Oct 16 edition

Big Read News

THE

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Recession:

Nigeria reels in economic turmoil

News

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Dasuki: ‘Nigeria not bound by ECOWAS Court ruling’ www.nationalmirroronline.net

Vol. 6

No. 41

Sunday, October 16, 2016

National Mirror Online

@NationalMirror

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DHQ: We’ve no hand in Chibok girls’ release P.6

…UN scribe hails FG’s efforts, UNFPA appeals for more 52 groups threaten to join IPOB over Kanu’s detention

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Economy: Abubakar cautions politicians over P.8 frivolous promises

President Muhammadu Buhari (right) during a visit to Acting General Officer Commanding, 3 Division, Nigerian Army Jos, Brigadier General MSA Aliyu, in an hospital in Berlin, Germany, yesterday. The General was wounded in action recently while fighting terrorists in Northern Nigeria.

‘Caged President’: Aisha Buhari outburst splits Nigerians

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Corpses abandoned in mortuaries over high burial cost in Anambra News

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Officer killed as bombers sack police station, empty armoury

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Passion

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TALKING POINTS OF THE PAST WEEK

CBN directs banks to intensify financial inclusion drive

Presidency releases names of freed Chibok girls

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has said there was the need for banks operating in the country to improve on their financial literacy drive at the grassroots in line with the financial inclusion agenda and by so doing, contribute more to the economy’s growth.

Giving the charge while briefing the media on the decisions taken during the Bankers Committee meeting held yesterday in Lagos, the apex bank’s Director, Banking Super-

Twenty one out of the 217 remaining Chibok school girls abducted by Boko Haram terrorists were released yesterday in a suspected swap deal.

Although, Information and Culture Minister, Alhaji Lai Mohammed said the release of the girls by the sect was not by swap “but a product of painstaking negotiations and trust on both sides”, our correspondent, however, learnt that four Boko Haram prisoners were exchanged for the girls.

It was learnt that the swap

vision, Mrs. Tokunboh Martins, said banks as a way of extending financial literacy drive would be very much involved in the World Savings Day coming up October 30.

According to her, the banks would acquire at least two schools from each geo –political zone across the nation to educate school children on the importance of financial literacy, adding that the children would be taught on Small and Medium Enterprises.

Corruption’ll drive away investors unless tackled –Jimoh Ibrahim Billionaire businessman and politician, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, yesterday said no nation would do business with Nigeria with the current high level of corruption in the country.

Barrister Ibrahim disclosed this while delivering a paper entitled: “Nigeria’s economy: The roles of worshippers in the temple of justice”, at an

event organised in honour of Emeritus Prof. David Ijalaye by the Quintessential Equity Chambers, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. The renowned businessman, who berated judges in whose homes local and foreign currencies were recovered recently, noted that no country would want to do business with Nigeria if the level of corruption was not reduced.

Budget padding: Dogara blocks members from opening debate on allegations

Self confidence makes me unique –Chioma Toplis Lesson of Life

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House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, Thursday, successfully blocked members from opening debate on the allegations of corruption leveled against the House and members by the suspended member, Abdulmumin Jibrin.

At the resumed plenary, one of the lawmakers, Ayo Omidiran, representing

Ayedaade/Irewole/Isokan Federal Constituency of Osun State, came with a point of order on matters of privileges, seeking to have the floor to address the House.

Coming under Order 6 Rule 19 (1, 3), she prayed the House to listen to her complaint that her status as a bonafide member of the House of Representatives has been breached.

Arms deal: EFCC lines up 4 more witnesses against Badeh

client, a e t a d o t ever ‘I vowed n ilemma’ (2) d now I’m in

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ora had two sisters and no brother. Before Bernard traveled to Lagos for his Law school, “he brought his folks to see my parents.

His father too was very enthusiastic in getting his son a wife. He was the only son (only child) of his parents, so you can imagine how desperate they were for their son to get married. When I realized that, I was somehow scared because all attention would be on me to start breeding grand children for them. That was what my two siblings reminded me of jokingly. My immediate younger sister was the one that started it first.

Economic and Financial Crimes C o m m i s s i o n EFCC, Wednesday told Justice Okon Abang of Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that it has four additional witnesses to prove the allegation of money laundering charges against the former Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh and his company, Iyalikam Nigeria

Limited.

Badeh is standing trial alongside his firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, for allegedly abusing his office, by using the dollar equivalent of N1.4 billion removed from the accounts of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) to purchase properties in choice areas of Abuja between January and December 2013.

NNPC set for oil exploration in North East soon –GMD Group managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said the corporation has concluded plans to mobilise heavy equipment to the North East (part of Bauchi and Gombe states) in expectation of oil explorationwhich would begin

soon.

The GMD who spoke to journalists yesterday at the Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi, said the corporation is intimating the citizens of the two states so they would not panic when they see movement of the equipment into the states.

arrangement took place early yesterday at Banki border town in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.

Banki town shares border with Cameroon Republic and is about 130km from Maiduguri.

Indeed, the names of the released girls as disclosed by Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, are: Mary Usman Bulama, Jummai John, Blessing Abana, Lugwa Sanda, Comfort Habila, Maryam Basheer, Comfort Amos, Glory Mainta, Saratu Emannuel and Deborah Ja’afaru.

Senate extends JAMB’s result validity period to 3 years Senate yesterday passed the bill approving the extension of the validity of the results of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations, UTME, being conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, to three years.

The extension was contained in the new amendments made to the Act establishing the board.

If eventually assented to by the President, the law will allow the life span of any JAMB examination result to operate

for three years, meaning that any JAMB result obtained by any candidate would still be useful for admission in three years.

The bill entitled; “An Act to Amend the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board Act and for other matters connected thereof, 2016 (SB. 245):, passed third reading yesterday in plenary.

Chairman of the Committee on Tertiary education, Senator Jibrin Barau, (APC, Kano North).

Evaezi Ogoro MUSICIAN AND AN ACTRESS

MON

To the initiated, all seem not to be well with the judiciary. Attempts had been made to clean the soiled fingers but like a finger soiled with palm oil , others were at risk and few weeks ago, the National Judicial Council, the body saddled with the responsibility of promoting and enforcing discipline in the judicial arm of government scratched the surface of the rot; some judges were suspended and one was recommended for prosecution.

Seven Days

WED TUE

DSS’s arrest of judges: A breach of separation of powers?

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I’m sure you will expect me to say that I hold board meetings on Mondays with my staff. Far from it. Reason being that the life of an entertainer is an unpredictable one and that is because our time and energies are channeled into the latest projects we embark on. This therefore makes my weekly schedules different. Being both a musician and an actress, my schedules are some what flexible to accommodate which side has more going on at the moment.

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

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

THU

Politics

This fourth day of the week is what I call my cinema-watching days. I get my mind set for the weekend by going to the cinemas to watch good movies. After which I hang out with friends especially at open Mic Night

FRI

What’s new

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

SAT

Sunday, October 16, 2016

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

Then after which I would make appearance at women’s empowerment program. I do this often to empower women.

SUN

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

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

THE

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Big Read SUNDAY SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016

Tel–08034108163

Recession:

Nigeria reels in economic turmoil The continuous slide of the naira against the American dollar has plunged Nigeria’s economy into recession with its attendant hardship which cuts across every sphere of the polity. The adjustment of the naira by way of devaluation has had huge consequences for government finances, investment flows, export values and trade patterns. PAUL OMO OBADAN writes on this worrisome trend and the need for government to re-ignite the economy to life and simultaneously convert economic wealth into economic well-being for the people.

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ainful as it has been for the vast majority of Nigerians, the country’s worst recession in 30 years is an opportunity to deeply reflect on the wobbly structure of our country’s economy and learn some basic lessons on how to move Nigeria forward.

Nigeria’s slide into recession is as a result of witnessing two consecutive quarters of declining growth, the usual definition of recession.

The slump in global oil prices has hit Nigeria hard. The government depends on oil sales for about 70% of its revenues.

But critics say government policies made a bad situation even worse. The decision to delay devaluing Nigeria’s currency meant many businesses struggled to get foreign currency to pay for imports, which had a cooling effect on the entire economy.

‘NIGERIA’S ECONOMY MUST BE DIVERSIFIED’

Following enormous pressure, the government changed tactics and allowed the naira to float.

That has led to a spike in inflation, but the hope is that it will attract foreign investors. The government also says the country needs to import less: it wants to see more products made in Nigeria.

This decline has been attributed by experts to the failure of the immediate past government of former President Goodluck Jonathan to capitalise on high oil prices to establish strong fiscal buffers by saving for the rainy day.

‘A lot of Nigeria’s current predicament could have been avoided,” said Debo Olusanya of Transact World, a risk management firm.

‘It is simply a failure of leadership on the part of President Jonathan, and the crash of oil prices that began in 2014 and

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reduced Nigeria’s revenue earnings. However, the immediate causes of the recession lie in the leadership and policy failures of President Muhammadu Buhari and his government, as well as in the reduction of revenues caused by the sharp drop in oil production output as a result of the renewed insurgency and economic sabotage in the Niger Delta. First, despite all the signs that the economy was deteriorating and should have been his priority alongside security, President Buhari, on coming into office in 2015, ignored the looming economic danger and focused entirely on the fight against corruption and the recovery of stolen asset which had populist appeal. This fight against corruption should have been parri passu with a focus on the management of the Nigerian economy to prevent the present crisis.

On the policy front, President Buhari intimidated and blocked the Central Bank of Nigeria from performing its statutory duties of independently responding to challenges in the foreign exchange market by continuously making public statements that Nigeria would not adjust the exchange rate of the naira. It became difficult for the Central Bank to respond without appearing to openly defy the President. The currency market is however determined by demand and supply, not presidential fiat and the President could not sustain his populist attempt to defend the value of the naira and by the time he succumbed to economic reality, substantial damage had already been done.

Thirdly, the policy mistakes, inconsistencies and flip-flops of the CBN contributed heavily to the recession we face today. The Bank’s artificial pegging of the exchange rate of the naira for 16 months, in the face of all persuasive evidence of the harm being inflicted on the economy, reflected a political and ideological mindset instead of a rational economic one. If the argument is that they were intimidated by Presidential comments, then their leadership is not deserving of the autonomy that is guaranteed to them by their enabling law. The Central Bank must take reCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

‘PEOPLE ARE SPENDING LESS AS PRICES RISE’ 5

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The Big Read

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Nigeria’s economy must be diversified’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 sponsibility for creating a thriving black market for forex, massive inflation that is now at 17.6 percent, scarcity of forex, as dollar liquidity shortages in the market increased, and difficulties with access to forex for manufacturing companies that have led to sharply decreased capacity utilization, factory closures and a spike in unemployment.

The recession is a direct result of this policy stance.

Alongside the failures of the CBN have loomed those of fiscal policy by the government itself. Fiscal policy, which is in the purview of the Federal Minister of Finance, has so far failed to rise to the occasion in a depressed economy. There is still no clear strategy for getting out of the stagflation the economy is suffering from. In any seriously governed country, these failures would have triggered accountability by the apex of the leadership. What we are witnessing therefore is a leadership failure for which the buck must stop at President Buhari’s desk.

The upshot of all these is a massive loss of confidence in the management of the Nigerian economy by domestic and foreign investors. Addressing the question of this foundational absence of confidence will be critical to getting Nigeria out of recession and back on the path to sustainable growth.

President Buhari must act decisively and quickly on the following pathways towards a solution: The Federal Government of Nigeria has no choice at present but to borrow internationally at concessional rates, but even more important is the need to spend such borrowed funds wisely over the next two to three years to stimulate growth. This requires both a prior economic analysis of how expenditures of borrowed funds will directly correlate to GDP growth, and a transparency by making such planned and actual expenditures available to the public in order to foster accountability in governance and public policy.

Nigeria’s internal revenue must be dramatically expanded without increasing existing taxes or adding to them; tax collection has to be expanded effectively into the informal economy.

The FGN needs to set out a more robust set of interlocking fiscal, trade, structural, and industrial policies that target the real economy, prioritise support for domestic manufacturing to create output growth and employment through fiscal duty, tax and tariff incentives to all manufacturing companies.

President Buhari must rekindle confidence by making changes in his cabinet and the leadership of the CBN. The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele’s uninspiring record of performance, as well as his numerous ethical and corruption scandals that appear to have been swept under the carpet, constitute a key factor militating against foreign investor confidence in the Nigerian economy.

Complete transparency must be put in place, and be seen to be in place, in the forex market. Anything short of this will continue to impede potential inflows of dollar liquidity that is required to stabilise the value of the naira.

Beyond getting out of recession, which is a short-term goal, Nigeria must remain focused on the longer-term goal of structurally transforming its economy. This requires a deep, well-thought and consistent strategy that should guide not just the present government but future governments as well.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had shrugged off criticisms and led Nigeria to exit the slavish debt trap of the Paris Club by engaging Okonjo-Iweala to lead the negotiations in which we paid $12 billion to escape from a $30 billion debt burden. Through acts of impunity, Obasanjo created the Excess Crude Account, ECA, and saved billions, which enabled Nigeria to survive the 2008 worldwide economic meltdown.

President Umaru Yar’Adua played a statesman’s trump card through the Amnesty deal, which ended the militancy in the Niger Delta, thus creating a new impetus for us to enjoy more oil boom till the tail end of 2014. When Jonathan assumed office, he embarked on massive infrastructure upgrades nationwide, and this manifested in our airports, roads, rail, investment in power, education (especially tertiary) and of course, democratic reforms that made it possible for a powerful opposition to arise and sweep him from office. So, yes, the recession was caused by our failure to save for a rainy day, but it

Adeosun

Okonjo

THE FGN NEEDS TO SET OUT A MORE ROBUST SET OF INTERLOCKING FISCAL, TRADE, STRUCTURAL, AND INDUSTRIAL POLICIES THAT TARGET THE REAL ECONOMY, PRIORITISE SUPPORT FOR DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING TO CREATE OUTPUT GROWTH AND EMPLOYMENT THROUGH FISCAL DUTY, TAX AND TARIFF INCENTIVES TO ALL MANUFACTURING COMPANIES. was a collective failure of the nation. Jonathan cannot escape the blame because as President, he should have stamped his foot down and done what was best for the country, rather than dance to the tune of every Tom and Harry just for him to be elected for a second term.

‘We are in recession because we, as a nation, thought we were an “oil-rich” country,’ he said.

‘If you compare our best production capacities vis-à-vis our humongous population, and those of other members of Organisation of Oil Producing Countries, OPEC, (such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE, Norway, Venezuela, USA Angola and others), it is obvious we are actually an “oil-poor” country and should not have depended on our oil alone for national survival. That mistake is a collective blame rooted in the mentality of the ruling class that took charge of Nigeria after the civil war. Corruption is a major factor in Nigeria’s backwardness. But the anti-corruption war should have been an institutional one devoid of politics. It should not have been merely aimed at recovering stolen funds, and even that should have been extended to all who stole, not just PDP people and the president’s political opponents alone. Buhari de-marketed Nigeria and Nigerians in several world capitals by calling us crooks. Every Nigerian is a crook and not to be trusted, except of course, President Buhari, the man of integrity. The Treasury Single Account, TSA, policy, formulated by the Jonathan but left unimplemented to avoid harming the financial system, was put into effect by Buhari without consultation. Banks shrivelled and started retrenching massively. His statist policies and lack of direction for the economy created fear and uncertainties among the private sector players and investors. After waiting for a clearer picture in vain, many (like the foreign and local airlines) closed shop and left Nigeria. Unless Buhari starts seeing himself as the father of the nation rather than a sectional mujahid (“holy” warrior), he would never get it right.’

On the flip side, countries that experience little or no GDP growth rate are considered as either too large that there is little room for growth or are in a period of slow economic growth due to structural issues. Developed countries like the US and Germany usually have low single digit GDP Growth rates. A recession on the other hand is a sign that things are really bad with that economy.

Tony Elumelu, chairman of Heirs Holdings and the United Bank for Africa, said in an interview with CNBC recently that following the fall in the price of commodities, “the government in Nigeria and across Africa needed to diversify their economies.” But, he warned that this process was a gradual one, as “you don’t diversify an economy overnight.”

According to the GDP report, Nigeria’s non-oil sector was driven by the agriculture, information and communication, water supply, arts, science, education and services sectors, which all saw positive growth. But overall, the non-oil segment of its economy declined by 0.38 percent in real terms in the second quarter of this year.

With regards to an overarching strategy for the region, Elumelu stressed that “Africa needs private global capital to come in,” and that “what is good for the private sector is good for society.” He viewed such investment as enabling countries to create employment, address the issues of inequality and poverty, and “engender inclusive growth.” Elumelu asserted: “this is the solution to the difficult economic times everyone is going through.”

Analysts say that a truly free float would involve the exchange rate weakening even further for a time as the market clears pent-up demand for several billion dollars.

For now, liquidity remains thin, and manufacturers are complaining about dollar access for imports of raw materials.

Yvonne Mhango, Africa economist at Renaissance Capital, sees the apparent reluctance by the monetary authorities to move to full liberalisation as a big reason for a poor macroeconomic outlook.

“Even if they allow the exchange rate to float, it will be a while before the sectors that are attractive for investors become appealing once again,” she adds.

Official unemployment increased 70 per cent in the first quarter of 2016 compared with the same period the previous year, reaching 12.1 per cent.

At the same time, prices of food and other goods are soared, with inflation reaching 16.5 per cent in June, its highest level in more than a decade.

“The difficulty is that income has dropped,” says Chike, 35, who manages his family’s clothing shop in Lagos Island.

“People have less spending money. Their concern is getting food, and prices are rising.”

Politics in Nigeria has clearly proven by recent events is driven by political and personal interests at variance with the national economic interests.

The cumulative cost of perceived political instability, record low crude oil prices, and dipping confidence in economic and financial markets has cost Nigeria something between $25 and $30 billion, experts say.

According to Tunde Ologundudu, an economic expert, he believes that the best path to follow is to invest in infrastructure that will unlock the potential in the non oil sectors.

‘The future of this country lies in only one direction- true federalism’ A Public Affairs Analyst, Tijani Ahmed looked at the economy from a different perspective and says that True federal system will be an added advantage to the economy. According to him, the future of this country lies in only one directiontrue federalism, together with fiscal federalism and resource control by the owners of the resources. “In making specific recommendations for structural changes which will create an atmosphere of enduring peace, harmony and progress, CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, October 16, 2016

The Big Read

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‘The foundation for economic recession had been laid long ago’ Dr. Odubunmi Ayoola Sunkanmi, is the immediate past Head of Department, Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Science, Lagos State University, (LASU), Ojo Lagos, Nigeria. He sheds more light on ways to get out of recession in this interview with PAUL OMO OBADAN. How did we degenerate into economic recession?

The economic recession we are witnessing today did not start with this present government. When you look at it in perspective, previous governments, from late Yar dua to Jonathan, the foundation for recession was laid during that period.

When Obasanjo was leaving, he left a lot of money in the treasury. Within some few years, we don’t know how the money was spent. During Yar dua and Jonathan regime, the prize of crude oil was very high and Nigeria was able to gather a lot of money. But we did not plan for the rainy day. And that is the problem we are having today. Excessive spending on things that don’t matter and don’t contribute meaningful to our economy. All the probes going on are naked proofs to the way and manner by which those monies that we ought to have saved were spent. That is the foundation for the recession. Beyond that, when this regime came on board, the crude oil that used to go for 140 to 145 dollars per barrel nosedived into 30 dollars per barrel. Now if the prize was formerly 140 dollars per barrel and now it’s been sold for 30 to 40 dollars per barrel, you can imagine the revenue loss to government. It is like someone that was earning N1000 before, just earning like N200.

That person will not be able to carry out his daily functions effectively. That is why the present government, is unable to fulfill the promises during the electioneering campaign. It is not possible because the money they envisaged will accrue to government purse is not forthcoming. Also, this government is embroiled in what you call policy surmasalt from this present government. The policy formulators, especially the ministers are sometimes naïve. There are always conflicts between policy of a ministry and the parastatal under that ministry. For instance, there is conflict between ministry of finance and CBN. The minister came out to tell us that the interest rate ought to be reduced. On the other hand, CBN governor stated contrary. The minister of finance came out and said recession will be short lived, CBN governor said no, we should not expect Nigeria to be out of recession very soon. There is no harmonization in terms of policies. And two of them are serving under the same government. If policies are not harmonized, how do you expect such policies to be effective?

In terms of getting out of this recession, there are a lot of things that government need to do. There are certain conditions that must prevail before any country can benefit from devaluation. When you talk about devaluation, you talk about the official reduction of the value of the country’s currency in terms of major convertible currencies in the world. If a country devalues, you expect other countries in the world to be demanding for your goods and services being produced in your country because your product will be very cheap relative to other countries in the world. So, being cheap, it will make the international community to patronize you. But the point is, Nigeria devalued its currency but what are we are producing, nothing.

So how do you reap the benefit of devaluation? That is why you find out that naira continues to depreciate everyday because we are not in the productive economy. We are in the service economy. Even the crude oil we produce is just like a raw material. We have crude oil in abundance, we ship it abroad, refine it over there and we bring it back to Nigeria. What is the local content in it? How do you expect the economy to move forward? It is a leakage. If you are refining outside, you have to pay for that service. And you don’t pay naira, you pay dollars.

We now bring our refined oil back to Nigeria. It is the height of economic mismanagement. We don’t even have control over the raw material we are producing that gives us huge revenue.

MOST OF THESE RAW MATERIALS THAT WE ARE IMPORTING FROM OTHER COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD CAN ALSO BE GENERATED FROM HERE.

THAT IS WHY THE

GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM OF AGRICULTURE WITH ALL SINCERITY.

Odubunmi

The advanced countries of the world, when they produce, they dictate to us the prize they want to sell their product. At the same time, they will dictate to us the prize they want to buy our raw materials. That is a double tragedy. The government must make the environment conducive for manufacturers to operate.

One, make the energy aspect of it to work. If electricity works, then manufacturers will be able to produce at full capacity. And if they produce at full capacity, their price will be low. If the price of production is low, then the output price will be low. If the output price is low, the ‘common’ man on the street will be able to purchase goods and services. And if they are able to purchase those goods and services, that means government is increasing their welfare. And if welfare increases at household level, it will translate to welfare increase at the macro level. Can you imagine government giving people going for pilgrimage subsidy on dollars and the manufacturers are not provided with subsidy on dollars. It does not make sense. What went wrong with the Nigerian economy? How did we find ourselves where we are today?

If you observe vividly, you will find out that Nigeria’s economy is monolithic in nature. I mean the economy depends on only one source of revenue, which is crude oil. And as such, if there is problem within the main source of the revenue, then definitely, the economy will suffer. That is the problem we are having today. You will observe that in the past one to two years, a barrel of oil has been selling for close to 150 dollars. But today, it is a little bit above 40 dollars. And there was even a time it went below 30 dollars. And that is the main source of revenue. 80 per cent of revenue comes from oil. The moment there is a problem with oil, there will be a problem with generation of revenue. And as this revenue is reduced drastically as we have now, there is no way you can carry out the basic functions of governance. So that is the problem we are having.

Where do we go from here?

It is of interest for us to look back at the structure of the Nigerian economy before now. Nigerian economy before independence depended on Agriculture. And 80 per cent of revenue then came from Agriculture. But the discovery of oil in the early 70’s now led to the relegation of Agriculture to the background. And that is

the main problem Nigeria’s economy is having today. Discovery of Oil has been a blessing as well as a curse. We have to go back to the basics – Agriculture. It is Agriculture that can give employment to 90 per cent of Nigerians. Even when you want every other industry or sector to grow, you need Agriculture because Agriculture is the link. There is a link between Agriculture and every other industry. Take for instance, Manufacturing. The raw materials required for the manufacturing sector depends on Agriculture. And as such, without the Agricultural sector, there is no way the manufacturing sector can develop or thrive. And if the manufacturing sector cannot develop, there is no way the economy can move forward. As a result of this, you will find out that Agriculture can gainfully employ 90 per cent of Nigerians if the right infrastructures are put in place. A lot of problems we are having today in terms of the manufacturing sector not producing up to productive capacity will not be there. Most of these raw materials that we are importing from other countries of the world can also be generated from here. That is why the government needs to tackle the problem of agriculture with all sincerity.

How can the Naira be strengthened?

For any economy to have a very strong currency, that economy must be a productive economy. We are not talking about service economy now, through manufacturing, where we found out that all the infrastructural facilities that are required are put in place. And when the industries are producing at their full capacity, they will be able to export. When they export, it generates enough revenue for government in terms of dollars. So Nigerians are mostly into importation, not exportation. This should be discouraged. In essence, we are having balance of trade deficit. Import is a leakage to the economy. It takes away our hard foreign exchange. When you now look at it, demand for dollars is greater than Supply of dollar. And in ordinary level demand analysis, when demand is greater than supply, what happens, the prize goes up. That is the genesis of the problem of Naira.

The rate, at which we are generating dollar, is far beyond the rate at which people are demanding for dollars. So there is bound to be increase in the exchange rate. That is what is happening today.

What immediate steps should the government take to start revamping the Economy?

For the economy to grow the nation must invest in social institutions and build permanent institutional structures to tackle the nation’s problems as they arise. The society should invest in agriculture, health care, good network of roads, and efficient and reliable transportation system, and tame financial instability.

‘People are spending less as prices rise’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

there should be a clear division of power between the federal government and the state government. The federal government should exercise exclusive power in certain basic matters of general relevance and importance, leaning the bulk of the subject matter to the state, with a few in the concurrent list. A federal government should exercise powers exclusively only in the following areas: National Defence, Foreign Relations, Currency, Exchange Control, Telecommunications,

Immigration, Customs and Excise, Copyright, Patents and Design, Citizenship and Naturalisation, Shipping in external waters. And other matters currently in the legislative list (federal) should be in the concurrent list (federal and state).

The states and the federal government should exercise their powers in these matters in a manner that does not interfere with the jurisdiction of other authorities. In the following areas, the state must have exclusive authority ex-

cept that the federal government could lay down standards and guidelines and perhaps make grants towards some of these subject matters. Agriculture and Fisheries, Education, Health, Labour, Housing, Local Government, Forestry, Town and Country Planning, Lands, State Judiciary, Veterinary Services. Similarly, the local government must be given autonomy in their own jurisdiction and state governments should hands off from the control of local affairs.

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NEWS

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Chibok girls: We’ve no hand in release processes –DHQ ROTIMI FADEYI, UBONG UKPONG, AND MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

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he Defence Headquarters yesterday said that the military had no hands in the negotiation processes that led to the eventual release of some of the girls abducted by Boko Haram from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State in April 2014.

Twenty one of the girls were released on Thursday, following a successful negotiation between the federal government and Boko Haram, which had demanded to swap the girls with its detained leaders and fighters.

The exercise was said not to have gone down very well with the military, which has been fighting the war assuring citizens on the release of the girls.

The shine was however taken off the military by the Department of State Services, DSS, who was in total charge of the processes and the eventual release

of the girls, with the military as escort.

The action had reportedly stirred mix feelings among Nigerian military ranks and files, but the DHQ said that there was no call for alarm.

Director of Defence Information, DDI, Brg-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, said in a statement yesterday, that the Armed Forces would continue to work closely with all its sister security agencies to achieve more feat in this direction.

“The military also want to debunk the baseless and unfounded story that there is disquiet in the military over the condition of release of the girls.

“The Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies are one working together to finish the war on terror and other criminalities which can be done covertly or overtly.

“The most important thing is achieving our strategic objective. The DHQ has said before that negotiation with the terrorists or any other group rests

Buhari ends engagements in Germany with visit to hospitalised army general ROTIMI FADEYI, ABUJA

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resident Muhammadu Buhari’s busy three-day official visit to Germany ended on a compassionate note yesterday with his convoy veering off its way back to the airport in Berlin, to visit a Nigerian military officer receiving treatment in a Berlin hospital.

A statement issued

by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said the military officer, Brigadier-General Mohammed Sani Aliyu, the Acting Commander of the 3 Division of the Nigerian Army, Jos miraculously survived a ghastly road accident in the course of a duty tour in the North-East.

The head of Training and Operations of the Nigerian Army, Major-General Yusha’u Abubakar, who was in the same vehicle was not so lucky as he died in the auto crash on Maiduguri-Damaturu

road.

President Buhari, accompanied by the Governors of Borno and Imo, the National Security Adviser, NSA, the Minister of Interior and that of Foreign Affairs congratulated General Aliyu for the progress he has made in his treatment in the last six months in hospital.

The President and his delegation wished him quick recovery and an early return to his family and duties in Nigeria.

He gave a further assurance that his administration would continue to accord priority to the health and wellbeing of service personnel.

Doctors, who said General Aliyu could barely move his head only when he was stretchered in, with the rest of the body torn and broken in many parts, could now move around with very little assistance.

He thanked the President for the visit, saying his spirit to serve Nigeria remains unbroken.

UNFPA appeals for release of more girls

purely on our respected political leaders.

“The military operations to rid our land of terrorists continue.

“It is important to state that not all information is meant for public consumption due to processes which is purely political.

“More so, the ongoing military operation is making unprecedented progress with rescue of many

captives held by the terrorists”, Abubakar stated.

In a related development, the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, has appealed to Federal Government to intensify more efforts that will culminate in the release of more abducted Chibok school girls in captivity of Boko Haram insurgents.

This is even as the agency pledged to support 21

rescued secondary school girls already released by the terrorists.

UNFPA said in a statement it made available to Sunday Mirror through its Nigerian office that it had stood with the country in providing care for people affected by years of Boko Haram bombardments in the nation, including other people across the country, and

promised it would continue with its aids, especially for the released school girls. It would be recalled that over 200 senior secondary school girls sitting for West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination, WASSCE, at Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, were abducted by Boko Haram on 14 April, 2014.

L-R: Deputy Amir, Abuja Muslim Forum (AMF), Malam Ibrahim Idris; Guest Lecturer and Imam Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Abuja Branch, Dr Musa Olaofe and Director-General, Jaiz Charity and Development Foundation, Amb. Ibrahim Babangida, at the 1438 Hijrah anniversary lecture in Abuja yesterday.

PHOTO:NAN

UN Scribe hails release of 21 Chibok girls

…group wants FG to declare thanksgiving day ROTIMI FADEYI AND ADEOLA TUKURU, ABUJA

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he Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon has welcomed the release of 21 Chibok schoolgirls following more than two years of captivity.

The UN Scribe said he remains deeply concerned about the safety and wellbeing of the remaining schoolgirls and other victims of abduction by Boko Haram, who are still in captivity.

The Secretary-General urged the international community to continue supporting the government of Nigeria in its efforts to secure their release, rehabilitation and reintegration.

He called for increased efforts to ensure additional humanitarian access in the north-east of Nigeria, and reiterates the contin-

ued commitment of the United Nations in this regard.

The Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel in his capacity as High Representative for Nigeria, continues to engage with the Nigerian authorities and international partners on this matter.

It would be recalled that the 21 out of the 218 remaining abducted Chibok girls were released by the Boko Haram sect last Thursday and were put in the custody of Department of State Security Service (DSS).

The statement said the release of the girls in a limited number was the outcome of negotiations between the administration and the the Boko Haram brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government, saying that the negotiations would continue.

The Presidency in a statement following the release of the girls said the release of the girls in a limited number was the outcome of negotiations between the administration and the Boko Haram brokered by the International Red Cross and the Swiss government, saying that the negotiations would continue.

It would be recalled that one of the missing Chibok girls, Amina Nkeki (19) was rescued in May, this year inside the Sambisa Forest in Maiduguri, Borno State.

She later met with President Muhammadu Buhari inside the Presidential Villa.

During the meeting, the President promised that Amina would receive the best care that the government can afford.

“We will ensure that she gets the best medical, psychological, emotional and

whatever other care she requires to make a full recovery and be reintegrated fully into society”, he said.

Following the release of the 21 abducted Chibok girls, the National InterFaith and Religious Organisation of Nigeria for Peace has called on Christian and Muslim faithful in the country to use this Sunday and Friday to offer thanksgiving.

The National Coordinator of the group, Bishop Musa Fomson, while addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, urged Nigerians to also pray to God to help bring the Boko Haram terrorism and all other forms of insurgency to an end in Nigeria.

Fonsom who is also the General Overseer of Spring of Life Assembly said though more of the girls remain in captivity but the freedom of this first batch to be released has awakened hope.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News 7

Sunday October 16, 2016

Caged President: Aisha Buhari’s comment splits Nigerians PAUL OMO OBADAN

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ixed reactions Mrs. Aisha Buhari’s revelations that President Muhammadu Buhari was literally being held captive by a cabal.

Social media comments monitored by our correspondent indicate Nigerians are divided as to the propriety of the First Lady’s outburst in a media interview and her husband’s reactions during a state visit to Germany.

