Saturday, August 25, 2012

Kidnapping

Ayo Salami

NJC, Jonathan fail to renew Adamu’s term

P. 6

ESUTH VC regains freedom

P. 51

N150

Experts, opposition parties condemn N5,000 note Vol. 02 No. 37

Saturday, August 25, 2012

P. 7

INSIDE

•Say it will encourage high profile bribery Celebrity ...It is against cashless policy –CACOL DJ Jimmy Jatt P. 18

P. 38

Director-General, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Yomi Bolarinwa; Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Wamakko; former Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili and Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, during the 20th anniversary of NBC and code launch in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Fuel subsidy scam:Court rejects Tukur, Alao’s bid to retrieve passports P. 5

Lance Armstrong

disgraced STRIPPED of seven Tour de France titles!

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

Tragic Cynthia!

Living

Cynthia Osokogu murder latest: Ex-victims were also students- Police

The Arugba on her way to the Osun grove

Adherents get free condoms at Osun Osogbo Festival SEGUN ADIO

M

ore facts emerging yesterday from the investigation of Nwabuzo Okumo and Odera Ezekiel, the alleged killers of Cynthia Osokogu, have revealed that their two previous victims were also university students.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer DSP Ngozi Braide in a telephone chat with Saturday Mirror said the two suspects were not new to the crime that claimed Cynthia’s life. “The two young women who claimed to have also been drugged, robbed and raped by Okumo and Ezekiel were also university students. In all, Okumo and Ezekiel have used a total of five hotels in Festac for their nefarious activities.

“The women also got to know Okumo and Ezekiel through a group on Black Berry messenger, the very same method by which Osokogu was introduced to them,” Braide said No further details were, however, were given regarding the names of the hotels and institutions which the victims attended.

Two women were said to have reported to the Area E Police Command, FESTAC, Lagos on Thursday claiming that they had also been drugged and raped by the suspects who were paraded

the day before.

Okumo and Ezekiel had reportedly drugged, beaten and robbed 24 year old Osokogu, a postgraduate student based in Nassarawa State before her death on July 22 2012, after luring her to a hotel in the Festac Town area of Lagos.

While parading the suspects on Wednesday, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Umar Manko, had said the suspects specialized in luring young ladies and robbing them. He had also added that it was unclear if the boys had killed their previous victims or not.

Although one of the suspects had reportedly confessed to have drugged, raped and robbed four girls before Osokogu, Okumo and Ezekiel have described her death as a mistake. Osokogu, the only daughter of Major General Frank Osokogu (rtd), was reported missing on July 22, 2012 after several attempts by family members to ascertain her whereabouts proved futile.

Braide advised parents not to allow their children to have unfettered access to social network sites on the internet.

She also counselled girls to be careful about men they meet on social network sites because many of them could have criminal intentions and that girls should not release vital information to their friends on the internet.

Dev Devotees at the Osun grove

T

he annual Osun Osogbo Festival is recognised annual melting pot of culture. Like every festival should, it draws tourists from all over the world to its venue, the Osun Grove which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

According to Yoruba mythology, Osunigbo, the goddess of Osun River is the goddess of fertility, protection and blessings. She possesses the ability to give children (through birth) to barren women and power to heal the sick and the afflicted by means of her medicinal water from the river. Thousands of barren women throng the Osun Osogbo festival every year, beseeching the goddess to grant them the fruit of the womb This aspect of the festival

may have received a question mark from the organisers, who made the distribution of free condoms one of the features of this year’s festival, the 642nd edition.

Condoms are supposed to prevent pregnancy. So, how on earth can a festival that claims to enhance fertility promote the use of condoms?

People who want children are not supposed to use condoms!

How would such people get children if they use condoms?

These were the questions on the lips of critics of the free condoms feature of the festival.

The Press Officer of the Osun State Ministry of Health, Mr Niyi Kolawole, however said the essence of giving condoms during the festival was to prevent the

unnecessary spread of HIV/ AIDS from those who are infected to those who aren’t.

The chairperson, Osun Osogbo HIV/AIDS Prevention Committee, Dr Temitope Ilori, also said the free condoms initiative was aimed at checking the spread of the disease during the festival particularly and henceforth.

In the same vein, Mrs Bosede Taiwo, a devoted OOF faithful, insists that that OOF is truly a veritable fertility medium and that barren women should seek the solution to their childlessness from the Osun River in Osogbo. ``It is evident that ‘Iya Osun’ gives children to women. Whoever needs her help will just drink the water from the river in the groove with faith that your request has been granted. ``There are instances even in the Bible where the prophets used water for healing so also it applies in the case of Osun. Water is universal and it is of great benefit to mankind. It is not until you see Iya Osun or any of the devotees before you can get treatment.

Just take the water with absolute faith and get ready to come with your vow next year for gratitude. ``Osun, who makes women conceive and have children, is a great goddess and I will forever remain her devotee.

Osun solves all human problems including barrenness,’’ she said.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

MOHAMMED

InThe

3

Spotlight

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, a lawyer and politician, is the National Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). He spoke to TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, on the ongoing merger talks between the ACN and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), among other matters. Excerpts:

‘Nigerians are yet to recover from 1966 coup’ T

he state of the nation seems not to be satisfactory to many Nigerians. What, in your own opinion, could have been the genesis of the country’s problem?

Many things went wrong with Nigeria. I think the first thing that went wrong was our politics. Our trouble started with the political instability that led to the first military coup and which effects Nigerians have never recovered from. The political instability started in the then Western Region, but unfortunately the centre (Federal Government) at that time was interested in breaking the Action Group (AG) as a political party for whatever reasons. So, it (FG) contributed in large manner to the instability of the Western Region. The instability in the political system at the Western Region led to a state of emergency being declared and it led to operation wetie and the rest, and of course the entire country was in turmoil. One of the reasons why the military struck in 1966 was because of what they saw as large scale of nepotism, political instability and violence. But since the military got into power in 1966, we have never recovered. When you have 13 years of unbroken reign of the military in a very young country like Nigeria, the damage done is enormous. No matter what anybody says, I believe that the coming of

the military to power in 1966 was the beginning of our problem in Nigeria. With the coming of the military into power there was also a civil war. Once a country goes into a civil war, the situation may not be the same again because people are exposed to violence, hardship and other acts. That to me was the beginning of Nigeria’s problem. It is very sad that the system cannot be trusted again today and this is part of the bane of this country.

Why is Nigeria not much better off than it was in 1999?

I think Nigerians made a mistake and the leadership that was foisted on us then neither had the vision nor the love of the country at heart. Between 1999 and today Nigeria has never earned the kind of revenue that it has earned but because of the poor leadership of the PDP, we can rightly say that the country is better in 1999 than today if you use whatever indices whether security, economy, unemployment and infrastructure.

Why do you lay the blames on the doorstep of the PDP? I think all along people have actually been voting on sentiment or there is a cabal that decides where Nige-

rians go; that there would not be free and fair election.

People are being foisted on us and when they come to power they come up with an idea which is not pan-Nigeria or they lack the capacity to steer the ship of the country as expected.

Many people believe that Nigeria’s problem is not a political party but the people in public offices. What is your take?

What is the difference between the people and the party? Is it not the people that make up the party? Was it not the same people who were in the former Northern People’s Congress (NPC) that found themselves in the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) after the civil war and the lifting on the ban on politics in 1978/79? So, largely the same people in Action Group in the First Republic found themselves in the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in 1978. Was it not largely the same people who are in Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) that found themselves in Peoples Republican Party (PRP)?

Is it not the same people in NCNC that found themselves in Nigeria’s Peoples Party (NPP)? I agree that it is the people that make up the party. It could change from UPN to SDP and to ACN but it is the character of CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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IN THE SPOTLIGHT

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Election dice is loaded against opposition’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 the people that made the party that is very important.

I don’t believe that the problem with Nigeria is either the party or the people but leadership in the sense that the people know what they want. Obviously, they want good governance, electricity, water, qualitative education and so on. The people are very trusting but the leaders betrayed them often and often whether military or civilian. So, the problem is in the leadership of the country.

It is the belief in some quarters that public office holders do not perform because they spend their time trying to recoup the money they spent on election. What is your take?

Today, it is very expensive to run for public office because everybody knows that the will of the people will not be respected. What you need to win an election in Nigeria today are three things; a very deep pocket, control of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security. Largely, I blame the leadership for the problem in the system. The President of Nigeria is probably the most powerful President in the whole world in terms of power of appointment and patronage. And when we argued for an independent electoral commission, we were of the view that the chairman of INEC and all commissioners must be chosen by the people. In other words, they must apply for the job and must be given the job on merit and not to be appointed or nominated by the President and that is where most of the problems start. So there is no way we can have an unbiased umpire in the INEC chairman or the commissioners based on their being political appointees.

Is that why the opposition parties have not been able to get to the centre?

There are many reasons why the opposition has not been able to get to the centre. First, we have a faulty electoral system that put the ruling party at an advantage. There are three things to win an election; logistics, INEC and security; they are all in the favour of the Federal Government. In terms of security, the police and the army are controlled by the Federal Government. The Inspector General of Police is responsible to the President. Though they call the governor the chief security officer, they cannot give directives to any police commissioner; they cannot even give directives to a police corporal. INEC is appointed by the Federal Government and it is the Federal Government that releases money for all INEC activities. So it is a dice that is loaded from the beginning against the opposition.

Then, when it comes to funds and patronage, there are over 460 federal parastatals. While some states just manage to pay the salary of some staff, we have NNPC that has a budget that is larger than the combined budget of some states. So in terms of resources and patronage, security and many other things, the dice is loaded against the opposition and that is why it is quite difficult for the opposition to win an election. If there were free and fair elections, several parties would win in different states because all politics are local. If my party was doing well, the people would vote for me. If my party could not connect with the people, they would vote for me. But in Nigeria there is no connection between the people and the government and that was why there was no jubilation after some elections in Nigeria because people knew they did not vote for those that were declared as winners by the electoral commission.

Why do you think it has been difficult for the opposition to come together in view of the many proposed mergers and alliances which eventually failed?

It has been difficult because when people talk about opposition parties coming together, it is like you want to merge two companies with different agenda and objectives. Take ACN for instance, it is basically known

as a welfarist party that believes in the rule of law and transparency and that the people should be the centre of any government; providing infrastructures, enabling environment and so on. Another party probably may not be as progressive as ACN. So the first thing to do is to make sure that the parties that are merging together are compatible. It is not ‘every party’ in opposition today that are different from PDP. There are some parties that are even more PDP than PDP itself, which at the floor of the National Assembly always corporate with the PDP and whose programmes at state levels are not different from the PDP’s. So it is not every party that is not PDP that is in opposition.

Another problem is because it is human. In other words there are egos and fears of the leaders and members of the party you must allay. For instance if I am in ACN today and another party says I should come and join, I would be very worried and concerned e.g. would I be ready to lose my leadership? For instance, if ACN decides to merge with CPC or ANPP, would I still retain the position of the national publicity secretary of the new party. So out of personal interest at times, I might not work towards that kind of arrangement. Having started the process very early, what we are doing now is to start the process of confidence building, allaying the fears of the people and letting them know that it is better to be a small player in a very big and important party than to be a big player in a small party and that the ultimate goal of any political party is to be able to win elections. We found out that in Nigeria today, unless you win a federal election, you can do very little as a local party. If you look at the lopsided federalism we have today where the Federal Government alone takes about 54 per cent of all resources leaving only 28 per cent, you can see the kind of problems any party would face in executing projects in its state if it is not a member of the party at the federal level. We believe that the merging of political parties is possible and this time around we are starting very early and we are very confident that we would achieve our aims.

Mohammed

WHEN YOU HAVE 13 YEARS OF UNBROKEN REIGN OF THE MILITARY IN A VERY YOUNG COUNTRY LIKE

NIGERIA, THE

DAMAGE DONE IS ENORMOUS

How soon would the proposed merger talks between ACN and CPC become a reality?

It is not an instant coffee that you put in hot water and put sugar; then it becomes coffee. You have to patiently follow the various steps. The first step is confidence building between the leaderships of the parties.

The second is that we proceed from there; from having the different political parties going through their constitution and various structures of the parties to agree at either a merger, name change or a fusion. From there, there would be various committees to work out the rough edges before you agree at a name, a logo, a flag and others. But we are very confident that we would achieve our objectives. We have about two and a half years between now and the next election and I think we would be able to achieve it.

Mohammed

Do you foresee the coming together of opposition parties sending the PDP packing in 2015?

Obviously, yes. Even today in a free and fair election, PDP will not win a federal election. Tell me, which state is happy with the PDP today? Even the PDP controlled states. How many Nigerians are happy with the state of insecurity we have in the country today? How many people are happy with the bad roads that we have today? How many people are happy with the army of unemployed youths that is threatening to consume the country? How many people are happy with the Boko Haram insurgency? How many people are happy with the exchange rate? Tell me, which area of government that PDP can point to, to say that we have excelled. Obviously, if the will of the people is to be respected, PDP will not win any election. But it will be easier to send PDP out of power when there is merger of likeminded political parties. The kind of platform we are talking about would be for only those people who are like us and

not those who want to sabotage it or those who would be sent to cause confusion. It is not every political party that wants to join the process that would be accepted; we would screen them and look at their antecedents. It is better to have just a few parties who are determined and have the same agenda than to have all the parties on the platform.

Are you not really scared by the PDP’s claim that no amount of ganging up, alliance or merger by the opposition parties can shake it in 2015?

Anywhere you see no thorough fare; it means there is a road there. If there is no road, why are you putting no thorough fare? The PDP is mortally afraid of the merger. They are mortally afraid that as a party they would disintegrate so I can see why they are talking. But we would not even reply them. When the merger comes to reality they would hear us.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

August 25, 2012

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Fuel subsidy scam: Court Rejects Tukur, Alao’s bid to retrieve passports TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

J

ustice Lateefat Folami of the Lagos High Court yesterday refused to grant the application brought by Mahmud Tukur, Ochonogor Alex and Abdulahi Alao to have their travelling document released to them.

The men, it would be recalled, were among those brought to the court by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission for fuel subsidy scam based on the outcome of the re-

port of the House of Representatives’ ad-hoc committee on management of fuel subsidy.

They are being tried at the Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja for alleged subsidy fraud in the Petroleum Support Fund (PSF).

Their trial generated a lot of interest considering their background.

Both of them later regained their freedom after meeting the bail terms set by the Lagos court.

Having regained their freedom, Tukur, Alao and Ochonogor, who are mem-

bers of the Board of Directors of Oil Marketing and Trading Companies (OM&Ts) through their counsel, Mr. Olaniran Obele, recently applied for the release of their international passports to enable them travel abroad.

But ruling on the case yesterday, Justice Folami said she could not overrule the ruling of Justice Adeniyi Onigbanjo who had earlier ruled that the trio should deposit their travelling documents with EFCC as part of their bail conditions.

Justice Folami agreed with the submission of EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, that the said business meeting which the 1st defendant claimed he wanted to attend had been overtaken by time as the letter for the meeting was dated August 20, 2011.

She also said she could not grant the application based on the argument that the defendant needed the document to travel for Hajj as the Hajj period is likely to coincide with the trial date fixed for November 13 and 14, 2012.

The trio was arraigned on July 26, 2012 on a 9 count charge for offences that borders on obtaining money through false pretence, forgery and uttering contrary to section 468 of the Criminal code before Justice Onigbanjo.

They were alleged to have fraudulently obtained N1.8billion from the federal government through the Petroleum Support Fund.

Justice Onigbanjo granted bail to the accused persons in the sum of N20 million each, two surety in

Nigeria, Iran partner on security, infrastructure ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

V

L-R: Nigeria’s ambassador to Turkey, Ahmed Abdulhamid Mallamadori; Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, receiving a commemorative plaque from the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, Cemil Çiçek, during Tambuwal’s visit to the official residence of the Turkish Speaker in Cankaya, Ankaya, yesterday.

SFU investigates 5 oil marketers over N1b facility SEGUN ADIO

T

he Special Fraud Unit (SFU) at Milverton Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, has begun investigations of five suspected oil subsidy racketeers.

The oil racketeers, one Ngozi Ofodum of Menol Oil & Gas Ltd., according to a statement by Ngozi Nsitume W/ASP, spokesperson for the unit, is being investigated alongside Cynthia Gboneme, Frank Gboneme, Ikechukwu Gboneme and Ladi Utieyione, all directors with Faiceck Petroleum Ltd. The five suspects were said to have carried out fraudulent diversion of 7, 000MT of PMS valued at N832m.

They were accused of submitting a forged document to the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency

like sum; one of the surety is to own a landed property worth N100 million and the certificate deposited with the court.

The judge also ordered that one of the sureties should be a level 16 officer either with the Lagos State government or the federal government and should present evidence of tax payment in the last three years.

The accused persons are to deposit their international passport with the EFCC while the registrar is to verify all sureties.

(PPPRA), Abuja, for subsidy payment.

According to Nsitume, a petition to the Commissioner of Police, Special Fraud Unit (SFU) by United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) alleged that a facility for the sum of N1b was granted to Ngozi Ofodum of Menol Oil & Gas Ltd in June 2011 to finance the importation of 7,000MT of PMS for supply to acceptable off-takers.

The bank further stated that the facility was to be secured with Sovereign Debt Bond Note (SDBN) from Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) to the order of UBA Plc / Menol Oil & Gas Ltd upon submission of relevant documentations by the off-takers for verification and confirmation by PPPRA to enable subsidy claim.

In the illegal transaction, Ofodum reportedly contact-

ed Cynthia Gboneme, who accepted to off-take the imported products.

The product was successfully supplied to Faiceck Petroleum and they were expected to return the evidence for the discharge of the products at a designated tank farm in Nigeria to enable Menol Oil & Gas Ltd collected SDNB from PPPRA to liquidate the facility.

But Faiceck allegedly handed forged documents to Ofodum and the documents were rejected by PPPRA. According to Nsitume, investigation revealed that 7,000MT of PMS arrived Nigeria and the first suspect, Ngozi Ofodum, entrusted the whole consignment to the second suspect, Cynthia Gboneme, and her company, Faiceck Petroleum Ltd to handle.

The products was supposed to be discharged at

Integrated Oil & Gas Depot, Lagos, but was later diverted to an unknown destination

by Faiceck Petroleum Ltd. Ofodum further stated that when she confronted Faiceck Petroleum to ascertain how the products disappeared, they lied that they had discharged the products and presented her with some forged documents.

Cynthia Gboneme allegedly confirmed Ofodum’s account of the deal and that she (Cynthis Gboneme) accepted to be an off-taker of the product but she handed the transaction to Utieyione of Oversea Marine Ltd. Cynthia Gboneme also claimed that 4,512MT of PMS was discharged at Deep Water Tanker Marine Ltd due to lack of space at Integrated Oil & Gas Ltd while the remaining 2,500MT was confiscated by the vessel owner as demurrage.

ice President Mohammed Sambo has expressed the country’s desire for added support that would improve her security situation.

He made this known when he hosted the Iranian Ambassador to Nigeria, Saeed Koorechi, in his office at the State House, Abuja.

The vice president who is billed to represent President Goodluck Jonathan at the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Nations in Tehran used the occasion to outline the areas of added support and cooperation Nigeria needs from Iran.

According to him, they include power, transportation, agriculture, science education, oil and gas exploration, fertiliser production, health care delivery and security.

Sambo said that Nigeria was looking forward to the summit and expressed her desire to add value to the success of the organisation to attain lofty heights in championing universal freedom of humanity and improving the socio-economic conditions of member nations.

The vice president said Nigeria was working towards ensuring that outstanding issues as regards the formation of joint commissions are actualised.

FG reiterates commitment to agriculture reform ROTIMI FADEYI

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that his administration was wholly committed to actualising its plans to positively transform Nigeria’s agricultural sector into a major wealth creator and source of employment for the nation’s youth.

Speaking at an audience with a delegation from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) led by its president, Dr. Kanayo Nwanze, President Jonathan said that the federal government was

initiating and promoting reforms that would move Nigeria away from a preponderance of subsistence farming to the establishment of agriculture as a very viable modern-day business.

“We have a very large youthful population and to create enough jobs for them we must develop agriculture, solid minerals and other sectors.

Nigeria has a lot of untapped potentials for agricultural development.

If we can reposition agriculture as a profitable and dignified profession, more of our young people will be encouraged to go that way”.

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NATIONAL NEWS

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PHCN: NCP approves 7 firms for final bidding ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

T

he National Council on Privatisation (NCP) has endorsed seven firms to make the final financial bids in the privatisation of five power generation companies in the country next month.

The council endorsed the five companies at its meeting presided over by Vice President Namadi Sambo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, which

deliberated on the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting, member of the council and industrialist, Atedo Peterside, listed the power plants located in Ughelli, Sapele, Gergu, Kainji and Shiroro.

According to him, Pheonix Electricity; Transcorp Consortium and Ampiron Power Distribution Ltd. were announced as

preferred bidders for the Ughelli Power plant He added that CMEC Consortium and GPN Nestoil Power Services Ltd emerged the preferred bidders for Sapele power plant.

The others are Geregu Power Plant (Ampiron Power Distribution Limited); Kainji Power Plant (Mainstream Energy Solution); and Shiroro Power Plant (North-South Power Company Ltd).

Peterside said the pre-

qualification of the prospective power generating firms followed thorough evaluation by the council members using stringent criteria which the bidders were very much aware of.

He explained that the firms made the passmark of 750 out of maximum 1000 score, and therefore qualified to proceed onto financial bid opening on 25th September 2012.

“They will proceed to financial bid opening but they will have to make

some submissions, including security, before the financial bidding”, Peterside said He further assured that the final bid opening would be televised live on national stations to buttress the transparent process that had trailed the exercise from the beginning.

Peterside disclosed that among the criteria used to

Ayo salami: NJC, Jonathan fail to renew Adamu’s term EMMANUEL ONANI

T

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State being decorated with the badge of Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) by the President of the NIM, Chief (Dr.) Michael Olawale-Cole, FNIM, after a courtesy call on the governor by the national executive of the NIM in Governor’s Lodge, Uyo, recently.

Ocean surge: Kuramo residents threaten to sue govt TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

F

ollowing the demolition and displacement of the residents of Kuramo Beach in Iru/Victoria Island Local Community Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State after last Saturday’s ocean surge, some residents of the area have threatened to sue the over the need to be adequately compensated.

Speaking to Saturday Mirror yesterday in a telephone interview, a reliable source expressed the residents’ disappointment over the demolition and the inability of the local and state local governments to iron out how they would assist the displaced people.

The source who is one of the leaders of the residents said they would need to be compensated since many of them were sent out of their place of abode and business without any adequate notice.

The source argued that Kuramo Beach is a legal residential and business area since 1999, adding that many of the settlers of the beach found their way to Kuramo as a result of the partnership with the council and Lagos State government on development of the beach.

Therefore, he said, they would not hesitate to challenge the government in court if it refuses to compensate them over properties lost due to demolition of structures at the beach.

“Since the structures at Kuramo Beach were destroyed after last Saturday ocean surge, we have not heard anything from the local and state governments on what they intend to do for us. Several meeting we scheduled with the council boss to no avail.

We expect to meet him on Saturday (today) to hear from him.

“We are expecting something from the government. We believe the government should do

something to compensate us over demolition of some of our structures running into millions of Naira without our consent. The government must compensate us and if they refuse to compensate us we would not hesitate to challenge the government in court to demand for compensations,” the source said.

He stated further: “Government must do something for us. The people that were displaced from Kuramo Beach are not illegal occupants. We legally occupy Kuramo Beach as a result of the partnership between us and the government on Kuramo project. We believe that as a stakeholders in the Kuramo Beach project, we should have been adequately informed before the demolition was carried out.

“Kuramo Beach is a project that started in 1999 during the Nigeria 1999 FIFA Junior World Cup. The place was established

as tourist attraction for people who came for the World Cup, especially those that lodged at the Eko Hotel. Government entered into a partnership with us to erect structures on the beach and some of us put our money in the project. The structures were approved by the government and there is prototype backing the partnership between us and the government on Kuramo Beach project.

“We have a cordial relationship with the local government and we do pay taxes and other revenues to the local council and state governments.

We have invested so much in the Kuramo Beach project and government cannot just carry out any demolition without putting us into consideration.

Like I told you, we are still waiting for government to do something but if they fail to compensate us we would not hesitate to take them to court to demand for justice.”

evaluate the firms include “track record, financial muscle, and technical expertise”.

He also disclosed that the firms were allowed multiple bidding but anyone of them that wins more than one of the bids will have to eventually settle for one as the rules do not allow for one winner to eventually corner two bids.

he Nigerian Judiciary is currently enmeshed in a constitutional crisis as the National Judicial Council (NJC), for the second time, failed to recommend the renewal of the tenure of Justice Dalhatu Adamu as Acting President of the Court of Appeal (PCA).

This controversy is coming on the heels of the expiration of Justice Adamu’s fourth term in office as Acting PCA on Wednesday August 22nd.

By virtue of Section 238 (5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the acting PCA ceases to act as such except the NJC makes a recommendation to the president for the renewal of his constitutionally-guaranteed three month term.

Section 238 (5) of the constitution expressly states that, “Except on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council, an appointment pursuant to the provisions of subsection (4) of this section shall cease to have effect, after the expiration of three months from the date of such appointment, and the president shall not re-appoint a person whose appointment has lapsed.”

NJC’s action to withhold any further recommendation, Saturday Mirror learnt, may not be unconnected with President Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to act on its recommendation of May 10, for the reinstatement of the suspended PCA, Justice Ayo Isa Salami, who was removed on August 18, 2011.

It was gathered that the Council decided not to recommend the renewal of Justice Adamu’s acting term, in order not to be

seen to “approbate and reprobate” at the same time.

Saturday Mirror’s findings further revealed that NJC’s insistence on preserving its constitutionally -guaranteed right compelled the presidency to renew Adamu’s fourth term on May 22; a development that is contrary to the letter and spirit of the constitution.

A highly-placed source at the Appeal Court informed Saturday Mirror that “the PCA’s fourth term was renewed by Mr. President; this time around, we don’t know what will happen because the presidency has not written regarding any elongation.”

According to the source, “The acting PCA just came back from Saudi Arabia where he went for Lesser Hajj and is currently resting in his state. As it is now, his tenure has not been renewed; but don’t forget that there must be no vacuum in the office he occupies.”

The crisis rocking the judiciary is far from being resolved as the presidency has since called the bluff of the NJC, insisting that it could not reinstate Justice Salami now until all pending cases were resolved.

Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), made the position of government known when he said: “On May 11, the NJC was said to have recalled Justice Salami…and another day the Federal Government received various litigations by way of originating process, challenging the competence of NJC to reinstate Salami.

“This government is anchored on the rule of law, and we will do the right thing as soon as all matters are resolved in the court.”

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NATIONAL NEWS

August 25, 2012

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N5,000 note: Experts, opposition parties condemn decision • Say it will encourage high profile bribery L ANRE OYETADE, OBIORA IFOH AND TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

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he Planned restructuring of the Nigerian currency by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been condemned by financial experts and opposition political parties in Nigeria.

Prominent among the experts are an economist and Chief Executive Officer of Economic Associates, Dr. Ayo Teriba and Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Bismarck Rewane.

Top opposition parties against the restructuring are the Congress for Progressive Change and All Nigeria People’s Party.

While the experts are united in the submission

that the cashless policy had the made the move unnecessary, opposition parties were united in the conclusion that the policy would not only increase the incidences of high-profile bribery but would pauperise the Nigerian masses.

CBN governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, recently said that the apex bank would introduce N5,000 note to the Nigerian polity from the beginning of 2013 and that in addition, N5, N10, and N20 that have hitherto been currency notes, shall thenceforth be converted to coins.

The CBN governor anchored his argument for a higher denomination on the need to complement the cashless economy policy, as it would drastically reduce the volume of currency in circulation.

He also cited countries

like Japan, Singapore and Germany with higher denominations of currencies which recorded 2.8, 1.1 and -0.7 inflation rates respectively in 2010.

But speaking with Saturday Mirror in a telephone interview yesterday, Teriba said while the move was in the right direction, it appeared inadequate as “N1,000 is definitely too small to be our largest denomination.”

He said further: “N1,000 is only two coins in the UK, so N5,000 will make more sense as a larger denomination, as it would then be about 20 British pounds . However, this is still inadequate and we may need to have the equivalent of 40 pounds.”

On his part, Rewane was of the opinion that since the policy would make the naira more portable, it was a good measure, adding, however, that

• …It is against cashless policy – CACOL it was a largely belated move, as the introduction of the cashless economy project had rendered it of less significance.

“Why would you need larger notes when everyone is using ATM?” he asked.

But ANPP believes that the planned currency restructuring would be another clear path to inflation and resultant suffering on the part of the hapless citizens.

In a statement by the ANPP’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Emma Eneukwu, the party said that “It is an established fact that the Nigerian populace is averse to the use of coins, and therefore the decision by the federal government to convert some lower denomination notes to coins smells of a premeditated agenda to further mop up cash from the nation space and whip the Nigerian people in the

L-R: US Ambassador to Nigeria, Terence McCulley; author, Chimamanda Adichie, and Consul General Jeffrey J. Hawkins, Jr. at the reception in honour of the latter at his official residence in Ikoyi, Lagos, recently.

process, just as it had done through the increase in the pump price of fuel and hike in electricity tariff.

“In fact, one does not need an Economics professor to know that this move will eventually cripple the value of the naira; countries like Japan, Germany and Singapore do not have strong currencies because they printed higher denominations.”

Similarly, the CPC said it disagreed with the policy.

It argues that given Nigeria’s struggles with bribery and corruption, the new introduction of higher denomination was antithetical to the much-touted cashless economy.

