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P.8 News Wike, INEC want Peterside’s petition dismissed...over N100

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FG cautious over B’Haram peace offer Vol. 5 No. 35

Saturday, August 15, 2015

National Mirror Online

@NationalMirror

P. 10

‘Sees new sect leader as decoy’

Ooni buried amid encomiums

Wives of the Ooni of Ife at the interdenominational funeral service held in Ile-Ife, Osun State, yesterday.

P. 8

He united Yoruba race —Osinbajo

Sealxk T

i Kum5 P.2

Jumbo pay: Reps commence enquiry into NASS running cost

Should you call it quits over bad sex?

P. 7

P. 32

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Top Stories Two

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 15, 2015

Crashed helicopter: AIB

recovers black boxes Olusegun Koiki

T

he two black boxes of the crashed Bristow Helicopters chopper have been recovered by divers at the Oworonshoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge.

This is as the Accident Investigation Bureau (AIB) has taken possession of the components.

The black boxes; Flight Data Recorder (FDR) and the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) were recovered early yesterday morning by Julius Berger with the assistance of hired divers.

The Sikosky 76 helicopter marked 5NBDG, and operated by Bristow Helicopters was believed to have departed SEDCO Oil platform offshore, and crashed shortly before landing at the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos.

Speaking with reporters at its headquarters at the airport, the Commissioner of AIB, Dr. Felix Abali, said that the black boxes would be downloaded and analysed in preparation for final report on the accident at its recently constructed Flight

Black boxes

Safety Laboratory in Abuja.

He explained that the black boxes would assist the investigators in unraveling the cause of the accident in which four passengers and two crew members were killed while six others are still receiving treatment at private hospitals in Lagos.

He could not however, indicate when the

Rape of six-year old:

Mother accuses AIG of bias

Sebastine Ebhuomhan

T

he Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) for Zone ‘5’, Musa Daura, has been accused of tacitly working to shield the prosecution of alleged rapist of an under-aged girl in Edo State.

While six-year old Miss Sharon Eghobamien suddenly found her life shattered in a speed of lightning when she was defiled by three men whose names were allegedly given to Police as Kennedy, Paul Aghama and Jeffrey, effort to give the little girl justice has been at snail speed.

According to the mother of the victim, Mrs. Eghobamien, while the Edo State Police Command led by the Commissioner of Police (CP), Samuel Damilola Adegbuyi, was set to prosecute the alleged rapists after a diligent arrest and investigation, the AIG suddenly demanded the file and took it into his custody for whatever reasons unknown to the victim’s family.

Since then, nothing, according to the mother, has been heard of the investigation and planned prosecution and justice for the defiled child.

In a petition to AIG Daura on the matter, made available to Saturday Mirror in Benin City by the counsel to the victim, Olayiwola Afolabi & Co, the family called

for justice, especially to serve as deterrent to the increasing cases of defilement, rape and sexual violence in Edo State.

“We are solicitors to Sharon Eghobamien. We forward this petition to your esteemed office in the manner to wit. It is our belief that a case of defilement involving Kennedy, Paul Aghama and Jeffrey was transferred to your office.

“The said defilement which was committed against our client was investigated by the Edo Command, and same was curiously transferred to the office of the AIG. We humbly implore you in the interest of justice that investigation be hastened up to ensure that the culprits are brought to book to face the wrath of justice for the evil meted on this little innocent girl as they are out all over the place boasting that nothing good will come out of the case. We believe the court is the final arbiter in this matter.”

The counsel copied the letter to the Inspector-General of Police, the Edo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Chairman of Committee on Women Affairs of the Edo State House of Assembly, the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (Edo State Council), and the Chairperson of the FIDA in Edo State.

Effort made by Saturday Mirror to reach the AIG to explain why he hijacked the investigation or to give an update on the defilement case was not successful as he was said to be away from office.

preliminary report of the crash would be released to the public, but assured that it would be released soon.

He said, “The black boxes would be taken to our Flight Safety Laboratory at Abua where we will download the information before we can analyze it. We will do all that.

“Like in any accident investigations, we

cannot give a time line because it can take any twist and turn. We have competent investigators here that would do their best, and will see that we are able to get these things on time, but there is no telling when we can finish the report.

The FDR contains data generated from different parts of the aircraft including the engines and the avionics while the Cockpit Voice Recorder will unveil conversations within the cockpit and between the pilots and the Control Tower.

According to AIB, investigation had extended to retrieving documents and other materials from Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA), and the airline operator.

Abali said that other information concerning the crash would be released to the public as they unfold, and according to International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Annex 13.

However, a source close to the site of the accident confided in our correspondent that it took the local divers and Julius Berger about two hours to recover the black boxes from the lagoon.

Police hunt woman who abandoned baby in daycare

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he Lagos State Police Command is searching for a woman identified as Soloja Ayobola, who abandoned her baby at a daycare in Ikorodu since May 25, 2015.

According to police sources, its attention was drawn to the neglect and abuse of the 15-month old baby, Mofeoluwanifemi Amos, who was dumped at God’s Care Nanny situated at Isawo road, OkeAfa, Agric in Ikorodu by her mother, and the police are hot on the trail of the fleeing woman.

The proprietor of the daycare, Mrs Elizabeth Oyeshile, had granted journalists interview, and detailed how it happened that baby Mofeoluwanifemi is left in her care.

According to her, ‘’The arrangement was that she will be keeping the child during the week, while the centre will take care of the child weekends and we agreed on a weekly payment.

“She came to the day-care centre about three times before actually putting her baby at the centre for the first time on Thursday, January 22.

“The last time Soloja Ayobola came to the day-care was on May 25. I asked her to take her baby since she was finding it difficult paying for her upkeep.

“She pleaded that she will be coming regularly and also promised to come with my money on Friday, but she didn’t.

Mofeoluwanifemi

“Since she abandoned her child at the facility, I have called her several times but she refused to pick her calls. The baby, who was seven months old when she brought her is now a year and three months old.

“I did not know what to do. It was when I lost my son-in-law three weeks ago that family and friends, who saw the baby when they came to pay condolence visit, advised me to take the baby to the police and report the case.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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August 15, 2015

Oil sector rot: Any hope for PIB? When late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adau initiated the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, he planned on a far reaching reform in the petroleum sector. Yar’Adua intended to split up the hydra-headed Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. This was to make the leviathanic corporation and oil industry more transparent, against the general perception of NNPC as hugely corrupt and ineffective in the regulation of the oil industry. But more than seven years after the Bill was submitted to the National Assembly, sectional discontent and corporate interests have combined to place hurdles before the passage of the Bill. But with the avowed mission of President Mohammadu Buhari to clean up the oil sector, can we dare hope that PIB would soon be law, asks NICK UWERU

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hat unusual gathering sometime mid 2012 took place somewhere in Asokoro, an upscale settlement in Abuja. The venue is an architectural masterpiece, believed to be owned at the time by a former governor, now a senator, from a North Central zone of the country.

At about 11 pm, the former governor was already at the house, waiting. In no time, CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Political complexities may kill Bill’

Late Yar’Adua introducted PIB in 2009

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 15 House of Reps members gathered at the place. The gathering should not have been out place; after all, these are politicians. But the meeting, believed to have been convened by the senator, drew curiosity because it happened a few days before the National Assembly, NASS, was due to resume from recess. Indeed, for knowledgeable sources on the workings in the country’s legislature, the meeting was part of a stratagem formulated much earlier in Ghana by 50 selected House of Reps members from the North. The retreat in Ghana and the clandestine meeting Asokoro concerned the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, submitted to the NASS, again by immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan after the first draft of the bill by Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, his predecessor was thrown out by lawmakers.

At first, speculation became rife that the lawmakers were convened in Ghana by a consortium of international oil corporations, IOC, expressly to scuttle the passing of the bill as it was framed by government. The lawmakers denied this claim, of course.