In a daring and no-holds barred interview, Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari hasd revealed that there are strange-bed fellows and spoilers presently manipulating his administration by ensuring he appoints elites who are not members of All Progressives Congress (APC) into ministerial positions and other top government agencies as helmsmen.

The wife of the President had in the interview with the BBC said she may not support the husband if he decides to run in 2019 if the situation does not change.

Public affairs analyst and lawyer, Liborous Oshoma in a Facebook post, said for Ai-

sha Buhari to have publicly cry out, means the original plan, as understood by her, being a member of the kitchen cabinet of GMB from the onset, has been derailed.

“And I being a dutiful wife, I don’t expect her to keep quiet.”

She seems heavily frustrated with the happenings at the Presidency which I am sure she probably would have discussed with her husband (PMB) during “pillow talk time” who, typical of an African man, would wave it aside as the ranting of a “kitchen woman” who knows next to nothing about politics. Just the same way some of you are trying to colour her bad, for trying to redirect her husband to his original plans and intentions.

Even, German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, reportedly mocked President Muhammadu Buhari over his response to his wife’s interview – Buhari had said he does not know which party his wife belongs to, adding that “she belongs to his kitchen, his living room and the other room.”

According to international journalist, Akwasi

Sarpong, Merkel gave Mr Buhari a short glare and then laughed when he made the comment many consider as sexist.

According to Ekundayo Awe, a social commentator, “I don’t know who realistically expects a president to know all those who work for him. Some appointments, you make through references. By the way, the Presidency is not a personal estate. It is not an individual.

It is a team and not one of a husband and his wife trying to personalize appointment decisions is nepotism, and the president has already been accused of that.

The truth is that a spouse will never be happy when she sees that she cannot get away with pushing her husband into taking decisions even when the decisions have to do with the husband’s official role outside matrimony.

“Finally, supporting the Government shouldn’t be in expectation of personal rewards or gratification with appointments, service to your nation should be sincere and honest otherwise, corruption seeps in.

“An overbearing spouse

in your office is bad for business.”

A former chairman of the Labour Party, Comrade Dan Nwanyanwu, commended Mrs Buhari for the comment.

Nwanyawu said it is an honest expression meant to galvanise President Buhari into retracing his steps.

“These are some of the advantages of education.

It gives you opportunity to be enlightened and you will speak your mind without undue timidity.

“She is a moral crusader in the sense that she has conscience and she felt that those who struggled with her during the campaign are not near the villa.

“I have made this point six months ago and it is not fair in politics.

“She is a moral crusader in the sense that she may not be in the position to talk to the same people again or some other people to join her in 2019, should the president elect to run again,” the former Labour Party Chairman sated.

He added that it was unfair for the president not to reward those who played key roles in his ascension to the

L-R: Ambassador, Embassy of the Slovakia Republic, Peter Holasek; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Chief, Mrs. Nike Akande, CON and Director General, LCCI, Muda Yusuf, during the courtesy visit of the Ambassador to LCCI, in Lagos, at the weekend.

Nigerians very supportive of anti-corruption campaign–Buhari …says Rolls Royce cars found in homes of certain government officials

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resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said his administration was greatly encouraged by the uncommon support from Nigerians in the fight against corruption, as well as initiatives aimed at stimulating the economy.

A statement issued yesterday by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said Buhari spoke during an interactive session in Berlin with representatives of the Nigerian Community in Germany.

Buhari said his administration would reciprocate the gesture by strengthening critical institutions needed for sustainable development and prosperity.

“We are working hard to empower our institutions especially our educational institutions.

“If you educate a person, that is the best you can do for him but if not you make him susceptible to religious, ethnic, negative thinking and action.

“Nigerians are virtually supporting us in our

fight against corruption, security and the economy.

He referred to “Rolls Royces,” recently discovered in the homes of certain government officials as a clear reference of the rot in society and the fact that the war against corruption in the country was working.

“There are things that are happening, which if such had happened before there would have been major riot, like the removal of subsidy on fuel,’’ he said.

Buhari told Nigerians

in the Diaspora that it was regrettable that over the years oil marketers had colluded with banks to defraud Nigeria of much needed revenue from the commodity.

“One third of the activities of the oil marketers are fraudulent, you can see how some of us Nigerians are wicked.

“They just take the money, stamp some papers without bringing the product and this fraudulent activity was between bankers and businessmen,’’ he said.

presidency.

“A worker deserves his wages,” he insisted.

Another individual, the National Chairman of Young Democratic Party, Comrade Bishop Amachree, also expressed concerns about the comment of the wife of the president, saying it was an ominous sign that all was not well within the presidency.

“If the wife of Mr President should bring this to the public, it means that something is happening around the house.

“The fact still remains that this country belongs to all of us and not to a section. If you are a president, you are a president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and you should extend the affection to other people,” he stressed.

Analysts said Mrs Bu-

hari’s outburst “shows there are discordant tunes playing in Aso Rock and all are certainly not well within the Buhari household.”

In the BBC interview with Naziru Mikailu, Nigeria’s First Lady said the president “does not know” most of the top officials he has appointed, suggesting the ‘appointees are strangers’.

She suggested the government had been hijacked, saying a “few people” were behind presidential appointments.

Her words: “Some people are sitting down in their homes folding their arms only for them to be called to come and head an agency or a ministerial position.”

Asked to name those who had hijacked the government, she refused, saying: “You will know them if you watch television.”

Dasuki: ‘Nigeria not bound by ECOWAS Court ruling’

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he Nigerian government is not obligated to obey a ruling of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Court that a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, be released from the custody of the State Security Service, a presidential aide has said.

The ECOWAS Court, on October 4, had declared the continued detention of Mr. Dasuki unlawful, arbitrary and a violation of his right to liberty.

The former NSA is accused of misspending billions of dollars meant for procurement of arms for fight against Boko Haram.

The government also accuses him of illegal possession of firearms.

Mr. Dasuki was arrested in December 2015, and has been in detention since then.

“It is advisory opinion,” President Muhammadu Buhari’s adviser on prosecution, Okoi Obla, said of the ECOWAS’ court ruling, in an exclusive interview with PREMIUM TIMES. “The ECOWAS Court cannot enforce opinion.

The government is not obligated to obey the ruling of the ECOWAS Court.”

The ECOWAS Court was created pursuant to the Article 6 and Article 15 of the Revised Treaty of ECOWAS, the political-

economic bloc of the West African countries.

Nigeria is a signatory to the Treaty which is “binding on the member states, the institutions of the community, individuals and corporate bodies,” as its Article 15(4) provides.

But Section 12(1) of the Nigerian Constitution says “No treaty between the Federation (Nigeria) and any other country shall have the force of law except to the extent to which any such treaty has been enacted by the National Assembly”.

The National Assembly has not domesticated the Revised Treaty and the Supplementary Protocol regarding the ECOWAS Court.

Regardless, analysts expect Nigeria to obey the ruling as an exemplary demonstration of its leadership position in the West African sub-region.

Mr. Obla cited countries he said had disregarded international law.

“Look at Israel; Israel has disregarded all international rulings. The socalled bastion of democracy, America, has flouted all judgements of the ICJ against America. They even refused to be signatory to the ICC treaty,” he said.

He said the “national interest” and “security” of the country “are the most important considerations”.

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NEWS

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Recession: Abubakar cautions Nigerian against frivolous promises FEMI OYEWESO, ABEOKUTA

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midst the series of efforts being made by the Mohammed Buhari led federal government towards navigating the country out of the present economic recession, former military Head of States, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.) yesterday cautioned members of the political class in Nigeria against dishing out frivolous promises that would be difficult to keep to the citizens in time of difficulties.

The former Nigerian military leader, who spoke at the 8th Convocation ceremony of the Crescent University, Abeokuta, Ogun state capital, declared that unfulfilled promises which is synonymous with politicians should be avoided as such are capable of hurting the nation’s “political environment” Abubakar, who spoke shortly after he was conferred with the honorary doctorate degree in Public

administration by the institution, noted that un-kept and frivolous promises are like poisonous seeds that would germinate in no distant time to instigate public frustrations and ultimately corrode many things.

Abdulsalami recalled at the he came to power in 1998 to midwife the democracy which the nation now savours today; the country was on the verge of disaster but said he was able to succeed because of the support and cooperation of Nigerians and the military.

He also said that the only solution to the country’s myriad of challenges is for all to now unite and pursue collective solution to our problems, adding that are no quick fixes to national challenges.

According to him, keeping of promises by political leaders would enhance the credibility of leadership and raises the integrity profile of such leaders.

“Promises unkept often act as poisonous seeds that

Group seeks concerted effort to stem violence against women ABIODUN NEJO, ADO EKITI

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non-gover nmental organization, New Initiative for Social Development (NISD), has lamented the high rate of violence against women in South West states, saying concerted efforts are required to protect the rights of women and vulnerable in society.

NISD, in collaboration with The United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), which advocated sensitising women of their rights, urged governors of states where the law prohibiting violence against persons, particularly women have not been domesticated to do so as a matter of urgency The NGO made the assertions in Ado Ekiti at a one-day “Workshop on Promotion of Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law among Media Practitioners in South West States” to encourage the fourth realm to serve as masses’ advocate in the promotion of VAPP Act

2015.

NISD Executive Director, Mr Abiodun Oyeleye, who, in his presentation, lamented that “If there is violence, women and children suffer most,”gave the frightening statistics of violence against women in the South West, saying this should not be allowed to continue.

According to him, statistics show that Oyo, Lagos and Ondo states have physical violence predominant rates of 48 per cent, 43.9 per cent and 43.7 per cent respectively while Ekiti, Ogun and Osun states have rates of 28.5 per cent, 22.8 per cent and 12.8 per cent respectively.

Oyeleye charged governments to rise to its responsibilities by addressing the socioeconomic challenges responsible for violence.

Participants at the workshop drawn from South West states, while making case for strong advocacy campaigns against violence, canvassed synergy among media, civil society organisations, judiciary and police.

eventually germinate into chronic public frustration, which ultimately goes to destroy the political environment.

“We must accept that Nigeria has always had social, economic and political problems and it will continue to have them to varying degrees of intensity; the real joy lies for us in our deter-

mination to pursue them and solve them as brothers,” Abubakar said.

The former also called for continued monitoring of academic performances of all tertiary institutions, particularly the privately owned institutions in order to improve the quality of education and make our certificate competitive on the

global scene.

Also, Governor Ibikunle Amosun promised that the Ogun State government would partner with the private sector to provide qualitative and affordable education to the people, also promised automatic employment into the state’s civil service for the 28 graduands who made First Class.

The institution’s Vice -Chancellor, Prof. Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, urged the graduands to be good ambassadors of the university.

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi also had his investiture as the Chancellor of the university and also honoured with Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) in Public Administration.

Illegal refinery destroyed in Southern Ijaw L.g.a of Bayelsa State by troops of Joint Military Force in the Niger Delta, Operation Delta Safe in the on-going crackdown on oil thieves in the region, yesterday.

PHOTO:NAN

Nnamdi Kanu’s detention: 52 groups threaten to join IPOB EMMANUEL EZEH ENUGU

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bout 52 groups from the South East and South South geopolitical zones have threatened to merge with the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), if Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not released unconditionally, in obedience to a high court ruling in December 2015 ordering his unconditional release.

The groups met in Enugu yesterday, under the chairmanship of Bishop Micheal Ibeneme met at the residence of Chief (Mrs) Maria Okwor in Independence Layout Enugu. This would be their third meeting in recent months.

The groups comprising of Christian religious bodies, students associations, Town unions, Age grades, Traders Associations, Women’s groups, youth organizations and Elders council deliberated for several hours over the weekend on the state of the nation and concluded that “the .G is steadily making it difficult for the country to remain one, through its brazen, oppressive and determined effort to strike

fear into the hearts of citizens in order to foist a fascist reign of ethnic, regional and religious dominance of one region over another, and vowed to resist such unholy agenda, as “Capitulation to the agenda would mean sentencing our progeny to a permanent status of serfs, everything is being done to rub in that we are not part of Nigeria. Buhari is deliberately pushing us out of Nigeria”.

The meeting which also had in attendance over a dozen groups from the Niger Delta insisted that the delay to redesign Nigeria to six regions was the source of 99% of the problems afflicting the nation.

In a two point communiqué, the groups declared that six regional structure remained the only formula to salvage, and rebuild Nigeria, noting that those opposed to six regional structure were only working towards the eventual disintegration of the country.

They said that all political, economic and social indicators pointed to the self-evident truth that only an early reversal to

the six-regional structure will save the country now.

The groups also condemned in strong terms the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu after two courts of the land granted him unconditional release, maintaining that “the over-ruling of the courts, by Mr. President in a television chat with journalists pointed to an unacceptable travesty, where the presidency takes final decision on matters properly handled by the judiciary.”

Therefore, continued the groups “we are giving notice to the world, that if the unjust, provocative and very divisive detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is not specially looked into for the sake of peace, equity and justice, we may no longer restrain our members, affiliates, friends and sisters groups who have indicated their resolve to join and merge with the IPOB in solidarity with their persecution and unjust detention of their leader. Pursuit of self-determination is the inalienable right of all oppressed people the world over as endorsed by the

United Nations Chatter on freedom.

“We are being forced and pressured by the uncompromising attitude of the oppressor to defend and protect the future of our progeny.

“The current master/ servant relationship as typified by the unworkable, military constitution is suffocating us. Enough is Enough”.

Speaking to reporters after the meetings, Comrade Chimezie Ubani, President of Igbo Student Union said “We pleaded for restructure they refused, we pleaded for a referendum they said no, they treat us like slaves, Fulani herdsmen raping our women, killing our farmers, abducting our priests, all the 54 tertiary institution in the east have resolved to join the IPOB to turn it to the largest mass movement in the world. We have come to the point where Mr President must know that he just cannot continue detaining an innocent man.

We have already printed our ID Cards, from now henceforth we are all IPOB”.

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Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Resentment, possible litigation trails Obaseki’s victory in Edo P. 37

Politics

PROVIDING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO ISSUES Sunday, October 16, 2016

HE IS YET TO TELL ME IF HE ‘LL SEEK RE-ELECTION BUT I HAVE DECIDED AS HIS WIFE, THAT IF THING CONTINUE LIKE THIS UP TO 2019, I WILL NOT GO OUT AND CAMPAIGN AGAIN AND ASK ANY WOMAN TO VOTE LIKE I DID BEFORE. I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN –Mrs. Aisha Buhari

DSS’s arrest of judges

Separation of powers doctrine under trial

Mahmmud

DOOSUUR IWAMBE ABUJA

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o the initiated, all seem not to be well with the judiciary. Attempts had been made to clean the soiled fingers but like a finger soiled with palm oil , others were at risk and few weeks ago, the National Judicial Council, the body saddled with the responsibility of promoting and enforcing discipline in the judicial arm of government scratched the surface of the rot; some judges were suspended and one was recommended for prosecution.

The Nigeria’s justice system like a scorpion sting, woke up penultimate weekend with what can best be described

Malani

as a nightmare; the arrest of some justices of the Supreme Court and those of the High Court by the Directorate of State Services, DSS. You will not be far from the truth to say that the development was one that will not be forgotten in a hurry because in the history of the country, such a thing never happened.

The development has, however, been greeted with divergent views from lawyers, stakeholders in the nation’s justice system as well as Nigerians.

The development has also divided the legal community. While some legal expert applauded the development saying the action of the DSS was long overdue, others were of the view that the DSS, in trying to carry out their lawful responsibility

breached the law with the commandostyle approach in arresting the judges.

Those who spoke in support of the invasion and the arrest of those judges see the National Judicial Council , NJC, as a “toothless bulldog” that can only bark but cannot bite.

To them, the NJC lacked the will -power to deal with erring judges.

Legal luminary and Chairman of Presidential Committee on Anti-Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay who backed the raid and arrest of some of the judges by the DSS, noted that nothing was wrong in the operations carried out by the security agencies.

He also differed with the Nigerian Bar CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Nigeria must drop Presidential system for Parliamentary –Banire P. 38

Briefly Osun Assembly advocates preservation of cultural heritages

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sun State House of Assembly under the leadership of Rt Hon.Najeem Salaam has advocated the preservation and full development of historical and cultural heritage of the Yorubas The assembly which described the measures as a potent ways out of economic quagmire in Nigeria made the call in a statement signed by the Chairman, House Committee on Information and Strategy, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye to congratulate the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and the people of Ifeland on the celebration of 2016 annual traditional Olojo festival.

It said, there are a lot of potentials hidden in the cultural heritage of Yorubas that can be annexed and developed to drive as well as unleash economic development of the zone.

The Assembly regretted that the heavy reliance on oil has whittled the country away from concentrating on other sector such as tourism.

“There are several hidden treasure in the cultural heritage of the people of Nigeria, especially in Yorubaland, that have been left untapped and under-developed.

“This inaction of ours has contributed to the pains of economic recession when there was fall in the price of oil that we focus on, because the country had no alternative of economic development to fall back on.

“No doubt, we are very rich in culture, tradition, heritages and festivals that can be developed to serve as a long term solution to economic quagmire in this country, but we are not paying serious attention to them.

“In Osun for example, we are blessed with cultural heritage such as Olojo festival, Olojo has potential of evoking a pilgrimage potential especially for the black in diasporia “Other land marks such as Oranmiyan staff and Oduduwa Shrine among others in Ile-Ife; Osun Osogbo festival and grove in Osogbo; Olumirin waterfall in Erin-Ijesa; Kiriji memorial war site in Imesi-Ile and many more all over the state are notable and worthy of attention” “These potentials have the capacity to create job for youths, enhance their creativity and sell the tourism potential of the state to the world for a self-sustaining economy”, it said.

Noting that though, the government of Osun under Governor Rauf Aregbesola has done a lot to invest in the tourism sector, the parliament said there is the need for greater partnership between the state and the Federal Government towards making the tourism potentials more attractive.

Congratulating Oba Ogunwusi and the people of Ile-Ife for the Olojo festival celebration, the Assembly urged all stakeholders to support the monarch and the government towards making the festival more attractive.

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Politics

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Separation of powers doctrine under trial CONTINUED FROM Page 9 Association, NBAn which had voiced out its condemnation of the DSS’s operation, saying the NBA had no moral right to condemn the action.

He said: “The situation had become an epidemic and I don’t think NJC as established has the capacity to deal with an epidemic of this proportion. It doesn’t have the capacity at all.

“As for the NBA, they have no moral right to speak. It sounds very bad in their mouths to condemn and to criticise because members of the NBA are the ones responsible for where we are today in judicial corruption and total corruption of our electoral system and the whole criminal administration system.

“Members of the Nigerian Bar Association, the senior ones are the ones responsible for it. So it sounds very ill and very bad in their mouth to begin to protest and say things; they are the ones who carry billions of naira and millions of dollars to these poor judges, they are the ones who corrupted our judges. It is the lawyers who corrupted the judges”.

Foremost human rights activist and lawyer, Femi Falana, who also shared the same views with Sagay blamed it on alleged years of negligence by the NJC, to stamp out corruption among judges.

He ,however ,called for their release saying, the judges are presumed innocent until the contrary is proved by the state.

He said, “it is a matter of grave concern that the legal profession has allowed the denigration of the hallowed temple of justice because of the misconduct of a few corrupt judges. For several years, judges who committed grave criminal offences were not prosecuted but merely retired by the authorities on the recommendation of the National Judicial Council.

Also, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, while reacting to the development said that “no one is or should be above the law”.

Malami said, “Was there an allegation of crime? Was there relevant provision of criminal procedure responsible for investigation? “Is there an allegation of corruption? If there is, no body, no matter how highly placed will be spared.

“The right to investigate has not been taken away from the constitution. The allegation borders on criminality and no one is or should be above the law. “Neither the judiciary or the executive will be exempted from investigation”.

Malami who had also last week shunned a valedictory court session at the Supreme Court held in honour of one of its retired Justices, Suleiman Galadima noted that there was prima facie case against the judges who are still being expected to be arraigned in court.

“The fundamental consideration is whether there is an allegation of the commission of a crime; whether there is the need for investigation, and whether the relevant provisions of the law and, indeed, all circumstances, as provided in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act are put into consideration in our conduct as regard the fight against corruption.

“The bottom line is that we have a responsibility to fight corruption. Corruption is a crime and nobody, regardless of

Falana

Agbakoba

WE ARE CERTAINLY DESCENDING INTO A DEEPER DICTATORSHIP TRAJECTORY THAN WE HAVE EVER WITNESSED IN OUR POLITY EVEN DURING MILITARY INTERREGNUM

how highly placed, is exempted as far as issues that border on crimes and criminalities are concerned” he added.

Meanwhile, a group of legal luminaries who vehemently condemned the action of the DSS in its entirety said that the action of the DSS if not checked; will bring the country back to its gloomy days of dictatorship.

Former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, who condemned the act said that DSS has no constitutional right to arrest judges.

Agbakoba, who questioned the authenticity of the DSS, to carry out such action insisted that the DSS is not the same as the SSS, and that the competence of the DSS was questionable.

He stressed that he was not aware if both agencies were one and wondered if the DSS was really established by the law as “it is not referred to in the National Security Services Act.” “It is inconceivable that the judges could have been ‘stung’ by the DSS “when already five out of the seven judges were investigated and removed from office by the NJC. “The NBA never said if the judges are corrupt they are entitled to immunity or they should not be dealt with.”

He described the manner of the arrest as “inhumane” even though the DSS claimed to have been issued a warrant prior to the raid.

Another Senior Advocate of Nigeria,

and a former President of the NBA, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, who also condemned “the raids in the strongest possible terms stated that such an action will not be accepted in a democratic society.

He said, “We are in a democratic society and we cannot accept a situation where armed, masked SSS operatives invade homes of the justices of the Supreme Court and judges of our High Courts.

The National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, while reacting to the development said, “It is executive lawlessness and usurpation of investigative functions of the judicial arm of government. It was not done with the authority of the National Judicial Council as stipulated in our constitution.

“We are certainly descending into a deeper dictatorship trajectory than we have ever witnessed in our polity even during military interregnum.

“If judges can come under this raw show of naked power, what would be the fate of the everyday citizens? This is a new low ever witnessed in our country and all lovers of justice, democracy and decency must condemn this barbaric act.”

Also, a lawyer and President of Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Malachy Ugwummadu, said it was a “misadventure too many and will be decisively resisted by all well-meaning Nigerians.”

He stated, “If left unchecked, they will invade the hallowed precincts of our

courts and desecrate them even during sittings. President Buhari must therefore rise to the occasion and call for a full briefing into the circumstances of this breach of public peace, and obstruction of public officers in the discharge of their duties.”

For his part, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Adegboyega Awomolo, described the invasion as the height of corruption.

Awomolo said, “Let the good people of the world note that this is a move to demystify, denigrate and ridicule the judiciary after humiliating the legislature.

“What the executive is doing is not fighting corruption but promoting recklessness and impunity. Supreme Court Justices are not absconding criminals to be harassed, attacked and whisked away in the night. This is barbaric and unacceptable.” He added.

It would be recalled that the NBA, while spitting fire over the development said that the action was unthinkable under a supposed democratic rule.

Their reaction has however received a lot of condemnation from Nigerians who felt it is shielding and supporting corruption.

The NBA President, A.B. Mahmoud who spoke to journalists in company of bigwigs of the Bar, said, “I want to emphasise again that we are not under military rule and we cannot accept this unholy event and Gestapo-style operation.

“We, therefore, call on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately caution all the state security agencies and to respect the rule of law and to respect due process. “Any issues affecting the judicial officers, there are established procedures for handling them and we demand that this constitutional process must be obeyed.

“Given the unfolding nature of the event and the seriousness of the situation, the NBA hereby declares a state of emergency as it affects the affairs of the judiciary and I hereby constitute a crisis management team, comprising all past presidents of the association” it added.

The National Judicial Council, NJC breaking its silence after a three- day marathon meeting last week condemned the arrest of some judges by the DSS. The NJC described the action as a threat to the independence of the Judiciary, which portends great danger to our democracy.

The judicial body also described the arrest of judges as a clear attempt by the DSS to humiliate, intimidate, denigrate and cow the Judiciary.

The NJC expressed its support the Federal Government’s commitment to the fight against corruption, but insisted that due process must be adhered to.

The NJC, in a statement late Thursday night, said that the council had meticulously considered the entire unfolding events that led to the arrest of the Judicial officers and the misinformation and disinformation making rounds in both Electronic and Print Media that the DSS acted thus because the National Judicial Council was shielding the Judicial officers from investigation and prosecution for corrupt practices and professional misconduct.

“Council noted particularly, that from the available records, the DSS forwarded only two (2 no.) separate complaints containing allegations of Corrupt Practices CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

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EDIFYING GOD Sunday, October 16, 2016

The wisdom of the wise 20

QUOTE Many bible stories confirm that God had a direct relationship with some people.

He had a pleasant time with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He called Abram who later became Abraham.

Prof. Kunle Macaulay

God’s mercy and his people 21

God can be found 30

Incest: Taboo at the extreme 12 & 13

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Incest: Taboo at

T

aboo is a social or religious custom prohibiting or restricting a particular practice or forbidding association with a particular person, place, or thing.

The term could also be described as a vehement prohibition of an action based on the belief that such behaviour is either too sacred or too accursed for ordinary individuals to undertake. Such prohibitions are present in virtually all societies. The word has been somewhat expanded in the social sciences to strong prohibitions relating to any area of human activity or custom that is sacred or forbidden based on moral judgment and religious beliefs. Breaking a taboo is usually considered objectionable by society in general, not merely a subset of a culture.

Many taboos have developed around physical exposure. We have read of the taboo against healing on the Sabbath which the Pharisees accused Jesus of breaking when he healed people with infirmities, making cuts on dead bodies or tattoo marks on the body and others in the Bible. In some cultures, the people are forbidden to consume some particular food or drink which they have the belief that if they do will lead to dire consequences. Common taboos involve restrictions or ritual regulation of killing and hunting; sex and sexual relationships; primarily incest, necrophilia, miscegenation, adultery, fornication, pedophilia, homosexuality, intermarriage, bestiality, and masturbation. American writer, Sigmund Freud posited that incest and patricide were the only two universal taboos and formed the basis of civilization. However, although cannibalism, in-group murder, and incest are taboo in the majority of societies, marriages between brothers and sisters occurred in Roman Egypt.

Incest is generally regarded as the greatest of all taboos which sparks strong emotions in the world today. Incest taboos are often said to be universal, as sex with a close relative be it one’s parent, child, or sibling is widely considered particularly depraved, as well as detrimental and stigmatising for any offspring who might result from such a union; and yet incest seems to be everywhere in high and low-brow literature. In her book, the greatest taboo, Katie Edwards stated that Judging from coverage over the last few years, anyone would think that familial sexual relationships were a completely new phenomenon and that until recently, incest was kept at bay by strong social taboos. She further stated that whether familial sexual relationships are indeed considered to be incestuous i.e. illegal, even criminal or not depends on the social and cultural context. Edwards also claimed that attitudes to incest tend to be gendered and heteronormative. According to her, with relatives who were once separated increasingly able to trace

Taboos have always been a part of the human race because as higher and discerning beings, humans are expected to observe the highest form of morality. ODINAKA URUAKPA looks at this issue as she brings the thoughts of clerics on incest and other religious and cultural taboos that abound in society each other through DNA testing, social media and reunion services, stories of siblings or of a parent and children united are more common. And not infrequently, such reunions transpire in mutual attraction and love which has been hitting the headlines recently.

Biblically, sexual immorality, incest in particular is forbidden in its totality.

Leviticus 18:6-18 states that no one shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover nakedness; not the father, nor mother not even the father’s wife, sister, whether his father’s daughter or mother’s daughter that was brought up in the family or in another home. Also Deuteronomy 27:22, Leviticus 18:6, Leviticus 18:7, first Corinthians 5:1 among other helpful scripture. Yet, it is noteworthy to point out that despite the seemingly clear rules around incestuous relationships, just as popular culture toys with the titillation and taboo of the topic; biblical depiction is ambiguous. Despite these Levitical laws and others that prohibit sex with a string of family members including sibling, parent, certain in-laws, there is also the story of Lot’s daughters in Genesis 19, seducing their father and bearing sons, which offers no (certainly no explicit) reproof. The daughters even draw attention to incest by calling their sons Moab which in Hebrew means from the father and Ben-Ammi meaning son of

JESUS WENT TO A SYNAGOGUE, WHERE THERE WAS A MAN WHO HAD A PARALYZED HAND. SOME PEOPLE WERE THERE WHO WANTED TO ACCUSE JESUS OF DOING WRONG, SO THEY ASKED HIM ‘IS IT AGAINST OUR LAW TO HEAL ON THE SABBATH. my people.

While pointing out the existence of various manmade taboos including healing on the Sabbath, Pastor Philip Durodola of Healing Faith Ministry, Lagos noted that the Bible records some taboos which include patricide and incest.

“Jesus went to a synagogue, where there was a man who had a paralyzed hand. Some people were there who wanted to accuse Jesus of doing wrong, so they asked him ‘Is it against our Law to heal on the Sabbath’? The Sabbath was a day on which no work was to be done and Jesus knew the legal answer to that question; it would be against the Law. The predominant school of Pharisee, the Shammaites, did not even allow praying for the sick on the Sabbath. But Jesus refuted the hypocrisy and lack of compassion that dictated such interpretations of the Law and reminded the religious leaders that the Law allowed them to rescue an animal from harm on the Sabbath. He said ‘What if

one of you has a sheep and it falls into a deep hole on the Sabbath? Will he not take hold of it and lift it out. So then our Law does allow us to help someone on the Sabbath.’ Jesus rejected the kind of religious doctrine that tried to nullify the need for compassion. Mercy and concern for others, whether human or animal, was more important than adherence to man-made rules. Jesus cured the sick, fed the hungry, restored the out-cast to community and gave full ability to the disabled; they were wonderful happenings that brought healing to distressed bodies and minds.

Many of the miracles he performed also broke the religious taboos of his time.

He brought healing to those who were considered enemies of the Jewish people and had physical contact with those who were considered unclean and therefore a source of contamination. The Gospel of Mark tells of a healing event that violated deeply entrenched socio-religious taboos.

Judaism had developed many prohibi-

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the extreme SOME OF THE PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS NOW TURN TO WHETHER INCESTUOUS UNIONS WHERE THEY ARE CONSENSUAL AND BETWEEN ADULTS SHOULD BE TOLERATED AND

DECRIMINALISED.

tions regarding who or what was considered unclean. For the most part, such persons were diseased, disabled or had done something in violation of religious law.

In those days, women were predestined to go through cycles when they were considered contaminated and therefore to be shunned, simply because they were female; menstruating women were considered unclean, impure and anyone who touched either their person or any chair or bed they had occupied was defiled by that contact. Jesus rejected that taboo in an encounter with the woman who had an ongoing flow of blood”, he claimed.

In the case of incest committed by the daughters of Lot against their father after they got him drunk, Durodola claimed that the fact that the daughters took drastic action to preserve their father’s lineage does not make the act right, as subsequent biblical writers condemn incest in all ramifications.

“This act committed by Lot’s daughter as we can see happened in the first book of the Bible and more so the Old Testament.

Subsequent parts of the Old Testament including Leviticus, Deuteronomy and the New Testament writings condemn the act in all ramifications. Unfortunately, we still see things like this happening in this present day where close relatives get sexually attracted to each other. From what I read recently, this phenomenon known as Genetic Sexual Attraction Syndrome, GSA, and not infrequently affects relatives who did not spend the formative years together and who meet as adults. According to psychologists, when people do spend early life together, a different psycho-social mechanism, called the Westermarck effect, functions to suppress erotic bonding. It is almost never

the case that romantic, consensual erotic bonding happens between family members who do spend early life together”, he noted.

In his submission, Pastor James Pius of God of Israel Bible Church, Lagos claimed that among taboos listed in the Bible, incest continue to remain a threat to the human race, as he added that some nations of the world are seeking to normalize consensual adult relationships regardless of the degree of kinship.

“Some of the public conversations now turn to whether incestuous unions where they are consensual and between adults should be tolerated and decriminalised. Indeed, in Sweden half-sibling marriage is already legal and the jurisdictions of some other countries, too, do not penalize such acts. Incest is been encouraged by some other nations in the world today, with them seeking to normalize consensual adult relationships regardless of the degree of kinship.

This kind of relationship is a threat to the human race because we are clearly instructed in various Bible passages against involving our self such act. The Bible states in Leviticus 18:6-18 that no one shall approach any one of his close relatives to uncover their nakedness. It further states, ‘I am the Lord. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is your father’s nakedness. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether brought up in the family or in another home. You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daugh-

ter or of your daughter’s daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness.

Also Deuteronomy 27:22 states, ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ So, what it literally means is that the people who normalize laws to encourage sexual relationships between close family members are going against the law of God”, he stated.

