Saturday, October 20, 2012

33 die as bus plunges into river in Ogun

New traffic law conforms with God’s rules –Fashola

P. 10

P. 9

Vol. 02 No. 45

N150

Saturday, October 20, 2012

Mimiko, Akeredolu, Oke in final battle

P. 7

•18,000 security personnel deployed •15 arrested in Afenifere chieftain’s home for illegal voting •Party leaders in last minute campaigns •Result will be ready within 12 hours –Jega •INEC exempts two polling units

INSIDE

Celebrity How I avoid the Fuji war

–Remi Aluko P. 18

Woman

Mimiko

Akeredolu

My triplets joy

Oke

–Chioma Ajunwa P. 23

Members of the Nigerian Army preparing for the gubernatorial election in Ondo State, yesterday.

Members of the Special Protection Unit of the Nigeria Police Force on patrol preparing for the gubernatorial election in Ondo State, yesterday.

JTF arrests Boko Haram chief in senator’s house P. 6

Another UNIPORT student, 2 others shot dead P. 2

Page

Top Stories

Two P.34

Majiyagbe:

Lagos street where husbands welcome their wives’ lovers

CHINEDUM EMEANA

A Our house maid led me into lesbianism –Confession of 35-yr-old ex-lesbian

P.36

Woman kills 13-yr-old niece, hides body in freezer

Radio Rivers driver, Lucky Agborum, has been nabbed as one of those who lynched the UNIPORT 4. In a strange twist, Toku Mike, father of Llyod Mike, one of the unfortunate four, works at Radio Rivers and his son was well known to Agborum.

The mystery surrounding the gruesome murder of four University of Port Harcourt students, now known as the UNIPORT 4, continues to deepen with the arrest of Lucky Agborum, a driver with Radio Rivers.

Mr. Toku Mike, father of Lloyd, one of the victims, also works with Radio Rivers.

The arrest was made yesterday at the premises of Radio Rivers around 4.00 pm. A reliable source who witnessed the arrest but declined to be named said the suspect did not resist arrest or deny that he was involved in the beating and killing of the four victims.

A Radio Rivers source who confirmed the arrest to National Mirror yesterday said the driver was often assigned to pick up the victim’s father, Mr. Toku Mike, from his house to the Radio Rivers office. Mike’s son, the late Lloyd, also visited his father in the office often, so the arrested driver, Lucky Agborum, must definitely have known that Lloyd was his senior colleague’s son.

A source close to the Mike family also confirmed the arrest. According to the source when Agborum got to the office on the unfortunate Monday the boys were lynched,

PORT HARCOURT O

A I bribed my way into piracy –Suspect

people made enquiries from him about the stories circulating about the killings in Aluu because he resides at Aluu. Agborum had reported then that the victims were six and that the mob only succeeded in killing four.

He had made no mention of Mike’s son. In a surprising twist, however, he stopped coming to work after he paid a condolence visit to the Mike family.

It now appears that having seen the suspects arrested in connection to the incident arraigned on Wednesday, he thought the coast was clear for him, so he showed up for

Lloyd Mike

work on Thursday. That same day, men of the State Security Service (SSS) picked him up.

All efforts to get the Rivers State Police Command spokesman, DSP Ben Ugwuegbulam, to comment on this latest arrest proved abortive.

The question being asked is: Did Agborum recognise one of the victims as his senior colleague’s son or did he unknowingly throw the proverbial stone in the market place only for it to land on the forehead of his kinsman?

Mr. and Mrs Mike

...As another UNIPORT student is shot dead CHINEDUM EMEANA

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October 20, 2012

UNIPORT 4: Colleague of victim’s father at Radio Rivers arrested PORT HARCOURT

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

student of the troubled University of Port Harcourt, along with an ex National Youth Corp member who passed out this month and a young lady have been shot and killed by unknown gunmen at Rumuchakara, Choba, one of the host communities of the University.

The incident happened on Thursday, just on the heels of the gruesome killing of four

students of UNIPORT in Aluu, another host community.

According to a source, the incident occurred when the ex-corps member decided to celebrate his passing out from the one year National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, with his friends.

Mr. Ben Ugwuegbulam, spokesman of the State Police Command, who confirmed the incident, said investigation into the matter has started.

A source in the area attested that when the former Corp

member and his two friends, who were celebrating his successful service year, were drinking and driving at 10pm on Thursday, when the car they were driving in skidded off the road and ran into a shop near the road at Rumuchakara.

An argument ensued thereafter between the shop owner and the occupants of the car. While the quarrel raged, an SUV vehicle with some young men arrived the scene and opened fire on the erstwhile corps member, the UNIPORT student and his

girl friend, killing them immediately.

“The Corps member and his friends were drunk while driving and their vehicle ran into a shop. There was a serious argument between them and the owner of the shop.

“Within a short time, a group of men in an SUV came out and rained bullets on the three persons, who died instantly.

“They immediately drove away without any challenge,” the source, who did not want his name in print, said.

Amnesty International locks horns with Oshiomhole

…as he signs two death warrants SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN

T

he gallows are presently being prepared in Benin City, Edo State for the

execution of two condemned prisoners; Osaremwinda Aiguohian and Daniel Nsofor. Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole of Edo State signed their death warrants during the week while

setting four others free.

While Osaremwinda was sentenced to death for killing and dismembering his victim, Nsofor got his sentence for strangling a woman to death after

forcefully taking her money.

Both sentences were affirmed by the Supreme Court. Indeed, the Supreme Court in affirming Aighuohian’s death sentence in 2004 had said, “the likes of Aiguohian belong to Hades.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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October 20, 2012

Saturday Starter

Guber election:

Ondo battle royale Prologue

This is war, real war!

It is war. Yes, to three of the major political parties in the country – the Peoples Democratic Party, the Action Congress of Nigeria and the Labour Party - the election holding today is war and the war front is Ondo State.

The drums of war had been sounding for a long time. Deafening and quite profound, even the deaf cannot pretend not to have had an inkling of what the sound portends. Even when the deaf is certified to have had his ear drums punctured, the movement of political arsenals into the battle ground called Ondo State is enough indication that the heaven is, perhaps, about to fall.

Indeed, that is the mood in Ondo State today.

As repulsive as the idea of do-or-die politics is to many, there is, perhaps, no better word to describe the situation in the gubernatorial election which comes up today. The amount of energy, money, propaganda, intrigues and other efforts expended in the preparations by the three major parties for the election say a lot about how important it has become in the current political calculation.

But the reasons are clear. To the Peoples Democratic Party, the election is a one in a million opportunity to retrieve Ondo State from the Labour Party. Remember that in the election which was held in 2007, the PDP candidate, Dr. Olusegun Agagu, was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission. But after a legal battle which spanned several months, Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party was declared the

original winner of the election. So, to the PDP, there cannot be a better opportunity to turn the table around.

Of course too, for the incumbent Mimiko, there cannot be a better outcome that the renewal of his mandate.

For the Action Congress of Nigeria, it is but a golden opportunity to complete its rounding up of the entire states of the South-West, having won Ondo, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Lagos and Edo in the last general election.

With the three parties feeling so strongly about their positions and itching so badly to score outstanding political points in the annals of Nigeria’s democratic history, today’s election cannot but be declared a war; a real war.

But the war can only be won by one person; one party. And that’s what makes the war a real war!

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October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saturday Starter

Ondo decides amidst tension HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

T

Akeredolu

Mimiko

Oke

he Ondo State governorship election holding today promises to be an interesting one. Already, political gladiators have rounded off their campaigns and expectedly, the electorate will troop out to cast their votes for candidates of their choice.

For the election which is very crucial to the people of Ondo State in general and in particular, the three major political parties battling for the coveted governorship seat, the general mood in the state is, no doubt, pregnant. From all indications, it is obvious that it is not an ordinary day.

The mood has not changed today. It has been a frenzied atmosphere for the past couple of days, especially as the day of the election draws near. Apprehension has since rented the air with the deployment of security agents to the state to ensure a peaceful conduct of the election.

The security agents on ground include the regular police, Mobile Police, men of the Nigerian Army, men of the State Security Service, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp and other security outfits across the nation.

To some citizens of the state, the presence of heavy securitymen in the state seems unusual and most of the people who spoke with Saturday Mirror prayed for peace.

The presence of the amount of security personnel is not uncommon to political observers. Elections are often marred in the country by desperate politicians or contenders who go to any length, including rigging, to achieve victory during election. Some, in the process, would go violent, leading to loss of lives. It is therefore in order to prevent such a terrible situation that enough men are deployed to curb such excesses.

A trader, Akintelure Akinfolayan, who spoke with our correspondent, said the tension created by the political parties over their rallies and campaigns are enough to cause apprehension in the state and wish the election should come and go.

“Many of these rallies usually affect our business with partial restriction on movement of people, economic activities are dull, people are reluctant to buy things and everything seems to be at a standstill. Most of the time they organise rallies, the main roads leading to the central market would be closed down thereby restricting the movement of commuters and customers.”

Obviously aware of the apprehension in the land over the election, the State Police Command assured the people of the state that it had put in place all necessary apparatus to ensure a hitch-free election in the state.

Speaking on the level of the preparedness of the command for the election, the image maker of the police force in the state, Aremu Adeniran, said adequate security of lives and properties would be

guaranteed during the election.

Pleading with the people for cooperation, he said: “Members of the public are enjoined to give maximum support to the police and other security agents that may be assigned for this special duty.”

The state Police Commissioner, Danladi Mshelbwala, also appealed to the people of the state to bear with the command for any inconvenience they may experience during the election.

“The general public is further assured of security of lives and properties before, during and after the governorship election in the state,” the commissioner said.

To confirm the command’s readiness, quite a number of security agents are in the major towns within the state in a show of strength, apparently to warn those who are planning to foment trouble that they are combat ready and up to the task.

With the coming of the election in the state all government activities have been paralysed since most of the political office holders embarked on last minutes mobilisation and campaigns. Activities in most of the government parasatals and offices have been paralysed.

Investigation by our reporter revealed that a greater number of state workers are no longer efficient and productive as many of the state workers actively participated in the campaign for the incumbent governor.

Saturday Mirror noticed that the special task force in charge of traffic flow in the capital city is now on recess. The task force under the Minisrty of Transport is saddled with the responsible of towing vehicles parked at wrong places or those that obstruct traffic flow.

During these campaigns vehicles were parked without anybody challenging the illegality while some markets women and men also flouted the rules by displaying their wares on the roads because of the absence of the task force.

Some members of the opposition however said the ruling Labour Party is not blind to the irregularities but had to relax the laws to gain the sympathy of the people during the election.

Politicians and political parties are not left out in creating awareness as various broadcast advertisement rented the airwaves to sell their parties and their candidates and also to tell the people what they have got in stock for them if elected.

All the broadcast media are utilised to the fullest while people are noticed to be at the news stand as early as 6: 30 am to discuss, argue and analyse the stand of their preferred parties and candidates. Posters, billboards of various sizes, handbills and fliers are everywhere on the streets and roads within the state announcing political parties and their candidates.

Also a visit to the office of the National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akure shows readiness.

Sources within INEC informed our correspondent that enough materials had been provided and there would not be any

problem in starting at the right time today.

This corroborates the Resident Electoral Commissioner in charge of the state, Akin Orebiyi, who reiterated the determination and willingness of the commission to conduct a very fair and free election.

He said the new INEC is working towards getting electioneering right in the country, noting that past umpires had comprised.

He said at different fora that with the coming on board of the chairman of the commission, Attahiru Jega, the umpire was determined to get the process right in the country. Ondo State, he said, would be a benchmark for other elections in the country To achieve this, INEC in the state had met with stakeholders more than ten times, giving orientation, educating and sensitising on how to have an hitch-free election.

However, INEC has also shown its readiness to conduct a free and fair election in the state and the arrival of Jega in the state shows the seriousness and readiness of the commission towards getting it right.

But despite these scenarios, the people of the state believe that the election will take place like any other election in the past ascribing the tension being experienced at present to the focus of the whole world on the state.

The recent assurance of President Goodluck Jonathan that the federal government would deploy all machineries to ensuring that the election is free, fair and violence-free is enough to make the people of the state sleep with their two eyes closed.

Meanwhile, the scenario that will play out today, will definitely, be a reflection of the might of some key political players both at the national, regional, state and even ward levels.

For Governor Mimiko, apart from employing his power of incumbency to assert his authority over certain issues, so to speak, his work would speak for him.

The influence of some of his key supporters in the state will also come to play. To a large extent, also, the effect of his reign on the lives of the people, especially, in the rural area will determine whether he would be voted for or thrown out.

For the ACN candidate, the overbearing influence of the national leader of the party, former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, as well as those of the governors of Ekiti, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Lagos and even Edo, will show. Their campaigns for him and support in all ways will assist Akeredolu in the battle against Mimiko and Oke of the PDP. Oke, no doubt, has the backing of the PDP at the national level. This has been displayed in his campaigns. The influence of the strong members of his party in the state and the PDP’s reconciliation efforts will go a long way in enhancing his electoral fortune.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

5

October 20, 2012

Saturday Starter

Akande

Nwanyawun

Tukur

Can Mimiko break the second term jinx?

HAKEEM GBADAMOSI

A

s the people of Ondo State are set to elect the governor to be in the helm of affairs for the next four years, the question on the lips of everybody is whether they will choose the incumbent governor and candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Olusegun Mimiko, again.

From all indications, Mimiko seems to be fighting the toughest political battle of his life, since his foray into the politics of the state. If he wins the contest, he would have made some points and also made history as the first governor to be elected for a second term in the Sunshine State since its creation in 1976. He would have convincingly proved that he is in control of the politics of the state and at the same time demystified the leadership of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and other prominent politicians in Ondo State. But how possible is that?

The first factor that may reduce his chances is the quality of opponents he is set to do battle with. Both Olusola Oke, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rotimi Akeredolu of the ACN are, no doubt, formidable.

Oke, a grassroots politician like Mimiko, comes from the Southern senatorial district of the state. The zone has always been the traditional base of the PDP. It took the cancellation of former Governor Olusegun Agagu’s votes from the district by the Ondo State Election Petition Tribunal led by Justice Garba Nabaruma for Mimiko to come into the saddle. Besides, the sudden resurgence of the PDP, Oke understands the politics of the state, having been in the game for quite some time now.

Akeredolu may be considered a novice in the politics of the state, but he does not appear to be a pushover in the governorship contest. The frontline lawyer hails from Owo in the Northern senatorial district. People from the zone have been agitating for another opportunity to produce the governor of the state. Akeredolu’s integrity, enough to win the race for him in an enlightened clime, is another factor that has helped his candidature.

Furthermore, the ACN, the party on whose platform Akeredolu is seeking to be governor, is well-entrenched in the South-West geo-political zone of the country and is seen as credible and untainted in the state.

It appears to have become a tradition in Ondo State that no governor can do a second term in office. Despite the seemingly good performance of the late Adebayo Adefarati government, he failed to secure another term in office. Former Governor Agagu, much as his government tried to develop the state, could not break what has now become a jinx.

Governor Mimiko capitalised on this in 2007, when he said in an interview with the Nigeria Television Au-

thority (NTA) that: “A four-year term is just enough to interface and bring our people to paradise. Anybody scheming for another four years is either bereft of ideas or has some unprogressive plans. It is a governor to a term. The people know this and I trust their abiding faith in this article. I don’t need it. Anyone who forces himself upon the people under the guise of another term will find shame waiting for him. I believe the people of Ondo State are wiser and more sophisticated.”

It has also become a campaign issue, as many have urged the people of the state to vote out Mimiko because he is the architect of the slogan, One Governor, One Term. They argue that it was Mimiko who prevented Agagu and Adefarati from being elected for another term. Will Mimiko be able to break the jinx therefore?

The performance of the governor is another factor

that may determine whether he will remain in office beyond February 24, 2013. Opinion is divided over the achievements of Mimiko in office. While some believe that his government has performed and fulfilled most of his promises to the people of the state, others think Mimiko has not done anything that can fundamentally transform the lives of the people of the state. Virtually all his projects have been described as cosmetic and are said to be concentrated in Akure, the state capital.

The people of the Southern senatorial district are said to be bitter. Several projects in the area initiated by the immediate past government of Agagu have been abandoned. Some of these projects are Adagbakuja new town project, the Ondo State University of Technology, the Olokola Free Trade Zone and many road projects.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Last minutes intrigues, deft moves HAKEEM GBADAMOSI

T

he three main political parties in the governorship race in Ondo State are leaving no stone unturned to emerge victorious in today’s election.

Having identified the areas of strength and weaknesses, most of the parties deployed their foot soldiers to mobilise support for their parties.

The Central Senatorial district of the state was never regarded as the stronghold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). As far as this election is concerned and due to the level of development experienced by the people of the area in the last three years, the area was regarded as a no go area and specially conceded to the ruling Labour Party.

But the PDP, not disturbed by the LP’s popularity, has employed the use of music and public address System to reach their targeted audience, telling them why they must vote for the party. The LP also embarked on a house-to-house campaign in the Southern Senatorial district.

Aside this, all the parties engaged the use of social network media to reach the elite, canvassing for votes.

Another thing of note was that different groups and political parties are fusing into the major parties in the race to strengthen them.

The Action Alliance (AA), during the week, for example, declared its support for the PDP and endorsed the party’s candidate, Olusola Oke while the Congress of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), at a press conference, declared for the Labour Party.

Another intrigue in the build up to the election is the declaration by some members for the state governor, Mimiko.

The people, led by Prof. Olu Agbi, who had been expelled earlier by the party, said they were the authentic members of the PDP and were still members of the party but only endorsed the second coming of the governor.

This may have a negative effect on the party during the election today if the Agbi-led group keeps its pledge to support Mimiko.

However, the visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to the state also laid to rest the speculation that the president and national leadership of the party were not in support of Oke. The president’s visit has helped to rebuild the confidence of the party members to support Oke in the election.

The huge presence of security personnel is also having a good effect. Parents have been warning their wards not to engage in activities that would put them in trouble during the election. Most political thugs have been quiet in their activities.

Call it inducement and you will not be wrong. Some members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers in the capital city were seen queuing for free petrol allegedly given to them by a political party.

Some people were also seen scrambling for rice and other food items, all in attempt to woo them to vote for their party while some were also given free kerosine.

All these are noticeable last minutes intrigues and deft moves by political parties and politicians to outwit one another to enable their candidates carry the day.

6

NATIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

President Goodluck Jonathan (left) and the Interim President of Mali, Mr. Diocoude Traore, during the arrival of President Jonathan at Bamako International Airport , yesterday.

PHOTO: STATE HOUSE

JTF arrests Boko Haram commander in senator’s house

•Gunmen kill Chinese, others in separate attacks INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

T

he Joint Task Force in Maiduguri recorded a major achievement in its campaign against terrorism on Thursday with the arrest of a commander in the terrorists group, Boko Haram, Shuaibu Mohammed Bama.

The commander in the group, was reported to have been arrested in the residence of a serving senator along Damboa Road, GRA, Maiduguri.

The disclosure was made in a statement issued by the spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa, just as it was also disclosed that a Chinese was killed by some gunmen.

Also, different attacks were recorded leading to

loss of lives by Boko Haram.

Sagir said the arrested member of Boko Haram had been on the list of wanted terrorists group operating between Bama and Maiduguri.

The spokesman said the arrest took place on Thursday at about 11am.

He added that “It would be recalled that suspected Boko Haram sect launched multiple attacks at different locations of the JTF troops in Sinimari and Lagos Street of Gwange General area and that all the attacks were repelled by JTF”.

He noted that consequently a follow up was conducted on Friday which resulted in shootings and the recovery of two AK47 rifles, 55 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunitions, large quantity of IED materials and a

notorious Commander of the sect one, Bakura Kulima a.k.a. Bin Walid, was killed.

Meanwhile, a Chinese citizen was killed in an attack carried out by unknown gunmen in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday.

The Chinese was an engineer with CGC construction firm handling the dualisation of Lagos Street in the metropolis.

This brings to two Chinese citizens that were shot dead in Maiduguri.

The other one was shot dead in Gubio council area two weeks ago.

The killing of the Chinese citizen, our correspondent gathered, took place at about 10am at his duty post in Gidan Madara Lagos Street.

Our correspondent who visited the area noticed

that all the construction equipment and heavy duty machines along the street had been evacuated to their camp (CGC Camp) along DamaturuMaiduguri Road.

The Information Officer, Borno State Ministry of Works and Transport, Alhaji Babakura Bukar, confirmed the killing.

He said the remains of the Chinese national had been deposited at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital mortuary.

Some other attacks were recorded in parts of the state.

A reliable security source told Saturday Mirror that at about 1.15 p.m. at Hausari area along state Specialists Hospital Road, some the gunmen attacked shop own-

Constitution Review: Re-adjustment of fiscal structure tops agenda …Electoral reforms, fiscal federalism, immunity clause too

•NASS recieves over 200 memoranda TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

A

s the National Assembly begins work on the 1999 Constitution in November, top on its agenda are the re-adjustment of the fiscal structure of the country, electoral system and the immunity clause.

Besides, the House has so far received over 200 memoranda on the constitution review exercise that

kicks off in a few days.

The plan of the National Assembly to address those key areas, is contained in a document signed by the Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.

Item three of the document states that: “The Committee has received about 200 memoranda covering a wide range of legal and constitutional issues, including electoral reform, independent candidacy, political

party issues, revenue allocation, fiscal federalism, devolution of powers, judicial independence, immunity clause, land sse, Police powers, local governments and creation of states”.

The National Assembly, according to the document, would accomplish the exercise by second quarter of next year.

“As part of our strategy with achieving amendments to the Constitution, we had outlined a series of

activities and programmes in our work plan that aims to achieve a significant amendment of the Constitution within the first half of 2013”.

The document, however rules out a possibility of convening a ‘sovereign’ national conference.

“Some of the more vocal individuals and groups have, because of the deficiencies identified in the Constitution, proposed the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference to fundamentally restructure the constitutional basis of Nigeria.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ers.

During the attack, the source said, the hoodlums set ablaze ten shops and killed two unidentified persons.

One Ifeanyi Chukwu Okoronkwo and some others sustained gunshot injuries.

Two undetonated IED were later recovered at the scene.

The incident is coming barely 24 hours after some gunmen suspected to be terrorists attacked Potiskum town on Thursday killing one policeman and ten civilians after exchange of gun fire between them and the JTF. Also, there was an exchange of gunfire yesterday at about 11am, around 505 Abbagana Terab Housing Estate in Ruwan Zafi along Maiduguri-Gamboru Ngala Road between men of the JTF and some gunmen.

No fewer than six people whose identity could not be ascertained were said to have been killed.

Two soldiers sustained gunshot injuries, even as an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) targeted at the JTF personnel exploded in Hausari ward a minutes after Juma’at prayer.

Although the number of casualties of the blast could not be confirmed, an eye witness said he saw one of the patrol vehicle of the JTF conveying over five dead bodies to an undisclosed hospital.

In another incident, some gunmen attacked EYN Church (Church of Brethren in Nigeria) in Atagara

Village of Gwoza council area of Borno State, killing two people and setting the entire church ablaze.

Also, confirming the separate attacks and killings in Potiskum town of Yobe State, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Patrick Egbunewe, said that some suspected Boko Haram sect again launched an attack on Potiskum town at about 4pm on Thursday.

Egbunewe however did not give further details on whether there was a casualty recorded in the second attack.

Likewise, a JTF source in Maiduguri told our correspondent on phone that at about 10.50 a.m. some suspected Boko Haram members attacked one of the JTF posts behind 505 Housing Estate, and injured two soldiers.

He said the JTF personnel immediately responded by repelling the attack which led to the killing of two of the suspected gunmen and the recovery of two AK 47 rifles.

In another incident, the source added that at about 11.15 hours of Friday at Atagara Village in Gwoza council area, some suspected Boko Haram members drove to the area in a Golf saloon car and attacked EYN Church and burnt it.

There, he said, two persons were killed while others sustained gunshot injuries.

Efforts to get JTF spokesman, Lt. Col. Sagir Musa for confirmation of the report was not successful as at press time.

FRSC committed to building internal capacity –Chidoka

T

he Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Osita Chidoka, has reiterated the Corps’ sustained disposition to building the internal capacity of its officers and men to deliver on its mandate to entrench sanity on the nation’s highways.

Speaking at the formal presentation of certificates to 23 outstanding staff of the Corps who participated at the recent International Computer Driving License specialised training programme, the Corps Marshal said that management of the FRSC is committed to its resolve to build a world class, performancedriven and knowledgebased agency and had to

engage its staff in the training programme which is envisaged to adequately equip them with requisite skills to drive the upgraded drivers’ license scheme and other information and communication technology solution matters Earlier in his presentation, The Chief Executive Officer of E-Tech Complete Solutions Limited which facilitated the capacity building programme, Mr. Abdulhakeem Mustapha, said that 140 staff were drawn from the national headquarter, Gwagwalada and FCT Sector of the Corps for the programme which is designed to ensure that all FRSC staff obtain computer training and internal computer driving license accreditation.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

7

Ondo election

Mimiko, Akeredolu, Oke in final battle TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE AKURE

A

ll is now set for a final battle for the governorship seat of Ondo State.

Top contenders are Governor Segun Mimiko of La-

bour Party, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Chief Olusola Oke of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

No fewer than ten other gubernatorial candidates will be taking part in today’s election.

The major three gubernatorial candidates in the last few months have been campaigning vigorously to ensure that they become the next to occupy the Alagbaka Government House next year.

Mimiko, Akeredolu and

Oke at their various campaigns promised several programmes for growth and development of Ondo State.

While Mimiko will be banking on his incumbency power to secure a second term, Akeredolu and Oke

will be relying on call for change in the state.

According to political observers many people are of the view that today’s contest would be a real contest among the three candidates, considering that they came from different senatorial zones.

Mimiko is from Ondo Central Senatorial District, while Akeredolu and Oke are from Ondo North and Ondo South Senatorial districts respectively.

Meanwhile, the family of the late Chief Gani Fawhinmi has expressed its support for the Governor Olusegun Mimiko in the election holding today.

In a statement signed by the wife of the lawyers, Mrs

Ganiat Bukun Fawehinmi and his son, Mohammed Fawehinmi, the family said Mimiko had met the requirement of the late Fawehinmi in terms of development since he become governor.

The statement reads in part: “Three and a half years down the line, the family has critically assessed the level of development in Ondo state, vis-avis the expectations of our late father and we have reached a conclusion that the developmental strides of Governor Olusegun Mimiko have met those expectations and we have no hesitation in endorsing him for re-election as Governor of Ondo State.”

18,000 security personnel deployed L-R: President, Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Dr. Theo Okonkwo; Chairman, Planning Committee, South-East Economic Summit Group, Chief Chris Obiefuna and Secretary, Mr. Amaechi Agboeze, during a news conference on the forthcoming 2012 South-East Economic Summit in Enugu, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE AND HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

Hoodlums’ speed boats seized A HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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ew hours to the election four speed boats belonging to some suspected cult groups allegedly terrorising the people of communities in the coastal areas of Ondo

State were impounded by the people of the community.

The suspected cult members numbering about 20 were said to have been terrorising the people of the area and destroying posters and billboards belonging to political parties.

This has heightened tension in the area while the seized speed boats suspected to belong to the hoodlums were handed to men of the Nigerian Navy in the area.

Some leaders of the community said they suspected that the hoodlums were politically motivat-

governorship candidates, assured that all the votes cast would count.

Jega said Saturday’s election would be a benchmark for other elections in the country, saying all apparatus had been put in place to ensure the success of the election.

The INEC Chairman said the elections would

be a tremendous improvement on the one held in Edo State on July 14.

According to him, 18 Resident Electoral Commissioners (REC) from states outside the SouthWest would serve as Electoral Officers across the council areas.

He, however, ordered the removal of governor-

ed to threaten people during the election.

According to the leaders, the boys, who were said to be moving in four speed boats with red head tie and red beret cap were allegedly being groomed by a political office holder from the local government.

Ondo results to be ready within 12 hours -Jega

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hairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega, yesterday declared that the result of today’s election would be announced in 12 hours.

Jega, who disclosed this at a forum with political parties and their

ship posters in public places designated for the election within the next 48 hours.

The chairman said that the election would be free, fair and credible and that the electoral body would create an enabling atmosphere for all political parties without any bias.

15 arrested over illegal voting

•Afenifere chieftain involved OUR REPORTER

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o fewer than fifteen people were arrested in Akure, Ondo State capital, on Thursday for voting ahead of today’s election.

The youths who were

caught in the residence of a chieftain of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, were stuffing ballot boxes with thumbprinted ballotpapers.

The Afenifere chieftain only recently expressed his support for Governor Olusegun Mimiko who is

Labour Party’s candidate in today’s election.

When police were informed about the illegal activities of the youths, they stormed the place and arrested the politician and the suspects.

The cards, it was found

head of today’s governorship election in Ondo State about 18,000 security officials have been deployed to the state.

Speaking to some selected journalists at the state police headquarter yesterday, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the governorship election, Mohammed Indabawe, assured the people of Ondo State of adequate security during and after the election.

Indabawe, who was deployed to Ondo State from Rivers State for the election said that 11,000 security personnel comprising Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, mobile and conventional police had been de-

INEC exempts two polling units TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

out were the materials remaining from the ones used in 2011.

The intention of the suspects, it was learnt, was to swap the fake ballot boxes with the original ones on the way to the counting centres.

The suspects are being detained in police custody.

ployed to all the nooks and crannies of the 18 local government areas in the state.

Saturday Mirror also gathered from a reliable source that the DIG Operation, Philomenion Leha, AIG Zone 11, Ghandi Orubebe and about three Commissioner of Police are also fully on ground to ensure a hitch-free election.

In the same vein, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also deployed about 7,000 personnel to the state to ensure a free and fair election.

