products, and by extension the demand for foreign exchange.

Investigations showed that with the completion of maintenance by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, the demand for forex would

reduce significantly in the country.

A finance expert, Dr Ebere Uneze who confirmed the development in a telephone interview over the weekend indicated that the foreign exchange demand may drop by 25 per cent.

“The oil marketers used to demand for substantial foreign exchange because of the need to sustain the importation of petrol and other petroleum products.

Now that some of the refineries are back on stream following the completion of maintenance, there are indications that the demand for foreign exchange may drop by as much as 25 per cent.”

“This is a remarkable feat which we hope should be sustained through regular maintenance of the plants and even the construction of new refineries,” he maintained.

The spokesman of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Ibrahim Muazu maintained that proper analysis

should be made to ascertain the likely impact the reduced importation would make on the demand for foreign exchange in the nation.

“Without such analysis it would be difficult to properly ascertain the likely consequences of the coming back of the plants, fuel import reduction and demand for foreign exchange,” he noted.

However, the Director General of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf maintained that the development is a good beginning for the nation.

He said the nation should not depend on the plants to completely alter the situation for good as the coming back of all the refineries would culminate in the refining of about 20 million liters of fuel per day.

Yusuf maintained that the nation would still need to import additional 20 million liters daily as the total demand is estimated at 40

million liters per day.

Consequently, he said oil marketers would need substantial foreign exchange to import fuel into the nation for domestic consumption.

He called for the immediate privatisation of the four refineries in order to place them in the hands of private investors who have the expertise to manage them properly.

A few days ago, the NNPC had disclosed that the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries have been successfully re-streamed after a nine-month phased rehabilitation exercise conducted by its in-house engineers and technicians.

The Corporation had indicated in a statement revealed that both plants have commenced preliminary production of petroleum products after successful test-runs noting that while PHRC is ramping up its operation to about 60 percent of its 210, 000 barrels per day name

plate capacity, WRPC production is projected to hit 80 percent of its installed 125, 000 bpd capacity.

The NNPC had informed that the Port Harcourt Refinery is projected to boost the nation’s local refining capacity with a product yield of 5million litres of petrol per day while Warri Refinery would contribute 3.5 million litres of petrol to local refining capacity.

Providing insight into the rehabilitation exercise, the NNPC had noted that it had to adopt the phased rehabilitation strategy after the Original Refinery Builders (ORB) who were initially contacted for the project came up with unfavorable terms. ``Though a decision was taken in 2011 to rehabilitate all the refineries using the ORB of each of the refineries, we were impelled to switch strategy after the

Emergence of Ekweremadu will be resolved —APC govs

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The Principal Private Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Abiodun Bamgboye (left), Chairman, DHB Contruction Limited, Mr. Hakeem Alobo-Bakare (2nd left), Legal Adviser to DHB Contruction Limited, Mr. Sheriff Adebayo (2nd right) and Legal Adviser to the Sandgrouse Market Association, Mr. Adebowale Omar (right) during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding on the redevelopment of Sangrouse Market, Lagos Island at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Friday, July 31, 2015.

Crisis hits PDP Headquarters Workers tell NWC to resign and face EFCC

Obiorah Ifoh, ABUJA

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rises of confidence in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) assumed a more critical dimension yesterday after staff of the national secre-

tariat of the party invited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to quiz members of the party’s National Working Committee for embezzlement of over N13 billion.

The party’s NWC had

Thursday issued a circular in which it literally sacked all the staff of the party in a reorganisation of the secretariat, asking “the few retained” to obtain letters of confirmation of loyalty to the party from their respective state party chairmen.

But, the angry workers

apart from making allegations of sleaze against the NWC members, asked for the immediate resignation of the current PDP-NWC led by Prince Uche Secondus, insisting they have lost all moral right to remain in CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

ORBs declined participation and nominated some partners in their stead who came up with outrageously unfavorable terms’’.

The NNPC stated that the nominated partners, as sole-bidders came up with humongous price offers after two years of thorough and exhaustive scope of work definition and price negotiations. The proxies were also unwilling to provide post rehabilitation performance guarantees. ``The phased rehabilitation strategy which entailed phased and simultaneous rehabilitation of all the refineries using in-house and locally available resources in line with the spirit and letter of the Nigerian Content Law, also involved the use of Original Equipment Manufacturer representatives to effect major equipment overhaul and rehabilitation’’.

orum of Progressives Governors on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC) have said that they are not bothered about the emergence of a People Democratic Party (PDP) Senator as Deputy Senate President, adding that things will take its natural cause in due time.

Sen. Ike Ekweremadu is the deputy senate president who emerged on the platform of the opposition party.

The ‘progressive governors’ who met behind a closed door for several hours on Thursday night, told newsmen after the meeting that the issue of marginalisation being complain about by the South-East will soon be resolved.

Chairman of the forum and the Imo state governor, Rochas Okorocha, said: “We deliberated on a lot of issues. One is that we have resolved to strengthen our party and prepared for the

forth coming election especially the ones in Kogi and Bayelsa.

“We are also very happy about the development in the National Assembly as peace is gradually returning to the national assembly.

We are very happy that what has taken place in the federal house will soon take place in the senate and we resolved to make our party bigger and bigger than what it is now. So, we welcome interested parties to join us in building the Nigeria of our dream.

“Peace will return. We hope that very soon, we will see total peace as we saw in the federal house.”

When asked to comment on Senator Ekwerenmadu’s emergence, Okorocha said: “In the process of this process, things will take its natural cause. The issue of the south East, everything will be resolved in the course of the peace process.”

9

NATIONAL NEWS

Nick Uweru

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he All Progressives Congress (APC) has insisted that the DG of DSS, Mr. Lawal Daura, is not a card-carrying member of the party, saying nothing short of producing Mr. Daura’s membership card or evidence of his membership registration will convince discerning Nigerians that he is indeed a member of the APC as alleged by the PDP. The party is reacting to a rash of pictures and documents purporting a close association between the DG DSS during and after the last general election produced by PDP,

August 1, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APC to PDP: Produce Daura’s party membership card or keep quiet! recently. In the said pictures and document PDP insists shows a clear partisanship of Daura, there is a publication of what appears to be the party’s campaign committees where the DSS DG’s name was listed as part of APC intelligence committee members. There was also a picture of the chief spook in what appears to be a congratulatory handshake with President Mohammadu Buhara and another picturing Daura in group photograph with

APC committee members.

The documents and pictures have since been trending on social and the regular media since Thursday raised doubts on Daura’s neutrality in his recent operation.

But reacting to PDP’s allegations and questions on the choice of Daura to head the DSS by Mr President, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC National Publicity Secretary, described PDP’s position as ‘rabble rousing’ and ‘crass politicking’.

‘’For the PDP to have wrongly accused Mr. Daura of being a member of the APC without a scintilla of credible evidence, the PDP has weakened its argument by using the pictures in which Mr. Daura appeared with the President and the fact that he served in an election committee as evidence of his membership of the APC,’’ Mohammed stated, yesterday. ‘’Possession of an APC membership card by Mr. Daura or evidence of regis-

tration as a party member at his ward, local government or state will be the only conclusive evidence of his membership of the party,’’ the party spokesman added. ‘’PDP has forgotten the saying that he who must come to equity must come with clean hands. When Mr. Mike Okiro chaired the security committee of the PDP campaign in 2011, did that prevent him from being appointed the Chair

Kaduna refinery to hit 90 percent of installed capacity —MD A za Msue, KADUNA

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L-R: Anti-Fraud Consultant, Easysol, UK, Paul Wilson; Director, Jeremy Boorer; Deputy Director, Banking and Payments System Department (CBN), Mrs. Margret Olufunke Ajoke Ogundana; former Deputy Governor, CBN, Mr. Tunde Lemo and Vice Chairman, WiniGroup Ltd, Mr. Tim Akano, during a forum on banking forum protection organized by WiniGroup in Lagos, recently.

....You have confirmed our worst fears, PDP tells APC Nick Uweru

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eoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has described as a confirmation of its fears, the statement credited to the Publicity Secretary of the ruling All Progressive Congress(APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, that operatives of the State Security Service(SSS) were working for the political interest of the APC in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

The Akwa Ibom state chairman of the party, Obong Paul Ekpo, stated this while reacting to the interview granted the AIT by Alhaji Lai Mohammed on

the presence and involvement of the operatives in the electoral process in the two states.

“Mohammed, while featuring on a cable television interview programme, Kakaaki on African Independent Television(AIT) on Friday, confirmed the fears being expressed by our party, the PDP that the SSS operatives were carrying out the agenda of the ruling APC in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states. The interview was transmitted live across the globe so it is not a hear say. You can ask the station for the tape if you are in doubt” he declared.

According to Ekpo, “the APC told the whole world that the SSS operatives

were in Akwa Ibom and Rivers State in order to assist the party in giving force to a court order. The question then is, when and where has the constitutional duty of the SSS become that of enforcing a court order? What then is the role of the police? So when we raised the alarm that we were under siege by the SSS working in tandem with the ruling party, we were not taken serious, but now that they have come out to clear the air, I think we would be taken seriously next time,” stated Ekpo.

Few days ago, the party in the state issued a statement that it was worried by the spate of harassment of its members and the

manner the Department of State Security (DSS) was allegedly aiding and abetting the opposition at the venue of the electoral tribunal currently sitting in Abuja.

The party said, “we wish to use this opportunity to alert the nation and the international community about the undisguised display of partisanship by the agents of the State Security Service at the electoral tribunal currently sitting in Abuja. Our members and agents have been hounded, harassed, and threatened by agents of the State Security Service. The Resident Electoral Commissioner has been equally hounded and unfairly singled out for interrogation.

of the Police Service Commission, which is responsible for issues concerning the welfare, promotion and discipline of all police personnel, in 2013? ‘’When the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri, was appointed into the Jonathan election committee in 2015, did he resign his appointment as head of the agency or did he automatically become a card-carrying member of the PDP?

anaging Director, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemicals Company Limited, KRPC, Engineer Saidu A. Mohammed, yesterday, declared that the refinery will hit 90 percent of its 110,000 litres of fuel per day installed capacity.

Speaking with journalists after a tour of the refinery with journalists, Mohammed said the refinery has undergone Turn Around Maintenance, TAM, adding that, it resumed refining following the completion of its first phase of facility rehabilitation that began in October 2014.

The MD added: “We have opened every column, changed what we can change to give us that level of production.

What is outstanding is crude supply, but with the volume we have in stock, we have started production three days ago.

“We undertook phased rehabilitation because we do not want to completely shut down the refinery.”

“Crude Distillation Unit was tested, Units are running, basically we are retracing our steps, one unit after the other.

Other essential unit like the FCC will follow by the end of the week.

KRPC boss urged the Federal Government to

declare the NNPC pipelines “no go area” to curtail the activities of vandals, which if continued, would hamper the transportation of crude oil from Warri to Kaduna.

“I am also urging the Federal Government to deploy the military to provide maximum security to the pipelines to tackle the activities of vandals.

Mohammed said that apart from addressing fuel scarcity in the north, the resumption of production at the KRPC would attract employment opportunity in both the formal and the informal sectors.

Saturday Mirror gathered that the refinery had been operating at 60 percent production capacity before commencement of the TAM, in October, 2014.

He said thousands of transporters would resume lifting of the product, thereby providing employment to truck drivers and other stakeholders.

“The development will also boost the economy of the region business activities in Kaduna state and availability of products will fully resume.

“The banking sector would also be a major beneficiary because of the financial transactions involved in product transportation and a chain of similar business activities,” he added.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

August 1, 2015

10

100 B’Haram militants killed in battle with multinational coalition —As 5 die in early morning suicide bomb attack in Maiduguri

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t least 100 jihadist fighters have been killed in the last two weeks in operations against Boko Haram Islamists holed up on the islands of Lake Chad, the Chadian army said in a statement on Friday.

Lake Chad is a strategic region where the borders of Chad and northeast Nigeria converge with those of Cameroon and Niger, further north.

Boko Haram has carried out raids and suicide bombings in all four countries, which have formed a military alliance along with Benin to tackle the movement.

“Our armed forces and security forces have launched a vast offensive to dig out and neutralise these terrorists on these islands,” Col Azem, Chadian army spokesman said.

No immediate confirmation of the death toll could be had from independent sources.

“Several boats have been destroyed and several weapons of different calibres have been recovered,” added the colonel, who specified that the operation had notably targeted the island villages of Koungya, Merikouta, Choua and Blarigui.

“The sweep continues and the definitive toll will be released later,” the spokesman said.

About 1,000 Chadian soldiers have been deployed in the area of Lake Chad “to occupy all the islands and neutralise Boko Haram”, a security source said. Chad’s government urged local villagers to leave before the offensive started.

Boko Haram forces, who have killed some 15,000 people since their insurgency began in 2009, use the Lake Chad islands to fall back after coming under heavy attack in Nigeria by the regional coalition, in which the Chadian army has taken a leading role since the joint operation was formed early this year.

Meanwhile in the Nigerian settlement of Gamboru near Maiduguri, state capital of Borno State, early morning blast has killed at least five people on Friday morning as traders and buyers were converging for the day’s business.

It was gathered that it was a suicide bomber that struck at the Gamboru market in Maiduguri.

Hospital officials said that five bodies were brought in with about an-

other dozen injured though the toll may increase as more victims are continuously being brought in.

Security personnel’s are yet to give exact toll from the carnage as rescuers were still recovering bodies.

Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state, is frequently targeted by Islamist group Boko Haram.

A string of suicide bombings and village assaults

have been heightened since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office and relocated Army Command Headquarters to Maiduguri to check the excesses of Boko Haram.

Hundreds have been killed in recent weeks in unbridled bombings using women and girls, some as young as 10, as human bombs.

Another cause of worry is the fact that the ex-

tremists are using their hapless kidnap victims as weapons.

Even more worrisome is the facts that the explosives are remotely detonated after the, sometimes unsuspecting, conveyors has the explosives strapped to their bodies and have reached the target.

On Thursday, Nigeria’s military rescued 71 Boko Haram captives, mostly girls and women in fire

fights that killed many Boko Haram militants and destroyed militant camps in three villages near Maiduguri Several other hundreds have previously been rescued from various Boko Haram camps scattered across Northeastern states of Nigeria.

The 6-year-old uprising has killed about 20,000 people and rendered another 2 million homeless.

Rescue workers towing a taxi car at the scene of a bomb blast near Gamboru vegetable market, in which at least five persons were killed and several others injured in Maiduguri, yesterday. the bomb was allegedly detonated by a woman at about 6:30 a.m.

Africa’s MFB transparency watch gets first Nigerian VP Crisis hits Wadata House as PDP staff tell NWC to CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

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he Nigerian Microfinance banks sub-sector recently recieved a continental boost with the election of Mr Alex Enyinnah, Programme Director of Grooming Centre, as the Vice- President of African Microfinance Transparency (AMT).

Enyinnah emerged as the first Nigerian leader of the association at its General Assembly held in Senegal on July 30.

The event, held alongside the African Microfinance Week (AMW), was sponsored by the Government of Senegal, Grand Duchy, Luxembourg and African Development Bank.

Enyinnah said his election was significant as the first Nigerian to occupy the exalted position in the microfinance renaissance movement dominated by

francophone countries.

He said that his election would also encourage microfinance banks and institutions in Nigeria to join the AMT, the flagship institution for the promotion of best practice and microfinance banks operational knowledge in Africa.

According to him, the association provides local microfinance banks links to international networks, funding vehicles, rating standards and technical resources.

AMT was established in 2003 with over 60 African Microfinance Banks and Institutions as members.

AMT is a non profit organisation with the aim of promoting transparency and efficiency among African MFIs by encouraging and preparing them for external performance evaluations.

resign and face EFCC office and that they allegedly were dragging the PDP to extinction.

But, national secretary, Prof. Adewale Oladipo and national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, dismissed the allegations as baseless and nonesense, saying such were expected”.

Oladipo and Metuh at separate telephone interviews in dismissing the allegations, asked why it took the staff so long to come up with their allegations, adding that it was curious it came at a time they were asking for the removal of the Director-General of the Department of State Security (DSS) and the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as putting the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on its toes.

According to Chief

Metuh, “they are free to make allegations. We have asked them to bring letters from their state chairmen to prove they are loyal to the party. All these ones and diversionary and we are not bothered”.

Earlier addressing a press conference at the party secretariat, chairman of the PDP Staff Welfare Association, Mrs. Ngozi Nzeh and Secretary, Mr. Dan OchuBaiye, flanked by almost all the staff of the secretariat, stated that ‎”the political fortunes of the PDP have continued to dwindle since the coming on board of the present National Working Committee in March 2012”, adding that “the party under the current leadership of Prince Uche Secondus as acting national chairman and Professor Wale Oladipo as national secretary has

been systematically and deliberately dismembered and is being led to the morgue in preparation for its final burial”.

Among the allegations against the ‎NWC were the squandering of over N12 billion in nine months; compelling delegates to the last presidential convention to pay a levy of N10,000 each totalling over N1 billion which was allegedly paid into the Zenith bank account of a private company allegedly called Morufi Nig. Ltd, as well as alleged non payment of legitimate bills owed media houses, contractors and cleaners.

The workers in insisting that the current NWC must go, said they have contacted all the organs of the party, including the Board of Trustee (BoT), the party’s Caucus and the PDP-Gover-

nors’ Forum and furnished them with detailed report and documentary evidence of the negative activities of the NWC members, stressing that only their resignation, arrest and prosecution would save the PDP from extinction.

They said: “Never in the glorious history of our great party has its fortunes been so hopelessly mismanaged by an inept and dishonest group whose sworn mission is to permanently destroy and liquidate the lofty organization that midwifed the current democratic dispensation.

“It is curious to observe that a party which once prided itself as the biggest party in Africa could be so liquidated by such executive recklessness of its NWC members so much so that N12 billion was squandered in nine months''.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

August 1, 2015

11

South West

Ekiti PDP suspends factional chair, scribe, three others •They lack such power —Faction Abiodun Nejo Ado-Ekiti

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he crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State deepened yesterday as its State Executive Council (SEC) ratified the suspension of four members of the State Working Committee (SWC) earlier expelled in their wards.

The party, chaired by Chief Idowu Faleye, said that the five members were suspended for alleged antiparty activities pending the outcome of the sevenmember disciplinary committee headed by Barrister Kolapo Kolade inaugurated yesterday to investigate the petitions against them.

PDP State Publicity Secretary, Jackson Adebayo, who read the SEC resolu-

tion, listed the suspended members as the factional chairman, Tunde Olatunde; State Secretary, Dr Tope Aluko; Woman Leader, Mrs Busola Oyebode; State Auditor, Tunji Olanre-

waju; and Assistant Secretary, Femi Esan.

But the Olatunde-led faction said they did not have powers to suspend them, saying their action was an affront to the party’s Na-

tional Working Committee (NWC) which had hoped to wade into the crisis next week.

Trouble began in the party when the faction announced the resignation of

the PDP State Chairman, Chief Faleye, who they allegedly replaced with Tunde Olatunde as acting chairman, although Faleye said he remained the party’s authentic chairman.

250 KLM passengers stranded at Lagos airport Olusegun Koiki

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or almost 48 hours, over 250 passengers of KLM Airlines to Europe and other destinations across the world are stranded in Nigeria following a technical fault developed by the airline’s aircraft on Thursday night at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

The passengers are however apprehensive that they might not depart the shores of the country any moment soon, as they claimed that the management of the airline in Nigeria was not communicating with them despite being checked into an hotel in Amuwo-Odofin Area of Lagos.

When our correspondent visited the hotel, there was high agitation from the passengers who claimed that the airline had refused to communicate with them on how they would be airlifted out of the country.

One of the affected passengers who simply identified himself as Chris told our correspondent that the passengers were already boarded before the airline’s crew announced to them that they won’t be departing Lagos as arranged due to technical fault developed by the aircraft.

Chris said that the passengers were disembarked at 11pm and taken to the hotel at Amuwo-Odofin.

He however said that their inability to travel as scheduled because of the

technical fault was in tune with international best practices, but decried that since Thursday night, none of the airline’s management had told them when they would depart the country to their various destinations.

He decried that apart from checking them into the hotel, none of the passengers were given refreshments as recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, stressing that such maltreatment would not have happened in Europe and other countries.

Chris specifically told our correspondent that he was on his way to New York for a conference, which would commence today (Saturday) and ends on Monday, stressing that it was obvious he won’t be able to make the trip and requested for a refund.

He said, “It is sad that these people are treating us this way in our own country. We were supposed to have travelled since Thursday and up till now, there is no information about our departure. There ought to be a helpdesk for passengers through which we can communicate with the airline’s staff in Nigeria, but they are not doing that.

“NCAA that is even supposed to protect us is not doing anything about our plights. We are just like displaced people here. People are angry and hungry here because there is no provision for dinner for us as I am talking to you now.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu I (3rd left), the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Olukunle Ojo (2nd left) with other members of Lagos State Council of Obas and Chiefs during a meeting with the Governor at the Lagos House, Ikeja, on Thursday, July 30, 2015.

Family pleads with Ambode over takeover of ancestral land Eric Elezuo

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he Oyega and Oyegbemiga Descendants family has pleaded with Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, to revisit the alleged takeover of about 250 acres of land in the Ikorodu area of the state.

The family, in a petition to Governor Ambode, condemned reports of the takeover of the land in the Ikorodu area of the state.

Writing through its lawyers in the petition, the family said it’s the ancestral owner of the parcel of land at Gbodo village in the Abule Eko area of Ikorodu, adding that its

ownership of the land was further affirmed by a Supreme Court judgment.

Paragraph three of the petition stated: “That the family ownership was further affirmed by the Supreme Court judgment No SC/83/1971 arising from the judgment of the High Court of Lagos State in suit no IK/1A/68 between

Aina Oga & Ors vs Oyega & Oyegbemiga Family, and the said family have been further enjoying ownership without any encumbrance from any quarters whatsoever and the family had been exercising acts of possession therefrom to the exclusion of any family and/or government interference howsoever.”

Court restrains demolition of Ladipo Market Matthew Irinoye

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ustice Iyabo Akinkugbe of a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja yesterday restrained Mushin Local Government from demolishing Ladipo Market pending the hearing of an application filed by the traders before the court.

The claimants, Nnamdi Chukwuka, Franco Offai, and eight others, had, through their counsel, Richard Nwankwo, filed a Motion on Notice brought pursuant to Order 38 Rules 2&8, and Order 39 Rules 3(1), seeking ‘for an order

of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendant, either by itself, agents officials, privies, servants or persons, from unlawfully going into or carrying out any demolitions or ejection of the applicants from their respective business premises at the Ladipo main market, Mushin, pending the hearing and determinatìon of the substantive suit filed before the court.’

Counsel to the defendant, Mrs A.O. Akin-Ajayi, told the court that the defendant was served the Notice on July 27, and as such would require time to file its reply.

She claimed that a group, Igbo Conscience Group, led by Joe Igbokwe and Mr. Onyekachi Ubani, had waded into the matter, and a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by the claimants and defendant, where it was agreed that the applicants would vacate the market within two months.

“A meeting was held in the office of the Executive Secretary of Mushin local government by the Igbo Conscience Group.

An MOU was signed by the applicants and the defendant and the matter was resolved. But we were surprised to receive the Notice

filed by the applicants,” she said.

She therefore requested for more time to file a reply.

Nwankwo however told the court that he was not “aware of any meeting between the parties.”

“Our instruction is to move on with the case. Our application is that the defendant should sign an undertaking that they would not go into the market and demolish it,”he said.

The court therefore ordered that ‘in the interest of justice, status quo should be maintained to enable the defendant filed a reply to the applicant’s application.’

12

REGIONAL NEWS

August 1, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH

APC witnesses fault Gombe llegal arm manufacturing governorship election Williams Attah GOMBE

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ight witnesses of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Gombe have all insisted that the 2015 governorship election in the state was marred with large scale electoral irregularities.

The witnesses, who were APC agents during

the election, claimed the elections were characterized by manipulation and intimidation against the APC at the polling units.

Though cross examination of witnesses was adjourned till Monday 3rd August for continuation of hearing by the Tribunal under Justice Mohammed Sirajo, the petitioner and governorship candidate of the APC is challenging the

outcome of the election which declared Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The witnesses whose statements contained information that were made available by the APC agents claimed that the last gubernatorial election conducted in the state

were full of irregularities.

Counsel to the petitioner had earlier sought for orders by the Tribunal to conduct forensic examination and inspection of electoral materials which was granted by the Tribunal.

However, speaking to journalists in an interview on the ongoing inspection exercise, counsel to Alhaji Inuwa Yahaya, Ayoola Ajayi stated that their men were already in the field conducting the inspection exercise.

L-R: Governor of Bauchi Muhammed Abubakar state (left), receiving a letter appointing him as grand-patron of Bauchi polo club, from the President of the club, Col. Ibrahim Adamu, during the visit of officials of the polo club in Bauchi, yesterday.

factory discovered in Southern Kaduna A za Msue KADUNA

Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Umar Shehu, yesterday paraded Bulus Kinze and James Kinze both from Kogun village of Jema’a local government area of Southern part of Kaduna State for allegedly using their residence for illegal manufacturing of arms and ammunitions.