On Lot’s daughters laying with their father and having children by him, Pius said: “Truly Lot’s daughters committed incest, but they did this in ignorance because they were of the mindset that there were no longer creatures of their kind on earth after the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. This is the reason the firstborn said to the younger daughter in Genesis chapter 19 ‘Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the earth.’ They probably knew it was immoral and that was the reason they made their father drunk in the first place to perpetrate the act. We can also see the case of incest and its repercussion in second Samuel, chapter 13 when David’s son, Amnon forcefully slept with his half-sister Tamar, a virgin after his crafty cousin, Jonadab helped him hatch a plan on how to bring Tamar to his bed-side to feed him (Amnon) while pretending to be ill. Second Samuel 13:1113 states, ‘But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her and said to her, ‘come, lie with me, my sister.’

She answered him, ‘No, my brother, do not violate me, for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do this outrageous thing. As for me, where could I carry my shame?

And as for you, you would be as one of the outrageous fools in Israel. We are told that after this, the king was angry, but he didn’t like to scold Amnon because he (David) loved him as he was his first born, but on his part, Asalom, Tamar’s brother developed hate for Amnon for raping his sister and as time went on, Absalom eventually avenged his sister when he killed Amnon.”

Condemning taboos which he claimed

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are man-made, Pastor Daniel Aliam of Amazing Grace Ministry, Lagos insisted that incest and other acts prohibited both in the Bible and cultural settings are grievous offences.

“Yes, incest and other grievous acts are offensive to both God and humanity.

The bible prohibits incest in particular in its entirety; this every Christian knows, but I am marveled at the sight of some so-called men of God who talk about some family taboos and encourage people to note and not commit such things. I know that there are some sociocultural taboos existing in one culture or the other, but it is not proper for people to start creating or making up some taboos in their family, nuclear or extended. I was watching a local channel where a pastor was speaking on family taboos. He claimed someone went somewhere where members of the family have been asked not to go for fear of something happening to them. The man spoke of a particular place where one of the fore-fathers lived and was maltreated there so, that particular person made a proclamation that on no account should any family member of his live in the place. Unfortunately, a particular young member of the family after being warned decided to go live there and coincidentally, the young man wasn’t making a progress in any venture he made there. After recounting all these and the warning from the elders in the family to the pastor, all the pastor did was blame the man for breaking a family taboo.

It is so unfortunate that in this part of the world we impose so many family and man-made taboos on our self. I have heard of a case where people in a family don’t eat particular kinds of food.

When I was growing up, I had a friend who said they don’t eat okra in their family because it was reported that a particular ascendant died after eating Okra soup. I have also heard that some people don’t eat snail and some other meat because these things are forbidden in their family. For me, it is something else when people relate these things to a man of God and he supports them to keep the taboo going, this shouldn’t be so”, he stated.

On there being a fatal consequence if people do or eat things forbidden in their family, Aliam said: “It is unfortunate that as Africans and Christians, we continue to allow things that happened when our fore parents had not embraced Christianity. I want to share this story of a village near mine where people were forbidden to kill monkeys because it is believed that one of their fore-fathers turned into a monkey. Monkeys were so sacred there that if a stranger or any person killed a monkey; the person is forced to give the dead monkey a befitting burial. This kept happening until electricity was introduced in that village and its environs, and the monkeys while catching their fun started getting electrocuted when they jumped on the electric poles and wire. So, in this case who will give the dead monkeys the burial they deserve? Well, wise as they were, the monkeys started disappearing from the community for their life. This and many unnecessary taboos still in existence in our society today need to be reviewed.”

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Nigeria’s herbal medicine sector under-explored, says practitioner ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

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traditional herbal medicine doctor, Baba Jalala Awedewerisa, who is also the managing Director of Baba Jalala Tradomedical Center, has frown at the low rate at which the local herbal medicine is embraced and explored for national development both health wise and revenue generation due to lack of require technology, proper coordination and support from the government.

He said despite the huge potential inherent in the local herbal medicine to cure all kinds of illness and also generate foreign exchange for the country, people are not patronising the products adequately.

Speaking to Sunday Mirror at the ongoing Traditional Herbal Exhibition at the Bond FM in Lagos, a leader native Doctor, Awedewerisa said Nigerian Herbal medicine could heal all kind of illness and diseases if well harnessed. He said most Nigerians especially the politicians and the rich only waste money to seek treatment abroad which they consequently get back here in Nigeria.

According to him, there are some causes which are spiritual that can only be tackled with herbs. He said for instance, if a woman urinates on ground and skink (a specie of reptile) crawls over it, such a woman would be barren. He said no orthodox medicine could heal such barrenness except the only local herbal doctors who know what and how to treat such.

He also disclosed that other countries make revenue from herbs and roots. He explained that there were some roots and herbs used in producing the medicine, which had to be sourced from other countries and such countries would collect duties on those materials before they could be imported to Nigeria.

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Peacock Travels celebrates over trade 550 partners OLUSEGUN KOIKI

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eacock Travels and Tours, a subsidiary of the Peacock Group, has rewarded over 550 trade partners and customers in the South-West, South East and South-South geopolitical zones of the country.

This is as the travel company has launched four new products aimed at raising the bar of service delivery in the travel management industry.

The Chairman, Peacock Group, Aare Segun Philips said in Lagos that the rewards were meant to show the travel firm’s appreciation to its loyal and

esteemed trade partners and customers for their patronage in 2015.

The programme came barely four months after the Lagos edition in which over 200 trade partners were rewarded with various gift items. Over 80 travel agencies won in the star prize categories in Lagos.

In the three geopolitical

zones of South-West, SouthEast and South-South, a total of 26 return free tickets to various destinations including to London, United States, Doha and New York were given to the trade partners.

Over 300 trade partners and customers, who emerged winners in the Platinum, Diamond, Gold,

L-R: Vice President, Marketing, Etisalat Nigeria, Adebisi Idowu; TV Personality, Zainab Balogun; Director, Brand and Experience, Etisalat Nigeria, Elvis Ogiemwanye and Head, Events and Sponsorship, Etisalat Nigeria, Modupe Thani, during the Etisalat 4G LTE Demo in Lagos, at the weekend..

Kogi to develop tourism to boost IGR WALE IBRAHIM LOKOJA

K

ogi State government has restated its commitment to develop tourism potentials in the state through public Private partnership to generate more revenue for the state, The Special Adviser to the state governor on Culture and Tourism, Barrister Lewis Tokunbo Asubiojo, who disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Lokoja yesterday, stated that the present administration is determined to develop all tourism potential as revenue generation base for the state.

Asubiojo explained that the previous administrations in the state had not done much in the area of tourism, stressing that Kogi is sitting on keg of

tourism waiting to be tapped.

The legal practitioner cum politician stated that in view of the dwindling in the monthly federal allocation to the state, it will be more appropriate to look for alternative source of revenue for overall development of Kogi State He stated that given the background of Lokoja as the first Capital of Nigeria and presence of tourism sites such of first Primary school in Northern Nigeria, relics of the colonial masters, European cemeteries, Second World War Cenotaph, the point where the Union Jack was lowered, Confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue and Lord Lugard’s Rest House on Mount Patti and the flat nature of Mount Patti are enough to attract a lot of tourists to the state, if properly de-

veloped.

“As part of the present administration effort to Look beyond the monthly federal allocation, the state government in line with her New Direction Menra she is looking forward to sign Memorandum of Understanding through a public private partnership to develop the tourism potential in the state with view to generate more revenue for Kogi state.”

The Special Adviser also noted that the state government will take advantage of the location of Lokoja, the state capital as gateway to the northern and Southern part of the country.

“Besides the state is richly endowed with both human and natural resources with rich cultural values, bounded by Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara, Edo, Benue,

Anambra, Enugu, Niger, Nassarawa and Federal Capital Territory.”,

Silver and Bronze categories (based on the volumes of tickets sold during the year), went home with grand prizes including deep freezer, LED television, electric cooker, giant fan and air conditioner among others.

Some of the international and foreign airlines present at the special event were: Arik Air, Kenya Airways, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Egypt Air, AirFrance-KLM, South African Airways, and Golden Tulip Hotels.

The South-West zone event, which was held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, had in attendance captains of industries, government officials and representatives, key stakeholders in the travel sector, and several foreign airlines.

The South East zone agency forum, held in Aba recently saw over 250 trader partners went home with various gifts at the event. At the South-South geopolitical zone event, over 200 trader partners were given various prizes and gifts items.

Commenting on the event, the Human Resources Manager, Peacock Trvels, Mr. Aderemi Awolaiye, while anchoring the programme in the three zones, said the programmes showed the value the company places on its customers and trade partners.

NatnudO promises quality poultry feeds ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

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he natnudO foods Limited, a foremost animal protein foods processing company, has promised to be more committed to the Nigerian agricultural development in terms of quality poultry production for food security.

While receiving CICAN award as the Best Indigenous Poultry Production Company, the representative of the company, Ophylia Ibekwe, said the award was an encouragement for the company to do more for the country in terms of agricultural development particularly live stock process-

ing and poultry production.

She said she was very happy about the award which showed that the company’s activities across the country were been monitored especially by the media and the government.

Ibekwe said the company, which was known for its best in egg and frozen chicken production, has also engaged in youth empowerment programme through its entrepreneurial scheme tagged ‘natnuPreneur’.

“We shall continue to improve on our offerings through continuous research and subscribing to global best practices in the food processing industry.

PASSION A Lifestyle Magazine

Self confidence makes me unique -Chioma Toplis, actress >>16

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

APPLAUSE

‘Child marriage is a societal taboo’ >>17

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Passion

Sunday, October 16, 2016

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Self confidence makes me unique-Chioma Toplis, actress She is a mother, a wife and an actress. She is naturally beautiful, well endowed and knows how to package herself. Little come to wonder at events, she is always the cynosure of all eyes and paparazzi never ceased to take some shots of her. Welcome areer, her the world of Chioma Toplis, a super screen diva. In this interview with ADAEZE AMOS, she talks about her acting career, marriage and her lifestyle.

What else do you do aside from acting?

I’m a business woman. I have always loved business right from my childhood. I buy stuffs from London where I reside and I come home to sell before going back.

Can we get to know more about you?

Sure! I’m from Umuahia in Abia state but I reside in London with my family. I know many divas are in Nollywood but what stands me out is that unique self confidence that I have which makes me shine. I used to work as a social worker in London. I worked with people with learning disability. I was trained for that, in fact I went to school specifically for that.

Many I as-

sume it is a job meant ant for lazy or uneducated people, ple, how come you are doing g it?

I told you I was trained ained specifically for that. tha at. t If study you really st tudy and have degreess on that, y o u w i l l

make so much money just like every o other professional nal job. Having said that, I got to the level of becomin becoming a deputy manager nager with the firm I was working for before I left a after working for or about five years. I must say that I enjoy my wo work and would do o it again if need be. But for now, I have stopped. I know w many would ask why did I leave if I was getting good pay. I have been confronted with this kind d of question on many times.

One of the reason’s on’s I left was because my acting career was sufferffering and leaving the job would give me enough ugh time to combine my business which was still ill on going in Nigeria while I was working ng and then pay undivided attention to o acting. Also because I like b being my own boss, that was why I left the job. job And believe e me, I have not been doing g badly since then.

What have you done to give back to the society?

Well, I have put smiles on the facess smil of those who watch my movies.

Through m h acting I make people laug laugh, I make them m happy. They learn lessons of life from my y roles which I deliver accu accurately.

What are you doing lately? lat I have been busy bu building other branchanches of my businesses.

You are married, do yo you think marriage e is bondage as some assume assume?

To me, marriage is not bondage. This is my know everyone has different personal opinion, I kn answers about what marriage is. That’s hat’s their own opinion , we are all al individuals and nd created difworks for Tom may ferently so what wo ay not work for everyone has their own Harry. Also everyo wn life partners haven’t met the one in life; if you hav e made for you continue to be bondage. I give marriage would c God all the glory for making me locate the man made for me an and on time too. Heaven helps those who help tthemselves. So, to answer your question, I would say marriage is not a bed of lots of God’s guidance roses; it needs lot dance and wisblessed me with what dom. God has bles hat it takes to work. Mine has been make marriage work n blissful.

You have been fashiona fashionable irrespective of being a plus-size lady, what’s the secret? s Being fashionable has got g nothing to do with size or age; if you know it you have known it. If being ing fashionable is in you, it is right there and it manifests. But if you don’t have it in you, nothing would manifest no matter atter how slim you are. It is as simple as that.

Can you differentiate between fashion and style? fash Knowing one’s personal fashion sense and being confident fash in it is what style is. While ffashion is not personal, it is a general thing with its rules. rules If that is the case, what is your personal style? y yle?

My personal style is daring!

I always like to be myda

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Applause

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 16 self and wear clothes that express the unique and fabulous person that I am.

How do you see motherhood now?

I think I’m passing that stage of motherhood where you y need to monitor the kids very closely because they are toddlers. But now, I’m about reapreap ing my hard work or the fruit of my labour. I’m enjoying being free from certain things now as my children have become grown ups. I’m now waitwait ing to become a funky grand mother (laughs).

‘Child marriage is a societal taboo ’

Can you describe your husband in a few words? husMy hus band iis a rare gem. gem I

nevnev r e thought I that meet would mee any man who would tolerate me, especially my shopaholic habit.

Is he not angry about your scanty wears/outfits? not!

No, he is not loves My husband love am. me for who I am He doesn’t try to change me or force me wants. to become what he wants out That I think stands him ou from other men, who think that their wives/women are slaves and are meant to be in bondage and not have a life because they are married to that. them. But is not like that Everyone can see I’m not in any kind of bondage. I am so that free, that does not mean tha I do not consult him before I as do anything, but as long a his that will make me happy hi support is fully guaranteed because he does not want to see me sad. I cannot trade him or for any amount or any silver o gold in the world.

Is he wealthy?

He is not mega rich but we comfortable. are happy and comfortable I’m happy with him; I have over been in this marriage for ove 20years so I know what I’m talking about.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 17

ADAEZE AMOS

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hild marriage, sadly, has remained a dingdong thing in our society irrespective of its numerous condemnations in newspapers and on social media. “It’s a pity that this has continued up till date and I am one of the women who are praying not relenting for it to be curbed,” Olaseeni Abiola Obimodede, an actress, a movie producer and a mother, said, as a matter of fact.

She bared her mind on child marriage and how it can be curbed in our society. “You can imagine how sad it is when a mother delivers a baby girl, breastfeeds her and the tiny infant grows gradually, there is tremendous joy in that. Then you can also imagine how sad it is for such a joy to cut abruptly when same child is being taken as a wife by a man old enough to be her grandfather. It really hurts ,” she said, with a frown.

The way out of child marriage according to her is not far fetched. “Child marriage started when the society started viewing women as properties whose final destination is marriage. This has to change!

It should stop. Child marriage is a societal taboo. It churns my stomach whenever I see pictures of minors being joined in marriage to men much older than them. This portrays moral demerits. It exposes the child wife to lots of health hazards, VVF in particular. To be honest with you, it is saddening that our society is allowing this. Giving out a minor in marriage should be seen or considered as corruption because the child doesn’t know what she is doing. I think we need more laws that should protect girl child from early marriage. Laws that would empower and protect women. I suggest that the age of consent in marriage in our society should be reviewed, else child marriage will continue,” she enthused.

The movie producer who just produced a new movie titled ‘Abuse’ (Asilo) said it’s high time movies that condemn child’s marriage were shot. “Yes, this is the fact! Our movies should condemn this.

Child’s marriage sadly does not only happen in the northern part of our country, it also happens in

other parts. For instance, I saw pictures of child marriage in Delta state some months back. Guess what? My heart sank! The poor girl was paraded half naked and given out to her husband,” she recalled.

She mentioned some other social vices about women that should be addressed aside from child marriage. “Rape is one of them. Rape stories are still awash in our newspapers and this means it is still happening in our society and sadly the victims bottle it up because of stigma. Another menace is domestic violence. Some men have battered their wives to death. And my view on this point is if your husband batters you to the state of stupor or batters you at the slightest provocation or even slaps you when you offend him, better walk away from such a marriage before he kills you. No matter the kind of love you’re feeling for him, leave him!

A man that truly loves you won’t raise a hand on you,” she gesticulated.

Then of course maltreatment of widows “is another social vice against women. Widows have gone through some rigorous measures in the name of obeying cultures and traditions. We should please stop that,” she enthused.

On a good day, she has not failed to remember what gladdens her heart about being a woman. “Our charm is one thing about womanhood that thrills me. And our ability to create life and the fact that we have more emotional capacity than men makes me proud to be a woman.

These are good sides of womanhood that I’m proud of. So, in order for us women to keep our heads high in the society, we should endeavour to maintain our integrity starting from girlhood to womanhood so that we won’t be taken for granted,” she said, finally.

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Wellness

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

YOUR HEALTH AND HEALTH RELATED ISSUES Sunday, October 16, 2016

Preventing occurrence Hepatitis B infection

TITILOPE MORAKINYO

H

epatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) which affects the liver. It can cause both acute and chronic infections. Many people have no symptoms during the initial infection while some develop a rapid onset of sickness with vomiting, yellowish skin, tiredness, dark urine and abdominal pain.

Often these symptoms last a few weeks and rarely does the initial infection result in death as it may take 30 to 180 days for symptoms to begin.

Medical experts affirm that Hepatitis B is a silent epidemic affecting the health of many Nigerians. They worry, nonetheless, that the ailment has attracted very little attention from the government and the people.

One type is viral hepatitis which occurs in acute or chronic forms. The most common causes are the five unrelated hepatotropic viruses: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Hepatitis D, and Hepatitis E. Nevertheless, Hepatitis B and C are the most chronic and the leading cause of death among the five viruses.

Hepatitis B is an infectious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) which affects the liver and can cause both acute and chronic infections. Many people have no symptoms during the initial infection while some develop a rapid onset of sickness with vomiting, yellow skin, feeling tired, dark urine and abdominal pain.

Often these symptoms last a few weeks and rarely does the initial infection result in death. It may take 30 to 180 days for symptoms to begin. In those who get infected around the time of birth, 90 per cent develop chronic hepatitis B while less than 10 per cent of those infected after the age of five do.

Recent statistics indicate that not less than 23 million

Nigerians are estimated to be infected with the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), making the country one of those with the highest incidence of HBV infection in the world.

The virus is transmitted by exposure to infectious blood or body fluids and infection around the time of birth. It also comes from contact with other people’s blood during childhood and his is the most frequent method by which hepatitis B is acquired. Also intravenous drug use and sexual intercourse are the most frequent routes of infection while other risk factors include working in healthcare, blood transfusions, dialysis, living with an infected person, travelling in countries where the infection rate is high, and living in an institution.

The hepatitis B viruses cannot be spread by holding hands, sharing eating utensils, kissing, hugging, coughing, sneezing, or breastfeeding. It can be diagnosed 30 to 60 days after exposure while diagnosis is typically by testing the blood for parts of the virus and for antibodies against the virus. Five known hepatitis viruses are A, B, C, D and E. The infection has however been preventable by vaccination since 1982.

In an interview with Sunday Mirror , a medical practitioner with Divine hospital, Iyana ipaja, Lagos, Dr Richard Dada, said, “Hepatitis B is a potentially lifethreatening liver infection and a major global health problem.”

He explained that while concerned experts grumble about the fact that although the infection causes chronic liver disease, it has received little or no attention in Nigeria, thereby making it a major public health hazard.

Most experts noted that Hepatitis B is a silent disease, which can infect people for many years without clear manifestation or symptoms and can be epidemic in nature, as those infected are often unaware of their health condition and can unknowingly pass the virus to others through their blood and bodily fluids.

On the signs and symptoms of the disease, ranging from mild to severe, medics say they usually appear about one to four months after someone has been infected. They include abdominal pain, dark urine, fever, joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, weakness and fatigue, yellowing of the skin and eyes-turned white (jaundice).

Dr Dada however explained that if the causes are sexual contact, you may become infected if you had unprotected sex with an infected partner whose blood, saliva, semen or vaginal secretions enter your body.

Sharing of needles, as it is easily transmitted through needles and syringes contaminated with infected blood puts a patient at a high risk of hepatitis B. Also accidental needle stick is a concern for health care workers and anyone else who comes in contact with human blood. Mother to child pregnant women infected with hepatitis B can pass the virus to their babies during childbirth. However, the newborn can be vaccinated to avoid getting infected in almost all cases.

“When a sufferer has been exposed to hepatitis B virus, it is better you get a medical attention immediately.

And when a patient has not been vaccinated or not sure whether he’s been vaccinated, receiving an injection of hepatitis B immune globulin within 12 hours of coming in contact with the virus may help protect him from developing hepatitis B,” he emphasised.

Antiviral medications can help fight the virus and slow its ability to damage the liver, and the Interferon alfa-2b (Intron A), also a liver transplant, may be an option, he maintained.

Dr Dada advised that women should consult their doctor about being tested for hepatitis B during pregnancy or want to become pregnant.

He said: “Also, those infected with the disease should reduce the rate of transmission by making sex safer.

Tell your partner you have the infection; advise him or her to be tested for the virus and talk about the risk of transmitting it. Use a new latex condom every time you have sex, but remember that condoms reduce but don’t eliminate the risk. Don’t share implements. If you use IV drugs, never share needles and syringes. And don’t share razor blades or toothbrushes, which may carry traces of infected blood.”

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, CFR n PUBLISHER SUNDAY OLAJIDE – MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO •AG. EDITOR, DAILY BEN MEMULETIWON

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AKINDELE ORIMOLADE

Still on the proposed sale of national assets

I

n the last one month, Nigerians have witnessed some weird some contemplations within government circles on the best way to exit the country from the raging recession. One such contemplation is a fiscal stimulus initiative anchored on immediate injection of an estimated US$10 - $15 billion to be sourced from the sale of some national assets into the economy. The suggestion, reportedly the brainchild of the President’s Economic Management Team, did not only gain the support of the National Economic Council (NEC) and even the Minister of Finance Kemi Adeosun, some prominent Nigerians like Aliko Dangot; Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele; Senate President Bukola Saraki and the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi 11, have lent their support. Though the Presidency is equivocal on the issue, the recent placement of advertisement of two airplanes in the Presidential Fleet, Falcon 7x and Hawker 4000, for sale, is seen as a sure give away on the preference of the Federal Government.

Expectedly, the proposal has attracted fierce criticisms from the civil society community, especially labour leaders. Unsurprisingly, the National Assembly is divided on the proposal, with many of the federal lawmakers rejecting it. The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC); the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have dismissed proposal, resolving to resist its implementation.

The polarization witnessed so far is to be expected as the opposing views are anchored on ideological preferences. The well considered opinion of this newspaper on the matter is that the sale of some national assets has some attractions, which if well exploited could do the country a lot of good.

However, we dare say that the current state of the nation’s economic is a statement on leadership myopia. That Nigeria should be experiencing scandalous level of foreign exchange paucity after many years of bumper receipts from the sale of crude oil is a serious indictment on the quality of her political leadership. President Muhammadu Buhari has not ceased to lament the profligacy of the leaders before him, especially the lack of political will to save during the period of plenty. However, the

AS A MATTER OF URGENCY, THE FG MUST TAKE STEPS TO AUCTION OFF ASSETS SEIZED FROM LOOTERS OF STATE TREASURY AND PLACE FUNDS ACCRUED AS WELL AS CASH RECOVERED CASH INTO REFLATING THE ECONOMY

point must be made that he shares part of the blame. The needed momentum to get his government on stream was squandered by the late composition of the Federal Executive Council. This was the main reason he did not hit the ground running after his inauguration on May 29, 2015.

The lost momentum was equally worsened by disruptions of the nation’s oil and gas production efforts by the Niger Delta militants. On this score also, the President’s prevarications over how to address the challenge posed by the disruptive militants compounded the nation’s economic woes. It must be recalled the militants had threatened to reduce Nigeria’s oil production output to “zero level” if certain demands were not met by the Federal Government.

They subsequently took precipitate actions to underscore their resolve by gradually disrupting the flow of gas to the electricity generating plants and cutting off supply of crude oil to the NNPC refineries through serial bombing of strategic oil and gas facilities. While the domestic energy supplies deteriorated from the militants’ onslaughts, the Federal Government made the ill conceived moves of simultaneously reducing total volume of imported petrol

by about 78 percent between from May/ June 2015 and May/June 2016, ostensibly to curb the pressure on external reserves.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that certain avoidable missteps by the Buhari administration largely overheated the economy, hence its slump into recession.

Navigating the troubled ship of the state out of its current turbulent is naturally the responsibility Federal Government. It is, therefore, imperative that some short term measures are taken to shore up our foreign reserve, which presently is around $26 billion, prop up the naira and reflate the economy Selling off some national assets appears a preferred short term option. The CBN Governor had around this time last year mooted the idea, when he proposed a sale of about 20-30 percent of national assets. Though ill received then, there are compelling imperatives to recommend it now.

However, we are opposed to the warehousing of high yielding national assets like the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), and the airports. Poor performing assets and luxury planes in the Presidential Fleet, among others, should go. For the joint ventures, oil refineries, etc, advance renewal payments on leasing licences and concessioning, which would attract buoyant signature fees, should be the best option. As a matter of urgency, the FG must take steps to auction off assets seized from looters of state treasury and place funds accrued as well as cash recovered cash into reflating the economy. It has also become exigent to review the implementation of the treasury single account (TSA) to free more money for deposit banks to stimulate the economy. Keeping such funds in the CBN in a moment of dire need like this would be counter-productive.

There is no doubt Nigerians would scorn at the proposal, there is need for awareness creation on the imperatives for the decision, and the process for conducting such business should be transparent. This home grown initiative should be complemented with the assessing of infrastructure funds such as the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund; the AfDB’s Africa50 Initiative; Barack Obama’s Power Africa Initiative, the Electricity Africa Act of 2014 and bilateral and multilateral loan arrangements.

The recourse to Diaspora bonds to raise more infrastructure should also be tried.

Reminiscences OCTOBER 16, IN HISTORY U.S. 1924 U.S.A. Airship Oct. 16th, 1924: The new ZR-3 Dirigible Airship from the Zeppelin Corporation has today set a new world record for transatlantic flight from Germany to The United States covering 5,066 miles and averaging 62.35 MPH, she is now tied securely at Lakehurst New Jersey swaying from side to side and has proved the feasibility of Trans Atlantic Flight .

1935 East Africa Italian Expansion 16th October, 1935: Despite moves by the League of Nations earlier this week the Italian Fascist army continues it’s goal of East African Territorial expansion by looking beyond Ethiopia.

China 1937 China Japan Oct. 16th, 1937: Bitter fighting in the Shanghai district continues with Japanese Artillery bombarding the area in preparation for their drive south along the Ping-Hankow and Tientsin-Pukow Railways.

U.S. 1940 U.S.A. Register for Draft Oct. 16th, 1940: American men are registering for draft and signing up at a rate of 1 million or more an hour.

Germany 1946 Germany Nazi’s Hung For War Crimes Oct. 16th, 1946: Ten Nazi leaders were hung today after a military tribunal sentenced them to death for war crimes including crimes against humanity .

U.S. 1946 U.S.A. Price Controls Oct. 16th, 1946 : President Truman lifts the price controls placed during the war on the sale of meat.

Palestine 1947 Great Britain Palestine 16th October, 1947: Great Britain has told the United Nations that unless a UN force is agreed quickly to help with the problems in Palestine between fighting Jews and Arabs Britain will pull out completely. Current proposals include creating a partition in the area with United Nations forces controlling the border area.

Pakistan 1951 Pakistan Prime Minister of Pakistan, assassinated Oct. 16th, 1951 : The first Prime Minister of Pakistan ( Office Created during partition Not Elected ), Liaquat Ali Khan, is assassinated by Saad Akbar Babrak, an Afghan Iran 1952 Iran Oil Fields Dispute Oct. 16th, 1952: Iran has broken off diplomatic relations with great Britain following the continued dispute and lack of agreement over oil fields in Iran.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

20

From the

Pulpit Sunday, October 16, 2016

The wisdom of the wise (1 ) General Overseer of the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministry, Pastor Lazarus Muoka, in this piece, explains the wisdom of the wise. Excerpts:

P

roverbs 8:5, 14 says, “O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Verse 14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength”.

The word of God teaches us to know the true God, and what He requires of man, and for what He has made man for, and above all, to know Jesus Christ whom He sent, and for what end He was sent, the necessity of His being sent, and the nature of that salvation which He bought for us by His own blood.

The ability to know the above spiritual truth and apply it for the betterment of your soul and the entire society is the wisdom that matters. And this is the wisdom that God wishes that everyone should have. By this wisdom there is every certainty that we can draw solid comfort both for now and eternity, for no attack made against it however fierce or subtle can ever weaken its force. So, as we live our lives, having this wisdom should be our chief property that will guarantee eternal happiness. It is a blessing that in this world of uncertainties, we have something sure such as true wisdom to rest upon. Thus, while we are passing through this temporal world, we should not be ignorant of the wisdom which is eternal and which will add value to our life.

Psalms 19: 7 says, “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” The practical effect of the Word of God is to turn the man to his Creator, and to holiness. Its purpose is to make the man to be restored to the place from which sin had removed him. The more closely we keep to the true wisdom in our life the more likely we are to be successful in this world and at the end make heaven at last.

We all should, remember that we are in the very last days. In fact we are in the end time, and many things are happening, many are forsaking the Lord, many have no more fear of God, many are living their life the way they like in isolation with the Almighty God. Many people do not think they will leave this world one day, and they are not preparing for it rather the world and its glory matters so much to them. Many people claim to be believers, yet the world is too fascinating to them. They love the world more than the commandment of God. This is why the Bible made it very clear that no matter what you are giving your life over to remember that wisdom of godliness with contentment is great gain. It

is the best gain both for this world and that which is to come.

1Timothy 6:6-7 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.”

The wisdom of godliness directs us to know that the true and only way of worshipping and serving God is hinged upon holy contentment. If we have the wisdom that we brought nothing into this world and shall carry nothing out, we should no longer be interested in acquiring beyond what we needed to make our journey here very convenient. We should know that the thing of this world, the glory of this world passes away. We must have the wisdom to discern that flesh and blood shall not enter the kingdom of God, that our body can never enter the heaven no matter how regular we observe our religious obligation. I want to let you know that no matter how beautiful what you possess are like, they cannot enter heaven.

1Corinthians 7:29-31 says, “But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none; And they that weep, as though they wept not; and they that rejoice, as though they rejoiced not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; And they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away.”

I want to let you know, the condition you are into whether good or bad, the Lord want you to understand there is no more time remaining, so you should begin to detach yourself from whatsoever is distracting you from knowing there is no more time, for the glory of this world, the thing of this world will surely passed away.

So if you are in this world now and you are giving to these things of this world and these have captured your soul and have taken you away from the things of God and as a result you are thinking that you are wise, then, you are making a lot of mistake because the Bible said in Mark 8:36-37 says, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Nothing among what all you possess such as your spouse, children, money, property that you can give in exchange for your soul.

I don’t know what you are given over to, I don’t know what you are attached to or

Pastor Muoka

what you are given yourself to, but remember there is nothing you can use to exchange your soul. All the glory of this world shall pass away; it shall vanish, so I implore you to put on the wisdom that matters.

The wisdom that matters & danger of worldly wisdom Every Chosen or every believer should have the right wisdom, the wisdom that matters, we should be wise to fear God and depart from all evil, we should have understanding that there is no more time, that when the trumpet shall sound, what will matter is how prepared we are.

Proverb 3:7 says, “Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”

I do not know the evil that is fascinating you in this world but the Lord is warning you to know today that if you want to make heaven or rapture, you must fear God and depart from evil.

Eccl 12:13-14 says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

God will bring all works to judgment and if you want to make heaven or want to be among those that will make rapture and you don’t have this wisdom and you don’t bother about the way you live your life, I want to let you know, when the trumpet shall sound you will miss it. If the trumpet sounds and it dawned on you that you didn’t make it, you will hear ‘depart from me he that walks iniquity, I never know you’. Then you will realize that the things of this world have an end. So, if you are living and giving yourself to the things of this world and think you are going to live forever here, you are wasting your time.

Remember, what matters in this world are to fear God and keep His commandment. That is why the Bible says it is the whole duty of man and whatever you do of-course are not hidden from God whether good or bad God will bring all of them to judgment and if you miss heaven who will you blame. I want to let you know, nobody will enter heaven by chance. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people, people that are prepared for it, these are people that will make heaven at last. If you are living a carefree life, you are wasting your time.

Hebrew 12:14 says, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:” And so, the wisdom that matters is that, we should maintain holiness inside and outside for without holiness you cannot see God. Many people are going to church in order to see God and make heaven at last. Many go to church so as to prepare their soul to enter the kingdom of God when we drop our body. That is the true wisdom and anything other than that is non essential. We must know that Jesus is coming for the church without spot or wrinkle. So, if you claim to be a child of God you must ensure you maintain purity, love and righteousness on every side.