The Commandant General of the NSCDS, Dr. Ade Abolurin, said the officers who were drawn from neighbouring states were carefully drafted for the election to ensure that all necessary security apparatus of the corps are put into action before, during and after the exercise.

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he Resident Electoral Commissioner in Ondo State, Mr. Akin Orebiyi, yesterday disclosed that election will not hold in two polling units out of the 3009 polling units in the state.

Speaking to some jour-

nalists at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) office in Akure yesterday, Orebiyi said that election would not hold in two polling units in Ese Odo Local Government Area because of the failure of the people in the two polling units to participate in last year INEC voters’ registration exercise.

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NATIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Adamawa PDP crisis: Nyako begs Tukur

z Court rules against dissolution of exco OBIORA IFOH, ABUJA AND OWOLABI ADENUSI YOLA

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he crisis rocking Adamawa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party yesterday took another dimension as the governor of the state, Murtala Nyako, openly confessed that he regretted what has happened.

The governor, who was in Abuja to see the national chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, and other members of the party’s National Working Committee, said there was nothing wrong in begging the leadership of the party.

“There is nothing wrong in begging, PDP is a very large family, it has elder brothers and younger brothers. In our own situation we have a national headquarters, we have a state chapter of the party, we have local government chapter of the party, we have the ward, we have the unit leadership, so, if there is anything we observed as shortcoming, we should express regret that this has happened.

“It is a large family; we are here to tell our elder

brother our own version of the story. We are here as the state chapter, which I am privileged to be the leader. Don’t forget I am not the chairman, I am the leader of the party in the state to explain what has happened.

“It is a very busy time for us in Adamawa, we had election this year , we have the menace of Boko-Haram, we had flooding, we are very busy. Sometime when you are busy the way we are, omission is inevitable. So, whatever omission, shortcoming we have observed about our conduct, we extend our regret.”

Asked if the factions have reconciled, Nyako said “they (factions) are being reconciled. They have been reconciled.”

PDP had earlier suspended the state executive of the party in Adamawa, dissociated itself from congresses held by the faction loyal to the state governor and also sanctioned the national vice chairman of the party in the North East, Alhaji Lawan Girigiri.

Meanwhile, a Yola High Court on Friday ruled against the dissolution of Adamawa State chapter

of the Peoples Democratic Party by the Bamanga Tukur led National Working Committee.

The court restrained the National Working Committee, (NWC) from carrying out the dissolution of the State Working Committee

until the determination of the ex-parte motion by the court.

The Adamawa State chapter of the (PDP) led by Alhaji Minjinyawa Umar Kugama and eight others approached the court praying for the reaffirm them

as the legitimate leaders of the party in the state.

The presiding Judge and the Chief Justice Adamawa State, Justice Bobboi Umar, after hearing the prayers of the petitioners through its counsels, Barrister Ayo Akam and John Ochagwu, granted that the first and second defen-

dants, the national chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the National Working Committee (NWC), and the Care Taker Committee were restrained from carrying out any official duties on behalf of the party, pending the determination of the ex-parte motion.

The new Federal Permanent Secretaries taking oath of office at the Presidential Villa, in Abuja, recently.

Terrorism: Home-grown method is solution – Indian Army SEGUN ADIO

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visiting Indian Army General in the country has advocated a home-grown approach to fighting insecurity.

Major General Rajiv Bhalla, head of a delegation from the Indian Defence University, India, made the advocation during a visit to the General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Nigeria Army, Major-General Kenneth Minnimah, in Lagos, yesterday.

Gen. Bhalla, who claimed India shared the same problem with Nigeria in the fight against

terrorist groups, advised that Nigeria should look towards ending the terrorists’ insurgency by evolving a home-grown solution based on democratic norm relevant to the country.

His words: “We (India) have devised our own counter terrorism doctrines based on democratic norms which are relevant for developing countries like India and Nigeria.

This can be slightly modified and adopted in these environments. The truth is that we need to collaborate as nations to address this ugly trend.”

Speaking on the defence Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two countries in 2007, Gen.

Bhalla urged the Nigerian government to move faster than it is doing now to explore the benefits the MOU afforded.

Gen. Bhalla continued, “The two countries signed the defence MOU in 2007 but it has not been moving in the way expected by the two countries. It is incumbent on both sides to exchange delegations. Nigerian delegations should visit India to be able to explore the opportunities the MOU affords.”

Responding, Gen. Minnimah said that the Nigerian Army would always seek cooperation from friendly nations to tackle the menace of terrorism in the country.

Babatope blames non-identification of genuine leaders for Nigeria’s woes KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

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chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Ebenezer Babatope, has blamed the country’s slow development on the failure to identify genuine leaders.

Babatope who made the

declaration at the occasion of the 70th birthday ceremony of Chief Lekan Balogun, the Osi Olubadan of Ibadanland on Thursday, said the country had also failed to give due recognition to some of the leaders identified.

At the ceremony which included presentation of two books titled, ‘’The Por-

trait of an Activist” and “To Lead Is To Serve”, the former Minister of Transport said in a developed country, somebody like Senator Lekan Balogun would not only have been celebrated but his God-given wisdom would have been properly utilised for the development of the country.

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NATIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

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Fashola takes traffic law to church z ...Says it conforms with God’s rules MURITALA AYINLA

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he Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (SAN), yesterday added another twist to the much publicised Lagos State Road Traffic Law 2012 to church, calling on residents to embrace all the dictates of the law as they are in line with orderliness which the scriptures of God preaches.

Speaking during the 2012 Annual Council of Prophets Retreat of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement, (Ayo ni o), Fashola reiterated that the traffic law is meant to restore sanity, safety and security in the state, which according to him, is in conformity with the scriptures of God. Fashola who was represented by the State Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode

Opeifa, said the law was not victimise or intimidate the people of Lagos but to make life meaningful and livable for all the residents irrespective of their status in the state.

He said enforcement and management of traffic are one of the problems confronting the state.

He added that traffic signs and lane markings are to create orderliness in major highways.

On his part, the District Chairman, Special Apostle Dr G. Fakeye, commended the governor for bringing sanity to the state, saying the news would further enhance the safety of lives of residents.

The cleric who spoke on the theme of the retreat entitled:”Above All”, said the retreat would stimulate the spiritual consciousness of the members.

Police kill robber in Abuja z Recover ammunitions, phones, laptops

OMEIZA AJAYI

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en of the Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigerian Police yesterday shot dead a suspected armed robber who was alleged to have been terrorising the territory.

Luck ran out on the three-man gang in the early hours of yesterday after a gun duel with the police.

The unlucky gunman was killed in the process while two others escaped.

Briefing news in Abuja yesterday after the raid, the DPO of Wuse Divisional Police Headquarters, CSP Haruna Garuba, stated that they got a call from an unknown person in the early hours of yesterday that some robbers were operating at Wuse area.

He added that he quickly dispatched his men to the scene who engaged the robbers in a gun battle, thereby killing one while two escaped.

He said one SMG rifle and nine ammunitions were recovered from the dead robber.

The owner of the vehicle used by the robbers during the raid also briefed journalists on his ordeal and how the robbers forcefully snatched his car from him.

“I went to my friend’s place at Area 11 in Abuja at about 7am. There was no light in the premises and as I was about to alight from my car, I was approached by three men who forcefully dragged me out of my car. Although I was not shot, my bags and N20,000 were taken along side with the vehicle.”

He, however, disclosed that the N20,000 was later recovered by the police and his bag untouched.

CSP Haruna revealed that the police was hunting for the other two suspects who were still at large.

He promised that they’ would be brought down.

He said the phones, laptops and other valuables recovered from the robbers would be critically accessed to ascertain how they could help in tracking down the other two suspects.

L-R: General Officer Commanding, 81 Division, Major-General Kenneth Minnimah; Major-General Rajiv Bhalla, and Air Commodore Arun Gupta, during a study tour by the Indian National Defence University to the division in Lagos, yesterday.

Sale of PHCN: ‘Non-involvement of local engineers unfortunate’ CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

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he President, Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Solomon Nyagba, has described as unfortunate the non-involvement of local engineers in the packaging of Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) for privatisation.

Even though he claimed not be privy to the details of the criteria leading to successful sale of the federal government assets, he said Nigerian engineers would have played a very vital role since PHCN is engineeringbased institution.

Nyagba, in a telephone conversation, told Satur-

day Mirror that preparing such engineering-based institution as the PHCN required not only the inputs from marketing experts but also engineering experts.

According to him, the absence of the inputs of local engineering body could even give room for suspicion that the whole exercise was not transparent enough.

He said: “The fact that there were no inputs from the local engineering during the preparation of such engineering based institution as PHCN is unfortunate. In packaging such institution for privatisation the inputs of the local engineers are important.

And there was no such inputs, that is the area I am uncomfortable with.”

Meanwhile, the recent outburst by the three governors whose consortium – Southern Electricity Distribution Company Limited – lost out in the bid for power distribution companies (discos), to vehemently oppose the emergence of Vigeo Power Consortium as the preferred bidder for the Benin Distribution Company Limited has continued to attract reactions from public analyst and stakeholders in the power sector.

Former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),

Chambers Oyibo, advised governors to channel their protest in the right quarters.

According tom, the governors should just take to their protest to the president rather threatening not allow the Vigeo Power to operate in their states.

Oyibo said the whole exercise was to ensure that there is constant electricity.

He said though the details of the criteria laid down for the sale was unknown to him, such transaction could not have been made in the public domain as there are certain things that cannot be done in the public.

Ondo election

Party leaders make last minute efforts to woo electorate OJO OYEWAMIDE IKARE-AKOKO

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here was tight security yesterday in all the major towns in Akoko land in Ondo State as the people of the area prepared for today’s governorship election.

Armed soldiers and mobile policemen were sighted in Oka, Akungba, Ikare and some other towns in the northern senatorial district of the state, stopping and checking vehicles.

Traffic was unusually heavy in some towns in the Akoko North West

Local Government Area as travelers struggled to beat the deadline for the restriction order that no vehicle should enter or go outside the state from 6.pm.

Leaders of all the three leading political parties, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), moved round the wards and units in their areas in a last minute effort to convince the electorate to vote for their candidates.

A former Minister of Defence and chieftain of

PDP, Prince Tokunbo Kayode, was seen touring all the 166 units in the Akoko North West Local Government Area to make sure PDP supporters were well-mobilized and prepared for the election.

Also, former State Chairman of the LP, now a chieftain of PDP, Dr. Olaiya Oni, was busy holding a meeting with other leaders of the party in his Isoko ward 1, in the Akoko North East Local Government Area.

Leaders of the ACN and LP such as the senator representing Ondo northern senatorial dis-

trict in the National Assembly, Professor Ajayi Boroffice, and former Minister of Power, Dr. Olu Agunloye, also made last minute efforts to ensure that candidates of their parties win the governorship race.

Those who spoke with our correspondent commended the level of preparedness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for the election but warned against any attempt to subvert the wish of the people of the state.

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REGIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

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SOUTH WEST

Ekiti commissions 100 renovated schools

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o fewer than 100 public secondary schools in Ekiti State which underwent renovation have been delivered and handed over to the management of the schools.

This was contained in a statement by Olayinka Oyebode, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Kayode Fayemi.

Commissioning some of the schools which are spread across the 16 local government areas of the state, the Fayemi, said his administration is committed to providing an environment that will enhance productive teaching-learning process.

The governor also hinted that the renovation of the remaining 83 secondary schools billed for the second phase of the Operation Renovate All School in Ekiti (ORASE) would commence during the Christmas holidays.

The governor restated his resolve to revamp the

education sector so that it can produce quality products that will make the state proud.

Fayemi said he would ensure that adequate resources are expended on the education sector so that it could return to its place of pride as the fountain of knowledge.

Some of the schools renovated also got new buildings such as examination halls and laboratories where the existing ones were considered beyond renovation.

Meanwhile the distribution of the 40,000 units of furniture ordered by the government has commenced, following the delivery of the furniture.

It would be recalled that the Governor had during the flag off of the renovation exercise said that the renovation and the purchase of the furniture would cost N2.5 billion and would be delivered within eight weeks.

The governor has also

flagged off the 2012/2013 school enrolment into all primary schools in the State.

Registering pupils in Ikole Ekiti on Wednesday, the Fayemi expressed satisfaction at last year’s enrolment which was higher

than that of the penultimate year.

He added that the rise in the enrolment is not unconnected with the confidence that the people repose in his administration’s effort at revamping the education sector even

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hairman of Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, (LASIEC) Justice Afolabi Adeyinka (rtd), has said that security is the live wire of any electoral success, before, during and after election.

Adeyinka is also the chairman of the Forum for State Independent Electoral Commission.

He made this known during a security stakeholders’ forum held in Lagos adding that the role of

security operatives in any electoral process cannot be underestimated.

He noted that protection of human lives, voters and electoral process are necessary for credible, free and fair elections.

According to him there should be a synergy between the security agencies and all the stakeholders, particularly the electoral officials in order to guarantee security of lives and property which is inherent in a democracy and can make it credible and acceptable.

Delivering a lecture on “The imperatives of ad-

equate protective security cover before, during and after election”, Deputy Director of State Security Service (SSS), Mr Isaac Idu, noted that election violence could be curbed if certain fundamentals like internal democracy within the rank and file of the parties, provision of level playing ground and massive political education for the electorate are put in place.

According to Idu electoral violence has become a recurrent decimal in the political lexicon of the country due to greed and avarice of political gladia-

tors, entrenched capitalist ideological tendencies and poor political culture on the part of electorate.

He pointed out that in order to have a non violent electoral process, the elective positions should be made less lucrative so as to attract only those who are willing to deliver and that campaign should not be turned into period of money politics as it does not yield good result.

The stakeholders forum in their statement noted that political education should be intensified for both electorate and candidates.

Benin-Ore Road: 33 drown as bus plunges into river in Ogun FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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t was a black Saturday yesterday in Ogun State as no fewer than 33 persons died when the Toyota Coaster passenger bus in which they were travelling skidded off the road and plunged into a river at J4, Ogbere -Ijebu axis of the Shagamu – Ore express road.

Although the cause of the accident could still not

be determined, but Saturday Mirror gathered that all the dead passengers on board except three, were drowned along with the medium range luxurious bus.

The three survivors, which included a pregnant woman were said to have been hung between a tree branch which prevented them from being swept away which the accident which occurred in the late afternoon of yesterday.

According to the Unit

Kewulere, commended the ORASE initiative of the Fayemi administration.

The cleric said it was a testimonial to the commitment of the governor to providing quality, functional and free education for all students in the state.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. BabatundeFashola SAN (2nd right); his wife, Dame Emmanuella Abimbola Fashola (r); Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris (3rdright); with ambassadors of the Maternal and Child Mortality Reduction (MCMR), former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan (3rd left), member, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. (Mrs) Adefumilayo Tejuosho (2nd left) and Member, House of Representatives, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa (left) during the launching of the MCMR handbooks at the Lagos Television Premises, Agidingbi-Ikeja, Lagos, recently.

LASIEC boss tasks security agents on polls SINA FADARE AND TOSIN AROWOSOLA

as the State SUBEB Model Primary School recently emerged the best primary school in Nigeria.

At Ola Oluwa Muslim Grammar School, Ado Ekiti, the Grand Imam of the state, Alhaji Bello

Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Seidu Isah Osilama, the survivors were rescued due to the timely arrival of FRSC operatives at the scene of the accident.

Osilama said the survivor fell off the bus and landed on tree before the bus finally plunged into the river.

As at the time of filling this report, the Ogun state Sector Commander of FRSC, Ayobami Omi-

yale told newsmen that rescue operation was still on-going.

Omiyale, who spoke on phone, maintained that the total number of casualties could only be determined after the rescue operation was concluded.

Meanwhile, source at the scene of the accident said rescue effort would require crane and divers to ascertain the location of the bus and the passengers inside the water.

Rotary Club to rehabilitate Lagos school

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he Rotary Club of Ajara, District 9110, Nigeria will today install its new president and board members for the 2012–2013 service year.

The investiture, which will usher in Meshach Tagbe Vittu as the 10th president of the club will also set in motion, the programme aimed at rehabilitating the first primary school in the country, the Badagry Nursery and Primary School.

Vittu, who made this known while rolling out his programmes ahead of his investiture, noted that the era of restricting the club’s project to Ajara is over and that his tenure would ensure that the people of Badagry and environs feel the presence of the club more than ever before.

“My projection is to increase the membership base of the club and also the service base. What I mean is that all we have been doing before is within Ajara, but now we want to go outside Ajara to Badagry and the suburbs. This year, we hope to work on water sanitation, provision of good toilets and water in schools and we will equip libraries.

“Now, we have identified four schools namely, Ajara Grammar School, Government College Ajara and the Nursery and Primary School Badagry being the first primary school in Nigeria, as part of our programme.

“We hope to equip their libraries. So we are going round, like Ajara Grammar school, they have a library, but not well equipped, we are going to equip all of them”, Vittu promised.

He further explained that the club would empower widows and train them with funds to support them.

“We will also adopt a village, this means we will continue to give the village what we can give them”, adding that the aim of Rotary Club is to better the lives of the people.

On why different Presidents come up with plans, but could not execute them, Vittu said it all depends on the funds available and the supports of the members and communities.

On members welfare during his tenure, he stated that the club has a programme called ‘We Care’, which would be intensified.

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REGIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

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SOUTH EAST

Anyaoku, Chukwumerije eulogise Ekwueme at 80 …As govs dole out N28m for birthday bash

NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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ormer Commonwealth SecretaryGeneral, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, and chairman of Senate Committee on Education, Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, yesterday described Second Republic Vice President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, as an undisputable national icon at 80.

Speaking at the third edition of Dr. Alex Ekwueme Annual Lecture organised by the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State, to commemorate Ekwueme’s 80th birthday, Anyaoku who was chairman of the occasion and Chukwumerije who was a guest lecturer, said they were proud and privileged to be part of Ekwueme’s birthday celebration, adding that the celebrant has instituted many legacies in the country, including the Oko Polytechnic.

This is as the South East governors will today expend N28 million to mark the grand Cultural Festival in honour of Ekwueme at the Michael Okpara square in Enugu.

Former Senate President and Chairman of the Ndigbo Organising Committee, a group mandated to organise a befitting

birthday for Ekwueme, Senator Ken Nnamani, applauded the governors for the gesture.

Anyaoku and Chukwumerije therefore called on the appropriate government authorities to endeavour to upgrade the Oko Polytechnic to a university status because of its strategic importance and possibly name the institution after Ekwueme while he is still alive.

The duo also tasked the Igbo to remain united among themselves in order to reclaim their pride of place in the country, stressing that the time has come for the Igbo to wake up to the challenges facing them as a nation.

According to them, “the marginalisation against the Southeast geo-political zone should serve as a reminder that the zone has been relegated to the backseat of the nation economy”.

They contended that the absence of Federal Government presence in the region was a very glaring marginalisation, noting that in most cases, most Federal Government projects in the zone were either neglected or abandoned.

Specifically, Chukwumerije recalled that the disunity among Ndigbo

Money laundering: Group defends Ohakim, others CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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he Imo State Patriots for Good Governance yesterday in Owerri described the recent money laundering allegation against former Governor Ikedia Ohakim as untrue and a calculated attempt to smear his reputation.

It also absolved one of the Ohakim’s close associates, Chief Tony Chukwu, from the money laundering allegation, describing it as the handiwork of political opponents.

According to the group, the online report was mischievously planted to implicate Ohakim in a phantom money laundering charge to mar his political aspiration.

The group noted that the report that Ohakim and Chukwu were arrested in the United States of America while trying to launder $2million was mischievous and calculated attempt by desperate politicians, who were threatened by the rising profile of the former governor and his successful business associate.

The national leader of the group, Prince Ken Omeka, while addressing journaklists in Owerri, cautioned politicians to avoid actions capable of heating up the polity.

He disclosed that the recent castigation of notable Igbo sons was not unconnected with the agitation for Igbo presidency in 2015, adding that country’s democracy had gone beyond malicious personality attacks.

has contributed to the continued marginalisation of the zone, adding that the clamour for additional states for the zone to be at par with others has continued to elicit divisions.

Anyaoku also maintained that Ekwueme has contributed in many spheres of the national life especially education,

political revolution and architecture where he has established an unequalled record, adding, “I cannot see any Nigerian leader who has been as roundly educated and informed as Ekwueme in Nigeria’s history of both pre and post independence”.

Other guests at the lecture were Governor Peter

Obi of Anambra State, former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof.

Chukwuma Soludo; former gubernatorial aspirant in Anambra State, Dr. Alex Obiogbolu, among others.

Earlier in his address, the host and rector of the polytechnic, Prof. Godwin Onu, noted that about 30 years ago, the citadel of learning

was ideated and nurtured

by Ekwueme, adding that apart from many students that have passed through the institution, the polytechnic has “currently about 12,000 students and 2,500 staff, all benefiting from the thoughtfulness and foresight of this multidisciplinary mind”.

Mrs. Josephine Ejimofor (2nd right), who was delivered of triplets, Maduabuchukwu, Chukwuka and Eberechukwu at Umueri displaced Flood Victims’ camp, carrying one of the triplets; Governor Peter Obi (2nd right), carrying one of the triplets, SSA, MDG, Dr. Precious Gbeneol (1st left), carrying one of the triplets and Anglican Bishop of Mbamili, Bishop Heney Okeke (1st left) when the governor visited the camp, recently.

Call Anambra CP to order, Onitsha gain seeds dealers tell IGP NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

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he Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, has been called upon to prevail on the Anambra State Commissioner, Bala Nasarawa and the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Awada Police Station Chukwuemeka Ugwu, to refrain from further intimidating, harassing and unlawfully ejecting Cyprian Ohaekwe and others from the market which they rightfully as

their place of business.

The call was contained in a petition to the IGP to that effect by the executive members of the state chapter of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO).

In the petition which was signed by the CLO chairman in Anambra State, Comrade Aloysius Attah and the secretary Justus Ijeoma, they traced the genesis of the crisis between the two faction of Grain Seed Dealers Association, Onitsha, to how the police allegedly worked against their own

faction, in favour of their opponents to the extent of invading the market and chasing them out for other group to take over.

They called on the IGP to caution the Anambra State Commissioner of Police to strengthen his supervision of his officers and men to ensure good conduct.

CLO also called for the immediate removal of the DPO, Awada, alleging that he has shown gross incompetence, compromise and bias in the handling of the case.

Anambra flood: MDG office to the rescue

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he Millennium Development Goals office, Abuja, is to scale up its conditional cash transfer scheme to cushion the effect of flooding on the people.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, Dr. Mrs. Precious Gbeneol, announced this while presenting relief materials worth over N7million

to internally displaced persons at the Father Joseph Memorial High School, resettlement camp, Aguleri. Some of the materials donated include 300 bags of rice, 200 cartoons of tomatoes and 25 cartoons of milk among others.

Gbeneol who said the materials were to alleviate the burden of those displaced by the flood and expressed concern

that the success recorded in poverty reduction, improvement in the health of children and mothers, access to water, sanitation and environmental sustainability may be impeded if proactive measures were not taken.

She said that Govenror Obi’s administration had sustained prompt payment of counterpart fund for all the MDGs

They demanded that the DPO should be investigated and sanctioned for allowing his judgment be beclouded by inordinate quest for personal gain and sanctioned if found culpable.

The human right body further asked the IGP to direct the Commissioner of Police to ensure that his command obey all court orders to avoid drawing the police into unnecessary and avoidable legal battles that may call the reputation of the police to question. projects in the state and Local Government Areas assuring that the 2012 Conditional Grants Scheme funds to the State would also be utilized for proper interventions in flood affected areas.

Governor Peter Obi in his speech thanked President Goodluck Jonathan and the MDG’s office for the intervention and commitment to ameliorating the suffering of the displaced persons.

REGIONAL NEWS

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October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SOUTH SOUTH NORTH

Gunmen kidnap Bayelsa CAP chairman A’Ibom community EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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nknown gunmen yesterday kidnapped the Bayelsa State Chairman of the Change Advocacy Party (CAP) ,Mr. Deme Ikolomo, at his residence in Yenagoa.

Saturday Mirror was reliably informed that Ikolomo was whisked off to unknown destination in the early hours of yesterday by the gunmen that

invaded his home.

The whereabouts of Ikolomo who is 41 years old were not known as at press time and no group has claimed responsibility for his abduction.

Investigations, however, revealed that party members have started making frantic efforts to trace his location of the Chairman and his abductors.

Last Wednesday, gunmen also kidnapped six Russians and one Esto-

nian who are oil workers of Bourbon International Oil Limited at Pennington River, near Ezetu in Southern Ijaw Local Government of the state. The expatriates are still being held by the gunmen.

A close aide to the CAP governorship candidate in the state, Jeremiah Owoupele, confirmed the kidnap of Ikolomo as he regretted his abduction.

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Fidelis Odunna,

said he was yet to receive the kidnap incident of the party chairman.

The governorship candidate of CAP, Dr. Imoro Kubor, had dragged the Governor Seriake Dickson to court challenging his eligibility as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Supreme Court.

Dickson had won two earlier judgments in the State Election Tribunal and Federal Court of Appeal on same matter.

L-R: Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and, Amb. Joy Ogwu and her husband, Dr. Aloysius Ogwu, during the funeral service for late Regina Maduemezia, mother of Amb. Ogwu in Asaba, Delta State, yesterday.

Amnesty International locks horns with Oshiomhole …as he signs two death warrants CONTINUED FROM 2 owever, the move to execute the Supreme Court judgments has not gone down well with human rights activists and advocates, who have risen with one voice to ask the governor to respect the sanctity of life and commit these death sentences to life, with hard labour.

Amnesty International argues that most countries, including African countries, have since embraced the humanitarian habit of commuting death sentences to life imprisonment.

The international agency urges the state governor to use his Prerogative of Mercy to commute the death convictions of the two long-

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term prison inmates to life sentences.

However, defending his principal in a telephone interview with Saturday Mirror on Friday evening, Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Dr. Osagie Obayuwana, confirmed the signing of the warrants and argued that Governor Oshiomhole has not done anything unlawful as he has acted rightly within the law.

According to Obayuwana, the governor’s action was sequel to the recommendation of prison authorities to the state government in the report that emanated from the recent jail break at the Oko Prison in Benin City.

The report had highlighted the dangers of continued imprisonment of condemned persons in the State. One of the arguments of the report was that condemned inmates have a propensity to organise jail breaks, a plan that is often supported by other prisoners.

Following the signing of the death warrants, the gallows at the Benin Prison are now being prepared for the death, by hanging, of the two condemned persons. The Benin Prison has not used its gallows in ages, according to criminologists and lawyers.

It was reliably gathered that in the course of the exercise of his Prerogative

of Mercy, Oshiomhole had considered the cases of the two convicts as too heinous and heartless to warrant a committal. Convinced that their actions were unjustifiable and unpardonable, he signed their death warrants without further hesitation.

It was further learnt that the governor reviewed the death sentences of four other convicts after which he commuted the sentences of two to life imprisonment while setting free two others.

When our correspondent sought to know the exact date of the executions from prison and government house sources, he was told that no definite date had been fixed.

Ibom airport workers’ protests disrupt operations TONY ANICHEBE UYO

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light operations at the Ibom International Airport, Uyo, Akwa

Ibom State were on Friday stalled following the peaceful protest embarked upon by the staff of the airport.

The airport staff numbering about 1000 as early as

5.am on Friday blocked the main entrance of the airport to ensure that all members of staff were fully mobilized to join the protest which lasted till 12.30 noon.

Saturday Mirror observed that all flights from Abuja and Lagos that were billed for the airport were suspended pending the outcome of the discussion be-

demands release of arrested youth leaders

embers of Edo community in Akwa Ibom State havedemanded the release of 14 youth leaders arrested at Uquo marginal oil field recently.

Uquo marginal oil field operated by Frontier Oil, an indigenous firm is located in Esit Eket council area of Akwa Ibom where a gas plant is currently under construction.

Following the arrest of the youth leaders, the people of the community took to the streets last Wednesday.

But in an interaction with journalists yesterday, spokesman of the Edo community, Chief Afaha Okpon Isang, said that the incarceration of the youths was unacceptable to the community.

Isang said that the traditional rulers in the area had made a request for the unconditional release of the youths to the chairman of Esit Eket council area.

Isang maintained that the youths were merely expressing their grievances in a peaceful way to demand for employment opportunities as spelt out in a memorandum of understanding.

“We have vowed that until our youths are re-

leased, there shall be no peace here, we cannot be sleeping when our children are detained for asking to be given jobs in the gas plant.

“We parted with our farm lands to accommodate the plant with the hope that our children be employed but that has proved to be a pipe dream, we have notified the authorities of the implication of pushing us to the wall,” he said Hundreds of protesters at the marginal fields were dispersed by policemen with gunshots. They also arrested the youth leaders identified to be the brains behind the protest.

The detention of the youths who were said to be demanding employment opportunities reserved for them in the memorandum of understanding has heightened tension in the area.

Security has been tightened around the gas plant site as more armed soldiers and policemen have been deployed to reinforce the existing personnel on site.

The Public Relations Officer of the Akwa Ibom police command, Mr Etim Dickson, confirmed the arrest of 13 youths and said that normalcy has returned to the area.

tween the Akwa Ibom State government and the embittered workers.

The placards carried by the protesting workers read “5years of neglect must end”, “Give us uncommon transformation”, “N10,000 salary is slavery”, “Review our salaries now”, among others.

The workers grievances, it was gathered include; absence of condition of service, non review of salaries since the inception of the airport, irregularities in employment and remuneration and non payment of salaries, allowances and leave grant arrears to staff.

According to the branch chairman of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (ATSSSAN), Comrade Edidiong Brendan, “ there has

not been a salary review for airport staff for almost six years now and it is rather unfair that while government and relevant authorities have eagerly made changes in wages nationwide, the Ibom Airport staff are left languishing in abject neglect, clinging on to meagre wages’.