The speaker at the time, Aminu Tambuwal, now state governor, Sokoto State, pledged that the House would give attention to the reading of the PIB with a view to passing it into law as soon as resumed plenary sessions, impeccable sources

Jonathan re-introduces PIB bill in 2012

averred differently, though. According to them, the gathering Ghana and the small one in Asokoro is geared towards anything but passing PIB as a law. “In fact, the meeting in Abuja was meant to fine tune strategy on how to stop the bill from being passed as it currently is,” alleged a former House of Reps member from the South-South who later served Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, as presidential aide. He made the allegation at another gathering of young politicians and pressure groups from the Southern part of the country, reiterating that the South would not stand by and watch the bill being killed a second time after it was thrown out in the sixth Assembly after second reading.

What appeared to be a middle ground was later brokered by Zakari Mohammed, Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs. He first denied that any trip to Ghana was made; he also claimed that there were plans to scuttle the PIB from being signed into law. But he added that the House would tinker with the bill. “We will not pass the bill as it is, we will work on it before passing it,” Zakari said at the time. All these happened three years ago. Between then and now, PIB has remained in the NASS gathering dust.

Early in his short tenure as president of the country, a team from International Crisis Group, ICG, a US backed global conflict management organization, had

Buhari: Will he push for PIB’s passage into law?

approached the late president over the crisis in the oil rich Niger Delta, requesting that the federal government allow it to mediate in the conflict between government and the militants who had nearly grounded oil production in the country.

Incessant bombings of oil installations and serial kidnappings of expatriate oil workers had crippled oil production, the main stay of the economy. But the late president knew what an ICG led conflict resolution management in the country would mean to the global community. Not only will it internationalize the militancy in the area, war profiteers like arms dealers would also show interest in the conflict, hoping to sell arms for oil as some countries in the former Soviet bloc were angling to do at the time. Federal government, too, realised that there was need to sanitize the oil industry in the country if the amnesty program he extended to the former militants in exchange for them to surrender arms would work. After all, government had reasoned at the time, angst over resource control, environmental degradation, rank corruption, impunity by the oil majors, were some of the factors that led to the economy crippling militancy at the time.

More importantly, the oil shut in at the time, too, created unacceptable budget distortions for the federal government.

For instance, at the peak of the militancy in mid year 2009 when hearing on PIB began, Nigeria’s oil output of 2.2 million

barrels per day went down by nearly half at 1.2 million barrels per day. With PIB, government aimed not only to clean the Aegean stable of corruption in the oil industry, but also, it aimed to assuage the anger of oil producing communities by providing royalties for them on oils drilled from their areas. Government also intended to open the industry more for indigenous oil investors and firm up regulations on environment protection from oil exploration. In the main, the bill, named, ‘A Bill for an Act to Provide for the Establishment of a Legal, Fiscal, and Regulatory Framework for the Petroleum Industry in Nigeria and for other Related Matters, seeks to establish the legal and regulatory frame work and guidelines for operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream sub-sectors of the oil and gas industry and for purposes connected with these objectives. The bill combines 16 different Nigerian Petroleum laws in a single document.

The main laws are the Petroleum Act 1969, as amended, Petroleum Profit Tax Act 1959, as amended and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Act of 1977, as amended.

More than two years after its first introduction to NASS, political tempo in the country has pointed to growing opposition to the passage of the bill from CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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August 15, 2015

‘North says interest not captured in PIB’

Militants distrupt oil exploration

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4 the North and also some corporate concerns. Reasons adduced for this opposition, according to investigations, range from perceived clauses in the bill rather what actually is put in the document. In other instances, it was learnt the North may be leveraging on getting more from the provision of the law as envisaged.

For instance, there is the impression by core northern politicians that PIB envisages the North paying more for fuel.

It alleges that the bill does not make provisions for the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF. This fund as currently managed by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and helps equalise transportation differentials in product marketing in the country.

Ordinarily, fuel pump price should have been costlier in the North on account of the cost of transport from coastal south to the North. For instance, transport cost of a 44,000 liters tanker from Lagos or Port Harcourt to either Maiduguri, Kano or Sokoto is put at between N380,000 to N500,000, depending on the destination. If added to the pomp price of fuel, the petroleum product would be costlier than as it obtains in the South. But with PEF, the Petroleum Ministry reimburses the marketers for the additional costs of moving products from the depots in the south to the North. The report also added that that the earlier version of PIB submitted by late President Yar’Adua re-

NASS: Delaying PIB passage

there is the impression by core northern politicians that PIB envisages the North paying more for fuel. It alleges that the bill does not make provisions for the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF tained the provision of PEF. But a detailed study of the draft bill finds this assertion inaccurate. For instance, in section 104 under the heading, ‘Utilisation of the Equalisation Fund,’ part B reads in part that [equalization] fund “provides for reimbursement of [petroleum marketers’ loss] as result of sales by them of petroleum resources at uniform prices across Nigeria.” Even more, the law envisages a situation where oil majors are compelled to build more refineries across the country there by reducing the need for road transport.

“There is a provision in the PIB which says that if you produce a certain quantity of crude oil, it is mandatory that you must establish a refinery in Nigeria,” said Dakuku Peterside, former Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources, Downstream and governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress.

But there are other indications that that real anger of the North stems from

the provision of 10 percent royalties for oil producing communities. In section 116 of the draft bill, there is a provision for the creation of Petroleum Host Communities Fund, PHCF. By the provisions of the clause, all oil exploratory concerns onshore, offshore and in shallow waters are to remit 10 percent of their net earnings to PHCF. Even so, deep water oil explorations should also make similar contributions to states nearer to the Atlantic Ocean. For the Northern leaders, this provision cannot be accepted. According to them, their region needs more funding on account of the poverty level in the area. CBN, for instance, estimates that poverty is highest in the North at more than 70 percent. Current insecurity in the region is often traced to the poverty level in the region.

Matters are not helped by the constant faceoff between the North and South of the country over revenue sharing formula, too. The sharing principle allows for oil producing states to get 13 percent of

proceeds from oil, sourced from their respective localities. The North claims that the principle puts them at a disadvantage. They also claimed that the onshore/ offshore dichotomy as ruled on by the Supreme Court in 2004 be revisited. By the court ruling, oil producing states should not benefit from offshore oil proceeds since the law offshore territories beyond the domains of the states situated near the sea. Rather, the law vests ownership of the territory on the federal government. Seeking to appease the anger in the south, a law was promulgated in 2004 to abrogate the dichotomy. But the Nigeria Northern Governors Forum, NNGF, now say that there is need to revisit the law with a view to reinserting the dichotomy.

The sum of all fears, however, is the purported move also to kill PIB may be affected by this disenchantment.

Though the southern governors had since issued warnings on the conflagration such demands might cause, there are indications again that Northern leaders are bent on scuttling PIB because, according to them, “adding another 10 percent of royalty to the 13 percent derivation is just unacceptable for the North,” said an aide to a North Central governor, last week. Though he would not speak on record, he confirmed insinuations that the Northern lawmakers may have been mobilized to halt the progress of PIB in the current composition.

With the largest number of represenCONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘PIB in NASS for too long’

Niger Delta militants gone for good?

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 tatives in the NASS, the Northern lawmakers could halt the progress of the bill by voting against it.

The North finds sympathy among oil majors. An indication of this can be gleaned from the comments of Mutiu Sunmonu, first indigenous managing director of the Nigerian subsidiary of the octopus oil corporation, Shell. Sunmonu said that PIB is lopsided and does not provide level playing field for investors. Apart from the provision of PIB for PHCF, oil majors maybe smarting from what appears to be a more stringent tax regime under PIB. According to section 299 of the bill for instance, the law also imposes a mandatory Nigerian Hydrocarbon tax on oil majors. This also is in exclusion of other taxes. The section of the bill provides that an ‘upstream petroleum company shall reconcile its file tax returns...and settle [any differences that may arise between the special taxes like the PHCF, the hydrocarbon tax and other statutory taxes and rent to the federal government].’

But oil majors believe that federal government should have taken cognizance of the investment environment in the country while phrasing the document.

Be that as it may, analysts of the document say that PIB may be the best shot at transforming the oil sector. According to men like Olufemi Olarewaju, PhD, an analyst with the Center for Public Policy Alternatives, CPPA, “the PIB does attempt to deal with the several challenges that we face in the oil industry.

