Saturday, April 16, 2016 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Vol. 6 No. 16 P.44

CRIME

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Man conceals 193 wraps of cocaine in socks

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National Mirror Online

NEWS

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Top Story

I used to stone Police detain four-month-old baby policemen over electrocution — IGP Arase

N150 P.3

Why we are not taking IMF loan — Adeosun P. 8

L-R: Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Gyang-Buba, his wife, Rakiya and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the Nzem Berom Cultural Festival in Jos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

2019: PDP scraps National Convention, adopts Option A4 P. 7

Again, Saraki loses bid to stop trial

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...as Sagay, Falana, others fault Senate’s bid to amend CCB Act Sealxk T

Seyi Shay P.24

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How many people have you indirectly slept with?

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I used to stone policemen –IGP

Oarhe Dickson BENIN

he Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has revealed a shocking version of his life while growing up as a student studying political science at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Arase disclosed that as an undergraduate student, he was among students that hauled stones at the police with the perception that they were common enemies. Arase stated this in Benin City on Thursday at the University Benin during his official visit to the Edo State Command to conclude a nationwide tour of inspection of 37 police commands in less than twelve months upon assumption of office as Inspector General of Police.

INSIDE

He recounted what occurred during the 1980s when the students on campus were divided along interest lines on the “Alli Must Go” uproar. The IGP said that he remembered then that the police were drafted in to calm the situation among the students so as not to escalate beyond the campus. “But then when we observed the presence of police in our midst on campus, as students, we instantly cut short our difference, became reunited to fight those (the police) we perceived as a common enemy. “I remember, I was among students that hauled stones at the police. But then, see I am now the one at the helm as Inspector General of Police,” he reminisced.

The IGP who was warmly received by the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin (UNIBEN), Prof. Faraday Orunmwense and management of the institution as an alumnus of the university, also reminisced on his sojourn as an undergraduate law student. He applauded the present standard of the university as students can now graduate within the stipulated academic calendar unlike his days. “I remember for one or two reasons following the number of times the school had to close down as a result of incessant strike action, it took me then about eight or nine years before I finally graduated from my law programme,” he said.

IGP Arase

from the complainant to help treat her son, which he failed to do,” he said. Mr. Okoliko, a police corporal, said after the complainant approached the accused to prepare herbs for her sick son, the accused billed her N130,000 which she sent to his bank account. “The complainant paid the money into the accused account and after the accused received the alert, he was nowhere to be found,” he said. The prosecutor said that all efforts made by the complainant to get the herbs or her money proved unsuccessful. “The accused refused to pick the complainant’s calls and anytime the complainant used another number to call

and the accused recognised her voice he will end the call. “He relocated from his house and also refused to show up at his shop,” he said. The prosecutor said that the accused was arrested after 16-month of his disappearance. The offence, Mr. Okoliko said, contravened Sections 285 and 312 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, which attracts 15 years imprisonment on conviction. The accused pleaded innocence of the offences and was granted bail in the sum of N50,000 with one surety in like sum. The Magistrate, M. Fadeyi, adjourned the case till May 19 for mention. (NAN)

Native doctor in court for defrauding woman of N130,000

native doctor, Mathew Nwode, charged with defrauding a woman of N130,000, was arraigned in Lagos on Friday. Mr. Nwode, 57, of no fixed address is being tried for fraud and stealing at an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos. The Prosecutor, Christopher Okoliko, told the court that the accused committed the offences on December 13, 2014 at Charity, Oshodi, Lagos. He said that the accused obtained N130,000 from Ngozi Ilonze, under the pretext of helping her to prepare herbal drugs that would cure her son’s sickness. “The accused collected the money

Governor Oshiomhole’s aide docked for criticising his boss

Athlete’s Foot Pg 38 Mirror

Tuberculosis: Why Nigeria is not winning the war

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Dear Bukola ‘My father raped me!’ Pg 33 divorce

court

‘She got pregnant for another man in my house’ Pg 31

Crime Watch

‘How I picked pockets for 15 years’ Page 43

Senior Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, Curtis Eghosa Ugbo, was on Thursday arraigned before an Oredo Magistrate Court for criticising the governor on social media. He was also accused of unlawful possession of gun. Mr. Ugbo, 47, was arraigned on a threecount charge of publishing an article against the governor in a manner likely to cause breach of public peace and illegally possessing a double barrel gun without a duly acquired valid license, an offence under Section 430 (2) of the Criminal Code, Cap 48, Vol. II, laws of the Defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976 as applicable in Edo State. Reading the first of the three counts, police prosecutor, Inspector S. E. Iredia said the governor’s aide committed the offence on April 12, 2016 at No 2b Ugbor Road in Benin City, Edo State. The charge reads: “That you, Curtis Eghosa Ugbo, ‘m’, on the 12th April, 2016 at No. 2b, Ugbor Road, Benin City in Oredo Magisterial District did made a publication in internet, with the caption: “What’s wrong with my boss?” “The ground breaking of Edo State own cement industry in partnership with a private company under Government Public Private Partnership and stakeholders, no State House Members or Speaker and National Assembly Member Presence Notice.

Is Edo State now a personal business of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole?” “Knowing same to be capable of disturbing public peace and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 59 (1) of the Criminal Code, Cap 48, Vol. II, Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria 1976, as applicable in Edo State. After listening to the accused person’s plea of not guilty, the Presiding Magistrate, C. A. Nwoha, granted him bail in the sum of N100, 000.00 and a surety in like sum, who must own a property with Certificate of Occupancy in the district.

Ugbo

‘43 Nigerian languages on verge of extinction’

university don, Prof. Clement Kolawole, has raised an alarm that not less than 43 indigenous languages across the country are on the verge of dying due to the negative attitude of Nigerians to the languages. He also said other factors responsible include avoidance syndrome, influence of English language and non- recognition of these languages among Nigerians in all areas of human endeavours. Kolawole who is a Professor of Language Education at the University of Ibadan, made this revelation yesterday while delivering his inaugural lecture titled, “Language, Education and the Curriculum Nexus: Pathway to Archiving Sustainable Development in Nigeria”. He said the country is blessed with many indigenous languages and ranks third in terms of the countries with the highest num-

ber of languages in the world, stating that the influence of western cultures, elitist policies among others are today making these languages face extinction. His words; “The language situation in Nigeria is described as follows, 520 are living, seven are extinct, 20 of the living are institutional, 77 are developing, 353 are vigorous, 27 are in trouble and 43 are dying. He then insisted that the time has come for all indigenous languages to be recognized and be assigned roles in our efforts at developing. “Our indigenous languages have to be recognized and be assigned roles in our effort at developing, since we cannot achieve sustainable development in the medium of a foreign language and we have abundance of languages in Nigeria, efforts have to be made to allow them to be used as major media of communication and as subjects in schools up to the secondary school level..

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APRIL 16, 2016

Plight of the frail and feeble With the current situation in the country, the elderly people in our society are going through a range of harrowing experiences such as financial difficulties and neglect by their children and immediate families. As many of them are being owed pensions and gratuities, so are their children being owed salaries. While many actually do not care about their old ones, most of those who care are incapacitated by financial constraints. The result of this mix is that many who are in the twilight of their days have been left to their devices even as they have become frail, weak and helpless. MUDA OYENIRAN writes on this worrisome trend.

n Thursday, December 10, 2015, tragedy struck in the sleepy town of Amoji-Ogbe in Ahiara Ahiazu Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State when 85 year- old man, identified as Mr. Gilbert Ikechukwu committed suicide by hanging himself in what many believed was caused by frustration occasioned by abandonment by his children. According to a close family source, the father of ten children (six males and four CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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SEPTEMBER 26, 2015

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APRI 16, 2016

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‘Retired Civil Servants die on pension queue’ Old men and women are made to travel all the way from their villages to

Abuja

or their state

capital, stand on a queue sometimes under the sun

for hours on end.

Sometimes they

are asked to go and come back another day

females) was said to be saddled with the responsibility of taking care of his hypertensive wife, Mrs. Agnes Ikechukwu, who had long been bedridden. The source added that the circumstance had warranted that the octogenarian became the sole home keeper for himself and the invalid wife, even as their children stay in various cities of the country. “This man was neglected for so long as all his children had left their country home for greener pastures elsewhere. However, no one gave a thought to how the couple will be catered for. The situation therefore, bestowed all household chores upon the old man even in his frail state. Consequently, washing of cloths, dishes, cooking and farming among other menial jobs became the exclusive lot of the old man,” the source said. The source added that prior to the incident, late Ikechukwu had made sporadic appeals to his children to come to the aid of their mother, and help him in giving her adequate care. The family source stressed that the late father of ten had advised, in his frustration, that the children should take their mother away for adequate medical attention, but all pleas had fallen on deaf ears. This scenario typifies the harrowing experience many elderly people who constitute 5.2 percent of the population in Nigeria are going through due to the neglect many of them suffer from their immediate family members. Many of them languish in penury with no basic medical attention to address many old age diseases they are usually confronted with. For those who do not have financial challenges among them, they suffer isolation from other members of the society and are practically dying of loneliness.

A recent UN report says Nigeria is one of the worst countries to grow old in the world. This report is not contestable because this is one country that has no respect for her senior citizens. It is in this country that retired civil servants are subjected to all sorts of inhuman treatment in the name of trying to pay either their pension or their gratuity. Old men and women are made to travel all the way from their villages to Abuja or their state capital, stand on a queue sometimes under the sun for hours on end. Sometimes they are asked to go and come back another day. There have been cases of some of them collapsing and dying while waiting to collect their pension. These are men and women who spent their youthful energy serving the nation. It has been reported that elderly persons in Nigeria are among those with the highest rates of depression in the world as a result of non-payment of pensions and other related entitlements. Richard Uwakwe President, African Association of Psychiatry and Allied Professions, who disclosed this in Ibadan Oyo State, recently while making allusion to a recent global survey of the well-being of older persons by HelpAge International, London, said Nigeria was rated 85th in a list of 91 nations. According Mr. Hamzat Olasunmibo, it was no longer enviable to live long in Nigeria saying the communal live and the extended family system which used to be the hallmark of the Nigerian society was fast disappearing due to urbanization. “Children no longer care about their aged parents; they will rather care for their immediate family before they even think of sending anything to their

parents. Family ties is no longer as strong as it used to be during our own time”, the octogenarian told the Saturday Mirror Also speaking with issue, a 76 year-old widow, Mrs. Amuda Bello said her saving grace was because one of her daughters married a man within the same city where she resides otherwise she would have been suffering by now. “She is the one taking care of me and visiting me regularly while others are far away. I don’t know what life would have been for me if she had married far away”, she added At the moment there is no Social Security Scheme policy in old age and the same story also resonate with those in the informal sector as the Contributory Pension Scheme contributed by both employers and employees affect only those in the formal sector. Artisans, farmers, fishermen, commercial drivers and all those in the informal sector are not included in any organized scheme of social security in old age except those with individual investments in form of shares, stocks, bonds. Policies are made by people who are over 50 years, yet there is no move to put any plan or strategy in place for older persons. For instance the national assembly constituted men and women who are mostly in the age bracket of 50 -60, and no one of them is thinking of having a formidable policy that would take care of the senior citizens and even individuals who have their older persons with them see them as a burden. With the realization that there is the need to improve the living condition of older persons in . The minister of women affairs and social development, Hajia Zainab Maina said the

objective of the United Nations general assembly’s adoption of the international plan of action on ageing is to encourage and assist each member state to develop, strengthen and promote the activities that will ensure the well-being of older persons adding that the plan of action also intends to reach out to the root and redress the problems associated with ageing which include income security, health challenges and loneliness as the years passes by. Maina said her ministry would key in the advantage of the financial and technical assistance promised by the world health organization (WHO) and other stakeholders to bring to the barest minimal the challenges of senior citizens in Nigeria. She added that people can only live longer when basic needs like improved nutrition, sanitation, medical attention, health care, education and economic well-being are taken into cognizance. The Executive Director, 3rd Age Initiative, a Non-Government Organisation, NGO, dedicated to the welfare of the elderly in Nigeria, Mrs. Toun Giwa has urged the Federal Government to pay more attention to senior citizens in Nigeria to improve their welfare by addressing the numerous challenges confronting them. She made the appeal during this year’s Old People’s Day celebration in Lagos. Addressing newsmen during the event, Giwa called on President Muhammadu Buhari to put in place measures that will address the plight of the elderly. She said: “I am happy that the president is a senior citizen himself. We want him to pay particular attention or, CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

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APRIL 16, 2016

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‘It’s no longer enviable to live long in Nigeria’

at least, lean on those, who should pay particular attention on everything concerning the elderly. “For the state governments, we want to appeal to them to help the local governments to work. The local government has to work. We no longer want to hear local government chairmen complaining of lack of fund or that their hands are tied. There are very little things that help the elderly that the local government can do. “Sometimes they complain that the sidewalk is too high and at zebra crossings, nobody stops for them anymore. These are some of the things we are also looking at legislating on.” She said over the past four years, 3rd Age Initiative had tried to let the state and local government understand the plight of the elderly, and that although they continue to lament lack of finance “we can never stop talking because that will make matters worse.” Giwa said: “We are hoping that this current government will be more positive and do more for the elderly.” It was not that the others did not do anything, but they accomplished little to address the needs of the elderly.” This is because we still hear of old people who want to receive their gratuity and pensions and still have to stand under the rain or sunshine and some don’t eventually get to live to receive that salary. And

you know, people have continued to steal the pension funds and no punishment is being meted out to them. No one has been jailed, no one’s accounts have been frozen or any one forced to return any money. So we have to keep advocating.” She said access to retirement pensions still remains one of the greatest challenges confronting the elderly in Nigeria today. She said: “For those who have worked in the civil service, their pensions remain one of their greatest challenges. And this is why we have to get more responsible and understanding people into government, which is so important in addressing the challenges confronting the elderly. Pension is very important. There are elderly people who did not retire from government. They retired from the informal sector and they have to live as well. So we have to make sure that things work. The elderly should enjoy as much rights as everyone else but we know that there are some things that are peculiar to elderly people. For instance, healthcare and most of them have no money to take care of their basic healthcare needs. Most people who are well off travels overseas on medical tourism but what about those who are not? So the hospitals must work.”

International organisations are not interested in the elderly — Ogundeji

Dr. Martins Olusola Ogundeji, a doctor of public health, primary health care expert and Executive Director Primary Healthcare & Health Management Centre(PriHEMAC), a non-governmental Organisation(NGO) says the elderly people in Nigeria have been neglected both locally and internationally

hy are the aged people neglected in the society? The support for the elderly people has been identified and documented as far back as 1998 to care for the elderly but it has been abandoned because international organizations are not interested in doing anything about the elderly but the documents had been there developed by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to pay attention and train health workers so that they do something for the elderly people in the society. So because donor organizations support FG on other programmes, so who cares for the elderly, they are so old, helpless and neglected and that is why I say yes not only because I am old myself, when I was even doing my doctoral programme in the New York as far back as 1977, I watched

you grow, you eventually become old. So any discrimination or disregard for old people, you are discriminating and disregarding yourself and that has been my guiding philosophy since then

Ogundeji

a programme that calls the attention of people to the need to care for the elderly. If you pray not to die young, as

What is you NGO doing to address the plight of the aged people in Nigeria? What i decided to do is to ensure that health services are provided for the elderly people wherever they live. This led to the establishment of Prihemac home care services. It is a novel idea because I don’t know of any place in Nigeria where the things we want to do is being done. By the time we were searching for people to help us in the training of personnel for the programme, I contacted the UCH and when the authorities of the hospital saw what we wanted to do, they adopted the model. The type of experience and the vision that I have has equipped me for the task because

I have a doctorate degree in public health from Colombia University The programme is based on our belief that many people who are able are not around to cater for their elderly people. They are not available and they may have the resources that if they know where they can get people who are trained to render this service, they can rely on them and pay for whatever is needed. We are not being supported by anybody, so we have to pay the people who will render these services; it is like providing employment for the people; some of them will provide 24hr services for 7 days in a week. They are well trained people to whom we can commit the lives of these elderly people in their hands so that when their sons and daughters can be rest assured that their parents are in safe hands. They would be monitored and supervised by a matron with technical experience in caring for the elderly.

ents must face processes of law to be reintegrated PAGE

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APRIL 16, 2016

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Buhari’s China visit yields over $6b investment —Presidency Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

he Presidency yesterday said the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to China has yielded additional investments to Nigeria exceeding $6 billion. A statement issued by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said Buhari expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the working visit. According to the statement, Buhari believed that the several agreements concluded with the Chinese during the visit would have huge and positive impact on key sectors of the Nigerian economy including power, solid minerals, agriculture, housing and rail transportation. The statement said, “In the power sector, North South Power Company Limited and Sinohydro Corporation Limited signed an agreement valued at $478,657,941.28 for

the construction of 300 Mega Watts solar power in Shiroro, Niger State” “In the solid minerals sector, Granite and Marble Nigeria Limited and Shanghai Shibang signed an agreement valued at $55 million for the construction and equipping of granite mining plant in Nigeria” “A total of $1 billion USD is to be invested in the development of a Greenfield expressway for Abuja-Ibadan-Lagos under an agreement reached by the Infrastructure Bank and Sinohydro Corporation Limited.” “For the housing sector, both companies also sealed a $250 million deal to develop an ultra modern 27-storey high rise complex and a $2.5 billion agreement for the development of the Lagos Metro Rail Transit Red Line project”, the statement said. The statement further said that other agreements announced and signed during the visit include a $1 billion for the establishment of a

Hi-tech industrial park in Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone in Igbesa, Ogun State. According to the statement, the Ogun-Guangdong Free Trade Zone and CNG (Nigeria) Investment Limited also signed an agreement valued at

$200million for the construction of two 500MT/ day float gas facilities. An agreement valued at $363 million for the establishment of a comprehensive farm and downstream industrial park in Kogi state was also announced at the Nige-

ria-China business forum. Other agreements undergoing negotiations include a $500 million project for the provision of television broadcast equipment and a $25 million facility for production of pre-paid smart meters between Mojec

International Limited and Microstar Company Limited. About 100 Nigerian businesses and 300 Chinese firms participated in the Nigeria-China business forum which took place a day after Buhari began his visit to China.

Completely flattened houses and rubble that were scattered in Mashiki, Kumamoto prefecture yesterday, one day after the magnitude 6.5 earthquake hit southern Japan, killing at least nine people.

Sagay, Falana, others fault Senate’s bid to amend CCB Act

rominent lawyers across the nation have rose against the ongoing move by the Senate to amend the Code of Conduct Act Chairman. It would be recalled that the bill to amend the CCT Act, has within 48 hours, scaled the second reading in the Upper Chamber, a development which sparked national outrage. Professor Itse Sagay, Presidential Advisory Committee against Corruption, who expressed shock said; “It’s a surprise to me, because I really don’t know that our mentality has degenerated to such a level of self-service that the people, who were sent to the National Assembly to make laws for the benefit of all Nigerians, have started a process that will allow a complete crisis; an Act that corruption cannot be prosecuted. “To me, this is the high-

est level of shameless misconduct by the generality of the members of the red chamber. Obviously, there is no limit to the level of disgusting things they can do” . Human Rights activist, Femi Falana (SAN) in a reaction also said; “Any amendment of the law under the constitution cannot and will not have retrospective effect. The amendment will not have any effect on pending cases in court. “The excuse being advanced for the devilish agenda is jejune because the CCT, whose members are screened for appointment by the Senate, cannot be said to be under the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. “The proposed amendment also amounts to a conflict of interest because you cannot, because

of one man, amend the law of the land. It will amount to an exercise in futility”. Speaking in similar vein, Dotun Adetunji, the Chairman, Nigerian Bar Association, Ikorodu Branch, Lagos State described the action by the Senate as “shameful”. According to him; “This action of the Senate while its president is undergoing trial at the CCT is a shameful act. It is also a slap on the generality of Nigerians that voted them into office and a breach of the trust expected of them. This move by the Senate will not put this nation in good standing in the international community. “The rule of law is supposed to create a sane society and that is why its principles aim to ensure that a nation is governed by law and not by men’s self-serving interests. “The international com-

munity and Nigerians in diaspora should raise their voices in addition to all of us within the country to condemn this move by the Senate”. Wale Ogunade lawyer and Public Affairs analyst, said that the move by the senate is intended to frustrate Saraki’s trial at the CCT. “The Senate is required by law to amend laws. However, in the case of the amendment of the CCT Act by the Senate, the question to ask is: does the Senate have an honest intention or an ulterior motive. “My opinion is that the recent moves by the Senate to amend the CCT Act were designed to frustrate the trial of Saraki. It is designed to water down the Act, making it worthless, useless and of no effect whatsoever”. Another lawyer, Ataene Spurgeon, said although

the National Assembly was empowered by the statute books to make laws for the country, the amendment of the CCT Act might be a “coincidence.” “The amendment of the Code of Conduct Tribunal Act is a `coincidence’ with the trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.’’ “If the laws establishing the Code of Conduct bureau and the Code of Conduct Tribunal are faulty, it becomes necessary for the sake of the good governance to amend the same. “If three judges ought to sit on a particular tribunal and there are only two judges presently sitting, then there is a gap in the law which needs to be addressed for the future,” he said. For Ola Ogunbiyi, the amendment should not affect the trial of the senate president. “The trial can only be af-

fected if the trial is stalled till after the amendment. “The Senate can at any point amend the law, that it is being amended at this point in time is not an issue. “The law begins to take its course the day it is signed into law; it is not going to be retrospective. “Now it is not a law, it is still under amendment before the Senate and it will not affect his trial.’’ An Abeokuta-based legal practitioner, Emmanuel Olu-Alade, said there was no law forbidding amendment of an Act because someone was on trial. “The question is, what are the paragraphs that are currently being amended and what would be the effect of the amended paragraphs considering the ongoing trial of Bukola Saraki. (NAN)

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APRIL 16, 2016

NATIONAL NEWS

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Chibok girls: Senate summons NSA, security chiefs A

s the search for the abducted Chibok school girls continues two years after their kidnap by the dreaded Boko Haram sects, the Senate last Thursday summoned the National Security Adviser (NSA) and security chiefs to brief it on efforts to rescue the girls. The order on the NSA and all security chiefs to appear at the senate followed a motion by Sen. Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) which was co-sponsored by three other senators. After a unanimous adoption of the motion, the senate urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the release of the girls and that security agencies should do everything possible to rescue them. It also urged the Federal Government to take over the rebuilding of the school

to alleviate the sufferings of students. The upper chamber sympathized with the parents of the girls and Chibok community over the incident. Presenting the motion earlier, Melaye said besides the propaganda videos created by the Islamist militant group, none of the girls had been seen since their abduction. He noted that apart from the fact that some of the girls were yet to be rescued, the school where they were abducted was still unattended to. The lawmaker said the abduction of the girls had greatly affected the image of the country in the international community. According to him, “It is a harrowing feeling knowing that these girls are still under the mercy of such a

violent group. “I can only imagine the state of mind of the parents, guardians and relatives of the missing girls. “I am concerned that the abduction has become a myth and their whereabouts an enigma. “These girls have dreams and aspirations and in the eyes of God and the laws of man, they have every right to pursue such dreams. “We cannot succeed as a government until those girls are released,’’ he said. In a similar vein, Senator Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna Central) decried the levity with which issues affecting the poor were treated in the country. He said that measures would have been put in place to rescue the girls if they were from rich homes. “There is a class nature to abduction in Nigeria;

when the rich are abducted it takes few weeks to get them back. Why must it take two years to get the Chibok girls back? Sani called on government to continue to use force and explore the possibility of dialogue for the release of the girls. He added that their abduction had dented the image of the country in the fight against terrorism. Minority Leader, Sen. Godswill Akpabio, on his own part, commended the Federal Government for measures put in place so far to rescue the girls. He also commended Melaye for the motion, saying that “by moving this motion today it clearly shows the concern the lawmaker has for the girls.’’ However, Akpabio urged the government to intensify effort to rescue the girls,

maintaining that “for us to succeed as a nation, we must bring these girls back.’’ Sen. Rose Okoh (PDPCross River North) expressed concern over the condition of the girls, saying that they may have been violated and some may have died. “If at this time we are still telling the world that we have no answer it seems that there is something amiss. “We need to wake up from the lethargy with which we have treated this issue,’’ she said. Okoh called on the Federal Government to do more to rescue the girls and other girls who had been abducted by the Boko Haram terrorists. However, Sen. Ben Bruce (PDP-Bayelsa East), who was opposed to the payment of ransom for the release of the girls, advised security agencies to continue with other alternatives for their rescue. He said that the insurgents may use such ransom to procure arms and continue with their despicable activities.

“I do not accept paying them to release the girls because they will use the money to buy more arms.’’ In his remarks, Deputy President of the Senate, Mr Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, blamed the police system in the country for the abduction of the girls. “One reason this could happen is because of inadequate policing. This does not happen in U.S. or UK. We must begin to think about doing something. “Until we do something about the nature of police in the country, there is the possibility for it to happen in other places,’’ he said. Ekweremadu described the abduction of the girls as disturbing, adding that Nigerians and the international community were asking when the girls would be rescued. “I am happy we are talking about it to ensure that this national embarrassment is brought to an end. “ I believe that by this time next year we will be celebrating the release and not anniversary of their abduction,’’ he said.

….As Group queries CNN video Adeola Tukuru, ABUJA

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, (second left) with farmers at Oke-Osin in Atakumosa West Local Government during a meeting with all Stakeholders in agriculture in Osun, yesterday.

2019: PDP scraps national convention, adopts Option A4 for aspirants Obiora Ifoh ABUJA

n a bid to reposition the party to ensure a popular presidential candidate emerges in the 2019, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP will amend its constitution to favour Option A4 where candidates to all political offices will emerge through the ward system in an open ballot primaries. In a joint press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh and Ghana’s former

Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, Peter Mac Manu, PDP said as an opposition party, they will no longer impose candidate or select candidates through secret ballot rather all party members would now chose their leaders. According to the PDP spokesperson, “We are going into opposition, something we are not used to. PDP has been in government and being very pampered. But today, we are now in opposition. We want to make our own amendment and chart our own reforms. In doing that reform, we have our nation-

al convention coming up next month, and we would be making some constitutional changes in line with what you have said. “PDP is changing and in the convention we would present the candidates for people to vote. We are going to change our system to be that our presidential candidate would be voted for by all party members in the country. It would be done at the ward level, we would no longer elect presidential candidate at the national convention. It would now be for every party member to vote for whoever would be our presidential candidate.