Brendan lamented that it has become an unwritten law in the airport that some employees are not paid their full entitlements for upward of 18months after assumption of duties.

He disclosed that most of the staff employed since March last year on grade level four were still being paid pocket allowance of N9,850.00 as against the minimum wage of N21000 paid to other categories of staff in the state civil service.

TONY ANICHEBE UYO.

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Politics Behold the candidates

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

October 20, 2012

Olusola Oke (PDP)

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hief Olusola Oke from Ondo South Senatorial District is the gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He was born on April 7, 1956 in Ilowo, a coastal town in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State. He attended UNA Primary School, Ode-Ilowo, between 1961 and 1963 and later engaged in subsistence high sea fishing, a career in which he acquired great fame between 1963 and 1973.

His quest for knowledge compelled him to abandon fishing to the amazement of his fishermen colleagues and returned to Methodist Primary School, Ilepete in 1973 to complete his primary school education. He later proceeded to Methodist Secondary Modern School, Ilepete, where he graduated in 1976. Oke later attended Ilaje Grammar School, Atijere, in Ilaje Local Government, where he bagged his West African School Certificate (WASC) in 1980.

He taught briefly as Auxiliary Teacher at

Happy City College, Ayetero and Methodist High School, Okitipupa.

He was admitted to Ondo State School of Arts and Science, Ikare in October 1981 and from there he proceeded to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) in 1982 to study Law. Oke, in 1986 bagged a degree in Law and proceeded in the same year to the Nigeria Law School. In 1987, he was called to the Nigeria Bar and enrolled at the Supreme Court as Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. He joined the firm of Chief Olufemi Lanlehin, Ikeja, Lagos, in November 1987.

After a brief training at Lanlehin’s firm, Oke moved to Okitipupa in Ondo State and opened a firm of solicitors, Olusola Oke & Associate, on July 14, 1988.

Oke caught his teeth in politics when he was elected into the House of Representatives in 1992 to represent Ilaje/EseOdo Federal Constituency. In 2000, former President Olusegun Obasanjo appointed and inaugurated him as a Commissioner representing Ondo State on the Governing

Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (ACN)

Ayetoro, for his secondary school education and Higher School Certificate, respectively. He also attended the Loyola College in Ibadan. He went on to the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) to study Law and graduated in 1977. He was later called to the Nigerian Bar in 1978.

Akeredolu served as the Attorney General of Ondo State from 1997-1999. In 1998 he became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He was Chairman of the Legal Aid Council (2005–2006). He later served as President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and because of his remarkable achievement as NBA President and immense contribution to the association

and legal provision, NBA, in December, named its new secretariat in Abuja after Akeredolu. As a legal icon, Akeredolu has taken part in many cases in Nigeria and he is one of the brilliant one who have paid their due in the legal provision.

Akeredolu, on November 2011, declared his intention to run for Ondo State governorship election on the platform of ACN and the party’s national leadership, on July 28, 2012 during the party’s congress in Akure, endorsed him as its candidate ahead. He beat many experienced politicians and professionals who threw in their hats into the ring to become the next governor of the Sunshine State.

Olusegun Mimiko (LP)

Harcourt,, between 1981 and 1982, where he e participated in the mandatory ry one year National Youth Service rvice Corps (NYSC) scheme. He returned to join the service ce of the Ondo State Health Management Board ard as a mediical official in the General ( n o w s t a t e specialist) Hospital, Ondo in 1982. From late 1983 to 1984, Dr. Mimiko had his initial taste of private medical practice by working at different times as a medical official at Apagun Clinic, Yaba, Lagos; and as the Acting Medical Director, Alleluyah Hospital, Oshodi, Lagos. He returned to public service for another year between April 1984 and February 1985 (again with the Ondo State Health Management Board) before finally going into full private medical practice with the setting up of the MONA

MEDI-CLINICS with headquarters in Ondo town.

Mimiko’s political activities started during his undergraduate days as a medical student at the then University of Ife, where he served in many students leadership positions. After graduation, Mimiko joined Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). He served as the Publicity Secretary of the Ondo Local Government Area chapter o f the UPN in 1983.

D u r ing the ab o r t e d Third Republic, Mimiko was a strong member of the defunct Social Democratic Party (SDP) and he served the party in many capacities. He was later appointed

by Governor Bamidele Olumilua-led administration in 1992 as Commissioner for Health. At the beginning of the present administration, Dr. Mimiko was appointed as Commissioner for Health in the state by the Governor Adebayo Adefarati-led Alliance for Democracy (AD) administration. He later resigned as

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hief Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu (SAN), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) governorship candidate, is from Owo in Ondo North Senatorial District. He was born on July 21, 1956 in Owo to Reverend Ola Akeredolu of the Akeredolu family and Lady Evangelist Grace Akeredolu of Aderoyiju family of Igbotu, Ese Odo in Ondo State. Akeredolu started his primary education at Government School, Owo, and later proceeded to Aquinas College, Akure; Loyola Colege, Ibadan and Comprehensive High School,

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r. Rahman Olusegun Mimiko, the incumbent governor of Ondo State and Labour Party (LP) gubernatorial candidate is from Ondo Central Senatorial District. He was born on October 3, 1954 to the family of Pa and Mrs. Atiku Bamidele Mimiko of Ondo. He had his elementary education at Aponmu, near Akure and later at St. Patrick’s Primary school, Yaba, Ondo, in the early 1960s. He attended St. Joseph’s College, Ondo, for his secondary school education. Mimiko, in 1972, was a Higher School Certificate (HSC) student at the Gboluji Grammar School, Ile-Oluji and later gained admission into the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Ile-Ife in the same year. He bagged a B.Sc in Health Science from OAU in 1976. He earned the MB; CH.B (Bachelor of Medical, Bachelor of Surgery in 1980). He is registered with the Nigeria Medical and Dental Council as a medical practitioner.

As a medical doctor, Mimiko worked in different establishments between 1980 and 1981. He had a stint with the Nigeria Naval College (NNS Onura), Onne, Port

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Board of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) where he served meritoriously for four years. In 2005, he was appointed by the president as a member of the National Political Reform Conference.

He was later appointed as the Chairman and CEO of Ondo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (OSOPADEC) by the Ondo State government. He resigned as OSOPADEC boss voluntarily in October, 2006, to run for PDP ticket for Ondo South Senatorial District. At the primary election, he was returned as candidate having secured not less than 75 per cent of the votes cast in a race involving three (3) aspirants. He also campaigned for the general election and scored 318,000 votes. His victory was aborted by intra-party mischief which was endorsed by the Supreme Court in July 2008. He was later elected as the National Legal Adviser of the PDP, the position he held till March 2012. He is a member of the recently constituted technical committee on Niger Delta. Oke is expected to fly PDP ticket in today’s election.

commissioner on November 7, 2002 and dumped the AD to pitch his tent with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

After PDP’s victory in the Ondo State 2003 governorship election, Dr. Mimiko was appointed as Secretary to the State Government (SSG) by Governor Segun Agagu-led administration. He served as the SSG till July 2005, when he was appointed by President Olusegun Obasanjo as Minister of Housing and Urban Development. On December 8, 2006, he resigned as a minister to contest for the April 2007 Ondo State governorship election on the platform of Labour Party. He contested in the election against the incumbent, Dr. Olusegun Agagu and lost the contest according to the result released by the Independent Electoral Commission( INEC). Mimiko contested the INEC decision at the election tribunal and an Appeal Court ruling on February 23, 2009 declared him winner of the April 14,2007 governorship election on the account that the election was marred by a lot of irregularities.

Mimiko was later sworn in as the third elected governor in the present Fourth Republic. He is currently the first and only member of the Labour Party to win gubernatorial office in Nigeria.

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POLITICS

October 20, 2012

To the electorate with pleas Mimiko (LP)

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et me start by letting you know how qualified I am for the post that I am seeking. I have been engaged in the politics of this state for about 20 years. I have served in the government cabinet three times. First was in 1992, I was commissioner for health in the old Ondo State; that was when Ekiti was a part of Ondo. I made my mark. I introduced the 24-hours pharmacy shop system. That was a revolution on its own for that era. I served in 1999, I was commissioner for health.

Within a short time, I introduced programmes that brought health care directly to the people of the rural areas.

Some of them had never had access to such treatment; it proved to be a very popular and profound programme. I had the opportunity to be Secretary to the State Government. I made my mark.

At the beginning of that administration within a short time we made what we considered as the roadmap to the progress of this state. The way it was implemented is another issue entirely.

As the secretary to the government I played a pivotal role in putting things together. I had the privilege of being a former Minister of Housing and Urban Development of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Within a year and a half, I gave Nigeria its first indigenous building quote and that is credit. I established a social housing paradigm of development to be able to bridge the housing gap especially for the under privileged Nigerian. So, I am very qualified for this job, I thank the people for electing me the first time and I want to say that they should elect me again.

Oke (PDP)

I

am running for the office of governor in the state to rescue Ondo State. I am contesting in order to liberate the people from imposed penury, and save our resources from further plundering. I want to govern the state in order to save this generation and those unborn from perpetual slavery. I want to design and design and execute projects that will bring development to the people. Everywhere you go in the state, you see a litany of ill-conceived projects. Today, we have a government that has conceived what it calls mega projects which are designed to move people from their neigbourhood to distant locations. All these, coupled with other reasons, are the motives behind my intervention, because I believe that I can prudently manage the resources of the state to bring maximum benefit to the people. I believe I can conceive

and implement projects that will bring sustainable development to the state, open up the coastal areas and tap its resources, to bring about industrial revolution which we need to turn around the state’s economy. I will remove poverty from the faces of the people of the state.

Unemployment will be a thing of the past. Money will be spent on life-changing projects rather than on propaganda.

We will run a government that will have positive impact on the people of the state.

We will provide loan to young graduates, and run a transparent government that will be acceptable to the people of the state. My antecedents speak for me. I am a believer in sustainable development. I believe that Ondo State must industrialise in order to reduce dependence on revenue from the national coffers. And for the state to industrialise, we must open up our coastal and forest resources, so that all the abandoned projects in Ikare, Omotosho and Olokola can come up. We want to reconfigure the economy, generate income, employment, (Ondo State is blessed with human and natural resources) and reduce over-dependence on federation account. Industrialisation is going to be the centre-piece of my administration. The bitumen project will be developed. Ondo State has the second largest bitumen deposit in the whole world. We are going to develop the infrastructure as the basis for growth and industrialisation.

Bisi Akande, ACN chairman

Akeredolu (ACN)

I

offer myself for service. Having transversed the 18 local governments in the state, I have discovered that the state is in a perilous condition.

One road in three and half years of government is not enough. I will open up the rural areas with roads. We need water and electricity. I will give transparent leadership. I am a lawyer and having reached the peak of my career I decided to give to my people what they deserve with the aim of bringing smiles on their faces . My government will give priority to unemployment; 30, 000 jobs will be created in my first hundred days in office. There is need for us in the state to join our brothers in the South-West to key into the regional integration programme to develop the region as a whole; the state has a very vital role to play in bringing this programme to fruition. I promise to deliver to your doorsteps the dividends of democracy. We give priority to the development of the state through our various programmes of education, agriculture, infrastructural development, road constructions and rural and urban development.

Bamanga Tukur, PDP chairman

Dan Nwanyanwu, LP chairman

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

October 20, 2012

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16

POLITICS

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We’ll surpass our achievement in Edo -Jega Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, assures Nigerians of the success of the Ondo State gubernatorial election

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am assuring you that this election will be peaceful and successful; we have done our best as INEC to make the election free and fair. The Edo State election was acknowledged as the best election we have conducted but I am assuring you that Ondo State election will a benchmark for other election in this country. We have learnt a lot of les-

sons from Edo and we have factored in the lessons, we are committed to ensure that Ondo State election is the best conducted so far. All we require from you is your cooperation to ensure this election is peaceful. Politicians should come to the election with utmost moral ethical conduct because we as INEC evolved a process to ensure that every vote counts.

Riggers should be ready for trouble –Abubakar Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Dahiru Abubakar, warns against violence

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dequate security and man power have been strategically deployed to Ondo State to achieve a most conducive electioneering atmosphere.

Can Mimiko break the second term jinx?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Also, the people of the Northern senatorial zone, especially Akoko, are reportedly not happy with the Mimiko government. Most of the roads in Akoko are in a deplorable state. That was why the people of the area were agitating for a chance to produce the next governor of the state.

But will Mimiko spring surprises in the rural areas where his government appears to have performed?

Most people are of the view that the town halls, maternity centres and boreholes his government has built and sunk in some communities in the state may enhance his chances at the poll.

Before and since he became governor of the state, Mimiko has made a lot of political enemies. He was a commissioner in the late Adefarati government. But he contested the governorship ticket of the comatose Alliance for Democracy (AD) against his boss. After losing the ticket, he defected to the PDP, a development that most people considered as an act of betrayal.

Mimiko was also the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) during the government of Agagu. About two years into the office, he was appointed by former President Olusegun Obasanjo as the Minister of Housing, from where he later resigned,

defected to the LP and contested the 2007 governorship election against Agagu.

When he was struggling to retrieve his mandate, he reportedly sought assistance from the national leader of the ACN and former governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The leadership of the party was said to have assisted Mimiko with money and logistics. When he eventually became governor of the state, the entire national leaders of the ACN came to his swearing-in ceremony.

But today, Tinubu and other leaders of the party are bitter with Mimiko, because, according to them, he has failed to fulfil his promise of joining the party. That is why they are hell bent on removing him from office. Will they succeed?

Also, several political associates of Mimiko have moved away from him, accusing him of betrayal. Some of these politicians are the former state chairman of the LP, Olaiya Oni, former commissioners, former Special Advisers and Special Assistants to Mimiko.

However, a lot of people still believe that Mimiko will break the second term jinx. According to them, the governor understands the politics of the state and the psychology of its people. Will Mimiko achieve what none of his predecessors was able to achieve? The answer lies in the votes of the Ondo electorate tomorrow!

These men have been trained and expected to be professional, non partisan, civil but firm in their approach and relation to the public.

Go to the poll with no security official and without money on you to induce voters and if you are arrested I am assuring you that you will be prosecuted.

In your refreshingly different 2013: One budget, many controversies

The October 10 presentation of the 2013 budget proposals by President Goodluck Jonathan was in record time but the contents have largely become a subject of controversy. And the issues are many; from the benchmark price of $75 to the structure of the recurrent-cum-capital expenditure, the deficit level and the integrity of data presented by the Federal Government. Sunday Mirror examines the contentious issues through the eyes of experts, including Economists, Financial Analysts, members of the organised private sector and the polity, among many others. You don’t want to miss it.

Five eventful days with kidnappers

For five days, Alhaja Muibat Salaam, wife of the Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salaam, was in the hand of her abductors. For those days, she felt the end had come, but there was divine intervention. And she was rescued. “It was like dream,” was the way she put the experience. Read all about what happened tomorrow.

Crisis in Kogi House

Speaker of Kogi State House of Assembly, Hon. Bello Abdullahi, and all the principal officers were impeached during the week. What happened is a fall out of a lingering crisis between Governor Idris Wada and the embattled Speaker. Our report on the crisis reveals the undercurrent that made it impossible for the governor to work with the Speaker. For details, pick a copy of Sunday Mirror.

Revered author, Chinua Achebe, stirred a hornet’s nest recently in his book, There was a country, country, in the section that focused on the Civil War. Achebe, in the book, blamed, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was then the Finance Minister and Vice Chairman of the cabinet for being the proponent and advocate of the starvation policy that led to the deaths of many Igbos due to hunger and malnutrition. In this report, we take you down memory lane, going into the details of the Nigerian Civil War as contained in confidential file of the US State department. It is a must read.

‘I’m cautious not to backslide’

Dateline

Princess Anne Inyang came to the limelight in 1996 with the release of her debut album ‘All the way with my Jesus’. In this interview, the prolific song writer and vocalist reveals why she will not follow the beaten path of artistes who started out from the church and ended up as secular musicians. She also talks about her marriage, the music industry, among other issues.

These and many more available tomorrow in your

MAGAZ INE Sex talk

•Hot tips from porn stars

Fashion •Draping gorgeous •Rocking the boyfriend jacket

Relationships Must your spouse know how much you earn?

Lami

Songstress on the rise

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H

ow did you get the title, Igwe Fuji?

There was a lady I was dating way back. Her father was a king and she was the daughter he loved so much and he knew I was the one dating her then, he now said “Ah! You are the man dating my daughter and I love her so much.” He now gave me the title.

He said, “from today on, you are now an Igwe, you are a king.” And my father, was also from a royal family. But I didn’t know then. So, when they were calling me Igwe, my father said truly I am a king because I am from a royal family.

But why Igwe? Why not Oba, since you are a Yoruba man?

I prefer Igwe. Yoruba have a way of reacting when someone is called a king. I don’t want problem with anyone because I’ve been bearing that name before anybody became the king of whatever, but I don’t like anything like argument, I hate quarrelling so I prefer Igwe to Oba.

October 20, 2012

‘How I avoid the Fuji war’ Remi Aluko is a highly rated Fuji musician. In this interview by OSEYIZA OOGBODO, he says he will not see himself as a celebrity until he achieves as much as the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister.

Celebrity

Are you saying that if it were to be Oba, your colleagues would take it up with you?

Well, they may and they may not. It depends on how they feel, but I wouldn’t care if they do or not. But I just prefer that Igwe, because I’m a Fuji musician, and you know we Fuji musicians, we are Yoruba so we don’t have much Igbo fans, so I prefer to bear that Igwe to gain more fans.

during the time of were. And there was a time he had a show on our street. I was very young then and he took me along with him. Every time he had a show around our area then, because they loved him so much, he liked to take me along with him as I’m his only son him then. I have another brother now.

How easy was it when you decided to take it as a profession?

I can’t say it was easy and that it wasn’t easy. That’s part of the challenges we have in life. And if you want to be somebody in this world, you must have challenges. I came across a lot of challenges but there’s no big deal in that.

What was your most difficult challenge?

I can’t say my most difficult challenge because I don’t know what will happen next. But in the past, I can say I had lots. The most difficult was there was nobody to help. You always have to struggle for yourself. Like my band boys, we grew up together, started this game together, struggled together, and I thank God today they are still with me and we are doing great now in this business. The challenges then were that someone would invite you to play but would not pay. But you would still perform because you wanted to have a name.

What is different about you?

The difference about me is that I sing hip-hop fuji.

Is the strategy working for you?

Yes, it’s helping me so much, because I’ve gone to perform in Asaba and Port Harcourt. You know we have some Igbo in Port Harcourt and Delta State, so it’s helping me really.

Between you and Pasuma, who started hip-hop fuji?

Pasuma is my boss. He’s my master.

He’s my chairman. We give the kudos to him, he started before us, so we can’t say we’re the one, he’s the first and the master.

Is it your dislike for quarrel that made you distance yourself from the Fuji war?

I’m not a war musician. I’m not. I sing for my fans to think about life, that’s what I sing about. I’m not a war person. I’m just someone who can call himself a peacemaker. That’s me.

Your colleague, Sunny T, just died suddenly. What really happened?

I was not there. Sunny T was a good musician, he sang well, he was a man of himself, he did not take any bullshit from no one, but you know everybody have their own problems. However, according to the story I heard from a reliable source the thing that killed him is that he had a lot of things on his neck.

He had a lot of stress.

As a peacemaker, did you try to make peace between the aggrieved parties?

I tried but it’s not within my power.

I’m sorry to say that but it’s because they are the biggest men in the business. We are still like … you know we have number one, number two, number three, number four, and we are still like number four, and number one is fighting, is it easy for the number four to come and settle it?

Most people see Fuji as music for thugs, riff-raff and suchlike. Is it true?

Let me tell you the truth. Fuji music has really been brought up by the riffraff and thugs and we can never, never run away from them. Even hip-hop is not for decent people, if you want to say the truth. The only thing we need to do with the music we sing is to sing songs to make them change the way they behave and from bad to good. Fuji, you know, it’s from the gbas-gbos and

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

What have you achieved as a Fuji musician?

I achieve fame a little bit but it is not up to what I want, because I’m still coming up like I said earlier. My fame is just in this Nigeria alone, to me, and I still need more, more fame.

we can never, never run away from them.

The only thing we just need to do is to just let them know that Fuji has already changed. It’s not still the way they think it was before.

Why did you choose Fuji when there are Juju, Highlife and others?

I didn’t choose it. It chose me. My father was also a musician who sang Fuji

But you’ve been performing outside the country?

I have, but it’s only the Yoruba community out there that asks us to come.

What I want is not like that. What I want is to perform for the white people. There’s a video clip I saw of Barrister at a carnival in Canada and the white people didn’t know what he was singing but they were feeling him and shouting. That’s what I call a celebrity.

To me, it’s not from one junction to one junction. That is not a star.

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19

October 20, 2012

Entervaganza

With OSEYIZA OOGBODO

08023755142 kingseiza@gmail.com

Nollywood Divas Award hots up A

Johnson

s the date approaches fast for the firstever Nollywwod Divas Award, there are strong indications that Genevieve Nnaji, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde and Ini Edo have pulled ahead in the pack of the 20 nominated actresses.

The award is scheduled to be presented next month to the winner during the Eko Internatinal Film Festival.

Hope Obioma Opara, the award’s major promoter and initiator, however refused to confirm to Entervaganza if Genny, Omosexy and Ini were indeed leading the pack.

“I can’t disclose such information because I am not privy to it myself right now,” he said. “Fans are voting for their favourite actresses and the votes are yet to be collated or even arranged in any way so I don’t know who or those who are leading.

“I have also heard myself that those three you enquired about are getting the most votes but I don’t know. I just know at the right time, the votes will be collated and the winner announced. I can also tell you that the awards ceremony will be spectacular and that it will be an annual affair that will hold every year during our film festival.”

The other nominees for the award are Rita Dominic, Stephanie OkerekeLinus, Kate Henshaw, Funke AkindeleOloyede, Monalisa Chinda, Omoli Oboli, Stella Damasus. Lillian Bach, Joke Silva-Jacobs, Ngozi Ezeonu, Clarion Chukwura, Uche Jombo, Bimbo Akinbola, Tonto Dike, Mercy Johnson, Nse Ikpe-Etim and Fathia Balogun.

Lami drops Titi Lailai

S

Edo

Square Image flows with AZ-Flow

O

ne artiste who can consider himself extremely lucky right now is traditional rapper Adegbuyi Azeez better known as AZ-Flow. He is lucky because he is now being managed by Square Image Associates that has a close working relationship with P-Square.

“We are working with AZ Flow because we believe he has what it takes to make a difference in the industry. And we will do all we can to ensure that he gets to the very top and remains there,” says SIA of their new boy.

Already, their relationship is paying dividends as AZ-Flow’s new singles, Doing It and Clappin, were released to local and foreign radio stations this week after their initial online

release which saw them recording a laudable number of downloads by his increasing fan base.

A Mass Communication graduate of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, AZ-Flow also believes that he is assured of the next level with SIA after all the years and hard work he’s put into music.

“I started music in 2000. I was in a group called the Black Ghetto Busters but I left them a year later to pursue my solo career. I want to be unique, and that is what I stand for. It has not been easy but I believe that my time has finally come as my new management, Square Image, has all it takes to make me a superstar. That is what I want and deserve to be as I’ve paid my dues.”

he is no longer a greenhorn in the music industry, having announced her presence with her critically acclaimed song, Know, featuring Chocolate City boy, MI. Know’s success paved the way for her debut album, Intuition, which also did suitably well.

But aware of the need not to rest on her oars, soul singer, Lami Phillips, has released her latest single, Titi Lailai. It was produced by internationally acknowledged jazz musician, instrumentalist and producer, Femi Temowo who is a UK MOBO award nominee for best jazz artist.

It is the second single off her proposed sophomore album, Pieces of Love, which has a tentative release date of mid-2013. POL’s first single, Ori Mi Wu, features Ice Prince and was released earlier to a lot of buzz.

Blaqshyne

introduces new dance

S

AZ-Flow

inger Blaqshyne has introduced a new dance into the music industry. His strategy is not surprising since many musicians have introduced new dance styles to make themselves popular.

Artquake enjoyed unprecedented success with their alanta dance, Marvellous Benjy did too with suo and Iyanya as well with etighi.

Now, Blaqshyne aims to also achieve fame and fortune through his new dance style known as opio.

And talking about how he created opio, Blaqshyne said, “It was inspired by a street football move called Opio where a striker is able to score a goal by distracting the defender.”

ENTERVAGANZA

20

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CLASSICAL RYHMES

AIRWAVES LINK

Headies holds in splendour tonight

T

here are many reasons why the Headies holding tonight has been the talk-of-the-town for several weeks now. Firstly, it’s the most lavish event in the music industry and it hopes to maintain that trend tonight when it hosts its numerous guests at the Eko Hotel and Suites.

Secondly, the main performance of the ceremony is by arguably Nigeria’s biggest international music export, Femi AnikulapoKuti. Femi rarely performs in the country so people are eagerly looking forward to how he will bring down the

roof tonight.

A third reason, and probrobably the most important, t, is the question of who willl be the big winner of the night ight as well as who will win the Next Rated category which hich comes with a brand new car prize. The suspense over who the big winner willl be tonight is even more thrillrilling because an unexpected cted multiple nominee, Bez, is up against an usual sususpect, P-Square. Will Bez ez floor his more popularr colleagues or will they y brush him aside easily, making it business as usual?

Savage

Bez

Stella Damasus wants quick love

G

oing by her new song, Nollywood diva Stella Damasus is in need of quick love. The song is titled Love Me Quick and it’s already garnering a lot of airplay.

But unlike Tonto Dike who has received a lot of criticisms over the songs, High and Itz Ova, that she just released, Damasus is getting only love from her teeming fans. This is probably because she was a

Damasus

DJ Dn’t JealousMe storms Nigeria from US

B

orn in Nigeria, but taken to the United States of America when he was 14 years old, DJ Dn’t JealousMe is currently making moves to become known in the Nigerian entertainment industry.

A DJ since 2009, he is the co-founder of Champion Studio which was established to promote many talented artistes who didn’t have the means to showcase themselves by

recording an album featuring them.

The first song released from the album is We Taking Over and it was a sensation on the internet. This time around though, One Day, performed by Apexx and produced by Cheepho who was 9ice’s main producer on the Bashorun Gaa and Versus albums, is the new track released with a superlative video shot in the US.

Dn’t JealousMe

singer before she became an actress so she’s always been known to do both.

She was a prominent member of her late husband’s band, Oxygen, and was a studio session singer when she first came to Lagos. In recent times, she hasn’t done much in Nollywood but has been musically active and she and another Nollywood personality, Daniel Ademinokan, recently organised a music concert in Abuja.

Oma Ga Artist: Tiwa Savage It’s Mavin Chorus (4x) Oma ga o Brother yi ga o O lo omo ti e o O tun wo mi gan o Verse 1 Lamba They wan make i give him my number Maybe you’ll be seeing what’s under Wanna play with my heart like a konga Hmm samba You dey put out say you be baller You want show say you be jacker Am stopping it , let me go deeper Pre-chorus Hey, they loving this Kele kele boys dey be touching this Na me get the swagger, the lamba, the ginja, the zanger and there’s no copying it Oba o ni ru Mo ni owo mi o ni ru Lagbara Jesu ko ni ru Owo mi o ni ru Repeat chorus (4x) Verse 2 Tiwa tiwa tiwa tiwa To ba ti ri mi, won shiver Omo toh dun, lo render Baba agbaya o fe scatter Mumu … ma lo paya Get out, I am a diva Repeat pre-chorus Repeat chorus till fade

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ENTERVAGANZA

October 20, 2012

21

BOX-OFFICE HITS

BRAIN BEHIND THE SCENE

Yemi Jolaoso … tested director Y

et another veritable brain behind the scene is Yemi Jolaoso aka Why Jay. As is the norm for most brains behind the scenes, his name rings a bell only in the entertainment industry as he prefers to remain behind the scenes.

He is a director and editor, and like most of his ilk, he was actually aiming for a career in front of the cameras as an actor before it dawned on him that he would make far more meaningful impact behind the scenes. Once he realised that, it was easy for him to change his mind and also suitably acquire the relevant skills, one of which was to study Cinematography at ITPAN. Now, he has the honour of being the one who edited Kunle Afolayan’s critically acclaimed movie, Phone Swap. He also did part of The Figu-

Jolaoso (right) and a colleague at work

rine and Irapada’s editing as he works closely with Afolayan.

Apart from many Afolayan productions he has worked on in one pre-production, production and post-production capacity or the other, Jolaoso has also handled several of his own productions.

In the music industry, he is known better as Why Jay as that’s the name he used to direct top-notch videos for Zdon Paporrella’s My Time, Mnyk’s Pia Gwo Gwo, I Choose You by Eskaypees and Ogini by Splash.

His credits are however not limited to music videos and movies. He has also edited TV commercials including the Davido MTN Pulse as well as for other top brands including Dettol, CBN and Oceanic Bank.

Apart from directing and editing, he is also a colourist, cameraman and graphics specialist.

Paranormal Activity 4 P aranormal Activity is the franchise that won’t die. What started out in 2007 a simple but effective horror about a family being terrorised by a supernatural force has already spawned two sequels. And while this latest instalment fails to hit those terrifying horror highs, it does have its moments of tension and dread.

PA 4 kicks off with a new family just starting to have paranormal experiences of their own which just happen to coincide with Katie moving into the house across the street with a little boy named Robbie.

We see the events through the eyes of this new family’s teenage daughter Alex and her boyfriend who initially have fun

Alex Cross A

lex Cross is the latest movie in the movies about the Alex Cross character from novels by the bestselling author, James Patterson.