In a statement by the party’s spokesperson Rotimi Fashakin CPC said, “In fact, the era of ‘Ghana-must-go bags’ dwindled with the introduction of the N500 and N1000 notes in the past. It became easier to carry millions of Naira in moderately-sized brief cases and, inexorably, increasing the incidences of high-profile bribery scandals in the polity. Recently, we witnessed the allegations and counterallegations of solicitation for and receipt of bribe money levied against certain highly influential politicians in the country. It is axiomatic to infer that those transactions were opaque to the Banking system because of the facilitating ambience of high currency notes. We insist that the introduction of N5000 currency note shall further exacerbate the corruptive

tendencies in the Nigerian polity.”

“Whilst we agree with the CBN that printing of notes is more expensive than minting coins, it is difficult to believe that the solution lies in converting the N5, N10 and N20 notes to coins. First, the cultural values of the Nigerian people do not favour use of coins. The question is: How did we fare with the previous conversion of 50k, N1 and N2 Naira notes to coins?

In fact, those currencies tacitly went out of circulation as a result of disuse.”

Similarly, the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) yesterday warned the CBN governor against encouraging currency trafficking with the plan to introduce N5, 000 note.

In a statement made available to Saturday Mirror, CACOL chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran, averred that the introduction of N5, 000 would be antithetical to the spirit of cash-less economy the CBN boss had been championing and that it would encourage currency trafficking.

His words: “It is rather unfortunate that the so-called elites in our society act as lords and the only know-how in the country. How can an expert be preaching cashless society and still propose higher note and argued that it is to reduce the amount of cash people hold? Even a lay man knows that with the introduction of higher notes, people can hold and hoard more cash.”

State Police: Northern leaders, retired DIGs oppose call New NBA president • Say it will promote anarchy warned against politics AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

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wo retired Deputy Inspector Generals’ of Police, Barrister Azubuko Udah and Alhaji Mohammed Yakubu have condemned the call for the establishment of state police.

They argued that such a move would lead to anarchy in the country and conflict among states.

Sharing the same position with the duo is a Northern leader and former Kaduna State governor, Alhaji Kaita.

He declared that Nigeria was not yet mature for every state to have its own police.

“I don’t support it be-

cause I know it will be abused by the state leaders who would want to exploit the situation to their fullest advantage, especially in conflict situations. It will also be used to settle political and personal scores,”, Kaita declared.

Another renowned politician, Dr.Mar Ardo, former aide of former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in 2011 polls, said state police agitators were making a mistake.

According to him, “now is the wrong time to contemplate such.”

He argued that before state police could be cre-

ated, there should be state prison services.

He added that 90 per cent of criminal cases result from violation of laws made by states.

“Consequently about 70 per cent of criminals are remanded in federal prisons”.

Ardo noted that since states could not establish and fund prison services, it would be a dysfunction if the clamour for state police is base on the current security challenges across the country.

The politician said the call should be discountenanced and a pragmatic policy framework put in place by government at all tiers to combat the rising wave of crime in the country.

Retired Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of administration, Barrister Azubuko Udah, described the controversy and debate over state police as dangerous.

In his view, there is no indication that the nation can manage state police efficiently without deploying them for other purposes.

“We are simply not ripe for it now, except we want to experiment it, maybe in future it may work with several years of preparations. For now, you don’t just dabble into such project except we are ready for the worst. We know the implication of state police. We have to rest this issue,” he said.

B

arely a week to the inauguration of Okechukwu Emmanuel Wali (SAN), as the 26th president of the Nigerian Bar Association(NBA) in Abuja, the Rivers State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Hon. Worgu Boms, yesterday advised him to pay less attention to “Nigeria’s intractable politics” He warned that the Nigerian Bar Association is not a political party.

Boms, a former chairman of NBA, Port-Harcourt branch, in a congratulatory message to Wali, urged him to devote his energy on issues of how to

improve the professional standards of his members.

Specifically, he said his agenda should include the number of years for cases to be determined in court; the use of police by the public in debt recovery; the emphasis of the apex court, Supreme Court, on electoral disputes at the detriment of other cases; appointment of legal practitioners who have abandoned the legal practice for other economic activities into the magistracy and into the bench; flaws in the appointment of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and the elevation of institutions like alternatives to court above forensic advocacy.

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NATIONAL NEWS

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FRSC begins clampdown on ‘Peace Ambassador’ number plates

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(L-R) Commodore Leonard Iwuoha; Commodore Andrew DaCosta, Chief Staff Officer, Western Naval Command; Commodore Richard Soucie, Commander, Task Force Six Three US Navy; Rear Admiral Ameen Ikioda, Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command; Colonel Ryan McMullen, Defence Adviser, US Embassy, and Commodore Henry Babalola, Chief Operating Officer, Western Naval Command during a courtesy call on Adm. Ikioda, recently in Lagos.

We’re worried about Nigeria’s security situation –US SEGUN ADIO

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he government of the United States of America has said it is deeply worried about the state of security in Nigeria.

Jeffery J. Hawkins, new Consul General of the United States Consulate, Lagos, made this known on Thursday while speaking to journalists during a welcome reception in his honour at his Ikoyi Crescent residence in Lagos.

Hawkins had reportedly served in Luanda, in Angola and some troubled Middle Eastern nations

like Kabul, in Afghanistan before his redeployment to Lagos in Nigeria.

When probed whether his redeployment is sheer coincidence considering his past postings in some troubled areas of the Middle East, Hawkins his government was concerned about the security situation in the country.

His words: “Nigeria is a country that has issues and we certainly have concerns about security and other things here. But this is a great country. It is a democratic country; it is a country with huge US business interests.

So, do we work with our

Nigerian partners on security and other related issues? Of course. But the relationship is so much deep and so much wider than that and I think to the extent that I am an experienced diplomat it is because the relationship is rich enough, you need someone to really handle all of those issues.”

In his address at the occasion, American Ambassador in Nigeria, Terence McCulley, said that the greatness always ascribe to Nigeria is because of her people and not the huge mineral resources that the country is endowed with.

Ambassador McCulley, who expressed his belief that Nigeria remains Africa’s greatest country, notwithstanding what his South African counterpart feels, however, urged Nigerians to continue to believe in themselves and their nation for a greater tomorrow.

The Consul General promised that his tenure would provide excellent consular services for Americans and Nigerians, promotion of business exchanges, and most especially what he termed ‘people to people diplomacy.’

FG playing games with Bakassi issue – Ita-Giwa SEGUN ADIO

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leading advocate for the resettlement and adequate compensation of the people of Bakassi of Cross River State, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, says both the federal and state governments pushed the people of the state to agitate for self-determination.

On October 10, 2002, the International Court of Justice sitting in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled that the disputed territory belonged to Cameroon and the court’s decision was endorsed by Nigeria with

the Green Trade Agreement signed by Nigeria and Cameroon in 2006.

Sixteen days from now, the option to appeal the judgement given by the world court would lapse.

Senator Ita-Giwa told Saturday Mirror that a decade after the federal government promised the people series of resettlement packages, nothing had been done for the people.

She also claimed that Cross River State had gagged the people from demanding their rightful claims from the centre.

Her words: “Almost ten years after the ICJ judgment, we have not been ad-

equately resettled, and government after government keeps playing all kinds of game with the people. But this time around we are not going to give up until we are properly resettled.

We have a location where we voted for the National Assembly members and the president of this country which is the Day Spring Islands and we plan to resettle in those islands.”

Senator Ita-Giwa also maintained that there is no going back in the current struggle by the people of the region to be properly resettled by the Nigerian government.

Ita-Giwa also claimed

that the people of the region would continue to dialogue with the federal government and not go outside constitutional means to get their dues from Abuja.

She continued: “We are talking with the FG and we will keep doing that. There has been no response to this regard but we are talking and we will keep talking. It is an advocacy thing.

It is a long term thing but we are going to keep insisting because we have been kind of gagged by the state where we come from, but now we are ready to come out to carry this struggle to a logical conclusion.”

s part of measures to further inject order and sanity in the nation’s motor vehicle administration, the Federal Road Safety Corps has commenced immediate nationwide clampdown on vehicles carrying the PEACE AMBASSADOR number plates.

Making this disclosure in Abuja, the Corps Public Education Officer, Corps Commander Jonas Agwu declared “ the PEACE AMBASSADOR number plates which come in green lettering with white background, as not only illegal but unauthorised as it negates the provisions of the National Road Traffic Regulation, 2004.”

According to Commander Agwu, as the lead agency on road traffic administration and safety management, the Federal Road Safety Corps is still upgrading its National Vehicle Identification Scheme(NVIS) and data base on vehicle number plates and available records indicate that the Peace Ambassador number plates do not fall into any of the Corps’ specified categories for the produc-

tion of number plates.

Against this backdrop, the Corps mandated FRSC formations across the country to commence immediate clamp down on vehicles bearing the PEACE AMBASSADOR number plates.

“All Commands are hereby directed to particularly look out for number plates inscribed as Peace Ambassador in its numerical series eg. PEACE 1 in its varying colours. All vehicles sighted carrying such number plates should be impounded and booked appropriately for number plate violation,” he said.

Owners of vehicles bearing such numbers, he said, “are hereby advised to change to any private or fancy number plate of any state of their choice or face arrest and immediate prosecution.”

It would be recalled that one of the outcome from the meeting of Inter Agency Consulative Committee on Election Security in Abuja recently,was the declaration of number plates bearing the Peace Ambassador as fake, illegal and poses serious national security threat.

FG, Global Fund sign N36bn grant pact to fight malaria MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

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he federal government has signed a grant agreement worth $225million dollars (about N36 billion) with Global Fund to fight malaria.

Signing the Country Coordination Mechanism (CCM) Nigeria-Global Fund Malaria Round Eight Phase-Two agreement in Abuja, yesterday, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu said the grant heralded a new way of doing things and a new outcome for Nigeria.

He stressed that the grant had brought with it a fervent desire to chart a new course, produce new output and engender new outcome which would impact greatly on the lives of all citizens.

According to him, $167million (about N26.7billion), which was the first part of the grant, would be implemented in 36 states of the federation,

including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the services would be provided by both public and private sectors.

The other components totalling $50million (about N8billion), the Minister said, was approved by the Global Fund to provide more long lasting insecticidal nets to Nigerians through the phase two project.

This, according to him, was made possible by the $10m (about N1.6billion) counterpart funding pledged by the federal government to facilitate the process.

In her address, Deputy Executive Director of the Global Fund, Dr. Debrework Zewdie, remarked that both grants “contribute to achieving nationwide coverage of bed nets through mass campaigns and routine distribution, and increase access to medicine and diagnostic tests that are critical to saving lives at the onset of malaria.”

Politics

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

9

Ibori

Anyim Pius Ibrahim Lamorde, EFCC chairman

Jonathan

‘Honour only the deserving’ TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

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o those who had expressed doubts over the seriousness of the present administration led

by President Goodluck Jonathan, over the fight against corruption, its proposal to strip ex-convicts of national honours would certainly be stunning.

According to a reliable source, President Jonathan had, few days ago, in a letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, ordered the Office of the SFG to compile the names of holders of national honours awards who had been convicted or were facing trial for criminal offences. The president’s action is seen as a move to withdraw national honours from any former or serving corrupt public office holders.

Earlier before the directive by the president, the House of Representatives on July 19, after adopting the report of its Ad Hoc Committee on the Near-Collapse of the Nigerian Capital Market headed by Mr. Ibrahim ElSudi, through a passed resolution on the floor of the House urged the president to withdraw the national honours bestowed on former bank managing

directors who had been tried or convicted for their roles in the collapse of their banks in 2009.

The resolution of the House reads in part: “That all former bank executives who are recipients of national honours and who are currently being prosecuted for crimes and unethical practices which led to the collapse of their banks be stripped of their national honours by the President and Commander-inChief in line with Section 7 of the National Honours Act, LFN and international norms.

“The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission/Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission and the courts should hasten their prosecution to serve as a deterrent and to help restore investors’ confidence in the (capital) market.”

The national honours, established by the National Honours Act No. 5 of 1964 during the First Republic are a set of orders and decorations conferred upon Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who have rendered service to the benefit of the nation. The honours were instituted by the Federal Government as a way of recognising deserving Nigerians and friends of Nigeria who have not only distinguished themselves in

various fields of human endeavours, but have also made immense contributions to nation building in the country.

The national honours include: Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR); Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON); Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON); Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR); Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR); Member of the Officer of the Order Federal Republic (MFR); Order of the Niger (OON); Member of the Order of the Niger (MON); First Class Federal Republic Medal (FCM) and Second Class Federal Republic Medal (SCM).

In recent time, the national honours, which were established to reward credibility, seem to have been awarded to many who are undeserving of them.

Suffice it to say that every Tom, Dick and Harry now gets the awards, a situation which had made many to question the criteria for the selection of some of those on the honours list.

For instance, in recent time many of the recipients have become visitors of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Crimes (ICPC) and Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) over issues relating to

corrupt practices. Some of the so called revered individuals in the society have been charged to court and jailed for having a hand in one crime or the other.

Examples of such personalities include former Inspector General of Police, Tafa Balogun; former governor of Delta State, James Ibori and former Managing Director of Oceanic Bank, Mrs. Cecelia Ibru.

With the increasing rate of erstwhile credible people having their finger soiled in corrupt practices, many Nigerians see the plan by the federal government to withdraw honours from those who have lost their integrity as a move in the right direction.

To them, it would go a long way in sanitising the system and preventing top government and managerial officials from embracing corrupt activities.

Speaking to Saturday Mirror, the national chairman of the United Progressive Grand Alliance (UPGA), Chief Chekwas Okorie, said national honours go along with certain responsibilities in the area of preserving integrity. He said it would therefore be a contradiction for somebody indicted and convicted by the court for corrupt CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

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POLITICS

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Politics affecting NDDC’s performance’

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aving served on the board of the NDDC, I’m very sure you have adequate knowledge about the situation in the Niger Delta. Do you think the NDDC is achieving its aims?

The aim and objective of the commission is well spelt out in Section 5, 7 and 8 of the Act that established it. Section 7 describes the function of the commission while Section 8 talks about the function of the board of the commission, including the officers and what they are expected to do. For now, I cannot categorically say that the commission has fully achieved its aim, neither will I say that the commission is a failure. But I think there are a number of things which they ought to do for the purpose of improving the lot of the Niger Delta people and interestingly, a number of problems have stopped the operation of the commission. During our tenure, we had serious challenges. Our board was set up and inaugurated by the former president , Alhaji Umar Yar’Adua in 2009; he took ill and died and thereafter Dr. Goodluck Jonathan became the president.

The challenges we had between 2009 till September 2011 when the board was dissolved was essentially that of management and the Managing Director was either in crisis with some top officials of the commission or other political gladiators. It was just one week one trouble and a number of warnings had been given. What we were mandated to do was not the squabble on ground, it was how to improve the lot of the Niger Delta for which we were made trustees. And to all intents and purposes without being immodest about it, I saw that particular lapse and I keyed into it, particularly as it affects my state. These were the issues and things that I did.

Did you eventually do anything to better the lot of your people?

As soon as I got to the board, I ensured that the long awaited road project which we have all longed for, particularly in the eastern part of Ilaje, being the only oil producing local government area which is from Ugbo was awarded. I fought and got the job awarded and while some of them were busy fighting, I was working to ensure improving the lot of our people. The project is worth about N20 billion and that project is what NDDC is now playing politics around. The contractor on site is there to work. I was told that they were to do the redefining of that project and it was given from one consultant to another before another was given to do the bridge. The project was awarded on August 24 or 27, 2010 and the contractor upon award of this project mobilised to site. By December 16, 2010, Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, flagged off the project. Everything happened within the space of three months or thereabout; the contractor is

Dr. Benson Enikuomehin is a lawyer and former Commissioner representing Ondo State on the Governing Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC). In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he speaks on various challenges facing the NDDC and other issues relating to its activities in Ondo State.

Excerpts:

Enikuomehin

there with massive equipment fully ready and somebody is busy over somewhere redesigning, realigning and reassigning all because he doesn’t want that job to go on.

I feel saddened because the people from our area are very angry. The contractor is ready to execute the project with massive equipment and he has put massive equipment on ground. So, why is the commission delaying it? For how long does it

take to do a review? So, I feel these are the issues that bother some of us. Let us not use the commission as a place of politicking and I am happy that the president has advised those serving in the commission not to use it as a platform to play politics.

He told them that it should not be an opportunity for them to rub shoulder with their governor because they have had access to money. My intention, while I was

in the commission, was to attract development to my state and ensure that projects that would have impact on the lives of the citizens are executed.

For instance; there is a project in my state located at Ogogoro town; a solar powered project. I brought the solar revolution in Ondo State while I was on the board and almost all the communities had the solar project. The solar powered project was given to the contractor in March 2011 and by July 2011 the contractor had completed the job. Strangely, up to this moment, NDDC has not paid the contractor. The contractor took loan from the bank to execute the job in anticipation that as soon as he finishes the job, the commission would pay him and to worsen the scenario the commission commissioned the project. A project that had not been paid for! How will you then go ahead to encourage contractors to take up facilities and work within the space of time if you will be holding their money to ransom? As soon as the contractor finishes his job and you are satisfied that this job has been done, it behoves the commission to go ahead and pay. This, among others, some of us feel should not be politicised. If the contractor does not work, it is understandable if you are not paying, but he has completed the job. So, we should be talking of fundamental changes which would happen in the Niger Delta area. The people are not interested in politics, so they should be concerned about the development that come to that area and I must confess without being immodest, those 20 months on board were 20 months of activity. While some were there fighting among themselves on who would take larger money I was busy looking at what I could do for my people.

How do you think the commission’s activities can be improved upon?

I think those at the helm of affairs now should look at it because they would be remembered by what they have done and not by how much they have amassed.

That was why I said I could not say that the commission is a failure and I would not also give the commission a complete 100 per cent pass mark. Most of the actors, as soon as they come on board, would feel I had come to exercise power but you are there to exercise power on behalf of the people for the development of the people. So, let us see the effect and for those of us in Ilaje, we are not happy that the road is being done the way it is done. Ondo State is seen as a stranger in the NDDC. They see us as Yoruba nation which has come to intrude in their own affair. It was God that gave us the oil. If God put oil in Cross River, Imo, Abia, Delta and in Ondo State, why must they see Ondo State as a stranger? Is it because we are Yoruba? If God has brought us together, then, let it be that way. We CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

POLITICS

August 25, 2012

‘Honour only the deserving’

Enikuomehin

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 are number five on the list of the oil producing states in Nigeria, yet they treat us as an outcast. It is sad and I think the authority should look at it.

We can say to the federal government that “We are not going to Port Harcourt again, where is our own quota? Give to us our quota and we can manage it ourselves.” I feel they shouldn’t push us to that particular level. They shouldn’t make us to think in that particular direction, they should see us as one of them.

God has given us oil in Ilaje and God has made Ilaje part of Ondo State. They

should treat everybody equally. The commission should be up and doing. Those of them at the saddle should put in more efforts and be very serious about the development of their particular environment. I think if they do that, people will begin to see them in the right perspective.

You were a chieftain in the PDP and just defected to the LP. What informed your decisions?

Looking at the period I spent in PDP, some of them were challenging, some were quite interesting and uninteresting. However, in all I have no regrets.

Among all the political parties in Nigeria, PDP appears to be a party that has structure and that is the truth. I am a member of LP now but if something is good in the other person, let us say it.

PDP has a structure and organisation as it were but it appears to me that this organisation works at the federal level.

It is not permeating to the state and that is why you find people just doing what they like as it were. For goodness sake, let us put politics aside, I have not joined Labour because I am looking for what to eat. To God be the glory, I am a successful lawyer and I am contented.

In your refreshingly different Foreclosing a ‘Tsunami’

It is the season of rainfall and the rain is falling with a fury. In several parts of the country, it has wreaked havoc. In Plateau, many have been rendered homeless; in Maiduguri, the story has not been different, tombs have been opened up with their contents revealed for all to see. In Ibadan, Oyo State, many have been rendered homeless. But that is just a tip of what to expect, going by warning from the environment ministry. The ministry has predicted more rains in the coming days. So what are the efforts being made to avert this “unnatural” disaster, especially by the concerned states? Tomorrow, we provide the answer.

Jostle for Fayemi’s job

It is still about two years before the expiration of Governor Kayode Fayemi’s tenure in Ekiti State. But this has not stopped the agitation by those who would want to challenge his second term bid. But that is not all, the issue is: which among the senatorial zones in the state should produce Fayemi’s successor, if there would be any. This has been causing disquiet with the argument that Ekiti North produced Governors Kayode Fayemi and Segun Oni, the Central has produced Ayo Fayose and Niyi Adebayo while the South is yet to produce any. So how would this play out?

ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWSMAKER

practices to continue holding on to the national honour.

His words: “I think it is a welcome development because national honours go along with certain responsibilities; therefore, the recipients of our national honour must be above board. And if someone is indicted and declared to be guilty by law court, it is a contradiction to continue holding on to the national honour. The person should be stripped of it.

“The decision of the government is even coming late but it is something that we cannot afford to delay any further. We have seen it in sports when an athlete who won gold was denied of her honour after being found to have used drugs to enhance her performance during a competition. I am in total support of it. The process must be hastened without any further delay.”

In his view, the chairman of the Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Comrade Debo Adeniran, believes that withdrawing the national honours from ex-convicts is part of bringing to shame, the corrupt people.

He therefore called on the Presidency not to allow any sacred cow in the war against corruption.

He said: “It is part of our motto that we have to name and shame corrupt leaders. So, if corrupt people are allowed to retain their national honours, it is like we are glorifying them. But withdrawing it is part of shaming the corrupt people, especially the indicted ones. And since majority of them have been convicted that shows that there is no doubt about their corrupt tendencies. They should just be contented with the new CFR (Convict of the Federal Republic). So, it would be a sign of shame if those who carry our national honour are those that have been found guilty of corrupt practices. Basically, the withdrawal of the national honours from ex-convicts is a welcome idea and we encourage President Goodluck Jonathan to carry it all through.”

Lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Fred Agbaje, said stripping ex-convicts of their national honours is one of the surest ways of curbing corruption in Nigeria.

“I support the federal government wholeheartedly and in fact I am still clapping for the federal government because that is one of the surest ways of curbing corruption. In other words, the era of free donations of Nigeria national honour awards to underserved Nigerians are over. And whosoever that now gets it must be prepared to be above board.

“There is no point in conferring national honour on somebody today and the next day the person becomes armed robbery kingpin. It is not good to confer national honours on somebody today and tomorrow, he starts looting the treasury and then starts parading

national honour. We won’t take that.

The planned withdrawal of national honours conferred on ex-convicts is a good development,” he said.

An elder statesman and former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, also commended the presidency’s move.

According to him, “The decision is good and commendable because somebody who has criminal records does not deserve that title. National honours go along with dignity and credibility. It will teach people coming after them that it is not good to live a life of crime. Once you get national honour, you must distance yourself from anything that would bring discredit to your country.”

Some analysts are looking beyond the withdrawal of the honours from recipients found out to be corrupt.

Rather, they are of the view that there should be a review of the process of awarding the honours. They reason that there would be a need for proper investigation to be carried out before any individual is awarded.

As far as Debo Adeniran is concerned, the government should always carry out proper investigation on the pedigree, antecedents and track records of those to receive national honours before the award is conferred on them.

His words: “You cannot predict what human beings can turn to, so I don’t blame those who have awarded the national honours. The truth is that if some of them have gotten a records of wrong doings in the past, they are not supposed to have been considered in the first instance. Their pedigree and past records should have been considered. Even the way they have their home or family should also be consider before they are awarded the national honours. But if by any mistake it has been done, when they commit such crime against humanity or morality, such awards should be promptly withdrawn because they would be wrong ambassadors of Nigeria.”

Okorie also doubted the credibility of the process that led to the emergence of some of the recipients. He therefore called for an immediate review of the process through which the nominees emerged.

“There is need to review the national award and in doing so the governors must be removed from nominating people for the award. I will suggest that the committee behind the national honours must also make the list of the nominees public so that Nigerians can comment on them before they are given national honours,” he said.

If there is anything majority of Nigerians would want, going by their views in general, it is for government to withdraw national honours from those that are underserving of them.

They should also look critically before giving those honours out.

‘Politics affecting NDDC’s performance’

Interview

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

11

‘Why state police is good for us’

The debate over state police is still raging with different parties advancing reasons for and against the proposal. But former governor of Western State comprising five South -West states, Gen. David Jemibewon, has pitched in; describing himself as an advocate of state police. He advanced reasons why state police is the best for the country. He also spoke about efforts he made to expand the zonal arrangement of the police when he held sway as Minister of Police Affairs. Keep a date tomorrow.

Pains P i off the th General G l and d his hi wife if Retired Army General, Frank Osokogu, is in pains. His only daughter, Cynthia, has been murdered by people she met and trusted on Facebook. And the General is in pains with his wife. The couple narrate the anguish of losing their daughter in the twilight of their lives. You can’t but cry as you read their story.

These and many more available tomorrow in your

12

NEWS FEATURE

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Strengthening war against drug abuse, trafficking AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

T

he feeling expressed by Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso over the drug status of his state during the destruction of some drugs by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on Thursday was a reflection of the genuine concern of a leader. It was also a reflection of the pains of parents in Kano over the lack of safety of their children, especially, youths.

Kwankwaso in his message delivered by his deputy, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, lamented that drug barons were targeting the huge Kano population with an estimated 10 million residents for their illicit business.

“We see this war against drugs as a matter of life and death because everything points to the fact that the whole idea is to render our youths useless and for this reason the government is more than ever prepared to deploy the needed resources to fight these drug traffickers by massively supporting NDLEA and other relevant agencies,” he said.

He also canvassed massive awareness campaign that would educate the populace on the danger inherent in drug abuse and addiction.

A total of 2.233tons of assorted banned and dangerous drugs were impounded within the city by the Kano and Airport commands of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency in the last eight months; 458 drug suspects were arrested in Kano within the period, while 110 persons were convicted by the Federal High Court in Kano for drug and drug related offences, according to statistics released by the agency at the Thursday public drugs destruction exercise.

The destruction was carried out at the agency’s premises in Kano.

The commander of Kano NDLEA, Mr. Sumaila Ethan, described the volume of drugs destroyed on Thursday as the highest in the history of the agency in the state. The total volume is 220,949.411kgs. While he recalled that in 2008 a total of 5,159.295kgs of hard drug exhibits seized at Malam Aminu Kano International Airport Commands were publicly destroyed by burning, he stressed that yesterday’s burning of 220,949.411kgs was the largest so far for a single destruction episode in Kano since the inception of the Commands.

“Piled up for destruction this afternoon (Thursday) is a whopping 220,494.411kgs of narcotics, which cases were completed and destruction approved by the Federal High Court Kano”, the Kano Commander said.

Analysis of the exhibits shows that cannabis sativa, otherwise known as hemp constitutes the largest volume with 20,248.973kgs. Psychotropic substances are next with 688.622kgs while cocaine is 11.221kgs and heroine 595.47gms”.

The commander said further breakdown revealed that Kano State command impounded 20,922.954kgs while Malam Aminu Kano International Airport Special Area Command confiscated 457kgs. Abandoned seizure amounted to 16,654.969kgs. The command also secured the conviction of 480 persons for drug offences at the Federal High Court Kano within the period under review NDLEA lamented the implications of the huge seizure within a period of four years, saying it was ominous.

“Such savage cruelty dealt to the state by venal narcotics crime entrepreneurs at the expense of public health and safety shocks the conscience of a sane person. Millions of youths are annually trapped in the vortex of the scourge thus destroying gradually the most productive part of the nation’s labour force,” the commander lamented.

Heap of impounded drugs set on fire during the destruction exercise

Kano Deputy Governor, Ganduje, 6th from right, leading other dignitries to set fire on the drugs

In his own speech on the occasion, which was attended by sister agencies and other stakeholders, the chairman of the agency, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade said the destruction of drug exhibits was one of the strategies to keep the society drug free.

He pointed out that the agency’s 2011 report showed that Kano State had the highest number of drug cases and arrests in the country.

“A total of 1,281 suspected male drug traffickers were apprehended with 4,921.582kg of narcotics. Cannabis has the largest share with 4,531.52kg. Psychotropic substances followed with 383.289kg, while cocaine and heroin have 5.1kg and 1.67kg respectively”.

The NDLEA boss said Kano State also reported the conviction of 209 drug offenders and counseled 878 clients with drug abuse problems.

He added that the drug situation in Kano was worrisome as it threatened the stability of the state and families.

He promised that the agency would continue to work with government at all levels.

His words: “We shall work with non-governmental organisations and individuals in addressing the problem of drug trafficking and abuse in the state. Fami-

lies are enjoined to engage in counter narcotics programmes. We must continue to partner in averting avoidable destruction of lives due to drug abuse or trafficking.

“Adequate drug education on the dangers of narcotics is crucial to the overall success of the campaign. To this end, I wish to encourage non-governmental organisations to be more active in drug control activities. It is expected that NGOs will complement our efforts in grass roots mobilisation.

“We shall continue with our family, school and workplace, drug abuse prevention programmes. More families shall be guided on how to detect drug abuse habits in children. The agency will support families in effective monitoring of their children and wards by providing information materials and free counseling services.

“In addition, we are prepared to assist both public and private schools in building and sustaining a vibrant drug free clubs. Our core objective in doing this is to allow young people imbibe drug free culture as they grow into adulthood. The workplace anti drug abuse sensitisation will be intensified. This is to protect employees and employers from drug trafficking and abuse”.

