All the facts, all the sides

News Big Read

THE

P. 11 P. 3

Abandoned aircraft: Sad tale of Nigeria’s aviation industry

News

P. 9

News

P. 52

APGA crisis: Umeh, Edo PDP raises Shinkafi get disciplinary panel INEC’s support for errant members www.nationalmirroronline.net

Vol. 2 No. 33

Sunday, July 29, 2012

N150

Impeachment threat

Senate backs out CPC supports Reps’ move P. 7

SPIRIT OF THE OLYMPICS

Team Nigeria filing out during the march-past event of the London 2012 Olympic Games’ opening ceremony on Friday.

PHOTO: NAN

AFTERMATH OF STOCK MARKET PROBE REPORT

Presidency makes U-turn, may reverse Oteh’s recall ...Calls for fresh, independent report

Oteh

Reps: Our stand on her remains P. 7

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2

15

Impeachment: How far can the Reps go?

Threats weeks ago by the House of

Representatives to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan may gain ground on the resumption of the Green Chamber in September.

But the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Sam Sam Jaja, has assured that the move would be averted through the intervention of the party.

Fashionista’s World

36

‘My best asset is my waist’ Whether you call her a nightingale or a songstress, you are dead right. Actress, Samuel Tom, fondly known as T-Shock, usually displays a tattoo on her waist whenever she is performing. She moves her hips and wriggles her waist like an Indian belly dancer.

Little wonder she describes her waist as her best asset.

Wellness

45

‘Over 1 million deaths yearly attributed to viral hepatitis’ The World Health Organization (WHO) designates every July 28 as world hepatitis day.

Yesterday was no exception as it was set aside to create awareness concerning this deadly ailment.

JULY 29, 2012

Oil workers begin nationwide strike Oil workers under the umbrella of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, began a nationwide strike on Friday that could trigger another round of fuel scarcity and disrupt economic activities across the country.

The strike, which will affect activities at oil jetties and depots, is to press home demands for changes and reforms in the petroleum sector and payment of outstanding fuel subsidy claims to pe-

troleum marketers, union leaders said on Thursday.

NUPENG President, Comrade Igwe Achese, said there would be no loading or offloading of petroleum products at any of the petroleum depots scattered across the country. Members of Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, a unit of NUPENG, refused to load petroleum products at the Warri depot of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, on Thursday.

Dana Air crash: DNA results to be ready next week Chief Medical Examiner of Lagos State and a consultant forensic pathologist, Prof. John Oladapo Obafunwa, on Wednesday told a Coroner’s court in Ikeja conducting an inquest into the June 3 Dana Air crash that the result of the DNA tests on the bodies of some of the victims will be ready next week.

Testifying before the court, Obafunwa, who is also the Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, LASU, recounted the gory state of some of the bodies when they were

brought to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, in bags.

Led in evidence by Mr. Akingbolahan Adeniran, a counsel from the state Ministry of Justice, the witness said the pathology department began the process of examining the victims’ bodies on June 6, three days after the crash.

He said when the bags containing some of the victims were opened at the morgue, some contained bone fragments while others had body parts.

FG wades into Turai Yar’Adua, Patience Jonathan’s land tussle The Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, on Tuesday approached a Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Bwari, for an out-of-court settlement in the land tussle between the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and her predecessor, Hajia Turai Yar’Adua.

There has been a cold war between the first ladies over the revocation of a parcel of land originally allocated to a non-gov-

ernmental organisation, NGO, believed to be Mrs. Yar’Adua’s pet project, The Registered Trustee of Women and Youth Foundation.

Adoke, who is named as the fourth defendant in the suit instituted by the NGO, made an oral application before the court for a “convenient adjournment” of the suit to enable the parties to explore the possibility of settling the dispute among them and to reach decisions that would be binding on the court.

FG, Manitoba sign $23.7m TCN management deal The Federal Government and Manitoba Hydro International of Canada

have signed a contract for the management of the Transmission Company

of Nigeria, TCN, for three years.

This is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to drive the power sector reforms aimed at boosting power generation and distribution in the country. The DirectorGeneral, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, Ms. Bolanle Onagoruwa, who signed on behalf of the Federal Government, listed the key objec-

tives of the contract agreement valued at about $23.7m (N3.6bn).

They include stabilisation of the grid, reduction in electricity losses during transmission, provision for the achievement of certain predetermined targets that would improve grid security and general performance and cultural change and staff reorientation, among others.

Air Nigeria to recommence domestic, regional operations soon The management of Air Nigeria has said that plans are underway by the company to recommence domestic and regional flight operations.

A statement signed at the weekend by the company’s Media Relations Manager, Mr. Sam Ogbogoro, stated that the resumption of services would be announced soon. Besides, Ogbogoro said that there had been a series of meetings between the board, management

and employees over the last few weeks on the resumption plans.

He said that its employees had, however, reaffirmed their loyalty to safeguard the airline from external forces, which he said had been trying to sabotage the airline’s achievements of the last two years that culminated with the successful launch of the growth strategy on May 16, 2012, with the start of the Lagos-London route.

Princess Fehintola Pedro IS MD/CEO, FETTY-CROWN NIGERIA LIMITED

MON

Politics

TALKING POINT OF THE PAST WEEK

First and foremost, I will like to say that Fetty-Crown Nigeria Limited is a consignment that deals in limestone. So, I don’t fail to go to work on Mondays. As an industrialist, I make sure I’m at the factory to deliver limestone. We ensure the product is delivered to any client that is in need of our product. Mondays are hectic for me.

TUE

Professor Tam David-West is a former Minister of Petroleum Resources. In this interview, he speaks on the level of corruption in the country and takes a deep look at the probe of the oil sector.

He also talks about the plan by the National Assembly to review the 1999 Constitution, among other issues.

Seven Days

We are into industrial uniforms as well. I visit companies that we make uniforms for to collect local purchase orders.

WED

Nigeria needs good leaders, not a new constitution –David-West

I stay in my office, write and attend to clients. And because I’m in the office on this third working day, repairs are done so that I would be able to monitor my workers well.

THU

13

This is the day for my shopping. I go to the Balogun Market to buy fabrics in bulk for industrial uniforms. If it requires travelling out of the country in search of quality fabrics, I would do that.

FRI

Interview

My activities are light on Fridays. I stay at home in the morning hours. Later in the day, I may visit friends if need be. I usually attend church vigils.

SAT

What’s new

I may not wake up early because of the hangover of vigils attended the previous night. Later in the day, I attend events or I may go to parties just to unwind and meet with friends. *Compiled by Adaeze Amos (0802 301 2293)

3

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

Big Read SUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION JULY 29, 2012

Abandoned aircraft

Sad tale of Nigeria’s aviation industry Very soon, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) would start the removal of abandoned aircraft from about eight airports in the country. In all, there are about 65 aircraft belonging to some popular airlines in the country. The question is, what led these hitherto popular airlines to this sorry pass? This and other factors affecting the aviation industry form the fulcrum of this report by Head, Special Investigations, Isioma Madike.

T

he Federal Airport Authority (FAAN) is presently ruffled by what it described as an eyesore within the surroundings of most Nigerian airports. This was occasioned by the high number of abandoned aircraft within airports’ vicinities. The agency is not happy that a significant number of old aircraft, belonging to inactive operators, currently create awful scenery, several metres along the runway of many domestic airports across the country. It puts the abandoned aircraft at over 100 of different makes and sizes, which it said included relics of several collapsed local airlines and some partially existing ones, owned by corporate organisations and rich Nigerian individuals. FAAN is also worried that the rickety planes, most of them unserviceable, obscure airspace and could

obstruct routine and emergency operations at the local airports.

On Monday, July 24, FAAN on the basis of this, issued an ultimatum to owners of the abandoned aircraft to remove them by the end of the month. According to FAAN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Akin Olukunle, the exercise is expected to take place this month end.

He said that the presence of the disused planes could attract strangers to the airport environment as well as people of questionable character to sell the scrap. “By the end of this month, we are going ahead to remove the planes in the overall public interest. We have given enough time to the owners to do so, but some have not,” he said.

The Managing Director of FAAN, George Uriesi,

ABANDONED AIRCRAFT OWNERS UNCONCERNED ABOUT THE DANGER

4

had earlier noted that “the abandoned aircraft pose potential safety hazard to airport operations and have over the years constituted an eyesore at our airports.”

According to him, the ultimatum is to ensure that the airport is further secured, especially at this time when Nigeria is faced with security concerns. He said the exercise should be seen as part of measures to ensure a cleaner airport environment aimed at actualising the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan in the aviation industry. Uriesi cited the on-going projects across the country, including apron expansion, and remodelling of terminal buildings to drive home his point. “If the affected airlines fail to remove the abandoned aircraft, the authority would be compelled to get rid of them, and the affected airlines made to pay for the costs of such removals,” he said.

However, it appears FAAN may be fighting a lost battle in its attempt to rid the airports of abandoned aircraft.

This would not be the first time the authority has issued such warning to owners of such aircraft. The tussle had been on between the two parties for more than 10 years and several attempts in the past by FAAN had met stiff opposition by the owners with some taking the airport authority to court to prevent it from forcefully removing the aircraft from their present positions. But, the recent ruling by a Lagos High Court in favour of FAAN CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

FAAN SHOULD PUT THE PLANES TO USE

6

4

The Big Read

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Abandoned aircraft owners unconcerned about the danger –FAAN

George Uriesi, MD, FAAN

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 to remove the aircraft came as a big relief to the agency to abandoned aircraft owners to remove them from the airports in the past without any response from the concerned owners.

Apart from FAAN, industry watchers and some air passengers spoken to said, they were equally irked by the continued presence of old planes within an operational airport. Just like FAAN, they also expressed worry about the safety impediment and security risks the abandoned aircraft might pose to other operators and air passengers alike. Many of them complained that the aircraft do not only litter strategic areas, but deface the aesthetic of the airports. But, the abandoned airplanes, like lifeless human bodies, have been parked, waiting to be evacuated to the Ejigbo ‘aircraft mortuary’ for years after the owners were allegedly forced to shut down their operations. The airport spaces affected include: The General Aviation Terminal (GAT-1), Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe International airport, Abuja, Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano and the Benin Airport in Edo State, amongst others. Of the abandoned aircraft, almost 20 are already rotting away at the GAT-1, in Lagos.

The owners of the aircraft at the airports turned dump sites include Aviation Development Corporation (ADC), Albarka Air, belonging to the former military governor of Lagos State, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, Chachangi, Fresh Air Limited, Executive Aviation Services (EAS), Space World and Dasab. Others are Sosoliso, Harka Air, Harco, Afrijet, Gas Air, Kabo Air, owned by the late Dan Kabo, Okada Air, which was owned by Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, Savannah, Hamza, Bellview, Oriental, Capital Air, Easy Link, Skyline Aviation, Intercontinental Air and Concorde Southern Air. However, Sunday Mirror checks indicated that over 60 percent of these airlines are at GAT-1, in Lagos. The Abuja Airport is mainly littered with abandoned BAC111 planes belonging to Albarka Air. At Kano Airport, the abandoned planes belonged to Kabo and Chachangi.

Though, of all the airlines, only Chachangi, Bellview, Aero and IRS are still in operation. The rest have either gone under because of industry challenges or were grounded by the federal government on account of air mishap involving their planes. Yet, there is Okada air, which is in its own class. The airline stopped operations in the late 1990s and has since been delisted by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA). And the confusion; no one could volunteer a word on why the authority is reluctant to explain the rationale behind Okada’s aircraft still been parked in the airline’s hangar at Benin airport. For Albarka and Dasab, it is a different headache. Their cases were compounded when the fed-

Another abandoned aircraft at the airport

HOWEVER, IF THIS OBLIGATION IS NOT MET, RELEVANT ESTABLISHMENTS IN

COORDINATION WITH THE CIVIL

AVIATION AUTHORITY (CAA)

AND INVESTIGATION AUTHORITY SHOULD ACT SWIFTLY TO REMOVE THE AIRCRAFT AND THE COST BORNE BY THE OWNER OR OPERATOR eral government banned BAC1-11 aircraft type. Shortly after that hammer, the government, considering the safety of air travellers and in compliance with the international operational guidelines covering aviation, banned planes exceeding 22 years of age from Nigeria airspace in 2001. The duo of Albarka and Dasab operated mainly with these aircraft type.

A glimpse at some of the abandoned aircraft revealed the rot in the industry. Many of them have deteriorated beyond recovery and can only be sold as scraps to aluminium smelters or iron and steel factories. Olukunle told this reporter that the authority had done its best and even pleaded with the airlines to remove the derelict aircraft but the situation remains the same. He accused the owners of deliberately defying pressure to clear the ruins and turning blind eye to the possible danger signals of the dead planes. He said that the continued stay of abandoned aircraft at the nation’s airports constitutes the prospect of an avertable threat whose repercussion would be inexcusable. According to him, “the operators of those planes purposely kept mute to our pleas.”

Former Aviation Minister, Fidelia Njeze, had, early last year, constituted a 12-member committee to advise her on the best way out of the disabled airplanes. She held the notion that the removal of the aircraft was the responsibility of their registered owners or operators and had briefed the committee to generate effective plan to avoid future occurrence. “However, if this obligation is not met, relevant establishments in coordination with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and investigation authority should act swiftly to remove the aircraft and the cost borne by the owner or operator,” she said. Before the Njeze committee, Mrs. Kema Chikwe, then Min-

ister of Aviation, had set up a panel in 2002. But, Chikwe’s team, which was partly to oversee the removal of the rusty planes, could not undertake the assignment due to numerous court injunctions, which restricted it from achieving the goal. Even though, an official of NCAA, who pleaded anonymity, agrees that the dead planes constituted a menace to the airport setting, he nonetheless, said that the location of the grounded planes would not in any way harm or hamper flight operations. He argued that FAAN would have properly packed the planes when it became obvious that the aircraft would not be immediately removed. But, the response from the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), according to Chikwe’s team, was far from pleasant.

This, perhaps, makes the current directive imperative. Government’s attempt on three previous occasions at ordering the removal of the dysfunctional planes. The court injunction secured by AON against the agency, which prevented aviation regulators from removing the abandoned aircraft, became the readymade answer.

For the owners of the old planes, the fight is far from over. Their argument varies. One, is that the relevant government agencies should provide support for evacuation and work out proper compensation since, according to them, they were forced out of business against their wish. Another is that most of the affected airlines are not in a position to clear their mess because they are no longer operating. The way forward, they maintained, is for FAAN to creatively put those planes into use. They advised that those in fairly good condition could serve as classrooms, children’s libraries and public conveniences. Also, the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology, Zaria, which has an aircraft maintenance engineering school, they said, could use the old planes as part of its simulation facilities and support for fleet training.

The assistant Secretary-General of AON, Alhaji Muhammed Tukur, said the threat by FAAN may not yield much result because the agency has not provided any place the aircraft would be moved to. Though, he agreed that the standard practice demands that such airplanes should not be allowed to rot away or constitute an eyesore within the vicinity of the airports, he nevertheless, believes that FAAN should call for a meeting with the owners to see if anything could come out of some of those planes instead of threats. He is unhappy that FAAN is ‘misinforming the public’ about the real owners of some of the old aircraft, saying, “they should look at their debt profile before the airlines stopped operation to know who the real owners are. Bellview, for instance, has one aircraft, which indirectly belongs CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The Big Read

Sunday, July 29, 2012

5

We have started dismantling ‘Kabo has arranged to sell abandoned aircraft –Olukunle its disused aircraft as scrap’ Akin Olukunle, General Manager, Public Affairs, FAAN speaks on the issue of abandoned aircraft in the nation’s airports, steps taken to address the situation and the FAAN’s security concerns. Excerpts: What prompted the ultimatum given to owners/operators of the abandoned aircraft in various airports across the country?

First of all, the ultimatum given was contained in an advertorial, published on Wednesday 15th February, advising all owners/operators of abandoned aircraft to remove same within a period of 30 days, or be ready to face the consequences.

Now, it is very important that we understand the environmental effects and safety issues inherent in abandoning unserviceable aircraft at airports. Unserviceable aircraft are environmental hazards, and they hinder seamless facilitation and operations at airports globally.

In fact, the International Civil Aviation Regulations on abandoned aircraft are very clear. They should not be kept within the ambience of operational areas of the airports at all.

For the clearance of doubts, some of those aircraft have been abandoned for close to 20 years, and past entreaties to the owners to remove them have yielded no result. We have therefore concluded to apply the full weight of enabling statues and the Bye-Laws of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to ensure that this menace is addressed once and for all.

to dismantle and evacuate disused aircraft from our airports.

What happened to the former Minister’s directive and the 12 member committee set up to address this issue in January?

What we are doing is a product of the former Minister’s directive, and is based on the recommendations of the committee.

The operators are arguing that they were forced to halt operations by government’s policies on aviation and as such FAAN should not make them bear additional cost for the removal of the dead aircraft. What’s your reaction to this?

This is not true in its entirety. Other airlines have succeeded with the same government policies they are complaining about. In fact, in the recent time, the Federal Government has aided the airlines with a special intervention fund, set aside to bail them out of bankruptcy.

However, most of them have not made the best use of the opportunity.

Contrary to their position, the step we are taking is not to encumber them with additional costs, but to ensure safety of lives and properties at our airports.

Have there been any notices to them before now? If yes, what was their reaction to that?

There have been several and at each time, some of the owners of these aircraft have refused to comply.

Where would the planes be moved to?

What happens to the Ejigbo aircraft mortuary?

We are at the stage of complete dismantling and evacuation; we would no longer pester anybody to move the aircraft, as we have followed due process and necessary procedures.

Do the planes pose any security/navigational threat?

Yes. In fact they do not only pose security and navigational threats, more importantly, they pose serious safety problems.

Those aircraft are harbours to birds and wildlife animals and they affect aircraft navigation, as they occupy a chunk of the operational area of the airport.

There are also those who are suggesting selling the fairly good ones to places like the Aviation School in Zaria for students’ simulation. Do you think any good can still come out of those aircraft? If any, how would the proceeds be share?

This is actually not of concern to us; it is purely a decision to be made by the owners of the aircraft.

What happens if the operators fail to comply?

We have gone beyond that stage, having pleaded with them to see reasons for so long without any positive response.

We have already commenced the process of dismantling the aircraft into scrap and evacuating them from our airports.

As a matter of fact, we are at the stage of publishing an advert to invite interested parties to submit Expression of Interest,

Putting the records straight, what would you say caused the ‘death’ of those aircraft that are now littering the airports?

Some were caused by poor maintenance program, some mismanagement, some litigation, some bankruptcy.

How can such be prevented in the future?

Airlines should adopt proper maintenance of aircraft, adequate planning, good management style, among others.

Alhaji Aminu Hamza is Manager, Corporate Affairs of Kabo Air Limited. He spoke with Augustine Madu-West in Kano on the operation of one of Nigeria’s oldest airlines, including why Kabo abandoned the domestic routes, among other activities of the airline.

The Management of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria FAAN has given deadline to airline operators to evacuate abandoned aircrafts from the nation’s airports, how does this affect your company?

I think so far we have one abandoned aircraft at the Kano airport and it will disappear from there any moment from now because we have made arrangement to that effect. It was abandoned because it has expired and on longer useful to the operations of the company, so it will be remove from there, dismembered and perhaps sold in parts as scrap to companies and individuals who need them, sometimes some of the parts are donated to School of Aviation in Zaria for practical work.

But sometimes we see more than three aircrafts in the fleet of Kabo Air on the Tarmac stationary for a long time and here you are saying you have only one abandoned aircraft at the Kano airport?

Most of these aircrafts you think are abandon are actually not abandon, they are there for special operations like the lesser Hajj (Umrah) and the Hajj proper.

They are functional and they are available for business, they are all in good conditions waiting for the appropriate time to be called to duty, they are not abandoned aircraft.

There were recent publications in the national dailies suggesting that a number of the aircrafts in the fleet of the country’s airlines have outlived their life span, how does it affect Kabo Air? Well, we protested the publication to the media houses that made them, we also complained to website it was press to. Some of the air crafts listed no longer exist in our fleet, they were part of our fleet in the early days of our operations but today they no longer fit into modern aviation business and had long been discarded. Some of these air crafts include, 5N-JJJ, 5N-PDP, 5N-OOO, these air crafts no longer exist in the airline but were all listed in that publication, which increased the average age of aircraft in our fleet.

What have been the challenges?

I think the challenges are the same as what other airline operators’ witness, but we try as much as possible to weather the storm, of course you are aware that the

Hamza

bulk of what airlines make as profit goes into aviation fuel, of course the aircraft maintenance is there and the general high cost of aviation business. In fact fuel is one of the main areas that consumed a lot of money.

In the past Kabo Air use to be a household name in aviation business in the country and beyond, available in both local and international routes, why is it that your company has disappeared from local flight?

Well, that is a good question, we do not operate domestic flight, we are only on international route for now especially flights for Hajj operation and Umrah. We are also operating Dubai and Cairo, which we suspended to resume operations on these routes later. The reason for the suspension of flight operations on both routes was largely due to low passenger traffic and high cost of operation. The essence of business is to make profit and the reverse cannot be the case. For instance, all our air crafts are in the 747 category, which is very big and will not be cost effective on domestic operation since each carry over 500 passengers, however we are strategizing to return to domestic flight business, but how soon that will be, I can’t say but one thing is certain, we will return to the local route one day.

‘Abandoned aircraft owners unconcerned’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 to the airport authority. It behooves on FAAN to decide what to do with it. Those in Kaduna and Kano were not provided a place to park. FAAN should just be creative and look for ways of putting the fairly good ones into use. It could recover something useful in some of them. They could also be taking to some other countries where they would be serviced and use. Let them find a solution to the prob-

lem instead of issuing threats,” Tukur advised.

Dr. Steve Kyari, member, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers said the issue is very sad when one considers the number of aircraft lying fallow and the huge money invested in them. “The whole of such money is gone and staff retrenched. The government should look at the issue wholesomely so

as not to make aviation a drain pipe in the country. What necessitated the abandonment in the first place is majorly caused by government’s policy summersaults. Again, did FAAN provide the owners a place where there is no moisture? They only insisted that the aircraft should be abandoned in the bushes. The cost of those planes can never be recovered. I will only appeal to FAAN to give

the owners till November because the cost of removing them is enormous.

It will also give the owners time to sell some of them to countries with capacity to dismantle them. Although, most of them are as good as gone,” he said.

Beyond the argument of responsibility for logistics, AON concern tilts towards selling or auctioning the aircraft CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

6

The Big Read

Dr Steve Mahonwu, Chairman, Airline Operators of Nigeria

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Captain Mohammed Joji, Secretary General, Airline Operators of Nigeria

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stella Oduah, Aviation Minister

‘FAAN should put the planes to use’ THE GOVERNMENT HAS TO PROTECT THEM BECAUSE IF AIRLINE COLLAPSES, THE ENTIRE ECONOMY OF THAT REGION WILL COLLAPSE, INCLUDING FUEL SUPPLIERS CONTINUED FROM 5 carcasses as scraps. Yet, many are of the opinion that it would be mutually beneficial for the aircraft owners to look beyond making profit in dealing with this problem.

“With many of the aircraft apparently in a state of decay, they can only be sold as scrap to smelting factories,” Kyari remarked.

Incidentally, the management of Kabo Air, one of the country’s oldest airline operators based in the North said it has concluded arrangement to move the only abandoned aircraft at the Kano Airport. According to the airline’s Corporate Affairs manager, Aminu Hamza, the company intends to dismember and sell the aircraft as scrap to companies who need them before the deadline issued to airline operators expires. Hamza said the airline has only one abandoned aircraft and that the others seen as abandoned are all functional and flying international routes because, “they are too big for domestic operations.”

However, the recent air mishaps in the country have reinforced the need for the country to take security precaution, especially at the nation’s airports. Many have not forgotten the ill-fated DANA Airline from Abuja to Lagos, which led to the death of about 170 people on June 3. In the immediate past, the country had also experienced other air accidents. The ADC, Sosoliso and Bellview crashes are also fresh in the memory. To many people, the Nigerian aviation industry is in a terrible state of neglect.

But, the parlous state of the industry is made worse by the high operational cost, particularly the amount involved in either buying or leasing of planes for operation, cost of aviation fuel and other charges that are crippling airlines in the country. The domestic airlines are not finding it easy because of the cabal in the oil marketing companies. This group of people are bent on holding the aviation industry operators to ransom through arbitrary increase of price of Aviation Turbine Kerosene, otherwise known as jet A-1. A litre of this commodity, according to Tukur, is sold for between N195 and N200, depending on the marketer who supplies it. He says an aircraft needs an average of 14, 000 to 15, 000 litres of fuel per trip. According to him, an aircraft would also need between eight and 11, 000 litres on a return flight because an aircraft is expected to make provision for three hours maximum on air to any part

of the country. “Even at that, the airline would have to pay the airport authority N1.00 for every litre bought for flight,” he said.

Tukur also put the cost of landing in any local airport at N14, 000, but said the amount depends on how big the aircraft is. This amount, he explained, expires after 30 minutes of landing and goes into counting again from one hour while terminal charges attract N5, 000 per aircraft. For spare parts, the AON scribe said 10 percent of the total cost of the aircraft is expected to be paid to the airport authority in spare parts dealings. He laments that airline owners operate under harsh conditions occasioned by these high costs and calls on government to intervene, noting that these could plunge the industry into unnecessary crisis. “This is responsible for the incremental fares experienced in domestic routes. I think the airlines need to petition the National Assembly, though, we are working on how the marketers and airlines can reach a truce,” he disclosed.

Tukur, however, attributed high operating costs, rising price of aviation fuel and lack of an enabling environment as being responsible for failure of airline business in the country. He ascribed the failure of the Federal Government to implement the waiver on importation of aircraft spare parts and other sundry factors to part of the reasons airline undertaking remains an uphill task. He said airline operators could not overcome these factors and make profit because they are grappling with a myriad of operational and safety issues that have made aviation business unattractive and urged the Federal Government to intervene to save the industry from total collapse. “The government has to protect them because if airline collapses, the entire economy of that region will collapse, including fuel suppliers,” he added.

David Balami, President, National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE) also want the government to mediate as “the airlines are paying so much to fly their aircraft.” In the same vein, the Chairman of Afrijet Airlines, Berry Noelle, also said that the state of the airlines in the country was disastrous, adding that the only solution remains the Federal Government’s intervention. Noelle, who described the daily loss of operating funds of many indigenous carriers as bleeding, stated that the present economic recession that is strangulating these airlines is like “wounds that

are oozing blood and if these wounds are not treated through the injection of funds through government bailout or other means, many of these airlines would bleed to death.”

Noelle painted a gory picture of how Afrijet was forced to stop operation temporarily, but assured that the airline, which started scheduled passenger flight operation in 2008, would resume service again. He reiterated that Nigerian airlines have been operating in a very high cost environment, where charges and cost of services remain the highest in the world. He also noted that the cost of aviation fuel was one of the factors that crippled, and is still crippling some of the airlines.

“There was a down turn in the economy. We stayed eight months waiting for an AOC (Air Operator Certificate).

The operating loss for that year was over N700 million.

Out of that N700 million, N471 million was staff salaries. And of course, when we started we had to build up a clientele. In about six months of operation we had a bill of N700 million on aviation fuel alone. I don’t need to tell you that Nigeria has the highest cost area in the world, where landing charges are the highest. And it is because of these problems and these financial pressures that brought us to where we are,” Noelle said.

However, the Federal Government’s plan to reduce the minimum age of aircraft operating in Nigeria from 18 to 15 years, according to the Chief Executive Officer, Aero contractors Airlines, Captain Akin George, will force airlines to pay 83 percent more on leased planes.

He said the new age policy proposed by the Minister of Aviation, Mrs. Stella Oduah, would compel airlines to pay a minimum of $220,000 monthly as lease rentals on 15-year-old planes, compared to $120,000 currently being paid on 18-year-old planes. He explained that the huge difference in the monthly lease rentals is because of the scarcity of younger planes of 15 years globally.

The minister had at a safety conference of African Aviation ministers in Abuja last week said government was considering lowering the age limit of aircraft that could operate in the country to 15 years. She admitted that the policy could have a short term negative impact on the desire to encourage the growth of domestic airlines but added that the issue should be how to strengthen airlines’ viability as business concerns.

But, while FAAN and the owners of disused aircraft are yet to reach a compromise on a possible graveyard for the abandoned and unserviceable aircraft at the airports, the issue of security, according to informed opinions, should be paramount in seeking a solution to the problem. This, they say, is necessary so as not to play into the hands of unscrupulous individuals, who might use the dumped aircraft as base for their nefarious activities.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NEWS

Sunday July 29, 2012

7

Impeachment threat: Senate backs out OBIORA IFOH AND GEORGE OJI, ABUJA

T

he Senate has distanced itself from the reported plan by members of the House of Representatives to commence the impeachment of President Goodluck Jonathan over the slow implementation of the 2012 Budget.

The House made the resolution last week following a motion moved

by Albert Sam-Tsokwa, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representing Takum/Donga/Ussa Federal Constituency, Taraba State, and 20 other members, in a motion entitled: “Poor implementation of the 2012 Budget,” noting that, “while the recurrent expenditure has kept pace with expectations, capital budget implementation seriously lags behind and leaves much to be desired.”

The lawmakers have therefore given the ex-

ecutive up till the end of September to implement the budget 100 per cent, or they would commence impeachment proceedings against the President.

Senate spokesman, Enyinnaya Abaribe in a telephone interview last night said members of the Upper Legislative chamber would not be part of the move, stating that at no time did the upper parliament consider such a line of action before it embarked on its current annual vacation.

He also said the Senate had not had any cause to reconvene or meet at a caucus level to consider such move.

“You are aware that the Senate is currently on vacation and I cannot recall the Senate debating such a motion before it went on break,” Abaribe told Sunday Mirror.

He noted that, “there is no way such a decision could be taken without it being discussed extensively,” noting that, “even the

issue had to be discussed by the upper chamber before it became public.”

Abaribe said the Senate speaks on such matters through a resolution and that it would be wrong for anybody to use the position of an individual senator as the view of the entire upper chamber.

A national newspaper (not Sunday Mirror) reported yesterday that the Senate may write President Goodluck Jonathan and express its displeasure over the slow pace of the implementation of the 2012 Budget, thus paving the way for the upper parliament to join their colleagues in the lower chamber to commence the compilation of impeachment offences against Jonathan.

Meanwhile, the National leadership of the PDP has begun the process of mending the misunderstanding between the executive and National Assembly to see how the issue can be resolved

diplomatically.

Deputy National Chairman of the party, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, who made the clarification in Abuja yesterday explained that even though those who were making impeachment threats might have good grounds for doing so, it was not bothered as it was not the first time a president was being threatened with impeachment.

He explained that the party had noted the issues and discussed the ramifications extensively at its National Working Committee (NWC) meeting and resolved that the best way to approach the matter was to be diplomatic.

Said he: “It is not the first time a president has been threatened with impeachment, not only in this our country. In America, several presidents had been threatened with impeachment and of course what the party is doing is taking up the process, because there is a process

with which the party meet the people.

“It is true that many of them are PDP people. I agree, but they have their grievances. We will not also say that because they are all not PDP people we will lord it over them.

This thing must be attended to diplomatically, so that wherever anybody has gone wrong, it will be sorted out and eventually, this storm will definitely die down.

Meanwhile, a number of opposition parties including Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have pledged their support for the move to impeach the President.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Engr Rotimi Fashakin, said the party was in support of the decision as a right step in the right direction.

Fashakin said: “Since the Appropriation Act was not implemented, and the House of Representatives has given the President from now till Sep-

tember to fully implement the Appropriation Act, and if he fails they would proceed on impeachment, it is a right decision by the House of Representatives.”

The spokesman added that the issue of impeachment should be seen as a way of checking the President, and a way also to make the him do the right thing. He asked Nigerians to support the decision of the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and the Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has, however, said the chances of a 100 per cent implementation of the 2012 Budget was not possible by the end of September as given by the House of Representatives.

According to her, as at 20th of July, 56 per cent of the 2012 Budget had been implemented from the 39 per cent achieved by May, 2012.

Oteh: Presidency reconsiders, calls for independent opinion ROTIMI FADEYI AND TORDUE SALEM, ABUJA

T

he Presidency appears set to rescind it Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (5th right) joined by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Wahab Alawiye-King (right), Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye (3rd left) Tutors-General, Permanent Secretaries of various Education District in the symbolic presentation of a cheque of N256million to the various winning schools during the Second Edition of the Governor’s Education Award; Secondary Schools Performance Award 2012 in Lagos on Thursday s earlier decision that reinstated the DirectorGeneral of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms. Arunma Oteh as it has asked for an independent opinion on the challenges facing the commission.

A source at the Presidency told Sunday Mirror yesterday that the decision was based on the workers’ out-

rage that greeted her return a fortnight ago following the report of Price Water Coopers Limited, a renowned audit firm, on the accounts of the commission.

“The President gave the directive for a fresh comprehensive report on Oteh in order to have a well-informed opinion of the matter and to be fair to everyone including the employees of the commission who protested her return as DG of SEC,” the source said.

According to the source, “this fresh comprehensive report would finally determine the fate of Oteh as to whether she would remain as DG of SEC or vacate the seat finally, so the matter is not closed yet as her reinstatement is not the end of the matter”.

The source added that President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive for a comprehensive report on the embattled SEC boss was not because of the impeachment threat by the House of Representatives.

In the same vein, the House of Representatives yesterday maintained that

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, (5th right) joined by the Chairman, House Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Wahab Alawiye-King (right): Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye (3rd left): Tutors-General, Permanent Secretaries of various Education Districts in the symbolic presentation of a cheque of N256 million to the various winning schools during the Second Edition of the Governor’s Education Award; Secondary Schools Performance Award 2012 in Lagos on Thursday

its recommendation that embattled Director General of SEC, Ms. Oteh, should face trial for alleged capital market offences, stands.

The spokesman of the Green Chamber, Hon. Zakari Muhammed (PDP/ Kwara), who made this known yesterday, said whereas the presidency was free to review the House report, its decision on the matter remained unchanged.

“I don’t really want to comment on the President’s decision to set up a committee to provide details on the Oteh mat-

ter, but all I can say as the spokesman is that the President has the right to look at the issue administratively.

“It is the normal practice for the executive to do that, but that does not affect our decision as a House (that Oteh be tried)”, he said.

The House had two weeks ago, before its adjournment for an eightweek recess, called for the removal of Ms. Oteh.

The House insisted, despite a presidential decision that exonerated Ms. Oteh over allegations of impropriety and corruption, that she must go for

alleged capital market infractions under her watch.

The House adopted its ad hoc committee report urging Ms. Oteh’s removal on account of incompetence, and the investigation on allegations of fraudulent conduct.

The House decision came after the decision by the presidency to re-appoint Oteh after a month’s suspension ordered by the commission’s board.

The government’s position, conveyed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, insisted the DG did nothing

wrong.

Ms. Oteh’s experience in capital market dates to 1992 with the African Development Bank, where she rose to become the vicepresident for Corporate Management in 2006. She had almost nil experience in the Nigerian market prior to her SEC appointment.

The legislators said the deficit in experience had told in Oteh’s controversial management of the regulatory body in the past two years, estranging staff members, and enlisting the services of market actors and indulging in alleged sharp practices.

8

News

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG canvasses aircraft maintenance in Nigeria A ZA MSUE KADUNA

T

he Federal Government yesterday demanded the maintenance of aircraft in Nigeria that would serve the entire West African sub-region.

Acting Minister of Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, stated this in Kaduna at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) 41st graduation ceremony.

She said it would save a lot of money being spent in foreign exchange in the maintenance of the nation’s aircraft and boost manpower.

The minister noted that the institute had transformed from a budding technical outfit to a centre

of excellence for aviationrelated issues and the production of the much needed manpower for Nigeria’s aerospace industry.

“Permit me to state

here that the forays of AFIT into unmanned aerial design and manufacture hold abundant potentials for the aerospace industry, not only

in Nigeria but the entire West African sub-region.

As you can see, there is nothing stopping us in Nigeria from being the maintenance hub of air-

AKURE

T

he three major political parties in Ondo State, the ruling Labour Party (LP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) yesterday held their congresses with their candidates for the October 20 governorship election emerging.

Incumbent Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, emerged the LP flag bearer; the PDP ratified the adoption of Chief Olusola Oke as its candidate while Chief Rotimi Akeredolu was endorsed as the ACN standard bearer for the election.

The LP and the PDP also ratified the choice of the incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Ali Olanusi as Mimiko’s running mate while a former Special Adviser to Mimiko who defected to the opposition PDP, Saka Lawal, emerged as the choice of the party as Oke’s running mate.

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

W

L-R: Chief of Standard and Evaluation, Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Usman Abdulkadir; Executive Secretary, National Mosque, Abuja, Alhaji Ibrahim Jega and Chairman, Muslim Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MMPN), PHOTO: NAN Abdul-Rahman Balogun, at the 7th MMPN Ramadan Lecture in Abuja, yesterday.

The last minute withdrawalof an LP aspirant, Chief Francis Ade Ogunjumelo, who had earlier signified his intention to contest the party’s primary, gave the governor an easy ride for the ticket.

Ogunjumelo, while announcing his desire to stepp down for Mimiko at LP primaries holding at the Adegbemile cultural centre Akure, said it was a hard decision for him to take but that the decision was taken in the interest of the party.

Speaking after he was announced as the party flag bearer, Mimiko pledged to dedicate his second tenure in office to the creation of employment for the youths.

He, however, announced the choice of Olanusi as his running mate in the election laying to rest speculation and rumours that he may drop the 70-year-old man.

At the PDP congress held at Helena Hotel, Ijapo Estate, its chairman stated that the party lead-

ership decided to pick its governorship running mate from the opposition.

He said the party decided to give the new entrants into the party a sense of belonging noting that Lawal, the former Special Adviser to Mimiko and a former ACN governorship aspirant, was chosen as Oke’s running mate based on his pedigree.

He said the congress of the party was held according to the party’s constitution and to give room for internal democracy and to show that the decision of the party on Oke’s choice was collective.

Alabi disclosed that the party delegates of about 621 were chosen across the 203 wards in the state saying “we are all here to vote and show the acceptability of the candidate by the party”.

He assured supporters that the party candidate would win the poll if the election is based on oneman one-vote and if the elexercise goes free and fair.

However, the rival ACN

NIGERIA IN BRIEF Board registers 2,888 estate surveyors, valuers The Registrar, Estate Surveyors and Valuers Registration Board of Nigeria, Mr. Thomas Audu, says the board has registered 2,888 professionals to practise estate surveying and valuation in the country.

Audu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday that the induction of 90 members in May 2012 brought the number of practitioners to 2,888.

According to him, the number

to attainment of its desired height would soon commence, while expressing optimism that the National Assembly would do its best to see the Act through.

Zuma’s wife tasks African women on unity, political growth

Ondo 2012: LP, PDP, ACN flag bearers emerge HAKEEM GBADAMOSI

craft servicing in the West African sub-region and beyond,” she stated.

The minister stressed that an enabling Act which AFIT identified as one of its impediments

is still far from the board’s target, as it is not enough to serve the 160 million Nigerians.

“This number is still a far cry, so we are trying to speed up and train more people because the number is not enough to serve 160 million people,” he explained.

He said the board also visited institutions offering Estate Management to give professional accreditation to what

which picked Akeredolu as its candidate did not announce its running mate for the poll.

Speaking after his selection as ACN’s candidate at SWAN hotel, Akeredolu gave his supporters the assurance that they would win the forthcoming poll. He implored other aspirants to forget the past and work for the unity of the party and assured that the leadership of the party would not abandon them as it was poised to win the election and make sure the state joined the league of the progressives.

A party leader, Kayode Aremo, hailed the choice of Akeredolu, saying the decision was the best as the party presented a candidate with unblemished and untainted character.

However, leaders of parties across the states were seen at the congresses. At the PDP, most of the aspirants who conceded the slot to Oke were seen at the congress as well as some other leaders of the party.

they were doing.

The registrar said that about 14 universities and 17 polytechnics and colleges of education offering the course had benefitted from the visits.

He said the National Universities Commission (NUC) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) provided the accreditation benchmark, while the board gave the professional accreditation.

ife of the South African President, Nompumelelo Zuma, yesterday tasked women in Africa to unite and fight the negative socio-economic crimes hindering the independence and political growth of womenfolk on the continent.

Zuma also enjoined women to unite and educate the girl-child as a means of defending gender-based oppressive policies.

She spoke in Yenagoa at the weekend at a two-day women retreat and launch of the “Konyefa Foundation for the Girl-Child and Rescuing the Ijaw Child”, a pet project of the wife of the Bayela State Governor, Rachael Dickson.

However, the South African president’s wife noted that facts showed that women had failed in their role as foundation of homes and the African society, stressing that there should be a renewed call for a united fight against social problems, decaying moral standards to reclaim the leading role among the political leaders in Africa.

Her words: “On the issues of lack of education, poor standard of economy, poor health facilities and other failure of the society, it is the women that suffer most. We must start to unite to tackle some of these problems and reclaim our leading role in Africa. We encountered the problems together and we must tackle them

together. When we look around Africa, we see women face gender-based oppressions. When we look around we see women being faced with decaying standard of living. We must move. We must wake up as it is our task to teach women.”