This time, Cross, played by Tyler Perry, meets his match in a serial killer who is as cold-blooded as they come. And not only does Cross have to contend with the killer’s psychological games while trying to hunt him out, the investigation is personal for him as one of his family members was murdered by the sadistic killer.

Alex Cross is certain to do good business at the box office as people want to see how Perry who is more popular for acting as an old woman will portray the Cross character. The attraction that will draw people to watch it at the box office is if he will act the role as well as Morgan Freeman who played it earlier.

filming the weird new kid on the block who keeps showing up at their door.

But what starts out as a lark soon turns deadly serious when Katie is taken to hospital in an ambulance and Robbie moves in with the family. He befriends their young son Wyatt and introduces him to his own invisible buddy. But proceedings take a dark turn when Wyatt seems to fall under Robbie’s spell with devastating consequences for all involved.

The PA franchise is a big success so PA 4 is already assured of box office success with the teeming cult of PA followers eager to embrace it. And if you fancy some shivers too, then PA 4 is one movie you must see.

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October 20, 2012

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Relationships

Must your spouse know Why not?

H

mmm… it’s all about control. A relationship is about partnership and sharing to complement each other in everything and regardless of what you are earning or who is earning more, it is about being open.

Most of the time, we hide things so as to be seen to be important. We believe that money or our other assets are what make us important in the sight of our spouse; therefore the image we have built for ourselves as self absolved individuals will entail not divulging how much we are earning.

In the typical African setting, especially among those who are still living in the past, financial power equates control over your spouse. Secrets are kept from each other to maximise your potential control base and power over each other. We believe erroneously that money and assets equate power to control people.

Even when we pretend otherwise, our attitudes and general disposition speak volumes of how we treat our spouses.

A relationship is a partnership of two consenting adults coming together to form a union which is based on mutual respect, good and effective communication, serious commitment and an attitude to not only show or rather, display caring, but also use all these attributes to build a lifelong companionship in which mutual trust and honesty will be the watchword.

Having said all these, will it not be a disservice to say one has a relationship and at the same time say that you cannot tell your spouse how much you earn or will be bringing home for any business you do, knowing full well that your partner is the closest person to you?

Another reason to tell your spouse how much you earn has to do with the issue of budgeting and planning. At this point, I know some of my female readers here who may have been following me closely and supporting my line of reasoning will be smiling and thinking it’s all about the man. I’m sorry I’ll disappoint you here. This is the age where both partners are bringing in money into the home and I do believe that what is good

for the goose is equally good for the gander. Those who want to go to equity must go with clean hands.

You can’t claim that your spouse is not telling you how much he earns or even what he earns when he doesn’t get the same treatment from you. Life is a two-way street, and you better believe that.

The partnership of a relationship connotes that both of you must see each other as one and this will translate into seeing each other’s assets as of mutual usage. What belongs to one automatically belongs to the other.

For me, this has translated into having a joint purse financially with my spouse. I’m refraining from saying ‘joint account’ because that may give an image of just sharing or keeping an account in one bank. My ‘joint purse goes beyond that. Everything that is mine is for the usage of the family, likewise hers. So it is easy for us to plan and budget for what to use for the upkeep of the family on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis.

Relationships aren’t about the good times alone. Sometimes things do get tough. How you weather the bad times with your spouse is determined by how much trust your spouse has in you, and one of the surest ways of building that trust is if your spouse is sure that you’ve been completely trustworthy with the issue of finance with him or her. I have seen relationships blown to pieces because the couple did not have an open policy of financial disclosure when the relationship first started. Imagine how heartbreaking the shame will be after you may have lied about what you earn to feel important and your spouse gets to see the true picture later and you get accused of lying? I don’t know about you, but for me, that is something what thinking about; that is, if you do have a sense of shame.

Finally, spousal demands are cut to the barest minimum when your spouse knows how much you earn.

If you can hide something as mundane as finance from your partner, it raises the question of what other secrets you may be hiding from your partner.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

Hot tips from porn stars

Whether you hate that your guy watches porn or opt to watch it with him, you always wonder about one thing: the mystique of the porn star. She’s everything a good girl doesn’t want to be — except in the bedroom. Wish you could mesmerise your man like his favourite video vixen? These tips will surely help you.  Show a Little Enthusiasm!

Good Girl Approach: Many of us have been taught that sex is not a high priority, so when your guy wants to do the horizontal tango, you make excuses or treat it like another chore on your to-do list.

Porn Babe Secret: They enjoy what feels good without reservation — and they show their partners how excited they are by engaging them with their speech and movements.

They understand that diving into the sack with someone who isn’t into it is like sharing a “romantic” meal with someone who’s watching television.

Tantalizing Tip: Take the initiative! Wake him up with a below-the-belt kiss. Send him a naughty text message midway through the day. In bed, get into the moment by looking into his eyes and telling him how eager you are to be with him.  Speak Up! Good Girl Approach: Your sack sessions hardly leave you invigorated, but you’re scared that any attempt to spice things up will make you seem like a tramp.

Porn Babe Secret: Toss the dated worries — liking sex doesn’t make you a hussy; it makes you human. Tell him how much you enjoy it when he kisses that special spot, or mention something you’re craving in the heat of the moment! Just asking for something new can be a huge turn-on for both partners.

Tantalizing Tip: Pop open a bottle of wine and initiate a little game of truth-or-dare. Or surprise him with a spicy flick and point out the scenes you’d be open to trying.

There’s a good chance he’d like to experiment, too, but is keeping it to himself because he doesn’t want to offend you.  Love Those Thighs!

Good Girl Approach: You hate your hips, your backside is less than baby-smooth, blah, blah, blah.

Porn Babe Secret: They know that men love sex — he’s absolutely thrilled when your thighs are wrapped around him, dimples and all. He would never forgo what feels good to accommodate something as silly as a body insecurity or two.

Tantalizing Tip: Illuminate the bedroom, living room or even kitchen with candles, which give a soft glow that glides over perceived imperfections. Give him the visualization he craves and get off (pun intended) on the fact that you are the reason for every moan and squirm your man makes!  Get a New Bedtime Script!

Good Girl Approach: Your pillow talk doesn’t get much racier than a few “oh, baby’s” tossed in with a few “you feel so good’s.”

Porn Babe Secret: Men are competitive by nature, and they love to know they are the best at whatever it is they’re doing, including you. Porn babes know that just hearing

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RELATIONSHIPS

October 20, 2012

23

CHINWE ANNIE AMAECHI 07028684481 chinweamaechi@gmail.com

how much you earn?

It’s a must

A

This column is x-rated a female verbally tap into the action is enough to make him explode.

Tantalizing Tip: Get comfy with the saucy talk by writing down some sexy thoughts and reading them out loud alone a few times.

In bed, start small by giving him a play-by-play of the action, telling him what he’s doing to you or asking questions such as, “Do you like it when I [insert verb here] you?”  Get a Little Uncomfortable!

Good Girl Approach: You sleep in regular pyjamas or throw on a tee-shirt when it’s a little chilly. Sound exciting?

Yeah, we didn’t think so.

Porn Babe Secret: Men are visual creatures (that’s why porn babes are in business!). These gals work this to their advantage and don sexy lingerie and even (gulp!) keep their heels on during the deed, all to enhance the experience.

Tantalizing Tip: Slip on a thong underneath your yoga pants, or meet him at home in nothing but heels and a great hairdo. Surprising him with something new will show him that he’s worth the effort, which will spark his heart as well as his, um, interest.  Get Creative with the Merchandise!

Good Girl Approach: You have an idea of what works for your guy, which is why you do it again and again and…

Porn Babe Secret: They know their partner has dozens of hot buttons — from his toes to the back of his neck — and that half the fun is finding out what works and what doesn’t.

Tantalizing Tip: Gently pinch or bite his nipples or kiss his chest and stroke his stomach gently with your nails. When you go below-the-belt, pay

This column is x-rated attention to all parts of the package.  Be a Little Selfish!

Good Girl Approach: You’re tired and overworked, and you haven’t visited your parents in ages. You’d love to get your hair done and go for choir practice, but you promised you’d run errands for your sister (again).

Porn Babe Secret: While good girls are taught to deprive themselves, porn babes make self-maintenance a high priority.

Tantalizing Tip: Whether it’s a manicure, a blowout or just slathering on a luxurious cream before bed, do something that makes you feel and look good more than once a month.

Feeling like you’re worth the splurge will not only boost your confidence, it will make you glow — and that’s hotter than any bustier on the market.  Stop Doing Favors Good Girl Approach: You perform oral sex as a “gift” for whatever special day, or tell him that if he’s good, you’ll let him try a new position.

Porn Babe Secret: Sexual desire is not a male-specific attribute, nor is it something that should be rationed.

In fact, it’s practically as essential to a full life as food, water and shelter. Porn babes do things they know their partner will enjoy, while asking for what they want in return.

Tantalizing Tip: No one wants to feel like they are being manipulated or treated like a charity case, so keep the bureaucracy out of the bedroom. Find out what your partner likes, and as long as you are comfortable with it, give it to him generously. The only “requirement” you should have is that he reciprocate on the same level.

lot of people hate to admit the fact that 90 percent of problems in marriage are traceable to money matters. It is true (and more agreeable) that the primary cause of marital problems is communication, but the bigger truth is that 99 percent of the communication glitches are money-related. Remember, communication is a combination of what you say and what you don’t say. Taking it from this premise, which should not be encouraged: disclosing your earnings or not giving your partner details about your financial income?

Note: “partner” includes boyfriend/girlfriend, fiancé and husband/wife.

How do we categorise the idea of not knowing what your spouse earns? Is it a case of “what you don’t know will not kill you” or “my people perish for lack of knowledge”? There are basically two sides to everything – the pros and the cons.

The truth is that by nature, every man’s emotional stability is wired to his pockets. You can always tell when a man is broke from the way he acts. The man feels more in control when he is financially stable. In a relationship, the man unconsciously assumes that the level of respect he receives from his woman is dependent on the level of his finances. The average woman, on the other hand, can find happiness and satisfaction in other things apart from money. However, the man is generally supposed to be the “provider” while the woman is the “finance manager” and home maker. The woman would therefore find it difficult to manage the home without money which she expects the man to give her. In this vein, we can conclude that both men and women do not take money matters lightly.

From my survey, there are four positions on this issue. The first position is that men need not disclose their financial status, but women must let their partners know what they earn. Of course, this position is male-driven. The second is that there should be mutual disclosure; nothing should be hidden from the one you love, especially when you are married. A few women took this stance. The third position which is female-dominated is that women should only disclose their earnings when the man discloses his. The last which has the least number of advocates is that there should be no disclosure – every man to his own pockets! Quite extreme, if you ask me.

Members of the first school of thought hold that since the man is the head of the home, he need not let the woman know what he has in his bank account at any given time. All he has to do is provide for his home in the best way he can. His wife

should be able to manage whatever he gives her to run the home. On the other hand, the woman must run an open book because financial disclosure is part of her duty to be submissive. What these men fail to realise is that a woman would be more understanding and would manage finances better when she can predict what will come to her per time. When a woman is ignorant about her husband’s income, she is prone to be suspicious towards him.

Members of the second group seem to be the most reasonable. They feel that mutual disclosure will help both partners know what to contribute to the bottom line and this will aid better management of their affairs. However, some of them feel that mutual disclosure need not be full disclosure. In this regard, your spouse should know your basic monthly income, but he/she needs not know when “extra” comes in – bonuses, special allowances, etc – especially when you have various streams of income. This enables you to do some things without the need to provide explanations.

The advocates of the third position - “conditional disclosure” - are of the view that when a man hides his financial status from his wife and insists that she runs an open book, he will exploit her and manipulate her as he pleases.

These women feel that men are naturally selfish and irresponsible; they have the tendency to leave their responsibilities to their wives when the woman has the financial capacity to run the home. This position seems sensible, but it has caused a lot of problems in marriages, especially when such women are married to advocates of the first position.

The last position, in my opinion, is extreme and does not sound reasonable. The take of its advocates is that partners ought to have some ‘private’ areas of their lives and their financial income is one of such.

In their opinion, a man and his wife can sit down and share financial responsibilities in the home without disclosing their incomes. To me, such an arrangement will definitely cause problems.

Gone are the days when the woman would sit at home and expect the man to provide for the home all by himself. The average 21st century woman knows that she must contribute to the bottom line, no matter how little. Therefore, the issue of disclosure of earnings is not about a “consumer” poking her nose into the financial affairs of her “provider”; it is about two financial partners knowing what their capital, inflow, outflow and overhead costs are at every point in time.

So, should there be disclosure of financial income in marriage? I believe so.

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October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Woman

A few weeks after the news of her promotion to the post of a Divisional Police Officer broke; she became the mother of a set of triplets, two boys and a girl.

Nigeria’s queen of the track, Chioma Ajunwa-Opara, spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on the joy of motherhood, her sports exploits and lots more. Excerpts:

Y

ou have achieved rare feats having won Olympic gold, become a DPO and now mother of triplets. What would you attribute it to?

There is nothing and no one to attribute it to than God Almighty. He is the God of possibilities who has been steadfastly on my side since I started my race on earth. I was the last born of nine children born by Mr. and Mrs. James Ajunwa. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth and that was why I did not complete my education as early as it was supposed to have

I’m a child of destiny – Chioma Ajunwa been. In 1988 when I completed my secondary education, I wrote JAMB, I passed but instead of my mother to be jump in excitement, she wept. This is not because she was not happy for me but because there was no money to send me to the university. Of course, I lost the opportunity and couldn’t further my education again. Life hasn’t been easy but I thank God that He has been there

for me. I was called into the Police Force that same year; in August precisely. Alongside this, I was into sports and started beating everyone in my team such that in no time, I became a golden fish that had no hiding place. As I was winning championships in sports, I was being promoted in the Police Force. I cannot explain it myself and that is why the said achievements so far, can only be attributed to some special preference I enjoyed from God. To the glory of God Almighty, the helpless girl of that fateful year whose future appeared bleak is now living a fulfilled life. I can’t thank God enough. To the praise of God, I am the ninth child of my parents, the last born and amazingly, the bread winner. I can never stop praising God. As for the blessing of my babies, it is just another evidence of God’s special love for me. I serve a God who is big and is always doing big, big things for me. He has never left me nor looked down on me despite my weaknesses. That’s why I always tell people that I am a child of destiny. Everything I have today, I have by the grace of God Almighty.

How did it feel when you won gold at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996?

I was humbled. I didn’t think I was going to win any medal least of all gold. All I did then was to put in my best and stood out. Before the event, some of my friends had told me they dreamt of me winning a gold medal and I simply told them they must have suffered from malaria fever. I mean, with all the big athletes around,

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how could they have gone to have such a dream. I simply waved it off. It was not as if I felt inferior to them, but honestly, I wasn’t expecting a gold medal.

When I won it, I did not know what it meant until I got to Nigeria and saw the crowd. When I saw the caliber of people and the number, I ran back. I was scared, I asked my coach what that was all for and he said it was all because of the gold medal I won. He said Nigeria didn’t win in it in 52 years, so, it was a big record I broke. The crowd was something else. The fame, the goodwill that came with it is awesome. I thank God for all.

As a child, did you envisage any of the two careers you found yourself doing now?

I never thought of becoming an athlete. I did not know athletics could make anyone anything. I did what I did because I loved it and I believed I could do it. My entering the Police Force, as I said earlier was ordained by God. As a child, I had a phobia for policemen.

When they came to pick me for it, I was crying. They were petting me, they said they needed somebody to represent the zone I come from in Imo State and someone told them, there was an antelope who could do it. When they took me there, the man saw me as a juvenile. He gave me N200.00, I refused, I told him my mother would kill me.

He ordered three of his men to lead me home, gave them N500.00 to give to my mother. They were two men and a woman. Of course, my mother refused, she said I was her last born and that she didn’t born me for any government. At the end of the day, I ran to Port Harcourt where my immediate elder brother lived. My brother also refused them on the ground that I was just 15 years old and knew nothing about life, least of all, how to handle the dreaded job of a police officer. At the end of the day, River State government gave me an appointment to run for them. I was running and playing football at the same time. Since my primary school days, I had been involved in athletics.

I was part of all the inter local government competitions. I was picked from Port Harcourt to represent the police, I beat all their champions then. I was given awards and recognition with a sum of N5,000. It was when I came back that they instructed me to go and train as a sergeant in the Police College. That was how my journey into the two careers took off and I thank God both had paid me well.

How do you combine the two?

God really used the Nigeria Police for my athletic career. I was outside Nigeria most of the time. I only came to Nigeria twice. This gave me the opportunity to have a good training. They were paying me even when I was not working. I cannot thank them enough.

I have been living in this house given by the police since 1996; it’s wonderful.

The Inspector General of Police has been very helpful in this regard.

Has this not generated bad blood among your colleagues?

This cannot be ruled out. A lot of

WOMAN

October 20, 2012

people are envious of my promotions.

At a point, when I was promoted, I was abroad. When they promoted me, some people were like how could she have stayed abroad and be enjoying the two worlds? Meanwhile, there was a time when I was an inspector, they promoted people in the same rank with me and I wasn’t. The issue of bad blood is everywhere and really the price one pays for success is envy. So, it is well.

How would you describe life now with the arrival of the triplets?

Well, I give God all the glory for the blessing. It is not easy but I have been having a swell time of motherhood.

There are lots of people around me to assist in one way or the other. So, I don’t really feel the stress that possibly would have been attached. I thank God for Promasidor company too, they brought many cartons of milk for me and the babies; they knew embarking on the usually recommended exclusive breastfeeding for newborns is likely not a possibility in this case. Help has been coming from different angles, so, it’s been good, I thank God. What advice do you have for married women who are yet to be blessed with the fruit of the womb after several years?

They should be fervent in prayers.

They should never relent on making their requests known to God. They should also make themselves available for God and to people. They should give to people because God is a cheerful giver and he loves a cheerful giver too. The Bible has declared that there is not going to be a barren in the land so, they should keep hope alive for their time of favour will come. I know the pain involved especially if you are married into a terrible family. They will talk and do all kinds of things, but just focus on God. It is only Him that can give this particular gift; no man, no doctor can do it.

What advice do you have for young athletes?

Be focused, dedicated and put in your best. Ensure to do all things decent and necessary to be a success. Had it been that I was waiting for Nigeria to help me, I wouldn’t have been where I am today. Once you have made up your mind to be an athlete, you should invest on yourself. Do not wait for any government for anything. Try also to have something else on the side to fall back on, if not you will become beggars. Our country does not have the culture of helping their exsports internationals; we all know what happened to the likes of Rashidi Yekini and the rest. Other countries know this and that’s why they are recording outstanding success in sports. The reverse is the case here. So, be wise. In 1996, when I came back from Atlanta, the late General Sanni Abacha said they should name a street after me in Abuja apart from a million naira to be given to me. Up till now, that is not done. It is when our heroes die that they get celebrated in Nigeria, not when alive. Even the one million naira they said should be given to me was paid in bits. Collecting it was so frustrating that I can hardly know what I used it to do. It’s all funny but in all, I thank God.

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keeping ABREAST

EllaOne: Contraception or early abortion?

•New morning-after pill that can be taken up to five days after unprotected sex attracts major controversy •Campaigners say because it can be taken so long after sex and conception, it is an early form of abortion •There are also concerns that it will encourage unprotected sex, leading to higher rates of promiscuity and sexually transmitted infections, as women will see it as a ‘safety net’ security, take a more casual attitude to sex, and become exposed to an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections,” a campaign spokesperson has said.

“Ethical concerns around these kind of pills are often overlooked. One of the ways in which they can work, as the manufacturers themselves say, is by preventing the implantation of an already fertilised embryo.

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here are concerns that EllaOne, a new contraceptive pill that can be taken up to five days after sex, as against the conventional morning-after pill, which works for three days. What more? The new pill is up to twice as effective at preventing pregnancies.

EllaOne works by thickening the entrance of the womb, preventing sperm from entering and swimming up to fertilise the egg if taken in the first day or so after sex.

In addition, it changes the womb’s lining, meaning that if the pill is taken up to five days after sex, a fertilised egg cannot implant itself and develop into a foetus.

But safe-sex and anti-abortion campaigners have described it as an early method of abortion, and said there was no evidence that these sorts of pills reduced unwanted pregnancies.

“Instead, young people in particular will be lulled into a false sense of

“There is even some evidence that provision of these pills can actually worsen rates of unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

“This may be due to risk-compensation, when the existence of a perceived safety net encourages less cautious behaviour.”

Side-effects include nausea, vomiting, headaches, mood swings and back pain, similar to the conventional morning-after pill.

Studies have shown that 0.91 per cent of women who took EllaOne became pregnant, compared with 1.68 per cent of those who took the conventional morning-after pill.

“Its use is an emotive subject, but we believe that it will be an important step to offer women access to a wider choice of emergency contraception to enable them to make an informed decision,” EllaOne supporters have said.

Culled from www.mailonline.com

26

October 20, 2012

Parenting

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

Enhancing your teen-daughter’s self-esteem

T

he teen years are some of the most difficult for both boys and girls. However, studies show that as teen boys enter puberty, their confidence is likely in increase. On the other hand, girls’ confidence and feelings of self-esteem are likely to take a downhill slide.

The repercussions of this can be damaging at best and destructive at worst. Girls who do not feel good about themselves are more likely to suffer from depression and engage in selfdestructive behavior that can range from eating disorders, to cutting, to risky sexual behaviors. Obviously, doing whatever you can to keep your daughter feeling good about herself is a good idea. The following tips are by no means all inclusive, but they are a starting point.

Be a Good Role Model Parents have a difficult job with a lot of responsibility. However, one of the best things parents can do for their children is to set a good example. Mothers and fathers are equally important in children’s lives, regardless of the family living situation. When fathers have solid relationships with their daughters and show that they love them, girls will be less likely to seek male attention elsewhere.

Even though it can be very difficult and trying at times to

communicate with your teenage daughter, do your best to constantly let her know that you are available and that you love her.

This goes for both fathers and mothers. Mothers’ roles are also important. If mothers demonstrate healthy ways of expressing emotions, emotional independence, and other positive attributes, it will demonstrate to teen girls that they can speak up for their needs without having to find destructive ways of getting them met.

Be Available You’ve probably heard it time and time again, but research continues to show that teens who feel their parents are interested and involved in their lives are much less likely to engage in dangerous or negative behaviors. Even if it seems your teen is ignoring you, she probably isn’t. It’s more likely that she is listening, but also trying to assert her independence as she navigates her way through increasing self reliance and the fears that come with this.

Teens are at a difficult crossroad between becoming more and more independent, while at the same time having feelings of not wanting to leave home when the time comes, fears of college, fears of making a living, and all the other insecurities that come with the responsibilities of ma-

ParentingUpdate D

Malala Yousufzai

octors treating Pakistani shooting victim, Malala Yousufzai, say she is able to stand with help and to write, though she is still showing signs of a throat infection caused by her injuries.

Dr Dave Rosser, medical director at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, said the 14-year-old was ‘well enough that she’s agreed that she’s happy, in fact keen, for us to share more clinical detail.’

Dr Rosser said the throat infection that Malala was still suffering from was probably related to the track of a bullet, which grazed her head when she was attacked by Taliban

turity. You can help alleviate these fears by making an ongoing effort to show your daughter that you are available. This way, she can come to you when she is ready. But if she’s not getting the message that you are there for her, she will instead turn to her peers, boyfriends, substances, or other methods of dealing with her emotions.

Show Your Daughter that You have Confidence in Her As appropriate, take means to show your daughter that you have confidence in her abilities, dreams, and achievements. Encourage her in what she does well, and encourage her to try new things. Showing that you have confidence in her ability to take on new challenges will help her feel more confident in herself. She will need to face new situations on a regular basis during the teen and early adult years, and having a support team can make this much easier for her. Also consider teaching or showing her ways she can build her confidence, such as taking a stand against gossip, school bullies, and pressures to do things she doesn’t want to do. Peer pressure at this age can be enormous, and when your daughter has the tools and the back-up plan (you) to deal with it, she can start to gain confidence in her successes.

Provide support Whatever your concerns are about your daughter or your relationship with her, helping her to be more self-confident will go a long way toward facilitating her success. Girls who feel competent can cope with life’s stresses better than those who think they are inept. Selfassurance also allows girls to take the risks necessary to learn and grow. For your daughter to become strong, feel good about who she is, and draw upon her inner resources, she must (1) get

to know herself well, (2) think of herself as capable, and (3) believe she can measure up to others’ expectations.

You and your daughter’s teachers play an important role in this process. She is able to become most self-confident when all of you can stay attuned to her stress level, recognize her uniqueness, and keep your hopes for her appropriate--that is, in line with her true talents.

•Culled from www.life.familyeducation.com

Tiny Feet

NAME: Samuel Onikute BORN TO: Mr. and Mrs Onikute AGE: 5 months BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

Child-activist, Malala Yousufzai, recovering after Taliban assasination attempt gunmen.

He said she was not out of the woods yet, but was doing very well.

Malala Yousufzai, 14, is a student and education activist from the town of Mingora in the Swat District of Pakistan.

She is known for her education and women’s rights activism in the Swat Valley, where the Taliban has at times banned girls from attending school. In early 2009, at the age of 11/12, Yousafzai wrote a blog under a pseudonym for the BBC detailing her life under Taliban rule, their attempts to take control of the valley, and her views on promoting education for girls.

The following year, a New York Times documentary was filmed

about her life as the Pakistani military intervened in the region, culminating in the Second Battle of Swat. Yousafzai began to rise in prominence, giving interviews in print and on television, and taking a position as chairperson of the District Child Assembly in Swat. She has since been nominated for the International Children’s Peace Prize by Desmond Tutu and has won Pakistan’s first National Youth Peace Prize.

On 9 October 2012, Yousafzai was shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt by Taliban gunmen while returning home on a school bus. In the days immediately following the attack, she remained unconscious and in critical

condition, but her condition later improved enough for her to be sent to a hospital in the United Kingdom for intensive rehabilitation. On 12 October a group of 50 Islamic clerics in Pakistan issued a fatw against those who tried to kill her. The Taliban reiterated its intention to kill the child-activist and her father Former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has launched a United Nations petition in Yousafzai’s name, using the slogan “I am Malala” and demanding that all children worldwide be in school by the end of 2015. Brown said he would hand the petition to Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari in November.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

October 20, 2012

le StyGlam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

D

raping is a new trend both on and off the runway. It is the perfect style to hide those imperfections you worry about.

When wearing a draped dress, you must be careful not to look frumpy. So, follow these three tips to pull off the look in style.

Get the right fit “Fit” might sound out of place when we’re

talking about draping, but it’s key. A dress in a size too big will look baggy, and you’ll look shapeless. Be sure the dress fits you snugly in all the right places before purchasing.

Accent the right parts A great draped dress that highlights the smallest part of your body will make you look thinner instantly. For example, a cinched waist

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

shows off curves while the drapes do all the hiding on hips and thighs.

Choose comfort Arguably, the biggest plus about a draped dress is that many come in silk jersey - which is amazing, comfortable and forgiving. Silk jersey moves and stretches with you while still looking elegant.

28

STYLE & GLAM

YEMISI ADENIRAN

W

hether it’s your guy’s or your own, a well-styled slouchy or oversized blazer is necessary so that you’ll look polished and unmistakably feminine Get the right size Make sure your boyfriend blazer isn’t too long to avoid looking boxy and shapeless. If the bottom of the

BEAUTY

Q&A

October 20, 2012

blazer falls below the bottom of your bottom, it’s too long.

Look for one with a patterned or menswear-inspired sleeve lining that will show when you cuff the sleeves.

Balance with slim pants Balance the volume of the blazer on top with a fitted skirt, skinny jeans, or leggings.

Add a belt on top of the blazer to define your waist if you’re lost in it.

Add a feminine top Add a feminine top underneath to

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contrast the masculinity of the blazer. Think a bit of lace, ruffles, or silk peeking out.

Wear it with a dress Wear it with a mini-dress or flirty miniskirt and high heels for a night out.

Think casual cool Think casual, toning down the seriousness of the blazer by rolling up or pushing up the sleeves and adding cuffed jeans and platform shoes. Enjoy the new addition to your wardrobe!

Your candid response to all fashion questions My pimples seem not to be yielding to all the treatments I am adopting. What else can I do?

Sometimes it may seem like your skin is impossible to manage, especially when you wake up and find a huge zit on your nose or a cold sore at the corner of your mouth. The good news is that there are

ways to prevent and treat common skin problems. Try and follow this guide: Wash your face twice a day (no more) with warm water and a mild soap made for people with acne. Gently massage your face with circular motions. Don’t scrub. Overwashing and scrubbing can cause skin to become irritated. After cleansing, apply an over-the-counter (no

prescriptio decrease o Don’t p Popping p leading to tice a pimp

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

October 20, 2012

Fashion Frenzy

on needed) lotion containing benzoyl peroxide. This will oil and bacteria. pop pimples. It’s tempting, but here’s why you shouldn’t: pimples can push infected material further into the skin, more swelling and redness, and even scarring. If you nople coming before a big event, like the prom, a dermatolo-

STYLE & GLAM

29

Facelift

Get a

lip liner

gist can often treat it for you with less risk of scarring or infection.

Avoid touching your face with your fingers or leaning your face on objects that collect sebum and skin residue like your phone. Touching your face can spread the bacteria that cause pores to become inflamed and irritated. To keep bacteria at bay, wash your hands before applying anything to your face, such as treatment creams or makeup.

When it comes to lip liner, some are confused on why you should use it with your lipstick. After trying these lip liner ideas, you will be a master Pick the right shade: There is nothing worse than seeing someone wearing extremely dark lip liner with a light-coloured lipstick. You want your lip liner to blend in with your lipstick. Pick a liner that is as close to your shade of lipstick as possible.