The question then is whether or not its objectives are achievable with the current structure.” For Olarewaju, PIB may be scuttled on by what he describes as “institutional and political complexities that make up the country’s energy policy environment.”

The policy analysts may be right.

Though the bill has since passed second

Oil theft pavasive in the industry

reading before the end of the last NASS session, there are current fears still being harboured over the composition of the bill as it is.

Dr. Emmanuel Egbogah, former Presidential Adviser on Petroleum, believes that President Muhammadu Buhari must withdraw the current version of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) from the National Assembly, saying that in its present form, it is inconceivable that the National Assembly would pass the bill even though it had passed its second reading.

Speaking at a recent lunch meeting of the Petroleum Club in Lagos, Egbogah suggested that Buhari should make refinements to be bill, particularly the Host Community Fund, royalty and governance, for clarity, to aid its successful implementation.According to him, the bill will then be resubmitted to the 8th Assembly for speedy passage into law. Egbogah, who is also the Chairman of Emerald Energy Resources Limited, argued that the reform bill was both a challenge and an opportunity.

He stated that the bill presents the opportunity for a demonstration effect and a serious attempt to signal a clean-up of the policy space. The renowned petroleum engineer, however, noted that the people of Nigeria and the National Assembly probably did see the challenge but certainly did not recognise and embrace the huge opportunity.

He argued that the NNPC and its Strategic Business Units, SBUs are presently concerned with more than commercial operations. “However, the PIB streamlines all commercial functions and designates such for the new National Oil Company (NOC), the new National Gas Company Ltd, the new National Petroleum Assets Management Corporation, and the new Nigerian Petroleum Assets Management Company Ltd, according to the separation of the oil and gas value chain. Additionally, all these new compa-

nies are incorporated as companies limited by shares, and vested with certain assets and liabilities of the NNPC. Their functions are exclusively commercial,” he said.

According to him, the NNPC grew to become the single body that oversaw commercial, policy and regulatory functions for the sector.

“This structure may have been appropriate for a time when the country lacked the human capital required for separation of roles. Attempts have been made over the years to re-establish formal regulatory oversight for the sector but with no real success, as evidenced by the current state and controversies that surround the operations of the NNPC. Account must be taken in terms of real and opportunity cost of this policy reversal in Nigeria. Was the NNPC structure a natural experiment gone bad or cynical attempt by interest groups to corner the resources of the nation? The question is also asked: why has separation of functions in the country’s HC sector been ineffective thus far? The answer, we believe, lies in the poor nature of the policy clarity environment largely defined by ineffective governance institutions,” he further explained.

“Nigeria’s 2012 PIB has adopted certain elements of the Norwegian governance model by separating the commercial, regulatory and policy making responsibilities within the oil industry.

That, however, is where the similarity ends between what Norway practices and Nigeria’s proposed governance model for its NOC. What is most significant about the Norwegian approach to corporate governance on NOC is not the fact of: Norway having a high overall level of bureaucratic capacity, a long tradition of democratic competition and intra-governmental checks and balances or that through the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Norway’s strong and competent bureaucracy asserted control over HC

policy and licensing, but that: Directors of the national oil company are elected by the Corporate Assembly (CA), on the recommendation of the Nomination Committee. The Nigerian PIB proposes a model where government drives the policy that controls the activity of a “commercial” entity i.e. the NOC. This model has already been tested and it has failed,” Egbogah added.

He suggested loosening the ties between government and the operations of the NOC, saying this is the key to its success, adding also that that is what the Norwegians have so elegantly done and what Nigeria must do.

With the coming of President Mohammadu Buhari, PMB, whose chief campaign is to rid the oil sector of corruption, is there any hope that the much expected bill would scale through and be made into law? Answering the poser may at best be speculative. This is because even with a new government in place, there are fears that hawks who were believed to have hobbled the passage of the bill are already deployed to kill the passage of PIB a third time. Making this known is no other person than Bisi Akande, former chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC. Reacting to the emergence, of Bukola Saraki as Senate President, this year, Akande alleged that the former governor of Kwara, a North Central state who emerged as Senate top henchman through controversial means was foisted on the Senate by oil cartel with a view to scuttling major probe of the oil sector.

Akande also accused the North of backing Saraki against the party’s wishes for sectional interest. Not a few people believed that the convener of that clandestine meeting in Asokoro back in 2012 was Saraki. Even so with Akande’s recent allegation, there are beliefs that no meaningful legislation on the oil sector will sail through.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

August 15, 2015

Jumbo pay: Reps commence inquiry into NASS running cost Ubong Ukpong ABUJA

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peaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara, yesterday, inaugurated a 20-man independent committee, to determine the proper cost of running the legislative arm of government, in view of the recurrent allegations of jumbo pay.

Tagged “Needs Assessment committee”, Dogara

said that the committee was saddled with the onerous duty of determining the actual requirements of running and maintaining the House of Representatives and National Assembly in Nigeria in order to carry out its legislative functions.

He said that the effective running of the legislature would be based on actual needs of the institution as an arm of government.

The Speaker pointed out that there was no study or assessment of what the leg-

Police to build 6,000 houses nationwide

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he Police on Friday said it would build 6,000 houses for inspectors and other lower rank officers in its efforts to improve staff welfare.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Logistics and Supply, Mamman Tsafe, announced this in Gusau during visit to the Police in Zamfara State.

Tsafe noted that the initiative was from the present Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase.

He said it was unfortunate that a police officer would spend 35 years in service without owning a house.

Tsafe stated that Arase was ever ready to mobilise the police technical and financial resources to produce houses at very cheap and affordable prices for the officers. ``We will soon come back for the ground breaking of more than 6,000 houses to be given to inspectors and other rank and file. ``We already know how many Inspectors and other officers are in each state.

The ground-breaking of the projects will be done in each geopolitical zone by DIGs while the commissioners of police will do it in their respective states’’, Tsafe said.

He assured that salaries and other benefits due to personnel would henceforth be regular so as to guard against corruption destroying the image of the police.

islature needed to perform optimally in Nigeria.

“We have all been making, at best, educated guesswork on whether the legislature is adequately funded or not.

“An appropriate Needs assessment may well find out that the legislature in Nigeria is overfunded or that it is underfunded.

“There should be an empirical and objective study to determine this”, Dogara said.

Dogara urged the committee to make comparative study of the cost of running legislatures in other parts of the world.

“You should in the course of your work also

make a comparative study of the cost of running legislatures in other relevant jurisdictions.

“These are only suggestions as you should feel free to adopt any methodology you deem fit in carrying out this assignment,’’ the speaker added.

According to Dogara, the legislature was at the vanguard of the country’s democracy and a critical watchdog of the interests and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

“If the legislature is undermined to the point that it becomes ineffective, our entire democratic experiment will face imminent danger of failure and de-

struction.”

The committee is expected to determine the cost of conducting public hearings on bills and to communicate all its proceedings and activities to its different constituencies and the general public.

It is also to examine the cost of building, equipping, and maintain all infrastructure in the National Assembly.

They also want to determine what it would cost National Assembly to conduct proper policy and budget oversight on the executive branch including all its agencies in order to expose corruption, inefficiency or waste, amongst others.

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The independent committee comprised Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s), independent groups and professional bodies with the support of international development partners.

The committee has Mr Clement Nwankwo of the Policy and Legal Advocay Center (PLAC), an NGO as its Chairman.

Members of the committee include NBA President, Mr Austin Alegeh, ICAN President, Olufemi Deru and NUJ President, Waheed Odusile, Sen. Ita Enang, and Representative Albert Sam-Tsokwa, among others, with three months to submit its report.

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NATIONAL NEWS

August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wike, INEC want Peterside’s petition dismissed

...Say plaintiff defaulted on N100 fee

Ise-Oluwa Ige

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ivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, yesterday, requested the state Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja to dismiss a petition filed

by the All Progressive Party (APC) and its candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside challenging hie electoral victory in the April 11, 2015 gubernatorial poll held in the state.