She urged women to unite to dismantle the decaying values and teach all about education and skill.

“We must let them know that solid education and skills empower women to become confident and become a human being.”

Earlier, wife of the state governor, Rachael, said the retreat was a clarion call on women of the state that they were at the watershed of history, where the decisions should be the girl-child education and return of the women to the classroom to secure formal education.

“The state governor is ready to give everything to train the women of the state and no woman will be my friend if she is not ready to acquire formal education,” she reiterated.

Dickson said her experience as a child and the acquisition of formal education at an early stage informed her vision to launch a campaign for proper formal education for the girl-child and promised to support any indigent girl-child who wins a prize in their schools.

“I have left lecturing a few years back, but I am ready to return to school if the women of Bayelsa State assure me that they are ready to study,” she added.

Nigerian music, film, projectors of Nigeria’s culture –Asika Chief Executive Officer, Storm 360 Music Record Company, Lagos, Mr. Obi Asika, yesterday said music and films were the most important tools for the projection of Nigeria’s culture globally.

He made the remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

Asika noted that the development of the music industry had

helped to project the image of the country internationally.

He commended pioneer companies, local broadcasters, major radio stations and Deejays, for their contributions in achieving the feat.

Asika called on them to sustain the spirit so that the industry could achieve the desired growth.

He said their contributions and those of other similar

outfits had helped in the discovery of talents and huge investments in the industry.

“I believe the future of Nigeria lies in her human potential and creative industries, and I am proud to be part of this positive.

“There should be stiffer penalties against piracy to enable the music industry to earn the expected revenue for the government and owners of intellectual property,” he said.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Sunday, July 29, 2012

9

APGA crisis: Umeh, Shinkafi get INEC support OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

T

he Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally declared its recognition of Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi as the authentic National Chairman and National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

It however declared as unconstitutional and ultra vires their purported suspension by six sus-

pended members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party led by Alhaji Sadeeq Massala.

The commission also declared the purported NEC meeting held by the Massala group in Abuja on July 16 and all decisions taken at therein as ultra vires having been taken in contravention of the constitution of APGA, and as such the decisions have no binding force.

INEC further declared that it cannot stop the National Chairman of

APGA from convening a proper meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.

In a letter addressed to Umeh, dated July 26, with reference number INEC/ LEG/APGA/222/11/313 and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Abdulahi Kaugama, he however said that the commission cannot investigate the allegation of forgery of the signatures of 11 members of the NWC by the Massala-led group and advised that the matter be reported to

the police.

The said letter which was copied to the INEC Chairman, Massala and Ifedi Okwenna read, “The commission received a series of letters from the All Progressives Grand Alliance inviting it to monitor the National Executive Committee meeting of July 16th, 2012 and your letter alleging forgery of signatures of eleven members of the National Executive Committee.

“The Commission has considered all the correspondence visa-vis the

L-R: Former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Uwais; Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada; Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola and Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, at the Annual Ramadan Lecture organised by Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society of Nigeria in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Woman, 28, cuts son’s stomach to hurt ex-husband AUGUSTINE MADUWEST, KANO.

A

28-year-old mother, detained at the Bompai headquarters of the Kano State Police Command by police authorities for attempting to murder her 11-year-old son, confessed yesterday to have committed the crime in an attempt to hurt her exhusband.

The suspect, Mrs. Joy Akule, is being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department of the

Kano Command where she is being grilled by detectives over alleged murder attempt on his only son now lying critically ill in a Kano hospital after the attack.

The young mother, who allegedly separated from her husband, Thomas, both of who hail from Katsina Alla in Benue State, was charged with slashing the stomach of her boy with a sharp knife, resulting in the bulging of the intestine.

In a chat with newsmen, the woman confessed committing the offence, add-

ing that her intention was to cut the boy to two from his waist region “so that I will be in possession of one part while my former husband will also take the other part”. According to her, they both separated three years ago over irreconcilable disagreement.

At a press briefing earlier, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Idris, while briefing newsmen on the activities of his command for July, said Joy was held over attempt to commit offence to wit culpable homicide and causing grievous hurt.

He pointed out that she used a knife and stabbed her biological son in his stomach thus revealing his intestines.

Said the police commissioner: “This sad incident occurred at Sabuwa Abuja Quarters. A victim, 11 years old, was rushed to the hospital for treatment and the suspect confessed that she did it to cut off any relationship with her ex-husband who is a father of the boy.

“The suspect will appear in court as soon as investigations into the incident are concluded”.

NIGERIA IN BRIEF

Mobile court arraigns sanitation defaulters in Kano, Edo One hundred and nine persons were penalised in Kano on Saturday by the Mobile Court for not observing the monthly sanitation.

Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Environment, Malama Maryam Abdulkadir, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

She said the state task force committee under the chairmanship of the state Commissioner for Environment went round the

metropolis to fish out the defaulters.

In Benin, Edo State capital, a mobile sanitation court sitting at Oredo, Edo, has also sentenced 26 persons to three days imprisonment each for flouting the environmental sanitation law.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Magistrate, Alfred Osamudiamwen, however, gave the convicts an option of fine of

N5,000 each.

NAN reports that although a total of 37 persons were arrested for violation of environmental sanitation, the court discharged and acquitted 11 of the suspects on grounds of health and age.

Osamudiamwen, while admonishing the convicts, said it was sad that rather than stay at home and observe the monthly sanitation exercise, “these persons decided to flout the law”.

Constitution of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and observes as follows: “That the National Working Committee of APGA purportedly met on June 19th, 2012 and unanimously resolved to suspend indefinitely Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi as National Chairman and Secretary respectively and in their places appointed Alhaji Sadeeq Massala and Dr. Ifedi Okwenna as Acting National Chairman and Secretary of the party.

“The National Working Committee by a letter dated 22nd June, 2012 invited the Commission to monitor the meeting of the National Executive Committee convened by two-thirds members of the National Working Committee of the party. This was reinforced by another letter dated 6th July 2012.

“The Commission received a letter signed by Chief Victor Umeh, National Chairman, inviting it to monitor the meeting of the National Executive Committee of APGA to hold on July 24th, 2012.

The Commission was notified of a change in date

by Chief Victor Umeh on July 11th, 2012, shifting the date of the meeting to 1st August, 2012. The meeting was convened by the Massala-led NWC on July 16th at Reiz Continental Hotel Abuja. The meeting against the party’s Constitution unanimously approved the indefinite suspension of Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi as National Chairman and Secretary respectively. Eleven members of the APGA NWC/ NEC who were alleged to have signed the request on the National Chairman to convene a meeting of the NEC of APGA alleged that their signatures were forged.”

Kaugama pointed out that “against the back-

drop of the foregoing, the commission is of the view that: • The Constitution of the All Progressives Grand Alliance does not empower the National Working Committee of the party to remove, suspend or appoint any member of the National Executive Committee of the party nor does the Constitution of the party empower the National Working Committee of APGA to convene a meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party.

• The meeting of the National Executive Committee of the All Progressives Grand Alliance held on July 16th was convened in contravention of Articles 9 and 22 of the Constitution of APGA. • The National Working Committee meeting of APGA held on the 19th of June and all the decisions taken there contravene the Constitution of APGA and therefore the suspension of Chief Victor Umeh and Alhaji Sani Shinkafi as National Chairman and National Secretary are ultra vires the powers of the National Working Committee.

• The meeting of the National Executive Committee of APGA held on 16th July 2012 being in contravention of the Constitution of the party is not lawful and all decisions taken thereat have no binding force.

• The Commission cannot investigate the allegation of forging of signatures and advised that the matter be reported to the police.

Kaugama declared that “the commission cannot stop the National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance from convening a proper meeting of the National Executive Committee of the party”.

Religious crisis: Imam advocates basic understanding of Quran, Bible To curtail the spate of religious crisis in the country, an Islamic cleric yesterday stressed the need for Muslims and Christians to have basic knowledge of the Quran and the Bible.

Chief Imam, University of Ilorin Mosque, Prof. Abdulganniy Oladosu, gave the advice in a paper he presented at a Ramadan lecture organised by Nasrul-Lahi-L-Fatih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT).

In his paper entitled: “Ramadan as an Effective Instrument for Behaviour Modification”, the cleric said if the adherents of both religions had basic knowledge of their holy books, they would not indulge in killings.

“If people truly know what these holy books preach, nobody will ever kill others for another religion.

“Almighty Allah said that whoever kills an innocent soul will be punished as if he has

killed the entire human race.

“The punishment of such a person is hell fire; the person will stay in hell forever and the wrath of Almighty Allah will continue to be on the person,’’ he warned.

Oladosu also commented on the importance of fasting.

He said apart from the fact that ``fasting is compulsory for all Muslims, there are other benefits accruing from the exercise’’.

10

SM Extra

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

STORIES THAT TOUCH YOU JULY 29, 2012

Makoko:

We now sleep in a boat, says man with four wives, 22 children ONUKWUBE OFOELUE

D

osa Robert is a fisherman. Before now, he had been living in his ‘palatial’, wooden home right on the Atlantic’s fringes, with his four wives and 22 children. Before now, plying the third Mainland Bridge from Yaba to maybe Obalende, you would probably sight him relaxing in front of his house, right in that sea. Until Lagos State Government officials started knocking down the houses.

Dosa told Sunday Mirror that until that fateful Friday when his home was knocked down, life was going well for him and his family. “When they arrived, we initially wanted to challenge them, but you cannot challenge the authorities; that was why we started protesting. Unfortunately, we were only able to recover a few things in the house, as we lost quite a number of our property.”

Asked how many things he lost, Dosa replied, “You should know that we live right inside the river. Trying to recover your property while someone is busy destroying them, people you can’t even stop is quite tasking. I thank God that we all know how to swim; if not, we may have lost some lives too,” he explained. Dosa was not alone in his predicament. Five other men sat with him in the boat, along with some children and women. Obviously, they were among the affected. Though they could not

speak English, a guide explained to Sunday Mirror that in all, the families of the five men shared the big boat as home. The woman showed the reporter some mats and clothing which they use during the night. Thankfully, some medical organizations had distributed free mosquito nets to them, and these they use in combating that menace. One of them, who spoke in Egun language lamented, “What does this government want? We voted for them, we all voted, and now, see what they are doing to us. We don’t even drag their lands with them. We chose to stay here in the seas in peace.” However, when Sunday Mirror complained that the seas may sweep them away, he smirked “Sweep us away? How can the sea sweep itself away? We are the sea and the sea is us. We are fishers. We have been here for over 150 years. Our fathers have been here too. We were never swept away. Why should the sea sweep us away only when Fashola is the governor?”

He asked rhetorically.

Agosu Pascal, a young man in his 20s was born and brought up in Makoko area.

He told Sunday Mirror how the buildings he grew up in were destroyed by the state government, leaving him and his siblings, along with his parents homeless- when a friend told me what was happening, I could not believe what I saw when I got to the site; people’s property were thrown in the river, houses were pulled down, women and children were everywhere crying.

I don’t want to remember that day. From a government that is supposed to be protecting the interest of people to be doing that does not tell well of us. My dad’s house was also affected, his house was removed completely and today, our family is scattered everywhere. Some family members have gone to stay with relatives for the time being.’

When he was asked whether a notice of evacuation was given to the people of Makoko, he described it as ridiculous “A notice was actually given, but it was a 72 hour notice. Tell, me, how do you handle a popu-

Chief Victor Panke

Dosu Robert (middle), friends and family members in the boat

Trauma of Jos displaced residents

‘No food to eat, nothing to do; we are JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

U

Some displaced women and children

ntil recently, the people of Maseh, Bangei, Sopp, Shong (1), Shong (2), Rakweng and Bachit in Riyom Local Government area of Plateau State were living their normal lives.

The villagers, mainly farmers, were leaving in their houses and could boast of schools, health care centres, markets and worship centres.

As villagers, the people were happy, expecting that one day, more improved development would come their communities. But all these are now history.

Not only is their hope of living a better life has since become dashed, they have all been uprooted from their ancestral homes.

They were asked to vacate their settlements within 48 hours. That was on July 14, 2012. The vacation order was to enable members of the Special Task Force on Jos crisis carry out military operations in the surrounding villages in search of terrorists who before now have

launched series of attacks on the hapless villagers, killing, maiming and destroying their houses.

Now the villagers live a pitiable life at their various refugee camps at Riyom Community Hall, Riyom Primary School Rahoss Primary School, Farin Lamba and Tahoss. This is a movement from frying pan to fire, as our correspondent who visited the camps on Friday observed. Their faces looked pale and as they were dispirited. They slept in large halls, some of them without mattresses. Women sat in wooden benches, some with crying babies strapped on their backs. Their men wandered about from morning till evening, not knowing what to do. No food. Their children run round with bare skin and were barely footed in a largely bushy environment, amid a cold weather.

Some of the children have had either their fathers or mothers killed in the previous attacks on their villages.

No one is thinking about school. Life is horrible. As if they were waiting for an opportunity to voice out their frustrations, both men and women trooped out to speak on their unpleasant situation. First to voice out their

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SM Extra

Sunday, July 29, 2012

lation of 500 thousand people with a 72 hour notice?

If you eventually eject them all after the 72 hours, where are they supposed to go? They want to eject us, the poor to build Lagos into a mega city. But they should not forget that everybody has relevance in the society. We are fishermen, and we dwell near the sea. You cannot drive us away from the sea to land and expect us to be productive. Most of the fish consumed in Lagos comes from us. I don’t know where they want to put all of us in 72 hours.”

He gave the number of occupants of his father’s house as 15, including his parents and six siblings, as well as tenants.

The claim that Makoko’s population was up to 500,000 sounded a bit exaggerated until the reporter was taken on a tour round the community. A vast community, Makoko literarily sits in the Atlantic, with most of the houses built on stilts. There are so many houses, and with the number of children and teenagers in each household, the population is better seen than imagined. It actually adds up that, if Makoko is destroyed without proper arrangements for their relocation, hell could be let loose.

Chief Victor Panke, is the Baale (chief) of Makoko community. He expressed great sadness at the way and manner his people have been treated. In a boat ride, he told Sunday Mirror that it was sad that the commissioner for environment would make a comment suggesting that Makoko people should relocate to wherever they came from: “How can he describe our people as a nuisance to the making of the mega city? If every people begin to relocate to wherever they came from, who will make up the mega city?” he queried. He also implores the governor or even the

commissioner to pay a visit to Makoko before passing a verdict against them: “They should come and visit us, not address us. Let Babatunde Fashola take out one day and do a tour around Makoko, a full tour before he decides whether we should be ejected. They call us tourism nuisance, but tourists have come here to visit us in Makoko, from all over the world. In fact, a group, after visituing Makoko, came back here and with their own hands, they built us a school”, the baale explained, and later showed the two-storey wooden structure to Sunday Mirror. He further stated that he is convinced that the state government will on its own provide basic amenities for Makoko if they tour the community and understand it, arguing that Makoko, apart from being the fishing giant of Lagos, is also a wonderful tourist community.

Narrating the killing of a community leader, one of the residents who pleaded anonymity gave his story: “When we learnt about the demolition, the students’ associations, both secondary and tertiary institutions came out that day to protest. But the policemen, whom we have since learnt were there on illegal duty kept trying to scare people by shooting into the air. It was in that process that Chief Timothy Hunpoyanwa Azinpono, our deputy baale was hit in the stomach.

Travelling in a canoe around, our reporter saw several families displaced, who had nowhere to go with their families. Though their houses have been knocked down, they used mats, waterproof materials and zinc to form a shed under which they waited, hoping the government might be compassionate and suspend its onslaught on a people who have nowhere else to go.

Young men playing draughts in what remains of a home

just wasting away’ problems is Sunday Baren who is the camp leader at Riyom Community Hall. His brother and his wife, together with their son, were earlier killed by the gunmen in Bachit, his village. He said the evacuation order has turned the displaced villagers’ in his custody to a condition in which their forebears left them some 500 years ago. According to him, since the over 850 refugees at his camp, made up 445 children, 250 women and 160 men were asked to vacate their settlements, they have been experiencing untold hardships His words: “The situation here is terribly bad .No food to eat. Nothing to do. We are just wasting away. We are sleeping under a very harsh condition.

Our children are dying of hunger. The people are just wandering. They cannot go back to their farms.

They cannot even return to the villages because their houses have been destroyed.’’

Twenty-one--year-old Naomi Habila who was surrounded by three of her children said that since they came to the camp, her life has been turned upside down. “I am traumatised in this place. After losing

so many of my people to the attackers’ bullets, we are finding it difficult to bear our condition here. The situation has driven my husband away and we have no place to go,” she sobbed.

Seventy –year-old Azam Dachung who lost four of her relatives said the situation has left her speechless and that she is only waiting for God to take her life away. At Riyom Primary School within Old Secretariat where over 338 people were taking refuge, the situation was not different. They lamented and cursed the fate that has befallen them. Hassan John who is the camp leader gave a break-down of the composition of the displaced villagers.

“We have about 338 displaced people here, made up of 84 women, 53 men and 201children. What the people have seen so far in the course of crisis is better imagined than said. How do you explain a situation where people who have lived in their places of origin from time immemorial after being killed by gunmen with none to protect them are suddenly asked to vacate their settlement and abandoned?

This is not fair at all.’’

Germans’ uncommon passion for cycling OLUFEMI ADEOSUN BERLIN, GERMANY

A

s ownership of automobiles is generally considered a status symbol, particularly in the developing countries, Olufemi Adeosun, in this piece, unveils the increasing popularity of bicycle as a means of transportation among the German people.

82-year-old Heinrich Buttner’s romance with cycling started about 30 years ago when he took up the job of a tour guide in Germany’s medieval city of Freiburg and amazingly, his love for the pedals has refused to bow down to his age.

Interestingly too, Buttner is not alone in this preference over gas guzzlers or fossil fuel-based auto-mobiles. Millions of Germans across the cities - young and old, male and female - daily hop on their bikes on the way either to work or to shopping malls, thereby heralding a new way of life in a country, which can easily be ranked among the most viable economies in the world.

However, what has today remained a common practice in the country did not just begin by happenstance. The oil crisis in Europe in the 1970s had prompted the German government to declare what is known as “Car Free Sunday” to cut down on the money spent on petroleum products. During this period, an embargo was placed on car driving on Sundays and the people quickly saw in the bicycle a veritable alternative. Since then, the so-called soft mobility system has not only gained prominence among commuters in Germany, it has also been mainstreamed into the country’s transport system.

Thus, unlike in Nigeria where the then Transport Minister, Chief Ojo Madueke, canvassed a return to the use of bicycles as a way of easing the perennial traffic gridlock in some major cities without any consideration for the provision of supporting infrastructure to back it up, the German government imbued in its transport design a structure for cycling.

In virtually all the roads in the country, including street roads, pedestrians, bicycle riders and motorists all have a sense of belonging and an equal right to the use of road facilities without one

11

infringing on the right of the other.

For instance, a special portion of the road usually marked red, is set aside for bicycle riders. This again is in sharp contrast to the traffic situation in Nigeria where a truck driver would want to chase out small vehicle from the road, and the small vehicle owner in turn treats motorcycle and bicycle riders as intruders in a circus akin to the powerful preying on the weak.

In fact, the preponderance of bike-and-ride system on the streets of Germany has made a mess of the economic theory, which suggests that the richer a nation becomes, the more unfashionable the use of bicycle becomes because cars would become more affordable. Coupled with a well-developed transport network backed up with a functioning modern rail system, preference for cycling in the country is said to be accountable for the low patronage of cars in the country. In fact, some people, who are fanatical with cycling and whose places of work stretch beyond the 5-kilometre radius permissive for cycling, often carry their bicycles inside trains.

Apart from the fact that the romance with cycling has helped the country in easing the traffic congestion that usually characterises major cities, it has also helped in cutting down on its carbon footprint. It is therefore not a fluke that Germany is rated by the United Nations as one of the countries making concrete effort in the “going green” revolution campaign.

A Senior Project Manager at the International Institute for Journalism, ( IIJ), Hans-Jurgen Bosel, who commented on this bicycleriding revolution, said that the bicycle is not only regarded as the fastest means of transportation in the country, particularly for a journey within 5-kilometre radius, it is also the cheapest. According to him, apart from the fact that the cost of parking spaces for car owners at the city centers is high, it is also expensive to go in public buses.

He said, “Preference for the bicycle is a matter of convenience for many people. Although a good number of people have their own private vehicles, the cost of parking particularly at the city centre is often very high. “

Hundreds of bicycles await their owners at a park

12

SM Extra

Sunday July 29, 2012

Osun Deputy Governor, Mrs Grace Laoye-Tomori, the Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola acknowledging cheers from Osun indigenes. Beside him is Gov. Ajimobi of Oyo State and his wife Florence

An exercise session

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Crowd at the event

Members of OYES

Walking to Live, a new experience in Osun

SEMIU OKANLAWON

W

ith several years of despondency, the citizenry of every particular locale requires, after being delivered from the grip of an administration that had little or no socio-political and economic direction, a strategic plan that will inject life back into them and ginger them into action to change their lives for the better.

“The Walk-to-Live monthly programme put in place by the administration of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola appears to be doing that perfectly,” says Coach Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, former Nigerian Chief Coach and a Technical Instructor for CAF. Walk-to-Live is a monthly physical exercise that involves trekking of at least eight kilometres by interested citizens of the State of Osun after which a round of various other physical exercises follow to ensure that the citizens remain physically fit and mentally alert.

Talk of interests! Of course, the citizenry become much more interested seeing their governor leading the pack with top echelon of his administration who spot sports wears walking through the multitude in excitement.

Under the six-point development agenda of the governor’s administration, which he calls “My Pact with Osun”, promotion of healthy living is one. “There can be no healthy living without constant physical exercises,” the governor is always quick to remind his people each time people troop out to partake in what is appearing the biggest platform for mobilising the people to action in the state.

Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, after his participation in the 7th edition of the programme held in Ila Orangun on July 14, attested to the potency of the monthly event for springing the people into action. Perhaps, the more reason he made no pretence about replicating the same programme in the “Pacesetters State.”

Each edition of the programme seemed to have learnt a lesson from the previous one. The 7th edition held in Ila Orangun, home country of the National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria and former Governor of the State, Chief Bisi Akande, pulled perhaps a higher crowd than the one held in Ile-Ife, which took off at the Palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, and terminated at the Sports Centre of the Obafemi Awolowo University campus.

Before Ile-Ife, the programme had been staged in Iwo Local Government Area of the state which was the first edition held outside the state capital, Osogbo, which witnessed the first four editions.

In its own right, it is emerging as a potentially tourist action with the frills and thrills now associated with it. What with the now regular presence of notable actors and actresses of the Nigerian movie industry?

Tunji Bamishigbin, a lawyer, actor and film producer sees the Osun Walk-toLive as a “potentially crowd pulling event which the state can package as a tourist attraction if properly managed.”

On hand to pep up the event at different editions, apart from Bamisigbin were veteran actors such as Chief Lere Paimo, Chief Aderemi Olofaina, Chief Karimu Adepoju, Antar Laniyan, Yomi Fash-Lanso, Bolaji Amusan, Fathia Balogun, Ebun Oloyede and a host of others who have become household names in the country’s entertainment industry.

And Onigbinde, who has not missed any edition since he took part in the second edition, is not the only sports personality that identifies with the programme. Ex-internationals such as winger Chief Segun Odegbami, former midfield maestro, Demola Adesina, ex-defender Taiwo Ogunjobi and others, having graced the occasion once, have fallen in love to ensure they do not miss any edition.

The combined effect of the physical presence of the Governor of the state, the entire members of the executive council, veteran, regular faces in the country’s

entertainment industry, renowned sports personalities magically stir people into action in a frenzy of adulation that confirm a meeting point between the government and the people.

“People have been so alienated from the government in the past years,” lamented Comrade Rotimi Obadofin, a chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria and a former governorship aspirant of the party in Kogi State. “But this is a commendable way of mobilizing the people and identifying with them,” Obadofin added In no small dimension, the programme appears the best in closing the gap between the people and the government.

Each edition of the programme sees excited citizens who cannot join the usually long and winding procession either staying in front of their houses; climbing topmost parts of their buildings to catch glimpses of the governor, movie actors and actresses and sportsmen who have become regular features of the event.

Young mothers who cannot stay at home straddle their babies in the back. Physically challenged ones waddle their ways through the crowd to ensure they complete the ‘race’. Students, market men and women, old and the young want to be part of what they see as an engaging event that help them regain their selfconfidence. It is common scene to see excited, ordinary citizens wanting to get handshakes with the Governor and other top members of his administration.

“This programme makes your people to once again regain their self-consciousness,” says Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, Editor, The Nation Newspaper who witnessed one of the editions. “Part of the problem is that many leaders lock themselves in far away from the people who voted them in. Until another election is approaching, people don’t see them again. But people need to see and feel their governor and others working with him to take decisions that affect them,” Omotoso enthused.

But apart from other benefits now accruing from the event such as raising the

political consciousness of the people, Governor Aregbesola has never failed to remind enthusiasts at the events on monthly basis that “Walk-to-live exercise was introduced because we realised that we have all forgotten the need to physically exercise ourselves. We are highly sedentary and socially wild; we must compliment this with engaging in physical exercise. Osun is promoting Walk-to-Live to ensure that we have a healthy people in a healthy state.”

He said the incessant violence witnessed in the Northern part of the country is not unrelated to the fact that the dominance population of youths is not positively engaged.

“We do not know how totally vulnerable we are particularly as a nation with a population of which about 60 percent are youth.

The implication is that more than half of the country is in that category where if we do not engage them in activities that will saturate and dissipate their energy, we are doomed.” The governor noted.

To the veteran Coach, the Walk-to-Live is another way of reviving interests in sporting activities in the state, realizing the potentials of the younger ones to bring glory to their state through this.

“We have to develop before we go into competitions; you want your child to have a Bachelors degree in whatever field without going to the university, is that possible?. If you do not develop, you don’t expect high achievements, the talents are there let’s discover and train them.” Onigbinde stressed.

For the Deputy Governor, Otunba Grace Laoye Tomori; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti; Chief-ofStaff to the Governor, Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola, there is nothing like looking forward to every edition of the programme as this provides them the much needed opportunity to rejuvenate.

“I feel a sense of renewal after each event,” says Oyetola •Okanlawon is the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor

13

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Interview ENCOUNTER WITH A NEWS MAKER JULY 29, 2012

David-West: Nigeria needs good leaders, not a new constitution How would you assess the level of corruption in the country?

I agree with the late Alhaji Shehu Musa who was a former Secretary to the Government. He said it so many years ago that in Nigeria, not only are officials corrupt, but that corruption is official. President Goodluck Jonathan cannot fight corruption and the pity of it is that most Nigerians are ambivalent when it comes to the issue of fighting corruption. Here, we don’t like corruption but if you are not corrupt, they don’t like you. But look at what is going on now on the oil subsidy; you people (journalists) know about it, you have been writing about it and except we can handle corruption, the country cannot go forward. And if we don’t handle the issue of corruption very well, the problem in the country will continue. There is a stage in which the poor people will continue suffering and suffering, while the rich people are becoming richer, daily. But a time will come when this will stop and it will create a national catastrophe.

The Federal Government and the National Assembly have set up various committees to look into the issue of corruption in the oil sector, especially the scam on the fuel subsidy. How do you see these committees?

The committees are to waste some time and are unnecessary. We hold these various committees to do good work but my worry is that when the government sets up so many committees, they don’t really work. Committees don’t allow things to work; they usually slow down progress. Although, there is the need for some committees for specific purposes, nonetheless, the government that sets up these committees doesn’t even allow them to function well. Right now, all the committees set up on the oil sector, as far as I am concerned, are nonsense. Nigerians should know what to do; the oil sector as it is should be sanitised. But they cannot do it because they are compromising with them.

Then on the issue of bribe-taking levelled against Hon. Farouk Lawan by billionaire oil magnate, Femi Otedola, what is your impression?

It is all rubbish. You see, it is a sting operation. It is a lie. It is a sting operation and what do I mean by that? The sting operation is where the security people are directly involved in detecting fraud. The currencies are marked;

Professor Tam David-West is a former Minister of Petroleum Resources. In this interview with Ayo Esan, he speaks on the level of corruption in the country and takes a deep look at the probe of the oil sector. He also talks about the plan by the National Assembly to review the 1999 Constitution, among other issues. Excerpts:

David-West

they give to people to give to the suspect and arrest him on the spot. But when people are talking about Otedola and Lawan, it wasn’t a sting operation at all. And I challenge anybody; a proper operation is where the law enforcement agents marked the money and gave the money directly and then arrest him on the spot. But not Otedola becoming a glorified messenger in crime? Another thing is that Otedola should note that the man who gives bribe is as guilty as the man who receives it. But they are saying it as if

Otedola deserves a national honour. It is very wrong and there should be no partiality. The law that is implicating Farouk should also implicate Otedola.

As far as I am concerned, Otedola has nothing to celebrate. Lawan was careless; he has no business taking the money. I don’t know Otedola and I don’t know Lawan. Right now, Otedola has more questions to answer than Lawan.

The first question: Otedola said his company was not involved in oil subsidy scam at all. If his company was not involved at all, why was he making

friend with Lawan? Now, secondly, for Lawan, alright he was careless if you are a man of integrity which I believe he is and you are fighting corruption issue, then he should have been careful. He compromised himself, it wasn’t right. He was careless.

Some people believe that the whole thing is just a way of playing down the report of the probe on the oil subsidy scam. Do you share that view?

Let me tell you this; if Jonathan dares CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14

Interview

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 to suppress this, it would be trouble for him.

Jonathan should implement the oil subsidy scam reports to the letter. If he does not, it will be hard for him. This is one probe that cannot be swept under the carpet.

I have never tasted corruption in my life and I am particularly criticising the issue of corruption because I was jailed for collecting a wrist watch gift.

I was not corrupt and I am not corrupt and I challenge anybody to prove me wrong.

Sunday, July 29, 2012

‘Lawan was very careless with Otedola’ Because the northern insurgents, like Niger-Delta militants, were those being used by the PDP during the election. After election, they became monsters and they became militants.

What is your expectation from the court?

Are you sure justice will be done?

Yes, any judge that messes up with the case…Look, I don’t even want to contemplate that. Not only those in court but all of them that are involved will be punished by God. They will be punished by God because they have defrauded the country. Jonathan should better be serious about it, if he is not serious about it, he is looking for trouble.

We must all rise up to fight against it.

Many people also believe that our judicial system and the anti- corruption agencies, the EFCC and the ICPC, have not helped matters in our fight against corruption.

What is your view on this?

It is true that we have so many agencies to fight corruption but no matter the number of agencies, except we have a good leader, we cannot fight corruption. Corruption is easy to fight if you have an uncorrupt leader, focused and committed. Corruption can stop in this country if you have good leadership that is not corrupt. It will then be very easy for any agent of government to fight corruption. Any government that is serious can fight corruption. As far as I am concerned, the subsidy matter showed that a lot of things have gone bad. A country pursuing N1.3 trillion for fraud committed by few people…This is more than the annual budget of five African countries.

Only last week, the House of Representatives threatened to impeach President Jonathan over non-implementation of the 2012 budget. How would you weigh their threat?

President Jonathan should know that he is a vulnerable president. Jonathan was elected by the whole country, not only by the Ijaw. The person that moved the motion to make him the acting president was a Hausa man. The contribution of the Ijaw and the Niger-Delta are very minimal. So he is a very vulnerable president.

Are you saying the threat to impeach him can succeed?

He has gone through a lot of difficult situations. He can be impeached because he is very, very vulnerable.

Recently, Nigeria marked 13 years of democracy. Is there really any cause for celebration?

We have no democracy. How can you have democracy without free and fair election?

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

David-West

PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN CANNOT FIGHT CORRUPTION AND THE PITY OF IT IS THAT MOST NIGERIANS ARE AMBIVALENT WHEN IT COMES TO THE ISSUE OF FIGHTING CORRUPTION. HERE, WE DON’T LIKE CORRUPTION BUT IF YOU ARE NOT CORRUPT, THEY DON’T LIKE YOU Do you know what Winston Churchill said about democracy? He said it is a worse form of government. But for all the others, it is not. And then, the National Assembly has no power to review the constitution. The National Assembly can only propose amendment of the constitution. They should go and read very well. To have a major change in the constitution, 24 state Assemblies must approve it. That is what the constitution says.

So, they have no power; they are just wasting their time.

But some people are saying that we should have a conference that will formulate a new constitution?

Our problem is not the constitution, our problem is ourselves. Even in Greece where democracy started over 2,000 years ago, there, slaves don’t vote, women don’t vote but in a democracy, every adult must vote. The constitution is not the issue; Nigerians should

talk about themselves; not about the constitution.

What is the way forward for the country?

The way forward for the country is for Nigerians to be serious. Nigerians to have a non-corrupt leader, corrupt leaders must go away. So, the way forward is for the country to have non-corrupt leaders. As we are talking now, we are talking of 20:2020 and so on, but we need to be serious about our future.

The level of insecurity in the country, especially the Boko Haram insurgency, has reached an alarming rate. What do you think is the solution?

Boko Haram problem can be solved but we are not approaching it right. If we approach the problem properly, it can be solved. Boko Haram is not against Jonathan. Jonathan’s problem is Jonathan.

What do you mean?

You were often quoted as saying there is no fuel subsidy. Can you expatiate?

The mere thought of increasing petroleum prices is an irresponsible thought. There is no subsidy. The concept of petroleum subsidy is fraudulent. General Buhari was Petroleum Minister under Generals Murtala Muhammed and Olusegun Obasanjo respectively, before he later became Head of State. I was also Petroleum Minister under him. And both of us independently addressed the congress of the world that any form of petroleum subsidy is fraudulent. During the time of Obasanjo, he unilaterally increased fuel prices.

The poor people are suffering while people in government are getting fatter. They are under the burden of bad governance. I know somebody in the Senate who in 1984 could not service his car. Now, he is so fat, earning N34 million. Government’s negligence and sabotage by its officials are crippling the country’s refineries which ordinarily have the capacity to meet both domestic and international demands, to the relief of the ordinary Nigerian.

While the poor man is suffering, the government is telling him, ‘tighten your belt’. He keeps tightening his belt until his hip is broken.

Contrarily, those in government are increasing the size of their belt, every month. When Obasanjo was in power, I told him, ‘go on national television and announce that petroleum price has been reduced to N50 per litre and see if NNPC (Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation) will close down.

It will never close down. So, the concept of subsidy is made to deceive the people. We have four refineries in this country; the contract for the Kaduna Refinery was signed by me in 1984.

The refinery was rated as one of the best the world over. Years later, they deliberately damaged it. They have to sabotage the refineries so as to import fuel from abroad. And for every refinery sabotaged, they make millions the year round. I, Tam David-West, can afford to pay N100 for petrol per litre. But what of the ordinary man in the street? If you increase petroleum price, other things, commodity goods will increase.

So, when they (government) said that they were removing fuel subsidy, I told them, ‘you can’t remove what does not exist’. Now the minister recently indirectly admitted that there had never been subsidy on fuel.

By that statement, Nigerians had been taken for a ride by the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

They said they didn’t know how much was spent on fuel subsidy. If you don’t know how much you made, how would you know how much to remove? So, as I said, there is no fuel subsidy. You cannot remove what does not exist.”

15

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES JULY 29, 2012

Okorocha’s unending face-off with Imo council chairmen P. 16, 41

“FORGET IT. NIGERIA WILL NOT BREAK UP. IN FACT, THE REVIEW OF THE CONSTITUTION IS NOT EVEN GOING CLOSE TO THAT AT ALL. WE HAVE OUR CONTACTS, WE HAVE OUR FRIENDS; NOBODY IS CONTEMPLATING A BREAKUP”

–DR EMMANUEL UDUAGHAN

IMPEACHMENT:

How far can the Reps go?

‘Security problems have affected performance of President Jonathan’ P. 16, 41

Briefly Wada pledges 24-hour healthcare service to rural dwellers Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada, yesterday assured rural dwellers in the state of 24-hour qualitative and efficient health care delivery system as part of his transformation programme for the health sector.

Wada gave the assurance at Okpo, Olamaboro council, at a one day free medical treatment organised by the state branch of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) for rural communities in the three senatorial districts of the state.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Chief Yomi Awoniyi, said his vision for rural dwellers was one that would enable them to have 24-hour access to medical services in all cottage and general hospitals across the state.

He noted that the state would employ adequate medical personnel and provide quality facilities in the hospitals as he called for inputs from the NMA on ways to improve health care delivery in the rural areas.

The governor described primary health care delivery as the bedrock for achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) objectives in the health sector.

Wada pointed out that as part of his administration’s commitment to quality health care delivery, he had declared free treatment for pregnant women and children under the age of five in all the state’s health institutions.

Dr Attah Ahmed, the State NMA chairman, said the health care intervention in rural communities was aimed at providing treatment for malaria, hypertension and de-worming of children and adults.

Other services to be rendered, he said, included voluntary counselling and testing for HIV, Hepatitis A and B, provision of treated mosquito nets and free drugs.

Regain Nigerians’ confidence, Anyim charges PCC

Jonathan

TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

T

hreats weeks ago by the House of Representatives to impeach President Goodluck Jonathan may gain ground on the resumption of the Green Chamber in September.

But the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Sam Sam Jaja, has assured that the move would be averted through the intervention of the party.

The top politician from the Niger Delta said the impeachment tool was common in democracy, and that the party would attend to the issues behind the threat.

Said he: “It is not the first time a President has been threatened with impeachment, not only in this our country. In America, several presidents have been threatened with impeachment and of course, what the party is doing is taking up the process, because there is a process

Tambuwal

with which the party meets the people.

“It is true that many of them are PDP people. I agree, but they have their grievances. We will not also say that because they are PDP people, we will lord it over them. This thing must be attended to diplomatically, so that wherever anybody has gone wrong, it will be sorted out and eventually, this storm will definitely die down.

“It is not a fluke that they are not making any sense; it is not also a fluke that the President is making errors that require impeachment. At times, we overbloat these things, but the party has set up machineries to look into all the grievances of the members of the National Assembly and harmonise theirs with the position of the President. There must be an area for the two parties to meet and this thing should be resolved in the interest of democracy in this country. So, there is no threat actually, as it were. It is the usual thing that happens in any

democratic process”.

A quick recourse to history shows that impeaching a sitting President has always been tough.

Since 1776 (236years ago), when it announced its independence, the world’s most copied and important democracy has impeached only two of its 44 presidents, the 17th US President, Mr. Andrew Johnson in March 4 1869 and President Bill Clinton, in 1998.

The House had two weeks adopted a position by its Minority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila of Lagos State, to remove President Goodluck Jonathan if he failed to implement the 2012 budget, 100 percent in September.

The House and the Senate are empowered by section 143 to remove a President or his Vice, if any of them is seen to have acted wrongly in the opinion of the National Assembly.

Section 143 states: “The President or CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, has charged the 38 newly inaugurated commissioners of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC) to revitalise the commission in keeping with its mandate.

This is contained in a statement signed by Oise Johnson, an Assistant Director of Press in the SGF’s office in Abuja.

Anyim gave the advice when he met with the Chief Commissioner, Justice George Uloke (rtd), and the 37 commissioners in his office.

He stressed the need for them to remove all the bottlenecks that hindered the effectiveness of the commission as a statutory body.

The SGF noted that the commission lacked the powers to enforce its decisions, saying the impact of the body had not consequently been felt by the public.

Anyim advised them to regain the confidence of the public through its disposition to the plight of aggrieved Nigerians now seeking redress from the National Assembly or any other place.

“Re-establish the relevance of the Commission and the work load in my office will lessen,” he urged.

Earlier, the chief commissioner said the commission was being repositioned to gain the confidence of the stakeholders.

Justice Uloke said that for 13 years, spanning 1999 to 2012, the commission existed “without full completion of its constitutional composition”.

According to him, the body’s mandate was to enquire into complaints by members of the public pertaining to any inappropriate or misdirected administrative actions taken by the federal, states or local governments, public institutions and companies.”

The 38 commissioners were inaugurated by the SGF on May 14.

16

Politics

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Okorocha’s unending face-off with Imo CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

O

n June 6, 2011, before the appointment of members of the Imo State Executive Council, the Governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha, went on the state broadcast to dissolve the Local Government Administration in the state. In their place, he appointed Transition Committee (TC) Chairmen for the 27 LGAs .The dissolution and appointment of the TC chairmen raised disaffection between the ruling party, the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in the state and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose members in the dissolved councils were in the majority.

Not satisfied with the way and manner the state governor disbanded the local councils, the elected chairmen under the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Imo State chapter, headed for court to challenge the dissolution.

They lost at the lower court presided over by the Chief Judge of the state, Justice B. A. Njemanze.

The aggrieved council executives were rattled by the loss, they then approached and filed an appeal at the Appeal Court sitting in Owerri through their counsel, Dr. Livy Uzoukwu, SAN, to seek clarity on the judgment.

Among the five determining questions the appellants posed included; “Whether by the combined provisions of Section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 23 (1) of the Imo State Local Government Administration Law No. 15 of 200 (as amended), the 2nd Defendant by himself or through any person acting on his behalf has the competence or power to dissolve democratically elected Local Government Councils in Imo State in respect of which the

claimants are chairmen, through the 2nd Defendant’s maiden broadcast to the Imo people made on June 6, 2011.”