It is okay to get one about a shade darker if you have to. Prepare the liner and your lips: Next on the list of lip liner ideas is to prepare your lips so your liner will be easy to apply and stay. Make sure your lips are clean and you do not have any chap stick or lipstick already on. Apply a little oil-free base or powder on your lips first because it will help the lip liner last longer and the colour will show better.

Applying the lip liner: When applying your lip liner if you are using a dry one, make sure you have a fine point so you get a good outline. Out of all the lip liner ideas, most have never heard of putting your lip liner in the freezer for a minute or two to be sure the point is firm. This helps if you are going to be sharpening it before using.

To make your lips look fuller, apply the liner on the outside edge of your natural lip line. To decrease the size of your lips apply it just to the inside of the lip line. Begin at the centre of the upper lip and lightly trace the shape of your lips out to the corners of your mouth. When you have finished outlining your lips, you can apply your lipstick. Be sure to blend it with the liner.

Lip liner helps define your lips and make them irresistible.

30

October 20, 2012

Male Essentials

S

tepping out in a keffiyeh is one sure way you can stand out nowadays. Just a few years ago, it was so in vogue that it was what celebrities including Ali Baba, Naeto C, Uti, Darey and even the late Dagrin had no choice but to wear it to look trendy.

Nowadays, it’s not that in favour so if you take up the look now, you can be sure you will really stand out. And that’s age why new a ge celebrities like Wizkid and i t BrymO have donned recent in recen ent times to be distinctive. distin nctive. Mind you, no fashion trend tren nd ever goes out of vogue so there’s ther re’s nothing wrong

T

hink men’s boots are just for hoedowns and hiking? Think again.

From Chelsea to chukka, there’s a whole wide world of options out there (even if you’re more the suit and tie type).

So, buckle up, gents, it’s time to reboot your brain.

Chelsea (aka dealer boots) How to wear them: Today, more refined varieties with dress shoe soles are making a comeback at the edgier end of Wall Street.

We think it’s proof that suits and boots can live in perfect harmony, provided of course

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08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@yahoo.com w

Keffiyeh guys

… in the footsteps of Yassar Arafat with you taking it up to make a statement for yourself.

And the good thing is that it bestows you with a look of class and elegance, a look that makes you look good in this age when looking good is good business, especially as it even combines well with

both casual and formal wear.

You can also create your own style of wearing it. Gone are the days when it was worn in just one style and came in basically one style. Nowadays, it comes in many different styles and sizes so you can improvise on how you wear it to your heart’s content.

How to wear four essential boots that the cut complements the Chelsea’s slim, sleek lines. Your shirt collar, tie and, yes, even your briefcase should have an equally trim proportion to the slimness of the boot. We recommend pairing your navy suit with brown Chelsea boots.

Chukka (aka turf boots or bucks) How to wear them: A recent resurgence in popularity has everyone from college

kids to soccer dads sporting chukkas. And for good reason: it only takes a solid Oxford shirt and straight-leg jeans with a single cuff that gently covers the boot without breaking (so the pants fall straight over the shoe in a clean line) to do these shoes justice.

Cowboy (aka western boots) How to wear them: For city folk, we sugg

gest a more modern take in broken-in brown or tan with a rubber sole coupled with jeans (preferably a dark and slim boot cut), an Oxford shirt and a tweed sportcoat.

Hiking boot How to wear them: They are best worn with rolled corduroys (a single cuff will do) and a shawl collar cardigan or fitted sweater.

People

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

October 20, 2012

31

Heelal Rahmat: Trying to carve a niche OSEYIZA OOGBODO

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ahmat Omowunmi Muhammed Jimoh aka Heelal Rahmat is one of the many Islamic singers that abound in the country. She however claims to be different from them all.

“I’m different in everything about my career. As a matter of fact, I go out of my way to package myself differently so as to be distinctive. Look at my name for instance. Others bear Queen or Princess. I am Heelal, and it is symbolic of my plans.

“Heelal is a word from the Qu’ran and it means something that is expected, the way Ramadan is expected. Heelal actually means something that gives the sign of Ramadan’s coming, the same way people should expect my music because I’m bringing something different,” According to her, what she is bringing is different because “it is Islamic hip-hop so it is very different from the usual style of Islamic music.”

As different as she tries to be, she however says there’s one area that she isn’t different.

“When it comes to my lyrics, I am just like my colleagues. I use only lyrics that glorify Allah and preach morality and vir-

tuosity. Nevertheless, I am also different in my lyrics because I use very deep, meaningful lyrics, proverbs and phrases that let people know how deep I am in Islam.”

Now, she is enjoying a lot of popularity as her music video for one of her records, Allah is Great, is very different from all Islamic videos on air so it’s winning her a lot of fans.

“Because my style is different, we had to shoot a different sort of video, a video that’s more like hip-hop. That’s what we did and it’s working for us. More people have really started to know about Heelal Rahmat and they are also getting to see that though I’m doing Islamic hip-hop, it doesn’t mean that my message is watered down but rather, it’s even more meaningful than the usual.

“My first video is just the tip of the iceberg. The next one is going to be more massive. It will be for the song on which I featured Remi Aluko and Master Flex, Let’s Go There. People should just watch out for it because it will shake the industry,” she added.

Further confirmation that her attempt at being different is indeed paying off for her is that an Alaba marketer has agreed to release her album in December, a feat for which she thanks her record label, Jatto Music.

Tope Popoola: Striving to touch lives FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON

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ope Popoola popularly known as Rev Popoola is the overseer at the Business Church, Chief Empowerment Officer of Heritek Support Services, a consultancy outfit, a former National Executive Commissioner for the Boy Scouts of Nigeria and for many years, the Executive Secretary to the Nigerian Publishers Association.

In retrospect, Popoola had a rich childhood. Although not born into poverty, they were not particularly affluent “I was not born rich but I cannot also say that I was born into poverty either.

My father was the first graduate in our home town Ikere Ekiti. So I had what could be considered at that time an elitist background even though we were not very affluent,” he recalled.

As a child Popoola had his escapades and a very notable one was a life threatening game he used to play by the River Osun in Ikere Ekiti where he grew up.

“When I was in the primary school, my father made me trek to school. We had to pass over a bridge over the River there was a water pipe that ran by the Osun in Ikere Ekiti. There were no rail- side of the bridge and right over the waings by the side of the bridge. Instead, ter. We used to play the balancing game

by walking on the pipe, directly over the water instead of the bridge! It was obviously a miracle we didn’t fall into the river. It never once flashed across my mind that I could fall into the river which overflowed its banks very often.

Every time I pass by that bridge now, my mind always tells me I could have drowned. But thank God I am still here.

I used to ride bicycles a lot too. I almost got knocked down once by my own father’s car. Of course I got the beating of my life, my father being a teacher at that time.”

With his primary and secondary education in Ikere Ekiti, Popoola also had his higher education at the Polytechnic of Ibadan and the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University where he studied modern European Languages.

He is also an aluminous of Haggai Institute of Advanced Leadership and Centre for Management Development and Certified Management Trainer.

With a knack for management training and leadership, Popoola today is a seasoned administrator and manager of men and resources, writer, inspirational speaker, pastor and entrepreneur: he could aptly be described as a man of many parts but with only one

passion: cultivating men and women of influence and affluence for whom godly excellence is a culture.

Popoola is a widely travelled and highly sought-after conference speaker. A trainers’ trainer and a life coach to many company executives.

As a social entrepreneur, Popoola is currently spearheading a campaign to raise resources to put fibre pillows on at least 10,000 public hospital beds nationwide.

“Thus far, with contributions from friends and well-wishers, we have been able to do 800 for the University College Hospital, Ibadan, 500 for Ekiti State and 300 for Kogi State. Our next target is Kaduna State where, as soon as we have enough resources, we plan to do 400 pillows for eight selected hospitals,” Popoola added.

On what prompted the vision, the consummate trainer said “This vision was borne out of an unpleasant experience I had in a public hospital when I went for a colonoscopy. I was faced with one of two options; complain about the deplorable situation in our public health institutions or contribute to a solution and I decided on the latter”

32

Dear Igho

October 20, 2012

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

Having difficulties with relationships, family, work or any other aspectt off your life? lif Help is at hand with TOBORE IGHO OVUORIE Dear Igho, I have been a schmuck! What kind of a fool could I possibly be? I can’t say no to my girlfriend; how can love be so blinding? I feel like she is using the love I have for her as a weapon against me; I do virtually everything for her because she has no one though she’s running her IT programme at a new generation bank. Please, don’t ignore me; I want to know if I’m a pawn?

Is she deceiving me?

Paul Okoye, Lagos Dear Paul, I don’t think anything is wrong with you as your actions towards her are that of one in love. But from the tone of your message, it’s like you’ve either been seeking counselling from or listening to different people who are possibly young men like you and who’re telling you that she’s taking advantage of you.

Based on your message, the young lady hasn’t done anything wrong, so, I don’t think anyone is playing the horse rider and the other the fool.

But from what you wrote, you are not too comfortable with your footing all the bills though she’s doing her IT in a bank. So long as she’s not spending all the stipends she’s getting from the bank on frivolous things, I’ll suggest you take things easy because she might be saving the money for her education. I recall you stated that she has no one supporting her, thus, any wise lady will seize every opportunity to save any income she receives.

Please, be careful of where you go to for counselling so you don’t destroy a relationship that would have had a beautiful outcome.

Except there are issues you haven’t stated in this message, I’ll advise you get closer to her and her family, while she does same to yours, watch and nurture her without distrust and you’ll earn her loyalty for life.

Please do keep in touch and let me know how everything goes.

Help! I don’t have a girlfriend at 19 Dear Igho, My name is Emmanuel, I am 19 years old but don’t have any girlfriend of my own.

Please help me.

Dear Emmanuel, The only way I can help you is to let you know that you’re better off

without a romantic relationship.

At 19, you’re not fully equipped for the hassles that go with it. Life is not a big party so you need to take it easy.

What you need right now is to face your studies, build a career and add value to yourself. While doing these, simply have female pla-

Partner for romantic relationship needed Dear Igho, I’m Royal, single, based in Lagos and need a woman friend between 45 to 55years for romantic relationship. Anyone interested can call: 08102205476. SMS only please.

Ernylyf Race, Lagos.

tonic friends. This way, you would be able to understand women better and when you’re ready to settle down, you would know who among your friends to go for. So, you need not fret over relationships for you still have years ahead of for all that. Wishing you the best ahead.

Good luck.

Movie producer needed Dear Igho, I am 17years old I and need an agency to sign me.

I am a female, slim, chocolate in colour, 5ft’6inch tall and beautiful. I am also talented in acting. Please, I need a movie producer to help me realise my dream of becoming an actress. I know with you, my writing is not a waste. Please, interested helpers should call: 08182954252. Please, help make my dream come through and save my talent

from wasting.

Thanks in advance.

Osas, Kano.

Dear Osas, I’ll alert you whenever there are calls for audition. In the meantime, text me with your above stated phone number indicating it’s you and I’ll refer you to a trusted renowned movie producer and director.

Looking forward to reading from you. Good luck!

Is it right for her to sleep over?

Dear Igho, I have a question for you. Do you think it’s right for a girl to sleep over in her boyfriend’s house when they are not even engaged? My brother’s girlfriend does that; she comes to the house when mum’s not in town and sleeps over. She works in Abuja but comes to Kaduna on weekends and she has a rented apartment in Kaduna.

Please ma, is it right?

Safia, Kaduna.

Dear Safia, Whether

your

brother in this case is your older or younger brother, I’ll advise that you gently discuss with him and hear his opinion. You may subtly drop the hint that your mum might get to know if care is not taken.

Since you feel strongly about this issue, don’t appear too saintly. What your brother does is within his own limit of spiritual and moral understanding.

We’re all different in many ways; learn to accommodate other people’s faults. But really, since she has a house in town, they can take their ‘wahala’ there without being rude to your mother’s sensitivity and yours too.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EVENTS

October 20, 2012

33

Invasion of stars at Hoodrush premiere It was a carnival-like atmosphere at the upscale Silverbird Galleria when the crème de la crème of Nollywood and by extension, the entertainment circuit attended the exclusive premiere of the much talked about movie, Hoodrush on Friday October 12, 2012 .

Segun Arinze

Ajibola Dimeji

Matse and Derenle

Okey Bakasi

Gabriel Afolayan

Ijeoma Agu,O.C Ukeji, Jennifer Izevbuwa and Nino

Beverly Naya

Daniel

Bimbo Akintola, Dimeji Ajibola and a guest

Obi Emenloye and Nse Etim

Liz John Black

Patrick Lee

Juwanny

O.C. Ukeji

Emen Isong

Veronica and Endy Peterson

34

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

October 20, 2012

Living

Majiyagbe:

Majiyagbe Street

Lagos street where husbands welcome their wives’ lovers One man’s meat, it is said, is another’s poison. While many men would go berserk on sighting their wives’ lovers, there is a group of men in Lagos who actually welcome their wives’ sexual partners.

SEGUN ADIO

A

woman having sexual relation with another man who is not her husband is generally frowned at in most, if not all, cultures of man. It is considered as infidelity and also frowned at by all known religions of man. This, however, is not to ignore the existence of infidelity which is usually engaged in by both parties discreetly.

But in a part of the megacity of Lagos, the above is not the norm. It is actually the other way round.

In this part of the city, a new wave of commercial sex activity is fast gaining ground. Husbands not only know that their wives are prostitutes; they also make available their apartments for their wives to service their clients.

Consider this: A woman who does not look like the archetypal commercial sex worker and a man converse by the roadside, a make-shift shop or a kiosk, a

bargain is struck, the two of them head towards the woman’s residence. The woman’s husband observes their approach. He quickly rounds the kids together, makes the apartment look presentable, shoos the kids out of the room and he stays somewhere until his wife finishes servicing her client.

Welcome to Majiyagbe Street, via Morocco Road in Shomolu area of Lagos where wives feed their husbands and children from the proceeds of prostitution with the full consent of the man.

Saturday Mirror observed that prostitution is not the only vice prevalent in Majiyagbe Street. Banned drugs are also hawked with novelty. However, it is also alleged that suspected stolen vehicles and motorcycles find their way into the area.

It is also claimed that small arms are kept with some of the illicit drug hawkers plying their trade in the area.

Reports also have it that most of the customers of these prostitutes are men of questionable character who use the place as hideout after perpetrating their acts.

Saturday Mirror investigations also revealed that most of the owners of the houses lining Majiyagbe had moved out of the vicinity, but only sed their agents to collect rent from the occupants of those buildings.

Majiyagbe is a fairly long street with dozens of makeshift houses and kiosks lining both sides.

Entering Majiyagbe Street, a first time visitor would take the area for a normal living community. Banners, posters of various soft and hard drinks are conspicuously displayed on those shops, while GSM service providers’ stickers also adorn most

of the shops. That is in the morning and early afternoon.

In the late afternoon until the wee hours of the day, the street wears another look.

The rooms, shops, kiosks and containers on the street are short time accommodation to sex customers.

However, investigations also revealed that not all residents of the beleaguered street are involved in this act. Some of them still live on the street, apparently because of lack the wherewithal to relocate from the area.

Saturday Mirror discovered that about the time the sex seeking customers start arriving, the husbands of the prostitutes would vacate the apartments. They would only return when the wives call them that the apartment is ready for the family again. In such situations, the children too are made to seek alternative abodes while their mothers engage their ‘customers’ in their family apartments.

A resident of the area, who identified himself simply as Olatunji, told Saturday Mirror that most of the commercial sex workers on Majiyagbe Street are from a certain part of the country and are not indigenes of the state or Yoruba, but they have been living in the place for decades.

Olatunji maintained that the prostitutes get the backing of their husbands while they carry out their trade to the full knowledge of their children.

“Most of the women took to prostitution to survive and this is to the knowledge of their husbands. Over the years, their female children grew up to see their mothers do what they do and later continue the trade,” Olatunji added.

Another resident, who preferred anonymity, disclosed to Saturday Mirror that before now, stolen cars and commercial motorcycles were brought into the area for remodelling.

The source however said the new Divisional Police Officer in the area had carried out raids on the workshops of the panel beaters always working on the stolen automobiles which had drastically reduced that part of the anomalies on Majiyagbe Street.

“All manner of hard drugs are sold on Majiyagbe Street, but the effort of the new police boss in the area has made the hawkers to device new means of selling their wares. Now, the drug dealers are mobile.

Instead of selling the drugs in shops, they carry them around in bags, and sometimes in their pockets,” the source said.

Favour Ideh (not real names) is one of the prostitutes on Majiyagbe Street. Ideh, 37, and mother of three boys, initially did not want to disclose her real job to Saturday Mirror.

She told Saturday Mirror that she sells recharge cards on the streets. However, she later owned up to her prostitution business.

Ideh, however, said that she had to send her kids to school when the company where their father used to work folded up at Apapa.

“I have lived here with my husband and three boys in the last eight years. But in 2009, my husband lost his job when his office folded up at Apapa. Where there was no gratuity coming and he was sick at the time, I had to seek alternative ways of providing for the needs of the family,” Ideh justified her line of business.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

LIVING

October 20, 2012

OSEYIZA OOGBODO

E

ven as lesbians and gays are still finding it difficult to come out in the open to declare their true sexual preferences because Nigeria doesn’t tolerate same-sex relationships and has even promulgated laws against them, one of them, Funmilola Ayotade, has come out boldly.

While she won’t be the first to come out, Pastor Rowland Macauley holds that distinct honour and he was hounded out of the country consequently, Ayotade has been able to come out boldly because she claims she has rescinded the behaviour.

Shamelessly, she tells the story of how she became a lesbian. “The tendency for lesbianism was obvious in me when I was a little child.

I was easily attracted to girls and I always felt compassion whenever a girl cried.”

But even though she knew she had feelings she couldn’t understand for girls like her, she was helped out of her dilemma when she was between the age of seven and eight years by their house maid.

“Our house maid had been making advances at me for quite some time and because of the way I was feeling, I didn’t see anything wrong in her advances so I had indirectly accepted them. But she made a concrete move one night.

“Usually, I and my younger ones used to sleep on the mat because we used to bed-wet and our house maid would sleep on the bed. But when our house maid could no longer control herself, when she could no longer hold herself anymore, she sneaked me into the bed one night and covered me up with the bed sheet so that my younger ones wouldn’t know.

Then she put my hand into her panties and I didn’t say no and that’s how I became initiated into lesbianism.”

As is usual with house maids in Nigerian households, the house maid soon had to leave the Ayotade family shortly after introducing their first child to lesbianism. The said child however told Saturday Mirror that she was less concerned about the house maid’s departure.

“After that first night, she revealed the identities of many other lesbians in our neighbourhood to me so when she left, I didn’t care one way or the other. In my school as well, I had discovered girls who were like me so I wasn’t stranded.”

So she went deeper and deeper into lesbianism, had no interest in the opposite sex but finally fell for a man after she completed secondary school.

“I didn’t make my papers and there was this guy who was in the University of Ilorin who kept encouraging me on how to pass my exams. He would write me letters from Ilorin and with time, I developed a romantic interest in him.”

Not only did she fall in love with him, she told him her mind. “He rejected me though. He said he never had romantic feelings for me. I was

Ayotade

Our house maid led me into lesbianism –Confession of 35-yr-old ex-lesbian Funmilola Ayotade does not strike you as someone who would nurse sexual feelings for another female. But right from childhood, that had always been her preference.

However, she now fights lesbianism and same gender relationship. At what point did she kick lesbianism and why? so pissed off at his rejection that I erased guys completely from my mind.”

While in Yabatech, she had another

nasty romantic experience, this time with a lady. “There was this room mate of mine who was also my course mate.

With time, I developed feelings for her

35

but when I made advances at her, she turned me down. Her refusal led to acrimony between us but we eventually settled our differences and I left her alone.”

Ayotade will be 35 years old on November 16th. It was in 2009 that she finally quit lesbianism for good and even announced to the world that she had quit it. Considering the Nigerian society’s stance against gays and lesbians, it is only expected that she should have experienced some victimisation and rejection since people got to know her previous sexual preference, and she confirmed it.

“It’s normal to be rejected and face tribulations,” she said, “but I’ve always been loved by people so I’ve not undergone much rejection because of my previous lesbian life.”

She has now dedicated her life to advocating against same-sex relationships. “You have to first of all understand that the practice of same-sex relationship is as a result of a disorder, Same Sex Attraction/Relational Disorder (SSARD), that those who engage in it are born with. Once you are born with this disorder, it’s only a matter of time before you will engage in lesbianism or homosexualism.”

In her bid to spread awareness about the disorder so people can understand it and thereby combat it, she decided to hold an outreach programme on it at Yabatech.

“I wasn’t allowed to hold the outreach. The big boys who are homosexuals in the Yabatech system didn’t allow me. In fact, some of their staff told me that I wanted to fight the management by attempting to hold the outreach there and that I could get assassinated for the attempt. Anyway, I wasn’t surprised at the opposition against the outreach because I’m a Yabatech graduate and I dated many female lecturers while I was there.”

Passionately, she declared that single-gender schools have to be abolished in the country. “Research has proven that same-sex schools only aid same-sex relationships. We know that government meant well by establishing such schools so as to promote moral discipline and prevent teenage pregnancies and all that but they are now more harm than good.”

According to her, training children properly will prevent moral decadence, not separating genders.

Stating that she now feels attraction for men and is in fact engaged now to a man and that she’s been able to resist returning to lesbianism by the grace of God, she said if anybody should victimise her husband or her children in future over her previous lesbian status, she would take litigative action against them.

“If people victimise me or my family, I will try to educate them on SSARD. If their victimisation wants to get out of hand, I will take them to court where we will settle properly. I’ve heard people say about my conversion that mad men never get totally cured of their madness. It is their right to say that and feel that way. I can only educate them and take litigative action if they want to be unnecessarily troublesome.”

36

The body being exhumed

Thirteen-year-old Yetunde Rachel Samuel had died.

So her aunt, Mrs. Deborah Motunrayo Jaiyeoba, raised the alarm that she had fallen into a deep freezer and frozen to death. Those who heard were shocked. But that was just the beginning.

ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

T

he people of Isanlu, the headquarters of Yagba Local Government Area of Kogi State were recently thrown into confusion following the alleged discovery of the body of a 13-year-old girl in a medium size freezer.

The girl, identified as Yetunde Rachael Samuel , a JSS 2 student of Oluyori Comprehensive College, Isanlu was later discovered to have been actually killed in the evening of October 5th and neatly deposited inside the freezer to create the impression that she fell into the freezer and the door jammed on her making her to freeze to death without the knowledge of her family members.

Yetunde was therefore hurriedly buried under the cover of the night without her mysterious death being reported to the police by her parent or guardian.

But the state Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Musa Katsina, got wind of the dastardly act, suspect-

October 20, 2012

Woman kills 13-yr-old niece, hides body in freezer ed a foul play, arrested the guardian of the girl and ordered that the body be exhumed for a thorough autopsy to confirm whether she actually jumped inside the freezer and got frozen or was dumped inside after being killed.

It was a hectic time for Saturday Mirror and detectives led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Alh Zannah Mohammed, who travelled down to the community with a pathologist from the Federal Medical Centre to exhume the decomposing corpse for autopsy.

The guardian of the girl who is at the centre of the macabre drama, one Mrs. Deborah Motunrayo Jaiyeoba, claimed that she left the girl who is the daughter of her younger sister at home on Saturday morning and left for a wedding ceremony According to her when she got back from the wedding ceremony and did not see Yetunde she thought she had gone out

to play.

She said she was thirsty and ran to the deep freezer to get a sachet of water to quench her thirst only to discover Yetunde’s frozen body and she immediately raised the alarm.

Jaiyeoba, a sanitary inspector at the local government, claimed Yetunde wanted to clean the freezer in her small retail shop when she fell into it and got frozen to death Curiously, the father of the deceased girl was said to have felt indifferent about the death of his daughter as he reportedly did not object to her being buried immediately.

It was gathered that Yetunde’s mother was impregnated while she was in school and had dropped the girl with her elder sister, Mrs Jayeola, since she was two years old. The woman had since remarried and now lives in Ilorin.

However, the autopsy carried out re-

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

vealed that the girl was actually killed probably for ritual purposes.

Preliminary doctor’s report confirmed that the girl died as result of neorogenic shock secondary to multiple skeletal injuries most likely sustained by a blunt force trauma.

The doctor’s report said two of the girl’s teeth were removed with some vital parts while the entire head region was battered with blunt instrument.

Speaking with reporters, the commissioner of Police, Muhammed Katsina, said the whole episode was a case of culpable homicide hence not bailable.

He said the girl was not only brutally murdered but expressed shock that her biological father did not show concern instead he (the father) brought a letter to his office along with somebody who claimed to be a judicial officer that the case be withdrawn He said when he interrogated the father, who could not even read nor comprehend the contents of the letter which gave suspicion that some people were behind the murder Katsina called on members of the public to be more vigilante on their children and to know who to give their children to for up keeping.

He vowed to pursue the case to a logical conclusion with those found guilty made to face the wrath of the law.

He gave the names of those arrested as 43-year-old Mrs. Jaiyeoba Deborah Motunrayo who is the guardian and three of her children namely, Jaiyeoba Titilayo, 20, and Tunmininu Jaiyeoba, 23 with Jaiyeoba Femi who is 18years old.

Others arrested are Shade Jimoh, Chief J I Owolabi, Raphael Owolabi, Raphael Abiodun and Tolulope Sunday.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON

“I

LIVING

October 20, 2012

t was around noon and I still had not been able to raise money for my morning dose.

My head was pounding so hard and I could barely concentrate on anything because I was already jonesing and the rain which had started since the previous night won’t just stop. I had sold virtually all my belongings and could not to turn to the streets for alms to sustain my addiction,” recalled Oladapo Adebiyi, an ex drug addict, who abused cocaine and heroin for over 10 years.

Indeed, so powerful is this craving that its user could do anything, from acts to tricks, to get money. For some who cannot engage in these tricks, they turn to high level crime to sustain the addiction.

As you drive down from Mobolaji Bank Anthony way, precisely at the Tonade Junction popularly known as Roundabout Bus stop, stationed there is a man with a catheter in his private parts begging for alms. You would hear his loud voice shouting please help me with. In his bag of money which is usually transparent; you will find all manners of denomination ranging from N10 to even N500. His look is so deceptively innocent that you will be so reluctant to walk past him without dropping money in his bag. After about three to four hours, the man disappears into the thin air. One would wonder where he may have disappeared to. Down the shanty street of Ipodo, there are several shanties/ joints where cocaine and heroin are sold in retail, where most of these beggars deliver all the money they have made from begging in exchange for some white stuff known as heroin and cocaine.

Oladapo Adebiyi earlier disclosed to Saturday Mirror, the many tricks and lies he had to tell in order to raise money for his daily dose of cocaine and heroin.

“For some of us, who could not afford to engage in crime, all we can do is to beg and get something meaningful out of the people. You need to have a powerful story that would compel them to give you their money without much ado” The Egba born UNIBEN dropout explained that these gimmicks come in different faces.

“I loved to talk to big men of class.

I used to go to the casino at Eko Hotel and Suites where I would pretend to be a homeless and helpless Liberian refugee. I usually mimicked the Liberian accent trying to talk like a Liberian in order to convince my prey whom we normally refer to, in our parlance, as Mugus or Magas. On such occasions when I was ready to set out, I normally did all I could to look presentable so that my dressing would not give me away. I usually made enough money to sustain my daily spending on drugs.

“However, if you become too persistent there, there is the tendency of being known too much. So I usually vary my venues of operation and where I was going for the day usually dictated how my dressing would look like. If I was going to canvass in the big men’s area, I always ensured that I was at least a

37

How drug addicts fleece Good Samaritans

Pellar

I USED TO GO TO THE CASINO AT EKO HOTEL AND SUITES WHERE I WOULD PRETEND TO BE A HOMELESS AND HELPLESS LIBERIAN REFUGEE. I USUALLY MIMICKED THE LIBERIAN ACCENT TRYING TO TALK LIKE A LIBERIAN IN ORDER TO CONVINCE MY PREY

Adebiyi

Iwere

little presentable, so that the bouncers would not prevent me from entering because of my looks. On another occasion, I might decide to do the traffic runs. I had some hospital cards which of course were in my name and on them

were prescriptions of all manners of expensive drugs which I normally told my prospective preys that I needed to buy to be okay medically. We used different means and methods in extorting money from people just to satisfy the

terrible cravings in us for drugs” recalled Adebiyi.

“On the average,” continued Adebiyi, “I realised about N8, 000 on a good day while on rough days I might get up to N4, 000. But all the money went into the purchase of drugs. Each time I look back in retrospect, I can only thank the Almighty God for being so good to me to have helped me out of that terrible life of misery” Kayode Abiola Pellar, son of the late ace magician, did not hit the streets for a long time. Reason: he had quite a lot of things to sell.

“After I had sold all I had and didn’t have anything to sell anymore, I had to offer my son, Tunji, up as collateral for five months with the barons to keep having regular supply of drugs. In fact, the barons had enlisted my son in the Army Children School. In the end, I then went with my mother and brother to get him back,” Pellar recalled.

When he had exhausted his property, Pellar had to look for another means of raising fund to keep up the deadly habit. Fortunately for him, he had hernia as a child and that became a source of income for him.

“When I was born, I had issues with my umbilical cord because I was born at home with no proper medical attention I developed hernia. One of my testicles is much bigger than the other. I started using that as a means of raising fund to sustain my addiction even though I was not particularly feeling any pain but it was a handy and convenient lie for me to tell to raise funds” recalled Pellar For others without such opportunities at their disposal, looking for convincing lies to tell to get money off people or simply turning to crime was the way to raise money to service their quest.

Others would wear white garments and engage in false priesthood to prophesy falsely to their preys.

However, one notable thing about these people is the fact that, they are never coordinated and in most cases, their outlook would always give them away another ex-addict, Tony Iyere, who abused cocaine and heroin for five years pointed out.