Wike anchored his prayer for the dismissal of the petition on the petition-

ers’ failure to pay a fee of N100 for the filing for the issuance of pre-hearing notice, Form TF007.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) also filed similar application anchored on the same ground.

But both Peterside and the APC are urging the

Justice Muazu Pindiga-led tribunal to dismiss the respondents’ application for lacking in merit.

Their counsel, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN) insisted that since the application for the pre-hearing notice was by a letter to the Secretary to the tribunal, his clients were not li-

L-R: Former Kano State Governor , Rabiu Kwankaso; Managing Custodian, Hall of Grace Awards, Mr. Rupert Ojenuwa; Kogi State Governor, Capt.

Idris Wada and the President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Mr. Akinwunmi Adesina during the 2015 Hall of Grace Award held recently in Lagos, recently.

Ooni buried amid encomiums

He united Yoruba race —Osinbajo Boladale Bamigbola, OSOGBO.

A

n interdenominational service was yesterday held in honour of the late Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, just as the vice president, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, said the monarch united Yoruba race.

Though the atmosphere across Ife was calm, heavy security presence was noticed at the entrance and exit points to the town.

Residents of the town,in large numbers thronged the venue of the service, while many business premises were under lock and key in conformity with the directive that markets in Ife be closed for seven days in honour of the monarch.

While the service was going on, gun shots were heard inside Ile Oodua, which was firmly shut, suggesting that some traditional rites were being performed.

The service, which held at Afewonro Parks, Enuwa, Ile Ife, had in attendance representative of Osun state governor, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti, governor of Ondo state, Dr. Segun Mimiko, Dr. Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosumu and Mrs Tola Oyediran, who represented Yeye Oodua, Chief Mrs. Dideolu Awolowo.

Others include; Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo, Senator Jide Omoworare, Senator Iyiola Omisore, Prince Francis Fadahunshi, Chief Dele Momodu among others.

Prof. Osinbajo, in his remarks, said Oba Sijuade’s achievements in

fostering unity among the Yoruba race will continue to be a good reference point.

The vice president also posited that the departed monarch was a peaceful person, who used his wealth to affect lives positively within his immediate community and beyond and prayed for sustenance of peaceful coexistence in Ife and the country.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola, in his letter, which was read by the secretary to Osun State Government, said the monarch provided good leadership for the state Council of Obas, adding that even in death, he deserved to be celebrated.

In his sermon tagged “How Are The Mighty Fallen,” Rev. Olusola Akanbi, the Dean of Ife Anglican Diocese, who represented the Bishop, Rt. Rev. Odu-

mogun Oluranti, said since only God is immortal, every human must know the end will surely come one day.

He said Oba Sijuade allowed all to practice their religion, adding that judgement awaits every man after death, hence the need to always live above board.

Speaking in similar fashion, Mufasir of Ife, Musbaudeen Yusuff, said Oba Sijuade, used his wealth for the benefit of his people and urged privileged Nigerians to emulate the kind nature of Oba Sijuade.

Leading the traditionalists in their worship, Chief Ifaloba Ifagbenro, the Tedimola Awo Ilare, described the reign of Oba Sijuade as prosperous for Ife town.

He prayed for continued peace in Ile Ife and the country at large.

able to pay for filing fee as such was not specifically provided for in any law.

He maintained that Paragraph 2 of the TF007 only made provision for the submission of the form and not filing which would have warranted payment of filing fee.

He added that even if his clients were required to pay the fee, failure to do so could only amount to a mere irregularity which the tribunal could direct them to pay at any time.

He also maintained that his clients, like other pa‎rties to the petition, had made a deopsit of N500,000 security fund to the tribunal, so the tribunal could easily deduct N100 from the said money if it was a must that the N100 fee must be paid. ‎Olujinmi, a former Attorney-General of the Federation added, “It is now settled that a petitioner can start a pre-hearing session by oral application. If ‎I’m passing by, I can just ask the Secretary to the tribunal to issue Form TF 007. So am I going to pay for the voice?”

He urged the tribunal not to allow the justice of the petition to be defeated by mere technicality which the respondents’ applications were predicated.

Through their respective lawyers, Wike and INEC had argued that the failure of the petitioners to pay the fee constituted an infringement on provisions of Paragraphs 18(1), (3) and 47 of the 1st Schedule to the Electoral Act as amended.

They argued that the non-compliance with the statutory provisions implied that the petition had been abandoned because the jurisdiction of the tribunal to entertain the petition could not be evoked without the payment of the prescribed fees. ‎‎Wike’s lawyer, Mr. Emmanuel Ukala (SAN), urged the tribunal to be persuaded by a ruling delivered by the Imo State Governorship Elections Petition Tribunal in Owerri on July 22, 2015, dismissing the petition filed by the PDP’s governorship candi-

date in the state, Emeka Ihedioha, on the grounds of the petitioner’s failure to pay the N100 fee for the filing of the pre-hearing notice.

Ihedioha’s petition was challenging the victory of the Governor Rochas Okorocha of the APC who was declared winner of the April 11 poll in Imo State.

Ukala also urged the Rivers State tribunal to uphold its previous rulings in which it affirmed “the seriousness of the statutory provision with regards to filing of application for pre-hearing notice”.

“Failure to propery apply for pre-hearing notice renders the petition abandoned and liable to be dismissed,” he said.

INEC’s lawyer, Chief‎ K. C Njamanze (SAN), who also canvassed the same argument, said the payment of the fee was a condition precedent for the tribunal to assume jurisdiction on the petition.

Njamanze said, “It is our submission that payment of filing fee for such application is statutory and constitutes condition precedent for the invocation of the jurisdiction of this honourable tribunal.

“In the circumstance, my Lords, in law, there is no application for issuance of Form ‎ TF007 and we urge in the circumstance to dismiss this petition.” ‎PDP’s counsel, F. O Orbih (SAN), adopted the arguments canvassed by the lawyers to Wike and INEC. ‎The respondents’ lawyers also insisted in their replies on points of law that non-payment of the fee was “not a mere irregularity” and that the Election Petition Tribunal Practice Direction 2011 provided for the payment of N100 for the filing of exhibit or “any other document”.

Ukala also said that since the security fund was meant for a specific purpose, money could not be deducted from it to pay for default of paying filing fees.

The tribunal adjourned till Monday for its ruling on the applications.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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NATIONAL NEWS

August 15, 2015

HRM Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II, 1930-2015

resident, Muhammadu Buhari, has mourned the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II, one of Nigeria’s foremost traditional rulers.

President Buhari in a statement by Femi Adesina, his media aide, commiserated with the late Ooni’s family, his friends, associates and subjects, as well as the administration and people of Osun state on the departure of the eminent monarch.

The statement reads in part: “The President joins them (his family, friends and associates) in mourning the revered traditional ruler who will be long remembered and celebrated for his worthy service, over more than three decades, as the Chief Custodian of the traditions of the Yorubas and his invaluable contributions to the sustenance of the cultural heritage of his people within and outside Nigeria.

“President Buhari believes that Oba Sijuwade’s place in posterity has already been assured by his long and worthy service to his people and country as well as his notable contributions to the development

His place in Nigeria’s history is assured —Buhari successors to build upon.

“He prays that God Almighty will comfort all who mourn Oba Sijuwade and bring forth a

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Sijuade

“As they mourn his passing, President Buhari urges the Ooni’s family, friends, associates and subjects to be

consoled by the knowledge that he lived a very fulfilled life, and has left worthy legacies for his

agos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode on Thursday commiserated with the family, friends, associates, subjects and the government and people of Osun over the transition of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Olubuse Sijuwade II, saying the nation and most especially the Yoruba race has lost a

rare gem.

Oba Sijuade who became the fiftieth Ooni of Ife in December 6, 1980, passed on Tuesday, July 28 in a London hospital at the age of 85 after a brief illness, but his departure was officially announced on Wednesday, August 12, by the Ife Royal Traditional Council in accordance with tradition.

In a condolence message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Habib Aruna, the Governor said the late first class monarch will be sorely missed for his fatherly role and advice, describing his demise as a great loss to the nation.

Extolling the virtues of the late Ooni, Governor Ambode recalled

that the late monarch used his wealth of experience in tradition and commerce to better the lot of the Yoruba race.