Sport

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

13

Japan 2012

Moon Mira of Korean Republic tries to tackle Desire Oparanozie (left) of Nigeria during the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Japan 2012, Group B match which Nigeria won 2-0. INSET: Falconets Coach Edwin Okon.

Ordega, Oparanozie plot Italy’s fall SAYO OGUNDEJI

A

s Nigeria’s U-20 women’s national team known as the Falconets get ready to take on their Italian counterparts tomorrow at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Japan, two members of the team, Francisca Ordega and Desire Oparanozie have promised to go all out for victory.

The Coach Edwin Okon-tutored team started the tournament on a bright note in their first match as they defeated Korea 2-0 with Ngozi Okobi scoring on the quarterhour mark, while Desire Oparanozie extended the advantage midway through the second period.

They were however held to a 1-1 draw in

their second match by Brazil despite scoring the opener through Ordega late in the first half, while the Brazilians equalised through Giovanna Oliveira in the second half to hold on to their second point in the group.

Nigeria currently tops Group B with four points and only needs a draw to progress to the next stage of the competition, but both Ordega and Oparanozie insisted that they would go all out for the maximum points.

According to the duo who are among the experienced players in the team having taken part in the last edition of the tournament, beating the Italians who are rooted to the bottom of the group will give them the needed motivation going into the latter stage of the competition.

“We came into this competition with

Nations Cup Qualifier: P. 16 Oshaniwa makes Liberia pledge

the aim of performing better than our last outing and we have to be at our best in other to achieve that.

“Though we only need a draw to make it to the next round, but we want to win all our matches as this will give us psychological boost in order to get to the next stage of the competition.

“The team is blessed with a lot of talented and experienced players and going by the immense contributions of our coaches, the team has the potential to go all the way and possibly lift the trophy,” Oparanozie who scored one of the goals in their first match against South Korea, enthused.

In her own reaction, Ordega who is pleased with her team’s progress so far in the tournament insisted that her col-

Chinese League: Fans’ support inspires me, P. 41 says Aiyegbeni

leagues must maintain their concentration throughout their games if they are to emerge champions.

“We have started the tournament in the right way and all we want to do is to keep that momentum as we hope to go all the way to the final.

“Losing the final of the last edition in Germany is still fresh in our minds and we believe the right way to go about it is to maintain our concentration and do our best to avoid any mistakes that can deny us the opportunity of winning the competition this time.

“We are going into our match against Italy with the intention of picking the maximum points and we hope our performance would carry us to the final of the tournament,” Ordega said.

Mancini foresees tough trip to Liverpool P. 43

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SPORT

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lessons from London 2012 Olympics

L

ast weekend, Saturday Mirror was at its best again with the good, the bad and the ugly sides of stories relating to Team Nigeria’s poor show at the just, concluded Olympics in London. And it was as a result of the aforementioned that HT deemed it necessary to take a retrospective view by firstly looking at the lessons our athletes and sports administrators should learn from the London crash.

As a kicker, many followers of sports administration in the country are bitter with the crop of sports administrators we have at the National Sports Commission (NSC) because they have failed to match their words with action.

For example, after every Olympics, the same problem that led to the nation’s poor outings has continuously repeated itself, thereby confirming that our sports administrators have refused to learn from past mistakes. And it is on that premise that HT believes that the first lesson Nigerians will learn from the dismal outing in London is that we should immediately employ the services of technocrats to administer our sports at the NSC. Another issue, which served as a great lesson to the administrators of sports in Nigeria is the need to give our athletes early preparation before a global showpiece like the Olympics.

Early preparation is very important in sports development as countries who embrace this philosophy often ripe bountifully because it guarantees medal hauls from her athletes at the end of the

HARD TACKLE with

Andrew Ekejiuba anelsports@yahoo.com day in major sporting competitions across the world.

For example, United States, China, Britain, Jamaica and Cuba are among the list of countries that have embraced early preparations for their athletes, and sports pundits are not surprised over their good performance especially in their areas of strength at the just concluded Olympics in London.

As noted in this column previously, the issue of poor preparations for Team Nigeria was glaring as our athletes were forced to embrace the fire-brigade approach to prepare them for the Olympics.

And the repercussion of such strategy may have been that some of our athletes easily burnt-out as a result of excessive trainings few days to the global event.

For example, the case of Blessing Okagbare is evident because few days to the Olympics she was actively involved in the Crystal Palace and Monaco Diamond Leagues. Many pundits who monitored her build up to the Olympics believed that she may have burntout during the Olympics leading to

08023103605

Sports Minister and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.

her posting a time of 11:01 secs in the women’s 100m final as against 10:92secs she posted in the semifinals of the same event.

Following the dismal performance of Team Nigeria in London, it is also pertinent at this point for our sports administrators to go back to the drawing board because the country has not been developing good athletes over the years despite the fact that many of them could still be found

at the grassroots. As a result of this factor, emphasis must be laid on having a grassroots-oriented programme by the NSC, to help expose talented athletes because any nation that fails to develop her athletes will always reap the kind of results we had at the London Olympics.

Therefore, the lesson here is that various sporting federations under the NSC should work out modalities of harnessing and training such athletes discovered, so that they could be of immense benefit to the nation rather than our administrators over relying on ageing athletes to win medals for the country.

In the table tennis event in London, the likes of Segun Toriola had no better replacement after featuring at the Olympics for a consecutive sixth-time since Barcelona ’92. At 37, he was a shadow of himself in London and only succeeded in making history as Nigeria’s record participant at the quadrennial event. So, a programme that captures talented athletes at very tender ages (from schools) is the only way we can ensure that we have a reservoir of talents to fall back on in future.

Also, we must pay special attention to those sports in which we have comparative advantage over other countries like athletics, boxing, taekwondo, weightlifting and wrestling, to mention but a few.

Another lesson that could be learnt from the poor show in London is the need for the Federal Government to see to the early release of funds meant for sports

development in the country, if our nation really wants to get it right. The budgeted funds meant for the execution of major sporting events like the Olympics must not be delayed because it affects planning.

Sports-loving Nigerians acknowledge the fact that the Federal Government has continuously been the sole financier of sports development in the country, but that should not stop them from seeing to the early release of these funds to enable the administrators utilise them effectively.

Aside the aforementioned, the Federal Government should stop playing politics with sports because this is one sector that will continue to act as a unifying force for the great people of Nigeria.

Within a decade, for example, we have had more than one sports minister and this does not help in proper planning and continuity.

Finally, there is the urgent need by the Federal Government to task Corporate Nigeria to sponsor sports in the country because huge profits are often declared by many corporate organisations doing business in the country, but only a few have that milk of human kindness to plough back or sponsor sports as part of their corporate social responsibility. It was disheartening to see many individual athletes of other countries enjoying multiple sponsorships from their various corporate bodies as they competed at the London Olympics, while Team Nigeria athletes were like orphans left out in the cold!

SPORT NEWS

NSF: Lagos ready for More winners emerge in Cowbell Olympic promo champions’ wrestling meet

T

he Lagos State Wrestling Association (LSWA) says it is set to organise the “Champion of Champions Invitational Championships,” in September, to prepare its wrestlers for the 18th National Sports Festival.

LSWA Chief Coach, Segun Iwalokun, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos that the tournament would enable the association assess the wrestlers ahead of the fiesta.

Iwalokun said the association had just-concluded the Inter-Club Championships, from which the best wrestlers to represent the state at the festival, will compete at the Champion of

Champions which begins on September 15.

“We are set for our Champion of Champions competition to test our athletes who are to represent the state at the National Sports Festival in November.

“We have invited eight states which have strong wrestling teams to participate in both the male and female categories,” he said.

The coach said that Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Delta, Edo, Kano, Kogi, Jigawa and any other state that may be interested were expected at the competition.

However, he called on individuals and corporate bodies to invest in the sport by sponsoring competitions.

M

ore loyal consumers have been rewarded with cash prizes in the ongoing Cowbell Olympic Medal Rush promo that was launched recently by Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk.

The winners which included Miss Adenike Idris who won N20, 000, Mr. Christopher Nnagbo who won N50, 000, Mr. Prince Matthew who won N50, 000 and Mr. Adebisi Olusegun who also won N50, 000 were at the head office of the company to collect their cash prizes last Thursday.

In an interview with Saturday Mirror, Mr. Prince Matthew, a Togolese who carted away a cash prize of N50, 000 said he has always been drinking Cowbell Milk and de-

cided to participate in the promo after he saw the advertisement on television.

“I am very happy I won because after I bought the milk I could not drink it as I was late for work only to get back in the evening and my wife brought the N50, 000 winning ticket to me,” Prince enthused.

Similarly, Miss Idris Adenike, an account officer in a family business who won N20, 000 in the promo said her family never intended to participate in the promo but got the Cowbell milk with the winning ticket in a gift pack from a family friend during the Ramadan celebration.

In a recent interview, Cowbell promotional ambassador and the 1996 Olympics gold medal winner, Chioma Ajunwa Oparah encouraged more

R-L: Coordinator Management Account, Promasidor Nigeria, Mr. Tayo Adekanye, presenting a cheque of N50, 000 to winner, Mr. Prince Matthew while Assistant Brand Manager, Promasidor, Mr. Kingsley Onuoha, looks on at the on-going Olympics Medal Rush promo in Lagos recently.

people to participate in the promo.

Cowbell Milk Brand Manager, Mr. Abiodun Ajiborode, said the promo is intended to reward loyal consumers, adding that, it will also entrench the Cowbell brand in the minds of

the consumers while creating fun and excitement around the brand.

Besides the promo, Cowbell Milk was also the Official Milk of the Nigerian contingent to the 2012 Olympics Games that held in London recently.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

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SPORT

August 25, 2012

Nations Cup Qualifier

Copa Coca-Cola Dream Team set for South African tourney ANDREW EKEJIUBA

F

Oshaniwa makes Liberia pledge Oshaniwa

SAYO OGUNDEJI

S

harks FC left back and Nigeria international, Juwon Oshaniwa says the Super Eagles of Nigeria will beat the Lone Stars of Liberia when the two sides meet in the much-important 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on September 8.

The Eagles, who are billed to take on the Lone Stars in the first leg encounter of their last qualifying match, missed out

of the last tournament in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Oshaniwa, who has been a regular figure since Coach Stephen Keshi took over the team, believes his colleagues are well motivated ahead of the encounter.

“This is a very important match for us as players and the country as a whole and we are going to give everything to make sure we pick the ticket to South Africa.

“Every one of us un-

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

derstands how important this match is to the country and missing out of the tournament last year is something we all want to change, which means we are all battle ready.

“We have an advantage in the sense that we have been playing a couple of friendly matches which has helped us perfect some of our strategies and with the inclusion of our foreign-based colleagues, I am sure we will qualify,” Oshaniwa stated.

ollowing an intensive screening process, the 2012 Copa Coca-Cola Nigerian Dream Team has emerged and is ready to embark on a Copa Coca-Cola International Camp/Tournament.

The event is scheduled to take place in Pretoria, South Africa, for 12 days from August 28th–September 8th. And the budding stars will have the unique privilege of being trained

by Chelsea Football Club Foundation coaches.

The 16-man Team Nigeria will compete with other teenage players from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi,

Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, DRC and Mauritius.

As an improvement from their performance last year when they won the silver medal in the tourney that took place in London, the young Nigerian players are poised to repeat the feat at the maiden edition in 2009 when they brought home the Copa Coca-Cola Africa Championship trophy.

A total of 140 players from 15 countries are expected to partake of the Copa CocaCola International fiesta.

The young players will have once in a lifetime experience of being mentored by five Chelsea FC coaches who have trained international professional players like John Obi Mikel from

Schmeichel to grace ARS Championships Clinic in Nairobi

M

anchester United has confirmed that one of its most decorated club legends, Peter Schmeichel, will attend the inaugural Airtel Rising Stars African Championships and Soccer Clinic in Nairobi.

Schmeichel, a former Manchester and Denmark International goalkeeper, who won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League during a trophy-laden eightyear spell at Old Trafford, was appointed as a club ambassador last month and joined an elite group of for-

mer players such as Sir Bobby Charlton, Dwight Yorke, Bryan Robson, Gary Neville, and Andy Cole in promoting the club globally.

He will attend the final matches of the first-ever Airtel Rising Stars Africa Championship today in Nairobi. His tour is part of an exclusive partnership between Airtel and Manchester United in several African countries. Part of the partnership agreement enables Airtel to tap into the technical expertise provided by the club through Manchester United Soccer Schools (MUSS) managed clinics.

Basketball showed me God’s love –Akiga ANDREW EKEJIUBA

F

ormer Nigerian international, Felix Akiga, is no doubt a fulfilled man if his success in real estate, the hospitality industry and sports are considered.

After marking his 50th birthday anniversary which was on August 7, 2012, Akiga says he has every reason to thank God and went further to prepare the launch of his Felix Akiga Foundation.

The Foundation launching which holds today according to the former proprietor of the

Gboko Heat and Gboko Giants Basketball clubs that participated in the Nigeria Premier Basketball League from 1999 to 2001 is that the game aside from keeping the youths out of the streets can also lead them to God. “Basketball to a very large extent has played a big role in my life, but beyond that I have also seen that all the successes that I’ve had over the years has been purely through the mercy of God, so, I have every reason to be grateful to him for all that has come my way.

“God gave me a great wife and lovely kids and

blessed my businesses and I can only be thankful. I have given back to the game of basketball through my club and the works I’ve done in basketball circles from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, University of PortHarcourt and the University of Benin, but now it’s time to give back to God hence the launching of the Foundation on Saturday,” he said.

The former player now turned astute administrator came into contact with basketball as a young boy and went on to play for Borno, Benue, Bauchi and then Gongola states, win-

Akiga

ning the national division one championship with Benue Braves in 1987. The same year he played for the national team at the

African Championship in Kenya.

The launch ends with a thanksgiving service on Sunday, August 26, 2012.

Nigeria and Michael Essien from Ghana. They will be tutored in mechanics that would see the budding teenagers improve their ball control, shooting, dribbling, and ball passing amongst other skills.

The Nigerian Dream Team was drawn from the players that participated in the national finals of the 2012 Copa Coca-Cola Football Tournament, which took place between the 25th and 27th of May this year. The epic final match saw Team Benin emerge as winners after beating Team Ibadan 2-1.

40 secret assessors for nationwide league ANDREW EKEJIUBA

T

he Nigeria Nationwide league (NNL) board has concluded plans to appoint 40 secret assessors for the final league matches in order to maintain the credibility of the league as well as have a successful competition, which is scheduled to hold next weekend across the country.

The NNL Chairman, Alhaji Ahmad Muhammad Mu’azu Kawu, dropped this hint in a statement issued in Kano.

Kawu said that his board had concluded plans to appoint about 40 match assessors for the final league matches in order to avoid match fixing as well as to conclude a credible football season.

He also added that despite the financial constraint facing the board, the NNL remains the best organised league in recent time and called on corporate organisations to come to the aid of the league with a view to develop the league at grassroots level.

He commended the leadership of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their usual support and cooperation to the board.

MAGAZ INE Fashion •Wide-leg trick •Go shirty

Sex talk •Riding your mornings to glorious sex

Relationships •Should you cohabit before marriage?

Nina

Player girl

18

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Celebrity DJ Jimmy Jatt, whose real name is Jimmy Amu, is regarded as Nigeria’s and Africa’s top disc jockey (DJ). In this interview with OSEYIZA OOGBODO, he speaks about disk jockeying and other matters. Excerpts:

‘I don’t blow my own trumpet’ H

ow have you been maintaining your status of a top DJ? I think, it is first of all not to see yourself as anything. See yourself as a beginner every time. For me, I work like a rookie. I work like I’m trying to prove myself every time, like this opportunity is my opportunity to blow. So I don’t ever see myself like I am up there or something. For as long as you are like that, I think there will always be room for improvement. And as far as you are able to improve yourself, there will always be the next ladder to climb.

Do you DJs have some courses you take to improve yourselves?

You have to learn to do this and you always have to keep improving on your own skills. It is like you learning to drive from a driving school, but you know you are not exactly the best driver after taking that driving lesson. You still have to get a car and drive regularly and become the best you can at driving. It’s the same thing with being a DJ. There are always new songs and new equipment coming out all the time so you always have to upgrade yourself.

own trumpet. It’s how the people say it but I won’t be the one to blow my own trumpet. I think I have gone round and it might be fair to say that because if you look at my rating in Nigeria and you look at the rating of Nigeria in Africa, then you might want to say that anything that can be rated highly in Nigeria must be rated highly in Africa. Plus, I won the African championship years back anyway.

According to some, DJs prefer artistes to do only dancehall music. Do you think this is fair to the music industry?

I won’t say that, but first of all, most DJs play for dance purposes. I mean that DJs don’t play for you to sleep, meditate or for people to just listen. They play for people to get on the dance floor. So most times, most music that DJs work with would definitely be dance music without a doubt. But it still doesn’t take away the fact that DJs work with other music other than dance music. But DJs work mainly, I think, 75 or 80 percent of the time with dance tracks because what you need a DJ for is to come and put people on the dance floor. And a DJ won’t achieve that with slow or jazzy tracks or tracks preaching some message but tracks that can get you off and groove your body.

Do you agree with those say you are Africa’s top DJ, considering that Africa is huge and has an uncountable number of DJs? What would you say has been your I do my best. I’m not one to blow my greatest contribution to the music in-

dustry?

Like I said, I am one person that really doesn’t like blowing his own trumpet.

Most times, a whole lot of stuff I know I have done, I will rather let people or let those things and let people say those things. But I know I have given a whole lot to the music industry and the deejay profession in Nigeria and even Africa as a whole. But in the Yoruba culture, you don’t count, and as a Christian, my upbringing doesn’t permit me to count things I have done. You let them speak for themselves.

Can you just mention just one?

I have been responsible for grooming and mentoring a whole lot of DJs. A whole lot of top DJs right now passed through me, and these are breadwinners for their families right now, even if that is the only thing I have ever done. Then, I have taken the profession, not singlehandedly, but at least I’ve been a major contributor, from being something that people look down on to something people identify with, respect and recognise. I have taken this to the extent that people actually host DJs as special guests. I am beginning to do what I said I don’t want to do, which is count what and what, but I know that really, really, really, if you scout around and speak with people, a whole lot of them will be able to tell you more stuff I’ve done.

Why did you choose to become a DJ? It wasn’t something I decided on. I mean, at the point I became a DJ, it wasn’t a profession that you say when I grow up; I want to be a DJ. It wasn’t something you walk up to your parents and say this is what I want to do. For me, it was just the love and passion I had for music. So I started deejaying from being an aspiring artist, to being a break-dancer to being an artist that does paintings. I am just an arts person, music lover, then somehow, you know, my brothers were actually deejaying as a hobby when I was growing up so I was influenced by that as well. Somehow, I just found myself in it and I settled into it. There’s a way you will get into something and you will just realise that maybe that’s what you are cut out for.

And it took so much time. Another thing was the negative vibes I was feeling from people. You know, at that time, people judged you based on what you do, which I thought was wrong because I know the kind of person I was. So you don’t need to judge me because I am playing music for people to dance to, and you think I must be a bad person. And I felt like okay, I am going to prove a point to these people that this is what I do, but this is who I am, and with time, you’ll come to appreciate and respect me, and we can look back now and say to an extent we have been able to achieve that.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

19

August 25, 2012

Entervaganza

With OSEYIZA OOGBODO

08023755142 kingseiza@gmail.com

I love Goldie, I want to marry her –Prezzo Julius Agwu ig Brother Africa StarGame is over, but not its consequences. While it was on, Nigeria’s Goldie and Kenya’s Prezzo began a romantic affair that was well documented because of its myriad of ups and downs. One day, they would be all, the next they wouldn’t be speaking to each other, then they would make up and in the midst of it, they kept making snide and uncomplimentary remarks about each other.

Finally, the relationship came to a believed end when Goldie was eliminated from StarGame. Her affair with Prezzo was fingered as her downfall in BBA. She returned home, apologized to aggrieved Nigerians who felt she let them down by being lovestruck and seemingly moved on with her life.

But barely three weeks after StarGame ended with Prezzo also losing out on the $300,000 prize, he stormed Nigeria this week for one reason: to meet Goldie, declare his love for her and marry her.

Typical of a man either in love or lust, he has been telling all who care to listen that he is sorry about how he treated Goldie and has therefore apologised to Nigerians over his player behaviour.

Observers are however wondering if he is truly sincere or he just wants to finish what he and Goldie started in

expands Crack Ya Ribs’ scope

B

T

Prezzo and Goldie in an intimate moment

StarGame. If you recall, they got to the kissing, cuddling and fondling part but they never consummated it.

Is that the real reason he is after her?

Meanwhile, when Entervaganza

More awards for Udofia

sought Goldie’s reaction to Prezzo’s statements, she refused to pick the phone and she also didn’t respond to the text asking her how she feels and if she and Prezzo have met here in Nigeria.

Celebrities donate N4m to sick people

wards-wise, this is the best of time again for celebrity publicist, Cornell Udofia, who won a total of 11 awards last year. Today, he is set to be presented with an award as Best Publicist/Image Maker at Classique African Merit Awards holding at 10 Degrees Events Centre.

His Classique award is coming immediately on the heels of that he won yesterday in the same category at the Nigerian Events Awards. Udodfia, who has been the publicist of and is publicist to several celebrities including Jim Iyke, Faze, Imelda J, told Entervaganza that he rightly deserves every award he wins as they symbolise the hard work he’s putting into the entertainment industry.

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Udofia

his year is a big one for Julius Agwu and his Crack Ya Ribs show. The show, which he started in Nigeria years ago, has since been holding in Europe, specifically London, on an annual basis but he has now concluded plans to also hold it in New York, USA. While this year’s London edition will hold tomorrow at Light House Hall, Camberwell Road, where one of his other shows, Laff 4 Christ’s Sake, held earlier this year in April, New York’s maiden show will hold on September 1st at the Symphony Space Theatre, Broadway.

CYR shows this year are holding with the partnership of Ghanaian entertainers and Agwu explains why. “This year will mark 12 years of Crack Ya Ribs and we needed to repackage it to inject some fresh ideas to keep the brand going. We are now trying to make it bigger by turning it into a Pan-African event.

That’s why we are holding it this year with Media Ghana and Empire Entertainment Ghana.”

The line-up of musicians and comedians that will perform at CYR is therefore a combination of Nigerian and Ghanain entertainers including MI, D’Prince, Funny Bone, Seyi Law and others to represent Nigeria while Funny Face, VIP, Guru, Khaki and others will represent Ghana.

aybe there’s something in the air right now that is making celebrities have a really charitable spirit. Four of them, Jude Okoye, Tonto Dike, Rukky Sanda and Don Jazzy have donated a combined N4m to two sick people, Ibezim Osemeke and Funmi Lawal.

Okoye, elder brother of PSquare was the one who set the ball rolling with his N1m donation to Osemeke, a brain tumour patient, last month. Osemeke was in need of N3.7m then to go for an operation in India.

While Osemeke might have counted himself lucky, Funmi Lawal is luckier. She has cancer in her shoulder region and is in need of N4m. Don Jazzy alone has given her N2m. Before the news of Don Jazzy’s magnanimous donation died down, actresses Tonto Dike and Rukky Sanda also donated N500,000 each to her.

Will more celebrities tow the charitable path of these four? Let’s hope so.

M

Okoye

Agwu

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ENTERVAGANZA

August 25, 2012

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AIRWAVES LINK

CLASSICAL RYHMES

Omotola goes Kardashian

Ego

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Omotola

he name Kim Kardashian has become famous the world over simply because she is a reality show star who lets people into her everyday life by filming it for the whole world to see.

Kim K is not the first or only reality star. She just happens to be one of the most talked about.

And in the United States (US) where she is based, reality shows are a dime a dozen. The trend is yet to really catch on in Nigeria but the tide is about to turn now with the arrival of star actress, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, onto the reality show scene.

Widespread reports have it that Omotola is presently shooting footage for her own reality

show, The Real Omotola, which will focus too on her real life day-to-day existence as a woman, wife, mother, actress, singer and every other thing about her, which is supposed to be the essence of reality shows, fact as against fiction.

And when The Real Omotola hits TV screens, Omosexy would only be paving the way for other celebrities to follow. But it is certain that she will get a lot of backlash from the public for it. Goldie’s time in the Big Brother StarGame is enough indication that reality shows bring out the real you that get people incensed.

And even Kim K too who is almost like a queen in reality TV keeps getting Kim K backlashes.

PFWA: Edward and Tega bow out; two more for elimination today

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he elimination of Edward and Tega in Project Fame West Africa’s first week on air has increased the appetite of ardent viewers and new viewers alike to keep watching it. The emotions that come into play during elimination shows are just so overpowering that viewers immediately start looking forward to the next elimination show to discover who will be eliminated next.

And so as it does every year, the countdown has begun again. Fifteen finalists went into the academy.

Two of them, Tega and Edward, are out now, a message to the remaining thirteen that PFWA is a show but it’s also for real with mouthwatering goodies at stake so you have to put

in more than your best to get those goodies.

Tega and Edward put in their best and it got them out.

They were among five contestants nominated for eviction, Chinyere, Joshua and Oyinkansade were the remaining three, so obviously these latter three were the ones who put in more than their best to escape elimination.

Chinyere was saved by the judges, Joshua by the faculty and Oyinkansade by the

Channel O hosts African DJs

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hannel O Africa brings you a fresh line-up of resident DJs on Bassment, a show that introduces brand new DJ technology where the deejay mixes music videos back to back on your screen.

Bassment has been revo-

lutionised to include DJs from the different markets who have made a significant mark in the African music scene.

These big name music maestros include Uganda’s DJ Mister and Aludah, Kenya’s DJ Crème De La Crème and Joe, DJ Black from Ghana as well as DJs Caise, Neptune

contestants not on elimination nomination. The thrill for viewers is in not knowing who will be saved so with each save, viewers experience both shock and pleasure that makes the show continuously exciting to them.

But the show has just begun in earnest. The duo’s elimination has only brought to the fore the question of who will carry the day and become a star like the previous winners Inyanya and Chidinma and Xclusive from Nigeria.

Most of these top DJs have made a name for themselves on the African and international music scene. Their unique and inventive style has enabled them to grace many stages, including Big Brother Africa, while others have performed alongside several of the music industry’s leading artistes.

The inclusion of these DJs is yet another step by the

Artist: Djinee Verse 1 If I die now, I go happy say, Say when I dey this world, I don fall in love, Which one u dey e Wey u dey treat me so I don beg, I don do everything But u tell me say u need time and U no fit dey wit me Na so I vow Anyway I dey go, Ewo! Chorus (2x) If u help me see Ego, Make u tell am I don go She no look me and so I don pack my load go, ewo!

Verse 2 No be say I no show how I feel No be say I no ever show you say I dey real Everybody don know say I fit do anything for you I go die for you Everybody dey laff me cos dem know u be my life I don say I go marry Cos in u I see my wife, Baby oh!

I go take am 4 bus I go take am 4 train For this place I no fit stay eh! Ewo! Chorus (2x) Bridge I know say u dey hear my voice Cos this song na im I write for you I dey go find one place where I go hide my head Cos I wan start my whole life anew Chorus Adlibs She don leave me and so so Eh eh eh ewo!

Ego Ego ewo! (See Ego tell am i don go) Why u do me so Why u do me like this oh!

I dey beg,I dey beg,I dey pack my load go Oh Oh! Refrain If I die now I go happy say Say when I dey this world I don fall in love

especially but also Myke and Monica Ogah.

This is the big question on viewer’s lips and it will be answered a bit today when two more contestants are eliminated, leaving eleven contestants in the Academy and thereby narrowing down those who might win it.

Most of all, remember that if you don’t want to feel sad at seeing your favourite contest get eliminated, vote for him or her. channel that has pioneered music television in Africa, says Channel O Manager, Leslie Kasumba.

“We recognise that DJs drive the music culture, so we want to see them having more of a presence on our channel. We look forward to working with them and we hope our audiences will appreciate seeing them on their television screens,” says Leslie.

Djinee

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ENTERVAGANZA

August 25, 2012

21

BOX-OFFICE HITS

BRAIN BEHIND THE SCENE

Gbenga Salu …

TV producer, director, editor

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benga Salu makes no bones about what he does. He is a TV producer, director and editor and he adds that “really, anything for the tube is my life.”

With such passion for producing content for television coursing through his veins, it is unsurprising that he has his hands in every pie of production: television commercials, music videos and he even directs and produces events like the Nigerian Comedy Show in the United Kingdom (UK) last year.

Also a visual effects artist, it is one of the production aspects in which he is very capable and its mastery has further helped p him carve a niche for himself in that ffield. ield. every Like e very outstanding pe person, he

has won and been nominated for several awards. Some of those he has won are Best Special Effects/Editing - Soundcity Music Video Awards (SMVA) 2008 and Most Promising Director - Nigerian Music Video Awards (NMVA) 2009.

He is in high demand and he recently co-directed and edited a series of adverts for MTN, including the one about winning a new aeroplane. Just like most people are still wondering if MTN can really give out an aeroplane, his own thought too on the issues is “guess winning a brand new aeroplane is simply unbelievable. If it’s for real or not, please don’t ask me. All I was contracted to do is the advert.”

Going by his own confession, his success stems from the dream he has, a very lofty one at that. “I have a dream. To see African movies rank amongst the best pictures anywhere in the world. African stories should be told with the latest technology available! A point worth mentioning, Peter Jackson is the role model here! Peter, I promise you will someday get to hear this name Gbenga Salu.”

Jackson is a renowned American filmmaker behind the Lord of The Rings movies. Salu’s vision and mission is to achieve what Jackson has.