According to the Delta State-born Iyere, there are some sets of addicts who would pretend to be scavengers and go to open markets like the Computer Village claiming that to have come to help clear dirt. Meanwhile, they would clear both the dirt and other useful items like phones, chargers, memory cards and other useful accessories.

“At the end of the dubious service rendered, the shop owner would pay them believing that they had done a good job, unaware of the accessories that they had made away with. These addicts, after this, would head straight to their drug joint using all the stolen items in exchange for their dose,” Iyere revealed.

38

TOURISM

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ori Aye: The well that sees tomorrow Ori Aye, the well that sees into the future, is a top destination for visitors to Ondo town in Ondo State. YEMISI ADENIRAN captures the essence of the mysterious well and its historical significance to the Ondos

T

he concept of destiny runs through the cosmology of most, if not all, African societies. The Yorubas call it Ayanmo or Kadara, the Igbos call it Akara Aka while the Hausas call it Bayewa Allah. In the past, parents would consult seers just to get a wind of what the future held for their children. This finding was known as Akosejaye among the Yorubas. A peep into the future of a child, they believed, offered them an early opportunity of effecting change where there was a negative prediction.

The enquiry was made within the first ten days of a child’s birth and strictly by its biological parents. This was mainly to keep the prediction secret until the child himself became of age and needed to know what his future held.

For the Ondos, this exercise was con-

ducted in a different manner. According to Chief Adedeji Fakoya, the Odogun of Ondo land, the child in question is the actual enquirer, and he is expected to have come of age before taking a peep into his future – at no other place than the Ori Aye (the peak or crown of the earth).

Ori Aye is a natural phenomenon that is as old as Ondo town itself. It is a sacred well that is capable of seeing into the future of anyone who desires the knowledge. Chief Fakoya says of the sacred well, “the well is not just an ordinary one as it links with the high seas. “ Ori Aye’s depth is endless but the water is as clear as crystal.”

And quite unlike what obtains in other cultures, Odogun Fakoya informs, “anyone who wished to determine his future did so flamboyantly.

It was never done in secret. He or she was expected to go with a number of his friends, loved ones and some drummers who would celebrate with him once the prediction was favourable. And once he got to the well, he would simply peep into it and a vivid picture of how he would end up in life would in-stantly be played to him.

“If the prediction was contrary, the drummers with their entourage, automatically stopped celebrating, an indication that the outcome was negative.

The victim, now downcast, would leave the scene amidst tears and agony. He or she was left with no other option than to await the fulfilment of the well’s verdict.”

However, not all enquirers who got undesirable verdicts took Ori Aye’s predictions in good faith. There were instances where some who were not strong enough to bear such evil verdicts instantly took their lives by simply jumping into the well.

It therefore became necessary, at a point, to stop people from visiting the mysterious well. Apart from the frequency with which disenchanted enquirers jumped into the well, an incident took place that was the last straw for custodians of the well.

Odogun Fakoya told Saturday Mirror the story: “Two friends decided to visit the well to find out what the future held for them. They both went with the usual pomp and pageantry.

The first friend looked into the well and saw himself well dressed in beautiful regalia, just like a king.

He was extremely happy and announced his discovery to his people.

He began rejoicing immediately as he was convinced that his later life would be kingly. The second man was unfortunately not favoured by the well’s verdict.

He saw himself in rags and was immediately thrown into sorrow. It was indeed a tale of different strokes for different folks.

“They both left for their different homes. The first enquirer, as a result of his favourable prediction, quit all serious work in anticipation of his wealth.

The other enquirer, who got a dismal verdict, however, felt too ashamed to stay

still in the town. He left the town for an isolated area where he made his new home.

He became a big time farmer there and gradually, many people joined him. After a while, the people made him king over them as the founder of the settlement.

“He soon became so wealthy and respected. One day, he decided to go back to Ondo, his home town, where people thought he was probably dead or living in penury somewhere.

When he got into town with all the fortune he had acquired, his friend who got a positive prediction was still where he left him, playing the traditional Ayo game and still awaiting his day of glory.

“When news of his friend’s success got to him, he was forced to leave the town in shame. That started the com-mon saying: “bori eni sunwon, owo eni e mu tunse i” in Ondo dialect, which sim-ply means: heaven helps those who help themselves.

“After this incident, people’s belief in Ori Aye, of course, started to wane and many chose to believe more in hard work than in the predictions of the well.”

Despite this loss of influence, however, Ori Aye retains its potency still and is not taken for granted by the Ondos. In fact, mere touching the slab which covers it attracts sanctions. The culprit would be made to provide sacrificial ma-terials to appease the power behind the well.

According to Odogun Fakoya, “Ori Aye is still as powerful as ever. If you want to prove its power, you can pick a time to come and check your future,” he asserts.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

39

October 20, 2012

W

hat are hives (urticaria) and angioedema?

Hives (medically known as urticaria) appear on the skin as wheals that are red, very itchy, smoothly elevated areas of skin often with a blanched centre. They appear in varying shapes and sizes, from a few millimetres to several inches in diameter anywhere on the body.

One hallmark of hives is their tendency to change size rapidly and to move around, disappearing in one place and reappearing in other places, often in a matter of hours.

Individual hives usually last no longer than 24 hours. An outbreak that looks impressive, even alarming, first thing in the morning can be completely gone by noon, only to be back in full force later in the day. Very few, if any other skin diseases occur and then resolve so rapidly. Therefore, even if you have no evidence of hives to show the doctor when you get to the office for examination, the diagnosis can be established based upon the accurate accounting of your symptoms and signs. Because hives fluctuate so much and so fast, it is helpful to bring along a photograph of what the outbreak looked like at its worst.

Swelling deeper in the skin that may accompany hives is called angioedema.

This swelling of the hands and feet, as well as the lips or eyelids, can be as dramatic as it is brief.

What causes hives and angioedema?

Hives are produced when histamine and other compounds are released from cells called mast cells, which are normally found in the skin. Histamine causes fluid to leak from the local blood vessels, leading to swelling in the skin.

Hives are very common. Although they can be annoying, they usually resolve on their own over a period of weeks and are rarely medically serious. Some hives are caused by allergies to such things as foods, medications, and insect stings, but in the majority of cases, no specific cause for them is ever found. Although patients may find it frustrating not to know what has caused their hives, maneuvers like changing diet, soap, detergent, and makeup are rarely helpful in preventing hives unless there is an excellent temporal relationship.

Having hives may cause stress, but stress by itself does not cause hives.

What are the different kinds of hives?

Hives fall into two categories: acute urticaria (ordinary hives which resolve after six to eight weeks) and chronic urticaria (which continue longer than six to eight weeks).

What are symptoms and signs of ordinary hives?

HIVES (URTICARIA)

Ordinary hives flare up suddenly and usually for no specific reason. Welts appear, often in several places. They flare, itch, swell, and go away in a matter of minutes to hours, only to appear elsewhere. This sequence may go on from days to weeks. Most episodes of hives last less than six weeks. Although that cut-off point is arbitrary, hives that last more than six weeks are often called “chronic.”

What are the causes of ordinary hives?

As noted above, many cases of ordinary hives are “idiopathic,” meaning no cause is known. Others may be triggered by viral infections. A few may be caused by medications, usually when they have been taken for the first time a few weeks before. (It is uncommon for drugs taken continuously for long periods to cause hives or other reactions.)

When a medication is implicated as a cause of hives, the drug must be stopped, since no skin or blood test will prove the connection.

In most cases, drug-induced hives will go away in a few days. If a drug is stopped and the hives do not go away, this is a strong indication that the medication was not in fact the

cause of the hives.

What are the causes of chronic hives?

Chronic hives (defined as lasting six weeks or more) can last from months to years. The evaluation of this condition is difficult and allergy testing and other laboratory tests are only occasionally useful in such cases.

The accurate evaluation of this condition requires the patient to give his or her physician precise information regarding their complete medical history, personal habits, and oral intake. Occasionally it may be necessary to limit specific foods or drugs for a time to observe any affect upon the skin condition.

Certain systemic disease and infections may occasionally present in the skin as hives. If an inciting cause can be determined, then specific treatments for that condition ought to be effective, or in the case of food or drug allergy, strict avoidance would be necessary.

Physical urticaria is a type of chronic urticaria produced by physical stimuli. By far the most common form is dermographism, which literally means “skin writing.” This is an exaggerated form of what happens to any-

one when their skin is scratched or rubbed: a red welt appears at the line of the scratch.

In dermographism, raised, itchy red welts with adjacent flares appear wherever the skin is scratched or where belts and other articles of clothing rub against the skin, causing mast cells to leak histamine.

Another common form of physically induced hives is called cholinergic urticaria. This produces hundreds of small, itchy bumps. These occur within 15 minutes of exercise or physical exertion and are usually gone before a doctor can examine them. This form of hives happens more often in young people.

What is the treatment for hives?

The goal of treating most cases of ordinary urticaria is to relieve symptoms while the condition goes away by itself. The most commonly used oral treatments are antihistamines, which help oppose the effects of the histamine leaked by mast cells. The main side effect of antihistamines is drowsiness.

These can be taken up to three times a day, but because these medications can cause drowsiness, they are often taken at bedtime. Those who take them should be especially careful and be sure they are fully alert before driving or participating in other activities requiring mental concentration. Physicians individualize treatment plans to suit specific patients and modify them depending on the clinical response.

Oral steroids can help severe cases of hives in the short term, but their usefulness is limited by the fact that many cases of hives last too long for steroid use to be continued safely.

Topical therapies for hives are available but are generally ineffective. They include creams and lotions which help numb nerve endings and reduce itching. Many of these topical preparations require no prescription. Cortisone-containing creams (steroids), even strong ones requiring a prescription, are not very helpful in controlling the itch of hives.

When to visit the doctor In rare cases (some hereditary, others caused by bee stings or drug allergy), urticaria and angioedema are accompanied by a striking decrease in blood pressure (shock) and difficulty breathing. This is called anaphylaxis and may rapidly become a medical emergency. In this case, a visit to the emergency room or your doctor is necessary. Ordinary hives may be widespread and disturbing to look at, but the vast majority of cases of hives do not lead to life-threatening complications.

LETTER

Dear Doctor, Please doctor, my wife and I are victims of HIV. And we were asked to take some medications. These we have used for eight months, but our tests are positive after treatment. Is HIV a silent killer? I am worried. Thanks.

Sam.....Nassarawa state Mirror Doctor replies Although there is no cure for the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

My wife and I are HIV positive (AIDS), medications have been highly effective in fighting HIV and its complications.

Drug treatments are designed to help reduce the HIV virus in your body, keep your immune system as healthy as possible and decrease the complications you may develop.

You and your doctor will work together to develop a treatment plan that best meets your needs. Three main factors will be considered when designing your treatment

plan. These are; your willingness and readiness to begin therapy, the stage of your disease and other health problems.

It’s important that you take your medications exactly as prescribed. This is a crucial part of your treatment success.

Most medications have side effects, which your doctor will discuss with you. Individuals respond differently to medications and side effects may vary.

At this point, it is important you know that the medications will help reduce the virus in your body if you use them as prescribed. Don’t be so anxious that your test results are still positive. You need to develop a positive attitude to accepting the fact that you are positive and can live healthy life.

Ensure you are registered with an approved health facility that caters for patients that are positive. This is for effective monitoring and management. The drugs are free.

40

LEISURE

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

October 20, 2012

41

Battle of Cairo!

Sunshine Stars looking set to confront host, Al Ahly, in Sunday’s CAF Champions League semi-final cracker in Cairo.

Sunshine seeks Al Ahly’s fall SAYO OGUNDEJI

N

igeria’s representative in the Orange CAF Champions League, Sunshine Stars of Akure’s hope of reaching the final of the continental competition hangs in the balance, as only a victory over their host Al Ahly FC of Egypt, in Cairo, in the second leg of their semi-final clash on Sunday will guarantee their passage.

The Nigerian side failed to spakle during the first leg a fortnight ago in IjebuOde, as they only managed to hold the visiting Egyptians to a 3-3 draw and the result has made the return leg to look more of an arduous task.

Sunshine’s coach, Gbenga Ogunbote, admitted his side’s failure at making best use of its chances during the first leg, but exhuded confidence in the play-

ers’ ability to turn the tide when the two sides meet at the newly opened June 30 Stadium in Cairo.

According to Ogunbote, who describes Al Ahly as tough customer in the continental championship, his players are aware of the challenges ahead and will give it their all.

“We ought to have made our job easier when the Egyptians came visiting few weeks back, but we were quite unfortunate and this is the only opportunity for us to salvage the situation, in the return leg on Sunday in Cairo.

“Al Ahly has been around for a very long time and has enough experience as far as this competition is concerned, but we will be playing them with the sole aim of beating them at their backyard.

“For us to get to the final, we must beat our host and having been in this kind of situation in the past, I believe the players

AWC 2012: Oparanozie tips Falcons for glory, laments absence P. 43

will be well motivated to play and get the desired result, though it looks very difficult,” Ogunbote said.

While Sunshine may be without the services of its goalkeeper, Moses Ocheje, who is down with fever, the return of their skipper, Godfrey Oboabona, to the squad will no doubt boost the morale of the side according to the coach.

Oboabona, who was on duty with the Super Eagles in their 6-1 demolition of the Lone Star of Liberia in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier last weekend, did not play the first leg, having been suspended by CAF for the mandatory two yellow card bookings.

But Ogunbote, who is obviously excited to have the strong defender back, insists Oboabona’s presence, is an added advantage to his side and will bring his wealth of experience to bear in the important encounter.

Passion made me dump P. 44 basketball for boxing –Ovie

“We obviously missed Oboabona’s services during the first leg and his availability to the team this time around will no doubt boost the morale of his colleagues because he is not only the captain of side, but also a good motivator.

“We have watched the tapes of the last match and other ones carefully in order to correct our mistakes and make changes where necessary and I hope we will come out victorious on Sunday,” Ogunbote added.

Meanwhile, the semi-final game between the two teams will be played behind closed doors as CAF is yet to lift the crowd ban on all stadia across the country following the Port Said disaster that left more than 70 fans dead in February, during a league game between Al Ahly and Al Masry.

The winner of tomorrow’s encounter will face the winner between Esperance of Tunisia and TP Mazembe clash for the final scheduled to hold next month.

Tottenham, Chelsea clash excites AVB P. 45

42

SPORT

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wake up, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi!

L

et me begin this week’s piece by congratulating the Super Eagles and their coaching crew for qualifying Nigeria for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals holding in South Africa, after our monumental failure to qualify for the last edition of the competition in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon.

Aside the fact that the result eventually turned to be a 6-1 whitewash of the visitors, it also showed that Coach Stephen Keshi and his players hearkened to the clarion call and revelations made in this column last weekend to go for early goals in order to kill the fighting spirit of the ambitious Liberians who had nurtured such plans earlier.

As it later turned out, Eagles began the game with an emphatic first minute goal, courtesy of Efe Ambrose and followed up with a rain of goals, indicating that there is light at the end of the tunnel, if Keshi and his lads should remain focussed and not let the victory go into their heads.

As a reminder, Keshi must know that it is not yet uhuru in his quest to reposition the senior national team and must work hard to surmount all opposition at the Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa. HT shall continue to monitor closely the activities of the Eagles and also remain the mirror of our ailing sports industry.

To begin this week’s piece,

Hard Tackle with

Andrew Ekejiuba anelsports@yahoo.com sports have played a vital role in the unity of our dear nation because it has helped to break all those barriers that tend to divide the great people of this country, and as such, government must lay emphasis in its development.

In the past, many of our great sportsmen and women have distinguished themselves internationally through their exploits in sports, but the failure of the present administrators at the National Sports Commission (NSC) to do the right thing is hampering the progress of sports development in the country and HT feels future generations of Nigerians will never forgive us for the neglect.

As a kicker, following Team Nigeria’s dismal outing at the London 2012 Olympics, the Sports Minister and Chairman, National Sports Commission, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, raised the hopes of Nigerians that he and his crew had learnt enough lessons and would go back to the drawing

08023103605

board to resuscitate the dwindling fortunes of Nigerian sports. But 69 days after the Olympics, analysts are yet to see him take stringent actions to back his words.

In his well-attended press briefing during the London 2012 Games, Abdullahi came out clearly and admitted that Team Nigeria failed woefully and that he had learnt that hard work, good preparations and not prayers, win medals, but what has Abdullahi done to show that he truly wants to reorganise the ailing sports industry?

Quoting Abdullahi, “Olympic medals are all about hard cash,” therefore, how can the hard cash the minister talked about be effectively utilised when the money ends in the hands of the wrong people? What efforts has Abdullahi made to stop some politicians and failed sports administrators from feasting on the finances meant for sports development?

During the same press briefing, many sports journalists covering

the event made contributions and asked questions regarding sports development from the schools without much emphasis on tackling corruption that has continued to bedevil the development of sports in the country.

Simply put, doesn’t the minister know that no meaningful headway can be made in Nigeria’s sports industry without eliminating corruption among our sports administrators? I feel Abdullahi knows this, but has refused to address the aforementioned questions.

HT believes that the first action the sports minister should have taken after the disastrous outing of Nigeria in London is to set up a probe panel, just as we did after the Sidney 2000 Olympics, to investigate how the sum of N2.3 billion was wasted and hand over those responsible for the misuse of tax payers, money to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution. It is unfortunate that the minister is not looking in that direction!

Abdullahi’s quietness in this regard is already fuelling speculations that the sports minister does not have the interest of our sports development at heart, as he has refused to take the bull by the horn.

Aside the aforementioned, Nigerians are expecting the minister to commence total sanitisation of our ailing sports ministry by employing the services of technocrats to administer our sports at the NSC. Yet again, this does

not seem to be in his agenda for now. Instead people who have no business coming close to the corridor of the sports ministry are still reigning supreme, prompting many sports analysts to ask the pertinent question: ‘Who is fooling who?’

In the HT of October 25, and titled “Lessons from London 2012 Olympics,” I stated emphatically the need for the NSC to embrace early preparations before a global showpiece like the Olympics as countries who embraced this philosophy often reap bountifully because it guarantees medal hauls from her athletes at the end of the day, but the NSC is foot-dragging in this regard.

HT gathered that in place of commencing preparations for the 2016 Olympics in Rio, many of the administrators in the NSC are beginning to dust their shoes and bags preparatory for another jamboree at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa early next year.

With this scenario, we can now draw the line between those fooling the great majority of Nigerians and those who genuinely want our sports to rise from its present state of obscurity.

Corruption among sports administrators is the biggest factor militating against sports development in Nigeria and it is expected that the sports minister should show sincerity in fighting the cankerworm in order to set a road map for the ailing Nigerian sports industry.

FEATURE

Armstrong: Fall and fall of cycling king!

N

ike has finally dumped Lance Armstrong over doping allegations in a move, which could lose him at least $50 million over the next five years.

Nike has announced that it is cutting all sporting ties with disgraced cyclist, citing insurmountable evidence that he participated in doping and misled the company for more than a decade.

The sportswear giant issued a statement saying it was terminating Armstrong’s contract ‘with great sadness.’

Just minutes before Nike’s announcement, Armstrong revealed he was stepping down as chairman of his Livestrong cancer-fighting charity so that the organization can steer clear of the whirlwind surrounding its founder. But Nike said it will to continue to support Livestrong.

Within a matter of hours, beer maker Anheuser-Busch said it too would end its relationship with Armstrong when his contract expires at the end of this year, although it would continue to back his charity.

The move comes a week after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency released a massive report detailing allegations

of widespread doping by Armstrong and his teams when he won the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 to 2005.

The document’s purpose was to show why USADA has banned him from cycling for life and ordered 14 years of his career results erased - including those Tour titles. It contains sworn statements from 26 witnesses, including 11 former teammates.

The 41-year-old Armstrong, who overcame life-threatening testicular cancer, retired from cycling a year ago.

He announced in August that he would no longer fight the doping allegations that have dogged him for years.

Together with Nike, the Livestrong Foundation has raised more than $80 million through the sale of yellow Livestrong wristbands since May 2004.

The company also produces and sells a line of Livestrong-branded products, including shoes and T-shirts.

Nike is also expected to change the name of the Lance Armstrong Fitness Center building named after Armstrong at Nike headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon.

The exact value of Armstrong’s Nike deal isn’t known, but the com-

pany is the biggest spender on athlete endorsement deals in the world.

Nike’s annual report shows it has signed commitments for $3.2 billion worth of endorsement deals over the next five years.

Armstrong made about $17.5 million in endorsements in 2005, the last year his earnings were tracked by Sports Illustrated’s Fortunate 50 list of the top paid active athletes. Nike began its relationship with Armstrong in 1996.

Armstrong is only the second high profile athlete whose contract Nike has terminated due to scandal. Nike signed NFL quarterback Michael Vick to a contract during his rookie year in 2001, but ended that pact in August 2007 after he filed a plea agreement admitting his involvement in a dogfighting ring. Vick spent 21 months in prison.

Nike re-signed Vick, who plays with the Philadelphia Eagles, in July 2011. The company said at that time that it didn’t condone Vick’s actions, but was supportive of the positive changes he had made to better himself off the field.

Armstrong, who was not paid a salary as chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation, will remain on its

Armstrong

15-member board. His duties leading the board will be turned over to vice chairman Jeff Garvey, who was founding chairman in 1997.’

Foundation spokeswoman, Katherine McLane, said the decision turns over the foundation’s big-picture

strategic planning to Garvey. He will also assume some of the public appearances and meetings that Armstrong used to handle.

Culled from www.dailymail.co.uk

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

October 20, 2012

43

FIFA grants free World Cup entry to Brazil’s low income earners

Super Falcons arrive Accra camp

ootball world governing body, FIFA has reportedly accepted a Brazilian government proposal to offer free entry at the 2014 World Cup to the country’s indigenous population and low income earners.

FIFA’s Secretary General, Jerome Valcke confirmed the request would be met during a conversation with Brazil’s sports minister Aldo Rebelo this week, Estadao reported.

The measure will not form part of the allocation of half-priced tickets to be made available for students and the elderly.

According to reports, the initiative will apply for matches in Manaus and Cuiaba, whose indigenous populations are higher than in other World Cup host cities.

Low income earners who qualify for the government’s Bolsa Familia programme - which provides monthly payments to families living below the poverty line - will receive free entry at all 12 venues.

“We want the World Cup to be an event for the entire population of Brazil.

“Even half-priced tickets are too expensive for the indigenous population and those who are part of Bolsa Familia,” Rebelo was quoted as saying

by Estadao.

Details of the initiative, including how many free tickets will be allocated and how they will be distributed, are still being finalised by FIFA.

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

F

T

Oparanozie

AWC 2012: Oparanozie tips Falcons for glory, laments absence SAYO OGUNDEJI

A

fter club engagement prevented her from participating at the forthcoming Africa Women’s Championship billed for Equatorial Guinea later this month, Super Falcons striker, Desire Oparanozie, has expressed sadness over the development, but however tipped her teammates to win the tournament.

Her Russian club, Rossiyanka FC, failed to release the power-playing striker owing to its involvement in the Women UEFA Champions League.

The former Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt forward who shone at the last FIFA U-20 World Cup believes the country has

the experience and the talent to retain her title won in South Africa two years ago.

“It is quite sad that I will not be joining my teammates ahead of the AWC because of club engagement but my thoughts and prayers will always be with them as they take on the rest of Africa.

“Nigeria is the defending champions of the tournament and I would have loved to be part of the team this time around, but I strongly believe the country has abundant of talents that can win the competition again,” she said.

Defending champions, Nigeria, is drawn in Group B alongside Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire and Ethiopia and would start its campaign against Cameroun in Bata on October 29.

Gawuna commends National Schools Sports Super Eagles, Festival suffers further shift Eaglets ANDREW EKEJIUBA

IFEANYI EDUZOR

P

resident of Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria Nasir Yusuf Gawuna has commended the Super Eagles for picking qualifications for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations to be hosted

by South Africa just as he congratulated the Golden Eaglets for winning their match against Guinea.

The Super Eagles last Saturday at the U.J Esuene Stadium, Calabar defeated Lone Stars of Liberia 6-1 and winning with a 8-3 goal aggregate to book a ticket for the competition in South Africa. The Golden Eaglets at the same venue defeated their Guinean counterparts 3-0 in the first leg, second round of the African Junior Championship qualifiers.

According to him, the performance of the senior national team is an indication that the re-building process embarked upon by Coach Stephen Keshi is yielding results even as he charged the team to remain focused so as to put up a good performance in South Africa.

T

he National School Sports Festival earlier scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt from November 1 to 11 will now hold from January 24 to February 3, 2013.

Disclosing this to Saturday Mirror, the President of Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF), Mallam Ibrahim Muhammad, said the postponement became necessary following the recent flooding that engulfed some parts of the host state and the security concerns raised within the University of Port Harcourt environs as a result of the killing of the four University of Port Harcourt (Uniport) students in Aluu.

“Actually we painstakingly took the decision to shift the competition to early next year after the NSSF and the LOC saw the sincerity of the Rivers State government to host a successful competition.

“Also, we sympathised with the host state following the recent flooding which engulfed some parts of the schools and venues where the competitions would hold and we felt there is need to shift the

Muhammad

date further.

“Aside that, we saw the security concerns raised within the University of Port Harcourt environs where the students would be accommodated and we

he Super Falcons arrived Accra, Ghana, on Friday morning to continue preparations for the 2012 African Women’s Championship (AWC).

The team was received at Kotoka International Airport by stewards of Lizzy Sport Center, where the team will be camped for their one week stay in Ghana.

Lizzy Sport Center is owned by former France International and Chelsea defender Marcell Desailly and the sports complex is complete with accommodation and training facilities for the team.

Desailly visited the team as they had breakfast, to the delight of the players, to ensure that the services being offered were satisfactory. He went on to meet with the coaching staff to welcome them.

Ikhana praised the French-born Ghanaian for investing in a project he describes as “world class”, calling Desailly “a genius of his time”.

Twenty-three players travelled to Accra for the final round of camping before the team proceeds to Equatorial Guinea to defend the AWC title won in South Africa in 2010.

The squad is made up of goalkeepers’ Precious Dede (Bayelsa Queens), Tochukwu Oluehi (Sunshine Queens) and Ebubele Whyte (Rivers Angels).

The defenders are Evelyn Nwabuoku (Rivers Angels), Helen Ukaonu (Sunnana SK), Joy Jegede (Delta Queens), Ebere Ngozi (Rivers Angels), Onome Ebi (Attesihir Belediyesi, Turkey), Gladys Akpa (Sunshine Queens), Josephine Chukwunonye (Rivers Angels) and Gloria Ofoegbu (Rivers Angels).

Midfielders are Onyinyechi Ohagugha (Rivers Angels), Stella Mbachu (Rivers Angels), Esther Sunday (Sunshine Queens), Tawa Ishola (Sunshine Queens), Ogonna Chukwudi (Umea IK, Sweden), Glory Iroka (Rivers Angels), Rita Chikwelu (Umea IK), while the strikers are Azizat Oshoala (Rivers Angels), Ngozi Okobi (Delta Queens), Ebere Orji (Rivers Angels), Emueje Ogbiagbveha (BIK, Kazakhstan) and Perpetua Nkwocha (Sunnana SK, Sweden). decided not to risk the lives of our children because the entire area is being patrolled by the police and military personnels following the Uniport killings.

As the organisers of the competition, we are deeply sorry to all our member states on the change in date and the inconveniences this might cause them,” Mohammad said with a tinge of regret.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Commissioner for Sports, Fred Igwe, has inaugurated a 21-man Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the multi-sports tournament to prepare the ground for a hitch-free competition next year.

44

SPORT

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Passion made me dump basketball for boxing –Ovie Daniel Ovie is one of Nigeria’s promising heavyweight boxers expected to win laurels for the country in the near future. In this interview with IFEANYI EDUZOR, the Delta State-born pugilist, who won a silver medal at the last National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt, speaks on his reasons for dumping basketball for boxing, his career rise and target at the forthcoming Eko 2012 National Sports Festival.

Excerpts:

Y

ou once played basketball and later embraced boxing, what brought about the change?

I want to tell you that right from the time I was growing up as a youth, I loved boxing with passion, but there was nobody to really encourage me, so I decided to embrace basketball which was my second love. I was a key member of Raptors Basketball Club and it was during one of our training sessions that my boxing coach, T&T, of World Class Boxing Academy, Lagos, spotted me and advised me to change my sporting career, that considering my size and physique I will be useful in boxing than basketball.

And I took his advice and since then, I have not looked back.

Do you have any regret dumping basketball for boxing, which many people consider as being too dangerous?

Like, I told you earlier, boxing has always been the sport I loved with great passion and even when I was playing basketball, it has always been my dream to have the opportunity of being a pugilist. I believe that God has a purpose for everything and maybe if I had continued with basketball, I might not have achieved anything.

Also, since I embraced boxing, I have received all the necessary support from my family and as such the sky is my limit. Having said this, I want to tell you that I have not regretted dumping the slam-and-dunk game for boxing, rather the decision has given me joy and fulfillment and with the type of rigorous training I am undergoing, very soon I will rule the world in my chosen career.

For those who describe boxing as a dangerous game, I want them to realise that all sports have their own share of hazards. There have been instances, when footballers have cardiac arrest and die on the field of play and yet that does not discourage people from playing football. As for boxing, when you train hard, you will limit the incidences of injury. So, I want people to see the sport as a lovely and disciplined game that is meant to entertain fans.

The National Sports Festival is around the corner, what efforts are you making to post a good performance at the Nigeria’s version of the Olympics?

The National Sports Festival is the biggest sporting event in the country because all the best athletes in the country will be competing among themselves to determine who emerges as the best.

Apart from this, it is also at that festival that new talents are discovered to represent the country in major international competitions. And for any athlete to win any medal he must be at his best, so, I have already commenced training with the help of my coach.