Whoever would vie for our presidential ticket would have to tour the entire country before he can be elected. This is part of the reform we are coming up with. Basically, this would be the last convention where we would have people to be elected at the national convention. We are taking the party back to the Nigerian people. “We intend to elect our presidential candidate starting from Ward level. We are going to apply Option A4 in electing our presidential candidates, it is not going to be restrictCONTINUED ON PAGE 8

youth group, Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), has queried the motive behind the release of the Chibok Girls video by international media network, CNN on the second anniversary of the girls abduction, just as it also queried the authenticity of the video. President of the group, Adamu Adamu told journalists in Abuja that from the analysis provided by CNN, the video was shot sometimes around last December, but wondered why the network held on to the video for several months and decided to release it on the second year anniversary. He said as heart breaking as those images from the videos are, they raised a lot of questions. He said the Nigerian security agencies must probe the authenticity

of the video so that it doesn’t end up as mere movie prop that matters only to the point of boosting viewership and growing ratings. He said, “without doubt, there are motives behind the release of the video on the anniversary of the day the girls were abducted. Every Nigerian wants the girls to be freed and united with their families, but we must probe the issues surrounding the video “perhaps the intention of CNN is grow its viewership by cashing in on the sensitivity of the missing Chibok girls. He said while the group appreciates Protection of sources as a non-negotiable requirement of journalism, Nigerians would be grateful if CNN is willing to assist the Nigerian authorities by providing information that could lead to the rescue of the girls

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2019: PDP scraps national convention, adopts Option A4 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 7

ed to presidential election but others like governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and all, and everybody would be elected from the ward level. “People would have to queue up behind the candidates of their choice. This proposed amendment have been sent to the state chapters for their inputs in line with our desire to have peoples opinion. He said that the new policy was part of the reforms that was contained in the Ike Ekweremadu’s committee recommendation. “But we do have our challenges. This is the first time we are witnessing the change of guards and we have a lot of our people defecting to the ruling party. In Ghana like you have said, you people are much more stable in term of party politics. “In Nigeria, people defect for various reasons. Some people defect because they are hungry, that they are not well treated while others defect because they want to be part of the cake from the ruling government or the party in power. Whereas, others also defect because they are afraid of prosecution in the belief that once they belong to the ruling party, they are safe from all manner of embarrassments.” Also speaking, Mac Manu, who is presently the campaign manager of the former President John Kuffour while giving insight on how the NPP has managed as an opposition party in Ghana after losing election to the incumbent said, “When we lost election, there was need to review and make amends and these amends led to some critical reforms in the party structure and organization. “We realized for example, that the modus operandi of how our presidential candidate was elected had a hand in why we lost the general election. There are as many as 17 presidential candidates. When the then president, John Kuffour was given the party ticket at that time about 17 presidential candidate were running for votes from a mere 3,500 delegates. So, it was money, money, money until the day of congress. And we realised that the opposition party, which is now in government, used that against us and cast smell on us as being corrupt, that we were throwing money at the people. So, the first thing I did as the national chairman of the party was to expand the delegates system to cover the nooks and cranny of the party structure.

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja In a bid to reposition the party to ensure a popular presidential candidate emerges in the 2019, the People’s Democratic Party, PDP will amend its constitution to favour Option A4 where candidates to all political offices will emerge through the ward system in an open ballot primaries. In a joint press briefing in Abuja on Friday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh and Ghana’s former Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, NPP, Peter Mac Manu, PDP said as an opposition party, they will no longer impose candidate or select candidates through secret ballot rather all party members would now chose their leaders. According to the PDP spokesperson, “We are going into opposition, something we are not used to. PDP has been in government and being very pampered. But today, we are now in opposition. We want to make our own amendment and chart our own reforms. In doing that reform, we have our national convention coming up next month, and we would be making some constitutional changes in line with what you have said. “PDP is changing and in the convention we would present the candidates for people to vote. We are going to change our system to be that our presidential candidate would be voted for by all party members in the country. It would be done at the ward level, we would no longer elect presidential candidate at the national convention. It would now be for every party member to vote for whoever would be our presidential candidate. Whoever would vie for our presidential ticket would have to tour the entire country before he can be elected. This is part of the reform we are coming up with. Basically, this would be the last convention where we would have people to be elected at the national convention. We are taking the party back to the Nigerian people. “We intend to elect our presidential candidate starting from Ward level. We are going to apply Option A4 in electing our presidential candidates, it is not going to be restricted to presidential election but others like governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and all, and everybody would be elected from the ward level.

APRIL 16, 2016

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Why we are not taking IMF loan — Adeosun

he Minister of Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, has clarified why the Nigerian government did not see International Monetary Fund’s, IMF”s, loan window as amongst its preferred bailout options in the current efforts to raise adequate revenues to meet national funding needs. The Minister, who said Nigeria was in discussion with the World Bank’s, Rwanda Minister of Finance and other multi-lateral institutions

about getting loans to bridge the gap in the 2016 budget, said rather than taking the loan, government was determined to use internally-designed strategies to mitigate the gaps in public finance. Similarly, she noted that many Nigerians have negative perception about the IMF such that taking its package may not go down well with the people who are very critical to decision taking in Nigeria’s democratic government. “I am sorry I am not a

politician so I am going to say it as it is. In Nigeria, IMF does not enjoy a good reputation. There is a stigma associated with the organisation. So, going to IMF to take a loan will be counter-productive because we may not enjoy the support of the people,” Adeosun said. While assuring that the government would continue to interact with the multilateral institution on the way to move the economy forward, the minister said that the idea of taking loans from

it for now was not being considered by the Nigerian government. She explained that the immediate strategies of government now was to sustain internally generated revenue, IGR, sustain the anti-corruption crusade by reducing frauds in payroll and other expenditure items in the public sector and building critical infrastructure to bridge 2016 budget gaps and create a strong pedestal for diversifying the nation’s economy.

Cultural dancers at the Nzem Berom Cultural Festival in Jos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Bunkering: Navy nabs 25 vessels within 7 months Richard Ndoma CALABAR

he out-going Flag Officer Eastern Naval Command (ENC), Nigerian Navy Rear Adm. Atiku Abdulkadir on Friday at. the handing over ceremony organized by the command, said the Navy under his watch arrested about 25 vessels doing illegal business within the waterways which fall under his purview in the last 7months. Abdulkadir who spoke while handing over to his successor Rear Adm. James Oluwole emphasized that the illegal vessels were arrested under his leadership of the Command, stressing that the vessels were arrested for conveying adulterated crude oil and other stolen products along the Cala-

bar-Oron waterways. ``In the last seven months, we have arrested a total of 25 ships which include tug boats, Cotonou boats, and we have as well arrested a good number of oil thieves. ``It is to the glory of the command that during my watch as FOC, we had gallant officers who had the passion to ensure that crude oil theft and maritime crimes are reduced. ``The Command under my watch had also destroyed several illegal refineries on a daily basis. We get the information, we proceed on patrol, we arrest and destroy them,’’ he said. The outgoing navy boss averred that the destruction was done in line with the Nigerian Navy’s mandate, which was to clampdown on crude oil theft and illegal refineries. ``We also maintain

a steady patrol on our maritime domain to ensure that we secure the nation’s economic assets and other multi-million dollar offshore investments and platforms,`` he said. The former FOC maintained that during his reign at the command, the Nigerian Navy Ships `Okpabana and Sagbama’, rescued a hijacked foreign ship `MT Maximus’ off the coast of Sao Tome in February 2016. ``It was during my leadership in the command that the Nigeria Navy Ships Okpabana and Sagbama rescued a foreign hijacked ship `MT Maximus’ off the coast of Sao Tome with 18 crew members. ``We will continue to maintain our presence at sea in other to curb illegal movement, sea piracy, hijack of passengers’ vessels, oil theft and others’’, he said.

On the challenges faced by the command under his watch, the FOC lamented that funding has been one of the challenges which he confronted while in service at Calabar. Abdulkadir however, charged the ratings and officers of the navy to give his successor the necessary support to enable him move the command forward. Also speaking at the ceremony, the new FOC, Rear Adm. Oluwole, lauded Abdulkadir for the stride he made while being in charge of the command and solicited for maximum cooperation of all personnel in the command pledging bring to an end the theft of crude oil and other maritime related crimes within the Calabar channels and all the coastal areas that fell under his purview.

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APRIL 16, 2016

Ajimobi tasks Yoruba authors to write books on moral rebirth Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

oruba authors have been called upon to write more quality literature for the teaching of morals and hard work to engender attitudinal change among the youth. Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, gave the challenge at the public presentation of a book, Ona Ola, written by a popular Yoruba presenter and former Special Assistant on Broadcast Media to the Governor, Babatunde Olaniyi, aka Ti o Common, at the Parliament Building, Agodi, Ibadan. The governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, said the dearth of such books is greatly eroding the rich Yoruba culture that teaches moral rectitude and hard work as means for survival. Also at the occasion were the Secretary to the State Government, Olalekan Alli; Head of

Service, Soji Eniade; Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Yomi Layinka, National and State House of Assembly members; State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Chief Akin Oke, among others. Ajimobi, who described the author as a committed and ardent Yoruba language protagonist, recommended the book for use in public schools and libraries across the South West. He also advocated the return of popular Yoruba programmes to the broadcast media to ingrain the ways and life of the tribe in the minds of the children who, he said, are daily being swayed by foreign culture picked from the new media. He said, “This book has come at a time Nigeria and the people are looking for alternative, but legitimate, ways to wealth and affluence. If we follow the recommendations in this book, I am sure we can be assured of a way out of individual financial doldrum.”

SOUTH WEST

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Commission moves to sponsor poor Nigerians on pilgrimage Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

he Nigeria Christians’ Pilgrimage Commission is making moves to discourage a situation where only rich Nigerians participate in the Holy Pilgrimage to Israel. It is embarking on a raffle draw tagged “Win a Trip to Israel” to help many poor Nigerians who cannot afford the cost of the holy pilgrimage. Southwest Coordinator of the programme, Senator Ayo Arise, said the step became imperative following

the ways some states were backing out of sponsorship of holy pilgrimage due to financial crisis confronting the nation. Arise told journalists in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, yesterday that the programme would be undertaken by Fortune Games Limited under the supervision of the Christians’ Association of Nigeria (CAN) and Nigerian Lottery Commission. He said: “Tickets for the raffle draw, which will begin on April 18 in Ado Ekiti, will cost N500 and will be available in all the branches of United Bank for Afri-

ca across the zone”. Arise, the Chief Executive Officer of Quick Win Lotto, said that the winners from all the states of the federation, who would have emerged through transparent contest, would be sponsored by the commission. He said: “With the way some states are backing out of sponsorship of holy pilgrimage, the commission foresees that it will be only the rich Nigerians who will be able to afford sponsorship and this may not serve the interest the programme was designed to meet. “The money gathered

from the sales of the lottery ticket will be used to sponsor the winners to Israel. The Muslims’ Pilgrimage Commission is also working on similar programme. “What makes this raffle draw very unique is that Muslims will be allowed to play and those who win among them will be sponsored to Israel. This will help in promoting peaceful co-existence among religious groups in our country.” Arise said the raffle will take place at the Oluyemi Kayode Stadium in Ado Ekiti will be drawn twice a month.

Lagos to sign MoU on 4th Mainland Bridge before May 29

agos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday said the State Government will formally sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with investors for the construction of the proposed 4th Mainland Bridge before the end of May 2016. The governor, who spoke at the First Quarter 2016 Town Hall Meeting, the third in the series, held at the Ikorodu Town Hall, Ikorodu, assured residents that once the MoU is signed, work would begin on the 4th Mainland Bridge, which according to him, would go a long way to boost the economy of Lagos East Senatorial District. He said: “Many investors have shown interest in the actualisation of our dream for the 4th Mainland Bridge which will run from Ajah to Ikorodu to Isawo and berth at Ojodu, Ikeja back to the Ibadan expressway. By the grace of God, we will sign an MoU and commence action before May 29.” He said investors have

equally shown interest in the redevelopment of the fish market to an international Fish Market and the redevelopment of inner roads in Epe and Ibeju-Lekki. Ambode said the intention of his administration is to ensure that no part of the state is left undeveloped, expressing optimism that the Lagos East Senatorial District which used to be the economic hub of the state in the then Western Region will regain its position. “Over the years, the economic activities have continually dwindled resulting in urban migration, underdevelopment and unemployment. It is with a view of revitalizing the economic activities of this zone that Government has identified the need for urgent intervention. “To this end, government will be relocating the Mile 12 Market to Imota. Work on this will commence next week. Our vision is to make the East Senatorial Zone economically viable and liveable,” he said.

Gov. Ambode receives Research Institute for Security Studies, Abuja at Lagos House, Ikeja.

How Osun will become hub of cocoa production in Nigeria — Gov. Aregbesola

overnor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State on Thursday said the state would soon become the hub of cocoa production in Nigeria with the revival of the moribund Osun Cocoa Production Industry. The governor made the remarks in Ede during a facility tour of the resuscitated Cocoa Production Industry in partnership with Chinese Company, Golden Monkey of Chi-

na. The partnership between Osun Government and the Chinese Company to revive the cocoa production after 15 years is based on 70 and 30 percent equity respectively. Mr. Aregbesola said the present production capacity of 20,000 metric tonnes per day was a good development when compared to its 5,000 metric tonnes capacity per day in 2001, after which it was abandoned.

“With this production level, the name of our state will be on the map of the world as a centre of excellence in the processing of cocoa and other products. The governor said the Cocoa Industry would go a long way to support the state’s agricultural plan to develop cocoa farming in the state. He commended the partnering company for its commitment to the contractual agreement

by hitting the ground running. Earlier in her remarks, Song Lin, the Assistant General Manager of Skyrun Cocoa Production Industry, said the management had increased the production capacity of the industry four times. She said the company was presently producing cocoa liquid and soon, the organisation would be producing cocoa powder and cake. (NAN)

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APRIL 16, 2016

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Kogi varsity Displacement Tracking Matrix supports 2.4 million IDPs in lecturers embark on North East A T strike deola ABUJA

Wale Ibrahim LOKOJA

cademic activities in the Kogi State University, Anyigba, have been paralysed, following the indefinite strike action embarked upon by the academic staff of the institution. This twist in the academic programmes in the university happened barely five days to the commencement of their first semester examination. In a unanimous decision taken at the meeting of the Academic Staff Union of the University in Anyigba on Thursday, the lecturers vowed not to return to their duty posts until all the four-month arrears of salaries owed them are paid. A senior lecturer, who spoke to journalists on condition of anonymity, disclosed that government was insensitive to their plight, as they are not expected to work on an empty stomach, saying that the position they took at the meeting was simply “No work, no pay”. He further explained that the 210 lecturers who were present at the meeting were unanimous in their resolution, stressing that one of them that attempted to plead for more time for the management to find solution to their problem was almost lynched by his colleagues at the meeting. He pointed out that before now, ASUU branch of the institution was polarized on interest lines, adding that during last Thursday’s meeting, there was no dissenting voice, as they forgot their differences and spoke with one voice with a view to confronting their present challenges. The lecturers are not prepared to return to classrooms until all the salaries being owed them are paid completely, even as he disclosed that the entire matter now is in the hands of the national body of ASUU to continue the struggle with the appropriate authority.

ukuru

nternational Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said that it is working with its partners to help the Nigerian government to support some 2.4 million people in the country’s northeastern states displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency The Communication Assistant of IOM, Ikechukwu Attah, in a press statement, explained that through its Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), IOM is conducting assessments of the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the area, and their needs to inform the humanitarian response of the government and the international community. According to him, in the worst-affected state, which is Borno, IOM teams are currently working in 15 previously inaccessible local government areas and 86

wards, and hope to access other badly affected areas. The data emerging clearly shows very high levels of humanitarian need. According to the most recent DTM report (February 2016), 1,434,149 IDPs have been identified in Borno State, out of a total of 2.4 million in the whole area. As part of the DTM program, IOM is conducting biometric registration of IDPs in Adamawa and Borno states, as well as in Yobe State, where it is supporting the UN World Food Programme’s Cash Transfer Program. As at the end of March 2016, a total of 124,827 individuals - 98,209 in Borno and 26,618 in Yola have been biometrically registered. The vast majority of IDPs, who have been registered, live in host communities where little or no assistance has been provided due to lack of humanitarian access and security concerns.

IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission, Enira Krdzalic, said: “In support of the National Emergency Management Agency, IOM is systematically collecting data on the humanitarian crisis in northeast Nigeria and neighboring countries. The data clearly shows the massive scale of the emergency and urgent humanitarian needs. IOM is working with the government and partners to provide humanitarian assistance to IDPs and other affected populations, but the scale of the problem far exceeds available resources.” In addition to DTM and registration, IOM is providing shelter, camp management, psychosocial support, livelihoods and other services to IDPs and affected populations. Also, at the just concluded workshop organised by IOM in Abuja, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Director General Alhaji Muhammad Sani Sidi said: “The contribution of IOM towards addressing the

humanitarian consequences of the insurgency in the North East is quite profound and deserves special mention. In terms of physical assistance, IOM has supported the NEMA Situation Room, NEMA Gombe Operations Office, the NEMA Borno Zonal Office, and several State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs) with office equipment to assist their field officers towards easy access to DTM data.” There are now seven million people in need of humanitarian assistance in Nigeria, including 1.9 million displaced by the insurgency. Some 92 percent of the IDPs are hosted by low-income host communities, bringing already-stretched services and resources under increased pressure. IOM is calling for more donor support, as well as deeper collaboration among humanitarian actors for effective coordination of humanitarian assistance to the affected population.

L-R: Regional Manager, Olam Nig. Ltd, Mr Vipin Patel; Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong and Secretary to the Plateau State Government, Mr Rufus Bature, during a courtesy visit on the Governor at the Government House in Jos.

as new IDPs camp is discovered in Taraba •••

Justin Tyopuusu, JALINGO

N o n - G ove r n m e n t a l Organisation, Chagro Care Trust, in conjunction with TY Danjuma Foundation, yesterday donated relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) recently discovered by the United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees. The IDPs, who are mostly from Gwoza in Adamawa State, have been in the camp in Mansutu village of Ardo Kola Local government Area of Taraba State for close to three years without any form of re-

lief material donated to them. Programme Officer of Chagro Care Trust, Miss Rijimra Ande, while distributing the items to IDPs said the UN agency drew the NGO’s attention to the camp, and it responded immediately with a need assessment visit to the camp. The programme officer called on the government, corporate organisations and well wishers to identify with the IDPs discovered by the UNHCR to make life more meaningful for them. “To be honest, when we came for need assessment, we were tempted to come back due to complete lack of access road

to the community, but the condition we saw you in compelled us to find a way of bringing the intervention to you,” she said. Ande noted that the NGO would soon return to the camp with medical intervention for the IDPs. On her part, Miss Janet Ajala, the Taraba State Coordinator of TY Danjuma Foundation, expressed surprise at the condition of the IDPs and lack of access road to the camp, and thanked Chagro Care Trust for taking the pains to ensure that intervention reached to the IDPs. Ajala told the IDPs that the Chairman of the foundation, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), want them to stay at

peace with their host community, and support government efforts at ending insurgency in the country. Responding on behalf of the IDPs, Mr. Sunday Andraus thanked the NGOs for coming to their aide, saying they have been staying at the camp for a long time, but only the local branch of the Baptist Church that had been assisting them with some food items. He thanked the host community for providing them with portions of land to carry out farming activities to feed their families over the period. Items donated to the IDPs include 12 bags of rice, 58 pieces of mosquito nets, 48 cooking pots, sanitary pads, bathing soap among others.

Gombe Assembly shuns sittings over commissioners list Williams Attah GOMBE

ollowing disagreement between Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo and members of the Gombe State House of Assembly over choice of the Governor’s Commissioners’ nominee list, members of the House have reportedly avoided sitting for three consecutive times. The non sitting of the lawmakers last Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, their official sitting days, is said to be delaying the screening and approval of the commissioner’s nominees list submitted by the Governor last week. No official reason was given for the non-sitting of the lawmakers which has caused growing speculations and anxiety in the political circle of the state. However, a reliable source in the House said the members were trying to mend fences, and resolve their differences on the nominees before they will sit on the floor of the House to screen the commissioner-nominees. In a telephone interview with reporters yesterday in Gombe, Chairman of the House Committee on Information, who is also the Majority Leader of the House, Mr. Amos Fabulous, said “We are informing the people that elected us over the nominees...”, and did not give further details. It was reported that there was disagreements among some of the lawmakers who wanted the Governor to send the name of commissioner nominee from Kwami Local Government Area. Many communities are also said to be opposed to the nominees from their areas, thus, pitching the Governor against the House among many other vested interests. Many people expected the House to start deliberating on the list which was submitted by Governor Dankwambo 11 months after he was sworn in for the second term.

APRIL 16, 2016

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Budget of controversy Lekan Adejuwon

nlike in the past when a budget is passed almost seamlessly without pomp and razzmatazz, the 2016 budget which doubles as the first in the life of the Muhammadu Buhari’s presidency is gradually attracting a life of its own as it has been bedeviled with series of hiccups and disturbing arrested development. The budget proposal may perhaps, go back in history as one which was first declared missing, it was later alleged to have been ‘padded’ by some individuals and only recently, the President is unwilling to give his assent. Indications emerged last week that the coast was far from being cleared with the budget against the backdrop of Buhari’s insistence on taking a cursory look at the budget after it has been passed to it by the National Assembly. He said before he would append his signature to the document, he would do a ministry-by-ministry review of the budget to ensure that what had been returned to him was the same with what his administration submitted to the National Assembly. The President made the disclosure as it was typical of him in far away United States where he said that he would not sign the 2016 Appropriation Bill, passed into law by the National Assembly, penultimate week, unless, according to him, he critically reviewed it. Buhari added that in view of the controversial alteration and padding of the budget proposals, he needed to review the document to be certain that its contents tallied with the authentic budget proposal presented to the National Assembly. His words; “Some bureaucrats removed what we put in the proposal and replaced it with what they wanted. “I have to look at the bill that has been passed by the National Assembly, ministry by ministry to be sure that what has been brought back for me to sign is in line with our original submission.” He said

With Buhari’s open declaration of the anomalies detected in the Appropriation Bill, not a few were of the opinion that the President may return the 2016 Budget to the National Assembly for further review as the Presidency has identified some major changes the lawmakers made to it. The changes were identified by the ministers at an emergency meeting to vet the budget details. But the development has raised quite some dusts from several quarters as frustrated Nigerians are expressing anger when it became obvious that the passing of the budget will be further delayed until the President returns from a week-long trip to China. Buhari is presently on a one week trip to china. According to multiple sources; the President felt disappointed that provisions for major national projects and programmes that are expected to turn around the econ-

omy were either outrightly removed or funds for them slashed by the lawmakers. It was gathered that the Presidency had also found that the National Assembly has expunged the Calabar – Lagos rail line project from the budget details among other projects Incidentally, the Calabar-Lagos rail line would form the fulcrum of the President’s visit to china while negotiating a multi=billion dollar loan with the Chinese government. However, the development has elicited a rash of controversies between the National Assembly and the executive. The Lagos-Calabar rail project was allegedly removed from the details of the 2016 budget sent to the President by the National Assembly, a claim that has been stoutly refuted by both Houses of the federal legislature. While the lawmakers insisted that the project was never part of the budget estimates sent by President Muhammadu Buhari, they however accused the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, of ‘smuggling’ it into the budget midway. The Federal Government had insisted that the controversial item was indeed part of the draft proposals sent to the National Assembly. Government position was made known through the Ministry of Budget and National Planning in a statement last Tuesday. On the controversial Calabar-Lagos rail project, the ministry confirmed that there were indeed some errors in the initial budget proposal sent to the National Assembly by the President in December. The statement, however, added that the errors were corrected, submitted and subsequently accepted by the relevant committees of the National Assembly. “It must be emphasized that the two rail projects are part of those for which the President is currently negotiating funding with the Chinese government. “The 60billion Naira provided in the budget for the Lagos – Kano and Calabar – Lagos rail lines, respectively, is counterpart funding, to support the Chinese financing for the projects. “These projects are part of the strategic implementation plan of the government which was disclosed by the Minister of Budget and National Planning at The National Economic Council retreat in March 2016, in the presence of state governors.” But the Senate in a reaction, said it would no longer deliberate on the Appropriation Bill saying that the President should sign it. The Senate spokesperson, Senator Sabi Abdullahi, who stated this while addressing journalists on what transpired at the senate closed session, said Buhari was free to send a supplementary budget to the National Assembly after signing the document. But while the Senate was insisting on Buhari signing the budget, there were indications that the House of Representatives was awaiting the President’s explanations for not assenting to the 2016 Appropriation

Amaechi Bill as passed by the National Assembly. The House, it was gathered, had yet to take a position on whether the National Assembly should veto the bill or not, if Buhari declines to sign the budget. The Senate spokesman said the upper chamber, during the closed session, resolved not to revisit the issue of the budget which had already been passed. He said, “The Senate resolved at the close session that we have completed work on the 2016 budget and would not go back on what had been passed.” An earlier report had said that the President had shunned an offer by the National Assembly that he should sign the budget as passed before sending a supplementary appropriation bill. Many have argued that the ongoing faceoff between the National Assembly and the presidency was not unconnected with the current travails of the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki who is undergoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. But the senate spokesman debunked the claim saying, contrary to reports in the media, there were no controversies on the budget, adding that the Senate was not threatening any arm of government or individual. However, a new twist was added to the drama last Tuesday when Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East) issued a statement, which contradicted the position of the appropriation committee on the project when he was not a member of the media committee. Ashafa said: “I have carefully followed the news items making the rounds in relation to the budget presented to the National Assembly and what was defended by the Ministry of Transport before the Senate Committee on Land Transport which I have the privilege of chairing. “The focal points of controversy seem to be the Lagos to Calabar railway modernisation projects and the completion of the Idu – Kaduna rail line. “I confirm that the Lagos to Calabar rail line was not in the original document that was presented to the National Assembly by the Executive. “However, subsequently at the budget

defence session before the Senate Committee on Land Transport, the Hon. Minister for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, did inform the committee of the omission of the Lagos to Calabar rail modernisation project and indeed sent a supplementary copy of the ministry’s budget to the committee which contained the said project. “The minister noted that the amount needed for the counterpart funding for both the Lagos to Kano and Lagos to Calabar rail modernisation projects was in the sum of 120 Billion Naira, being 60 Billion Naira per project. It was learnt that Ashafa’a assertion did not go down well with members of the Appropriation Committee who promptly asked the Senate leadership to caution Ashafa against issuing such statement in the future. But those who supported the position of the Lagos East Senator were said to have instantly objected to the request of the pro-appropriation committee senators. The Senate President was said to have calmed the frayed nerves by asking the Senators to align with the position of the appropriation committee on the issue and that only the spokesman should henceforth speak officially to journalists on the budget issue. The House had, on Monday, specifically advised Buhari to return the controversial N6.06tn budget, clearly stating the reasons he would not sign it. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang however said, “The question of the President returning the budget to the National Assembly has not arisen. He is still taking his time to study the details. The days allowed for him to do this by law have not elapsed.” With ten months gone into the administration of President Buhari and the ding dong affair between the National Assembly and the presidency over the 2016 budget, not a few Nigerians have expressed disappointment that the government they voted for last year has failed to hit the ground running even as the nation is hemorrhaging from economic depression.

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APRIL 16, 2016

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FG must ensure safety of lives during elections –Hon Abiru Hon Rotimi Lateef Abiru, who represents Somolu Constituency 2 in the Lagos State House of Assembly, is also the Chief Whip of the 40 member strong House. An outspoken parliamentarian, Abiru is worried about the level of killings resulting from elections and its conduct and believes that the Federal Government needs do more in ensuring the safety of the lives and properties of its citizens during elections and at all times. In this interview with LEKAN ADEJUWON, Abiru bares his mind on a number of other issues.

ow will you react to the suggestions that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should stop the use of NYSC members in future elections considering the increase in violence during elections in the country, especially with the issue of killing of National Youth Service Corps members who are assigned to electoral duties? In the first instance, the issue of protection of the lives and properties of the nation lies in the hands of the government of the day, irrespective of whether it is that of the NYSC member or other persons being used for election matters, what is most essential is for the Federal Government to ensure the safety of the lives of its people. In my opinion, Prof Attahiru Jega has done creditably well and has conducted elections that a lot of people have considered as fair, free and transparent. It could be his style to use those who are doing their NYSC, but that does not mean that is the policy of government, that is the thinking of Attahiru Jega and if that is his thinking I don’t have any problem with that, because NYSC members are people who have gone through schools and have the prerequisite knowledge and these are the leaders of tomorrow. So, I don’t have any problem with the decision to use NYSC members, but it does not mean that subsequent INEC bosses cannot come up with their suggestions or their opinions. It is very sad and disheartening that we have lost so much of these graduates on their NYSC assignment, because

Abiru

wherever you are posted after your graduation it is a call to service and it is along that line of call to service that these NYSC members are picking up these responsibilities of nation building, which is partaking in elections. So, it behooves on the Federal Government to ensure the safety of these NYSC members. Now, if you are talking of suitability, these graduates are suitable enough to be used as electoral officers during elections, equally teachers are knowledgeable enough to partake in election matters, because I want to believe that before you can qualify to teach in a school in Nigeria, you must either posses an NCE or a B.ED, so in terms of knowledge those teachers and NYSC members are adequately qualified to handle election matter. So it is not a matter of is it teachers or is it NYSC, the real issue is having to protect the lives of these people and these behooves on the Federal Government and my take on it is that the Federal Government should wake up to its responsibilities and for elections that have been held and that lives have been lost, I think it behooves on the Federal Government to bring to book all those that were involved in the perpetration of this barbaric act of killing and this has nothing to do with whether it is teacher or NYSC member, in this country it is a crime for you to take the live of a fellow being like you and the laws are clear on this. What I think the Federal Government should do is to set up a panel of inquiry or a judicial panel to look into the remote and immediate causes of these killings and whoever is found culpable should be brought to book, that is my position.