CP Umar alleged that the suspects equally served as main supplier of arms to armed bandits within the area According to the police commissioner, when the suspects were arrested and their residence raided, the following exhibits which were displayed were recovered.

“Two locally made AK-47 rifles, One locally made SMG rifle and it’s magazine, two locally made pistols, two police coloured AK-47 maga-

Taraba: Alhassan, APC fault INEC’s request for tribunal’s relocation Ise-Oluwa Ige

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he Taraba State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, yesterday, fixed today (Saturday) for ruling in a request by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) seeking relocation of the election tribunal to Taraba state.

The tribunal fixed the date yesterday after taking arguments from both parties in the case.

INEC, in a motion, challenged the sitting of the tribunal in Abuja.

It argued that the tribunal ought to sit in the state where the election was held.

It also noted that the state’s legislative election

tribunal was currently sitting in Jalingo, the state capital.

INEC urged the tribunal to relocate to the state.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the last election, Hajia Aisa Alhassan and her party had, however, faulted the request The President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, empowered under the Constitution to constitute election tribunals in respect of disputed elections, set up the Taraba governorship tribunal in Abuja owing to security challenge in the state.

In a counter-argument yesterday, lawyer to Alhassan and APC, Mahmud Magaji (SAN) faulted

zz Tribunal rules today

INEC’s request, wondering why the electoral umpire was more concerned about the location of the tribunal than the other respondents.

“INEC is crying more than the bereaved. The main respondents to this petition (Governor Darius Ishaku and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party) have not challenged this tribunal’s decision to sit in Abuja,” Magaji said.

He wonderd why INEC, with its headquarters in Abuja, was uncomfortable with the tribunal’s sitting in Abuja.

Magaji argued that since INEC was, by its motion, challenging the Court of Appeal President’s exercise

of her constitutional power, it should go before the Federal High Court.

While urging the tribunal to note the decisions of the Akwa-Ibom and Rivers states governorship tribunals in similar motions, Magaji urged the tribunal to dismiss the motion by INEC. He also prayed the tribunal to grant his application for extension of time, which INEC objected to.

The Akwa-Ibom and Rivers states tribunals had, in separate rulings, held that their relocation to Abuja, on ground of security, was constitutional.

They consequently assumed jurisdiction over petitions on governorship

elections in both states.

Lawyers to Ishaku and the PDP (whose victory are being challenged by the petitioners) Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Solo Aguma were indifferent to the tribunal’s sitting venue.

They left decision on the issue to the tribunal’s discretion.

The petitioners are challenging the outcome of the last governorship election in Taraba State, won by Ishaku of the PDP. Alhassan and her party are of the view that the election was marred with irregularities.

Tribunal Chairman, Justice Musa Danladi Abubakar has fixed ruling for today.

zines, one locally made AK-47‎ magazine, twenty live 0.36 special revolver ammunition, three live 7.62mm long lar ammunitions, eleven live 7.62mm short, AK-47 ammunition and three live cartridges” “Others were one live 5.5mm, T.6 ammunition, ‎ fourteen empty shells of 7.62mm short, AK-47 ammunition, seventeen empty shells of 0.36 special revolver pistols ammunition, one expanded cartridges, some parts of locally made AK-47 rifle and parts of other rifles, one drilling machine use in production of rifles, one hand driller, some instrument for fabrication of rifles and some assorted charms” ‎Meanwhile, when one of the suspected manufacturer of the illegal arms, James Kinze when interviewed said it was meant to protect themselves against bandits that have continued to terrorise their areas unabated.

“Arm bandits have continued to terrorise our area and killing our people, so since we could not get adequate protection from the security agencies, we decided to produce locally made arms to protect ourselves and our people from the recurring attacks by such arm bandits” he said.

Also paraded where 20 suspected persons who were arrested for various offences ranging from, ar‎m robbery, criminal conspiracy, and various acts of terrorism.

Meanwhile, CP Umar has reassured members of the public of the readiness of the command to rid the state of all criminal elements in the society..

He urged residents of Kaduna State to continue assisting the command with useful information to track down the criminals from every nook and crannies of the state.

The Commissioner informed that as soon as investigation into the various offences is concluded, the suspects will be charged to court for prosecution.

Politics

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 1, 2015

13

Reps crisis: Truce at last Lekan Adejuwon

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rior to the last Tuesday’s amicable settlement of the protracted crisis rocking the nation’s lower legislative chamber, it had been 49 days of power tussle among the supporters of Yakubu Dogara, who emerged the speaker of the House of Representatives during the June 9 controversial inauguration of the House on one hand, and those of Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, former Minority Leader in the 7th Assembly.

It was therefore a mild drama of sort last Tuesday when Speaker Dogara ate the humble pie and announced the lawmaker from Lagos as the Minority Leader on the floor of the House thus, ending weeks of intra-party squabbles rocking the barely two month old All Progressives Congress APC government.

The announcement came on the heels of last minute truce meeting between the warring factions of the APC over the House leadership.

Although, the choice of Gbajabiamila was believed to have ‘fulfilled all righteousness’, it had also altered the initial plan of the Speaker to zone the contentious Majority Leader seat to the North West in the true spirit of ‘give and take’ Other positions zoned in no particular order include: Buba Jibrin, Deputy Leader (North Central).

Alhassan Ado Doguwa (North West) was named as Chief Whip while the position of Deputy Chief Whip was given to Pally Iriase from the South-South as the House Deputy Leader was retained by Yusuf Lasun from the South West.

Dogara at a speech with the House caucus members last Tuesday had said: “It was time to tell one another some home truths. It had become clear to all that Nigerians had become impatient with the House.

“The solution was to accommodate the major interests, which was what played out” he claimed.

Gbajabiamila, it would be recalled,narrowly lost out the speakership seat to Dogara by 8 votes in what many believed to be a result of high wire politics that tended to create a crisis of confidence among the various contending forces within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, the crisis in the APC caucus had worsened since last June as group loyal to the Lagos State lawmaker insisted on Gbajabiamila’s coronation as the House Majority Leader when it was obvious that his dream of becoming the Speaker had failed.

However, the attempt by the APC leadership to intervene in the matter equally failed even as the party tried to introduce party supremacy theory to resolve the brewing crisis.

In a bid to pacify the former opposition leader, the APC’s leadership came up with a proposal to make him the majority leader.

The party also zoned the deputy leader to the North West, Chief Whip to the North East and deputy Whip to the South-South.

But the Dogara faction maintained that federal character must be applied in the appointment of key officers of the House, a development which further polarized the 306 members House along ethnic lines.

He made his own proposal which would have seen the majority leader come from the North West and the Deputy Leader from the North Central. The Speaker also zoned the Chief Whip to South-South and the Deputy Whip to the South East The development has also led President MuhammaduBuhari who had severally dissociated himself from the National Assembly crisis to meet with House of Reps members loyal to Gbajabiamilaon July 1.

During the crucial peace parley, the embattled lawmaker was quoted to have urged Buhari to caution Dogara and his 39 supporters to abide with APC’s guideline.

He said; “It is noteworthy that Mr. President and the governors had strongly put their weight behind the party and had severally admonished the House to abide by the party’s position.

“The 39 APC members in the House continue to collude with the PDP to flagrantly disobey Mr. President, the governors and the party with a view to bringing the party and

Gbajabiamila

government to ridicule before Nigerians” Continuing, Gbajabiamila alleged that the development if not curtailed, may lead to massive defection of Dogara’s group to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) His words: “The conduct of the 39 APC members colluding with the PDP is tantamount to affront ultimately targeted at polarizing our party so as to give room for many of them to decamp to the PDP. It is therefore imperative for Mr. President to take a stand and save the integrity of the party by cautioning the 39 members which included the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker, to respect, honour and obey our party leaders and their directives” Only recently, the group loyal to Dogara had in strong term refused to shift ground insisting that the principle of federal character must be followed in the appointment of other principal officers.

Unfortunately, the intractable crisis in the two chambers of the National Assembly, which had virtually crippled the smooth take-off of the new Buhari’s administration has generated a rash of public outrage requiring Buhari’s intervention last Monday, contrary to his earlier stance to stay aloof.

Unknown to many, the almost 20 minutes meeting the President had with the warring APC lawmakers did the magic as both parties agreed to sheath their swords APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, disclosed that the crisis in the House of Representatives over leadership positions was resolved through the intervention of President Buhari.

Oyegun, who stated this during an interactive session with newsmen at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, noted that “the misunderstanding in the House of Representatives has been amicably resolved, thanks to the intervention of Mr President who, again, made it quite clear that there is no alternative but to listen to what the party says.”

According to him “I want to emphasise the fact that all of us were what we were, thanks to the platform that the party provided for everybody.”

On Buhari’s intervention, he said “I think his message resonated very intensive with all the members of the House, he still did not interfere. I want to make that very clear and his parting words to us, was that the presiding leadership of the House and the party should go and resolve whatever issues they have and that is what exactly happened.”

To this end, he said “we left there (after meeting with President Buhari) into consultations and discussions with the presiding officers of the House of Representatives, and let me take this opportunity to pay tribute to their maturity, to their sense of responsibility, their loyalty to the party and above all, the sense of patriotism displayed by the Speaker and his deputy.”

Speaking at the end of the session, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, San Zoro described the development as a ‘triumph of democracy based on reasoning and constitutionalism’ Zoro hinted that by resolving the crisis ‘amicably’ members had proved that they were mature.

He also attributed a major factor which brokered peace among the warring APC lawmakers to the last Monday’s intervention by President Buhari.

“We want to use this opportunity to thank Mr President for his 20 minutes meeting with us. It was very crucial.

What Mr. President did was a fatherly engagement, what he did has clearly shown that he is not the so called dictator that our opponents wanted to paint him” Reacting to the new twist, an elated Gbajabiamila said peace had returned to the House at last.

According to him, “What you saw in the last 49 days was actually democracy in action.

“That is what democracy is all about. Everybody is trying to outwit everybody for the greater good of the country.

“I am glad that everything has panned the way it has panned out. You will now see the House you knew in the last four years back in action, working for the people, working for the nation” With the relative peace brokered in the House of Reps during the week on the platform of party supremacy, many have expressed concerns over the seeming unending leadership crisis currently tearing the senate apart.

The senate is also enmeshed in deep supremacy battle since June 9 following the emergence of Senator Bukola Saraki as the senate President against the party’s first choice, Senator Ahmad Lawan thereby bringing to the fore, the contentious issue of party supremacy and the independence of the three arms of the government.

However, former House of Reps member during the Second Republic Hon Adekunle Alli in an interview with Saturday Mirror argues in favour of party supremacy above federal character.

His words: “For me, the two (party supremacy and federal character) seem to have their validity but in different respects.

“If you take the holistic view of the matter, party supremacy stands out clearly above the federal character. Federal character is a peculiar solution to our ethno geographical problem of this country. “Supremacy of the party has been enshrined everywhere democracy is practiced, otherwise, it would have resulted into party chaos.

“Party supremacy is the collective decision making of the party” he says Will the APC intervene in resolving the crisis rocking the senate Red Chamber?

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

National Assembly crisis, affecting governance –Adekunle Alli Elder statesman and Second Republic House of Reps member Hon Adekunle Alli is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress APC. The politician in this interview with LEKAN ADEJUWON speaks on the National Assembly crisis describing it as a rebellion against the supremacy of the party and other sundry issues, excerpts:

Y

our party the APC recently won the election to become the ruling party, but all of a sudden the party was enmeshed in serious intra-party crisis following the June 9 National Assembly election, a development which brought about the issue of party supremacy and federal character.

You have seen it all as second republic lawmaker. What is your take on the two contending issues?

For me, the two (party supremacy and federal character) seem to have their validity but in different respects. If you take the holistic view of the matter, party supremacy stands out clearly above the federal character. Federal character is a peculiar solution to our ethno geographical problem of this country. Supremacy of the party has been enshrined everywhere democracy is practised, otherwise, it would have resulted into party chaos. Party supremacy is the collective decision making of the party. So, the problem we are facing now will soon die off because those who got into office by stealth will soon lose whatever support they have when they discover that they can no longer sustain the rebellion they muscle against the party. I call it a rebellion for want of better words. So ultimately supremacy of the party will soon assert itself.

Some people will argue that the APC is still the ruling party. If you stick to this conspiracy theory, does it mean that APC is discriminatory against its own party members?

It does not follow. The APC as the ruling party controls the executive and the executive is the leading branch in the presidential democracy but it has a conjunctive function with the National Assembly to which members are elected into 2 chambers. The first one is the senate chamber, the other one is the House of Representatives based on the different principles of election, the senate, being geographical representation of the people while the House is the direct representation of the people. So, what we are now having is that the APC which has the largest number of votes had been breached somehow. Some of their members have been induced by the opposition party to change the representation of the party in the two chambers of the National Assembly.

But a school of thought even say the APC should be thankful to the opposition PDP during the June 9 NASS election, because for the mere fact that when the crucial decision of electing leadership of both chambers came up

majority of the APC lawmakers were not physically present as they were in another venue entirely which means that due to the numerical strength of the PDP, the party could have even produced the senate president. Don’t you think so?

The whole thing is conspiracy. One leading member of the ruling party, Dr Bukola Saraki had actually connived with the PDP, the party, which he hitherto belonged to change the function of the party on the floor by having himself, due to his overwhelming ambition, installed as the senate president while the PDP agreed to have one of its members installed as the Deputy President of the senate, and that is the scenario we have in the place. If Saraki had not played this prank, it would not have been possible for the PDP to install him alone and don’t forget that as soon as 10 am on that day, the door of the national assembly was closed and that was why this is the result we are having at the moment. Otherwise if the APC members of the senate managed to get in, it would not have been that easy to get Saraki to become president and Ekweremadu, his deputy. In the House of Reps, it was the decision of members because a group felt they do not want the principal offices to go to the south and that is why they revolt against the emergence of Gbajabiamila as the Speaker even though he has always been the leading official spokesman of the opposition in the House of Reps.

But in all, I believe all these things will soon be ironed out when the situation arises and APC is able to get its acts together.

Does that mean that if the two principal actors were able to have their ways, is that not sending a wrong signal to the question of party supremacy giving the fact the country has not matured to the level of independent candidacy?

It would have been an aberration from the theory of party supremacy but sometimes you may have to compromise in a situation whereby it is the same party and of course different individuals emerged from this kangaroo election earlier in the senate.

So that situation could have been corrected because it is the same party man. Therefore, the correction which the party is trying to make is that since the leadership of the party has gone to where it is, the majority leadership should be held by member appointed by the party and not by another faction from the House. That is where the party is trying to put its feet down and if

Hon. Alli

they are not going to have it, then they are going to have problem because the legislature cannot function without funds and the control of funds is in the hands of the executive.

By comparison, do you have similar scenario playing out during your own time?

It was very nearly so, but not exactly, only that there was a coalition government during our own time between the NPN and NPP which were actually in the majority and in fact they also controlled the executive arm of the government. So, it was easy to obtain cooperation between the legislature and the executive. Somewhere along the line during the period, we had a situation whereby even in the House or in the senate, the government lost quality votes to the then opposition on certain issues but we were able to reconcile some ways agreeable to the parties in the House.

Obviously, many still believe the crisis rocking the APC lawmakers is affecting governance because almost two months into Buhari’s presidency, no key appointments, no cabinet list had been forwarded to a divided House for scrutiny to the extent that Nigerians are worried about the sincerity of a party that promises to bring about change. What is your take on this?

I agree with you to some extent. The problem in the National Assembly is affecting governance but it will have to be resolved, otherwise we cannot move forward.

We cannot have a situation where a government with certain specific programmes and in an attempt to implement these programmes, it is been hamstrung by the legislative arm of government to that extent, there is a slowdown in the tempo of government, but there is also the fact that a whole change has to be made by the prevailing executive authority which I believe the President in his own wisdom is taking his time to address in the changing of various executive bodies, the boards of corporations, the reconstitution of important ministries and parastatals, the armed forces and he

has also pledged to address the issue of corruption which in some ways he is tackling gradually but surely.

What is your reaction to the recent threat by the PDP not to accept any election conducted by the leadership of interim INEC Chairman?

The opposition are performing their role rightly or wrongly, one cannot fault them on that but the point of determination to oppose the interim chairman of the INEC cannot hold since her appointment is only in the interim. The point is that since Professor Jega completed his tenure and went back to school, it is only natural that someone has to be chairman in the meantime.

But the appointment has not been made substantive and when we reach that bridge, we can begin to talk about it.

Of recent the EFCC suddenly woke up from its slumber as we have had cases of arrest and detention of some highly placed personalities. What will you ascribe to the new development?

To me, since President Obasanjo set off the EFCC as a commission to probe various corruption cases in the country, he started very well, but somewhere along the line there was hue and cry in the country and it appears the government temporised until what it is today, but I don’t believe that the EFCC itself is corruption free. The unfortunate thing about Nigeria is when you set up a body, by the time you know it, the body would have been infiltrated by different individuals who have vested interest and in the process, that body will be compromised as we have in the case of EFCC. We are in Nigeria and people look for money from any angle they can get it. So, it appears until the emergence of Buhari now, the EFCC has been somehow dormant but woken up by the crusade of Buhari against corruption in public places. So it is a welcome development that EFCC has now woken up to its responsibilities. Buhari has also promised to give teeth to the EFCC so that they can carry out the prosecutions before them without fear or favour.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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August 1, 2015

Talking Politics

‘New DSS DG is APC ‘DSS DG not our member’ member’ “I ­­— Alhaji Lai Mohammed, APC National Publicity Secretary

—Uche Secondus, PDP Acting National chairman

“T

he NWC notes that this unfortunate development has been the case since the appointment of the new Director General of the DSS, Alhaji Lawal Daura, whom we learnt was a critical intelligence stakeholder of the APC as a card-carrying member of that party during the campaigns. This is ungodly and unacceptable. The President should review his appointment.

“We do hope that in his new job, the Director General of DSS is not mixing issues on the APC presidential candidate and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, hence the need for Mr. President to rein him in, as the development is capable of eroding the cherished indepen-

dence of the judiciary and the electoral commission, a sine qua non for a virile democracy, which guarantees our unity and stability as a nation.”

In his reaction, the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said his party sympathised with the PDP.

‘APC not behind EFCC’s probe of Saraki’s wife’ —Chief Odigie Oyegun, National Chairman of APC

“W

e are completely, totally, absolutely, innocent of it. What we have not done like in the PDP days is to rush and say and interfere with the processes of the EFCC which our president has made quite clearly, everybody should be ready to carry out their legitimate functions without interference.

“I want to assure you without doubt, that the APC absolutely has nothing to do with this, she’s not on trial by the way. It is an investigation that has to do with the Senate President’s wife.

“The EFCC is doing what it thinks it has to do”

t is trite that he who alleges must prove. In the absence of that, the PDP must call another press conference to publicly apologize to all Nigerians for engaging in barefaced lies.”

“We know that the psyche of the PDP has been badly affected by its loss of power at the centre. “Even the party itself has admitted that much. That situation has now been compounded by the fact that the party is broke. “ It is, therefore, not a surprise that it is no longer able to think straight. The reality of its new situation is just beginning to dawn on it.

‘United, we can defeat Boko Haram’ —President Muhammadu Buhari

“W

e recognize that none of us can succeed alone. In order to win this war, we need the collective efforts of each one of us standing together as a formidable force for good, to defeat and end these acts of terror against our people.

“Let me assure all of my relentless pursuit of all possible means to safeguard Nigeria’s territorial integrity, protect the lives and property of our citizens as well as my commitment to continue to collaborate with Cameroun and our neighbours, within the framework of the Lake Chad Basin Commission.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria is committed to respecting international

“I

said it during the campaigns that General Buhari does not like Igbo people and it is happening now with all the appointments he has so far made since he came into office on May 29, 2015 “He appointed five service chiefs and there is no Igbo man, even though Igbo have qualified people to occupy the positions.

“His party has completed the selection of principal officers in the national assembly and despite the

fact that the speaker, Mr. Yakubu Dogara made case to apply the federal character in allocating the offices, the president jettisoned it through his intervention and left Igbo APC lawmakers out.

“He also exhibited his vindictiveness during his recent visit to the United States of America, USA, when he travelled with only governors from his party, leaving out governors from the opposition parties”.

norms to resolve this matter and to restore normalcy to all the affected areas as soon as possible.”

‘Jonathan can’t dictate to Buhari on probe’ — Barrister Monday Ubani, former Ikeja NBA Chairman

‘Buhari’s appointments show “I his hatred for Igbo’ —Ohaneze, the pan Igbo socio-cultural organisation

”But we warned the PDP early on that being in opposition is not a walk in the park. We warned that while the party was used to eating its bread with butter on both sides, it will now be lucky to even have bread to eat,”

f in the process of probing Jonathan’s administration and other facts came up, I am sure there is no way Buhari will stop at that because he said even his political party members will not be spared.

“But he must have a limit with which he will go with the probe because if he now says that he will probe all the past admin-

istrations, which may take him as far back as 1960 when Nigeria gained independence.

“I believe if former President Jonathan upon taking over the government and saw that there were some level of rot and fails to do what he is supposed to do, it is an indictment even on his own part.

He owes Nigerians explanations for not even probing the previous administrations that he came after.

“And now he is now assigning the responsibility to Buhari to do that for him. That shows how weak he was and the fact that he was not supposed to have been the president.

“The collateral damage he has done to this country will take us many years to recover from. And so it does not lie in the mouth of Jonathan to tell Buhari whose government to probe”.

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Living

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August 1, 2015

17

We came to Lagos to make it big

• Say juveniles wandering around Mega City

Juveniles passing the night under mega city bridge (file picture)

Patience Ogbo

F

or 16 years old Emeka, coming to Lagos was a big “achievement” for him as he said he intended to gather a lot of wealth from hustling in Lagos to go and show off in his village in Anambra State.

“I am from Ohumba Local Government Area in Anambra State. My mother is in the village with three of my brothers, but my father is dead. I am the last child of the family. My mother sells banga (palm Kernel) in my village.

We are always poor and hungry. One day in 2014, I made up my mind to come to Lagos. I have heard very interesting stories about Lagos, and how people from my village come to Lagos to make money. I wanted that type of life too, so

I decided to leave my village to come to Lagos in search of wealth. I took some of my mother’s money, and decided to make the trip. I first went to Delta State with the little cash I took from my mother. The money was not enough to take me down to Lagos so I decided to wait at the bus terminus where they load passengers to Lagos. I waited there until late and when I noticed that nobody was watching, I sneaked

into a trailer conveying oranges. The goods were in the trunk of the vehicle, and I smuggled myself inside. I hid at a spot far from anyone’s view until we arrived Ibadan. I thought we were in Lagos, but later found out that we were in Ibadan. The driver stopped at Ring Road at Ibadan, and he said he was not going to Lagos any longer. I waited in the vehicle thinking he would change his mind, but he went to park the trail-

My aim was to get a rich trader I can serve so that I can earn money to go and show off in my village. Now I know better that life is not easy in the city

er in front of a warehouse. I quickly sneaked out of the vehicle, and started wandering about in Ibadan. I slept under the bridge that night, and the next day, I went to look for job. I met some boys under the bridge, and they took me to a place where I can learn making of plaster of Paris (POP) and also sell biscuits and other goods during the day. My aim was to make enough money and continue to Lagos where I intended to settle down. I finally came to Lagos last week, and the bus dropped me at Oshodi. I mingled with some boys I met under the Oshodi Bridge, and was still learning the ropes when the Police came and raided the place.

My aim was to get a rich trader I can serve so that I can earn money to go and show off in my village. Now I CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

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‘Life is not easy in the city’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

know better that life is not easy in the city,” Emeka narrated.

For 11 years old Kudus, and 12 years old Habeed, Oshodi was more of a succour away from their “abusive” parents.

Kudus said: “I am a student of AUD Primary School at Imota Ikorodu . I ran away from home for the past four days because I stole my mother’s N1000, and I was afraid she was going to beat the hell out of me. I was sleeping inside a shop with other boys at night, but during the day, I go out to help people carry loads. I would love to go back to my parents, but I am afraid they will beat me for stealing.”

Habeed said: “I ran away from my home in Abeokuta. I entered a train from Abeokuta to Lagos. I wanted to see how beautiful Lagos is because I have heard several good stories of how people are making it in Lagos. My mother got married to another man, and she took me along to live in her new home, but my step father beats me a lot. I will go back home if my father will take me to his house. I have lived under the bridge for more than 3 weeks. I sleep with other boys in a shop at Bolade Oshodi. I help people to carry loads during the day.”

Adebosoye is 16 years old. He said: “I ran away from my grandmother’s home at Iyana Oworo. My mother is dead and my father abandoned me. I came to Oshodi to become a bus conductor. I have been doing the job for more than six months. I sleep anywhere, and go out to work from there. I would love to go back to my home, but I am already making money, and I don’t think I can enjoy myself at home the way I do here (Oshodi).”

However for 12 year old Tajudeen, the fear of Boko Haram made him escape from his home in Kebbi State.