Matthew 5:6, 8-9 says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled…Blessed are the pure in

heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” If you want to make heaven you must be thirsty for God’s righteousness, maintain purity of heart, love, and all godliness. There must be holiness inside and outside because the Lord is coming for the church without spot or wrinkle.

1Thess. 5:23 says, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The Lord is telling you today, that if you must enter heaven, your whole spirit, body and soul must be preserved blameless; there will be no iota of sins because He is coming for the church without wrinkle or spot.

Ephesians 5:26-27 says, “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

That is the church Jesus is coming for, a church without spot or wrinkle, without any blemish, a holy church, and you are the church God is talking about, and the Lord is not coming for any believer that is not holy, He is coming for holy brethren, holy church so you need to search your life. If you must meet with God for ever, if you want to walk with God in this life, if you want God to answer your prayer, if you want to be in heaven, you should understand heaven is holy, Jesus is holy, Holy Spirit is holy, angels are holy and you can’t enter heaven without holiness, for heaven is a holy place for holy people. So if you want to make heaven you need to examine your life in line with what the Scripture says. This is because you cannot be in heaven, without holiness.

1Peter 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.”

Beloved, God want you to live a holy life inside and outside that is why He said you should be holy in all manner of conversation, in every area of life, in thought, in words, in actions in your dressing be ye holy inside and outside.

Ephesians 1:4-5 says, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children

by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will” The point is that we should be holy without spot and wrinkle. So, if you are a Christian, you must maintain holiness because that is the wisdom that matters in order for you to dwell with the Lord. So, in order to have your prayers to be answered and make heaven at last, you must be holy.

1Peter 2:9 says, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

From the Pulpit

Sunday, October 16, 2016

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God’s mercy and his people Founder of Omnipotence Mission of God, Pastor Oloruntimilehin Joshua Daramola J.P. a.k.a Bosoro in his this sermon, teaches God’s mercy and his people. Excerpt

T

he face of many people are yearning and asking for the mercy of God, but not all the people that request for mercy receive it. This is based on what the scripture says in Exodus 33:19 “…I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion”. The above God’s expression is so powerful and implies that a person’s request for mercy does not guaranty his or her receipt of God’s mercy. Many blind people were before Jesus Christ but the one that was shown mercy and the sight restored was recorded in the Bible (Mark 10:46 – 52) “And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.

And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, what wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. Similarly many barren women existed but the ones shown mercy and bore children were recorded in the scripture. A lot of people were with problems but few that received the

mercy of God were saved. All these people could be saved but which soul was ready to receive mercy. The soul must be firstly prepared to receive mercy before he or she could be shown mercy. The Bible says in Mathew 7:7 “ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you”.

In the same vein, the Bible says you ask but it was not given to you because if you receive, you would use it for the lust of the flesh (James 4:3).

The two bible verses encourage and discourage people from requesting from God. These two statements are working then who could God have mercy for? Who deserve the mercy of God? What work do people do to warrant the mercy of God? Who are people that can receive God’s mercy?

There are some people that have pure heart, they are not jealous, they bless and embrace good things.

This kind of people prevents the destruction of good things to happen no matter the physical and financial involvement. They would go extra miles to mend things. Imagine Sarah, sister and wife of Abraham, left all the affluence to follow Abraham on his journey. She did not discontinue the journey with her husband despite the problems they encountered in their journey. In the course of the journey, she discovers the house of wealth could be destroyed if there is no child for them. She had been crying for child bearing but to no avail. So if her husband and she die then their calling and existence would be in vain. These are the kind of people God shows mercy because they always think about tomorrow. I

pray God will show us mercy in the name of Jesus. If God shows you mercy then you have gotten everything. Anyone that receives God’s mercy, also the mercy is extended to the children, wife and husband.

He or she does not need to worry about anything because the mercy of God is following him or her and satisfied and contented. How many women can think the same way as Sarah who gave her maid servant to her husband if she could through her have her own child. It is not common to find such women because they do not want their husband to have another wife who might bear them a child till the end of their life (Genesis 16, 17, 18). The maidservant Hagar was not a compassionate woman, she wanted to dominate the husband alone. She had forgotten the woman that invited her to be part of the family.

Hagar was unpleasant and intolerant with Sarah. Then Sarah ill-treated her and fled from her mistress. It was the angel of the Lord that instructed her to return to her mistress and be submissive. On her return Sarah accepted her. Based on all the thinking and deed of Sarah, God showed her mercy and had her own son called Isaac. Sarah had portrayed a woman with love and compassion. Brethren some people are suffering now and they are not supposed to suffer. Another person’s suffering is being suffered by another person. Some people are suffering because of their country or town. I pray you will

not suffer another person’s suffering in Jesus name.

For further enquiries call: 08023020108, 08058110288, 08023991354. www.facebook. com/pastoroloruntimilehin.

Prophet Oloruntimilehin

News

Church awards scholarship to students

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n furtherance to its policy of community social responsibility (CSR), Foursquare Gospel Church Alapere District (pacesetters) Headquarters has offered scholarship grants to students who desire to further their education, but are financially handicapped.

The church announced the scholarship for 2016 scheme for the zones under Alapere District Headquarters which include, Alapere, Obanikoro, Oriola, Ladilak, Anthony, Estate Missionary, Ajegunleamong others.

Commenting on the programme during the seventh year District Convocation of Overflow, the District Overseer, Rev. Ajibola Jolaosho revealed that the celebration is not only for his church, but for future leaders and the country at large.

“We believe this programme will be an outstanding experience that will usher in a new beginning with stupendous

flow of God’s Grace in the land”, he said.

On his part, the District Secretary; Pastor Femi Ogbonmide claimed that God is taking Nigeria and the zone in particular to a new height of overflow of abundance. With this incentive, I believe God is taking us all from poverty to season of plenty. I pray that the fear of God will overtake our leaders and citizens will witness an overflow of peace.

Also speaking, the chairman of the

planning committee, Bro. Role Aidullahi Omanoba claimed the initiative is first of its kind in the history of the district, adding that God has been faithful to the nation, members of the district on whom he has bestowed a milestone of grace.

Highpoints of the programme include the awards to deserving persons, presentation of newly licensed Italy based minister of Alapere District Foursquare Gospel Church, Pastor Loveday Edosuyi

Eubuomwan, ordination of deacons, deaconesses and elders and entertainment

by Bethesda Home for the Blind.

Alapere Open Heaven zone emerged as the overall best zone, as they were awarded the best zone in 2015/2016 performance rating.

The programme was organized after a written test organized by board of examination control under the Alapere District of FGC.

Group prays for Nigeria

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prayer group named “Pray for Nigeria” charged with intercessory mission for the nation, leadership, and citizens under the leadership of Prophet Omomajemu Olufemi otunsanya who doubles as the General Overseer of the True Convent Church of God (TCCG) also known as Omomajemu outreach International Ministry has commenced monthly prayers

and fasting for the Nigerian nation.

Commenting, Omomajemu Otunsanya revealed that the group has already marshaled out prayer point focusing on the nation and her leaders for God to deliver Nigeria and leaders from the myriad of problems confronting the country The intercessory prayer which began

on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at House of Glory located at 1 Ayodele Odulate Street, behind kith and kin school off breach road, ojogbe, Ikorodu, Lagos is excepted to run through the year.

“With faith in God, he will restore the country back to normalcy”, otunsanya prayed.

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Opinion

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Uncensored U nc

Sheriff S Folarin

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

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ike Kigali in April 1994, there are beats of ethnic war drums from northern and southern Nigeria that may end up in pogroms or genocide. Since 2011, there have been systemic assassinations of southerners in northern Nigerian cities. Churches have been blown apart, homes have come under attack, restaurants have been bombed, and motorists have been ambushed and gunned down once they are identified as persons of southern ethnic extractions. It all started as Boko Haram suicide missions to champion Islamic cause and avenge the killing of their former leader, one Mohammed Yusuf by the usually trigger-overjoyed police officers in 2009. It then steadily metamorphosed from (and at best remains a combination of) war on the police, war on political opposition, war on the state, war on Christians, and lately, to war on southern Nigerians.

It is generally assumed that the Christian community in the north is predominantly southern; hence the casualties in the Islamists’ assaults in the worship places have been Igbo and Yoruba people.

The Madalla Christmas Day bombing of a Catholic church was a direct affront on Christians and southerners. The attacks on Deeper Life and CAC churches a week after, in which about two dozens of people were gunned down in the middle of a service, have ethnic implications. After all, Boko Haram had even issued a 3-day ultimatum to southerners and Christians to leave the north within three days or be wiped off in an ethno-religious Jihad.

Following the declaration of Jihad on the Christians and southerners, and on the expiration of their ultimatum, Boko Haram swung into action.

Safety Tips with

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

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ast week I did a piece on how to verify if a vehicle is installed with a speed limit device. This week marks the second week of enforcement which began on October 1st 2016 nationwide and the question on most people lips is whether we are succeeding or not especially in the face of the economic recession. I have therefore decided to do a review of progress made so far within the first six days across the country after which I will also shed light on the frequently asked questions as strategy to open up a new chapter of education on the ongoing speed limiting device enforcement.

So how smooth is the exercise going? My boss, Dr Boboye Oyeyemi is best suited to answer this as I have my restrictions since I only know of happenings within my zone which is made of of Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom States. So what is the take of the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps? I will rely on his recent media chat where he reviewed six days, stating that the record nationwide indicates that 22,908 vehicles had been checked nationwide; 1164 had the device installed while 21,744 were yet to comply.

His review indicates that Rivers had the highest number of 170, while Enugu had 165 and Kogi had 100.Within this period, he said citations were issued out to 21,744 offenders with a warning. This, he said was done to allow tolerance by giving them two weeks warning.

‘United’ by a rope of sand They entered the churches in Mubi and Yola and killed southern worshippers; burnt a vehicle conveying southern elements, roasting in the process some of the occupants, who were mainly Yoruba; gunned down four Igbo people at a filling station in Gombe as they made attempt to flee to the south; encountered a botched attempt to bomb the Livingfaith Church in Kaduna with a car filled with explosives last Sunday as service was going on; and have killed pockets of southerners in many serial killings that have been either underreported or unreported.

However, Boko Haram is not alone in this ethnic cleansing agenda. There have been counter declarations and offensives. Elements from the south too have made good their threat that the Boko boys do not have the monopoly of violence. After their own counter ultimatum to the northerners to leave the south within three days, Egbesu boys have made spirited efforts to send the Hausa-Fulani community packing in the Niger Delta. Youths in Sapele threw a bomb into an Arabic school; and the Hausa communities in the south-south, southeast, Lagos, Ibadan and Benin have been in trepidation since their folks started the senseless and systematic killing of southerners. The notorious pan-Yoruba group, Odua People’s Congress (OPC) had even sworn to avenge the slaughter of Yoruba in the Boko Haram assaults in the north, and palpable fear has overwhelmed the Hausa populace in major southwestern cities. The offensives and counter offensives between the north and south is a very ominous one. It is a call to anarchy and eventual disintegration. We had crossed that road before. After the counter coup of July 1966, northerners began serial killings in Igbo communities in northern and western Nigeria to avenge the perceived Nzeogwu-led ‘ethnic cleansing’ of the Hausa-Fulani leadership in both the State House and the military high command six months earlier. The entire north went up in flames with thunderous shouts of ‘araba’ (meaning let’s divide) with southeasterners as victims of the murderous rage. There were uncon-

trolled killings of the Igbo in the north and in the military barracks in the southwest. The northerners had seen no basis for unity: the culture, heritage and religion were fundamentally different from that of their strange bedfellows. So, why the union in the first place? The situation got more chaotic and the result was a 30-month war that left a huge scar and sore that is yet to heal. The current trends are not just reminiscent of that past. They are signs of what may occur. The patterns are too similar: Boko Haram is pursuing an ethnic agenda. Not a religious one! “Boko” or “Western education”, to me, means “southern heritage”, which is “haram”, or “unacceptable”. That was why between 1999 and 2007, the Sharia killings in the north were not different from the expression of ethnic sentiments as now with Boko Haram. It is unfortunate that northern Christians are also killed as they have nowhere else but the north to go.

They own the north as much as Boko Haram and Hausa-Fulani ethnic supremacists own it.

That northern Christians are also attacked can also be likened to one of the natural occurrences in war whereby civilians become unavoidable casualties. Moreover, some ethnic supremacists may need to kill their kinsmen to achieve their goal. In Rwanda in 1994, Hutu supremacists killed many of their fellow Hutus because they were moderates supporting the Tutsis. The political elite in the north sponsoring the ethnic militias called Boko Haram are smarter not to present an ethnic picture this time around. But the outcomes, as we can now see, are principally ethnic. Religion is just a smokescreen for an agenda to put an end to the unworkable Nigerian ‘nation’. The culture, heritage and religion are still fundamentally different; nothing has changed. And the ultimatum for the Christians to leave the north is an indirect call for disintegration. The same old agenda of ‘araba’. No wonder, it is being followed by pogroms as was the case from August 1966 to May 1967.

The patterns of inter-group relations in Nigeria

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from 1966 to date only point to one undeniable fact: ‘Nigeria’ is better a fiction than a reality. The marriage has never worked. Ethnic sentiments have become more rife than it was during the colonial experiment. The 1914 creation was a very poor one.

It was the proverbial building of a mansion’s foundation on quicksand, and tying of the nuptial knots with a rope of sand. Who would blame the colonialists when the merger was just for their own economic and administrative convenience? It is like merging banks for recapitalization purpose. When it does not work, there can be a demerger. When it is forced, it crumbles by manifestations as corruption and intrigues. Corruption and underdevelopment can never depart from Nigeria because in the minds of many, there is no Nigeria; no sense of commitment to a Nigeria that they did not create.

Nigeria is just like a goldmine for fortune-hunters to plunder. However, if there are negotiated delimitations or separation by a national conference, rather than chaotic disintegration, things could get better. Countries have tried this and had their peace.

Today, so many independent nations have emerged from the unworkable Soviet Union. In Africa, Southern Sudan left the horribly ethnoreligiously divided Sudan. For Nigeria, we want to continue to deal with what is antediluvian: an antiquated European experiment that was never meant to work beyond 1960. But if the Federal Government believes in our corporate existence and wants it to remain, then it has to apply reason and action. It either convenes a national conference that will set the bounds of sectional sovereignty; or depart from the mistakes of Gowon in the pre-Civil War days, by not using police action against Boko Haram and other insurgents. It must first crush Boko Haram by smart military intelligence and might.

• Sheriff F. Folarin, PhD., is an Associate Professor of Politics and International Affairs

Speed limiter enforcement: Six days review He commended the enthusiasm shown thus far and expressed delight that two companies are already bringing equipment to commence local production with plans to have them commissioned by next month. This development will no doubt solve the problem of cost which has remained a sore point for some commercial drivers and owners So, as we await the commissioning of the plant and a possible crash in cost of the device, it is imperative to step up awareness strategy to bridge the gap by focusing on the frequently asked questions by motorists some of who still question the rationale behind the ongoing enforcement despite the fact that almost every Nigerian has lost a friend, family member, colleague of neighbor through avoidable road traffic crashes. Prior to the enforcement, questions such as what a speed limiter is, how it works, types, who approves the standard among others have and are still being asked, I will attempt these as space allows and continue some other time.

A speed limiting device sometimes referred to as governor’ is used for controlling the speed of a vehicle or a device used to measure or regulate the speed of a vehicle.

Unlike the era prior to Oct 1 when discretion was on the driver accounting for avoidable crashes and deaths, the device does not allow the driver to accelerate beyond the stipulated speed limit by law as has been programmed in the vehicle. So no matter how the driver tends to accelerate, the pre-set speed limit will not be exceeded.

Meanwhile there are two types; the mechanical speed limiting device and the electrical/Electronic speed limiting device. Of the 38 vendors so far certified, certified by the major technical committee members which includes Standard Organization of Nigeria

(SON), National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) and FRSC. The approved marketers are responsible for installation of the speed limiting device through their agents (Technicians) who are trained and certified for that purpose.

Therefore you must avoid the lure of being sweet talked by mechanics who will tell you they have the capacity and experience to install.

Like I said at the beginning of this piece, the enforcement commenced on Oct 1st and the price for the device is not fixed but is determined by the market force. As a word of caution, to check functionality and workability of the devices users are not allowed to tamper with the device but inform installers of any malfunction where they occur.

Where issue of repairs arises, please note that the approved marketers through their certified agents carry out periodic service/calibration of the device based on Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) specification. Issues of security were pronounced during our series of engagement and advocacies but you must know that once installed and calibrated the device will not allow you go beyond the pre-set speed limit cannot increase speed beyond the approved limit. Rather in the case of emergency, the driver is expected to apply defensive driving technique.

Remember that commercial vehicles must comply and Regulation 231 defines commercial vehicles as follows:“Commercial vehicle” includes motorcycle for hire, a hackney carriage, stage carriage, a prime mover, recovery vehicle, draw-bar-trailer or articulated

vehicle, buses, pick up vans, tricycles and any motor vehicle primarily designed for the carriage of goods and fare-paying passengers as well as vehicles for carrying people by companies and religious bodies. Regulation 109, - (1) states that: All school buses shall be registered as commercial vehicles. Therefore school proprietors must note that compliance is key for them as they are not exempted.

The legal backing for FRSC to enforce speed limiting device is backed by the mandate in the Act and regulation as highlighted below:2007 – Federal Road Safety Commision (establishment act), (5).Section 10, sub-section (m) empowers the Corps as follows:“determining and enforcing speed limits for all categories of roads and vehicles and controlling the use of speed limiting devices”. The 2012-NAtional road traffic regulation (nrtr, b1575) (6) part xii – use & construction, section 119, sub-section (6) “All motor vehicles plying any public road shall be in possession of good electric or air horn, jack, wheel spanner, tools, fire extinguisher, inflated spare tyre, first aid box, emergency warning triangles or cones, laminated windscreen and mirrors, speed governor, wipers, insurance certificate and road worthiness certificate”. Note – A speed governor is also called a speed limiting device. PART XIII – DRIVING, SECTION 152, SUB-SECTION (4) “A person shall not drive a vehicle on any public road which is not fitted with a speed limiter”.

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

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Opinion

Sunday, October 16, 2016

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Again, Ambode deepens community spirit at town hall meeting BANJI OJEWALE

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espected political economy theoretician and academic Professor Pat Utomi would not let go of a gathering of a Town Hall meeting hosted by a governor without observing the proceedings. So, on Tuesday October 11, 2016 he set aside his school duties at Pan-African University, Lekki and headed for the Molade Okoya-Thomas Indoor Sports Hall, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos to peep into the entrails of popular democracy and governance.

He wasn’t disappointed. He met a mammoth crowd approximating the size of the spectators who would troop to the stadium for the final of a top international football competition. There were individual as well as collective interests who converged to listen to a governor’s stewardship.

When I stumbled on the crowd, I was relieved that I hadn’t come all the way from my base in Ota, Ogun State on a wasted trip; just as a smiling Utomi would have thanked God he also made the journey. My take on this intellectual politician is that he has always argued for a strong nexus between the governed and the government. He believes that one way by which the government can strengthen this link is to be accountable to the people it is governing. Like the ancient philosophers and thinkers before him, men like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Harold Laski in our age, he holds the view that those in power who are ruling must subject themselves to periodic stewardship through revealing how they are handling the mandate to rule. Without that, governance would be occultic and in the long run be a futile one way affair. Now this Town Hall meeting fulfilled the requirements for good governance as enunciated by the classical masters of the game.

The Lagos State Governor Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode flanked by members of his government

including the Deputy Governor Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule along with top members of the ruling All-Progressives Congress (APC), faced the huge crowd to conduct the 3rd quarter 2016 Town Hall meeting. The fifth in the series, it opened up the affairs of the government in relation to its performance since Ambode’s administration came into office on May 29, 2015. Those who listened to him were drawn from all the 57 councils spread across Lagos. There were market women; there were school pupils; there were artisans; there were the physically challenged citizens; there were grassroots politicians; traditional rulers including Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akinolu were there; two senators Oluremi Tinubu (Lagos Central) and Ganiyu Solomon also showed up; representatives of the print and electronic media established their presence;in a word, virtually every segment of Lagos was represented.

Governor Ambode spoke of much water that had passed under the bridge. He alluded to challenges; but he also referred to gains. By his reckoning, government is all about overcoming difficulties and not one to be overwhelmed by problems.

Surveying the state in the period under review since the last Town Hall meeting at the City Hall, Ambode reeled out breath-taking achievements that included roads, streetlights, hospitals, environmental regeneration, urban developments, transportation, education, poverty alleviation, housing and youth and social development, employment, women empowerment and so on.

Obviously all these capture the essence of government and the responsibilities of the ruler to his people. Since government is the vehicle to drive all these areas of need, the governor decided to intimate those who gave him the mandate to rule of how far he has traveled.

On works and infrastructure during the period under review, the governor revealed that the State Government continued with its aggressive

commitment towards infrastructure development to ease the movement of vehicles, pedestrians and commuters.

The gathering also heard of impressive strides in wealth creation and employment.

Here Ambode referred to the commencement of the training of the first batch of 100 youths in the Open Andela Training in ICT for a period of eleven weeks in software development culminating in applicants receiving Google and Microsoft Certification. He said government also organized an 8-week training on Capacity Building for 500 Tradesmen and Artisans at all the five Technical Colleges across the state namely Ikeja, Ado Soba, Ikorodu, Ikotun and Ekpe. In a similar vein, the government successfully registered 18 zonal bodies from the Trades Association, issuing 638 identity cards to artisans. Observers have taken note that this has led to a spiraling effect of selfemployment leading to the alleviation of poverty in many homes and generally in the society.

Ambode noted that there has also been what he described as environmental regeneration in the period reviewed. For instance a great deal of effort was made to clean numerous collector drainsin scores of areas like Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Ikotun Bus-stop, Alimosho and Ijegun Road, Amuwo Odofin among many others. The government also completed the construction of drain for effective free flow of water at places like Odomola Senior Secondary School, Epe and at Education District VI, Oshodi. In this regard the administration carried out landscaping and beautification of a strip of land at MobolajiJohnson Avenue. 104 trees were also tagged at Freedom Park, Lagos Island for record and identification purposes while more than six million treeshave been planted to dateto upgrade the face of Lagos.

Governor Ambode, dressed in casual jacket and shirt without a tie, was quite informal to reflect the informality of the tradition of Town

Hall meetings, dating back to the system of colonial America. In those days such gatherings attracted citizens who would come to listen to the views of their political candidates and how they were faring in office. Hundreds of years down the line the order hasn’t changed as we witnessed in Lagos on Tuesday. On this day, Ambode disclosed that the government had spent N166.8 billion on capital projects in the last nine months of 2016.

He declared: “A review of the 2016 budget shows that our state generated total revenue of N97.3 billion in the last quarter and had a total expenditure of N110.2 billion considering the fact that our cash reserve has remained positive.

We expended N55 billion on capital expenditures in the last quarter”. Ambode said the completion and handing over of 114 roads across the 57 local governments and local council development areas in the last quarter was a major achievement of his administration, disclosing that in the next three weeks his administration would commence the process of bid invitation for the construction of additional 114 roads across communities in the state. In addition, the governor had more cheering news for the people. Governor Ambode said he was going to boost employment opportunities and security in the state by recruiting additional 5,000 neigbourhood watchers into its Neighbourhood Safety Agency. He said he would begin this in November.

Analysts believe that this move would scale up maintenance of law and order while depleting the labour market. “The government,” he said assuredly, “will pay them salaries and allowances that will attract graduates too to be recruited. We are hopeful that this move will reduce criminal activities such as incessant kidnapping, invasion of any part of the state by militants, ritual killings, gang war and domestic violence among others.”

Ojewale, a journalist lives in Ota, Ogun State.

As one million vulnerable women benefit from Dangote Foundation’s largesse FRANCIS AWOWOLE-BROWN

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here is no other issue in Nigeria that reflects federal character in almost equal proportion other than poverty.

Even at the peak of her economic buoyancy occasioned by the high price of the crude oil in the international market, years ago, there has not been any commensurable change in Nigerians’ lives.

Nigeria’s situation appears to be a paradox and her citizens’ living condition strange in that while the country was getting richer, her people become poorer. For a country with massive wealth and a huge population to support commerce, the level of poverty remains unacceptable. Despite being one of the three biggest economy in Africa, Nigeria ranks around 160th out of 177 countries on the scale of the Human Development Index (HDI).

Nigeria is reputed to hold the disgusting record of having about 80 per cent of her population living in abject poverty. And of this, 60 per cent are said to be women. Irrespective of where they live, whether rural or urban, poverty among women has remains alarming. Yet women bear almost all responsibility for meeting basic needs of the family. The vast majority of the world’s poor are women. Two-thirds of the world’s illiterates are female. Of the millions of school age children not in school, the majority are girls.

Though poverty cuts across Nigeria landscape, the women have been the most engendered specie.

In a country where the level of poverty has taken a nosedive over the years, women, continue to face daunting and debilitating challenges.

In fact, despite every effort made by the Nigerian authorities at all levels of governance and other non-formal organizations towards poverty reduc-

tion in the country; this problem has continued to mitigate women from living happily and contributing their own quota to national growth and development. Thus women become a wasted potential to national growth.

Many women are denying themselves to ensure that their children are fed. These women are already suffering the effects of severe malnutrition, which inevitably will be their children’s fate as well. And if no cogent action is taken, the impact of this crisis will be with us for many years.

Studies have also shown that when women are supported and empowered, all of society benefits. Their families are healthier, more children go to school, agricultural productivity improves and incomes increase. In short, communities become more resilient.

It is against this background that the Dangote Foundation, a multi-purpose grant-making vehicle which supports interventions in critical sectors such as education, health, population and community giving decided to intervene to bring the helpless women out of the dingy life of animal existence.

Endowed by the Africa’s richest man and foremost entrepreneur, Aliko Dangote, the Foundation few years ago, designed a multi-billion naira micro-grants programme to assist the vulnerable women across the 774 local governments in Nigeria conjunction with the state governments.

It is expected that at the end of the exercise, a sum of N10 billion would have been injected to revive the economy of some one million women.

Already, the grant has been disbursed in seven states among which are Kano, Yobe, Adamawa, Jigawa, Borno, and Kogi. Presently, the foundation is disbursing in local governments in Lagos state. Explaining the rationale behind the Foundation’s decision to help women with the grants

to do petty business, Alhaji Dangote said the Foundation believes that empowering women to be key change agents is an essential element to achieving the end of hunger and poverty.

According to him, “We thought of a response to the widespread poverty in Nigeria and how can we help in our own way and in 2011, we came up with this idea. So we instituted the cash transfer intervention. We call it the Dangote Foundation Micro-grants Programme, to provide cash transfers to select poor and vulnerable women and youths. The grant is to enable beneficiaries meet immediate family and livelihood needs by providing a one-time fund to start up enterprises that will boost their economic and consumption activities. He explained that the cash transfer intervention focused on women who bear the greatest brunt of poverty.

Said he, “Our Programme provides a one-off grant that enables recipients to grow or start an enterprise, invest in product assets, improve the health of their families, and/or take on new activities that reduce their vulnerability and enhance their economic standing. It has successfully assisted women and their families in the states where we have made disbursement.

“I have always believed that one of the surest ways of alleviating poverty is through job creation and that the kind of jobs that the masses in Nigeria need could be created through such grants. We need this kind of empowerment especially for our women because when companies are established jobs would be created but not on a large scale again because the machines are automated and would only require few hands.

“It’s only in agriculture that the opportunities are massive”, adding that this was the reason he is investing in sugar plantation and refinery where thousands of people can work and

earn living. He said agriculture is the solution.”

Explaining the partnerships with state governments, he said, “This is in keeping with Dangote Foundation’s belief in working through partnerships for effectiveness, scale and impact in tackling the challenges that we face as a nation. This is a key feature of the Programme which aims to support and compliment state governments’ poverty reduction efforts.”

The state governors have taken turn to commend Dangote foundation’s initiative to complement the poverty alleviating efforts of the states describing the gesture as godly and unprecedented.

The Kogi State government while expressing its appreciation to the Foundation recalled the intervention extended to the state during the deadly flooding across some states for which the state was given money relief items to cushion the effects on the victims.

Acknowledging the Dangote Foundation’s philanthropic gesture across the country and even internationally, the Kogi government enjoined other rich Nigerians to emulate Dangote and share part of their wealth with the masses.

In his own comment, Lagos State government said Alhaji Dangote’s decision to share his wealth with the people is an indication of his love for the people and should be emulated.

“He has decided to support our programme of regeneration in Lagos state, we are grateful to Dangote Foundation. “This empowerment programme will cover all deserving in the 20 LG and 37 Development Areas in the state. We will ensure that nobody is denied this grant not minding the political or religious leaning. We will continue to give the required environment to make business thrive in Lagos.”

Awowole-Brown is a Media Officer at Dangote Group

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Perfect Cut

African Look Pep up yellow dress with blue African prints accessories ADAEZE AMOS

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he best way to wear African prints accessories is when you use it to pep up your dress or outfit.

So, for colour yellow, opt for blue shades of African prints accessories and you will definitely look stunning.

So, without beating about the bush, take a closer look at the fashionistas on this page and see how yellow blends so well with blue. Awesome is the word!

Sunday, October 16, 2016

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Stand o

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

out in pink!

ADAEZE AMOS

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emember what this month stands for? It is of course breast cancer awareness month. And the feminine colour for breast cancer is pink! So, for that breast cancer pink ball you are getting set to attend, slip into pink attires that would turn heads.

Check out these fashionistas in pink dresses and catch the feel. Don’t they looking amazing?

Perfect Cut

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Dude Style

victorudoh804@yahoo.com 07067124302

‘Life is not a competition’

Emeakpore Enarise popularly known as Mc Short Family is a standup comedian, Master of ceremony, Actor, Writer, OAP and Talk-Show Host. He is a graduate of microbiology from Delta State University, Abraka. In this exclusive interview with VICTOR UDOH, he speaks about his passion for being a comedian and his growing up. Excerpt: How was your growing up like?

I grew up in a family of two as we are both boys and I’m the eldest. My parents are renowned persons in the church, as they hold high positions. My dad is a teacher and a pastor as well, while my mother is a petty trader. We are too rich not poor, but we are averagely okay. Growing up was not too much of a fun because I grew up with parents who perceived almost everything as sin. We don’t have television in our home. We don’t celebrate birthdays. We don’t mix up or play too much with other children because they might corrupt us, and the likes.

What is your philosophy of life?

For me Life is not a competition but there are winners and there are losers.

Some people believe that since they are talented in music, comedy, it is needless going to school. What is your take on this?

In an advancing world such as ours, I still believe that education is the best legacy. Just that in Nigeria, we tend to misrepresent schooling for education hence you have so many unemployable graduate.

You won Alibaba spontaneity recently, what have you been doing since then?

Point of correction, I was the first runner up at Alibaba’s spontaneity not the first. Meaning I came second. And honestly the platform has given me a lot of industry acceptance as well as some juicy events. Also I currently work with Alibaba on 99.3 Nigeria info fm Lagos for the program ALIBABA SERIOUSLY. In summary, I’m already actualizing my dreams because time was when I used to wish I could see the likes of Alibaba.

Why do you choose comedy as a career?

Comedy chose me rather because honestly after completing my NYSC, my plans were to relocate to Lagos and hunt for jobs.

But when the ideal job was not coming forth and as a Warri boy in Lagos, everybody seem to be enjoying the way I narrate my stories and they keep telling me I would make a good comedian. I summoned courage and started comedy from Street jams, to Praise nights in churches, till Lolo1 of Wazobia fm came to Ajegunle in 2013 and saw me do my thing in one Church and picked interest in me, till I auditioned for stand up Nigeria and then the mother of them all, till I auditioned for Alibaba’s spontaneity and up till now.

When did you start having passion for comedy?

2013.

What happened to you as a child that you still remember?

When I lost my tooth and I was asked to throw it on rooftop and that if I allow it to fall to the ground that my teeth won’t grow again. Unfortunately for me that day, it fell on the ground and I cried a lot that day.

Are you actually enjoying what you do as a comedian?

I am enjoying every bit of my work, actually it is not a work but a passion I find it interesting, I pay my bills and l am happy, I derive pleasure in making people smile.

How do you get motivated?

By reading, interacting with people, watching movies, browsing the internet for news and updates Where do you think Nigeria comedians are not getting it right?

It is becoming like a trend now that for you to prove that you are trying as a comedian you put up a show first. It is good but when it becomes yearly and you are not bringing contents to your show it becomes an issue. I am of the opinion that sometimes you use scarcity to increase value. For example, Bovi’s Man on Fire is not yearly, Basketmouth’s uncensored is not yearly as well but I’m already yearning for these two shows. using comedy as a vehicle/medium.