He said the leadership role of the late Oba will remain an inspiration to all, stressing that one of his virtues as a leader was his ability to take responsibility and be responsible for others.

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His reign was remarkable —Oshiomhole

Nigeria has lost a rare gem —Ambode

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overnor Oshiomhole on Friday commiserated with the government and people of the State of Osun and indeed the entire Yoruba land on the transition of the Ooni of Ife, His Royal Majesty, Oba Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II. In a statement signed by

his Chief Press Secretary, Peter Okhiria, the Governor said, “The transition of the Ooni, the custodian of the rich history and tradition of the Yoruba people, is a colossal loss not only to the people of Ile Ife, but also the

people of the State of Osun, the Yoruba race and the entire nation.

“The Ooni was indeed one of Nigeria’s most cerebral royal fathers who carved a niche for himself as an enterprising young

His death is a monumental loss —Ahmed

overnor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has commiserated with the government and people of Osun State over the death of the Ooni of Ife, Oba

worthy successor to take his place on the ancient throne of Ile-Ife.”

He was a man of many parts –Obasanjo

of his community, state and country as a leading businessman, administrator and inspirational traditional ruler.

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9

Okunade Sijuade, Olubuse II. In a statement on Thursday in Ilorin by Abdulwahab Oba, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the governor, Ahmed described the late traditional

ruler as an `icon of international status.’

Ahmed described the death of the late monarch as a “monumental loss’’ to the country’s traditional institu-

Prince before ascending to the exalted throne of his forbears, and his reign was remarkable as it brought unprecedented development to the State of Osun, which was carved out of the old Oyo State under his reign.” tion and the nation at large.

He said that late Ooni would be greatly missed not only by the people of Ile Ife and Osun State but the entire people of Nigeria. The governor prayed God to grant the departed soul eternal rest.

ormer president, Olusegun Obasanjo, has paid tribute to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, describing his death as a great loss to the country.

The former president recalled that the late monarch invited him to his palace 10 days before his death.

In a tribute etitled ‘The Oba Okunade Sijuade I knew,’ Obasanjo said the whole country will feel the impact of Sijuade’s departure.

“I do appreciate the immense pain that the unfortunate death of the Late Oba Okunade Sijuade has caused his Oloris, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and the entire people of the Kingdom of Ife in particular and Osun state in general, who must be grieving at the demise of the Oba. “Oba Sijuade was, undoubtedly, a very eminent citizen and his death will be felt not only by his people but indeed, the entire nation. We can, nevertheless, be consoled from knowing that Oba Sijuwade has gone to rest in the bosom of his

Maker and left behind him a good name and worthy legacy. Indeed, ‘Erin wo’.

“We have been inspired, over the years, by Oba Sijuade’s most impressive career as a tested manager of men and resources, a proprietor of repute, and an industrialist of distinction.

“From the Tribune group where he had his early experience in the private sector through the Leventis family and therefrom into private entrepreneurship, he truly distinguished himself as a businessman of note.

“His attainments, over the years, surely culminated in his unanimous nomination and coronation as the Ooni Olubuse II of Ile-Ife since November 1980.

In this capacity, he functioned as Chancellor of the University of Uyo in Akwa Ibom State in 1988.

“It is a measure of his selfless and qualitative service to our dear country that he was honoured with the revered national award of the Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, by former President Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1983.”

Boladale Bamigbola,

rective that markets in Ife be closed for seven days in honour of the monarch.

Osinbajo, in his remarks, said Oba Sijuade’s achievements in fostering unity among Yoruba race will continue to be good reference point.

He also posited that the departed monarch was a peaceful person, who used his wealth to affect positively lives within his immediate community and beyond and prayed for sustenance of peaceful coexistence in Ife and the country.

He united Yoruba race —Osinbajo OSOGBO

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n interdenominational service was yesterday held in honour of the late Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, just as the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said the monarch united Yoruba race.

Residents of the town in large number thronged the venue of the service, while many business premises were under lock and key in conformity with the di-

10

NATIONAL NEWS

Nick Uweru

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espite rife reports backed by credible intelligence of the possible demise of Abubakar Shekau, head of the Boko Haram Islamist group and emergence of Mahamat Daoud as new leader of the sect, Federal Government may not be in a hurry to open negotiation with the deadly insurgent group with a view to ending the five year bloody terror/militancy in the North East,

August 15, 2015

FG cautious over Boko Haram’s peace offer • • •

‘See new leader as decoy’ Wants to ascertain true status of Shekau Intelligence yet to ascertain ISIS involvement in insurgency

Saturday Mirror has been reliably informed.

President Mohammadu buhari recently informed

the public that Nigeria is ready to dialogue with the deadly Islamist sect whose activities have ended no

less that 25, 000 lives, broken lives and limbs of many more in the last half of a decade. But with

Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu (2nd-left), presenting souvenir to President Boni Yayi of Benin Republic, during his visit to the president in Cotonou, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Refineries to become profit centers —GMD, NNPC

...says no ethnic agenda in appointments, sack Nick Uweru

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he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has decried attempts by a section of the media to politicize the recent appointments and retirements in the Corporation by imputing ethnic colouration to the exercise.

In a statement, the Corporation clarified that the appointments were made with the express approval of President Muhammadu Buhari and in compliance with extant laws regarding federal character, while the retirement exercise affected all those who were to retire between now and 2016 without any regard to ethnic-

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ity or state of origin.

“The recent appointments, promotions, and retirements are all a part of the ongoing restructuring exercise aimed repositioning the Corporation into a lean, efficient, profit-driven organization in line with international best practices without regard to primordial sentiments”.

It called on the Nigerian public to discountenance any report aimed at denigrating the ongoing reorganization exercise in the Corporation.

Also in furtherance of his commitment to transform NNPC into an efficient and profit-oriented Organization, the Group Managing Director of the Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has implored the management to team up with him to close the

skills gap and turn the fortunes of the Corporation around.

Dr. Kachikwu made this plea during the maiden interactive session with the top management of the Corporation at the NNPC Towers Abuja.

The GMD said efforts are in top gear to create a conducive environment for members of staff, adding that for the NNPC to transform into a profit center like its peers in other climes, the morale of the work force must be high.

Dr. Ibe urged the management to provide leadership by example to the workforce while adding that sectionalism, tribalism and any form of non-transparent transactions must be completely stamped out of the

NNPC. The GMD noted that his administration would ensure that all the refineries of the Corporation are run efficiently and profitably to meet the energy needs of the country.

He said the Corporate Service Unit and all the Strategic Business Units of the Corporation would henceforth be run as profit centers while noting that the days when the Corporation was perceived as a civil service organization instead of a Corporation were over.

The GMD urged members of staff to act as change agents and assured that in the next sixty days some of the strategic targets would be translated into concrete milestones to the appreciation of all Nigerians.

intelligence briefings so far garnered by Federal government on the inner workings of Boko Haram believed to be on the retreat on account of the setbacks to its bloody campaign, it is becoming apparent that leadership within the sect, so far has, remained unstable. Even more, recent overtures believed to have been made

by Boko Haram to the FG requesting dialogue may be a decoy by elements of ISIS, an ultra terrorism group now having world leaders in a panic.

Saturday Mirror learnt that Nigeria’s military high command is somewhat circumspect at the manner of emergence of Shekau’s successor. “We had quite a different understanding of the leadership structure of Boko Haram and we know the hierarchy. The new leader does not fit into the pattern,” explained a source within the military intelligence circle of the country.

Earlier in the week, Jonathan Hill, a Reader in the Defence Studies Department at London’s King’s College, who monitors Boko Haram’s activities closely, believes that Daoud may well be diversionary. “I have not heard of any individual called Mahamat Daoud,” said Dr Hill. “But there are a number of characters claiming to represent different factions within Boko Haram, and their bona fides are often hard to verify,” he added. For the scholar, Daoud’s emergence may just be a decoy by the mainstream sect just to buy enough time to regroup after the massive decimation of its organisation in the last four months.