“My parents live in Kebbi State. We are always afraid that the insurgents will strike. My mother is from Osogbo so she brought me to Osogbo, but I ran away from home to Lagos. I came to Lagos to get a job as a motor boy. I left Osogbo because I learnt my brothers were taken back to Kebbi.

I heard of a place called Alaba Rago in Lagos where a lot of Hausa people live. I wanted to go to Alaba Rago to meet a man that will change my life, but I got caught up with the life at Oshodi. I met a lot of stray boys like me, and they took me to where they were living inside a shop at Bolade with some Aboki (Hausa men). I go out during the day to hawk anything I can lay my hands on, but in the nights, I sleep with my friends.”

Kazeem, another 15 years old boy said he ran away from his “master’s” home where he was learning hair cutting.

“My father withdrew me from school, and made me to learn barbing with a man in the Orile area of Lagos. My parents live in Sango in Ogun State. I was tired of learning to cut hair so I ran away to Oshodi so I can go back to my parents, but I got caught up with the life there. I was making money for myself, and I felt it was cool until the Police

raided us.”

These dreams were dashd when a team of policemen recently raided criminal hideouts at the Oshodi area of Lagos State. The team led by the Chairman of the Lagos State Task Force on Special Offences and Environment , SP Hakeem Adedeji, and the Commander of the Rapid Response Squad, ACP Olatunji Disu, expressed concern over the large number of wandering juvenile found under the Oshodi Bridge.

This worry follows the rescue of 23 boys and three girls loitering at different period of the day around Oshodi and environs.

The children were among 53 persons taken by the Police to the Task Force Office at Alausa for profiling and identification.

Aside the juveniles, others are said to be adults allegedly found playing cards, smoking and sleeping under the bridge, while some others were alleged to be criminals who snatch bags, wristwatches , money and other personal effects from passers-by at Oshodi.

According to Police investigations, the juveniles, mainly from poor homes, allegedly ran away from their various homes in search of greener pastures

in Lagos State, and the best place they felt could hasten their search for quick wealth was to mingle with others of like minds at Oshodi.

ACP Disu said: “On arrival at the Task force office at Alausa, the suspects were rigorously screened and 20 of them who were able to substantiate their mission at the point of arrest, and means of livelihood, were released while 39 others who could neither convince the Police nor give satisfactory account of themselves were handed over to the Taskforce for necessary action.”

Also speaking about the rescued juveniles, the Task Force Chairman, SP Adedeji, added that the Police have contacted some of the families of the children, and they were shocked to learn that their children were idling away in Lagos.

He said: “In the spirit of fundamental human rights, the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Ministry of Education have been invited to take custody of the juveniles while we have contacted some of their parents to come for them.”

Kazeem’s father was one of the parents who came to take their children away.

He denied torturing his son, saying “My son was never tortured. I gave

We have been looking for him for days before the Police called me to come and take him back home, saying that they found him wandering at Oshodi. I have been praying that he should change and become a better person. I guess I have to pray harder

him up to learn barbing because I cannot keep him in school. He was always causing trouble in school because of his wayward ways, and I had to put him under someone who can teach him a trade. I don’t want him to become useless or a criminal so I felt it was best for him to learn one handiwork, but the boy is very stubborn. We have been looking for him for days before the Police called me to come and take him back home, saying that they found him wandering at Oshodi. I have been praying that he should change and become a better person. I guess I have to pray harder.”

The rescued juveniles however, seem to be ignorant of the danger they have exposed themselves to.

Some of them who spoke with our correspondent stated that they been away from home for months and were “enjoying” themselves at Oshodi before the Police came to “spoil” their fun.

The boys whose ages range from 10 to 16 said they make a living by selling all sort of goods under the bridge while others said they act as bus conductors and porters to anybody who needs their services.

Asked what their motives were for leaving their families, the boys shocked our correspondent with varied answers. While some said they were lured to Lagos just to taste the good life of a mega city, others said they ran away from their villages to Lagos to “make” money.

Though the escapades embarked upon by these boys cannot be ventured into by even adults; some of them told our correspondents that they escaped from home just to fulfill their dreams of living in a big city like Lagos.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

LIVING

August 1, 2015

19

Water turns to gold in Abeokuta

Children fetching water at Odo Ibule, flowing from underground into drainage path, and serving as alternative water source for residents in Kugba

…all thanks to irregular power supply, rocky terrain, declining rainfall

Yinka Adeparusi

2

015 seems to be presenting Nigeria with what looks like an unfavourable climatic condition.

With dramatic drop in rainfall, residents in some parts of the country have been finding water at a premium. The situation presents more of a daunting task in some parts of the country, like Abeokuta, the capital Ogun State, where people would have to dig through rock if they are to harbour any hope of striking water, because of the unique topography of the land. Even then, unreliable power supply has meant that residents are not always guaranteed of water every time from these difficult-to-drill bore holes.

The Director-General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Dr. Anthony Anuforom, while presenting the yearly Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP), highlighted an arid year, with less rainfall in most parts of the country in 2015, as well as late start and early stop in rains in some towns, Abeokuta inclusive.

Abeokuta (literally ‘under the rock’) is not strange to water scarcity. But residents have been coping through existing alternatives whenever tap water is not forthcoming. First timer in

the experience, National Youth Service Corps member, Omolola Kehinde, who lives around Onikolobo area, thinks her community is fortunate because the residents are assured of water from numerous wells.

“We are lucky there are wells here and it has been raining of late, but when it is dry season the situation is different. You will see people here, who are mostly students from Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and National Open University of Nigeria, lining streets along with their jerry cans in search of water from the next available well or pipe borne water source,” she said.

But not all were lucky with getting water from the earth. Public Relations

Officer of Ilupeju community at Oke Saje in Abeokuta South Local Government, Adesina Animasaun, tells a different story. “We have difficulties getting water in our area. We have tried to dig water bore hole and tried for long, but no result. Few people that have wells in their premises are constantly being overwhelmed by too many people coming to take from the wells. They never have enough water.

“For Instance, the area where I live is rocky; some dug deep for long but failed to strike water. Only about five of us were successful in the area, which means there are not enough wells to go round.”

On attempts made by his community to put an end to the water problem,

Our area is rocky. Some people dug deep for long but failed to strike

water. Only about five of us were

successful in digging wells, which means there are not enough wells to go round

Animasaun said: “We have been to Ogun Osun River Basin Authority several times, they promised to dig one for us but unfortunately all our efforts came to naught. Sometimes ago, Ogun Osun River Basin Authority promised to dig bore hole for us, so they asked us to put our request in a letter, which we did in the name of our association. We kept going back to remind them but at the end nothing came out of it.”

For weeks, between June and July 2015, there was a total halt in water flow from tap operated by the Ogun State Water works, leaving resident to bemoan the lack of flow and counting the cost of seeking water through other means.

Another resident, Jubril Ayoola, declared that “It is now so bad that sachet water has literally turned to gold. One is sold for N10 now in Egba town. The water problem is getting terrible and the water people are drinking now is not good. We pray there won’t be outbreak of disease.

“Water is not pumping in any part of Abeokuta now, for almost two weeks. We can’t even come up with a tangible reason why it is like this. Some tell us they have disconnected power at water works, some CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

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‘Government should help us with this water thing’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

say it’s a result of debts owed, so we don’t know which is the main reason.

Recently, the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun, stated categorically that debts owed by the Ogun State Water Works to Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company have meant that power supply to the station is cut off. “I want to plead with everybody to please bear with us during this crisis period. I assure you that the water crisis will be resolved soon,” while promising to settle the debt as soon as possible.

The latest water crisis had happened at a time when the Muslim faithful were observing the Ramadan fast. Ayoola, being a practicing Muslim, frowns at the instances when he had to struggle to get water while trying to carry out his act of worship. “When you get to the Mosque to do ablution, being in the period of Ramadan fasting, getting water is always problematic,” he said.

After a long spell of not getting tap water, the early hours of Saturday July 18 brought a moment of respite, and the rush by all to fill every container in every household showed how deeply the water scarcity had really bitten.

Housewife, Ajoke Akindele of IyanaCele in Adatan area, while narrating her community’s experience, expressed her delight that she could now get water from the public tap. She said, “The water stopped pumping before the commencement of Raman fast, while we only fetched once during the fasting.

For almost two months, we could not get water, but now we are relieved although we still don’t know how long this will last.”

According to Olufemi Fatokun, a youth leader at Iyana-Cele area, the public tap at Car Wash area where Akindele fetches water from is just one of the two available to service thousands of people in the neighbourhood, as it had stopped pumping water for a while after it was commissioned by the state government in 2003, before they had it fixed again.

He said: “It stopped working for some years, so it was then that the youths in this community decided to go to water works to seek approval for reconstruction and it was approved. We have two of this in the community. If we have a third would be okay. People come from different areas to get water here while this place is the only one at car wash.”

Food vendor, Fatimo Somade has been incurring extra cost while trying to get

People fetching water from source flowing into a drainage system at Onikolobo

A girl fetching water from a bathroom tap at Adatan on Saturday July 18, after weeks of halt in water flow

Many tenants left our area to go and live elsewhere. Since they could not get water easily here, they decided to relocate. But as a landlord, it’s hard for one to abandon one’s house for such reason. water for cooking, something she could have avoided if the water from the water works was always readily available. “We have been depending on well water and rain water. It affects us a lot. We don’t always have water for use. Sometimes we buy water, and a jerry can costs about N70,” she lamented.

Landlords in Abeokuta have also been counting costs of not being able to provide clean water for their tenants, with many tenants packing out and leaving house owners to deal with the unfortunate circumstance alone.

Animasaun revealed that “Many tenants left our area to go live elsewhere. Since they could not get water easily here, they decided to relocate. But as a landlord, it’s hard for one to abandon one’s house for such reason.”

Meanwhile, some tenants would not mind going the extra mile to get water.

For ages, people of Abeokuta like most communities in Nigeria have had to rely on brooks, being the foremost traditional source of water. These days, water from the rock and underground have been providing considerable substitute, even if it just to take care of household chores.

One of those water sources is Odo Ibule at Kugba, in Abeokuta North local Government Area, which has been reduced to a narrow opening as a result of road extension on the original land area.

A roadside trader, Monsurat Tiamiyu, grew up using water from the stream.

“When we have problems getting water from the tap, this is the only alternative

people come to. People travel down from Itoko to get water here,” she said.

“It is ancestral. It used to be a big stream extending towards the other side of the road where we now have shops, but then the road was not this wide. It was bushy and we used to have bamboo trees around the area. People fetched water from the stream. Now, whenever water fails to come from the tap, people would come here at Odo Ibule because we don’t have wells here. In the dry season, this place gets overcrowded that sometimes people fight one another in the struggle to fetch water.

“The traditionalists would come occasionally to take from the water, have

their bath, drink from the water and go on to perform rituals.”

However, the hygiene of the water from Odo Ibule remains doubtful because it flows directly from underground into the drainage system lining the road, although users seem less bothered about its safety, as they do not many options.

According to Tiamiyu, “When it rains, sand and other particles are carried to the source opening, almost covering it, so the flow gets lesser. The water is useful, because when the taps are not running, it is this water that people use for house hold chores and some would even cook with it.”

Speaking for the general public, Animasaun, as the public relations officer of Ilupeju community, would want the government or any other privileged body to help in guaranteeing non-stop easy access to water in the city.

“We will be glad if the government can provide pipe borne water for us. People outnumber the few wells here, because not all the houses have wells. Our hope now is that if we could see someone to help us, probably a councillor or chairman of the local government, and if the governor can help, we will be grateful as well,” he pleaded.

Relieved residents at Iyana-Cele in adatan fetching water by a public tap on Saturday July 18, after weeks of halt in water flow

Entervaganza

The Saturday Mirror Magazine

Relationships

What if the woman neglects herself after childbirth?

P.32

Sex talk 20 things to

note about the favourite part P.32

Fashion

Butterfly ‘n’’ boyfriend P.28

Funmi ... multimedia queen

22

ENTERVAGANZA

August 1 , 2015

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y t i r b e l e C

I’m bringing out new faces in my movies —Akin-Tijani Balogun

Akin-Tijani Balogun is one of Nollywood’s respected directorproducers. He’s presently in the midst of a very ambitious project, and he told OSEYIZA OOGBODO about it.

What’s the latest about you?

I just produced a movie, Police Report, in conjunction with a friend, under a new concept we’re trying out now, which is to produce a movie every month.

A movie a month? A full length movie or a short film?

A full length feature movie.

Producing a full length movie every month? Won’t such a movie be an hasty job?

It won’t be. It depends on how you handle it. Sometimes, some movies are shot in five, six months, and some are shot in longer time than that or lesser time that that. It all depends on your planning. And being a veteran, we know the pros and cons, we know how to manage the schedule. What we’re going to do now, we’ve already planned ahead, so we’ve cut down a lot of loopholes that normally make jobs to drag. Like what we’re going to do this August has already been planned for. Likewise what we’ll shoot in September, it’s already being planned. And another concept we’re trying to work on is to showcase new faces that people have not seen. So when we did our audition, we selected people that are not prominent.

Do you appear in movies yourself?

Like I said, I’m a director and pro-

So what’ve you achieved?

What I’ve achieved? That’s a very big question. I view achievements in terms of human quality. Like I said before, I was once a teacher in a secondary school. So, presently now, what I’ll see as my achievement are my students. The people that have passed through me and today, they are people. Many of them are graduates, many of them even have more degrees than I have now, and we still communicate, and when we do, they always say, ‘Teacher, I’m proud that I passed through you, sir.’ That always gives me joy. So many of them are in the UK, America, Canada, doing further studies and all of that. And I see that as a great achievement for me. I know the angle you actually want me to go into is …

Every angle. Every angle.

I’m my own greatest critic. So it’s very difficult for me to say I’ve achieved.

People look at me and say, ‘This guy is doing so well.’ They’ve seen one or two of my jobs and they like them so much.

But for me, I’m still thinking of the bigger picture. I’m yet to be fulfilled. I still want to do much, much more.

Balogun

How many years have you been in this industry?

That’ll be about fifteen years now. I studied theatre arts at the University of Ibadan and majored in directing, so that’s how it all started. And I started getting involved professionally right on campus. I directed many productions professionally and for academic purposes. And after school, I actually diverted a little bit, you know the way it is in Nigeria, so I went into teaching and came back to the industry later.

new channels, especially to even avoid the scourge of piracy.

ducer, not an actor. I don’t want to act, although I’ve actually appeared in one or two of our jobs, just for fun. But professionally, I’m not an actor, so my face is not one that people can say they’ve really been seeing on the screen. Although one or two people still recognize me from the one or two small-small roles that I’ve taken on.

What’s your biggest job so far, the one that has made the most impact?

How do I even begin to answer that, because most of my jobs have made impact.

People always say my jobs are different from the norm. I’ve written some scripts for some people, like a friend of mine,

Bayo Alawiye, that he directed, Dark Side.

It premiered at cinemas, and ran for several weeks. And most of the jobs that we do, some are not even in Nigeria, because most people are not aware that we’ve viable markets in the western world for our local movies, both English and Yoruba and some other languages. So many of my jobs have been seen outside while people in Nigeria have not even seen them. I remember a time when a friend of mine in the UK posted on my Facebook that she saw a movie of mine and she wanted to know why it wasn’t on Youtube. And I tried to explain to her that we’re trying to break barriers by bringing our movies out through

Talking about financially, people like you in America are billionaires. Guys like Steven Spielberg, James Cameron and many others. So financially, tell us where you stand.

If you look at the financial angle, that juxtaposition, that analogy you made, of comparing America to Nigeria is farfetched. The kind of marketing structure they have over there is much more different when you look at the structure of our own industry. Let me just say we are living the Nigerian way. What we are doing at least enables us to live and live well in Nigeria. Of course we know that if we do it outside, we’ll make much more.

What’s your greatest plan for the industry?

Oh! My own plan is to have a film village, a place that’s structured, designed to be a film village for complete productions, because movie is just one out of the several things we do. So I want to have a film village, a place where you can shoot a game show, a commercial, anything that goes on the screen.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

August 1, 2015

Warm reception as AFRIMA holds Morocco Stakeholders’ Conference … and Morocco makes strong appeal to host next three AFRIMA editions

I

t was a rousing reception for the All Africa Music Awards, AFRIMA, in partnership with the African Union Commission, AUC, as the awards project held its AFRIMA 2015 Stakeholders’ Conference for the northern region of Africa in Morocco on Thursday, July 23 at the Sofitel Hotel, Casablanca. On Friday, July 24, The AFRIMA delegation also had extensive and successful deliberations with the government of Kingdom of Morocco in the capital city of Rabat as represented by Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Mbarka Bouaida; Culture, Mohammed Amine Sbihi; and Director, Strategy and Cooperation, Ministry of Tourism, Tarik Sadik.

With the theme: Integration of Africa through Music and Culture, the Stakeholders’ Conference was facilitated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingdom of Morocco; 2014 AFRIMA winner for Best Male Artiste Northern Africa, Ahmed Soultan and the Sofitel Hotel Casablanca aimed at communicating the objectives and ideals of AFRIMA to the stakeholders in Northern Africa.

AFRIMA is a continental awards initiative that rewards the abundant talents in the African music industry, while celebrating and showcasing the rich musical and cultural heritage of Africa to a global audience for socio-economic competitiveness.

Some of the objectives of AFRIMA include using music and culture to foster deeper interaction of Africans, enhance creative and skilled capacity in the African music industry to contribute to the GDP of states and reduce poverty on the continent.

The Morocco Stakeholders Conference was attended by members of the Moroccan media, music industry practitioners, corporate sector executives and addressed by the representatives of the International Committee of AFRIMA namely: AFRIMA President/Executive Producer, Mr. Mike Dada; Head of Culture Department, African Union Commission (AUC), Ms. Angela Martins; Chairman, AFRIMA International Media Committee, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Member, AFRIMA Sponsorship & Brand Communications Committee, Mr. Jire Anifalaja and AFRIMA Project Director, Ms. Adenrele Niyi.

Sharing with the conference participants, 2014 AFRIMA winner Ahmed Soultan said his artistic vision to cross regional borders with his music was further strengthened after winning the AFRIMA

L-R: Head of Culture Department, African Union Commission (AUC) and member of the AFRIMA Jury, Ms. Angela Martins; AFRIMA 2014 Best Male Artiste in Northern Africa, Ahmed Soultan; Managing Director, PRM Africa and President/Executive Producer, AFRIMA, Mike Dada; Responsable de la Programmation, Foundation Hiba, Hicham El Kebbaj and CEO, Hit Radio and President Foundation Hiba, Younes Boumehdi at Foundation Hiba Studios, Morocco.

trophy at the awards ceremony in Lagos. “I always believe that as an African, my music must touch base with people who love music either in Africa or abroad. That is why I support what AFRIMA is doing for African music, they are recognising true authentic music and supporting the dreams of many artistes for recognition for their work.”

Similar to the echo from the participants at the stakeholders’ conference, the Honourable Ministers of Culture and Foreign Affairs expressed the desire of the government of Kingdom of Morocco to support and host AFRIMA next editions after the expiration of hosting right of Nigeria in 2016 as AFRIMA objectives aligns with the cultural diplomacy policy of Morocco.

While delivering her speech through Mr. Abdellatif Jouibli, the conference interpreter, Angela Martins, reiterated the African Union’s commitment to the integration of Africans through culture. “The African Union has been collaborating with AFRIMA for a long time because we see it as a platform for the integration of Africans.

“The creative economy is one of the

most rapidly growing sectors of the world economy and a powerful force for sustainable development in terms of income generation, job creation and export earnings.”

Applauding AFRIMA as a promoter of Africa’s cultural and creative industries.

Ms. Martins added that the AU cherishes the collaboration with AFRIMA ‘since it assists us in the implementation of the AU arts and culture policies’.

In his address, AFRIMA President, Mike Dada, thanked the government and people of Morocco for the warm reception AFRIMA received since arrival in the city.

“The infectious smiles and the hospitality have been outstanding. AFRIMA Is happy to be here to meet with the stakeholders in the music industry of Morocco and to experience the beauty of your charming country”. Mr. Dada revealed details of the awards programme of activities in 2015, and announced the new entry submission deadline of Friday, July 31 2015 as approved by the International Committee of AFRIMA. “The entry submission was between

May 18 and July 20; however, this has been extended after we received overwhelming requests from music professionals across Africa. The International Committee has set Friday, July 31 for the closing date of submission. We hope the artistes and journalists will take advantage of this extension to be a part of the awards this year.”

There was enthusiastic response from the participants during the interactive session. The predominant question asked by the Moroccan artistes and journalists present bordered on the process by which Morocco could bid to host the awards ceremony after Nigeria.

“The bidding process is open to all African countries. Three countries have shown interest already and if we get an official notification of interest from the government of Morocco, before the bidding deadline of January 26, 2016, it will be more competitive.”

The conference closed on a high note with guests networking and indulging in Moroccan cocktail provided by Sofitel Hotel.

24

August 1, 2015

E-NEWS

Oritsefemi, Olamide may clash over Sebee Remix

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CLASSICAL LYRICS

Fans Mi

Artist: : Davido featuring Meek Mill Chorus (Davido) I remember when dem girls no dey come around I remember when I had no money in my bank account I remember when the street no dey show me love But now dem dey love me bami mu dis Hennessey Omo kilo kan mi, kan mi pelu jealousy Omo kilo kan mi, kan mi pelu enemy Omo kilo kan mi, pemi lori cell mi oh Nigga I’m just balling balling with my fellas mi oh Oya je ka ko’rin, ko’rin pelu fans mi Oya je ka ko’rin, ko’rin pelu fans mi Oya je ka ko’rin, ko’rin pelu fans mi Oya je ka ko’rin, ko’rin pelu fans mi

Oritsefemi

W

eeks after the release of Sebee Remix, which has two of Nigeria’s hottest artists on it, there appears to be some quiet discomfort in the camps of Olamide and Oritsefemi over their collaboration on the song which belongs to promising singer, Sossi.

According to a report making the

Verse 1 (Meek Mill)

Olamide

Sossi

rounds fast, bad blood is brewing between Oritsefemi and Olamide over Sebee Remix because Sossi and his management paid Olamide 1.5 million naira to feature on the song while they paid Oritsefemi just 500,000 naira.

This disparity in the fee is said to be making Oritsefemi angry with Sossi

and his management for underrating for Olamide who is his junior in the industry.

Speaking with E-News, Sossi’s publicist said there’s no need for the two heavyweight artists to be at each other’s throats or to be angry at Sossi because they both got what they requested for.

I don’t care, Aramide blasts haters F

resh from being nominated as female artist of the year at this year’s Nigerian Entertainment Awards, and on the back of the success of her last single, Iwo Nikan, Nigerian afro soul and jazz singer, songwriter and musician, Aramide has presented her latest song, I Don’t Care.

Released via Baseline Music and produced

by Sizzle Pro, I Don’t Care is a jazz fusion ballad with excellent piano arrangements complimented by commanding drum patterns, horn sections and glorious vocal melodies. The record sees Aramide flexing her songwriting dexterity, as she waxes lyrical about losing yourself

in your passion.

In Aramide’s own words, I Don’t Care is “about being passionate about something or someone so much that you lose yourself in it.

That thing might be love, friendship, career, although expressed from the love angle. And people feel you are wasting your time or don’t see any good in what you believe in.”

Already working on her debut album which is to be released in 2016 via Baseline Music, Aramide will be getting audiences ready for her full length debut with a series of acoustic sessions launching on her YouTube channel in the coming weeks. In the meantime, enjoy I Don’t Care.

T

I then put my team on now the team rich We been balling every day we never seen sh*t We tricking and we treating oh like it’s Halloween We sipping champagne by the case **** my campaign she ain’t average Chasing all this paper turning me to a savage Cause all I ever wanted was a milli and a bad bch Chorus (Davido) I remember when dem girls no dey come around I remember when I had no money in my bank account I remember when the street no dey show me love But now dem dey love me bami mu

Aramide

You can’t block my progress, Tundey blasts Vector undey, one of Ibadan’s promising musicians, has spoken out on the absence of respected rapper Vector in the video of their collaboration song, Igboro.

Not mincing words, he said, “My career is on point. I was disappointed that Vector did not turn up for the video shoot of Igboro, despite providing all he requested for. But I’ve moved on because despite his absence in the video, my fans have been commending the video. That, to me, is a blessing.”

He added that “there’s more to my career than to be feeling bad about the disappointment of Vector’s refusal to appear in the video because no one can stop me from getting to the big stage.”

Now I’m in my dream car with my dream chick

dis Hennessey Omo kilo kan mi, kan mi pelu jealousy Omo kilo kan mi, kan mi pelu enemy Omo kilo kan mi, pemi lori cell mi oh Nigga I’m just balling balling with my fellas mi oh Oya je ka ko’rin, ko’rin pelu fans mi Oya je ka ko’rin, ko’rin pelu fans mi Oya je ka ko’rin, ko’rin pelu fans mi Oya je ka ko’rin, ko’rin pelu fans mi Verse 2 (Davido) Omo baba olowo pocket full of dough To be continued next week

Tundey

Vector

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

E-NEWS

August 1, 2015

Obesere, Taye Turaya, Oodua Cultural Troupe dazzle at Okota Festival

An Oodua Cultural Troupe member entertaining the crowd

Obesere

T

he sleepy town of Arigidi–Akoko in Ondo State came alive penultimate Tuesday/ Wednesday when thousands of indigenes, residents of the ancient town and their well-wishers were treated to fun by fuji music icon, Alhaji Abass Obesere, Taye Turaya as well as Oodua cultural Troupe during this year’s Okota Festival.