Presently, Ogun State which I’m representing at that festival has commenced camping for all the athletes to keep us in shape ahead of the tournament and I have no doubt in my mind that at the end of the day, I will be in top shape to surmount any opposition in the heavyweight class.

You represented Kogi State at the last festival held in Port Harcourt and now you want to represent Ogun State, what brought about the sudden change?

My deciding to dump Kogi for Ogun State is borne out of the fact that the state never appreciated the medals we won for it the last time. At the Garden City Games, Kogi won a total of two silver medals and a bronze. And out of this, boxing got two silver medals for the state through me and Mike Jumbo, yet the state government did not give us any monetary reward as was done by other states. Their reason was that the state performed poorly at the festival and because of this, I decided to represent a state that will appreciate my efforts more. I am quite optimistic that Ogun State will reward us handsomely at the end of the day.

What efforts are you making to win the gold in your weight category this time around?

Boxing is a very serious business and for you to win any medal in the sport, you must be mentally, physically and

Daniel Ovie (left) blocks a punch from an opponent during his fight at the last National Sports Festival in Port Harcourt, Rivers State

psychologically alert at all times, both in and out of the ring. I am preparing seriously to ensure I win the gold medal in the heavyweight category.

During the last sports festival, ival, I was supposed to pick the gold, but ut inexperience prevented that from happening and I settled for the silver. Butt th this is ttime ime im e around, I have learnt my lessons sons and I promise my fans that nothing g less than the gold medal will satisfy me..

ernment at all levels to invest in boxing and other combat sports as that is the only way to reduce youth restiveness as well as create employment for the country’s teeming g youths. y uths. yo

Are you satisfied with the level of boxing development in the country?

It is very unfortunate thatt boxing which has produced d world champions for the counntry in the past, in the persons ns of Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey, Dick ‘Tiger’ ger’ Ihetu, Samuel Peter, Davidson Andeh, eh, Obisia Nwankpa, Eddy Ndukwu, Joe oe Lasisi, Jeremiah Okorodudu, Ngozika ka Ekwelum, Peter Konyegwachie and other great boxers in both the amateur ateur and paid ranks cannot win a single gle medal for the country at the London 2012 Olympics. What this means is thatt those responsible for development of the gam game me have left a lot of things undone. ne. There are no more grassroots championships pionships these days and our boxers are re neitherr exposed to the most modern techniques chniquess of the game nor are they sent nt on foreign training tour to perfect ct th their techniques before any major championship.

Do you have plans of turning urning professional in future?

When I joined boxing, it has always been my dream to become ome a professional boxer where I can an use my God-given talent to win a world title for my country. I believe ve that very soon I will be joining the he paid ranks where I hope to be a very y strong world heavyweight contender.

What advice do you have for youths who want to go into boxing?

My advice is that they should ould remain focused, be committed to o training and always follow instructions ctions of their coaches for them to succeed in the game.

There is also the need for gov-

Daniel Ovie

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

October 20, 2012

Tottenham, Chelsea clash excites AVB T

ottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is looking forward to his first clash with Chelsea when his former side visits White Hart Lane today.

Villas-Boas had an inauspicious spell as Chelsea manager last season and faces his former side for the first time in today’s lunchtime kick-off.

Victory would see Spurs move within a couple of points of the

Blues at the top of the table and he feels they are capable of a positive outcome.

“To a certain extent Chelsea are showing some form that Manchester City showed last year, not with the same points but certainly very, very efficient.

“It is never going to be an easy game for us. This kind of motivation that we feel towards this game, the opposition will

M

E

Diouf

EURO BRIEFS

Terry ‘damaged’ English football, says Bernstein

F

ootball Association chairman David Bernstein has accused Chelsea captain John Terry of damaging the reputation of English football. Terry announced on Thursday that he would not be appealing the governing body’s decision to ban him for four matches and fine him 220,000 pounds after he was found guilty by an independent panel of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand.

Villas-Boas

Kompany hails Man City’s positive start

Diouf blasts ‘egotistical’ Gerrard

l-Hadji Diouf has labelled Steven Gerrard “egotistical” and claimed major figures at Liverpool “cannot stand” the current club captain.

Leeds United forward Diouf gave an interview in which he defended himself against his badboy reputation and hit out at his former Anfield team-mate, who criticised him in his 2007 autobiography.

Gerrard wrote: “I wasn’t Diouf ’s number one fan. Being around Melwood and Anfield I knew which players were hungry, which players had Liverpool at heart. Diouf was just interested in himself.

“His attitude was all wrong. I felt he wasn’t really keen about putting his body on the line to get Liverpool back at the top.”

Diouf said: “What he said is only of interest to him. All I worried about was the Senegal team; I took them to the World Cup quarter-finals in 2002.

“I was in Pele’s 100 players of the century. Not him. I respect him as a footballer, but there is nobody more egotistical than him.

“He does not care about others. I spoke to the major figures at Liverpool and nobody can stand him. And I am not talking about (Jamie) Carragher.”

Diouf has had a controversial career since coming into English football with the Reds after that 2002 tournament.

feel in exactly the same way.

“Certainly we want to win, because it might give us a chance to go nearer those spots where we think we belong at end of season.

“But there will be many other games and we still have to continue to improve,” he said.

Villas-Boas is also sure his international players will not be jaded after more than a week away from the club.

Kompany

anchester City captain Vincent Kompany is happy with his team’s start but insists there is much more to come from the Premier League champions.

City may be third in the table when the Premier League resumes after the international break, but are yet to reproduce the form shown during their titlewinning campaign.

An impressive 3-0 win over Sunderland last time out suggested that their best football isn’t far

away and the skipper is content with their form.

“We are exactly where we wanted to be, second or third place and there are still a lot of games to play. We are just getting through them,” said the Belgium international.

“There will be moments where we will really switch it on.

“It’s already positive for us to pick up so many points when people say maybe we didn’t play our best games, but I think we have to be happy with the results.

Casillas unfairly criticised, says Albiol

R

eal Madrid’s Raul Albiol claims that there is a campaign against Iker Casillas to prevent him from claiming this year’s Ballon d’Or award.

The Spanish press has been particularly critical of their national team captain over apparent mistakes he has committed in recent games and Albiol believes that it is not being done without reason.

“When these types of criticisms are made, there is an objective. This campaign is to give those who choose the Ballon d’Or one less problem,” the defender said.

“It is clear that to win the

A

Terry

City enough for Toure

M

anchester City manager Roberto Mancini has dismissed the latest suggestions that Yaya Toure is looking to leave the Etihad Stadium. The Ivorian’s agent said earlier this week that the 29-year-old was looking for a new challenge, having already helped City to secure three pieces of silverware.

Yaya Toure

Giroud aims to emulate Bergkamp

A

rsenal striker Olivier Giroud hopes to have the same impact as Dennis Bergkamp at the club despite a slow start to his career in England. The former Montpellier man scored his first English Premier League goal against West Ham before the international break.

PREMIERSHIP TABLE

Casillas

award as a goalkeeper is very difficult but, if anyone can do, it is Iker. Last year, he won trophies with Spain and with Real Madrid.

He had a great season.”

While Casillas has received criticism, other candidates for the award, such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi have received praise.

Bonera happy with Pato’s return

C Milan defender Daniele Bonera expects the return of Pato to give his team a much needed boost in attack.

The injury-plagued Pato has not seen a minute’s action so far this term, as a result of an injury he picked up whilst representing Brazil at the London Olympics.

However, he has since recovered and is expected to make his first appearance when Milan

45

take on Lazio today and Bonera believes the attacker rejoins the squad at just the right time.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side have been disappointing in their Serie A campaign so far, managing just seven points from seven games.

Bonera concedes the title might already be out of reach, but he does believe the club has made progress.

“The team has improved a lot.

We have had some good games

Pato

but we’ve paid for some mistakes.

“As for the Scudetto? Perhaps not, but the team is getting better and I believe this is clear to everybody,” he said.

TEAM

P

GD

PTS

1. Chelsea

7

11

19

2. Man Utd

7

8

15

3. Man City

7

7

15

4. Everton

7

6

14

5. Tottenham

7

5

14

6. West Brom

7

4

14

7. Arsenal

7

8

12

8. West Ham

7

0

11

9. Fulham

7

4

10

10. Newcastle

7

-3

9

11. Swansea

7

1

8

12. Stoke

7

1

8

13. Sunderland

6

-2

7

14. Liverpool

7

-3

6

15. Wigan

7

-6

5

16. Aston Villa

7

-6

5

17. Southampton

7

-8

4

18. Reading

6

-5

3

19. Norwich

7

-12

3

20. QPR

7

-10

2

46

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Cyber crimes, poor awareness, threats to cashless economy’ Mr. Peter Ineh, Vice President, Information System Audit and Control Association (ISACA), in this interview with KUNLE AZEEZ, speaks on the association’s mandate, cyber protection issues and a new bill being pushed for passage into law in the National Assembly by ISACA, which he says will help in identity and personal information protection as individuals, businesses and government interact in the current digital economy being driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria. Excerpts:

C

an you tell us about ISACA and the training you recently organised to train IT professionals?

ISACA means Information System Audit and Control Association. It is the forum for most IT auditors and organisations in Nigeria and the world and what we do basically is to provide training sessions for IT auditors, IT managers and IT security managers. So, our recent training session, the Continuing Professional Education, had to do with cyber security where we talked about prevention, detection and investigations that would be carried out.

Basically, as an IT person, we are talking about strategies for protecting business organisations in the area of cyber threats and attacks and how do you go about detecting, preventing and then how to carry out your investigation. Basically, we provide training for all IT personnel in Nigeria. Basically, the objective of the training session was to bring to bear the issues that we have in the industry in terms of cyber crimes and cyber threats and attacks to organisations.

How safe do you think we are, as Nigerians, in the current drive to transform Nigeria into a cashless economy, in terms of possible threats?

Now, you mentioned the issue of cashless Nigeria and this is the development that has further heightened the issue of threats as it concerns organisation and the way they do business. Before now, when it was the issue of taking to and going to take cash from the banks, it was so easy. But these days, people stay in their offices and make withdrawals. So this development has heightened the threats that are not inherent in baking in particular.

So, this training is basically to bring to bear to all our members and also IT professionals threats that are available right now and how they, as IT professionals, can reduce or minimise the risk and then, suggestions on how to prevent any form of attack in their organisations and then ways that you can carry out investigations even when threats occur. So, basically, that is the import of today’s session.

What are you planning as an organisation to forestall occurrence of cyber attacks?

Right now, we are working with federal organisations, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Inland Revenue Service and some other government agencies in passing a bill called Personal Identification Information (PII) bill. The purpose of that bill is to secure, to a large extent, customer identity information. We all know right now that you enter an office and they ask you all sorts of information about yourself and at the end of the day, you begin to receive some unsolicited messages on your phones and emails. So, what we are saying is the need to bring up a bill that will regulate how people collect this information and their responsibility on how they protect the information and what you, as an individual, in case you feel that your privacy has been breached, what steps you can take to get the remedies from such organisations. Basically, that bill is what we are pushing. Right now, Ghana, which is very close to Nigeria, has just passed its own bill and is implementing it. So, by the end of this year, we will come up with a draft copy that we would make available to the federal lawmakers for onward passage into law.

How do you think we can safeguard people and organisations from cases of hacking and online fraud and personal information theft?

Talking on how we can safeguard ourselves in the current cashless economy we are in, I want to note that the CBN has done a lot in terms of enlightenment, awareness creation and so many other things. We are just complementing what the CBN is doing. We have to follow what is happening in the advanced country because we are in a global economy. Though we are not there yet, I agree, yet it is not the CBN that provides electricity. So, without electricity, you cannot do anything and that also means we need to get our infrastructure right for a successful cashless economy. So, infrastructure has a big role to play in this and the government on its part seems to have stepped up efforts too, to boost electricity.

If you notice, in the past few weeks, electricity supply seems better in some parts of the country. Information available from government quarters also shows that government is doing a lot in terms of strength-

Ineh

ening the infrastructures that they have in supplying the whole country stable power and I have seen that also for the past weeks that the power supply has been stable.

From then, it is now easy for the organisation to now build their systems along that infrastructure.

What do you consider the major threats to the cashless economy initiative?

The missing link now is awareness, awareness and awareness. There is also the need for increased training and retraining of the professionals and even the populace.

The populace needs to know that they don’t need to give anybody their passwords; that they don’t need to just to go to any website and just fill some personal information and details and I think the CBN, through the banks, has also done a lot in that regards. ISACA too has also done a lot in that regards. If people are informed regularly that they don’t have to give any of their personal information to any person, then we are going to have a successful electronic transaction regime. And that is why it is important that we come up with a bill that regulates the way organisations collect information. It will specify the way the Ministry of Health collects information from you, also the Ministry of Education, and other government ministries and agencies as well as business organisations. This is because all the information can be hacked into, if not well protected, by some scrupulous elements that prowl online with intention to defraud. This is why we have come up with a bill to ensure that those people collecting the information also have some

processes in place to protect the information. Therefore, it is not enough to just collect this information, without meeting the minimum standard required in identity protection. Do they have IT auditors? Do they have IT managers? Do they have website protection applications? Do they have firewall in place? Do they have intrusion detection system in their organisations?

This is because if they don t have all those, it is easy for somebody outside to hack into their systems and get the information that belongs to other people, especially where financial transactions are involved. So, it is important that those people collecting the information also have the minimum things they should have in place.

In case of any breach of information, does the bill you talked about make any provision for a redress process?

In case of breach, the PII bill specifies steps for redress in case of any information breach. After passing the bill into law, for instance, we are still going to press it on the government to see that a commissioner is appointed to implement and monitor the activities of people that collect the information. So, in the case of a breach, in that bill, it will be stated the step by step process the effected individual or organisation can follow for a redress. Basically, we are taking the PII bill beyond the private sector. Like I told you, we had a meeting a month ago in Abuja to pass this bill. Part of the plan is to carry out the enlightenment session with the government agencies that also oversee people that collect information.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

47

October 20, 2012

Introduction he yam-harvesting period is a regular period in Nigeria. Yam grows everywhere in the country.

It is estimated that 30 per cent of the harvested tubers are lost as waste due to non processing and preservation. Even the traditional processing method is outdated and laborious, and equally grossly inefficient for mass production to satisfy the teeming population cum local demand, and make room for the export market to earn scarce foreign exchange that is needed in the country.

Yam flour is a cherished delicacy among Africans and other parts of the world. Its processing increases its shelf life, adds value to the tuber (from where it is processed) before being exported to enhance its economic value, reduces waste and cuts down the cost of transporting the product to longer distances compared with the heavy wet tubers that are unprocessed. The fact that this can be preserved helps to stabilize prices during off harvest seasons. The setting up of this project is seen to be feasible, considering the following:

T

Technical considerations The plant aimed here, will take drudgery off the processor, increase the output as well as give good quality finished product for export.

Its rated capacity is 500 metric tonnes of finished yam flour per year (8 hours per day of 250 days in a year after allowing for about 2.5% waste).

This means that about 1,500MT of raw yam tubers will be needed per annum.

The machinery and equipment needed to process yam flour are (a) Peeling Machine (b) Boiling Machine (C) Flash Dryer (d) Moulding Machine (e) International Standard Scale (f) Automatic Sealing Machine (g) Packaging Machine All the above machines and processing technology can be sourced locally. The machines, apart from being obtained locally, can as well be imported.

The addresses of where to obtain these locally-made machines and imported ones will be given to prospective investors on reaching the writer.

Raw materials The raw materials needed are wet yam tubers. These are obtainable from farms cultivated by plantations, small holders and co-operative farmers. There is abundant yam grown in this country.

Nigeria is the world’s largest producers of yams with over six million metric tonnes per annum of this output; only about 5 per cent is put into industrial use by way of chips and flour. Almost all states of federation grow yam.

Location The best place to locate this project is the area where yam tubers are obtained in abundance.

Producing yam flour for export They are heavy and so transport expenses would be reduced if the project is located in areas where the tubers are grown in abundance, hence it can be sited in any part of the country.

Other factors to consider include: (a) Availability of labour and raw materials in commercial quantity. (b) Availability of infrastructural facilities (water, power, access road etc). Export processing zones will be most ideal for setting up this project, if it is basically for export. (c) Ease or otherwise of the accessibility of the plant site to urban areas/ markets both for local consumption and export.

To accommodate the plant, one needs a large building with an area of about 1,500M2.

The market for yam flour The market is both local and international. The latter should be targeted where there is preponderance of habitation of Africans in Europe, America and Asian countries.

Based on research, some marketing point’s international has been established and would be given to prospective investors.

The factors that have positively affected the demand for this product include the prevalence of foreign exchange crunch, habit/culture, the increase in population of the country, the fact that its consumption cuts across demographic classes, income levels and religious boundaries.

Production process Briefly, the processes involved in yam flour production are (1) Procurement of good quality tubers, weighing and washing of them.

(2) Peeling the washed tubers (3) Grinding of the peeled tubers into pulp.

(4) Drying of the ground yam pulp (5) Milling of the dried pulp

(6) Sieving to avoid having lumps when being prepared for eating (7) Bagging and Packaging (2kg, 5kg, 10kg, 25kg and 50kg).

Details of the standard required in the international market will be given to prospective investors.

Cost and funding The project can be set up with a minimum of N8.5 million using locally-made machines. It will be more if imported machines are to be applied.

In terms of funding, there are some in-

stitutions in Nigeria that are interested in the funding of this type of projects.

Details will be given to prospective investors Investment analysis The project is very profitable. With aggressive marketing strategies, good management and an export orientation, the payback period would be less than two years.

The return on investment is very encouraging at over 58 per cent. Details will be given to prospective investors.

Financial estimates Accommodation Feasibility Studies

1, 000,000 500,000

Plants & Machinery

2, 500,000

Raw Materials

2, 000,000

Operating Cost

1, 000,000

Utilities

1, 500,000

Total

8, 500,000

Note the project can be scaled up or down depending on the level the prospective investor wants. For details contact the writer.

Uba Godwin, 08034494437, e-mail: ubagodwin@yahoo.com

48

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Printing business is lucrative but competitive’

ON A LOW SCALE, ONE COULD START THE BUSINESS WITH ABOUT

N20 MILLION

WHILE ON A HIGH

SCALE, ONE COULD COMMENCE THE BUSINESS WITH

N100

MILLION FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON

F

or many who has the resources but are unsure of what nature of business to invest in, the printing business may just be a good idea.

Oladele Adesoba, the managing director of Oladele Adesoba Enterprises, located in Ikeja, who has been into the printing business for over thirty years says the business, is a good and lucrative business that is worth the investment of any investor.

By interest and the zeal for challenges, Adesoba got attracted into the world of printing and embarked on the apprenticeship for the profession.

According to this Oyo born man who has experienced the transition between the old and new technology in the area of printing noted that the advent of technology had immensely improved upon the business and had made it faster and easier.

“No doubt, technology had brought about a lot of changes and comfort into the business of printing. Back in those years when we started off, printing was a trade you have to learn for at least three years and the machines needed at that time were not as expensive as

the ones now and of course they were not as fast and efficient as the present type of machines that are now available,” explained Adesoba.

However, Adesoba noted that these diverse technologies are not without their demerits. For instance, if you print a receipt booklet with the computer, it is not possible to have page non on these booklets which could as well serve as a security measure. Secondly the computer print out is never as durable as using a chord machine or other printing machines for the job” he enthused. While speaking with Saturday Mirror, Adesoba stated that the major challenges of the business include power, which is a major one.

Getting good and committed staff team to work with is another. “Most of these boys we employ are not honest at all. All they want to do is to rip you off all your profits but one must always find a way of dealing with them amicably,” he said.

Speaking about the nature of the business, Adesoba enthused that the business is a good one and a very lucrative one too.

“It is a very lucrative business and it is money spinning especially if you have the right contacts and the financial support because it is a very capital intensive business” warns Adesoba.

Technical knowhow is another important face of the business noted Adesoba.

“You have to be technical inclined to succeed in this business and you must go through the formalities so that you can maximize profit on the business. If you

have the technical knowhow of the job, it will not be so easy for your staffs to cheat you or rob you off of what is yours. Although for some, they didn’t go through the formalities; all they do is to have the resources and with the right contacts, they subcontract the job to people like us who know and get their money from their clienteles.”

Like every other profession, printing business has its own style and Adesoba warns that the success of the printing business is also dependent on the ability of the investor to create a niche for himself in the area of standard which he must persistently keep up.

“You must create a standard for yourself and be able to live by it. It is with this standard that people will give you recognition and class you. You must be able to pay attention to all the little details and not do hurried jobs that will turn out to be wishy- washy at the end of the day” he explains.

Adesoba also affirms that when he started his business about thirty years ago, he had about N5, 000 but now things have changed and the machines are now more expensive.

On the necessary equipments one would need to commence a printing business, Adesoba remarked that this can be done in tune with the person’s financial strength adding that equipments like laminating machine, cutting machine, creasing machine, cord machine for printing, numbering machine, UV ma-

chine for spot lamination and a good space is very essential.

“On a low scale, one could start the business with about N20 million while on a high scale, one could commence the business with N100 million. The business is a very capital intensive one” enthused Adesoba.

Adesoba stated that the business is not one that has a peak and off peak period per say but this factor is solely dependent on the investor and his ability to get deals.

“For instance, if the contact of the investor is solid especially with the corporate world, the person is likely not to have an off peak period as he would be busy round the year with one job or the other. However, if your contacts are not as strong, you may enjoy high sales between September and December which are festive periods when a lot of people do one ceremony or the other while off peak period may be between January and August when festivities are on the low ebb.”

Adesoba further remarked, “There is the graphics, lithography, print digital separation, lamination, spot lamination, numbering, perforating and creasing and one can even pick one are of specialization if you feel you cannot afford all the phases to it.”

In finality, Adesoba advises that the investor must be financially ready and technically prepared before delving into the business of printing.

Crime Watch

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

October 20, 2012

49

Crime Watch P. 51 Vulcanizer sets apprentice ablaze

BRIEFS

Man, 56, arraigned for alleged breach of trust, cheating

T

he police have arraigned a businessman, Paul Nkadi of Suite A22, Abuja Shopping Mall, Wuse, Abuja before an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for breach of trust and cheating.

Police prosecutor Abdullahi Adamu told the court yesterday that the case was reported at the Wuse Police Station

by John Ojinnaka who lives at Martins Street, Balogun, Lagos on Oct. 17.

He said that four of Ojinnaka’s clients wanted to embark on a trip to China. ``Sometimes in April this year, Ojinnaka entrusted Nkadi with the sum of N160, 000 to process China visa for four of his clients,’’ Adamu said.

The prosecutor said that Nkadi dishonestly converted the money for the visa to his personal use, an offence contrary to Sections 321 and 322 of the Penal Code.

Nkadi pleaded not guilty to the charges and in view of his plea, the prosecutor appealed to the court to deny bail to the accused. ``The offence of breach of trust is not ordinarily bailable and if Nkadi is admitted to bail he will jump the bail. ``Although, a place of residence is not a factor for granting bail, the accused has no definite residential address.

Police arrest fake soldiers over arms

T

he Oyo State Police Command has announced the arrest of two persons for allegedly impersonating Nigerian Army officers and a commercial motorcyclist over arm discovery.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Adebayo Lanode, acting spokesperson of the command, confirmed the arrests.

He said that a cleric became suspicious of one of the suspects when he introduced himself as a Colonel at a shopping complex near the University of Ibadan and reported the matter.

The spokesman said that the police immediately swung into action and arrested the said Colonel and his partner in crime.

He said that upon searching the suspects’ car, two fake identity cards belonging to one Ajide O. E., as a Senior Special Agent and as a Senior Undercover Agent were recovered.

He said that two sets of army uniforms of the rank of a colonel were recovered.

The police, however, said that further investigations were being carried out before charging the suspects to court.

Numbers

Olusola

I bribed my way into piracy –Suspect While most of his childhood friends dreamt of becoming medical doctors, engineers, lawyers, academics and things of such, Olusola Sama had just only one dream: to become a pirate.

However, while many of his peers could not achieve their dream, Olusola not only achieved his, he lived it. But now, he is in the warm embrace of the law. How did it happen?

SEGUN ADIO

O

lusola Sama is a known pirate.

And it is said that the fear of Sola Sama is the beginning of wisdom for many local and international oil vessel operators plying Nigerian waters.

Olusola, a member of a notorious gang of sea robbers, was recently involved in dispossessing oil merchant of their valuables right on the high sea.

Though he was not the head of the gang, Olusola was said to be crucial to any successful operation carried out by the group.

However, on Tuesday, October 2, Olusola met his waterloo when he was picked up by security operatives at a hotel in Festac Town, Lagos State after a tip off. Olusola was reportedly in the company of two prostitutes in his posh room in the hotel; when the law enforcement agents swooped on him. The two prostitutes were later released.

Another partner-in-crime of his, Numbers Blessing, was later picked up after the former had been prevailed upon by the law enforcement agents to play along with Numbers to enable him come to the hotel where both were arrested.

Speaking with journalists, Olusola claimed that his dream since leaving secondary school, some years back, was to become a pirate. When pressed further why he chose sea robbery as a profes-

sion, he maintained that he was enthused by the rewards of those who were into the crime with whom he had been associated while growing up.

“While growing up, I lived in abject poverty with my guardians. I did not know anything called riches. So, when I could not continue my education, I abandoned school and I started acting as middleman for oil thieves and buyers of the stolen product,” Olusola added.

He claimed that while he acted as middleman for oil thieves and buyers of the stolen commodity, his reward was paltry and could not take him anywhere.

The Ilaje- Ese-Odo-born oil thief continued: “But while I did this, I was able to make some savings. I worked hard and prayed everyday that I should have enough money to bribe my way to joining the gang that do the real theft of the commodity. They were the ones that have the huge chunk of the money made. The opportunity came sometime last year when I had to beg the leader of the gang to let me come on board. I was able to convince him, though that was after I had given him about N300, 000,” Oluola said.

Olusola recalled that his first operation with the gang took place in Benin Republic waters in January 2012. He claimed his share of the loot in the first major operation he went with the gang was N2.7 million. Olusola claimed to have bought a new car from the proceeds.

On his part, Numbers, an Ijaw from Akpata Community in Ondo State, admitted

to being the kingpin of the sea robbery gang. Numbers confessed to have got N10 million from the last operation they went for before their arrest. He claimed that some highly placed individuals in the country were their sponsors.

“There is nothing to hide about it again. I am their commander. I have lost count of the number of vessels we have hijacked. Some of these operations were sponsored by powerful people in the land.

These people are even in the Presidency.

There is a lot of money in oil theft business,” Numbers said.

Numbers further revealed that there are about 1, 250 trained sea robbery across Nigeria just as he boasted of having about 3, 000 high calibre military weapons of various degrees kept in different parts of the country. Numbers claimed that the mode of operation of his gang involves a network which works closely with them by furnishing them with necessary information regarding the vessel to hijack.

Numbers continued: “Once we complete the assignment, we inform the point’s men who would also contact another team from the cabal who take charge of the hijacked vessel and offload the oil which is deposited in the various oil facilities for distribution by the oil marketers and merchants. We do not engage in the sale of the products once we complete our own assignment. We only monitor, at times, through arms support.”

Do you have a story for us? Contact 08138773277 or crimewatchmirror@yahoo.com

50

CRIME WATCH

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Man, 22, shot trying to evade arrest

z Mum detained in his stead z Justice must be done - Father Sodiq Rufai is a motorcycle repairer. But instead of being at his workshop attending to sick motorbikes, he is lying critically ill at an undisclosed indigenous healing house.

How come?

SEGUN ADIO

F

amily and friends of Sodiq Rufai, a motorcycle repairer, are currently on their knees praying for the survival of their loved one after he was allegedly shot by men believed to be policemen.

Sodiq, 22, runs a motorcycle mechanic shop at Mafoluku, in Oshodi area of Lagos State. Sodiq is a father of a girl through his lover, Rafiyat. Rafiyat reportedly lives with her mother close to Sodiq’s house with their daughter. It is reported that Sodiq always visits his daughter virtually every night on his way home from work.

But on Sunday, 7 October, 2012, something happened. While going to see his daughter and her mother, Sodiq was reportedly called by his friend to help rescue him (the friend) from the hands of some attackers, some streets away. It was the period of incessant inter-group clashes in the area and these had attracted the drafting of law enforcement agents into the troubled area.

Some streets away, one of Sodiq’s friends was reportedly engaged in a fight with some people. Apparently when the friend was being overpowered by the other camp, he called for reinforcement from his own friends in the area. That was how the friend called on Sodiq to come to his rescue.

Sodiq heeded the distress call of his friend and abandoned his plans to see his daughter and dashed to the theatre of fight. Sodiq was reportedly joined by two other friends who all ran towards the area where their friend was being assaulted.

Sodiq’s detained mother

Sodiq on hospital bed

While on their way, the other group reportedly laid ambush for the three friends and ensnared them. Once the opposing group swooped on Sodiq and his friends, fight ensued. When it dawned on the three friends that they could not match the advancing group, they took to their heels.

But they could not run fast before they were apprehended.

After the three friends were arrested, they were detained by the group, who later called police attention to the three young men. When anti-robbery policemen came, the law enforcement agents were told that Sodiq and his two friends were thieves.

Investigations revealed that with the threat of taking them to the Special Anti Robbery Squad at Ikeja, Sodiq decided to take his fate in his own hands: he planned escape from the hands of the law enforcement agents. Just as dust was settling after their arrest, Sodiq reportedly got up and dashed towards the entrance of the place where they were held. When he tried to jump the fence, he was allegedly shot in the leg by one of the law enforcement agents.

After he was shot at, he was reportedly taken to the national Orthopaedic Hospital at Igbobi, Fadeyi, in Lagos for treatment.