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hough it’s to be released on October 19, The Meeting is already keenly anticipated by movie buffs. It’s a romantic comedy starring Rita Dominic, Jide Kosoko, Kate Henshaw and many others.

Romance sells movies so The Meeting is assured of its success at the box office. That’s probably why Silverbird Distribution Limited has

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Salu

entred on the unfortunate, reproductively-challenged couple, Jim and Cindy Green, the film follows the duo as they give up on having kids and spend a night with a bottle of wine, writing down their won’t-be child’s perfect characteristics with a good old pencil and paper.

They bury the papers in a box in Cindy’s perfectly-kept garden, and

already agreed to distribute it to as many markets as possible.

Produced by Rita Dominic and directed, co-produced by Mildred Okwo, it tells the story of Makinde Esho who finds himself in a serious romantic relationship at a point when he is supposed to fully concentrate on the obstacles in the path of his career.

while they sleep, the box sprouts into a little boy - their little boy, only with a few leaves on his legs since he grew out of the ground, after all.

Needless to say, and as its title appropriately suggests, the little boy who is named Timothy, is not an ordinary boy and he doesn’t grow up in the ordinary way, thereby leading to a lot of mishap.

22

ENTERVAGANZA

CELEBRITY FAVOURITES

August 25, 2012

SHOWBIZ SNOOPS

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Send your views and comments as SMS to 08023755142

Timi Dakolo to premiere Great Nation

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Harrysong

imi Dakolo and The Future Project, organisers of the Future Award, have a certain thing in common. It is their commitment to finding effective and innovative ways of addressing social issues.

Thus, the video of the unofficial national anthem of Nigeria, Great Nation, will be premiered at the Future Awards billed to hold in Port Harcourt today and tomorrow.

The first winner of West Africa Idol, who has a philosophy of making good music to set outstanding standards and also see his seemingly ‘little light’ shine, is a strong believer in the unity of Nigeria.

“Music is not just for entertainment, it’s so much more,” reiterated Timi Dakolo. Also, Efe Omorogbe, CEO of Now Muzik, believes that, “Great Nation is the latest in Timi’s strings of captivating classics. It is an epic music material and resonates with people.”

Great Nation, a single off his Beautiful Noise album released in 2011, by virtue of the emotion it evokes and the strength of its lyrics is set to rebuild and restore us as a country in the midst of the current political and economic Dakolo situation.

Alaafin’s son drops new video

Favourite Food EBA AND EGUSI SOUP Favourite Drink WATER Favourite Designer (Intl) NONE. I LIKE ANY GOOD CLOTH THAT FITS ME Favourite Restaurant/Bar MAMA NKECHI CORNER, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS Favourite Day Of The Week SUNDAY Favourite Perfume AMEN Favourite Fashion Item I DON’T REALLY HAVE ONE Favourite Movie BOLLYWOOD MOVIES Favourite Brand Of Telephone Handset DIFFICULT TO MENTION ONE Favourite Quote IT’S ALL UNTO MATTER

Fryo

Good Samaritan Baba Fryo assaulted by police

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enge Pose crooner, Baba Fryo, is claiming that he was severely assaulted by police officers last Tuesday. Fryo claims that he was beaten by the policemen numbering at least five when he tried to stop them from assaulting two ladies.

Now Fryo is threatening to sue the Nigeria Police Force if they do not foot his medical bills for the fracture he sustained. While Fryo has been very voluble in disclosing his plight to the world, the NPF is yet to react to his allegations.

And when Entervaganza called the Lagos Force PPRO, Ngozi Braide, on Thursday to enquire about their stand on the musician’s claim, she did not pick her phone.

Prince Adetona Adeyemi, one of the sons of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has dropped the latest music video for his song, Ko Ma Roll featuring versatile rapper Vector.

Adetona, who is better known as Tillaman in the entertainment industry, has been in the music game for quite some time. He is now trying to carve a niche for himself. His first major single was Puyanga and it established his name.

Since then, he has been releasing songs to solidify his brand. Ko Ma Roll the video was directed by Clarence Peters and it is already being tipped as a contender for Best Collaboration Video of the Year award.

Tillaman

Bahbi Jay dumps job for music

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Bahbi Jay

ahbi Jay is yet another of the uncountable musicians, upcoming and established, in the entertainment world. He however sees himself as a bundle of talents as a singer, songwriter, sound engineer and music producer.

Like all musicians, he is seeking fame and fortune and has released a single, Je Ka Soro, to aid his music success. “Music is my destiny, it is what I’m passionate about and I’m sure my talent will open doors for me. I believe in my music abilities and that’s why I dumped my job in Abuja to relocate to Lagos to have a better chance to blow.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ENTERVAGANZA

August 25, 2012

23

SHOWBIZ SNOOPS

Zee World returns, features Seriki, Shanko Rasheed

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fter many months of serious hard work, singer-producer Zee World has finally dropped his much anticipated new singles Rover, Love, featuring acclaimed rapper Seriki and Jedi Dance featuring fuji prodigy Shanko Rasheed. The new singles unveil him as having a more mature sound.

With their official release last Wednesday, the songs are expected to take over the airwaves. Meanwhile, Zee World will soon leave for South Africa where he will shoot the video of Rover after dropping Jedi Dance’s video.

Lives her dream S

aying Nina David is hot and ambitious is just stating the obvious.

She is an actress, musician and model and her ambition is to become the best in those fields. According to her, she was just seven years old when the music and modelling bugs bit her.

“At the age of seven, as a little girl, I used to look at so many magazines and admired all the models I saw in them, and also wondered how a camera can capture a moment and make it memorable. I also watched a lot of TV, and when I get to see the female singers that I love so much like Toni Braxton, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey, I wondered how they get to sing so well that always made the crowd respond and become lost and touched by the power of music.”

Once she developed the interest, she began developing herself. “I started writing when I was 14, trying to compose things going on around me into songs. I always felt inspired whenever I listened to Toni Braxton and daydreamed of performing on stage and inspiring others just like she did to me.”

All the same, modelling was where she made her first headway. “God has his plan for all of us so he made modelling happen for me first. I was a pretty, reserved, shy girl when people started complimenting me on my height, telling me I was beautiful, that I was a super model and that I should go for beauty pageants.

“Though I was super shy, the compli-

ments increased and I eventually gave it a try and my very first modelling job was with FCMB calendar, the second was cover girl for Lolita Hair magazine, then I got involved in a few fashion shows and beauty pageants in Nigeria including MBGN 2006.”

As she made more in-road in modelling, Nollywood beckoned too and she got to feature in some films including Mission To Nowhere, Show Stopper, True Colour.

But she didn’t lose track of her most passionate ambition: to become a singer.

“While I was taking a smooth ride in the modelling world, enjoying all the camera flashes etc, I decided to throw light into my first dream of becoming a singer, and as you know, first dreams don’t ever fade away, no matter what, it can only be delayed but can’t be changed.

I have always known that I would come back to it, so I didn’t stop writing, I always made out time to compose. But this time more maturely as I have grown into a strong matured lady, with lots of experience about life, so I don’t just compose, I compose with a message because music is not just about the voice, it is about the sense you make in it. I’m not saying I’m perfect, but I do know I would make an impact before I retire.”

She has since released some songs, Sisi Eko, Sugar Daddy and the latest which is Player that is fast gaining airplay. She has also featured top rapper, Cartiar, on Sugar Daddy’s remix which she will release with her album.

Zee World

No surprise as P-Square drops May D R eally, it is not surprising that the twin singers P-Square have dropped May D, the only other artiste on their label, Square records.

The writing on the wall has always been apparent for those who have eyes to see.

The most obvious way May D was allegedly marginalised was in his music videos for Soundtrack and Ile Ijo. While P-Square’s videos are always shot by their elder brother, Jude, May D’s videos were handed over to Clarence Peters.

While P-Square deserve some commendation for the exposure they have

P-Square

brought to May D’s career, it would have been better for all concerned if they had made their association work out well.

Already, different reasons are flying around as to why he was dropped. One of them alleges that they never actually signed him in the first place and that he is now making unreasonable demands of them.

Jude too didn’t help matters by just releasing a terse statement claiming that irreconcilable differences between them is why they dropped him from the label.

24

August 25, 2012

60 years ago, Mrs Sheila Solarin, widow of social critic and educationist, Dr Tai Solarin, left the comfortable confines of England, her country, with her husband for the unfamiliar climate of Nigeria.

The octogenarian who still teaches English Language and marks students’ essays shared with YEMISI ADENIRAN the fun and the challenges of old age, life in Nigeria since 1952, especially since the demise of her husband 18 years ago.

Woman

I never knew I could live this long – Sheila Solarin

W

ould it be right to say that you fell in love with Nigeria immediately you met Tai? It is very right and I guess it is proper. A woman is supposed to love everything about her husband. Love is not supposed to have any barrier. Tai was one man I cherished; we were not just couples but good companions. We shared a lot and so, it was very easy for us to live together. He was a Nigerian and a proud one. When we met in England, he never gave the impression that he was not in love with his country. He was passionate about Nigeria and humanity generally; it is therefore difficult to dissociate him from this lovable country. I love everything about him and so, coming and living in Nigeria with him was to me no big deal but part of the deal. He loved my country and people too, so, no party is cheated.

Where did you meet your husband and why were you attracted to a black man?

We met at the University of Manchester; we were both students and colour or no colour, I was attracted to him for his hard work, simplicity and straightforwardness. He was down-to-earth, not a deceiver, good tempered, very honest and a good listener. Above all, he was fun to be with; he had this sense of humour that got you glued to him all the time.

What were your parents’ views on your choice knowing well that you could have picked from one of the many white guys around?

At the initial stage, my mother was reserved but when she met him, she liked him. We kept a fam-

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Solarin

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ily that was not bias about anyone whatever your skin colour or wherever you come from; it was easy for them to accept him. Besides, he was a lovable person himself.

What about his own family?

They accepted me as their wife, they were good to me.

How did you handle the strange climate of Nigeria, especially when you first came - the electricity problem, harsh weather and others?

None of these issues was any problem to me. I came from a poor family, we lived in the countryside not in the city. So, we also had similar experiences. In our case, we did not have electricity until I was in my teens.

There was also no pipe-borne water which is not far from what is obtainable in Nigeria. In short, my background helped me to cope well in Nigeria. My husband was a good man, very supportive. This again helped me to acclimatise well.

How then would you describe his absence?

Life without Tai has been full of vacuum that nobody can fill. I miss him so much and all of the time but as we all know, even twins that are born the same day won’t die the same day, talkless of people who were born on different days and at different times. He has been gone for 18 years now and here I am still breathing and alive.

You said earlier that both of you share a lot in common. Can you tell us some of those things?

Both of us are realists. We do things because we believe they are just right, not because people say so. We are both humanists and not church goers.

Are you saying you don’t go to church?

We both don’t. I see no need to; likewise him. Many in one religion or the other do so because they are afraid of death. They are afraid of getting killed by people and some forces whereas death is an inevitable thing, it will come when it will. We will all die one day whether we run to church, mosque or any other place.

Tai did not attach anything to death or the general belief of ceremonies after death, which is why he instructed before his death that he should be buried in his newly ploughed farm so that his body would be useful to the speedy growth of the plant, the vegetables. Many people were shocked and I did not know why. Human beings are to live to benefit others which is what the country is suffering from.

How do you mean?

There is a lot of greed in this nation. The leaders we have are very selfish, they think of themselves alone. They have no plans for the people; everyone is surviving on his or her own which is not giving any room for national growth. There is cor-

WOMAN

August 25, 2012

ruption, cheating, fraud everywhere.

These are alarming and painful. No one cares for the other which is bad.

In Britain and United Kingdom, the rich people donate half of what they have to charity, but here, beggars increase by the day as no one cares. The universities churn out graduates every year with no provision of where to accommodate them. So, the streets are full and all kinds of crime and fraudulence are the targets. There is a lot to be done by Nigerian leaders; they need to imbibe a selfless life, plan ahead for the youth, leave a worthwhile legacy. Nigerians in general should live a life that impacts positively on others, make one person happy at least. That’s the way to serve humanity. The gap between the rich and the poor is too wide, there is need to bridge it.

What’s your view about the Nigerian education system?

No adequate attention is given Nigerian education system. From the primary to secondary, the public schools have given total space to private owners which is making it more decayed. Most teachers in these schools end up as teachers because it was the available option they had in the universities, and not by choice.

There are no good buildings in the schools, students learn not under a conducive environment. All these have affected the system negatively.

Teachers are corrupt; parents are corrupt; students, also, are corrupt.

There is corruption everywhere.

You clocked 88 recently. How would you describe old age?

It’s fun and wonderful. I did not know I would live this long; I have lived a very busy and active life. Here I am, still living.

How did you cope in those years when your husband was in and out of the prisons?

Those were the few years before he died. It was lonely and strenuous because I had to combine the job of caring for the home, the kids with that of the school. And then, no one could determine how long he would stay away. This was apart from the fact that I had to run around the lawyers and the prisons. It was a lot of work but it was worth the while.

Marriages these days don’t last long but yours, an inter-racial one, lasted 43 years. What’s the secret?

Failed marriages are caused by different factors largely from the players. Maturity is one major reason for most collapsed homes. Couples need to be grown up both physically and emotionally to know what they want and not what the society dictates. If they will follow their minds more, marriages will become better. For us, we respected each other’s views and ideas, we knew we wanted each other and we allowed no barricades. Tai was always willing to listen, he gave me freedom and allowed the feeling of equality and partnership. All this and mutual love kept our home.

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Keeping ABREAST

Pregnancy alert (2)

Pregnant mothers who smoke are more likely to have children with asthma

 Smoking during the first three months of pregnancy has the biggest negative impact

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hildren whose mothers smoked while pregnant are 65 per cent more likely to develop asthma, according to new research.

The harmful effects on an unborn baby can begin very early - with smoking during the first three months of pregnancy having the biggest negative impact.

A study of 21,600 children found the risk of wheeze and asthma dramatically increased for those exposed to maternal smoking during pregnancy.

Wheeze is a continuous whistling sound during breathing caused by a narrowing of part of the respiratory tract.

According to the lead researcher: “The likelihood of developing wheeze and asthma increased in a significant dose-response pattern in relation to maternal cigarette consumption during the first three months of pregnancy.

These results indicate the harmful effects of maternal smoking on the foetal respiratory system begin early in pregnancy, perhaps before the woman is even aware she is pregnant.”

The findings follow previous research suggesting smoking while pregnant can change the structure of a child’s DNA, weakening the immune system.

Interestingly, the risk rose even among children who were not exposed to maternal smoking late in pregnancy or after birth.

Maternal smoking during the first three months of pregnancy, but not the last three or the first year following birth, was associated with increased risks for both conditions.

The researchers concluded that there is “compelling evidence environmental exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy may alter DNA methylation levels.

Chemotherapy won’t harm foetus – Study

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regnant women who develop cancer can have chemotherapy without endangering their unborn child, say doctors.

A study suggests the greatest harm to babies of women treated with cancer agents is being born prematurely, rather than the drugs.

German researchers say there is no need to interrupt the pregnancy, delay treatment or use less powerful drugs.

They studied more than 400 women across Europe who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer while pregnant.

They then assessed whether the newborn babies of the 197 women who had chemotherapy suffered any ill effects.

Babies whose mothers had chemotherapy while pregnant had a lower birth weight on average, but they appeared to have no higher risk of birth defects, blood disorders or alopecia than those born to women who did not have chemotherapy.

Professor Sibylle Loibl, of the German Breast Group which led the study, said the priority is ‘a full-term delivery’ for women having chemotherapy.

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August 25, 2012

Parenting

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

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ed wetting can be a serious problem for both children and their parents. Thankfully, most children grow out of bed wetting; unfortunately, it takes longer for some kids. Stress can be a cause of bed wetting for children. Maybe they are having problems at school or maybe their home life is stressful. The children may find themselves in a situation where the parents are going through divorce or there are a lot of fights in the household. If it is a problem with school, maybe it is a bully or a teacher that they do not like.

One thing kids need to understand, and their parents need to tell them this, is that wetting the bed is not their fault. They do not do it on purpose, so do not blame them for it. There are ways to avoid bed wetting and eliminate it altogether.

Don’t play the blame game Do not blame your child for wetting the bed. They feel humiliated enough without someone, especially their parents, telling them bed wetting is bad and all their fault. Yes, bed wetting is a problem and it is not good for it to keep happening, however, it is really not a bad thing because it is a common problem with kids as they grow up. My niece wet the bed a couple of times when she stayed with me. She was about 8 or 9 years old and I just got out of bed, told her it was alright, and changed the sheets.

She confided in me that when she accidentally wets the bed at her paternal grandmother’s house, she gets yelled at and that just makes things worse.

Calmly explain to your child

How to stop your child from bedwetting that it is alright, it is not their fault. Then just change their sheets and tell them everything is okay. Blaming them will just make them feel worse and, if the bed wetting problem is caused by their nerves, blaming them will make them do it again without even knowing it. Children do not wet the bed on purpose and they need to be reassured that it is not their fault.

Let your child have more control One thing that might help your child feel better about wetting the bed is to let them have control over their bedroom surroundings. Arrange their bed so they can change the sheets themselves, buy them a feltcovered rubber pad for them to lay down over the wet spot, and put out a dry pair of pajamas for your child to change into. Doing this will give them control and make them more comfortable and at ease to be able to do these things for themselves. Allowing your child to have more control over the bed wetting issue will lessen the stress that might be causing them to wet the bed in the first place.

Use bed wetting alarms There are different types of bed wetting alarms that you might want to consider using

ParentingUpdate

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mother has revealed how meningitis took her perfectly-healthy toddler to the brink of death - in just four hours.

Erica Scoffings had a slight

temperature when her mother, Michelle, 34, put her to bed as normal at 7.30pm.

But shortly before midnight the three-year-old woke up asking for a drink and her mum

for your child. There are the loud version that has worked in completely eliminating bed wetting, however these types of alarms are very loud and can wake everyone in the house up.

One good thing about these loud alarms, though, is that they can teach your children to stay dry at night. By waking the child up, and everyone else probably, when the child is a little bit wet, these alarms can let your child and you know when it is time for them to go to the bathroom.

If your child can stay dry for 21 nights in a row, they can most likely be cured from bed wetting altogether.

There is an even newer generation of bed wetting alarms on the market that a parent might want to try instead of the louder version. The newer bed wetting alarm uses hearing aide batteries and is attached directly to the child’s underwear. The new bed wetting alarms have a moisture sensor that goes off when the child is just a little bit wet. This new generation of bed wetting alarms sound much better than the older one and has a much better success rate.

Practice bladder control If your child drinks a lot of fluids during the day and goes to the bathroom a lot, you

might want to consider bladder stretching exercises. Bladder stretching exercises can teach your child how to “hold it” during the night if they cannot wake up in time to go to the bathroom. Bladder stretching exercises consist of your child drinking lots of fluids during the day and seeing how long your child can hold their blad-

der without wetting themselves.

This type of exercise can eliminate bed wetting altogether.

The bottom line and general rule of avoiding bed wetting or eliminating bed wetting, is simply, love and patience. No child wants to wet themselves. So, be patient, loving, and understanding, and ready for any questions your child might ask.

Tiny Feet

NAME: Okikiola Oluwatobiloba Oluwapelumi BORN TO: Mr. & Mrs Dada Olaleye AGE: 2 months BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.25kg

Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

Meningitis alert!

Girl, 3, escapes death by inches

z Doctors say she was just three hours from death noticed purple blotches all over her body and a soaring temperature.

Recognising the symptoms, Michelle and husband Michael, 25, bundled her into their car and drove her straight to hospital.

Doctors diagnosed meningococcal septicaemia and said Erica was just three hours from death.

Both of Erica’s legs went black and she was left clinging to life in intensive care with bandaged limbs.

But amazingly she pulled through and has now made an almost full recovery after months of hospital treatment.

Her mother, Michelle, said

her diary showed just how quickly meningitis can take hold.

She said: “It happened so quickly, we didn’t have time to think. I was terrified as there was nothing I could do. Every time someone touched her she screamed.

“We expected her to just go onto a drip but we didn’t expect her to go into intensive care.

It was the septicaemia which made it so much worse.

“There were so many doctors and medical staff in the room at the hospital. I was in shock but surrounded by my family.

“Erica was screaming and I felt helpless. I just had to sit there and watch and as a parent

that is the worst thing that can happen.”

She said further: “It was awful, Erica was screaming all the time. I was a mess when the surgeon said she might have to have both legs amputated.

“Amputation was a last resort but it was definitely a possibility. Both her legs and her right hand were completely black.”

Erica spent two weeks in hospital and has since returned three times for skin graft operations.

Now, less than eight months after being struck down by the illness, the tenacious toddler has amazed doctors by walking again and she is due to start nursery next month.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

August 25, 2012

le StyGlam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

W

ide-leg pants are an easy style that can be dressed up or dressed down depending on the pants. They give your wardrobe a change from the skinny pants look and they can also be worn by most people, unlike the skinny pants. They are polished and classic and can help make your body look better. But you must follow these rules to have necks turn your way: *Try them on - Just like any pair of pants, you need to try them on to see how they fit your body and if they flatter you. Choose the one that is fitted through the hips so that it still shows off your figure. *Wear with a fitted top. Wearing a loose or blousy top may make you appear sloppy and bigger than you are. Wearing a fitted blouse or sweater can help you still show off your figure and look sleek and slim. * Pair with heels. Flats will not look right with wide-leg pants. Try a high-heeled boot or pump when wearing wide-leg pants. * If you have a skinny frame, try to find a pair of wide-leg pants that are not too wide.

You don’t want to be swallowed by the fabric. * Avoid pockets and pleats on the front of your wide-leg pants. They will make your hips and thighs appear bigger. * Keep the patterns and colours simple.

Wide-leg pants in a neutral colour work the best. Stay away from big and bold plaids and large stripes on the pants.

28

STYLE & GLAM

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fashi

YEMISI ADENIRAN

F

or some time now, the shirt dress has become a wardrobe essential for every fashion-forward woman.

An easy one piece dress, the dress shirt, is for the go-girly woman who wants to throw on a dress without much ado and still feel very chic. It is a timeless wear that is right for every of your formal and casual outings. You can pep up this fashion item these different ways for an optimum effect: Add a belt - Shirt dresses often come with these thin little belts; it is a good idea, however, to take this belt off and replace it with something that makes it a little more of a statement. Adding a big chunky belt like that over the waist, helps to define your waist and pulls the look altogether.

Accessorise with a scarf - Wearing a scarf on a dress shirt will also give it that cool look.

But don’t go for too chunky as it can be too much fuss around the neck area. Go for something in a flimsy chiffon or cotton. Layer it underneath the collar. Again, don’t let it be tight, just let it hang down the sides as it will help to elongate the body and cool the whole look together. .

Wear it alone or on other items - You can wear your shirt dress as it is as a dress. Alternatively, you can open up all the buttons, put a long sleeve T-shirt or dress underneath and put it on with a pair of leggings or skinny jeans.

Leave it slightly open -. Don’t button it all the way up to the top as this can look too buttoned up and can make your outfit look a little stiff. Leave it open slightly and pop a little vest inside it. This will help to open up a little and it’s also really good if you’ve got a larger boobs. You can substitute a vest like this for a long sleeved T-shirt during the cold season because not only is it going to give you a little bit of extra warmth but if you let the sleeves hang outside, it will just pull the look together and add a little bit more colour to your outfit.

If you’re going to wear a shirt dress, you sure must try to accessorise it to stop it from looking plain. The key accessories will help it to look stylish and coordinated

BEAUTY

Q&A

Your candid response to all fashion questions Why can’t I wear a halter neck dress to the office and business outings?

One of the toughest things to truly get a handle on when it comes to style is what types of dresses are appropriate for what situations.

There are a lot of guidelines to follow, and trends seem to change so quickly that it is hard to keep up with what is and is not right for certain events. Such is the case when it comes to the ultra trendy halter neck cocktail dress. It may seem at first like a halter neck dress is not a good fit for more formal occasions, but many out there would tend to disagree.

Many o dresses, i premiere a dress at one else, w

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

STYLE & GLAM

August 25, 2012

ion Frenzy

of the times that you see celebrities wearing these types of it is at black tie affairs, such as awards ceremonies or movie es. In fact, the only reason you would not want to wear such t a formal occasion is if you were afraid of showing up somewhich is a real possibility in such a flattering style.

29

Facelift 5 secrets of

luscious

lashes

I

t’s no secret that eyes are windows to the soul. Dress your beautiful eyes with makeup and play up your lashes to enhance your features. Here are five secrets for luscious lashes to complete your look.

To achieve long luscious lashes, one needs not go for expensive eyelash extensions.

Beauty products to the rescue !

Curl your lashes After your eye makeup, always curl your lashes. Place the curler just above your lash line, grip your lashes and curl them in three parts - inner, centre and outer. You will notice that your lashes are lifted in a nice natural curve Use an eyelashes primer Coat your lashes with an eyelash primer.

Besides prepping your lashes for easy application of mascara, it helps to pump, curl and strengthen your lashes and your mascara stays on longer. Wait for the lash primer to dry completely before applying mascara.

Coat your lashes with mascara Choose your mascara according to the effect you would like to create – Volumizing, Lengthening, Curling or all of it. Apply the mascara in three parts – inner, central and outer lashes with a zigzag motion to increase lash separation for clump free lashes and wide eye flattering 3D look. Two thin coats for a natural look or pile it up for dramatic eyes.

Always work on one eye first and then the other eye so that your mascara is completely dry before your second coat. For lower lashes, apply light feather strokes vertically.

Falsies to the rescue Create instant long lashes with falsies.

Hands up those who trust only falsies as an instant booster! For more pocket friendly quality lashes, have a good selection to bring you from office to a glam night out.

The fact is that the halter neck itself does not disqualify this dress from qualifying as formal wear. It is more the length of the dress and even the style, pattern and colour that can decide whether that is the case. A mid-length black dress with a somewhat elaborate pattern or pretty frills can be very appropriate with a halter neck, while a shorter dress that is more suited for a night out may not be.

Remove carefully Remove your lashes with a gentle and effective makeup remover that removes the mascaras completely and efficiently while conditioning your lashes.

30

STYLE & GLAM

August 25, 2012

Model

Trendz

‘My name gave me the crown’

How to rock a short skirt

On Saturday, August 11, young Favour Ikedinma was crowned winner of Miss Nigeria Teen, 2012, out of over 30 others that contested. She shared her joy and exploits with YEMISI ADENIRAN in this interview.

YEMISI ADENIRAN It’s a very nice skirt. It’ll look amazing on you, it’ll show off your awesome legs, and let’s not forget how in style it is! But it’s short; very short.

You know what will happen if you wear it. People will whistle tle and stand you out in a crowd of knee length skirts and blue jeans.

H

ow does it feel to be winner of this prestigious crown?

I am very happy and still very excited. I can’t get over it. We were many that contested for this crown and I am glad it finally came to me. I feel on top of the world. I am grateful to God because He was the one that made it possible. I am very happy.

What are those factors you believe gave you an upper hand over others?

Honestly, I really wouldn’t know because I did not do anything extra. We were made to pass through both physical and intellectual tests and we all were at our best. I think I am just a favoured child, like my name is. Really, things just worked according to my name. Now, I know names are not just for fun. You must give a child a name you want to work for him or her and I am grateful to God and my parents who named me Favour. This name gave me an edge over others.

Steps Favour

Keep the cleavage to a minimum Keep the cleavage to a minimum. Dress down topwise so that the skirt doesn’t look too aggressive and over the top.

Keep knees together When sitting, make sure your knees are touching, so people can’t see your panties.

Beside your name, don’t you think you have other physical assets that stood you out?

I don’t think so because if you study others closely, you would see clearly that they also have these same assets if not more. I am just assisted by God. Who do you dedicate your crown to?

God Almighty, the Alpha and Omega, the one from who promotion comes. I dedicate my family for their strong support and encouragement; my friends and everyone who wished me success in this.

What do you have to say to your counterparts who lost to you?

They should see the whole exercise as a game. In every game, there is always a winner and a loser. That I have won this crown does not mean I am better than them; I have just been favoured. If they don’t win today, they will win tomorrow. There are more beauty pageants ahead of us, we are just taking off. They should not lose hope, they should keep focus and not relent on trying again.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bend knees as you bend

Wear flats instead of high-heels This makes your legs look shorter than they would with high-heels.

Wear opaque leggings. Black or any other colour of leggings are a good alternative to wear underneath a short skirt.

Wear solid colour bike shorts as an alternative to leggings or tights.

They still allow you to show off some skin but stops any chances of panty-flashing.

When bending over to pick something up, bend your knees and make sure your skirt does not ride up. Nothing is worse than when your panties are showing. Or, you can keep your knees together and bend your legs, being sure to keep your hemline level. hem

Wear stockings if you W don’t do feel ready to bare your legs leg Black sheer stockings crei ate a more a dramatic efd fect, but nothf ing beats leaving i those stockings at t home and getting h fresh air to those legs! f

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

31

August 25, 2012

Male Essentials

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@yahoo.com w

Bodylicious

Iyanya K

ukere crooner, Iyanya, is just your everyday fashionable guy when it comes to his dressing. He doesn’t have a distinctive style of dressing or fashion item that he favours.

But what he does have is what most men will give an arm and a leg for and ladies will swoon over men for.

He has a fabulous body that he started developing recently and is what is standing him out. After

Shirt basics

1 2

. Don’t wear your sleeves too short or too long. 1/4” to 1/2” of cuff should show beyond your jacket sleeve.