Instructively, Idriss Deby, the president of neighbouring Chad had made similar observation while telling the public of the new leader. He also warned President Buhari

not negotiate with the terrorist. Deby, whose Chadian forces have been fighting Boko Haram militants around Nigeria’s border areas, made the comments in a press conference on Tuesday. He claimed that Boko Haram is on the retreat and that they would be finished “by the end of the year”.

“There is someone apparently called Mahamat Daoud who is said to have replaced Abubakr Shekau and he wants to negotiate with the Nigerian government,” he said. “For my part, I would advise not to negotiate with a terrorist.”

It was not clear how Deby had obtained his information, although rumours have been circulating in recent months that Shekau was dead, had gone on the run or even fled Nigeria altogether as a result of increased military operations against Boko Haram by both the Nigerian and Chadian governments. Little seems known as of yet about Daoud.

The intelligence community is believed to be seeking to put closure on Shekau’s status, whether alive or dead. Key operatives in the field say that the leader commands great deal respect among the several factions of the insurgents. There is also the ISIS angle to the whole scenario. Boko Haram had claimed a formal recognition of it by the global terror group. By the estimation of security experts on the matter, the claim may well be true, especially given the sophistication and coordination of the terrorist attacks in the North east of the country and contiguous nations like Chad, Niger and Cameroun.

Buhari, earlier, had stated that Nigeria would only negotiate with Boko Haram from a strong position.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

August 15, 2015

11

South West

Ikorodu Kingdom: Court stalls Shotebi’s coronation

Matthew Irinoye

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ustice O. Ogungbesan of a Lagos State High Court, Ikeja yesterday stalled the scheduled coronation ceremony of Chief Kabiru Shotebi as new Ayangburen of Ikorodu Kingdom, Lagos.

The judge in her ruling stated that “the ceremony to crown the new Ayangburen, which had been scheduled for Saturday, August 15 (today) was halted in the interest of justice.”

Ogungbesan further said she was satisfied from the evidence placed before the court that unquantifiable damages would be done if the coronation ceremony was allowed to go on as scheduled.

She therefore restrained

the Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, or anyone acting under his authority, from going ahead to crown Shotebi today.

The judge also stopped Shotebi from either “presenting himself for coronation” or “parading himself as the Ayangburen of Ikorodu, or actualising any recognition thereon as such, or exercising any of the Ayangburen royal functions,” pending the determination of a suit filed by one Odupitan Eniola, from the Lambo branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy family of Ikorodu Kingdom.

Eniola, through his lawyer, Joseph Okobiemen, had approached the court with an ex parte application praying the court to halt the scheduled coronation of

Tribunal: I observed irregularities in Kosofe’s election result —Witness Matthew Irinoye

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he panel of an election petition tribunal headed by Justice C.U. Anwuka was yesterday told how the April 11, 2015 Lagos State House of Assembly election in Kosofe Local Government was allegedly rigged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in favour of its candidate, Bayo Sikiru Oshinowo.

It would be recalled that People Democratic Party candidate (PDP), Moyosore Ogunlewe, had filed a petition challenging the victory of Oshinowo at the April 11 election.

At the resumed trial, a petitioner’s witness, Victor Olajide, told the tri-

bunal that he was a collation agent for the PDP during the election.

“As collation agent, I was stationed at the Bariga collation centre. The EC8B which is the collation centre result sheet was not signed by me as PDP agent because I disagreed with the APC’s agent on the result on the sheet. I noticed some irregularities in the EC8B sheet,” he told the court.

During cross examination by the respondent’s counsel, Mallam AbdulAkeem Adio, Olajide agreed that all parties’ agents signed the EC8A result sheet before the result was declared by the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) Presiding Officer at Ward B. The matter was adjourned till August 17.

TRACE returns cash to accident victim Femi Oyeweso Abeokuta

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he Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE) yesterday handed over the cash sum of N151,700 discovered from the scene of the multiple accident which occurred last Monday at Onipepeye Village along the Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway to its owner.

The cash sum was hand-

ed over to the 76-year-old owner identified as Alhaji Jimoh Oguntoye at his hospital bed in one of the private hospitals in Abeokuta metropolis where he’s recuperating.

Oguntoye was said to be the lone occupier and driver of the Mercedes Benz Jeep 500 ML marked Lagos KRD 933 BC which allegedly skidded off the road and collided with the passenger bus coming into Abeokuta on the fateful day.

Shotebi, who hails from the Adegorushe branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy family, as the new Ayangburen.

The applicant claimed

that it was the turn of the Lambo branch of the Lasunwon chieftaincy family, from which he came, to present the next Ayang-

buren, adding that he had been nominated by the family to be crowned as the new Ayangburen at meetings held on September 7 and 21,

2014.

The Ayangburen stool became vacant on August 1, 2014 following the demise of Oba S.A.A. Oyefusi.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (right) welcoming the former military Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, rtd. (left) during a courtesy visit to the Governor by the former military Head of State and Coordinators of Nigeria Prays at the Lagos House, Ikeja, yesterday.

Aregbesola petition: Oloyede replies Osun JSC’s query Boladale Bamigbola Osogbo

T

he battle of wit over the petition written

by Justice Folahanmi Oloyede against Governor Rauf Aregbesola continued yesterday with the reply to the query issued her by the state’s Judicial Service Commission.

After dismissing Oloyede’s petition, the state House of Assembly,

it was learnt, wrote to the Chief Judge, Adepele Ojo, asking her as the JSC chairman to query Oloyede over her conduct.

An hint about the query was dropped by Lukman Ogunsetan, a counsel to Oloyede, on Thursday, when he appeared in court in respect of an application for an Order of Certiorari to quash the recommendations of the Osun Assembly’s Ad-hoc committee that dismissed

her petition.

He added that the embattled judge was expected to respond within seven days to the query, ending next week Monday.

However, the application that was supposed to be heard by the vacation judge, did not get a mention, as Justice Adeyinka Aderibigbe, after the day’s proceedings, announced that his next sitting would be next week Thursday.

The judge, it was how-

ever learnt, in her reply reminded JSC that the matter she was asked to respond to was already in court, adding that, whether heard yet or not, the matter is before the court.

When contacted, counsel to Oloyede, Lanre Ogunlesi, confirmed the receipt of the query, and said Oloyede did not react to any of the issues raised because doing so will be sub-judicial.

Female politician accuses tribunal chairman of bias Oseyiza Oogbodo

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he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives candidate for Shomolu Federal Constituency at the March 28, 2015 National Assembly elections, Ms Tolu Ebun, has alleged unnecessary delays designed to ensure that the period of 180 days required by the Constitution for the conclusion of her petition at the tribunal elapses before the substantive matter is heard.

Ebun’s petition, which she submitted to the National Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lagos, challenges the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Oyewole Olufemi Diya of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is the winner of the constituency.

According to Ebun: “There are attempts by the APC to use members of the judiciary to scuttle my petition by unnecessary delay due in part to changes

in the constitution of the panel. The first Chairperson of the tribunal panel was Mrs. C. N. Anwuka of the Imo State Customary court who was appointed in clear violation of the provisions of Section 285(3) & the 6th Schedule of the Constitution which provide for the establishment of the panel and stipulate that the Chairman of the Panel has to be a Judge of the High Court.”

Anwuka was replaced with Justice Raheem Siyan-

bola of the Osun State High Court, but Ebun says that “since he commenced sitting, Justice Siyanbola has been very biased and partisan. He openly makes comments that reveal this bias and has severally stepped into the arena in a manner unbecoming of the impartial arbiter that he ought to be. It has gotten so bad that I have had to write a petition to the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, about his conduct.”

12

REGIONAL NEWS

August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH

Jang defends N103.95bn Plateau debts, slams Lalong’s c’ttee James Abraham

JOS

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ormer governor of Plateau state, Senator Jonah Jang, has defended the N103.95 billon indebtedness which hıs admınıstratıon left for the state before he vacated office on May 29,2015.