The two-day festival which was kicked off with a beauty pageant is an annual event put together by the Olokun Festival Foundation.

This year’s edition drew people from various walks of lives and was full of fun.

The winner of the beauty pageant which held on the eve of the grand finale of the festival and was contested by over thirteen beautiful girls was won by Akinrinmade Abidemi Opemipo, a medical student from the Babacock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, who also went away with a star prize of a saloon car.

Speaking on the significance of Okota Festival, the traditional ruler of the town, the Zaki of Arigidi Akoko, Oba Yisa Olanipekun explained that Okota Festival is one of the highest festivals they have in Arigidi.

“In the olden days, if you are a woman and you are going to the farm with your baby and you put

25

Oba Yisa Olanipekun, Zaki of Arigidi Akoko your child beside Okota River, before you come back it would have bathed your baby and put powder on him or her. It is a very responsible shrine.”

He commended the Chief Promoter of Olokun Foundation, Otunba Gani Adam, who is also an indigene of the town for continuously sponsoring the festival annually and making it known to the whole world.

He added that “if you have any

challenges and you go to the Okota Shrine and take the water, you will come back the following year with great testimonies.”

The grand finale of the event took place at the palace square and featured music by Obesere, and Taye Turaya; cultural displays; the festival lecture with the title, Showcasing Tradition and Preserving Inheritance Through Cultural Awareness which was delivered by Dr Boluwaji Oshodi

of the Department of Linguistics and Languages, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko.

Speaking at the occasion, Otunba Gani Adams said the festival is aiming at promoting the people’s identity and to put the youths in activity that will make them busy in the society.

He said the second reason for the celebration of the festival is to promote tourism which he described as an untapped gold in this country.

He said the Okota river is located at the foot of the hills of EdeUyo in Ijaja quarters of Arigidi Akoko and that every July indigenes of the town come together to celebrate the festival in honour of the river goddess.

“This celebration is therefore inspired by the benevolence of our highly revered Okota river goddess. She is ascribed to possess great potent supernatural powers.

Enumerating the importance of the celebration, he said that the strategic location of the river is a boost to agricultural production of the people adding that, the celebration of Okota Festival is also a boost to the development of tourism and economic sustenance of the people.

“As you can see, this festival has drawn people from far and near. Along with the presence of the crowd, this celebration has

drawn the brisk business they are doing.

“On the whole, the celebration of Okota Festival represents our people’s way of giving thanks for its benevolence, seeking forgiveness for our sins in past years and praying for favour and blessings of the goddess.

“Olokun Festival Foundation investment in organising Okota Festival annually is also an opportunity for the town to showcase the event as an important tourist attraction to the world,” he said.

He said one of the ways the Olokun Festival Foundation continue to contribute to individual and governmental economic development efforts is through identification and exploration of prosperity that are inherent in the development of religious and cultural tourism.

“It is the need for our country to explore extra and alternative revenue earner in the face of negative twists and turns in her economic fortunes that informs Olokun Festival Foundation continuous investment in tourism development through our indigenous cultural festivities,” Adams said.

The festival was also witnessed by representatives of the state government, local governments and the traditional rulers in the surrounding towns.

26

August 1, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Funmi Iyanda is sick

T

he name Funmi Iyanda is one that’s highly respected in the Nigerian multimedia sector. The bearer of the name is one person whom has been a real inspiration to many women through her work on TV as a broadcaster.

Romantically, she’s also had a high profile relationship with one of Nigeria’s football legends, Segun Odegbami.

Now, this woman who is regarded as an Amazon, and is truly, is sick and has been since October.

She disclosed the news herself just this week and assured everyone that she’s getting better and will soon tell the whole story of her battle with the ailment she hasn’t disclosed yet.

E-News wishes you speedy recovery.

Iyanda

Young filmmaker, Ugonnaya Nwachukwu, pursues her passion

Why I shot two videos at C once —Sola Solagbade

P

romising gospel artist, Sola Solagabde, has disclosed that she’ll drop two videos at once today.

According to her, the videos are for her songs, Anu Oluwa and My Year Of Harvest.

Speaking further, she admitted that it wasn’t easy to shoot the two videos at once but she had to do it because it’s a necessary step for her to take to help her career grow in the right manner.

In her words: said “Shooting two videos at the same time was capital intensive, but I am sure that God who started His work will finish it. It’s necessary to approach my career with all the seriousness it deserves and shooting new videos is one way my fans and everyone will know I’m really serious and committed. Also, the Holy Spirit has given me the direction to follow and I remain committed to the calling.”

Solagbade

all her a wizkid of filmmaking, and you definitely won’t be wrong, as that’s what Ugonnaya Nwachukwu, is.

She’s refreshingly different from the norm.

Unlike most of her colleagues who are basically interested in making money and living the flamboyant lifestyle that’s the nature of their profession, Nwachukwu prefers to tell stories that will have an impact on the world.

Speaking with E-News during the week, the filmmaker who’s currently in the country from her UK base to seek investors in her current project, a drama series titled Collide, she insisted that “I just want to share my stories with the world to inspire people that we’re our brother’s keeper and we should always be there for one another.”

Just like her colleagues, she was a very young age when she took her very first step into the world of make-believe.

“I was about seven years old when I started writing. I loved writing because it helped me create another reality and because people loved what I write, I kept writing,” she said.

From writing short stories, she started writing short books and her dad decided to publish one of her books for her as her sixteenth birthday present. Sadly, he died that same year, but she didn’t let his death deter her. Rather, it spurred her on.

In 2008, she left Nigeria for the UK and she got deeper into drama presentations in church as an actor, then as a scriptwriter and director.

But when she got into Loughborough University in 2010 to study Media and Communication Studies, her destiny became sealed for her.

An entrepreneur competition was held and

she put in for it. Though she believed she didn’t do well when she pitched her business idea to the judges, she was shocked when she was called on Valentine’s Dsay 2012 and told she was the winner.

Consequently, she was given a cash prize, and in 2013, she won another competition which also came with a cash prize, office space and mentorship.

Now, she runs her own production company, Ninety-One Productions, and she says, “Collide is my main project for now. I’ve shot the first episode and I’m seeking sponsors and partners to complete it to go on air in the UK, the US, Canada and Nigeria from next year.”

Good luck, girl.

Nwachukwu

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

August 1, 2015

le A girl’s best company StyGlam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

S

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

tatement and glamorous neck pieces, earrings and bracelets are good company of every stylish woman. When they come in big and bold patterns, they become stunning and irresistible for the daring ones.

Tagged Alluring by Didi creations, the collection is a must have for the daring female who likes to stand out from the crowd. She said: “The designs were inspired by the African woman, especially the Eastern and Southern African women, who delight in adorning statement accessories. They were created using the finest beads, crystals, gems and stones.�

One good advice for anyone who wishes to adorn herself with one is to ensure a clear skin and enough space on the neck side to project the beauty of the accessories well.

from

28

STYLE & GLAM

August 1, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fashion

Butterfly ‘n’

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I

Fashion

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 1, 2015

n frenzy

’ boyfriend

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n frenzy

STYLE & GLAM

29

Fashion Guest

30

STYLE & GLAM

August 1, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Dressing What triggers weird is not your headache? good enough’ Ruth K. Bamiro a.k.a Kaybee is a model with a simple style. All the same, she is against weird dressing that most youths engaged in today.

“I think today’s youths are powerful dressers but many are overdoing it. Some tend to go overboard by dressing weird and unfortunately, this usually make tem to look terrible unknown to them,” she tells YEMISI ADENIRAN in this interview Why did you choose modelling as a career?

I have been in love with the modelling career since I was a child. My desire is to change the mode and the obtainable style or rules guiding models.

As far as I am concerned, intending models should be encouraged from whichever age that they present their passion.

There must not be any age limit or barrier because I believe no one knows anybody’s tomorrow.

What’s your observation on the dressing of the youths of today?

I think today’s youths are powerful dressers but many are overdoing it. Some tend to go overboard by dressing weird and unfortunately, this usually make tem to look terrible unknown to them. We are guilty of dressing daringly which is not good enough. All the same, I will rate the dressing of today’s youths as very high and ongoing.

What about the naked dressing they engage in?

I don’t believe in naked dressing. I don’t go about showing my nakedness because that does not make anyone stylish.

But I quite agreed that many do it and it is not the best.

What is your advice in that regard?

I would advise that they dress more decently from this year on. Even guys should stop sagging, it is not beautiful.

• Alcohol Drinking alcohol can trigger headaches in some people. Why? It could be because: Sulfites, which are used as a preservative in some types of alcohol, like red (but not white) wine, bother some people. Alcohol also causes more blood flow to your brain, which can trigger a headache. It could also be because of how your body metabolises alcohol. Red wine, beer, whiskey, scotch, and champagne are the most common alcoholic headache culprits.

• Sinus infection With a sinus headache, you usually get head pain along with nasal discharge, congestion, postnasal drip, and a sore throat. If you get a fever, too, that may mean you have a sinus infection. See your doctor if you develop a fever.

• Brain freeze Who hasn’t had the feeling? You’re going to town on some ice cream or a cold drink when suddenly, the middle of your head feels like it is splitting open. An ice cream headache -- or a “brain freeze” -- is definitely real.

• Medication rebound It’s actually kind of ironic. Rebound headaches can be triggered when you’ve taken headache medication frequently. It can become a vicious cycle: You take medicine to feel better, and then you get a rebound headache when the medication wears off. It’s important to take medicine only as directed -- both how much you take and how often you take it.

• Weekend headache Weekends should be headache-free! Yet, some people who get migraines also get “weekend headaches.” Changes in your routine can bring the pain. Maybe you get more sleep, drink less caffeine (causing a caffeine withdrawal headache), or are more active during the weekend. Any of those changes can trigger a headache. To avoid pain, stay with your schedule -- and off caffeine (during the week and weekend), if that’s a trigger.

• Tension About nine out of every 10 headaches diagnosed are tension headaches. They’re usually caused by tight muscles at the back of your neck or head. You’ll feel the pain across your forehead or the back of your head.

Stress is often the trigger. Not enough sleep

and poor posture – such as sitting at a computer all day -- can make it worse. Depression has also been linked with these headaches. If tension headaches affect your day-to-day activities, talk to your doctor.

• Hangover Alcohol dehydrates your body, and that might be blamed for all kinds of things -- including the throbbing headache you might get after tossing back a few too many drinks the night before. Hangover headaches also can be blamed on hormonal changes caused by alcohol and the toxic effects alcohol has on your body. To avoid getting so dehydrated, it may help to drink non-alcoholic beverages before and after you drink the harder stuff.

• Sex Some people say the rush of chemicals in the brain from sex provides some sexual healing for their headaches. But for others, sex -just like other types of physical exertion -- can trigger headaches. Migraine sufferers and men over 40 are the most likely to get them.

Sex headaches are pretty rare. But they are worth talking to your health care provider about. Seek help especially if the pain hits you like a thunderclap at climax. Medical professionals can rule out anything serious, like a ruptured blood vessel, and help with the pain. Sex headaches are usually harmless, but it’s good to check them out.

• Chocolate?

Though some people say that they get migraines after eating chocolate, scientific studies aren’t so sure.

Some people think it is the caffeine in chocolate that may lead to headaches. Interestingly, in some cases, caffeine can help relieve headaches. It’s an ingredient in some headache pain relievers.

Warning signs Sometimes, headaches can be warning signs, telling you that something serious is going on in your body. Get medical help right away if, for example, you have a: • Sudden, severe headache along with a stiff neck and vomiting -- it could be symptoms of meningitis or bleeding in your brain.

• Headache after recently having been hit on the head -- it could be a sign of a concussion.

• Headache accompanied by numbness or tingling in your arms or legs, or confusion -- these may be signs of a stroke.

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August 1 , 2015

Male Essentials

Brighten

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@gmail.com

up with accessories

Tap into blue-sky thinking

W

ear a navy suit and you’ll look more conservative than Margaret Thatcher’s handbag.

But pick out a brighter blue accessory and it will mark you out as the office’s in-house ideas man. The University of British Columbia found that these blue tones activate the creative part of your brain. In tests, participants exposed to blue environments produced twice as many creative responses as those in a more ‘angry’ red environment.

Use white-coat syndrome When study participants were asked to wear a white doctor’s coat, they made fewer errors in cognitive tests and were more rigorous, found a study at Northwestern University in the US. Use this psych trick to your advantage next time you need to complete a complex task by adding a white accessory to your outfit. Surely this is all the justification you need for a pair of box-fresh trainers?

you want to aspire to, but a flash of flamboyant orange can make you stand out in a corporate crowd.

“It’s about fun, optimism and friendliness,” says Nightingale. “If used in your accessories or the detailing of your outfit, orange tones help make people feel more comfortable.

It’s good for getting others to relax around you.” Use it to fast-track to that Friday feeling at the office.

Add green to earn

Make friends and influence people “The bright and eye-catching effect of yellow has an impact even if you’re using it sparingly on a pocket square or as a pattern on your tie,” says Nightingale. This makes it a good option for conferences, particularly as it’s also perceived as warm and friendly. You’ll attract the right kind of attention.

Signal that you mean business Our eyes have evolved with a sensitivity for picking out red in nature, so we are programmed to perceive it as an ‘alpha’ colour. Dr Hill explains why this is handy for the boardroom: “Studies show that red ties indicate ‘power’; they are worn more often by the senior management.” Better still, the Journal of Experimental Psychology found that women are most attracted to men wearing red, which means that tie should come in handy in the bedroom too.

Choose orange to set the right tone “You’ve been Tango’d” is not a look

their trust It may be the colour of money, but the way to make green pay is to subconsciously win people over with it. “The colours you wear have a subtle effect on the way people perceive you,” says anthropologist Dr Russell Hill. “Green is seen as reliable and restful,” says colour psychologist Kate Nightingale. Perfect, then, for when you’re schmoozing a client or meeting her parents.

“Keep the rest of your outfit neutral to give the colour impact,” says menswear stylist Sam Middleton.

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Jide animashaun 08034710902 jidemashaun@yahoo.com

What if the woman neglect I

No big deal

t is a very common fact that most women worry about their bodies. It is also a thing of common knowledge which is also very true that childbirth, though a thing every woman looks forward to in the course of their marriage, changes the psychological, emotional and physical structure of every woman.

Therefore it is expected that most women will indeed be worried about their body image vis-à-vis what the mental image they have on how they look like is. Eating problems of all kinds are on the rise and the most visible and obvious is obesity, which is something that happens to a lot of women though anorexia is also becoming very common. This chaotic eating which doesn’t show as an initial problem, but which involves individuals who intermittently restrict and binge while obsessing about their bodies and rarely feeling safe around food especially during pregnancy is quite common for a lot of women.

Public health professionals agree that conception to age 2 is a vitally important time in human development because it lays down patterns for life. It is also a time when attention targeted at mothers and babies reaps huge dividends for society.

Early attachment between mothers and babies creates the foundation for mental health, resilience and flexibility in children. Mothers who are preoccupied with eating and body image problems can inadvertently behave in ways that shape bonding and attachment patterns in damaging ways in their children because of the psychological, mental and physical insecurities that they will be exhibiting though women’s concerns are anything but trivial because they are making women feel deeply uneasy in their bodies.

These concerns are also disturbing women’s eating patterns. They are impacting on how women relate to their physical needs in pregnancy and post-partum, thereby interrupting the focus on bonding with the baby in the crucial early months when attachment behaviours are being established.

For a lot of women who may be believing that childbirth may change their body structure so much so that their husband wouldn’t want to have anything sexual to do with them, I’ll say that they are very wrong and far from the truth. Nothing makes a woman sexier than those slight bulges on her body frame that shows that she’s given birth. It completes the image of fertility and sweet fresh-

ness of vitality. The voluptuousness of a woman who has fully developed extra flesh from childbirth is breathtaking especially when we as men think that this came about as a result of her giving us a healthy baby which would change our nomenclature from a non-personal title of Mr or any other one to that of someone’s father. This may not make much sense to an outsider but if you ask any African male, you will definitely be amazed about the answer you will get which will be similar if not the same with what I just wrote above.

But not to be self centred here, I know that women do indeed worry that there will be consequences for them if they neglect their body. I also know that this most times affects their psyche to the extent that some of them may be tempted to go into a lot of self-help regiments and fake advices on social media and other sites on the internet all in the bid to try to go back to the shape they once had. In fact some of those self-help programmes can be very amusing if not that they are dangerous to the heath of these women though a few may be good. When women overestimate their size, they feel bad about their bodies and their well-being plummets. They tend to either curtail or override their appetites in an attempt to control the feeling of real or imagined fatness and this is leading many women to having disturbed eating patterns. When women underestimate their size also, they may lose contact with basic physiological prompts signalling hunger and satisfaction and this may lead to being anorexic and being ill in the end.

Media images that laud celebrity mothers who achieve a state of emaciation six weeks after delivery are the primary reasons why these concerns are getting to alarming levels and they are switching the focus of the post-partum period away from mother and baby getting to know each other and finding a rhythm together. Instead there is a cultural insinuation that a mother’s job is to present herself physically as though nothing as momentously life-changing or body-changing as having a baby has occurred. This critical moment, in which new life and the new mother weave together a delicate and precious bond, needs supporting in order to ensure the best possibilities for both and I as a man will love my woman no less with her childbirth changed figure any day.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

20 things to note about the favourite part

Yes, it can be broken

It may sound way out, but penile rupture is very real. It tends to happen mostly during vigorous sex.

Most guys who have experienced the unthinkable report hearing a popping noise, followed by excruciating pain. And as profoundly humiliating as it may be, a quick trip to the doctor’s office is in order, since an untreated fracture can lead to permanent erectile dysfunction (ED).

If a guy is having trouble getting it up, check his health A rotten day at work will certainly kill the mood for most guys, but if he just can’t seem to get back in the saddle, a check-up is in order. Erectile dysfunction can be one of the first signs of heart disease. Other chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension have also been linked to ED.”

Shrinkage is not a myth

which means erections can occur at random.” Take, for example, the notorious morning erection. It’s most likely the result of impulses firing from the brain during REM sleep.

The foreskin is not penis-friendly

As protective as guys are of their family jewels, research has shown some slight health benefits to circumcision, such as less urinary tract infections and a decreased risk of contracting HIV.

Most penises are created equal

Adult penises typically measure between three and four inches when flaccid and five to six inches when erect. What’s more, when it’s time to get busy, a man who started out on the small side can end up expanding proportionally more than larger dudes.

Human males stack up pretty well compared to other mammals

Cold weather and cold water are a penis’ mortal enemies. Testicles need to be warm to effectively make sperm and testosterone. So after exposure to cold, such as a dip in the pool, your guy’s tools will literally huddle up against him to get warm.

The erect organ of a human male is actually pretty large compared to other animals. Chimpanzees, for instance, have equipment that’s about half the size of the human male’s. But human guys pale in comparison to the blue whale, whose penis is 11 feet long. But who needs that!

A human chimney may actually be less of a stud than his healthier compatriots. It’s no secret that smoking clogs the arteries, including those that fill the penis with blood at that critical moment. This means smokers may have a harder time rising to the occasion.

The vast majority of penises lean ever so slightly to the left or right when rigid. However some bend so dramatically (or curve up or down) that having sex is almost impossible. This is known as Peyronie’s Disease and happens when the penis doesn’t expand evenly during a hard-on.

The penis is controlled by the nervous system,

Penis size, thickness and shape are not genetic.

Smokers have a hard time

It has a mind of its own

Curves are common

Don’t blame the ancestors

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August 1, 2015

onships

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33

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JACQUI IWU 08165049669 email: amiicaregroup@aol.com

ts herself after childbirth?

Catastrophe!

M

This column is x-rated Penises are actually formed in-utero when those wild and crazy male hormones kick-in. So if your guy’s unhappy with what he’s got, he has no one to point the finger (or any other appendage) at but Mother Nature

Guys are programmed to finish quickly So don’t take it personally. The true purpose of intercourse is procreation and men have evolved to have sex just long enough to get the job done. In fact 85 percent of guys can seal the deal in three minutes or less. However, the wise man hangs in there long enough for his partner to catch up.

A guy doesn’t need his brain to climax

The male orgasm actually starts with the spine. The signal to ejaculate is the result of muscle contractions in the spinal cord and pelvis.

Staying power is not always a good thing Although guys pride themselves on their ability to go the ‘extra mile,’ an erection that simply won’t go away isn’t a miracle, but a medical emergency. If the blood flow that causes an erection doesn’t eventually leave the penis, serious complications can result, like blood clots.

Extra-large condoms are only for a select few

Only 6 percent of the male population needs extra-large rubbers, according to condom manufacturers. In other words, 94 percent of men lie about their true size.

Aching balls really do exist

Men really do get “aching-balls.” Technically called “prostatic congestion,” the achiness in the testicles is caused by “trapped” blood. But it’s not true that only orgasms can relieve it. A warm shower or aspirin will also do the trick.

This column is x-rated Penises contrast in color to other body parts Penises are generally darker in color than the bodies they hang from. Why? It’s part of the sexual maturation process, but it’s also because during puberty, nature introduces men to a special friend: their right hand. Your skin would darken too if you were manhandled that often

Kiss the shoe size theory goodbye

There is no correlation between penis size and shoe size, hand size or nose size. And while we are at correlations, there’s no correlation between penis size and wallet size.

Masturbation is good exercise?

Masturbation is healthy. Use it or lose it isn’t just an excuse for a guy’s hands to migrate south; it’s the official tested and studied conclusion of sex experts. The less a guy uses his sexual plumbing, the more problems he’ll have doing the real pumping later on.

Drinking affects the penis

Men will go limp if they drink too much. But how much is too much? About three and a half drinks for a 150-pound man. After that, the only thing standing upright in your house will be the vacuum cleaner.

Penises all have a “seam”

All men have a line going down their penis and over their testicles. It’s more a “seam” on the underside of the penis. It forms when the fetus is in the uterus. In women, the seam becomes the inner lips of the vagina. In men, the seam encloses the urethra along the length of the penis.

Nothing can make a penis bigger

Nothing can make a penis bigger -- except aging. Unfortunately, the penis stops growing by the time men hit their early 20s.

en are very visual beings....how many of you women who always tie old wrapper at home day after day on your chest know about this? Oh ookkkk...myabe you still know but you are confident that since you have had kids for this man, he aren’t going no where ...no screw ups from him huh? If you think this way maam, then you do not even know anything about men. How come you are married in the first place?

Listen, your husband understand the fact that having children has its toll on you but hey, he cares less how you deal with it. It is your domain so deal with it and give him what he wants to see that can still make you attracted to him. Not that he feels it is easy to do but as far as he is concerned, it is either you get your body and self image right or he looks somewhere else. Good a thing, men are allowed to marry as many wives including having concubines in Africa as they please.

No one queries them on this so you see why most men do not complain when you start losing your beauty and body shape.

They will come home expecting to see a woman that is looking appealing and smells good but here you are...dragging your feet on the floor smelling of breast milk,fish,onions and only God knows what. There are nursing mothers even non-nursing mothers you will enter their sitting rooms and the bad smell that will welcome you will make you not to even sit down. You can now imagine what you will get if you get very close to the woman. You cannot give any excuse to be dirty and unkept. This is your burden so face it or else your life will nose dive in a very ugly way that you can’t imagine. Your husband cares less if you have popped up ten children if you still think he will pity you on this.

To him...is this not why i marry you in the first place? Are you not supposed to give me children?

Again i honestly do not think having children should make a woman lose control over her personal hygiene and maintaining her entire body image. Women who fail in this area do so because, they refuse to

work on themselves and feel their husband must swallow and tolerate their protruding tummy, flabby breasts, unkept hair with brading you did when you were six months pregnant that stinks each time your husband gets close. Even you knows your hair stinks but you are simply lazy to keep clean and redo your hair. So do you blame your husband if he hardly gets close?

This is not a run you expect the man to accompany you do because he will not. He knows you have lost it when it comes to your body image and he will still not tell you what to do but will be watching and hoping you will one day do something about your sagged total self and body image which is driving him nuts and away from you.

This man knows what has happened to you but sadly, you are all alone on this. Once in while you see a man who will pity the wife and suggest to her to do something but even at that, it is totally left for you as the woman to face your problems and work on your overweight, stretchmarks, pimples/dark spots and package your self attractively.

Having children is no excuse for a woman to look unkept and out of shape. Your post pregnancy bulge can melt if you register for a well planned weight loss. I have coached and trained women on this area so i know what i am talking about. It is not an impossible task to have a flat tummy after child birth. Those irritating stretchmarks all over your body that irritates your husband each time he wants to touch you can be treated with good natural body therapy. Your skin can look fresh and radiant once more with genuine skin products suitable for your skin type. If you have tried working on your self and body image without getting results, and your marriage is at stake, time to get it right....let me hear your story.