. Shirts with button-down collars are not dress shirts. They’re sports shirts, so wear them with a sports coat. Polo players used to button their collars down so they wouldn’t flap up in their face while they played. (Are you beginning to sense a theme here? Fashion rules are largely dictated by what English gentleman and nobility did generations or even centuries ago. Sports coats?

You wore them during sport, i.e. hunting.

Regimental stripes on ties? They indicated dicated your regiment in the British military. And so on.)

3

. If you unbutton your collar, remove emove your tie. You can wear a suit or sports coat without a tie – just ask Obama a – but wearing a tie with an unbuttoned shirtt looks sloppy.

4

. You can unbutton the top button always (provided you’re not wearing a tie), ie), the second button usually, the third button only on disco night at the Rollerama.

hours and days of pumping iron in the gym, he has a body to die for. His body is now toned, suitably muscled and extremely sexy.

It is a body that one can be proud of and that he won’t be embarrsassed to take off his clothes to display his perfect physique as there isn’t any flab in it.

Even when he wears clothes, it is still apparent how his body is as his muscles keep rippling.

Way to go, Iyanya.

32

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Relationships Should you cohabit No way

P

eople say you have to know the person you’re dating in and out before you should take the plunge into the institution of marriage.

They go further to say that one of the best ways of knowing your partner well is when his or her guard is down and that can mostly happen immediately both of you wake up from sleeping very early in the morning.

A lot of people say passing the night regularly or even at least once at your boyfriend’s place is one of the rights of passage of dating and preparing for marriage. These days, it has even become the ‘in’ thing to do and if as a young lady you’ve not done so or as a young man your girlfriend hasn’t done it with you, then either of you guys can be assumed to be a prude. This is especially as it’s now being done with the knowledge and connivance of parents of either of the partners who should know better.

In as much as I don’t want to sound as a moralist or as a religious bigot, I believe a lot of priorities we place on certain new societal values are misplaced, uncouth and downright bad in terms of the message we are getting from those who should know better.

Parents actively encourage their daughters to sleep over at their boyfriends without seeing anything wrong with it. Even fathers who normally shouldn’t be involved pretend and turn a blind eye to it when they get to know about it.

For me, while as a bachelor, I believed nothing was more wrong or cheapened a woman more than for her to spend nights at my place when we weren’t married and the belief still stands as it is till today. Yes unmarried couples will most likely always find a way to sneak around and have sex before marriage in this age and clime unless there’s a very strong reason to stop them from doing so, but should it be as blatant as the society is accepting it today?

When you look at it critically,

most guys hardly ever marry women who spend nights at their place while during courtship. It is generally believed by guys that when a woman spends nights with him, there won’t be any mystery again about her.

Another thing that ladies don’t know is that when you spend nights with us, you’re only showing us the desperate side to your character in ‘hooking’ us as husbands. It’s a known fact that men don’t like desperate women. In fact, we detest them. It’s as if a woman who’s desperate had tried the ‘field’ and couldn’t get a man and is now trying to ‘hook’ us by ‘hook or by crook’. We may like the free sex, free breakfast in bed cooked by these women and even the free house keeping that they bring along with them through helping us to keep house when we wake up in the morning. One thing we are sure of is that we may be everything, but we are not dumb or fools.

Most girls who are into this believe that it’s also a way of keeping lines of non-verbal communications open between themselves and their boyfriends. They claim it’s a way of finding out their compatibility level with their boyfriends before they decide on taking the marital plunge. This is a complex muddy puddle for everyone involved. The society through the television and films shown has glamorized the issue of sleeping over and a lot of young ladies are now thinking it is alright to do.

I’m happily married today to a woman who though we had a very long courtship due to financial constraints, never slept over at my place for once. The issue of sleeping over for me goes beyond the issue of sex and so it is for a lot of guys. Thank God that we still have some people who still value and respect their reputations enough to know that as Africans with morals, values and cultures, things that should never be seen to be done in the light of day are still kept in the dark.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

11 great ways to keep your mojo going Erectile Dysfunction (ED) becomes more common as men age. But it is not necessarily a normal part of aging. How can men avoid ED? 1. Watch what you eat A diet that’s bad for a man’s heart is also not good for his ability to have erections.

Research has shown that the same eating patterns that can cause heart attacks due to restricted blood flow in the coronary arteries can also impede blood flow to and within the penis. The blood flow is needed for the penis to become erect. Diets that include very few fruits and vegetables along with lots of fatty, fried, and processed foods can contribute to decreased blood circulation throughout the body.

Recent studies show that ED is relatively uncommon among men who eat a traditional Mediterranean diet, which includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, heart-healthy fats including nuts and olive oil, fish, and wine, particularly red.

2. Maintain a healthy weight Being overweight can bring many health problems, including Type 2 diabetes, which can cause nerve damage throughout the body.

If the diabetes affects the nerves that supply

the penis, ED can result.

3. Avoid high blood pressure and high cholesterol High cholesterol or high blood pressure can damage blood vessels, including those that bring blood to the penis. Eventually, this may lead to ED. Make sure your doctor checks your cholesterol levels and blood pressure. You might also want to check your blood pressure between doctor visits. Blood pressure monitors are also sold for home use.

If your cholesterol or blood pressure is out of control, get it treated.

Blood pressure drugs can make it hard to get an erection. But doctors say many cases of ED that get blamed on these drugs are actually caused by arterial damage resulting from high blood pressure (also called hypertension).

4. Drink alcohol in moderation or not at all There is no evidence that mild or even moderate alcohol consumption is bad for erectile function. But chronic heavy drinking can cause liver damage, nerve damage, and other conditions -- such as interfering with the normal balance of male sex hormone levels -- that can lead to ED.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

RELATIONSHIPS

August 25, 2012

33

CHINWE ANNIE AMAECHI 07028684481 chinweamaechi@gmail.com

before marriage?

No

W

This column is x-rated 5. Exercise regularly Strong evidence links a sedentary lifestyle to erectile dysfunction. Running, swimming, and other forms of aerobic exercise have been shown to help prevent ED. Watch out for any form of exercise that puts excessive pressure on the perineum, which is the area between the scrotum and anus. Both the blood vessels and the nerves that supply the penis can be adversely affected from excessive pressure in this area.

Bicycle (or Okada) riding, in particular, can cause ED. An occasional short ride is unlikely to cause trouble. But men who spend a lot of time biking should make sure their bike fits them properly, wear padded cycling pants, and stand up frequently while pedalling.

6. Don’t rely on Kegels One form of exercise that doesn’t seem helpful is Kegel exercises, which involve repeatedly contracting and relaxing the muscles in the pelvis. Kegels can be helpful for men and women suffering from incontinence. But there’s no evidence that they prevent erectile dysfunction.

7. Keep tabs on testosterone Even in healthy men, testosterone levels often begin falling sharply around age 50.

Every year after age 40, a man’s testosterone level typically falls about 1.3%.

This column is x-rated Symptoms like a low sex drive, moodiness, lack of stamina, or trouble making decisions suggest a testosterone deficiency, as do spongy erections. Your doctor can check on that.

8. Avoid anabolic steroids These drugs, which are often abused by athletes and bodybuilders, can shrink the testicles and sap their ability to make testosterone.

9. If you smoke, stop Smoking cigarettes can harm blood vessels and curb blood flow to the penis. And nicotine makes blood vessels contract, which can hamper blood flow to the penis.

10. Steer clear of risky sex Some cases of erectile dysfunction stem from penile injuries that occur during sex. Keep your penis from bending painfully, jamming against your partner’s body, bending the wrong way or being weighted upon.

11. Curb stress Psychological stress boosts levels of the hormone adrenaline, which makes blood vessels contract. That can be bad news for an erection. Anything a man can do to ease tension and feel better emotionally is likely to give his sex life a big boost.

hen two people are dating or courting, there is a level of closeness or intimacy they share exclusively.

However, it is expected that unmarried couples should set certain boundaries to guide their relationships; otherwise the essence of marriage will be lost.

Clearly, there ought to be a major difference between the single life and life within marriage. Whether it is continuous co-habitation or frequent sleepovers at a boyfriend or fiancé’s house, the question is whether it is appropriate.

Co-habitation, frequent or irregular sleepovers, weekend visits, whatever you call it, they all involve sleeping through the night in the house of a man you are not married to. The issue is not whether he lives alone or not, because one way or the other, you will have some ‘alone time’ during the “ungodly hours” where magic rules. There is just something about night time. A woman who has already decided to abstain from pre-marital sex will definitely be setting a trap for herself by sleeping over in her man’s house or anywhere else the man stays the night. Whenever co-habitation before marriage is mentioned, most people assume that the only issue involved is pre-marital sex, but it goes beyond that.

As much as this sounds like a religious or moral issue, it is not solely so. Sometimes, we need to step outside religious or moral beliefs and frankly determine the pros and cons of certain decisions, actions or lifestyles. In this case, a woman should weigh the consequences of sleeping in the house of a man she is not married to, but intimately involved with. In doing so, she should consider her personal worth, values and long-term goals. If we agree that today’s decisions determine tomorrow’s events, then a woman should always think through before she makes certain decisions in a relationship.

As we all know, men are hunters and will go all out to catch spoil, after which they relax to enjoy the spoil or simply move on to hunt for another. If a man has nothing to look forward to in

marriage, he would have little or no motivation to take you to the altar. If he can have it all without making the lifelong commitment, then don’t nag when he doesn’t go knocking at your parents’ door to ask for your hand in marriage. Yeah, I know people still get married after co-habitation, sleep-overs and pre-marital sex, but take a look into their relationship and tell me whether the woman’s value in marriage tops the chart?

When you spend the night with a man you are not married to, you give him the opportunity to be exposed to your most vulnerable side. If you snore, fart or do funny stuff at night; that could really reduce your worth in his eyes. Hilarious angle, but very factual. He gets to see you first thing in the morning. Hmmmmm. That could be a minus too. The point is not that you should put up a front and paint a picture of a flawless woman who does not fart or snore; I am just saying that some things are not meant for unmarried people. A woman needs to keep her appeal on a continuous basis, even after marriage. But the appeal must be on the highest level before marriage. The man must have lots of stuff to look forward to and pay the price for.

As old school as I may sound, I strongly believe that some things that were forbidden in the days of our grandparents should remain forbidden today. The sanctity of marriage must not be lost.

A woman should not spend any night with her boyfriend or fiancé, no matter the circumstance.

She must maintain her worth and not sell herself cheap even after receiving a promise of marriage and an engagement ring. A man’s respect for a woman naturally drops when she gives him a valuable treasure that he has not paid the price for. It is a natural occurrence which is inevitable.

Sleep-overs, co-habitation and all the other things that follow (sex, etc) should be exclusive to marriage. If a woman decides to give a man what he ordinarily should not be entitled to, she should be ready to face the consequences.

Simple!

34

August 25, 2012

Dear Igho

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

TTel: e 08023924679 (SMS only) ighomit@gmail.com

Having difficulties with relationships, family, work or any other aspectt off your life? lif Help is at hand with TOBORE IGHO OVUORIE

She is a pretender you’re seeking. Do you want me to assist you on how to capture the heart of a lady who doesn’t feel a thing for you but only enjoys the attention you give her as well as your pleas or what?

Well, you obviously have the answer to your supposed question: forget her.

Move on with your life; face your studies and business, enjoy life by adding value to yourself. When these are done, you’ll discover that you had been busy chasing shadows by selling your product to the wrong audience. When you turn out well and better than your current status, this lady, if she’s still there anyway, will respect you better. Equally, you’ll in the process get better ladies.

Dear Igho, I am a 23-year-old man. I have been longing for a relationship with a girl for long but she is always pretending not to want me. However, when I try to forget her, she starts coming and If I try to convince her that I love her, she keeps pretending. She has done that to me so many times.

I’m Chuby Shed. I live in Lagos and a student but also into business.

Please, I need your help.

Dear Chuby, I really don’t understand exactly what Dear Igho,

Need a lady for marriage within 6months!

Dear Igho, My name is Chislom and a 36-year-old businessman. I’m a Christian based in Kaduna. I need a serious minded lady between 30-36yrs, Christian, employed or into business and must be ready for marriage within six months or 10 months latest. Any lady that meets these criteria should contact me through: 08096856891, 08067989696.

Dear Chisom, Don’t you think you’re sounding desperate to settle down? From experience,

desperate singles make wrong marital choices, so take it easy.

Sincerely, six months is not enough to know someone to a large extent. Definitely, you can never know a prospective life partner in totality because marriage is a learning journey, but you can’t afford to throw all these years of waiting to the winds. What I’m saying simply is: don’t be in haste, love will still come your way in God’s beautiful time.

Besides needing a self/salaried employed Christian lady who is serious minded, I’ll suggest you have other salient values which she must have in order to make choosing easier for you and not live with regrets later in life.

What is this on my breast?

Dear Igho, I am so worried. There is this thing on my breast; it’s dark in colour, small and lighter than my skin; I have this dark thing on my face too. The reason why I’m worried is that I don’t know if the one in my breast is a lump.

Worried girl, Lagos.

Dear Worried girl, I would advise you go to a hospital, preferably a general hospital closest to where you live. There, you’ll get specialists who have the necessary skills who’ll attend to you and detect exactly what it is.

Please, do not procrastinate; go to the hospital for medical attention immediately and kindly let me know how it goes.

Dear Igho,

She does not trust me

I am 24 years old and in love with a girl of 15. We love each other like nothing can separate us. I’m her first boyfriend. But since I got admission into college, everything stopped going the same because she thought I would be having something with other girls while my female course mates now hate me because I don’t want to befriend any of them. Please I need your help.

Dominic.

Dear Dominic, I commend you for remaining faithful but don’t you think you’re not getting your priorities right? It’s nice to be in love but don’t you think doing this with a 15-year-old could be quite misleading?

As regards your class mates, remain steadfast in your decision of not wanting to date them. To be candid, you still il

Is she afraid of commitment?

I am 24 years old from Benue State and have a girl that I want to marry. But any time I tell her that we should go and see her parents for introduction, she will refuse.

I’m confused and don’t know if she really wants to marry me. Please, what should I do?

Bartholomew Ado, Benue State.

Dear Bartholomew, You didn’t state how old this young lady is, what you both do for a living and how long you’ve been together. Perhaps, she’s scared that both of you

are still too young to get married or could feel you still need to know yourselves better.

Though you seem to sound serious about marrying her, I’ll advise you take things easy with her. Discuss your fears with her but with a respectful voice tone so the chat doesn’t end in a quarrel. But do not have a jaundiced mind about her responses especially before the discussion commences.

Above all, hope for the best and put everything about you, her and the relationship in God’s hands. Good luck!

have years ahead of you to fall in and possibly out of love; so be patient.

Rather, be platonic friends with them and every other lady and girl. This way, you’ll understand ladies better, not lose concentration in your studies and when you’re ready to get married, you’ll be able to make a wise choice from your friends.

This is not to say you should abandon the initial girl you wrote about; remain close to her, help her with her school work, relate with her the way you would want other men to treat your blood sister. Please, don’t go fiddling with her body or emotions. By keeping the relationship pure, you’ll keep her dignity and yours too. Should things work out well for you both in future, she’ll trust and respect you. And if other wise, though she’ll be hurt initially, you’ll yet stand tall in her sight. Good luck!

A financially comfortable lady needed

Dear Igho, I’m Larry, 54, divorced, self-employed with profitable business plans but I want a financially comfortable lady of 40-60 years for relationship and business partnership. Any interested lady could call 08028997064.

Dear Larry, Don’t you think the type of lady and reason you want her send wrong signals? Your details have been published though I’ll advise you add salient values she must possess except if it’s only her finance that is being targeted. Wishing you the best in partnership ahead!

Living

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

35

We are still in shock – displaced residents of Kuramo

The ocean surge which sacked the popular Kuramo beach of Lagos has come and gone but its effects still stare both residents of the beach and the government rudely in the face. What next step for the displaced inhabitants of the now closed beach?

TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE AND OSEYIZA OOGBODO

K

uramo Beach is known as one of the prominent beaches in Lagos State and many people have different views about the place. While many see it as “sin city” some see it as a “lion’s den”.

This is because of the various activities taking place in the area. It is believed that the place is a den of prostitutes, armed robbers, social miscreants and people of shady character.

Life in Kuramo Beach is very interesting. The place is usually busy with various activities of different kinds all day round. It is also a place to be for many a fun seeker.

All, however, ended last Saturday night.

The beach was struck by an ocean surge.

Residents and visitors were thrown into pandemonium as water from the angry Atlantic over ran the beach chasing them while they ran helter-skelter. Eventually, when the fury of the sea subsided and it withdrew, it took no fewer than 16 people along.

The Lagos State government moved swiftly, organised a rescue operation and sacked all residents putting the whole place under lock and key. Now, the lovedto-be-hated Kuramo beach has become once-upon-a-time. The structures on the beach were also all demolished by the state government which also placed a prohibition on the continuous habitation of the place.

Besides, the people swept away, property lost was worth millions of naira.

Ten of the bodies had, however, been recovered by emergency rescue agencies and local divers. They had since been deposited at the Isolo General Hospital, Lagos.

This was as the General Manager of the Lagos State Emergency Management Authority (LASEMA), Dr Femi-Oke Osanyintolu said that government had not foreclosed the recovery of the remaining missing victims.

Without any iota of doubt the ocean surge and the demolition of structures at the beach that followed last Saturday night’s tragic event had literally wiped away the once-popular Kuramo Beach, ending the road for many who lived there and the fun seekers within and outside Lagos State who patronised it.

With the demolition, about 10,000 people living on the beach have been rendered homeless and many who have spent

Some residents packing their belongings from the beach

Oniru

decades building a means of live- l i hood there have suddenly become without a place to ply a trade. Many alleged that the demolition crew never allowed them to take any of their belongings out of the structures before they were pulled down.

However, Saturday Mirror on a visit to the beach after the demolition exercise gathered that many of the people are confused about the next line of action to take. Many of the victims are still in state of confusion on how to pick the pieces of their lives and forge ahead.

While many of those sent out of the beach have vacated the area, some have resorted to taking refuge at the Bar Beach, which was a few kilometres to the demolished Kuramo Beach.

Some of the displaced residents on Wednesday were sighted collecting money

from their thrift collectors while investigation revealed that some of them would be relying on the money to start a new life.

The demolition, without mincing words, has thrown many people into serious confusion and government’s action has started generating different criticisms, condemnation and commendation.

While some people see the demolition as a good initiative toward preventing future reoccurrence of such tragedy, some are of the view that sending the people out of their residential areas without any alternative will throw many of the displaced people into serious hardship.

Speaking on the government decision to demolish Kuramo Beach, Lagos State Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Mr. Adesegun Oniru, disclosed that the decision to demolish the entire structures at the beach was taken by the government to save lives and property.

His words: “What is happening in Kuramo Beach is nothing to panic about. There is global warming over the world and Nigeria is not exempted. As the situation is now, the people who were residing here before cannot do that anymore. Kuramo

beach is now a thing of the past. And until we put it back to its natural form no one should come close to this area. It is not save for anyone to trade or live here again “Anyone who was at Kuramo Beach last Saturday would know that the ocean surge required quick intervention of the state and federal governments. As a state government, we have brought in a palliative measure to cushion the effect. One of the palliative measures adopted by the state government was that we brought in hundreds of tons of sand from the ongoing construction site of the Eko Atlantic City to sand fill some parts of the beach that were submerged. And with this, we were able to vacate the owners of the structures.

“In order to reduce the loss, we allowed the occupants of the structures to move into the place before we completely demolished the shanties to remove their property. After the demolition, major work will commence immediately before anyone can return to this place for recreation purpose in the nearest future.”

The commissioner also disclosed that CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

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LIVING

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35 Lagos State is experiencing the extreme of the weather condition due to its location, noting that other coastal waterfront areas badly affected from and which people would be expected to move include Badagry and Ojo Waterfront areas, Bar Beach, Goshen Estate, Maiyegun and Alpha Beach.

Speaking to Saturday Mirror, one of the displaced residents of Kuramo Beach who have relocated to Bar Beach, Mr. Ahmed Gafar, said he is confused about his future since he doesn’t have anywhere to go. He said he is prepared to continue to struggle at the Bar Beach to make ends meet.

His words: “I have been living in Kuramo Beach for over 25 years. I am married and I have two children who were living with me before the last Saturday ocean surge. I am now homeless and I don’t have anywhere to go. The place I was living had been demolished by the state government and I don’t have any other means of livelihood. I was not opportune to pick my property before the demolition.

“Government should come to our rescue and do something to help us. Many people have been wandering around without any place to go to and if the government failed to help us and relocate us to a befitting place of abode many people would be forced to take to crime to survive.”

A senior member of the leadership of the Kuramo Beach Tourism Investors Association who wishes to remain anonymous however told Saturday Mirror that the government had no legal backing for the demolition.

“Kuramo as a settlement is an initiative of the government. There is a blueprint for the existence of settlers in Kuramo so the government has no right whatsoever to demolish it,” he thundered.

This reaction followed the voiced fears of several of the displaced settlers that the government would not compensate them for the loss of their properties and other valuables to the ocean surge.

“There may be a benefit of doubt to those feeling that way. This is not the first time government is displacing people without compensation. If we were to look at it fairly even, do you compensate people after you’ve displaced them without providing an alternative and other palliatives or beforehand by taking proper stock?”

Though the displaced settlers are still in anguish over their displacement, there are members of the public who see Kuramo’s demolition as a good omen, since Kuramo is believed to be a comfort zone for several lowlifes including armed robbers and scarlet ladies.

Yet again, the Kuramo senior member argued against this notion. “It is a myopic view. Kuramo is just a part of the larger world where crime takes place on a constant basis. Have other places been destroyed because they are perceived to be frequented by criminals? If they haven’t, then people happy at Kuramo’s demolition for that reason are myopic.

“The only thing I will say about that is that people in Kuramo are legal citizens of the nation and if they commit any crime, then the law should deal with them as appropriate. But we shouldn’t be seen as criminals. That is not right.”

One of such people who are happy at

Rescuers at the beach

‘We’ll go to court’ Kuramo’s demolition is Stanley, a trader at the nearby Bar Beach. “It is a good thing that the government has destroyed Kuramo. It is a notorious place and its destruction will bring a lot of peace to this vicinity,” he said.

He added that, “you can’t blame the government for demolishing it because a lot of people died in the ocean surge so the government had no option but to destroy it.”

Despite the anger of the displaced Kuramo settlers at the government’s seeming insensitivity, they were not willing to speak on record to Saturday Mirror. They only kept voicing their displeasure at the unfortunate situation the government had allegedly foisted on them.

Chairman of the KBTIA, Chief Zubair Alashe, who should ordinarily be the mouthpiece of the settlers at this crucial time, is also keeping sealed lips.

Alashe refused to speak with Saturday Mirror claiming that “the local government chairman has been here and has stated the government’s position so anything I say will be irrelevant. Besides, the government put me here so you can’t expect me to speak against the government.”

The KBTIA slated a press conference for Wednesday to address the issue but called it off at the last minute. Their excuse was that the chairman of Oniru/Victoria Island Local Community Development Area (LCDA) had indicated his willingness to discuss with them so they couldn’t say anything again until after meeting with him.

Meanwhile, Saturday Mirror investigation revealed that some of the residents might institute a court action against the Lagos State government to seek for compensation since they were not properly briefed by the state government before the demolition was carried out, therefore making them to lose their investment, running

to millions of Naira.

“We have cried to the government and we are waiting anxiously for what government would do. Collectively the displaced people from Kuramo Beach have not decided on what to do next if the government failed to assist us in compensating us over our loss due to the demolition of the our place of abode and business ventures.

But personally, I lost business investment worth N10 million due to the demolition and I may likely take the government to court for compensation. I believe that Kuramo Beach is a legalise community and government ought to have informed us before demolishing the place,” a source who spoke on anonymity told Saturday Mirror.

How Bar Beach was saved from ocean surges

B

ar Beach experienced a nasty storm on 0ctober 31 2005 which destroyed large sections of the nearside carriageway of Ahmadu Bello Way. Sand in excess of 400mm thick was deposited on both sides of the carriageway rendering it impassable for motor vehicles. Sea water entered the compounds and ground floor of adjacent dwellings.

The erosion was said to be a direct result of the construction of rock moles between 1908-1912 to protect the harbour access. The moles interrupted the natural Littoral Drift along the African West Coast which transports and deposits sand along the beaches of Western Nigeria.

Lagos State Government awarded a Contract to Hitech Construction to perform Shoreline Protection Works on 12 December, 2005.

1,000m length of the most severely eroded section of the beach was to be protected.

Summary of construction process Sand Replenishment, contour sand to required profile, Geo-Textile matting to beach-front, placing first layer

of rock (10 – 60kg) – 300mm thick, placing second layer of rock (300 – 1000kg) –700mm thick, placing x-blocs, further compacted sand layer on beach-top, lay Geo-Textile matting to beach-top, placing layers of rock on beach-top to rear of x-blocs, casting 150mm thick concrete bed on remaining beach-top and forming roadside drain and beam.

Concrete x-bloc production z A total of 5,000 x-blocs were cast for the project over a period of six months z Making use of chemical additives to the concrete mix maximum use of the steel mould was achieved with two castings every 24 hours from each mould utilising two teams of operatives working in shifts z Frequent tests were made to each batch of concrete and each x-bloc to insure adherence to specification and strength attainment before transfer to the stock area and final location.

The Bar Beach was finally saved from ocean surges through the government’s implementation of the Shoreline Protection Project which was awarded on 12 December, 2005 for completion on 12 December, 2006.

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LIVING

August 25, 2012

37

Taking care of the unsound mind is a venture not kindly looked on by many.

This, however, is what Dr. Daniel Obasan embraced with passion. Though his Iseoluwa Hospital, Ogun State is orthodox, the psychiatrist also introduced spiritual healing. FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON reports.

“T

hough I had a career in the field of psychiatry which I was very passionate about, I never envisaged that I would have an edifice like this where I would be taking care of the mentally ill,” explained Dr Daniel Obasan who has been in the field for over 37 years.

Obasan reclined in his chair and gazed out of the window which revealed an environment pleasing to the eyes. The air outside the room was cool and serenity enveloped the whole area. This had been evident right from the entrance of the large expanse of land on which Iseoluwa Hospital is situated.

“I wanted to do something else, although not exactly different from taking care of people. I wanted to be a consultant. I was not thinking of a thing like this at all. I first got the call to do this in 1995 but I did not take it seriously. After my 35 years in service, I was trying to secure a contract with the hospital where I served (Psychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta) but somehow, God didn’t allow it work because he had his own plan for me” explained Obasan in his cool and soothing voice.

According to the physician, a lot of people have one mental problem or the other brought about by many factors of which drug abuse is a major one while some are genetic.

He noted that at Iseoluwa Hospital, they take care of every patient who comes in but their knack is in the care of the mentally ill and drug addicts.

However, Obasan noted that what makes his clinic different from the regular psychiatric hospital is the fact that they combine both the medical and the spiritual in their method of healing.

“The spiritual controls the physical and as such, as much as we provide medical services, the spiritual side is equally very important to us because whatever is settled in the spirit is as well settled in the physical. If you look around you will find a church, Praise Channel, where we take care of the spiritual needs of our patients while this wing is for the medical services,” he told Saturday Mirror.

He continued: “This mission is actually from God and this is evident in the way He has been helping us to take care of the different patients that have been coming down here for treatment. If you take a look at this location, you will discover that it is not particularly an easy place to come because it is somehow remote. But in spite of that, we get patients

Obasan

Adeogun

A call to serve the unsound from different parts of the world. We have Muslims, Christians and all sorts of people brought here for treatment.”

While some of the patients come from as far as the United Kingdom (UK) and the United States (US), others come in from different parts of the country. One of such is Olatunde Adeogun (not real names) who disclosed to Saturday Mirror that he was brought into the hospital for drug abuse related issues.

“I was brought in here by my mother on the issue of drug abuse. I was introduced into the world of drugs by my friends in school. I was an undergraduate in one of the northern universities and had to drop out in my third year when the school discovered that I was hooked on drugs. For me, that was a great loss because when I got admitted into the school, I had the mindset to study and achieve my goals in life. This dream was, however, truncated by my going into drugs and this subsequently led to my expulsion,” lamented Adeogun.

For him, if it were only possible to turn back the hands of time, he would never have touched drugs.

Speaking on the possible reasons that

could make one mentally ill, Joseph Odeyemi, who has been in the psychiatric department as a nurse for over 48 years and now at Iseoluwa Hospital as a medical staff, explained that a lot of the patients are brought in as a result of wrong use of hard drugs.

“It is very important for parents to pay very close attention to their children because most of these situations come up as a result of bad companies. There is no way someone will be using dangerous drugs without their mental state being affected. However, for some, the situation may be genetic but in many cases, it is a result of drug abuse,” Odeyemi explained.

Another victim, who spoke with Saturday Mirror is Adebiyi Shobowale, (not real names)), a computer expert before he became mentally ill.

According to Shobowale, he was working as a computer hardware person before he was brought to the hospital for rehabilitation. Although, Shobowale did not state exactly what his problem was, Obasan explained that the mental illness was as a result of abuse of drugs.

Obasan further noted that although

Shobowale

some of the patients may be violent before being brought in, they usually respond to treatment.

“It is the power of God Almighty that is actually at work. Some patients are brought in here in chains because of their level of violence; however, once they enter here, the power of God makes them calm. Even when they insist that they want to leave, we counsel them and give them drugs which we refer to here as food because drug is food and food is drug. That is our motto here. The drugs would give them the calm that they need and we also take care of the spiritual side by praying and interceding on their behalf “Here, we don’t force them to stay and we do not let them leave without completing their treatment,” he added.