Well, we have had series of panels in the past with not much result or outcome, that is one and again do you see the possibility of using educated military, police or Civil Defense personnel to conduct elections instead of using NYSC persons, so as to forestall these killings? Well the Electoral Act is clear on who are to take charge during elections, the role of the police is very clear. We all live in this country and can all ascertain the level of insecurity in this country, we know that small arms abound everywhere, common criminals use these weapons, cultists use these weapons, pipeline vandals use these weapons, militants use these weapons, so we cannot shy away from the fact that there is proliferation of small arms in the country, to the extent that it has been said that some of these militias even have weapons that are more sophisticated than those of the Nigerian Police and even the entire armed forces of this country and this is clear and we cannot run away from this fact and for government to now order that military personnel be used at elections is a source of worry, because the law is clear on who should partake in elections. What we desire in any election if for us to have a level playing ground. We all live in communities and we appreciate the menace which these categories of people we mentioned earlier creates, they go to the extent of even creating a government of their own within the locality, to the extent that the Army, the Police and the security apparatus of those areas will be aware

but are helpless about it because they also know the level of sophistication of the arms these categories of people possess and they know they do not have such weapons and that is the reality, now because the Federal Government appreciates these facts, that is why sometimes they deploy soldiers, because soldiers are seen as tougher than the police, are seen as more combatant than the police and having more sophisticated weapons than the police. So, in instances where they want to ensure that a free and fair election is held, I want to reason that that is why sometimes they deploy these military personnel to oversee election matters. Having said that, the law is clear about this, that the military does not have any business in election matters, but beyond this, we again have to appreciate the fact that it is the responsibility of government to ensure the safety of human lives, so to this extent the Electoral Act is clear that besides the police any other arm of the forces that gets involved in election is illegal, but as Nigerians that we are, we have to come to terms with the facts. So, how can the Federal Government handle such delicate matters to ensure that it still remains within the laws of the land? In all of these, what I can say is that the onus lies on the Federal Government, because it is the Federal Government that is responsible for the Police, Navy, Army and even Airforce in this country. So, what they need to do is try to provide enough sophisticated weapons that surpass that of any terrorist group that we may have in the country. Terrorists in this instance covers the Boko Haram, the Niger Delta Militants, kidnappers and even common criminals that uses these weapons, so the first thing the Federal Government should do is mop up these weapons to reduce proliferation of arms across the county and equip all security personnel with weapons that are much more sophisticated than the ones any of these groups can be using and further provide adequate training for these men that bears arm and also put forward a compensation package that will be sufficient to take care of the family of those that might have lost their lives in active service and it should come on time. At least people in other climes are not bothered if they have to die for their country, but right now in Nigeria, the commitment is lacking and this is because government does not really do what is required of it in that circumstances, let us be reasonable, you want change, you want change then you have to say things the way it is, that is my take.

APRIL 16, 2016

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TALKING POLITICS ‘I’ve my doubts about 2016 budget’

“S

ome bureaucrats removed what we put in the proposal and replaced it with what they wanted. “I have to look at the bill that has been passed by the National Assembly, ministry by ministry, to be sure that what has been brought back for me to sign is in line with our original submission.”

—President Muhammadu Buhari

‘Lagos-Calabar rail line not captured in 2016 budget’

‘Amaechi included Lagos-Calabar rail line’ — Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Lagos East

“I

confirm that the Lagos to Calabar rail line was not in the original document that was presented to the National Assembly by the Executive. “However, subsequently at the budget defence session before the Senate Committee on Land Transport, the Hon. Minister for Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, did inform the committee of the omission of the Lagos to Calabar rail modernisation project and indeed sent a supplementary copy of the ministry’s budget to the committee which contained the said project. “The minister noted that the amount needed for the counterpart funding for both the Lagos to Kano and Lagos to Calabar rail modernisation projects was in the sum of 120 Billion Naira, being 60 Billion Naira per project.

‘Buhari never presented rail line project in his budget’ — Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Publicity, Hon. Abdulrazak Namdas

“I

want to state here very clearly that in the presentation made by Mr. President, he did not include the Calabar – Lagos Rail Project and I have here with me the Appropriation Bill (for the Ministry of Transportation) and you can check it for the record. “What we are saying is that we couldn’t have removed what was not even inserted in the first place, this is actually not true “The story again is that the Minister (of Transportation) brought the Calabar – Lagos Rail Project to be included in the budget “We want to say clearly that budget is an estimate that is always presented in a joint sitting of the National Assembly by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we do not receive budget from the Ministers, it is from Mr. President.”

—Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, Abdulmumin Jibrin

“I

actually find it shocking that even some National Dailies made the removal their headlines. A little research would have helped”. “Lagos-Calabar Railway line was never captured in the budget that was sent by the Executive. How then could it have been removed by NASS?” “All they, and those spreading the false information needed to have done is check the initial document sent by the Executive”. “Lagos-Calabar Rail was never included. How could NASS have removed what was not there? “But the nation is being misled”.

‘Amaechi should apologise or resign’

‘Leave Amaechi alone’

—Senator Abdullahi Sabi, Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs

—Felix Obuah, Rivers PDP chairman

“W

e make bold to say however, to show evidence that the Lagos-Calabar that the said Lagos-Calabar road project was included in the budget. rail project was not includ- Otherwise, he should resign forthwith.” ed in the budget proposal presented to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari and we challenge anyone who has any evidence to the contrary to present such to Nigerians.” “This latest antics of this particular Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, is reckless, uncalled for and dangerously divisive. “ Apart from setting the people of the southern part of the country against their northern compatriots, it potentially sets the people against their lawmakers from the concerned constituencies and sets the lawmakers against themselves. This manner of reprehensible mischief has no place in a democracy “We hereby demand from Mr. Amaechi a publicly tendered apology if he is not able

PAGE

“W

e believe it’s rather too early to begin to quarrel with Rotimi Amaechi or call for his resignation when he is yet to fix the Nigeria he promised would be changed by his new found love, the almighty APC in matter of months.

“Again, Amaechi remains our beloved son who said he single-handedly sponsored and made His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari, President and he is yet to recoup the billions of Rivers money he invested into the project .” Amaechi also said he planned to construct the controversial Lagos-Calabar rail line modernization project to empower the APC members in the South-South. “This lofty dream will not be actualized if he resigns now. Though the National Assembly members may feel hurt by Amaechi’s ingratitude after it had accepted to deliberate over the later included supplementary budget which he later went public to claim was contained in the original budget proposal, thereby portraying the federal lawmakers as partial and discriminatory, “The main reason for Amaechi’s mischief was to create the impression that he has the interest of the South/South people at heart which is a fallacy”.

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NATIONAL NEWS

Nigeria loses $14 billion annually to herdsmen-farmers clashes

he ongoing conflict between farmers and herdsmen across the North-Central is costing Nigeria at least $14 billion in potential revenues annually, a new report by a global humanitarian organisation, Mercy Corps, has found. Mercy Corps, funded by the British Department for International Development (DFID) issued the report after a research it carried out between 2013 and 2016 on the causes and effects of the perennial clashes between herdsmen and farmers in Nigeria. The report was officially launched at an event at Transcorp Hotel, Abuja, on Thursday. The clashes, which have resulted in the death of thousands of rural dwellers over the past two decades, usually arise from disagreements over the use of essential resources such as farmland, grazing areas and water, the research found. “While Boko Haram violence in Northeast Nigeria garners the majority of media attention, the study shows that ongoing, low-level conflict is thwarting the country’s economic development to an enormous extent,” Iveta Ouvry, country director of Mercy Corps, said. “We found that the average household affected by conflict today could see income increase by at least 64 percent, and potentially

210 percent or higher, if conflicts were resolved.” The research looked into the effects of the conflict and the potential peace on federal and state revenues, as well as on household economics. The report suggested that the peace-building efforts at the local level were limited and, in many cases, counter-productive to long-term growth. Based on the research, Mercy Corps urged the Nigerian government and international donors to quickly increase investment to resolve inter-communal clashes in Nigeria and to ensure conflict management and livelihood development strategies positively reinforce each other. Ms. Ouvry further stated that “Effective conflict management programming can yield high financial returns to donors and governments, with peace dividends more than covering programme cost.” Mercy Corps said it had worked in Nigeria since 2012, supporting communities to resolve conflicts peacefully and strengthen governance systems, helping families access financial services and new job skills, empowering girls to stay in school, and teaching business development to young women. A copy of the report was handed to a representative of the Federal Ministry of

…As Afenifere rejects grazing commission bill

he Pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has rejected the Grazing Commission Bill proposed by the National Assembly to address the burning issue of farmers and Fulani herdsmen clashes erupting in different parts of the country. Afenifere described the bill as “anti-people.” The bill proposes the establishment of the National Grazing Commission which will preserve and control the national grazing reserves and livestock routes and other matters related to it. The group’s leader, Reuben Fasoranti, while addressing journalists in Akure, said the bill, which empowered the commission to acquire any land anywhere in the country, would violate the subsisting Land Use Act and traditional means of land holding if enacted. He noted that the bill was being proposed allegedly to favour the business of the Fulani herdsmen at the expense of the farmers whose farms were always destroyed by the Fulani’s

cows in some other parts of the country. ” We reject any law that would rob the citizens of their possessions and award to another set of citizens as this offensive bill attempts to do. That is against the principle of natural justice, ”Fasoranti declared. “It is also against federal principle for the government of the federation to therefore want to violate the rights of other sections of the country to please a group from an ethnic unit over and above the interest of other over 400 ethnic groups” He called on all federal lawmakers from the south and Nigerians in general to join Afenifere in rejecting the bill. The Afenifere leader said the group would not keep quiet until true federalism was entrenched in the country “We stand with the decision of the of the 2014 National Conference which recommended the scrapping of grazing route for the establishment of ranches,” the octogenarian said.

APRIL 16, 2016

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Diversification: Traders, producers worry over poor funding of agric sector

Igbawase Ukumba LAFIA

ational Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS) and Association of Small Scale Producers in Nigeria, (ASSAPIN) yesterday said budgetary provisions made for agriculture is grossly inadequate to yield the desired result of diversifying the economic base of the nation away from over reliance of oil. Consequently, owing to the crash in global oil price, the traders and small scale producers have joined forces to solicit governments at

all levels to improve funding of agriculture. Making the appeal in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital at a one-day capacity building workshop, Mr. Ken Ukaoha, a resource person at the workshop, lamented that budgets lack connection with small scale farmers, noting that government must improve on its capacity for the implementation of budgetary provisions. He therefore called for more openness and inclusiveness in the formulation and implementation of agricultural policies, as according to him, “budget is not an exclusive right of

government.” Mr. Ukaoha however lauded Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura’s 2016 budgetary allocation to the agric sector based on actual needs, called on governor to honor its commitment to the Maputo Declaration which prescribes 10 percent of budgetary allocation to agriculture. In order to address the seeming structural segregation of women who form the bulk of rural farming population, he advocated for a special bias for women, youths and other vulnerable groups in agriculturalallocation. In his submission, the

national coordinator of ASSAPIN, Adu Charles, called on government to come forth with an articulated blueprint for harnessing the potentials of the agricultural sector rather than haphazard approach devoid of specifics on what the country intends to achieve. Charles called on government to seize the opportunity created by the plummet in global price of oil to develop the agric sector which alone guarantees collective prosperity and wealth creation for Nigerians given the saturation in search of elusive white-collar jobs.

L-R: Former Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro; Chairman People Democratic Party (PDP), Benue State, Dr Emmanuel Agbo and Former Senate President, Sen. David Mark, at the PDP Benue South Stakeholders Meeting In Otukpo, Benue State. PHOTO: NAN

Again, Saraki loses bid to stop trial Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA

ustice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday ruled that the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) has the powers to prosecute the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki who is standing trial over false assets declaration. Delivering judgement in the suit filed by Saraki challenging the powers of the Tribunal to trial him, Justice Abdul Kafarati held that after carefully going through the application filed by Saraki, It was clear that the application was meant to stop the ongoing trial at the CCT. He further held that the CCT is competent to prosecute the applicant over assets declaration related issues stressing that the applicant had earlier taken

the same application to the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, and the judgements in both courts were against him. He also noted that Saraki had argued the same issue before the tribunal and same was dismissed. Justice Kafarati however held that if he decided otherwise, his judgement will be in conflict with the earlier decision of the tribunal. On the breach of Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution, the court held that the trial has not in anyway, breach the provision of the chapter and that the applicant can raise a no case submission after the prosecution had closed his trial. He added that reliefs sought by Saraki are not available under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution. The court however held that the application con-

stitutes an abuse of court process and consequently dismissed. The court also held that the trial of Saraki is not in any way a breach of his fundamental human rights. It would be recalled that Saraki had approached the court seeking to enforce his fundamental human rights as provided by Chapter IV of the 1999 constitution. Saraki had sought to stop his trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal on ground that the it lacked jurisdiction to sit over the matter. Saraki had also asked the court to quash the charge against him before the tribunal. Justice Kafarati had earlier intended to withdraw from delivering judgement in the suit on ground that an online report alleged that a sum of money was paid into his account in or-

der to favour the applicant in his judgement. The judge had then showed his displeasure in the report and consequently returned the case file to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court. The CJ, Justice Ibrahim Auta however on Tuesday mandated the Justice Auta to go ahead with the delivery of the judgement. The Federal Government is prosecuting Saraki before the Code of Conduct Tribunal on 13 count charge bothering on false declaration of assets. Saraki had traversed all the hierarchy of courts in the land to stop the trial, but the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court had in their separate rulings held that the Senate President should go back and face his trial. Saraki had also challenged the jurisdiction of the tribunal to try him.

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APRIL 16, 2016

Tuberculosis:

PAGE

Why Nigeria is not winning the war

Despite measures the Federal Government has put in place to eradicate tuberculosis (TB), the disease is still ravaging the country and remains one of the leading causes of death across the nation. But medical practitioners attribute the scourge to poverty which they say is on the increase, reports JULIET UMEH.

hen Ezinne Okafor, a 32-year-old lady who is one among hundreds of thousands tuberculosis (TB) patients across the country was busy nursing her late mother, Mrs. Chinyere Okafor, who was seriously down with a ‘strange’ illness last November in Abule Egba, a Lagos suburb, little did she and other members of her family know what the disease was all about. Due to the nature of the sickness, every member of the family assumed their mother had been charmed; judging by the emerging symptoms and its resistance to drugs her husband, Mr. Okafor, got from a nearby chemist shop. From the advice of close relations, especially maternal uncles who felt their sister had been poisoned by her husband’s family, the children chose to consult a herbalist who

confirmed that their 61-year-old mother had been poisoned and therefore had no need for orthodox medicine. Unfortunately, they lost their mother to the illness in the hands of a traditional doctor. “It was done on us when I and my younger brother began to manifest similar symptoms as my late mother,” Ezinne said. Saturday Mirror encountered her at the Direct Observation-Therapy Centre of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, (LUTH) where she regrettably opened up their family’s travail with tuberculosis - world’s most deadly infectious conditions and also one of the leading causes of death worldwide. “My mother died out of ignorance; she could have been saved like me and my brother. Rather than bringing her to the hospital when the illness started she was all-through

taking herbs which didn’t help her condition, because the more she took of them, the worse the illness became until her unfortunate death,” Ezinne recounted. She continued: “Our eyes were open when I and my brother suddenly started manifesting similar symptoms as our mother. We started coughing uncontrollably while also manifesting some other symptoms. I therefore decided that I and my brother must visit a hospital even though that decision was against our uncle’s. On getting to the hospital, we were subjected to series of tests after which we were told that we had tuberculosis. I am grateful to God that I and my brother are okay now; my only regret is that we lost our mother ignorantly. She would have been alive by now,” she said tearfully. Also, a 42-year-old electrician who identified himself as James Olajide, practices his craft in the Ajegunle area of Lagos. He has a similar story as Ezinne. He is apparently free from the illness, but a chat with him at LUTH proved that falling victim of tuberculosis is one of the worst plagues that could befall anybody apart from the Human Immune-Deficiency Virus (HIV) that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). “Tuberculosis is another dangerous sickness which makes people avoid you like faeces on noticing that you have it. Your wife and children will isolate you as you suffer and die or survive alone. Even when certified okay, you are practically on your own,”

Olajide said. Explaining how he got the ailment, Olajide said: “It all started when I visited my only sister who was very ill in the village and was abandoned by the husband. I didn’t know that what she was experiencing was tuberculosis. When I came back to Lagos, I started coughing and all the cough syrup I took yielded no positive result until other symptoms such as chest pains, sweating started manifesting. I had to go to a nearby hospital. After seeing a doctor, he referred me to LUTH. That was how I found myself here. But I thank God that I am well again,” Olajide said with a sigh of relief. Though he seems normal, his looks however elicit sympathy as depression is written all over him. Ezinne’s family story and that of Olajide have, over the years, been the nature of tuberculosis – an infectious disease that spreads from person-to-person through the air by droplets. According to medical experts, tuberculosis is a silent but deadly infection that is often misdiagnosed, under-treated and misunderstood. Its transmission is highest in healthcare settings providing care for people affected with TB and HIV/AIDS. Reports also have it that tuberculosis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV/AIDS.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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Mirror

APRIL 16, 2016

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‘Are you coughing blood?’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15

Surprisingly, just last Monday, Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Akabuike, revealed that no fewer than 2,000 tuberculosis patients are receiving treatment at various Directly Observed Therapy Centres in the state. Dr. Akabuike didn’t stop at that; he also added that Anambra State and 13 others, including the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, contribute over 75 per cent of the total TB burden in Nigeria. Dr. Akabike also said Nigeria bears the highest burden of the disease in Africa, explaining that it represents the fourth highest among the 22 high-burden countries with an annual incidence of 338 per 100,000 and prevalence rate of 322 per 100,000 individuals. “The untreated infected individuals can spread the disease to between 10 and 20 persons each year within the poor population, PLWHIV and other key affected populations,” he said. Despite all the efforts of government over the years, the pertinent question remains: why is tuberculosis still a leading cause of death in Nigeria? However, in response to the question, Prof. Innocent A. O. Ujah, director-general, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) said tuberculosis is on the increase because poverty is still on the increase. He said: “TB is a preventable and curable disease as well as a leading cause of death worldwide particularly, in middle and low-income countries. “In 2014, an estimated 9.6 million people globally fell ill with TB resulting in 1.5 million deaths, averaging 4,100 deaths per day. In addition, TB is a leading cause of death among people living with HIV/AIDS,” he said. Explaining the symptom of TB, Prof. Ujah said: “If you are coughing uncontrollably for two weeks; if you cough blood; you find that you are losing weight; you are sweating when others are cold; and in other circumstances you don’t have appetite to eat. These are some of the symptoms and all you need is to go to a health facility and see your doctor and they will do clinical examinations, laboratory test and determine whether in fact you have it. If you have it, you will be treated; it is a treatable and curable disease.” Expatiating on what he meant by associating tuberculosis with poverty, he said: “It is tagged as a disease of poverty because if you are poor, you are more likely to have TB and that is the fact. If you go to the slums - those are areas that are not conducive for human habitation. But human beings stay there. Those who are well to do will not stay in those places and therefore the risk of contracting TB if you live in ‘face-me I-face-you’ building is high. You find that anybody who has TB and cough uncontrollably transmits it because it is an airborne disease. “So clearly, it is a disease of poverty and the reason it thrives among poor people is their level of immunity. People who are poor are deprived; they are not likely to eat well; their immunity goes down and they have other combing diseases which will now aggravate the TB situation. So, it is a disease of poverty and we have to intervene to see how we can reduce poverty to improve cases of tuberculosis.” Prof. Ujah maintained that cases of TB are on the rise because poverty is on the in-

crease. “I have said that TB is a disease of poverty. Poverty is not reducing. We cannot have one and leave the other; it’s a combination. Poverty is on the increase and people are not eating well and therefore their immunity goes down even when they are ill they cannot afford treatment even though the treatment for TB is free.” In agreement with the NIMR director general, Dr. Oluseyi Adesola of Mainland Hospital who also spoke to Saturday Mirror, confirmed that TB cases are on the increase as a result of poverty. “TB is a disease of poverty, overcrowding; poor housing is a core issue, and malnutrition is also a core,” he said. “Like where I work, every time there is an increase in the pump price of fuel, you see an upsurge in the number of people coming down with TB. There are some people who, for instance, feed three times a day, but now could not. Maybe they are feeding twice a day now. Those who can feed twice a day before can only feed once a day now and their whole system crashes and they are coming down with tuberculosis,” he added. “We are seeing more cases. We’ve been seeing more cases since the past two years and part of the reason could be poverty and also because of HIV, you are more likely to see growing infected patients in the hospitals than in the primary health care centers. So HIV and poverty are contributing factors,” Dr. Adesola revealed. However, pointing at some of the challenges they face with the fight against TB, Prof. Ujah said: “With the enormous prog-

do principally is TB, then do test for and get them screened for TB,” Dr Adesola advised. Most victims of TB attribute their woes to voodoo. But Dr. Akabuike dispels the belief that TB could be caused by voodoo. “The disease is caused by a germ called mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is spread through the air when people who have active TB in their lungs sneeze, cough, spit, speak or sing,” the commissioner revealed, adding that people living with HIV are more vulnerable to TB infection. The ailment could be cured when

Tuberculosis is another dangerous sickness which makes people avoid you like faeces. Your wife and children will isolate you as you suffer and die or survive alone. Even when certified okay, you are practically on your own ress made to effectively treat cases of TB within six months, patients infected with multidrug-resistance (MDR) TB strains will be required to take medications for 18 months to two years, making adherence to therapy a big challenge,” he identified. Responding to a question of the actual figure of TB patients in the Mainland Hospital, Dr. Adesola couldn’t give the actual figure but said it is actually massive. “We shouldn’t actually concern ourselves with the figure but how many people are actually suspected to have TB; how many of them are we diagnosing? How many of them are we treating? These are the issues to be focusing on. “It is actually not good to diagnose 1,000 people and treat just 10. There is what is called treatment conclusion. Are people concluding their treatment? Are people being cured of tuberculosis? We can’t take all these things at once. We must be able to roll out diagnosis in major centres, areas and places where people can go and what they

detected early, he asserts. Coordinator, research planning and management, NIMR, Prof. Oni Idigbe, also lent his voice: “To be able to achieve the best preventive strategy, we need to carry out a massive campaign at all levels for people to know the symptoms of TB, because when you know the symptoms you can quickly go to a health facility to get proper cure and if you don’t know the symptoms you remain within the community and spread the disease to other people. “And then when you talk about the strategies for other people you are also going to know, not only the symptoms, but also the factors that promote transmissions such as crowded environment and poor dietary nutrition. For somebody who has TB, when you cough you have to close your mouth. One of the areas that make it too bad is that it is airborne. When you sneeze or cough you just throw it into the atmosphere and an innocent person can just inhale it and if the

defence mechanism of that person is not in charge the person will just be infected; that is for prevention.” However, some people claim that TB treatment is not totally free as claimed by medical experts. But all the doctors who spoke to Saturday Mirror emphasised that the drugs are totally free. Dr. Adesola explained the position in details: “Treatment for TB is for six months and the drugs are free. I must explain that many clients that go to hospitals for treatment may not essentially have only TB alone. But if they go to hospital early, it may be only TB. But by the time they delay, TB would have caused enormous damage to other organs and you have to manage those organs. Management of those organs is not part of TB; they pay for them, but actually if they go to centres where they can be treated they are not so expensive. But treatment for TB in itself is free and the drugs are free.” Despite the advice of medical practitioners against associating tuberculosis with voodoo, a traditional doctor who spoke to Saturday Mirror claims he has solution to it. Olukayode Orelesi is a traditional doctor, practicing his profession in the Agege area of Lagos, said patients of TB need not waste their money in the hospital, but should rather come to him for a solution to their problem. “Why do you have to go through this hospital stress because of tuberculosis while there are reliable and effective alternative method of curing TB through the use of roots and herbs? I can assure you that with strict adherence to my instructions, a TB patient can fully recover in less than one month, using herbal solutions,” he said confidently. However, he failed to mention the number of people who have recovered from TB through his herbs. From research, tuberculosis is said to be caused by a bacterium, mycobacterium tuberculosis, that most often affect the lungs. According to the WHO, TB is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer worldwide fired by a single infectious agent. However, a WHO Fact Sheet on TB reads: “TB is spread from person to person through the air. When people with lung TB cough, sneeze or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.