How is your dressing like?

Who are you aspiring to be like in the I just make my clothes simply conveworld of comedy and why? nient and relevant to the event/occasion.

I aspire to be like Alibaba because his brand exudes global excellence in all its Can you briefly define your style? ramifications. More like Alibaba is a symWhile creating humor, I usually tend to bol of excellence. use a diplomatic approach in addressing issues bothering on the economy, religion, Apart from comedy what are the other government’s policies, etc but I am not stethings you do? reotyped. I am very versatile.

For now comedy is option meaning comedy is the only option. But I’m also a writer, What is your style signature? actor and an OAP. You need to attend my shows to hear me talk about poverty in most of my perHow do you give back to the society? formances because for me comedy is a call.

Well personally, I feel the society still And my mandate is to eradicate poverty owes me a lot. The society still needs to give through mental revolution and orientation

What stands you out in the world of comedy?

Well, some say is my height, some say my voice texture, some say my charisma, and some say it’s my stage presence. I don’t know what you’ll say.

me something first by following me on Instalgram, by downloading my jokes, by following me on Facebook, etc I also have a way of giving back to the society. I also pay my tax.

What are your achievements so far in comedy?

I have been able to carve a niche for myself in a very saturated comedy market.

Have you been embarrassed on stage before?

Yes! It is an experience I am not comfortable sharing with the public.

Where do you see comedy in the next five years in Nigeria?

On my own personal view, I see comedy as becoming part of the economy, such as in the next five years, only comedy would be contributing 10-15% GDP to the Nigerian economy.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Pregnancy Talk

Naughtiest Thing

with

The naughtiest thing I’ve ever done

Adaeze Amos

Beulah Marshall

Health benefits of pregnancy spacing

W

hen God said go ye into the world and multiply, replenish and fill the earth, He did not say you should multiply without considering some factors. He didn’t instruct that it is only you that should multiply and replenish the whole earth and begin to get pregnant every year without putting your health into consideration.

Though pregnancy is good and what comes out of it at the end of nine months is a bundle of joy, it is also good to always remember that pregnancy spacing is essential and doctors have also asserted this.

Hence medics do talk about the importance of pregnancy immediately after delivery. Reason is that pregnancy spacing can also have impact on your health and your baby’s health. So, consult your doctor after delivery and find out what you need to know about ideal timing of pregnancy. Research has shown that spacing pregnancies too close to each other or too far apart can pose health risks for both mother and baby.

Below are risks of spacing pregnancies too close together Limited research suggests that a pregnancy within 12 months of giving birth is associated with an increased risk of: • The placenta partially or completely peeling away from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery (placental abruption) • The placenta attaching to the lower part of the uterine wall, partially or totally covering the cervix (placenta previa), in women who had a first birth by C-section • Autism in second-born children Research also suggests an increased risk of uterine rupture in women who attempt vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC), less than 18 months after a previous delivery.

In addition, a pregnancy within 18 months of giving birth is associated with an increased risk of: • Low birth weight • Small size for gestational age • Pre-term birth Some experts believe that closely spaced pregnancies don’t give a mother enough time to recover from the physical stress of one pregnancy before moving on to the next. For example, pregnancy and breast-feeding can deplete your stores of essential nutrients, such as iron and folate. If you become pregnant before replacing those stores, it could affect your health or your baby’s health. Inflammation of the genital tract that develops during pregnancy and doesn’t completely heal before the next pregnancy could also play a role.

However, it’s also possible that behavioural risk factors, such as

‘I hid under the staircase and slept off as my parents searched for me frantically’ failure to use health care services, unplanned pregnancies, stress and socio-economic disadvantage, are more common in women who have closely spaced pregnancies. These risk factors — rather than the short interval itself — might explain the link between closely spaced pregnancies and health problems for mothers and babies.

Are there risks associated with spacing pregnancies too far apart?

Research suggests that long intervals between pregnancies also pose concerns for mothers and babies. A pregnancy five years or more after giving birth is associated with an increased risk of: • High blood pressure and excess protein in your urine after 20 weeks of pregnancy (pre-eclampsia) • Pre-term birth • Low birth weight • Small size for gestational age It’s not clear why long pregnancy intervals are linked to health problems for mothers and babies.

Some experts believe that pregnancy improves uterine capacity to promote fetal growth and support, but that over time these beneficial physiological changes disappear. It’s also possible that

unmeasured factors, such as maternal illnesses, might play a role.

What then is best interval between pregnancies?

To reduce the risk of pregnancy complications and other health problems, limited research suggests waiting at least 18 to 24 months, but less than five years after a live birth before attempting your next pregnancy. However, further research is needed to determine whether the effects of birth spacing on maternal and fetal health differ between developed and developing nations.

Choosing when to have another baby is a personal decision. When planning your next pregnancy, you and your partner might consider various factors in addition to the health risks and benefits, including your health, age, fertility, relationship, how many children you have, how many children you hope to have, access to health care, child-rearing support, social and economic circumstances.

Until you make a decision about when to have another child, be sure to use a reliable method of birth control — even if you’re breastfeeding. Once you feel ready to get pregnant again, ask your doctor for guidance.

I

’m not too adventurous when I was young. Never did so many naughty things because I knew I had a father that never spared the rod.

But I still remember one incident when I had to go hide under the staircase because I did something wrong and I didn’t want to be beaten. I was scared of my father using his cane on me because he did that diligently, if you know what I mean.

That day we were supposed to go out visiting as a family to my father’s maternal home. We used to do that once in a year, so you can imagine how excited my father was, travelling home with all his children to see his old people he saw the previous year. So, it made him forgive and ignore all mistakes and naughty things from everyone around him that day. But that was unknown to me.

So, when I went to hide under the staircase, none of my siblings saw me to tell me that daddy wouldn’t flog me. I went flat on the floor

under the staircase and unfortunately for me, I slept off right there and I was left behind when they travelled.

They didn’t notice I wasn’t in the car with them until they got home and his people started asking after me. That was when it occurred to them that they had left me behind as I had many siblings.

I slept so deep that I was still sleeping under the staircase even when they came back. They became worried; started looking for me. There was a frantic search for me. My mum was crying when my siblings who went to look for me in my best friend’s house came back with the message that my friend hadn’t seen me that day. It was while they searched and called on neighbours asking if they had seen me that I woke up.

Their voices woke me up and when I came out from under the staircase, they were all shocked and dumb-founded.

Beulah Marshall is an on air personality

By ADAEZE AMOS

28

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Lessons of Life TRUE LIFE STORY ON MATTERS OF THE HEART

ADAEZE AMOS Adanneamos@gmail.com 08023012293 (sms only)

‘I vowed never to date a client, now I’m in dilemma’ (2)

A model

This is the concluding part of Dora and Benard’s story. The two got romantically involved and they were set to be married. The marriage did not take place because something tragic happened. Below is the concluding part of their story.

D

ora had two sisters and no brother. Before Bernard traveled to Lagos for his Law school, “he brought his folks to see my parents. His father too was very enthusiastic in getting his son a wife. He was the only son (only child) of his parents, so you can imagine how desperate they were for their son to get married. When I realized that, I was somehow scared because all attention would be on me to start breeding grand children for them. That was what my two siblings reminded me of jokingly.

My immediate younger sister was the one that started it first.

She said she was ready to help me nurse her nieces and nephews who would start coming in droves immediately after signing the dotted lines. That I should know his parents were eager for that. We laughed heartily,” she said.

But before the traditional marriage proper, lots of sad things happened as if they were bent on dashing Dora’s hope. “The first

thing that happened which really pained me was the tragic death of my father. Poor daddy had a car crash but didn’t die on the spot.

But he lost consciousness and was rushed to the hospital. When I walked in to see him with oxygen on his nose, he laid still on his bed.

My siblings, my mum and I stood beside his bed and watched him.

His heart was still beating and the doctor warned us not to make noise. We promised we wouldn’t disturb him. But while others were stupefied and watched, I was the only one speaking gently to him. I told him that he promised to be alive and witnessed the wedding of his three daughters.

I pleaded with him to please be alive and fulfill his promise. That was when he managed to open his eyes and the first thing he reminded my two sisters and I after my mum hugged him was never to forget our promises to him. We all knew that we promised dad that three of us would be lawyers and that we would never marry a client or be romantically involved with a client. That it would mean mixing work with pleasure. We nodded that we would always stick to what he wanted. At that, he closed his eyes and breathed his last. We never knew that would be his last words to us,” she said.

Dora’s father’s funeral was a carnival of a sort. “Bernard my fiance

was there for us. Though we weren’t married but he stood there for us, made sure that all we needed for dad’s burial was available. He played the role of dad’s son he never had. Even when the burial was over, we all came back together to the city.

That was when it dawned on us that dad was dead. His vacuum was felt by all of us.

More so when Bernard left for youth service somewhere in Sapele, in Delta state.

It wasn’t up to six months when Bernard died too. His death broke me to pieces. I was honestly shattered. I learnt that he took some medications and still went ahead to drink himself to the state of stupor. He was addicted to brandy. According to doctor, that caused his death. He never stopped vomiting blood even when he was rushed to the hospital. His death marked the end of a joyful life to his parents who were looking forward to the day he would get married and start giving them grand children. He was their only child. I mourned him like his widow. It was difficult to wriggle out from the pains of missing two dear people in my life. My father and my fiancé. But gradually I started picking the pieces of my shattered life,” she recalled.

Dora and her sisters were living their lives. The three had graduated and are lawyers in their father’s big law office. All their attention was focused on their mum until “my siblings started getting married. Two of them married lawyers and that would make dad happy in his grave because that was what he wanted. Aside from obeying dad, they married men who valued, loved and cherished them. I was the only one remaining. The only one in

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My mind was off marriage and relationship because the very day Bernard died, something inside of me died with him. I was never bothered that my two younger siblings were married and had families of their own. Never felt something was missing until mum started getting worried about my single status and started making it her major prayer point.

That was when I too joined her to pray about it,” she enthused.

It was while Dora’s mum was getting too concerned about her daughter’s marital status that someone came into her life. And she didn’t want to tell her mum about him until the day her mother met him. “That was when I told mum

who Kennedy was, how he had been proposing marriage to me and how I had rejected him because he was a client. I happen to be his company’s lawyer. He is my client, and I do manage his firm, his buildings, buys property for him when he wants and sells for him if need be. He is a client and he is well endowed. He would have been perfect for me but accepting to marry him is tantamount to disobeying my father’s instruction never to date a client, marry him or be romantically involved with him,” she said.

Readers, what do you think Dora should do? Her mum had already agreed with her not to accept Kennedy’s marriage proposal because of her late father’s instruction. But exactly do you think?

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Vineyard

Briefly

CCC hosts Founder’s Day

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he Celestial Church of Christ Worldwide invites the general public to its Luli Concert 2016 Founder’s Day celebration at the National Stadium, Lagos on Friday, October 21, 2016, from 6p.m till Dawn.

Host Choir; C.C.C Central Choir conducted by Sup. Ev. Dr. Wole Adetiran. Ministering; Sola Allyson; Bro Bro; Seyi Solagbade, Imole Ayo, Remi Olabamiji. Others, Abuja Central Choir; Intl Headquarters Choir and others.

In the same vein, the Youth wing of C.C.C Hephzibah Parish will stage a music/debate/word exploration night to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the church on November 9, 2016 at Shogunle, Lagos from 9p.m till dawn.

Ministering is Evang. Bisi Oredein. Participatory Parish include, Tejuosho, Oshodi 3, Ayilara, Afonifoji and a host of others.

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Celebration

Nigerians urged to pray for the country …as Kings Place host anointing service

LFCMI celebrates anniversary

A

head of its annual anniversary celebration thanksgiving service, Living Finger Christian Ministry International a.k.a. Mountain of Perfection tagged “Light of the World” adapted from John 9:5 will begin a three-day revival programme from October 17-19, 2016 from 6pm daily. It will continue on October 21being Friday with Praise/ Worship Night from 10pm while the grand Celebration comes up on Sunday, October 23, 2016 at 37, Aliu Street, behind G.T. Bank, Kosofe, Mile 12, Lagos.

Speaking on the event, the Host/ General Overseer, Pastor (Dr.) Adegbite M.K.T while inviting assuring guests and members assured they will receive hope and brighter future as they encounter Jesus the Light of the world that illuminates in every home, marriage, nation, and race and whom without him things cannot change.

Night of Wonders at FSM

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he forty days annual power packed programme of Fountain of Salvation Ministry a.k.a. Ministry that cares tagged “The Making of a champion” which commenced on September 19, 2016 will culminate on October 28, 2016 with Special Night of Wonders grand finale at the headquarters located at 43, Akinpelumi Street, Via Love all Bus stop, Ikosi-Ketu, Lagos.

In a statement from the Board of Pastorate though the General Overseer, Apostolic Ephraim and Rev. Mrs. Sharon Uwans stated that during and after the forty days, God in his infinite mercy and grace will raise champions for Christ in the church community financially, spiritually, materially as their life will never remain the same.

Other features include salvation, total deliverance, success, breakthrough, favour and anointing.

Choristers singing on the occasion

ODINAKA URUAKPA

T

he Zonal Pastor of Zone 13, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos Province 8, Pastor Sylvester Oguh has urged Nigerians to pray for the country, as he also called on leaders to know and serve God diligently for him bless the nation.

Oguh who gave this charge at the annual anointing service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, King’s Place, Surulere, Lagos also advised Christians and Nigerians in general to watch and pray, especially in these trying times, adding that there was nowhere they could run to except to God. “Every child of God in this nation should pray because this nation needs our prayer; there is no doubt about that. Nigerians should keep praying for their country; this is the only way that divine help will come to the nation”, he claimed.

He also advised leaders in the country to serve God diligently, as he advised them they stop professing God with their mouth, but by good acts of leadership which God expected them to do.

“It is a pity that the heart of the breed of leaders we have in the country now is not with God; that is the truth. Even those that call themselves Christians are far away from it, but we are praying that God should be with them, so that every one of them would come to know God and serve Him diligently. I pray that God will see every one of them through and protect people like the Vice-President who is a pastor and others like him and give them the grace not to compromise to the dictates of selfish politicians.

Speaking on the significance of the

programme, Oguh said “If you know what is happening in the country today, the country is passing through hard times; everybody is trying his best to make ends meet; yet, there is no money, no food, the only way we can pull through is with God when we have God on our side. So, this year’s anointing service is so unique, it has the theme ‘Dry bones will rise again.’ A lot of people are experiencing dryness in their finances, dryness in their life, dryness in their in their businesses. We believe God, that as many that attend this programme, God will restore everything that we have lost and bring back flesh to every dry bones in our life.”

The pastor said the programme was a special one because the year 2016ias a special year in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. “This is a year that even our daddy in the Lord said at the beginning that things will be tough; that we should be prepared. That is why every member took it because we have already been alerted and we have been assured that at the end; things will come back to normal. So, we believe that that prophecy that has been given to us will come to reality and that at the end of the tunnel, there shall be light. We believe that God will bring Nigeria again to its former glory. If we take note of things in the country today, people are complaining that they don’t have money, some have lost their jobs. These things symbolize dryness. In the Book of Ezekiel, chapter 37, the Bible states that God told Ezekiel to prophesy to dry bones and they will live again. The effect is that whatever we say with our mouth is what happens to us. So, if we say this year, it is going to be well with us, then, it is going to be well. If we on the other hand say it is going to be bad, I assure you that it is going to be that way. So, everything we

have lost, every dryness we are saying that God will restore them back in Jesus name”, he prayed.

While condemning the wearing of hijab by female students in Osun State, Oguh claimed that the governor did not believe in secularity of Nigeria if he supported female students to wear head cover other than that specified as part of school uniform.

“For the governor to support this act means that he wants everyone in the state to become a Muslim. Christians in the state surely will not take things lightly following this development. We know that God will intervene in that situation. Osun State is the only state I know that is having this type of issue, even in the core North, no one has recommended such a thing as wearing of hijab for female students in public schools”, he noted.

On the murder of female preacher in Abuja, Oguh said: “My mission is the Redeemed Christian Church of God. She was a woman under my mission. The mission is already taking it up with the authorities. I know that God will take control, but whoever killed that woman, what we are saying is that if they think they have done the woman any wrong, the woman is with the Lord now. It is for them to repent and give their lives to Jesus.

The cleric also condemned the recent move of the women group who condemned the actions of a senator that threatened to beat up a female colleague neglecting the killing of a fellow female which he claimed was a genuine case for activism.

“The case is political if you look at it. Why did the women group fighting for Mrs. Tinubu and not fight for the woman that was killed?

That would tell you that it is just political.

These politicians are not bothered about life, they are just on their own; because it affects their own, they are crying. When it affects life, they didn’t come out to say they want to fight, but like I have said, that issue is political”, he maintained.

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From the Pulpit Learn with Kunle

Macaulay

S

Email: profkunlemacaulay@ yahoo.com (08023032698, sms pls)

ometime, I wonder whether there is God in Nigeria or not. My training and experience confirm that there is God because he is with me always and moreover, if God is not in Nigeria, the nation would have become a shadow of itself.

We need to prove that there is God in Nigeria. This write up proves that there is God.

I want us to read this bible passage, ‘’ Then because so many people were going and coming that they did not even have time to eat, he said to them. ‘’Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest’’ Mk 6 : 31. Today, Nigerians are too busy from morning to evening doing one thing or the other that they do not have time for God. But Jesus said, ‘’Let’s get away’’. He meant, ‘’Let’s get away from this busy work and people’’. Some people spend their time doing things that are of no benefit tothem - like gossiping and watching television for hours. Jesus saw many people ‘’ going and coming’’, so he said, ’’Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and have rest. So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place’’. Mk 6 : 31 – 32.

I know many people are busy preaching, teaching, counseling and helping but please note that ‘’time out’’ with Jesus is the best you can have in the world. Being with Jesus is a time of relaxation, a time of refreshment and a time to learn at the feet of Jesus. Note that prayer is not a monologue but a dialogue. If you do not pray, you will end up spiritually and emotionally bankrupt.

Many people especially Christians

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

God can be found believe in the presence of God on earth though he cannot be seen physically. I wish he were visible. The Bible confirms that on the day of resurrection, all believers in Christ will see him face to face. To see God, you must believe that he is real and that he exists. The Israelites knew God by experience but many believe by faith that he exists. There are some people who can through personal relationship with God and experience confirm that he exists.

Many bible stories confirm that God had a direct relationship with some people. He had a pleasant time with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. He called Abram who later became Abraham. ‘’ Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you’’. Gen 12 : 1, he said to him. The Bible said, ‘’ So Abram left as the Lord had told him….’’ Gen 12 : 4.

We learned that some people tried to stop God from being involving them in his work. When God called Moses, he gave an excuse that he was a stammerer and said to God, ‘’ O, Lord, please send someone else to do it’’.Ex 4 : 13. Jeremiah said to God when called, ‘’ …. I am only a child’’ and God replied , ‘’Do not say, I am only a child. You must go to every one I send you to and say whatever I command you….’’

Jere1 :6 – 8 We did not hear of Joshua complaining to take over the leadership of Israel after the death of Moses. God said to him, ‘’ Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them – to the Israelites’’.Josh 1 : 2. The Bible confirmed that Joshua ordered the officers of the people. ‘’ Go through the camp and tell the people. Get your suppliesready. Three days

from now you will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you for your own’’ Josh 1 : 11 We learned that Saul who was later called Paul took letters from the high priest to the synagogues in Damascus to arrest believers of Jesus Christ when he was stopped by the power of God. The Bible said that when a light from heaven flashed around him and he fell to the ground and hear a voice call him, ‘’ Saul, Saul why do you persecute me ?’’. His reply confirmed that he knew a lot about Jesus and Christianity but only decided not to be part of the religion because we was brought up in the Judaic system and saw Christianity as the enemy of Judaism. He asked, ‘’ Who are you Lord ?’’ .He was instructed by Jesus to go into the city and the events that followed confirmed that he did not only become a Christian but a preacher and teacher of the Word who also wrote 13 of the books of the New Testament.

Christianity is not just a general teaching or philosophy. Christianity is a gospel. It is a special teaching rooted in particularities. Christianity is a particular religion distinct from other religions and philosophies.

The particularity of the conception of salvation is derived from the particularity of the savior. Christian theologies of atonement are connected to Jesus of Nazareth. The work of salvation is in the whole history of the incarnate, birth, life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus.

The historical particularity confirms that man is not saved until he is brought into relation with a particular person who is a mediator of reconciliation with

God. Nobody is saved by acquiring any knowledge or assimilating a philosophy but by having a relationship with Jesus.

Christological particularity of Christian atonement theology confirms that those who have no relation with the particular person – Jesus are barred from salvation.

The message of the Christian church from the inception of the church is ‘’ the Kingdom of God ‘’. It has not changed but we do not hear the real message of the kingdom but the message of the ‘’founders’’ of churches in Nigeria. Nigeria is going through a situation that is difficult for economists and scientists to understand. Prophets are confused that the only message they have nowadays is for people in power and not a messageof love, comfort or hope for Nigeria.

Our experience is strange as many former Presidents of Nigeria and even a powerful representative of President of America visited our President and each of them had a closed door meeting with the President. My prayer is that all these closed door meetings will lead to our freedom from the shackles of Satan.

It is not strange to hear that people are killed in Nigeria for their faith in the religion of their choice by some religious fanatics. What concerns me is the attitude of the government and religious leaders in this country. If all religions preach peace as claimed by religious leaders in Nigeria, then who are these religious killers and why are they killing. Life is sacred, it belongs to God and no man has authority to take it.

•Prof. Kunle Macaulay is the Director of Studies of United Bible University, Lagos. Phone: 0802 – 303 – 2698; email : profkunlemacaulay@yahoo.com; Twitter. com/Kunle Macaulay1

Photo News L-R: Regional Pastor, Christ Chapel International Churches, Port Harcourt, Rev. (Dr.) Phillip Okerentugba, Presiding Archbishop, Vineyard Christian Ministries Archbishop John Osa-Oni, Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Lagos State Chapter, Apostle Alexander Bamgbola and Council Member, Christ Chapel International Churches Rev. Uwem Michael Udonquak during Kingdom Men Ministries bi-monthly Men’s Breakfast Roundtable and inauguration of the Board of Trustees held recently in Lagos

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net Sunday, October 16, 2016

Desti Destiny Hour Pastor Femi

Lanre-Oke

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y the special grace of God, we started the series on the efficacy and potency of the word of God two weeks back and last week we looked at the contemporary application of God’s word on the times and seasons. Today by the grace of God, we shall continue to look at another contemporary application of the word of God as pertains to the supremacy of the supernatural over the natural. God will bless you as you read with your heart in Jesus name.

The physical senses of man interact and communicate with the natural. What we see, touch, smell, feel and taste can be described as the natural world around us. The physical body of man is not man himself but the vessel that houses man who is essentially a spirit and has a soul.

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From the Pulpit 31

The potency of the word of God He only lives in the body to enable him interact with the physical world and become who God want him to be.

However, stemming from the reality that the body you see is not the man but the vessel that houses the man; then life as we know it is not controlled by the things we see but the things which are invisible.

Genesis 1 makes it abundantly clear that God created the heavens, the earth and everything in the earth; God is a Spirit meaning that the spiritual or the supernatural created the physical world which we now interact with using our bodies. It also essentially means that the world was formless, shapeless and empty before God who is a Spirit put things in order.The supernatural therefore brings order to the chaotic state of the natural world as we know it.

Please follow these revelational deductions; John 1 makes us to understand that God created the world using His word and this word is revealed to us in the same passage as Jesus Christ who is also God meaning the world as we know it physical-

ly was created by the supernatural God and he used His infallible word. This goes to say that the word of God who became flesh in the person of Jesus is the bridge between the supernatural and the natural.

What I am saying is that God who is a spirit uses His word to effect changes in the physical world. This clearly establishes the fact that only a spirit can effectively utilize the word of God to affect the natural world as we know it.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear. Sir/Ma this goes to say that every child of God who is spiritually alive can utilize the word of God to bring order to any chaotic situation on the earth.

Let us look at this critically again; who were present at creation? God the father who is a spirit, He spoke the word, Jesus who is the manifestation of the spoken word of God and the

Holy Spirit the performer of the word of God. This goes to say that every child of God can create positive changes from the supernatural to the natural by; believing the word of God (believing in Jesus) in his spirit man that is made alive through redemption, partnering with the Holy Ghost who is the performer and then speaking the word from the mouth with faith until the result is evident.

May I put it to you that you give up too soon that is why you get frustrated; if you are a child of God then the infallible word of God says you are a god who can make use of the supernatural to create changes in the physical world as we know it.

For further prayer & counseling, pleases contact: Pastor Femi Lanre-Oke Plot A22 Power Crescent, Arab Road, Kubwa. Abuja +2348030752799, +2348053695097.

Email: femi_lanre01@yahoo.co.uk

The Experience at Shiloh

hiloh is a word that is synonymous to gathering of people. The word Shiloh first appeared in Genesis 49:10 when Jacob was prophesying concerning the future of his children; and of Judah he said: The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Shiloh is depicted in this context as a person that will command respect and honour unto who all shall submit. As the nation of Israel moved towards the Promised Land, Shiloh became a location associated with the worship of God. It became a place for seeking God and knowing the will of God. It became a place where direction is given to the children of Israel on how to fight the battle ahead of them.

Shiloh became a central place in the life of the children of Israel. Joshua 18:1 says, And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them. Shiloh became a place of celebration of victory. It is a place to celebrate the defeat of the enemies and place of possessing inheritance. Jesus Christ is the Shiloh that has ever existed and will continue to exist. Jesus was the one the people gathered unto in the wilderness and He is still the one that men must gather to worship today and forever. The scripture says in Philippians 2:1-&11That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.So everyone that gathers unto the Lord Jesus encounters the power at Shiloh.

The Shiloh Experience 1.

A place of God’s presence:…;and unto Him shall the gathering of the people.

The personality that distinguishes Shiloh from any other place is God. At Shiloh, people experienced the power of God. A life changing encounter is guaranteed at Shiloh. The presence of God wipes away tears at Shiloh. The shame of the people of God is removed at Shiloh. And this man went up out of his city yearly to worship and to sac-

rifice unto the LORD of hosts in Shiloh. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, the priests of the LORD, were there. 1 Samuel 1:3.

Hannah has been a woman of sorrow for her childlessness. But the day she encountered God at Shiloh, her shame was removed and she became the joyful mother of many children. When you encounter God at Shiloh, your shame will be removed and be replaced with the glory of God.And the LORD visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters. And the child Samuel grew before the LORD(1 Samuel 2:21). At Shiloh, the life of God’s presence is robbed on His people.

2.

Victory over the enemy: The major enemy of Christians is the Devil. He is the one that manipulates every other thing against the will of God especially for the children of God. Shiloh is a place of celebrating the power of God that subdued the opposition against the plan of God in the life of His children. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel assembled together at Shiloh, and set up the tabernacle of the congregation there. And the land was subdued before them.

(Joshua 18:1). Jesus is the Shiloh that went everywhere destroying the works of the Devil and giving freedom to the oppressed. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him(Acts 10:38).

3.

A place of direction: Shiloh is a place divine guidance, the command and control centre of the Israelite military in the wilderness. At Shiloh, the people gathered to receive the command on how to fight their battle.

When you encounter God at Shiloh, you cannot be stranded and you will always have the light for the next move. And the men arose, and went away: and Joshua charged them that went to describe the land, saying, Go and walk through the land, and describe it, and come again to me, that I may here cast lots for you before the LORD in Shiloh(Joshua 18:8). Jesus is the way only authentic direction to God and

Bishop Opayinka

very sure way to life everlasting. He is the way out of your trouble and path that leads you to freedom. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me and… If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.(John 14:6 &8:36).

4.

A place to possess inheritance. There is no gainsaying that the physical is controlled by the spiritual. It was at the Shiloh that the lot of inheritance of tribe was given them.

The children of Israel were made to possess their inheritance at Shiloh before they continue to fight the enemy for possession. If your land (destiny) in the spiritual is not given you at Shiloh, no matter how you struggle in the physical you may not achieve any success but only frustrations.And Joshua cast lots for them

in Shiloh before the LORD: and there Joshua divided the land unto the children of Israel according to their divisions(Joshua 18:10). The scripture confirmed this inObadiah 1:17, But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance, and there shall be holiness; and the house of Jacob shall possess their possessions.The place in Zion where your possession is guaranteed is Shiloh.

5.

Shiloh is place of responsibility: For the Lord is the Lord of all but yet demands that we are responsible for certain part in our relationship with Him. Shiloh is a place of service.

I mean genuine service unto the Lord.

Shiloh is a place of covenant with God. Shiloh is place of sacrifice as exampled by Jesus. The children of Israel enjoy unperturbed victory over the enemies because they knew how to pay their dues at Shiloh. But as they forgot their Shiloh, they became toy in the hand of their enemies.

Have you forgotten or neglected your Shiloh responsibility, it was high time you return to Shiloh.

Shiloh is a place of power and revelation for those that follow God with a faithful heart. And the Lord appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the Lord. (1 Samuel 3:21).

Shiloh could mean different things to different people. Shiloh that meant a place genuine service unto God as far as Samuel is concerned meant a place of abuse of priesthood unto the sons of Eli. What does Shiloh mean to you?

Shalom!

Bishop Joshua K. Opayinka Glorious Tabernacle International, Behind AdegbemileCul. Centre, Akure, Ondo State.

08060297831 glorioustabernacle@gmail.com

Movies & Music

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

‘I want to work with Wande Coal’ P

romising Afro pop artiste, Dice Ailes is one of the artistes the music industry must watch out for not just because he’s signed to Chocolate City Record label but because of his versatility.

He released the video of his song, ‘Miracle’ about a fortnight ago and the song has been getting massive airplay on different radio stations and platforms. Miracle hypes the intrinsic features of a beautiful lady describing ‘her body as a miracle’.

Dice who is a rapper, singer and songwriter has got his sight set for glory in the ever competitive music industry as he’s getting better by the day and utilizing the instructions and wise counsel he’s getting from his superiors especially his boss MI. Damilola Shasha Alesh (his real name) has halted school for now having studied Health related course at premed school in Canada, to focus on his career. Having dropped Telephone, Machinery and others, the prodigy desires to work with Wande Coal.

Joy Bucknor

Mr 2Kay premieres hit single ‘In the morning’

F Dice Aileswww

ollowing the premiere of the audio version of single In the Morning to rave reviews, Grafton Entertainment star, Mr 2kay has finally released the video for the hit song.

Shot on an undisclosed beach in Lagos, by music video director, Adams Gud, the video creatively depicts a romantic getaway for both the singer and the featured artiste; Doray. The very vibrant video casts only four acts (two couples) which aptly centralises the focus on the message of the song. The utopic feel that the beach side and clear blue sky effects also compliments the theme of the song which is predominately love and wanting to always be close to one’s lover.

Mr 2Kay The Afro Pop version of In The Morning single which was produced

by UK based producers, Team Salut was originally premiered on BBC XTRA1 RADIO UK,CAPITAL XTRA the artiste following the mileage the sinUK and BEATFM LONDON. gle has achieved and the intercontinental The single can easily be rated as appeal it has garnered over the months one of the most successful works of since its release.

BBC Radio hosts Burna Boy F

ollowing a massively successful Homecoming concert, Singer Burna Boy has set about reacquainting himself with his United Kingdom roots. The songster is currently one of the most sought after African acts in the UK as he has got people talking and headlines buzzing about what has been described as “the best concert by an African in recent times”. The history making concert witnessed the presence of an audience that cut across various racial groups.

On Saturday the 8th of October, Burna Boy was

hosted at the annual BBC Radio 1Xtra Live Show in Liverpool’s Echo Arena. The concert which was headlined

by Craig David and Sean Paul among others saw a spectacular turnout of fans of urban music. Although Burna Boy did not perform at the event, he enjoyed a rare hangout with some of UK’s A-list stars including Trevor Nelson, Lady Leshurr, Stormzy to mention but a few.

Asides his media tour which is so far doing very well, Burna Boy is currently working in the studios with British born, Nigerian singer and producer, Maleek Berry as the duo are set to deliver a monster hit soon!

Burna Boy

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Movies & Music

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Alibaba, Koffy, Igos, others for Laugh A Lot with MC BACEE

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Ijesa

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overs of great comedy will be treated to yet another night of uncontrollable laughter, music and live performances as fastrising comedian, Moses Bassey, better known as MC BACEE, is set to take the comedy industry to a greater height as he thrills his fans with the second edition of his show, Laugh a Lot. Hosted by on-air personality, Tuale, and MC Irock, Bacee disclosed that all hands are currently on deck towards making the coming show a success, so that expected guests will have a funfilled night of comedy supported with melodies by Timi Dakolo, Henry Soul and PJC1.