When asked if any of his children are towing his line of profession, smiling, Obasan responded: “To the glory of God, I can say that almost every member of my family is into this area of medicine. My first daughter is the chief nurse at the Neuro- Pysychriatic Hospital, Yaba while I also have another girl who is an assistant chief nurse at the same hospital. My first son who is the medical director here is also doing his housemanship at the Psychiatric Hospital Aro, Abeokuta where I served for over 37 years. My wife is also a nurse at the General Hospital in Abeokuta.”

In all Obasan said he is grateful to God for the opportunity given to him to be able to serve humanity in his chosen field.

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LIVING

August 25, 2012

Lance Armstrong:

A spectacular fall from grace

THE BIGGEST EVER SCANDAL IN NOT JUST CYCLING BUT SPORT -ROB SPEDDING, EDITOR OF CYCLING PLUS •Armstrong is STRIPPED of seven Tour de France titles as he stops fighting doping charges •His remarkable comeback from testicular cancer captured the admiration of the world •He won seven Tour de France titles between 1999 and 2005 •Tour de France became known as Tour de Lance among millions of his adoring fans all over the world in apparent homage to his winning streak.

•USADA have imposed a life-time ban from cycling on Armstrong •Armstrong maintains he is innocent and did not use blood doping •It’s a heartbreaking example of win at all costs overtaking the fair and safe option.

There’s no success in cheating to win – USADA

L

ance Armstrong has sensationally lost his seven Tour de France titles after revealing that he will not contest charges from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

By refusing to defend himself, Armstrong has essentially conceded that he won his Tour titles through doping.

That effectively destroys his legacy as one of the greatest cyclists in history and taints his story that inspired millions of fans - returning to glory after recovering from stage three testicular cancer.

The American earlier said in a state-

ment that he is ‘finished with this nonsense’ and insisted he is innocent but did not want to spend any further effort clearing his name.

A statement from USADA read: ‘USADA announced today that Lance Armstrong has chosen not to move forward with the independent arbitration process and as a result has received a lifetime period of ineligibility and disqualification of all competitive results from August 1, 1998 through the present, as the result of his anti-doping rule violations stemming from his involvement in the United States Postal

Service (USPS) Cycling Team Doping Conspiracy (USPS Conspiracy).’

40-year-old Armstrong, who retired a year ago, is now officially a drug cheat in the eyes of America’s doping agency.

USADA maintains that Armstrong has used banned substances as far back as 1996, including the blood-booster EPO and steroids as well as blood transfusions -- all to boost his performance.

“It is a sad day for all of us who love sport and athletes. ‘It’s a heartbreaking example of win at all costs overtaking the fair and safe option. There’s no

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

success in cheating to win,” a USADA spokesperson said.

Armstrong declined to enter arbitration -- his last option -- because he said he was weary of fighting accusations that have dogged him for years. He has consistently pointed to the hundreds of drug tests that he has passed as proof he was clean.

Armstrong’s disgrace marks the dizzying fall of an athlete who was regarded as a hero by millions because of his remarkable recovery from testicular cancer.

His foundation has raised some $500million through the sale of iconic ‘Livestrong’ bracelets, which were seemingly ubiquitous during Armstrong’s heyday.

Although he had already been crowned a world champion and won individual stages at the Tour de France, Armstrong was still relatively unknown in the US until he won the epic race for the first time in 1999.

It was the ultimate comeback tale: When diagnosed with cancer, doctors had given him less than a 50 percent chance of survival before surgery and brutal cycles of chemotherapy saved his life.

Armstrong was given a 40 percent chance of survival after he was diagnosed with testicular cancer in October 1996. Surgeons removed a tumorridden testicle during an emergency operation, though the tumors had spread to his lungs, abdomen and brain.

Over the course of two months, he underwent extensive chemotherapy and surgery to combat the cancer.

By January 1998 -- one year after his chemotherapy ended -- he was back on the bike and aggressively training.

His comeback began in September 1998, when he came in fourth at the Vuelta a España -- one of cycling’s three Grand Tours.

In 1999, he won the Tour de France and then continued winning it each of the next six years -- capturing the attention of Americans. Suddenly, Tour de France came to be known as Tour de Lance, an apparent homage to his winning streak.

Armstrong’s riveting victories, his work for cancer awareness and his gossip-page romances with rocker Sheryl Crow, fashion designer Tory Burch and actress Kate Hudson made him a figure who transcended sports.

His dominance of the Tour de France elevated the sport’s popularity in America to unprecedented levels.

His story and success enabled him to enlist lawmakers and global policymakers to promote cancer awareness and research. His Lance Armstrong Foundation has raised nearly $500 million since its founding in 1997.

But all that may have ended. Even though Armstrong walked away from the sport in 2011 without being charged following a two-year federal criminal investigation into many of the same accusations he faces from USADA, the anti-doping agency announced in June it had evidence Armstrong used banned substances and CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

LIVING

August 25, 2012

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 38 methods -- and encouraged their use by teammates. The agency also said it had blood tests from 2009 and 2010 that were ‘fully consistent’ with blood doping.

Included in USADA’s evidence were emails written by Armstrong’s former US Postal Service teammate Floyd Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title after a positive drug test. Landis’ emails to a USA Cycling official detailed allegations of a complex doping program on the team.

USADA also said it had 10 former Armstrong teammates ready to testify against him.

But the embattled sports hero continues to maintain his innocence, saying, “There is zero physical evidence to support (the) outlandish and heinous claims. The only physical evidence here is the hundreds of (doping) controls I have passed with flying colors.”

Armstrong sued USADA in an attempt to block the case and was supported by the UCI, the sport’s governing body. A judge threw out the case on Monday, siding with USADA despite questioning the agency’s pursuit of Armstrong in his retirement.

“USADA’s conduct raises serious questions about whether its real interest in charging Armstrong is to combat doping, or if it is acting according to less noble motives, such as politics or publicity,” US District Judge Sam Sparks wrote.

Now the ultra-competitive Armstrong has done something virtually unthinkable for him: He has quit before a fight is over.

“Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities,” Armstrong has said.

Armstrong could have pressed his innocence in USADA’s arbitration process, but the cyclist has said he believes most people have already made up their minds about whether he’s a fraud or a persecuted hero.

In a sport rife with cheaters, Armstrong has been under constant suspicion since the 1990s from those who refused to believe he was a clean rider winning cycling’s premier event against a field of doped-up competition.

He had tense public disputes with USADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, some former teammates and assistants and even Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour de France.

Through it all, Armstrong vigorously denied any and all hints, rumors and direct accusations he was cheating. He had the blazing personality, celebrity and personal wealth needed to fight back with legal and public relations battles to clear his name - and he did, time after time.

Armstrong won his first Tour at a time when doping scandals had rocked the race. He was leading the race when a trace amount of a banned anti-inflammatory corticosteroid was found in his urine; cycling officials said he

40% chance of survival: Lance made a total recovery from testicular cancer despite his grim prognosis and went on to become a cycling legend

Stripped and banned for life!

Lance and kids: What did Daddy do?

was authorized to use a small amount of a cream to treat saddle sores.

Rally: Less than three years after his

cancer diagnosis, Armstrong won his first Tour de France After Armstrong’s second victory in

39

2000, French judicial officials investigated his Postal Service team for drug use. That investigation ended with no charges, but the allegations kept coming.

Armstrong was criticized for his relationship with Ferrari, who was banned by Italian authorities over doping charges in 2002. Former personal and team assistants accused Armstrong of having steroids in an apartment in Spain and disposing of syringes that were used for injections.

Armstrong fought every accusation with denials and, in some cases, lawsuits against the European media outlets that reported them.

But he showed signs that he was tiring of the never-ending questions.

Armstrong retired (for the first time) in 2005 and almost immediately considered a comeback before deciding to stay on the sidelines, in part, because he didn’t want to keep answering doping questions.

“I’m sick of this,” Armstrong said in 2005. “Sitting here today, dealing with all this stuff again, knowing if I were to go back, there’s no way I could get a fair shake - -on the roadside, in doping control, or the labs.”

But three years later, Armstrong was 36 and itching to ride again. He came back to finish third in the 2009 Tour de France.

Armstrong raced in the Tour again in 2010, under the cloud of the federal criminal investigation. Early last year, he quit the sport for good, but made a brief return as a triathlete until the USADA investigation shut him down.

Armstrong had said in a previous sworn testimony that he wouldn’t take performance enhancing drugs because he had too much to lose. “(The) faith of all the cancer survivors around the world. Everything I do off the bike would go away, too,” Armstrong said then.

“And don’t think for a second I don’t understand that. It’s not about money for me. Everything. It’s also about the faith that people have put in me over the years. So all of that would be erased.”

Armstrong is bent on holding on to what is left of his shredded dignity.

He has said in what he calls his final statement on the matter, “Today I turn the page. I will no longer address this issue, regardless of the circumstances. I will commit myself to the work I began before ever winning a single Tour de France title: serving people and families affected by cancer, especially those in underserved communities. This October, my Foundation will celebrate 15 years of service to cancer survivors and the milestone of raising nearly $500 million. We have a lot of work to do and I’m looking forward to an end to this pointless distraction. I have a responsibility to all those who have stepped forward to devote their time and energy to the cancer cause. I will not stop fighting for that mission.

Going forward, I am going to devote myself to raising my five beautiful (and energetic) kids, fighting cancer, and attempting to be the fittest 40-year old on the planet.

Culled from www. mailonline. com

40

LIVING

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Curtain falls for Dento, Yoruba comic star KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

F

or lovers of the Yoruba plays especially on television and home video, Ahmed Oduola, popularly known as Dento, belonged to the best of the comic actors in the country. While it had been in the news of recent that he was down with sickness which medical prognosis had described as stroke, his death on Monday, August 6 still came as a shock to many of his admirers.

Oduola was born at the Olusunle Compound, Idi-Arere, Ibadan, Oyo State in 1946.

His burial at his father’s house located at Owode, Academy area of the city on Tuesday, August 7, attracted a large crowd who came to pay their last respect.

Dento did not start as an actor. His first love, according to his one of his wives, Anifa, was boxing. As a boxer, the late Oduloa’s alias was “Kongo”. But he later had a change of heart, he learnt tailoring. This too did not appeal too much to the creative and restless soul of young Oduola, he later ventured into the world of theatre where he made a name for himself.

He started his acting career by forming a small theatre group within his family compound in Ibadan and later joined the Eda Onileola Group led by Chief Lere Paimo. That was where he got the name “Aderinto”.

Anifa, also disclosed to Saturday Mirror that she did not live with Dento but rather in her own house located at Orogbangba in Oki. According to her, she is the third wife and that none of the six wives who had

•His

illness and death, by wife

Yet another thespian took the last bow in Ibadan, Oyo State recently. Ahmed Oduola, popularly known to the lovers of the Yoruba movies as Dento, will not be sending his fans into spasms of laughter anymore. What more, his illness and eventual death were attended by controversies. children for him was living with him before he died.

Anifa explained that she moved to her own house last year and that then, the comic act was hale and hearty. She added that when he refused to move with her to her house, she left one of their sons with him to be taking care of him.

She disclosed further that Dento’s journey to the great beyond started some months ago when he slumped while trying to open a door in his house. People rushed to his rescue and tried lifting him up but he was unable to stand up again.

He had suffered a stroke. Thus began his descent into the grave.

Anifa added that a veteran Yoruba female artiste came visiting the following day to inquire about his health. Sadly, it was that very day that Dento’s mouth turned sideways.

“We took care of him to the best of our ability; me, the children and some members of the family. It was when we could not cope any longer that members of the Association of Nigeria Theatre Practitioners (ANTP) came into the scene. I really tried my best but the illness was too serious. It got so bad that at a time he could not get up to visit the toilet; other wives refused to show up. In fact, it was only one of them

that visited twice.

“During the illness, it got to a stage that I could not carry him. I had to get somebody to care for him and the person collected N20,000. When I observed that there was no improvement, I got another person who charged us N100,000. I paid him half of the money. There was such improvement that he had been able to get up himself but only that he was not allowed to go to the toilet alone so that he would not fall.

“I had even prepared to pay the balance to buy the necessary things to take care of him so that at least he would be able to talk.

He had eight children because he had problems having children.

My husband was easy going and he was always happy when his wives achieved something good; indeed whenever he came around to my house, he would ensure that he cleared the surrounding”.

However, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Oyo State wing of the ANTP, Alhaji Gboyega Lawal, said the association tried its best to help Dento when he was down.

While lamenting Dento’s unfortunate passing, he said most of the artistes dying would not have died if they had got the necessary assistance from the well-to-do in the society.

“Dento belonged to the elders that suf-

fered in this profession of ours but did not get anything commensurate to what they put in. There was a time some of the young ones were honoured and he was excluded; I was then wondering why more so when those honoured do not possess half of his experience. Indeed, it may be that his not getting the necessary reward led to his illness and then death,” Lawal opined.

Dento’s first son, Lamidi Suraju, said, “My siblings and I did our best. After making the necessary consultations, I was made to believe that his sickness did not require any traditional intervention but rather orthodox medicine. I bought the necessary drugs that were prescribed, 60 tablets that he took for about two months.

Many times I would go to where he was and I would take him out to bath him.

“I do not know of any assistance from any quarters; it is only the ANTP that can say something on this. What I know is that the ANTP came to carry him away only to return his corpse back us.

“Before the start of his sickness, he had been telling me that we needed to talk and I knew it was all about unity in the family.

But the illness started when I was writing my examinations and since then he was unable to speak. He tried his best to take care of his children but his problem was he had many wives”.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

August 25, 2012

41

Chinese League

Fans’ support inspires me, says Yakubu Aiyegbeni A

cclimatisation can be crucial to success for even the brightest stars when they first join a new club. The process can be fast or slow, but there are almost always fresh challenges to overcome and adjustments to be made before top form can be reached.

Nigeria international Yakubu Aiyegbeni is proving, however, to be an exception to that rule. The former Everton and Blackburn Rovers striker has taken no time whatsoever in adapting to his new environment in China after joining Guangzhou R&F in July. In fact, such is his current scoring rate - five goals from seven games to date with the newly-promoted Chinese Super League side - that he has proved the most eye-catching of a group of star imports including Didier Drogba, Seydou Keita and Frederic Kanoute.

“Hard training, of course, is important to maintain your performance level,” the 29-year-old told FIFA.com recently. “But the fans’ support provides me with encouragement and motivation too. With the supporters behind you, you can always try your best to go forward and score goals.”

This strong bond with his club’s fans has, indeed, been something Yakubu has enjoyed throughout the past decade.

After moving to England from Israeli Maccabi Haifa in 2003, he quickly established his goalscoring credentials with Portsmouth, finishing as the club’s top marksman with 16 goals in his first season.

That prolific form continued after he joined Middlesbrough in 2005, when he again became a cult hero at the northeast club. And after his transfer to Everton two years later, his interaction with the faithful was such that the supporters chanted “Feed the Yak and he will score” as he racked up 25 goals in 82 appearances.

“I have good memories there,” he recalled with his trademark grin. “The English fans gave me big support, which I very much enjoyed. Each player needs such support on and off the pitch.

It makes you feel strong against any opponents.”

Yakubu has certainly continued his

form from England, where he scored 17 times in 30 matches for Blackburn last season, into his debut C-League campaign.

He got his Chinese odyssey off to a dream start on 15 July, scoring the only goal as his side defeated holders and city rivals Guangzhou Evergrande.

And his latest star showing came last Sunday, when he opened the scoring with a spectacular lob to set Guangzhou on the road to a 4-2 victory over fourtime champions Shandong Luneng.

“It has been a good start here,” he said with evident satisfaction. “It was great to score in my debut against a team like Evergrande. I always believe if you train hard and play well, the goals will come naturally. The playing style in C-League is different from that in the Premiership, but the atmosphere is just as great, with cheering fans, magnificent stadiums and first-class facilities. So it is no big difference for me.”

The easy-going centre-forward can demand high standards of himself.

Joining Everton, he asked for the No22 shirt and set this as his goal-scoring target for his first season, a feat he fell just one goal short of achieving. However, despite donning the No25 jersey with Guangzhou, he insists this does not reflect his opening-season target in China.

“To be honest my lucky numbers are the likes of 20, 21 and 22,” he explained.

“But when I came to Guangzhou there was only 25 available for me, so I took it. It was past the season’s halfway mark when I arrived here so I didn’t set a lofty target. It would be good if I can reach a ten-goal tally and help my side finish the top three by the end of this season.”

Boosted by his recent displays, Yakubu harbours ambitions of returning to the national team and climbing the ranks of Nigeria’s all-time top scorers, a list on which he currently sits third.

He said: “As a striker I am always looking to score goals for my country.

My current task is to do well with my club. I must first try to score as many goals as possible at club level to prove I am still capable of doing a job for my national team.”

And having skippered the coun-

Yakubu Ayegbeni (centre), Chinese Super League team Guangzhou R&F manager Zhang Bin (right) and Guangzhou R&F vice chairman Lu Yi (left) hold Ayegbeni’s new team shirt after signing him for Guangzhou R&F in Guangzhou, south China.

trythrough to the last FIFA World Cup at South Africa 2010, Yakubu is in no doubt that Nigeria have what it takes to qualify for Brazil 2014.

He concluded: “The current squad

mainly consists of young players as Nigeria are aiming to rebuild. These are very promising players and I definitely think Nigeria has the talent needed to progress to the next World Cup.”

I MUST FIRST TRY TO SCORE AS MANY GOALS AS POSSIBLE AT CLUB LEVEL TO PROVE I AM STILL CAPABLE OF DOING A JOB FOR MY NATIONAL TEAM.

Yakubu Ayegbeni (left) shakes hands with Chinese Super League team Guangzhou R&F vice chairman Lu Yi after signing to Guangzhou R&F in Guangzhou, south China’s Guangdong province on July 11, 2012.

42

SPORT

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Azpilicueta completes £7m Chelsea switch

C

esar Azpilicueta trained with his new Chelsea team-mates on Friday morning after completing his move from Marseille.

The Spanish right-back moves to Stamford Bridge for a fee of round £7million after a summer-long chase.

The 22-year-old has started Marseille’s opening two Ligue

1 games, but has now put pen to paper on a five-year deal with the European champions.

Azpilicueta, who was left out of Marseille’s squad for Thursday’s Europa League clash with FC Sheriff Tiraspol, said on Tuesday: “If my departure can help Marseille’s finances, then it is a good deal for everyone concerned.

“I thank the club’s fans for

their standing ovation. They have always been good to me, even when things haven’t gone well.”

The Olympian has little competition for places in his preferred right-back berth - although he began his career as a winger - with regular Branislav Ivanovic having made no secret of his desire to play at centreback.

Allardyce keen on poaching Carroll

W

est Ham boss Sam Allardyce has stated that the club have not yet given up in their pursuit of Liverpool striker Andy Carroll.

With the club on the brink of clinching the signature of Wolves winger Matt Jarvis for a fee believed to be in the region of 11 million pounds, Allardyce believes that he would have little left in his budget for a permanent move for Carroll, but that he would still happily take the player on loan before the close of the transfer window.

“Many things in the final week of the transfer window

emerge and should it be the case that we would be able to do something then I think it would probably only be a loan.

“We would see if we could pursue it and clinch it, but if we only finish with Matt and nobody else I would be happy with the squad I’ve got.

“While it is not quite as big as I’d like it to be, I think it has got a lot of quality.

“My problem is there may not be funds available for Andy now.

If Andy became available or anybody became available and they wanted to join West Ham, I would ask the owners,” Allardyce said.

I

Zanetti proud to reach game 800

J

Allardyce

Inter complete Pereira deal Neuer: No nter have completed the signing of Uruguay international Alvaro Pereira from Porto.

Porto confirmed the deal to the Portuguese stock market on Thursday, revealing they had reached agreement with the Italian giants on a £8m deal.

Pereira has long been linked with a move away from Porto and was close to joining Chelsea last summer.

The valuation of the 26-yearold left-back has come down since then, although the fee paid

by Inter could still rise to as much as £12m depending on his appearances for the Nerazzurri.

Pereira joined Porto in 2009 and was part of the team that won the Europa League in 2011 as well as that year’s Copa America with Uruguay.

Azpilicueta

more excuses for Bayern

M

anuel Neuer says Bayern Munich cannot afford to miss out on the Bundesliga title again after tasting disappointment in the last two seasons.

The Bavarians had to settle for second spot behind Borussia Dortmund in 2011-12 and were third the year before that, but the goalkeeper has stressed that they have to be ready right from the first game this time around.

“There can be no more excuses,” Neuer said.

“Right from the start, we want a show of strength. And we intend to be number one in Germany again.”

avier Zanetti marked his 800th appearance for Inter Milan with a 2-0 victory over Romanian side Vaslui in their Europa League play-off first leg.

The Argentine joined the Inter from Banfield in 1995, taking over the captaincy in 1999, and now holds the record for most appearances for both his club and country.

Zanetti spoke of his pride at having captained his side to victory in Europe and at achieving his latest landmark.

“I feel happy and very proud to have reached such an important milestone and to have done so at a prestigious club like Inter, even more so as captain.

“The most important thing for me is to feel like I’m helping the team. This evening we got a very good result but we can’t think we’re already through.

“Vaslui are a big side and they’re good going forward, so we need to be careful,” he said.

The Inter defender has experienced many highs and lows during his 17-year stint at the Giuseppe Meazza, but he admitted he holds a couple of memories dear to his heart.

S

A

rsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the club could still be involved in some late transfer business as the window edges towards its close. Having lost both Robin van Persie and Alex Song this summer and brought in Santi Cazorla, Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud, Wenger is thought to be keen to add another midfielder and defender to his squad and has refused to rule out any late action.

Wenger

Big guns keen on Maicon

I

nter Milan full-back Maicon is being chased by Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid, according to the player’s agent.

With the 31-year-old having expressed a desire to explore a new challenge, the Italian giants are willing to listen to offers as they look to move on some of the more experienced members of their squad on high wages.

A

ndrea Stramaccioni says he is delighted with Inter Milan’s capture of Alvaro Pereira from Porto.

The Uruguay international, 26, completed his move to the Serie A club on Thursday and is expected to be presented to the press before the start of the season, much to the satisfaction of Stramaccioni.

Pereira

City’s star-studded side.

A number of clubs have been linked with a move for Johnson following Mancini’s confirmation that he would allow the player to move on.

Sunderland have held a longterm interest in the former Middlesbrough with Martin O’Neill keen to add to his squad before the close of the transfer window.

The Black Cats have now been given the green light to hold

Wenger ‘working’on more signings

Stramaccioni delighted with Pereira arrival

Sunderland in Johnson talks

underland are in talks with Manchester City winger Adam Johnson.

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini revealed last week he was willing to let Johnson move on in search of regular first-team football.

Johnson only signed a new five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium in January but has grown frustrated after failing to hold down a regular place in

EURO BRIEFS

Fernandes insists QPR are not panicking

Q

Johnson

talks with the England international as they look to lure Johnson to the Stadium of Light.

Zanetti

PR chairman Tony Fernandes has shrugged off suggestions the club is panic-buying after their 5-0 defeat at home to Swansea last weekend. The club have been linked with moves for Tottenham’s Michael Dawson and a loan move for Ricardo Carvalho, with both players expected to arrive at Loftus Road.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

August 25, 2012

Mancini foresees tough trip to Liverpool

R

oberto Mancini is expecting a tough test for Manchester City when they travel to face Liverpool in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Italian boss knows the size of the task ahead, while insisting that difficult games are becoming routine for his side at the beginning of a new campaign.

Last year, City beat Tottenham 5-1 away in the third game of the season however Mancini does not believe a similar result will be seen.

“Two years ago the second game was Liverpool. It’s always tough game for us. Liverpool will be a very strong game.

“The game against Tottenham I think can happen once every 10 years. I don’t know. We

will try but it’s enough to win 1-0,” he said.

Carlos Tevez has enjoyed a fine start to the season, netting in the Community Shield and City’s Premier League opener against Southampton and Mancini has hailed the Argentine’s pre-season preparations as vital to his good form.

“For Carlos it’s the first time in four, five years that he did a pre-season,” Mancini said.

“It’s normal that if you work hard in pre-season you can be in good form, like him.”

The Italian also hailed his side’s versatility after experimenting with a three-man defence in pre-season while switching back to a four-man backline against Southampton.

Olympiakos target Benayoun, Kakuta

O

lympiakos want to sign Chelsea fringe players Yossi Benayoun and Gael Kakuta with cash they raised from selling Kevin Mirallis to Everton.

But the Greek side face a tough task convincing the duo to move to Piraeus.

Benayoun could net an attractive two-year deal worth £30,000 a week after tax, but he is reportedly discussing with his wife about whether to uproot their family from London.

The 32-year-old Israel midfielder seems surplus to requirements at Stamford Bridge

and spent last season on loan at Arsenal. Fulham could be an alternative destination.

Chelsea pulled out the stops to sign Kakuta from Lens in a controversial deal five years ago, but he has grown frustrated at his lack of first-team football.

However, Marseille are also very keen on the 21-year-old winger and have funds after selling Cesar Azpilicueta to Chelsea for £7million.

Lyon are also interested and Kakuta may ultimately favour a return to France if an agreement can be reached.

Mancini

PREMIERSHIP TABLE Team

P

Pts

1. Chelsea

2

6

2. Fulham

1

3

3. Swansea

1

3

4. West Brom

1

3

5. Man City

1

3

6. Newcastle

1

3

7. Everton

1

3

8. West Ham

1

3

9. Stoke

1

1

10. Arsenal

1

1

11. Sunderland

1

1

12. Reading

2

1

13. Southampton

1

0

14. Tottenham

1

0

15. Aston Villa

1

0

16. Man Utd

1

0

17. Wigan

1

0

18. Liverpool

1

0

19. Norwich

1

0

20. QPR

1

0

Mutu throws down challenge to Ibrahimovic

A

drian Mutu is confident he can score more goals in Ligue 1 than Paris SaintGermain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the 2012/13 campaign.

The 33-year-old attacker played alongside the Sweden international at Juventus in 2005/06, and he is confident he can outshine his former teammate once he completes his move to Ajaccio.

“I know Zlatan well, he’s a good friend. I’ll set him a challenge to see who scores more.

Even though he’s in the better team, it’s no problem. I’d bet on myself,” Mutu said.

The Romanian attacker recently left Cesena and is expected to join Ajaccio in the upcoming days.

“Ajaccio are a good club for me at a good time. The president showed me such passion, I really appreciated the way he spoke to me.

“What he had to say interested me, and I want to be a part of what he’s doing. I want to feel I’m important and useful,” Mutu added.

Mutu

Ajaccio held PSG to a scoreless draw last Sunday, and have collected four points from two games in Ligue 1 so far.

EURO BRIEFS

Saha happy with Sunderland move

L

ouis Saha has revealed his delight at returning to Premier League football after signing with Sunderland. The Frenchman was released by Tottenham at the end

of last season, and credited a tough training regime in his native France for helping him remain in top condition, after his move to Wearside.

Swansea holding out on Sinclair price

S

wansea chairman Huw Jenkins says he will only let Scott Sinclair join Manchester City if the price is right. The 23-year-old, who bagged eight league goals for Swansea

last season, caught the attention of City boss Robert Mancini when he announced earlier this week that he will not be signing a new contract at the Liberty Stadium.

Konate opts for Russian move

S

enegal starlet Moussa Konate has turned down interest from the Premier League in favour of joining Russian club FC Krasnodar from Maccabi Tel Aviv. Konate,

who shone for Senegal at the London Olympics as he scored five goals, had been linked with a host of top-flight clubs including Sunderland, Stoke and West Brom.

Pardew eyes Chelsea repeat

N

Benayoun

ewcastle boss Alan Pardew is aiming to upset Chelsea at Stamford Bridge for the second time in less than four months.

Two Papiss Cisse wonderstrikes secured a stunning 2-0 victory for the Magpies in May, just weeks before the Blues became champions of Europe.

Chelsea have strengthened since then with Eden Hazard making a big impact in the early weeks of the season but Pardew insists there will be no surprises for his Newcastle team today.

“Chelsea are the European champions. They won the Champions League and they have im-

43

proved since then - Hazard looks a great buy. We know him well, so we know what to expect from him.

“There are no surprises in that team, but I think in some ways, we can match them and give a good showing there,” he said.

Newcastle have had a busy week, travelling to Greece to take on Atromitos in the Europa League on Thursday, drawing 1-1.

But the Toon boss will not rule out recreating a famous win even if he admits that Stamford Bridge is a tough place to get a result.

Pardew

44

LEISURE

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

45

August 25, 2012

D

ysentery is an inflammatory disorder of the intestine, especially of the colon, that results in severe diarrhoea containing mucus and/or blood in the faeces with fever and abdominal pain . If left untreated, dysentery can be fatal.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines dysentery as any episode of diarrhoea in which blood is present in loose, watery stools.

Dysentery

What causes dysentery?

Most commonly, dysentery is caused by drinking water or eating food from sources contaminated with faeces containing the pathogens. Swimming in contaminated water may also result in dysentery.

Dysentery results from viral, bacterial, or protozoan infections or parasitic infestations, and occasionally chemical exposure. These pathogens are present in the stool (faeces) of infected people and animals. They typically reach the large intestine after entering orally (i.e., ingestion of contaminated food or water, oral contact with contaminated objects or hands, etc.).

The bacteria (Shigella and E coli) and the amoeba (Entamoeba histolytica) are the most common causes of dysentery. People with weakened immune systems are also more likely to develop amoebic dysentery.