They (the plaintiffs) sought that they be reinstated with the declaration of the governor rendered null and void and unconstitutional and allowing them to serve out their guaranteed tenure.

Of course, through the governor/respondent’s counsel, Soronadi Njoku, defences, including Preliminary Objection to jurisdiction and competence of the suit were filed. It was also challenged that the suit, as it was, was not supported by credible evidence.

On July 5, Justice Uwani Musa Abba Aji, after looking at all the issues, gave his judgment in favour of the appellants in the following words, setting aside the judgment of the High Court.

This issue is resolved in favour of the Appellants. The appeal succeeds as it has merit. The judgment of the trial Chief Judge delivered on August 3, 2011 is hereby set aside. I now therefore grant the following reliefs as follows. It is hereby declared that pursuant to section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 23 (1) of the Local Government Administration Law No. 15 of 2000 (as amended), the 2nd Respondent had no competence or power, either by himself or through any person acting on his behalf to dissolve democratically elected Local Government Councils in Imo State in which, the claimants are chairmen, through the 2nd Respondent’s maiden broadcast to the Imo people made on 6th June, 2011.”

He went further to explain without technicalities in the following words: “It is hereby declared that pursuant to Section 7 (1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 23 (1) of the Local Government Administration Law No. 15 of 2000 (as amended), the 2nd Respondent by himself or through any person has no competence or power to set up or

constitute Transition Committees to replace the Appellants who were respectively the democratically elected chairmen of the 27 Local Government Councils in Imo State.

“It is hereby declared that by virtue of the provisions of Section 23 (1) of the Local Government Administration Law No. 15 of 2000 (as amended), the appellants have a guaranteed tenure of office as democratically elected chairmen commencing from the date of inauguration on August 9, 2010.

“It is also hereby declared that the Appellants are still the democratically elected chairmen of their respective local government councils until their tenure of office expires.

“The 2nd Respondent by himself, his servants, agents, privies or whomsoever are hereby restrained from interfering with the rights and privileges of the Appellants as democratically elected chairmen of the 27 Local Government Councils of Imo State and or appointing persons or constituting transition committees to take over the offices of the appellants or to replace them until they serve out their tenure.

“That is the judgment of the court. There shall be costs of suit assessed at N100, 000.00 jointly and severally against the respondents in favour of the appellants.”

On the issue of cross-appeal said to have been filed by the respondents, the judge made it clear to the parties involved that; “In the circumstances, there cannot be a hearing of the cross appeal without a notice of the cross appeal. It is the notice of the cross appeal filed by the cross appellant that gives this court the jurisdiction and competence to hear and determine the cross appeal. In absence of such notice of cross appeal properly filed before the court, the court cannot delve into the substance of the cross appeal as it lacks the competence and jurisdiction to do so. Consequently, the pur-

ported cross appeal is accordingly struck out. I make no order as to costs.”

The implication of the judgment therefore means that the period the transition chairmen appointed by the governor spent in the office was illegal. This may be a dent to Governor Okorocha’s administration. To prevent this from happening, the governor dissatisfied with the Court of Appeal judgment, applied for a stay of execution order and has also appealed to the Supreme Court.

On arrival at Sam Mbakwe International Cargo Airport, Owerri same weekend of the judgment by the Court of Appeal, Okorocha disclosed to Imo people that he had appealed against the judgment. He also directed that the reinstated council chairmen should not occupy their seat, stating that they should wait for the determination of the appeal.

But the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Imo State chapter, rebuffed the governor’s claim saying that he has no moral right to ask for stay of execution when the court had declared his purported dissolution of democratically elected local government councils and appointment of transition committees in its place as illegal and unconstitutional.

Based on this, the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Eze Duruiheoma (SAN), insisted that they were proceeding to the state Commissioner of Police, Chris Dega, to present a copy of the judgment which he disclosed to journalists that the police boss had demanded, after which, they would lead the council chairman to occupy their seats.

After two days and nothing happened from the police quarters, the PDP state exco feared that the police may truncate the court order and headed for Abuja where sources disclosed they met and tendered a copy of the Appeal Court judgment to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adokie (SAN).

Security problems have affected performance of Otunba Gani Adams is the national coordinator of the pan-Yoruba group, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). In this interview with Ayo Esan, he speaks on issues that affect the Yoruba race and the country at large. Excerpts: The security situation in the country is going bad by the day. Only a few weeks ago many people, including a serving senator, were killed in Plateau State. What does this insecurity portend for the country?

It is a bad omen and it is not good for our country. When you are talking of a country facing insecurity problem, no good and serious investor will come to invest in it. The more the crisis continues the more our image will be dented among the comity of nations. Also the citizens of the country will not have their mind at rest and this will make things difficult. Insecurity in any part of the country will automatically have effect in the other parts.

How can the problem be solved?

The only way to solve the problem is through dialogue.

The issue of insecurity in the country goes beyond the Boko Haram. We have a lot of robbery incidents. In Lagos, you will have up to 60 incidents of armed robbery per day. And in other states too, there are reported cases of armed robberies. I think we should have a national dialogue so that we can sit down and discuss the future of this country. We need to rub minds on how to have a secured and united country.

Some people believe state the police can help in reducing

crimes in the country. What is your view on this?

This is one of the things that may be discussed at the national conference. I also want a situation where every region will have its own police; a state would have its own police and the local governments will have theirs. I think with such structure we can minimise the issue of insecurity. There is no country that is 100 per cent peaceful but most countries try to reduce the level of insecurity so that investors can come and invest there.

Because of insecurity in some northern states, the House of Representatives passed a motion recently that some youth corps members should not be posted to such states. How do you see the decision?

It is a welcome development and a very good decision by the House of Representatives. It is important to save the life of the youth corps members who are the leaders of tomorrow. You cannot say because we have a national youth service scheme you will now post young graduates to places that are insecure. I support the House of Representatives’ decision.

How do you see the allegation made by Chief Femi Otedola that Hon. Farouk Lawan collected money from him

as a way of covering or protecting his company during the last probe of the oil subsidy by the House of Representatives?

It is very bad because if you monitor what is happening on the issue of Femi Otedola versus Lawan, you will not be happy as a Nigerian. I believe one of the organs of the government that should not be corrupt is the legislature.

The allegation that Lawan collected $620,000 from Otedola and Otedola recorded it both in audio and video is very bad for the country. I think the police should fish out other members of the House of Representatives that are involved in it. At the same time the report of the probe of oil subsidy should not be Adams

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Editorial

Sunday, July 29, 2012

17

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

T

STEVE AYORINDE

MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

BOLAJI TUNJI

SUNDAY EDITOR

LANRE OYETADE

GENERAL EDITOR

DOZIE OKEBALAMA

COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD

ADESOYE ADEKOYA

CONTROLLER, PRODUCTION

CALLISTUS OKE

EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR

ISE-OLUWA IGE

ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

KAYODE BALOGUN JNR

SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

FRANK OBOH

HEAD, GRAPHICS

Euro 2012 and Nigerian football

he Euro 2012 was co-hosted by Poland and Ukraine and had brilliant outings at the level of facilities and organisation. Meanwhile, the 2012 edition was intended to assist develop football facilities in the two countries. Both nations had been confronted with political and economic crises that restricted their capacities to develop football facilities. There were doubts, about six months to the cohosting, of their capabilities and competencies to host the event. To their credit, however, Poland and Ukraine were able to meet UEFA specifications and built football infrastructure that were comparable to facilities elsewhere in the world.

Meanwhile, the world champion, Spain, has continued to dominate global football with its 4-0 defeat of Italy to retain the European championship. The country was the first to retain the European cup and win three major championships in a row. It is also noteworthy that Spain is the defending champion of the World Cup and holder of the European cup before the Kiev final. The European Champions League is unarguably the second most priced football event in the world behind the World Cup. This championship drew global attention, huge finances, passion and nearly perfect organisational capacities in its trail.

The Euro 2012 venues were ready before the championship commenced; and the pitches were incredibly lush green to the delight of scintillating football.

The officiating was impressive and aided quality, competitive football. The media coverage of the games was likewise commendable and the organisers sold television rights in millions of Euros. The crowd control was impressive except the skirmishes between the fans of Poland and Russia on the death of former Polish leader, President Lech

Kaczynski, and his entourage over Russia some months ago.

The police were, however, able to nip the protest in the bud and prevented its escalation.

The final match between Spain and Italy was a treat that attracted global football personalities. The high ratings of the finalists, Spain and Italy, contributed to raising the stakes and excitement of the final. The match was high on tactics, except that Spain demonstrated superior tactical power that subdued that of the Italians.

Overall, the final drew viewership in virtually all world capitals.

The Euro 2012 football championship provides the context to revisit the organisation of football in Nigeria. To start with, the leadership of football in the country is overly politicised, often reflecting ethno-regional balancing. The management of football is thus entrusted more on political appointees than on technocrats. The retrogressive implications have been shoddy administration of Nigerian football, lack of vision and the fierce pursuit of personal gains by the administrators of the game.

And as would be expected, the country’s national teams have remained the major casualties.

The politicisation of football leadership has reflected in the poor state of facilities at the stadia. The pitches are poorly managed and scarcely attract good football and viewership.

The modest gains achieved in the 1970s and 1980s in local football, which attracted sizeable fans to the stadia, have been lost to poor organisation of local and international matches, poor officiating, and deplorable football facilities.

These developments have shifted the interests of Nigerians to European leagues in England, Spain, Italy, France and Germany. In

Nigeria, preparations of national teams for international football competitions had often been marred by avoidable lateness, shoddy facilities, politicisation of the appointment of coaches and the invitation of players, among others. Officials compete to secure personal economic gains to the detriment of quality organisation of events. South Africa’s hosting of the 2010 World Cup really exposed Nigeria’s poor capacity to compete for major football events.

We recall that Nigeria had shown interest in hosting the 2010 World Cup, but failed to follow it up to a logical conclusion.

There is the urgent need to recreate and develop Nigerian football. The government, at all levels should de-politicise football management for it to be attractive to technocrats and selfless administrators. Political cronyism, patronage and opportunism have literally brought Nigerian football down on its knees. Allowing expertise and experience to rule in football management in the country would make a remarkable difference in terms of football administration and raising the quality of facilities. The government should also stop its meddlesome roles in the election of football associations.

The recurring leadership crisis in the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) has always been linked to government’s imposition of candidates and subversion of rules guiding the emergence of the NFF board, for example.

In addition, quality officiating, improved facilities, enhanced media coverage and crowd control mechanisms, as well as adequate funding are desiderata in rejuvenating Nigerian football. The country’s football managers should draw and make use of the lessons from the splendid organisation of the Euro 2012 football events.

Reminiscences JULY 29 IN HISTORY 1958: US creates NASA to win space war National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA, was created by the National Aeronautics and Space Act to make sure America wins the space race. Eleven years and billions of dollars later, Neil Armstrong stepped out of the lunar module Eagle and onto the moon’s surface on July 20, 1969.

1966: Mutineers oust Maj-Gen Ironsi Major-General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi, head of the Nigerian National Military Government, was ousted when his own troops mutinied. He was replaced as leader by Yakubu Gowon.

1968: Pope Paul VI bans contraceptives Pope Paul VI banned contraceptive pill, as well as all other artificial means of birth control.

1975: Mohammed topples Gowon Exactly nine years after he took over power from Major-General Aguiyi-Ironsi, Yakubu Gowon was removed by a bloodless military coup and replaced as head of the National Military government by Murtala Ramat Mohammed.

1981: Prince Charles marries Lady Diana Prince Charles married Lady Diana at a royal ceremony at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

It was estimated that 500 million television viewers in 74 countries tuned in to witness the fairytale marriage.

1990: Communist Party reinstated in South Africa After a ban of 40 years, the South African Communist Party was reinstated.

2007: Iraq wins Asian Cup Despite being a country torn apart by invasion and internal fighting, the Iraqi football team won the Asian Cup against Saudi Arabia. The game, played in Indonesia, ended with a 1-0 score.

2009: Indian queen, Gayatri Devi, dies Gayatri Devi, one of the last queens in India, died on this day. The 90-yearold played an important role in politics and fashion in India and was once voted one of the most beautiful women in the world according to Vogue magazine.

2011: US car makers agree to fuel efficiency standard Major car makers agreed to the new fuel efficiency standard proposed by the Obama administration. The new standard that was agreed upon would raise the average miles per gallon to 54.5 by 2025. The move was hoped to reduce reliance on foreign oil imports as well as reduce air pollution.

18

Opinion

Sunday July 29, 2012

Uncensored U nc

Sheriff S Folarin

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

Y

our Excellency, the Executive Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, I write this open note for your attention, not because I cannot mail a sealed letter to your office through the proper channels. But my personal dread for overdevotion to administrative protocols and bureaucratic tie-downs that could result in avoidable delays, coupled with my apprehension of the probability of notes such as this missing in the course of traversing several difficult channels and not eventually getting to you, has culminated in the decision to reach you through this open means.

I am writing to you as a responsible, patriotic and concerned indigene of Ogun State. Before I make my depositions however, let me acknowledge your exemplary leadership in Ogun State. I have, since your assumption of office, been watching you manifest the true prodigy of Egba Lisabi, showing the attribute of a fearless warrior devoted to fighting the cause of the ennoblement of Ogun people. I admire your track records in turning the state around.

I have seen massive construction works, including the overhead bridge in Abeokuta; I have passed through Odeda and several other places and seen signs of a responsible and development-driven leadership. I also have read reports of land reclamation in Ogun and I can see the wonders done to some hitherto abandoned roads in the state.

These are noteworthy because development in the state had been far-fetched due to the nefarious activities of land speculators, land vendors (the omo oniles) and their patrons in high places.

Our dear Governor, while we appreciate your unwavering commitment to Ogun and

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Open letter to Governor Ibikunle Amosun the painstaking efforts to generate revenue for the state and put Ogun back in the prime of place, where it originally belonged; we also pray that Almighty God grant you more wisdom, vision and energy to take the state to greater prosperity. You govern a state which has produced the cream of Nigerian leadership: Obafemi Awolowo, Funmilayo Ransom-Kuti, MKO Abiola, Olusegun Obasanjo, Fela Kuti, Olabisi Onabanjo, Segun Olusola, Segun Osoba, and others too numerous to mention. This feat, frankly speaking, puts you on the competitive edge, for which nothing short of visionary leadership is required.

It is against this background that I wish to call your attention to a number of development issues that your administration must, as a matter of urgency, address. First are the state roads. The Local GovernmentToll Gate road in Sango-Ota should top your priority of roads rehabilitation. For eight years that I have resided there, that stretch of Local Government-Toll Gate has been rather in a messy state: deep gullies, multiple potholes, waterlogged interjections that leave it in a total state of disrepair.

While vehicles break down daily, traffic gridlock occurs all the time. The most tragic situation is that at the Toll Gate end of the road, trailers and articulated vehicles on regular basis, run into other vehicles and crush passers-by. Only last week, a young boy was killed by a trailer that lost control while descending the bumpy end of the road on the edge of the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway. This road had been abandoned by the previous administration. Governor Amosun cannot afford to do same.

Another bad dream is Joju Road at Sango.

That road is a by-pass to the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway, through which motorists used to avoid the erstwhile traffic gridlock at Sango (Under-the-Bridge). Joju Road is in a state of disrepair too.

Atan-Lusada-Agbara road is another network in the state begging for attention. Agbara is the industrial nerve-centre of Ogun.

It harbours the gigantic plants and factories of the biggest indigenous and foreign

companies in Nigeria. But that long stretch from Atan through Agbara to Badagry is in comatose. There has never been a smooth two-minute drive on this road; there are deep potholes and gullies everywhere. And the accident and robbery rates in this area are horrifying. So is the Iju Bridge just after Chelsea factory. Vehicles fall off the road into the little stream every other day, because the bridge is both too narrow for two vehicles to cross at the same time, as well as not fended to prevent fatalities.

In fact, all the outlets or inlets for Ota are in dire straits. Technically therefore, Ota, which is the hub of industrialization in Ogun State, and by extension Nigeria, is gradually being cut out because of the horrible state of its roads. This will surely discourage investment and human settlement, thus leading to an emasculation of the state revenue base.

Driving past Asero (Abeokuta) through Olodo, to the Oyo State boundary, is a long, narrow and curvy road with poorly patched spots. There are several areas apparently under rehabilitation being abandoned by the contractors, whose caterpillars and graders are left by the roadsides. The patch-work is, to say the least, bad. And it becomes embarrassing for a proud Ogun State indigene to suddenly berth on beautifully laid-out roads immediately he crosses the border into Oyo, a neighbouring state with a similar progressive government.

Your Excellency, I beg your indulgence to kindly look into these grey areas, and urgently too, so as to lift us from the abyss. Our companies are groaning, revenue is thinning out, the people are suffering, our vehicles are breaking down and there are avoidable losses on these spots on regular basis.

Thank you sir and God bless!

Adieu, Dafe!

The exit of Mr. Dafe Onovjowo, without any iota of doubt, would leave a huge gap in the laboratory of constructive journalism.

Dafe was an accomplished and quintessential journalist who had a knack for details and finesse. I remember my first encounter with him in December 2010. I had just

been appointed into the Editorial Board of National Mirror and had been commissioned by the Board to write one of the first editorials. Two weeks after my first column,, I entered the boardroom to be introduced to Dafe as the Coordinator. He was all smiles and very smart. So jovial was he that I used to consciously misspell his name, ‘Onovjovial’. Inside those cheers were sound intellectual, robust initiatives, critical thinking and hard work. Yet, his robust sense of humour reflected in his brilliant writings.

He had openly complimented and described me as “a very fine man” (I guess, like a female peacock, that endeared him to me).

I developed huge respect for him, and began to understudy his peculiar mannerisms. I saw something unique about his style. He knew something deep about nearly every subject. I enjoyed his intellectualization and yet practicality to issues.

Dafe was very understanding and supportive. He created a bond among the Editorial Board members. He was a good “matchmaker”: I hadn’t met Dele Seteolu in person, but he had told me to wait to see my brother.

Two years on, or less, Dele and I are indeed ‘brothers’, as we have taken the meeting to deeper professional levels in academia.

Indeed, with Dafe, the Editorial Board of National Mirror has become one of the most cohesive families in Nigerian media houses.

I would have seen him for the last time when I visited the Global Mirror House two weeks to his exit. I had called to tell him I was around. His response was the usual endearing one: “Ah, Dr. Folarin, it is nice to hear your voice once again. Please kindly wait for me, I am driving towards Mirror now. There is a little bit of traffic jam here… just wait, even if it is just to see your nice face again…” Unfortunately, I couldn’t wait to see his own nicest face too, as I pleaded with him to let me go so as not to be caught in the Lagos traffic jam myself. He left two weeks later.

Dafe, you will be sorely missed. Adieu!

•Dr. Folarin teaches Politics at Covenant University, Ota, Nigeria

Oteh’s recall: Whose interest are protesters serving?

ANSLEM OKONKWOR

T

hat the Federal Government has asked the Director-General of Security and Exchange Commission, Ms. Aruma Oteh, to resume at her duty post is not particularly peculiar because the FG is her employer and can at all times decide what to do with its employee. But what is worrisome, are the pockets of protests that have greeted that development.

In the first place, the decision to send her on suspension was for the board of the Commission to probe the alleged “questionable” handling of the fund realised from ”Project 50” an event the Commission organised in 2011. In doing this, the board in its wisdom wanted to ensure that the Director-General did not hinder the work of the audit firm externally hired to do the job.

Interestingly, the Audit firm-Price Water Coopers Ltd has done its job according to the terms of reference given to it and made it s findings known. In recalling her, the Federal Government through a letter by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Ayim Pius Ayim, said she was neither indicted for fraud nor for a criminal breach in any form. But only some administrative lapses are reported. Which are not enough to sustain the suspension

order. This in no way is enough to cause the type tension or ripples generating at the commission now except if there are other motives behind it especially by those who do not want her back because of the interest they represent in the system. A lot has been written and said about the Commission and entrenched practice of corruption in Collision with some major shareholders before Oteh came on the scene. She has had to battle these corporate thieves who had devised dubious means of manipulating the system to the detriment of the market. It is also not unexpected that the lady would not enjoy the cooperation of the management of the Commission especially when many of them had their eyes on that position when it was vacant. It is even on record that they actually applied and got interviewed for the job alongside Ms Oteh before she was appointed, by the late President Umaru Yar’ Adua. No doubt, therefore, that the protest may have been internally sponsored.

The action of the Federal Government has in no way foreclosed the report of the House of Representatives ad-hoc committee, which is with the hallowed chamber. The two issues are different. It is, therefore, very wrong for some mischief makers to cash in on it to foment trouble and cause a breach of the peace. From the petition submitted to the adhoc committee during its sittings, it is very easy to decipher that the lady’s detrac-

tors are within the Commission, people that are bent to pull her down to allow the old order of impunity to return. How possible was it for the classified documents of the Commission to get to some unauthorised hands if some high level members of management were not involved in the ‘Pull-her Down’ syndrome. The reasons behind this are not far-fetched. They go to show how much corruption has eaten deep into the very fabric of the system and how a few of the reforms Oteh has introduced in the last two years is sending shivers down the spines of the perpetrators.

As the old saying goes, the only permanent thing in life is change. Therefore, those who do not like her face because her reforms are affecting them and their interest should brace up to accept the change. Nigeria belongs to all of us. It is not an exclusive preserve of some people. The SEC boss has contract term of office and she should be allowed to run it out without distractions, so that at the end, we will be able to assess her based on what she did or failed to do. All those jostling for her position should wait for their turn. Instigating the public against her when no case of corruption against her was established is wicked to the extreme.

Finally, it is only the guilty that is always afraid. Some of the members of staff protesting cannot tangibly say why they are doing so. They are simply fighting the proxy

war and agents of those who have held the place hostage and grounded its operations before Oteh came in. They are the dishonest staff members in the system that collude with outsiders with negative, vested interest to cut corners and frustrate reforms aimed at repositioning the apex regulatory body.

They are those who leak official documents and information to achieve selfish ends.

They should be ashamed. Like I had said, Oteh is an employee of the Federal Government. The same government has asked her to go back to her seat. Those who do not like it should resign. The just should not suffer unjustly and she has just been vindicated.

Welcome back, madam!

Forgive all those who erred against you especially with the government’s clean bill of health for you. Be a mother to all and contribute your quota by carrying everybody along to move the capital market sector forward.

Since the only issue is lack of observance of administrative procedure, it is necessary to advise that the civil service is different from the private sector. Endeavour to get in tune with the civil service rule and ensure that they are fully complied with so that you avoid landmines laid for you by the detractors. Good luck!

•Okonkwor is a public policy analyst based in Lagos.

19

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Applause LIFESTYLE, FASHION & ENTERTAINMENT JULY 29, 2012

Men are not the only ones created in the image of God –Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu Dr. Tokunbo AwolowoDosunmu is the Deputy Director, Obafemi Awolowo Foundation. A one-time ambassador, wife and mother, she is of the view that women in abusive marriage or relationship should consider divorce because husbands who abuse their wives don’t stop. She tells Adaeze Amos that, “Most women in that kind of situation end up dead.

So, it is never a good idea to encourage any woman to stay in an abused relationship.”

What do you do for a living?

I’m working in a foundation. I’m the Deputy Director of Obafemi Awolowo Foundation. That is what I do most of the time.

Why do you think we have a few women in the national development of this country?

I think education is the key. More female children should be well educated. That is why statistics of manpower of women is still minimal. So, unless we have enough number of females that are well read, it would continue to be a real obstacle to women participation in the national development.

Don’t you think it’s sad considering the high number of women in the country but their impact is not mostly felt on the affairs of state?

It’s a pity, it’s very sad but I’m hoping that someday soon, the critical importance of education in the nation’s development process will be totally acknowledged and addressed. Look at South Korea, look at the Asian Tigers, they made their breakthroughs purely through education.

So, I’m hoping that we would get there.

I WEAR SKIMPY OUTFITS BUT DON’T OPEN VITAL PARTS

20

Do you think the 35 per cent benchmark given to women in national development is adequate?

Well I think we should first of all work towards real empowerment. I mean empowering enough numbers of women. The statistics of women who are already empowered is minimal. So, there is no point asking for 50 per cent of lecturers for instance when actually they are not enough.

They are not even up to 20 per cent. So, that shows we don’t have the critical marks yet to make such demands that we are making. I would rather get something on my own merit rather than being conceded because of quota. I think that is not even good for the country because we want the best talent.

Can you rate the performance of the few women at the helm in the country right now?

It’s very difficult for me to rate anybody without the figures. So, I wouldn’t really want to address this question.

Well, but I’m sure they are trying their best.

Isn’t it challenging to be a woman in a male-dominated country such as ours?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

‘MY BEST ASSET IS MY WAIST’

36

20

Applause

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘No woman should stay in an abused relationship’ CONTINUED FROM 19 It is a great challenge and for women who are determined to break that stereotype or challenge the status quo, it’s difficult. Such women are called names such as demigods.

They are most often being referred to as too aggressive and not feminine whereas my definition of being feminine is quite different from that. You can be feminine and you can be a goal getter. As a matter of fact, we are all human beings. The Bible even says it is not only the man that was created in the image of God, women too are created in the image of God. So, what is good for a man is also good for a woman. I resent being laboured and being put in a corner just because I’m a woman.

However, because my parents never did. For them, you know, a child is a child. It is your ability that should define a person and not the sex. Your character is what would define you in life, not your gender.

I wear skimpy outfits but don’t open vital parts –Mo Cheddah

Can you then reach out to women who have all female children, but feel unfulfilled?

I always find that so strange because you find women who have actually accomplished and at the same time thinking that their female children are not good enough and they still prefer their male children. It is such an irony. I think such women should just gently be reminded that you are whom you are. You Mo Cheddah had always wanted to become a musician. Today, the University of Lagos are a woman, why are you thinking that your Creative Arts graduate is a rap artiste. She tells Adaeze Amos in this interview how her mother female children should not tap same opportunities or even better opportunities than you gave a boost to her passion for singing. had to achieve something. Fortunately, that Your mum is a pastor? kind of notion is getting less and less. But all You are talented, with a good voice and you dance well, did you Yes, she is! need to go to school? the same, we still have to challenge it when What?

Education is power, it is necessary to acquire educawe see it. We have to try and work towards a tion because one actually need to apply it to his or her general Does she not frown at some skimpy styles you slip into? solution.

Oh my skimpy wears? Yes I wear skimpy outfits but I don’t knowledge. There are some things they taught in the university, open the vital parts of my body. I wear things that show my legs, for instance, that I couldn’t have just learned on my own.

I went Many women are in hellish marriage that are you know, I’m young, I need to do a couple of things before I get to school to get that degree.

I may do my master’s if possible and life threatening but they still stay put because to a certain age. My mother tells me at times that what I’m wearit’s fun really . of what people would say; what’s your advice ing is skimpy . I tell her come on mummy calm down, you wore to such women? things like these when you were younger. So calm down let me When you were in the university, was it not tough combining I will remind them of that story although have my way .

I don’t push it, this is the lowest I can go (styles your education with your music career? the case is still on, of a lady who actually that are slightly above the knee). I don’t even show cleavages, It was hard really , but I knew it required just hard work.

I stayed and stayed until her husband killed it’s not my style.

I believe that there is a thin line between sassy knew where I was going.

I was focused and I knew I had a long her allegedly. Most women in that kind of and sexy .

You don’t have to show off your skin to be sexy. You way to go, so I had to keep going. situation end up dead. So, it is never a good could wear a wrapper and still be sexy. I don’t believe in cleavage idea to encourage any woman to stay in an showing.

What is your motto in life? abused relationship. Usually men who abuse My motto is taking what I long for or my dream by force. I women don’t stop. And so, it is not to be enbelieve that in everything you have to take it by force. When you Most young ladies don’t wear pants before leaving their houses; couraged, it is not a good thing at all. Nobody want something, you have to go for it vehemently and you have what about you? should be expected to endure marriage. It is Yes, I have observed that. I mustn’t do that. In fact, I must to fight well for whatever you believe in. That is why I love my to be enjoyed, not endured. mum. My mum is a strong woman and she is my role model and. wear my underpants before leaving my house else my mum I believe that with God everything is possible and I know He has would pull me back.

Some youth corps members were posted to a plan for me. I take everything positively, no bad airs around the northern part of the country for the oneyear compulsory service. Considering the situ- me. I don’t believe anything is negative. I take everything as they Can you talk a bit on your love life?

There is somebody in my life. He is very close to me and we come. ation of things there, as a mother would you are happy people. allow your daughter or son to serve there?

How do you come about your songs?

As a mother, it would be very difficult conI don’t know how I come about my songs; it’s inspiration and What is your worst fear? sidering what we hear on a daily basis to alI’m scared to fail and my mum has been praying for me so inspiration is right inside me. So, when I’m in the studio I listen low my child to go there and serve. It would be that the fear of failure in me can be subsided. She has been buyto the beat and I start writing.

If it sounds good, I record, if it very difficult truly. So, I don’t blame parents ing me books on that. She said it’s okay to have such a fear but doesn’t, I think about it before I record.

It’s easy , it comes easy , who are very worried about the posting of it shouldn’t be something I should battle with. She said I should thank God. their children to the North. It is natural not be quoting the biblical quotation that says I should not fail but to. So, I hope a solution would be found to the succeed because there is power in what we say. Fear is the issue How was your growing up? problems of insecurity. I think that is where I’m having and I have started praying against it.

My growing up was beautiful.

My dad was a deacon before he we need to start from. Address the problems died, and my mum is a pastor now.

I grew up in a Christian famof insecurity and then things would normalise. But I don’t think of any mother that ily. My parents believe in being very close to their children and What is your most striking prayer point?

My striking prayer point is to live and not die. This is what I would sleep well at night knowing that they we are very open-minded, positive people. We are just one big, say constantly, to live and not die. I say this prayer all the time happy family basically .

It was beautiful growing up. have posted their children to such places; because when there is life there is hope. that is difficult.

21

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Cocktail Whispers

Stories by Olumide Segun-Oduntan

0818 941 8761 e-mail: lumidezy@yahoo.com

July 29, 2012

Pastor Chris Okotie acquires new Mercedes Benz car

Goldie

That Pastor Chris Okotie and his second wife, Stephanie, have gone their separate ways is no longer news. But the latest gist making the rounds about the popular man of God has to do with his latest ride.

According to latest information at Cocktail Whispers’ disposal, Pastor Chris has just acquired a brand new black Mercedes Benz CLS 550 2012 model.

According to a source, Pastor Chris, who attended the wake keep of late Pastor Connie Madubuko, (Pastor Anslem Madubuko’s wife) which held at Revival Assembly Church, Revival Close, Ogba, Ikeja recently, was spotted with the car.

It was learnt that the well-spoken man of God drove into the church premises in the new Mercedes Benz.

Interestingly, Cocktail Whispers was also informed that the word, ‘Peace’ was written on the number plate.

Pastor Chris Okotie

Why Goldie cried Mercy Johnson, hubby expecting first child during her eviction from Big Brother Star Game Many may have thought that her display of affection for fellow housemate was part of her plans in order to emerge winner in the competition. Besides, before she got into the game, not many were aware that she is a very emotional person despite the ‘hard’ babe image seen in her videos.

But Nigeria’s celebrated singer, Goldie Harvey, has disclosed that she is human and that her display of love for fellow Big Brother housemate, Prezzo, was not a strategy to win the mouth-watering sum up for grab.

Goldie, who was evicted from the Big Brother Star Game few days ago, revealed that what viewers of the show saw of her was her true nature.

“What you saw of me in the Big Brother house wasn’t a strategy to win. I saw Prezzo as a calm, very intelligent and easy-going person. Viewers have the option of seeing about 50 cameras at a time, but I have just two eyes and two ears and only believe in what I saw.

You had the opportunity of knowing him more than I did. I believe in what I saw.”

On how she felt when she realized that Prezzo had nominated her for eviction/played her, the celebrated singer said, “I didn’t know much or watched Big Brother very much before I got there due to my busy schedule as an artiste. So, I never suspected that Prezzo played me because he cared for me in the house. And when I say you are my friend, I will trust you wholeheartedly.

“But when I came out of the House and realized that he had played me, I was a bit sad. Knowing that he was in the house to play a game, I became relaxed”.

On why she cried during her eviction, Goldie said, “That is who I am. That was how I was brought up. I am a very emotional person. But I cried mostly because of the betrayal that I felt from Prezzo! He was the last person that I thought could betray me. He was always giving me hope, cheering me up as one of the West African representatives. He showed solidarity to the course of the region. I thought he was my friend! So, I was emotional when I realized he played me.”

This piece will certainly come as a feel-good news for the fans and well-wishers of controversial actress, Mercy Johnson. Well, if the feelers reaching Cocktail Whispers is anything to go by, then those who have enjoyed and still like seeing the beautiful Mrs. Odianosen-Okojie on screen, should start getting ready to congratulate her very soon.

Yes, after almost a year since Mercy Johnson got married, Cocktail Whispers has learnt that the screen goddess and her beau, Prince Odianosen Okojie, are expecting their first child.

Cocktail Whispers also gathered that already, the news of Mercy Johnson’s pregnancy has started creating a buzz around her circle of friends as they are said to be happy about the actress’ new status.

In fact, among Mercy Johnson’s fans, a different kind of jubilation was said to be going on, as some have started coming up with names to give to Mercy’s forthcoming bundle of joy.

Mercy Johnson & Hubby

Is Emeka Ike angry with Nollywood?

If the information made available to Cocktail Whispers is anything to go by, then it appears that celebrated star actor/movie producer, Emeka Ike, is not happy with happenings in the Nigeria film industry known simply as Nollywood.

While the popular actor has not actually quit the movie industry that brought him fame and fortune, Cocktail Whispers gathered that he has withdrawn all his movies from the market.

And guess what, the reason is not far-fetched. It seems that Emeka Ike is angry with what is going on in Nollywood.

Here him: “My conscience would not allow me to go on with the decay in the industry. So, I feel that was the best thing to do, to dissociate myself from the problem and stand out! So, henceforth, any Nollywood movie would not involve Emeka Ike. Rather, I want to market all my movies on the label of Emeka Ike Production.”

Well, who is going to settle the fight between Emeka and Nollywood or really, when will it end? Let’s not even guess.

Emeka Ike

22

Movies & Music

Stories by Olumide Segun-Oduntan

Sunday, July 29, 2012

0818 941 8761 e-mail: lumidezy@yahoo.com

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nadia Buari, Bimbo Manuel, impress in Heroes and Zeros

Orya

NEXIM partners more filmmakers In line with the Federal Government’s directive making USD200m available to the creative industry, the MD of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Roberts Orya, has said that more filmmakers have been slated out to benefit from the fund.

Coming on the heels of the recent partnership with filmmaker, Tony Abulu for the movie, ‘Dr. Bello’, Orya said that the fund represents a significant commitment by the Federal Government to the creative segment of the economy.

According to Orya, the Nigerian Creative and Entertainment Industry Stimulation Loan Scheme is intended to address issues regarding the institution of credible structures, attract investment in the development of content and infrastructure in the media and entertainment sector as well as improve the production standards, distribution, marketing and exhibition standards.

“Underlying these policies and interventions is the strong recognition of the need to generate inclusive growth that significantly reduces the uncomfortably high levels of unemployment most particularly amongst urban youths especially in the arts. The FGN sees itself as a catalyst in starting off a number of SME/SGB support initiatives and programmes and in establishing an initial set up or catalyzing fund,” Orya said.

He added that the three outfits the bank was working with were those that met the eligibility criteria laid out by the bank, as approved loan would be disbursed in line with disbursement modalities structured during appraisal process.

Orya said that NEXIM Bank would soon be reaching an agreement with not just filmmakers but other segments of the creative industry like music, visual arts and others.

Nadia Buari, Bimbo Manuel and Gabriel Afolayan are stars of different generations, distinct talents and brands.

But they connect well and put up stellar performances as the lead acts in the movie, Heroes and Zeros directed by Niji Akanni and produced by KOGA Studios.

Nadia Buari, the Mulatto beauty, who played the role of Tonia, was in her element in the movie that many have described as one of the most anticipated movies of the year.

Playing the role of a ravishing beauty and lead actress in a Nigerian-French film project, Nadia leads Bimbo Manuel to the path of self destruction.

Playing the role of Fele, a movie director, Checkmate veteran and Tinsel star, Bimbo Manuel, gives life to the character of the self-destruct Fele. The connection between Bimbo and Nadia was nothing less than perfect as the two connect like lovers on a whirlwind of love. Fele, who was, just 10 years ago, a very rich celebrity director in the movie, allowed the fair-skinned actress, Nadia, lead him astray.

However, it was not only Nadia that Bimbo connected well with, his brilliance that endeared fans to him during the Checkmate days was also displayed by the actor at different points in the movie. Playing the role of a husband, hopeless football enthusiast, a friend and a lover, Bimbo proved that his acting prowess goes beyond reading out lines but connecting well and building chemistry with the character and other acts on set.

For fast rising star, Gabriel Afolayan, Heroes and Zeros was the platform to further establish him as an actor to look out for, as he plays the role of Dibu Ijele. Drawing inspiration from Bimbo Manuel, Olu Jacobs, Nobert Young and Akin Lewis, Gabriel plays the part of an emerging reporter with Naija Scene, a weekly tabloid. Dibu believes that the only way to beat the competition is to scoop and sell dirt about anyone with a famous face or name. His theory eventually led to the downfall of Bimbo Manuel.

‘Heroes and Zeros’ brings together a consternation of other stars like Olu Jacobs, Norbert Young, Akin Lewis, Funsho Adeolu, Chervel Bridgette to tell the story of the destructive pursuance of Tonia (Nadia Buari) by Amos Fele (Bimbo Manuel).

Set entirely in Lagos City, ‘Heroes and Zeros’ is a fiction film, yet it looks like a reality-based documentary. Many scenarios appear as if they have been ‘lifted’ directly from (and commenting on) contemporary realities of Nigerian life and living.

According to the producers, ‘Heroes and Zeros’ has immediate relevance to Nigeria because it’s an entertaining portrayal of the use and abuse of the media – print, television and film – in a developing society such as Nigeria.

Bimbo Manuel and Nadia Buari

Papa Ajasco shines in new adventures

Ajasco

The award-winning comedy group, ‘Papa Ajasco & Company’ is shining in brand new episodes of the TV comedy drama. Wale Adenuga Productions, producers of the popular comedy series, has just concluded production of several sizzling episodes among which are ‘The Great Escape’, ‘The Breakthrough’, ‘Phone Palava’, ‘Fear of the Uniform’, ‘Fuel Matter’, ‘Hair Madness’, ‘Valentine’s Day Wahala’ and ‘Two Crimes,

One Day’.

‘Papa Ajasco & Company’ remains the choice TV comedy according to Media Monitoring Reports (MMS), having ruled the airwaves for 15 years.

The group will also be performing live on stage at the Nnena & Friends Independence Day Show coming up on September 30, 2012 at Blue Roof Hall, LTV 8 Agidingbi, Lagos and at The National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

I’m happy Last is going places A

mnesty International ambassador, A-list actress and singer, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, has tipped the new Nollywood flick, ‘Last Flight to Abuja’ to go places.

Omotola played the role of a busy lady based in Abuja who had to cut short her stay in the Federal Capital City in order to surprise her fiancé who is based in Lagos, only to meet another lady in her pajamas. On seeing the stranger in her fiancé’s apartment, Omotola decided to go back to her base thereby boarding the doomed last Flamingo flight to Abuja.

The Amnesty International ambassador was pleased with the positive review the movie got in the UK, “I am totally pleased to hear that it has been rated in four star by Odeon cinemas, UK; it’s a testament to the faith, perseverance and hard work. Thank God, this is only the beginning”.

‘Last Flight to Abuja (LFA)’ was produced by Obi Emelonye, the producer of one of the highest grossing movies of 2011, ‘Mirror Boy’, a film that received several awards last year. Obi Emelonye’s new movie features a delightful slew of superstars and fast rising acts; the amiable Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Jim Iyke, Hakeem Kae Kazeem, Ali Nuhu, Jide Kosoko, Celine Loader, and a host of others.

Nigeria’s Got Talent show: N If you have talent in any area that can entertain an audience, then you should start gearing up to take part in a competition that will not only give you an opportunity to thrill fun lovers with your talent but will also put a mouth-watering amount of money in your pocket if you emerge winner.

M&M can reveal that telecommunications services provider, Airtel Nigeria and Rapid Blue Format have announced a star prize of N10 million up for grabs at the Nigeria’s Got Talent show, as the auditions commence in a fortnight across the country.

Gifted Nigerians, male and female of all ages with talents in acrobatics, magic display, fire eating, ball juggling, dancing and others will have a chance to showcase their talents in the reality Television show.

The show auditions will kick-off in Nigeria’s capital city of Abuja between the 31stof July and 1st of August, 2012 at the Rockview Hotel before it moves to the Coal City, Enugu on the 3rd of August at the Independence Hotel.

Other cities across the country would

have a chance to show the show train moves 7; Port Harcourt on 9 13th; and Ibadan 16th ing in the Centre of E August 18th and 19th.

“This is the definit country at the momen nature is strictly uniq brand and puts it ah Executive Producer, plains.