He noted that he wants to use the opportunity to give the upcoming ones the platform to showcase themselves. “Moreover, there are so many problems in the country and a lot of people are tense with the situation of things in the country,so I want to use this medium to put smiles on the faces of people,” he added. The event is billed to hold Sunday October 23, 2016 at Jubilee Christian Center, Aguda, Surulere.

As part of the excitement, guests will be treated to rib cracking and electrifying performances by Ali Baba, Koffi, Igos, Babah Kay, MC Shakara , Hilarious Chinedu, MC Stillringing , Ajebo, Odogwu, ATM, MC Shaggy Davidsyn and Ikechuckwu.

Koffy

Booboosha set for Melbourne Extravaganza

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ll roads will lead to the picturesque city of Melbourne, in Australia when a young and strikingly pretty Nigerian singer based in New-Zealand takes the centre stage to perform alongside other international artists No doubt this is a big dream come through/true for Juliet Obieh, the lady with a fairy tale story who was once selling garri on the streets of Warri for her family to be able to pay her school fees, before she finally departed the shores of Africa And as faith will have it, today, the artist popularly called “Booboosha” is now fast building friends and massive fans base in Nigeria and Australia and new Zealand, she has over the past years entertain a lot of her global fans in shows around the world, and come the 31st Oct 2016 she will be performing most of her new release like “wahala” with some top global acts in Melbourne

Booboosha

Olamide breaks attendance record for African concerts in UK

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Olamide

BNL Crew led by Olamide literarily shut down Eventim Hammersmith Apollo, a five thousand capacity venue for the YBNL Concert 2.0. The event was a huge success as fans filled up the venue despite the concert tickets being sold out even before the event Commenced at about 6:30pm.

The concert saw thrilling performances from Adekunle Gold, Lil Kesh, Viktoh, Temmie and Olamide who came on stage at about 9:30pm.

The excitement was infectious as Olamide performed his numerous hit singles that got fans singing along and screaming.

The hallmark of the event saw Olamide perform some of his monster singles including Eleda Mi and Melo Melo. It however became too rowdy as more fans filled up the venue entrance but were denied access due to security challenges.

Several attempts by the concert organizers to ensure entry of the thousands of YBNL fans who came to witness Olamide’s electrifying final performance, including attempting to pay for added security cost was fruitless as the turn out strained heavily on the security procedures and the health and safety of the fans who had gained entry prior to the concert’s kick off.

On the concert, Olamide expressed his sincere gratitude to the numerous fans that turned up for the concert.

He was however disappointed that many fans did not witness the apex of his performance but still felt humbled that people trooped out in their thousands despite being denied access. Notwithstanding the security challenges, the concert still remains the most attended African concert by Nigerian artistes in the UK.

Ijesa: Nollywood’s new kid on the block

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epending on the route one decides to take, hitting stardom in Nollywood is quite a task. But when there is talent laced with good opportunities, it appears easy. This is what seems to be working for fastrising film actor, Emmanuel Chinemerem Ijesa, born in 1995. With a couple of films up his sleeves, it appears he is set to have a firm grip of the industry, going by the buzz amongst stakeholders in the film industry.

This is however premised on the stellar performances he has so far shown in films like ‘Living in Tears’ where he played Mike, alongside Nollywood’s legend, Pete Edochie. “I played Edochie’s son in the film, and it is one of the roles a lot of my fans talk about. While it was an opportunity to square up with a larger than life image like Edochie, I must confess that it made me raise my bar because acting with Edochie, with his wealth of experience was inspiring”.

Other films that have the imprint of Ijesa Chinemerem Emmanuel are ‘Grave Dust’, where he played Dickson alongside Ramsey Nouah as well as ‘In the Deep’, a film shot for cinema. According to him, “I love ‘In the Deep’, a great deal. It is a project positioned to draw attention on the menace of diabetes especially as regards depression. I have passion for films that have social relevance, films that fight causes”.

How arty was his upbringing? He says he played all the games a growing child in a typical African city will play will growing up in Onitsha, Anambra State, and another important town on the map of Nollywood. “I grew

Entertainers in Edo assured of Obaseki support

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enowned comedian and an aide to the Edo state governor, Roland Igbadumhe, has assured Edo entertainers that the incoming governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki, will support them just like governor Adams Oshiomhlole.

Igbadumhe, who spoke with newsmen, said there was no cause for alarm among performing musicians and entertainers in the state, saying that newly elected governor was a man of the people who loves entertainment Stressing that the unprecedented developmental accomplishment by governor Adams Oshomhole, won the election for Godwin Obaseki, he said the incoming governor has no choice but build on the successes recorded which include appointments of entertainers in his cabinets Roland Igbadumhe, aka ‘Youngest old man’ a comedian and Special Assistant to the state governor on entertainment, thank governor Adams Oshiomhole, for empowering entertainers in the state with the appointment of four renowned entertainers in his cabinet.

He said the appointments made by the APC led-government of Oshiomhole and the good work embarked upon across the three senatorial districts spoke ‘eloquently’ during the campaign and at the election.

He said, “You will agree with me also that in appointing the entertainers as his Special Adviser, he did not so it based on sentiments, he made the appointments on merit and each appointees were from the the three senatorial districts.

Igbadumhe, who described at the eight year of Oshiomhole as second to none in the south-south geo-political zone if one compares the federal allocation accruing to each of the states of the region during the period of eight years.

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From the Pulpit

T The voice o of wisdom

with Dr. David

Oyedepo

I

n previous parts of this three-part teaching series, we established that without the Holy Spirit, we cannot manifest the exploits that God ordained for us (Luke 4:18-19, 37, 7:17; John 20:1922; Acts 2:1-41).

Furthermore, we explored the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, and the Spirit of Guidance as the operations of the Holy Spirit that engender exploits in our lives. In this concluding part, we shall yet examine another dimension of the Holy Spirit that empowers us for exploits, which is: • Spirit of servanthood: Let’s recognise that serving God’s interest requires the Spirit of servanthood for continuity, sustenance, steadfastness and maintenance of the tempo. Concerning Jesus, The Bible says: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above

Priesthood House with Pastor Bola

O

Bello

f whom we have many things to say and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. For when for the time you ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat (Heb. 5:12).

The growth of new born babies hinge on proper feeding before they can grow to adulthoods. The same is the feeding of the believers(Church). For believers to be fully grown, developed and coming to spiritual sensibility, she requires sincere milk of the word, for encouragement and stamina for her to be able to embark on the journey ahead of her. It is therefore, imperative that the message of repentance should start with believe, trust and faith in the vicarious blood of Christ before the Church could move into the next stage of faith (Gal. 2:20). Talking about the sincere milk of the word, a foundational basis for spiritual development, a solid beginning must be laid and established on eternal truths rather than the message of ephemerals characterized by canal gains. Apostle Peter underscored the importance of prudent lifestyles, sound moral behavior which should be the common traits of believers. “As newborn babies, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, wherefore, laying aside all malice, and all guile, hypocrisies, envies and all evil speaking (1 Pet 2:2). Naturally, as unbelievers, our attitude and behaviours often cause injury or distress to another. This is because of self conceitedness, having giving so much worth for self goodness at the expense of others. This was our old way then. The guilefulness attitude, using own methods, wiles, own

Sunday, October 16, 2016

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How the Holy Spirit Empowers for Exploits! (3) every name (Philippians 2:5-9; see also Isaiah 42:14; Luke 22:25-27).

When the Spirit of servanthood comes upon us, we don’t make noise to make news because that Spirit changes our status noiselessly. Furthermore, serving God’s interest secretly qualifies us for open rewards. Therefore, maintaining the tempo of our stewardship continually enhances the rate of our impact on earth. For instance, Jesus said to those who had served with Him: Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.

And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:28-30; see also Exodus 23:25-26; Job 36:11; Luke 22:26).

We also discover from scriptures that the Spirit of servanthood is the platform for the rise of giants and leaders. For instance, when Prophet Samuel went to anoint one of the sons of Jesse as king, the Bible records that all his sons were rejected by God except David, the servant (1 Samuel 16:1-13; Psalms 89:20-24).

God only positions and elevates servants, not good talkers and supervisors. No one truly serving God’s interest ever ends as a beggar or in regrets, but as a record breaker. Concerning Job, God said unto Satan: …Hast thou considered

my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? (Job 1:8).

In the preceding verses, the Bible records that Job was the greatest entrepreneur in his days: His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east (Job 1:3 see also Job 1:1-2).

Serving God’s interest wholeheartedly is one of the requirements for exploits. Therefore, let us not allow man’s “well done” to confuse us because it is only applause; it is God’s “well done” that brings the rewards (Luke 19:12-26).

In addition, it is important to note that Job suffered because he was ignorant and afraid.

However, because God has not given us the spirit of fear and we have access to the truth of scriptures, we are not permitted to suffer the setbacks that Job experienced. Also, the devil has no right to afflict our bodies because they are the temples of the Holy Spirit and we are ordained to glorify God with them (Job 1:10, 3:25; Proverbs 29:25; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; 2 Timothy 1:7).

In conclusion, it is important to know that every redeemed child of God has a golden destiny that is loaded with treasures, but until we are empowered by the Holy Spirit, we can never

manifest it. Therefore, we must partner with the Holy Spirit in order to manifest the exploits that God ordained for us. Our places will not be lost in Jesus’ name! Remain ever blessed!

Are you born again? If you haven’t accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord, you can do so as you say this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I come to You today. I am a sinner. Forgive me of my sins.

Cleanse me with Your precious Blood. Deliver me from sin and Satan to serve the Living God. Today, I accept You as my Lord and Saviour.

Thank You Jesus for saving me! Now I know I am born again!”

For further reading, please get my books: Anointing for Breakthrough, Understanding the Anointing, Anointing for Exploits and Release of Power.

I invite you to come and fellowship with us at the Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, the covenant home of Winners. We have five services on Sundays, holding at 6:00 a.m., 7:35 a.m., 9:10 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and 12:20 p.m. respectively.

I know this teaching has blessed you.

Write and share your testimony with me through: Faith Tabernacle, Canaanland, Ota, P.M.B. 21688, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria; or call 01-4548070, 01-4548280; or E-mail: feedback@lfcww.org

Church as God designed it – Dead works and good works (1) ways without trust in Jesus to attain the designed desires were peculiar attitudes of unbelievers. They need no prayers for things to happen, what they need is connections, own efforts, being clever and having the ability to outwit the others with witchcraft operations.

Hypocrisies are known in conduct or behavior of people who do things that they tell others not to do. The pretext of love when you truly have hate in your hearts is the old way and Pharisaical attitude. The salutation of Pharisee when in actual fact maliciousness is the clothing of their hearts.

Inward envies, greed to desire what someone else has and which your income cannot afford. Such envy could result in painful resentfulness creating natural hatred and making one to have bitterness of heart yet with feign love which exists not. Such heart will yield to natural evil speaking of someone who has what you covet. All these traces are the previous lifestyles in which we must give up at the entrance of Christ in our hearts.

However, it requires a sincere milk of the words of God before such departure is possible. It is a foundation, in which all the block stones are fitly join together for a house of habitations. No wonder Paul, the Apostle, emphasis on good foundation. “For other foundation can no man lay that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or stubble, every man’s work shall be made manifest; for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire, and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is (1 Cor. 3:11-13). It is crystal clear that if the foundation of our Christian journey is wrongly laid, the much expected growth and transition to God’s oracle would be hindered and obliterated. This is the reason why spiritual growth in Church is impeded. We have witnessed numeric growth, though it is even

dropping in this part of the earth but inward growth has consistently deluded the Church in Nigeria. Growth in the sight of God, is not measured by numeric. Though angels celebrate it, rejoice in it, however God desires the Church to depopulate the people in darkness and fan the light of the gospel of Christ for them to come to maturity.

The Church leaders are daily laying again the foundation for repentance and the rudiments of salvation to Church members rather than upward journey to the enviable placement of the Church in heavenly places.

Church is more than 1,600 years on earth, and yet the likes of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, Joshua and David the warriors, Elisha, Elijah, Ezekiel and Jeremiah the prophets, who can confront the governments, societal ills and abysmal corruption of our days are yet to be raised in a large numbers. Most of believers have aligned with corruptions of the society rather than showing good examples of how things should be done. Our repentance from dead works has not yielded the desired fruits of righteousness. Certainly, the foundation in which our faith is rooted is on self gain, wrong mentality of earthly blessings at the expense of heavenly blessing. The heavenly blessing superimposes the earthly blessing. The current leaders of the Church who are truly blessed have first and foremost endured in spiritual blessings. They have toiled and labored in the vine to bring the projects of Christ to their generations. The sad story is that, we do not follow their foundational faith but we covet their successes. Things do not work that way. We cannot have their success without going through their previous travail.

Also, most of today’s ministry gifts desire wealth, glory and honour at the expense of true service to God. Their bellies are their gods and mammon is their

ministries. They go about with miracles, signs and wonders and prophecies at the detriment of what can bringgrowth to believers. Yet innocent believers consistently belief in their lying tongues and follow them rather than to follow Christ because physical needs. Nothing could be the challenge of now that man would not overcome through absolute faith, trust and prayerfulness to the King of kings, absolutely nothing. The time has come to depart from dead works to good works. Dead works are those things that do not guarantee your growth into maturity. Giving of offerings, tithes could amount to dead works if you depart from what you ought to do together with your offerings and tithes. Worship in the Church could become a dead work if your heart condition is polluted with envies, malice, guile and hatred. Dead works are rife in the Church. Your going to night vigil as good as it looks may become a dead work if your heart is not aligning to the purpose of your calling to Christ. We are called to be God’s oracles. We are called to manifest the beauty of God, not through the riches of the earth but through the riches of Christ. We are called to represent God in the affairs of the earth and to decree for the will of God to prevail. We are his servants, mouth pieces and eyes and ears on this earth for God. We can pull down stronghold, obstacles and barriers when we take up our journey upwards. This is the make up and the design of the Church. The Lord will open your sight; grant you mercies and grace to fulfill His mandate on earth. Please do contact me for prayers, encouragement and admonitions. God bless you. Pastor Bola Bello; the Priesthood House. Tel. No 08033704564.

•Pastor Bola Bello – The Priesthood House, bolabelo@gmail.com 08033704564

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Hell is real with Pastor S. A.

B

Asha

ut because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2:5)

“

Introduction In Romans 2:5 we come for a second time to the idea of God’s wrath, and for the second time we need to defend wrath as a proper element of God’s character. It is strange that this should be so. .The first time we came to the idea of the wrath of God in Romans, we were at the beginning of the first great section of Paul’s letter. There Paul wrote in Romans 1:18, “The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness.” This is a thematic verse and therefore very important, for it is saying that the wrath of God is not something merely saved up until some long-delayed but final day of judgment, but rather is something that God has been revealing to us even now. Romans 2:5 is going to say that there is also a day of wrath to come, but the first thing Paul says about God’s wrath (in Romans 1:18) is that it is already being revealed from heaven.

This means that the wrath of God is a very real thing. Moreover, we can know the certainty of a future day of wrath by noting the past and present revelation of that wrath.

How has the wrath of God been revealed?

The great Bible commentator Robert Haldane says:”It was revealed when the sentence of death was first pronounced, the earth cursed, and man driven out of the earthly paradise, and afterward by such examples of punishment as those of the deluge, and the destruction of the cities of the plain by fire from heaven. . . . But, above all, the wrath of God was revealed from heaven when the Son of God came down to manifest the divine character, and when that wrath was displayed in his sufferings and death, in a manner more awful than by all the tokens God had before given of his displeasure against

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Sunday, October 16, 2016

Wrath stored up sin. Besides this, the future and eternal punishment of the wicked is now declared in terms more solemn and explicit than formerly. Under the new dispensation, there are two revelations given from heaven, one of wrath, the other of grace.”

I don’t know a statement regarding the nature of the revelation of God’s wrath that is more complete or accurate than this statement by Haldane.

And yet, in Romans 1, Paul’s point is that the wrath of God is being revealed to us chiefly in the debilitating downward drag of sin upon our lives. We think that when we sin we can sin “just a little bit.” But we cannot!

Sin captures us and pulls us down relentlessly, until—if we are allowed to continue in sin long enough—we end up calling what is good, evil and what is evil, good. And we perish utterly!

That means that the moral turmoil and chaos of the world, including our own personal world is evidence that the wrath of God is no fiction. This is something to be gravely concerned about.

Lesson Today, I want to examine several aspects of the wrath of God. I would like us to notice the following: 1. Wrath is deserved, 2. Wrath is proportionate to sin, 3. Wrath is certain, and 4. Wrath is just.

I. Wrath Is Deserved In Romans 2:5, Paul’s first point is that the wrath of God toward the sin of men and women is deserved.

That should be evident by now, of course, at least if we have understood the argument of Romans 1. God’s wrath is deserved, because our ignorance of God is a willful ignorance and our refusal to seek him out and worship him is a willful refusal. We have already seen that God has revealed his existence and power in nature and that this alone should be sufficient to lead every person on the face of the earth to give thanks to God. But we do not do it, and the fact that we do not do it is proof that we do not want to do it.

But the case is even stronger than this, which is what Paul is chiefly teaching in 2.

Romans 1 declared God’s wrath on the basis of the evidence for the existence of God in nature, which we refuse to acknowledge.

Romans 2:5 goes beyond this, speaking of the wrath of God as coming to us because of our stubbornness and our unrepentant hearts.

The word unrepentant takes us back to Romans 2:4. For in that verse Paul has spoken of two paths open to human beings as a result of God’s kindness, tolerance and patience. One path is the path of contempt for God’s blessings. The other path, the one Paul recommends, is repentance. Paul argues that the kindness, tolerance, and patience of God are to lead us to repentance.

But will this happen? Is it happening now?

The answer appears in verse 5, where Paul speaks of our stubbornness and our unrepentant hearts. Apparently, the kindness, tolerance, and patience of God do not have the effect by themselves of leading people to repentance. Instead, those who have already suppressed the truth about God revealed in nature now add to their evil a hardening of their hearts against the kindness that has been bestowed upon them for their good.

So the wrath of God against us is deserved on two counts: (1) we have rejected God’s natural revelation; and (2) we have shown contempt for God’s kindness, tolerance and patience.

But, let me now move on to our second point.

II. Wrath is proportionate to sin In my judgment, the most important teaching in this verse is that the wrath of God is proportionate to human sin, in the sense that those who sin much will be punished much and that those who sin less will be punished less.

There is an interesting image suggested

by Paul’s language at this point, for Paul speaks of the stubborn and unrepentant person storing up wrath for the day of God’s judgment. It is the image of a greedy individual, a miser, who has been storing up wealth which, contrary to his expectations, is destined to destroy him. I think of this man as storing up a great horde of gold coins, placing them in an attic above his bed where

he thinks no one will find them and where they will be safe. He keeps this up for years, amassing a great weight of gold. But one day, while he is sleeping and oblivious to his danger, this great weight of gold breaks through the ceiling of his bedroom, comes crashing down onto his bed, and kills him. He thought of his wealth as salvation, but it was death.

That is the way it is for those who pile sin upon sin and show contempt for God’s kindness. They think of their sins as building up a life of future happiness and freedom. But each sin is actually a storing up of wrath.

Robert Haldane says, “The wicked will be punished according to the number and aggravation of their sins.”

This is true even of the good we receive and enjoy without giving proper thanks to God. Each little indulgence of sin is a coin of wrath stored up. Each neglect of others is a saved-up ingot of anger. Each angry word, each selfish thought, each mean retort, each harmful act, is a piling up of wrath’s treasures. Each pleasure enjoyed without a genuine thanks to God builds wrath. Each year of grace, each day enjoyed without the experience of God’s swift and immediate judgment, each moment of indifference to the mercy of God, is wrath’s accumulation.

If life has been good to you, you only increase your guilt and build a treasure of future punishment by ignoring and turning your back on God’s kindness.

III. Wrath is certain There is another thought wrath in verse 5, and it is that the wrath of God against sin is certain.

People who spurn God’s patience inevitably think that in the end they will somehow get free and escape what they deserve.

That is what the people being addressed in this chapter were thinking. They looked at the debased moral practices of the heathen and concluded that they themselves would escape God’s wrath because of their imagined superiority to the heathen in such things. But it is not so, Paul says. In fact, it is quite the contrary.

Their very awareness of high moral standards, coupled with their refusal to repent of sin and come to God, intensifies their guilt and assures their final condemnation.

News

Martins cautions leaders on economy …decries planned sale of national assets

T

he Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, His Grace, Most Rev. Dr. Alfred Adewale Martins has advised Nigerian President, Muhamadu Buhari against the sale of the country’s national asset in the bid to resuscitating the nation’s economy.

Martins who made this statement in a release signed by the Director of Social Communications, Monsignor Gabriel Osu, claimed that selling off national assets to revamp the ailing economy is a wrong step that would mortgage the future of the country for a short period of palliative measure.

Reacting to news emanating from the presidency alleging that the president and governors have thrown their weight

behind calls by some well placed individuals for the sale of national assets; Archbishop Martins warned that taken such steps at this period in time would be counter-product.

Condemning government’s move to sell off national assets at this trying period, the cleric advised the present administration to explore more realistic and far-reaching measures that would take the nation out of the woods without compromising the future of the masses.

According to Martins, there is no guarantying that outright sale of national assets would impact positively on the Nigerian nation, considering the che-

quered history of privatization exercises carried out in past.

“We have seen from time past that selling off our national assets has not yielded much dividend. Indeed, on the contrary, it has been mission in futility.

Take the case of Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN for instance; we are all witnesses to the fact that supply of electricity has not improved despite the fact that it has long been sold to private individuals. We also know what has become of Nigeria Telecommunication, NITEL, NIPOST and the Grand National monument that was once the Nigerian Airways. Even then, why should gov-

ernment toy with the idea of selling off a profit making organization like the NLNG? Something is not right somewhere”, he said.

While calling on President Buhari to urgently consider drastic reduction of the salaries and allowances of public office holders and politicians as a first step towards conserving funds, Archbishop Martins admonished the president to broaden the composition of his economic team to incorporate technocrats.

“The president needs to drastically reduce the salaries and allowances of politicians and public office holders, as well as surround himself with tested technocrats that are capable of offering sound advice that would help lift the country out of the woods”, he admonished.

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From the Pulpit

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rock of Offense

H

umans are always offended by God’s silence. God is in His holy temple, “let “ all the earth keep silent before him” (Hab 2:20). John the Baptist was in jail and Jesus seem indifferent to his plight (Matt 11:6). Prophet Elisha’s chariot of fire (like Elijah) never came; contrary to every expectation and prediction (2 Kings 13:14ff). God allowed His prophet to succumb to old age and death. When God is silent, He is listening, giving you more time to pray!

We are always offended by how intrusive God is as He goes too deep with his probing divine surgical knife. We are offended when bad things happen to good people; offended by God allowing “untimely” death to hit fellow believers and soldiers of the cross. Death passes by the mad man/woman scavenging on the road; the old aged begging to die and picks a young person in the prime of life! We must never forget that His thoughts towards us are calculated to bring us peace and a hopeful future. Even when He slays, we must still serve and praise Him. I am offended about how He changes my world and my taste. God seems to arbitrarily

Chapel of Holiness and Testimony with Pastor K. I.

Bona

Continued from topic 12 of last week INTERPRETATIONS 8) The blood of the lamb should be smeared on the door post of the house where they ate it: It means any house or family which has accepted Jesus as their Lord and personal saviour had life and are covered by the mercies of God. John 6:53-56 “Then Jesus said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”

9) They shall eat the flesh of the lamb in the night. Ps. 30:5B “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” The death of Jesus took place in the night. All the disciples were greatly sorrowful, but in the morning the news of his resurrection filled the air. In other words, the children of Israel were instructed to eat the flesh in the night with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, and in the morning their deliverance would come. I may not know whether you are going through your night experience either in life, marriage, career, profession or business, be encouraged in the Lord, do not give up, your morning will soon come, praise the Lord!

10) They must eat the lamb roasted with fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs.

An unleavened bread is a bread without yeast. A bread without yeast is a bread which did not ferment. When a bread did not ferment, it means the bread did not rise, it was baked naturally. God was saying that the grace of salvation which would be given to human race should be accepted with

change the rule of engagement, tradition, and counter-culture. This offends. Who has not been offended by God’s timing and delay?

He promised Abraham to be the father of nations, and caused him to wait for 25 years for the promised seed.

He could have saved Daniel earlier: thank God, He arrived as soon as Daniel entered the lion’s den. So many qualified and logical people get so offended by God’s choices. Solomon was the son of Bathsheba, the ill-gotten wife of King David. Solomon became the divinely chosen successor to the throne, over and above his older brothers. Christ chose twelve (12) disciples who were unlearned, unrefined and uncouth, but adjudged to have been with Christ (Acts 4:13). A quick perusal of Jesus’ genealogy would reveal several misfits like Rahab, the harlot and Ruth, the gentile. God’s ways are not our ways!

God’s paradox causes offense. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:8-9). God teaches that you have to be poor to be rich; give to have; die to live; decrease to increase; and be humble to be lifted and promoted.

The way and manner that God metes out His punishment upon His erring children sometimes cause offense. Moses struck the rock twice instead of speaking to the rock because the people angered Him; yet water

came out from the rock to the unbelieving and annoying Israelites, but Moses got punished!

Abba! Rock of offence! (Exod 17:6; Num 20:810). Also Uzzah tried to steady the ark to his demise! (2 Sam 6:1-8). That incidence really offended and angered David that he dumped the ark in house of Obed-Edom for three (3) months before finding the courage and understanding to bring it to the city of David. Furthermore, the chap who brought news of helping King Saul finish dying was “rewarded” with death by David in revenge! (2 Sam 1:1-16).

God can take my tantrums like a loving father with an eternally large heart. He knows our frame. He invites our inquiring outbursts instead of our destructive bottledup emotions that find venomous outlets on innocent by-standers, immediate family members, close associates and subordinates. God tolerates tantrums! Best of all, more “blessed” are those who would not allow God’s activities or inactivity or delay or re-arrangements to offend them. Faith takes it all in. When we cannot see His hands, we trust His heart!

Have faith in God. Ground your expectations of heaven and salvation wholly upon Him; so you can enjoy a happy and blessed condition.

Blessed is he that shall not be offended in me.

The Yorubas address God as “Kabiyesi or Kabioosi;” this means “God is unquestionable!” Those who believe in Him need not stumble or be ashamed and confounded (Rom 9:33). God does not have to remain a “Stone of Stumbling” or “Rock of Offense”

to the totally surrendered Christian. A major antidote to getting offended by God is found in Psalm 119:165: “Great peace have they which love Your law: and nothing shall offend them.”

Noting and observing all of Christ’s words would minimize occasion for being offended

by God (John 16:1). You should also earnestly practice His presence (Ps 11) and soul-deep contentment (Phil 4:4).

As God heals us of offenses, He gives us the ministry to the offended that they too may be reconciled to God: “And all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and has committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18-19).

Ours is a fellowship of healed offended offenders! His Word gives us a new perspective of God. Real peace, Shalom, becomes ours as we let go and let God. We must receive all things from the hand of our loving eternal Abba Father! Jesus pleads: “Do not be offended at me! Follow me blindly. Take what comes from my hand. I will carry you!”

Tunde Ojewole, PhD, is the Babcock University Pastor in charge: Division of Spiritual Life. Pick a copy of his latest book: GOD’S FOOTPRINTS. For enquiries, contact: ojewolea@babcock.edu.ng or call/SMS 08058299434/08060376577.

The mystery of blood covenant (13) simplicity of heart. With Christ in us, our lives should be void of pride, egoism, selfishness, and or haughtiness. The roasting of the lamb before eating shows the nature of the suffering which Jesus would suffer on the cross of Calvary. To eat it with bitter herb means that the teaching of the cross shall not be sweet to the flesh, but it will give life to the spirit. In Romans 9:33 “As it is written, Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth in him shall not be ashamed.” The stone, God laid in Zion was Jesus. His teachings shall become a stumbling block and rock of offence to many hearers. However, those who would believe and follow his teaching shall not be ashamed. The stumbling block and rock of offence is the bitter herbs the children of Israel should eat the lamb with.

11) The meat of the lamb must not be eaten raw or sodden with water: God in heaven had mapped out the process which Jesus would die. The salvation and deliverance of the generality of human soul on earth has been attached to it. The message of salvation has been tested both in heaven and on earth and found worthy. Nothing should be added or subtracted. Heb. 11:3 “Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” By the word of God were all things framed both physical and spiritual. In Matthew 24:35 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away”, which was why the children of Israel were instructed not to eat the meat of the lamb, raw, or sodden with water. God’s words should not be adulterated at any cost; instead, it should be preached, taught and admonished rightly the way it is, irrespective of respect of persons or personalities.

12) Nothing of the meat of the lamb should remain until morning. Whatever that remained should be burnt with fire. Jesus was the manna God gave to the children of Israel while they were on their journey to the promised land. Exo. 16:1516 and 19 “And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, it is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, this

is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And Moses said, let no man leave of it till the morning.”

13) You shall eat the meat of the Passover lamb wearing your shoes, with your loins girded and your staff on your hands. The children of God should be ready at all times for the second coming of our Lord Jesus. Matthew 24:42-44 “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the Goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.”

The blessings of the blood covenant between God and the children of israel In every blood covenant cut, there is always blessings and or curses that follow it: blessings, if the terms of the covenant were respected and kept; curses if the terms of the covenant were ignored and abused. In Deut. chapter 28:1-14, the Lord through his servant Moses spelt out numerous blessings that would come on the children of Israel, if the respected honoured and obeyed strictly the terms of the blood covenant.

“And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.”

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. Blessed shall thou be when thou cometh in and blessed shall thou be when thou goest out. The Lord shall

cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face, they shall come out against thee in one way, and flee before thee in seven ways. The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy store houses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto and he shall bless thee in the land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee. The Lord shall establish thee a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shall keep the commandments of the Lord and walk in his ways. And all the people of the earth shall see that thou hath called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of thee. And the Lord shall make thee plenteous in good, in the fruit of thy body and in the fruit of the cattle and in the fruit of thy around, in the land which the Lord sworn unto thy fathers to give thee.

Testimonies – He commanded and the prison gate opened My two brothers were in prison, for over three years. One of them was in prison outside this country. In one of our breaking barriers morning service, I was in the fellowship.

The man of God prophesied that someone is here, your brother is in prison; this month, he shall be released. I quickly jumped up and shouted, praise God! That was middle of the month then. Early this year brethren, I kept watching and believing God: behold three days to the end of the month, news reaching us said that my brother has been freed from prison, then a week after, the one in Nigeria was also released. Brethren, praise the Lord!

Bro. John Address: Pastor Kingson I. Bona, General Overseer Chapel of Holiness and Testimonies Ministries, No. 6, David Egbetuyi Street, Fagbile Estate, Ijegun, Ikotun, Lagos.

Tel: 08023404926, 08038206508 website: wwwchapelholiness.org facebook: pstkingsonbona@facebook.com email: kingsonbona@gmail.com

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Sunday, October 16, 2016

37

Resentment, possible litigation trail Obaseki’s victory in Edo Three weeks after the All Progressive Congress won a slim victory at the Edo State gubernatorial polls, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party appears unconvinced about the results and is preparing for litigation at the tribunals. ISESELE EZEKIEL reports on the wave of resentment and bad blood that have trailed the elections.

There are growing tension and palpable fear in Edo State over a possible breakdown of law and order as protests continue to trail the emergence of Godwin Obaseki of All Progressives Congress as Governor elect in the gubernatorial elections conducted on September 28.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Obaseki winner of the governorship poll after he won 319,483 votes which represent 51 per cent votes cast while Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the Peoples Democratic Party scored 253,173 votes INEC had on Thursday issued a Certificate of Return to the governor-elect and tasked him on fulfilling his campaign promises to the people Meanwhile, at least eight governorship candidates of the political parties that participated in the gubernatorial election have called for the cancellation of the results, which they said were completely at variance with what their agents and observers obtained across the polling units in the state The leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party is currently at daggers drawn with Governor Adams Oshiomhole over battle to reclaim what they termed their “stolen mandate” at the court But the governor, who appeared undisturbed by the decision of the opposition party to challenged the election outcome, said his party, All Progressives Congress (APC) cannot wait to meet the PDP in the court As the claims and counter claims over alleged manipulation of election figures

by INEC in favour of the APC candidate continue to take center stage, a pressure group, under the auspices of Edo Youth Coalition prevailed on the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Pastor Ize -Iyamu Osagie to concede defeat in the interest of the state They urged the PDP candidate to emulate ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, who conceded defeat to President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of 2015 Presidential poll Spokesperson and Secretary General of the group, Comrade Toju Igbene said they embarked on the solidarity rally to front the common interest of the state above individual interests “Let us develop the spirit of sportsmanship that is why we keep respecting Dr. Godluck Ebele Jonathan. Haven lost an election; he was the first to put a call to Buhari to congratulate him. Let us develop that spirit. Let us develop that culture”, he said.