Each specific organism has its own mechanism (or pathogenesis), but in general the result is damage to the intestinal lining, leading to the inflammatory immune response. This can cause elevated temperature, painful spasms of the intestinal muscles (cramping), edema (swelling due to water leaking from capillaries) of the intestine, and further tissue damage by the body’s immune cells and the chemicals they release to fight the infection. The result can be impaired nutrient absorption,

rehydration therapy. If this treatment cannot be adequately maintained due to vomiting or the profuseness of diarrhea, hospital admission may be required for intravenous fluid replacement.  In ideal situations, no antimicrobial therapy should be administered until laboratory studies have established the specific infection involved. When laboratory services are not available, it may be necessary to administer a combination of drugs, including an amoebicidal drug to kill the parasite and an antibiotic to treat any associated bacterial infection.

What are the risk factors for dysentery? excessive water and mineral loss through the stools and in severe cases the entry of pathogenic organisms into the bloodstream.

Dysentery is spread among humans through contaminated food and water.

Once a person is infected, the infectious organism lives in the intestines and is passed in the stool of the infected person.

With some infections, animals can also be infected and spread the disease to humans.

Dysentery is associated with environmental and crowded living conditions where poor sanitation is prevalent.

What are the symptoms of dysentery?

The signs and symptoms of dysentery can last five to seven days or even longer.

The course of the illness varies in intensity among individuals, as do symptoms.

Dysentery causes irritation and inflammation of the intestines that may result in a number of symptoms.

Common symptoms of dysentery

The most common symptoms of dysentery are related to disturbances of the digestive system and include:  Abdominal bloating  Abdominal pain  Bloody diarrhoea  Flatulence  Nausea with or without vomiting

Other symptoms of dysentery  As the dysentery infection progresses, other symptoms, including symptoms of dehydration, may develop.

Other possible symptoms include:  Decreased urine output  Dry skin and mucous membranes (such as dry mouth)  Feeling very thirsty  Fever and chills  Muscle cramps  Muscle weakness (loss of strength)  Weight loss

Treatment  Dysentery is initially managed by maintaining fluid intake using oral

 A number of factors increase the risk of developing dysentery. Not all people with risk factors will get dysentery. Risk factors for dysentery include:  Attendance or work in a day care setting  Close contact with an infected person or animal  Consumption of untreated water from lakes, rivers or streams  Faecal to oral contact  Travel in countries where the infection is common  Use of public swimming pools Untreated dysentery can lead to severe dehydration. Severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances can result in shock or coma and may be lifethreatening. Seek immediate medical care if you, or someone you are with, have symptoms of severe dehydration such as confusion, lethargy, loss of consciousness, cold skin, or decreased urine output. Seek prompt medical care if you develop diarrhoea and vomiting and believe you may have been exposed to contaminated food or water.

LETTER

Is Somatoform curable?

Dear Doctor, could you throw light on the medical term somatoform disorder, and is it curable?

08038------63 Gboko, Benue State Mirror doctor replies.

Somatoform disorder is the name for a group of conditions in which the physical pain and symptoms a person feels are related to psychological factors. These symptoms can’t be traced to a specific physical cause. In people who have a somatoform disorder, medical test results are either normal or don’t explain the person’s symptoms.

People who have this disorder may have several medical evaluations and tests to be sure that they don’t have another illness. They often become very worried about their health because they

don’t know what’s causing their health problems. Their symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other illnesses and may last for several years. People who have a somatoform disorder are not faking their symptoms. The pain that they feel is real.

There are different types of somatoform disorders.

Somatization disorder usually involves pain and severe neurological symptoms (such as headache, fatigue), digestive symptoms (such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhoea) or sexual symptoms (such as pain during sexual activity, loss of sexual desire, extremely painful periods in women).

Hypochondriasis occurs when a person believes that normal body functions (such as a grumbling stomach) or mi-

nor symptoms (such as a common headache) are symptoms of a very serious disorder. To a person who has hypochondriasis, a grumbling stomach may mean stomach cancer or a headache may mean a brain tumour.

Body dysmorphic disorder occurs when a person becomes obsessed with a flaw in his or her physical appearance that is either a minor flaw or a flaw that doesn’t exist. He or she constantly worries about the perceived flaw, which can be any part of the body. Wrinkles, hair loss, weight gain, and size and shape of feature like the eyes, nose and breasts are all common concerns for people who have body dysmorhpic disorder.

Conversion disorder is when physical symptoms that are similar to a neurological disorder develop, when no neurological disorder is actually present. Paralysis of an arm or leg, vision loss, hearing loss and seizures are common symptoms.

Stress may make the symptoms worse.

Like many medical problems, somatoform disorders often run in families.

They also tend to come and go over time.

Although there is no known cure for somatoform disorders, they can be managed. Treatment focuses on helping the person who has the disorder to live as much of a normal life as possible, even though he or she may still have some pain or other symptoms. Fortunately, a somatoform disorder will not shorten a person’s life.

Your doctor may be able to prescribe medicine for some of your symptoms, but in many cases you will not need medicine.

Seeing your doctor for regular checkups is the most important part of your treatment. Your doctor will tell you how often he or she needs to see you. You may feel frustrated if your symptoms continue, but remember that somatoform disorders can be very difficult to treat. Your doctor will do his or her best to help you maintain your health.

46

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Egg business: ‘Small profit margin, high turnover’ FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON

I

n spite of the challenges of the business, egg-selling business is a vey lucrative one, says Becky Epah, a business administration student of the Lagos State Polytechnic, who has been into the business for almost two years.

According to Kogi-born Becky, she has been sponsoring herself through school from the money she makes from the sale of eggs as the demand for egg is high.

“Although the profit margin is small, the demand for eggs is quite high. Some even substitute eggs for meat at different times because it is cheaper than beef and so the demand is high,” explains Becky.

The undergraduate disclosed to Saturday Mirror that the need to earn an income to sustain herself in school was what led her into the business of selling eggs.

On how she started the business, Becky recalled; “I have a place of my own close to the Isolo campus but one day I went to visit my sister who resides in the Ikorodu area of Lagos and there was a poultry farm close to her house and on inquiry, I found that one could get a crate of egg for as low as N300, instantly my head calculated many things. In my area, a crate of egg sells for as much as N800 to N900 depending on how big it is. Immediately, I felt the urge in me to start a business out of it and that was how it all started.

“Although, it was initially tough because I didn’t have much money to start with, I started with about N5,000 but today, the business has grown into hundreds of thousands.

I am able to sustain myself in school and do many other things.”

Becky noted, however, that it was initially tough because transportation was a major challenge since she was not with a vehicle of her own, but with time she became more acquainted and got to know a lot of intricacies about the business.

She further disclosed to Saturday Mirror that it is better to start with a very reasonable amount of capital for one to really enjoy the business.

ALTHOUGH THE PROFIT MARGIN IS SMALL,

THE DEMAND FOR EGGS IS

QUITE HIGH.

SOME EVEN SUBSTITUTE

EGG FOR MEAT BECAUSE IT IS CHEAPER THAN MEAT “If one has enough capital to start off the business, it will be better because you will be able to get some things in place. A means of transportation is a very big advantage for a business like this. It will help get the goods down from the point of purchase and it will also help in the distribution. If you have a vehicle of your own, you will not only get better profit margin but it will make your job faster and easier,” stated Becky.

While speaking on the challenges of the business, Becky noted that roads play a vital role in the business.

“The roads are very bad and as such, if extra care is not taken, it could actually destroy the business. You know that eggs are very fragile and if the driver is not careful and mindful of the fact that he is carrying eggs, you may end up losing everything as cracks. Getting a careful and patient driver is another challenge and that is where the need to have one’s means of transportation comes in.”

She continued: “No matter how bad the economy may be, people will have to eat. Everything is so expensive now such that it is not everyone who can afford meat or fish and so they easily opt for eggs as a substitute. It is really in high demand,” explains Becky.

Another advantage to the business, according to Becky, is the fact that the business has no peak or off-peak period because at every point in time, people

Becky

demand for eggs.

“The business is a seasonless one as people demand for it at one point in time or the other. Even when the fasting was on, there was still demand for it because of course, at a particular time, people would have to break their fast and eat.”

However, Becky noted that at some period in the year, the produced eggs come out small.

“Poultry farmers often complain of this problem. It is, however, not a serious issue capable of threatening a poul-

try farm business because it happens only at certain periods and for a very short while in the year. It occurs when big farms have new sets of layer birds that have just started laying eggs.

These lay small eggs. In order to sell these eggs, the farms bring down the price. The egg marketers would then prefer to buy these ones and it becomes difficult to get the normal-sized eggs sold. However, people buy after explaining to them that it is from the farms and not our making.”

Becky added that, although profit margin in the business is not so high, it is a very regular one and so if one could invest much, one would get as much.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

August 25, 2012

Tooth pick manufacturing and packaging machinery and buying of the start-off raw materials. The importance of good quality products and management and keeping proper and timely records of the project’s operations cannot also be over emphasized.

Funding

I

ntroduction

A nation that imports virtually everything will not survive in the long run. That is the reason why the Federal Government under former President Olusegun Obasanjo banned the importation of many items that could easily be manufacture locally.

Tooth pick is one the products banned

by Federal Government. As at the end of 2009, the total annual importation of toothpicks ran into about N800 million This is one of the profitable ventures that one can invest into considering that the raw materials, labour, technology and market for the products are locally available. The relevant raw materials to produce quality tooth picks are 100% locally available, handy all the year round and very cheap. This then implies that any investor into this line of production will produce at optimal capacity and in no distant time, the initial invested funds will be recouped.

Raw materials Surveys carried out indicated that the market for tooth picks not only exists, but is expanding and sustainable.

The daily use of toothpicks in the hotels, restaurants, homes, public gatherings and other various institutions are well known.

The raw materials for making them are either wood or bamboo, plastic containers (with the company’s logo printed on the plastic container or printed

labels), and all these inputs can easily be obtained in the country, which is a great advantage to this project. There is complete assurance of regular supply of raw materials, steady production, enhanced production capacity and profitability.

Another good thing in this project is that you can have complete set of the tooth pick-producing machines locally made at reduced cost and with guarantee.

There need to manufacture any product in the world today with international standard cannot be over emphasized. For you to enable your product to compete in any part of the world there is need to apply all professionalism required.

Rrequired equipment The plant and machinery needed for this project either application of bamboo or hardwood as raw materials include - splitting machine, polishing and sharpening machine. Others include dust collector and tooth pick-packing machine. It is very possible to combine bamboo and wood tooth picks production under one roof to ensure all year round production and a satisfaction of customer preferences for either wood or bamboo tooth picks.

The market There is a large and growing market for tooth picks both in Nigeria and

neighbouring African countries. Virtually everybody uses toothpicks daily to remove unwanted leftovers that stick to the teeth. Tooth picks can be sold locally to satisfy the needs of the market or can be exported to earn foreign exchange because of its high export potentials. Before now all the products consumed in this country are all imported. With the ban on importation, opportunities have been created to local manufacturers and anybody can tap the opportunity.

Production processes The processes involved in the production of tooth picks include, briefly: cutting of knots from the bamboo or woods; cutting these to required lengths; splitting them to equal width; dividing or skewing the bamboo or wood to required thickness; shaping to round sticks; bleaching and drying; polishing and smoothening the surfaces; shaving the round sticks to have either doublepointed or single-pointed ends, arranging and packing the finished products.

Implementation To implement this project, a minimum of 16 people will be required to ensure a smooth take-off. The investor is advised to ensure that it is sited where bamboo or wood can easily be obtained at least cost. This will help to reduce the cost of transporting the raw materials.

The promoter should put up the needed building with the guidance of a professional. Comprehensive Feasibility studies carried out and prepared by professionals is very important in any project including tooth picks production. The feasibility studies reports will serve not only as guide for the implementation and monitor of the proposed project, but also as handy requirement to facilitate fund attraction from co-promoters or finance organizations. The next will be the installation of the plants and

Some financial institutions are available to provide some funds. The consultants will assist to package a bankable feasibility studies/ reports and business plan for the proposed project.

The project can also be financed by co-operative societies, state and local government councils as means of poverty alleviation programmes. Equally it can be financed by and is suitable for retired and retiring workers, and workers who want to make additional income.

Financial institutions can also fund this project realizing that it is an export oriented and value added project with very short payback period.

Estimate of project cost (N’000) Pre-investment 500 (including feasibility studies) Factory Building 3,500 and offices (rent) (varies), Plant & Machinery 5,000 (locally fabricated) Utilities 1,200 Working capital 2,000 Contingency 1,000 Total 13,200 From investment analysis carried out, the project is profitable. The payback period is within one and half years. The return on investment is over 80%. Feasibility studies will provide you with all the relevant information for proper investment decision.

You can also increase the capacity level for more profits.

Courtesy: Uba Godwin, 08034494437, E-mail: ubagodwin@yahoo.com

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

People

Ademola Fisher: In love with his country OSEYIZA OOGBODO

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tunba Ademola Fisher is one of the many Nigerians in the Diaspora. He is widely travelled and is currently based in Europe with his family. Nevertheless, he claims that no other country can compare to Nigeria.

“I love Nigeria with all my heart and soul, though I’m outside it more than in it.

Nigeria still remains my first love of all countries in the world,” he said.

This statement coming from him should not be taken with a pinch of salt. He has visited and lived in countries that include Italy, Dubai, Egypt, Georgia, Singapore, Malaysia, China, Oman, India and Libya. He is the director of Roziss Uab in Lithunia, a company which is into adverts, imports and exports and international consultancy “I am an international businessman so I have to travel a lot. And though all these other countries can be said to have better economies and organised structures than Nigeria, I still rate Nigeria above them all, simply because I was born here, lived my

Kehinde Bankole: Actress in her own class OSEYIZA OOGBODO

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ehinde Bankole’s face is known all over Nigeria and probably beyond. It is seen regularly on the country’s television screens either in soap opera, movie, magazine programme or advertisement.

But describing her career, Bankole says: “I’m an entrepreneur. I’m more into anything that has to do with the media. I can present, anchor shows, sing, act, model and all that. These are all professions that are closely associated with the media and they bring money, so they are what I do.”

It is not easy to master just one trade, how much more several at the same time.

But how is she able to involve herself in several professions all at the same time?

“When I decide to take up a vocation as a career, I do so with a serious sense of purpose, as if I’m on a mission to attain something and I mustn’t fail. I learn whatever I have to learn, get people to tutor me, help me , direct me, and then I sit down on my own and keep working by myself on

what I’ve learnt to become the best I can be in that particular vocation,” she says.

Today, Bankole is riding high as an actress, TV presenter, singer and model. She has attained a height that many upcoming entertainers are still dreaming of.

There is, however, driving a driving factor behind this force: money.

“My media entrepreneurship aspirations started with the need to make money, to sustain myself, to survive. So it all started by me singing to make money to survive,” she adds.

After making the above disclosure, she went down memory lane, recalled things more clearly and corrected her narration of the sequence of events of how her multifaceted career began.

“It all started from modelling. And what inspired the modelling was that I went for a beauty pageant, Miss Commonwealth, in 2003. I didn’t win, but I made the top 10 and it made me realise that even if I didn’t get the crown or make the top two, I could still make money from modelling. And I’ve always had the need to make money.”

Why the desperation, obviously, to make

money, Saturday Mirror People asked her?

Was she perhaps from a very poor background?

“I’m not from a poor background,” was her response. “I’m from a moderate home.

But the need to make money came from discipline and the spirit of independence.

You want to be able to do something for yourself. It’s not everything that your parents can do for you.

“You have to do certain things for yourself. And to get those certain things done, you’ll sit down and think and ask yourself what you can do to make things work for you the way you want. You cannot go into prostitution. It doesn’t make sense in the long run.

“But even prostitution takes an effort.

They are very courageous, bold people who go through a lot of physical, mental and social torment. The bottom-line is that everything you get takes an amount of work. So I told myself, I need this, I need that, let me not bother my parents about this and that, let me be independent to provide this and that for myself. So that’s how the need to make money came about.”

formative years here and it has become ingrained into me that I can’t even begin to think of any other country as better than it or that I should go and adopt another country over it.

“I come to Nigeria often,” he continued.

“I have business interests here definitely so I have to make consistent appearances here. You have to understand that I’m not trying to be two-tongued, saying I love Nigeria yet I’m not living here.

“For now, I can’t live here because I have to monitor my businesses worldwide. And the fact remains that Europe, Asia and others are better to live in than here. But don’t forget that home is where the heart is and my heart is fully in Nigeria so I stand by my words that no other country can compare to Nigeria.

“Every time I come home, I feel much more alive than when I’m away. There’s this energy that I have when I’m at home among my own people. Nothing compares to it. This is where I was born, got to know about the world and I just can’t forget it. I’m happy to be a Nigerian and I don’t regret it one bit despite all the problems we have.”

And saying that he has plans to relocate to Nigeria, he added that “When I return to Nigeria fully, it will be to help the less privileged through my NGO, Cowboy Association of Nigeria. I am very concerned about the less privileged and I will use my experience of life in Europe and Asia to help the less privileged and advocate on their behalf.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

August 25, 2012

49

Dickson in secret meeting with Ijaw leaders Self rule: Ita Enang seeks immediate attention TONY ANICHEBE UYO

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he fresh declaration of quasi inde pendence by groups in Bakassi, Ogoni and parts of the South-South is already sending shivers down the spine of a lot of people who understand its dire consequences.

Speaking in Uyo, the Senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East, Otuekong Ita Enang said it is a dangerous occurrence and should be given greater attention by the Federal Government. In his view, the only way to deal with it is for government to quickly address the grievances of those declaring independence.

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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ayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, last Thursday in Yenagoa, held a closed door meeting with leaders and elders of Ijaw ethnic stock, where issues on security, politics, peace and progress of the nation took a front burner.

The group, under the auspice of Ijaw Advisory Commitee, also took a critical look on how current situations affects the Ijaw people scattered in various states in the country, as Dickson viewed the forum as a rallying point for the ethnic nationality.

The meeting, which lasted for six hours, had in attendance the former governor of the state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, erstwhile Chairman of defunct Oil and Minerals Producing Areas Commission (OMPADEC), Albert Horsfall, former governor of old Rivers State and Amanyanabo of Twon Brass,

King Alfred Diete-Spiff.

Others include former Minister of Aviation, Tonye Graham- Douglas and former President of Ijaw National Congress (INC), Joshua Fumudoh, popular activists in Niger Delta, Ann Kio-Briggs and Joseph Evah.

Speaking in an interview with journalists

shortly after the meeting, erstwhile governor of the state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, remarked that there was a dislocation before the emergence of Governor Dickson in the Ijaw nation.

Alamieyeseigha was pleased that the Ijaw nation had gotten a focused leader that would take the

ethnic stock to the next level, stressing that one major responsibility of a leader is to ensure he is credible to his people.

Former Minister for Aviation, Tonye Graham– Douglas said the Ijaw nation had resolved to support President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, adding that the sup-

Oil spill hits A’ Ibom coastline again TONY ANICHEBE UYO

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ust 10 days after an earlier oil spill at Qua Iboe Oil fields run by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, more oil deposits have hit the Atlantic coastline in Ibeno, Akwa Ibom State.

Fishermen and residents of coastal communities in Ibeno, Esit Eket local councils in Akwa Ibom who noticed crude deposits on the shoreline, reported the development to the oil spill agency.

An official of National Oil Spills Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) said on Friday that

the agency got the report of fresh oil spill on the shores.

“As soon as we got the report, we immediately deployed personnel to the site, even though we are still investigating the earlier incident of August 13. I understand they saw tar balls at the coast.

“As we speak, they are still in the field and their findings will help us to know the nature and extent of the deposits, it cannot be business as usual,” he said.

Mobil has maintained a studied silence over its claimed investigation into the source of the oil

found within its operational area on August 13.

Mobil spokesman, Nigel Cookey-Gam, said he was not aware of the fresh spill when contacted for comments on the development.

Chief Okon Akpan Onwon, a community leader in Mkpanak community in Ibeno berated the oil firm for poor handling of oil spill matters.

“For over one week, Mobil people claimed they were investigating the source of the spill and till this moment they have continued in their culture of negligence and silence.

“Why will it take such

port must start from his home base.

Former President, Ijaw National Congress (INC), Joshua Fumudoh, revealed that the Ijaws had gotten a rallying point, which it lacked for some time.

He said:”With this rallying point, we are able to support the President more than ever before.” a long time to conduct the test and match the samples found in the beach? They have taken us for granted for too long.

“They were ordered to clean up the coastline since last week and they deployed merely 40 youths to clean up a 20 kilometer stretch of shoreline, they see the job as doing a favour to the community rather than taking responsibility for their careless operations.

“Now with the fresh spills where do we go from here, we are predominantly fishermen and cannot go to the sea until the coast becomes clear again, this is one spill too many,” he said.

Aregbesola calls for national cultural identity WALE FOLARIN

Ajimobi appoints opposition members as LG chairs KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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yo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday swore-in two members of the Accord Party (AP) as local government caretaker committee chairmen, with a mandate that they must run their respective councils in accordance with the principle, policies and dictates of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

The two new council chairmen, Mr. Akinwale Mukaila Akintoye for Egbeda local government and Mr. Akanni Nurudeen Ademola for OnaAra local government, are to resume duty on September 1, 2012.

OSOGBO

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sun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola has called for a common national cultural identity for the country as a way to boosting her tourism potentials.

The governor made the call yesterday in Osogbo the state capital in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Deputy Governor, Otunba Grace Titilaoye-Tomori at the grand finale of this year’s Osun Osogbo festival.

He said that absence of a sense of national cultural identity among diverse peoples of the country has been one of the major challenges to its unity as a nation, adding that Nigerians are said to feel more comfortable in their subnational identities as Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, Ijaw, Urobho, Kanuri, Kalabari, Tiv than in a national identity.

Aregbesola stressed the need for a pan-Nigeria cultural consensus on

L-R: Legal Luminary Chief Afe Babalola (SAN); Owa of Ogbagi Akoko, Oba Victor Adetona; Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Obateru Akinruntan and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi at a meeting between the Alaafin and Yoruba Conflict Resolution Committee on Yoruba unity held at the Alaafin Palace, Oyo Town, yesterday.

which a national cultural identity that will project the country globally can be launched, adding that it was high time that the country started generating revenue from its cultural potentials.

His words: “This lack of cultural synergy makes it impossible for

the nation to form national cultural symbols to which all the peoples of the country proudly and voluntarily subscribe.

“The aggressive promotion of tourism on a national scale can go a long way to mitigate this problem and help forge a pan-Nigerian cultural

consensus upon which a national identity can then emerge.”

While calling for investment in the tourism sector of the state, Aregbesola said that his administration would do everything possible to promote the Osun Osogbo Festival such that it could

compete globally with world renowned cultural festivals such as the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in Brazil, adding that the state government was fully aware of the great turnover that the tourism sector can generate for the economy of the state if it is very well developed.

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REGIONAL NEWS

August 25, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Over 1, 000 AK 47 rifles in illegal hands in Okene’ Group donates 300 pillows to Kogi hospital ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

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group, ‘Give a Pillow Campaign’ yesterday in Lokoja has donated 300 fiber-pillows to the Kogi State Government for onward distribution to the six state-owned hospitals. The provision of the pillows was in conjunction with Vitafoam Nigeria Limited.

The benefiting hospitals are Ankpa General Hospital, Dekina General Hospital, Idah General Hospital, Okene General Hospital, Kabba General Hospital and Koto-Karffi General Hospital.

Accepting the gifts on behalf of the state government, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Idris Omede, commended the group for providing the items for the affected hospitals, adding that government alone cannot provide all the needs of all hospitals in the state.

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he Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, said yesterday that more than 1,000 AK 47 rifles were among the dangerous weapons believed to be in circulation in Okene and its environs.

He said this in Lokoja while parading some suspects, including a man in whose possession two AK 47 rifles, belonging to two soldiers killed in Okene on Aug. 7, were found.

Katsina said that politicians and clan heads were responsible for the massive illegal circulation of rifles in Okene and the entire Central Senatorial District.

“There is no Boko Haram in Okene,’’ Katsina said, referring to the Islamic sect that has claimed responsibility for acts of terror in the northern part of the country.

According to him, the killing of 17 worshippers at the Deeper Life Bible Church at Eikha-Adagu, Okene, on Aug. 6 and two soldiers near the secretariat of Okene Local Government Council on Aug. 7, were “pure cases of armed robbery and political attacks.”

He also said that all those arrested in connection with the two incidents and other crimes in the area were all Ebira-speaking indigenes from Okene and other surrounding towns.

Katsina further said

that some elements in Ebiraland had mastered the art of making improvised explosive devices, which they sold to armed robbers and criminal elements in other states.

He announced the arrest of the leader of the

gang that attacked the soldiers, his wife and landlady.

He said that the gang leader, whose real name is Sadiq alias Yekini Sani and his wife, Hajara, were helping the police in their investigation.

“Now, the police are working to identify the motive for the attack and we can assure the people that it is a phase that will pass once we are able to convict some of those people that think they are untouchable,” Katsina said.

Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Plateau State Command, Mr. Desmond Agu (left) and representative of Plateau State Governor, Prof. Shedrack Best, inspecting guard of honour, during the passing out parade of Armed Squad of NSCDC Plateau State Command in Jos, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Borno rural dwellers laud Shettima’s effort INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

Gunmen kill expatriate in Taraba

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n expatriate staff of a popular road construction firm in Taraba, Mr. Robin Grey, has been killed by unknown gunmen on the Takum-Wukari Road, the police said on Friday in Jalingo.

Grey, an Irish, worked with PW Construction Company, which was handling the Wukari-Takum Road in Taraba.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Amos Olaoye, said the incident occurred at about 5.30 p.m. on Thursday.

He said that a police patrol team from the Takum division found the victim and his driver lying in a pool of their own blood.

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ome rural communities in Borno State have commended Governor Kashim Shettima for his people-oriented policies and programmes, which they claimed have had direct bearing on the lives of the people of the communities.

The affected communities are Miringa, Garubula, Gunda in Biu Local Government Area and Marama, Sakwa, Kidang in Hawul Local Government Area of the state.

The communities expressed their gratitude to the state governor when the latter visited project sites at GGSS Miringa, Miringa-Garubula-Gunda Road, GSS Marama and Marama General Hospitals, yesterday.

At Miringa, Governor Shettima inspected ongoing renovation of classroom blocks, hostel and staff quarters, where he commended one of the

contractors, Kopchi Construction Companies, for their efforts so far. Governor Shettima, however, warned other contractors to brace up or face revocation of their contracts.

He promised to provide the schools with buses to ease their transportation problems and that the state deputy governor, Alhaji Zannah Musta-

pha, has also pledged to drill five boreholes in the school to address water scarcity.

While at the MiringaGarubula-Gunda Road, the governor commended the level of work and assured the people of the area that the project would be completed very soon to enable them convey their farm produce to the mar-

ket.

While appreciating the effort of the governor, The district head of Garubula, Adamu Birma, said “since inception of democracy we have never felt the presence of government but when you assumed the mantle of leadership we have benefited from the dividend of democracy, we pray that God will protect you so that you

would continue with the good work you are doing to the people of Borno State”.

He assured the governor that his people would fully support the government and that they were indebted to the governor and would ensure his reelection for a second term come 2015 general elections to continue with the people-oriented projects.

4 killed, 100 displaced in Yobe flood INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

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o fewer than four people were killed yesterday following a downpour in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.

The havoc was caused by the flood which came with the rain. This was as no fewer than 50 houses were destroyed while more a hundred people were displaced in Gasu, a town in the Bade Council Area of the state.

The incidences were confirmed by the Infor-

mation Officer of Bade Local Council, Garba Maigari, in a telephone interview.

His words: “As it is now, four people have been confirmed dead because of the heavy rainfall that flooded Gashua town yesterday night.”

Meanwhile unidentified gunmen, also yesterday attacked the Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank (NACB) in Sabon Gari area of Gashua.

The robbers disarmed the policeman on duty and shot him in the leg.

They also reportedly

bombed the bank with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrolbombs. The incident occurred at about 10.50am.

Gashua, is 185 kilometres north of Damaturu, the state capital.

An eyewitness said that a gang of gunmen stormed the bank yesterday morning with IEDs and petrol-bombs, shot the policeman guarding the bank and went away with his rifle. He said the aim of the suspects, was to cart away money in the bank’s vaults, before fleeing towards Nguru road

yesterday at about 11am.

Confirming the incidents yesterday in Damaturu, the state Police Command spokesman, Gbadegeshin Toyin, in a telephone conversation said: “information received from the Gashua Divisional Police Officer (DPO) indicated that suspected gunmen stormed the Nigerian Agricultural and Cooperative Bank in Sabon Gari area of Gashua town. The gunmen disarmed the police corporal and shot him in the leg, before fleeing with the policeman’s Kalashnikov rifle.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

August 25, 2012

51

Hajj: Katsina deposits N2bn fare 400,000 Kano residents to benefit from adult education

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o fewer than 400, 000 illiterate adults in Kano State would be enrolled in 874 adult education centres in the state.

The state Deputy Governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, made this known in Kano on Friday at the closing of a ‘Train-the-trainer’ workshop organised by the state Agency for Mass Education.

Ganduje said the establishment of the adult literacy centres was in line with state government’s effort to ensure the eradication of illiteracy by the year 2015.

According to him, the centres were also established to ensure the success of mass literacy campaign in the state.

JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

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ore than N2 billion has been deposited as hajj fare by the Katsina State Pilgrims Welfare Board to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, the Executive Director of the board, Alhaji Aminu Danbaba, has said.

Speaking at a meeting with stakeholders on pre-hajj preparations on Friday, Danbaba said the amount represents payment of hajj fares from the 6,000 intending pilgrims.

Danbaba told the meeting that the state government had provided a subsidy of N365 million to secure accommodation for the intending pilgrims at the holy land.