Speaking with Saturday Mirror, Rasa-

ki Rufai, Sodiq’s dad, claimed that his son managed to put a call to him the following day, when he relayed all that happened to him the previous day.

“When my son called me that Monday that he was on admission at Igbobi, I first thought it was on account of accident, but when we got there, we discovered that he was shot. But on Tuesday, October 9, 2012, one of the doctors at the hospital told me that if I wanted my son to live, I should seek alternative method of treatment for him,” he said.

The elderly Rufai recounted how he had to looked for money to treat his son.

He claimed that Sodiq is currently receiving unorthodox treatment at Ifo, in Ogun State. As if the gunshot received by Sodiq was not enough, his mother was reportedly arrested by policemen attached to Makinde Police Station, where he was initially taken to.

Sodiq’s mother was reportedly taken to SARS a day after she was detained at the police station, apparently because of her son’s unknown whereabouts.

Rasaki said: “It is ridiculous what is happening in this country. How can a boy that left home to go and see his daughter be said to be a robber? Before my wife was released last Wednesday, we were made to

part with some money. But my son is still where he is receiving treatment. In all we have expended about N85, 000 on the treatment”.

Rasaki told Saturday Mirror that policemen at Makinde Police Station had asked him to continue to treat Sodiq but produce him at the station at the end of November, 2012.

He further said that he is seeking redress for the injustice done to his son and wife, who he claimed was detained unjustly at the SARS. In this light, a petition had been sent to the National Human Rights Commission, Ikeja, Lagos for assistance.

Saturday Mirror was at Makinde Police Station but was told the Divisional Police Officer was away on duty. However, a constable who pled anonymity told our reporter that policemen would act based on the situation at hand and that in the case of Sodiq, their men must have acted when they realised that the young man was trying to jump arrest.

“When you are told that you are being arrested for an offence, the onus is on you to prove your innocence, but wanting to run away is a criminal act. It confers some suspicion on the accused even,” he said.

Robbers kill cow dealers, cart away N51m FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

F

or two weeks running now, the Ogun State Police command has been battling hard to unravel the identity of those behind the gruesome murder of a 45-year-old cow dealer, Usman Ayinde Lawal, who was killed two weeks ago at Owode Yewa, in the Yewa South Local Government Area of the state.

Usman, a cow dealer and the youths leader of Ajilete, a suburb town of Yewaland was killed on Sunday the 7 October, 2012 along the Owode – Ilaro road while travelling to the northern part of Nigeria, specifically Sokoto State to re-stock against the forth-coming Eid el Fitri.

Little did they know that it was going to be the last business trip for the trio of Usman, Idowu and one of their old time Fulani friend as they met their untimely death on

the journey.

The previous night to their journey, they had agreed to set out as early as 7am with substantial amount of money running to about N50 million to be able to return with adequate stock.

They had always been travelling to several locations in the northern states to get cows and rams to resell in their area in the previously and in keeping with the tradition.

Police reports said as they were trying to

manoeuvre their way around the bad portion of the road leading from Owode to Ilaro, gunmen who had laid siege for them in the area suddenly appeared and opened fire on the vehicle in which they were travelling.

Usman, who drove the vehicle and his cotravellers, needed not be told that the attackers were robbers before they scampered for safety into the bush, thereby abandoning their bags of money.

Crime Extra

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

October 20, 2012

51

SEGUN ADIO

B

ut for the intervention of a detachment of Lagos State security outfit, OPMESA, 23-year-old Jubril Kassim would have been long dead by now. He was reportedly set ablaze by the man who is expected to put him on the path of greatness.

Kassim dropped out of secondary school in 2008 having written his Junior Secondary Certificate Examination and was left in the care of one Musbau Oyelakin, the vulcanizer who now planned to get rid of the young man. Apart from being his boss, Odulakin is a cousin to Kassim’s mother.

Kassim has been learning vulcanizing from Odulakin at the latter’s shop close to Ladipo Spare Parts market, in Lagos, ever since he left school in 2008.

Kassim is reported to be the oldest among the four apprentices in Odulakin’s care. He is also said to enjoy some privileges among other apprentices apparently not only because he is the most senior, but because of the affinity with their boss. He was also reportedly loved and respected by Odulakin for the former’s devotion to work.

Kassim’s parents are in Ada, Osun State but the young man lives with Odulakin. He has been living with his cousin since he started learning the trade in 2008.

But the love Odulakin purportedly had towards Kassim took a downward trend recently when he allegedly set the young man on fire. The sad incident occurred on Saturday, 13 October, 2012, around 6:20pm.

Eyewitnesses told Saturday Mirror that Kassim, a lover of European football, left the shop to watch his favourite team play. He reportedly ordered his subordinates to lock up shop anytime they felt like going home. But unknown to Kassim, his boss had asked one of his debtors, who had promised to pay his debt, to hand over the sum to him. Odulakin, who had attended the meeting of vulcanizer chiefs throughout that day, was reported to have left instructions with one of the junior apprentices for Kassim not to leave the shop until the customer come with the money and that he should take the money home for him. The said customer was said to owe Odulakin N45, 000.

Though, the customer did not show up at noon as he promised, he did show up at the shop around 5:00pm. When the customer came, the shop was virtually empty as all the apprentices but one (the youngest) had left the shop. Efforts to have the customer leave the money behind for his boss by the young apprentice were futile as the man claimed he would only hand the money over to Kassim as briefed by Odulakin during their discussions on phone.

Investigations revealed that before leaving Odulakin’s shop, the customer reportedly called Odulakin to inform him that he got to the shop and there was no one he could hand over the money to and that he would bring it back at a later date.

Vulcanizer sets apprentice ablaze Jubril Kassim and Musbau Oyelakin are not only cousins. The former is also the latter’s apprentice. Why then would a master set his acolyte ablaze? Why would a man want his cousin dead through a raging inferno?

When Odulakin returned to the shop about 6:00pm, there was no one to be found. Red-faced, Odulakin called Kassim to find his way back to the shop immediately. Kassim came back about 20 minutes after his boss called his phone number ordering him back into the shop.

An enraged Odulakin, upon sighting Kassim did not even bother to ask where he was coming from. He reportedly pounced on the young man and gave him a beating of his life. When Kassim could not condone the beating again, he reportedly bluntly told his boss that he could not receive the punishment any longer. Apparently infuriated by the boss’s attitude, Kassim reportedly rained some abuses on his mentor.

This further angered Odulakin, who allegedly grabbed a keg hitherto used to

buy kerosene, and turned the content of the keg on Kassim. But at this time of the argument, one of Odulakin’s neighbours had used the keg to buy petroleum hoping to take it home and return the keg following day. In no time, Kassim was reportedly drenched by the content in the keg, and while trying to remove his shirt from being burnt by the inferno close by, he was caught right inside it.

The young man was caught by the ensuing inferno.

Neighbours moved in fast to ensure that the raging fire did not consume the young man. Just as the people were battling to put out the fire, a detachment of OP MESA men arrive the scene and took over the situation. They later succeeded in repelling the fire.

The security operatives reportedly whisked Odulakin and Kassim to an un-

disclosed location, but investigations revealed that Kassim was first taken to a hospital before Odulakin was taken with them.

“I had told Uncle that I would close the shop earlier than necessary and I was allowed to go. It was when Uncle came to the office and he did not see me that he started shouting for my name. When I got to the shop, Uncle did not all me to explain anything but just started insulting me and poured the content of the keg on my body,” Kassim said.

Oduiakin on his part blamed the incident on the work of the devil. He claimed it was not intentional. His words, “Kassim is like my own son.

There is no way I would intentional want to burn him alive. What happened was just the work of the devil and my traducers who were all out to end my life,” he said.

Before he was taken away in police van, the leader of the group, identified as Moses, claimed that Odulakin would be taken to the police station and probably face prosecution.

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October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

53

NORTH IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

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uspected Fulani herdsmen last Wednesday evening attacked and killed nine Eggon persons at Anguwar Alaku village, a suburb of Kadarko town in Giza development area of Nasarawa State.

Several others were reported missing while three persons including an aged woman were severely wounded from gun shots and are receiving treatment in Lafia, the state capital.

When Saturday Mirror correspondent was on his way to the incident yesterday, he discovered at Akaleku Village, about 20 kilometres away from Kadarko town along LafiaMakurdi Road, that several corpses littered both sides of the road as heavily armed military men were tying up those still struggling with life.

Youth leader of Eggon community in the area, Ayuba Peter, said the suspected Fulani herdsmen, who were armed from teeth to toe, attacked the villagers at a garri processing plant where they

L-R: Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, during the governor’s visit tot eh emir over the recent fire incident that gutted the reception hall of the emir’s palace, in kwara State, yesterday.

Fulani herdsmen kill 9 in Nasarawa village were processing cassava roots into garri.

According to him, “the surviving villagers had on the following day of the attack been able to recover

Rep warns FG agencies over delayed disbursement of funds ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

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member of the House of Representatives has warned that any government official who contravenes the Appropriation Act by refusing to release the sectoral allocation to the ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs will face the full wrath of the law.

The vice chairman of the House Committee on Power, Honourable Ibrahim Abdul Ebbo, who stated this at the Geregu power plant in Ajaokuta Local Government Area of Kogi State, noted with dismay the way and manner officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance withhold budgetary allocations to the MDAs. “We have discovered during our oversigh oversight function that a majority of the MDAs did not get the actual budgetary allocation as approved by the National Assembly, rather we noticed

that the MDAs normally received first and third quarterly allocations while the second allocation is usually not released before the end of the year,” he stated According to him, the situation is unacceptable to the National Assembly because the moment the appropriation is assented to by the president, it becomes law, stressing that the National Assembly would do everything humanly possible to ensure that the law is strictly enforced.

The lawmaker said that the National Assembly was not at war with the executive over budget implementation but to ensure what is good is done for the betterment of the down-trodden citizens of the country.

Speaking on the planned privatisation of the power sector, Ebbo assured the workers that, though government had taken a stand on privatisation, but no worker would be unduly retrenched.

nine corpses after combing the nearby bushes while several others are still missing.”

He said the attackers had laid an ambush at

the processing plant and opened fire on their unsuspected victims when the garri processing machine was switched on to commence the grinding of

the cassava roots.

Peter, however, regretted that the Eggon community in the area has never had any misunderstanding with the herds-

men that could have led to the barbaric massacre of his kinsmen.

A survival of the attack, Simon Godiya, lamented that the entire Kadarko community has not seen peace since January this year, but the the Nasarawa State government preferred to fold its hands and watch the migrated herdsmen perpetrate their heinous crime on the indigenous community with ease.

A Tiv refugee told our correspondent at Kadarko town that refugees of the ongoing crisis had been neglected by the Nasarawa State government as evident in the diversion of two trucks load of relief materials earlier on donated to the Kadarko refugee camp by government officials.

The refugee hitherto, call on well to do individuals across the globe to come to their assistance.

Administrator of Giza development area, Adamu Adi Giza, condemned the barbaric killings and appealed for calm among the indigenous community as government would ensure the quick return of peace in area.

Igbo, Yoruba in Jigawa unfazed by terrorist threats SEGUN ADIO AND ABDULLAHI ODEY DUTSE

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oruba and Igbo traditional leaders in Dutse, the capital of Jigawa State, have declared that their brethren will not attempt exodus back to their ancestral land due to the insecurity in the northern part of the country.

The declaration was made following massive departure of non indigenes from troubled neighbouring Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states due to wanton killings resulting in loss of lives and property.

Sarkin Yorabawa in Dutse, Alhaji Tajuddeen Salawu, who hails from Osogbo, Oyo State, and has resided in Dutse for more than 50 years said, “All my children were born here. I have prospered here (and) I do not welcome any relocation. Dutse is my home I cannot leave it for any fear”.

Chief Salawu stressed that the Yoruba had found Dutse conducive and that they integrated according to the customs of the indigenous people who had accepted them wholesomely and accommodated them without discrimination.

Alhaji Salawu said,

“We as Yoruba in Dutse are grateful. I do not intend to leave what we have achieved through hard work, discipline and rule of law. We have invested so much that our children will be victims if we flee.”

In a related development, President-General of Igbo community, Ezeh Igbandu, said the relationship of the Igbo with the host community had always been cordial since the first Igbo man arrived in Dutse.

Igandu, however, lamented business opportunities and therefore called on the government of the state to encourage more patronage of Igbo entre-

preneurship.

This, Ezeh Igbando stated, should include provision of land, 30 per cent ownership of government investment and regular access to authority on what concerns the community.

Attributing insecurity as a national problem, the Igbo community leader absolved Jigawa State of the trouble. He told Saturday Mirror, “Jigawa is free. There is no direct experience but more effort should be ensured.”

A traditional ruler of the Dutse royal house commended the tribes for their contribution to the state.

Kwankwaso orders health ministry to reverse $27m health loan AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

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ano State governor, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, has directed the state Ministry of Health to work out modalities for exiting from a $27 million loan, obtained from the World

Bank for a malaria control project.

In a release issued by Halilu Ibrahim Dantiye, Director of Press and Public Relations to the governor, a copy of which was obtained

by Saturday Mirror, the loan was said to have been obtained by the previous

administration in the state. The Kano governor claimed the directive became imperative because the state government has enough funds to cater health concerns of its citizenry.

Kwwankwaso, who spoke while exchanging views with the World

Bank Country director in Nigeria, Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, when the latter visited Kano governor’s lodge in Abuja, said: “As a matter of policy, the state government is not taking any loan. What government is getting presently is enough to manage our health challenges”.

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REGIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH

Fuel scarcity hits Kano again as black marketers take over sale AUGUSTINE MADUWEST KANO

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he fuel scarcity being experienced in the commercial city of Kano for some time now, has reached a crisis level with most filling stations literally shut down following non

availability of the product.

The situation which showed sign of improvement two weeks back, slumped again this week, forcing motorists to abandon their vehicles as prices at the black markets soar.

The current scarcity of petrol in the city according to our findings has left the

black market the only source of supply, at exorbitant cost.

As a result of the harsh fuel situation, vehicle owners now prefer to move on either motorbikes or foot to their places of business depending on the distance.

The development also prompted the unofficial hike in fuel price by black market

operators who had allegedly constitute themselves into a powerful syndicate, monitoring the supply of the product to fuel stations bulk purchase the product as soon as supplies are made and move them to unauthorized places where prices are fixed according to demand.

Almost all the filling sta-

tions belonging to major and independent marketers have been out of business in the last weeks in the state capital while the black market booms with the scarce product.

For instance, a 25-litter jerry can of fuel hitherto sold for N2,500 now sells for N4,000 while a five-litter can

which used to cost N600 at the black market has moved to N800.

The Kano office of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) could not be reached by our correspondent to ascertain the cause of the scarcity which is taking its toll on commercial activities.

Zamfara to enforce death penalty on ritualists, cultists

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overnor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state has vowed to enforce the death penalty on any person or group found guilty of ritual killings or cult activities in the state, in accordance with Islamic laws.

The governor gave the warning yesterday in Gusau at the weekly preaching session, organised by the state’s Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Reacting to reports of incessant killings and disappearance of innocent persons, particularly children in Gusau and other towns, Yari, who condemned the crimes, said they were embarrassing the government.

His words, “No responsive government will fold its arm and allow its citizens to be killed by a group of individuals whose selfish interests becloud their sense of reasoning on the sanctity of human life. We will stamp our feet of authority to ensure that such

devilish individuals and group are brought before justice. `If found guilty of killing any person for any reason, the death penalty will be enforced on the culprits,” he said.

The governor continued, “It is sad to know that in Zamfara today, we have some secluded spots called human slaughter houses where innocent victims are diabolically cut and their parts either sold or used for ritual activities. We will live no stone unturned in our determination to fish out perpetrators of these heinous crimes in order to safeguard the corporate name of our state. We are determined to fulfil our responsibility of making the lives and property of our people safe,’ he said.

Governor Yari warned ritual killers and cultists to relocate from the state or face the full consequences of their actions, according to the dictates of the law and without

Prospective Christian pilgrims from Bauchi State during their screening in Bauchi, yesterday.

fear or favour. ``I also want to make it clear that no matter how powerful these cabal of criminals are, we will enforce full penalty of the law on them once they are found guilty of killing innocent people,`` he said.

The governor urged people of the state to re-

main law-abiding and allow security operatives to handle the situation.

It is reported that scores of people mostly under-aged children and teenagers had been reported missing in Gusau.

Their whereabouts had remained a mystery in the last few months.

Sacked Kogi Assembly leadership: Group lauds decision ADEMU IDAKWO LOKOJA

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ver 2,000 youths and women, under the aegis of ’ Kogi People’s Parliament, yesterday took to the streets, in a show of support for the new leadership of the Kogi State House of Assembly headed by Honourable Jimoh Lawal.

National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Ebune Alfa, its Deputy, Farouq Mazai, and secretary, Aiyelabowo Adebanji, at a press conference in Lokoja, said it was their moral and constitutional responsibility to react to the lingering crisis in the state assembly following the impeachment of the former principal officers of the house.

The group described the allegations leveled against the ousted leaders as factual and correct, stressing that the former leaders were indicted by their colleagues before their eventual removal from office over abuse of official conducts.

It further alleged that the former officials had recruited a former fed-

eral lawmaker to recruit idle youths in the state to foment trouble thereby making the state ungovernable for the present administration following the impeachment of the former house officials.

It stressed that the former legislator should not allow himself to be used by self-seeking individuals.

Kano closes 2 more private clinics

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he Kano State Government has closed down two additional private clinics in the Kano metropolis for allegedly operating with substandard facilities.

The affected clinics are

Haznaf Medical Laboratory, Rijiyar Lemo and Al-wasa’u Clinic and Maternity, Kurna.

A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the state’s Ministry of Health, Isma’ila Gwammaja, on Friday in Kano,

said the clinics were closed down on Thursday for failure to meet set standards.

The statement re3ad in parts, “The Special Adviser to the governor on Private Hospitals, Dr Salisu Ibrahim, has ex-

pressed concern over the attitude of proprietors of some hospitals. This is because they have refused to comply with the rules and regulations governing medical practise, “ the statement said.

PHOTO: NAN

Northern govs pocket Emirs, opposition with Sallah rams –Shehu Sani A ZA MSUE KADUNA

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he president Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria (CRCN), Activist Shehu Sani, has said northern governors have pocketed Emirs and major opposition parties through Sallah ram gifts.

Activist Sani described the mass purchase of rams by state governors for distribution to few selected people for the Sallah Celebration as immoral, illegal and unconstitutional.

In an e-mail statement sent to Saturday Mirror by Shehu Sani, he said state governors wishing to get divine glory and blessing on Sallah or Christmas seasons should use their salaries and emolument but not tax payers money.

The statement read in part “Rams distributed by state Governors in the north

is not done for religious purpose but a means of dispensing patronage to political cronies, favour seekers and public office holders.

The rams are also shared to Emirs, wealthy personalities, pro-government clerics who can afford it” Activist Sani further noted “Most opposition parties in the states have lost their tooth, guts and nerve to challenge bad governance as result of the ritual of the Rams bribery. It makes no sense that funds that should be used for infrastructural development is diverted to a self glorifying exercise in the guise of a religious ritual” Activist Sani averred that whoever collect rams from the state governors purchased with public funds has directly benefited from the proceed of the illegal and immoral diversion of public funds.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

October 20, 2012

55

Taliban threatens journalists who cover Malala attack

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he Pakistani Taliban sought to silence the teenage education activist Malala Yousufzai by shooting her in the head. They’re also trying to stifle the widespread criticism of the attack in the news media by threatening journalists in Pakistan.

The militant group’s menacing statements have intensified fears among reporters in a country that is already one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist.

The attack on Malala, 14, in the northwestern district of Swat last week has left her battling to recover from her injuries in a hospital in Britain and generated a wave of shock and anger in Pakistan and around the world.

The Taliban quickly claimed responsibility for the act, but they didn’t appear to have anticipated the level of revulsion and condemnation that it would provoke. Thousands of people joined in rallies across Pakistan in support of the wounded teen, and calls grew for a strong response from the government.

As coverage of the shooting, and the appalled reaction to it, wept across the Pakistani and international news media, the Taliban began issuing

lengthy statements trying to justify the targeting of Malala, who had defied them by insisting on the right of girls to go to school.

They also complained that “this filthy, godless media has taken huge advantage of this situation, and journalists have started passing judgment on us,” raising the prospect of killing those journalists.

Reporters in northwestern Pakistan, the region where the Taliban are active, say they have been alerted by authorities of an increased risk to their security and some of them have received warnings that they are being specifically targeted.

“Things after Malala have become more tense, as the Taliban is very angry with the way the attack was reported,” said a veteran journalist in Peshawar, the main city in the restive northwestern region near the border with Afghanistan. “We are scared, but what can we do? We have to work.”

The journalist, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of fear of reprisals, noted that factions of the Taliban had killed and abducted other journalists in the past because they were unhappy with their coverage.

South Africa Gold Fields workers ‘end strike’

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early all the 15,000 South African gold miners who faced dismissal for going on an illegal strike have reported for duty, their company says.

Gold Fields said that only 1,500 miners did not return for work on Thursday and so have lost their jobs.

South Africa’s mining sector - one of the world’s biggest - has been hit by a wave of unrest recently,

which has left almost 50 people dead.

Workers at several other gold mines remain on strike.

The unrest over pay has badly hit South Africa’s economy, with the rand losing value and its credit rating downgraded.

In a bid to end the disputes, President Jacob Zuma this week called on workers to return to work and urged company executives to freeze their pay.

US President Barack Obama (left) and Republican rival Mitt Romney (2nd from right) make fun of each other at a charity fundraiser organised by the Catholic Archdiocese of New York With them are Cardinal Timothy Dolan and Romney’s wife, Ann.

Beirut blast kills top intelligence official

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senior Lebanese intelligence official was among at least eight people killed in a massive car bomb attack in central Beirut.

Wissam al-Hassan was said to be close to opposition leader Saad Hariri, a leading critic of the government in neighbouring Syria.

No group has claimed Friday’s attack, which was condemned by Damascus. Dozens of people were injured.

Tension in Lebanon has been rising as a result of the Syrian conflict. Lebanon’s religious communities are

divided between those who support the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad - including many Shias - and those mostly from the Sunni community who back the rebels.

Mr Hassan was regarded as an opponent of Syria within Lebanon’s security services.

He led an investigation that implicated Damascus in the 2005 bombing that killed Mr Hariri’s father, former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

He also recently organised the arrest of a former minister accused of planning a Syrian-

sponsored bombing campaign in Lebanon.

Friday’s attack, the deadliest in Beirut since 2008, occurred in the mainly Christian district of Ashrafiya, in a busy street close to the headquarters of Saad Hariri’s 14 March coalition.

Lebanon analyst Elias Muhanna told the BBC that reaction on the street would depend on how politicians respond. Widespread anger among Sunnis might be averted if both Sunni and Shia leaders call for calm, he adds.

Lebanon’s Shia mili-

Millions prepare for California earthquakes

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ourteen million people, including over nine million in the US state of California, have taken part in an earthquake preparedness drill known as the ‘Great Shake-Out.’ In Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined other officials to

demonstrate the proper way to react when an earthquake begins - not by running outside or standing in a doorway but to “drop, cover and hold on.

“This is a way of getting people to think about earthquakes in between the time that they’re hap-

pening. They never happen often enough to keep it always in memory,” said Dr Lucy Jones of the US Geological Survey.

Earthquake-prone California lies on the San Andreas Fault, an 810-mile (1,300km) fault that separates the North American and Pacific tectonic

Afghan roadside bomb kills 18 wedding guests

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massive roadside bomb has killed at least 18 people, mostly women and children, on their way to a wedding in northern Afghanistan.At least 15 others were wounded in what a BBC correspondent called one of the worst such attacks for some time.

The victims were on a minibus, heading to the wedding in the Dawlatabad district of Balkh province, when it was

tant group Helzbollah - a close ally of the Syrian government - condemned the attack.

Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi called it a “cowardly terrorist act”. However Mr Hariri accused Damascus of being behind the bombing.

Sunni Muslims reportedly took to the streets and burned tyres in several parts of Lebanon in protest.

Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati said the government was trying to identify the perpetrators and said they would be punished.

struck by the blast.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai strongly condemned the attack. “Planting a mine on a road used by civilians and the killing of innocent people represents hostility toward humanity,” he said in a statement.

No-one has admitted carrying out the attack, and it is not clear if the minibus was the intended target.

District police commander Bismullah Muslimyar said six children and seven women were killed by the blast, Associated Press reports. The bride and groom were not on the bus, he added.

Dawood Rustaie, a surgeon treating the wounded at a hospital in Mazar-eSharif, the capital of Balkh, said most were in a critical condition. “Some of

plates.

The 1994 Northridge quake caused major damage in Los Angeles, but nothing has matched the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which destroyed a majority of the city.

Researchers believe that the San Andreas is due for another large quake.

them are slightly wounded, but some others have severe injuries and need prolonged treatment.”

Northern Afghanistan has generally been one of the safest parts of the country since the US-led invasion in 2001, says the BBC’s Andrew North in Kabul.

But Balkh has seen an increase in Taliban activity in recent years, which NATO forces - despite their extra numbers - have been unable to suppress.

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Africa: The new frontier

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with President Olusegun Obasanjo hexcellency2011@yahoo.com Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was brought out as a comprehensive African home-grown political, economic and social programme giving common focus and objective but with individual country’s speed and characteristic. From NEPAD came African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) and hordes of reform in every sector of the national life and activity. In addition, continental institutions like the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Afrexim Bank are bringing out new initiatives to help doing business in Africa.

The continent has undergone some dramatic changes. In addition to more than tripling its economic output during the past decade, Africa is rapidly democratizing, combating corruption and

working to improve the climate and ease of doing business for foreign investors.

While focus has been on the potential in the BRIC nations, Africa has been quietly emerging as a real growth story. It is home to the world’s fastest growing economies, with 7 African countries expected to rank among the 10 fastest-growing economies in the world during the next five years.

Whereas 25 years ago only 3 out of the continent’s 54 countries were democracies, the landscape has now been transformed and across the continent today, more than 40 countries hold regular multi-party elections. We have witnessed new breed of Central Bank governance prioritizing economic stability, with external debt reduced from 65% of GDP to

SPORT EXTRA

NOA donates trophy to Nigeria School Sports Federation

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he Kogi Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has donated a trophy to the Nigeria School Sports Federation (NSSF) for a handball competition among the state’s secondary schools.

The agency’s Director, Chief Ibikunle Medubi, announced this in a statement on Friday in Lokoja.

The statement, signed by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, Patrick Edogbanya, said that the trophy was part of the NOA’s modest contributions to sports development at the grassroots.

It noted that sports development in the country had dwindled over the years and urged the three tiers of government to evolve deliberate policies to arrest the decline.

The statement also urged the various governments to create enabling environments for sports activities to thrive and motivate youths to participate effectively.

It quoted Medubi as urging the governments to discourage the approval of operational certificates for schools without good playgrounds with facilities and using sports to build leadership skills, social rela-

day

The Senate Committee on Capital Market has resolved to have nothing to do with Arunma Oteh, Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), for as long as she remains at the helm of SEC’s affairs. We support the position of the House of Representatives that the she should be removed.

Senator Ayoade Adeseun, chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market, stating the committee’s stance on the embattled SEC DG.

Saturday, October 20, 2012. www.nationalmirroronline.net

s economies across the world are slowing to a crawl, emerging markets are on the move, and Africa is drawing the attention of global investors. With turmoil in Europe, anaemic growth in the US and slowing down of Chinese growth, Africa is emerging as a key investment destination. In a year in which growth forecasts have been slashed across the globe, Africa has been resilient with forecast growth rates of 5.4% (2012). Africa is considered not only the ‘new frontier,’ but the final frontier – with nowhere else in the world offering the same growth potential, each of which has the potential to generate substantial returns as it transforms from relative poverty to relative prosperity.

Africa has undergone dramatic changes.At the turn of the century, a number of factors came together to help and build the development and growth that we are witnessing now in Africa.

At the global level, there was the commitment of the United Nations General Assembly in the year 2000 to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the year 2015. At the continental level, the OAU (Organisation of African Unity) became AU (African Union) with markedly different Charter Constitutive Act which pays more attention to peace and security, economic and social issues. New

the

tionships, integration and promote healthy living among the citizenry.

It appealed to individuals, nongovernmental organisations and the private sector to support sports to enhance unity, peace and development, as well as promote tourism and build bridges across communities.

The statement said that the state coordinator of the NSSF, Tolorunju Bature, thanked the agency for the donation and urged other government agencies to emulate the NOA in contributing to sports development in the country.

23%, reflecting a better macro-economic environment. Inflation rates and interest rates are down to single digits in many cases, institutional reforms have taken place and there have been many favourable changes in the way many governments operate. Secondary school enrolment across the Continent is now at 30% across sub-Saharan Africa, compared with only 3% in the 1960s. This is comparable to Mexico or Turkey in the 1970s, as those countries prepared for economic lift-off.

Importantly, there has been a fundamental attitudinal change among Africans, who are increasingly focused on following international norms and best practices. We are now witnessing what some consider a reverse migration with many Africans in the Diaspora beginning to return home, start businesses and work in Africa thereby supporting African developments.

African leaders are moving away from the blamegame of putting all that is wrong with Africa on slave trade and colonialism.

Although these have had their effects on Africa, now is the time to put those effects behind us and move forward in a new hope and a new dispensation because other regions of the world have suffered setbacks in their history and have got over them.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES Today’s Matches Tottenham v Chelsea 12:45 Fulham v Aston Villa 15:00 Liverpool v Reading 15:00 Man United v Stoke City 15:00 Swansea v Wigan Athletic 15:00 West Brom v Man City 15:00 West Ham v Southampton 15:00 Norwich City v Arsenal 17:30

Sunday, October 21, 2012 Sunderland v Newcastle 13:30 QPR v Everton 16:00

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