Chief Operating O Director, Airtel Nige tava, said: “Airtel is with RBF to empowe Aside providing a gr ented Nigerians, we about thrilling and ex cations consumers ac Nigeria’s Got Talen run between July and featuring amazing stunts on National tel “Airtel is excited to yet another credible ebrate and reward

23

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Promotion without possibility of demotion’

G

Praise Worship E-mail:richardeghaghe@yahoo.com

E-mail:titusanyanwu.2012@gmail.com

EDIFYING GOD

28

eneral Overseer of Inri Evangelical Spiritual Church, Oke-Afa, Lagos, Primate Babatunde Elijah Ayodele, has revealed that a book published by him and a private letter he sent to the late President Atta Mills of Ghana two years ago, revealed grave dangers to the health of the president.

The man of God in the book titled ‘Warnings to the nations,’ and in the letter to Mills, had warned the departed president to be mindful of his health and that the country, Ghana, should pray against being in “a mourning mood.”

On page 148 of the current edition of the book which public presentation was performed at the church premises on Thursday, July 5, 2012 and copies made available to the media, the prophet wrote in part, “The President of Ghana must be prayerful for success. The performance of the President will fall short of expectations…. The country must pray against ethnic crisis and what can make the country to be in a mourning mood”.

Also on page 155 of the book, under the sub-title ‘Ghana’, Prophet Ayodele wrote, “The ruling party in Ghana must pray against crisis. The people must ask God in prayers for sound health for the president of Ghana. The President must ask God for victory in dealing with all the challenges of his office. The president will face serious opposition and as such, must pray fervently about this…”

To conclude his predictions on the gold rich country, the prophet wrote, “the King of Ashanti Kingdom in Ghana needs prayers. The King must seek the face of God for victory and peace of mind. I foresee problems in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The King must pray for divine support and the grace to be appreciated by the people in all of his efforts.

“Ghana should pray for its past president that none of them shall fall sick and that none shall pass away suddenly. The country must pray for a former international footballer not to pass away. The entertainment industry in Ghana must be committed into prayer.”

The shocking death of President Atta Mill of Ghana was reported Tuesday, after a brief illness.

Reacting to the sudden death of the president in an exclusive interview with Sunday Mirror, the Inri Church spiritual head, lamented that since 2010, he had been sending warning signals to Mills on his precarious health condition, especially on the need to solve the problem spiritually. “Most leaders berate predictions by truly ordained prophets. They mostly rely on their pastors, quite ignorant of the fact that as leaders, God can use any of his anointed ministers to talk to them and what may not be revealed to their recognised pastors by God could be revealed to a prophet to take to them.

“As ministers of God, we all have different spiritual gifts” He added that in an interview in a recent edition of a Lagos magazine, God revealed certain things to him about the Ghanaian leader which were published but were rebuffed and unattended to. He displayed the publication, part of which read:

July 29, 2012

I wrote President Mills on his health challenges, Prophet claims

Briefly London Catholic churches host Olympic visitors The peal of church bells across London for three minutes beginning at 8:12 a.m., July 27 signified that after seven years of intense preparation the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games had at last reached England’s capital.

The mass bell-ringing was an initiative in which all of the city’s churches were invited to take part. Even “Edward,” the massive bell of the Catholic Westminster Cathedral, was among those that rang out to herald the arrival of the games.

Big Ben, the bell of St. Stephen’s Tower at the Houses of Parliament, rang for three minutes for the first time since the funeral of King George VI in 1952.

But as the bell tolling ended and the focus switched with anticipation to the opening ceremony later that day, three Catholic churches in particular understood that the chimes signaled the start of a very busy time.

Yola bishop bemoans ungodliness

The late President Mills

Primate Ayodele

“The Lord says: Your Excellency must be prayerful so that you don’t lose something precious and dear to your heart.

•In the 7th July and the 8th August, months of this year, the Lord says you must take your rest very seriously so as not to fall sick. Also towards the end of your tenure, your Excellency needs to be concerned about your rest.

The Lord revealed that in August of this year, 2010, your Excellency must reduce travelling.

•in the same 9th and 10th months, your Excellency must be watchful of what you eat. Take proper care as regards what you eat please.

•In the month of November, the 11th Month, the spirit of God says the presidential jets must be put under proper watch and scrutiny.

He said there were “wider range of issues that were revealed and which were not meant for newspaper publications and for which he wrote a personal letter

to the president, so as to address them one-on-one because God specifically mentioned Ghana, when it was revealed to me. He (God) didn’t mention Tanzanian, or Mali, or South-Africa.”

Prophet Ayodele hinted that despite pleading with the president that “Your Excellency must create time for the meeting and to also determine the venue and time as a matter of urgency, he never got any response. Since the revelation kept coming to me from God, I have to send people to Ghana to book an appointment with the president. But for one reason or the other, there was not positive response for the meeting.”

The seer thus regretted the death of the president, describing it as unfortunate. “I seriously feel bad over the death of this erudite statesman and one of the greatest leaders of Africa. It is particularly painful to me because I saw it coming about two years ago. It could have been avoided, he said.

‘WHEN LIFE IS SWEET, BETTER PRAY’

25

The bishop of Yola Anglican Diocese in Adamawa State, the Rt. Rev. Marcus Ibrahim, has observed that because of troubles and confusion in Nigeria and the world at large, many people, even among the Christians, have abandoned God and deviated from the truth.

He made this observation at the second session of the eight synod of the diocese of Abuja Anglican Communion, saying that many Christians have joined secret cult and have stained their hands with blood in the name of looking for power protection and refuge.

According to Bishop Marcus “because of political instability, religious crisis, human trafficking, assassination, kidnapping, global financial recession and spiritual leprosy characterized with so much confusion and trouble within the Nigerian nation, many people regard God as a failure, they think he can no longer be trusted as someone who can deliver.” But the bishop declared that all hope was not lost because according to him, God will still deliver Nigeria all from kinds of political and religious instabilities.

“He will defend and protect his church and no man or devil can stop the church from marching forward,” He assured.

Winner of July 22 Sunday Mirror/Babcock University Bible Quiz: Irimiya Afang 07052766943

• Current and past winners can collect their prizes from the office of the Editor, Sunday Mirror, 151/161 Broad Street, Lagos anytime from Monday to Friday. Participants should always indicate their names when sending their entries

QUOTE Life without challenges is no life. When there are no challenges you better watch it. –Pastor Bamidele

‘INTRODUCING YOU TO THE GREATEST HELPER’

26

24

Praise & Worship

Sunday July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fix Lagos-Ibadan Book Review: Deal Expressway –Osu urges FG with that giddy feeling

TAI ANYANWU

T

he Federal Government has been accused of being insensitive to protection of human lives on account of the worsening state of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The Director of Social Communications, Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, Msgr. Gabriel Osu, who made the observation in Lagos, described the neglect as sign of government’s insensitivity to the protection of the lives of its citizens.

Reacting to a recent accident which led to the loss of several lives on the road, the Clergy frowned that the government had over the years failed to respond to the clarion call on government to effect urgent rehabilitation of the road

considered as one of the busiest in the country.

“That road which is the major one that links Lagos to other parts of the country is gradually becoming a source of national embarrassment. I don’t know why the government is playing politics about its rehabilitation,” he wondered.

He added, “If the company handling the project is incapable of doing so, why can’t the ministry of works award the contract to a more capable firm?

I even learnt the government of Ogun state once indicated their interest to assist in its repairs but were rebuffed.

“Every day, innocent travellers are killed on that road through avoidable rood mishaps and tanker fire explosions. Look at what happened recently at Okogbe in Rivers State.

That too could have been avoided if the road was in good condition.

The ministry of works must do something urgently to fix our deplorable federal roads to avoid further loss of lives,” Osu commented.

He also condemned the presence of fuel tankers and haulage vehicles plying that major road, saying they have continued to constitute themselves as nuisance to other road users, particularly as many of the accidents recorded have been attributed to the recklessness of the drivers.

He called for the urgent revamping of our comatose railway transport network, arguing that many of the goods being transported by road at great risk to road users can be seamlessly conveyed across the country through the railways.

Brace up or be shown the way out, Okogie tells Jonathan TAI ANYANWU

Book:

My first love

Author:

Taiwo Iredele Odubiyi

Reviewer:

Tai Anyanwu

Price:

N550.00

Publisher:

Tender Heartslinks Series

Pages:

296

T

C

In a statement signed Msgr. Gabriel Osu, Director of Social Communications, the Prelate bemoaned the degenerating level of insecurity, corruption and unemployment in the country.

Okogie urged the President to settle down an earnestly address the contending issues of good governance instead of dissipating energy on the selfish ambition of running for a second term in office in 2015. “President Jonathan must commit all available resources towards providing good governance for Nigerians. All these talk about second term and constitutional amendments are more like ploys to divert attention from the real issues on ground, he said.

“The country is presently in a bad state; nothing seems to work. During the time of Obasanjo, the issue of third time agenda came and went away.

He added, “When Jonathan took over and prom-

But when she came face-to-face with that captivating sensation that has defiled the sense of judgment of some women, Lisa understood that giddy feeling women usually feel when they meet their first love again.

It was a bright Monday morning at the Bright Future Private School, one of the best private schools situated in highbrow Victoria Island, Lagos.

And Lisa, the elegant proprietress of the school, had settled down for the day’s job. She had actually been drafting some letters in her cozy office; when Anna, her secretary broke her concentration with a gentle knock on the door.

Handing over a visitor’s form to Lisa, the secretary announced that a parent was waiting to enroll his daughter into the school.

The first detail on the visitor’s form which caught her attention, “Mr. Eyituoyo,” reminded Lisa of Mofe Eyituoyo, her first love. She found her heart beats racing fast as memories of their threeyear love affair in a private university came flooding back.

he Administrator of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, His Eminence, Anthony Cardinal Okogie, has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to rise above the myriad of challenges facing his administration and deliver on his electoral promises to Nigerians.

elebrated author of award winning Christian romance novels, Pastor Taiwo Iredele Odubiyi, in her new book titled ‘My First Love’ warns against the dangers of pre-marital sex. She wants, especially married women, to learn how to deal with such weakness that leads some to defile their matrimonial beds when they meet their first love again. Lisa Ayo-Taylor does not believe that a woman, especially when she is married to another man, should fall for her long lost first lover again when she encountered him.

Anthony Cardinal Okogie

ised to serve for only four years, Nigerians thought he was the much awaited messiah, but no sooner had he settled down than he began to call for five years single tenure, supported by the Senate. Now, he is desirous to contest for 2015.

Who do they think they are dealing with? Presently, the lower house of assembly is threatening to impeach him over poor budget performance while the sycophants in the corridor of power are trying to shield him. These are not acceptable,” Okogie insisted.

While bemoaning the high level of insecurity, collapsed social infrastructure and total decadence in the country, Okogie wondered why the president and his cronies have been playing lip service to matters that

bothered on the welfare of the Nigerian masses he had sworn to serve.

He therefore called Mr. President to either brace up or be shown the way out.

Hear him, “Nigerians are tired of mere promises; they want concrete action; they want to see in practical terms that this government is committed to fighting corruption and restoring the country to its past glory.”

The servant of God also tasked media practitioners to be more thorough in their news coverage and analysis regarding contending national events.

He charged the men of the pen profession and to engage more in investigative journalism so as to unearth perceived rots in the polity and put the politicians on their tolls.

Back in those days, Mofe played basketball on campus. He was confident, good natured, very stylish and the kind of guy every girl on campus wanted to go out with.

Lisa had broken her parent’s rules against dating before 21 years and premarital sex on account of her love for Mofe. They loved themselves and agreed to get marry in future.

Incidentally, they had a bad quarrel.

Mofe had to travel abroad without informing Lisa because she refused to attend his send-off party, which broke the relationship. She later became a Christian.

The last person Lisa was expecting to see that fateful Monday was Mofe. But taking a second look at the name on the form, she was sure that the visitor must be related to her first boyfriend.

When the adjoining door opened and Mofe stepped into her tastefully furnished office, Lisa thought…Mofe, Oh my God!…with an audible sharp intake of breath and an open mouth.

With surprise written all over her face, Lisa extended a hand to Mofe but he ignored that as he reached out and hugged her tightly.

Her hands went up of their own volition to hold him, she could smell his aftershave…She had thought several times of how she would react and what she would react if she ever met him again, and now that the moment was here, what was happening was more than she bargained for.

It was obvious that they still cared much for each other; but Lisa was now a Christian. She would neither compromise nor marry Mofe who showed no sign that he loved the Lord.

Besides, she had to be careful because the renewed friendship was doing funny things to her heart.

But her hope to marry Mofe for the second time was again dashed after Mofe became a Christian.

My First Love is a suspense-filled book from Pastor Odubiyi, a skillful story-teller and multiple-award-winning author of Christian romance novels.

Rendered in lucid prose across 296 pages, My First Love depicts a woman’s first love affairs as an abusive relationship.

It seeks to equip the women folks with knowledge to be able to handle feelings for the first love while pointing out the dangers of premarital sex.

The author writes, “When, again, at the age of 35, Lisa encountered Mofe, her first love, she understood the giddy feeling she had heard a lot about, and when Mofe eventually became a Christian, her joy knew no bound. But when he chose another woman, she thought all hope was lost for her.

But God was not finished with her yet; through her relationship with Ayo, God was about to teach people not to follow the giddy feelings for their first love, but rather, respect and remain committed to their relationship with their spouses.”

My First Love is, indeed, a must read.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Praise & Worship

Sunday July 29, 2012

25

When life is sweet, better pray, says Pastor Bamidele

Superior Senior Lady Evangelist Dayo Oloruntimilehin (fourth right), President of the Good Women Band, with elders of the Women Ministry of Omnipotence Mission of God.

General Overseer of Christ Glorious End-Time Evangelical lical Church, Pastor Lai Bamidele, ele, identifies hard problems ass necessary process meant to prepare individuals for greater ater heights. “Don’t just watch your situation,” he adds. Excerpts ts presented by Tai Anyanwu u

Can you boast of being a virtuous G woman? –Oloruntimilehin TAI ANYANWU

J

uly 22 was not a day of flattering words for the Good Women at the Omnipotence Mission of God, Ipaja Lagos. But a day the women ministry of the church received full nuggets that would guide them to cherish the values that make women win respect of their husbands and those around them

The event marked the climax of a series of activities organised to celebrate the Women arm of the ministry.

And, as always, the women folk chose the theme of the annual celebration: ‘The Virtuous Woman.’ And beginning from the Monday, they observed with great excitement, seminars given by anointed bible scholars, along with power-packed prayer sessions, praise, and vigil nights.

It was their annual thanksgiving event and most husbands had created out time to grace the week- long activities, at least to appreciate and bless the ministry of the women. Their husbands, as usual, bought precious gifts to honour their cherished wives.

And as the clouds gathered in the early hours of that Sunday, the women, their husbands, children, friends and relations converged on the auditorium.

Not even the heavy rains, which prevailed for most part of the day, could stop the celebrating mothers from beaming with amiable mien as the day’s activities were rolled out full stream.

Unlike other Women Day celebrations, the day’s ministration was reserved for Pastor Oloruntimilehi Daramola, founder of the ministry. e did not mince words H while giving his message which was anchored on the attributes of a virtuous woman.

Expertly digging up

Pastor Daramola

biblical teachings and giving them flesh with live examples, the shepherd created vivid pictures of who is and who is not a virtuous woman.

First, he prepared the women folk to brace up for a win-win situation. “Never put your trust in man, rather trust in God; when you have God, you have all things.

Sometimes, both husband and children can abandon you. But you must take care of your husband and support him to raise up good children.

When pointed out that when a woman does not take care of her husband but claims equal right with her husband, problems haunt such woman for her destruction.

The Bible, be continued, says that the husband is the head of the house just as Jesus Christ is the head of the Church; and that if any wife respects her husband, the level of God’s grace she would receive from God would increase because of her disposition to her husband.

He related a story; “I know a woman who was making it more than her husband. She and her husband were doing the same kind of business, selling planks. The husband had his shed in the front row while her shop was situated at the back row.

“Because of her behaviour, customers would go to her inconspicuous shed to buy planks because of her good character. Her husband does not drop money for the upkeep of their children. His business was not growing.

“This woman, on the other hand, remained kind, taking care of their kids as well; and her business boomed,” he added.

He taught the good women from Proverb 11: 16, saying that a virtuous woman receives rece re rece ceiv ceiv ive ve honour but a woman without virtue is a disgrace. A virtuous woman receives honour but a woman without virtue is a disgrace. dis “Before a woman will call be led virtu“Be ous, sh she will not be a whore. And a whore who pretends to be a virtuous woman will pr soon be b disgraced, because she cannot go scot fr free.

“Any An woman that insults and slaps her husband husban will not prosper in life; likewise that woman that curses her husband. w Even though she claims that she is born t again, God will destroy such a woman one way or the other.

The shepherd recalled the story of o another woman who disobeyed her husband by putting on a particular type of powder and in the process got her face got burnt through the application of corrosive cosmetics.

reat trials are often necessary to eprepare you ahead of great responsibilities. Listen to me, there is someone reading me now that is going through one great trial. If I be a prophet of God, that same trial that you are going through, that you have prayed, you have fasted but it defied your human solution; after reading this message that same trial will lead you to your triumph, in the name of Jesus. If you got the message shake somebody and say, “Don’t watch your situation”.

Hear me. No diamond or gem has ever been polished without friction. Before diamond becomes diamond, it passes through a process. Before gold becomes shiny, it will pass through the process of fire. So what you are going through is a process to your next level. What you are passing through is a stepping stone to your glory. After this encounter, if I be a prophet of God, someone reading this message will enter into a new glory, in the name of Jesus. Shake someone beside you and say: “Don’t mind the challenges”.

I love the bird called Eagle very much.

Success consists of getting up just one more time than you fall. Do you know one major problem about believers today? When believers are faced with challenges, they will remain on that spot, in that challenge. Many believers will be celebrating what they are going through.

You don’t need to celebrate your yesterday, your life must move ahead. Your destiny must move forward.

Hear me today; everyone that devil has tied their lives on one spot, after this ministration, God is pushing you forward, in the name of Jesus. I like to assure someone reading this message now; you may be having a heavy heart now and troubled, but here today, the same God that saw me through my own moments of heavy hearty, the same God that showed me mercy, the same God that made me to escape through my own hard times…About two and half years ago, I had one terrible challenge in this church.

The challenge was as if it was going to consume me. If not because I am strong in my faith, I would have been subdued by the challenge. But I stood my ground and I told the devil that you are too small to stop me.

It was a different dimension of storm; I was inside of one. While I was inside of one, I was entering another one. But hear me today; after I prayed like you too will pray today, God helped me to overcome that storm. The same God that made me to overcome the storm, after today, every storm you are going through, every situation you are passing through, you will overcome them, in the name of Jesus.

Life without challenges is no life.

Pastor Pastor Bamidele Bamidele

When there are no challenges you better watch it. When a man is not facing challenges, then he is preparing for the grave.

When everything in life is just sweet, there is no trial; you better pray. Listen to me, after this encounter … I read about an Eagle. Eagle can travel as far as 27,00030,000 feet high. I doubt if any of you has ever seen an Eagle. I only watch it and I read about the giant bird. It is not a bird you can see easily. An Eagle will remain on a mountain top … Praise the Lord.

After today, your mockers will see you on top. Those who said you cannot become anything; those who have despised your God, those who faced you and say you; after today… I don’t care to know the family you are coming from. I am not bothered by your background. Some of you what is worrying you is that, in the family where you come from, nobody gets to the top.

But because you are a child of God, after today every mark of curses, every yoke of curses, every parental curse…

Look at the story of a man called Reuben. He was created to be great but his father’s curse cut his destiny short. Hear me today. Every negative pronouncement of your mother or your father when you were coming up in life, out of their ignorance they placed a curse over your life. Every curse that has followed the generation of your parents, after today every curse either via your own attitude or habit, some of us will dip our hands in sin and the scripture says that these things you have dipped your hands into have curses with it and you have prayed you cannot come out of those curses.

Some of you, a prophet said you offended him or her, and he or she placed a curse on you, hear me today, in the presence of your enemy this year, you will soar like an Eagle. Everyone fighting your destiny or career; if I be a prophet of God, before this time of next year they will beg from your hands. God will disgrace your mockers, in the name of Jesus.

•For counseling contact: pst_lai@yahoo.com, phone08074484415, 08027502864 and 08164285586

26

Praise & Worship

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday July 29, 2012

Introducing you to the greatest helper, by Pastor Okereke

Briefly

General Overseer of Global Success Ministries, Dr Chima Okereke, says that every strong problem is championed by a strong evil force and except you invite the one who is greater than the evil force, your testimonies might still be far from manifestation. Richard Eghaghe brings excerpts of his message.

Y

our good success in life depends on the strength of the force behind your mission. Every living soul must know that there is an opposing force to every forward movement both spiritually and physically. When your movement is slow then the opposing force must be slow but when your movement is fast the force will also increase its speed. For example, when you are running, you lose higher energy than when you are walking. Measuring the same distance, the time you get to your destination when you are running is different from the time you get to your destination when you are walking. In other words, you get to your destination much earlier when running than walking. So for you to achieve something good faster without much delay as many are experiencing problems, life challenges, you need a very strong, powerful force which will be greater than all the forces you will meet on the way. Isaiah 59:19 says, “So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him.”

When we are talking about the Greatest Helper, we are talking about the one who will take you to your destination on time without you losing much energy.

Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”

What a wonderful promise for you. He said that He will help you. It doesn’t matter how big the problem could be what is important is that there is an Almighty God bigger than all your problems. In Matthew 11:28, “Come unto me all ye that labour and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Every strong problem is being championed by a strong evil force and except you invite the one who is greater than the evil forces in charge of your challenges in life, your testimonies might still be far from manifestation at your desired time.

We do conduct deliverance and the demons and evil spirits do confess strange things they have been doing against their victims. Sometimes, the evil spirits could be more than one, so how do you tackle such spiritual forces all by yourself. Education is very important; knowledge adds value to your life. This particular knowledge is very important that the spiritual rules the physical. Sometimes, the most qualified people in character, education, skills in a particular area will be sent to the background while the ones who are not really qualified are on top because of certain powers. Many graduates in Nigeria today have no job, then what happens to the ones who are not

Glory

Testimony

Pastor Okereke

qualified up to the B.Sc level, Master’s degree and so on. Nigeria needs divine assistance; Africa needs divine assistance and the world at large. The security situations in the land or in the air most times are not secured in this nation and other parts of the world. So I am introducing to you the greatest helper, whose name is Jesus Christ of Nazareth. There are people that certain things could befall. Sometimes we will be asking some questions, do they not know God? But I want to let you know something very important. Those who are committed to God from the heart enjoy all His promises. In Jeremiah 29: 11, “For I know the thought that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

God cannot say this to you and at the same time allow you to end up in pains.

He promised to be with you during trials. But because your prosperity gives Him pleasure, He won’t let those trials to be long. So, I have good news for you, today marks the beginning of the greatest testimonies in your life and family in

Jesus’ name. In Psalm 35:27, “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause; yea, let them say continually, let the Lord be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servant.” This prosperity is not money alone. Many are rich today but hospital is their second home; some live in fear of death and the unknown because they do not know the Lord. Many are rich but have no peace of mind. In Proverbs 10:22, “The blessings of the Lord maketh rich and addeth no sorrow with it.” So your prosperity shall be all around according to 3 John 1:2, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.” The only one that can make these things possible in your life is the Greatest Helper, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Submit to Him and you will never regret. The Lord bless you.

•For enquiries and counseling, please send text messages through the following numbers: 08067802407, 07038638984, for prompt attention.

Below is the testimony of a sister who God healed of her claimed HIV. Sister Glory Effiong came all the way from Global Success Ministries, Nnewi branch, where she had been worshipping. Her husband suddenly got ill and sent her to stay with her parents for two weeks. After staying with them for two weeks, she decided to come back home.

“When I came back, he had travelled to his own village. I called him and asked about the state of his health and what his test report said, but he refused to disclose it to me,” she said. “Then after a few days, I started noticing rashes on my body and other symptoms as my baby started kicking faster in my womb, (because she was pregnant) so I went for lab test and the result showed that I was HIV positive.

When I went to the hospital, they told me that I will be constantly coming for treatment until I die since there is no cure for HIV,” she added.

“I was scared and at the same time confused when I heard this news but I knew that the God of Success had something unimaginable and unexpected for me. I decided to come to the headquarters here in Lagos. When I came, I registered for the healing school and on Wednesday the 18th of July 2012 during the morning service, the man of God, Dr. Chima E. Okereke, ministered to me. After the prayers, he asked me to go back and conduct the test again and he assured me that in the next 24 hours I shall come back for a testimony.

When I carried out the lab test and the result was brought to me, I couldn’t believe it because it showed negative. I was not convinced yet because I knew I came to Lagos as a HIV carrier and so I asked them to carry out the test again.

They did again and the result still came out negative and that my baby was in perfect condition. Although I believed that God would give me a miracle, I never expected it that way. Now I am medically confirmed free from HIV. I really thank God for this wonderful miracle which He did for me and the tremendous testimony He has given me. I am a living testimony of the power of God in Global Success Ministries.

‘Behold a new thing’ at GSM convention All hands are now on deck for the 6th international crusade of the Global Success Ministry for the year, titled: “BEHOLD, I WILL DO A NEW THING” (Isaiah 43:19).

The event, which is celebrated as Holy Ghost convention of the church, commences from August 15.

According to a release by the media coordinator of the programme, Ogochuckwu, the interdenominational crusade will kick off at 5.00 p.m. on Wednesday while the Thursday and Friday sessions will hold from 8.00 in the morning and 5.30 in the evening.

The monthly international crusade affords people in dire need deliverance, healing, breakthrough, salvation, fruitfulness and any form of miracle an opportunity to seek the face of God. According to Ogochuckwu, anyone who attends will never return home the same as the Holy Ghost fire is bound to fall through the powerful anointing of the General Overseer, Dr Chima Okereke, and the blessing of God will come upon the people.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday July 29, 2012

Praise & Worship

27

Deny your flesh, says Pastor Olukoya Dr. D.K. Olukoya says, There is only one solution to overcome the flesh: ‘it must die’. No other solution; it must go to the cross and die there. How to do that is in the excerpts presented by Tai Anyanwu

W

e overcome the flesh in the following ways: One, we are to make no provision for the flesh, Roman 13:14, “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision to fulfill the lust thereof.” Don’t make provision for it. When you plan to buy the extra clothe you don’t need; you plan to buy extra food that you will not eat; you plan to watch a video that you know that will bring lust to your heart; you are already meditating on what you will say to hurt another person, then you are making provision for it.

It is like somebody who wants to marry and he is in his flat, because the new wife is coming, he begins to sweep, buying rug, stove, gas cooker and painting the place. What is he doing? He is making provision for his wife. Don’t make provision for Mr. Flesh. Make life difficult for it.

When flesh say don’t greet so, so and so, now go and buy a present, look for that person it say don’t greet for; greet the person, give the person the present.

When you do that you are killing Mr. Flesh. You are not giving it provision to operate.

You follow somebody to somewhere; somebody you don’t know. Lift, lift, lift; single girl taking lift from an unknown man, you are making provision to cause trouble for yourself. You know that you used to be a palm wine drunkard, now you are born-again. Don’t escort anybody to the place again; so that the smell will not enter into your spirit. If you go there, it means you are making provision, for you to go and commit sin again. That is what Roman 13:14 says: “But put you on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lust thereof.”

Two, bring the flesh under subject i.e., we are to make the flesh a slave to God. 1Corinthians 9:27, “But I keep under my body, and I bring it unto subjection lest by any means when I have preached unto others, I myself will be a cast away. The Bible says no man can serve two masters. You cannot walk down the two roads at the same time.

You can’t walk in the way of holiness and in the way of sin. Bring that flesh under subjection.

What does it mean to bring the flesh under subjection?

• Refuse to listen to its advice and suggestions.

• Tell it all the time that you are the Chairman. Tell, “I am the Chairman of the board so you have to take my own instruction. I am not going to listen to you. We should bring it under. When the flesh says go and do this, you will disobey in a holy rebellion to go and do the opposite.” It will say come here. Haven’t you noticed that when this one is passing he doesn’t greet anybody? Anytime he is coming just carry your face to the other corner. That is the instruction of Mr. Flesh. You will now do the opposite.

You should greet the person very well.

• Take off the old man and put on

Pastor Olukoya

the new man. Ephesians 4:22. Put off the coat of the old man and put on the coat of the new man, that is number three way of dealing with Mr. Flesh. If you wear two coats at the same time, somebody will like to point attention. He will say, Oga why don’t you wear one? Why are you putting on two coats at the same time? The old man must go; the new man must come in. If your Christianity has not gotten to the level where no man says ah! ah! He has changed. Madam has changed, brother has changed. If you have not gotten to that level, you are a joker. I met one man in Abuja, he didn’t know me. He was talking about his wife.

He said his wife is the most troublesome woman on this planet earth. In their church, she had fought the Pastor, she had fought the elders. That the wife is the first person in his life he will see that a preacher is preaching the woman got up in the open congregation and say, “Oga I am sure you are referring to me because you are hiding behind the pulpit, better be very careful. So when we close we will see; and she sat down.” He now, someone invited her to one church, they call it Mountain of Fire, then from that day, this woman came home and at night she started praying. Then the next morning, something she had not done

for the past 22 years of their marriage, she knelt down and said good morning sir. The man said I almost fainted. He said before this time, I used to think that those Pentecostal churches are just fake. Now every Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday she goes to church. Do you know what I did, he was telling his friend, I just give her permanent driver and car to be driving her to that church.

If the sister is hearing me now, I apologise. I don’t know you but that is what your husband was saying in Abuja.

That is what we call putting on the new man. People will attest saying Yes this person has changed. I will not even be surprised if the man has started following her here now, because he has seen changes in her life.

• We are to deny the flesh. Jesus said, “If any man or woman will come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me, Matthew 16:24.” If any man or woman will be my disciple, let him or her first of all deny himself, then take his or her cross daily and follow me. Deny himself means that you don’t claim every right that you think you should claim from people. You put that your Mr. Flesh on the shelve.

You lay it aside. Whatever you are, put it aside, put pride aside. When Mr.

Flesh it says okay, begin to drink four bottles of a particular thing, drink the others. Deny him. If Mr. Flesh says, “Kai they insulted you like this, charge at them. Say no; I will not charge, not at all. I have been nailed to His cross. Deny Mr. Flesh. I used to share one thing with our Pastors, our Wednesday service start at 5. 30 those days, now we start at 5 o’clock. That day I came in at 5.35 because I was held up somewhere. Immediately I jumped down from my bus, one man wearing a three-piece suit and carrying a big Bible saw me and said, “Dr. Olukoya what is the time now? I said 5.35. When is this meeting supposed to start? I said 5.30. You are coming at 5.35.

This is not good enough. Ha, I said I am sorry sir, next time I will come at 5.30; it was because I got held up somewhere.

And the man said that is very nice, and he carried his Bible and walked into the church. Now if you want to entertain Mr. Flesh, you will say excuse me sir, who do you think you are talking to?

Don’t you know that I am the General Overseer? And don’t you know that if I say fire should come upon you now, it will come. That will be entertaining the Flesh, deny your flesh.

• You mortify the members of the flesh; Colossians 3: 1-5, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ seated on the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above; not on things on the earth for ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ shall appear, shall ye also appear with him in glory, mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth. Mortify these things.’ He now said something which is very dangerous. If you do not mortify your members upon the earth, you are an idol worshipper. It is there in verse 5. We have to focus on what God has already done for us on the cross of Calvary.

• We are to reckon the flesh crucified. Be reminding it every day that you are already dead, you are dead, and you can’t rule my life, Galatians 5: 24; “And they that are in Christ have crucified the flesh and the affections thereof.

If we live in the spirit, let us also work in the spirit.” Paul said, I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless yet I live; but the life I live now is the life Jesus, son of God, who died for me.” The old Paul was dead many years ago; it is the new Paul that is walking along the street. It is the old Paul that Serpent can bite and it will die; but the crucified one cannot die like that. The people devil fear most they are those that crucified the flesh. He knows he cannot find any entrance into them • Finally, we are to live an exchanged life, that is you put one life down, you take another. You can live the two lives together.

Pray this one prayer point like thunder, “Oh God, break me, in the name of Jesus; I want to be broken, I want Mr. Flesh to die, in the name of Jesus.

28

Praise & Worship

Sunday July 29, 2012

Promotion without possibility of demotion, by Pastor Adeboye Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) in this message speaks of failures that follow success as a result of not obeying God’s rules. He urges Christians to show gratitude for the Lord’s benevolence. Richard Eghaghe brings extracts of his message.

I

t is better never to have been promoted than to have reached the top and then be demoted. We have several examples; King Saul in 1 Samuel 15 v 1 -30; King Saul was a-nobody until the Almighty God grabbed him and turned him to a king; he became a king and stopped obeying God.

God said fine, I made you a king; I will remove you as king.

You know many at times when we read 1 Samuel 2 v 8 we love to quote verse 8. The Almighty God is able to pick up a beggar from the dunghill and raise him up until he begins to sit among princes. I always say to my friends why don’t you read verse 7?

Verse 7 comes before verse 8. It says the Almighty God raises up and He brings down. He can lift up one and bring down another. The Bible says promotion comes from God. 1 Samuel 2 v 7-8, he raises one and brings down another, verse 8 says, he then picks up a beggar from the dunghill and makes him to sit among princes.

Don’t forget who promote you. If you don’t forget your promoter then you can stay forever on top. Consider David, for instance. One day David was dancing, praising God, 2Samuel 6 v 14 -22. He didn’t say because he was a king, so he will dance very gently. A king must be kingly, David said that is fine, I can be kingly in my palace but when I am dancing for God I want to dance. And his wife saw him and said ‘I thought you are a king? Look at the way you have been dancing, how can you dance like that; like an ordinary man?’ You know what David said? “I am dancing for the one who made me king.” He said woman! You haven’t seen anything yet, I am dancing for the one who took the kingdom from your father and gave it to me. I have not danced yet, you wait and see what will follow.

One day the Almighty God said to David in 2Samuel 7: 1-16, “David your kingdom shall be forever. He said you will never lack somebody to sit on your throne”.

I am sure you know that today, Jesus Christ is called the son of David, the King of kings himself. David got that position because he didn’t forget the one who made him King.

When I got born again, I was already a lecturer at the University of Lagos, and I realised how close to hell I was, with all my academic knowledge. I saw the goodness of God in my life, so I just thought what can I do, at least to show this God publicly that I appreciate what he has done for me.

So I got permission from my father in the Lord that at least once a year during the convention, they will allow me to sing, dance and recite EWI (Yoruba poetry) that is the origin of Ewi during the convention. When I became the General Overseer, somebody came to me and said you are our father now, there are things little

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Impartation for wealth transfer, by Pastor Kalejaiye (3) Pastor kalejaiye stood in for the General Overseer, Pastor E.O. Adeboye at the special prayer session for the ‘Impartation For Wealth Transfer’ at the Headquarters’ Church of the RCCG, (Throne of Grace), in Ebute-Metta on the first Sunday of this month. Here are excerpts from his message, presented by Richard Eghaghe:

T

here is serious hatred, persecution, criticism, petition writing in the church. You don’t find this in the kingdom.

There is no genuine love in the Church; you don’t find this in the kingdom. There is class differential in the church and you don’t find this in the kingdom. I challenged some men of God when we met in VGC in Banana Island. I said who can tell me where I live in Lagos State? Some said VGC, some said Banana Island. They began to talk and I said: ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, you are all wrong. I live in Idimu. Show me any man of God who is there? Jesus did not go to VGC or Ikoyi. He was going to Ajegunle, Mushin, Okokomaiko, he was going to Idimu. The shepherds are far away from the sheep. So whatever happened to the sheep, nobody knows.

And before you know it now, they begin to patronise Uwachucku tradomedical something. Can you blame the sheep?

So who is a sinner? And who is a just person? The Pharisees went to pray: ‘Oh! Lord, I want to thank you because I am not like other people. I fast, I prayed, I do this, I do that…’ He was boasting, updating his spiritual C/V before God. At the end of the day, his prayers went into the voice mail. But the one we called a sinner just said ‘God, be merciful onto me’ and he went home justified.

Pastor Adeboye

children should do. He said when you are an elder, you must sit down like an elder, let your children do the singing, you sit down.

I said thank you very well. As long as my two legs can carry me, as long as my voice can still be heard, I will sing, I will dance for the one who made me the General overseer. I will praise Him, I don’t know about you, but is there anyone here who will praise Him forever? Sometime ago I was abroad in a world conference, big men of God all over the world were there and they invited a small man like myself and I went with my tambourine.

One of the big preachers came to me and said, “what are you doing with a tambourine, you are not an ordinary member of the choir, you are supposed to be the General Overseer, is that not what they called you?

Lord have mercy! Brethren, when I became General Overseer; the staff of the Bible College I think we were about three, there was one man who was the principal. I was coming in as an additional teacher and another fellow. Today by the grace of God in Nigeria alone, the staff of the Bible College, full-time and part-time is more than 500. Now you ask me not to praise God? And you ask me not to bless God? Do you think I am crazy?

If there is anybody here who wants to be great forever? Jump on your feet and let me hear you shout a big halleluiah! Don’t forget the one who has promoted you.

Deliverance without relapse

We are talking about good success, deliverance without relapse. It is a terrible thing for someone to have

been delivered before and then we saw the thing relapsed. The Lord said (prophesying…) that there is someone, I observed the way you praised me. He said, “I will make sure you always have something to praise me about”. He said there is someone, in future when they talk about from grass to grace, they will use you as an example. Thank you father! He says in particular there is someone here, urine just comes out of your private part, you can’t control it. You just keep on urinating; if you laugh you urinate, if you cough you urinate, he asked me to tell you he has taken care of that.

In Matthew 12 : 43 -45, Jesus Christ said if an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he will be going through the dry places looking for somewhere to rest.

If he can’t find a place he will say let me go and check my old house. When he went back and found the old house empty, then he would say I met some evil spirit while going, they too have no house, then he will go and bring seven of them. He said the end of the man will be worse than the beginning.

I pray for everyone of us that God has delivered from forces of darkness, our deliverance will be permanent in Jesus’ name.

But what do I do, so that my deliverance will be permanent?

Ask Mary Magdalene, Luke 8 : 1 -3, when God set Mary Magdalene free, she became a divine treasurer. What she uses to serve the devil before, she now uses it to serve the Lord. Ask the mad man of Gedaren, Mark 5 : 1 – 20, the bible says after God set him free, he came to Jesus and said, I will go with you everywhere. Jesus Christ said no! Go and advertise me.

Headquarters’ Church, you are my fathers and you are my mothers. You have to be very careful because you are the head and being the head doesn’t make you righteous because there is every temptation or tendency that would want to make you to look down on some people, which is very dangerous. He said ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’ You better be careful the way you fight for God. Because the one you are fighting for, you may think you are fighting for God, and then, before you even get there, God would have converted your opponent. He says the wealth of the sinner is laid down for the righteous, for the just. Who is the just? Have you ever seen where two women were talking and the third one comes, and greets them and then they will flatter her and when she leaves, they will slander her? Is that a church? But it is a custom, we do it. The wealth of the sinners is laid down for the just. That means sinners will work for you to enjoy.

Briefly

RCCG 60th convention: Liveway Radio reaches out to sponsors The management of RCCG internet outreach and Liveway Radio Network, the official broadcast station of the church, has called for sponsors for the special promo jingles, beautifully produced by the media outfit to spread the awareness for the 60th Annual Convention.

It will hold between August 6 and 12, 2012 at the Redemption Camp Ground, Ogun State.

The convention tagged ‘Come up Higher’ is expected to attract a large crowd from different parts of the world, according to the Executive Director, Liveway Radio, Pastor Solomon Onita. By

sponsoring these jingles on Liveway Radio, you will be encouraging our staff and also using this medium to spread the awareness of this life changing Convention.”

General Overseer, Pastor Adeboye, had earlier announced that because of the convention, there would be no Holy Ghost service for August. “The Holy Ghost service for August will come during the convention. So don’t come for Holy Ghost service on first Friday of next month (August). The divine encounter and Shiloh hours also will come up the Monday after the convention,” he added.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Praise & Worship

Sunday July 29, 2012

Worshipping the Lord in the beauty of holiness–Pastor Muoka In the second series of his message, the General Overseer of The Lord Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, dwells on the importance of holiness while seeking the face of the Lord. Richard Eghaghe presents excerpts from the exhortation:

L

ast week we told you that worship is the devotion and commitment we make to the Almighty God in recognition and acknowledgement of His ‘divine excellence nature.’ We also made you understand that to worship Him as our maker, we must be spiritual in nature and the devotion we are to give must spring from our heart, through the influence of the Holy Ghost and above all, it must be in TRUTH and be performed according to that divine revelation which He has given men through the Scripture.

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

The reason we should worship Him in the beauty of holiness is because everything about Him and all that surround Him are also holy. Heaven is holy, the angles are holy, the Cherubim and Seraphim are holy, and so are the saints over there, and God does not behold evil or iniquity. So if we must worship Him, it must be in holiness and nothing short of that. This is the only beauty which He cares for in our devotion and it is one for which no other can compensate. He does not regard beauty of architecture and apparel but moral and spiritual beauty is that in which His soul delights in. Worship must not be rendered to God in a sinful and superficial manner but we must be sincere, earnest, and pure in heart; both in our prayers and praises during our worship.