He explained that already five houses were secured by the board in Mecca, adding that all the houses are close to the holy ka’aba.

L-R: Director General, National Productivity Centre, Dr. Paul Bdliya; Chairman, Kaduna State Productivity Committee, Alhaji Muhammad Bana and Executive Chairman, Kaduna State Board of Internal Revenue, Prof. Mohammad Tanko, at the 12th Kaduna State Productivity Day and Honours Award in Kaduna, recently.

PHOTO: NAN

The Executive Director said the board had reactivated vehicles for the easy transportation of pilgrims at the holy land and provided a befitting office accommodation for its officials at Medina.

He said preachers, guides and hajj officers as well as the medical teams were appointed by government to provide assistance to the intending pilgrims during the hajj exercise.

According to him, five weeks mandatory enlightenment classes had commenced at all the 34 local government levels to educate the intending pilgrims on how to conduct hajj.

Danbaba explained that government had recently released funds to the board, which was used for the general rehabilitation of the hajj camp.

Anambra citizens in US dole out $5,000 for slain vigilance operatives NWABUEZE OKONKWO

Detained hotelier: Anambra LG boss absolves self NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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he Transition Committee Chairman of Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Ralph Asha Nnabuife, yesterday absolved himself from the travails of Chief Chistopher Udoh, the detained hotelier whose hotels were sealed recently by Governor Peter Obi, over allegations of complicity with kidnappers.

A cross section of Nkpor Town Union had accused Nnabuife of giving false information to the governor and the police against Udoh and his Arthur Garden Hotels because Udoh is one of those challenging Nnabuife in his bid to perpetuate himself in power as the leader of the Nkpor Development Union.

ONITSHA

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ore reprieve yesterday came the way of the bereaved families of the five members of Umuogali Village Vigilante operatives, Oba who were shot dead on Tuesday, March 20, this year by yet to be identified gunmen.

This followed the donation of a total of $5,000 (about N750,000) to the bereaved families, by members of Oba Union, USA Branch.

Presenting a cheque of this amount to the traditional ruler of Oba community in idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Igwe Peter Ezenwa, for onward transmission to the bereaved families, a delegation of the Oba Union USA Branch, Dr. Ogonna Oraedu and Chief Mrs. Kathy Elebo, said each bereaved family was expected to get $1,000 USD (about N150,000) for the upkeep and education of children of the deceased.

The Oba Union USA, which is currently spon-

soring a free medical treatment to Oba people at the Merchant of Light Secondary School premises in Oba, also told the royal father and executive members of Oba Town Union that they are also building a four-room block in each of the 12 public primary schools in the area, as part of measures to provide a conducive teaching and learning environment, as well as qualitative education for their children.

Responding, Igwe Ezenwa, the Ezeokpoko of Oba, commended the

delegation for coming all the way from the US to make the presentation and urged them to convey his sincere gratitude to the Oba Union in USA for their unity of purpose and proper co-ordination abroad, adding that their gesture was worthy of emulation by other branches of Oba Town Union at home and in the Diaspora.

The royal father also described the killing as very unfortunate and urged the police to go into dynamics and improve on the security situation of

the country, adding that, although the deceased had since been buried, investigations were still in progress.

Gunmen suspected to be either hired assassins or armed robbers had on Tuesday night, March 20, opened fire on a team of seven vigilance operatives, killing five instantly and inflicting bullet wound on one of the two others who survived the attack.

The incident, which occurred at about 8.30 p.m. at 8th Mile, Oba in Idemili South Council Area of

Anambra State, jolted the entire neighbourhood.

According to a source, the gunmen, armed with AK 47 riffles and other dangerous weapons, had laid ambush at the scene of the incident and waited until the vigilance operatives arrived with their patrol van while on duty.

It was gathered that the five-man gunmen operating in a black Sports Utility Vehicle SUV (Infinity Jeep) had trailed the Hilux patrol van conveying the vigilance group members for some time.

Kidnapped ESUT VC regains freedom TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

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fter nine days in captivity, Prof.

Cyprian Onyeji, Vice Chancellor of Enugu State University of Technology’s (ESUT), was set free by his abductors on Thursday night. Onyeji was kidnapped on August 15, 2012, at the gate of the university while on his way to work.

According to the Police Public Relations Officer of the Enugu State

Police Command, Ebere Amaraizu, the Vice Chancellor was found in Igbariam, Oyi Local Government of Anambra State.

Saturday Mirror gathered that there was celebration galore at ESUT campus when the news of the Vice Chancellor’s freedom was broken to the students.

Prior to his release some students had engaged in series of prayers for his freedom.

According to some of

the students, social and economic activities in the institution had been put on hold since the kidnap of the Vice Chancellor.

Onyeji was kidnapped at the entrance of the institution by gunmen and whisked away on August 15 2012. A few days later his abductors reached out to his family and demanded a N200 million ransom for his release.

As at press time, Saturday Mirror could not confirm how much was

paid to the kidnappers to secure the VC’s release.

Onyeji

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

Crime Watch

P. 54

Mistaken identity: Man, 60, pays with life

BRIEFS

Crime Watch

I’ve brought my rich cultural values into disrepute – Drug courier

Police arraign herdsman for allegedly stealing Gov Shema’s cows

When Handel Colly Omekanji was arrested for drug pushing by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), his chief regret was bringing his rich cultural values to disrepute. How did he find himself in the world of illicit drugs?

35 year-old man, Aminu Samaila, was on Friday arraigned before a Katsina State Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stealing two cows belonging to Gov. Ibrahim Shema.

Prosecutor Gyan David told the court in Dustsin-ma on Friday that Garba George, the Manager of Shema Farm, Dutsin-ma, Katsina, reported the matter to the police. ``Samaila was in charge of cows and rams in the farm. He stole two cows and one ram,’’ he said.

David said that the accused person sold the animals at N70, 000 to one Jamilu Halilu.

He said that the accused person confessed to the police during investigation that he committed the offence.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge against him.

He said: ``as the person taking care of the animals, I slaughtered them because they were about to die.’’

Chief Magistrate Alhaji Nuraddeen Jikamshi asked the accused person if he understood the charge against him.

Jikamshi granted him bail in the sum of N50, 000 with a surety like sum.

He said that surety must reside in Dutsin-ma and adjourned the case to Aug. 29 for hearing.

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Septuagenarian docked for allegedly stealing

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he police in Lagos on Friday arraigned a 70-year-old landlord, Adeshowoju Oduru, for allegedly stealing electronics and wares valued at N273,000.

Oduru, who resides at 3, Okobaba St., Ebute Meta, Lagos, faced a three-count charge of conspiracy, stealing and malicious damage before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court.

The prosecutor, Ajala Ebi, told the court that Oduru on August 9 destroyed and threw out the property of one Mrs Toyin Shomuyiwa.

Ebi said that the landlord forcibly entered Shomuyiwa’s apartment and damaged her property, including a DVD player, radio and television sets, and 15 female suits all valued at N273,000.

He said that the landlord also allegedly stole N10,000 cash which the complainant kept in her room.

The prosecutor said that the offences contravened Sections 285, 348 and 409 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Oduru pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Magistrate T.O. Abolarinwa granted

H

andel Colly Omekanneji is one Nigerian who cherishes his tradition dearly. Apart from having a background of rich tradition, Omekanneji also put his traditional values into practice wherever he goes. Many of his peers would quickly rise to his defence that he is not one who gives in to frivolities.

In truth, O m e k a n n e j i ’s uprightness was not in doubt while growing up. But Omekanneji may have lost his cool with poverty and taken to illicit business.

Shortly after his higher education in 1997, Omekanneji searched, albeit unsuccessfully for white collar jobs but to no avail. He soon jetted out of the country in pursuit of pastures new. The place of his choice was Sao Paolo, in Brazil. While in the South American nation, Omekanneji took to selling clothes in open streets. He was reportedly not doing badly in his chosen trade.

Recently, however, Omekanneji became a guest on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Apparently unable to cope with his increasing demand with his wife and three kids, Omekanneji decided to seek alternative source of income and this he found in couriering drugs from his South American base to his native country, Nigeria, where he reportedly delivered the consignment to a cartel.

This, Omekanneji was alleged, to have been doing for some time until nemesis caught up with him.

On that fateful day, Omekanneji flew into Lagos via Iberiam Airlines

Omekanneji

from Sao Paolo, Brazil. He was reportedly laden with substances that later tested to be cocaine. Investigations later showed that Omekanneji had ingested 88 wraps of cocaine weighing 1.550kg.

During the inward screening of passengers on the said flight, anti-narcotics agents discovered that Omekanneji was in possession of the banned substance.

He was immediately whisked aside and taken into NDLEA custody where he reportedly owned up to his crime.

He later reportedly excreted all the 88 wraps in his bowel.

In his confessional statement before anti-narcotics agents, Omekanneji, who claimed that crime does not run in his family, however, blamed his foray into the illicit trade on poverty

and the love for his wife and three children.

He also claimed that when he first arrived in Brazil, he was contented with his daily earnings, but as his responsibilities increased, the demand on him also increased and he was compelled to seek more ways of making money. Thus, his involvement in the illicit trade.

“I come from a very proud family with rich cultural values. Where I grew up from, we were trained never to get involved in acts capable of tarnishing the image of the family and we all held strictly to this cherished value,” he said.

Omekanneji continued: “I left Nigeria for Brazil in 1997.

When I got to there, I could not get any job so I began selling clothes to survive. I was doing fine in the business but somewhere along the line, I started having children and I realized that the proceeds from the trade were not going to take my family and I anywhere. The profit was not enough because apart from being the bread winner of my family, I also cater for the upkeep of my extended family.”

Omekanneji concluded by admitting that his action had greatly betrayed his cultural values and beliefs. His words: “With my involvement in drugs, I have done what is against my will but it was due to the situation of life.”

Chairman NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, commenting on Omekanneji’s arrest, urged members of the public especially the youths, to partner with the agency in the campaign against drug trafficking and abuse.

Giade added: “We need a team work to advance the fight against drug trafficking and abuse. Individuals must also weigh the consequences of drug trafficking because it will ultimately lead to shame and regret” Omekanneji, according to the NDLEA, will be charged to court upon the completion of investigation into the matter.

Do you have a story for us? Contact 08138773277 or crimewatchmirror@yahoo.com

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CRIME WATCH

August 25, 2012

Adelaja Akodu is a commercial motorcyclist.

But when he was flagged down by faces he knows from his neighbourhood he never thought it would end up in the loss of his major source of livelihood: his okada. How did he handle the situation?

Okada snatched by ‘known’ faces recovered at sale point

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ut for Providence, Adelaja Akodu may still be smarting from the loss of his major source of livelihood, a motorcycle, which was snatched by robbers at gunpoint.

In what looked like a scene from a Nollywood movie, Akodu, a commercial motorcyclist, was at his business around 1:30pm on Wednesday, 15 August, 2012, when he was reportedly flagged down by two men who asked him to take them to a destination. But at Abiodun Street, Mushin in Lagos State the motorbike was snatched from him by the two men. It was at gunpoint.

Akodu, it was learnt, bought the motorcycle with a loan he obtained from a friend. It was to be repaid in six months.

Akodu claimed he knew the two men who flagged him down very well. He screeched to a halt to convey them to where they were going, having identified the duo as young men living in the neighbourhood. He was, however totally oblivious of their intentions.

After agreeing on the fare for the journey, the two men reportedly climbed the motorcycle while Akodu sped off in the direction he had been asked to go.

No sooner had they negotiated the bend from where Akodu picked the two men than one of them allegedly pointed a gun at Akodu’s back and ordered him to stop. The shocked Akodu complied without argument.

Akodu

The suspected robbers reportedly ordered him to hand over the key of the motorcycle to them and run warning him not to report the incident to anyone if he loved his life. The robbers immediately zoomed off with the motorcycle to an unknown destination. Akodu’s GSM handset and some amount of money were also reportedly forcefully taken from him.

The confused Akodu, having been left off the hook by the suspected robbers, reportedly ran to the Alade Police Station to lodge a complaint. The police reportedly promised him that all efforts would be put in place to have the crimi-

nals tracked down.

Akodu later ran home to see what he could do about the matter. He soon got through to the friend that lend him the money on his mobile telephone and reported what had happened, mentioning the people who carried out the act.

Akodu’s friend asked him to join him in his house and he rushed down there.

While he was with the said friend, Akodu again narrated the events that led to the snatching of the okada and the robbers.

Immediately, Akodu’s friend reportedly put a call through to one man (names withheld), whom the suspected robbers were allegedly friendly with, inform-

Edo gets community police for churches, mosques, others

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t promises to be an environment of peaceful and harmonious coexistence between the religiously different residents of Benin City, the Edo State capital as the Nigeria Police Force intensifies efforts to safeguard lives and property with the inauguration of a special squad for community policing.

Speaking exclusively with Saturday Mirror on Friday evening at the Headquarters of the Edo State Police Command, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olayinka Balogun, said that the new outfit was inaugurated to ensure effective policing of churches, mosques, hotels and filling stations amongst other private places where individuals gather for business in the city.

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Although Balogun denied that the special outfit was inaugurated because of threats being posed by terrorists in the relatively peaceful state, our correspondent learnt, however, that the community policing outfit would also serve as preventive tool to forestall any terrorist activity or target of the business places the team would be policing.

He disclosed that for now, two Peugeot 504 vehicles had been provided for the purpose. He added that while the command would be working to enlarge the fleet in the days to come, the new team would be working independently of the normal policing of the city and state by the police patrol Toyota Hilux vehicles that had been going on before now.

While disclosing that efforts were being made to extend the special service to other commercial cities and centres in the state such as Auchi and Ekpoma where there are also concentration of churches, mosques, hotels and filling stations, Balogun appealed to residents and business owners in the state to support and cooperate with the squad especially in the area of giving out necessary information and timely observation to prevent or arrest criminal activities.

The state police boss also gave out emergency special numbers for any business organisation to call for emergency. The numbers are: Emergency: 08032001966, 08069187788; Control Room: 08077773721; and P.R.O.: 08075390825.

ing him that his boys had snatched his friend’s motorcycle.

The said man reportedly felt sorry for the whole episode and asked Akodu to come to Akinsoji area of the locality to collect his motorcycle. After the alleged leader dropped the phone, Akodu was urged to go and retrieve the okada as had been promised but he refused, apparently for fear of the unknown.

At that stage, Akodu’s friend decided to play the devil’s advocate by going for the stolen Okada. Already the two men who allegedly snatched the Okada had entered into negotiations with wouldbe buyers.

It was at the point of getting the payment for the Okada that Akodu’s friend stormed the transaction site.

After words reached the two suspected robbers from their purported leader, that they should return the motorcycle to its owners, they reluctantly let go of it.

Speaking with Saturday Mirror, Akodu claimed that he chose to carry the two men because of the familiarity of their faces in the neighbourhood.

“I did not know that they had ulterior motives when they asked that I should take them somewhere in Bariga. But shortly after we left the bus stop where I picked them, one of them pointed a gun at my back and asked me to stop. They threatened to kill me if I put up any fight with them or raise the alarm,” Akodu said.

All attempts to speak with the said leader were futile as someone who picked the call on his behalf only promised to call the reporter back. He never did though.

Clearing agent arraigned for allegedly stealing SUV

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26-year-old clearing agent, Waheed Kasali, was on Friday arraigned in Lagos for allegedly stealing a N3m Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) belonging to Mr Odoh Vitalis.

The prosecutor, Isaac Aminu, told the Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court, that Kasali was to face a two-count charge of felony and stealing.

Aminu said the accused, who lives at No. 23, Baderin St., Mafoluluku, Oshodi, committed the offence on Aug. 10. ``The defendant, who claimed to be a clearing agent, dishonestly stole a Toyota Highlander Jeep with Chassis No. JTEEP 21A340030229 valued at N3million. ``Our investigations are still ongoing as we need more evidences to produce in court, `` Aminu said.

Kasali pleaded not guilty to the charges levied against him.

Magistrate O.O. Olatunji granted him bail in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum.

Olatunji adjourned the case till Sept. 21 for mention.

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 25, 2012

Crime Extra James Ariyomoye was approaching his 61st birthday. He had plans to celebrate it in a big way. This was not to be after all. He is dead: shot by men who thought he was another man. A case of mistaken identity.

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ames Ariyomoye, would have been 61 years old in a couple of weeks. His 60th birthday last year was a carnival of a sort with his family and friends as well as neighbours joining to felicitate with him. Some of those present at the birthday bash claimed that Ariyomoye informed them that his 61st birthday celebration would be more glamorous.

But this, sadly, was not to be.

Ariyomoye was reportedly murdered in cold blood on Wednesday, 22 August, 2012.

Before life was snuffed out of him by hot lead from the gun of suspected paid killers, Ariyomoye lived with his wife and children at No 13, Ifesowapo Street, Ebute Ilaje in Bariga Local Government Area of Lagos State.

It was reported that the assailants had come for a man, who not only looks like Ariyomoye, but also lives in the same neighbourhood with him.

Ariyomoye had returned from work that fateful day and was duly served dinner by his wife. The time was 8:00pm.

Moments after, he was consuming his meal. But hardly had his wife who reportedly sat with him gone to the living

Mistaken identity: Man, 60, pays with life room than three men burst into the apartment. The shocked Ariyomoye looked up in terror as his assailants ransacked the entire sitting room and yelled at him. Until his death, he sold sand at Ebute in Ilaje area of Bariga.

Investigations also revealed that the assailants allegedly called Ariyomoye a name completely different from his own and belonging to a neighbour of his. The neighbour was said to be, one Mr Ekuesan, an uncle to one Segun popularly known as Shaggy. Shaggy is an acclaimed head of a gang of boys allegedly terrorizing the vicinity and also an acclaimed contestant to the throne of the Baale of Ilaje community in Bariga Local Government Area of the state.

All his efforts to convince his assailants that he was not the man they came for reportedly fell on deaf ears. Ariyomoye was shot in the chest three times. Ariyomoye’s wife reportedly heard all the conversation

the assailants had with her husband. He reportedly died on the spot and the assailants fled the scene of the incident. His wife immediately ran out of the room to see her husband in the pool of his own blood.

Sighting her husband in that situation, Ariyomoye’s wife collapsed and became unconscious. She was rushed to a nearby hospital.

In a telephone conversation with Saturday Mirror, Ekuesan confirmed that he used to come to the aid of the said Shaggy anytime he was in police net.

He claimed he had bailed him out of police cell on several occasions.

In his conversation with our reporter, Ekuesan claimed the assailants actually came for him based on the conversation the deceased’s wife claimed she overheard her husband had with the killers.

“The killers actually came for me I know that. The wife later told us that she heard

them asking where the money he intended to bail out Shaggy from his current police detention was. The wife also said that they said they wanted to see how he would continue to support Shaggy after that day. They were actually referring to me because the man never had anything to do with Shaggy. Shaggy is my late brother’s son and I have been with him since then,” Ekuesan said.

Saturday Mirror spoke with Ngozi Braide, Lagos Police Command spokesperson on the death of Ariyomoye. Braide also confirmed that the deceased was shot three times at close range and could not make it.

“At about 8:20pm yesterday (Wednesday), someone ran to the police and reported that three gunmen entered into the man’s house and shot him after engaging in some conversations with him. After they had shot him, the assailants took to their heels,” Braide said.

She, however, claimed that police are on top of the situation and that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice.

She continued: “I can assure you that the police are on top of the situation and that we are trying to arrest the people that carried out this crime.”

Saturday Mirror was reliably informed that after the remains of Ariyomoye had been taken to the hospital, some youths in the area were seen gathering apparently trying to protest the gruesome murder of their neighbour and community elder.

When Saturday Mirror visited Ifesowapo Street to meet with the relatives of the deceased on Thursday, some stern-looking policemen had cordoned off the road leading to the street, apparently to ward off any breakdown of law and order. This development Braide confirmed saying it was normal for security agents to protect the breakdown of law and order.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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ore than 850 complaints have been made to the press watchdog about naked photographs of Prince Harry that were published in The Sun. The tabloid became the first British newspaper to carry the pictures, arguing the move was in the public interest and a “crucial” test of the country’s free press.

The Press Complaints Commission (PCC) said all the complaints it has received came from members of the public and none had come from St James’s Palace or any other representatives of the royal. Nearly all of the complaints are about invasion of privacy and are to be investigated in due course.

The Palace said it had no further comment on the matter after previously saying that it was down to the editors of Britain’s newspapers to decide whether they printed the controversial pictures.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

August 25, 2012

850 complaints over Harry’s naked photos The Palace said Harry, 27, an Army officer and Apache helicopter pilot, remains on a period of leave and will return to his military duties shortly. He does not have any public engagements within the coming days.

The pictures of him frolicking in the nude with an unnamed woman while on holiday in Las Vegas made headlines around the world but until now no papers in the UK had used them following a request from St James’s Palace, made via the PCC, to respect Harry’s privacy. But The Sun said it printed them so the millions of people who get their news in print or have no internet access could

“take a full part in that national conversation”.

One of the two naked images of the royal is splashed across the front page of the tabloid, just a day after the publication got a member of staff to pose for its front page in a mock up.

In the picture, the royal can be seen wearing just a necklace and a wristband with his hands around his genitals as a seemingly topless woman stands close behind him.

The Sun managing editor David Dinsmore said the paper had “thought long and hard” about whether to use the pictures and said it was an issue of freedom of the press rather than because

Breivik gets 21 yrs for slaughtering 77 people T

he mother of one of Anders Behring Breivik’s victims has expressed anger at the 21year jail sentence the mass murderer was handed earlier today.

Unni Espeland Marcussen, whose daughter was among the 77 killed during the Norwegian extremist’s shooting and bombing spree last July, said the fanatical 33-year-old ‘knew what he had done’.

Breivik was today declared sane at a court in Oslo and will be sent to a prison rather than a mental hospital, for a minimum of ten years - although the sentence may be extended later.

Mrs Marcussen’s 16-yearold daughter Andrine was

one of the last to be killed on the island of Utoya near Oslo, where Breivik shot dead 69 half of them teenagers - at a Labour youth camp.

He had earlier murdered eight people by planting a bomb at the government’s headquarters in Oslo.

Police refused to escort teenage murder victim minutes before ex-boyfriend stabbed her to death Breivik has admitted to the murders and repeatedly denied the prosecution’s claim he is insane, insisting he was a political prisoner and that his deplorable actions were considered rather than those of a madman.

He said afterwards he will not appeal because he does

not recognise the authority of the court, which he sees as ‘illegitimate’.

He began to make a speech, saying, ‘I would like to apologise to all militant naturalists in Norway’, but was cut off by the judge, who said it was not the time for him to address his supporters.

Bereaved mother Mrs Marcussen said after the sentencing today: ‘He is a man who all the time knew what he has done.

‘I think he should get 21 years for each he murdered.

But I also know when the time is coming when he maybe should get his freedom, they have to find out if he is dangerous for society still, and if he is he won’t come out.’

it was moralising about Harry’s actions. He told the BBC’s Radio 5 Live that The Sun did generally “fear” the PCC, but a decision had been made to publish the photos because of the public interest.

A spokeswoman for News International declined to com-

55

ment on whether Rupert Murdoch had been consulted over whether to publish the photo in The Sun, saying it had been a decision for the paper’s editor.

Despite The Sun’s stance on the issue, the majority of UK publications are still refraining from printing the images.

Its main rival the Daily Mirror said it took the decision not to publish the pictures as doing so would be “in clear breach” of the PCC’s Editors’ Code of Practice, regarding intrusion of privacy, while The Independent also said there was an issue of privacy relating to the images.

UNMASKED: Ex-Navy SEAL whose book reveals inside story of bin Laden raid is OUTED z Faces Justice Department probe if he exposes military secrets

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he Navy SEAL turned author who was there as Osama bin Laden was killed and promised to ‘set the record straight’ about the mission that led to his demise has been identified as a soldier who has since retired from service.

The book’s publisher announced on Wednesday that Mark Owen’s ‘No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden’ would tell the real story about the raid in Abottabad, Pakistan, in May 2011.

The book, to be published under the pseudonym ‘Mark Owen,’ is scheduled to be released on September 11 - the 11th anniversary of the devastating terror attacks in New York and Washington, DC. But the former serviceman’s attempts to remain anonymous were foiled on Thursday, when FoxNews.com identified him as Matt Bissonnette, 36, of Virginia Beach, Virginia, who retired shortly after the bin Laden mission.

Publisher Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Group, asked news organizations on Thursday to withhold his name.

But that didn’t stop the As-

sociated Press, which later confirmed the the FoxNews.com report through their own sources, and circulated the information through its subscribers.

The revelation had alarm bells ringing in military circles.

Pentagon spokesman Lt Col James Gregory told MailOnline that the release of a former special ops soldier’s identity can be worrisome.

He said: ‘We protect the names of our special ops personnel for security reasons. Any time names are revealed, it’s a concern.’

Commando: A photo purported to be of Matt Bissonnette was published by Business Insider on Thursday. MailOnline has decided to blur the image so as not to show the soldier’s face Commando: A photo purported to be of Matt Bissonnette was published by Business Insider on Thursday. MailOnline has decided to blur the image so as not to show the soldier’s face In the dark: The Pentagon said that it has not seen a copy of the book, despite regulations designed to keep former and current military personnel from spilling military secrets.

•Stories culled from www. mailonline.com

Quote

of

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day

I am pleading with the federal government, and most especially the Federal Ministry of Works to pay attention to federal roads in Ogun State.

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, while disclosing that federal roads in the state are in terrible condition and this made the state record 37% of all road accidents in the country in 2010.

Saturday, August 25, 2012. www.nationalmirroronline.net

China’s management of growth and power M

y visit to China in the month of July for about one week, spending time in three important cities of China – Beijing, Shanghai and Suzhou - made me to realize more vividly the uneasiness for China and for China’s neighbours at the same time of China’s rapidly growing economy as its power base and power resource. Except for Tibet and occasional agitation by some other minorities, China would appear to enjoy relative internal peace and security while lifting millions of its citizens above the poverty line and at the same time widening middle class and creating more and more billionaires.

Although China has attained the position of the second largest economy in the world, there are internal contestations to deal with such as the growing corruption, moving from egalitarian society to disaggregated and differentiated society, the insatiable human desire of wanting more and the demand for more women and more youth participation. Taiwan is family affairs which time seems to be solving in favour of the mainland.

However, in spite of its rapidly growing economy and the size of the economy and the relative peace and internal security, China acknowledges its relatively

with President Olusegun Obasanjo hexcellency2011@yahoo.com low position in terms of human development and average living standard of its people. It has rapidly aging population to contend with in addition to 700 million living in rural areas and 150 million living below poverty line. China must devise strategy to deal with these internal issues while facing increasing suspicious (almost fear) among some of its neighbours including challenges from those China may want to share space with for global influence.

China is conscious of these challenges of internal contestation and likely external confrontation. China keeps harping

and proclaiming to its neighbours and the world its peaceful and good neighbourliness intention within its region and within the world. China has to do more to convince the cynics, the skeptics, and the suspicious and the seemingly intimated. Power resource of China for now is limited compared with the United States that has enormous internal ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ power resources in military, economic, diplomatic and political value attractiveness. At the same time, the United States enjoys wide external power base and power resources through military and political alliances and di-

SPORT EXTRA

Keshi lists Yobo, Emenike, 9 other pros for Liberia ANDREW EKEJIUBA

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uper Eagles’ Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, has called up Skipper Joseph Yobo and Russia-based power-playing forward, Emmanuel Emenike, as well as eight other overseas-based players for next month’s 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Liberia in Monrovia.

At a meeting in the NFF Secretariat in Abuja on Friday, the former libero briefed the NFF Technical SubCommittee on his conviction about all players on the list and it was duly approved.

Also listed are goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, defenders Efe Ambrose

and Elderson Echiejile, midfielder Obiora Nwankwo and forwards Victor Moses, Ahmed Musa and Ikechukwu Uche.

Effervescent midfielder, Nosa Igiebor and in-form marksman, Brown Ideye, complete the list of 11 players, who will team up with the homebased players that played a 0-0 draw with the Mena of Niger in an international friendly in Niamey last week.

Chairman of the NFF Technical Sub-Committee, Barrister Chris Green, said after the meeting: “Coach Keshi gave his reasons for inviting each of the players and we all agreed with him that these players are in good form presently and will do the job for Nigeria against Liberia.”

plomacy; China must learn fast how to use ‘civil power’ to achieve diplomatic successes regionally and globally.

The beauty and dignity of power is in exercising it unobtrusively and effectively without arrogance, menace, intimidation and threat to others. That is, possessing and utilizing power to achieve your objective without appearing to be using it and without being offensive or antagonistic. China cannot set back on its course of growing to be a significant global power. But its behaviour, attitude, policies and actions must be right in the process of its growing power and in the application of power and influence when it is attained. The successful use of power also lies in conserving it through active pursuit of universal peace, common security, shared prosperity, values, interest and commitment to common goals. As China learns in its ascendancy to global power so must the entire world learn especially those emerging regional powers and emerging economies. Power misused is power and influence dissipated and power conserved with objective effectively achieved is power enhanced, dignified and shared. It is the caring power internally and externally. And that is the power the world needs.

Premiership Fixtures Today’s Matches Swansea v West Ham 12:45 Aston Villa v Everton 15:00 Manchester Utd v Fulham 15:00 Norwich v QPR 15:00 Southampton v Wigan 15:00 Sunderland v Reading 15:00 Tottenham v West Brom 15:00 Chelsea v Newcastle 17:30

Sunday, August 26, 2012 Stoke v Arsenal 13:30 Yobo

Liverpool v ManCity 16:00

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