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is my selling point

— Mursty Adinoyi

Mursty Adinoyi, a Kogi State indigene, is the presenter-producer of Hitlist N Cruzin which won the Best Entertainment Programme on TV award at the Nigerian Broadcasters Merit Awards which held recently in Abuja. OSEYIZA OOGBODO met him and he spoke on what the award means to him. How do you feel about winning the NBMA Best Entertainment Programme on TV award? You know, sometimes you can’t even express how you really fell when, you know, such awards come your way, because in the first place, to be nominated in that category alone, it was a big one for me, alright, then, winning it again, meaning that Nigerians are watching us, and they love what we’re doing, and so you’re appreciated with an award, the joy is much and you have this feeling of satisfaction that the purpose of doing what you’re doing is to touch people, to make people enjoy what you’re doing, and when you then receive an award of this magnitude, that is to say that they as well, the Nigerians you’re entertaining, are actually feeling you. So I feel wonderful, grateful, happy, blessed, and I thank God so much and all the people who’ve supported and are supporting us. Is this Hitlist N Cruzin’s first award? This is our first major award. Hitlist N Cruzin has been on air for seven years. What would you say is the reason it’s taken you so long to win a major award? I won’t say there’s any reason. I just believe that you always have your time in anything you’re doing. In a sports team for instance, at a particular time, a certain person will become the team’s captain, alright? If it’s not your turn to become captain, there’s nothing you can do. You cannot force push it, alright? You might join the team, and within two, three years, you become captain. It depends on how fast it gets to your turn. But sometimes you might stay, you know, for forever, without even being captain. The joy is that at least we’re captain. Or would you say you’re producing Hitlist N Cruzin in a better way than you used to, from your experience over the years, and that’s why the award finally came? Of course, life is all about moving for-

ward. The way we started is not the way it is right now. Definitely there’s improvement in what we’re doing. But apart from that improvement, the concept and content of Hitlist N Cruzin is what is giving us awards. Because we’re not like any other entertainment programme or any other programme for that matter. When you see us, you see that we don’t copy anybody, alright? And when you look at programmes all over the world, US, UK, Europe, nothing like Hitlist N Cruzin. So that’s to say that when you talk about originality, you talk about local content going international, you talk about Hitlist N Cruzin. That concept, that content alone is what’s giving us awards. So if the major awards are coming now, glory be to God, because it means that someone sat down somewhere to look deep into the programme and understand that it’s one hundred percent original. Not like it’s being done in America and we’re replicating it in Nigeria. It’s our own concept in going global, so it’s its concept and content speaking for us. Do you think this award will open the way for many more? I believe so. I believe that sometimes you wait for something to happen, and when it happens, the best you can do is to keep praying that your work should not be in vain, others should recognize you as well. And now that NBMA has recognized us, the next thing that will definitely come into any rightful thinking man’s mind is that many people are recognizing the good work we’re doing, so we pray that others who organize awards of this nature in Nigeria should look into what we’re doing and honour us. What are your next plans for Hitlist N Cruzin? We have a lot of them, so much on our minds. Sometimes, you know, when you have a lot of plans, you just have to take it step by step, one after the other, alright? We’re looking at being able to celebrate everybody in Nigeria. Which is a bit tough. We hope that by the time the security in the

north improves, we go to the north. When we have enough security in the southsouth, we should be seen in Port Harcourt. So we pray that government puts in place good security so that Nigerians can keep moving around. So if it comes that there’s no more kidnapping, Nigerians are free in their movement again, you should be able to see Hitlist N Cruzin this week in Kano, next week in Kaduna, another week Abuja, Port Harcourt and on and on like that. But for now, we cannot achieve all these. Why? Fear of the unknown that’s keeping everybody from moving around freely. So we hope security improves, because we really want to celebrate Nigerians, and Nigerians are not just in Lagos and Abuja, and we really want to take the show beyond these two cities. Seven years of Hitlist N Cruzin. What has been your most memorable moment so far? I’ll stay they keep on coming every day, because sometimes you take someone out on cruise, and you see the joy in the person’s face, and it gives you joy too that you’re touching someone’s life. And something that happened to me one time like that. I took this young guy on cruise, and some weeks later, he called me from somewhere in Asia, that he’s a business guy, he was on my show some weeks back, and he’s on a business trip, whatever I want him to buy for me, I should tell him so he can buy it. So that made me know that those

who want to be on the show is not because they’re in need of exactly what we’re giving them. It’s just that joy of being celebrated on Hitlist N Cruzin. Anyone can afford to buy N30, 40, 50,0000 worth of whatever they need. But the joy of being seen on TV, of being celebrated by someone else, of going on cruise and buy and buy and someone else pays, I guess that’s just what makes Nigerians happy, because you see someone we took out on cruise for just N30,000 worth of shopping, he went to Asia and wanted to buy something for me and truly he bought me something. So it’s not the shopping that gives people joy on Hitlist N Cruzin, but the sharing, the excitement of being on the show, the love of being celebrated that puts a smile on their face and mine as well and makes it always memorable for me. How are you celebrating the award? We’ve been celebrating it. We’ve cut cake, and one of my brothers, Senator Ahmed Ogembe, just won the senatorial seat of Kogi central, and we intend on visiting him with the award. We’ll also call on my Governor, Yahaya Bello, and Dr Tom Adaba for their blessings as part of our celebrations. That’s after dedicating it to God Almighty and our fans. And we’ll further move around with it to celebratie it with a lot of good people who have been with us over the years, and show them that this is what we for doing what we’re doing and what they’re supporting us for.

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s w ne APRIL 16, 2016

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Oseyiza Oogbodo 08036961187 kingseiza@gmail.com

2016 of controversy

Like DeeVee, MC Olokpa tackles Olamide

‘Who You EPP is not your original coinage’

Olokpa

ne of the hottest things going down in entertainment presently is Olamide’s Who You EPP competition. But as Who You EPP gets hotter, MC Olokpa has added a new dimension to it by disclosing how Olamide came about it and berating him over it through an open letter (reproduced below) which is trending now. “The year is still quite young but it has experienced more controversies than hit songs. The year was welcomed with the Olamide versus Don Jazzy beef, then Cynthia Morgan-Davido, Blackface-2baba, Dammy Krane-Wizkid, and the P-Square brothers. “Now the latest one is between SouthSouth proud son, Shuun Bebe, and SouthWest son of the soil, Olamide. “I’m amazed over the number of remixes and remakes of Olamide’s Who You EPP that have been done. A title coined from Bebe’s evergreen hit single, Who You Help, a street anthem till tomorrow in the South-South, and a song that is gradually creeping into the hearts of music lovers nationwide. “Ever since Olamide decide to use same name but different spellings, it has gone

Bebe

DeeVee

Olamide

everywhere within a matter of days. But the sad part of it is that no credit was given to the owner of the title. “Olamide still remains a hit maker but not giving credit to the young man who needs just a little support to grow is what we are trying to look into. “We all saw how furious Olamide was when Lil Kesh wasn’t given the Next Rated award at the Headies just because he felt Kesh should have won it and most people shared his opinion. “It’s annoying and frustrating, when after putting all your energy into a work, someone comes and takes all the glory. “That’s what Olamide is currently doing to Bebe unknowingly. Give me some credit is all he is asking for. “I’m not accusing Olamide of theft and neither is Bebe because I have listened to the song and it’s far different from Bebe’s own. The only similarity is the song title and chorus. “Olamide has seen Bebe performing this song and the kind of love people are showing him on stage and the best bet is for Olamide to approach him for a collabo.

“We’ve heard rumours of D’Banj approaching him (Olamide) for Go Down Low Remix, and also approaching Oritsefemi for Double Wahala Remix and how Davido ALSO approached Humblesmith for Osinachi Remix to just to talk about his baby scandal. “Just one collabo can solve some artists’ problems. Remember it was Olamide featuring on Phyno’s Ghost Mode that made him what he is today. “Even recently, just because Drake loved Wizkid’s Ojuelegba, he jumped on it and still gave him that credit. That’s what big artists do to support young artists that are still learning the ropes. “Nobody is an island in this business and so we need to support each other to grow. “Because when you leave the music scene, your numbers of hit songs won’t matter much but the legacies you leave behind. “I’ve seen more than twenty remixes of Who You EPP and boom attention is gradually shifting from Bebe’s Who You help to Olamide’s Who you EPP.

“Let credit be given to inventors. For the industry to grow, A-list artists should also give respect to the upcoming because they were once like them. “Bebe, to me, has displayed a high level of maturity since this whole thing started. He has refused to be dragged into the ‘you stole my song’ blame game just to gain cheap popularity as most upcoming artists would do. And I respect him for that. “All he is asking is for Olamide to give him credit for his work and which is normal worldwide. “I urge Olamide to stretch a hand of friendship to this young man and see ways they can settle this issue once and for all. “I also urge Bebe not to ever relent in his pursuit of glory. This is a sign of good things to come. I pray more hits will come and we shall be here to celebrate with him. God that did it for Olamide will surely do it for him.” This is not the first time Olamide is being accused of copying. DeeVee, a producer who worked for some years with D’Banj, also accused him last year of serially copying D’Banj’s lyrics.

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APRIL 16, 2016

CLASSICAL LYRICS

Tributes, sadness as Nomoreloss is laid to rest

Daddy Showkey

Ruggedman

wo weeks after the passing away of the respected musician, Olumuyiwa Osinuga aka Mr Nomoreloss, his service of songs took place last week Thursday at Koga Studios, Alausa, Ikeja. In attendance were his family which consists of his wife, daughter, father and siblings; and celebrities, socialites and friends such as Ruggedman, Weird MC, Yinka Davies, Joyce, Tony Bob Manuel, Omo Baba, Daddy Showkey, Nigga Raw, Edi Lawani, Tony Okoroji, Efe Omorogbe, The Ibru Sisters, Puffy Tee, Gbenga Adeyinka, J. Martins, Ego and many more as well as hundreds of his fans and other sympathisers. It was a sad experience for all who attended and had had the opportunity of meeting the music legend. A platform was given to close friends and colleagues to pay their tributes to him. There was also a medley performance of some of his most popular songs by artists. It got everyone on their feet reminiscing on the gift of the great composer and musician who left a remarkable legacy in the entertainment industry. He was finally laid to rest in the bosom of the Lord on Friday, April 8th, 2016 at the Ikoyi Cemetery after the church service which took place at Four Square Church, Norman Williams, Off Keffi Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. It was indeed a bitter experience for everyone who came to pay their last respect to the deceased. In attendance were family, friends and well wishers such as DJ Jimmy Jatt, Edi Lawani, Ade Bantu, Jaywon, Sasha, Princess, Yinka Davies, Ruggedman, Omo Baba, Righteous Man, Sound Sultan, Lepacious Bose and many others. There were testimonies of the lasting impact Nomoreloss has left in the lives of people who met him while he was alive. A farewell song, which literally had everyone in tears, was performed by Yinka Davies before his body was finally laid to rest which literally had everyone in tears. A group of fans in attendance had this to say. “Nomoreloss will always be alive in our hearts. He is ‘Still standing’ to us.” Nomoreloss is survived by his wife, 5-year-old daughter, father, siblings and extended family. He was born in Lagos, Nigeria in the late 70s. He attended A.D.R.A.O. International School, Victo-

Weird MC and OJB

His body about to be conveyed to his final resting place

Video of Nomoreloss being shown as tributes are paid to him.

ria Island, Lagos for his secondary and primary education. His basic background played a huge role in his appreciation for classic music. He proceeded to study the rudiments of music from one of Nigeria’s greatest instrumentalists, jazz saxophonist Kunle Ajayi. He started out in the world of entertainment as a rapper while in high school and later on moved on to master of ceremony at various events. An accomplished standup comedian, MC, music video director as well as television host, he was also a producer of both music and television programmes. He directed music videos for artists that included Lexy Doo, Jagunlabi, Jah Borne, Cimion, and the gospel sensation Folake

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Umosen. He was also the project coordinator and producer of the video CD of Ruggedman’s Thy Album Come album. With role models such as Ebenezer Obey, King Sunny Ade, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, Orlando Owoh, Orlando Julius, Ik Dairo, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, it’s easy to see where and how this music researcher-songwriter-singer drew his inspiration. With a fusion of R&B, pop, jazz, reggae and jazz with an underlying tone of West Africa highlife, his conviction that art must take material from its environment led him to create a style that is unique in its appeal but most certainly soulful in its delivery and has been named ‘new highlife.’ Rest in peace, bro.

Ololufe

Artist: Nomoreloss

Intro Tell it beloveth I love you more than words can say More than the sun can convey Wo o wu oo ... Ye ye ye ye ... Chorus Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Verse 1 I know you’ve been hurt a thousand times before Right now you feel your heart just cannot love anymore Empty promises they never kept May ur pillow knows the many times you wept See then views for being so clean The more I just cannot stand the pain So lock up your heart do away the keys You whirl away everyday in mystery Hard to see the sun with eyes filled with tears Living everyday in this lonely years Let me teach your heart to love again Let me teach your face to smile again Chorus Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Verse 2 I would be your friend through the pouring rain I would make sure that your heart never hurts again I would make you no promises, I would never keep Learn to make you smile and never make you weep I know that you always get to give love one more try This might be the chance, don’t let love pass you by It’s hard to see the sun through eyes filled with tears Living everyday in those lonely years Chorus Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Bridge Wooo! Said I would be your friend through the pouring rain I would open your eyes, help you find love again I would be your friend through the darkest night I will be I will be I will be... Chorus till fade Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Ololufe don’t you know I love you Ololufe don’t you know I care Ololufe don’t you know I love you

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APRIL 16, 2016

Nollywood is promoting us, say fashion designers

… as NEPC seeks to aid fashion sector

ood times are just around the corner for the Nigerian fashion sector as the Nigerian Export Promotion Council met with them last week at an interactive session to find out what their problems are that it can aid them with. At the session were top fashion designers that included Deola Sagoe, Mona Matthews and Nike Ogunlesi. Speaking about the session, Babatunde Olusegun Faleke, Regional Coordinator, NEPC, said, “Well, the gathering is to interact with those in the fashion world to really understand and appreciate what challenges they face, and then set a proper agenda on how they can be helped. “When I know their needs, the gaps, then I’ll be able to design programmes that will mitigate those that are within my own sector. I can’t do all. For example, if you are talking about energy provision, there’s nothing I can do about it. But when you are talking about market access, quality of products, scaling up production, exposing them to the right market, that’s where I

come in.” Speaking as well, the fashion designers listed their problems as including getting the appropriate artisans to work for them, breaking into the international market, counterfeiting, protection of intellectual property. On breaking into the international market, Ogunlesi, founder of the respected brand, Ruff ‘n’ Tumble, said it’s not her priority as the Nigerian market itself is very huge. Agreeing with her, Matthews, who prides herself as Nigeria’s finest shoe designer, said there was no need to break their necks into the American and European markets when the African market is eager for Nigerian fashion goods as Nollywood movies are constantly promoting Nigerian fashion. At the end of the session, Faleke promised to make the appropriate recommendations to the government on the needs of the designers and assured that the recommendations would be acted upon at the right time.

Seyi Shay tours SA

Ogunlesi

Sagoe

Joseph Benjamin attacks Buhari’s China trip T

he latest trip of President Muhammadu Buhari to China has met with both positive and negative criti-

Shay

aving female superstar, Seyi Shay, continues her tour around Africa as she is billed to appear in South Africa to promote her album released late last year, Seyi or Shay. The Right Now singer who recently released the visuals of her latest single, Mary, featuring Phyno, is in SA this

weekend to make appearances at the classy night clubs, Coco (in Cape Town), and Kong (in Johannesburg), among other venues. The 2015 MTV MAMAS nominee’s SA tour follows up the trips to Tanzania and Ghana she made earlier this year as she continues the hard work of getting her music across globally.

cisms. And top Nollywood actor, Joseph Benjamin, is one of those who has seen fit to be among its critics. In a severe post (below), he questioned the essence of the trip. “Why go to China to negotiate terms and conditions to borrow $2billion when we are expecting $200billion from looted money stashed away in Dubai; America is helping us repatriate $6billion kept by former PDP Governors and ministers in the USA; loads of thieves under Jonathan have returned millions of dollars, trillions of naira raked in by the Nigeria custom service; and millions of dollars saved by the TSA and leakages have been blocked. “Even if you are very dumb, you should at least be able to ask some simple questions. Why borrow with an interest when you already have a lot? Except if the ‘fight against corruption is just a scam.’” Oh well, to each his opinion.

Benjamin

EVENTS

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APRIL 16, 2016

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Thrills and frills at creative crew launch

Last Sunday, Creative Crew was launched with celebrities such as Eku Edewor, Bolanle Olukanni and Ono Bello in attendance.

Bidemi Zakariyu

Bolanle Olukanni

Eku Edewor

Ono Bello

Sharon Ojong

Sika Osei

Zainab Balogun

Tewa Onasanya

The Epunams celebrate 18 years of marital bliss

L-R, Deacon Basil Epunam and Friends during their 18th Years Wedding Anniversary in Abuja

Pix by OSASONA ROTIMI

L-R, Deacon Basil Chukwudi Epunam with Hon Augusta Epunam during their 18th Years Wedding Anniversary in Abuja

L-R, Pastor, Hilary Abraham, Deacon and Mrs Epunam and Mr and Mrs Usman Aliu

L-R, Deacon and Mrs Epunam with their Children during their 18th Years Wedding Anniversary in Abuja

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APRIL 16, 2016

StyGlelam and

an isi Adenir with Yem

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Style & Glam

Exotic Caps T

no doubt he Ankara fabric ay. Not has come a long w rs but just as body wea ent kinds of of course in differ le you might have accessories. Whi s, shoes and even seen it as bangle so visible now as necklaces, it is al headwears. as a top Recently launched own Nature, beauty wear by Cr ion outfit, an indigenous fash showcase the it is designed to e Ankara fabric. adaptability of th ll caps, polo It comes in baseba l cket hats, specia caps, sunvisor, bu stro. They are hats and fidel ca frican hand and made in exotic A ics of Ankara, machine print fabr ), Kente, Aso oke Tye & Dye (Adire estyle brand. and Batik as a lif signers are As far as the de ad of every concerned, the he display and fashionista should ueness of the promote the uniq â&#x20AC;&#x153;We have African culture. ad as a potential identified every he r,â&#x20AC;? she added. cap and hat weare

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Style & Glam

APRIL 16, 2016

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APRIL 16, 2016

Fashion frenzy

Style & Glam

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Rocking your mini

ini skirts and dresses can be fun, fashionable and flirty but if you wear them the wrong way you might give people the wrong impression about yourself. Wearing a mini with grace and style requires some consideration. This following will guide you well: Consider your body shape. In order to look good in a mini outfit, you must have the right style mini for your body shape. Stand in front of a full length mirror either nude or dressed in spandex to adequately evaluate your

Fashion frenzy

shape. Determine if you are straight, apple, pear or hourglass shaped. For apple shaped women, flared mini skirts or dresses are very flattering. Pear shaped women should opt for longer, A-line, mini skirts that are no more than three inches above the knee. For the hourglass shape, tailored mini skirts, dresses are the way to go. Slim, straight figures are best flattered in mini wears that feature a pattern. You also need the right shoes. Extremely high heels should be avoided as this again, might give the wrong idea.

Sandals are a good choice as are flats. If you desire the height of heels, wedge sandals are also a good way to go. When you sit in a mini outfit, do not cross your legs as doing so will put you at risk of exposing to much in this short of a wear. Instead, sit with your knees together and feet flat on the floor. Also if you need to pick something up from the ground or floor, do not bend from the waist. Instead, bend from the knees while keeping your legs together. This way you will not show off your panties in the process.

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APRIL 16, 2016

SOCIETY Mirror Fuji maestro, Kollington Ayinla, puts up N60m house for sale

uji maestro, Kollington Ayinla has once again put up his Alagbado house for sale, according to a reliable source. The veteran Fuji musician has placed a price tag of N60m on the uncompleted building, far below the N80m he initially tagged on it. In 2013, the Kwara born musician had put up the house at around N80m but no one showed interest, prompting him to reduce the price. At the moment, land agents around Alagbado metropolis are busy marketing the building to prospective buyers.

Confirming the sale of the house is Kollington’s official agent, Engr. Adelakun Orole of Abbey Gold and Company. Mr. Adelakun says they (he and his house owner) are open to negotiations if any buyer shows interest. “Though the asking price is N60m, we are still open to negotiations if any serious offer appears,” he says. On why he has put the house for sale, sources divulged that The ‘Kebe N Kwara’ crooner has been undergoing some tough time in his health and finances in recent times.

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with Deola Adeoti. Tel: 07055695565, mofat07@yahoo.com

When quizzed by Encomium Magazine sometimes ago to confirm if truly he has put the mansion on sale, Kollington said: “It’s true. When you don’t have money, you use whatever you have to get what you want. I don’t have money, and I need money. I can’t just be looking at the building, I can’t eat it. I need to convert it to money. But not the whole property that I want to sell. It’s just this uncompleted structure directly opposite us. I need to make that clarification so that people out there won’t be misinformed. I am only selling part and not all the property here. This is where I live.”

Crisis rocks Kessington Adebutu’s marriage T he marriage between Chief Kessington Adebukola Adebutu, the chairman of Premier Lotto Limited, and his youngest wife, Temitope Kofoworola, is currently tottering on the brink of collapse. Those who should know said Temitope drew her husband’s ire due to her extravagant and ostentatious lifestyle. It is imperative to note that Temitope, who is in her late 30’s, is the only wife who lives with Pa Adebutu at his Ikoyi residence, and the beautiful society lady was said to have confided in her close friends that her husband was ‘selectively generous’ towards her. But trouble started when the wife reportedly started mismanaging the billionaire’s money. It will be recalled that Chief Adebutu marked his 80th birthday anniversary, last October, in a most elaborate manner, which most people within the Nigerian social establishment are still talking

Music director, Yomi Frederick, in double celebration

ifted music director, Yomi Frederick, popularly known as Dr Bee is highly elated as you read. The reason for his happiness firstly lies in his birthday. Yesterday, precisely April 15, 2016, the ace director added another year on planet earth, and to celebrate the day the director gathered friends and well wishers to a mini ball at his Ikorodu abode in Lagos State. And while we were still fed with the news of his birthday, news broke on the other side that the he had also won a mouth-watering music video contract with Solid-Worth Entertainment, a fledgling record label company. According to

sources, the talented director was contracted to shoot music videos for all the record label artistes, starting with Fuji icon, Abass Akande Obesere. Obesere, we heard, has a contract with the label, which is to record a hip-hop album for the label. Already, the video to a song entitled Ebelesua, which was shot by Dr. Bee, is currently on many national TV Stations. No doubt, Dr. Bee has paid his dues as far as the Nigerian entertainment industry is concerned. Barely a decade ago when he stormed the Nigerian music industry, little or nothing was known about him. But today, through creativity

and technicality, he’s won the consciousness of many fans and artistes who now besiege him to direct their music videos. According to sources, apart from his Midas touch on the camera, what speaks for him is his wide experience. Before now, he has worked with prominent directors, both home and abroad, also managing DJ Tee Films. Dr. Bee is a graduate of Music Technology from Ibadan Polytechnic, Nigeria before he later moved to New York Films Academy and The Acting Scene (Manhattan), both in United States of America to bag Diploma in Film making and acting respectively.

about. Adebutu, the Asoju Oba of Lagos, married Temitope eleven years ago. A graduate of Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, Temitope is mainly charged with taking care of her husband. And she never floundered in discharging this duty since she got married to the prominent philanthropist and became the apple of his eyes. Temitope is blessed with captivating beauty, an attribute which was said to have magnetised the Ijebu chief the first time they met. The billionaire was so fond of Temitope that he refered to her as his Tonic, who kept him young at heart. In 2013, Temitope was delivered of a set of twin boys in Germany. The names of the Adebutu twins are Taiwo Adebola Oluwaseyi Akanbi and Kehinde Adebukunola Oluwaseun Akanji.

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Fashion

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APRIL 16, 2016

Guest G

‘Simplicity is the best way to express style’ As far as Evangelist Elishama Ideh is concerned, complexity complicates fashion and makes it unappealing. She explains this in her interview with YEMISI ADENIRAN .

10 sneaky causes of heart problems

Dental problems: People with gum disease are more likely to have heart disease, too. The connection isn’t clear, but some experts think bacteria from your gums may move into your bloodstream, leading to inflammation of the blood vessels and other heart problems. Shift Work: Working at night or irregular hours raises your risk of a heart attack, according to a recent study. Researchers say shift work has a bad impact on the body’s circadian rhythm (your “internal clock”), and they think that harms your heart.

hat does fashion mean to you? Fashion, to me, means putting on the right accessories and dress for any particular occasion. This means, knowing what occasion you are attending and dressing to meet the standard. You would agree with me that occasions require different dresses. For instance, the way I would dress to a party is different from the way I would dress to class or other related occasions. I can’t set out for a wedding and you will find me in a jeans pant. If it is a traditional or English dress, so to say, it would be a little gorgeous. When you know the occasion, then you know how to dress for it. What are some of the fashion materials you cannot afford not to have? I can’t do without my cream, soap and powder. In fact, for the cream and soap, I have special ones I use because my body reacts to many others. So, I use only the ones that best suit me. Talking about fashion materials, I cannot do without my earrings. I always feel a little bit confident with it. And like I said, the occasion determines what I wear. Most times I am on studs for lectures, but when it is a function like a wedding , I put on the dropping ear rings.

What are your beauty tips? I stick to a particular cream and soap; I am not really a heavy makeup person, but I wash my face every night before going to bed to remove the makeup and allow my pores to be free. One finds many people committing fashion errors. What do you have to say? Some put on one pattern on a different pattern and that is wrong. Once you are on one pattern, you stick to that pattern. For example, if you are on a leopard skin, you should not wear a striped material along with it. They commit so much error on make up too. Most people want to try very well on make up and they end up trying too hard and committing errors. My advice is to remain simple. Fashion gets appealing when expressed simply. If you can’t make up well, call your friends to assist you and you will achieve the effect you want. Because I am on the light side of making up, if I want to go for a special function and I want to look different, I seek the assistance of some of my friends who are better in it. Dressing in complexity makes one appear cumbersome. It is better to appear simple, that way one will appeal to people around.

Traffic Delays: Anyone who’s ever been stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic will tell you it’s stressful. That may be why research links spending a single hour in traffic to higher odds of having a heart attack. High noise levels -- like the kind you hear on a highway -- are also linked to heart disease. If you can’t avoid traveling during rush hour, squash stress by listening to relaxing music. Or share the ride and chat with your fellow passenger. Early Menopause: If you’re a woman and you go into menopause before you turn 46, your odds of having a heart attack or stroke may be twice as high as those who go through it later. A drop in estrogen, a hormone with heart-friendly effects, may play a role. Snoring: If your partner says you regularly snore or you sound like you’re gasping for air while sleeping, see your doctor. It may be because your airway is partially blocked and it causes you to have pauses in your breathing. This is linked to high blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, strokes, and heart failure. Not Getting Good Sleep: When you routinely get less than six hours of sleep a night, you raise your risk of higher blood pressure and cholesterol. But that doesn’t mean you should sleep your way through

the day. When you spend more than nine hours sleeping on a regular basis, it raises your odds of getting diabetes and having a stroke -- major risk factors for heart disease. An Unhappy Marriage: A good marriage makes your heart happy and healthy. Older adults who are content in their unions have a lower risk of heart disease than those who aren’t, according to a recent study. The likely cause? Stress. And stress hormones may have a negative effect on the heart. Loneliness: When you spend time with loved ones, it thwarts stress and helps you stay active. Lonely folks may be more likely to have heart disease. Belly fat: Any extra weight is hard on your heart, but the kind around your midsection is especially dangerous. It may trigger your body to make hormones and other chemicals that can raise blood pressure and have a bad effect on your blood vessels and cholesterol levels. If you’re a woman and your waist is more than 35 inches around, or 40 inches if you’re a man, start thinking about a diet and exercise plan. Too much television time: People who park themselves in front of the television a lot are more likely to get heart problems than those who limit their TV time. Every hour you spend watching TV on a daily basis may increase your risk by almost 20%. Sitting is the most likely culprit; it’s linked to problems like high blood pressure. Until researchers know how and why TV and heart trouble are connected, try to limit your time in front of the tube. Too much exercise suddenly: Exercise is great for your heart. But if you’re out of shape or only work out occasionally, start slowly and build your endurance. When you exercise too long or too hard, it may put you at risk for heart attack and other problems, research shows. Start with a gentle exercise like walking.