Having assimilated the facts above, what then does God require from us? The counsel of the Lord is for us to keep to the demand of His worship in order to tap the blessing in the Holy Communion, not more, not lesser. Nobody can have a holy communion cum devotion with God and remain the same. In the Bible, all those that adopted this principle of worship were successful in their endeavour and one of them was Jehoshaphat who was made to triumph over his enemies.

2Chron. 20:21-24 says, “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that they should praise Him in the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. 24 And when Judah came toward the watchtower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped.

25 And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could

Pastor Muoka

carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much”.

In the above passage, we have the prayer answered and the promise performed, in the total overthrow of the enemies’ forces and the triumph of Jehoshaphat’s forces over them. This victory came as a result of application of the principle of worshipping God in the beauty of holiness. Instead of calling the armies to handle their arms, and fight valiantly, Jehoshaphat bade them to praise and worship God in the beauty of His holiness and mercy. God not only delivered them, but enriched them with the spoil of the enemy.

If you become what the Lord expects you to become, He will walk with you and cause your enemies to submit to you.

He said that His association and relation with us must be based solely on holiness.

Lev. 20:26 says, “26 And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine”. Believers in Christ must separate from every form of unrighteousness, ungodliness, wickedness and from every unholy association with people for this is what our Maker demanded so that we can fully obtain the promise He made to us. Those who will have the promises of God fulfilled to them must come under the conditions of His counseling. If they are not separated and continue to touch the unclean thing, God will not receive them or their worship and therefore will not be their God, nor shall they be His people. Any who seek to live a godly life should separate from ungodly life for two of them cannot walk together. No, how should they? Where there is no friendship there can be no fellowship. If two persons

be at variance, they cannot commune. If you decide to walk contrary to God you cannot expect any other thing than that God should walk contrary to you.

We cannot expect that God should be present with us, bless and defense us if we are doing evil. God and man cannot walk together except they be agreed. Unless we agree with God in our end, which is holiness, we cannot walk with Him by the way.

We must ensure that nothing brings us into entanglement with the world , into vain worship. We must not serve God in the beauty of our flesh thereby satisfying people and not God. Matt. 5: 48 says, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” The Scripture admonishes us to resemble God’s perfections in all their fullness and universality. God is our model. Everything short of that is short of what we ought to be. God cannot be satisfied with that which is imperfect. This requirement keeps us in mind of our infirmities, and keeps us at work. Our standard is not the perfection of great and heroic men, but of the infinite Creator himself.

Everything about God is all about holiness, full of it and only those who are washed in the blood of the lamb, Jesus Christ will make heaven at last. The way to Heaven is a way of holiness and no evil shall pass through it. Will you like to be there? I tell you that without holiness you cannot make it and so endeavour to worship God in the beauty of His holiness.

Rev. 21:3-4 says, “And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his

29

people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away”.

There is Heaven and there is hellfire but strive to be in Heaven where you will meet with Christ to part no more and also to rejoice forever. Nothing can be greater a price to pay to make it to Heaven at last, therefore do not allow anything to hinder you from making it for it will surely go down as the greatest tragedy of all time.

Do not allow the things of this world to derail you from the plans, the thoughts of God. I can see the Lord beckoning at you to come, do not disappoint Him, never allow Him in the end to say ‘I know you not’, so worship God in the beauty of His holiness and not in the beauty of the flesh.

Sinners should confess and forsake their sins and make Jesus Christ their Lord and personal saviour. Prov. 28:13 says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy”.

If there by any who has read this message and is willing to give his/her life to Christ unconditionally, I urge him/her not to hide any of his sins, atrocities and the like before God. Let him confess, forsake them and the Lord will forgive, grant him mercy and above all make him a prosperous person in Jesus name.

Isaiah 1:18-19 says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: Do not harden your heart having received such a message, yield yourself to the Lord and no matter what you have done wrong the Lord is more than able to forgive you, cleanse and admit you into His kingdom above.”

The Lord is calling on you today. Even if your sin is dark, most awful, most horrible, and you decide to come to Him, it shall be as white as snow, clean and forgiven, that is, if you will repent and amend your ways. The cleansing of the soul from sin includes both forgiveness and sanctification, which can never be separated from each other.

To those who sincerely repent of their sins and come to God through Christ, His grace and mercy have no limits. He will pardon the guiltiest, and sanctify the most polluted. So, flee from all appearances of evil because all those who worship God Almighty in the beauty of the flesh shall be doomed forever. A sinner is not a Christian and a Christian is not a sinner.

1st John 3:8-9 says, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God”.

Thus is the distinction between God’s children and those of the devil. God’s children are full of love and live holy lives. They worship God in the beauty of holiness. But those of the devil are the opposite. There is no middle class between the children of God and the children of the devil. Let every man including you reading this message come to the knowledge of His holiness and be blessed.

30

Praise & Worship

Sunday July 29, 2012

Whose report?

Text Only: 08037188392

Divine Message with Special Apostle James

Akinadewo E-mail: molailatugrow@hotmail.com

W

hat an amazing grace. Welcome to your season of abundance. God has reserved wonderful blessings for millions across the globe and I know you are one of them. The question is; are you sure of your testimony?

If the answer is yes and your mind flows positively, then your whole being must be highly focused towards our teaching today – Whose report?

Divine assurance For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end>. [Jeremiah 29 verse 11] This is the surest word from God Almighty [your maker] for you and your entire family.

God said I should tell you today that His own report for your life is what you must believe and act on, not any contrary one.

•I know my thoughts – His thoughts are good, not evil. The Bible says everything He created was good, solid, durable and everlasting. God will always say something good concerning His children.

•Towards you – You are the ‘you’. Not created in the image of stone or tree but created in the image of God, maker of Heaven and earth. Sin is the only thing that will separate you from your God.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Run from sin today. Sin will sink your glorious future.

•Thoughts of peace – What is peace to the hungry? To be filled with food. To the sick, healing. To the brokenhearted, counseling and courage. To the poor, riches. To the weak, be strong. Heaven is thinking of peace for us [His children] daily.

•Not of evil – The Bible says ‘I shall not die, I shall live, to declare the works of the Lord’. As a child of God, no evil shall befall you in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Your father in Heaven will not wish you bad in all things.

•An expected end – God declared that the glory of the latter house shall be greater than the former. Simply put – your level now is not your limit in life.

An expected end is a glorious end, you are better than this -- no one has power to put any ceiling on your life, nothing is capable of limiting you only if you do not limit yourself.

You are a miracle waiting to happen.

You are God’s masterpiece.

physicians and sorcerers.

A thought later came to her not to believe human report about her but rely on God’s report. She left her home with the right decision to see Jesus Christ and touch His garment. Undeterred by the surging crowd, made her way through, touched Jesus and got instant healing. What a positive turnaround.

Sister, the report in your hand from the hospital has dampened your morale.

Come off it. Whose report will you believe – God or humans?

That womb will be repaired by God; you will conceive and carry your baby in nine months time. God says ‘no one shall be barren among my children’ – that is the final verdict, any other one is fake.

You are pregnant, experiencing dripping of blood and doctors told you the result is ‘threatened abortion’. Whose report will you believe? The good news is that what you are seeing is the excess blood in your body – no harm to the baby in your womb, you will deliver safely in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Right decision

Look up

Not taking a decision is already a decision. The story was told in the Bible of the woman with the issue of blood.

The shame and reproach persisted for twelve years. Lost all to fraudsters and herbalists in her bid to get a cure for the ailment. Was given report of no hope by

Why must you turn yourself into an object of self pity? God has the final say concerning your life.

And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion…. [Genesis 1 verse

I SEE A NEW HOPE IN THE HORIZON. THERE WILL BE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL FOR YOU. WHOSE REPORT WILL YOU BELIEVE

28] You are a victor, not a victim. Created in the wonderful image of God. Created to become creative thereby becoming a blessing to your generation. Search for your own report from God and stop flowing with the tide, believing every strange report in the world.

You were not made to behave like every Tom, Dick and Harry in the world but to be who God wants you to be.

Whose report – Is it God’s report you will believe or what people say about you?

Stop going about unhappy as if you are carrying the problem of the whole world on your head. Angel of favour is always looking for happy people.

Smile, be happy, laughter is a good tonic and life charger, your miracle is on the way – you don’t go to bed a blunder and wake up a wonder.

Be positive. This is not your dead end.

You will rise again and devil will be put to shame. Confess and say something good to yourself, enemies will be disappointed shortly.

The darkest part of the night will not last forever, a new dawn must come. It is your new day and a new season.

Stop being hopeless, I see a new hope in the horizon. There will be light at the end of the tunnel for you. Whose report will you believe – God’s report or wordly report. The choice is yours but one thing is sure, your faith in God overcomes the world.

Hate what God hates. Jesus loves you.

God bless Nigeria. It is well.

•Text – 08037188392.

Motailatugrow@hotmail.com.

Manifestation of Divine help (3) Moment of Blessing with Pastor Taiye

Olayemi

Email: taiye_olayemi@yahoo.co.uk Phone: 08037229730

(Ezekiel 37:1-14) Any man that must make progress in life must be prepared to make quality decisions. Until you are ready to make such steps, you will never come out from that hopeless state. There are battles of life that have overwhelmed many; and as a result of this, many have lost hope even in life. Hopelessness have made many resort to a life pattern I call a valley of dry bone. Here, you find many that are struggling with indecision.

Some have accepted what they are going through as their lots.

Any man that refuses to take a decision over his condition is like a walking corps. He is just existing, but not living. Until he makes a move, God’s help will never come. God’s help will always come by an appointment, because God’s help comes through the agency of man.

For this reason, He will always book an appointment with you through a man.

If you are waiting to see God’s help in those variables you are expecting, you may never find God. Many have missed God because they sought God in this wise. God is in man; that is why He will always work by man. The story of our text clearly reveals this. For these people to be delivered from their hopeless states, God appointed prophet Ezekiel to the task. You must look for the Ezekiel God has risen for you. That is the man God has given the connection to turn your life around.

God had to go to the valley through Ezekiel because the people could not come out. There are some life situations that warrant only the intervention of God for something to happen. The dry bones characterises a people whose lives have been over taken by hopelessness.

They seemed to be alive, but they lack the life that is required of them to live the life God has purposed for them.

You need a man from heaven to locate you for the release that will launch you into that life. By human standard, David

does not have what necessitated him to be a king because all his other brothers that came before Prophet Samuel were qualified. But because God raised help for him through Samuel, he was chosen (1Sam. 16:6-12). Another man that got divine help is Abraham. Three men were sent to destroy Sodom, but they stopped by at the house of Abraham. They visited Abraham simply to address the issue of barrenness. There is no case that is irreversible in the hand of God. Abraham had already given up on that issue, but God recalled it and attended to it (Gen. 18:14, 21:1-2).

Another case was that of the man at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-9). Because Jesus came there to help him, not even his wrong answer could stop his miracle. When God wants to help you, He will send a man that will support you to your greatness, not a man that will manipulate you. The widow of Zarephath would have died if she had missed Elijah (1Kings 17:9-16). By what transpired in her encounter with Elijah, it was evident

UNTIL HE MAKES A MOVE, GOD’S HELP WILL NEVER COME. GOD’S HELP WILL ALWAYS COME

BY AN APPOINTMENT, BECAUSE GOD’S HELP COMES THROUGH THE AGENCY OF MAN

that Elijah was sent to her for the preservation of her family (1Kings 17:17-23).

It is so in our times also. The men of God around us are not for themselves, but for us. Let your doors be opened to them. They are God’s agencies to bring fulfilment of His purpose in us. You need God’s help to accomplish God’s vision for you. That is why no helper He sends to you will be a liability unto you, but a burden lifter. A good helper will give you instruction. As you obey, your life will never remain the same.

What Does the Help of God Do? •Help of God brings season-less breakthroughs and gives you an edge over your equals (2Chron. 26:3-7, 15). Life battles are real, but much more real is victory. You need the help of God to gain victory in life. Do you know there are issues of life that goes with time and season? If your time is over and the issue still persist, it will take God’s intervention to come out, otherwise, such an individual will die in that situation.

•Every blessing and accomplishment in ministry and life comes via the help of God (Zech. 4:6-9).

•For prayer/counselling, please call: 0803-722-9730.

E-mail: taiye_olayemi@yahoo.co.uk

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday July 29, 2012

Praise & Worship

31

Walking in righteousness Shepherd Life with Bishop Kingsley

A

Enakirerhi

mong the Christian families, the word ‘righteousness’ is commonly used, yet many believers do not really understand what it means and what it stands for.

Evidently, it’s likely that even you, my dear reader, have talked about it, heard it over and again. The question is, do you really have the in-depth meaning and concept of righteousness? It is so important for Christian believers to understand, that they have been made and declared righteous in Christ and that righteousness is a gift from God not earned by our works.

We live in the age when a lot people lay much emphasis on the external appearance. They are of the general view that if they can do without jewelry, adorning of their hair and all forms of make up, then they would be more righteous than others. This type of outward conformity can’t earn true righteousness; it would only result to sanctimony or what could be described as “outward righteousness”.

There exist a thin line of difference between righteousness and holiness.

While holiness is God kind of virtue, that

is being perfect, faultless, spotless and morally upright (Matthew 5:48). Righteousness means right standing with God .It is a state of being in good relationship with God .It is not every one on planet earth that has a right standing with God .Having a right standing with God is not earned by what we do or what we did not do. It is Christ who makes us to have a right standing with God through His Sacrifice on the cross. He imputes righteousness unto us. Work or merit does not earn it. It is transferred from Christ automatically unto the believer at the point of being “born again”. In Romans 4:6, the Bible states, “even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputed righteousness”.

Contrary to the belief held by many believers, it will interest you to know that righteousness is not restricted to any denomination. It is delusive to think that a particular church can make you righteous, therefore, if you are not there the heavenly gate is closed against you. The church is not the building, the people worshiping inside are the Church. Every church is a gate to heaven. Like school pupils are being prepared for the same final Examination, so it is. Though trained from different school, they are all unified by the same syllabus. That is just the situation in the general scheme of things.

However, there are some certain facts which we need to understand about righ-

teousness First, righteousness is putting faith in Christ. Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation”. The thief on the cross believed and confessed Christ and right away, he was saved. He did not have to be baptised in water, and make restitution. He believed in his heart, that Christ is the son of God; he was instantly justified and automatically obtained salvation. That is the simple demonstration of faith and righteousness. The thief, condemned to death on the cross, was automatically transferred from the kingdom of doom to a lofty place in the kingdom of heaven. How did it happen? Through his tireless works? Endless prayer? Not at all.

But through his belief and the confession of his faith in Christ. Hallelujah!

Secondly, righteousness is a gift. Romans 5:17 says For it by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.

There is nothing you do to earn it.

Some folks are wrongly taught that you need to talk in a particular way, walk in a particular fashion. This is not only untrue, it is also unbiblical.

It is the transformation of the heart that affects the outward appearance: when the heart is totally transformed and

confirmed towards Jesus Christ. Alas!

Righteousness and its seeds will abound everywhere in your life. Righteousness is a gift from God, not of works, lest any man should boast’, Ephesians 2:8,9.

No amount of good works can bring righteousness or save your soul. That is why if you are not for Christ, automatically, you have no salvation. The gift of righteousness is the belief and confession of Christ, coupled with being born again. And Christ is the horn of salvation. That is why no matter the degree of good work offered by any other religion, it has no assurance of salvation.

Do you have right-standing with God? Have you accepted Christ as your Saviour? If no, let me lead you to Christ now: say, everlasting father, I now believe that Christ is your son, whom you sent to save my soul. Forgive my sins. Henceforth, I welcome him into my heart as my personal saviour.

I will live for him and in him all the days of my life, so help me Lord. Amen.

Beloved, righteousness is the key to a victorious and fruitful life. In Hebrew 1:9, it is written “Thou has loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore, God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows”. Do you want to excel above your fellows? Continue to walk in Christ and you will enjoy His favour.

Cheating on your husband? Stop it now Christian Relationship with Taiwo

Odubiyi

E-mail: info@pastortaiwoodubiyi.org.uk

I

n one of my novels, My First Love, Anna, a wife and mother, found her first love on facebook and reconnected with him. They arranged to meet and soon, began to have lunch together and talk on phone regularly. Eventually, the man wanted more from the relationship.

He became tired of just lunch and holding hands, he wanted intimacy.

Last week’s message was to encourage the men who have been cheated on by their wives, and give them direction. Today, I want the women who cheat on their husbands to think about what it is doing to their marriages and stop.

They also need to give themselves some respect and regain control of their lives. I am not condemning these women but want them to know that a lot is at stake. In My First Love, Lisa told Anna about a man and a woman who were having a secret affair. Their spouses eventually got to know about it. The man’s wife forgave him but the woman’s husband was not that understanding. He filed for divorce. Most likely the man and the woman did not plan to go that far but they did.

The reasons and excuses that men give for cheating on their wives are also the women’s reasons for infidelity: they no longer love their spouses and have fallen in love with someone else; they

want some fun as marriage has taken their lives and freedom away; their sexual needs are not being met; their spouses make them feel unloved and unwanted; lack of attention; they were cheated on and wanted revenge; loneliness; being taken for granted; the marriage has become dull and there is no more excitement, etc.

But whatever the reason is, getting into adultery is not the right response. No reason can ever be good enough to make it right. In infidelity, someone or even both parties and the children eventually get deeply hurt and wounded. I know of a case where the husband almost went mad when he learnt of his wife’s infidelity which was borne out of revenge. He couldn’t understand why his wife would do such a thing and eventually they had to separate and divide the children between them. This pain for everyone could have been avoided. It’s important to think ahead about the consequences.

In my novel Love Fever, Ladi told his wife, Tosin, “I was deeply hurt, disappointed, shattered. I felt like killing someone or killing our marriage.”

Whatever is wrong in the marriage, the solution is to work on it and save it, and not to seek relief in the arms of another man. Some people care only about what they want and how they feel. Some women don’t care if they are destroying another woman’s marriage because of money, their desires or lust which they call love.

As responsible women though, we should put the feelings and needs of our families before ours, and decide to be good women. We should think about our children and determine to be good mothers to them knowing that we will give ac-

count to God one day.

Sometimes, people think they don’t have a choice or the power to stop but that is not true. We have a choice and the power to make a positive change. The truth is that if we don’t know who we are, we will not be able to make the right decisions or do the right things. We will not be able to affect lives positively and people will not know who we are.

The value people place on you is determined by the value you place on yourself.

Your dignity in life is tied to the understanding of your individuality. God created you special, to bring glory to Him. In Matthew 16:13 Jesus asked His disciples, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” They then began to suggest and guess. Some said “You are John the Baptist, Elijah or one of the prophets.”

Jesus now asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter now answered that He was Christ the son of the living God. Jesus knew who He was. Do you know who you are? Have you discovered your purpose in life? In my novel ‘You found me’, Sam knew who he was and he made it clear to Ann when she asked if he had a girlfriend.

“I don’t.”

Surprised, she asked, “Why not?”

He laughed. “Must I have a girlfriend?”

“Well, it’s the normal thing, especially for a cool and handsome guy like you. In fact, people would think something was wrong should they discover that someone like you didn’t have a girlfriend.”

He chuckled and said, “Well, I’m sorry to disappoint you. I don’t have a girlfriend and there is nothing wrong with me.”

He wasn’t ashamed to be different and to let her know he was different. If you allow circumstances, people and your

desires to dictate your life and decisions for you, they will place you in the wrong places and you will be doing the wrong things. You are supposed to control your emotions.

Self discovery is the first step to self recovery. If you don’t respect yourself, people will not respect you. There are girls who present themselves cheap to men on the streets, and the men touch their bodies, they molest and abuse them sexually.

This happens because the girls don’t know who they are, and how to live. They don’t realise that they have a choice. Sisters, don’t lower your standard. Don’t sell your birthright for a pot of porridge.

When you don’t show yourself responsible, others will not place value on you, and you could end up destroying yourself.

You might have made mistakes because of ignorance. The affair might have been going on for some months or years but now, God is calling your name. He is saying to you, “Come out from it.” Have you been living in the dust and in the mud? Have you been justifying the affair, living in sin? God is saying to you right now, “Stop. Awake and arise! Shake yourself from the dust and sit down where you belong, at home with your family.” Shake yourself from the dust, arise; sit down!

Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion! (Isaiah 52:2) •What should you do? 1)End the ungodly relationship; and stay away from the man; 2)Learn to control your emotions and desires; 3) Be determined to do what is right; 4)Ask God to forgive you. Surrender to Him and keep His words in your heart; Believe these words and change your ways.

32

Praise & Worship

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday July 29, 2012

Running the race of your life: Olympics (I) Footprints with Dr. Tunde

Ojewole Email: ojewolea@babcockuni.edu.ng Phone: 08058299434

The 2012 Summer Olympic Games are scheduled for London, United Kingdom, from July 27-August 12, featuring 205 nations of the world who are competing in 300 events. These will be promptly followed by the 2012 Paralympic Games from August 29 to September 9, featuring 147 countries. London hosted the Olympic Games in 1908 and 1948. Occurring every four years, it is one of those events aimed at festering unity among countries, while rewarding athletic champions. The hosting cities bobble with financial activities and rake in millions of dollars in profit. It is a win-win situation for all participants, whether they get the gold medal or not. You may not be in the seething heat at the Olympics, but I submit that we are each running a race: the race of your life!

The text which applies to this is 1 Corinthians 9:24-27: “know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receives the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that strives for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we; an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beats the air: but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

Apostle Paul and his immediate audience were very familiar with the athletic exercises in most of the Greek cities with stadium, or running-ground, or race-courses like those at Olympia, Isthmus, Delphi, and Nemea. The games were celebrated every fourth or fifth year including: running, wrestling, boxing, cuffing, and throwing the discus. The

prize which was conferred by the judge or umpire was a wreath of olive at the Olympic games; a wreath of apple at Delphi; of pine at the Isthmian; and of parsley at the Nemean games. Whatever the prize was, it was conferred on the successful champion on the last day of the games, and with great solemnity, pomp, congratulation, and rejoicing. At Olympia, the stadium was a causeway 604 feet in length, and of proportionable width.

It was surrounded by a terrace and by the seats of the judges of the games.

Running was one of the principal exercises at the games. Fleetness or swiftness was regarded as an extraordinary virtue and great pains were taken in order to excel in this. Swiftness was one of the most excellent endowments with which a man can be blessed. The Greeks consider running so valuable because it fitted men eminently for war in those days. It enabled them to make a sudden and unexpected onset, or a rapid retreat. David, in his poetical lamentations over Saul and Jonathan, notes this qualification of theirs, as fitting them for war: “they were swifter than eagles, stronger than lions” (2Sam 1:23).

The race of Christianity differs from the Olympic in that it is a spiritual race.

It strains not legs and lungs, but faith and patience. Other races are performed by natural abilities, but this by a supernatural power and strength. Those races might be run without disturbance, but not this. Their reward is only a garland of bays, ours a crown of immortality.

Running this race supposes a motion.

It involves a vehement and intense motion. It implies progress and proficiency.

Every step brings the racer nearer the goal and it implies perseverance. The racer must hold it to the last, or he loses his labour and reward. Every one that thus run shall obtain the prize, but one receives the prize in other races.

A Japanese proverb states: “to endure what is unendurable is true endurance.”

James Russell Lowell calls endurance as the crowning quality. The Psalmist recognizes that those “sow in tears shall reap in joy” (Psalm 126:5). The four steps to accomplishment can be itemized as follows: Plan purposefully. Prepare prayerfully. Proceed positively. Pursue persistently. In another way, the basic rules for success may be defined as follows: know what you want. Find out what it takes to get it. Act on it and persevere. “Often genius is just another way of spelling perseverance.”

In order to make it in this race called life, you must give yourself wholly to God, and make this the grand business of life. You must “lay aside every weight,” (Heb 12:1,) and renounce all sin and all improper attachments. Never allow yourself to be diverted from the object, but keep the goal constantly in view. No one that is easily distracted can win the Olympic, by looking at the cheering or booing crowd. He or she must keep their eyes on the finished line- the tape. Do not flag, or grow weary in your course. Keep your eyes fully fixed on Christ (Heb 12:2)

Answer these questions and win a prize 1.

2.

3.

Name the type of building used by the Israelites in their wanderings. Supply the scripture.

Where is the queen who came to see Solomon in all his riches from? Locate the scripture.

Name Prophet Amos’ nativity and his occupation. Supply the scripture.

•Please, be informed that the first correct entry via text message wins the prize.

See next week’s column for answers to the quiz. Send your answers with your names to 08054238905. Gifts: courtesy Babcock University.

as your example and your strength, and on heaven as the end of their race, and on the crown of glory as their reward.

Keep running the race set before you (Phil 2:16; 3:14; 1Tim 6:12; 2Tim 2:5).

Carl Lewis who was an Olympic champion once said: “my thoughts before a big race are usually pretty simple.

I tell myself: ‘get out of the blocks, run your race, you’ll win. . . Channel your energy. Focus.” In the race of life, we need to focus on the race we are running and stop comparing ourselves with others. Confucius advised: “it does not matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.” Moreover, we must not straddle the road, moving from one side to the other. Any runner who steps into another’s line is disqualified! Anuerin Bevan warns: “we know what happens to people who stay in the middle of the road.

They get run over.” James William concluded that “there is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.” Winston Churchill chided some people saying: “they are decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, all-powerful for impotence.”

Christianity is a race which God hath set for us, and it is our duty faithfully and perseveringly to run it in accordance to the prescribed rules, laws and regulations. No organized sport is without strictly set and maintained rules.

You do not change the rule in the course of the game. Any participant who continually intentionally disregards these rules will foul out. It is ridiculous to suppose that God’s rules and laws have been done away with so that Christians can walk in liberty! We are only safe within the confines of His dictates. The Ten Commandments are described as the “law of liberty” (James 2:8-12; 1:25).

Answers to July 15, 2012 Quiz 1.

2.

3.

Stephen- Acts7:59,60 Cyprus- Acts 13:4 Harp- 1 Sam 16:23

How do I get financial freedom?

Holy Inquiry with Pastor Paul

Nkirukah E-mail: pstpaul11@yahoo.com

Dear Pastor, I am a hardworking young man and by the special grace of God, I make some good income for my enterprise. The unfortunate thing is that I don’t know how I go about the money I make. It is either one family problem or some ‘wahala’ here and there crops up and the money is gone. The more I try to save good money to do something for myself, the more issues arise and the money vanishes into thin air. Yet people see me as rich because of my kind of business. Haba, Pastor! How can I gain financial freedom?

Obinna 2010, Asaba, Delta State Dear reader, You have to thank God that the money is always coming, but only that it cannot stay or remain in your hand, and that makes it a very small challenge and very easy to solve.

First of all, I will like to know or ask: do you regularly and correctly pay your tithes? Because, according to the Bible, there are two major things or factors that can make one to become broke. Let’s examine the scriptures below for a better understanding.

Malachi 3: 7 – 12 reads, “Even from the days of your fathers ye are gone away from my ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts; But ye said wherein shall we return?” Verse 8; “Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.” Verse 9, “Ye are cursed with a curse for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.”

Verse 10, “Bring ye all the tithes into the store house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of the hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” Verse 11, “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sake, and he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground, neither shall your vine cast her fruits before the time in the

YOU LIVE IN YOUR GIVING; AND YOU GIVE TO LIVE.

SO, GIVING,

MOST ESPECIALLY SACRIFICIALLY, WILL SURELY GIVE YOU FINANCIAL FREEDOM field, saith the LORD of hosts.” Verse 12, “And all nations shall call you ‘blessed’, for ye shall be a delightsome land saith the LORD of hosts.

According to the statement above, he said he will rebuke the devourer when you pay your tithe, that also means that if you did not pay, he will not rebuke the devourer, and also, heaven will not be open for supply.

Let’s also take a good look at Haggai 1: 3 – 10, but I will only write for you from verse 3 to 6, and you will go and study the remaining verses on your own. Verses 3-6, “Then came the word of the LORD

by Haggai the prophet, saying, is it time O ye, to dwell in your ceiled houses, and this house lie waste? Now therefore, thus saith the LORD of the hosts, consider your ways; ye have sown much, and brought in little. Ye eat but ye have not enough, ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink, ye cloth you but there is none warm, and he that earneth wages earneth wages to put it into a bag with holes.

Verse 9, “Ye looked for much, and, lo, it came to little, and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it, why? Saith the LORD of hosts, because of mine house that is waste, and ye run every man unto his own house.”

The above scriptures have said it all; why money does not last in your hands.

The question now is: are you careful about the house and the things of God? If not, you better watch it, because the Bible said that you should consider your ways.

My dear, you live in your giving; and you give to live. So, giving, most especially sacrificially, will surely give you financial freedom. How I wish you would re-examine your relationship with God towards these lines and see if the desired change doesn’t come upon your life in due course.

33

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lessons of Life

ANGELA DAVIES lessonsoflife2@yahoo.com 08023342083

TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART JULY 29, 2012

‘Help, I am married to a bully!’

I

started screaming and fortunately, Charly, who had come to visit us rushed to our bedroom. He pulled me away from Andy and started yelling at him, “Andy, stop it, stop it. Real men don’t hit a woman no matter what she does. She is your wife and not your punching bag. When did you turn a bully? Stop this madness.”

Andy looked at Charly his younger brother, pushed him aside and left the room. Charly patted me and assured that all will be well. “Celestina, why was he beating you?

What did you do?” Charly asked. “Your brother beat me up because I told him I was pregnant. He said the baby is not his,” I said, sobbing. “What is wrong with my brother? He has changed so much,” he retorted.

Immediately I started bleeding. “Look Charly I am bleeding. I think I have a miscarriage,” I cried. Charly immediately carried me to the car and called out to Andy and they rushed me to the hospital. The doctor later informed us that I had lost the pregnancy. “I am sorry Celestina, but you lost the baby. What really happened?” he asked. “Doc, I fell on my stomach,” I lied to the doctor. About two hours later, Andy apologised and pleaded with me to forgive him. He also assured his brother that he would never hit me again. I spent three days in the hospital before I was discharged.

Things were normal between us for sometime before Andy went back to his vomit. I endured everything because of my son, Jnr. Four months later, I got pregnant again. One evening, I remember I was four months pregnant then, I came back home and knocked only for the housemaid to inform me through the window that Andy instructed her not to open the door for me. When I kept knocking, he came close to the door and said, “Woman you better go back to wherever you are coming from. In fact, this night you must choose between me, your job and your boyfriends.” I pleaded and cried for him to open the door but he turned a deaf ear. When he eventually opened the door 15 minutes later, this was about 9:00 p.m.; he pushed out our son, Junior, and the house help, Mary, insisting that I should leave with them. Junior was crying and I was so exhausted. However, Mary kept encouraging me. “Where do you want me to go to at this time of the night with your son and unborn child?”

I asked. “Anywhere you like,” he replied.

Tired and exhausted, I still drove to my parents’ house. They were surprised to see us that late in the night. As expected, there were a series of questions from my parents, some of which I had no answers to. But the truth is that for the first time, I opened up to my mother.

I was able to talk to my mother and she said, “You mean you have been going through all these and you kept it to yourself ? I thought Andy was human. Don’t worry my daughter, everything will be alright,” she assured.

That weekend, I went over to the house to talk to Andy but when I got there, to my greatest surprise, there was already a woman in our matrimonial home. When I knocked, a young lady between the ages 25 - 26 opened the door for me and asked who I was looking for. As I was about asking her who she was, Andy showed up at the door and asked me what I was doing there. “What did you come here to do?” he asked angrily. “I came so that we can talk, Andy,” I said. “I am sorry there is nothing to talk about. As you can see another woman has taken your place,” he snapped. “I can see that. Anyway, I want to collect some of my personal effects and that of my son,” I said. “No problems but you have just 20 minutes to do that,” he replied and then allowed me into the house.

Since that day, I have neither seen nor heard from Andy again. He never even called to ask after his own son, Jnr. Even when I gave birth to our daughter and personally called to inform him, he promised to come

and see us in the hospital. He never showed up ever since. His parents and siblings have been very supportive. Today, our son is three years old and our daughter, Princess, is a year old. Whenever I look at my children, they give me so much joy and every reason to continue living for them.

I was in the office recently when I was informed by the receptionist that I had a visitor by the name Charly. I was so excited that Charly came to visit me after about two months of not seeing each other. However, when I asked that he be ushered into my office, who did I see? Andy. “What are you doing in my office?” I enquired. Without giving him a chance to explain himself I walked him out of my office and warned him never to show up anywhere for me again.

He has been calling and showing up at my parents’ home for a while now with the story that he wants his family back. They are quick to tell him that the only person who can determine that is me. Funnily, he has refused to get off my back. These days, he calls me almost every 30 minutes. But I don’t bother to pick his call. He has also been bombarding my phone with text messages and apologising for the way he treated me and my children. I have refused to respond to any of them either.

On investigation, I learnt that Andy lost his job because the woman who he felt was better than me, stole a huge amount of money meant for his official work and fled. The management of the organisation felt he had defrauded the company. He was consequently sacked. He was made to pay a certain amount of the money every month. Nevertheless, I sympathise with him. But what can I do? Andy turned me into his punching bag all because of that woman. I guess he felt that because he was cheating on me, I was doing the same as well. I never would have imagined Andy will cheat on me, much less bringing a woman into our matrimonial home because of how much we loved each other.

I got married at the age of 25 to Andy. A very handsome and caring man, he was then 27. He was loved by all the members of my family. His family too loved me

so much too, especially his father. We met in my final year as a Mass Communication undergraduate at the University of Lagos. We got married immediately after our youth service with the support of our parents.

All my life I have wanted to become a television or radio presenter. However, when I was unable to get a job in any television or radio house, by a stroke of luck I got a job in one of the media houses. I was so excited because I loved writing even though at the beginning, it was a bit difficult. But because I had the passion for what I was doing, I learnt quickly with the help of some senior colleagues. Andy got a job in an engineering firm. In fact, we got our jobs on the same day and we celebrated that evening at home.

I had been married for three years but I had only enjoyed my marriage for a year. Knowing how tedious the job of a journalist could be some of the time, most times I get home late and he never complained. I don’t know what happened to Andy, the darling husband I married but what I know is that his attitude changed six months after the birth of our son, Junior. We used to be a very happy couple. Sometimes, he even helped in giving me story ideas to work on. In fact, at weekends we attended events together, especially when I was pregnant because he’d tell me he does not want me to get stressed up driving to and fro late at night. Suddenly, all that changed, just overnight.

As much as I still love Andy and want my family back together because of my children, how am I sure he has truly changed? How am I sure I will not be going back to the hell I call marriage? Is he coming back after a year because he has lost his job and in debt and feels I can help him out? The least I would wish is to see my children, especially Junior, watch his father beat me and think it is morally right to hit a woman. Please, advise me. What do I do?

Concluded.

Please send your advice to the phone number or email address above. No calls, please.

34

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Connecting

Vanessa with

Vanessaonsunday@yahoo.com

How to know if you have fallen in love A

n old friend of mine once described being in love as having butterflies in your stomach and I think that aptly describes the way love makes us feel on the inside. You usually have a tickling sensation all over you when you think of that person isn’t it? Oh well, you may not agree with me if you have never been in love the way I’m describing it today. Love brings new meaning and excitement into your life, you go around with this sheepish smile on your face and people close to you wonder why you have this glow of happiness around you. This feeling is even headier when your love is reciprocated by the subject of your desire. Remember this old song, “It’s so good, loving somebody when somebody loves you back”,

by Teddy Pendergrass? Well, nothing rings more true than that. Loving and being loved in return gives off a thrilling feeling of walking on cloud nine. You smile at the mention of your partner’s name. When your phone rings, you wish the call is from your love even before you see the name of the caller. You yearn to spend every special moment of your life with him or her.

As exciting as the feelings I have described above depicts when one falls in love, I will say here that there’s no hard and fast rule that says you must have these feelings registered in your life before you know that you are actually in love.

In fact some have argued with me that when they married their partner, they didn’t have all those feelings which romance novels have fed our heads with while growing up, yet they are truly in love and happy with their partner.

The mere fact that your heart beats fast does not mean he/she is the one. Most times, these feelings can only be just pure lust or mere infatuation and as such deceptive and misleading. That is why much emphasis should be laid on what goes on in your heart and not its beating. Since the heart is a valuable organ in the human body, it takes the concerns of very important people to enter the heart. Take for instance, after meeting him/her for the first time, his/her thought stays permanently in your heart and you always have that person’s welfare at heart. You think about that person more than you realize, you want to share everything with them, you start thinking of sharing the future and possibly having one or two kids with that person. I mean someone you are prepared to stick your neck out for no matter the circumstances.

That is the more reason why falling in love is

Send text only to 08025253996 96 6

In need of a serious relationship/marriage I am Rachel from Ogun State. I am a 26-year-old undergraduate. I need a man between 27 and 30 years old for a serious relationship -08091614551.

Agatha is my name; I am 28 years old. I need a guy that is God-fearing, loving and caring -08034811902.

I am Shola, 35 years old; from Osun State. I am working and based in Lagos. I need a Yoruba, working, God-fearing man of between 35 and 42 years old for a serious relationship -08023649277.

My name is Azubuike. I am 36 old, live and work in Lagos. I need a lady between 26-34 years for a serious relationship that could lead to marriage -08051160073 My name is Saheed Kayode. I live in Lagos. I am interested in a Muslim lady, between 23 and 28 years old for a serious relationship -08024212807.

I am Adeyinka, 26 years old. I live in Ibadan. I want a girl between 21 and 25 years old -08050482084.

My name is Chukwuka. I am 30 years old. I live in Warri, Delta State, Master’s degree student. I need a lover -08069763512.

I am Yomi, 30 years old, based in Lagos. I am tall and well built. I need a slim, pretty lady between 18 and 35 years old for a relationship that will lead to marriage -08033164027.

My name is Olu. I’m 50 years old. I am divorced and live in Lagos. I require a God-fearing woman, between 35 and 45 years of age for a serious relationship that can lead to marriage -08097382933.

Models

an individual thing-you fall all alone into love.

They way your friend sees love and approaches it can be quite different to the way you see it.

Our personalities or what psychologists call temperaments often play a part in the way we approach the issues of love. Some approach it in a standoffish formal way, while others get all romantic and fairy tale like when dealing with matters of the heart.

So how do you see love? Do you believe in fairy tale love? Are you the type that looks at issues logically? They way you see love determines your approach to it and what you also get in return. If you can truthfully answer these questions about yourself then you are half way finding out if you are in love with that new partner you just met or not.

So my advice to all those who have been writing E-mails asking how they will know if they are really in love or not, I’ll just say: FOLLOW YOUR HEART. If you are the type that rationalise and analyse, find out if that person meets with the criteria of the kind of personality you wish to spend the rest of your life with and also gauge if romance and chemistry( which I call the oils of love) can be felt in that relationship.

Once you have been able to identify these major things about yourself and the kind person you want to be with, then go ahead and enjoy the exhilarating feelings only love can bring into your life. You only live once!

Re: Dating your best friend’s ex: Right or wrong?

Ucheoma should go ahead and marry Gideon.

She was not the one that separated Nneka and Gideon.

From, Ojonugwa Abimaje <ojonugwaabimaje@yahoo.co.uk>; It is very wrong! This is because friendship

Heart-throb

Richard Samuel is my name. I am a young, dark-complexioned, cool, handsome, caring, sexy guy. I need a beautiful, romantic and sexy lady for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage -07081633657, 08137917451.

RESPONSES

There is nothing wrong about it. A friend did that and they have been married for seven years now. They are also happily married. One man’s poison is another man’s meat! What’s your take?

From, Woodfetcher Chidi Okpanku

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

shouldn’t encourage such act.

From Nkwocha Virtues <nkwochavirtues@ yahoo.com>; Absolutely YES! This is because nothing is wrong with that. What if she is married to someone else, wont I get married as well to someone?

From Webmaster That is a sheer mark of insincerity and unworthiness. There are over 4 billion other persons to date other than your friend’s ex.

From Jesse Kalu Ukpai Mba

I am Ayo, based in Lagos and working in Ikeja. I need a sexy girl, not fat, for friendship -08085021828.

Waheed is my name. I am 35 years old. I live in Iyana Ipaja, Lagos. I want a beautiful lady between 30 and 35 years old for a serious relationship that will lead to marriage -08023057378.

I am Engr. Ola, 38 years old, and I’m working with an airline. I want you to hook me up with a lady, of about 35 years old for a relationship -08089998524.

My name is AbdulFatai Hamzat. I am 33 years old, an artisan living in Ibadan. I need a Muslim lady for marriage -08057929233.

I am Aremu by name. I am 36 years old, light in complexion, from Kwara State but based in Lagos. I am a businesman. I need a working-class lady, between 30 and 34 years old -08083723568.

I am Abdul, from Lagos. I require a lady between 20 and 25 years old for a serious relationship -07033269301.

In need of a sugar mummy/daddy My name is Kunle, 40 years old. I need a rich sugar mummy, between 27 and 41 years old who will satisfy me in bed. Religion is no problem -07038462997.