Neglecting your entire body maintainance because of having children is a mistake no woman should do because , you will lose out completely and the man you so much cling to, will drift away from your claws making a total mess of your marriage and romantic life.

Your self/body image is your immediate call card as a woman!!

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August 1, 2015

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Woman

Marriage is a script put in an envelope –Pastor Mrs. Adewuyi Pastor Mrs. Temitayo Deborah Olufemi Adewuyi is a woman of many parts. A lecturer at the Lagos State University (LASU), she is also a psychologist, a counselor and above all, an ordained minister of God. She spoke with JULIET UMEH on her marriage of over three decades, the secret of successful parenting and.

How broken homes in Nigeria can be curtailed. Excerpts:

Can you give us an insight into your background?

I had a wonderful childhood. I am from

a polygamous family. My father is very rich and so many women want to be his wife. He had more female children than

males and the female children are more educated than the males, we have professors and experts in many fields. And then

we used generational theory to raise our children. Our children, by His grace, are today better than us.

I have three boys. The first one, an engineer, started working at age 25 and he has gotten married. The second one is studying for his PhD currently and works with a Multi-national Company. He is also married. The third one is an Estate manager.

They are all doing very well and I give glory to God. It is a rule to do all possible to be successful in any of our chosen careers and God has been helping us. . I have National Certificate of Education, (NCE) Bachelor of Arts, (BA) and three Masters Degrees. My first Masters degree is in Guidance and Counseling, I have the second master’s degree in Theology. I am an ordained minister of Nigeria Baptist Convention. I pastor the Living Faith Baptist Church. I graduated from the seminary 10 years ago.

What do you mean by having a generation theory?

A generation theory is a philosophical psychological theory that guides you in training and raising your children. It helps you to bring up a child that will be more developed and who will be better than yourself. There are some basic tips that make this to work- the family must be intact, you must have focus, you must un-

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35

August 1, 2015

Many women don’t want to be

themselves anymore and they don’t

know the purpose of marriage.

They

think if it works, let me stay and if it

doesn’t work let me go. Marriage is not a place for when it works alone derstand your children, know each and every one of them, you must gather enough knowledge that is needed by each and every one of them. You must get a school that is commensurate to that vision. If a school doesn’t share a vision that you have, the child should not go there. This is the more reason why you see children of some career women do better than their counterparts’. Wherever they find themselves; they have a background to stand and to operate to the maximum.

How did you meet your husband and how long have you been married?

When I was growing up, I met Christ at the age of 13 through my Literature teacher Mr. Kehinde Odunowo, now a Reverend. Then, I didn’t like going to parties, but there was one brother who we called Brother Moyo Omotosho. He was having his Bachelor’s Eve and my friend persuaded me to attend the party, even the brother (the celebrant), insisted that I came; otherwise, he would not forgive me. So, I went to the party. It was in that party that I met my husband for the first time. I remember I wore a three piece suit that day. As I entered the venue, my husband asked aloud, “who is this person? “ I was angry and also replied with “who is this one? “ I went back into the car that brought us.

The second day, I was having a class with the junior students of Mayflower School, Ikenne when I saw him under the hot sun.

I was under 20 then but was already teaching and we were given quarters there.

After the class, I came into my room but the next thing I heard was a knock at my door, I opened the door because he resembles brother Moyo, then I thought he was brother Moyo’s younger brother. When he introduced himself, I immediately asked him to leave my house. He did and I slammed the door as he left.

Few months after, I gained admission into the College of Education Surulere, Lagos. During our first semester exams, my husband was at the gate waiting for me to come and pass. He said he has been to my former place of work and they told him that I was now in Surulere. Fortunately for him, that school has only one gate of course, that was what gave him assurance that I must pass through the gate. As I was passing with my friends, he shouted ‘this is the girl I have been waiting for’. I still didn’t give him attention.

It was not really easy for him to get me.

He tried blocking me up wherever I go. After very much perseverance, my friends were blaming me, including my sisters saying that I was being too selective, they said if I continued like that, a time would come when men would not look at me again and that time they would laugh at me. I decided to then, give him a chance.

I thought it would be sad if by the said tomorrow, no man came to ask for my hands in marriage. I told him to go and meet my father and my elder sister if he really wanted to marry me, I told him if they ac-

cepted him, then he is lucky. Luckily, my father accepted him and we got married.

By the grace of God, we’ve been married for more than 30 years.

What were your childhood dreams and how much of them are you living now?

When I was young, I love reading books but I wanted to be a lawyer, along the line, I found myself teaching and since then, I have been enjoying teaching. I love councelling, I love psychology, in fact I’m a creative artiste.

As a successful mother of three who has been in the business of marriage for more than thirty years, what do you think are the causes of broken marriages today in Nigeria?

I will tell you that one, people are not committed. People are not contented, covetousness is too much, and people are not themselves. They always want to be somebody else and if you want to be somebody else, there is no how you will not have a crisis. I can’t be you and you can’t be me and once you want to be somebody else, you will lose yourself which is what’s happening in marriages today. Many women don’t want to be themselves anymore and they don’t know the purpose of marriage.

They think if it works, let me stay and if it doesn’t work let me go. Marriage is not a place for when it works alone. Whether it works or not, for the sake of an improved generation, you have to stay. Those who cannot do this usually destroy the destiny of their children by leaving. Marriage has ups and downs but with full commitment, loyalty, contentment, you can stay and enjoy it.

What is your advice to the youths and the singles planning to go into marriage?

My advice is that they should know that marriage is a script, I have told you how I met my husband, how he endured the rigorous process of getting me. The virtue of endurance is very important in any relationship that will last. Marriage is not usually what you have envisaged. That is why I said it is a script put in an envelope. Whatever is written in the script is what you will play. Don’t throw away the script and say you want to take another script. If you do that, you will scatter your family; scatter your children and your own life. Stay where you are.

For a Christian, the Bible says marriage is for life. It is not only for enjoyment, it’s also to endure. Even the first marriage of Adam and Eve, God planned it for them to enjoy and share fellowship with them even when the two of them misbehaved, God clothed them with mercy and the two of them did not separate even when they had troubled children, they still carried on. If you want to have an improved generation, if you want your children to make it and you don’t want to play with the destiny of your children, stay where you are and God will see you through.

Keeping ABREAST

Extended breastfeeding!

A

n American mother has shared a portrait of herself nursing her three-and-a-halfyear-old son on social media in the hopes of normalizing the act and promoting an open dialogue about extended breastfeeding.

Arizona-based photographer, Jade Beall, 36, is posed with her preschool age son Sequoia, who is breastfeeding while propped on his mother’s knee, in the photo that was shared on her Facebook page earlier this month.

“I admit that I never breastfeed my son in public anymore,” she wrote when sharing the post. “I feel like somehow I would be committing a criminal act when all I am doing is providing comfort and nourishment for my son.”

Jade went on to say that her discomfort inspired her to take the photo of herself nursing her son as a way to ‘promote and support feminism’ and open the conversation regarding breastfeeding and cultural norms.

“I still have milk, he still wants his “nah nahs,” as he calls it and nothing, absolutely nothing soothes him better,” she notes.

Jade explains that Sequoia eats ‘mostly normal food’, and while she has tried to wean him off breastfeeding numerous times in the past, the mother says, “Breastfeeding is more a supplement at this point and hugely comforting for him.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for around the first six months of life and continuing “for a year and for as long as is mutually desired by the mother and baby.”

When posting the photo on social media, Jade was aware that it would spark debate, writing: “If this offends you, ask me a question rather than call me names.

“Let’s learn from one another.

Let’s be free from fear of our differences and let’s be filled with curiosity and compassion!’

The photographer goes on to say

that she too was a product of extended breastfeeding and is grateful that her mother did it.

“My mother breastfed me until I was five, and I would have been proud of her to share her commitment to me had there been social media back in the eighties,” she continues, adding: “And I grew up to be a pretty amazing woman and feminist that LOVES my parent.”

The portrait has received more than 9,800 likes and nearly 1,800 shares since it was posted two weeks ago, and many mothers have commented on the image, sharing their personal breastfeeding stories and offering words of praise for Jade.

“The only thing I want to know is how you hold your baby and nurse him when standing?’ Christina Lee Harte wrote. ‘Your abs much be pillars of strength! You go Mama! You are stunning, this is stunning.

“You and your child will decide when it’s time to find comfort in something else. For now, you are his comfort.”

Vicki Haner said: “I love how you are standing so boldly! Ready to stand up for what you believe in.

Beautiful!”

And Carrie Klassen added: “Everything about this is beautiful.”

So what do you think? Would you practice extended breastfeeding?

Parenting

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August 1, 2015

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How to raise a confident girl child Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression

and talk to her about how different things are in the real world.

G

irls usually start off life at full steam. They’re the early talkers, the social butterflies, the A students. But somewhere between preschool and middle school, a confusing blend of new social pressures, greater expectations in the classroom, and mixed signals from society (“Do your best – but don’t draw too much attention to yourself,” “You can be anything you want to be – but looking pretty is your top priority”) can cause girls to fall behind academically or lose their spark.

Here’s what you can do to build your daughter’s confidence and resilience for the tricky years ahead: 1. Encourage assertiveness: Teach your daughter to express her needs to adults and stand her ground with her peers. If another child is being mean to her, encourage her to say “I don’t like the way you’re talking to me.”

2. Be specific in your compliments: When you tell your daughter how smart she is, it means much more if you use concrete examples. Tell her “You have a really good memory” or “Boy, you sure know your dinosaurs.”

3. Make your praise match reality: A third-grader will know that she’s not a musical genius or the best artist on the planet, but she’ll appreciate it if you notice her improvement from one month to the next.

4. Help her understand why she sometimes gets left out: Explain to your daughter that if she isn’t invited to every birthday party or to join every jump-rope game (and she won’t be), it’s not meant to be an insult. Explain that when another child says “You can’t be my friend,” it probably has more to do with that child’s bad mood than it does with your daughter.

5. Encourage competence: Don’t be too quick to help your daughter with homework or chores. If she asks for help, ask her to try working through it for a couple more minutes on her own first.

6. Encourage her to play sports if she wants to: Girls have more sporty options than ever before. If she wants to do gymnastics or play football, give her a chance to get in the game and find out what she’s capable of. Don’t decide which sports are right for her – she can figure it out herself.

Parenting P

rolonged breastfeeding tends to promote healthy lung development in most children, but it may increase the risk of asthma in babies born to mothers with the respiratory disease, new research suggests.

Being breastfed for four months or longer was associated with worse lung function among children with asthmatic mothers, compared to children breastfed for shorter periods whose mothers also had asthma.

The findings suggest that longterm breastfeeding may not be the best strategy for asthmatic mothers, but it is premature to suggest a change in breastfeeding recommendations, says the lead researcher.

“As a paediatrician and a mother of three who breastfed, I want to emphasize that breast is best,” she says. “We know that breastfeeding

7. Don’t make assumptions about her strengths and weaknesses: Just because your child is a girl doesn’t mean she’ll struggle with fractions – or that she’ll ace reading tests.

It also doesn’t mean she won’t want to go fishing or try out for Little League. Follow her cues to best nurture her strengths and work on improving her weaknesses.

10. Point out positive female role models: Take every opportunity, when you’re watching the news or reading the paper, to show your daughter that women – senators, sportscasters, doctors, athletes – can do

anything.

Reading books with strong female characters is one of the best ways to get the idea across without lecturing. If you can’t think of enough books like that, ask a librarian – they often have lists of books to choose from and can make recommendations.

Tiny Feet

8. Encourage a healthy body image: When she asks the inevitable “Am I pretty?” answer her with an enthusiastic yes.

When you praise her appearance, try to highlight her actions, too: “You looked so graceful at gymnastics today” or “Your eyes really shone on the stage.”

It can also be helpful for older girls to hear that models in magazines don’t look like real girls or women and that their photographs are altered to make them look thinner and more flawless than they actually are.

9. Prepare her for sexism: Even today, some people think that girls can’t do some things that boys can. If you notice your daughter watching TV shows or movies where girls stay in the background while boys save the day, point it out

NAME: Abdulazeez Oladele BORN TO: Mr and Mrs Oladele AGE: 3 months old BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

Prolonged breastfeeding Update risky for babies of asthmatic mothers – Study

is good for brain development and that breastfed babies have less ear infections. And there are many other benefits. But there may be an aspect to breastfeeding that isn’t totally positive.”

Guilbert and colleagues analyzed data from the ongoing Children’s Respiratory Study in Tucson, Ariz.

-- one of the longest “follow” studies examining asthma and allergies in children ever conducted.

Their research involved 679 study participants followed from birth through their teens, whose lung function was tested at age 11 and again at age 16. Lung function testing is used to assess asthma.

The researchers found that children born to mothers without asthma or those who were predisposed to develop allergies had improved lung function when they had been breastfed for four months or longer.

But the opposite was true for children with mothers who had asthma.

Compared to children of asthmatic mothers breastfed for shorter periods, those breastfed for four months or longer had a 6% reduction in certain lung function testing at 16 years.

“That represents a pretty significant reduction,” observes an asthma expert.

The findings appear to be supported by a recent study in mice, which showed an increase in asthma among mouse pups born to non-asthmatic mothers but nursed by mothers with asthma.

The finding adds that keeping asthma under control with adequate medication while breastfeeding is also critical. Many women limit or stop using inhaled corticosteroids during this time because they believe the treatment could harm their baby.

“A tiny amount [of the medicine may be transmitted through milk, but it is not a risk to the baby,” he says.

The study did not examine whether the breastfeeding women with asthma had their asthma under control, but the lead researcher says it makes sense that the risk to the baby might be greater if they did not.

Corticosteroids target inflammation, which is now thought to play a critical role in asthma.

One theory is that breast milk transmits hormones that promote inflammation from mothers with asthma to their babies.

If the mother’s asthma is well controlled, fewer pro-inflammatory hormones may be transmitted, the researcher says.

Culled from www.WEBMD.com

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

LIVING

August 1, 2015

37

Tears flow freely as student killed by Army van is buried zz Over 10 have been killed in same manner –Lecturer

Sebastine Ebhuomhan

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ita Awele, 20, was a 200-Level Philosophy student of the University of Benin (UNIBEN), Edo State, until she met her untimely death two Sundays ago as a result of injuries sustained in a motor accident on the Lagos-Benin expressway.

According to the UNIBEN Students Union Government, she was buried on

Wednesday July 22, 2015, at her hometown in Delta State, amidst tears and eulogies from her relatives and friends.

It will be recalled that the late student was confirmed dead at a hospital after she and her classmate, Efe Esther, were knocked down by an Operation Pulo Shield Vehicle driven by a soldier.

The incident had sparked a massive protest last Tuesday by students of the university, who attributed the accident

and other reported cases of road accidents around the university to the absence of speed bumps, zebra crossing signs and a pedestrian bridge at the institution’s main gate as well as the careless driving of the military vehicle.

The students, who grounded traffic for several hours in their black attires to show solidarity for their colleagues, had also demanded adequate compensation for the families of the victims.

The SUG President, Raymond Omorogbe, told Saturday Mirror that representatives of the SUG, the Department of Phi-

losophy and the university management, were also present at the burial ceremony.

Omorogbe also said that the other victim, who had been responding to treatment at a hospital, had been discharged and was recuperating, as against speculation by some of the students that she had also passed on. He also said that her hospital bills were taken care of.

But the student’s body warned that while zebra crossing signs had been placed on the road and talks on the construction of a flyover had been initiated by the school management, it may resort to another round of protest if the speed breakers were not fixed.

“As it stands now, they are done with the Zebra crossing and for today, and tomorrow, they are going to be working on the speed breaks.”

“Everything is not completely settled; we have given them between now and Tuesday to make the speed breaks available. That is the only way we will not go back to the streets,” he added.

There was an old, but still quite useful pedestrian bridge in front of the school gate before. But former Minister of Works, Mr Mike Onolememen, reportedly ordered it to be removed as part of the rehabilitation work on the road. It was never replaced.

A senior lecturer of the University of Benin, who spoke on the condition of anonymity counted over ten such deaths in the past. He said the students were not using the old pedestrian bridge even when it was still there, as many of them preferred to “stroll across the highway, sauntering when they are supposed to run across with more seriousness.”

The lecturer, who doubted whether the provision of all the facilities demanded by the students could stop more deaths in the future, urged the school management and other authorities to provide a megaphone at the gates of the school to warn students to run across the highway when crossing, instead of strolling across the road. Until this is done, he concluded that the students may not use any flyover that would be provided for their safety.

Everything is not completely settled; we have given them between now and Tuesday to make the speed breaks available. That is the only way we will not go back to UNIBEN students protesting the death of their colleagues

the streets

38

August 1, 2015

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‘My wife smells of other men’ • Whenever she comes back at night, I always perceive sperm odour —Husband • There was a day he beat me at a bus top and tore my clothes to shreds. I left there stark naked —Wife

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39-year-old estate agent, Ibukun Oluwadamilare, was the subject of much laughter when he told the Agege Customary court that he used to wash his wife’s pants and they smelled of other men’s semen.

He said: “Whenever she

‘My husband doesn’t last a minute’

• My husband cannot perform well, he is not doing his ‘job’ at all and it makes me sad. He does not satisfy me, he does not last a minute —Wife • I am trying my best to satisfy my wife and I am also trusting God for a miracle. But my wife has been committing adultery, There was a day I saw a text message she sent to her lover. I showed her the text, but instead of her to apologise, she warned me not to touch her phone again –Husband Stories by: Muda Oyeniran

O

bservers at Igando customary court in Lagos were stunned when a woman, Mrs Ifeanyi Samuel, made a shocking revelation about her husband.

Mrs Samuel, 33, called on the court to dissolve her nine-year-old marriage over her husband’s poor sexual performance.

According to the businesswoman, her husband was always on the road for months, leaving her lonely at home.

The president of the court, Mr Hakeem Oyekan, after hearing the petitioner, said he was convinced that the couple could no longer live together as the wife had insisted on divorce after several interventions, hence came to the conclusion to dissolve the marriage.

Oyekan said: “The court has no choice than to dissolve the union in spite of the fact that the husband still claims he loves his wife.

“The couples can no longer stay together because the marriage has broken down totally.

“The parties are no longer husband and wife; they are free to go

their separate ways.”

Ifeanyi told the court that her husband had demonstrated lack of capacity to satisfy her sexually in the last nine years.

“My husband cannot perform well, he is not doing his `job’ at all and it makes me sad.

“My husband does not satisfy me, he does not last a minute on bed,” she said.

She said that she forced her husband to go to the hospital to confirm what was wrong with him and it was discovered that he had low sperm count.

“My husband has low sperm count. I bought the drugs pre-

scribed by the doctor for him, but he refused to use them.

“His refusal to take the drugs had resulted in fighting because I need a child. We have been married for nine years without any issue,’’ she said.

According to Ifeanyi, she could no longer cope as her love for him had faded.

However, the respondent, Moses Samuel, 40, a businessman, accepted that he had low sperm count and that he believed God for a miracle.

“I am trying my best to satisfy my wife and I am also trusting God for a miracle.”

He accused his estranged wife of having extra-marital affairs, saying that men always called her at odd hours.

“My wife has been committing adultery, there was a day I saw a text message she sent to her lover.

“I showed her the text, but instead of her to apologize, she warned me not to touch her phone again.

“My wife goes out without telling me and comes back at 11.00 p.m. and whenever I query her, she would tell me she owns her life,” Samuel said.

‘My wife always calls me a ‘foolish man’ • •

J

In fact that is the name she addresses me with —Husband The money he gives me for feeding is not always enough —Wife

ohnson Munago, a middle-aged Nigerian Civil Servant has approached a Grade A Customary Court in Igando, Lagos, to end his two-

year-old marriage to Helen Munago, who he accused of calling him uncomplimentary names.

He also accused his wife of

reluctance to assume his surname preferring to use her maiden name instead. He said Helen always referred to him CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

comes back at night from an outing, I always perceive sperm odour and she always returns home with pink lips, which indicated that a man have rough handled her and also kissed her lips.”

Interestingly, despite the list of atrocities which Oluwadamilare claimed were committed by his wife, he said that he did not want his marriage to the same woman, Mrs. Adesuwa Oluwadamilare, annulled by the court.

According to him, they got married in the year 2000 and have three children together although his wife had two children from her previous marriage. She packed out of his house four years ago after she gave birth to their last born, and went to lodge in a hotel in Iju-Ishaga, as she became ‘uncontrollable.’

Not done, Oluwadamilare accused his wife of attempting to have killed him with some fetish substances she robbed on her face, body and private part.

So for those wondering why he still wants to stay in the marriage, he claims that it is because of his love for her.

The version given to the court by his wife, was however slightly different. She said that she ‘mistakenly’ got pregnant for lbukun in 2000, and he refused to pay her bride price even after three children. She claimed that she needed the court to intervene and compel her husband come to her village in Edo State and marry her according to the custom and tradition of their land.

According to her, Oluwadamilare always accused her of dating young men and capitalized on the situation to abuse her, and constantly monitors her movement.

She said: “There was a day he beat me at a bus top and tore my clothes to shreds. I left there stark naked.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

DIVORCE COURT

August 1, 2015

39

‘Why I denied my husband sex for months’

• He beats me up whenever I ask for the children’s school fees and our feeding allowance. He demands for sex when he does not care whether I’ve eaten or not. So, I don’t allow him to touch me anymore —Wife •I don’t beat her, but she nags a lot and causes trouble all around the neigbourhood —Husband

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Housewife, Mrs Oluwatoyin Olafare, 45, on Wednesday explained to an Orile-Agege Customary Court, Lagos, why she denied her husband sex for months.

According to Oluwatoyin , who was seeking a divorce from her husband, Michael Olafare, a clergyman, she decided to punish her husband with because he was no longer caring for her.

The estranged wife also accused Mr Olafare of lack of care.

She told the court that her husband “had failed in his matrimonial responsibilities as a husband.

“He gives me blow whenever I ask for the children school fees and our feeding allowance.’’

Oluwatoyin, who told the court that her husband has failed as a father and husband, also added that “he abuses my family whenever we have disagreements.

“He also demands for sex when he does not care if I have eaten or not.

“So, I do not allow him to touch me anymore “.

The mother of four, whose ages are between eight and

eighteen, also accused Olafare of deserting his children where they reside at 56, Surulere Street, Lagos.

The petitioner added that “he left the house since March 2011, so I do not love him anymore.”

Olafare, who lives at 160/162 Ijegun Road, Alimosho, a suburb of Lagos, while responding to his wife’s accusation,stated that he did not oppose the application for dissolution of their 18-year old marriage.

He however denied the allegations of beating her and lack of care.

“I don’t beat her, but she nags a lot and causes trouble all around the neigbourhood.

“Oluwatoyin is known as a street fighter and because of her attitude, we were sent out of the house.

“She does not respect anybody including me; when I was transferred to the missionary quarters, she refused to follow me and so I left,” he said.

The Court President, Mr Adegboyega Omilola admonished the couple to maintain the peace and thereafter adjourned the case for further hearing

‘My wife always calls me a ‘foolish man’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 as a foolish man anytime she addresses him.

He said, “In fact that is the name she addresses me with: ‘this foolish man’”.

Munago, who is obviously tired of the relationship, also accused his wife of always going out at night. He said she is too demanding, asking him to rent her a house and provide N10,000 for her weekly upkeep while she stays alone failing which she will return to her parent’s house.

“If I ask her where she was coming from at that time, she would tell me I had no right to know where she was coming from. When the issue of the money started, I tried to explain that I don’t have money to rent a flat; she opened up by telling me that she agreed to marry me just to solve her personal problems. She said she was once diagnosed of a

womb ailment at the hospital after examination and that the doctor advised her to get pregnant as soon as possible. She told me that it was over since she had gotten what she wanted. She packed out of our apartment on January 16, 2011 with my one and half-year-old son to an unknown destination,” he said.

Helen, 35, denied her husband’s allegation saying he is stingy and unwilling to take care of her and her baby.

She said, “The money he used to drop for feeding is not always enough so I told him to increase it.”

She expressed her desire to divorce her husband asking the court to grant her husband’s wish.

After listening to both parties, the court members presided by, Adewale Eko, told the Helen to bring their only child for sighting at the next hearing.

‘My husband smokes indian hemp in our children’s presence’ • When he poured acid on me, I became scared and I have been having sleepless nights. There was also a day he almost stabbed me with a bottle. I have always been responsible for our children’s upkeep and necessary things in the house. Still, he doesn’t give me peace of mind —Wife • I still love her —Husband

A

n Igando Customary Court in Lagos has dissolved the 22-year-old union between Mr and Mrs Godfrey Obioma.

The court’s president, Mr Hakeem Oyekan said that all efforts to reconcile the parties failed, and the court had no choice than to end the marriage.

“Both parties are ceased to be husband and wife. They are free to go their separate ways without hindrance,’’ Oyekan ruled.

The petitioner, Mrs Joy Obioma, had sought the dissolution of her 22-year-old marriage over her husband’s nonchalant attitude.

“My husband has never been responsive. He smokes Indian hemp every morning in our children’s presence. I can’t

remember the last time he gave me some money to cater for our needs.