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WOMAN ‘Women should be contented with what they have’ Mrs Oyin Onime, an entrepreneur of note, spoke with YEMISI ADENIRAN on life, her marriage and other issues. Excerpts:

ou became 50 years old some months ago. How would you describe life since then? Physically, I must be frank with you, I feel no difference. I am still me, no bigger frame, no special crave, I mean for a particular food or drink. I have been healthy and Kept up with my life just as I had been doing before now. I don’t eat more than I was doing, I don’t feel anything special or different to indicate the onset of the age. In all, God has been very good to me. That is all I can say and that is all there is to say. The journey of life till this moment has not been easy but God has been faithful. I give Him all the praise. Many of my

mates have died; many that were not even up t my age have gone. Many of them who are still alive are just living without knowing what life is actually is. Many are mad, many are in the prison. But here I am months after I clocked 50, I am still bouncing around with my entire household. I am still relevant in life, to friends, to my siblings, to the society and to top the list of all, I am still relevant to God. I am grateful to God. Is there anything you used to do that you just realised that you no longer do? Well, I can categorically say that I am no longer the hot-tempered woman that I used to be. I am not easily angered like it used to be with me be-

fore. May be this has come with age and maturity, I wouldn’t know. But definitely, I am calmer now, I listen more to people ‘s words and handle issues with calmness than I used to do before. I have also noticed that I now depend more on God than anything. I have always love God before now, but my love and thirst for Him has grown bigger and better. The things of God interest me more than it used to be now and I am glad for this. Issues that would have given me sleepless nights no longer do because I now see more of God in my life and issues than before. My dependence on God has become stronger so much that I don’t see anything that I cannot achieved with Him. I no longer

depend on my strength or that of any other person but God. This is what I am passing down to my generation to come. It is a legacy I would want to leave behind. What kind of a mother do you think your children may say you are? They are grown up now, so it will be easy for them to divide between wickedness and discipline where punishment, we usually see the act as nothing but wickedness on the part of the person punishing us. It is when we grew up as adults that we now discovered that the person or our parents did all those things they did to put us on the right part. It is on that note that I can tell you

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that my children will tell anyone who cares to listen that their mother is a principled and a disciplinarian. They will also tell you that I am not a lazy woman, I am a workaholic. They will again tell you that I am a good cook and of course a fashionista and a God- fearing woman. What are your own words concerning them? They are not just wonderful; they are a bundle of blessing to me. I wonder how life would have been for me without them. I thank God for giving me my children. They are children who have feelings for their mother. You know the worst thing that can happen to a woman is for her to have her enemies as children. Her life, her old age will be full of sorrow. But I thank God for giving me children, who are obedient, loving and promising. What about your husband. What do you think his comments will be? Well, we have come a long way. We started as friends, colleagues before we became lovers and now as husband and wife. I am sure He would say that I am a loving wife, a patient one and of course a very supportive wife. He has been the same to me and I thank God for how far He has kept us, upheld our home and allow His presence and rule to reign in our home. You look trendy despite your age. What’s the secret? God is the secret. Everyone keeps saying I look younger than my age and I keep wondering myself how I have been able to achieve this. But I discovered that it is not by my power but by the mercy of God. Like I said earlier, I don’t do anything special but well as they say, beauty comes from within and age is a thing of the heart, I think this is what has been working for me. I don’t see myself as an old woman so I cannot look old. It is assumed that age 50 marks a half of one’s years on earth. What changes or decisions have you made to reflect this? Like I said it is a great privilege to be in one’s 50s hale and hearty. Right now, one has lived at least half of one’s life span, it is important that one takes a good reflection of one’s life. I have decided and taken steps to evaluate my life in the past and I have decided to live better than I used to live. For me, it is time to be closer to God, please Him in all my ways, influence the world and people around me positively and generally leave good impression about God and myself everywhere I go. It is time to stop running after worldly things, help people especially the needies around me. I do not want Jesus to cast me away from His presence in heaven for not helping the needies around me. What do you look forward to right now?

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At 50, one

has surely lived at least half of one’s life span. It is time to stop running after worldly things and help people, especially the have-nots around My daughters are grownups now. So, I look forward to giving them away in marriage and holding my grand children in my arms, having these kids run around my home, my shops and all. I will soon become a grandmother, so I have decided What do you think is responsible for the many broken marriages we have these days? Honestly, a lot of factors are responsible and this differs from one marriage to the other. Many got married for wrong reasons. For instance, many get married because the guy or the lady has a good job, he is comfortable, he or she is famous. Many get married because of money. Since the man is rich, many have said within them, he would be able to take care of me. When after a while, something just go wrong and those things they saw as the main reason for their decision to marry, they just pack it up. Today, we have a lot of people who got married just because age was not on their side and many of their friends are already married. After a while, the marriage just hit the rocks. We can go on and on like that. What are the things you would want to recommend as basics for a long-lasting marriage? I would say everyone who wants to get married should make God the very foundation of their marriage. If God is in the know of a marriage, He will be committed to it to the end. God is the best and the strongest foundation of any marriage. If He is there, you are bound to surmount all mountains. Apart from this, it is important that real love and contentment for whatever the man has and provides also be there. Most women are not contented with what they have, so they compare their husbands and homes with others. There is no marriage without its challenges. It is the ability to patiently endure challenges in a marriage that will elongate the life span of the marriage.

Keeping ABREAST

25 pieces of advice from very old women

1) “You’ve got to have God in your life. Without God, you’ve got nothing.” 2) “I make myself go out every day, even if it’s only to walk around the block. The key to staying young is to keep moving.” 3) “Invest in quality pieces, they never go out of style.” 4) “Don’t look at the calendar, just keep celebrating every day.” 5) “I dress up every day and I don’t wear blue jeans.” 6) “Keep going and never give up.” 7) “Take it easy, enjoy life, what will be will be. Sleep well, have a Bailey’s Irish Cream before bed if you have a cold—you will wake up fine the next morning.” 8) “I never drank or smoked. And I don’t let anything upset me, especially traffic.” 9) “I don’t like stress. I can’t stand arguing. If anybody is fussing, I’m gone. I like to be around positive people, people who lift you up not bring you down.” 10) “Exercise every morning… I have a machine… it’s a cross between a rowing machine and a bicycle. I do 150, 200 rows every morning. I won’t leave my bedroom until I’ve done that.” 11) “Be honest. I’ve rarely lied. And when you are honest with people, it comes back to you, and they are honest with you. It’s too much work keeping up with a lie. You don’t need the extra stress.” 12) “Keep an open mind, and things seem less strange.” 13) “Always listen to the other person. You’ll learn something. Try to sit back, because you will learn a lot more listening to others than telling them what you know.” 14) “You have to love what you do. If you find a job you love, you will never

have to ‘work’ a day in your life.” 15) “Take naps every day.” 16) “You get only one family, so stick with them. It doesn’t matter if these hardships are financial or emotional or other types. Stick it out. Some days are worse than others, and you have to be ok with that. The night is darkest before dawn.” 17) “Laughter keeps you healthy. You can survive by seeing the humour in everything. Thumb your nose at sadness; turn the tables on tragedy. You can’t laugh and be angry. You can’t laugh and feel sad. You can’t laugh and feel envious.” 18) “Mind your own business and don’t eat junk food. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated, work hard, and love what you do.” 19) “Have a good appetite, lots of friends, and keep busy.” 20) “Be good, don’t complain, just get up and do. Keep on working, keep on going, and have a good time.” 21) “I had a wonderful marriage for 61 years, was active and danced my whole life, but I believe my life is in God’s hands.” 22) “Whatever is hard, you make hard, but if you take it as it comes, it doesn’t come hard. Don’t worry, don’t want so much, and be satisfied with what you’ve got. Be willing to share with your friends and those less fortunate.” 23) “Try to understand the kind of person you are and accept who you are; but if you want to improve your situation, change it. Keep your eye on the stars and try to succeed at what you want to do” 24) “Keep yourself alert, active and educated. Beat to your own drum.” 25) “An affair is very different from a marriage because you can break it off at anytime.”

divorce court 30 ‘She fought with 9 persons wearing only tights and bra’ PAGE

• My wife, who is a pastor, an evangelist, a church interpreter and women leader, fought with nine persons one day on our street wearing only a bra and a tight. She fought from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.,during which residents of the street were begging her to stop but she refused. I also pleaded with her but she cursed me. I was ashamed of myself —Husband

59-year-old businessman, Joseph Olatunde has filed for divorce at an Igando Customary Court in Lagos State over his wife’s alleged shameful act. Joseph, in his application, is seeking for the dissolution of his marriage to his wife, Kemi Olatunde, whom he said had gained a reputation as a street-fighter. “My wife, who is a pastor, an evangelist, a church interpreter and women leader, fought with nine persons in a day in our street wearing only a bra and a tight,” she said. “She fought from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., during which residents of the street were begging her to stop but she refused. “I also pleaded with her but she cursed and I was ashamed of myself. “I had to take her pictures with my cell phone when she was fighting with in the public with only the brassier covering her body and sent it to her family.” Joseph testified that his wife was in the habit of starving him of food and “would always tell me that I should ask my children to cook for me”. He told the court that Kemi also maltreated his three children from another woman “and does not even want to see my

friends and other family members. “My wife has been hostile to my children and this has led them to vacate my house and rent an apartment elsewhere. “She fights my friends and relatives anytime they visit me and this attitude of hers has stopped them from coming to my house.” The petitioner said that his wife was also fond of going out without his permission only to return home at her discretion. Joseph said that whenever he queried her, she would abuse him. He, therefore, pleaded with the court to dissolve the marriage, saying he could no longer continue to be ridiculed, starved and deserted by his children, friends and relatives – all because of her. However, the 42-year-old Kemi denied all the allegations. “I used to prepare food in the morning, afternoon and evening for my husband,” she said. She said that her husband had refused to pay the school fees of her daughter from another man who had been living with them since they got married. Kemi urged the court not to grant her husband’s wish for a divorce, saying she still loved him. The court president, Adegboyega Omilola, adjourned the case for judgment.

‘He tricked me into marrying him’

• Adeniyi with his sugar-coated mouth told me that he was a well paid worker in an oil company in Port Harcourt and he did go there often in my presence. I eventually got pregnant for him. He then took me to a hotel for our honeymoon and I was surprised that we didn’t go to his home for the honeymoon. I received further shock when his elder brother invited us into his apartment to live there for sometime —Wife

Mapo Customary Court in Ibadan has dissolved a two-year marriage between Bolaji, a banker and her husband, Tope Adeniyi, over laziness and deception into marriage. The presiding judge of the court, Mr Henric Agbaje, held that what had just happened should be a big lesson to young ladies and even men. Agbaje said that they should try as much as possible to distinguish between appearance and reality. He added that the establishment of an enduring marriage institution transcends mere mouth making in order to put a woman in the house. “In the interest of peace and tranquility, the court has put an end to the union between Bolaji and Adeniyi. He awarded custody of the two-year-old child to Bolaji and ordered Adeniyi to pay N5, 000 monthly feeding allowances for the upkeep of the child and his other welfares. In her petition to the court, Bolaji said that Adeniyi

deceived her into a hopeless marriage, painting a picture of what he was not. “We met each other just at the time when I was just starting my NYSC, making all the promises in this world. “Adeniyi with his sugar-coated mouth told me that he was a well paid worker of an oil company in Port Harcourt and he did go there often in my presence. “I eventually got pregnant for him, he then took me to a hotel for our honeymoon and I was surprised that we didn’t go to his home for the honeymoon. “I received further shock when his elder brother invited us into his apartment to live there for sometimes. “After six months, his brother’s wife stylishly drove me out when she started misbehaving towards me because we were staying too long in their house. “With my job as a banker, I started taking responsibility of most of the things, including feeding and furnishing the CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

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‘My wife’s secret lover died after sleeping with her’

• That fateful day, I came back home early and could not find her in our room. Two of my neighbours told me that they sighted her when she sneaked into her lover’s room. I went to knock on his door but he refused to open after hearing my voice. I continued knocking and he later opened his door. I saw my wife hiding behind his door sweating and panting. I greeted her and left. After some days, her lover died and my wife disappeared from the house without taking anything. She has refused to come back —Husband •I was not having any affair with that our neighbour. He was only my benefactor who always meet my needs as my husband is not responsible, but unfortunately he is no more —Wife

59-year-old man, Olaiya Adeagbo, has pleaded with an Igando Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve his 23-year marriage, accusing his wife of shamelessly committing adultery

.He told the court that his wife with whom he had four children, was having an affair with their neighbour. “I always received a tip-off from our neighbours that my wife is having an affair with one of our neighbours who is a bachelor “That fateful day, I came back home earlier and could not find her in our room, two of my neighbours told me that they sighted her when she sneaked into her lover’s room. “I went to knock on his door but he refused to open after hearing my voice. I continued

knocking and he later opened his door, and I saw my wife hiding behind his door sweating and panting, I greeted her and left. “After some days, her lover died and my wife disappeared from the house without taking anything and she had refused to come back. “My wife later went to marry another man, who also died after some months of their marriage,” he said. The estranged husband also told the court that his wife fights a lot. “Every house we rented, we are always evicted because of her frequent fighting with me and neighbours; she once stabbed me with a knife” he said. He urged the court to terminate the marriage as his life was not safe and that he was

no longer interested in the union. In her own submission, the wife, Mrs Taiwo Adeagbo, 46, claimed that man her husband saw her with is her benefactor not her lover. Hear the wife: “I am not having any affair with that our neighbour, he was only my benefactor who always meet my needs as my husband is not responsible, but unfortunately he is no more.” She said she accept for the court to grant her husband’s wish and terminate the marriage as she too was no longer interested in the union. This one is indeed a case of marriage gone bad. The President of the court, Mr Adegboyega Omilola, after listening to the estranged couple, adjourned for judgement.

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APRIL 16, 2016

divorce court

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‘ My wife committed abomination’

• In our tradition, it is a taboo for a wife, who abandoned her matrimonial home to come back. I cannot marry nor have anything to do with her again —Husband · My husband chased me from the house. He said that I was irritating him and threatened to kill me by pouring acid on me if I refused to leave his house. So, at that point, I had no option than to move to our Church to stay while waiting for his temper to cool down—Wife

n Igando Customary Court, Lagos, has dissolved the 18-year-old marriage between Mr Jonathan Ubi and his wife, Rita, after Ubi accused his wife of disappearing, which he described as an abomination. Delivering his judgment, the president of the court, Mr Hakeem Oyekan, said that he was convinced that the couple could no longer live together as the petitioner insisted on the divorce even after several interventions. “The court has no choice than to dissolve the union in spite of the fact that the wife still claims she loves her husband. “The couple can no longer stay together because the marriage

‘She got pregnant for another man in my house’

• My wife left my house to an unknown destination and I did not know that she was pregnant until she gave birth later in her new man’s house. I married another wife because our children that used to cook for me had all married and I was getting too old to cook for myself —Husband • It was my husband that pushed me to finding solace and comfort in another man because he was always beating me —Wife

n Igando Customary Court in Lagos State has intervened and saved a 39-year-old marriage between Ayinla Jimoh and his wife, Anike, for getting pregnant for her lover.

The court president, Adegboyega Omilola, successfully resolved the differences between the couple, after several adjournments. While striking out the case,

Omilola admonished the couple to maintain the peace and continue to live in love and harmony. “Since the court was able to reconcile the couple through counselling, I urge both of you to go home and live in peace and love,” he said. Ayinla Jimoh, 68, a welder, had filed an application to end his 39-year-old marriage to his

‘He tricked me into marrying him’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30 house. “Worst still, Adeniyi took to unleashing mayhem on me at any slightest disagreement as well as destroying my property. “Then, one day, I moved to my parents’ home telling them how providence has brutally changed my life. “As a matter of fact, Adeniyi had no qualification because he had no higher education, had no job, but dresses well because his brother works with an oil company and sometimes gave him money.

“For more than a year now, we have been staying apart,” Bolaji explained. Adeniyi, who had no explanation to deny all the allegations rejected the divorce request. “My lord, I love Bolaji and I don’t want to divorce her for the reason of love and because of our child who might suffer. “Bolaji’s father had told both of us that he is not interested in any divorce and that anyone who wants to divorce should just write him a letter and not the court process,” Adeniyi said. (NAN)

60-year-old wife, Anike, over alleged adultery. Jimoh said his wife with whom he had seven children was adulterous, adding that it led to her being impregnated by another man, while still in his matrimonial home. He said: “My wife left my house to an unknown destination and I did not know that she was pregnant until she gave birth later in her new man’s house,” he said. Jimoh said he married another wife in 2013 after Anike left their matrimonial home for 14 years and refused to return. He said: “I married another wife because our children that used to cook for me had all married and I was getting too old to cook for myself. “It was after I had remarried that my wife returned and I still accommodated her. “But I rejected the child she bore for another man, asking her to send the child back to her father.” The petitioner said Anike had been fighting him and his second wife since she returned to their matrimonial home.

“Anike was always engaging my younger wife in physical fights on a daily basis and I am afraid she might kill her one day and she always slaps me whenever we have a heated argument,” he recalled. Jimoh alleged that Anike would leave the house for weeks without his consent and that he was tired of having to repay her indebtedness to people she had borrowed money from. He, therefore, pleaded with the court for the dissolution of their 39-year-old marriage, saying there was no more love in the relationship. However, Anike, the respondent, who did not deny the allegations, said she was pushed into the act because her husband was in the habit of constantly assaulting her. “It was my husband that pushed me to finding solace and comfort in another man because he was always beating me,” she said. The mother of seven, however, begged the court not to grant her husband’s application for divorce, saying she was still in love with him.

has broken down totally, both parties are no longer husband and wife, they are free to go their separate ways. “Both parties are to keep peace all the time, any violation of the order should be reported to the police for redress,” Oyekan ruled. The petitioner, Jonathan Ubi, 65, a retiree, had filed a suit seeking for the dissolution of his marriage after alleging that the wife had committed an abomination. “My wife committed an abomination by willingly abandoning her matrimonial home for four weeks to an unknown destination. “In our tradition, it is a taboo for a wife, who abandoned her matrimonial home to come back. I cannot marry nor have anything to do with her again.” Ubi said that Rita had stopped caring for him and the children, adding that she had left everything for their maids.”My wife is lazy, she cannot take care of her family that was the reason I enrolled all my children into boarding school as their mother cannot take proper care of them.” According to him, his wife recklessly mismanaged the business he set up for her and she was asking him for more money. He begged the court to dissolve his 18-year-old marriage as he was no more in love with her and was also not willing to live with a woman who had committing so many atrocities. In her defence, Mrs Rita Ubi, 40, businesswoman, told the court that it was her husband that chased her from the house after threatening to bath her with acid. “My husband chased me from the house. He said that I was irritating him and threatened to kill me by pouring acid on me if I refused to leave his house. “So, at that point, I had no option than to move to our Church to stay while waiting for his temper to cool down. “The elders in the Church begged him, but he said that he could not accept me back because I have committed an abomination by sleeping outside my matrimonial home.’’ The mother of three accused her husband’s family of trying to shatter her home by accusing her of fetish acts. “My brother-in-law always accused me of using charm on my husband so that he will love only me and my children and abandon them. “It is this in-law that instigates my husband to reject me after insisting that I was not a good wife.” She claimed that she had always taken good care of her husband and the children, and pleaded with the court not to grant her husband’s wish as she was still in love.

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Parenting

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

5 tips to reach out to your rebellious teen Acknowledge strengths

ou may be surprised to see that your little angel has now become your rebellious teen. Identity crisis starts to set in. In addition to the identity crisis, peer pressure, media influences and hormonal changes are some of the challenges that your teen will need to overcome. During this stage of their lives, they fight for independence and want to be treated as adults. They usually push themselves to the limits and will do almost anything to win the approval of their peers. Sometimes, they will question the beliefs and religion they had previously believed. As a parent, it is important for you to provide them with all the support they can have during this stage but you should also allow them to express themselves in seeking independence. Here are some helpful tips on how to reach out to your rebellious teen.

Listen The first and most important tip in reaching out to teenagers is to simply listen to them. You should also act as a friend to your teen and be willing to listen. Maintain an open communication and make sure to let them know that you would

always lend an open ear. As a parent, it is difficult not to be biased and interrupting to your child. The best thing is to be a fully present listener; this means giving undivided attention, reflecting back the emotions you hear (e.g. "It sounds like that really makes you mad" or "It sounds like you feel left out" etc.) and refraining from giving quick advice. It is much better to ask your children what they think the best solution would be. You can help them to think through the consequences of their "solutions" and discover better alternatives (if needed).

Define and set limits You should set limits; these usually depend on your values. Be clear when it comes to letting your teen know what these limits are. Cursing, curfews and physical violence are some examples of issues that you may want to discuss with your teen when it comes to setting limits. Teenagers need to know the expected consequences of violating limits in advance; this will prevent an exchange of angry words and any attempts to negotiate when limits are broken. You simply enforce the consequence which was agreed

ParentingUpdate

ot only is nose picking normal, almost EVERY kid does it — and so do adults! There is a natural impulse to pick your nose because dried mucus creates a sensation of itchiness and may even feel like it is blocking your ability to breathe. That being said, it is also considered very rude and unsanitary in society to pick your nose and, even worse, to EAT the mucus! Yuck! But this, too, is a very common and normal thing kids do. This is why nose picking is one of those things we tell our kids not to do. You can teach your children not to pick in public, and to use a tissue. Give your children a reason they can understand apart from the usual “we don’t do that.” Show them alternatives like using a tissue properly or going into the toilet

upon at an earlier and calmer time.

Allow them to decide for themselves As a parent, you should help your child grow, not stop them from doing so. Allowing them to make their own decisions is crucial step in letting them grow and develop independence. They can start with simple decisions like their style preferences, pursuing their hobby or choosing sports to play. By giving them the liberty to decide, they will not feel controlled by you. The more they feel restricted, the more they will fight back. When they decide for themselves, they will also learn from their mistakes. If they experience failures as early as adolescence, it would be easy for them to handle failures during adulthood.

their

Teenagers seek approval and so acknowledging their strengths is a good way of letting them know how important they are. You were once a teenager; try to remember the way it felt. You do not need to be your

teen's best friend; you do have to let them know that you are there and that you love them unconditionally. Loving them unconditionally does not mean however that you will accept poor behaviour (don't let them fool you into backing down from the agreed upon consequences).

Tiny Feet

Stop comparing them to others Comparing your teenager to siblings or other family's teen will only create anger and increase the desire to rebel. As much as possible, avoid expression of favouritism in the family.

NAME: David Babatunde BORN TO: Mr and Mrs Babatunde AGE: 6 months old BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

What to do about nose-picking

to ‘dig for gold.’ Explain the purpose of manners — “other people will be very put off from you if you pick your nose in front of them” — and the importance of healthy habits — “if you put your dirty finger in your nose, it can make you sick” and “if you pick your nose and touch someone else without washing your hands, that can make them sick.” But what if your little darling is picking away in a public place despite your repeated attempts to explain why and how to stop it? If the nose-picking is part of a pattern of behaviors that are in direct opposition to what you have asked or told them to do, it might be more about breaking the rules than clearing the nasal passages. Kids, and actually everyone, respond

best to an explanation about why not to do something. The time for this explanation is NOT when they have been caught red-handed and are embarrassed, and therefore most defensive. Choose a

more relaxed time to talk about hygiene, manners and tissues. And then choose a non-humiliating signal together that you can use as a reminder if they slip up. Good luck!

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APRIL 16, 2016

Dear Bukola

Having problems with your marriage, family, relationship, career or life generally? Help is at hand with Bukola Oyetunji, Relationship Expert, Life Coach, Motivational Speaker, Author of Stranded With a Status and One Good Spouse Deserves Another. www.bukolaoyetunji.blogspot.com, Follow on twitter @bukolaoyetunji

bukola.oyetunji@gmail.com. +2347012974472

I hate my baby Dear Bukola,

have a little baby boy, he is just 6 months old. I can’t see myself loving this child because my wife died while giving birth to him. I think he stole my wife away from me. The hatred I have for this boy is beginning to reflect in the way I treat him because his grandmas are already complaining. I wish I can be a better father to him but I loved my wife so much and I think it’s his entire fault she died. What can I do? Dear Bereaved, am sorry about the way you feel but I want you to know firsthand that you are not alone. Several other men out there who lost their wife through childbirth find it difficult to love the child left behind. I’m not saying it should be so but as humans, when life deals us such a fatal blow, it becomes necessary for us to put the blame on someone or something. Unfortunately, in an instance such as yours, the surviving child becomes the one to bear it all. Not minding how reasonable it seems for you to hate this little boy of yours, it is very wrong! A child is to be loved. He knows nothing about your wife’s death because life and chance merely happened. Do you know this child is also at the losing end? A newborn baby needs all the motherly care and affection to grow into a wonderful child but he has been deprived of this too, have you ever thought about this? Do you know all the nutrients and warmth your little son needs from his mother that he has not been able to enjoy? If he was deprived of his mother’s affection, do you think he should be deprived of your love and care too? This child really did not do anything wrong other than come to this world so I wonder why you think he deserves to be punished for the sins he knows nothing about! The best thing for you to do in a situation like this is be thankful to God that your wife gave you a precious gift even in death. She left a wonderful gift for you to love and nurture into a promising adult. All your hatred towards the child can only make her unhappy because she died giving you that gift and she expects you to appreciate that. Transfer all the love you had for your wife to this child. See him as a sacrifice your wife made just to make you happy, if you can do this, your life will become meaningful and you would surely have a reason to wake up happy for the rest of your days. Hatred consumes us…. Don’t let that happen to you. Love your little son with all your might so that you can reap the fruits in the future. I wish you all the strength you need…

My father raped me! Dear Bukola, My mother died while I was about 6 years old and since then, I have been living alone with my dad. At around 13 years old, I noticed my father became too close for comfort but because of my naivety, I let it go. One of my friends came to my house when I was about 16years old and complained that I was too close to my dad and that we both looked like a couple but not parent and child…. I found it difficult to understand. On my 18th birthday, my father disvirgined and raped me not just once but 4 times all through the night, that was 3 months ago. Since then, I have become a ghost of myself and everyone keeps wondering what happened to me. I can’t bring myself to share this with anyone because I am so ashamed of myself and what people will think of me. Sometimes I think of killing myself or of poisoning my dad for

what he did to me. I don’t think there’s a future for me anymore….. Dear sexually assaulted, Firstly, you must know that all the things that happened to you are not because of anything you did or didn’t do, in other words, it is not your fault. Sometimes, men find it difficult to handle their grief well therefore they do things they are not supposed to do. From your mail, I want to assume your father never remarried because if he did, the closeness would have been curtailed by his new wife… this still goes to show he probably never got over the death of your mother. I think what happened in your situation is that your father saw so much of his late wife in you. He got to a point where he couldn’t separate his memories of your mom from you so there was a clash. This is why he became too close to you to

the point of committing such an assault that changes things forever between you both. Don’t get me wrong, I am not giving excuses for your father’s evil behavior but I want you to know what may have prompted such an act from him. Now let’s focus on you….. the most important thing you need to do is forgive yourself. Like I earlier wrote, know that it is not your fault your father raped you. Seriously, you didn’t do anything wrong by being a loving daughter after your mom passed away. Secondly, it is mandatory you forgive your father. It may seem very difficult to do but the truth is; it does more good for you. Forgiving him lifts the yoke off your shoulders, it makes you better instantly. You are too young to be burdened by the errors committed by your father so, make up your mind to forgive him. Thirdly, learn to trust all

should I do because we are in love? Anonymous.

am very certain your family members would never support it too. What you need do is break all romantic ties with him. Accept him as a family member so that you can be happy. Know also that he isn’t meant to be yours because if he is, things will work out. Thank your stars also that you were in a platonic relationship with him because if not, it would have been more difficult for you to let him go. Pray for strength to move on…. In no time, you would meet a guy you would love better, a guy that would respect and appreciate your chastity, a guy that is meant to be yours forever and believe me…. you would thank God you found the strength to wait. All the best dearie!