I am Prince, 35 years old. I am tall, sexy, dark in complexion and intelligent. I live in Lagos. I need a sugar mummy who is highly influential -07033449138.

I am Henry; I am 25, tall and slim, dark and handsome. I work and live in Abuja.

I am an orphan. I need a sincere, rich sugar mummy between the age of 35 and 45 who can assist me financially for a faithful relationship -08104528464.

I am Gabriel, a 40-year-old man working and based in Lagos. I am 5.8 feet tall, chocolate in complexion. I need a rich sugar mummy, between 25 and 44 years old that will satisfy me sexually and for a serious relationship -08069599840.

My name is Henry Echihe, 6ft 9’’, chocolate and energetic. I need a sugar mummy who is sexually involved and can buy things to make things happen -07031300094.

I am Adeniran, 35 years old. I live in Lagos and need a lonely, sexy and Godfearing sugar mummy, between 40 and 55 years old -07025424395.

My name is Olayemi, 23 years old, 6ft tall, based in Osun State. I need a lonely, sexy, caring sugar mummy for a serious date that can lead to anything -07067751635.

I am Brown, 29 years old, tall, energetic and handsome. I need a wealthy and caring sugar mummy for an affair -08032412254.

My name is Philip, 28 years old. I need a loving and caring sugar mummy that resides in Lagos or Abuja -08122878770.

I am Omowale by name, 30 years of age and live in Ibadan. I need a loving, caring sugar mummy – 08073348725.

My name is Shola, 38 years old. I live in Lagos. I am looking for a busty and romantic sugar mummy, between 35 and 55 years old for a relationship -08076270434.

NOTICE: Please note that we don’t do personal connections outside this column. Calls to connect privately are not allowed. Just send an SMS or email and we’ll get your request published. The request is published on first come first served basis. Thank you!

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Movies & Music

Sunday, July 29, 2012

35

Blessing Egbe’s new television series in the works

Flight to Abuja –Omotola According to information made available to M&M, LFA premiered recently and was shown to a capacity crowd of 1,500 people at the popular Troxy Cinema in East London. The London premiere was also dedicated to the memory of the ill-fated Dana Air crash.

The movie will premiere in Lagos on Friday, August 3rd, 2012 and will be all over the cinemas the same day.

In the movie, viewers will see a set of everyday Nigerian travelers board the last Flamingo Airways flight scheduled to fly from Lagos to Abuja on a fateful Friday night in 2006. The plane cruises at 30,000 feet, tranquil and on schedule.

But like a bolt out of the blue, through a mixture of human error, technical failure and bad luck, the plane rapidly develops major faults that send it teetering on the brink of disaster. As the pilots fight with the controls of the stricken plane, a series of flashbacks unravel the twists, turns and leaps of fate that put each passenger on the fateful flight.

Young lovers, an elderly couple, a corporate party, a sportsman on the threshold of greatness; all the passengers are caught up in the nightmare scenario and sense the final moments of their lives approaching.

10m star prize up for grabs

wcase their talents as to Calabar on August th; Warri 11th; Benin h, with auditions endExcellence, Lagos, on . tive talent show in the nt. The encompassing que to the Got Talent head of other shows,” Rotimi Pedro, ex-

Officer and Executive eria, Deepak Srivass pleased to partner er talented Nigerians. reat platform for talare also passionate xciting telecommunicross the country.” nt reality show would d December this year performances and levision. o tour the country on project that will celNigerians especially

its youth, following the brand vision to remain the most loved brand in the lives of Nigerians,” Srivastava said.

Interestingly, the Nigeria’s Got Talent Show has no demographic barrier, as a 10-year-old child or an octogenarian can emerge ultimate winner and grab the N10 million-prize money.

Nigeria, apart from South Africa, is the only African country that has been able to secure the Got Talent franchise and is set to experience the magic of the show like other nations across the world.

The Got Talent franchise has produced many notable performers in the last couple of years including Diversity, Bianca Ryan and Britain’s Got Talent’s 2009 1st runner-up, Susan Boyle, whose debut album became the fastest selling UK debut album of all time, selling over 3 million copies in the US amongst others.

The franchise, currently in its sixth year, is one of the fastest growing international franchises, closing the gap on other successful franchises such as ‘The Weakest Link’, ‘The X Factor’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars,’ amongst others.

If the latest information at M&M’s disposal is anything to go by, then let’s tell you that energetic and hard-working producer, Blessing Egbe, is currently putting her talent and other things in motion to thrill movie fans once again. The fast-rising movie producer is set to dish out a hot new series titled ‘The Naija Wives’ According to feelers reaching this column, the series, which is a three-part seasonal sequel, comprising 13 chapters/episodes of film/ TV drama per season, seeks to mirror the peculiar lifestyles and trends of the new Nigerian women through the different classes, main groups and sectored divisions.

‘Lekki Wives’ is the first of the three seasonal series line up, which will comprise 13 episodes (45mins each) or 26 episodes (25mins each) per season.

In the ‘Lekki Wives’ season, viewers will follow the lives and conditions of five women living, visiting and working in the highbrow Lekki axis. The women will portray very significant issues trending in the axis and will bring to fore the very many troubles and lifestyles of the rich, which increasingly is a supposedly amiable trend.

M&M gathered that the main aim of this series asides the obvious entertainment and informative value, is to create awareness and deter upcoming wives and young girls alike from pursuing only the glamorous aspects of life but to have a broader sense of who they are as women in an otherwise corrupt society where loose and immoral ways of acquiring wealth and living is the order of the day.

According to Blessing Egbe, “we seek to teach women the importance of self awareness, self respect, self satisfaction and above all self service to the home, society, mankind and God. It was learnt that auditions for the series will hold on the 1st and 2nd of August 2012.

Blessing Egbe

John Dumelo tangos with Chioma Chukwuka-Apotha in The Past Came Calling Ace director and seasoned producer, Ruke Amata, has returned to the Nollywood sphere with this intriguing story of love, suspense, bitterness and betrayal with the movie, ‘The Past Came Calling’ which features one of the best hands in Ghollywood, John Dumelo and A-list Nollywood actress, Chioma Chukwuka-Apotha.

The movie, which hit the cinemas few days ago, addresses the issues of advanced free fraud (419), inter-racial relationship, juvenile delinquency and the effects of divorce on a child, among others. With successful premieres and Chioma Chukwuka cinema sales in Banjul, capital of The Gambia and United Kingdom, the cinema audience in Nigeria is in for a time of their lives as the movie will be shown all over the cinemas from this month.

The credibility of Ruke Amata has never been in doubt, as he was behind very successful flicks such as ‘Bachelors’, ‘S.O.D – Son of the Devil’, ‘The Accursed’, ‘Growing Up’ and ‘Emotional Hazard’. Other members of the cast are; Marie Kumba Gomez, Oliver Jolliffe, Demetri Turin, Penelope Humbert and others.

The movie, which was shot in many parts of England, tells the story of a young medical student (Susan) who went to the UK to study with her ‘sister’, Maggie (Chioma Chukwuka). She never, in her wildest imagination, believed she could ever fall in love with a white man, until she is introduced to a dashing young guy (Dermot) by her ‘sister’s boyfriend, Kachi (John Dumelo).

But the heart is not so smart; they met and began what became a sizzling romantic relationship, until the events of the past came calling.

Speaking on what the John Dumelo cinema audience in Nigeria should expect, the seasoned producer said, “the cinema public in The Gambia and the United Kingdom had a thrilling time when this movie was shown there. My people here won’t be an exception. We worked hard to get this movie out without compromising on the cinematic quality and delivery by upping the ante here as more Nigerian movies are presently showing at the cinema and there is need for the quality films to stand out and stand tall at the cinema.”

Voting for African Entertainment Award nominees kicks off If you are keen on making your favourite African entertainer take home a plaque in this year’s African Entertainment Award, then you should be on your feet and start voting online. M&M can reveal that the official announcement of the 2012 African Entertainment Awards Nominees has been made.

The names of the nominees were presented live on the G98.7FM’s African Groove Show at 11:30am on

Sunday, July 15, 2012. And the online voting for the nominees in various categories has already kicked off.

Nominees for Best Gospel Artiste are Akin Busari, Spoken, The Psalmist and Icha Kavonstoyin Dada. Those nominated for Best Movie Actor include; Lonzo Nzekwe, Phillip Eki and Bobby Obodo. And for Best Movie Actress, those nominated are; Queen Amina Eghujovbo, Olawunmi Adeniyi, Uba Onqudiw

and Abebe Berkti.

Other category of awards in the 2012 edition of African Entertainment Award include; Best Male Model, Best Female Model, Best Photography, Best Designer, Best Record Label, Best MC and African Music Ambassador, among others.

The African Entertainment Awards will take place on September 15, 2012 at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in Toronto.

36

Sunday, July 29, 2012

A Fashionista’s

World JULY 29, 2012

‘My best asset is my waist’

Whether you call her a nightingale or a songstress, you are dead right. Samuel Tom, fondly known as T-Shock, usually displays a tattoo on her waist whenever she is performing. She moves her hips and wriggles her waist like an Indian belly dancer. Little wonder she describes her waist as her best asset. This actress who said she is sexy and audacious told Adaeze Amos her style and why she chose to have a tattoo on her waist.

How did your passion for singing come?

The passion to sing burns right inside of my belly. To be frank, it is just in me. I saw it in me and here I am today. I have an album in the market right now, the audio and video are ready. I thank God for his mercy.

Some celebrated ladies who sing today are not well-read, what about you?

No! I’m a songstress with brains. I have high regard for education. I studied Business Administration. It is very important to go to school as that is a criterion to be somebody in life. If you want to be a celebrity, if you want to be a star, you have to be educated so that you will be able to last long in the limelight.

Can you spell out your style?

I’m sexy and audacious! I love fashion, and anywhere I go, I like to look good, to let people know I’m an artiste. I always like to be identified with my style. To ladies who don’t know how to put two and two together to look good, I’m advising them to always ensure they look okay because it is important. A lady is addressed the way she i s dressed. Always make sure you look at the mirror.

First make sure you have the picture of where you are going in mind and then check who you are and what you are trying to represent. Then slip into something really sassy.

What part of your body can you show off with shoulders high?

My waist! Oh sure my waist, no doubt. I love my waist with a passion and that is the part of my body I show offt with shoulders high. I would always thank God for giving me a sexy waist, even though I don’t have a sizable hip. It’s my best asset. How I wish I had a sizable hip. But I love my waist. I have a tattoo on it and I can dance very well, that’s one other thing I do very well.

You are wearing off-shoulder top and…?

Yeah, there’s nothing wrong in flaunting good shoulders and spotless complexion but that depends on where I’m going (she cuts in). I flaunt cleavages as well, not all the time, that depends on my mood and the occasion. I can’t just, for instance, when I’m coming to entertain children flaunt cleavages, it’s not proper. If it’s in the

night, I wouldn’t bother covering up this much. If you had seen me in my real mood, you would know what I mean.

Would you as a fashionista opt for boobs enlargement in the nearest future?

Wow! I have never thought of that, and I don’t think I like it really. I’m just okay with the size of my boobs, at least for now.

How about boobs enhancement?

I could opt for it only when my man says he needs something firmer and sexier. Well there’s nothing wrong in going for boobs enlargement or enhancement. I have friends who do it and they look good.

Your sexy ways of twisting your hip on stage may ginger those who run nude club businesses to approach you for real show. Have you danced nude before?

Nobody has approached me for that really.

Would you do it if the pay is good?

I don’t think so. You know we are Africans; we should remember who we are and where we are coming from.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

37

&

Weddings Engagements CELEBRATING THE JOY IN MARITAL BLISS JULY 29, 2012

Nigerian rapper, Naeto C, Nicole Chukwueke consummate marriage

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

You can call this line 08051980588

BABIES OF THE WEEK

ANGELA DAVIES

S

aturday, July 21 will forever be a memorable day for the families of Chikwe and Chukwueke. It was the day their children, Nigerian rap superstar, Naetochukwu Chikwe better known as Naeto C, and his beau, Nicole Ogugua Chukwueke, walked down consummated their marriage.

The couple was joined in holy matrimony at the Catholic Church of Divine Mercy, Lekki while the fabulous reception took place at the Impression Events Centre, Oniru, Lekki, Lagos.

Beautiful Nicole was magnificent in her body-hugging wedding dress accessorised with a diamond headpiece and earrings. Naeto C complemented his bride in a blue suit paired with white shirt and a white bow tie.

The self-proclaimed ‘only MC with an MSc’ star who wanted a quiet wedding because he did not want his wife to bear the burden of public scrutiny, got more than what he bargained for. Both invited and uninvited guests stormed the venue of the wedding and reception.

At the venue of the reception, as expected, the elated groom performed some of his hit songs including “5 & 6”, “10/10” and “Kini Big Deal” while D’banj thrilled guests with “Scape Goat”, “Oliver Twist”, “Igwe”, “Fall in Love”, and many others. Guests also enjoyed the first live performance of the duo’s recent hit collaboration, the remix of “Tony Montana”. Finally, Ikechukwu unleashed “Wind Am Well” and “Critical”.

The newlyweds received numerous gifts from guests. However, the high point of the superlative wedding came as a pleasant surprise to the couple and guests when they were presented with the keys to a brand new Porsche Cayenne by D’banj on behalf of Dumebi Kachikwu, who was once married to Naeto C’s elder sister, Somachi.

Nateto C is the son of Kema Chikwe, former Minister of Aviation. Kema Chikwe was also appointed Nigeria’s ambassador to the Republic of Ireland in 2008. Beautiful Nicole is a former model and daughter of Germaine Motors owner, Jerry Chukwueke.

The couple had their introduction in December 2011 while the traditional marriage rites held in Owerri on April 9 this year.

MOJEED ALABI

A

folahade was an SS II student at Holy Child Comprehensive High School, Owode-Yewa in Ogun State when Ayoade, then a secondary school leaver, spotted and developed interest in her.

“She was my younger brother’s friend and each time I saw her I was always attracted by her courtesy and good attitude. And as someone who thinks more of future than the present I felt making her a good friend could be the best way to make her mine. So, right from then I had seen her as my wife because the truth is that when you see your wife you will know,” Ayoade said.

After about nine years of courtship, Hezekiah Ayoade Adewole, now a customs officer, made real his intention when families, friends and well-wishers gathered at the Apostolic Church, Corner Area Headquarters, Owode Yewa, to witness how Abigael Afolashade Adebiyi said “I do” to seal their nineyear-old courtship.

According to Afolashade, Ayoade’s

There Chikwe/Chukwueke attracted a number of important dignitaries from different spheres of the society. They include former president, Olusegun Obasanjo; Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi; Wale Babalakin; Andy Uba; Obi Asika and D’Banj. Others were Ikechukwu; Yemi Osunkoya; Pauline Tallen; Senator Daisy Danjuma, CEO Kosibah; Tee A and Ali Baba who was also the MC of the occasion, among others.

‘Her maturity, consistency rekindled our love’

consistency should be credited for the success of their relationship because “as expected many things that could have driven us apart had happened but his maturity and consistency had kept us going.”

The final year student of the Department of Agricultural Science and

Economics of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Oyo State said the belief in “tomorrow” was an additional factor that kept them going.

How would they spice up their marriage? Ayoade said God has always been the pillar of their relationship and by remaining committed to Him “we are sure to overcome all trials.”

To Afolashade, she intends to spice up their marriage with love in abundance and fidelity. “Remember also that God is everything; so we rely on Him for guidance.

The wedding reception held at Area Community High School, in Owode Yewa and there was plenty to eat and drink.

Kamsiyochukwu Flourish Chimdi Gianella Emuka was born on June 19 at Funmbi Medical Centre, Alagbado, Lagos to Marlyn and Eucharia Emuka. She was delivered at 9:35 a.m. and weighed 3.55kg.

Eucharia revealed that “during the pregnancy, I enjoyed chewing Ijebu garri. I also craved for mangoes, chilled coke and Malta Guinness.

I must also point out that I fell in love with the smell of cement and whenever I am passing by the block industry near my residence, I deliberately wasted time to get enough smell.”

Speaking on her physical body changes, Eucharia said, “people marvelled at my beauty during the first and second trimester but towards the later stages, my nose, lips and face grew bigger.”

What irritated her during pregnancy? “I got irritated by smell of perfumes,” she said.

What do Kamsiyochukwu’s parents love about her? “I love everything about her, more importantly her looks. She is very active...the smiles given nonchalantly and the fact that she eats well. She’s lovely!”

What do they want her to become in future?

“We would like our baby to choose her profession herself, but we will guide her to achieve that.

If we are to decide for her, we would like her to become a medical doctor,” emphasised Marlyn What is the meaning of her names? “Kamsiyochukwu means ‘as I asked God’. Chimdi means ‘my God lives’ and Gianella means ‘my God is gracious’. And flourish which is our expectation, for the blessings of the Lord maketh rich and add no sorrow. Her names were carefully given to reflect our thoughts and expectations. They also give a glimpse of our God-given victory over the report of man and or science,” added Marlyn.

Oluwatobiloba Emmanuel Omoniyi was born on December 30, 2011 at Maitama General Hospital, Abuja to Tosin and Mary Omoniyi.

He weighed 2.1kg.

According to Mary, “during the pregnancy, I craved for chicken, vegetables, fruits and malt drink. I also drank lots of water.”

What do Emmanuel’s parents love about him? Mary said, “He is cute and smiles a lot.”

What do they want him to become in future?

“I want him to realise his God-given dreams,” stressed Tosin.

What is the meaning of Oluwatobiloba? “Oluwatobiloba means God is great. We gave him the name because God has been so great to us and we give thanks to Him,” Tosin added.

38

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Opinion

Sunday July 29, 2012

39

Osun: A governor’s development strategy OYINTILOYE OLATUNBOSUN

I

t is an incontrovertible fact that one of the major parameters of measuring a society’s economic growth and development is the availability of infrastructural facilities of which the provision of good road network stands tall. The primacy of good roads is underscored by its potency of stemming rural-urban drift, facilitating production and transportation of goods and services as well as attracting the development of small, medium and large scale industries, amongst others.

In a place like Osun State, which is basically an agro-based society, the multiplier effect of good road network within and across cities and communities in the state will not only better people’s standards of living, but enhance their productive capacity and give such a turnaround that translates into stress reduction and healthy living. It is against this backdrop that the present administration of Mr. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has taken some pragmatic steps to reverse the parlous state of roads in the state.

Given his antecedent as an achiever in Lagos State when he served for eight years as the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, he knows that any society whose roads are in bad shape can only be characterized by inefficiency, low productivity, time wastages, heavy expenses on human and materials maintenance, loss of lives due to avoidable accidents, and crippled and retarded economy. Thus, he has brought to bear his enormous experience to make a difference in this sector and, in line with his

six point integral action plan, he meticulously assessed the embarrassing condition of roads in the Osun State and creatively harnessed resources to change the story.

Armed with blueprints to actualise his vision, Aregbesola categorized road works into intra and inter-city.

The first intervention contract projects that were awarded by the government last year which was the spot patching and spot rehabilitation of roads in the major towns and villages in all the nine federal constituencies that make up the state. The project, which benefited several communities, namely Iwo, Ede, Ilesa, Ikirun, Ile-Ife, Osogbo, Ikire and Ejigbo among others, covered 83.66 kilometers of roads and it was awarded for N1, 086,358,046. Through direct labour, this project has reached 99.7 per cent completion.

In order to make the state capital and other major cities to reflect the true urban status, government, early this year, awarded another set of 21 selected roads within Osogbo spanning 26.31 kilometers for N3.9 billion and 15 selected roads of 29.7 kilometers in Ilesa for N3.7 billion, while work is also progressing on 14 roads in Ede and 34 roads in Ikirun. Some of the roads in Osogbo include Coca-Cola/Alekuwodo/ Capital Hotel road, Gbodofon/Jaleyemi/ Gbaemu junction road, Kola Balogun/Fiwasaye/Olohunosebi junction road, Station roads/Fagbewesa/Odi-Olowo/Ebenezer hotel spur and Oke-fia/Alekuwodo/OlaIya/Ita-Olokan/Ilesa road junction.

In Ilesa, contracts were awarded for rehabilitation and construction of Adebisi Aromolaran Street/Oke-Aanu, Isokun/Osogbo roads/DIG Fagbola, Ibala/Oke-Omiru/

Otekunrin/Osogbo roads junction and Irojo Sabo junction/Agboworin Crescent/Bolorunduro (Amuta junction). Besides, through direct labour, another N3.3 billion intra-city road works, covering 51.69 kilometers, are on-going in some other major towns in the state. They include 14 roads in Ede, 34 in Ikirun. Other communities where direct labour work is ongoing are Ila-Orangun, Ikire, Ijebu-Jesa, Iperindo, Ejigbo, Ile-Ife, Okuku and Modakeke.

With the passing of the day, Governor Aregbesola is proving his administrative civility, competence and mettle as a man whose face is set to leave enduring legacies.

From all indications, he is focused to do a work that will stand the test of time. In fact, the first phase of the road work is the construction of drainage channels and as soon as there is a break in the raining season, asphalting work will commence.

For proper linkages of Inter-city roads, government of the state of Osun awarded a contract of N10.3 billion to cover rehabilitation and reconstruction of 333.22 kilometers of roads linking towns and communities together in all the nine federal constituencies of the state. Among the roads are Ife/Ondo Road, Moro/Ipetumodu/Asipa/Ife/Ibadan Expressway, Oke-Gada/Awo/Iragberi/Ejigbo/Oyo State boundary Road; Ikirun/Iragbiji/Igbajo/ Ada with spur Aagba Road, Ikirun/OtanAyegbaju/Ila/Ilale in Kwara State boundary, Iwo/Ejigbo Road; Gbongan/Ile-Ogbo Road; Ada/Ibokun/Ikinyinwa Road; Ajagba/Iwo-Oke/Ajagunlase/Ife-Odan Road and Ilesa/Ifewara Road, among others.

So far, the intra-city roads, according

to the Special Adviser to the Governor on Works and Transport, Engineer Oladepo Amudah, have reached 35 per cent completion, while the inter-city roads was up to 50 per cent. Other major roads awarded include six selected roads covering 74.1 kilometers for a contract sum of N17.5 billion. The roads are Gbongan/Odeyinka/ Orile-Owu/Araromi Owu/Ijebu-Igbo road, Igbajo/Okeerun/Iresi road, Ijebu-Jesa/ Ijeda-Ijesha/Iloko-Ijesha/ to Ilesa/Akure expressway, Ijeda-Ijesha/Erinmo-Ijesha road and Gbongan/Ife/Ibadan expressway.

Works have commenced on all the six selected roads.

The government has also awarded a contract sum of N18 billion for the dualisation of Osogbo-Ikirun-Ijabe to ila odo in Kwara State boundary and the dualisation of the proposed Dagbolu International Market to Alamisi road in Ikirun. Also, the designs of dualisation for GbonganOsogbo road have been completed, while the contractual procedure is being worked upon, as the contract for the project is expected to be signed very soon. Besides, the construction and dualisation of contract for the 18 kilometer Osogbo East Byepass roads is also expected to be awarded and to commence this year. The road is starting from Iwo road at Dele Yes-sir roundabout to link up the existing roundabout around Osogbo City Stadium, with a fly-over interchange beside Ataoja Grammar School.

•Olatunbosun is Assistant Director (Community Forum) of the Bureau of Communications and Strategy, office of the Governor, Osun State.

A flippant legislative threat ISMAILIA MUSA

T

ruth be told, the government has had its hands full tackling the security challenges and other myriad of problems confronting the country in the past one year. Good reasoning should therefore indicate that rather than try to build up another mountain of distractions, every patriotic Nigerian should be focused and willing to contribute, in whatever way they can, to the task of ending the insurgency that has turned a large part of the country virtually into a war zone.

After all, it is generally agreed that security of lives and property is a basic condition for any form of development-whether social, economic or political. Just as it is also agreed that sustainable development can only be achieved when the citizenry and government put their efforts together.

Unfortunately, it will seem some Nigerians, and even more unfortunately so, those who ordinarily should be at the vanguard of galvanising the general masses toward the much desired goals of national peace and development are not aware of this fact. Or is it that they take delight in playing to the gallery in their bid to hit media headlines, not minding the consequences of their actions on the polity?

This is the question that have been on my mind as I ruminate on what took place in the chambers of House of Representatives just before the lawmakers went on recess.

The lawmakers, as they are constitutionally empowered to do and in line with their oversight functions had on that day raised concern over the implementation of 2012 budget with regards to release of allocations to the ministries, departments and agencies of government.

Debates on the issue had progressed

well to the satisfaction of Nigerians watching the televised session at home, until a key leader of opposition was given the opportunity to make his contributions. This was when what otherwise could have ended up as a noble undertaking by the lawmakers turned farcical.

Rather than coming up with resolutions of how to help fast track the implementation of the budget, the lawmaker immediately rashly suggested activation of the impeachment clause in the constitution against the President!

The President’s sin is that he failed to order the minister of finance to release funds for the MDAs. Maybe, the lawmaker and the other few members who cheered him on as he flippantly talked about invoking the impeachment clause are just acting their usual penchant of playing to the gallery whenever they knew people from their constituencies may be watching them on television. I had therefore thought that the so called move to impeach the President will not survive beyond 24 hours. My expectation was that the more temperate members of the green chamber would beyond the klieg lights see the crass opportunism behind the impeachment suggestion.

I was therefore shocked when some individuals, purportedly speaking for the House were being quoted in the media as insisting that there is no going back on the impeachment move. This is especially because I am not aware that the House passed a formal resolution for commencement of impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan beyond the suggestion on the floor of the House. So, for all intents and purposes, there is no valid resolution before the House on the purported plan to commence impeachment proceedings against

the President when the lower chamber resumed from recess.

I am however concerned that some members of the House will go as far as suggesting the invocation of the impeachment clause, which ordinarily is meant for very grievous infractions of the constitution by the President. Indeed, it is to prevent the trivialisation of the clause that the framers of our constitution stipulated that the process can only be activated with the support of two third of members of both chambers of the National Assembly.

With such provision, I believe none of the members of the House will be credulous to the extent of believing that the lower chamber can carry out the impeachment of the President alone, as being portrayed in media reports. My question to the Reps therefore is why embarking on a fruitless, needless venture that can only help in distracting the government from the task of improving the socio-economic conditions of the citizenry? Or just like some newspapers have reported, the lawmakers see the threat of impeachment as a payback to the President for some of the misfortunes that have terribly assailed their integrity before Nigerians in the past few months, notably the Honourables Farouk Lawan and the Hembe bribery controversies?

Rather than blame the President, I believe what the unfortunate events calls for is a deep introspection, especially on the part of the leadership of the House on the motivations of some of its members.

Media reports also indicated that the representatives were not happy with the President because with the non-release of funds to the MDAs, some of their constituency projects cannot be executed. I also think it would have been more fruitful for House members to liaise with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Minister of Finance

and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy on the issue.

Just recently, the Minister explained on national television that most of the projects are new, with the designs or architectural drawings necessary for commencement of work on them not even ready. Some of them are also going through due process mechanism which we have all agreed is necessary to at least reduce the corruption that has been associated with the contract executions in Nigeria. These are all necessary process that must be painstakingly followed if we are not to continue adding to the deluge of abandoned projects scattered around the country.

President Jonathan had repeatedly promised that his administration will not embark on any construction or anything similar, except the necessary the technical drawings and other designs have been certified adequate as a way of putting an end to the culture of waste inherent in abandoning projects.

The Representatives should help him to stick to this resolve.

In any case, the President could not be oblivious to the political imperative of budget implementation even as a politician holding an elective office. And only a few days ago, the Finance minister said budget implementation by July 20 was 56%. I think the Representatives should be interested in verifying such claims at the level of their constituencies by looking at what is really on ground in relation to projects activities stipulated in the budget of the ministry. By so doing, they will not only be helping to entrench transparency in government business, their motives will also be less suspicious.

•Musa writes from Jos

40

Politics

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Impeachment: Can the Reps succeed?

Masari

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 Vice-president may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section.

The Green Chamber had adopted a prayer by its Minority Leader, Hon. Gbajabiamila (ACN/Lagos), that sought the president’s sack, if he the Appropriations Act is not 100 percent implemented on the House’ resumption from its break in September.

The Minority Leader, whose position received an overwhelming endorsement and a standing ovation by a majority of legislators, regretted that the president was in negligence of his prime obligation of implementing the money Bill which would have addressed the parlous state of infrastructure and the economy of the country.

“The President, by failing to implement the budget as passed by this honourable House, violates the 1999 Constitution and is therefore liable to be impeached under section 143 of the 1999 Constitution”, Gbaja warned.

Why laying the premise for the impeachment onslaught, the thorough-going Minority Leader, said though he respected the President’s personality, the House needed to mete out the penalty as a deterrent to leaders who enjoyed flouting the laws.

“With great trepidation, I must confess that I like the President, he is a fine gentleman, but I like my people more, and because of this, it’s about time Mr. Speaker, that we do what is right and best for our country.

“So therefore, I want to hereby submit that, come September, we will begin to invoke and draw up articles of impeachment of Mr. President”, he declared, but before he was forcefully interrupted by a colleague that represents President Jonathan in the House.

Hon. Karibo Nadu Soalaboye

Gbajabiamila

(PDP/Bayelsa) on three occasions in the course of Gbajabiamila’s speech, interrupted with a point of Order to press that the latter was veering off course, by demanding an impeachment of the President, when he should lay the issue of budget squarely on the table of the Ministry of Finance.

Though Hon. Soalaboye’s order was sustained, amid a row, the Speaker allowed Gbajabiamila’s prayer to be adopted.

Earlier in his position, Hon. Gbajabiamila, recalled that “We were introduced to what the President called the 2012 budget of transformation, but what we have in our hands, is a budget of abracadabra, a budget of voodoo economics”, noting that “the President is not doing any member of this August body a favour, if he implements the budget”.

He said “rather than implement the budget, as passed, the President has set up a funny Committee headed by a Managing Director of a bank that gives loans to oil marketers”.

According to him, “I am at a loss as to why a government of transformation would deny the people the good life, by refusing to implement the budget”.

The impeachment threat came on the heels of a motion titled: ‘Non-Implementation of the 2012 Budget’, sponsored by Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa (PDP/ Taraba) and 20 others.

He recalled that the “2012 National Budget was passed with an aggregate expenditure figure of N4.887 trillion, including the N180billion for Subsidy Re-Investment (SURE) Programme”, but regretted that despite huge earnings from agencies of government in the 1st and 2nd Quarters, ministries, under the supervision of Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, are yet to implement the budget up to 35 percent.

The Motion, enjoyed a robust

Anyim

debate from over 20 Chairmen of key Committees, including Committees on Appropriations, Finance, Works, Agriculture, Customs, Gas, Petroleum(Upstream) and several others.

In his contribution Hon. John Enoh (PDP/Cross River), the Chairman of Appropriations Committee, said based on the $72 per barrel benchmarking of the budget and the surpassing crude pricing internationally, the government had more than enough money, including surpluses to implement the money legislation.

“The 2012 Budget ought to have been implemented without any issues”, Enoh submitted, regretting that “Less than 35 percent of the budget has been implemented”, since its passage into law last year.

He said “the excuses for lack of the implementation of budgets since 1999 were not good enough”.

In his submission, the Chairman of the Finance Committee, Hon. Abdulmumuni Jibril (PDP/Kano), said from the committee sector-by-sector finding, the Federal Government had enough money in its kitty to implementing every item in the budget, as he warned against, what he described as “misleading reports”, that the government was broke.

He told the House, that the Finance Committee uncovered facts that for the month of May alone, the Executive claimed to have granted a waiver of N139billion, even when it claimed earlier that waivers will be suspended.

The Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Customs and Excise Duty, Hon. Kingsley Chinda also corroborated the position of Hon. Enoh that Customs alone had generated in the last two quarters enough money to cure the N1.3trillion

deficit in the 2012 Budget, as his colleague, Hon. Bassey Ewa (PDP/Cross River), maintained that the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, was keeping secret accounts abroad.

He lamented that secret accounts were a sinister way by agencies to frustrate yearly budgets.

The Chairman, House Committee on Loans and Debts, Hon. Adeyinka Ajayi (ACN/Osun), disclosed that despite huge earnings, the local debt profile of the country stood at over N360billion and still counting.

Hon. Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi (PDP/Enugu) regretted that a presidential clique was attempting to “decide what to release and what not to release”, and “hiding under the alibi that they do not have the capacity to implement the budget”.

He said the position of government that it was facing capacity challenges on budget implementation “is questionable”.

Several other members also took turn to lambast the Presidency, regretting his stance on the budget.

Before its ruling, the House took an additional and also an official prayer urging the President to direct the finance Minister to implement the 2012 Budget.

There is no doubt that the Appropriations Act is the most important piece of Legislation, only second to the Constitution of any constitutional democracy.

The House and its Senate Counterpart have hammered on this since 2009, but as already noted, there are several encumbrances stacked in the way.

Besides, the socio-political realities of the Country, the exercise will guzzle a lot of money, time and has the capacity of grounding virtually all activities in the country.

That would, however, not be the first time the House or any

arm of the National Assembly will be threatening to impeach a president.

Mr. Pius Anyim former Senate President, now Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) initiated an impeachment move against President Olusegun Obasanjo, but the move faltered before it advanced.

In 2005 under Mallam Aminu Bello Masari as Speaker, the House also initiated the move led by Hon. Bashir Nadabo (Katsina/ANPP).

Nadabo would later, even cut President Olusegun Obasanjo shut in his 2006 Budget Presentation asking him to shut up, before he was bundled out of the Green Chamber as he yelled and kicked.

Most threats to impeach Presidents in parliament have come as a result of poor implementation of budgets.

It is instructive: for any lawmaker worth their salt to executive any constituency projects, be they Millennium Development Goal Projects (MDGs) or any other, the budget must be properly implemented.

Politics cannot be ruled out in most cases. Sometimes, to get back at lawmakers perceived as enemies of the Executive, selective budget implementations obtain.

But in some cases, the National Assembly has also been called to answer to the proper implementation of its budgets, which continued to be skewed in favour of recurrent.

But as the game goes, the Presidency apparently irked by the motion of Hon. Gbaja, is suspected to be using fronts to fight back, by impugning the integrity of Gbajabiamila as a lawyer.

But the Minority Leader in a statement he issued last week, said the allegation of professional fraud made against him by a “faceless” group are untrue.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Sunday, July 29, 2012

41

council chairmen Following the outcome of their deliberation, Adokie advised Governor Okorocha to, as a matter of law, obey the court judgment and allow the council chairmen to resume duties at their various LGAs, while directing the Inspector-General of Police to ensure compliance.

Again, Governor Okorocha through his counsel and Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Barrister Soronadi Njoku, felt that the Federal Government was playing politics with law and accused the government of abusing the rule of law by not allowing their Motion on Notice for stay of execution filed against the judgment to the Supreme Court to be heard.

For this reason, the state government ordered the 27 local government secretariats to be locked and asked workers to proceed on three days unexpected vacation. Infuriated by the state government action, the LG chairmen, assisted by the police, made forceful entry into the councils, even though some of the chairmen who could not get assess to main offices, set up their offices under trees and canopies.

Soronadi said, while addressing the press that the moves by the PDP to use”sheer police brutal force to enforce the judgment in a purely civil matter is against the procedure for the enforcement of a civil judgement as contained in a Federal and not a state law.” More so, when necessary order on consequence of disobedience has yet to be served on them.

Speaking to Sunday Mirror, the state Commissioner of Police, CP Dega said “the police is neutral in the case but are duty bound to ensure that the party that secured court judgment have assess to the councils while protecting lives and properties in the council areas.

Also trying to justify their action of breaking into the councils, the chairmen under its

umbrella body, ALGON, said that the state government has no legal ground to stop them from taking over the councils by trying to deceive the public that it has obtained “notice of appeal” and “motion for stay of execution” when the government has not fulfilled the statutory conditions precedent including settlement of records of appeal.

Barrister Enyinna Onuegbu, ALGON state secretary, said that when appeal is lodged without that party entering into bond and fulfilling certain statutory conditions, “in law no appeal has been filed and no order for stay of execution of judgment will succeed from such inchoate appeal.”

“Also an intending appellant must pay cost awarded against him else his appeal will be incompetent,” he said adding that “the court of appeal awarded N100,000 as cost in favour of the council chairmen which till date the government has not paid, yet they seek an equitable relief of stay of execution.”

Following the ruling, eminent persons and groups hailed it, applauding the commitment of the judiciary to democracy. Emmanuel Onwubuiko, executive director of the Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) enjoined the state governors in Nigeria to always accord respect to the Constitution.

He added that Okorocha’s disregard for the Constitution is the reasons for the gradual build up of political tension in the state.

His aides, perhaps, may not have given him appropriate counsel before he took the action to dissolve the elected local government administration.

John Mgbe, a social critic, agrees. He said that Governor Okorocha was wrongly advised in the first instance. “If Governor Okorocha had sound advisers or if Imo State had an effective legislature, he would not have gone to the Court of Appeal. It was very clear that he would lose at the Court of

Okorocha

Appeal. In fact, what Justice Ben Njemanze did at the lower court was a subtle way of giving the Governor a soft landing. A smart legislature would have taken advantage of the slim victory to advise Governor Okorocha to pull out of the suit and announce a withdraw from the case. He would have recalled the council officials and he would have been applauded and celebrated across the nation for such a gesture. Most of them would have defected to APGA since then.

There is no Court of law that will support arbitrary sacking of an elected group who has a statutory tenure.”

Now that the PDP councillors are hell bent to serve out their tenure, it appears Governor Okorocha is still playing trump card with the LGAs. While declaring a week workshop for top officials of the 27 local

government councils last Monday after the workers resumed from their unexpected three days holidays, it was gathered that the government has issued a directive to the Imo State Independent Electoral Commission (ISIEC) to prepare to conduct the next local government election in two months. In the same vein, the governor in a subtle manner extended hand of fellowship to the reinstated chairmen asking them for a discussion, last Friday, July 27. Sources disclosed that the chairmen would be given the option to choose an outright payment of their salaries and allowances or stay their tenure without allocations.

Unfortunately, the council chairman refused to attend the parley claiming they were not properly invited. As it is now, the waiting game continues.

President Jonathan –Gani Adams doctored. The way the issue happened has made people not to have the kind of enthusiasm that they have when the Lawan-led committee was probing the issue of oil subsidy scam.

I believe the police should do their jobs so that we can know who is at fault between Otedola and Lawan. If there is corruption at the executive level it is the legislature that should expose it and ensure checks and balances.

So the police should come out with their report on the issue so that Nigerians can have a clue as to what is happening.

I will also appeal to the Speaker of the House of Representatives that those who are corrupt among the members of the House should not be allowed to occupy important positions or head committees.

Some people say that our democracy has not attained the stage it is supposed to reach; how

correct is this?

We are still running a civilian government and we have not attained full democracy. We still have a long way to go to meet the standard of democracy that is obtainable in the advanced world.

How would you assess the Jonathan government so far?

It is unfortunate the issue of Boko Haram is given the country a serious setback. The issue of insecurity may not have allowed the president to do what he planned. He has done nothing concrete after almost one year in power. Nigerians are just asking the president to make the country secure.

If the country is secure first, then other things can follow.

The most challenging situation the president is facing now is the incessant bombing in different parts of the North. So Jonathan has not done enough to move the country forward.

Not long ago the Yoruba leaders visited Aso Rock to lodge complaints to the president that the region is marginalised in terms of appointments into key positions in the country.

Do you believe that the Yoruba people are actually marginalised by Jonathan’s administration.

Definitely the Yoruba is marginalised under this administration. If you look at the hierarchy of government the Yoruba are in number 17. And at the same time a Yoruba would have been the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Unfortunately, it was the Yoruba in the House that worked against the

emergence of the woman. That position is number four. But if that has happened, it doesn’t mean that we should not have other positions. Seventeenth position is too far for a race and Yoruba is one of the largest race in the country.

Don’t you think that lack of unity among the Yoruba caused the problem, because you said now that most Yoruba in the House voted against Yoruba emerging as the Speaker?

You are right, especially when it comes to the issue of how we lost the speakership position. This is because we got information that even the president backed the Yoruba candidate to emerge as the Speaker of the House of Representatives, but because of lack of unity, some Yoruba worked against the Yoruba candidature because of politics.

We have been telling them that if there is issue that will give the Yoruba an advantage in the country, we should leave politics aside. It is unfortunate that that happened to us and we lost the speakership. And when you have lost number one to four, it means you are relegating yourself to the background.

What attempt is being made to foster unity among the Yoruba race?

There is a group, the Yoruba Unity Forum, that is trying to unite the Yoruba. But I foresee a situation that because of certain interests this might not be possible. This is because we have the ACN, the PDP and the ANPP, so it will be very difficult to come together to have a common front.

422

Sunday, July 29, 2012

GROWING UP with

Aunty Angela growingup5@yahoo.com

Hello children, How are you enjoying your long holiday? I know some of you would love to go to summer camps, travel or even stay at home to rest. I would advise that you use this long holiday well and also help your parents with some domestic chores.

WHO INVENTED WHAT…?

Roberto Del Rosario: Invented the Machine

R

oberto Del Rosario is the president of the Trebel Music Corporation and the inventor of the Karaoke Sing Along System in 1975. Roberto Del Rosario has patented more than 20 inventions making him one of the most prolific Filipino inventors.