“I have always been responsible for our children’s upkeep and necessary things in the house still he don’t give me peace of mind.” She said.

The 42-year-old trader described her husband as “violent” adding that he always threatened to kill her with a dangerous weapon.

“I usually thought he never meant all he said because of the things he sniffs and smoke but when he poured acid on me, I became scared and I have been having sleepless nights.

There was also a day he almost stabbed with a bottle,” Mrs Obioma said.

She also said her husband once burnt the house they live

in and ran away.

The mother of four said: “He was in Ghana for years and even when he returned, he still shirks his responsibilities. My husband never referred me as his wife but an “international prostitute” in everyone’s presence which is very embarrassing. He disturbs the neighborhood whenever he is around.”

She pleaded with the court to dissolve the union adding that there was no love anymore and she could not continue to live with him.

In his response, Mr. Obioma admitted smoking Indian hemp but denied never touching his wife violently.

“I still love her,” he said.

The marriage produced four children between the ages of 10 and 20.

40

EVENTS

August 1, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Celebrities prove their fashion sense at fashion event Last Saturday, the Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos was the place to be as the Fayrouz L’Original 2 grand finale held at the prestigious hotel. A fashion event, the celebrities who put an appearance also dressed to their nines to prove their fashion worth. Niyola, Zaaki Azzay and Toke Makinwa were some of them.

Beverly Naya

Makida Moka

DJ Sose

Sharon

Dakore Akande

Ebuka Obi-Uchendu

Kunbi Oyelese

Niyola

Zaaki Azzay

Toke Makinwa

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

August 1, 2015

Athlete’s Foot Doctor Talabi has answers to your health questions

Write him today at prettyprevent@gmail.com or text 09099346165 (sms only pls)

A

gain, fungi are in focus, as the topic for this week is also about a fungi infection. Rather than the head however, this piece talks about fungal infection of the feet, better known as Athlete’s Foot.

What Is Athlete Foot? : Contrary to its name, athlete’s foot is not an exclusive preserve of Athletes. It is a fungal infection of the feet or human pedal, hence the name Taenia Pedis. It is associated with athletes, therefore named after them, because they tend to walk around barefooted on wet locker room floors half of the time, in addition to imprisoning their feet in trainers for the other half. Still, other people can develop tinea pedis.It commonly infects the web of the toes, especially the 4th and 5th toes. From here, it can spread to involve the sole of the feet and even the palms.

Causes: It is caused by an organism which

we all host on our bodies called dermatophytes. They feed on dead skin cells and are usually harmless so they can be referred to as harmless parasites until the environment is made favourable for them to cause harm. The particular organism is an anthropophilic fungus, a fungus that has preference for humans; feeding on the protein called keratin found on the skin, nail and hair. It thrives in people who wear damp or wet socks often and in those who sweat considerably. Though a moist loving fungus like the rest, it has also been found to infect dry areas of the foot. Immunocompromised individuals are also susceptible to this infection, so it occurs frequently in diabetics. It can be spread through direct

contact with infected surfaces and skin particles left on towels, shoes, and wet surfaces.

Symptoms: Most times you don’t need a medical practitioner to tell you that you have athlete’s foot. Still, checking with your caregiver can determine the need or otherwise for laboratory investigations, to confirm diagnosis, especially in unremitting cases. Symptoms include: Burning and itching at the site of the infection i.e in between the toes Dry peeling skin on the soles of your feet Smelly foot Painful blisters Red or whitish skin changes Complications: If left untreated or not treated on time, it may worsen, leading to: Secondary infection by bacteria Spread to the nails and other parts of the body Severe infections which can affect even the bones

Treatment: Athletes’s foot occasionally disappear without treatment, in mild cases and when the feet is well aired. But in most cases treatment is required. Treating it at the first appearance is the best; if delayed, it gets more and more difficult to treat as the days go by.

There are measures you can take at home such as: -Allowing your feet to dry after washing before putting on socks and shoes -Changing and washing your socks as frequently as you can -Drying your feet with a separate towel to prevent spread to other parts of the body -Wearing more of leather shoes and sandals rather than synthetic materials -Spraying antifungal powder in your footwear before wearing, rather than applying directly to the lesion Treatment in the hospital usually involves the use of topical and oral antifungal. This may take several weeks or even months. It is very important to combine these treatments as directed by your physician. The common advice is that when the infection has disappeared, you should continue the treatment for at least two more weeks. This is to ensure effective treatment and to prevent relapse.

Prevention: To achieve this: -Always dry your feet properly before wearing your socks and shoes -Alternate shoes to allow proper drying -Maintain good socks hygiene -Limit the use of synthetic foot wears -Avoid tight shoes -Never share shoes, socks or towels Conclusion: Athlete’s foot is a disease of both the rich and the poor. It could be irritating and quite stubborn in responding to treatment. The trick is to identify and treat early; continue treatment non -stop and maintain good feet care afterwards.

Dear Mirror Doctor Dear Dr. Talabi, I must commend you for your regular health piece in Saturday Mirror.

Henceforth, I will always pay attention to your piece. I am reading a piece you wrote on Tinea Capitis, known as lapalapa among the Yoruba. You

must add this to the treatment segment too. Lime juice works well to kill the fungal infection. I have prescribed it for an aunt in VI, for her set of twins and it worked.I don’t want her name in print for sure but she is a living witness..............Williams Adebayo

Dear Williams Adebayo, Thank you for your mail.

Tinea infections sometimes are self limiting and application of vinegar, papaya and lime, as you mentioned, have been found to be helpful in alleviating symptoms in some individuals.But the

current evidence based recommendation is to combine oral antifungal with topical treatment to avoid recurrence and for effective treatment.

You can chat with a doctor FREE at www.prettyhealthcare.com.ng.

Every Wednesdays and Fridays (4-8pm)

42

August 1, 2015

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Get your slice of Eden on Idanre Hills

O

nce upon a time, a progeny of Oduduwa, ancestor of the Yoruba race, left Ile-Ife, with his band of followers and a magic crown for which he incurred the wrath of his kinsmen.

The people of Ife pursued them deep into the heart of outcropping hills of wonder.

Idanree! There exclaimation of great wonder remains the name of their new found settlement that has become one of Nigeria’s leading tourist attraction.

Oke Idanre hill consists of high plain with spectacular valleys interspersed with inselbergs of about 3,000 ft above sea level. Its physical attributes include Owa’s Palace, Shrines, Old Court, Belfry, Agbooogun foot print, thunder water (Omi Aopara) and burial mounds and grounds.

It also has diverse and variegated ecosystems of flora and fauna. Oke Idanre contains very important bio-physical and land form features whose interaction with the physical features created an enduring cultural landscape within the setting.

Among notable sites that catch the fancy of tourists are the unreadable letters, believed to be a mysterious handwriting etched on the rock, which could not be deciphered or read and interpreted by anyone since it was noticed conspicuously on the rock. Also, there is the Arun River, which is believed to have natural power to heal all kinds and manners of ailments and diseases, and it has been visited by many people over the years. The Agbogun footprint presents an attractive spectre of a mythical shoeprints.

But these are just the beginning of mysteries and big wonder that surround Idanre. There is the story of the town itself and the “Nine Wonders” on the hills.

First, the story: Once upon a time, a progeny of Oduduwa (the ancestor of the Yoruba race), who decided to leave Ile-Ife (the Yoruba’s ancestral home) with his band of followers, stole an item of inestimable value, a magic crown called “Ade Omo Oduduwa”–the crown of the Oduduwa son-for which he incurred the wrath of his kinsmen.

The people of Ife pursued them deep into uncharted jungles, forcing the fleeing band to migrate farther from civilization.

They kept a nomadic existence for many years until at last they came upon a range of hills, which held them in awe and bewilderment. In consternation, they exclaimed: “Idanree!” (This is wonder).

The hills became their refuge, a strategic protection against their warring kinsmen and invading marauders. There they settled and lived for over 800 years until they migrated downhill in the year 1923.

And then the wonders: It begins with “The Great Steps” (Ibi Akasu) that lead up into the hills: 660 steps with five resting

Idanre Hills

points set at least 100 metres apart.

A climb on the hills requires a regimen against fatigue and vertigo. With a rich and robust ecosystem, the hilltop is a mid-way world between the sky and the ground, consisting of great heights and yawning gorges, frightening chasms and suicidal slopes.

At the pinnacle of the hills, nature is unrestrainedly benevolent: a balmy weather, clear, sunless azure sky, and a quasi-Jurassic jungle. The hills’ flora is a matrix of tropical rainforest and savannah biomes.

The vegetation, luxurious and densely variegated vegetation include tall Obeche and leafy Afara and Acacia intertwined with shrubs; contrasting morphs of cacti, cashew, and coconuts palms sprouts here and there.

Bananas grow among bamboos under big baobabs. Sporadic cassava cultivation indicates an agrarian occupation. The hills have a fauna of snakes. “An elephant was killed last year,” my guide informs me. He also enumerates other species of the ‘animal kingdom’ on the hill which including antelopes, apes and birds of prey.

The hills also yield bumper harvests of giant snails, which the locals pick in the dead of night. There are series of streams, crystal-clear pools that tempt you for a swim. The world on the hills, in brief, is a slice of Garden of Eden.

Great stories match the great sights of the hills. The legend of the Idanre Hills is a mosaic of myths and magic, woven around Agboogun, a great hunter with supernatural ability. A popular account asserts that the great hunter asked three of his sidekicks to accompany him on a journey.

On their way, he paused to inscribe hieroglyphically on a hillside, and the cryptic inscription became known as the “Unreadable Signs.” A little further, he etched on another hill, this time, broad crisscrossed strokes. This is dubbed the “Wonderful Mat.”

Then he climbed the steep Aghagha Hill. At the foot of the hill, Agboogun struck his foot on the rock, leaving an imprint on its surface. The foot shapeddepression is now known as “Ese Agboogun” (Agboogun’s Footprint). He left an instruction: “Any person(s) accused of witchcraft should be made to try it for a size; it fits any foot size except those of the malevolent.”

There is also the legend of “Omi Aopara” (Thunder Water). According to local explanation, in the days of yore, it was prerequisite for warriors to gather for a drink at the stream before embarking on any war campaign. At whoever’s turn the thunder rumbled, such individuals was doomed to die at the war front, and were consequently left out of the campaign.

The ancient settlement on the hills where they lived until 1932 holds the relics of their past. There is a complete set of antique homes and huts and the remains of the Igbo Ore Primary School on the hills. The Ancient Palace, a lowroofed mud building, with an inner square supported by carved pillars, harbours a number of artifacts such as an assortment of animal skulls.

Odere offers a clarification: “Every December, when Kabiyesi, Owa of Idanre, wears the ‘Ade Omo Oduduwa’ crown he ascends the hill with a cow for sacrifice.

The skulls, (collected in a corner of the palace) are symbolic of the total number of years a king has spent on the throne.”

Thirty-three skulls, translates to 33 years - the number of years the reigning monarch, Arubiefin IV, has sit on the throne. Every turn on the trail on the hill brings you to another breathtaking sight. A giant boulder per already spent of the throne. Spectacular but spooky is the defining aura around the historic royal abodes precariously on a hill above a hut. The Wonderful Rock is what the natives called it.

Then the mystical: A dilapidated building, a blackened slate with written words that reads in part: Off your shirt before you enter this house. “Don’t step on that!” my guide warns. It belongs to Chief Lorin, one of the chieftains who could well be described as the de facto kingmaker.

“Though a chieftain, he doesn’t wear any clothes save for a barest essential one-piece fabric,” he adds in a grave voice. Behind this abominable abode is a low-walled house with a mesh and roof.

It served as prison for felons in those forgotten era. A little distance away is the court, a mud house recently renovated.

Behind the court, is a clearing where the king wears the crown every year.

That spot has a yarn attached too: IleIfe, still hell-bent on regaining its magic crown, sent a fearless hunter who succeeded in stealing the crown. Agboogun, hot on the bandit’s heels, struck the ground with a magic wand and the hunter became transfixed. When he caught up with him, he beheaded him, and retrieved the crown. On that very spot, where his was blood spilled, there, Idanre kings wear the magic crown every year. And after that annual celebration, the king must not catch a glimpse of that place through that year again; perhaps, because the mausoleum, (the final resting place for every Idanre king) is in broad view.

One particular sight that is difficult to overlook is a smoking hill in the far distance: The Orosun Hill, covered in smoky haze, from morning till night. According to a myth, Orosun was a woman warrior, a sort of fertility deity, who protected the Idanre people. She was said to have simply walked into the wild and disappeared at the foot of the hills, where her shrine is now located. From under the Orosun Hill flows Arun River, reputed to have healing powers. The Orosun festival is the most celebrated fiesta of Idanre.

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August 1, 2015

LEISURE

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August 1, 2015

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From the Civil Service Kwara Salary Crises:

Ahmed predicts resolution within two months

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Federal Road Safefy Corps, Lagos Sector Command, Special Marshal Unit 05 on patrol recently, second from right, Unit 05 Coordinatopr, Alhaji Sadiq Adebowale, followed by Engr. Udi Anthony, Regular Marshal G. Theck and two others offenders that were booked accordingly.

Olukolade hands over FOSSRA leadership to Commodore Aliyu M

aj- Gen. Chris Olukolade, Chairman of Forum of Spokespersons of Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA), on Thursday handed over leadership of forum to the Director of Naval Information, Commodore Kabiru Aliyu.

Olukolade, who is retiring as Director of Defence Information, handed over the leadership at the monthly meeting of the forum held in Abuja.

At the meeting Olukolade formally informed his colleagues about his retirement from service.

According to him, he ought to have left the service since Nov 2014 when he applied for voluntary retirement but was not obliged by the Army Council who extended his stay in the on the grounds that it was not proper for him to go at that time.

Olukolade thanked members and their agen-

cies for the support and understanding they accorded him while he chaired the forum since its formation in 2013.

He also solicited the same level of support for his successor.

He said the aim of the forum was to deepen the collaboration and understanding among the security and response agencies in information management and commu-

nication.

In his acceptance remark, the new Chairman of the forum, Commodore Kabiru Aliyu extolled the sterling leadership qualities of Olukolade which was the main pillar behind the successes recorded by the forum.

He assured the former Chairman of his determination to carry on from where he stopped and to even strive to move the fo-

rum to another level.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of Centre for Crisis Communication, retired Air Commodore Yusuf Anas also commended Olukolade for his positive contributions to national development.

The membership of FOSSRA is made up of spokespersons of Military, Security, Intelligence and Response agencies.

he Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has given an assurance that the issue of salary arrears of workers in certain tertiary institutions and government agencies in the state will be resolved within the next two months.

Speaking during a meeting with heads of tertiary institutions in the state at the Government House Ilorin on Tuesday, Governor Ahmed expressed optimism that the state and federal government efforts to end the hardship caused by salary arrears in the country will start bearing fruit by next month.

He therefore called on staff of the affected tertiary institutions and agencies in the state to exercise patience as the state government is doing everything possible to resolve the situation which he said was caused by the drop in allocation to all tiers of government for the past one year.

Governor Ahmed based his optimism on the expected bail out from the Federal Government which he said will restructure loans owed by the states and free up additional funds for the payment of salaries and other government obligations to the people.

Speaking further, the state

governor added that the government’s renewed revenue drive will make revenue collection efficient and reduce government’s reliance on federally allocated revenue.

Alhaji Ahmed said that the state government established the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KSIRS) with the mandate to make revenue collection efficient and increase monthly receipts from the current level of N600m to an initial N2.5 billion.

According to him, this will enable the state government to cover all its monthly obligations including payment of salaries and funding infrastructure projects.

Alhaji Ahmed also told the heads of tertiary institutions that increasing the state’s IGR will also result in a corresponding increase in federal allocation to the state.

Governor Ahmed therefore called on the heads of tertiary institutions to gear up for the new revenue collection strategy as government intends to plug all leakages and wastages which had hitherto hindered efforts to grow Internal Revenue to fund people-oriented policies and projects.

We have repositioned Uselu Psychiatric Hospital – MD T

he Medical Director, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City, Dr. Sunday Osasu Olotu has enumerated modest achievements made by him to reposition the medical facility in the hospital, despite the myriad of problems that welcomed him into office.

Dr. Olotu, who drew fo-

cus to the current serene environment in the hospital which did not reflect a “neuro-psychiatric environment”, stated that the feat was attributable to the proper re-organusation and re-engineering of human capacity in the hospital.

Speaking with newsmen in Benin City yesterday, the Medical Director explained

that inspite of the myriad of crisis perpetuated by a sect of cabals in the hospital when he assumed office in 2012, his administration had been able to bring about the desired sanity for the benefit of and growth of the establishment.

He said that he had been able to build and improve on human capacity and resources in the hospital by sending staff on foreign training, as well as training others within the coun-

try, aside attending short refresher courses and seminars that have paid off on the quality medical delivery services to the people.

Dr. Olotu, who felt pressured by some delinquents who instigated senses of demonstration during his appointment as the Medical Director of the hospital stated that he made his breakthrough in the health delivery to mental patients in the hospital by breaking the branches into smaller

units based on the specialty of staff to enhance the better care of patients.

According to him, “this led to the decongestion of wards, categorization of patients into wards, such as recovery and new patients to different wards, rehabilitation amongst others, boosted the qualitative mental delivery currently enjoyed in the hospital.”

This he said had been harmonious and more therapeutic.

Sport

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Africa U-23 tourney

August 1, 2015

45

Dream Team VI in training session ahead of Sunday’s clash with Congo.

Nigeria battle Congo in Pointe Noire

Ifeanyi Eduzor

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igeria U-23 team will be facing a tough opposition in Pointe Noire on Sunday when they meet the Junior Red Devils of Congo - Brazzaville in a decisive Olympic Games qualifying match.

The Dream Team, handled by Coach Samson Siasia, will be in Pointe-Noire to face their Congolese counterparts in the second leg of the final round of the 2016 Olympics African Championship qualifier.

When both teams meet in the first leg in Port Harcourt on July 19, Nigeria defeated the Congolese 2-1 and the team is aware that a lot of odds will be put on their way by the hosts in the coastal City of Pointe Noire.

Winner of tomorrow’s fixture will battle for one of the eight

slots at the 2nd African U-23 Championship taking place in Senegal from November 28 - December 11, 2015.

The top three teams at that competition will qualify for the men’s football tournament of next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil while the fourthplaced team will participate in a play-off against an Asian side.

The Dream Team, gold medalists at the Men’s Football Tournament of the Olympics at the Centennial Games in Atlanta 19 years ago, will be led by the man who took the team to silver at the Olympics in Beijing seven years ago while the Central Africans will be led by veteran French tactician, Claude Leroy.

As the two teams meet tomorrow, a draw will see the Nigerians through to the African championship in Senegal while a goal victory would be enough to send

Leroy’s team to the African tournament.

While Siasia has called up a crack squad including, Junior Ajayi, Taiwo Awoniyi, Godwin Saviour, Daniel Emmanuel, Atanda Sadiq, Usman Mohammed and Umar Aminu as well as Uniao da Madeira midfielder Abdullahi Shehu amongst others to prosecute the all important match, the Congolese will be banking on six foreign-based professionals, who were not released by their clubs for the first leg game in Port Harcourt. The players are midfielders Philzgérarld Mbaka, Hardy Binguila, Charlevy Mabiala, Yohan Andzouana, Julsy Boukama Kaya and striker Syvère Ganvoula Mboussy to do the damage in Pointe Noire and deny Nigeria the opportunity of going to 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Already, the Coach Samson Siasia led team is looking forward

to emulate the Super Eagles who despite losing 3-2 in Calabar to Congo during the last Nation’s Cup qualifiers, went to Point Noire to inflict a 2-0 defeat against the Congolese last November.

It is believed that the national U-23 team will sustain the tempo and hold their nerves against the Congolese in Pointe-Noire to win the ticket to the African Championship which will be held in Senegal in December.

Speaking on the match before their departure to Congo, U-23 team assistant coach, Fatai Amao told Saturday Mirror that they are prepared for the antics of the Congolese, insisting that they are capable of defeating the host in the match.

“We are fully prepared for the match and I want to assure Nigerians that we are not going to disappoint them in Congo despite the hostile reception we are likely

to encounter there.

“It is true that the Congolese will employ all sorts of antics to frustrate us but we are fully prepared for them and our plan is to emulate the senior national team who despite losing their first leg encounter in Calabar, defeated them in Pointe Noire.

“You should also remember that instances abound in the past and even as recent as last month when the U-23 Eagles overcame Zambia in Lusaka to win the All Africa Games 2015 ticket. So, we are fully prepared for the game.

Also speaking on the encounter, Congolese gaffer, Claude Leroy expressed optimism that his players will come out unscratched in tomorrow’s match; saying that the six professionals he invited for the encounter will be of immense help towards ensuring they record a victory against Nigeria.

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Drogba relishing MLS challenge

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idier Drogba said he is looking forward to the “beautiful challenge” of finishing his career in Major League Soccer after being unveiled before hundreds of Montreal Impact fans on Thursday.

The veteran Ivory Coast and former Chelsea icon addressed a crowd of fans at Montreal’s Saputo Stadium, a day after jetting into the Canadian city after wrapping up his MLS move earlier this week.

“I am a man of challenges and there is a beautiful one before me,” Drogba said alongside Impact President Joey Saputo.

Saputo said Drogba was arriving at a great time “for the Impact, the city of Montreal, and the MLS.” “I’m proud that he decided to pursue his career here, and his arrival will be beneficial at all levels, both on and off the pitch,” Saputo added.

“I just want to say, no pressure,” a smiling Drogba added before an ovation from supporters.

The two-time African Footballer of the Year said he had decided to join Montreal after being impressed by Saputo. “The president’s speech persuaded me. It was

August 1, 2015

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Odemwingie rules out retirement

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igerian international, Peter Odemwingie is not about to call time on his career. Odemwingie, 34 made his debut for the Nigeria national football team in 2002 but last turned out for the Super Eagles in 2014 at the Fifa World Cup. He has represented his country at U-23 level previously, helping the Dream Team win Silver in the men’s football event at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

At senior level, Odemwingie has played over 60 times including at two World Cups and four Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles.

Odemwingie, currently on the books of Barclays English Premier League club, Stoke City has however declared that he is not about to retire from the sport that brought him fame and fortune.

“I’ve not given it too much thought to be honest, and I could remain in sport. But I definitely do want to get some more education. You never know what will happen next in life; do you?,” Odemwingie asked rhetorically when quizzed by duckstoke.co.uk.

The forward is now setting his sights on a successful season with the Potters whose fans have taken to him like a duck to water.

“I was always surprised how quickly Stoke fans took to me. I came here and fans saw I was really happy with the move.

“Everything about the club was right for me. The reception I had that day at comeback game was truly amazing.

Odemwingie

Walcott signs new Arsenal deal A

Drogba

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ohn Terry expects Radamel Falcao to prove his critics wrong after claiming the Colombian striker was his toughest opponent last season.

The 29-year-old, who joined Chelsea on a season-long loan from Monaco after scoring just four goals in 29 games at Manchester United last season, is expected to make his Blues debut in the Community Shield against Arsenal on Sunday.

And Terry says his new team-mate is a class act who made life very difficult for him when Chelsea played United last season.

“I could tell pretty much how good he was and how difficult he was to mark,” he said.

“Literally after two minutes he was backing in. He did the same to Gary Cahill.

We had a little tussle on the floor 10 to 15 minutes later. “He was up for it, was hungry, his movement and first touch were both excellent.

“You get that feeling as well. You can tell after a couple of minutes - it’s ‘I’ll give a bit and he’ll give a bit.’ I just thought he was up for it that day and Gary felt the same.

“For me, Falcao and Tottenham’s Harry Kane were the best players I came up against last season. So we are delighted to have Radamel here now because he’s a top player.”

Walcott

rsenal forward Theo Walcott has signed a new four-year deal with the club worth £140,000 a week.

The 26-year-old has scored 50 league goals in 208 appearances since signing from Southampton in 2006 in a deal worth up to £12.5m.

Spain international midfielder Santi Cazorla, 30, has also signed a new deal with the London club.

“Both are top-quality players who are hugely important and influential to our squad,” said manager Arsene Wenger.

“As well as their huge contributions on the pitch, they both have a great deal of experience and are very popular off the

pitch.”

Walcott, whose previous contract was due to expire at the end of the 2015-16 season, had been linked with a move away from the Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool and Chelsea were reportedly willing to offer him the central striking role that he has struggled to secure at times at Arsenal.

However, an impressive end to last season - including a first-half hat-trick in the 4-1 win over West Brom and the opening goal in the FA Cup final win over Aston Villa helped strengthen his claim to lead the line for the Gunners. Walcott is the longest-serving player in Arsenal’s squad.

Di Maria close to PSG move Balotelli left out of Liverpool tour

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anchester United are yet to agree a fee with Paris SaintGermain for Angel Di Maria, but sources understand a deal to take the Argentina international to the Parc des Princes is imminent.

United paid a British record £59.7m fee to Real Madrid to sign Di Maria last August and are understood to be looking for a figure closer to what they spent to sanction his departure.