Obaseki

LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT THE ROBBERY OF THE EDO PEOPLES MANDATE WILL NOT STAND. IN THE PAST FEW DAYS I HAVE BEEN SEEKING THE FACE OF GOD. I ASKED HIM WHAT DO I DO: DO I LEAVE THEM TO THEIR FATE? DO I WALK AWAY? AND GOD GAVE ME A WORD. HE SAID, ‘PURSUE AND RECOVER’

Igbene, described the outcome of the election as the will of the people and passed a vote of confidence on INEC and security agencies for their dedication to duty before, during and after the election which he claimed was free and fair The unexpected however occurred barely a week after the election, when men of the State Police Command recovered a ballot box filled with thumb printed ballot papers in an uncompleted building suspected to have been used and abandoned during the election.

Although the police was yet to make any official statement on the issue, Sunday Mirror investigations revealed that the ballot box whose particulars were withheld may have been dumped during the Governorship poll in Oredo Local Government Area, adjacent to the Deeper Life Bible Church of Ekenwuan road, Benin City Doubts over whether the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu will challenged the outcome of the polls were however laid to rest on Friday, when he declared that God told him to, “pursue and recover”, his

mandate which he claimed INEC robbed him and his party The PDP governorship candidate, who led a peaceful protest rally across major streets in Benin City, the state capital tagged, “Mother of all Protests”, coordinated by the Centre for Patriotic Leadership Initiative (CPLI), a leadership and rights advocacy NGO, Coalition of civil society groups, said after seeking the face of God he resolved to approach the State Governorship Elections Petitions Tribunal for justice over the alleged fake results declared by INEC “Let me assure you that the robbery of the Edo peoples mandate will not stand.

In the past few days I have been seeking the face of God. I asked him what do I do: do I leave them to their fate? Do I Walk away? And God gave me a word. He said, ‘pursue and recover’.

“I have not come out since the fake results but many of you said, this mandate is beyond Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu; ‘even if he sits at home we will not sit at home’.

Because you voted and your vote must count. Despite the fake results you have refused to be violent. Properties have not

been destroyed. No life is lost”.

He berated the APC state government over failure to celebrate the election victory, “Edo is in a state of mourning like a graveyard because the people’s mandate has been robbed. But let me assure you that that at the end of the day we will win, because God has said so. We will win because Edo people voted for us and we won the election”.

Chief Dan Orbih, the state PDP chairman posited; “We are going to put everything in place to defend democracy. We are going to defend our right to freely elect our governor. We have a right as a people to decide to elect our governor.

That we have done and together we are going to retrieve our mandate”.

While members and sympathizers of the state chapter of PDP are currently engrossed in pains and yet to recover from the shock of the electoral defeat, the APC leadership is at the verge of constituting a panel to sanction perceived saboteurs in ist ranks who allegedly sold out during the poll.

Barrister Anslem Ojiezua, APC state chairman said the party had since informed its party agents to volunteer useful materials that could assist the yet to be constituted penal adding those indicted would be accorded fair hearing.

Obaseki who commended INEC for conducting one of the freest and fairest election in Edo state while receiving the Certificate of Return pledged to put the interest of the state above personal interest. “I decided to become governor because I want to serve”, he stressed.

He posited that the pockets of protest being witnessed today in the state were being sponsored by few individuals.

“For me, this result has shown that we can be professional, we can be honest and we can be open. We do not have to tell lies; we do not have to hoodwink our people to get electoral success. I want to thank you INEC because for me, I know as an umpire, not every player will accept or agree to your outcome but I saw the events leading up to the election and after the election they have proven that you were as fair, transparent, opened as possibly as it could be. You were efficient, you were not perfect.

“The people of Edo State generally accepted the outcome of that election. That is why we did not have street protests immediately the result was announced neither that night nor the day before or day after. Everything else you see today is contract protests.

Mutual suspicion and uneasy calm had pervaded the various camps of the political parties that contested the rescheduled governorship race, an aftermath of the decision of the INEC to postpone the poll earlier billed for Saturday 10th, 2016 on security grounds Thereafter there were issues which bordered on the integrity of the election umpire under the watch of Professor Mahmood Yakubu to conduct a free, fair election who within 72 hours to the election, somersaulted in his resolved to forge ahead to conduct the poll.

The decision of INEC to reschedul the poll for September 28th had, provoked wide condemnation from political parties and their candidates, stakeholders, CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

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Politics

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria must drop Presidential system for Parliamentary –Banire reduce all of them. The Ministers, Commissioners they should all be part time except the president and the governors.

I also subscribe to the issue of state police.

Dr Muiz Banire is the National Legal Adviser of the All Progressive Congress, APC . He was Commissioner for Special Duty, Transport and later Environment in Lagos State. Banire who clocked 50 years recently is also a legal practitioner and an academician. In this interview with AYO ESAN he speaks on his life at 50 and issues of national importance. Excerpts:

What is the Nigeria of your dream?

The Nigeria I look forward to is where rule of law prevails .

How do you think we can improve our electoral system?

One of the fundamental one is the independent candidacy. This is because it has got to a stage that there must be independent candidacy. It has come to a stage that the pedigree of people must count not necessarily the platform. We must also improve our politics to that of issues rather than distribution of money, peoples vote must be appreciated.

We must let the people know the value of their votes. That is the step we must take. The issue of internal democracy must be strengthened.

How is the APC National Working Committee, NWC looking at the crisis in your party in Ondo State ?

It has been resolved, to the best of my knowledge it has been resolved. You must always have such challenges from time to time. It is a human society and complex society, nothing unusual as far as I am concerned.

What is the chance of your party in Ondo governorship election?

Well, I am not from Ondo State in the first instance. Two, I have not been there for a long time to know the situation politically. I have not gauged anything. I am not in a position at all to say anything. But of course my hope will be that we will do well.

What is the situation in APC now; some people feel there are a lot of cracks?

The party is stabilizing fast. There is no crack; you see we all came from different background. We are just melting into each other, it will take time. It is a natural process.

Some people have argued that the office of the Attorney General and that of Commissioner or Minister of Justice should be separated. What is your position on this?

I subscribed to it because you need an Attorney General that is independent of the Executive generally, that can take decision objectively without any interference from the executive . That is the whole basis of it.

Then how will the Attorney General emerge?

In the first instance we first have to agree to say we want to separate, then we go to the next stage. For example in the United States, in some area, they elect them. Here we can even put a mechanism devoid of election where their emergence will be independent.

What is your position on the recent arrest of judges by men of DSS? A lot of people have been commenting on the issue they don’t know anything about. So I am not in a position to talk on it because there are so much conflicting information in newspapers.

So many conflicting information you find in the newspapers every day. So for me as a lawyer, I will not comment on it until I have enough information, official , not what I read in newspapers.

Advice to people in government?

They should continue to fear God. My realization is that most of them are not Godly, they can be religious, they can pray five times daily as Muslims, do night vigils every night. But in reality they are not Godly, they only perform religious rite all over the place. So my appeal is for them to have fear of God.

Banire

I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN IN POLITICS AT ALL. IT IS A CONTRADICTION, UP TILL TODAY I STILL ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GO INTO POLITICS. BUT FOR ME I SEE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOVERNED

BY PERSONAL AMBITION NOT SOCIETAL GOOD.

AND THEY ARE IN THE COMFORTABLE MAJORITY. PARTICULARLY WHEN THEY STARTED INSINUATING SOME BASELESS

ASSERTION, YOU JUST WANT TO SAY LOOK DON’T BELONG TO YOU

Then your memorable day in the last 50 years?

May be when I had my first child, seeing my replica. I was excited. It was an extra ordinary day especially when it took some years before it happened.

And your saddest day?

I think for now I want to reserve that for my memoir because it is political .You know you get shocked in politics regularly it was one of those occasion that one want to recall.

Now that you are 50 what is your aspiration?

My aspiration is in the hands of God, but to practice my profession to the best of my knowledge, continue to improve spiritually and continue to impact positively on the society at large .Those are my own basic aspirations.

I

Looking back what would you have done differently if you have the opportunity?

I wouldn’t have been in politics at all.

It is a contradiction, up till today I still encourage people to go into politics. But for me I see people that are governed by personal ambition not societal good.

And they are in the comfortable majority. Particularly when they started insinuating some baseless assertion, you just want to say look I don’t belong to you.

Looking at our constitution what do you think we should change to make the running of the country better?

We have mentioned one of them, the dichotomy between the office of Attorney General and the Minister of Justice . And I think we need to go parliamentary. This presidential system is too cost intensive. These entire Assembly thing must be part time job. We must

How do you feel at 50?

I feel normal, the way I have been filling for years. I have been feeling the same way.

What was your growing up like?

Just like any other youth, up and down. It wasn’t smooth and it wasn’t bad.

You grew up in Mushin area of Lagos, how was it in those days ?

Mushin was very good, peaceful, calm , secured, enjoyable at that time.

In fact I used to ride all over the whole place .

Then your choice of law profession, how did it come about?

I have been destined to be a lawyer , because all I have been doing since I was in Primary School has been towards that direction substantially . I believe it I must be matter of destiny.

How do you come into politics?

I have always been in politics when I was in school, I was part of the students union politics. I have always believe that you don’t complain about things and be complaining, you must make sure that you get into the ring in order to correct things . Essentially that form the purpose of my own entry into politics nothing beyond .

Then leaving the academic to join politics I didn’t left academic to join politics.

To a large extent I want to tell you that it is not until recent that I became fully involved I have always been an acadeCONTINUED ON PAGE 39

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Sunday, October 16, 2016

39

Nigeria must drop Presidential system for Parliamentary CONTINUED FROM Page 38 Are you saying you want to be out of politics?

mician to the core. I left academic to government not politics. And from government now I went into politics with unpalatable consequences.

Let’s look at the three areas, politics, lecturing and Legal profession, which do you cherish most and why ?

Lecturing, because by lecturing you are imparting knowledge and that is part of what is called success. Once you continue to impart directly, then you are a successful person, so I cherish lecturing more than any other one .

Something likes that.

When will that be?

Very very soon Why do you want to quit politics Because I cannot cope with their intrigues’. Their intrigues are too much for me and I am not cut out for their intrigues. I have contributed my quota and it gets to a stage that there are some thing you can’t stomach.

And when you look around you and you cannot find people with similar aspiration or virtues or values , it is better to honourably bow out and leave them to continue in their ways. Hopefully in the nearest future people will realise those defects .

Many people were surprise when they heard that you are just 50 having served for 12 years in Lagos Government. How do you see such feeling by the people?

I started everything early. My school I started early, left school early , so everything have been early . But I pray not to die early, I want to live very long .

Your 12 years in government in Lagos State, how will you describe it?

Full of its own challenges. But at least there is sense of fulfillment that we contributed our own quota to the best of our ability .

When you move round Lagos seeing all the reforms you put in the transport sector and the environment, how do you feel?

Well I give grace to God. I give thanks to God always that we have been able to effect some changes. Even when I see the trees all over Lagos, the traffic lights, the parks, the gardens, the Buses Rapid Transit, BRT, I give glory to God. And how did you conceptualized all these then?

Well with all sense of humility l think, I think a lot and always believe that there is no problem or challenge that is insurmountable if you think it will be well. And he doesn’t take rocket science in most instances , there are some of them that have been done and you can transplant into your system, there are some of them that you have to device local solution to . These are some of the things we did and I have always been open to suggestions .

Do you nurse the ambition of going back to the academics?

I left formal academics, but I have not left the academic totally, I still write papers, I still do guest lecturer here and there .

How do you see the legal education in the country?

Well it still requires some measure of improvement.

You have handled so many cases and you became a senior advocate last year , what was your feelings like when you become SAN. And which of the cases you have handled would you say it is the most memorable ?

Again for anything that every human being achieved, he must give glory to God because for me it is not out of sheer competence alone. It is out of the grace

Banire

YOU CAN ONLY HELP PEOPLE IN WHATEVER CAPACITY YOU FIND YOURSELF. IT IS NOT ONLY WHEN YOU ARE IN POLITICS OR WHEN YOU BECOME A GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL-

COMMISSIONER OR GOVERNOR OR PRESIDENT THAT YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE. YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE IN WHATEVER CAPACITY THAT YOU ARE

of God that you get most of these things.

But in term of the most memorable and interesting case that I have handled. It was a very interesting case at the magistrate level . It was even at the magistrate level when I was doing my youth service. And it was interesting to the extent that , it was a case of somebody that stole the goat of a Divisional Police Officer. That was bad enough but it was not only that, the man after being granted bail ran away again. So before they could rarest him it took some time, so imagine what could have happened in that kind of trial. But at the end of the day I was able to persuade the court to get him cautioned and discharged . I remember that I was just doing my Master programme then and I have to deploy a lot of theories from all over the World to convince impossible bamboozle the Magistrate into submission. And I was surprise that eventually I was able to discharge the man.

We learnt you applied several times before you were granted SAN? Yes I believe I was qualified for almost seven years before I got it but that is how God wanted it that time.

What was your experience first day in court?

As a lawyer or as a SAN? As a lawyer?

Of course it was very challenging because the first case I was asked to go and handle was a murder case. After qualifying it was a murder case during youth service so I read as if I was going to do examination. But the good news was that I got there and the prosecution wasn’t ready and the case was adjourned. I felt relieved.

In term of politics having did all you have done in Lagos , what is your aspiration again?

I don’t have any political ambition at all .

And how do you want the masses to feel?

You can only help people in whatever capacity you find yourself . It is not only when you are in politics or when you become a government official- Commissioner or governor or president that you can help people. You can help people in whatever capacity that you are.

That is part of problem we have in Nigeria people believe that you must hold position before you can add value to the society. I belong to the contrary school, you don’t need a position to add value , you don’t need a position to help people . Even as little as removing a dangerous weapon on the road is help to the people.

Smiling to the people is a therapy on its own. So for me politics is not it.

So in what way will you assist the masses?

I do so many things, we do so many things that I cannot be counting them.

Too many. Shortly now we will be training about 150 youths in leadership training. I cannot list the number of people that we are sponsoring to school abroad, locally in Nigeria. How many do I want to say, or lectures that we deliver or motivational talks. They are limitless, we give God the glory.

So when you quit politics are you going into legal practice fully or what would be your preoccupation? Well we have a group that we started about a year ago called United Action for Change which is a movement geared towards propriety , due process in the society , enlargement of the value of the society . It is completely non- political. It consists of people of various interests but cerebral set of people where we are thinkers and that will be m preoccupation going forward.

We learnt that in forming the APC you did a lot in the legal framework and so on Yes I did. I have no doubt about that myself So why do you want to leave the party and politics?

My leaving doesn’t make any difference nobody is indispensable. it is only God that is indispensable , human being are dispensable .

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Politics

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Resentment, possible litigation trails Obaseki’s victory in Edo of free and fair election but what we have gotten in Edo is a rape on democracy and they have taken us back several years.

The results that they have announce is complete sham”.

He also raised concern over what he termed, open display of monetary inducement of voters by the ruling party adding that ballot boxes were so arranged to allowed people to see candidates individual voted for.

“Those who tried to vote against them after collecting their money were dealt with. Definitely there were huge financial inducements. What we intend to do is very simple. We don’t want to resort to violence but the first we will do is to look at all the results and then publish to Edo people to see what should have been the correct result from what the INEC has done.

In a related development, members of the international and foreign observers made up of Africa Union Observers, American Observer Team, British Council who monitored the Wednesday election and spoke with newsmen in Benin City said they were denied access into the collation centres.

Spokesperson for the group, Prof Ahmed Ansari, Head of African Union Observers equally berated security operatives whom he said looked the other way while politicians and their agents induced voters with money adding that both parties were involved.

CONTINUED FROM Page 37 and members of the Nigeria civil society organization groups.

Trouble over the election outcome started when INEC in an attempt to uphold transparency towards the conduct and collation processes, beamed the election on live coverage only to discontinue the announcement of the results midway and returned on stage the following morning The PDP rejected the election outcome while the results were still being declared by INEC. PDP state chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, PDP who addressed newsmen, said the results declared by INEC confirmed the alarm earlier raised by the party, less than 48 hours to the election over alleged plot by the state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in connivance with INEC to re-write the results of nine local government areas in the state.

“We have observed there is a wide difference between the figures from our party agents, Independent observers with what INEC was announcing” Orbih also decried the decision of INEC to cancelled mass votes from areas considered to be the party’s stronghold who were accredited by manual register owing to the failure of card reader machines deployed by INEC. “I also feel strong that voters should not be denied their rights or suffer undue delays as a result of the inefficient malfunctioning of card readers provided

by INEC. I will like to make it abundantly clear here that we are going to reject the results currently announce by the INEC officials and their headquarters

Ize-Iyamu

Pastor Ize,-Iyamu Osagie said the figures announced by INEC were predetermined, written and did not reflect the mass turn out of voters.

“We were not desperate, we were willing to support whoever wins this election

but we cannot partake in this kind of fraudulent activity. Clearly INEC has fail and in conjunction with security agencies has betrayed the confidence of Nigerians after they promised us free and fair elections. President Buhari is a product

Separation of Powers doctrine under trial CONTINUED FROM Page 10 against Hon. Justice Pindiga; and corrupt practices and professional misconduct against Hon. Justice Dimgba.

“The impression created and widely circulated before the public; that the DSS forwarded a number of petitions containing various allegations of corrupt practices and professional misconduct against some Judicial Officers to the Council, and they were not investigated, is not correct.

The Council urges the DSS to make public the particulars of such petitions to put the records straight.

“Given the above background facts, on behalf of the Judiciary, Council is constrained to inform the general public that all petitions and complaints forwarded against Judicial Officers bordering on corrupt practices and professional misconduct, have been attended to and investigated, where applicable, by Council since year 2000 to date, within the powers conferred on it by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

“Therefore, any Judicial Officer that was reprimanded by Council or recommended for removal from office by compulsory retirement or dismissal to the President or Governor, was done in compliance with the Constitutional power, Rule of Law and Due Process.

“From year 2000, when the National Judicial Council held its inaugural meet-

THE COUNCIL VEHEMENTLY DENOUNCES A SITUATION WHEREBY THE PSYCHE OF JUDICIAL OFFICERS IN THE FEDERATION IS SUBJECTED TO A LEVEL WHERE THEY WOULD BE AFRAID TO DISCHARGE THEIR

CONSTITUTIONAL

JUDICIAL FUNCTIONS, WITHOUT FEAR OR

FAVOUR, INTIMIDATION, VICTIMIZATION OR SUPPRESSION

ing to 2016, 1808 petitions and complaints against Judicial Officers, including Chief Justices of Nigeria, Justices of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal were received by the respective Honourable, the Chief Justices of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council. Eightytwo (82 No.) of the Judicial Officers were reprimanded (suspension, caution or warning), by Council, in the exercise of its exclusive Constitutional Disciplinary power over Judicial Officers. Thirty-eight (38 No.) of the Judicial Officers were recommended to the President or Governor where applicable, for compulsory retirement from office; while twelve (12 No.) were recommended to the Presi-

dent or Governor as the case may be, for dismissal from office.

“In conclusion, Council wishes to state as follows:That it maintains its earlier decision that no Judicial Officer shall be invited by any Institution including the DSS, without complying with the Rule of Law and Due Process. That explains why when the DSS wrote to the Council by letter Ref. No. LSC.960/4 dated 14th September, 2016, to direct Hon. Justice Mu’azu Pindiga to appear before it, The Hon. Chief Justice of Nigeria and Chairman of the National Judicial Council directed the Hon. Chief Judge of Gombe State to ask Hon. Justice Mu’azu Pindiga to report to DSS, which

“There were reports of inducement.

Every party complained about inducement which to me means that all of them were guilty. The voter is not supposed to sell his consciences. To the politicians, it shouldn’t be about money”.

His Lordship did.

That the National Judicial Council has never shielded nor will it shield any Judicial Officer who has committed any misconduct.

That the Department of State Services is an Agency in the Presidency and its functions as specified in the statute establishing it, is primarily concerned with the internal security of the Country.

That the action of the DSS is a denigration of the entire Judiciary, as an institution.

That by the act of the DSS, Judicial Officers are now being subjected to insecurity, as criminals might take advantage of the recent incidents to invade their residences under the guise of being security agents.

The Council vehemently denounces a situation whereby the psyche of Judicial Officers in the Federation is subjected to a level where they would be afraid to discharge their Constitutional judicial functions, without fear or favour, intimidation, victimization or suppression.

The Council will not compromise the integrity and impartiality of the Judiciary.

The Council wishes to reassure the public that any person who has a genuine complaint against any Judicial Officer is at liberty to bring it up to the Council for consideration, after following due process vide its Judicial Discipline Regulations.

41

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sunday, October 16, 2016

More general managers resign over ‘right placement’ exercise in FAAN OLUSEGUN KOIKI

T

here are indications that some of the top personnel demoted last week in the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, may have resigned their appointments with the agency.

A source close to the agency told our correspondent yesterday that

some of them were demoted from Grade Levels 17, 16 and 15 to GL 10, 12, 15 and 16 after the right placement exercise that swept at least 22 Directors, General Managers, Deputy General Managers and Assistant General Managers.

A particular Acting Director was massively demoted from GL 17 to 10 by the exercise for being

“inappropriately placed by the government” while some of the demoted personnel were also ordered to make some refunds to the government.

But, it was learnt that rather than report to their hitherto junior officers and their new office, some of the affected personnel decided to resign their appointments with the agency.

Five of the former General Managers who spoke under condition of anonymity said they had already tendered their resignation letters shortly before the receipt of the letters as they got wind of the exercise 48 hours earlier.

The Federal Government had on Wednesday begun the restructuring exercise in FAAN with the

demotion of some directors and several General Managers of the agency even as the Ministry of Transportation insisted that the new positions are the officials’ appropriate grade levels.

The Winifred Oyo-Ita led-committee on restructuring of the aviation agency had recommended proper placement of personnel in all the aviation agencies.

Some of the general managers are said not to have the requisite qualifications to man some of the sensitive positions they held, as some of them, including deputy general managers, were

said to have left universities less than 12 years ago and could not have qualified for the office they held.

Equally affected are virtually all the directors, but an influential female director and the Managing Director, Engr. Saleh Dunoma were spared the sacking and demotion sprees.

An Acting Director of Finance was demoted to from GL 17 to 10 and redeployed to the department of Information Communication and Technology, ICT, while a particular General Manager was moved from GL17 to 15.

Ogun to partner private sector to reposition education

T

L-R: Chairman of Pinnacle Communication Limited, Sir Lucky Omoluwa; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Director-General, NTA, Mallam Yakub Ibn Mohammed and Director-General, NBC, Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, at the facility tour of Pinnacle Communication in Abuja, in preparatory to the launch of the Digital Switch Over in Abuja, recently.

NDE to empower 500 unemployed youths LIVINUS MENEDI YOLA

T

he National Directorate of Employment, NDE has said 500 unemployed youths are undergoing skills acquisition training in its centers in Adamawa is near completion of their training.

It said the youths who are near completion of the training are to be empow-

ered to establish their own businesses that will absorb other un-employed youths.

The NDE state coordinator for Adamawa Mallam Isma’ala Yar’ Adua, disclosed this, at a workshop for procurement officers of the NDE, on Thursday, in Yola.

Yar’Adua said the NDE in Adamawa state has over the years charted the course of job creation through

training and re-training of various categories of unemployed and vulnerable persons.

He disclosed that the directorate is in the process of empowering 500 unemployed youths in addition to 50 graduates who recently completed its National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (NOAS).

“Only recently the directorate has provided resettle-

ment items to 50 graduates of the Basic National Open Apprenticeship Scheme (NOAS). I am also glad to inform you that currently three hundred and sixty (360) un-employed youths are undergoing skills training in seven different skills at the three NDE skills acquisition training centres located at Yola South, MayoBelwa and Michika local government areas.

Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics sacks Mubi branch chairman LIVINUS MENEDI YOLA

T

he Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP), Federal Polytechnic, Mubi, has removed the branch chairman Mohammed Kabir, from his position as chairman of ASUP for

the branch following a no confidence vote passed on him.

The no confidence vote was made at a congress meeting, where the members deliberating on the report of the state of the union voted to remove the branch chairman from office.

The removal of the Mubi branch Chairman of ASUP was communicated to newsmen on Saturday

by Mr Gadzama Kevin, the publicity secretary of ASUP for the institution.

According to him, Mr. Mohammed Kabir, impeachment from office was reached after mem-

bers allegedly found him guilty of the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him.

The congress, he said, after its action immediately, passed a resolution to allow the Vice Chairman of the union, Martins Bunu, assume the office as interim chairman of the union.

he Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has said his administration would partner the private sector in its determination to reposition education in the state.

Speaking at the 8th Convocation of Crescent University, Abeokuta, yesterday, the governor emphasised that his government places high premium on education and promised not to relent in his efforts to ensure qualitative, accessible and affordable education.

The governor, who announced automatic employment for the first class graduating students into the state public service, advised the graduates to strive to become self reliant and not depend on white collar jobs.

He also charged them to be good ambassadors of the nation, the institution and their families as well as apply all their academic knowledge towards the development of the nation.

In their separate remarks, awardees, former Head of State, General

Abdulsalami Abubakar and the Alafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, who were both honoured with the award of Doctor of Science in Public Administration, appreciated the management of the institution for the honour bestowed on them.

They both advised political leaders to always fulfil their election promises while also urging Nigerians to be considerate in their expectations.

In his address, Proprietor of the University, Prince Bola Abdul Jabbar Ajibola noted that the institution is determined to ensure that the graduates continue to be noted for exemplary character, excellent academics and sound morals.

Vice-Chancellor of the university, Professor Ibraheem Gbajabiamila, who noted that the graduates were found worthy not only in learning but also character, disclosed that the university has equipped them to succeed, charging them to look up to the future with confidence.

42

Sport

Sunday, October 16, 2016

CAF Player of 2016: Iheanacho, Mikel, Ahmed Musa nominated

Sport

PAGE 44

KEEPING YOU ABREAST OF SPORTING NEWS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016

Liverpool but won’t define season – Mou

Examining Rohr’s impact on the Super Eagles I

t has been barely three months into Gernot Rohr’s stint in charge of the Nigeria national team. International football rarely affords the kind of time needed to carry out exhaustive overhauls or create complexity, and considering the immediacy of the German’s brief, there is even less scope for drastic changes.

Instead, what Rohr has sought to do so far is a lot less cutting edge.

Football is neither as complex nor as simple as most would like to think, but on some level, it is easy to accept that if you play your best players, you stand a better chance of winning. For a manager particularly who is not wedded to any one system of play, the quality of individual players available will always be the prime concern.

System managers will sometimes leave out a player of immense ability if he does not flow with the team’s general idea, Rohr, however, is not a man bogged down by particularity.

Largely, as evidenced against Tanzania, he will seek to select the strongest eleven of individual talents, and let them work out an understanding. Intelligent players will necessarily combine well, and tend to lock into a kind of telepathy that, if developed, can

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

blossom into truly devastating passages of play.

The result against Tanzania in Uyo a month ago flattered the visitors somewhat, but the performance was something of a mixed bag in terms of execution.

On the one hand, there were some sequences where the build-up was really good, but on the other players seemed to be getting in each other’s way. As the group gels and learns to play off of one another, this organic understanding which Rohr seeks to foster will improve. Of course, one must consider the personnel and evaluate their suitability to hang with the team ethos.

Ironically, teams that are built around individual quality tend to suffer with individualists, and this is where, in some ways, Victor Moses’ absence is something of a relief. The Chelsea man is outrageously talented, and when his confidence is high, can be impossible to live with.

Sadly, when it isn’t, this statement is also true for his own teammates.

Arsenal youngster Alex Iwobi will almost certainly come into the team in his stead, and is a wonderfully intuitive footballer for his age.

His ability to act as an enabler, rather than a magnet, makes him a better fit for Rohr’s style.

PAGE 43

Super Eagles celebrating a goal

Ahmed Musa on the opposite flank seems a selection that might be persisted with, but the Leicester man is in a bit of a rut for both club and country at the moment, and could well make way for Moses Simon, who is better with the ball at his feet and, crucially, can offer needed verticality by attacking the space behind the full-back with runs from out to in.

It will be interesting to see how Kelechi Iheanacho, now arguably the team’s brightest talent will be deployed.

In the first half against Tanzania, the Super Eagles set up in a situational 4-1-4-1 during the build-up, with the Manchester City man joining captain Mikel John Obi as one of the 8’s. It is a system that seems geared more toward coaxing Mikel though, freeing him of defensive duties in light of his new leadership role within the team, rather than unleashing Iheanacho, who is devastating in and around the penalty box.

It tells a lot about Rohr’s style too, in that he is seeking to keep the momentum going for his most influential player.

As it is now, there seems to be something to cheer about. In that, he is something of a breath of fresh air, and if his team repays that faith, there is potential for a turnaround in the Super Eagles’ fortunes.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Sunday, October 16, 2016

Walcott satisfied with ground-out win A

rsenal grinding out a 3-2 victory over Swansea City at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday was more important for Theo Walcott than completing his hat-trick.

Walcott made the most of two errors in Swansea’s defending in the first half to put Arsenal two goals up, but Gylfi Sigurdsson pulled one back for the visitors before the interval.

After Mesut Ozil marked his 28th birthday by slamming a volley home, Borja Baston’s first Premier League goal was followed by a red card for Gunners midfielder Granit Xhaka.

Arsenal subsequently came under intense pressure in the final 20 minutes, with Sigurdsson and Modou Barrow spurning chances to salvage the visitors a point in Bob Bradley’s first match at the helm.

Walcott struck the post and the crossbar as Arsenal attempted to wrap up the victory by switching to a counter-attacking approach, but the England international insisted hanging on for the win gave him greater satisfaction that a hat-trick would have.

“It was a crazy game. On a personal note, I would have liked to have had the hat-trick but the three points is all that matters. I think I could have scored three or four today but the win is all that matters,” said Walcott.

“That is a tough Swansea side - people definitely underestimate them. They caused us problems out there today.

“It’s always hard after the international break for everyone to get back into rhythm but I would rather have had a scruffy game and win so that’s all that matters.

“The belief has always been there in the dressing room. We have got players who have come in and have settled in well and we need to build on it.

43

Murray

Walcott

Murray reaches Shanghai Masters final

A

ndy Murray booked his place in a 20th Masters Series final with a 6-4 6-3 victory over Gilles Simon at the Shanghai Masters.

Murray remains on course for back-to-back titles in Asia having claimed the China Open in Beijing last week and he is into his career best 10th final of the year on the back of another straight sets win, although Frenchman Simon gave him his toughest work-out of the week.

Murray will face Roberto Bautista Agut in Sunday’s final after the Spaniard stunned Novak Djokovic in the day’s opening semi-final.

Djokovic was the defending champion in Shanghai, but his shock semi-final defeat, coupled with Murray’s sixth title of 2016 would close the gap at the top the world rankings - a goal Murray has made no secret of chasing.

Messi enjoys goal-scoring Liverpool match won’t define season – Mou J return to Barca Messi

ose Mourinho said he is looking forward Manchester United’s trip to Liverpool but does not feel the match will define his club’s season.

Mourinho leads United into his first North-West Derby on Monday seeking a victory that would lift his side level with fourth-placed Liverpool on 16 points.

The former Porto, Inter Milan, Real Madrid and Chelsea boss told reporters: “I have to feel it, to play it, and then take my conclusions, but I have been in England for a long time.

“Obviously I have never played this match, but I played many times against Liverpool, many times against Manchester United, I understand the dimension of the clubs, and now I understand better the dimensions of two big historical rivals.

Mourinho

Conte explains decision to keep Costa

L

ionel Messi made a goal-scoring return from a groin injury but it was Rafinha who stole the show in Barcelona’s 4-0 LaLiga crushing of 10-man Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.

Messi showed no signs of rustiness ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash with Manchester City as he blasted home just three minutes after coming on following a three-match lay-off, but Barca were already cruising thanks to Rafinha.

The Brazilian had been central to everything good about Barca during the early exchanges and he broke the deadlock after a clever interchange with Luis Suarez, then added his second nine minutes before the break, pouncing on a rebound and converting an easy finish.

Suarez got in on the act with a lovely effort just before his half-time withdrawal for Paco Alcacer ahead of Wednesday’s crucial fixture, with Messi entering nine minutes after the

Spaniard.

He made an almost-instant impact by adding the fourth and Laure’s red card for elbowing Neymar just after the hour mark gave the visitors an even tougher task.