During the 1960’s, singers and musicians from the Philippines began migrating to Japan to reduce the expenses of having a band. They improvised musical devices that would go along with their singing. These devices were known as ‘minus-one music’ which were multiplex music cassette recordings with no vocal tracks. It was music without lyrics.

Roberto Del Rosario was a musician and music teacher who played eight instruments. He developed an advanced sing-along-system known as One Man Band (OMB) which was the combination of a music player, voice taping mechanism, tuner and mixer.

Roberto Del Rosario’s Karaoke Sing -along System Karaoke is a Japanese expression for singing along to a famous record with

JOKES

Mummy, why is your hair white?

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ANIMAL FACTS:

One evening while her mother was busy preparing dinner for the family, a little girl sat quietly and was watching her mother.

She suddenly notices that her mother has some strands of white hair sticking out of her hairnet.

She looks at her mother and curiously asked: “Mummy, why are some of your hairs white?”

Her mother replied, “Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.”

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while, and then said, “So, Mummy, how come all of grandma’s hairs are white?”

Her mother replied, “That is because your grandma is old.”

The little girl replied,” No mummy, it is because anytime you and all my uncles make grandma cry or unhappy one of her hair turns white. And you have been doing this since you were kids.”

RIDDLES

What always sleeps with its shoes on?

Answer: A horse What is as big as an elephant, but weighs nothing at all?

Answer: The shadow of an elephant What two keys can’t open any doors?

Answer: A Donkey and a Monkey Where does Friday come before Thursday?

Answer: In the Dictionary

QUOTE

Not having children makes less work—but it makes a quiet house. the vocals removed. Roberto Del Rosario described his Sing-along System as a handy multi-purpose compact machine which allowed people to sing with the recorded music using a microphone and an amplified speaker to enhance one’s voice, such as the echo or reverb to stimulate an opera hall or a studio sound, with the whole system enclosed in one cabinet casing.

Karaoke Machine The karaoke machines today use the latest technology in mixing lyrics, audio and video that allows singers to choose a pitch for any song so they can sing in a key that is appropriate for their vocal range. In other words, they sound great or at least better anyway.

Besides his famous Karaoke Sing-along System, Roberto Del Rosario has also invented the Trebel Voice Colour Code (VCC), Piano tuner’s guide, Piano keyboard stressing device and Voice color tape.

Del Rosario died in August 2003 at the age of 71.

Children, you can send your contributions and pictures through this email address growingup5@yahoo.com or call telephone number: 0805 198 0588

–Susan Glaspell

Peacock

• The species collectively is referred to as peafowl.

• Males are called Peacocks while females are called Peahens.

• The names given to babies are chicks • A family of peacocks is called a bevy, while a group of peacocks is known as a party.

• The collective name for a group of peahens is a Harem • There are three species of peacocks (peafowl).

POEM The Cow

The pleasant light of day;

The friendly cow, all red and white, I love with all my heart: She gives me cream with all her might, To eat with apple tart.

She wanders lowing here and there, And yet she cannot stray, All in the pleasant open air,

And blown by all the winds that pass And wet with all the showers, She walks among the meadow grass And eats the meadow flowers.

–Robert Louis Stevenson

PHOTO NEWS

St Saviour’s School, Ebute Metta ended this academic session with their annual Prize-Giving and the Valedictory Service, led by the school Chaplain, Venerable Ezediaro.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Growing Up

Sunday, July 29, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

The foot is home to the body’s thickest skin T

he skin on the palms and the soles of the feet is 4 mm thick and the thickest skin in the body, the heel portions of the feet, being the thickest.

43

It also has the most sweat glands than any other area of the body. The palms of your hands and soles of the feet are always at work for you. No wonder Mother Nature made them the thickest skin in the body and as such these parts of the body deserve extra care.

Think of a day without being able to use your palms or the soles of your feet.

TONGUE TWISTERS BRAIN TEASERS They are Indian or blue peafowl, Green peafowl and Congo peafowl.

• Peacocks have a crested head and a very large fanlike tail, marked with brilliant plumage, adorned with glittering spots.

Their crest differs according to the species.

• Peacocks (male peafowl) are noted for their display of their brilliant tall plumage which attracts the attention of the female during courtship.

• Only a peacock (male peafowl) has a colorful train.

• The trains of peacocks can be arched into a

beautiful fan of feathers which reach across its back and touch the ground on either side • Peacocks have a lifespan of 20 years • Peacocks eat plant parts, flower petals, seed heads, insects and other arthropods, reptiles and amphibians.

• Peacocks fly into trees to protect themselves from predators as well as to rest from holding their trains off the ground.

• Peacocks are highly sociable and require companionship. Alone, they can get heartbroken.

• The peahen is very dull compared to the peacock with mottled brown feathers.

MAZE Please find your way through the maze to the exit.

A boy fell off a 100-foot ladder. But he did not get hurt. Why not?

Answer: He fell off the bottom step.

Two girls were born to the same mother, on the same day, at the same time, in the same month and year and yet they’re not twins.

How can this be?

Answer: The two babies are two of a set of triplets.

I thought a thought.

But the thought I thought wasn’t the thought I thought I thought.

If the thought I thought I thought had been the thought I thought, I wouldn’t have thought so much.

1.

2.

3.

Answer to last week’s sport quiz Kanu Nwankwo Jersey no. 4 Papillo

ORIGIN OF WORDS AND MEANING Chocolate

When the Spanish arrived in Mexico they came across the Aztecs. The Aztec language is called Nahuatl. The Aztecs had a drink which they made from a bean they called CHOCO (bitter). They would put this bean into water (ATL) to produce CHOCO-ATL (bitter water or drink).

This drink was brought to Europe with sugar added where the pronunciation and spelling in English became CHOCOLATE.

POP

44

Academe

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Philwel holds graduation in style Philwel Favour Schools, a top grade nursery, primary and secondary school located at Raliat-Agboola Street along Isuti Road, Egan, Lagos last Thursday held an endof-the-year party/graduation for pupils at the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ultra modern complex with the pupils displaying rare talents and skills in dance, drama presentation and music. The highlight of the event was a mimic news cast by pupils of the primary section, which drew overwhelming applause and commendation from parents and guests present.

Mr. Chris Iguwe, Principal/Administrator

Senior graduands cutting the graduation cake.

Yoruba cultural dancers.

Farewell speech by Adegoke Precious

A modern laboratory.

A senior member of the schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PTA.

Yoruba cultural dancer

Computer Lab

Senior choral group

45

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wellness YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES JULY 29, 2012

‘Over 1 million deaths yearly attributed to viral hepatitis’ VANESSA OKWARA

T

Yellow eyes, a symptom of hepatitis

Body infected with hepatitis

Unsterilised syringe or doing hard drugs can lead to hepatitis

he World Health Organization (WHO) designates every July 28 as world hepatitis day. Yesterday was no exception as it was set aside to create awareness concerning this deadly ailment.

“It’s closer than you think” is the theme of this year’s World Hepatitis Day and the campaign focuses on raising awareness of the different forms of hepatitis: what they are and how they are transmitted; who is at risk; and the various methods of prevention and treatment.

Despite its staggering toll on health, hepatitis remains a group of diseases that are largely unknown, undiagnosed and untreated. So World Hepatitis Day is an opportunity for education and greater understanding of viral hepatitis as a global public health problem. It is also an avenue to encourage various preventive measures the public can take to stop the silent spread of this disease.

Hepatitis has been described by experts as the swelling and inflammation of the liver. It is often referred to as the viral infection of the liver.

Dr (Mrs.) Esan, the medical director of Healing Cross Hospital Okota, in an interview with Sunday Mirror, explained the various forms of hepatitis and how they are transmitted.

According to her “Scientists have identified five unique hepatitis viruses by the letters A, B, C, D, and E. In particular, types B and C lead to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people and, together, are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis and cancer. Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a result of contact with infected body fluids. Below is a brief breakdown of each of these types and their mode of transmission and possible treatment: Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is present in the faeces of infected persons and is most often transmitted through consumption of contaminated water or food. Certain sex practices can also spread HAV. Infections are in many cases mild, with most people making a full recovery and remaining immune from further HAV infections. However, HAV infections can also be severe and life threatening.

Most people in areas of the world with poor sanitation have been infected with this virus. Safe and effective vaccines are available to prevent HAV. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is transmitted through exposure to infected blood, semen, and other body fluids. HBV can be transmitted from infected mothers to infants at the time of birth or from family member to infant in early childhood1. Transmission may also occur through trans-

Breast-feeding, key to child, maternal survival -Minister Minister of Women Affairs, Hajiya Zainab Maina, on Wednesday in Abuja said that breast-feeding practice would guarantee healthy citizenry.

Maina, who was represented by the Director of Child Development in the ministry, Mrs. Rabi Galadima, made

the statement in her address to commemorate the 2012 World Breast Feeding Week.

Agency reports stated that the event, organised by the State House Medical Centre (SHMC), “Baby Friendly Show” was staged ahead of this year’s global breast feeding week on August 1

to 7.

According to the minister, the 2010 UN reports indicate that Nigeria had an “infant mortality rate of 89 deaths per 1,000 live births and contributed 14 per cent of the global maternal mortality rate of 210 deaths to 100,000 live births’’.

fusions of HBV-contaminated blood and blood products, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injection drug use. HBV also poses a risk to healthcare workers who sustain accidental needle stick injuries while caring for infected-HBV patients. A safe and effective vaccine is available to prevent HBV. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is mostly also transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This may happen through transfusions of HCV-contaminated blood and blood products, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injection drug use. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common. There is no vaccine for HCV. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infections occur only in those who are infected with HBV. The dual infection of HDV and HBV can result in a more serious disease and worse outcome. Safe and effective hepatitis B vaccines provide protection from HDV infection.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), like HAV, is transmitted through consumption of contaminated water or food.

HEV is a common cause of hepatitis outbreaks in developing parts of the world and is increasingly recognised as an important cause of disease in developed countries.

Safe and effective vaccines to prevent HEV infection have been developed but are not widely available.

Medical experts reason that Hepatitis may occur with limited or no symptoms, or may include symptoms such as jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and lack of appetite. Hepatitis may also be acute or chronic.

It is acute when it lasts less than six months and chronic when it persists longer.

From the mode of transmission of these various forms of hepatitis and how it can be easily transmitted, WHO has seen the need to declare hepatitis a global health problem. From the statistics the body released to the general public, about 1 million deaths per year are attributed to viral hepatitis infections. Both hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) are the leading cause of liver cancer in the world, accounting for 78 per cent of cases.

Nearly one out of every three people in the world which is approximately 2 billion people has been infected by HBV, and one in 12 live with chronic HBV or HCV infection. While most people who have been infected with these viruses are unaware of their infection, they face the possibility of developing debilitating or fatal liver disease at some point in their lives and unknowingly transmitting the infection to others.

Dr Esan said the need to create awareness of this inCONTINUED ON PAGE 46

HEALTH NEWS Borno govt to fumigate drains, canals to prevent diseases Borno State Environmental Protection Agency (BOSEPA) is to embark on the fumigation of public drains and canals in Maiduguri, as part of measures to prevent outbreak of diseases.

The agency’s General Manager, Alhaji Abba Aji, stated

this in an interview in Maiduguri recently.

“We are working towards fumigation and spraying of chemicals in the entire metropolis to prevent disease outbreaks.

“The objective is to prevent malaria and cholera out-

breaks, which are associated with the rainy season,” Aji said.

He explained that the chemicals would be sprayed in drainage and water channels to prevent the growth of vermin and disease-carrying vectors from multiplying.

46

Wellness

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Know your organs

T

The Tongue and its multiple functions

he tongue is a versatile organ with specialised functions like taste and speech. Beneath a cover of taste buds, the tongue is almost entirely made up of muscles. The muscles of the tongue are essential for its bodily movement and intrinsic manipulations, required for actions like speech, articulation, deglutition or swallowing, whistling, licking, kissing and even cleaning teeth.

Its functions The human tongue serves multiple functions and is a uniquely structured organ - a combination of muscles covered with touch and taste sensors. The taste buds of our tongue provide a sense of taste, helping us to select appropriate foods. Sweet and salty tastes indicate high energy (calorie) foods or foods that contain essential micronutrients (salt). Bitter and sour tastes can alert us to food that is spoiled or potentially dangerous.

We use the muscles of our tongue to manipulate and swallow food, clean our teeth and form many of the sounds we use to communicate with each other.

The tongue is partly in the oral cavity and partly in the pharynx. The part in the oral cavity is the mobile part of the tongue that is seen in the mouth. The pharyngeal part is situated behind and is fixed.

While the fixed portion anchors the tongue, it is the free anterior portion in the oral cavity that can change shape and be manipulated for the tongue to execute its various actions.

The tongue’s muscles Two groups of muscle within the tongue, ex-

trinsic and intrinsic muscles, work in coordination to produce these movements. The intrinsic muscles run from top to bottom, side to side or lengthwise within the tongue, and are the muscles that we use to flatten, round or curl our tongue.

The extrinsic muscles are the muscles that we use to move our tongue - stick it out, lift it and wiggle it from side to side. Broadly the intrinsic muscles alter the shape of the tongue while the extrinsic muscles change the position of the tongue.

Oxygenated blood to the tongue is carried via the lingual artery which arises from the external carotid artery. The body of the tongue is supplied by the deep lingual arteries, while the root of the tongue is supplied by the dorsal lingual arteries.

Deoxygenated blood is drained out of the tongue by the lingual veins – dorsal and deep.

Sometimes the dorsal and deep lingual veins may join to form a common lingual vein.

Its diseases However, certain activities such as smoking tobacco, drinking or sexual activity can lead to diseases of the tongue and affect its ability to serve these important functions.

If you have continuous numbness or difficulty swallowing, chewing or moving your tongue, or if you have sores that fail to heal or white patches on the tongue, you should consult your doctor. Oral cancer is easy to detect, and it accounts for up to five percent of all cancers. Tobacco and alcohol use (especially when used together) and infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV) are significant risk factors for developing oral cancer.

Bald tongue Two additional disorders of the tongue are somewhat common in the elderly - burning mouth syndrome and bald tongue. Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) results in a burning sensation on the mouth and tongue, and is believed to be caused by viral infection or by hormonal changes associated with menopause. Bald tongue (atrophic glossitis) is also common in seniors and causes loss of taste buds leading to a burning sensation of the tongue when eating certain foods - the tongue becomes very red and shiny. Bald tongue can be caused by a yeast infection of the tongue (thrush), poor nutrition (lack of vitamin B) or by the tongue rubbing on an ill-fitting set of dentures.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Your

BONE Health

with Dr. Olatunji Idowu

Ankle injuries (Fractures and sprains) [5] Treatment of sprains The treatment for sprains depends on the severity; mild, moderate, or severe of the injury. Surgery is not usually a treatment option unless the damage is extensive and involves more than the ligaments or unless other treatment options fail.

Mild sprains -- called grade 1 -- are treated with the RICE approach for several days until the pain and swelling improve.

With a mild sprain, you won’t need a splint or a cast. Your doctor will tell you to put weight on the ankle fairly soon -- within one to three days -- as long as you can tolerate it and will prescribe range of motion, stretching, and strengthening exercises.

If your sprain is classified as moderate, or grade 2, the doctor will use the RICE approach but allow more time for healing to occur. The doctor may also use a device such as a boot or a splint to immobilize the ankle. You will be given exercises to do first to improve range of motion and then to stretch and strengthen

the ankle. The doctor may also prescribe physical therapy to help you regain full use of your ankle.

Grade 3 or a severe sprain involves a complete tear or rupture of a ligament.

It takes considerably longer to heal. It’s treated with immobilization of the joint followed by a longer period of physical therapy for range of m o t i o n , stretching, and strength building. Occasionally, especially if the sprain does not heal in a reasonable time, surgery will be considered for reconstructing the torn ligaments.

On average, the initial stage of healing a sprain, which involves resting and protecting the ankle until swelling goes down, takes about one week.

That’s followed by a period of exercise to restore range of motion, strength, and flexibility that lasts for one to two weeks. Then it takes several more weeks to several months to gradually return to your normal activities while you continue to exercise.

If you have any problem or question about your musculoskeletal system (bones, joints and muscles) do send me a mail at tunjiidowu@live.com for advice. Meanwhile, your comments and feedback on the issues discussed are highly welcomed.

Causes, types and treatment of hepatitis CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45 fection cannot be overemphasised. “A lot of people, especially in this part of the world are not aware of the severity of this disease. Much has been said about HIV, both in the hospitals and the media, but people still need to know that there is another ailment which attacks the body and also transmitted the same way that HIV is being transmitted and that is hepatitis. That is the reason why the world health day has been set aside as a day to create awareness and let everyone know the importance of knowing their hepatitis status just as in HIV”.

She stated that the hepatitis B virus, for example, is spread mainly by exposure to infected blood or body secretions. “In infected individuals, the virus can be found in the blood, semen, vaginal discharge, breast milk, and saliva. The most common way people contract this virus is by having unprotected sex with an already infected per-

son. We see this occurrence largely among young adults and homosexuals; people who have had more than one sex partner in the last six months or have a history of sexually transmitted disease. Also we see the transmission of this virus in people who take hard drugs by using contaminated needles. They hardly remember to sterilise the needles as they share the illicit drugs among themselves. Other ways we have seen people get infected with this virus is through tattooing, and body piercing. Hepatitis B also may be spread from infected mothers to their babies at birth,” Dr Esan said.

Why is it important for people to know if they are infected with a form of viral hepatitis? The expert counselled: “Early diagnosis provides the best opportunity for effective medical support. It also allows those infected to take steps to prevent transmission of the disease to others, for example by adopting safe sex practices. It allows lifestyle precautions to be undertaken to protect the liver

from additional harm, specifically, by eliminating alcohol and certain drugs which are toxic to the liver.

Viral hepatitis can be prevented through the following ways: • Safe and effective vaccines are widely available for the prevention of HAV and HBV infection.

• Screening blood used for transfusion can prevent transmission of HBV and HCV. • Sterile injection equipment protects against HBV and HCV transmission.

• Safer sex practices, including minimising the number of partners and using barrier (condom) protective measures have been shown to protect against HBV and HCV transmission.

• Harm reduction for injection drug users prevents HBV and HCV transmission.

• Safe food and water provide the best protections against HAV and HEV.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

Business FRESH BUSINESS NEWS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS July 29, 2012

ONUKWUBE OFOELUE

S

he may not have made FORTUNE 500 yet, but whenever and wherever there is a roll call of female CEOs, who through sheer intelligence, focus and single-minded resolve, hit the top pedestal in their sectors of the economy, the name Mrs. Grace Enenmoh, a Barrister-at-Law, quintessential manager of men, money and materials, and entrepreneur of note, will occupy a prominent space.

Yet, when fate, cruel fate, thrust the leadership of ASCON Oil Company Limited, Lagos, on her lap in 2005, she was least prepared for the unexpected role of being the CEO of such a big player in the oil and gas industry. While her then husband, Chief George Enenmoh, the high-flying founder and CEO of ASCON Oil Company Limited, was around, she was a full-time housewife, taking care of the home front. But on October 22, 2005, fate tragically changed that equation.

Her husband died alongside 176 others in the Bellview air crash at Lisa Village near Ifo in Ogun State.

The tragedy nearly torpedoed the ship of existence of Grace Enenmoh’s life. The Sabongida-Ora, Edo State-born mother of five, was so shattered by the tragic development that she collapsed and almost died. But she later found grace, strength and succour in the Bible, and through consistent counselling by her pastors, family members and friends, she rebounded.

Having found an anchor in God, she gained enough inner strength to reach the conclusion that the best tribute she could pay to her late husband was to resolve not to allow ASCON Oil Company go under, as it is customary with some entities after the demise of their proprietors. And God was on her side. When she took over the company in the immediate aftermath of her husband’s death, ASCON Oil Company Limited had 13 filling stations across the country. But within six years of being at the helm, she succeeded in building a tank farm for storage of imported fuel, and jerked the number of filling stations to 46, and is still counting.

Still, the mother of three boys and two girls says she is not done yet. “In another five years, by the grace of God Almighty, ASCON Oil would have moved several notches higher,” she promised in an interview. “In another five years, the company would have become a household name in Nigeria. We have some of the best staffs any organization could boast of. We do business with integrity. We do business according to best practices and, most importantly, with the fear of God. And we have God on our side.”

When reminded that the business climate in Nigeria is tough and can be somewhat unpredictable, owing to inconsistent government policies and outright policy somersaults by government, she restated her belief in the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan and “the determination and

Enenmoh

I have hope in this country –GMD, ASCON Oil sincerity of his economic team to grow the economy and provide a conducive climate for business and investment.”

“Despite our challenges as a nation,” the ASCON boss continues, “I not only have hope in this country, I see hope. I see progress for individuals, groups, corporate organizations and for all of us as a nation.”

Ask Mrs. Enenmoh her leadership style and leadership model, and watch a small smile play on her lips, as she responds: “First, I cannot say this is the model I employ. Any model that is hinged on integrity in all facets of the organisation’s life is my model. Integrity answers all things in business, particularly in our line of business. If you have integrity, you have everything.

And this is the culture we have inculcated in every member of staff in this company, although in a big basket of apple, it is not uncommon to find one or two rotten ones. But once we find any rotten apple, we throw him or her out.

As an organization, we have zero-tolerance for corruption. Therefore, we deal with every act of corruption as soon as it manifests. Once I see incontrovertible evidence of gross misdemeanour on the

CAPITAL MARKET CRASH

48

part of any staff, no matter how highly or lowly placed, I deal with the situation according to what our organizational rules and procedures prescribe. If the offence is serious, I fire the staff, and I will have no qualms. We do not compromise our integrity because we deal with the public and need to earn their respect and trust before we can earn their consistent patronage and loyalty.

“Again, still talking about leadership and management style, one particular lesson I learnt very early in life is to be compassionate, be fair to all but never be afraid to take decisions. That’s very important as a manager. A manager that slacks in taking difficult decisions would, in no time, find his or her business crumble before his or her very eyes. Although, I consult widely before taking major decisions, I do not slack at all when I must decide on something because the buck stops at my table as GMD. So far my decision is able to answer the questions: ‘is it fair? Is it just? Is it appropriate for the situation? Does it serve corporate interest? Would it help to advance the wellness and prosperity of the organization? Once my decision is able to answer all these questions, I

have no problem. I sleep soundly.”

After waiting seven years after her late husband’s demise, Mrs. Enenmoh got married to Rev. Bankole Olowoofoyeku last February, in London. Although she had, in setting the rules for this interview, insisted that it has to be “strictly on my business and not my person or my home”, she, however, buckled after so much pressure to confirm that she had found love again, She confirmed her marriage to Olowoofoyeku, an Ilesa, Osun State-born cleric and company executive “after prayerful consideration and full support of all my family members.”

Although she refused to comment further, a family member, who does not want her name in print, rubbished “the rumour being peddled by a disgruntled element that wanted to swindle her, saying that our family does not support the marriage.” “Everybody supported her,” she said. “The children supported her.

Her people from the late husband’s side supported her. God supported her, hence the choice of a man of God and from God that she married. There is no split in the family. God will expose the evil deeds of the rumour.”

INTERBANK RATES FALL ON BUDGET INFLOWS

49

48

Business

Sunday July 29, 2012

Capital market crash: Another look at the Reps’ Committee report There is no doubt in the statement that the Nigerian capital market went into a near-crash beginning from 2008 from which it is yet to recover. Four years after, the House of Representatives, through resolution HR/70/2012, constituted an Adhoc Committee, headed by Hon. Ibrahim Tukur El-Sudi, to investigate the causes of the near-collapse of the market, with a view to finding lasting solutions. General Editor, Lanre Oyetade, takes a look into the Committee’s report and concludes that indeed, more work needs to be done concerning channeling a way out of the current challenges.

Arunma Oteh

Preamble

The El-Sudi Committee, initially given a two-week reference period, had cause to request for an additional two weeks, commencing its public hearing on Tuesday, April 17, 2012 and concluding its sitting on Tuesday, May 22, 2012.

According to the Committee’s report, well over 50 memoranda were received, and it mentioned that it received commendable cooperation from most stakeholders while complaining that some other stakeholders were not cooperative, and noting that “however, the attitude of these agencies did not affect the Committee’s ability to arrive at very useful findings and recommendations.”

The Committee received memoranda from quite a number of stakeholders in the market, who proferred various key issues as reasons for the crash. These individuals and groups included shareholders’ associations such as the Proactive Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria, the Nigeria Shareholders’ Solidarity As-

Tukur El-Sudi

sociation, the Independent Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria, among several others.

Respondents many and varied

Individuals who made presentations before the Committee included the former DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Prof Ndi OkerekeOnyiuke; the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo; former Managing Director of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, Barth Ebong; former GMD, Afribank Plc, Sebastine Adigwe; former MD of Bank PHD, Francis Atuche, and former GMD, FinBank Plc, Okey Nwosu.

Yet others that submitted memoranda included chairman of Forte Oil Plc, Femi Otedola; the Institute of Capital Market Registrars; the Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, ICAN, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Fred Agbaje Chambers, a host of stock broking firms, insurance companies, banks, the Securities and Exchange Com-

mission (SEC), the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the Abuja Stock Exchange, AMCON, DMO, NDIC, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the CBN, BPE, NAICOM and concerned dismissed staff of SEC, among others.

Factors responsible for the crash….

Some of the major reasons adduced by the respondents for the near-collapse of the Nigerian capital market and the persistent unhealthy state of the market include regulatory deficiencies, pronouncements by regulatory authorities, government policy inconsistencies, global economic meltdown leading to huge divestments by foreign portfolio managers beyond the absorptive capacity of domestic investors.These foreign investors were highly depended on (according to reports, in the first quarter of 2012, foreign portfolio investments on the Exchange accounted for 81 per cent of value of market turnover, 75 per cent in 2011, 48 per cent in 2010, 33 per cent in 2009 and 6.50

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

per cent in 2008). Other factors fingered were the 2005 banking recapitalization, which resulted in the creation of margin facilities for stock market purchases as a source of the newly-capitalized banks letting out their huge unplanned-for liquidity balances, and insider dealings/fraud by operators.

Yet other reasons given included dubious corporate governance, manipulation and window-dressing of financial statements, ignorance and financial illiteracy on the part of investors, intervention of SEC in NSE, non-availability of market-wide complaints resolution mechanism, and several others.

Committee’s observations and findings

In its observations and findings, the Committee noted that the sum of N8 billion was missing from Union Bank’s public offer of 2005 and had remained unaccounted for in the last seven years, stating, inter-alia, “one of the major sources of loss of investors’ confidence in the capital market in recent times is the fear that proceeds of public offers are usually diverted, and in most cases, unaccounted for by issuers.”

It went on to observe that the nationalization of the three banks, i.e. Afribank, Spring Bank and Bank PHB “did not conform to statutory provisions”, it also affirmed that the banking sector consolidation of 2004/2005 was a major source of the current nearcollapse of the capital market, that the monetary policy of the CBN is responsible in many cases for the problems in the capital market, while giving hard knocks to the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). It equally queried the low liquidity in the market due to what it referred to as the poor investment of pension funds in the market and the high cost of doing business in the Nigerian capital market.

38 recommendations…

The Committee gave a list of 38 recommendations, which in its view would help stem a future decline in the capital market.

It recommended, among other things, that a case of fraudulent diversion should be investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against all parties involved in the 2005 Union Bank public offer, including the past board and management of the bank, the CEO of the issuing house/ financial adviser to the offer and the present members of board and management of the bank, including its outgoing MD, Mrs. Funke Osibodu.

The Committee also recommended that both the CEOs of SEC and AMCON should be investigated for their roles in “attempting to conceal the fraudulent diversion of the Union Bank fund.” It also recommended that the nationalization of the three banks be reviewed and investigations carried out by the EFCC and other security agencies on the trio of the NDIC boss,

Umaru Ibrahim; the AMCON MD, Mustafa Chike-Obi, and the CBN Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.

The Committee equally condemned in one fell swoop CBN’s action in disbursing N620 billion bailout funds and other intervention funds, saying it did not follow due process of law and the Nigerian Constitution, being that “the source of funds and the appropriate authority did not approve.”

In view of the high dependence of the Nigerian capital market on foreign investors, who were able at one point to pull out a whooping $15 billion out of the market, it recommended that all concerned regulators, including the CBN, SEC, DMO, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of Trade and Investment should produce guidelines and a national policy to govern the entry, operation and exit of foreign portfolio investments in Nigeria.

However, it is a known fact that capital (including international capital) flies to places of safety at each point in time, so it is rather difficult to see how the above recommendation will operate without scaring foreign portfolio investment away from the shores of the country.

Perhaps a commendable recommendation the Committee made is that SEC and NSE should be directed to ensure that transactions fees in the market do not exceed six per cent, down from the current high and discouraging level of 12 per cent.

The Committee also recommend that the appointment of the SEC DG be terminated, saying it is in violation of Sections 3(2) a and Section 38 (1) (b); Section 315 of the ISA 2007 in that “she did not have 15 years experience in the Nigerian capital market as required” and also that she has shown incompetence in the management of SEC. Perhaps another of the Committee’s commendable recommendation is that, in order to deepen the equity market, PENCOM should reverse the policy that restricts PFAs from investing not more than 25 per cent of their portfolios in equity, but rather the policy should be a minimum of 25 per cent investment in viable equities in order to help deepen the market.

Prognosis

Even though the Committee, in concluding its report, affirms that it had made ‘far-reaching’ recommendations to the House, one cannot help but wonder if the import of the 38 recommendations, even if fully implemented, is adequate to correct the nearcrash and anomalies in the Nigerian capital market. It is evident that only a few of the 38 recommendations really point to a way towards recovery of the market, as most of the recommendations are more of apportioning faults for the crash and less of pointing the way out of the current quagmire. More work indeed needs to be done in this regard.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business

Sunday July 29, 2012

Property Watch •For Lagos area as at Friday July 27, 2012 A. Building materials Cement: Dangote Cement per bag of 50 kg.......N1,900 Burham Cement per bag of 50kg.......N1,900 Elephant Cement…………………N1,850 Sandcrete blocks 6 inches sandcrete block ..........N120 9 inches sandcrete block ..........N140 Sand Sand per tipper load .......... N12,000 Sharp sand (double) ..........N22,000 Gravel (single) ...................N18,000 Gravel (double) ..................N22,000 Granite ...............................N165,000 Reinforcement 8mm(153) pieces per ton (N125,000 10mm (153) pieces per ton .......... N135,000 12mm ............................................N161,000 16mm ........................................N172,000 20mm (53) pieces ....................N122,000 Wood Timber (hard) 1x1x12 ..........N1,000 Timber (hard) 2x2x12 ..........N600 Timber (hard) 2x4x12 ..........N700

‘Why NCAA’s identification of passengers order’ll not work’ OLUSEGUN KOIKI Unless the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority appropriate sanctions and set up a monitoring team to supervise the indigenous airlines to ensure that passengers are properly identified before boarding the planes, its recent direct for proper identification of passengers before boarding by airlines will not work.

This was the view of Head, Research, Zenith Travels, Mr. Olumide Ohunayo, in an interview with Sunday Mirror in Lagos yesterday.

Ohunayo explained that, in a bid to ensure total safety of air travellers in the country, the government through NCAA had ordered all airlines to henceforth carry out proper identification of their passengers, but noted

that the directive had not been implemented so far by any of the airlines.

He said that the directive was fallout of the Dana Air crash in which many irregularities were observed in its manifest.

It will be recalled that the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah, had earlier in the month signed a statement, which ordered all the domestic airlines in the country to adhere strictly to the NCAA on proper identification of passengers before boarding, threatening that any airline, which failed to comply with this directive, would be dealt with accordingly.

Oduah listed approved means of identification for any intending passenger to include international passport, Federal Republic of Nigeria national identity card, national driver’s licence and any other verifiable

photo identity card.

Oduah insisted that the directive, under Security Directive No 16, was in accordance with Part 17, Regulation 83 of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Regulations and Section 13.7 of the Nation Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP).

Ohunayo, however, said, “Memos have not worked, and will not work if the appropriate sanctions and monitoring instituted are not elevated. I boarded a flight from Yola last week; my identification was not needed nor requested till I got on board.

“Since the Dana crash of June 3rd, 2012, the country and populace have been drawn into an unbelievable hysteria and anti-aviation phobia. The phobia has continued to run in all facets of the country despite assurance and support of the international community and

Plywood 3x3x6-----------------N3,500 2x4x8-----------------N2,400

JOHNSON OKANLAWON

Roofing Sheet Corrugated iron sheet per bundle ...N10,000 Asbestos 4x8 per piece ..................N1,600 Asbestos (solo) ............................N1,100

M

B. Landed property 1. Four-bedroom semi detached house with boys’ quarters (BQ) at Lekki Phase 1-- N85m Estimated value in 5 years: N125m 2. Five-bedroom detached house with BQ in Lekki Phase 1-------------------------------N110m Estimated value in 5 years: N160m

4. Three-bedroom flat in Prime Water View Estate, Lekki------------------------------------N35m Estimated value in 5 years: N50m 5. 1,750 metres square piece of land in Central Business District, Lekki Phase 1 -----N220m Estimated value in 5 years: N300m 6. Two nos of 5-bedroom fully-detached house 1,000 sqm at NICON Town Estate, Lekki- N225m each Estimated value in 5 years: N300m 7. Plots of land measuring 675sqm at Mayfair Garden, Lekki---------------N17m each Estimated value in 5 years: N25m 8. Five bedroom semi-detached house at Carton Gate Estate, Lekki------------------N90m Estimated value in 5 years: N130m 9. Land measuring 100 hectares at Ibeju Lekki----------------------------------N3m per plot Estimated value in 5 years: N5m 10. Three units of 4-bedroom detached house at Ikate Elegunshi, lekki---------N58m Estimated value in 5 years: N80m •Compiled by Dayo Ayeyemi, 08033312578.

organisations that have been steadfast and strongly believe in our system and processes.”

Ohunayo noted that the presidential committee recently inaugurated by the Minister of Aviation and chaired by Grp. Capt. John Obakpolor was unnecessary, adding that its report could never be taken seriously beyond the realms of its initiator.

He equally condemned the National Assembly’s ad-hoc committee set up to investigate the Dana crash, which later described the MD 83 brand of airplanes as “unsafe and too old,” stressing that the brand still flies in major countries all over the world.

He maintained that the only body recognised to carry out investigation into any crash in the sector is the Accident Investigation Bureau.

Minister lists opportunities in agric stocks

Soft wood 2x2x12 ..........N250 2x3x12 ..........N300

3. Parcel of land measuring 581 metres square at Badore-Ajah----------------------------N5m Estimated value in 5 years: N8m

49

L-R: Vice President, Paediatrics Association of Nigeria, Prof. Olowu Adebiyi Olumuyiwa; Managing Director, GlaxoSmithline (GSK), Anglophone , West Africa, Mr. Lekan Asuni; National Surveillance Officer, World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria, Dr. Mejebi Phillips; Chief Medical Officer/Disease Control, National Primary Health Development Agency, Abuja, Dr. Adamu Nuhu and Head of Vaccine, GSK Anglophone, West Africa, Mr. Victor Erukunnakpor, during the pneumoccocal vaccines stakeholders’ roundtable organized by GSK Nigeria, in Lagos, recently.

Interbank rates fall on budget inflows L ANRE OYETADE

WITH AGENCY REPORT

T

he country’s interbank lending rate fell to an average 14.08 per cent on Friday and has now fallen than 300 basis points since Wednesday as liquidity increased, reversing a jump after the central bank announced on Tuesday it was raising banks’ cash reserve requirement.

The central bank raised the reserve requirement for lenders to 12 per cent, from eight per cent, to tighten liquidity coming from government spending and to support the weakening naira.

Traders said lending rates among banks jumped to 18 per cent for overnight placement on Wednesday, from 15 per cent, in reaction to the central

bank’s measures.

But budgetary inflows of about N266 billion ($1.66 billion) late on Wednesday and net flows from matured treasury bills raised liquidity levels and forced down the cost of borrowing among banks, traders said.

“The impact of the Monetary Policy Committee decision was immediate on the cost of funds in the market ... but rates softened after the disbursal of budget allocations to government agencies late on Wednesday,” one dealer said.

The market opened with a cash balance of N166 billion on Friday from a negative level on Wednesday. Traders said more than N400 billion was debited from bank accounts for the cash reserves’ balance shortly after the MPC announced its

decision to increase the reserve requirement.

The secured open buy back (OBB) rate fell to 13.50 per cent, from 15.5 per cent on Wednesday, 1.50 percentage points above the central bank’s 12 per cent benchmark rate, and 350 basis points above the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate.

The overnight rate closed at 14.25 per cent on Friday, down from 18 per cent on Wednesday, and the call money rate fell to 14.50 per cent compared with 18 per cent in the wake of the central bank’s announcement on cash reserves.

“We see the rates going up again this week because most banks that borrow tenor repo will have to pay back and this would affect the level of liquidity in the market,” another dealer said.

inister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said that there are many investments opportunities in the consumer goods companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, as a few of them source their raw materials locally.

Adesina, who spoke on the role of the capital markets in the government’s agricultural transformation agenda in Lagos, pointed out that agriculture dominates non-oil export by 75 per cent.

He said that companies such as Nigerian Bottling Company and Nestle source sorghum, barley, cassava starch and corn starch locally and they outperformed banking stocks in terms of dividend yields.

Giving details of revenue growth of agriculture stocks, he said Okomu Oil Palm Plc recorded 15 per cent dividend yield growth in the 2011 financial year, while Presco Plc recorded eight per cent growth.

According to him, Guiness Nigeria Plc achieved 4.4 per cent dividend yield, while Nestle Nigeria Plc, UAC Nigeria Plc and Unilever Nigeria Plc recorded 2.9 per cent, 5.3 per cent and 4.8 per cent dividend yields growth, respectively.

He lamented that despite agriculture contributing 40 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product, it is the lowest represented sector on the Exchange, as it commands less than one per cent of listed companies.

50

Zonal News

SOUTH WEST

L

Sunday July 29, 2012

Fashola rewards ‘performing schools’ with N.2bn

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), at the weekend, gave out a total of N256 million to 128 junior and senior public secondary schools in the State as the governor’s Education Award for Performance, saying the commitment of his administration to education remained continuous and unflagging.

Each of the 128 schools which excelled out of the total 639 schools in the state, will go home with N2 million, which, according to the Governor, will be utilized by the awardees in the development of their schools.

In his keynote address on the occasion, which had in attendance captains of industries, international project partners, traditional rulers and all other stakeholders in the Lagos

Eko Secondary School Project at the 10 Degrees Events Centre, Oregun, Governor Fashola also announced the award of international leadership training to the top two secondary school principals in the six education districts of the state as well as the establishment of 30 Power Clubs in junior secondary schools to promote energy consciousness among youths in the state.

Governor Fashola, who described the annual Governor’s Education Award ceremony as “an initiative compelling us to diligently monitor performances of students, schools, teachers and school leaders”, said the commitment of his administration to education was purposeful as, according to him, “We understand that this is the strongest tool with which to fight pov-

erty”.

“While we will diligently pursue power, agriculture, transport and housing as short to medium term economic drivers, the future will depend on knowledge and our commitment to education, therefore, remains continuous and unflagging”, the governor said..

According to the governor, policies put in place by his administration since inception to boost academic performance include, afterschool coaching of SS3 and JS3 students for three to four days a week; mock WASSC examinations for SS3 students to prepare them for external examinations; students’ practice of multiple choice questions to improve their skills in shading OMR sheets and students undergoing screening test for state sponsorship.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH EAST

Another police officer killed in Bauchi

B

arely 48 hours after three police officers were ambushed and killed by unknown gunmen along Bauchi-Gombe Road, another police officer has been assassinated at his residence in Bauchi.

It was gathered that the deceased, Abdullahi Shehu, a former Aide-de-Camp to the former Deputy Governor of the state, Abdulmalik Ibrahim, met his untimely death on Friday night when unknown gunmen invaded his Zango residence in Bau-

chi metropolis.

A family source said yesterday in Bauchi that the gunmen arrived at the residence of the deceased on a motorcycle at about 8.45 p.m. when he was having the Ramadan evening meal with some friends and relations.

The source said that one of the gunmen asked the gathering who among them was called Abdullahi, adding that the deceased then stood up to identify himself and was shot by one of the assailants.

``We took him to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, where he was confirmed dead,’’ the source said.

The family source added that the deceased had been buried in accordance with Islamic rite.

The Police Command Public Relations Officer, ASP Hassan Auyo, confirmed the incident and said that investigations had commenced into the matter.

Deployment of soldiers for elections laughable –Don ABIODUN NEJO ADO-EKITI

P

olitical scientist and don, Professor Kunle Ajayi, has likened the way and manner Nigeria handles the conduct of elections to what obtains in a war situation, saying the deployment of soldiers in election zones is laughable and antithetical to the sustenance of democracy.

Ajayi deplored invitation of the military to the political arena, saying such portended doom for the sustenance of democracy and “mark of

incompetence of the state and that elections are fought as a war in Nigeria”.

The head of Political Science Department at Ekiti State University, spoke in a lecture in Ado-Ekiti as part of activities marking the 49th birthday of House of Representatives member, Hon Opeyemi Bamidele.