It is understood, United want more than the £44m figure quoted in several national newspapers on Friday and are aiming to secure a deal around the £50m mark for the 27-year-old.

Despite enjoying a positive start to life at the club ; scoring three goals in his first four matches , Di Maria’s form soon faded and he was reduced to playing a bit-part role under Van Gaal towards the end of last season.

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ario Balotelli has been left out of Liverpool’s squad for their pre-season trip to Finland, despite the club receiving no offers for the striker.

The Reds take on HJK Helsinki today in their penultimate friendly before the start of the new Premier League season, but will do so without the Italy forward.

Balotelli, instead, will continue to report to the club’s Melwood training ground as he continues his own fitness regime ahead of the new campaign. It is not yet known whether he will feature in Liverpool’s final pre-season match at Swindon Town on Sunday.

His omission from the first-team squad comes just two weeks after he was not included in the travelling party for the club’s recent pre-season tour of the Far East and Australia.

Balotelli joined Liverpool from AC Milan for £16m only last summer, but failed to find any real consistent form and has since been linked with a move away from Anfield.

Balotelli

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August 1, 2015

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MirrorGolf With Pius Anakali

Tel: 08023367071

Iyonagbe returns to golf

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even-time order of merit winner, Raphael Iyonagbe has returned to golf almost ten years after leaving the sport for proverbial greener pasture in the United Kingdom.

Confirming the report in telephone chat with Mirror Golf, Iyonagbe said he is happy to return to the sport, saying he is happy hitting golf balls once again.

“It’s been a refreshing experience hitting golf ball once again”, he said.

Iyonagbe’s exploit on the Nigerian Tour will be difficult to erase. He has won virtually all notable trophies staked on the tour.

Having established himself on the home tour, the big hitting golfer tried his hand on quali-

fying for the British open golf championship.

His first attempt in 2002 saw him missing the cut by twoshots. The following year, Iyonagbe who was then sponsored by Magnum Trust Bank, narrowly missed the cut by a lone strike.

At the height of his reign, Iyongabe won two of the CMCL organized Winner-Takes-All series, won the then Abia Open, won Slok Open, adding CMCL open trophy a short while later.

He left for the UK in 2005 in search of the Golden-fleece.

Now however, the fearsome golfer says he can no longer stay away from his first love; and has therefore joined Woostonmanor Golf and Country Club, Essex.

Ramsey completes stunning comeback

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e f i w , y e l r e v e l C mantic o r n i t out h g i n

om Cleverley was back in Manchester on Friday night but it wasn’t for footballing reasons, as he picked up a takeout from the popular Wing’s Chinese Restaurant with his wife, Georgina.

The couple met and has been dating since 2012. Tom was 22 when they met while Georgina was 27.

Tabloids called Cleverley her “toyboy,” and his friends allegedly razzed him for dating a TOWIE star.

Dorsett, however, was adamant that she wasn’t like the other girls. “A lot of the girls like to dress up and fall out of clubs,” she said then, “but I’m not one of them.”

Shortly after, Cleverley announced the birth of the couple’s baby, Nevaeh and Rose, on his Twitter account in June 2013, calling it the “proudest moment of my life.”

The superstar couple has kept Nevaeh largely out of the limelight, and Dorsett took a backseat in public for the first year of her daughter’s life as well. A very svelte and fit Dorsett had stepped back out and onto pages of fashion magazines. They are now more visible than ever before.

Meanwhile, the Everton star has been busy taking part in preseason with his new side.

Cleverley, who spent last season on loan at Aston Villa, joined the Toffees in the summer after

his contract at Manchester United came to an end.

The Everton star was enjoying some time with his other half as pre-season preparations continue The 25-year-old opted for Roberto Martinez’s side despite interest from elsewhere and will be looking to force his way into Roy Hodgson’s plans ahead of Euro 2016.

Cleverley has looked bright during pre-season; Everton beat Hearts last Sunday and Dundee on Tuesday, and will be hoping he can take that form into the new campaign.

Everton open their Premier League campaign at home to Watford as they look to improve on last season’s 11th-place finish

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ome favourite Richie Ramsay treated the crowds to a remarkable fightback as he advanced to the second round of the inaugural Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay.

Ramsay, who set the course record of 62 at Murcar Links a month before winning the US Amateur in 2006, came back from three down after seven holes to beat India’s Shiv Kapur by one hole.

The 32 year old Aberdonian took the lead for the first time in the match when he picked up a shot on the 17th and also birdied the 18th from 20 feet, with Kapur having hit an excellent approach to eight feet.

Ramsay was delighted with the way he held his nerve to seal victory. He said: “The most pleasing thing is playing well under pressure. There is no better feeling.

“To birdie the last two, and then obviously down the last with the local guys on the green was great.

“And I can call upon that in the rest of the round and maybe sharpen up the game this afternoon, ready for round two.”

India’s Jeev Milkha Singh also produced a superb comeback to reach the last 32, the 43 year old losing four of the first six holes to Australian Scott Hend and having to birdie the ninth for a half just to remain four down at the turn.

Rose back to QLN tourney

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ost of the world’s top players are skipping the Quicken Loans National. Justin Rose wouldn’t miss it even if he weren’t the defending champion.

Rose won the event in 2010 at Aronimink and last year at Congressional. This year, the Quicken Loans National moves to Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, a course he’s never seen. Given its place on the crowded PGA Tour schedule, a week off might be tempting - but not for Rose.

“It’s one of my favorite tournaments on Tour. Got a couple of the best-looking trophies on Tour,” Rose said. “It’s about winning tournaments and playing places where you feel you can win.”

Rose, the world’s seventhranked player, is a favorite this week along with No. 8 Rickie Fowler. Just three others from the world’s top 50 are playing, leaving the Quicken Loans National with

Rose

the second-weakest field among stand-alone PGA Tour events this season.

Tournament host Tiger Woods used to beef up the quality of the field. But he hasn’t won in almost two years while battling injuries and changing his swing, and his ranking has plummeted to 266th.

He needs a win this week just to get into next week’s Bridgestone Invitational, an event he’s won eight times.

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August 1 , 2015

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Echezona eyes national team call up Ifeanyi Eduzor

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Olympic qualifier: Falcons walk tight rope in Bata Super Falcons celebrate after scoring a goal in a recent tournament

Ifeanyi Eduzor

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igeria’s female national team, the “Super Falcons” will be facing a herculean task when they take on Equatorial Guinea in the Olympics 2016 second round second leg qualifier in Bata on Sunday.

When both teams met in the first leg two weeks ago in Abuja, Falcons were forced to a 1-1 draw

Ifeanyi Eduzor

N

ational heavyweight wrestling champion, Power Lee has assured Nigerians that he has what it takes to be crowned the new Pro Wrestling African heavyweight champion even as he promised that his first assignment after winning the belt is to present it to Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa Power Lee whose names are Godspower Ikpide and hails

forcing many followers of the game to write off Nigeria getting the ticket when both teams meet in Bata tomorrow.

Super Falcons began their qualification battle for Rio 2016 Olympics Games without kicking the ball against Mali, while the Nzalang Nacional edged out Congo 7-0 on aggregate to reach this stage.

Tomorrow’s match is a must win for the nine time African champions to enable them hoist

Nigerian flag in Brazil next year, while their Central African opponents who have won the African title on two occasions needs only a draw to progress.

Nigeria which failed to make it beyond the group stage at the just concluded FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada as well as failed to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics, is hoping to use Sunday’s match to convince football fans that they are still the best team in the continent.

Power Lee assures on African title from Owhe, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State will at the forthcoming PWA Africa heavyweight title fight tagged “clash of the Heavies, Yaoundé 2015”, meet Cameroonian Michel Noudem on September 18 at the Palais de Sports, Yaoundé for the continental title.

According to Power Lee who won the national title on December 19, 2010 after defeating De Lion Man, noted that he is prepared mentally, physically and

psychologically for the fight just as he appealed for financial support to enable him achieve his dream of winning a continental title for the country.

He noted that having defended his title against great wrestlers like Black Heritage, Ugo the Great Nail, Strong Bone Erujeje, Mr.

Falcons who will be missing the services of reigning African women player of the year, Asisat Oshoala as well as Josephine Chukwunonye, Onome Ebi and Francisca Ordega due to injury will depend on experienced players like Desire Oparanozie, Evelyn Nwabuoku and Ngozi Okobi to make the difference.

The aggregate winners will pick instant ticket for the women’s football event of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Sharpman, and most recently, Mighty Man, he is ready for the battle in Cameroon.

“I am appealing to Delta State Government, Isoko Development Union and corporate organizations to help me in achieving my dream of winning a continental title for the country”, concluded the wrestler who was trained by late Abbey City and Jimmy Palm.

AAG: Ekanem promises medal haul at the tournament.

Joel Ajayi Abuja

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head of this year’s All Africa Games scheduled to take place in Congo, Brazzaville between September 4th -19th, Head Coach of Weightlifting Federation of Nigeria , Ekanem Andrew Ekanem said that “Team Nigeria” is working hard to sweep medals in Weightlifting

He told Saturday Mirror during one of their training sessions in Abuja that although equipment needed for adequate preparation for the tournament has not been provided but was optimistic of a good outing by the athletes.

“The preparation is in top gear.

We have been in camp for the past three weeks preparing for the tournament and the athletes are responding positively to the training”, he said.

Micuray tourney ends today

T Power Lee (R) exchanging words with Cameroonian Michel Noudem when they signed their fight contract in Yaoundé, Cameroon

he final of Micuray Fly Emirates Football Completion will be decided today at the Kirikiri Play Ground, Lagos.

According to the coordinator of the tournament, Coach Lawrence Orairo, the final will be between CPDGM Fc and Culture Fc of Lagos while the third place match will be between the All Stars Fc and Simeone Fc. He stated that the championship which is aimed at discovering talents has lived up to expectation as many teams participated in the tournament. a

ashing winger, Echezona Ezeh John has appealed to the handlers of the junior national teams to invite him for trials to enable him prove himself.

Echezona who began his soccer career with Diamond Football Academy, Umuahia told Saturday Mirror that he has what it takes to be in one of the junior national teams.

“I have the speed, skill and ability to score goals as well as create assist for my team mates to score goals”, Echezona who is now with Abarowei Football Academy stated.

According to his trainer, ex-international winger, Steve Abarowei, the budding star was a house hold name at the IBER Cup winning team in Portugal in 2013.

“I want to shine like Kelechi Iheanachor and Taiwo Awoniyi in the national team. All I am begging the coaches is an invitation for a trial. I am sure I will make the team if I am invited for trial”, he concluded.

Echezona

All Stars elect new officers

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ingsley Anosike last Sunday emerged the new President of the All Stars International Fc of Lagos when he defeated the incumbent president of the club, Ugo Ugorji in a keenly contested election held at the Eagle Club, Surulere, Lagos.

Anosike an ex- vice president of the club won in a grand style pulling 39 votes to his opponent’s 15. Muyiwa Oloafe also took his opponent, Pius Egiolamhen to the cleaners in the tussle for the post of vice president with an overwhelming majority of 43 to 9 votes.

The highest number of votes was recorded by Uwuak Evans Udoukpong, Francis Joe Tandoh and Festus Ojinaka in the tussle for the post of General Secretary, Provost and Financial Secretary respectively.

Uduak scored 55 yes votes against one no vote for the post of General Secretary with Joe Tandoh grabbing 48 yes votes against 6 no vote while Ojinaka got a total of 43 yes votes as against 9 no votes just as Bolaji Odeyale won the post of Public Relations Officer by defeating Kayode by 39 votes to 15.

The closet result was recorded in the post of Social Welfare Officer where Karian Ukah defeated Duncan Suberu by 28 votes to 26 while Amago Obafemi recorded 28 votes as against Micheal Fidelis’ 23 to win the post of treasurer.

Crime Watch Murder of toddler:

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49

August 1, 2015

Homicide detectives drill 16-year-old boy

•They killed Nigeria’s future president —Father Patience Ogbo

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omicide detectives attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Yaba, have begun a manhunt for suspected ritual practitioners, who allegedly connived with a 16 year old boy to slaughter a 4 years old toddler in Lagos. The 16-year-old suspect, Tajudeen Azeez, allegedly murdered the toddler, identified as Ibrahim, at Ijanikin in Otto Owori Local Council Development Area of Lagos State on Sunday, and removed the boy’s kidney and intestines.

Azeez, who is a neighbour of the deceased’s parents, said he was paid N100 to get fresh human parts, and he saw the deceased as an easy target after his parents went out, and left him alone in the house .

The suspect narrated that he lured the victim with biscuits to a church in the neighbourhood when the mother of the boy went to the hospital to give birth to another child.

The bereaved father, Mr. Jamiu Hassan, said though he should be a happy man following the birth of another child, the murder of his four years old son has brought sadness to his family.

He said: “I was out that day to the hospital because my wife was in labour.

When I came back home, I discovered that Ibrahim was missing. I took my wife to the hospital on Saturday when she was about to go into labour. I came and slept at home only to go back to check my wife on Sunday morning.

When we came back from the hospital, we could not find my Ibrahim at home.

“I asked my elder son where his brother was, but he told me that they were playing outside the house when the suspect came and lured him away with sweet and confectionaries before he was later killed. When we could not find Ibrahim, I reported his missing to the Oba of Ijanikin and other residents, and for two days we were looking for him, but to no avail. My son’s killer is my neighbour. He slaughtered him like

Azeez

a ram, and removed his kidney, intestines and penis for ritual. He was declared missing for two days.”

Lamenting the brutal murder of his

son, Mr. Hassan said, “They have killed my president because Ibrahim used to tell me that one day, he would become the head of state of Nigeria. I want the

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and the Commissioner of Police to come to my aid, because I don’t want the case of my son to be swept under the carpet like other unresolved murdered cases in the country.”

Felicia Hassan, the mother of deceased boy could not hold back tears as she narrated how her son was murdered.

She said: “Since my son was murdered, I have not being able to eat or sleep. Can I get pregnant now and have baby Ibrahim again; it is not possible.

I want the governor and other human rights organisations to come to our rescue.”

The grandfather of the deceased, Alhaji Taiwo Hassan, said the Police should intensify efforts to arrest the other suspects presently at large.

He said: “I came from Abeokuta because of the incident. When I got to the station, I was told by a senior officer that some chiefs in the community were coming to bail some of the suspects fingered by Azeez, who allegedly were accessories to the crime.

“The DPO gave me the assurance that the suspects will be transferred to SCID Panti for further investigation, because I don’t want a repeat of some of the cases we have witnessed in the past.”

The suspect however blamed the devil for luring him to kill the boy.

He said: “We lived at 7 Jewugbadun Street, Okokomaiko, before we moved to Moshalashi Street in Ijanikin, someCONTINUED ON PAGE 50

...as police arrest nine more suspects over boy’s murder

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he Police in Lagos State, during the week, said they had arrested nine more suspects in connection with the murder of a four-year-old boy, Ibrahim Jamiu, in Ijaniki area of the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state, DSP Patricia Amadin, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria in

Lagos.

Amadin said the suspects were arrested following a confessional statement by the teenage suspect in their custody, adding that detectives were on the trail of other fleeing suspects.

She promised that the command would be thorough in its investigations to ensure that only those culpable were prosecuted.

NAN recalls that a 16-year old boy, Tajudeen Azeez, was arrested on Monday over the alleged murder of the toddler.

Amadin added that Azeez was arrested with blood stains all over his body and allegedly confessed to the crime.

The image maker said the lifeless body of the victim was found in a pool of his blood without his stomach.

Do you have a story for us? Contact 08138773277 or crimewatchmirror@yahoo.com

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CRIME WATCH

August 1, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Land grab:

Police investigate one of its own Patience Ogbo

T

he Lagos State Police Command is investigating one of its officers, identified as Okon Effiong, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), over allegation of land grabbing.

It was gathered that the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatia Owoseni, ordered the Officer in Charge of the X Squad Unit, Lagos State Command, CSP Adenola Johnson to investigate DSP Effiong following a petition by a business woman, Mrs. Oyebola Bashiru, that the said officer, in connivance with land grabbers at the Ikorodu area of the state, allegedly sold her land situated at Agbede Town, Agric, Ikorodu.

In the petition titled: “Save my Soul from DSP Okon and Land Grabbers,” Mrs Bashiru also alleged that her life is also being threatened as the suspected land grabbers had sold a portion of her land to another person, and they are forcing her to relocate.

The petition read: “Sometimes in 2009, I bought a piece of land at Agbede Town, Agric., Ikorodu from one DSP Munam Okon Effiong, a police officer attached to the Owutu Police Station.

I got to know Okon through an agent.

Officer Okon sold a plot land to me

Solomon Arase,IGP

Mr Fatai Owoseni, Lagos CP

for N500, 000 and handed me the documents of the land. I later began to develop half of the plot of land, and built it to lintel level of 3 bedroom flat.

“To my shock however, sometime in July in 2013, I discovered that another structure had been erected on the other half plot of my land. I called DSP Okon

to inform him of the building on my land, and he took me to one Wasiu Olo Omo, who claimed that the half plot does not belong to me. He told me that if I could not leave the matter and accept it the way it is, I should vacant the land because the land belongs to the Odugbose family, and they want it back.

“The land grabbers, with Okon, connived and frustrated my efforts to see the family head to explain my plight. To worsen matters, these land grabbers started using my blocks to complete the structure they erected on my land, and they have even completed their building.

I reported the case to the DPO of the Owutu Police Station, but nothing came out of it. The Omonile , that is the traditional land owners, in that area have also threatened my life over the land. I had to do something to stop them, so I reported to the Police Commissioner so that those behind this injustice against me will be brought to book.”

When contacted over the allegation, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, said the Police will not spare any officer found to be involved in shady deals.

“The Commissioner of Police has ordered investigation into the matter.

The Police do not tolerate corruption, so expect that justice will be served if the officer is found wanting, but first a thorough investigation will be conducted.”

Homicide detectives drill 16-year-old Six killed, 2,000 cows stolen by CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49

time last year. Sincerely Ibrahim didn’t offend me neither did his parents. I have known him since we moved to this area. I play with him and buy him biscuits and sweets.

I am an apprentice with a local furniture workshop in the neighbourhood.

I removed his kidney and intestines, and I abandoned them at a nearby bush when people were coming, before I was arrested.

I haven’t committed this kind of crime before. It was Osan that sent me to help him get human parts. It was this morning that I lured Ibrahim to Anglican Primary school where I used a knife to kill him.”

cattle rustlers in Bauchi N

o fewer than six persons and 2,000 herds of cattle have been lost to rustlers in Ningi Emirate of Bauchi State, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

Alhaji Inusa Danyaya, the Emir of Ningi, made this known on Tuesday in Bauchi while paying a courtesy call on Governor Mohammed Abubakar of the state.

Danyaya said the activities of rustlers have become a nightmare to the residents of the emirate following incessant attacks on them.

He pointed out that the most recent

incident occurred last Sunday when rustlers attacked one of the cattle rearers, and kidnapped his wife.

Danyaya, therefore, called on the state government to accord security a priority to ensure that the menace was curbed.

He also called on leaders to always redeem their campaign promises, and think well before formulating policies and programmes for the citizenry.

Besides, Danyaya called on the state government to develop Ningi town into an urban centre and to provide rural roads within the emirate.

He also appealed to the state government to prevail on the Federal Government for the creation of additional local government areas in the emirate to fast track development.

The traditional ruler said Ningi Local Government Area is among the 26 largest areas in the country and the largest local government in the North East region.

Responding, Abubakar promised that his administration would look into the issues raised by the emir with a view to addressing them.

NAN.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Man, 30, docked for bathing ex-lover with acid

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jilted lover, who was alleged to have bathed his ex-girlfriend with acid to avenge rejection in Lagos State, was on Friday arraigned before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court.

30-year-old Paul Nwokobia, a factory worker who lives in Ejigbo, allegedly poured acid on Rosemary Nnaife (pictured before and after the acid attack), his girlfriend of five years for dumping him.

His friend, 20-year-old Charles Orji was arraigned with him on a charge of conspiracy.

The suspects, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Maria Dauda, told the court that the accused and others at large, on June 3 at about 8.30 p.m. at Lawanson Bus stop, Itire, poured a substance suspected to be acid on the face of 23-year-old Rosemary Nnaife in an attempt to take revenge on her.

Dauda said that the offences contravened sections 228, 243 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The Magistrate, Mrs. B. FolarinWilliams, granted Nwokobia bail in the sum of N100, 000 with two responsible sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case to September 23 for trial.

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Crime Watch

August 1, 2015

netimi Alfred Odon, popularly known as Timaya, has been accused of rape by a female fan who is based in the US. Simply identified as Shella B, the accuser in a series of posts on her Instagram page on Thursday said the dancehall artiste is a rapist, and threatened him with arrest.

“You are a rapist. I will make sure the world knows it. You might want to cancel your show and get out of Atlanta because I am going to the Police,” she alleged.

However, the 38-year-old father-of-two has denied the allegation, insisting it was a one-night-stand gone sour.

“I have been talking with this girl for about one year and it’s funny how someone you think you know can act very hungry and low. How can I leave Nigeria and go to America where the law works to rape anyone? Am I crazy?

“This girl who had been promising to blow out my brains with sex when she sees me begged to see me when she knew I was in town but I didn’t know that she had a hidden agenda. I agreed to see her, and she came to my hotel in Atlanta, and we got down for real .When we were done and we were chilling, I got a call from my manager that we needed to start preparing for a show. She asked to go with me to the show as a couple but I said no and told her I was there to work.

“I got up and started preparing for the show but realised her phone wouldn’t leave my face while she kept asking me stupid questions, and even as I answered, I wondered what she was up to, then it hit me that she was recording and I grabbed her phone, and we struggled because I wanted to delete the videos she had made without my consent. I don’t even know

Pastor arraigned over fraud charges

51

A

white garment church pastor was on Tuesday dragged before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court on charges of fraud for allegedly swindling N355,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty-Five Thousand Naira) from his female client.

The suspect, Prophet Samuel Omileke (pictured), was said to have approached the unsuspecting client, Miss Taibat Raifu, last month and offered to help her resolve ‘problems confronting’ her through prayers and rituals.

The prosecutor, Inspector Thomas Nurudeen, told the court that the 26-yearold prophet obtained N355, 000 from Miss Raifu after she agreed to the offer.

In the interesting narrative, Thomas said, “Omileke urged Rafiu to recount her problems, which he buttressed by claiming to have had prior knowledge of before approaching her. They then fixed an appointment for the deliverance to be carried out.

“He further requested that she had to pay the sum of N310, 000 for his service and then he collected her gold necklace which he claimed was needed for the deliverance.

“Rafiu paid the sum and gave him her necklace valued at N4, 000 for the deliverance after which Omileke absconded,” the

Omileke

prosecutor said.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened sections 278 and 312 of the

Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

The Magistrate, Bola Osunsanmi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum, and adjourned the case till August 17 for mention.

to take the route she had taken; I really begged her, but she told me I had to pay her 50k dollars for her to forget about it, she obviously didn’t record that part because she had ulterior motives.

“After her demand for payment, I stopped calling or picking her calls. I went ahead to change my number, and I guess she got frustrated and went on the internet to try and do damage.

I Timaya cannot be a rapist, NEVER..I have daughters and I have a conscience.

I can never be a voice that rapes, and if I am so pressed for sex, I know how to get it.

I will never take sex when a girl says NO.

“I am a young man that is doing very well, and I guess she had expectations that I didn’t meet, and she decided to use rape because she knows that’s the fastest way to bring anyone down.

I wonder why she also went to open another Instagram page when her real handle is @officialshella_b “If she wasn’t lying, she could have provided proof of some sort of injuries gotten from any physical altercation. She carefully used the conversation where I was begging her not to ruin my career because I was trying to play it down,” Timaya explained.

Fan accuses Timiya of rape

Timaya (left) Shella B right.

if she still has any, but I deleted the ones I could on her phone.

“I called the hotel security and explained what had happened to them. I told them to open her phone so that I could see what she had left, but she refused and was making a scene and the hotel told her to get out but because I was scared of what she might have recorded, I insisted on calling the Police but the hotel told me that if I called the Police, I might be arrested for holding her hostage in my room, so I let her go.

“After then she kept calling and changing her story, telling me that I raped her, I tried to play it cool by begging her not

August 1, 2015

52

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Making it big with tomatoes

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n this country today, there are so many tomatoes grown all over. Research has shown that of the total production of fresh tomato in Nigeria, about 30% of annual productions are wasted because of lack of preservation mechanism. In the Northern parts of the country, there are large scale farmers of tomato, yet there is no preservation system to take care of the mass production. The only option available to Nigerians in this case is to establish fresh tomato processing plants to avoid wastages and at the same time encourage the farmers.

More investors either individuals, group of investors or governments are advised to invest in this area.

The writer will guide prospective investors in setting up this project from feasibility studies, site planning, procurement and installation of machines, development of marketing strategies and recruitment of experienced manpower to manage the project for profit.

Though there are various brands of tomato pastes & purees imported into the country, Nigerians can comfortably produce quality tomato pastes/puree at reduced cost and eliminate the cost of importation.