I am a virgin, in love with my relative Dear Bukola,

am a virgin who is against sex before marriage because I believe that it cheapens a woman but every guy I have met in my life has tried to make me change my mind but I keep saying that I won’t sleep with a guy when there is no commitment. There is a guy I’m in love with now but the problem is that they told me that we are family although our surname is different. What

Dear Anonymous, really admire your stance about sex before marriage, I am sure your future husband will appreciate and love you better for that. However, I find it painful that the man you are in love with is a family member… it shows how unfair life can be to us once in a while. Since he is your family member (and you are 100% certain he is), there is no need for the relationship to continue. I know it is easier said than done but getting married to your relative is going to be very difficult, I do not support it and I

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Jide animashaun 08034710902

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Should your par

Not advisable

o matter how great the marriage is, there will be times when there will be quarrels and sometimes these quarrels can end up becoming public, instead of being kept private and these quarrels can be exacerbated by people who are involved, like friends or other family members especially parents of the couple who may naturally mean well but end up being biased in the way they give the advice whether solicited for or not. It is generally accepted in relationship circles that third parties, even if they may help build the relationship, are also a pitfall towards the relationship breaking if care is not taken. Parents are definitely a third party in a relationship. But in a lot of cases especially in this part of the world, they are believed to be an essential part of any relationship especially in times when cooler heads are needed to help solve quarrels that the couples may not be able to handle properly or work out positively to a logical conclusion in a way that will help the relationship to grow. Far too many parents are guilty of interfering in their children’s marriages and it is amazing just how many marriages have broken up over an interfering parent or parent-inlaw whose advice was wrongly given because of the biased nature of the person giving the advice. When it comes to parents and their married children, parents naturally will usually give a lot of unsolicited advice to the extent that the married couple will start to get frustrated since most of the advice given will be contrasting to how the couple truly feel about each other, the fact that there is a quarrel notwithstanding. In truth it is never acceptable to interfere in your child’s marriages and couples shouldn’t accept that from their parents no matter the closeness or the general belief that these parents actually mean well. You and your partner are adults and your marital life together should be private without a third party looking over your shoulders unless you really feel the advice will help solve an issue that may be based on external professional factors in which the interfering

parent has a professional proficiency then you may invite the parent to chip in an advice but in any other scenario, it really should not be solicited for nor accepted. It may also be acceptable to accept interference if there is any kind of abuse going on in the marriage, such as physical, emotional or substance abuse. A parent may need to intervene when it is clearly obvious that the quarrel the couple are having is based on complete denial about the situation in question that is causing the quarrel. Another reason to interfere might be if there is harm being done to a minor in the family. It is very tough to be a good listener without offering your opinions or advice which may aggravate the issue on ground. You need to be a good listener and this can be difficult for a partner who is feeling aggrieved and insulted to do. Your partner will appreciate that there is someone in the family that can just listen and may be unbiased about proffering a logical and tangible workable solution. It is true that without your parents you may never be who you have become and you may indeed owe them everything in life. I’m an advocate of respecting our parents and I’ll be the last person to talk about disrespecting them but your relationship with your spouse and its related issues and quarrels are all your very own personal problems. Your parents really shouldn’t have a say in it because if you do allow them to always interfere or intervene in your issues and quarrels especially to dictate terms and conditions of handling those issues or settling those quarrels for you and your spouse, you will ultimately end up creating innumerable misunderstandings with your spouse later on. This is because when you personally settle your quarrel without a visible third party’s influence, your resentment against your spouse mostly ends there and then, but if you take it to your parents or allow them to barge in, they will only be seeing things mainly from your perspective because of the love they have for you and will end up alienating your spouse the more.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

How many people have YOU indirectly slept with?

10 partners means you’ve been sexually exposed to about 597,870 people!

t’s the moment in a relationship many people dread - when a partner asks how many people you’ve slept with. Now, a new calculator could make the conversation even more awkward, as it reveals how many people a person has indirectly been exposed to. It also reveals the risk of catching a sexually transmitted infection (STI) as a result. For example, a person who has had, say, nine lovers and suspects their spouse has slept with the same number of people - has been indirectly exposed to 597,870 individuals. This is according to the Sexual Exposure and STI Risk Calculator. Such a person has a 10 per cent risk of catching gonorrhoea, a 9 per cent risk of syphilis and a 6 per cent risk of chlamydia, the calculator revealed. This tool, which draws on the theory of six degrees of separation, was developed

by Dr Felix, an online doctor service based in the United Kingdom. Using official statistics for STI rates in each country, it was designed to emphasise the importance of safe sex and having regular tests for sexually transmitted diseases. The calculator asks people to enter in which country and city they live in, followed by how many sexual partners they’ve had. It also asks for how many lovers they suspect their partner has had too. Using a mathematical formula based on the theory of six degrees of separation, the calculator works out how many people we’ve indirectly had sex with. Writing on its website, Dr Felix said: “‘Six degrees of separation’ is the simple idea that everyone is six or fewer steps away from any other person in the world. So a simple chain of connection connects

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YEMISI ADENIRAN 08029894772 email: ydiran@yahoo.com

rents interfere? W

This column is x-rated any two people in a maximum of six steps.” The tool was created using data for STIs from a range of countries, from reliable sources such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other Government websites. This information was analysed in relation to each country’s population to calculate the probability of becoming infected with any of the eight common STIs. Thesewerechlamydia,gonorrhoea, syphilis, trichomoniasis, herpes virus, Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), HIV and Hepatitis B. In countries without accurate statistics, mathematical modelling was used to fill in the gaps. Writing on its website, Dr Felix emphasised that “The calculator is not a diagnostic tool. It simply highlights a person’s potential sexual exposure and risk of STIs based on the theory of six degrees of separation.” According to the Dr Felix website:

This column is x-rated “This is not just your sexual partner(s) but their partners, and their sexual partners, etc. So don’t be alarmed if you see some alarmingly high percentages if you are a sexually active individual.” Soaring numbers of people are being diagnosed with syphilis and gonorrhoea, health officials warn. For instance, Public Health England figures reveal cases of deadly syphilis jumped 33 per cent in total, with a 47 per cent surge among gay men. And gonorrhoea diagnoses rose by 19 per cent overall, with a 32 per cent increase among men who have sex with men (MSM). The most commonly diagnosed STIs were chlamydia (47 per cent), genital warts (16 per cent), gonorrhoea (8 per cent) and genital herpes (first episode 7 per cent). The impact of STIs remains greatest in young heterosexuals under the age of 25 years and in men who have sex with men (MSM), the report said. (Culled from Public Health England)

No way!

hether we like it or not, couples are bound to quarrel at one time or the other in their relationship. In other words, every now and then, something just must come up which the two partners do not agree on. For some, it could be pressing the toothpaste from the middle and not the bottom; for others, it could be for leaving the toilet seat up or putting it down. In extreme case, some more serious issues cause serious clashes between couples. For instance, the need for attention always top the chart. Everyone wants to feel wanted and desired, but when this is not forth coming or as it used to be and there is really no reason for the change, there is definitely going to be a disagreement. This should be checked on time and by the defaulting person before it gets out of hands. Cell phone use is today rearing couples apart daily. If your spouse has become a tech-crazed monster who hides behind his iPhone at dinner, it might be time to establish some hard-and-fast cell phones rules. But merely, thinking of how you’d feel if you were the one sitting across the dinner table while your partner keeps texting, reading and smirking at the phone will fix the issue. Sex, is another issue of constant quarrels among couples. There’s a quote by “The Soup” host Joel McHale we love. He says that the best part about being married is “you get to have sex with your best friend.” The worst part? “When you get denied sex by your best friend.” But really, it’s true. Nothing is more frustrating in a relationship than being on different pages when it comes to sex. But when you begin to talk about your sex problems within each other, the situation will become better. Of course, money remains the main problem that can easily destroy the good flow of love in any relationship. “Marriage, is about love, divorce is about money,” the old saying goes. The road to divorce, however, often begins with knock-down-drag-out fights over financial issues. Money is emotional and fighting can start because individuals in a relationship have different views about money. No woman takes kindly to a badly financed relationship or marriage. So, this will always bring a quarrel. But like others, it can be talked out between you two. For instance, you and your partner need to have a basic discussion about how each of your families handled money while you were growing up, covering everything from how money was spent and which parent made the financial decisions, to questions about whether they were forced to scrimp and save to have the things they needed or wanted Others are the involvement of inlaws, friends and time devoted to kids and jobs. Whatever, the reason of any quarrel in any relationship, parents must stay off their children’s scuffles. It earns them more respect and makes their children’s relationships stronger. It is important to say that quarrels

strengthen relationships. When you quarrel, you get to know those things that your partners dislike and like and that helps you to avoid them. You really get to know each other more. Besides, it strengthens your love for each other. When children marry, a fundamental shift should occur in their relationship with their parents. It is important to stress here that keeping your quarrels away from your parents gives you and your partner real respect from your family members. I know a couple who recently had a significant disagreement. Things said during the argument hurt both partners. But the problem was compounded when the husband called his parents and told them about the incident. He disclosed details of the argument, as well as some of his wife’s faults. The parents, feeling protective of their son, reacted negatively toward their daughter-in-law. While the man received comfort and support from his parents, he unwittingly created a larger problem. Shortly afterward, the husband and wife cooled down, took shared responsibility for the argument, and apologized to each other. They forgave each other and became close again. The negative actions of the day would have been forgotten except for the continued negative feelings of the man’s parents. Not being part of the “making-up” process between the couple, the parents were still upset with their daughter -in-law. Their negative feelings toward him continued to be a distress in the marriage long after the couple had resolved the argument. Taking issues to them drags your partner on the ground, in the mud and putting even yourself to shame. So, why look for trouble or disrespect as a parent or why do you have to drag your partner into the mud when you simply should have embraced communication as a way out of the issue. An intelligent and a man who has good value for his woman and relationship would know that the involvement of his parents in his quarrels with his partner can only do more harm than good. Maturity, simplicity and humility will make a man to go the extra mile in settling the discord in his marriage. But pettiness and immaturity will push him to discuss such issues with his parents. Let’s get it clear that most parents of the woman will always side their sons-in laws even when they get to know of any quarrel. This is because no mother wants her daughter out of her matrimonial homes. They always encourage them to keep calm and have patience. But for men, it is strange and common to always want to send their daughter-in laws away. Heaven knows why this is mostly common. I said this because some mother in-laws are wonderful while some daughter in-laws are real bitches. All in all, real men don’t and shouldn’t involve their parents in their quarrels. For women, we usually engage in words and talks that give good impression of our men. Most men don’t do this and it is wrong.

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Agony of the displaced •Lagos residents affected by demolition live in the open, decry neglect Patience Ogbo

t is eight years since residents of PURA Community at the Takwa Bay in Lagos were forcefully evicted from their homes by officials from the Lagos state agencies . More than 1000 residents including the elderly and children were chased out of their homes they claimed have lived for more than fifty years. While the residents lost property and means of livelihood running into millions of naira from the demolitions which is described as one of the worst in the history of Lagos state, investigations reveals that eight years after hundreds of residents were forced from their homes without any compensation, the residents of PURA community are living like stray dogs in the open at the bar beach and in uncompleted buildings across the state. Other communities affected by forced eviction are Agbowajowo Community Okobaba , Otto- Central Community , OttoIlogbo community faced fire and eviction, Ijora Community demolition and Ijero Community facing threat,Ifeoluwa Railway Line , fire, threat and demolition, Otunmara Community faced demolition, Makoko Community, Temidire Adekunle community , Atiporome Badagry community, Sari Iganmu Orile, facing threat and fire, Otodogbame fire and eviction at Lekki Saturday Mirror’s attention was drawn to dilapidated umbrellas, mosquito nets and cooking utensils littered at the Bar Beach with people moving in and out of the umbrellas. Other displaced residents were seen sleeping in the open along the Murtala Mohammad Way. Normally one would think the people are merry makers who had come to the beach to enjoy the sea but its becomes an abnormal routine when our correspondent observed that these people are not merry makers but are actually living in the umbrella with their children. Curiosity to find out why some two hundred persons have made the sea shore their homes , led to discovery that the “umbrella people” are not merry makers but are displaced residents from the PURA community who have made the beach their home for the last eight years. One of the “Umbrella people” Mrs Onome Onoje gave birth to a bouncing baby boy recently after she lost her 14 year old son to a ghastly road accident. Their son,TJ was one of the victims of the forced eviction the family suffered in 2008. Mrs Onoje said her son—was knocked down by a speeding vehicle when he was being chased by officials from the government for sleeping on the beach. Narrating how her son was crushed to death, Mrs. Onoje said “ My husband and I were living at the PURA Community for more than ten years. We were sleeping in our home when suddenly One fateful day on in 2008, some armed policemen and soldiers accompanied the officials from the lagos state ministry f physical planning, Kick Against Indiscpilne(KAI) Brigade stormed our commumity about midnight and they set the place on fire. I was sleeping when I heard noise of fire , fire , and I ran out . The security officials were upon us and they were arresting

people and throwing them in their awaiting vans. I ran out of the house . shouting for my son and husband to come out before they would be raided. We all ran in different directions. I saw my neighbours running helter sketer . it was a horrible experience. we ran and stood very far as we watched our community destroyed by these officials . when it was morning, I went back to see what I could savage from the wreak. That was when I saw my husband and my son running towards me. We held one another as we thanked God for sparing our lives but our neighbours were not lucky . some lost their loved ones . we lost all our property to the demolition” Asked where she has been staying since the demolition, Mrs. Onoje pointed to one of the umbrellas close to the beach shore. “We put up our umbrella at night because the security officials come to raid us doing the day. We dug into the sand and used mosquitoes net . We also have tampouline we spray on the umbrella to cover us from the breeze from the shore . During the day, we go out to beg for arms and to engage in petty trade but the officials still come after us while we are trading on the street. On one fateful day in 2012, the security officials came very early to the beach and they started chasing us . They chased my 14 year -old -son to the road and as he was trying to escape arrest, he was hit by a fast moving vehicle. As soon as these officials saw that my son had been hit, they fled and left him in the blood of his blood. The driver also fled the scene of the accident . We had to rush him to the hospital but he died shortly after. His death was devastating . I went into shock and I became paralysed. I cannot use one of my hands after the shock I suffered. I went in to depression because the boy was my only child . Eight years later God blessed me with another child. I gave birth again but I don’t have a home to take care of my son. The umbrella has become our home. My husband and I sleep with our new born under this umbrella. We have been sleeping in the open , right here at the shore in the last eight years.

Now that we have another child, I don’t want a hard life for my baby but we do not have a choice as we have no where else to go because there is no money to rent an apartment”. Investigations revealed that more than 200 residents affected by the forced evicted are sleeping in uncompleted buildings, in make shift stalls and at the bar beach shore. Since 2008, when she became homeless after the destruction of illegal structures by Lagos State Government at Tarkwa Bay, life has been cruel for Chidinma Ejike 40 and her only son. Up till now, she is yet to get a home of her own, making her to go through hardship since she lost all that she had laboured for during the forced eviction . Ejike’s headache is not just lack of suitable and befitting accommodation, but ill-health and poverty caused by the demolition of her stall . Even though many describe Tarkwa Bay as a place to love, it is, however, a nightmare for Ejike. Narrating her story, she said: “I was a landlady in that community, I ran a restaurant and water business, which was called ‘Mama Water Board.’ I had a mini super market with a fridge and a television set. Until 2008 when officials of Lagos State Department of Physical Planning and some soldiers came to chase us out of the community, I was very comfortable. “I gathered the few things I had. The Bar Beach Police Station gave me a small place in their market to trade. But early in 2014, the police received a signal message that I should be sent away from the market. The shop was later destroyed and I became homeless again. This caused me stress. My mental health was also affected. My leg started to swell and there was no money for me to go to the hospital. The destruction also made me to relocate my son to his father. Now, I am staying in an uncompleted building at Park View Estate, but the owner has also threatened me with a notice that I should quit . I don’t have anywhere to go and where will I get money to get the bits and pieces of my life together?I am

therefore appealing to wellmeaning Nigerians to come to my rescue because I’m lonely and single.” Pitiably, homelessness is not rocking Ejike alone. Another woman, Maryam Obiora’s own story is similar because Obiora and Onyekachi, her eight-yearold son, are also coping with the agony of homelessness after their home and business were demolished by government officials at the PURA community at Takwa Bay in 2008. Obiora did not only lose her home and business, she also lost her husband due to the hardship caused by the forced eviction. “My late husband, a former Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) employee, retired as a clerk from NRC, but didn’t get his gratuity and pension, until he died in penury in 2014. We were all staying at PURA community at Nigerian Port Authority quarters, where I was selling second-hand textiles. But when Lagos State Physical Planning Department officials armed with canes and tear gas came, they demolished my stall and carted away my goods.” Sobbing profusely, she added, “After they had burnt our house, we moved to the Bar Beach, but officers of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) came with a bulldozer to demolish our property and our small shop. My husband was running helter skelter for us to survive but one fateful day in 2014, he slumped and before they could take him to the hospital, he died . My husband died without collecting his pension and all he worked for went down the drain. It was a hard life for him and all of us . Now my son and I are sleeping in the open at the Bar Beach in the umbrella; rain or shine. My son cannot go to school because there is no money to pay his fees . He is behaving like an abnormal child because he is not interacting with the right people. He has suffered hunger and homelessness with me and he has become mentally unstable due to the hardship his tender age has been exposed to. He is eight years old but has never been to CONTINUED ON PAGE 37

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‘We are neglected, left to suffer and die’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36

school. I am also appealing to the government and kind- hearted Nigerians to assist me in this hard period. I need a house and help for my son to go to school. Mama Kolade a 70 year old woman lost three of her children and her husband after her home and means of livilhood were demolished at the PURA Community in 2008. She said her grand children have become her responsibility due to the demise of their parents but the sad story is that they live in an uncompleted building at Ajah and sometimes sleep at the Bar beach shore . Over 100 residents and saw millers at the Okobaba Sawmill community in EbuteMetta area of Lagos state including children have been sleeping in makeshift structures and tattered umbrellas while others were seen bathing and cooking in the open since a strange fire gutted their houses on November 3rd. The residents said since the federal and state governments have failed to come to their aid months after the unfortunate fire disaster, they have no choice but to live on what they can provide for themselves. Mr. Yunusa Alli, a father of twelve children said he cannot rent accommodation for his large family out the Okobaba community. “Some persons who claimed to be government agent from the ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development came too our community and stopped us from reconstructing the place. They said the government will come and build the houses for us but for the past three weeks, we have not seen anyone of them. I resorted to sleeping in the open with my children because I cannot afford accommodation in Lagos . I am too old to work and my three wives have been catering for our children and grandchildren. We wanted to erect a wooden structure because that is what we can afford but we have been stopped. The government did not bring canopy or any relief materials to us . They have left us to our fate to die or relocate. I cannot go anywhere because this was where I was born. This is our home and moreover, I don’t have money to pay for accommodation outside” A single mother of four, Tolu Hassan said “I have been sleeping in the open since I lost my house to the fire. My chidren sleep with me outside. we have our bath and defecate outside. we have called on the federal and state governments to come to our rescue but for the past three weeks , no government official has given us relief materials. we have been left to suffer. It was some youths called the Team Social Media that brought relief materials to us . Narrating how the fire started a 65- yearold man AlhajicTijani Sule said “I was not at home when the fire started . I was at work but I got a phone call from my children that our community was on fire and I raced down to see things for myself. What I saw was a raging fire. The fire was much that people could not pick any but their lives and that of their children. My wives and children were saved because the fire got to our house later but we could not pick anything. We just had the clothes on our backs . I learnt that the fire started about 5pm from one of the hotel rooms . I learnt that the wife of the owner of the hotel was lighting a gas cooker but the gas exploded and spread to other wooden shanties because our ground is sawdust. The fire fighters came one hour after

the fire had started” Another resident Jimoh Balogun said. “This fire incident occurred just barely one year after a similar fire razed houses and destroyed property in this community . The fire is happening because we built our houses with wood. We need government to rebuild the community with blocks for us. We are homeless and in dire need of assistance,” It was however gathered that succor came the way of Okobaba residents when a group of youth called Team Social Media visited the community on November 21st and donated r relief materials to hundreds of residents. The residents had resorted to begging while others are sleeping outside after they lost all their properties to the strange fire on November 3rd. After waiting for relief materials from the government for weeks to no avail , the residents were however beside themselves with joy when help came from an unexpected quarter. A group of social media friends read about the plight of the residents and decided to take up the task to cater for their immediate needs. It was gathered that the group of youth led by Mr. Mike Achimugu after reading about the plight of the residents on facebook set up a fund to alleviate the pains of the victims . Mr. Achimugu with his Team Social Media friends visited the community and distributed relief materials to the victims of the fire . Mr. Achimugu said he was moved by the plight of the less privileged to initiate a social media team to alleviate poverty after he read their story on social media . He said “One of our friends pasted the story of the Okobaba fire incident on Facebook and we decided to visit the victims with relief materials on our first mobile charity day. It was a very happy day and we are fulfilled donating

and eating in the open as others ,steered at the ruins that used to be their homes . A mother of six, Jadessola Akin said “ This is worse than civil war . What we are going through is worst than what refugees go through. I cry everyday because I have lost hope . Feeding my children have become very difficult because my means of livelihood was destroyed. I used to sell clothes and drinks in front of my house but the bulldozers came and demolished everything .We were not given notice to quit all we saw on that fateful day were bulldozers they came with about 2am . They told us that they want to clear the drainages but it was all a lie. They waited for a lot f people to go to work before they started demolishing our houses and businesses. We were not allowed to remove our property. I have been sleeping outside with my children. They cannot to school. Two of them have been ill but there is no money to cater for them or take them to the hospital. There is no

I have been sleeping in the open since I lost my house to the fire. My chidren sleep with me outside. we have our bath and defecate outside. we have called on the federal and state governments to come to our rescue but for the past

, no government official has given us relief materials. we have three weeks

been left to suffer to alleviate the sufferings of the victims. Our members came from far and near to put smiles on the faces of these people. These are people I met on social Media , +Facebook, twitter and Instagram)Social media can be used for good and bad and I would like to encourage members of the public that nothing is too small to give. Another resident Moji Dayo said, “ I lost everything to the fire. I thank God that I am alive with my children but life has been hell for us as we have nowhere to go or food to eat. The fire has turned us to beggars. It was an unfortunate fire that destroyed our home and means of livihood but God used these people called Team Social Media to wipe our tears. I got rice ,blanket , toiletries and other relief materials. I will continue to pray for them “

While the residents of Okobaba got some relief, the story is different for over 15,000 res¬idents in Ijora Badia East in Lagos state who were forcefully evicted from their homes and wallowing in abject poverty due to neglect from government and private individuals Ijora Badia residents were thrown into abject poverty and rendered homeless when on September 17 over 100 security operatives accompanied members from the Ojora royal family to forcefully evict them from their homes. When our correspondent visited the community, she saw sad looking resi¬dents facing hunger and have emaciated with their sick children and the elder¬ly lurking around begging for food and other relief materials some others were seen sleeping

help anywhere . We have resorted to begging to feed . The hardship is too much. We need help desperately’’ A 28-year-old man Kunle Omoriege said he lost his two houses and has resorted to sleeping outside but the police came and raided the residents sleeping outside. “We have been battered and bruised by the Ojora family in connivance with the lagos state government who have left us to suffer as if we are not citizens of Nigeria. It is this type of maltreatments that breed terrorists in the country . when government that is supposed to protect people resort to killing them and destroying their lives and means of livihood.I lost two houses to the demolition. I had a shop were I sold food stuffs and ran a restaurant but everything was brought down in the twinkling of an eye by the bulldozer. My family and I including my workers have been sleeping outside because we do not have anywhere else to go . To make matters worst, the police come every other night to raid those of us sleeping outside . They call us criminals and they collect bail money from us. These are people that cannot feed or clothe themselves anymore .Nobody is showing us concern . We need government and philanthropists to come to our id because the suffering is too much” A 65- year- old woman Mrs Stella Omogbemi said she is yet to come to terms with the demolition. She said “ I am a traditional birth at¬tendant and can hardly move because I have elephantiasis on one of my legs. I am a landlady here for more than thirty years. My husband died and left me and my children with the house.That fateful day, I had attended to a woman who came to give birth to a child about 1am .As I tried to sleep , with. Y children and grandchil¬dren, I started hearing noise. I thought they brought bulldozers to clear the canal beside us but to my shock, people started shouting, “ run , run , run . My children ran out and they came back to inform me that we should escape. I came out and saw Fatia Ojora and he told me that they have orders from the court to demolish houses . I started defecating on my body because the shock was too much. I asked him, where he expected me to go with my children and grand children but he did not answer. The suddenness of the demolition was too much to bear . My children had to carry me to flee with my family as the security men could not allow us to take any property. They demolished everything . We did not pick anything from the house. We have been sleeping in the open. Government should come to our aid.”

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APRIL 16, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Athlete’s Foot A

gain, fungi are in focus, as the topic for this week is also about a fungi infection. Rather than the head however, this piece talks about fungal infection of the feet, better known as Athlete’s Foot.

What Is Athlete Foot? : Contrary to its name, athlete’s foot is not an exclusive preserve of Athletes. It is a fungal infection of the feet or human pedal, hence the name Taenia Pedis. It is associated with athletes, therefore named after them, because they tend to walk around barefooted on wet locker room floors half of the time, in addition to imprisoning their feet in trainers for the other half. Still, other people can develop tinea pedis.It commonly infects the web of the toes, especially the 4th and 5th toes. From here, it can spread to involve the sole of the feet and even the palms. Causes: It is caused by an organism which

we all host on our bodies called dermatophytes. They feed on dead skin cells and are usually harmless so they can be referred to as harmless parasites until the environment is made favourable for them to cause harm. The particular organism is an anthropophilic fungus, a fungus that has preference for humans; feeding on the protein called keratin found on the skin, nail and hair. It thrives in people who wear damp or wet socks often and in those who sweat considerably. Though a moist loving fungus like the rest, it has also been found to infect dry areas of the foot. Immunocompromised individuals are also susceptible to this infection, so it occurs frequently in diabetics. It can be spread through direct contact with infected

surfaces and skin particles left on towels, shoes, and wet surfaces. Symptoms: Most times you don’t need a medical practitioner to tell you that you have athlete’s foot. Still, checking with your caregiver can determine the need or otherwise for laboratory investigations, to confirm diagnosis, especially in unremitting cases. Symptoms include: Burning and itching at the site of the infection i.e in between the toes Dry peeling skin on the soles of your feet Smelly foot Painful blisters Red or whitish skin changes Complications: If left untreated or not treated on time, it may worsen, leading to: Secondary infection by bacteria Spread to the nails and other parts of the body Severe infections which can affect even the bones Treatment: Athletes’s foot occasionally disap-

pear without treatment, in mild cases and when the feet is well aired. But in most cases treatment is required. Treating it at the first appearance is the best; if delayed, it gets more and more difficult to treat as the days go by. There are measures you can take at home such as: -Allowing your feet to dry after washing before putting on socks and shoes -Changing and washing your socks as frequently as you can -Drying your feet with a separate towel to prevent spread to other parts of the body -Wearing more of leather shoes and sandals rather than synthetic materials -Spraying antifungal powder in your footwear before wearing, rather than applying directly to the lesion Treatment in the hospital usually involves the use of topical and oral antifungal. This may take several weeks or even months. It is very important to combine these treatments as directed by your physician. The common advice is that when the infection has disappeared, you should continue the treatment for at least two more weeks. This is to ensure effective treatment and to prevent relapse. Prevention: To achieve this: -Always dry your feet properly before wearing your socks and shoes -Alternate shoes to allow proper drying -Maintain good socks hygiene -Limit the use of synthetic foot wears -Avoid tight shoes -Never share shoes, socks or towels Conclusion: Athlete’s foot is a disease of both the rich and the poor. It could be irritating and quite stubborn in responding to treatment. The trick is to identify and treat early; continue treatment non -stop and maintain good feet care afterwards.