In the lecture entiltled: “Legislating in Troubled Times: National Assembly and challenges of Legislating for Good Governance in Nigeria,”he said: “The military has nothing to do

with elections.

“Inviting the military into political and electoral theatres is very dangerous to democratic sustenance as it is an indirect way of involving them in politics and a subtle invitation to take over governance rulership”.

Ajayi, who described corruption as endemic in the country, advised the National Assembly to work with the Executive in reworking the constitution to strengthen the anti-corruption agencies to be able to tackle the monster.

Aregbesola, at Ramadan, urges inter-faith peace

G

overnor Abdulrauf Aregbesola of Osun yesterday in Abuja called on Muslims to spread the message of inter-faith unity and peace to achieve meaningful progress in Nigeria.

Aregbesola made the call in a paper he presented at the annual unity Ramadan lecture organised by AlHabibiyyah Islamic Society of Nigeria.

The lecture with the theme ``Islam, Education and the Principle of Jihad’’, was part of activities organised by the society to mark

the 2012 Muslim calendar year.

The governor said that in an era when inter-faith relations were becoming strained, a return to the prophetic method of spreading the message of Islam through good personal conduct must be preached.

He stressed the need for Muslims to sustain and defend their tradition of accommodation, mutual respect, tolerance and peaceful co-existence with people of other faiths and cultures. ``Muslims must not fear to relate, engage, debate and

dialogue with others. In our humanity, we are all brothers and sisters. ``We have a lot to learn from other Muslim societies where peaceful co-existence is taken for granted. ``We must always remember that no religion whether ancient or modern, advocates animosity, violence, tension and hatred; all religions preach and promote peace and peaceful co-existence,” Aregbesola said.

According to the governor, any religion that does not preach the principle of peace is false.

President, Yolanda Club, Mr. Mormoni Salihu (left) presenting an award to the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, in Yola on yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Taraba Assembly tackles illegal tree felling

T

he Taraba House of Assembly on Friday directed its Committee on Environment and Urban Development to identify the factors responsible for the rampant felling of trees in the state.

The directive followed a motion of urgent public importance by Mr Daniel Gani and Mrs Rashida Abdullahi, representing Wukari and Nguroje state constituencies, respectively.

The Speaker of the house, Mr Haruna Gbana, said that the committee should ascertain the level of damage and destruction of forest resources in the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.

He said it should also find out whether felled trees were replaced during the process as well as identify officers responsible for such operation.

Gbana said the committee was also to ascertain

the revenue generated from the sale of timber and if such revenues were paid into government coffers.

The house also directed the committee to summon officials of the Ministry of Environment as well as the state taskforce on forest management to appear before it.

This, he said, would enable them to explain the reason for the rampant felling of trees across the state by loggers.

Gaidam distributes food items to drought victims INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

G

overnor Ibrahim Gaidam of Yobe state has at the weekend, released 585 metric tons (11,700 bags) of assorted grains from its Strategic Grains Reserve Silos (SGRS) for distribution and sales to residents af-

fected by last year’s drought and rising market prices of food staples.

The drought affected council areas include Machina, Yunusari, Geidam, Yusufari, Nguru, and Karasuwa, located in the north part of Yobe state.

Speaking at the flagging off of distribution and sales

of grains at the Government House, Damaturu, Governor Gaidam said that the rising market prices of food items and recent drought informed government in releasing 585 metric tons of assorted grains for sale to six council areas, the less-privileged, including widows, orphans and the disabled.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH WEST

Kano residents lament 2015 Presidency: Okonkwo death of toddler in assures on Igbo unity collapsed building

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

R

esidents of Sabon Gari in the Kano State capital where a collapsed building killed a toddler and injured many others have blamed the disaster on the twin problem of construction defects and poor drainage system.

They also feared that if necessary steps were not taken to remedy the situation, the area might witness more of such tragedy.

Alhaji Bala Shuaib and Mary Oke, both Sabon Gari residents, lamented the

tragedy and pleaded with the relevant authorities for adequate supervision of buildings under construction, to ensure strict compliance with set standard.

A storey building collapsed in Kano early this week, killing a toddler and injuring several others.

The toddler, according to eyewitness accounts, was playing with her on fellow kids on the balcony of the building, located on Niger Road, Sabon Gari, when it suddenly caved in.

According to a neighbour who resides opposite the ill-fated building, the

debris from the collapsed building trapped the toddler, alongside her playmates and some others at the ground floor.

Good Samaritans in the neighbourhood hurriedly mobilised and rescued the helpless toddler, alongside others trapped on the ground floor before the arrival of fire-fighters.

After frantic efforts, the toddler, identified as Fidausi Opeyemi was rescued by neighbours, and was rushed to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital but died before arriving at the hospital.

‘No toxic waste in Kaduna community’ T he Kaduna State Protection Authority (KEPA) yesterday rejected the Kaduna Refinery and Petro-chemical Company (KRPC) report on alleged dumping of toxic waste at the neigbouring Rido community in Kaduna.

The General Manager of KEPA, Alhaji Aminu Sani, told newsmen that the report which stated that the authority had exonerated the refinery from the controversial toxic waste dump was false.

Sani said no official report was released by KEPA regarding the issue.

He said the Confirmatory Laboratory Analysis Test on the toxic waste was still ongoing.

Sani denied the reports published in the dailies, adding: ``they were false and were not officially obtained from KEPA. ``In the letter we presented to the NNPC/KRPC, KEPA did not state that it has exonerated anyone involved

JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

esterday’s bye-election into the Katsina State House of Assembly for Dutsi constituency was marred by allegations of electoral fraud, including ballot box snatching and stuffing.

There were also allegations of voting being completed as early as 9am at some polling units when same was supposed to begin by noon, with some areas witnessing pockets of violence.

At the Sirika ‘B’ ward and Nagataw Kofar Gidan Mai Unguwa polling unit, elections were completed at early as 8.55am with only the agent of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) present when the votes were being counted.

The unit’s Returning Officer, Adewale Adeoye, who is a serving corps member, said that he and his team were

made to work under duress, and that they had to comply due to the risk of what people in the area might do.

Speaking to newsmen, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) National Commissioner in charge of Katsina, Kano and Jigawa, Ambassador Ahmed Moh’d Wali, said there had been reports of electoral malpractice that reached him during the exercise.

Wali said any ward or polling unit where such malpractices were detected would result in the cancellation of results from the ward or unit.

He wondered why the electorate should be allowed to come out and vote only to have their time wasted as the candidate they voted for was not the one that eventually wins the contest.

According to him, “You spend all your efforts to come and vote and then only for one person or two to come

OLAJIDE OMOJOLOMOJU

T

he decision of the Igbo to take a shot at the presidency come 2015 has become strategic and decisive and no longer an issue for “bedroom or lunchdate sentimental posturing and lamentation.”

The president of an Igbo political group called ‘The Committee 21’ (C21), Senator Annie Okonkwo, who expressed the stance at the weekend, said that the quest of the Igbo for the presidency was “the most singular defining redemption for Nigeria’s political and moral fairness as a corporate entity.”

Okonkwo who stated this

in a press release by his media aide, Collins Steve Ugwu, declared that, “Nigeria’s unending political romance with equity and fairness, now demands practical consummation through a unified consensus for a president of Igbo extraction, and the creation of two additional states from the South East.

He warned Igbo politicians that, “the quest for the presidency cannot be seen as a low-hanging fruit devoid of sacrificial, selfless unity of the Igbo themselves.”

“Aside the urgent reality that what is good for the goose is sauce for the gander, the persuasion that a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction remains the only un-

51

SOUTH EAST

tested option for the desired radical leap of our great country since our history, is compelling to common sense and good conscience.

Okonkwo queried the rationale behind “the statutory denial of the South-East geo-political region of the desired development occasioned by its least favoured status in states and local governments”, adding that this was further demonstrated in the report of the Presidential Committee on the Review of the Constitution which not only proposed a single tenure of five years for the presidency but also advocated for the creation of only one state “ideally for the South East.”

in the issue because sample test on the toxic waste was inconclusive.”

Reacting to the issue, the Kaduna NNPC/KRPC Public Relations Manager, Alhaji Idris Abdullahi, said that the authority issued a signed letter stating that ``The NNPC/ KRPC has been exonerated from the alleged toxic waste dump at Rido Community.” ``We were surprised when KEPA told us that they are withdrawing their letter on the issue.”

Katsina bye-election marred by fraud, ballot stuffing Y

Zonal News

Sunday July 29, 2012

and snatch or seize ballot boxes,” with call on voters to always be vigilant and protect the ballot boxes.

“We also hear that there are some places that voting had already been concluded; so we are going to find out and we are going to take appropriate action,” he added.

On his part, the CPC caretaker chairman, Aliyu Farouk told newsmen that there were several cases of ballot box snatching and threats by sponsored thugs in some parts of the constituency, especially against people of his party.

Farouk said the thugs wielded sticks and other dangerous weapons and they did not allow people to vote unless they wanted to vote for the ruling party.

“They way I see the election, there is serious problem. We’ll tell INEC on our findings; I’ve gone to seven wards now and all there is ballot box snatching.”

L-R: Chairman, Anambra State House of Assembly’s Committee on Health, Dr. Emeka Maduabu; President of Africa Hope Foundation (AHF), Princess Ugwuanyi and HRH, Igwe Gibson Nwosu, during the launch of AHF at Awka, at the weekend.

PHOTO: DENNIS AGBO

Constitution review timely, says Abia Speaker GEORGE OPARA ABIA

T

he Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Chief Ude Oko Chukwu, has commended the on-going constitution review embarked upon by the National Assembly, describing it as “timely and in the right direction”.

Chukwu said the review, when finalized, would go a long way to address the inequalities in several facets

of the Nigerian polity.

According to him, if the exercise was “genuinely and faithfully” carried out, it would go a long way in addressing the unresolved national issues which he noted, affect human lives, the economy, security and socio-political cohesion of the Nigerian nation state.

The Speaker also commended President Goodluck Jonathan for intensifying efforts to entrench a new politi-

cal culture in Nigeria, which he hoped would bring about a stable, strong and dynamic Nigerian society where “justice, equity and fairness will be the order of the day”.

Chukwu also lauded the Senate Committee on Constitution Review headed by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for its painstaking commitment to fashion out a better constitution for the nation.

I’ll fulfil pre-election promises –Orji GEORGE OPARA

ABIA

A

bia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has charged communities in the state to remain peaceful and support his administration, assuring that he would fulfill the promises he made to

them during electoral campaigns.

Orji who made the call when the people of Ossah in Umuahia North Local Government area paid him a ‘thank-you visit’ at the Government House, Umuahia.

He sued for peace, say-

ing, “We don’t want crisis in the communities. We want peace and progress. I will fulfill all my promises.

I will do the Mgbaja Road.

It is now a challenge that we accomplish. Maintain peace. Don’t allow anybody to confuse you”, the governor urged them.

52

Zonal News

SOUTH SOUTH

Sunday July 29, 2012

Kidnapped Senator’s daughter regains freedom

CHINEDUM EMEANA PORT HARCOURT

M

rs. Diepreye Dagi Darego, daughter of the former member of the National Assembly, Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, who was abducted on Friday morning has regained her freedom yesterday.

Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa, told reporters yesterday that Mrs. Darego was abandoned by her abductors following pressure mount-

ed on them by a joint operation of the police and the military.

“Yes, she has been rescued in the early hours of today (Saturday). A joint operation of the Police, the Military and the State Security Services trailing the kidnappers forced them to abandon the victim and escape,” he said.

At press time, Sunday Mirror could not determine whether or not a ransom was paid by the victim’s family before her freedom was secured as efforts to speak with Senator

Amange via phone proved futile.

Indabawa said Mrs. Darego was in good health when she was rescued and had since been reunited with her family members.

The CP added that the police were trailing the fleeing hoodlums, assuring that they had enough clues to track them Mrs. Darego was taken hostage on Friday along the East-West Road, on her way to Port Harcourt International Airport to receive her sister who was coming from Abuja.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH CENTRAL

Seven die in Kogi auto crash ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

T

ragedy truck yesterday in Lokoja, Kogi State as a cab driver killed seven people who were staying by the roadside in a suburb called ‘Galilee’ when the vehicle lost control.

The driver who was using the vehicle for commercial services was said to be coming from the town,

heading to Lokoja Modern Market, when the vehicle suddenly lost control about two kilometres to its destination owing to dangerous overtaking.

Among the people killed were a roadside mechanic, a water vendor, a truck pusher and other pedestrians who were said to be coming from the market.

The situation resulted in violence as youths in the

area took laws into their hands and started smashing the vehicles on transit along the route.

It took the intervention of the detachment of men of the Nigeria Police Force to restore normalcy to the area.

Contacted, the Police public Relation Officer (PPRO) State Command, Ile Simon, a Chief Superintendent of Police, said the command was yet to get the report.

Edo PDP sets up disciplinary committee for errant members SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN-CITY

T

he leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State has said that the party is determined to enforce party discipline among its members, a step it is launching following calls by some party members for a change in the leadership.

Edo PDP Chairman, Chief Dan Osi Orbih, disclosed this yesterday in a reaction to the call made on Friday by a group of members of the party seeking the resignation of the state leadership owing to the landslide defeat by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) re-elected candidate, Governor Adams Aliyu

Oshiomhole, of the party’s candidate, Major-General Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), penultimate week.

Speaking with our correspondent on phone, Orbih said the PDP was setting up a disciplinary committee to handle all the related issues that he aggregated as antiparty actions, flagrant disloyalty by the members to the party’s constituted authorities and alleged fraud by some of the members who were entrusted with the party funds.

While faulting the errant group for flagrantly abusing PDP’s internal party machinery, Orbih added that the party would announce the next line of disciplinary action after the disciplinary panel has investigated

the roles of each and every member of the “so-called stakeholders forum.”

It will be recalled that a group of PDP members in the state under the aegis of “Stakeholders Forum” during the week held an “emergency meeting in Benin to appraise the outcome of the last July 14th 2012 Edo State Gubernatorial Election.”

In a release by one Barrister Kamin Bello Asunogie and made available to the media, the group stated, “The forum examined all the past Edo State PDP elections and defeats since 2007 and therefore resolved that the present state executives and leadership do not have the capacity and leadership drive to lead our great party to any electoral victory.”

Delta to contract schools’ security to communities

T

he Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education in Delta, Prof Patrick Muoboghare, said the state government would soon contract security of public schools to communities and private agencies.

He said that a proposal to that effect had been prepared and stressed that security of facilities in the schools had remained a challenge to the government.

Muoboghare spoke when the executive members of Illah Development Union of Nigeria (IDUN), led by its President General, Prof Lawrence Ezemonye, visited him in

Asaba on Friday.

He said that partnership with communities could salvage the educational system in the state, noting that all conventional security ways adopted by government to protect the schools had failed.

“Fencing of schools alone cannot stop people from removing facilities from the schools. Is it not funny that most of the computers installed in some secondary schools were stolen from the schools?

“Security has remained one of our greatest challenges but we are already working out a

process of contracting the security of the schools to the communities and private concerns.’’

Muoboghare called for strengthening of partnership between the ministry and communities in the state “to re-design and correct the defects in primary and secondary education in order to restore the past glory”.

The commissioner urged the communities to closely monitor the activities of the teachers in schools located in their domains and ensure that they were punctual and responsive to their duties.

Displaced flood victims in Jos on Friday.

PHOTO: NAN

Kwara acquires 4,000 hectares for farm settlement

T

he Kwara Government has set aside 4,000 hectares of land for setting up of farm settlements across seven local governments in the state.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr Bode Olayemi, told newsmen at the weekend that the land was being surveyed by the government.

He said areas already surveyed are 278.66 hectares at Ogundele/Atete in Ilorin-West, 535.75 hectares at Ilorin-South and 934.71 hectares at Bayero/Igbaja.

The others included 530 hectares at Isanlu-Isin; 410 hectares at Offa/Ira and 420 hectares at Erin-Ile. Olayemi said that government would arrange the farmers into clusters, cooperatives, units and groups, to encourage them to go into commercial farming.

The commissioner explained that government would go into the mass production of farm products like maize, rice, cassava and soya-beans.

He noted that the State Government had signed a

memorandum of understanding with some local and foreign investors to set up agro-allied industries to utilise these products.

Also speaking, the President, Agricultural and Mining Association of Nigeria (AMAN), Alhaji Bolaji Atunse, the association would support the State Government’s commercial farming programme.

He explained that farm settlement proposed by the government consist 10 units of farm to be managed by 10 farmers.

‘Electricity consumers owing Niger PHCN N6.2bn’ PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

T

he management of the Niger State branch of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), Minna Business District, has announced plans to commence collection of the N6.2 billion owed the company by consumers in the state.

Making the disclosure

at a parley in Minna, the Business Manager, Garba Madani, said the PHCN on monthly basis gets energy supply worth N350 million and barely collects N105 million from its customers.

He stated that the money owed as electricity bills is currently threatening the survival of the district, as it might not be able to meet its obligation to consum-

ers, adding that the situation has ranked Minna as the least income earener in the PHCN within the Abuja zone.

According to him, in view of this, the district would embark on mass disconnection of electricity being supplied to defaulters, as no serious business can operate on ‘loss and survival’.

53

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Afolabi hopeful on Mormeck clash P. 54

Ekpo cautions Flying Eagles against Tanzania P. 54 KEEPING YOU ABREAST OF SPORTING NEWS July 29, 2012

Flying Eagles get Kenyan refs for Tanzania game SAYO OGUNDEJI

T

Yi Siling of China celebrates with her gold medal during the Victory Ceremony yesterday. Inset: Funke Oshonaike.

T’tennis: Oshonaike, Offiong crash out, as Yi Siling wins first gold EVEREST ONYEWUCHI LONDON

N

igeria’s only two female table tennis players at the ongoing London 2012 Olympic Games, Funke Oshonaike and Edem Offiong, have crashed out of the singles event.

Offiong was the first to crash out, in her very first round game, suffering a humiliation as Egyptian Meshref Dina beat her 4-2.

She had beaten the Egyptian at the All Africa Games held in Maputo, Mozambique, but fell on the stage when it mattered most.

An angry Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) secretary, Segun Oguntade, berated her thus, “She was so much in a hurry and lost valuable points.

She beat her silly during the All Africa Games.”

However, Oshonaike won her

first match, beating her Iranian counterpart, Shahsavari Neda before also crashing out yesterday evening.

In her first game, she stroked off hostilities, but lost steam, sending panic among Nigerians at the Excel-North Arena 1, venue of the game when she lost her first set 11-13.

But the five-time Olympian was not rattled and bounced back pulling off excellent strokes to down the Iranian in the next set 11-8. Her rhythm did not change and she went on the offensive to win the remaining two sets.

The Iranian rallied back to win 11-9, 11-5 but Funke would not let her go. She took the last set 11-3 to win at 4-3 and set the Nigerians on a victory path.

In her second match, however, Oshonaike crumbled after giving Nigerians so much hope earlier.

We’re here for the athletes, P. 55 says Minister

“I feel so much pain losing out here,” the mother of two lamented.

In the men’s category, Segun Toriola spanked Canadian Ho Andre 4-1 to progress to the next round of the Games.

When Toriola took the centre stage, it was so obvious that he was not attending his 6th Olympics for nothing. He practically flogged his Canadian opponent in the four sets allowing him to win one set.

Also Quadri Aruna brought back joy to Team Nigeria yesterday when he beat Spanish former World Champion, Machado, to move ahead in the event of the London 2012 Olympics.

Meanwhile, Chinese shooter Yi Siling won the first gold medal of the London 2012 Olympic Games with her victory in the women’s 10m Air Rifle yesterday.

The 23-year-old world number one and gold medal favourite lived up to her billing by beating Poland’s Sylwia Bogacka into second place.

Bogacka, 30, qualified in first place and was leading until the eighth shot, when a wayward effort condemned her to silver.

China’s Yu Dan collected the bronze medal with Beijing 2008 gold medallist Katrina Emmons placing fourth.

Yi, speaking after receiving her medal from International Olympic Committee (IOC) Chairman Jacques Rogge, said: “I’m very happy. I want to say thanks to China, to my mother and father.

“I’m very excited and happy. I have been shooting since I was 13 years old.

“I’ve been up since 5am this morning. There was a lot of pressure on me,” she said.

‘Murray has P. 55 golden chance’

he Confederation of African Football (CAF) has picked Kenyan referees to be in charge of the Flying Eagles of Nigeria’s match against the Ngorongoro Heroes of Tanzania in far away Dar es Salaam in the first leg, second round of the 18th African Youth Championship (AYC) qualifier clash today.

The continental football body went for Moses Ojwang Osano as the Centre Referee, with compatriots Peter Keireini, Elias Kuloba Wamalwa and Thomas Onyango as 1st Assistant, 2nd Assistant and 4th Officials respectively.

The coach John Obuh-led Flying Eagles, who are the African champions, lost 0-1 to their Rwandese counterparts in a friendly at the Stade Regionale de Nyamirambo only on Tuesday in Kigali, but Obuh has assured that the team has forgotten the loss and would be ready to fire from all cylinders against the Tanzanians today.

The Flying Eagles are due back in Nigeria on Wednesday afternoon after a night stopover in Rwanda.

Meanwhile, the Flying Eagles, upon arrival in the country, are expected to hit Ilorin, venue of the return leg scheduled to hold at the Ilorin Township Stadium in Kwara State on July 27.

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari, who dropped this hint, stated that the idea to play the African Under-20 qualifier against Tanzania in Ilorin was in line with the Glass House resolution to move the national teams’ matches around the country for Nigerians to see their team.

I will define my life in London –Bolt P. 55

54

Sport

Sunday July 29, 2012

Knockout IFEANYI Eduzor

with 08055829770 ifeduz24@yahoo.com

Afolabi hopeful on Mormeck clash

N

igerian-born British heavyweight boxer, Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 Kos), is optimistic his recent discussion with the camp of Jean- Marc Mormeck (36-5,22Kos) for a possible fight in September will come through.

The two camps has been in discussion since last month for an interesting cruiserweight fight which is supposed to hold in Paris, France, home town of his would-be opponent.

Mormeck has been inactive since being knocked out in four rounds by heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko, in March while Afolabi fought

a twelve-round draw with WBO cruiser weight king, Marco Huck, in early May. According to Afolabi’s trainer, Fritz Sdunek, both boxers are interested in the fight and he is hopeful an agreement would soon be reached.

“We have started discussions with their camp since last month and we are still hoping they will accept the fight.

“Both boxers are eager to face each other in the ring and Afolabi is looking forward to going to Paris for this all important fight in September, if everything works out as planned,” Sdunek said.

Ola Afolabi (left) throws a punch on Valery Brudov during their title fight.

Ajose’s title hope suffers setback W

BC number 1-ranked super lightweight contender, Olusegun Ajose (30-0, 14 Kos), will still have to wait for many months before he will be considered to have a crack at the title currently held by Puerto Rican, Danny Garcia.

Ajose who waited for two years before he faced Algerian Ali Chebah for the elimination contest to decide who became the mandatory challenger to the title was promised by the WBC during their congress early in the year that he will face the then champion, Erik Morales within 90 days of the defense of his title

in March, 2012 against current holder, Danny Garcia, but the defeat of Morales altered the entire arrangement.

Garcia after winning the title, instead of defending it against Ajose chose to fight Amir Khan whom he knocked out last two weeks in round four for the WBA crown.

The 31-year-old Nigerian hopes of facing Garcia before the year runs out has also been put in the cooler following the decision of the champion to have a re-match with Mexican Erik Morales on October, 20 at the Barclay’s Centre, Brooklyn, United States.

Chisora donates to Haye’s charity F

ollowing his side-bet with Dave Haye prior to their heavyweight title fight at West Ham United, Dereck Chisora has presented a cheque of £20,000 to the founders of David Haye’s charity of choice, the (African Caribbean Leukemia Trust) in Central London.

The donation will go towards supporting the centre’s lifesaving work through spreading awareness and increasing the number of ethnic minorities on the United Kingdom bone marrow, blood and organ donation registries through national recruitment drives.

Haye is a patron of the centre which was co-founded

by Beverley De-Gale and Orin Lewis after their son Daniel De-Gale was diagnosed with leukemia in 1993.

Receiving the Cheque, Orin Lewis said, “We are delighted to accept this cheque of £20,000 from Dereck Chisora on behalf of the prematch bet between him and opponent David Haye. We’re sincerely grateful to them both. The generous donation will go towards securing further bone marrow, blood and organ donation recruitment drives throughout the United Kingdom.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ekpo cautions Flying Eagles against Tanzania IFEANYI EDUZOR

F

ormer Super Eagles midfielder, Friday Ekpo, has cautioned Nigeria’s U-20 national team handlers not to underrate their opponents in today’s encounter.

The John Obuh-led Flying Eagles will today at the National Stadium Dar es Salaam confront the Ngorongoro Stars of Tanzania in one of the quali-

fiers for the 2013 African Youth Championship (AYC).

At the end of the twolegged encounter, the overall winner between the two countries will confront the winner of the fixture between Congo and South Africa’s U-20 teams for a place at the 2013 AYC in Algeria.

According to him, the East Africans have some young stars that can create problems for the team

and as such they have to take the game serious to enable them get the maximum three points at the end of the full 90 minutes.

Ekpo, noted that the 0-1 loss by the team to Rwanda at the Stade Regionale de Nyamirambo in an international friendly last Tuesday should serve as a wake- up call for the team handlers and enable them improve in all departments of the game ahead today’s encounter.

Ekpo

Manu picks 30 players Dauda craves corporate for Morocco 2013 race sponsorship of handball ANDREW EKEJIUBA

H

ead Coach of the U-17 national team, Manu Garba, on Friday picked 30 players from a list of 50 who passed the Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) tests conducted by the National Hospital, Abuja, for the next phase of camping ahead of September’s African U-17 Championship qualifying fixture against Niger.

Garba arrived in Abuja on Friday for a meeting with NFF General Secretary, Barrister Musa Amadu, and was immediately handed a list of 50 players, certified eligible for the U-17 category by the National Hospital, Abuja following the MRI tests that lasted about two weeks.

The Golden Eaglets will return to Calabar, capital

of Cross River State today to commence the third phase of their camping programme, ahead of a first leg clash with the U-17 team of Niger in Niamey on September 8.

The 30 players who will battle for shirts in the final squad are: Haruna Garba Ibrahim, Mustapha Abdullahi, Adewale Adeyinka, Ifeanyi Mathew, Wilfred Ndidi, Musa Mohammed, Bernard Bulbwa, Success Isaac, Musa Yahya, David Micah, Kelechi Iheanacho, Dare Dede, Asadu Emmanuel, Alhassan Ibrahim Abdullahi, Akinjide Idowu, Izu Omego, Ali Baba Saliu, Itohowo David, Nafiu Bala, Friday Njengo, Ezekiel Emmanuel, Umar Ahmed, Onobun Innocent, Emmanuel Isa, Chidera Eze, Olumide Akufe, Aliyu Aliyu, Zaraddeen Bello, Adamu Abubakar and Wisdom Fernando.

IFEANYI EDUZOR

T

he President of Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Mallam Yusuf Dauda, says that the Federation will continue to take the issue of grassroots development of the sport serious even as he appealed to corporate organizations to sponsor the game.

He told our correspondent that the recent winning of the World U-14 Handball Championship in Sweden by Nigeria is an indication that hidden talents abound in the country, just as he promised that developmental programmes embarked upon by the Federation continue to be vigorously pursued.

Individual sports should be developed –Taekwondo coach

A

taekwondo coach, Victoria David, on Saturday urged the National Sports Commission (NSC) to develop other sports engaged in by individual athletes, saying that they had more medals to offer.

David told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the ministry should develop such

sports like swimming and cycling, as they would enable the country to win more medals at international competitions.

She said that her plea was against the backdrop that the long years of attention to football had slowed down the development of other sports that had more medals.

Team Nigeria excites Nigerians in the UK N

igerians resident in the UK joined others in cheering Team Nigeria as they file pass during opening ceremony at the Olympic stadium in London.

The Europe Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Nigeria Hospitality House at Stratford, the Olympic site reports that most Nigerians, who could not afford the ticket watched the ceremony on a big Television screen.

Some of them, who wore green T-Shirts with inscription “New World Nigeria”, could not hide their excitement as they watched Team Nigeria file pass with their green white green attire.

The team is made up of 55 athletes, 12 coaches, 29

Team Nigeria

administrative officials, nine medical officers, five contingent officials and six secretariat officials.

NAN reports that Nigeria is participating in eight sports: Athletics, Basketball, Boxing, Canoeing, Table

Tennis, Taekwondo, Weightlifting and Wrestling.

The Games will end on August 12.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sunday July 29, 2012

We’re here for the ...As NOC athletes, says Minister provides athletes N with pins igerian Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi, is making sure that members of the Team Nigeria are not distracted over welfare issues.

Sunday Mirror learnt here that the Minister had charged team officials to provide for the needs of the athletes before thinking of their own satisfaction, charging that the interest of the athletes should override that of the officials.

“These athletes are the reason for you and I to be in London for the Games. We should place the athletes at the heart of whatever we do. If you want the best from them, you must give them the best,” Abdullahi cautioned NSC officials in a closed-door meeting.

“He did not mince words by telling them that the welfare of athletes comes first before others,” a reliable source told our correspondent.

Daily passes to visit the Olympic Village where the athletes stay are limited, but the Minister warned that

Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi.

whatever quota Nigeria gets should go to the athletes’ visitors first before considering any other official or their families.

I will define my life in London –Bolt A s the sprinters get ready for the beginning of athletics events on August 3, reigning fastest man in the world, Jamaica’s Usain Bolt, has assured that he would defend his 100m and 200m titles here.

Bolt told newsmen on Friday that he had overcome injury problems and was ready to defend his titles at the ongoing London 2012 Games.

Bolt, who promises to be one of the star attractions in the 100m and 200m, said, “This is the moment that is going to define my entire life. A lot of people say I am a legend, but this is going to define me as a legend.”

The reigning 100m and 200m champion was beaten in both events at the Jamaican trials by training partner Yohan Blake and has been struggling with back and hamstring problems in the build up to the Games.

“I think I am probably

Bolt

95% fit, but I am in great shape,” he added.

Bolt, who was Jamaica’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony on Friday, also hinted that he may go for four gold medals by running in the 4x400m relay, as well as the 4x100m.

His fitness has been a source of speculation and worry for both the organisers and his country, following his defeats

by Blake. But the 25-yearold emphatically said

that he was fully focused on the track.

Bolt smashed the 100m world record at the 2008 Beijing Games with a time of 9.69 seconds, despite slowing to celebrate yards from the finish line.

He broke his own record a year later with a time of 9.58 secs at the World Championships in Berlin, before losing the world title to Blake in 2011 when he was disqualified after a false start.

ussia’s women saw off a spirited fightback from Angola to register a 30-27 victory in the opening Handball match of London 2012 at the Copper Box yesterday.

The Europeans, who were silver medallists at the 2008 Beijing Games,

London 2012

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI REPORTING

July 27 - August 12, 2012

were cruising to the points in Group A as they led 1911 in the early exchanges of the second half, but a golden spell by the African champions saw them level at 23-23.

However, Russia regrouped and flexed their muscles to get over the fin-

ishing line by a three-goal margin, Liudmila Postnova top-scoring with five goals and Liudmila Bodnieva, Tatiana Khmyrova and Ekaterina Davydenko all grabbing four.

Angola’s performance was underpinned by five goals from Isabel Guialo.

Tit bits

‘Murray has golden chance’

A

ccording to Australian Lleyton Hewitt, Andy Murray is a strong contender to win the gold medal in the men’s Singles Tennis at London 2012. British number one Murray will be looking to recover from his Wimbledon final loss to Roger Federer less than a month ago by standing on the top of the podium at the same venue at the end of the Games.

Andy Murray in training at Wimbledon yesterday.

Rowing duo set new Olympic Best

B

ritish rowers Helen Glover and Heather Stanning have confirmed their status as gold medal favourites as they stormed into the final of the women’s Pairs in a new Olympic Best. Roared on by a packed crowd at Eton Dorney, Glover and Stanning won the opening heat of the Olympic regatta in a time of 6:57.29, beating the previous best by over four seconds.

Phelps in 400m Individual Medley swimming final

M

ichael Phelps has made the final of the 400m Individual Medley by just seven hundredths of a second as the first morning of the Olympic programme got under way yesterday. Phelps, the defending champion, was eighth fastest into the final, edging out Beijing silver medallist Laszlo Cseh in a major surprise.

Phelps

China edge out Serbia in volleyball

C

hina ran Serbia off their feet at Earls Court as they got their London 2012 women’s Volleyball campaign off to a winning start on Saturday. Yu Juemin’s side were the most impressive performers across the first two games played, earning a 3-1 win.

Russia hold firm in handball’s opening win

R

XXXTH OLYMPIC SUMMER GAMES

T

he Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) is at these London 2012 Olympic Games with enough souvenirs, mementos and pins for distribution to athletes and other participants from other countries.

These collections of gift items make the Olympics tick, since they are gift items that symbolise friendship, a cardinal principle of the Olympics.

As little and insignificant as some of the pins may look and seem, athletes, participants and visitors value them, with some die-hard Olympians collecting them for keeps.

Our correspondent here, reports that Nigerian officials in the past never provided these pins and did not reckon with such minor details while planning for the Olympics. As a result Nigerian athletes had been severally embarrassed when other athletes offer their hands of friendship by giving them pin and gifts.

But out here, President of the NOC, Engr. Sani Ndanusa, has changed the course of events.

He came prepared with pins, gift items, flags, and many items with the emblem of Nigeria.

At the formal presentation and welcome ceremony of Team Nigeria to the Games Village, Ndanusa shocked his hosts and officials of other countries by presenting gift items to them.

LOCOG, IOC officials, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Britain, Dr. Dalhatu Tafidah; Chef de Mission, Chief Patrick Ekeji, were presented with customised wooden gifts and pins to the admiration of the cheering athletes, who also received enough to re-distribute to their colleagues and counterparts from other countries.

When reminded about this innovation, Ndanusa modestly said that God is in control.

He also lauded Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi and Director General of the National Sports Commission.

55

China stun Czech Republic in basketball

C NOC President, Alhaji Sanni Ndanusa.

hina beat the Czech Republic 66-57 as the women’s basketball tournament started with an upset yesterday. A superb start gave the Chinese a 15-4 lead over the 2010 World Championship runners-up, and although the Czechs closed the gap to 20-16 by the end of the first quarter, China kept them at bay.

N9 Vol. 2 No. 33

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Back Page

Comment

E-mail: nwaunah@yahoo.com Unah is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lagos

with Jim Unah

T

he concept of new Lagos – a fast growing, throbbing, bubbling, commercial hub of the nation – is intertwined with the phenomenon of urban renewal. When the beautification project of the Lagos State Government began to make the pockets of bushes surrounding the complex network of bridges that adorn the metropolis disappear, and the well kept, horticultured, gardens began to replace them, I became pleasantly apprehensive that the vision of a new Lagos would soon become incongruous with an equally fast growing, how-be-it, menacing, waterfront slums.

No one begrudges the Lagos State Government of its new found love with environmental beautification; but must it be carried out at the expense of human live and happiness? The killing of the deputy Baale of Makoko, Chief Timothy Huntoyanwha, by Corporal Boma Peddle, a Marine policeman, and the eviction of thousands of Iwaya-Makoko waterfront slum residents, without a re-settlement scheme, by officials of the state government, poses the question whether in this age and time, a democratically elected government should be so cal-

www.nationalmirroronline.net

N150

N I G E R I A

I N

F I G U R E S

N81

billion, amount the National trillion, amount Mr. Ariyo OlushAssociation of Micro-fiekun, President, Chartered nance Banks (NAMB) said is the total Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), said has been lost in Nigeria since the stock performing loans of microfinance banks in Nigeria. market crashed.

Makoko eviction versus urban renewal

lous to human needs and welfare? A basic need of man, anywhere in the world, is shelter – a place to retire to after foraging for food and other requirements of life.

In other places in the world, only natural disaster, such as a tsunami, an earthquake, or a tremor, could wreak a havoc of the recent Makoko-type on mankind. And the task for government, in those places, would be to intervene to ameliorate such inclemency of nature. Even though the Lagos State Government officials have claimed that it is the desire to prevent imminent natural disaster which threatens the waterfront that prompted them to act swiftly, a relocation scheme should have been put in place to provide the evictees with alternative means of shelter; not throw them to the streets.

A fishing community that had existed in the area for more than a century should not have been so insensitively treated by the government voted into office by the same people. The alleged threat of natural disaster should not have been used to evict the Makoko people. Government could still have continued to warn of imminent danger to the inhabitants of the area, while expediting action to relocate them before the alleged disaster could happen. Whether the reason is the beautification drive of government or the desire to act proactively to stave off imminent disaster, the Makoko fishermen should not have been thrown out of their homes without alternative source of shelter. Without a relocation plan, it would have been better to allow those who ignore

the threat of disaster to be sacked by nature.

If government could not help citizens in danger to relocate, it should leave them to their own peril.

However, the evicted residents should have made conscious effort to get government to relocate them; rather than stay on or cling tenaciously to their perilous homestead.

Community leaders should sensitise and assist their people to think and plan ahead; not leave or expose them to the invidious machinations of a government aggressively and relentlessly in hot pursuit of modernity and civilisation. The Baale and his slain deputy did not appear to understand the body language of a government that is forsworn to use a non-renewable tenure to drive home its pet project of urban renewal and metropolitan environmental beautification.

But since development, modernisation is about people; not just about environmental beauty and splendor, it is not too late for the Fashola government to locate a remote waterfront, well outside the metropolis, to resettle the Iwaya-Makoko evictees. It is never too late to get things straightened out and done right. The evictees depend on water for their livelihood. They have children and dependants to cater for. They need to be resettled in places where they could continue their normal economic activities without protracted and prolonged interruption. That is the way the Fashola government could demonstrate that it cares for people, for human beings, especially those who trooped out on Election Day to

Shevchenko quits football to pursue political career F ormer Chelsea striker An- nounced his retirement from driy Shevchenko has an- football in order to pursue a career in politics.

The 35-year-old Ukrainian annouced this in a statement released by his club, Dynamo Kiev.

“This could shock everyone.

My future is no longer in football. I will be going into politics,” he said when announcing his retirement, and is expected to elaborate on his plans in the near future.

Shevchenko won his 111th and final cap for Ukraine on home soil at Euro 2012 when he came on as a substitute during his side’s 1-0 group stage loss to England.

At club level, he made his debut for Dynamo Kiev in 1994 and went on to earn a reputation as one of Europe’s most lethal strikers after he moved to AC

Milan in 1999.

He won the Champions League with them in 2003 - scoring the winning penalty in the shoot-out - in a playing career that also saw him collect domestic silverware in Italy, England and Ukraine.

As a 29-year-old, Shevchenko signed for Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea for £30m in May 2006, but spent a largely unproductive two-season spell in the Premier League before returning to Milan.

After he was unable to reproduce the deadly form of his previous spell at the San Siro, he signed a two-year deal with Dynamo in August 2009.

Shevchenko was his country’s talisman for more than a decade, and registered a national record 48 goals. He captained

his country to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2006 and won the Ballon d’Or in 2004 as European Player of the Year.

vote him back to office. Governments and social regimes should device creative and ingenious ways of killing a tsetse fly without bursting the scrotum.

There is ever-present danger in the children of the displaced people in Makoko, now thrown to the streets, swelling the army of brigands, prostitutes and miscreants; and in time, may graduate into dare-devil criminals that the state government would have to spend millions of taxpayers money to fight – an ugly situation that could have been averted if government had been more humane with the less fortunate people in our midst. Society breeds its criminals by the actions or inactions of those who happen to be in control. The Makoko evictees had been there for over a hundred years; until the Fashola government decided, a couple of weeks ago, to confront urban squalor and environmental threats head-on – a decision that might turn the evictees into hoodlums, destitute and criminals, if a rehabilitation scheme is not quickly put in place by government to ameliorate the situation.

No one should be misconstrued as a hater of modernity and environmental care and concern. Indeed, some of us appreciate the effort of the Fashola government to clean Lagos up, and give it a new and befitting look. My point is simply that such laudable intentions should be interfaced with the care and concern for human life, happiness and welfare; lest the state juxtapose two things to laugh at each other, by inadvertently turning law-abiding citizens into criminals.

T’tennis: Oshonaike, Offiong crash out, as Yi Siling wins P. 53 first gold

LONDON 2012 MALE FOOTBALL FIXTURES Today’s Matches Egypt v New Zealand 12: 00 Mexico v Gabon 14: 30 Brazil v Belarus 15: 00 Senegal v Uruguay 17: 00 Japan v Morocco 17: 00 Korea Rep. v Switzerland 17: 15 Great Britain v UAE 19: 45 Shevchenko

Spain v Honduras 19: 45

Printed and Published by Global Media Mirror Ltd. Head Office: 155/161, Broad Street, Lagos. Tel: 0805 423 8905 Abuja Office: NICON Insurance House, Second Floor , Central Business District, Area 10, Abuja. Tel: 08070428249, Advert Hotline: 08098305995, e-mail: mail@mirroronline.net Editor: BOLAJI TUNJI. All correspondence to PMB 10001, Marina, Lagos.

Printed simultaneously in Lagos, Abuja and Ondo State. ISSN 0794-232X