Tomato paste and puree are consumed in all the Nigeria households. They are used in preparation of different delicacy particularly stew. They are also used extensively in restaurants both small and big.

The demand for these products is increasing every day. The demand cut across all parts of the country. Apart from the Nigeria market, prospective investors can sell to other parts of Africa.

Tomato can be processed into paste, canned and export to other West African Nations and sale within the country. The demand for this product is very high locally.

It is one of the consumer goods needed in every home, hotels and restaurants on daily basis.

To set up an effective and efficient tomato paste-producing plant an investor needs

expelling machine, blending machinefilling machine, pasteurizer washing machine, stainless top working table and canning machine. It is also pertinent to mention that all these machines can be sourced locally. The machines can also be imported depending on the choice of the promoter fresh.

The raw material tomato seeds are widely grown in the country.

Preventatives can be obtained in the country too.

The major machinery and equipment do required to set up this project are the Extractor, Mixer, Pasteurizer, filling and canning machines.

These machines can be obtained locally from some tested machine fabricators. The machines can also be imported from some European countries.

Details will be given to prospective

Tomato paste and puree are consumed in most Nigerian households. They are used in preparation of different delicacies particularly stew.

They are also

used extensively in restaurants both small and big

investors.

The production process is simple! It is made up of washing, pulverizing, mixing with preservatives and pulpurizing.

Finally they are filled and canned.

The canning materials can be obtained in this country too. The project can be set up with the sum of N12million as shown below. From investment analysis, the projected total sales in the first year will be N58 million. Deducting the projected costs of establishment, it then implies that the project can pay back the cost of establishment in the first year of operation.

The rate of returns on investment, based on our projection is 67%. The profit before tax of the proposed project is N15 million.

This figure increased to N38 million in the 5th year of operation.

This project is considered feasible because the raw materials, required for setting up of this project are all available locally. The manpower is also available.

The machines can be procured and installed by Nigerian machine fabricators, if the imported ones cannot be obtained.

This project will forestall the importation of this product from oversea countries thereby conserve our foreign exchange.

It can generate employment of not less than 10 unemployed youths, thereby adding to the deduction of unemployment in this country.

For more information, particularly preparation of comprehensive and bankable feasibility reports, sourcing of the required funds, establishment and management of this project, contact the writer.

Financial Estimates Preliminary Investment (including feasibility studies)

N250, 000

Plants & machinery N3, 500,000 Working capital N3, 000,000 Utilities N2, 500,000 Accommodation (variable) N1, 500,000 Contingencies N1, 000,000 Total N11, 750,000 The project cost may either go up depending on some variables.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

August 1, 2015

53

SOUTH EAST

Umahi appoints deputy, wife as heads of SBC, WDC

Aliuna Godwin Abakaliki

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bonyi State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, yesterday, inaugurated his Deputy, Barr Kelechi Igwe, as the chairman of the State Boundary Committee and wife as the chairman of

…Promises to conduct LGA election soon the Women Development Centre (WDC).

The inauguration which took place at the AkanuIbaim International Conference Centre also witnessed the swearing in of members of Universal Basic Education Board

(UBEB), State Civil Service Commission, Ebonyi State Independent Electoral Commission (EBSIEC) and Local Government Service Commission.

Umahi commended those who were sworn-in for accepting to serve just

as he lamented that three persons rejected their appointments.

He charged the appointees to deploy wisdom in performing their duties, and urged them to ensure that they generate funds for the state government.

The FRSC Sector Commander in Anambra, Mr. Sunday Ajayi, pointing at a burst and wearing out tyre still being used by a motorist on Onitsha-Enugu road, during ‘operation restore sanity in roads in in Onitsha Anambra State, yesterday.

Okorocha urges Ndigbo to be focused Odinaka Uruakpa

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overnor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, has called on the Igbo race to be focused and believe in themselves, urging them to rise and take their rightful place in the political sphere of the nation.

Okorocha, who gave this charge at the solidarity rally and grand reception in his honour of Lagos APC members of South-east origin, in Lagos, said the Igbo nation has come together to dramatise the urgency for the unity of Ndigbo which he claimed to be grateful and proud of.

“We must be strong, focused and believe in ourselves because there can never a Nigeria without an Igbo man,” he claimed.

The governor further claimed that there is no part of Nigeria that one would not find the Igbo-

man, adding that wherever you see him, he is continually building bridges of friendship and enterprise, showing that the Igbo man is a pillar of peace upon which this nation must stand.

According to him, people have wrongly accused the Igbo of not being good politicians, claiming that they are the sleeping political giant of Nigeria, stressing that the time has come for them to rise and take their rightful position. He said that when this happens, people will know that the Igbo race is an integral part of Nigeria.

“In Lagos State here, several dramas took place; most people never believed the role an Igbo man can play politically, but I am happy today that there are Igbo people who have won elections in this state (Lagos) on different political platforms; this is a demonstration of the Igbo political force. I predict one day,

and not too far from now, that in our political life, in the true demonstration of the unity of this nation, an Hausa man will be governor in Igbo land and an Igbo man will be governor in Hausa and Yoruba lands; that one day, an Igbo man will occupy seats in some of the states of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as governors,” he submitted.

He also claimed that the Igbo have demonstrated more than any ethnic group in the country, the unity of Nigeria, adding that if the other tribes travel to the South-east the way the Igbo travel to other regions, the unity of the country would be more binding than it is now.

Also speaking at the event, the convener and Special Assistant to the Governor as well as Imo State Liaison Officer in Lagos, Mr. Alfred Ononugbo, revealed that the meeting demonstrates the unity of the Igbo nation in contrast

to people’s perception. He added that the people may have interests that from time to time seem to be in disparity, and in conflict, but the primary vision of the Igbo man is to make a decent income, and be recognised in his efforts.

On the unity and togetherness that Governor Okorocha and other Igbo leaders are trying to foster, he said: “This is just the beginning because there is a generation of Igbo who cherish the bond and ties of unity of the people, and this meeting is aimed at resonating and sending signals that there is a ray of hope at the end of the tunnel, and this unity particularly this oneness of mind, purpose and voice is a scarce commodity that we are beginning to find at this particular time, and it will go a long way in driving the Igbo vision of oneness and purposeful coexistence to a very high point.”

Umahi explained that there are traces of violence and crisis in some parts of the state, but revealed his preparedness to ensure that there is peace and order in the state.

The governor added that he will appoint caretaker council chairmen to assume position very soon, and emphasized that women will assume vice chairmen positions, just as he said that 50 percent of coordinators in development centres will be women.

“I don’t mind if my name is changed, but my interest is that Ebonyi State is changed for good. In the next few years, the state capital will look like other state capitals in the Federation.

He charged the appointees to uphold the principle of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the state will soon hold LGA elections in the state, and pleaded with local government council workers to shelve their planned strike action slated for Monday.

Umahi hinted that there will be an Agriculture summit on Monday to enable the state boost its economy through robust agricultural participation, noting that the state seeks to be number one in the production of rice, cassava, among others.

He said his administration is replacing corruption through welfare packages to people in the state who had worked hard just as he said that ill-gotten wealth will not benefit any person rather brings regret and failure to the perpetrator, urging politicians to shun corruption and be of good conduct.

In his acceptance speech, the Chairman of Ikwo College of Education Board, Chief Fedelis Nwankwo, expressed deep appreciation to the governor for granting them the opportunity to serve in the state, and pledged their commitment and loyalty to his administration in ensuring that the state records uncommon development.

Ebonyi reschedules N10bn debt

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bonyi State Executive Council has approved the rescheduling of N10 billion it owes commercial banks to now extend the period of repayment to 20 years.

The Commissioner for Information, Senator Emmanuel Onwe, disclosed this yesterday while briefing journalists on the outcome of the state’s executive council meeting held on Wednesday.

Onwe said that the state government took advantage of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) initiative as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, to reschedule loan obligations entered into by previous state administrations to provide respite to the new administrations and extend time of re-payment.

According to the Information Commissioner, the new arrangement will enable minimal deductions

to be made from the state’s monthly Federation allocations, to cushion the fiscal burden of the state.

The Commissioner stated that the state executive council reduced its earlier plan of constructing 500 kilometres of roads within the capital city to 200 kilometres at the cost of N12.5 billion through direct labour.

He listed some of the roads to be reconstructed to include; Ogoja and Nkaliki roads, even as he noted that direct labour method would reduce cost by eliminating contract fees and other costs.

Onwe stated that the council recommended that all the millennium development goal (MDG) projects be brought to an end, and were subsequently terminated and replaced with sustainable development goal (SDG), and that Mrs. Ngozi Obi Chukwu remains the focal person as in the defunct MDG.

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REGIONAL NEWS

August 1, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SOUTH SOUTH

Dickson woos investors over Bayelsa’s industrial future

Osahon Julius YENAGOA

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ayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson has called on the Federal Government and investors to partner with his administration over the devel-

opment of investment opportunities in the state in order to drive its industrialization efforts.

He highlighted the areas for collaboration to include the establishment of a world-class ecoIndustrial Park, power generation, Brass oil and

gas free trade zone and the Agge Deep Sea port, among other key projects.

Governor Dickson made the plea at the second edition of Bayelsa State Investment and Economic Forum with the theme, “Unfolding Bayelsa State’s Industrial

future,” which was declared open by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo in Yenagoa.

His words: “We are actually talking about an industrial park that has taken off. So, for those who are thinking and rightly so, how this wonderful concept can become a reality, we already have it in reality.

It is on ground. We have

Shell’s investment there of about N4 billion dollars already completed.

“We also have a Federal Government’s NIPP’s project that has just been privatized, which is also very expensive.

So already, we have an industrial park ready to go. All we are doing is to showcase it to the rest of the investing public and to assure everybody of our

preparedness to partner going forward.”

In his remarks, the Vice president, Prof Yemi Osinbajo represented by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Ade Ipaye, called on the state government to adopt very strict code of business ethics and zero tolerance for corruption, as vital guides in its investment drive.

Delta council chair charges FG on LGs autonomy Theophilus Onojeghen WARRI

W L-R: Governor of Rivers State Nyesom Wike; National Chairman of PDP, Mr. Uche Secondus; Manager, Nigeria Port Authority, Eastern Zone, Mr. Obumneme Onuenyenwa and Managing Director, Zerock Construction Company, Mr. Maroun Kassouf, during the inauguration of maintenance on Rivers Port access road in Port Harcourt,yesterday.

RPC cautions Wike on dirty fight with Amaechi

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ivers People’s Congress, RPC, an umbrella body of all ethnic, social and Non-Governmental Organisations in Rivers State, has raised the alarm that there may be clandestine efforts by Governor Nyesom Wike’s government to rubbish the legacies of Rt. Hon Chibuike Amaechi and hang on him a picture of corruption in order to make him ineligible for appointment

by President Muhmmadu Buhari.

The Co-ordinator of the Congress, Ipinabo Chinda, in a statement made available to Saturday Mirror, said it was not averse to probing the eight-year rule of the former governor, adding that information at its disposal showed that some persons in government are dubiously collecting and fabricating documents to push out to the media with the intent of presenting the former governor in bad light.

“We members of the Rivers People’s Congress, RPC, an umbrella organ of all ethnic, social and NGOs in

Rivers state, are alarmed at the information at our disposal which shows that there is concerted, on-going plot in the government of Chief Wike to rubbish the legacies of our former governor Chibuike Amaechi, and hang on him a corruption toga to make him ineligible for appointment by

the ‘Change’ touting government of President Muhammadau Buhari.

“Indeed we are aware that some persons in government are dubiously collecting and fabricating documents to push out in the social media, with some international media and some collaborating news

media in Nigeria, that the Amaechi government, in which Chief Nyesom Wike played a very major role until they fell apart, and the person of Rotimi Amaechi, is corrupt.

“This is with the intent of colouring the public mind with a negative image of Rotimi Amaechi. We abhor this in all its ramifications”.

arri SouthWest Council Chairman in Delta State, Hon. George Ekpemupolo has blamed joint-account system being operated by most states with local government councils as the bane of underdevelopment and inability to pay workers’ salaries in councils across the country.

George, who is the younger brother to Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tompolo, former leader of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, however advocated for the scrapping of the jointaccount system to allow LGs function as they are expected in the country.

The council chairman made the call while answering questions from newsmen during the commissioning of a community town

hall executed by his administration at Kokodiagbene community in Gbaramatu Kingdom of the council on Thursday.

The town hall which he said cost the council about thirty-five million naira was executed due to prudent management of the council resources.

While calling on President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to make LGs autonomous from state government interference noted that if the councils are made autonomous, it would help tackle issue of under-development in the rural areas which councils are meant to serve.

“The major challenge facing local government is fund. There are no funds especially with this joint account with the states. If I’ve my way, I’ll make LGs autonomous. They should be free to operate on their own”, George stated.

Police lose two officers to gunmen, foil kidnap attempt on council boss in Bayelsa Osahon Julius YENAGOA

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en and officers of the Bayelsa State Command of the Nigeria Police Force were thrown into mourning on Thursday as gunmen suspected to be kidnappers killed two policemen in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state, and made away with their official rifles.

This is as Police authority in the area foiled a kidnapped attempt on the

Chairman of the local government, Elder Remember Ogbe, when officers attached to him repelled gunshots attacks by the kidnappers.

The killing of the two policemen comes as the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo called on state governors to provide adequate security for investors in their domains.

Prof Osinbajo spoke in Yenagoa through his aide, Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr. Ade Ayeni, while declaring the 2nd Bayelsa State Investment and Economic Forum open on Thursday at the Gov-

ernment House Although the whereabouts of the escaped council chairman still remained unknown as at the time of this report, Police authorities in the state capital had confirmed the killing and the foiled kidnapped attempt on the chairman The dare-devil kidnappers were said to had disappeared to unknown destination, leaving the lifeless bodies on the ground.

The sad incident happened on Thursday evening between the hours of 4pm

and 6pm at the chairman’s residence, Amassoma, when the men of the underworld struck, killing the officers and scampering away.

Saturday Mirror gathered that the killing of the police officers by the hoodlums had attracted sympathy as residents of the area were seen in a sorrowful mood expressing shock.

The identities of the deceased policemen were not made public, just as their corpses had been deposited at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) mortuary.

Contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Bayelsa State Police Command, Asinim Butswat, while confirming the killing of the policemen, said the kidnappers also went away with the police officers’rifles.

The PPRO said the two corporals died due to injuries sustained from the kidnappers’ gunshots.

Butwats also said the command foiled the kidnapped attempt on Elder Remember Ogbe in Southern Ijaw.

He insisted that efforts have been intensified to perfect the arrest of the hoodlums, and prosecute them accordingly.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 1, 2015

Meet 35 women allegedly defiled

by Cosby F

or a while now, various women have come out to reveal how 78-year-old American stand-up comedian, actor, author, and activist, Bill Cosby defiled them.

Although the comedian once denied the allegations from the first few women that came out to reveal the comedian’s unbelievable act, it is however turning out to be true. Most of these women were young ladies who thought they could nurture their careers as actresses, using Cosby as a role model. Apparently, they got what they didn’t bargain for.

Since late 2014, around 40 women have come out to talk about how Cosby took advantage of them and sexually molested them.

Recently, thirty-five of Bill Cosby’s alleged victims have posed for a photograph on the front of the July 27 edition of New York magazine, giving their accounts of what happened to them at the hands of the now controversial Cosby Show star.

Coming into the light for the first time together, the publication lines the 35 women up on chairs in a visually shocking front cover snap, and displays interviews with the women in question within the pages of the magazine.

Noreen Malone told the magazine: “The group of women Cosby allegedly assaulted functions almost as a longitudinal study – both for how an individual woman, on her own, deals with such trauma over the decades and for how the culture at large has grappled with rape over the same time period. In the ’60s, when the first alleged assault by Cosby occurred, rape was considered to be something violent committed by a stranger … But among younger women, and particularly online, there is a strong sense now that speaking up is the only thing to do, that a woman claiming her own victimhood is more powerful than any other weapon in the fight against rape.”

The alleged victims rang-

ing in age from their early 20s to 80s, include women who were Playboy bunnies, TV writers, journalists and waitresses.

“I went into this thinking he was going to be my father. To wake up halfdressed and raped by the man that said he was going to love me like a father?

That’s pretty sick,” one of the women, Barbara Bowman, 48, said of her experiences with Cosby in the ’80s.

“I felt like a prisoner; I felt I was kidnapped and hiding in plain sight. I could have walked down any street of Manhattan at any time and said, ‘I’m being raped and drugged by Bill Cosby,’ but who the hell would have believed me? Nobody, nobody.”

Another victim, who is Cosby Show writer Sammie Mays, 57, claims an encounter with Cosby in 1987

derailed her life. “When I see Jell-O pudding, it comes flooding back,” she told the magazine. “Bill Cosby, that encounter, that one time, played a major factor in the direction my life took, toward the dark side.”

Super model Janice Dickinson, one of the more high profile victims, has been on several TV shows, narrating how she was sexually assaulted by the famous comedian in 1982. Another famous victim is model, Beverly Johnson.

The 35 women

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ID number confirms plane wreck is from Malaysian plane

T

he airplane fragment found on the Indian Ocean island of Reunion is from a Boeing 777 — the same as missing Malaysian Airlines Flight MH370 — sources told NBC News on Thursday.

The barnacle-covered plane piece was found by a crew cleaning the coastline Wednesday. On it was a number — 657-BB — which sources said is attached to a Boeing 777.

MH370, which disappeared in March 2014, is the only 777 known to be missing anywhere in the world.

The remains of a suitcase were also reported to have been found in the same area Thursday as air, land and sea crews combed the beaches and scoured the waters off Reunion Island, a French territory east of Madagascar off the southern tip of Africa.

Officials had no immediate comment on the suitcase.

The debris found Wednesday is a flaperon from the wing’s trailing edge, sources confirmed.

That’s a mashed-up word describing a combination of a flap — which helps determine a plane’s altitude, or vertical direction — and an aileron, which controls how it “rolls” into a new direction horizontally.

Agnes Thibault, a spokeswoman for the Paris prosecutor’s office, told NBC News that the fragment would be sent to a division of the French Defense Ministry in Toulouse to be examined in a few days. France is leading the official judicial investigation because

the debris was found on French territory. The co-pilot and some of the victims also were French.

“This is obviously a very significant development,” Australian Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss told reporters Thursday in Sydney. “It’s the first real evidence that there is a possibility that a part of the aircraft may have been found It’s too early to make that judgment, but clearly we are treating this as a major lead.”

The wreckage is 6½ to 8 feet long, according to photographs. John Cox, chief executive of Safety Operating Systems, an aviation safety consulting company, told NBC News that the fragment doesn’t look as though it was violently ripped off. Instead, he said, it suggested that the plane made something of a “soft” crash landing — perhaps in the water.

MH370 was carrying 239 people when it disappeared about an hour into its journey from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing on March 8, 2014. The fragment was found 4,000 miles from its last known position before it vanished, but oceanographers and search officials said especially strong eastward currents in the southern Indian Ocean easily could have carried the piece that far.

Still, it remains unclear how valuable the fragment could be, said Greg Feith, a former senior investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.

selection means East Asia will play host to three straight games: the 2018 Winter Olympics in South Korea and 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Ahead of the IOC vote, both the Almaty and Bejing bids had drawn criticism from human-rights groups.

Human Rights Watch has cited violence and discrimination that les-

bian, gay, bisexual and transgender people face in Kazakhstan, according to the AP, while activists say China’s human-rights record worsened rather than improved after the 2008 Olympics.

In addition to voting on the 2022 Winter Games host city, IOC delegates also selected Switzerland’s city of Lausanne to host 2020 Youth Games.

Beijing wins bid to host 2022 Winter Olympics

B

eijing won its bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics on Friday, making it the first city to be awarded both a summer and winter games.

Beijing narrowly beat out Almaty, earning 44 votes compared to the city in Kazakhstan’s 40. Oslo was initially named a fi-

nalist, but its Olympic bid was withdrawn after the Norwegian government voted against financially supporting it.

Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Games and China plans to reuse several venues from it for the 2022 event.

In winning its bid to host the winter games,

Beijing managed to overcome questions over a potential lack of natural snow and concerns over the distance between proposed venues. The 2022 competitions will be spread across three clusters over 100 miles.

While Kazakhstan had hoped to bring the games for the first time to Central Asia, Beijing’s

55

Quote

of

the

day

“I contested with him in order to win that election, but it is God that gives power to whoever he wants.

What ever happened on the 9th of June, my friend Ekweremadu became the deputy senate president”.

— Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, on Thursday, when he revealed how he collected signatures of other senators to impeach the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, in the 7th Senate.

Saturday, August 1, 2015. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net

Buhari’s Jugaad Innovation (III)

T

he previous government, regrettably, did not listen to the warning signals of revenue decline in those years. And there were no sufficient explanations given for some of the worries on surplus income of the previous years.

This, I believe, is the foundation of the curiosity of the new President and his insistence on asking some simple questions on certain issues, such as the disappearance of the balance of payment surplus from 2011 to 2013 and the official foreign revenue decline, from almost 49 billion dollars at the end of April 2013 to 46 billion in September 19, 2013.

There is also the issue of the short term portfolio capital inflow that reportedly reached 17 billion dollars in 2012. Those inflows have been targeting the bond market of the government.

It does not appear that the previous administration took very seriously the revenue warning signals from unstable oil prices. For instance, revenue warning signals were recorded with the decline in oil revenue excess crude oil account from 9 billion dollars in early 2013 to 5 billion dollars by mid year. This largely affected the implementation of capital projects and Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) of the government in 2014.

Nigeria’s oil revenue accounts for 90% of export, which is about 75% of the nation’s budget.

These are no accusations. It’s all about asking questions so that economic financials of the government can be based on sound footing. For instance, let’s look at the management

B

eijing has been chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, beating the bid of Kazakhstan’s Almaty.

Having hosted the 2008 Olympics, the Chinese capital will be the first city to host both a summer and winter Games.

Beijing and Almaty were considered outsiders when the 2022 bid race opened two years ago but after a host of European cities withdrew for political or financial reasons, the Chinese bid beat Al-

CFR

If

a president can steal one

hundred billion dollars from oil

money , as was the case with and

N igeria,

Libya

what type of oil price

stability is anyone expecting ?

of SURE-P, an issue as little as the expenses of the Board of Directors. In 2014, SURE-P Board of Directors alone spent over one billion Naira for their Board meetings! That will not be available in 2015, as the Board will now have to be contented with 50 million Naira for their meetings and Board running costs, as allocated in the budget!

In respect of corruption and audit, the interesting thing here is that corruption did not start with the immediate past government. But accounting rules appear to favour backward audit, with cutoff date of six years. Clearly, the previous government, in accordance with accounting rules, is in the net for critical audit.

This again will not be the very first time that such audit will take place in Nigeria. In another work this year, I said some interesting things. They are as follows: “Until death took him away from office in June 1998, General Sani Abacha, who was born on 20th September 1943, was famous to the extent that he became Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. His record of stolen oil money is unequalled. The highlights include, for instance, the return of the sum of $700 million by the Swiss Government from the Abacha loot.

This is in addition to the confiscated, yet to be released to the federal

SPORT EXTRA

government, the sum of $640 million dollars in a single Swiss bank. Others include the $480 million dollars returned by the US government to the Federal Government. There is also the return by the State of Jersey of the sum $316 million. The Supreme Court of Liechtenstein, by the efforts of the Minister of Justice, recently returned 175 million Euros in addition to the $1 billion dollars returned in 2002. Preliminary data shows that the total sum of 3.2 trillion Naira receipted by the Central Bank has been received so far.

That amount is equivalent to about 75% of the cash backing of the Federal Government’s budget for the year 2015 without projection. I am too sure that Abacha did not transfer the money by himself. It is left for me to give compliments to those who assisted in the money transfers. They must be financial experts. We may not write beyond these introductions on Muammar Gadaffi and Mr. Sani Abacha out of respect for the dead. More importantly, after death, there is judgement’.

In any event and like I have also said previously, ‘no one knows, easily, what a president or a key Minister might have stolen until he leaves office either voluntarily or he dies there. And in this regard, there are endless cases. If a president can steal one hundred billion dollars from oil money, as was the case with Libya and Nigeria, what type of oil price stability is anyone expecting’?

To be continued *Dr Jimoh Ibrahim (CFR) writes from the University of Oxford.

Beijing to host 2022 Winter Olympics maty by 44 votes to 40 with one abstention.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said that Beijing was awarded the Games because it fitted its new agenda for a “stronger focus on sustainability, legacy, and transparency”.

Despite expected costs of up to £962m, the IOC said: “Beijing will rely heavily on existing venues, includ-

ing those built for the Games in 2008, such as the iconic Bird’s Nest stadium.”

The statement added: “Thanks to an additional contribution from the IOC of approximately £564m to support the staging of the Olympic Winter Games in 2022, Beijing is confident that it will either break even or make a profit.”

The 2014 Winter Olympics in So-

chi, Russia, were estimated to have cost £31bn, making it the most expensive Olympics in history.

The IOC said in a statement: “Beijing aims to use the Games to accelerate the development of a new sport, culture and tourism area, and to encourage interest in winter sports in a region that is home to more than 300 million people in northern China.”

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