Jang had come under attack after a committee set up by the incumbent, governor Sımon Lalong to look into the actıvıtıes of the past government submitted its report stating that governor Jang lied in hıs handover notes having left a debt burden of over N222 bn and not

N103.95 However, Jang in a statement signed by hıs former Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Olyvıa Dazyam said that either the committee did not adequately study the hand over notes, or if it did, then deliberate chose to indulge in misinformation, vendetta and witch-hunt aimed at ridiculing the immediate past PDP government.

Jang ınsısted that the handover notes, contains a comprehensive breakdown of debts and liabilities of N103,956,933,452.96 with N19.7b as the

state’s indebtedness to commercial banks adding that the balance is for bond refinancing, inter-agency loans and liabilities.

“It is obvious that the committee mischievously manufactured a debt of N222.3 billion. Similarly, details regarding the Cassava processing plant at Kuru, biometric of civil servants etc were clearly documented in the hand over notes” Jang said.

“By keeping silent on the various projects and programme of the immediate past PDP government executed in the other senatorial

zones of the state and emphasizing on a particular zone exposed clearly plan to taint the good name and reputation of the last Government which is the trade mark of the APC Government in the State.

‘It is clear that the present APC Government lacks the vision and will to sustain the giant strides of the immediate past PDP administration, hence, it chooses to engage in smear campaign, the bar of governance in the state has been raised high by Senator Jang, and the Plateau people now use it as a yardstick to measure all succeeding Governors, and Lalong must live up to this expectation from the people of the state.”

The Area Controller, Nigeria Customs Service, Sokoto/Kebbi/Zamfara Area Command, Mr Muhammad Kabir, displaying wraps of indian hemp seized by men and officers of the Command in Sokoto, on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

Lalong appoints Jega as Pro-Chancellor of Plateau University pioneer and current Chancellor of the University, JOS The Soun of Ogbomosho overnor Sımon Land, Oba Jimoh OladunLalong of Pla- ni Oyewumi Ajegundade, teau state has ap- III, JP, CON. proved the appoıntment Other appointments of former chairman of approved by the governor INEC, Professor Attahıru include; Honourable SamJega as the pro-chan- uel Damla, Coordinator cellor of Plateau state Millennium Development Unıversıty, now Solomon Goal (MDG); Professor Lar Unıversıty, Bokkos.

Mathew Sule, Executive The Governor in a Chairman – Plateau State statement signed by hıs Universal Primary EducaDırector of Press and Pub- tion (PLA-SUBEB); Hon. lic Affaırs,Mr Emmanuel Joe Bukar, Legislative Nanle yesterday, said that Liaison Officer to the GovJega’s appointment was ernor (Southern Zone); In line with the gover- Hon. Cashimir Bawa, Legnor’s resolve to address islative Liaison Officer to as a matter of urgency, the Governor (Central the challenges facing the Zone); Hon. Geoffrey State University, with a Teme - Legislative Liaison view to repositioning the Officer to the Governor institution for effective (Northern Zone). educational training and The statement added research in line with in- that all appointments are ternational best practice. with immediate effect and The governor has also the date for the inauguapproved the immediate ration of the University reinstatement of Profes- Council shall be commusor D.D.D. Sheni as the nicated in due course. substantive Vice- ChanThe statement cellor of Plateau State also called on all the apUniversity (PLASU), Bok- pointees to put in the best kos. of their experience, expoIn the same vein, the sure and commitment in governor has reaffirmed service for the good of huthe appointment of the manity and Plateau State.

James Abraham

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Ganduje woos FG for more police presence in Kano Abdulgafar Oladimeji KANO

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ano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Danduje has appealed to the Federal Government to deploy more officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force to the state.

He said the state deserves more police personnel in the state, considering the fact that it is a thriving commercial centre and the

most populous state in the country.

Ganduje, who made the appeal during a visit to Kano Government House

by Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, in Charge of Logistics, Mamman Ibrahim Tsafe, lamented that some states with lesser population compared to Kano boasts of higher number of police officers.

The governor said the state plays host to reputable police training facilities and should be accorded

the privilege of having one quarter of its graduates assigned to serve in the state.

Commenting on the challenges of cattle rustling in Kano and neighbouring states, the governor alleged that , the culprits are hiding in Falgore Forest, assuring that he is willing to work closely with the governors of Bauchi, Kaduna states to address the problem.

He, warned security agencies deployed to work in the area to take into account, the fact that a large number of Fulani herdsmen are camped in the

forest “they should not be mistaken for criminals”.

Ganduje hailed the Police and other security agencies in the state for their commitment towards protecting lives and property, expressing the belief that, the spirit would be maintained.

DIG Mamman Tsafe said the Nigeria police force is worried over the criminal activities of cattle rustlers around t Falgore Forest, noting that the forest serves as a hideout,.

He disclosed that, the forth coming National Security Summit, which

would attended by all governors, traditional rulers and Security agencies would serve as a forum to find lasting solution to the problem and other security challenges confronting the region.

He thanked the state governor for supporting the State Police Command with working materials, with hopes that the good relationship would be maintained.

Governor Sımon Lalong of Plateau state has approved the appointment of former chairman of INEC, Professor Attahıru Jega as

the pro-chancellor of Plateau state University, now Solomon Lar University, Bokkos.

The Governor in a statement signed by hıs Director of Press and Public Affaırs,Mr Emmanuel Nanle yesterday said that Jega’s appointment was In line with the Governor’s resolve to address as a matter of urgency the challenges facing the State University, with a view to repositioning the institution for effective educational training and research in line with international best practices.

Politics Discordant tunes over war on terror Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 15, 2015

Lekan Adejuwon

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mid controversies surrounding the discovery of alleged monumental fraud in the arms purchase by the military during the immediate past administration to prosecute war on terror, the former Chief of Defence Staff CDS, Alex Badeh, during his pull out ceremony in Abuja penultimate week, disclosed to a bewildered nation that he inherited an ‘ill equipped army’ to fight the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents in the North East.

The military Chief made the disclosure at the Mogadishu army Cantonment to the consternation of many concerned Nigerians who felt the statement could have been made in error at a time when a new government was in place even as the initial claim by the military has always been to the contrary.

Badeh, it would be recalled, had in his earlier vow on January 20 last year, assured the nation that the Boko Haram menace would end last April.

Barely six months after the public declaration, precisely, on October 30 2014, the insurgents, overran Vimtim, the home town of Badeh, an Air Mashall, few hours after Yola, the Adamawa capital fell into the hands of the Islamic sects.

It was the same CDS who had announced earlier, a purported ceasefire agreement with the Boko Haram insurgents.

The latest declaration by the retired CDS however, sparked not a few more controversies by some critical stakeholders across the country.

The defense chief hinted that he headed a military that lacked the relevant equipment and motivation to fight an enemy that was invisible and embedded with local populace “The nation’s military are equipped and trained in peace time, for the conflicts they expect to confront in the future “Unfortunately, that has not been our experience as a nation. Over the years, the military has been neglected and under equipped to ensure the survival of certain regimes, based on advice of some foreign nations deliberately reduced the size of the military and under funded it” Obviously referring to the growing number of officers and men who are currently being court martialled and tried for mutiny, the retired former CDC said, ‘When faced with the crisis in the north east and other parts of the country, the military was over stretched and had to embark on emergency recruitments and trainings which are not adequate to prepare troops for the kind of situation we found ourselves” However, in a move which many believed to be a denial of Badeh’s shocking revelation that the Nigerian military lacked the necessary equipment to confront Boko Haram, the immediate past National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Dasuki Sambo (rtd) said last week, that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan bought sophisticated equipment in the last one year to fight insurgents in the north east.

Contrary to Badeh’s claim, the former NSA added that the weapons went a long way in assisting the military to recover many local government areas occupied by insurgents.

He also pointed out that the acquisition of the equipment nullified the threat by Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau to disrupt the 2015 general elections.

In a related development, the immediate past Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Kenneth Minimah blamed the political elite for toying with the health and vitality of the military through inadequate funding.

He therefore appealed to the government to create the right environment for recruitment, training, equipping and kitting of military personnel in the country.

But Dasuki punctured the argument in a new twist by listing some of the military equipment purchased by the

Badeh

Jonathan administration to include Alpha Jets, APCs, MRAP vehicles, advanced artillery pieces, assorted arms and ammunition, highly sophisticated surveillance drones among others.