Dear Mirror Doctor Dear Dr. Talabi, I must commend you for your regular health piece in Saturday Mirror. Henceforth, I will always pay attention to your piece. I am reading a piece you wrote on Tinea Capitis, known as lapalapa among the Yoruba. You

must add this to the treatment segment too. Lime juice works well to kill the fungal infection. I have prescribed it for an aunt in VI, for her set of twins and it worked.I don’t want her name in print for sure but she is a living witness..............Williams Adebayo

Dear Williams Adebayo, Thank you for your mail. Tinea infections sometimes are self limiting and application of vinegar, papaya and lime, as you mentioned, have been found to be helpful in alleviating symptoms in some individuals.But the

current evidence based recommendation is to combine oral antifungal with topical treatment to avoid recurrence and for effective treatment. You can chat with a doctor FREE at www.prettyhealthcare.com.ng. Every Wednesdays and Fridays (4-8pm)

Sport

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 16, 2016

PAGE

NFF crisis: Need for truce in the football house Super Eagles players

Ifeanyi Eduzor

ootball fans were taken aback this week when the Nigerian football which has been enmeshed in controversy since the past two years entered into fresh crisis following the ruling on April 8 by a Jos Federal High Court that nullified the August 26, 2014 Warri election that brought in Amaju Pinnick as President of Nigeria Football Federation

Giwa

and ordered that Chris Giwa be sworn in as the NFF boss. It would be recalled that Giwa went to court after the 2014 election, asking it to set aside the election. FIFA on its part made it clear that any interference from any third party in the NFF’s administrative process would lead to an automatic ban. However, an intervention by former president Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 made the Giwa group to withdraw its case at the Jos High Court while Justice Allagoa struck out the suit before it was reinstated last March. Prior to this court order, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung, and other football stakeholders summoned several reconciliatory meetings among the combatants with one of such peace moves ending in near physical altercation by the two factions as all the peace initiatives failed to achieve any result which prompted Giwa to return to court to seek redress. Although the Pinnick led board has appealed against the judgment and asked for a stay-of-execution, with FIFA writing a letter threatening to ban Nigeria if the matter was not withdrawn from court, it has not preventing Giwa from backing down. Rather, he announced the dissolution of all state FA boards and plans by his factional board to take over the football house. A look into the country’s football history indicates that this is not the first time the NFF is in crisis during or shortly after elections into the board. While some football stakeholders believe the problem with Nigerian football started when Kojo Williams was impeached in less than seven months

in office, others say the crisis could be traced to 2006 when Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima was unceremoniously hounded out of office on the excuse of failing to qualify Nigeria for the World Cup held in Germany that year, positing that peace has eluded Nigerian football since then. Alhaji Sani Lulu, the anointed child of the powers-that-be at the time, who took over from Galadima, was also not devoid of crisis. In fact, he was in prison custody when the election that toppled him was held. The same scenario also played out during the time of Aminu Maigari. Maigari’s sin was the players’ strike at the World Cup venue in Brazil in 2014 that brought disgrace to the country. The presidency did not take kindly to the strike as a result of the international disgrace, especially as it earlier government made available to the Maigari board funds needed to successfully prosecute the World Cup. In order to ensure that Maigari was removed, then sports minister, Tamuno Danagogo, obeyed a Jos High Court order on July 3 that dissolved the board of the NFF. Danagogo’s action drew the ire of FIFA which gave the country five days to reverse the decision. Failure to heed the warning resulted in the suspension of Nigeria from all football engagements on July 9, 2014. But the suspension was lifted on July 18 after the executive board was restored. Maigari was then impeached by the board on July 24 by eight out of the 13 board members, only to be re-instated on August 14, 2014 after the intervention of FIFA. However, he was asked to resign on

August 12, 2014, Stakeholders believe that these crises have contributed in no small measure to the sudden slide of the senior national team and that if nothing concrete is done to arrest the situation, Nigerian football will be worse for it. It is important to state that all the combatants in the current crisis must find a way to embrace peace to save the country’s football from collapse. They should not allow ego to override the national interest. The Sports Minister must play a fatherly role in reconciling the two factions as that is the only way a lasting peace can return to the football house.

Pinnick

Ifeanyi Eduzor

PAGE

MIRROR SPORT

MirrorGolf With Pius Anakali

APRIL 16, 2016

Tel: 08023367071

Ibadan Club hosts Makinde women tourney AFOLABI GAMBARI

embers of the prestigious Ibadan Golf Club (IGC) will converge on the course today for the 2nd Seyi Makinde Women Support Golf Tournament. Captain of the Ibadan Golf Club, Barrister Idowu Salami, said a cocktail to herald the oneday event sponsored by politician, Engineer Seyi Makinde, held yesterday while the tournament would tee off at 7:00am today. “The closing ceremony will take place at 3:00pm today, Salami

said. “Interestingly, this tournament is in compliance with the culture of golfing and one of the traditional ways of celebrating a distinguished ideal of the club,” he added, even as he commended the sponsor’s gesture. Salami, who also hailed members of the club, said: “The members’ active participation in the club’s activities is appreciated, especially with the manner that they have maintained the 18-hole course.” The sponsor, who is a member of the IGC and other dignitaries, as well as invited golfers are expected at the tournament.

Willett

Masters champion, Willett targets No1 spot

asters champion Danny Willett promised his Augusta triumph will be the launch pad for his career. Willett, 28, became only the second Englishman after Nick Faldo to wear the Green Jacket after his stunning win. He said: “This is the beginning of the journey, not the end of it. My ambition has always been to be world No 1 and this obviously gives me

more belief that I can do it. He will now aim to challenge the likes of Spieth for golf ’s world No1 spot “To be able to get there you need to win big tournaments, such as the Masters. “You’ve got to win Majors against the best fields. He added: “There’s been a lot of talk about the ‘Big Three’; but I guess I am part of the conversation now with Jordan, Jason, and Rory.”

Golf no longer a crime, says China’s Communist Party

nce rejected as the sport of millionaires by Mao, China now says there is nothing wrong playing golf. Banned by Mao Zedong who despised the “sport for millionaires” golf enjoyed a renaissance during the 80s and 90s only to be outlawed for the party’s 85 million members in 2015 as a result of President Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption drive. Articles in the party-controlled media have painted China’s golf courses as cauldrons of profiteering where the palms of rotten officials are greased by favour-seeking business people. “The golf course is gradually changing into a muddy field where they trade money for power,” one state-run newspaper complained in 2015.

Party leaders appeared to step back from their condemnation of the game this week. “Since it is only a sport, there is no right or wrong about playing golf,” an article in the Discipline Inspection and Supervision News, the official newspaper of China’s anti-corruption agency, declared. The newspaper pointed to article 87 of the Communist party’s disciplinary regulations which deal with potential punishments for the illicit possession of golf membership cards. “Can officials play golf while the nation steps up efforts to clamp down on corruption and promote austerity?” the China Daily asked. “The answer is yes - if they pay out of their own pockets.”“Playing golf itself is not a wrongdoing,” the newspaper confirmed.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We parade players’ agents as Eagles Coaches — Chukwuma Chief Gabriel Chukwuma is former vice chairman of Nigeria Football Association and proprietor of Gabros Football Club of Nnewi. In this interview he speaks on current state of Nigerian football and other issues. Excerpts

hat is your take on the current face-off between NFF President Amaju Pinnick and Chris Giwa? Giwa is right! What he is fighting for is his right. He is a Nigerian and he is not supposed to be treated like an outcast. He is not my friend but I stand by the truth. He has a very good case and Pinnick had a good opportunity to solve the problem but he ignored it because of politics. He failed to understand that politics is a different ball game when it comes to football management. For example, Giwa had an order from the Federal High Court that the election that brought in Pinnick should not hold, but they quickly organized the election and he won. They should have dialogued with Giwa and settle out of court. But they did not do that despite the intervention of ex-president Goodluck Jonathan. He depended on Jonathan’s intervention without caring to dialogue with him and that is the cause of the problem. Don’t you think this issue should have been forgotten since Pinnick has performed well so far? Pinnick has performed. But unfortunately his performance is not something to write home about. A big country like Nigeria, the giant of Africa for that matter, has lost the chance to participate in Africa’s most glamorous competition, the African Nations Cup on two occasions. And nobody is sure of World Cup. What achievement do we want to record again if we could not participate in two Nations’ Cup? The issue is that we don’t know what we are doing. If all Nigerians can come out and say the truth things will get better. We know we have failed. We have to hand over to somebody who can achieve something no matter his tribe, his state of origin or personality. When Pinnick emerged, we thought we had gotten what we were looking for. But politics did not allow him to forge ahead. He is my brother but I cannot support bad thing. My best friend and brother is he who passed or did what he is supposed to do Are you not concerned that FIFA might ban Nigeria if the crises

Chukwuma

persist? FIFA does not have the right to tell us who will govern our football. They cannot change the law of the land. In Nigeria, nobody, not even the President is above the law. We cannot use FIFA law to run Nigeria. I don’t like bringing the issue of FIFA ban anytime there is problem in Nigeria football. If they ban us we go back to the drawing board and prepare very well for the future. We have lost the opportunity to participate in two Nations’ Cup competitions and so, why must we be afraid of ban. Do you think that Giwa has what it takes to move Nigeria football forward? What am saying is that Giwa has a good football club. Anybody who can manage a club successfully is a major stakeholder in Nigerian football. He has something at stake. We have so many experienced people. But unfortunately for political reasons, they are not allowed to make inputs to the development of the game. What do you think is the biggest challenge facing the Super Eagles? The greatest problem we have is that we don’t have coaches. What we parade are players’ agents in the name of coaches. We need World class coaches like we have in other African countries and Europe. We have good coaches in Nigeria but because of the system which is corrupt, we cannot make headway. They are after who you know and how much you can pay. They don’t go for merit. We have the best

players in Nigeria but if you are not recommended by somebody, nobody will recognize you. We were performing in Gabros because we had interest in good players and we had good coaches. Gabros players like Obinna Nwaneri and Joetex Frimpong were in the national team and helped Enyimba win CAF Champions League on two occasions. How would you describe Sunday Oliseh’s running battle with the NFF and his eventual resignation? A failure has right to complain. Everything about his engagement was done out of sentiments. He is players’ agent. Engaging him as Super Eagles’ coach is one of the problems we are facing now. Assuming you are saddled with the responsibility of hiring a coach for the country, how would you go about it? I will first of all go for a super coach that will have a two year programme, with four year contract to build a super team without sentiments. I will declare total state of emergency in Nigerian football management. The two years is to build the team. I will unveil a new young team which will stand any team in the world. The players to be selected will be looked at from the angle of skills. As a stakeholder in Nigeria football, how would you rate the Nigeria Professional League? We have improved but we need to improve more. In terms of officiating, we need more improvement. I must commend the leadership of League Management Company (LMC) for the improvement but we need to develop more. Looking back at the last FIFA presidential election are you surprised that an African did not win the exalted position? I am not surprised. Even at CAF are we doing it well? We have been standing in one place for 20 years in CAF without new initiative or progress. How can you go to FIFA? The CAF president is old. So, how can you do new things? We travel abroad every time without learning anything.

Nwakubu keen to play in Turkish League Ifeanyi Eduzor

ormer Crown of Ogbomosho and Ajiroba Fc attacking midfielder, Silas Chukwuemka Nwakubu says that he is looking forward to ply his trade in the Turkish League which he described as one of the most entertaining Leagues in Europe. In an interview with Saturday Mirror from his base in Turkey, where he is training in anticipation of being grabbed by one of the clubs in the country, he stated that he has what it takes to break into the Turkish League and get invitation to any of the national teams. The 20 year old utility player who also plays defensive role believes that

by the time he plays for one or two seasons in the Turkish League, he will have a breakthrough that will see him challenging for shirt in the national team. “I am right now in Turkey training hard to ensure I get a club before the commencement of the new season. “Turkish League is one of the best organized Leagues in Europe; playing there will be a fulfillment of my life ambition “ I am quite convinced that by the time I explode in Turkey, national team coaches will come for me because I have what it takes to make meaningful impact at any of the teams”, noted the 2013/2014 Nationwide League player. Emeka who started his amateur

career with Ajiroba Fc and got invitation twice to the national U-17 team but dropped on both occasions on account of injury noted that he is optimistic signing for one of the

Nwakubu

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Man City face Madrid in Champions League S/Final

•As Bayern meets Atletico

repeat of the 2014 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid is still possible after yesterday’s semi-final draw. Real, who won that game 4-1 after extra-time, will play first-time semi-finalists Manchester City, with the first leg in north-west England. Atletico, who beat holders Barcelona in the last eight, host Bayern Munich in their first leg. Bayern manager Pep Guardiola misses what would have been a difficult semi-final for him personally against City, the Premier League side he will take charge of next season. Real, record 10-time champions are unbeaten in their last eight

MIRROR SPORT

APRIL 16, 2016

games against English clubs. Their only previous tie against City came in 2012 when the Spanish side won 3-2 at home before drawing 1-1 in Manchester. For Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick to win the quarterfinal against Vfl Wolfsburg, it will be another return to Manchester, where he spent six years with United before moving to Spain in 2009. In the Europa draws, Sevilla, winners of the Europa League for the past two years, will play Shakhtar Donetsk in this season’s semi-final. Sevilla beat fellow Spaniards Athletic Bilbao on penalties in the quarter-final. In the other semi-final Villareal will be at home to

PAGE

NFF crisis: Onigbinde wants Pinnick, Giwa to embrace peace Ifeanyi Eduzor

ormer FIFA and CAF instructor, Adegboye Onigbinde, has called on the warring factions in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to put the interest of the game above their personal interest and end their senseless struggle for power aimed at the very soul of the game. In a telephone interview with Saturday Mirror, the veteran Coach noted that the two gladiators in the NFF crisis must sheath their sword and not allow their personal interest override the interest of the nation which he believes is capable of retarding the development of football in the country. “I want every Nigerian to understand that I am neither a supporter of Amaju Pinnick or Chris Giwa but as a major stake holder, I think I have the right to appeal to them to bury their differences and allow for the development of the game. “This crisis should come to an end immediately to allow for meaningful attention to be given to the sport that is fast declining. Honestly, this is not what the game wants now in the country. My appeal is, whatever engineered this, came at a very wrong time and so there must

Onigbinde

be way out of it,” he said. According to the former Super Eagles gaffer, Nigerian football needs every support to surmount its present predicament just as he lamented that it is regrettable that two years after the election that brought the present board into office, litigation challenging the legality of that election still lingers. “The fact remains that Nigerian football needs every support to get past this trying moment. It is worrisome that almost two years after the election that brought the present

board to power, the litigation challenging its legality lingers. “We should sit back and ask ourselves how long we will continue like this. The other time it was Nigeria in the eye of FIFA and its hammer; threats and counter-threats to ban the country shortly after the last World Cup in Brazil. The tug of war continued until a truce was called that produced this executive committee. We should be careful and stop this overzealousness”, the former Shootng Stars of Ibadan coach concluded.

Amoo: ‘Preparation key to Rio success’

Murray

Murray, Nadal to clash in Monte Carlo

orld number two, Andy Murray is through to the Monte Carlo Masters semi-finals following an impressive win over Canadian Milos Raonic. He defeated the Canadian by 6-2 6-0 in 66 minutes and will next play Rafael Nadal, who beat Stan Wawrinka 6-1 6-4. It was a much improved performance from Murray, who broke 10th seed Raonic’s serve five times. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Roger Federer 6-3 2-6 7-5, and fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils beat Marcel Granollers 6-2 6-4. Murray needed almost three

hours to beat Benoit Paire on Thursday and had struggled for form since the Australian Open in January but he was close to his best against Raonic. The Scot, 28, dominated all aspects of the game but was especially aggressive on the return, denying the big-serving Raonic a single ace and breaking five times. “The two most important shots in tennis I did really well,” added Murray. “I was getting a good read on the serve and, when he missed the first serve, I was being very offensive on the second serve return and putting him under pressure.

NPFL: Eguma set sights on Pillars scalp is a big game and we have to work

ivers United manager, Stanley Eguma believes only a ‘perfect performance’ will be enough to guarantee maximum points for his side against Kano Pillars on Sunday. United take on the four-time champions in a potentially explosive match day 12 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) clash in Port Harcourt. The Port Harcourt club will be looking to return to winning ways after suffering their first defeat in four matches away to Heartland in Owerri on April 10. “The game against Kano Pillars

harder than we have ever worked so far this season to (amass) the points. “We have been pushed to the wall after the defeat to Heartland so we have to ensure that we beat Pillars. “Getting our tactics right on the day will be important and if we manage to do that, we will win,” Eguma told supersport.com. Rivers United currently occupies seventh spot in the NPFL standings with 16 points from 11 matches while Pillars are fifth in the classification with 18 points from 10 matches.

igeria’s Dream Team VI assistant coach, Fatai Amoo has said adequate preparations are key to success in the football event of the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The U-23 side were handed Group B oppositions namely Sweden, Colombia and Japan at the Olympic draw on Thursday in Maracana. Amoo said the side has bright chance of survival in the group’s hostilities once the right thing

is done at the right time for the team. “Sincerely speaking there are no pushovers among the teams in Group B perhaps we are spared of the pressure that would have come playing against the hosts, Brazil or Argentina. “Sweden came out of the qualifiers as European champions; Japan emerged as Asian champions while Colombia scaled the hurdle through play-off. The teams have pedigrees that must be respected. “However, the group is a pot if

we plan well we can comfortably get out to the group stage of the competition. “Planning well means getting the right and in-form players on time and the Federation doing the needful at the right time, too. “Of course, the motivation for the coaches and players must be there coupled with quality training and top friendly matches once the right things are put in place I’m certain we will excel at the Olympics,” said the former Super Eagles assistant coach to supersport.com.

Title defence: Power Lee relocates to Asaba Ifeanyi Eduzor

s the countdown to the defence of his PWA African pro wrestling heavyweight title approaches, title holder, Nigerian Power Lee has relocated to Asaba delta State to enable him concentrate fully on his training even as he has warned his Angolan challenger, Marvelous Buffalo to be ready to be stretched out of the ring as he will not allow him deny Nigerians the opportunity of being with the belt for a long time. Power Lee, whose real names are Godspower Ikpide will on May 1 at the Indoor Sports Hall of Asaba Township Stadium, defend his title against the Angolan who is the second contender to the throne. In a telephone interview from Asaba where he is currently training for the fight tagged “ The return of Glory 2016”, he told Saturday Mirror that his decision to relocate to Asaba was to enable him avoid distractions

•Sends warning signal to opponent

in his Ajah training base which has been witnessing an influx of fans who want to watch his training. “I decided to relocate to Asaba because I am taking the fight serious. Asaba will provide me with the se-

Power Lee Lee Power

rene environment needed to concentrate in training because my base in Lagos is being invaded everyday by hundreds of fans who want to watch my training. “It is also important to state that the relocation became necessary because information reaching me indicates that my opponent has been boosting that he is coming to Nigeria to disgrace me before my fans and as such I want to be fully prepared ahead of the fight. According to Power Lee who clinched the Nigeria national title on December 19, 2010 after defeating the late De Lion Man and became the African champion when he defeated Michel Noudem “Le Matraquer” of Cameroon in September last year in Yaoundé, Cameroon, he is fully prepared for the challenge just as he commended the Delta State Government for its commitment towards hosting the championship.

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NATIONAL NEWS

APRIL 16, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 16, 2016

Crime Watch

Police detain four-month-old baby over electrocution Patience Ogbo

olicemen attached to the Igbogbo police station Ikorodu Lagos State Police Command have been accused of detaining a four months old baby and his mother over a dead man.  It was gathered that the police at the Igbogbo police station Ikorodu allegedly detained the four months old baby boy and his mother identified as Idiat Ajisebutu 24 ,a hairdresser and mother of three after she went to the police station to report that a welder died from electrocution in her shop. Family of the embattled hairdresser claimed that the police at Igbogbo police station detained Idiat and her baby for five days in the police cell.  Segun Ajisebutu ,Idiat’s husband narrated how his wife and baby were detained in the cell.  He said “ I received a call from my wife last week Monday April 4th that someone came to reconnect her electricity in her hairdressing shop but the man was electrocuted in the process of re connecting the electrical line . She told me that one Mr. Emmanuel a welder who also has a shop in the area ordered that her electricity in her shop be disconnected because she was owing N2000 electricity bill.She told me that she later paid N1000 and Mr. Emmanuel told his apprentice ,

one Chris that he should go to my wife’s shop to reconnect her electricity. The apprentice Chris was reconnecting the electricity when suddenly, he was electrocuted. My wife raised alarm and people in the area ran to her shop and saw the corpse. She was advised to report the electrocution to the police and she went to the Igbogbo police station at Ikorodu and reported the unfortunate death. The police took her statement and went ahead to detain her with our four months old baby boy. The police kept my wife and our four months old son in the cell for five days. On Saturday April 9th, they were transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department at Panti Yaba where she is still being held over the death of Chris”  Mr. Ajisebutu added that the police at the SCID allegedly manhandled his wife and efforts to get her bail has proved abortive as the family of the deceased are demanding N2million as compensation for the the victim” He said “ while my wife was still being held at the Igbogbo police station, the family of Chris came to the station and they demanded for N2 million as compensation for the victim so they can drop the case. My wife told them that she did not have such amount. That was how the police at Igbogbo station transferred the case to Homicide Unit SCID Panti Yaba. The police at Igbogbo Division handed her over to officers

at Homicide Unit Panti to be detained in their cell but when the officers at the Counter tried to take her baby from her, she wept that she should be released as she has nothing to do with the electrocution. Moreover, she was the person that reported the electrocution to police. As she was pleading and holding on to her child, the policemen started beating her up. They slapped her and forcefully collected her baby and handed him over to my sister in-law to take the baby home”.  It was learnt that the police at the Igbogbo Police Station following Mrs. Idiat’s statement, also arrested Mr. Emmanuel and one of his staff over the electrocution. The suspects have since been transferred to the Homicide Unit SCID for thorough investigation. Mr. Ajisebutu is maintaining that his wife is innocent and is appealing to the government and the police authority to release her. The electrocution is unfortunate. We have hired a lawyer to get bail for wife. My wife is breastfeeding a four months old baby and they detained them for day. We have gotten a lawyer to help us with her case.”  A human rights activist Mr. Ishola Agbodimu the President of Rural Urban Development Initiative RUDI said the case will be reported to the National Human Rights Commission to wade into the arrest and detention of a toddler.

The suspected armed robbers had attacked and robbed the Goodness hospital at Ajangbadi Ojo Lagos on April 12th at about 8 :45pm but luck ran out on them when the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Morogbo police Station CSP Musa Alim recieved a distressed call and he swung into action with his patrol team and they arrested two members of the gang while others fled.  The arrest-

ed suspects identified as Bamidele Babatunde 22 and Muri Balogun 28 revealed how the gang operates by pretending to be ill and need urgent medical attention but as soon as they were led into the hospital, other gang members who had pretended to have brought the sick armed robber will swoop on the hospital staff and patients and dispossess them of valuables. A police source said “ One of the armed robbers who identified himself as Bamidele would pretend to have a serious wound he used a platter on his navel. Other members of his gang will rush him to the hospital the gang had targeted to rob and they will pretend to be seeking urgent medical attention but as soon as they have gained entry into the hospital , they will bring out thier guns and rob the hospital staff and patients of phones , cash and other valuables’” It was gathered that the police recovered a Samsung galaxy phone belonging to the Medical Director of the Goodness Hospital from one of the suspect’s pocket following thier arrest.  Narrating the modus operandi of the gang, one of the suspects , Bamidele said the gang members were petty thieves picking pockets in commercial buses before they graduated to robbing hospitals.   “A friend called Ahmed is the leader of our gang. He was the one that introduced me to pick pocking and armed robbery . I have known Ahmed for more than five years and I always go out with him to pick pocket. Recently, I went with Ahmed to the Coconut area of Lagos and we will pretend to be reading newspapers. We have already targeted passengers keeping phones in their pockets. We sit close to these people and when they are not watching, we steal their phones. However during one of our outings, I attempted to steal a phone but I was stabbed in the navel. I almost lost my life that day but I was rushed to the hospital. I was discharged from the hospital last week. After I was discharged, I met Ahmed again and I asked him where he was going. He told me that they are going to rob a hospital but

Lagos CP, Fatai Owoseni

When contacted, the spokesperson of the Lagos State Police Command, SP Dolapo Badmos, did not pick up her phone or reply the text message to her concerning the incident.

‘How I picked pockets for 15 years’

The suspected Pickpockets

Patience Ogbo

olicemen attached to the Morogbo police station Lagos State police command have arrested two members of a armed robbery gang for attacking and robbing patients in hospitals.

I can’t go with them since I was still recovering. I persuaded him that I can go with them and he took me along to the hospital the Goodness Hospital at Ajangbadi. We were six in the gang. Four of them including Ahmed sent into the hospital. He said my job is to stand outside and watch for policemen. As soon as they were through robbing the hospital, they fled and gave us a signal that they had escaped. We went to our meeting point at beer parlour and I asked them what they stole but Ahmed to me that they did not steal anything. I was standing at a petrol station that day of the robbery when the police came and arrested me”. According to the police , the suspects have robbed more than five hospitals in Lagos under false pretense . The second suspect Balogun however revealed that it was his first time to Rob hospitals.  He said “ I am a bus conductor and a professional pick pocket. Anytime I don’t do my conductor work, I go out to pick pocket. Ahmed is my friend and he knows me as a very good thief who specialize in picking pockets. I have been picking pockets in the last fifteen years. I usually pretending to be reading newspapers in a bus and I would cough. As soon as I cough close to my target, I would have sneaked the phone from his pocket without him noticing. Immediately I steal the phone, I will alight from the bus and go to sell it. I have stolen more than fifty phones in the last fifteen years. Picking pockets is a hobby and I good at it. Ahmed was the one who lured me to go and Rob hospital. This is my first time and I regret it. I was coming out of the hospital that day of the robbery when policemen in a van shouted at me to stop and I was arrested and thrown into their van. Ahmed who led me into this crime is on the run. He lied to me that I should forget petty pick pocket money and come to Rob in the hospital that I will see good medical money but see where Ahmed had landed me.I am sad because I would have just remained with picking pockets.”

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Patience Ogbo

peratives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos have discovered 193 wraps of cocaine inside a passenger socks.

According to a statment by the NDLEA spokes person Mr. Ofoyeju Mitchell on Friday , the drug which tested positive for cocaine with a total weight of 3.4kgs was detected during routine screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Dubai. The suspect who is a commercial bus driver in Lagos has also been arrested. Chairman/Chief Executive of the Agency, Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd,) while commenting on the arrest , called for stringent monitoring of Dubai-Lagos route by officers. Abdallah said “This is an interesting arrest and I commend the officers for the discovery. Dubai-Lagos route is gradually gaining notoriety and we are monitoring it closely. Let me assure members of the public that the NDLEA is working very hard in preventing illicit drug production, trafficking and abuse in the country”. NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmadu Garba gave

Crime Watch

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 16, 2016

NDLEA discovers 193 wraps of cocaine in passenger’s socks the name of the suspect as Maduewesi Ugochukwu Samuel. “During screening of passengers at the arrival hall, officers noticed that he had some items attached to his legs. It was cleverly done but not good enough to escape our notice. When his sucks was pulled down, suspected wraps of narcotics found to be cocaine fell down on the floor. He was immediately arrested and taken for further investigation” Ahmadu stated. The suspect who is a commercial bus driver told narcotic investigators that he wanted to quit driving for supply of electrical appliances and needed a huge amount to start off his business. He said he was deceived by people he ran to for financial assistance “I am a commercial bus driver in Lagos. I am from Anambra State.I completed my secondary education in 1998 at Onitsha before coming to Lagos in search of

Maduewesi Ugochukwu Samuel, the suspect

greener pastures. My friend who lives outside the country introduced me to drug trafficking. He promised to help me with capital to start my business but after sponsoring

my trip to Dubai, he told me to smuggle drugs to Nigeria. I was instructed to conceal the drugs in my socks and that it will not be detected. They also offered to pay me the sum of eight hun-

dred thousand naira for safe delivery of the drug. I had wanted to start a supply business in electrical appliances but I am regretting my action because my wife is all alone while I am in NDLEA custody. This is her first pregnancy and she needs my attention. This is my greatest concern” Samuel stated. The suspect will be charged to court soon.