Alcacer should have scored his first Barca goal as he spurned four glorious late chances, but it had no impact on the final outcome, as the home side bounced back from the 4-3 defeat to Celta Vigo before the international break.

The fit-again Messi may have been left on the bench from the start, but Barca did not look hindered during the early stages and Rafinha, occupying the Argentinian’s place in attack, crafted a fine opening just seven minutes in. The Brazilian’s left-footed cross from the right picked out Neymar at the back post and he smashed a volley on to the crossbar, before Suarez headed just over after the rebound crashed into the ground and sat up nicely for him.

Costa

C

helsea manager Antonio Conte says he risked Diego Costa missing the upcoming match with Manchester United because his passion was required in the win over Leicester City.

Premier League top goalscorer Costa netted for the seventh time in the topflight this season as the Blues cruised to a 3-0 victory over the champions at Stamford Bridge.

However, the striker appeared to be frustrated as he regularly called to be substituted in the second half on Saturday as his four yellow cards in the

first seven games had left him one away from missing the crunch clash with United on October 23.

Conte confirmed after the match that Costa was not injured and he had decided to keep him for tactical reasons.

“He is in good physical shape,” Conte said at his post-match media conference.

“It is always my decision to take a substitution - I decide, me. I take the responsibility in every situation - whether it is positive or negative - and Costa always obeys the decision.

44

Sport

Sunday, October 16, 2016

CAF Player of 2016: Iheanacho, Mikel, Ahmed Musa nominated

N

igeria stars Kelechi Iheanacho, Mikel Obi and Ahmed Musa are among 30 players nominated by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the African Footballer of the Year 2016.

This is Iheanacho’s first-ever nomination for the continent’s top individual accolade after he enjoyed a breakthrough season with Manchester City in the English Premier League.

The 20-year-old striker has also established himself at full international level after he has represented Nigeria at U17 and U20 levels.

Chelsea midfielder Mikel inspired Nigeria to win bronze at the recent Rio Olympics, while Ahmed Musa has shone at Russian champions CSKA Moscow before his big-money move to Leicester City.

Surprisingly, there is no nomination for fourtime winner Yaya Toure of Cote d’Ivoire and Manchester City.

Other nominees are Riyad Mahrez (Algeria & Leicester City) El Arabi Hillel Soudani (Algeria & Dinamo Zagreb) Islam Slimani (Algeria & Leicester City), Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon &

Knockout with

IFEANYI Eduzor

08055829770 ifeduz24@yahoo.com

Fury’s suspension could be ‘blessing in disguise’– Uncle

T

Super Eagles players celebrate a goal

Antalyaspor) Benjamin Mounkandjo (Cameroon & Lorient, Serge Aurier (Cote d’Ivoire & PSG), Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester City), Yao Koua-

Bosso waits on Warriors

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Bosso

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

oach Ladan Bosso has said he is waiting on the management of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) side, El Kanemi Warriors, to open discussion with him for possible contract renewal.

The former Kano Pillars coach’s contract with the Maiduguri Warriors expired at the end of the out gone NPFL season.

The former Abia Warriors tactician guided Warriors to a respectable eighth finish on the top-flight

si Gervais ‘Gervinho’ (Cote d’Ivoire & Hebei Fortune), Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Roma) and Mohamed El Neny (Egypt & Arsenal) and others

log.

Bosso said he will be willing to continue with the side in the upcoming top-flight once the management is ready to meet with his contract terms.

“For now my contract with El Kanemi Warriors has ended with the end of the 2015/16 NPFL season.

“I hope to meet with the management in the coming weeks to open discussion on the renewal of the contract.

yson Fury’s suspension from boxing could be a “blessing in disguise”, his uncle and trainer Peter Fury says.

Fury, 28, had his licence to fight temporarily revoked the day after he gave up his world heavyweight titles to focus on mental health problems.

Peter Fury said his nephew is being treated for “a form of manic depression”.

“It might be blessing in disguise. He is taking some time out and getting treatment, as it has been lingering on for quite a while.”

On Wednesday, Fury vacated his WBO and WBA world heavyweight

titles. The British Boxing Board of Control then announced his licence had been suspended.

But Peter Fury believes the former champion will be back in the ring by April and suggested he could become a role model for young people suffering with depression.

“It just shows people it can affect you no matter what you are,” he added.

“If depression can affect the linear heavyweight champion of the world, it’s a serious problem.

“How many young people do you hear about who have committed suicide down to depression? Depression is an illness”, he concluded.

Nasarawa stun Enyimba to reach Cup final

S

eun Sogbeso’s well-struck penalty on the half hour proved decisive as Nasarawa United stunned fourtime winners, Enyimba 1-0 to reach the 2016 Federation Cup final.

United started the brighter of the two sides and could have taken the lead inside the opening eight minutes at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Ibadan with midfielder, Lordson Ichull firing a free kick horribly wide.

Enyimba slowly began to assert themselves, creating gilt-edged opportunities as the half wore on.

Uche John came close to opening the scoring for the Peoples Elephant in the 11th minute but saw his shot from close range fly wide.

Enyimba continued to boss possession and Joseph

Osadiaye was next to threaten for the boys from Aba in the 16th minute with a teasing free kick which needed the slightest of touches to make the net bulge.

Moments later, Sogbeso made Enyimba pay for missed opportunities with his well-taken penalty that left goalkeeper, Theophilus Afelokhai with no chance.

Enyimba proceeded to throw the kitchen sink at United with Stephen Chukwude coming close on 33 minutes but it was the Lafia club that enjoyed the next clear-cut opening of the half.

Tayo Fabiyi found himself face to face with Afelokhai seconds before the interval but found the Enyimba man in uncompromising mood as he produced a big save to keep the game alive as a contest.

Ezenwa hires trainer for Algeria

S

Ezenwa

uper Eagles goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa has engaged the service of a personal trainer ahead of 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifying clash against the Algerian opposite, the Desert Foxes.

The Eagles will host the North African side in the group’s match day 2 clash on Saturday, November 12 at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo. The three-time African champions kick-started their World Cup campaign on a winning note against the Chipolopolo of Zambia in Ndola.

Ezenwa said he decided on the option to engage a personal

trainer now the season is over to be in top shape for the crucial clash against the Algerians.

“The World Cup clash against Algeria is quite important for us and I do not want to take chances with my fitness and shape especially now that the league season is over.

“That’s why I have gone ahead to secure the service of a personal goalkeeper trainer to work on me regularly.

“Right now we observe a daily routine where he drills me as well as works on my reflexes.

I’m happy with my reaction, happy, too that being an expert he will certainly give me his very best.

Tyson Furry (L) slugging it out with Wladimir Klitschko during their world heavyweight clash last November

…as Crolla gives him credit for disclosing his problem

T

yson Fury deserves credit for raising awareness of mental health issues in sport, says former WBA lightweight world champion Anthony Crolla.

Fury had his licence suspended after he gave up his world heavyweight titles, with the 28-year-old being treated for “a form of manic depression”.

He has not fought since beating Wladimir Klitschko in November

2015 and has twice withdrawn from rematches.

“For him to come forward takes a lot of courage,” Crolla told BBC Radio 5 live.

“Hopefully it helps raise awareness and gives other people, sports stars, encouragement to come forward.

“He needs extra credit. Tyson is a big, strong man and he comes from a community where they are very proud men.”

Joshua, Klitschko fight very close, says Hearn

A

fight between IBF world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua and Wladimir Klitschko is “very close”, promoter Eddie Hearn says.

On Wednesday, Briton Tyson Fury who had withdrawn from two scheduled rematches with Ukraine’s Klitschko relinquished his WBA and WBO belts.

That leaves Britain’s Joshua and Klitschko free to fight for the WBA and IBF titles in a unification bout.

He told BBC Radio 5 live that he thought both men would be “going to the gym now everyday focusing on each other and that fight being next”.

He added: “Whether it gets over the line time will tell.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Sunday, October 16, 2016

45

Judges must not live by precepts but by example –Justice Umaru Eri AKINDELE ORIMOLADE

J

ustice Umaru Eri, the first Judge in the country to sentence a fellow Judge to three months imprisonment without option of fine has said that Judges must not live by precepts but by example.

The Judge who was later described by Justice Alfa Belgore, retired Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, as “a perfect gentleman, a learned brother, a Justice of truth and a very dependable person, always”, was the Judge who belled the cat in the celebrated case of the State versus Hon. Justice Paulo A. Anyebe.

Sunday Mirror investigations revealed that nobody in the Ministry of Justice, Benue State, was keen in prosecuting this case thus prompting the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to contract it out to one Barrister Paul Belabo.

In addition, there was also the question of “who will judge the judge?” as all the Judges in the High Court refused to hear the case giving the reason that Anyebe had discussed the details of the case with them and that it would not be Justice to sit in judgment over it.

Justice Eri, according to the Authorized Biography of Justice Umaru Eri, titled “In the Eye of the Law”, was the only Judge the case was not discussed with.

“Anyebe had, in fact, visited him in Adikpo with a girl but did not discuss the incident with him. Eri had heard about the incident in the dailies and radio just like anybody else, but that was all. The Chief Judge therefore assigned the case to him”.

Justice Anyebe, Sunday Mirror learnt, had an argument with his son and he allegedly corked his gun, fired and injured him.

The son who was rushed to the hospital survived but the Police will not leave the Judicial Officer alone.

According to the book, the Police took up the matter and charged Anyebe for two criminal offences - attempted culpable homicide which was (and still is) serious offence that carried a sentence of at least 14 years in Prison.

Justice Anyebe was also charged with a lesser offence of illegal possession of firearms which carried the punishment of a fine and/or a couple of months imprisonment term.

Writing further on the celebrated case, Gideon S. Tseja, the author of the book said; “Before long, this case caught the

Eri

WHEN A THIEF STEALS MY PROPERTY, I INVOKE THE POWER OF A DETECTOR ORACLE TO EXPOSE THE THIEF. BUT IF THE DETECTOR ORACLE (HIMSELF) STEALS MY PROPERTY, WHOSE POWER DO I NOW INVOKE?

imagination and the interest of the public. It became a big case. Here was a High Court Judge who had sentenced people to the gallows for shooting people to death,

and here was the same Judge almost killing somebody by shooting. It was unthinkable”.

According to Tseja, the trial took its

News

course and at the end, Justice Eri, the trial Judge, was not fully convinced about the charge of attempt to commit murder.

“A doubt had been successfully raised in his mind by the defence, so he resolved the doubt in Anyebe’s favour and acquitted him on that doubt. On the second minor charge of illegal possession of firearms, he was found guilty and convicted.

In sentencing Justice Anyebe to three months imprisonment without an option of fine, Justice Eri said judges must not live by precepts but by example. Quoting an Igala Conundrum, Eri said “that when a thief steals my property, I invoke the Power of a Detector Oracle to expose the thief. But if the Detector Oracle (himself) steals my property, whose power do I now invoke?”.

After nearly completing his term in jail, the case finally got to the Court of Appeal. The Court had little sympathy for the embattled Judge as they thought that letting him off the hook on the first charge of attempted murder was too lenient. The justice of the Court of Appeal upheld Justice Eri’s judgement but was now given an option of fine.

Even at that, Justice Anyebe remained a convict and he wanted that quashed.

He appealed to the Supreme Court where Justice Ayo Irekefe quashed Anyebe’s conviction.

Irekefe said the issue of firearms was a Federal offence, and ought to have been prosecuted by the Federal Attorney General, but that there was no evidence that the Attorney General of Benue State got the fiat of the Federal Attorney General.

The Federal Government reacted swiftly and said;” In view of the decision of the Supreme Court in A.P. Anyebe’s case, all cases can be prosecuted by any of the Attorney Generals.”

Justice Eri who later retired as the Chief Judge of Kogi State and Administrator, National Judicial Institute, Abuja was said to be out of Abuja last week when our correspondent visited his Abuja home for comments on the case and the impending arraignment of Justices by the Department of State Service, DSS. Also in 1985, Justice Donald Ikomi of Bendel State who was Chairman of the State’s Robbery and Firearms Tribunal was charged before Justice A.N. Maidoh of Benin High Court for murder.

Suspected robbers had invaded his official residence and murdered his 27 year old Police guard named Constable Uanle Agbede. Justice Ikomi was subsequently arrested and charged to Court for murder.

Restructuring, way forward for Nigeria –Akinlude

A

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Chieftain in Lagos State, Chief Willy Akinlude has said that restructuring is the solution to both social and economic problem confronting the country.

Akinlude who said there have been renewed agitation for restructuring said that is the way

forward for the country .

He said some policies of the present administration does not allow for rule of law to thrive in the land .

He said though nobody is against the fight against corruption but warned that the president should not let the fight be one sided and that he should

listen to the crying of the masses.

“The issue of change which is directed towards uprooting the rot in the system is only directed to perceive enemies. What we see is stagnant of rudderless government which portend fumble regime”, he said.

He said the appoint-

ment by President Muhammadu Buhari so far have been lopsided as according to him it tends to favour the president’s kinsmen from the North.

“The appointment does not show true federal character”, he said.

According to him, the All Progressive Congress, APC does not have any-

thing to offer the teeming suffering Nigerians, but propaganda.

He said the president should not engage in name calling and passing of buck saying the president should stop blaming past government because Nigerians voted for him to solve the problems of the country.

He should not blame

anybody. He should face the problem of the country squarely. Nigerians voted for him for a purpose and the purpose is for him to solve the problems”, Akinlude said.

Akinlude urged the president to appoint experts who will bring professional touch to his administration.

46

South News

Sunday October 16, 2016

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Police inspector killed as bombers sack police station, empty armory ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

A

bout 40 suspected gunmen on Friday night invaded Ido Ekiti Divisional Police Station in Ido/Osi Council area of Ekiti State leaving a police inspector on duty during the massive attack dead.

Two other policemen were also said to have suf-

fered severe injuries in the attack.

The gunmen were said to have attacked the station with dynamites leaving the the station in rubbles just as the ceilings and rooftop of the building were also badly affected.

Also, the armory of the police station was emptied by the gunmen during the raid.

They were said to have broken open all the rooms in the police station in the course of searching for ammunitions A detective attached to the station, who pleaded for anonymity, said that the suspected robbers invaded the police station around 7.20pm and destroyed virtually everywhere.

When journalists visited the station yesterday, the policemen attached to the duty, including some not on duty looked devastated as they gathered under trees to assess the situation. According to the police source, some of the gunmen drove in recklessly through the gate while some scaled the fence and headed into

Ndoma-Egba tells C`River warring communities to embrace peace RICHARD NDOMA CALABAR

F

ormer Senate Leader and Chairman designate for Niger Delta Development Commission NDDC, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba OFR, CON, SAN yesterday raised alarm over the outbreak of communal clash between his home town Akparabong Community and its close neighbor of Bendeghe Ekiem community in Etung Local Government within the Central Senatorial district of the state.

A release from the former Senate leader made available to National Mirror in Calabar condemned the hostilities describing it as outright madness.

Ndoma-Egba said; I am distraught by the outbreak of violence between my community Akparabong and our neighbour Bendeghe Ekiem.

The NDDC Chairman designate averred that both communities had long co-existed as kindred and inter-married with each other stressing that both communities had many of their families embedded and wondered why they should resort to hostility, The former parliamentarian said;” Two of my elder sisters are married in Bendeghe Ekiem. This madness of violence is totally needless, inexplicable and I condemn it in no uncertain terms”.

Ndoma-Egba who is a former Commissioner for Works in Cross River State

said; “Both communities must rein in their youth and let peace reign. Never in my life have I heard that either community raised its hand against the other’’. He charged security forces and the leadership of both communities to without delay quickly wade into the matter and ensure that the situation is brought under control.

Akparabong community in Ikom Local Government Area and its closest and long time neighbors had during the week had been at daggers drawn following a disagreement which ensued over a boundary adjustment that has led to bloodshed.

The boundary shift by irate youths from both warring communities has so far

led to bloodshed and loss of property which worth millions of naira to citizens of both communities.

As a result of the fight cocoa stores belonging to merchants resident in both communities had been invaded with several bags of cocoa being carted away by the hoodlums in the warring communities.

As as the time of filing this report a meeting had already been convened by Prof.

Roland Ndoma-Egba, former Chief Medical Director CMD of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and elder brother to the former Senate Leader with very influential personality from other warring communities to broker peace on the matter.

Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, adorning Are crown at the Olojo festival in Ile Ife, Osun Satte yesterday.

the main building where the armory was located.

He said few policemen were on guard during the raid, which he said made the attack to be successful and fierce.

He said that upon entering the station, the armed bandits opened fire on the police inspector who was said to have died on the spot.

“Our suspicion is that they came to loot the armory because that was why they first attacked after demobilizing our men. In fact, they emptied the entire place.

“They did not come for detainees or robbery suspects because if that had been the case, they

would have attacked the cell. As a matter of fact, nobody was detained in the cell as at the time the incident took place,” he said. Police Public Relations Officer of the state Command, Mr Alberto Adeyemi, who confirmed the story, said the Police Commissioner, Mr James Etop, had visited the station on a factfinding mission.

Adeyemi said the bandits made away with only two rifles as the armory had before now been emptied owing to its unsecured nature.

The police spokesman said the two injured cops were recuperating in an undisclosed hospital.

Ife agog as Olojo Festival holds BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA, OSOGBO

I

le Ife yesterday erupted in wild jubilations as Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II performed the symbolic trip from Ile Oodua, his palace to Oke Mogun shrine, to mark this year’s Olojo Festival, the first time he would partake in the festival as Ooni.

Olojo Festival which holds annually is a major cultural celebration in Ile Ife, to mark creation of the universe and “Are crown” a special crown made of 151 items, worn only during the celebration of the festival is adorned by Ooni.

Decked in all white apparel, Oba Ogunwusi, who had been in seclusion for 5 days, left his residence for Oke Emese, around 4: 30 pm where final rites before he would wear mystic “Are” crown were performed.

Exactly 5 pm, Oba Ogunwusi emerged with Are crown holding a white dove, amidst prayers and several gunshots and be-

gan the journey to Oke Mogun and Idi Aje, two major ports of call during Olojo Festival where rituals and prayers were said for the peace of Nigeria and Yoruba race.

Are crown, which according to sources in Ooni’s palace weighs 100 kg, last made the trip to Oke Mogun several years ago because the late Ooni, Oba Okunade Sijuade, owing to his advance age in last 3 years of his reign did not wear Are crown even during the celebration of Olojo.

On the procession of Ooni to Oke Mogun were Ife chiefs, priests and members of Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, as well as indigenes and tourists from different parts of world.

Before Ooni commenced the trip, his messengers, who wore only shorts, wielding canes and performed the symbolic sprint to Oke Mogun three times to clear the route the monarch would take.

Corpses abandoned in mortuaries over high cost of burials in Anambra RAYMOND OZOJI, AWKA

T

he recent public outcry over high cost of burial ceremonies in Anambra State was the bone of contention yesterday in Awka as some members of the public observed that dead bodies are abandoned in mortuaries due

to lack of funds to foot the bills for high profile funeral ceremonies .

Speaking to journalists on his position about expensive burial ceremonies in the state, Deputy-Speaker and Chairman Anambra State House of Assembly Screening Committee Barr.Harford Ikechukwu

Oseke said that it is indeed a worrisome situation in the sense that what obtains at burial ceremonies nowadays is a complete negation of what should be.

Oseke noted that corpses are abandoned in mortuaries for too long a time due to the fortune involved in performing burial rites.

He said people have converted burial ceremonies to business opportunities where they feed fat at the expense of the bereaved.

Although the lawmaker noted that the Muslim faithful do not place much premium on the dead as they do not undertake elaborate burial ceremonies

but wondered why some people would embark on unnecessary luxuries just to bury the dead .

Oseke however sued for strict adherence to the law on control of burial activities in Anambra State when it is passed to regulate as well as curtail anomalies in funeral cer-

emonies.

For the chairman, Committee on Petitions and Conflict Resolution and member representing Idemili-South state constituency Barr. Chuka Ezewun , streets may soon be littered with corpses over lack of space for interment.

Sunday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North News

Sunday October 16, 2016

47

Boko Haram: Troops kill suicide bomber in Adamawa … Police warn against more violence in Kaduna

UBONG UKPONG, ABUJA

T

he Nigerian Army has said that its troops intercepted and killed a suicide bomber in Adamawa state yesterday.

Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, in a statement yesterday, said that the suicide bomber was neutralised and killed by vigilant troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE on Saturday morning at Madagali.

Usman said that the suicide bomber was spotted by a vigilant duty sentry attempting to infiltrate troop’s forward defensive line along Madagali-Li-

mankara road.

“He was gunned down by the vigilant sentry as he failed to stop when halted.

“The accurate shot also detonated the Improvised Explosive Device vest and was blown into pieces”, Usman said.

Shi’ites, youths clash again in Kaduna, police vow to deal with lawlessness.

Meanwhile, the Kaduna State Police Command on Saturday warned that it would deal with those taking the law into their hands.

The warning is contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer,

ASP Aliyu Usman, in Kaduna The statement said the command observed that some members of the public had become lawless and acted in manners detrimental to law and order and in total disregard to rights of other citizens.

The Commissioner of Police, Sanusi Lemu, said the maintenance of law and order would not be compromised and anybody found committing acts detrimental to the peace of the society would face the music.

“The public are also warned to desist from taking laws into their hands as any attempt to commit unruly behaviours would

be visited with the full wrath of the law’’.

Usman advised the public to remain calm as the command was committed to the safety and security of lives and property.

NAN reports that some members of the public suspected to belong to the banned Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), popularly called Shi’ites, clashed with youths in some parts of Kaduna metropolis.

The areas affected by the crisis include Tudun Wada, Kinkinau, Kabala West and other communities on the Nnamdi Azikwe Byepass, as shop owners locked their shops while residents remained indoors for fear of the un-

L-R: Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Amina Bello; Minister,Senator Aisha Jumai Alhassan; Kaduna State Deputy Governor Barnabas Bala Bantex and his wife Mrs. Ladi Bantex, at the 16th Regular National Council Meeting on Women Affairs and Social Development in Kaduna, at the weekend.

FG should adopt emergency tactics to revive economy- Gen. Nienge A ZA MSUE, KADUNA

F

ormer Commander, Nigerian Army Supply and Transport Corps, Maj. Gen. Emmanuel Nienge (rtd) has called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on the economy to end the untold hardship facing Ni-

gerians.

Speaking with journalists at a thanksgiving service in honour of Col. J.T Aun’s son, Sub -Lieutenant Aungwa Aun who received presidential commissioning into Nigerian Navy in Kaduna, Gen. Nienge commended Muhammadu Buhari’s war

against corruption saying it must go on to salvage the nation.

Nienge said Nigeria will overcome the present economic hardship adding that the nation’s economic team should adopt emergency strategies to tackle recession.

According to him, “The

Federal Government should take emergency steps to tackle the emergency problem at hand, we need to adopt such tactics to confront the economic recession. Nigerians are suffering but so good our President is working day and night to overcome this challenge.

Kaduna State residents tasked over peace building A ZA MSUE, KADUNA

P

articipants at the threeday capacity building and train the trainers’ workshop, organised by the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria for communities in Kaduna State, have resolved to be good ambassadors of peace in the state.

Speaking at the end of the programme held in Kaduna, one of the participants from Makarfi council area, who is also the District Head of Makarfi Town, Alhaji Lawal Haruna, noted that peace remains paramount to the development of any society.

He explained that the

programme has no doubt equipped them with new ideas and ways of building peace and tolerance between followers of different religions around them and pledged to work towards uniting the people of their communities through preaching the message of ‘One Family under

God’ campaign.

Haruna commended the Global Peace Foundation Nigeria for championing the cause of Peace through educating and reminding people of the need to realise that they all belong to one ancestral family of Adam and Eve irrespective of their beliefs.

known.

Already the police have been deployed there and stationed at strategic locations to curtail break down of law.

It could be recalled that on Wednesday, three peo-

ple died in Kaduna when some youths stormed the residence of the Shi’ite leader in Tudun Wada area, set it ablaze and demolished the Islamic school belonging to the sect.

Increase budgetary allocation to agric sector, women tell FG HENRY IYORKASE, MAKURDI

T

he National President of Nigerian Association of Rural Women in Agriculture, Mrs. Ngizan Chahul, has urged the Federal Government to increase allocation to the agriculture sector to guarantee economic improvement

She was speaking during the activities to herald World Rural Women’s Day celebration yesterday in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

Chahul stressed the need for increase in budgetary allocation to enhance massive agricultural produce if it is really desirous to diversify the economy away from over dependence on petroleum products to agrarian sector in the country.

She decried the situation whereby only two per cent was being allotted to agriculture, which she further observed is grossly inadequate to do anything meaningful for the well being of the people and achieving food suffi-

ciency for all in the country.

The National President further argued that the Federal Government lacks the will to distribute the yields to the main beneficiaries noting that it is often hijacked by those in corridors of power and enjoin the stakeholders to involve relevant people with a view to migrate from the current situation.

She added that for agriculture to grow in the country the rural dwellers particularly the women folk must be encouraged by way of presentation of inputs and financial inducements to empower them increase their yields towards mass production which would culminate in bumper harvests.

Earlier the programme officer of the organization, Bethule Nayazambie, applauded the women for participating in the initiative and called on stakeholders to encourage them towards realizing the objectives of the programmes.

Cancer: Early detection, prevention only cure says Niger gov’s wife PRISCILLA DENNIS, MINNA

T

he wife of the Niger state Governor and Founder, Raise Foundation, Dr. Amina Sani Bello, has urged Nigerians to go for cancer screening, saying early detection and prevention is the only available treatment for the disease.

Dr. Bello stated this yesterday during a walk for cancer awareness in Minna said cancer is one of the biggest causes of death globally According to her, currently the developing countries have the highest records of deaths due to cancer during the last presentation of cancer cases.

According to her, “the essence of this walk is to raise awareness about cancer and how it can be prevented. The five kilometres walk which will be sustained is the best for everyone. And, we will sus-

tain this walk as the Raise Foundation has opened screening centres across the state in the three senatorial districts.

She noted that tobacco smoking was the greatest factor responsible for an estimated 22 per cent of all cancer deaths recorded globally yearly.

To control the disease, Bello said, “tobacco smoking which accounts for about 70 per cent of all lung cancer, unhealthy lifestyle of the people in third world countries and above all the reduction or elimination of alcohol as some of the best prevention strategies for cancer control should be adopted.”

Also, the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Minna, Prof Musbau Akanji, who participated in the exercise, described it as very timely, while pledging the readiness of the university to partner with the foundation.

N N II G G E E R R II A A

II N N

N1.353tr

-the amount FG spends on travels, training and stationery in 3 years.

Vol. 6 No. 41

Sunday, OCTOBER 16, 2016

N200

N12.5bn

–The sum Kwara state generates as Internally Generated Revenue IGR in nine month.

President Buhari’s concerns about sabotage of oil infrastructure

Back Page

Comment

jimunahlive@gmail. com Unah is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Lagos

with Jim Unah

N

www.nationalmirroronline.net

F F II G G U U R R E E S S

obody wants to listen to the truth and confront the brutal facts. We have been saying it time and again that the Nigerian State has been operating without clearly defined structure and without strong institutions. Even strong institutions will have to depend on and evolve from a state structure that works. The Nigerian state, as presently constituted, even if it warehouses the best possible human beings in the magistracies of state, is structured on injustice and consequently programmed to fail.

Three architects of the Nigerian union, before and immediately after the attainment of political independence from Great Britain in 1960, had these to say: Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa: “Since 1914 the British Government has been trying to make Nigeria into one country, but the Nigerian people themselves are historically different in their backgrounds, in their religious beliefs and customs and do not show themselves any signs of willingness to unite…

Nigerian unity is only a British invention.”

1948.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo: “Nigeria is not a nation. It is a mere geographical expression.

There are no ‘Nigerians in the same sense as there are ‘English,’ ‘Welsh’ or ‘French.’ The word ‘Nigerian’ is merely a distinctive appel-

lation to distinguish those who live within the boundaries of Nigeria and those who do not.” 1947.

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe: “It is better for us and many admirers abroad that we should disintegrate in peace and not in pieces.

Should the politicians fail to heed this warning, then I will venture the prediction that the experience of the Democratic Republic of the Congo will be a child’s play if ever it comes to our turn to play such a tragic role.” 1964.

Unfortunately, these accurate appraisals of the Nigerian condition by these great forbears were brushed aside with askance and the country was set on a tragic-comedy of swimming against the tide or rolling a heavy, disabling stone up a hill. Every Nigerian leader since independence has taken up the arduous laughable task of swimming against the tide of a wicked, merciless tsunami; largely due to acquiescence with a conspiracy of ignorance and the behest of primordial thoughtless, self-serving sentiments.

And here is where it has landed us: A huge stagflation that threatens to nose-dive into a depression.

Unfortunately, President Muahmmadu Buhari’s fight against corruption and his ardent desire to rid the country of the deadly menace of official graft has revealed something even more sinister; that is, the realization that he is the only one in his team who wants to nail the coffin of corruption. Almost everybody around him is watching like a hawk to swoop on the carcass of corruption in the Presidency. This is unsettling for a

President who really believes that his government could midwife a change of mindset in the positive direction. More frightening still is that ignoramus who could not construct a speech are linking him directly with the vice of plagiarism.

The situation is so pathetic that even when well-meaning Nigerians who genuinely want Mr. President to succeed in reforming the country make valid suggestions and send in proposals, the hawks in the Presidency hijack them, affix their names or the names of their friends who barely know how to construct a good sentence in English language and collect huge amounts of money, but end up delivering rubbish, to Mr. President’s utter embarrassment and indignation. Now, the same Presidency where the hawks inhabit and obstruct genuine access to Mr. President is directing the change mantra back to the people. What a tragic irony!

Not having trusted people to work with appears to have sent the President on a head hunting voyage to the Diaspora, whereupon, according to an online news media, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Diaspora matters and International Relations, Mrs. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had assembled “15 best people God ever created” (Nigerians I presume) to welcome and assure Mr. President that all hope for a regenerated crop of Nigerians who could help drive the change agenda, was not lost.

But first, Mr. President must bare his soul about the quantum of decadence in Nigeria and the conspiracy of treasury looters of

past governments to sabotage the oil infrastructure of the country. Mr. President lamented to his countrymen in the Diaspora how the chieftains of corruption of past administrations are ruthlessly and cruelly sponsoring militants to blow up the oil wells and pipelines in the country; thus, bringing the volume of crude oil lifted for export to an all-time low—a situation made worse by the fall in crude oil prices.

While the President might have meant well, it is muddle-headed to suppose that anybody could spin any miracle to fix the Nigerian State without first doing the needful.

When those Diasporas come, on appointment as change drivers, they will discover that the country is programmed and structured to fail. The way Buhari is now complaining about oil-well bombing militants destroying the oil infrastructure of the economy is the same way that, right from day one, Jonathan was harassed and bombed out of office by the Boko Haram.

We should recall that as Jonathan was leaving Aso Rock Villa, in May last year, he was insistent that the incoming Buhari government should do a public probe of the allocation of oil blocks.

Unarguably, the way the country is structured on injustice, even Angels would be thoroughly constipated when recruited to serve in the government of change. Abubakar, Awolowo and Azikiwe predicted the mess right from the conception and delivery of the Nigerian State. Is anyone listening? Is any solution forthcoming?

Alli strike snatches point for Spurs

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late Dele Alli equaliser gifted Tottenham 1-1 draw with West Brom after Nacer Chadli’s strike against his former club looked to have given Tony Pulis’ men victory at The Hawthorns.

ebration against the team that sold him in August.

The game had appeared to be heading to a stalemate after an inspired performance from West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster, who saved superbly from

Alli, Christian Eriksen and Ben Davies as Spurs lay siege to the West Brom goal at the end of the first half.

Albion had offered little by way of an attacking threat before Chadli’s late intervention,

though Salomon Rondon wasted a chance to convert from five yards out in first half stoppage time.

Mauricio Pochettino’s men are now unbeaten in their opening eight league games thanks to

Alli’s late equaliser, the first time Spurs have managed that in 26 years.

But Pochettino will be concerned as Toby Alderweireld left the pitch on a stretcher ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League trip to play Bayer Leverkusen.

PREMIERSHIP RESULTS

Alli calmly slotted beyond the sprawling Ben Foster from eight yards out in the 89th minute to rescue a point for Spurs, who remain the only undefeated side in the Premier League this season, after Chadli had given the Baggies the lead just seven minutes earlier.

Chadli smashed high into the roof of the net after Hugo Lloris had expertly saved from James McClean, but he was muted in his cel-

Today’s Matches Chelsea 3 - 0 Leicester

Bournemouth 6 - 1 Hull City Arsenal 3 - 2 Swansea Man City 1 - 1 Everton Stoke City 2 - 0 Sunderland

W/ Brom 1 - 1 Tottenham

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