...arrests 30 drug traffickers at Lagos Airport Patience OGBO

he Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah rtd, has advocated an integrated approach in the control of illicit drug trafficking. Abdallah stated this while commenting on the first quarter report of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos. According to a statement by the Antinarcotic agency, the Airport command of the Agency arrested thirty suspected drug traffickers, comprising twenty-six males and four females while 100.545kgs of narcotic drugs valued at five hundred and seventy-four (N574,000,000) were seized between January and March 2016. Abdallah, who reiterated the Antinarcotic Agency ‘s resolve to stop illicit drug business in the country, started that the agency will continue to employ cutting edge technologies and proactive measures to in the drug war . He said “We must continue to develop integrated programmes in tackling the problem of drug trafficking and related organised crimes at various levels. Deliberate steps should be taken to improve regional and international drug control measures aimed at dislodging drug syndicates. These include robust collaboration, increased funding, use of modern technology in drug crime prevention and exchange of criminal intelligence”. The Chairman added that most cocaine seizures originated from Dubai while

•Impounds drug haul worth N574m

Akaocha Samuel Jekwu

NDLEA Chairman, Abdallah

methamphetamine were destined for South Africa and Asia. “We also observed the smuggling of psychotropic substances to African countries. There was a seizure of Raphynol to Ghana, Diazepam to Liberia and Tramadol hidden in DJ Rack Box to Congo Brazzaville. The NDLEA will therefore remain dynamic in its operations and maintain a clear lead over criminal organisations. It can be recalled that recently ,the antinarcotic Agency recorded a remarkable success with the discovery of a super methamphetamine production laboratory in Asaba where four Mexicans were apprehended with other Nigerians

NDLEA commander at the airport, Ahmed Garba gave the breakdown of the seized drugs as follows; cocaine 18.460kgs, methamphetamine 29.400kgs cannabis 3.075kgsTramadol 21.990kgs and Diazepam 30.620kgs. Mr. Garba while speaking on the seizure said a total of sixty-one Nigerians consisting of sixty males and one females were deported to the country for various drug offences. He said “ The suspected drug traffickers arrested in the first quarter had been charged to court and the cases are ongoing. Many special operations were conducted including that involving an abandoned

Ekemezie Obumneme

luggage containing 2.240kgs of cocaine from Dubai. The Agency traced the bag to one Egbuche Fidelis Osita and four others. A total of sixty-one (61) Nigerians 60 males and one females were deported to the country for various drug offences” Ahmed stated. According to the Ofoyeju Mitchell the spokes person for the Anti - narcotic agency, two of the suspects identified as Akaocha Samuel Jekwu, 42 years-old and Ekemezie Obumneme, 38 years-old allegedly ingested eighty-five (85) wraps of cocaine each weighing 1.720kg from Dubai.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 16, 2016

PAGE SOUTH EAST FG committed to fulfilling 45 campaign promises, says minister

Minister tasks South- T East governors on regional integration

he Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has said that governors of the South-East region are not taking advantage of regional integration to grow the zone’s economy. Ngige made this known at the Enugu State Investment Summit on Friday. He said that the region was economically backward due to lack of visionary leadership and commitment to the masses by political leaders. According to him, the current economic uncertainty offers everybody, including the government, opportunity to look inwards and diversify the economy. ``For those of us who go into government, we are

not in government to serve ourselves. “Unfortunately, people go into government and they think they are there for their immediate families,” he said. Ngige said that governors in the zone needed to realise that “Nigeria is a Federation where much depended on what you do for your people in terms of development individually. ``If the governors promote this issue of regional highway, particularly in the agrarian areas, it will be beneficial for posterity and modernise farming in these areas,” Ngige said. Ngige also said that the Federal Government had initiated a N500 billion intervention scheme, adding

that farming would take a large chunk of the sum. He appealed to the governors to open up the zone for entrepreneurs by ensuring that good roads were built and embrace policies that would support investments in the area. ``During my time as Governor of Anambra State, we embarked on building Federal roads that passed through our state because they were impassable from Niger Bridge. ``I told my fellow governors then, that we should consider South-East regional road integration in view of the fact that our people are traders and like to move. “I picked a major road project from Igboukwu up to Isuochi.

“I asked my Abia State counterpart to move it from there into Umuahia and Aba, but it was not done,” he said. Ngige said other governors in the zone never bought into the idea, but that he insisted on getting the work done in the Anambra State axis. “The idea of regional highway development should not be taken for granted. The governors should cooperate. It is not too late to start now. The Minister also said that the road from Nsukka to Adani in Enugu State, to Anyamelum in Anambra, was a Federal highway. “However, we need it to move the rice from Adani so that our people can have food and jobs,” he said.

he Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has assured Nigerians that President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to fulfilling his campaign promises to the people. The Minister gave the assurance in Enugu on Thursday at a town-hall meeting with a cross section of residents of the state. According to Mohammed, the present administration is still bearing in mind its promises to the masses, and will fulfill them before the end of its tenure. “The President is committed to strengthening the electoral process and the Nigerian economy,” he said, adding, however, that the delay being experienced was due to some issues in the passage and assent of the 2016 budget. “No government can achieve its aim or implement its promises without the budget,” Mohammed said. He said the present government would accommodate all citizens, including the womenfolk. “The present administration has incorporated women, and would continue to accommodate capable and competent women in its CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as OYEDUNTAN FOLASHADE TITILAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ALBERT GANIYAT TITILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Anambra FA chairmanship candidate urges fairness in election

lisa Aniuno, a candidate for the Anambra Football Association (ASFA) Chairmanship election, has urged the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) to be fair to all in its forthcoming election. Aniuno made the call on Friday in Awka while reacting to reports that new candidates were being introduced into the race for the chairmanship position. ``When you play with football, you are playing with the future of a lot of young stars that their livelihood is dependent on it; their talent is dependent on it. “So this continued injustice on Anambra stakeholders of football is very unfor-

tunate and I thought that these things would have come to an end. ``So I don’t think that anyone should change what has already been set in football; football has rules and regulation; you can’t change the rules of the game at any point. You don’t do that. ``I don’t want to speculate because I want to believe that in the NFF, we have reasonable men and I still trust the leadership to do the right thing.’’ He described the inability of the NFF to conduct elections into the ASFA board since the dissolution of the former board on February 28, 2015, as an act of injustice. Aniuno, the sponsor of

Football Across Anambra Project, said the electoral process as stipulated by the committee set up by NFF had been in existence for a long time, and should not be revised. He said forms had been purchased and screening of all contestants done, with the exception of the three candidates for the chairmanship position. Aniuno said all that the Anambra football stakeholders were waiting for was the conduct of the election. He said the rumours that new candidates were being introduced when the process was already on, was against the rule of the game. “For us to be talking

about candidacy, that issue has already been dealt with and closed, it is a closed matter as far as I am concerned. ``Chief Mike Umeh purchased form I and Jude Obikwelu also bought forms, and is there anybody else that purchased forms? ``Is there is any other person that bought form to vie for the chairmanship of the FA; if there is somebody else that bought the form, I would like to see it? “We must do things that are right and things that are legal because we have people who are looking up to us to do the right thing. ``Football is not politics, what we are waiting for is the day for the election to be conducted.’’

CHANGE OF NAME

DUROJAIYE: I formerly known and addressed as DUROJAIYE OLUWAKEMI FUNMILOLA now wish to be known and addressed as OLAGUNJU OLUWAKEMI FUNMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as AFOLABI IBRAHIM AYINLA, now wish to be known and addressed as AFOLABI AYINLA OLANIRAN. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note. I, formerly known and addressed as MISS KOLAWOLE SABIAT ADENIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ROSANWO KOLAWOLE SABIAT ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.

Representative of the NDDC, Acting Managing Director, Mr Alagbo Jaja (2nd left); Deputy Chief of Staff, Imo Government, Mr Kingsley Uju and Commissioner for Health and Women Affairs, Dr (Mrs) Ngozi Njoku, during the presentation of Lassa Fever drugs to Imo Government by the NDDC in Owerri.

strategic positions,” he said. The Minister said that the Federal Government would address the problems of the country through the diversification of its economy, quality education and good health system. “This government will not neglect infrastructure development, and will ensure that there is good governance and zero tolerance for corruption. “There will be employment, one meal-per-day programme for schools, scholarship and expansion of small-scale businesses in the country, and many more. “Our message is that the hardship will soon be a thing of the past,” he said. Mohammed said that the present administration will diversify the economy through agriculture, mining of the nation’s natural resources and others. He also assured that crime would be eradicated in the country, saying that any crime with proper evidence would be dealt with according to the law.

I, formerly known and addressed as LADENEGAN GANIAT ADEFOLAKE, now wish to be known and addressed as LADENEGAN GANIAT ABIKE ADEFOLAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as UCHECHUKWU OBINIKE PETER, now wish to be known and addressed as NWOKOYE PETER UCHECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME GODWIN: This is to confirm that NWABUNWANNE GODWIN and EMEKA MICHAEL NNAMELUO refer to one and same person. All documents reflecting any of the Stated names remain valid and should be treated as one person. Banks and the general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

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I, formerly known and addressed as IBRAHIM ISIAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as IBRAHIM SULEMAN MOHAMMED. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known as ABIONA OLALEKAN SAMSON, now wish to be addressed as ABIONA LEKAN AYOBAMI. All firmer documents remain valid, general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as ADAMU ADO YUNUSA now wishes to be known and addressed as ADAMU ADO MUSA. All former documents remain valid. Constituted authorities and general public to take note. CHANGE OF NAME

DAZUB: I, formerly known and addressed as DAZUB UDEZE, now wish to be known and addressed as DAVID NZUBE UDEZE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

KATE: I, formerly known and addressed as KATE MARGARET EHEBE, now wish to be known and addressed as NICOLAS BLESSING EHEBE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

LATIFOU: I, formerly known and addressed as LATIFOU SALIMON, now wish to be known and addressed as LATIFOU MONSURU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/ CONFIRMATION OF DATE OF BIRTH I, formerly known and addressed as EVER MARS UZOMA, now wish to be known and addressed MARCELLINUS UZOMA. My date of birth is 10th day of February 1960. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note.

LATIFOU: I, formerly known and addressed as LATIFOU SALIMON, now wish to be known and addressed as LATIFOU MONSURU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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NLC declares Ayade most labourfriendly gov Richard Ndoma CALABAR

he Organised Labour in Cross River State yesterday declared the state Governor, Professor Ben Ayade as the Most Labour-Friendly Governor in Nigeria. To this end, it has concluded arrangements to honour the governor with an award in May. Chairman, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade John Ushie, disclosed this when he led executive members of the NLC, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Public Service Negotiating Council in the state to a courtesy call on the governor at the State Executive Council Chambers in Calabar. According to Ushie, “The Organised Labour has resolved to single you out in the whole Nigeria and West Africa as the Digital and Best Labour-Friendly Governor. We have resolved that on May Day, we shall formally honour you with an award. He explained that Ayade was chosen for the award for a number of reasons including prompt payment of workers salary and the courage to embark on economy changing projects like the 260km super highway, the Bakassi Deep Seaport, the Calabar Garment and Textile Factory and the establishment of Green Police.His words: “Since your assumption of office, every 13th to 18th day of each month, workers smile home with their salaries. We have gone through the records and across all other states since our colleagues exist in all, we have also found that you have surpassed your colleagues in Nigeria, and have gone far to surpass the Federal Government, especially in the area of payment of salaries. The NLC chairman, who reiterated the resolve of the organised labour in Cross River to work in harmony with the governor, prayed God to grant him the needed wisdom to steer the ship of the state. We will not deceive you as we will speak out on anything we feel strongly about. As you know, Labour leaders cannot be coerced, and nobody will instigate us against your government. We also believe that nobody will instigate you against us.” Responding, Governor Ayade applauded the organized labour in the state for the honour, and promised to do more for workers in the state despite the downturn in the nation’s economy.

SOUTH SOUTH

APRIL 16, 2016

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rivers Rerun: Group calls for release of Tai LGA result Obiora Ifoh ABUJA

ays after the rerun election was conducted in some parts of Rivers State, a non-governmental group, the Sustainable Ogoni, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to release without delay the result of the re-run election of Tai Local Government Area. In a release in Abuja on Friday, the group through its head of Publicity/Research, Mr. Jude Kole Oma, also pleaded with INEC to ensure that the remaining elections that were suspended in Rivers State be concluded so that the Ogonis can have a voice in the state and National Assemblies. According to the group, “We sincerely want to thank INEC for listening to the people, and gave certificate of return to those that have been declared winners of the various LGA constituencies. We therefore, urge INEC to, as a matter of urgency, abide by it laws and pronouncements that any election that has been declared by the returning officer will be announced, and should therefore proceed to announce Tai LGA’s result. “This will not only give hope to the Ogonis, but build on the confidence we are having currently in the Nigerian state. We are at a very low point where we don’t have the presence of any representative in the National Assembly presently, and when matters that concerned us comes up, there’s no one to champion it. “While we call on INEC to announce the result of Tai, any party that feels aggrieved should feel free to seek redress in the tribunal. We also plead that the remaining elections that were suspended should be concluded so that we can have our voice in the state and National Assemblies. “Conclusively, we thank the security agencies, most especially the Nigerian Police Force, which acted professionally throughout the rerun in the area. The Nigerian Army, which made sure our borders with other LGAs, were kept secured.

We sympathise with the families of those who lost their lives, and pray that God will give them the grace to bear their losses.” The group noted that out of the four LGAs in Ogoniland; Khana, Goka-

na, Eleme and Tai; only Tai was able to conclude its elections of the 19th of March. “Eleme finished voting, but couldn’t collate as a result of fear and heightened tension that

made the EO to shutdown. In Gokana, there was serious security breakdown that resulted in the arrest of the SSG, Chief Keneth Kobani, who was alleged to have led the youths that threw dynamites into the

RAC centre. This led to electoral materials not leaving the centre to the field. Similar situation was reported at khana where there was an arrest of a man with three others wearing military uniforms.”

Commissioner for Water Resources And Rural Development, Rivers, Mr Ibibia Walter (left) with the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Onimin Jacks, during the launching of Urban Water Sector Reform and Port Harcourt Water Supply and Sanitation Project in Port Harcourt, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Rivers, AfDB, IDA inaugurate urban water supply, sanitation project

he Rivers Government, African Development Bank (AfDB) and World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), on Friday inaugurated the Urban Water Sector Reform and Port Harcourt Water Supply and Sanitation Project. Gov. Nyesom Wike, represented by Mrs. Onimim Jacks, the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, said at the occasion in Port Harcourt, that the project was very key to his administration. Wike said the project was in line with his campaign promises to the people of the state, as spelt out in his blueprint to provide safe drinking water. He said it was a great pleasure for him to inaugurate the project. “We thank the AfDB and IDA for their continuous funding of the project over the years up until

now. “We assure you that we are ready with our counterpart funding, and this is also another promise we are keeping.” Wike commended the Federal Government for choosing Rivers as one of the pilot states to be given support by AfDB and IDA. He said that the state government was willing and ready to cooperate with the Federal Government on projects that would benefit the people. Dr Ousmane Dore, AfDB Country Director, said the project was a good example of effective partnership between the Government of Nigeria and the donor community. Dore said that the project would be funded by the AfDB, Rivers Government, World Bank and the Federal Government. He urged other partners and the implement-

ing agency to ensure that the project was executed in time to benefit the people of the affected local government areas. “I assure you that the AfDB has the capacity to provide the needed support in collaboration with the IDA.” Dore urged the state government to ensure that consideration for local content did not compromise the bidding process by ignoring relevant procurement laws. In his remark, Chief Ibibia Walter, the state Commissioner for Water Resources and Rural development, said that the benefits of the project were enormous. Walter said that the project would be completed within two years by which time water would be available in the whole of Port Harcourt City and Obio/Akpor local government areas.

On the funding arrangement, Walter further said that AfDB would provide 200 million dollars, IDA, 80 million dollars and Rivers Government 48 million dollars as its counterpart contribution. He applauded the AfDB for its preparedness to ensure that Rivers people had access to quality water supply and sanitation services. According to the commissioner, the project is AfDB’s biggest water project in sub-Saharan Africa. “The project will be managed by Messrs Rambol Denmark AS/Hospitalia Consultaire Limited JV with seasoned professionals in all relevant fields across the globe. “There is provision for our own engineers to be trained and take over in the next two years,” he said.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

APRIL 16, 2016

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

PAGE

Merkel approves criminal probe of comedian who insulted Erdogan

he German C h a n c e l l o r, Angela Merkel, said on Friday that her government has given the go ahead for a formal criminal investigation against a comedian who insulted Turkish President Recep Erdogan. “In a state of law, it is not for the government, but for prosecutors and the courts to determine the balance between personal and other rights and freedom of speech and artistic expression,” Merkel said. Talk show host Jan Boehmermann will now be subjected to formal criminal proceedings for reciting a crude poem on German television in which he accused Erdogan of watching child pornography and performing sex acts with animals. In contrast to a defamation complaint filed independently by Mr. Erdogan, the criminal probe which is based on the potential violation of a law against insulting foreign heads of state required authorisation by the German government. Ms. Merkel announced that her government would put forward a proposal to scrap the law, referring to it as expendable. “It was unclear how long this process would take and what implications it would have for the criminal case against Boehmermann,” she said. Though many Germans find the comedian’s poem tasteless and Merkel herself has called it purposefully offensive, the case has unleashed a fierce debate about the limits of free speech in Germany. “I think the decision is wrong. “Prosecution of satire because of a lese-majeste law

doesn’t fit with modern democracy,” Thomas Oppermann, head of the Social Democrats’ parliamentary group, said on Twitter. The case has also raised questions about the European Union’s deal to return migrants from Greece to Turkey, which critics say has made European leaders beholden to Mr. Erdogan in their desperate bid to end the refugee crisis. “Merkel knuckles under the Turkish despot Erdogan and sacrifices freedom

of the press in Germany,” said Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of left-wing opposition party Die Linke. The ZDF, the public broadcaster that decided to show Boehmer mann’s recital of the poem, criticised Ms. Merkel’s thumbs-up for criminal proceedings as a “political decision,” he said. The broadcaster has withdrawn the video from its archives, but maintains it did not break the law.

Merkel

Ms. Merkel’s government spent several days mulling the Turkish request, and the chancellor acknowledged during her announcement that there had been internal divisions. Several members of Ms. Merkel’s CDU backed the decision, with Peter Tauber, General Secretary of the party, saying “the German government takes the rule of law seriously, even if it sometimes hurts,” the statement said. (dpa/NAN)

7.0 quake strikes Japan after earlier one kills 9

7.0-magnitude earthquake struck early Saturday morning in Japan’s Kyushu island, the same region a magnitude-6.2 quake struck two days earlier. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the latest quake struck just west-southwest of Kumamoto-shi and about 8 miles south-southeast of Ueki -- the epicenter of the late-Thursday tremor that left nine dead. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured or killed as a result of Saturday morning’s seismic event. Nor was it clear how much damage, if any, had been caused. But it did prompt the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami advisory for coastal regions of Japan on the Ariake Sea and Yatsushiro Sea around 2 a.m. Saturday (1 p.m. ET Friday). The agency subsequently lifted all tsunami warnings and advisories. Tsunami advisories are issued when the tsunami height is expected to between 0.2 and 1 meter (0.65 to 3.3 feet). A warning would be for larger tsunamis. This happened about a full day after rescuers found an 8-month-old baby girl -- alive -- in the ruins of a home destroyed by the earlier

quake on Japan’s Kyushu island. Rescuers had been told there was a baby inside the collapsed house, but aftershocks from the Thursday quake prevented the use of heavy equipment at the site. Yet, after six hours trapped, she was pulled

from the rubble early Friday. “It was miracle she was unharmed,” Hidenori Watanabe, a spokesman for the Kumamoto Higashi fire department, told CNN. Fifty rescuers -- wearing dark uniforms and white hard-hats with

lights -- scoured the large pile of rubble that just hours before had been a home. The infant’s mother and grandmother had managed to escape. The little girl was finally found safe amid the debris in a space under one of the house’s

pillars, according to Watanabe. This happened in the middle of the night, in an area lit only by spotlights. Carefully, rescuers passed the barefooted baby to one another, before she finally got to crews on the ground and

failures, it was unlikely one would ever be made. “Most North Koreans will never know that it happened,” he said. A U.S. defense official said a North Korean missile launch had failed at 4:33 p.m. ET Thursday, after the U.S. Strategic Command systems detected and tracked the attempt. At this time, there was “no evidence the missile reached flight,” a U.S. official told CNN’s Barbara Starr. Earlier this week, U.S. intelligence satellites spotted signs that North Korea may have been preparing to launch a mobile ballistic missile. Officials had told CNN that if the regime proceeds with a launch, the most likely scenario is the launch of the Musudan missile. A U.S. State Department official said after the launch failure: “We have seen the reports. We are closely monitoring the situation.” “We call again on North Korea to refrain from ac-

tions and rhetoric that further raise tensions in the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its international commitments and obligations.” Tensions have ratcheted up on the divided Korean peninsula this year as Pyongyang has made a series of assertions about developments in its military capability. Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January. It said it succeeded in miniaturizing nuclear warheads to fit on medium-range ballistic missiles -- which U.S. intelligence analysts say is probably true. In response, the U.N. Security Council -- with the support of China -- imposed broad sanctions against North Korea in March. But the sanctions and international pressure have not held any sway in North Korea’s aggressive efforts to build up its weapons and nuclear capabilities. The country maintains that it’s

developing weapons to defend itself from the United States. The Unification Ministry in South Korea suspected that Kim Jong Un, the North Korean leader, ordered the latest missile test. “By showing its strong will that it will continue to do so despite the current sanction against the country, it appears to be attempting to split opinions in the international community as well as building up achievements for Kim Jong Un ahead of the Party’s Congress,” said Jeong Joon-hee, the spokesman for the ministry. North Korea plans to convene its seventh Communist Party Congress in May this year -- which is rare and potentially significant. The last congress of the Workers’ Party of Korea was held in 1980 and that culminated in the announcement that Kim Jong Il, the father of the current leader, would take power.

South Korea: North Korea missile launch failed

orth Korea attempted to fire a missile from its eastern coast Friday, but the launch ended in failure, according to South Korean and U.S. officials. South Korea’s military did not specify what sort of missile was part of the test. The attempt involved an intermediate-range Musudan missile, according to South Korean media reports. The launch effort came on the birthday of Kim Il Sung, the founder of North Korea, on the holiday known as “Day of the Sun.” “If the reports are true, and this mobile missile launch attempt did fail, it would be a major disappointment for the North Korean regime because it is happening on the most significant holiday of the year,” said CNN’s Will Ripley from Pyongyang. No official announcement had been made about the test within the country, Ripley said. Based on past

BACK “No policeman or woman is immune to the criminal justice system of Nigeria as PAGE any found guilty after running afoul of the laws of the land would be prosecuted..”—

Quote of the day

Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, while warning police officers that they mustn’t abuse rights of citizens while carrying out their lawful duties

Saturday, APRIL 16, 2016. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net

Conspiracy of convergence: Whose economic interest?

world with 70 trillion dollars in balance sheet requires a leader. This figure, perhaps, instigates the conspiracy of convergence in real economic terms. America is 12 trillion dollars in balance sheet, while China’s balance sheet is 18 trillion dollars. In addition, China has 1.26 trillion dollars in America’s Federal Reserve Bank. This is about 10% of America’s total balance sheet. So the question is: Who leads the world economy in real terms if the world converges? If China leads, will America accept? And in the face of no option for America and the rest of the world, will China introduce her political system as the new praxis? How far are we from reality? A vote for one political system is key to the unity of the world. An imposed political system is preparation for the Third World War. (God forbid). The barrier of political distance as it stands, leads to the question: Will the conspiracy of convergence (a flat world) succeed? Beyond political considerations, economic interest is compelling reason for the convergence. Obama is retrating the concern for institutional support. America’s leadership of the world economy is in doubt. Britain maintains the world’s commercial centre even at the expense of the British pounds. Europe is managing a failed Union. Saudi Arabia is coming down like the price of oil! Africa is struggling for survival, yet remains the major victim of mass market! India is hopeful but not with any certainty. Who is the economic leader of the world at this time? America promotes the idea that strong institutions are the strength of any peaceful convergence. The message is that there can be no meaningful discussion if corruption, institution void and weak regulation remain the order of the day. To America, there must be rules of the game, formal or informal, and every one must obey the

CFR

Who will lead the new world economic order? Such a country must create comparative

advantage and lead in innovation.

This is where China comes in. It’s clear that if you don’t go to China, China will come to you very soon. The dragons are here!

rules. America flags the dollar as the official currency of any meaningful business. To America, without the dollar, it’s like there is no fuel with which the economy can be driven. The ‘Leader of the Free World’ has raised many institutions of global concern and it is only reasonable for those institutions to succeed. The question is: Whose interest is paramount in a world with balance sheet of about 70 trillion dollars, out of which the United States of America controls about 12 trillion? Accounting for about11% of the global economy and beyond, America is also responsible for about 25% of total production and consumption of the world. It is arguable that America

can produce and supply all her needs. So what drives America’s restless interest in leading the conspiracy of convergence beyond creating markets for products of American companies such as Google, Apple, CocaCola, McDonalds, KFC and others? No doubt, the failure of those companies may lead to redefining America! The traffic around economic convergence is not beyond Export/ Import, Customs, bureaucracy, local subsidies, countervailing duties and antidumping legislation. It is not that there were no legislations before the new convergence. For instance, efforts have been made before now for effective harmonization of trade agreements such as GATT, TTIP, those involving multilaterals including WTO, IMF, or protocols governing free trade areas

such as the EU and ASEAN. What the new convergence will achieve beyond a conspiracy of self interest is beyond our understanding at this time. China is here and there is no disputing the fact that China is currently the biggest economy in the entire universe at this time. Her balance sheet is impressively sound and will withstand the test of time. With a population of about 1.4 billion people, accounting for about 20% of global population, China’s population is about 42 times the population of Canada, 14 times that of Japan,10 times that of Russia,18 times that of Britain and about five times that of the United States of America! So who owns the market? Where will the goods be sold faster? Who will produce for who? Who should lead the new convergence in the reality of economic terms? Events in China are interesting. Not even America will doubt the super economic power of China at this time. With China’s investment of 1.26 trillion dollars cash in American treasury bills, which is about 10% of America’s balance sheet! China’s investment in American treasury bills is the second largest after Japan’s investment of 1.3 trillion dollars. The argument appears to be the summary of the debate between liberal market economics and coordinated market economics. The issues that will play out remain in the spectrum of industrial relations, vocational education, employee concern and farewell, corporate governance, and inter firm relationship. The main issue of burning interest in the conspiracy of convergence is the quality of who will lead the new world economic order? Such a country must create comparative advantage and lead in innovation. This is where China comes in. It’s by no means a matter of choice! It’s clear that if you don’t go to China, China will come to you very soon. The dragons are here. Doing nothing is not an option!

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