According to him, ‘The armoured tanks have comprehensive nuclear, biological chemical protection/sensor system. They are armed for self defence and to provide protection from attacks from shrapnel and small arms fire.

The former NSA insisted that the military hardware assisted in curtailing Boko Haram.

‘All these were acquired in the last one year after years of frustration by western powers who denied us the purchase of the equipment and sabotage our efforts to acquire same from other sources which are reasons for some delay in delivery” With the discordant tunes coming from the top hierarchy of the Nigerian military, some Nigerians have been reacting to the development in various ways.

Comrade Ibuchukwu Ezike, Executive Director of Civil Liberties Organization in an interview with Saturday Mirror did not see anything strange in what the former CDS was saying.

According to him, “What Alex Badeh is saying is the same story we hear in all administrations when the government is there and they asked you to abuse due process, abuse rule of law and even to commit murder to satisfy the powers that be.

“But what we are saying is that if you are a professional in a field, you are an expert in a field and you are getting to a point where both your professionalism and expertise would be queried and you are seeing somebody trying to tamper with your integrity, why don’t you throw in the towel? Is it a bad thing n Nigeria for people to resign when you know the office is no longer in conformity with what the people demand?

“If Alex Badeh knew that what he was asked to do was wrong, that he was fighting insurgents with bare hands, that he was not encouraged, why was he punishing the soldiers who had refused to go and fight in the war front without weapons? He asked.

Continuing the former member of the 2014 National Confab asks: “Does it mean that the monies that were approved by the National Assembly in the budget were not released to the army. Did he tell us? Why did he not tell us if that was the case?

“Is it now he is telling us because everybody has seen the mindset of the current administration to fight corruption so everybody is trying to save his head? We are not

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taking him serious because the statement he made was not different from what any other past leaders have made.

I think it is the tradition that when a corrupt leader comes into power everybody now follows the tendency of being corrupt and when an honest or transparent person comes to power then other people will begin to toe the line?

For Moshood Oshun, a lawmaker representing Lagos Mainland Constituency 2 at the House, the confession by Badeh, it was now clear that Nigerians had only been living by the grace of God rather than any reliance on the military.

He also called for the probing of how huge funds running into trillions of Naira meant for security, particularly the fight against the Boko Haram sect, was expended over the years.

“First, I would say Badeh’s confession is a confirmation that many of those who headed various portfolios in the Goodluck Jonathan administration lacked the competence to fit into their various offices.

“There are several questions to ask concerning his attempt to seek public sympathy.

“What will Badeh say about what happened to the huge allocations to the fight against Boko Haram yearly for the five years that Jonathan was President? He complained that military officials lacked requisite training and had low morale to fight insurgents, but is five years not enough to have put things right?

The lawmaker said there was nothing new in most of the things Badeh said because Nigerians had constantly complained about the challenges and expected Badeh and his “co-travellers” to resolve the crisis.

“Instead, they deviated from the calling and helped the previous government to further politicise the military and de-focus a military that was hitherto an international pride.

“Today, there are hundreds of soldiers languishing in prison for complaining that they were not properly equipped to fight Boko Haram.

“Unfortunately when security officials stormed the home of Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser to former President Jonathan, some Nigerians and even the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, cried fowl and witch-hunt.

For him, “The current government must investigate how the military attained this sorry state, how funds were utilised in the fight against Boko Haram and immediately review the system to boost morale.

“Above all, there should be no sacred cow. Anyone found culpable should be made to dance to the music,” In a new twist, the Borno Elders’ Forum reacted by calling on former president Goodluck Jonathan to tender an unreserved apology to the people of the state for his failure to handle the crisis.

The forum in a statement, signed by its chairman, Ambassador Usman Gaji Galtimari, also wondered why Governor Kashim Shettima was “almost hanged to death” when he raised similar alarm some time last year that soldiers in the battle front were not properly equipped to confront the insurgents.

The elders were also shocked that the former defence chief was complacent with a sensitive issue that led to massive loss of lives and property without justification.

“What particularly baffles the Borno Elders’ Forum was that at some point in 2014, the Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, had said it publicly after assessing the true situation as the man on ground that troops deployed in the fight against insurgents seriously lacked and required better military equipment and that those at battle fronts were poorly motivated. Several voices were raised in support of the Governor’s position.

“The Governor’s comments were completely rebuffed by the then President of Nigeria who went as far as threatening to withdraw soldiers from Borno as he spoke on live television interview relayed by the Nigerian Television Authority, at a Presidential Media Chat. Not only did the President rebuke the governor and by extension, the people of Borno State, his aides followed suit and roundly condemned the governor”, the statement said.

Meanwhile Badeh, who served as the CDS between January 2014 and July 2015 has since been replaced by Major General Abaomi Oloishakin

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POLITICS

August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Buhari’s anti-corruption crusade in order –Olusi Prince Tajudeen Olusi, Second Republic federal lawmaker, and chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, spoke with LEKAN ADEJUWON on the last general election, the crisis rocking the APC and the anti corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari amongst others.

Y

ou expressed strong optimism that your party, the APC would win the 2015 presidential election during the last interview I held with you. Today, the prediction has come to be. What gave you the confidence then against the backdrop of the fact that the APC was the opposition party at the time?

Thank God, I made an observation last year which you have now described as a prophecy and that observation had come to pass but honestly, I made that observation based on the mood of the people and the situation in the country. Governance was at its lowest ebb. The party in power managed the administration of the country badly and the people wanted a change seriously.

So, it was in the light of the situation of the country at that point in time that I made that prediction and it was a prayer to the Almighty Lord of the universe that it was necessary that we have a new government and a new person at the helms of affairs who would lead us out of the wood.

But this is two months into the administration of the APC-led government and many Nigerians are growing impatient with President Buhari for his inability to hit the ground running as nothing is virtually on ground to show that a government is in place. What is your take on this?

The PDP government had put the country into a big mess during the period of their governance therefore our people wanted an immediate change, a magical change which they know it is not possible but human beings will continue to ask for good things. So I am not blaming the people, but let us look at the reality. The President is on the right cause. First thing, a President is like a store keeper. The president has been taking stock, looking at the balances of the various government agencies, making adjustments, here and there, removing the bad eggs and putting competent people into positions. Number 2, the president has been looking at people who will assist him in governance and he has assured the nation that he will only put in position credible and competent people and he had even gave a date by saying, by September, ministers will come on board.

Therefore, the president is taking the steps that are necessary, that can be interpreted as good news to the people. Finally, only few days ago, the President put in place a committee that will look into how we are going to tackle corruption knowing that corruption is the most problematic disease, so to say in the system.

Still on corruption sir, only yesterday, some prominent Nigerians under the aegis of Peace Committee visited the President and concerns are being raised from various quarters that the visit was laced with ulterior motive to ask Buhari to soft pedal on his crusade to fight corruption. Do you see the President capitulating at a time like this and what becomes the outcome of his anti corruption crusade?

You see, I can say that the majority of Nigerians are committed to the elimination of corruption. That being the case, the fight against corruption is the fight for all of us. The President is only the number one soldier and so I don’t see the President changing his stand as long as Nigerians stand firmly in respect of elimination of corruption. Corruption is a two-way traffic: detection of corrupt practices. Those who are going to detect are the ordinary people of Nigeria in the civil service, in the private sector, in the political parties, in the churches and the mosques. When they see corruption, they should rise up and talk loudly. Let them write petitions and expose those who have looted the treasury and it is left for the agencies like the police, the EFCC and the ICPC to rise to the occasion and investigate. I read in the paper today and I don’t know how far it is true that a former police boss had been asked to refund N133m. I think the refund must have been the result of certain investigations and findings. But that is also a welcome news that we are taking steps to deter malpractices. So, I don’t see the President turning back. I also want to tell you that in the paper I read, a former Head of State, Abdusalami Abubakar made an observation that their mission was not to plead with the President not to probe anybody.

Your party, APC, shortly after winning the election was engulfed in deep crisis as witnessed in the June 9 National Assembly election. The situation has to a large extent, justified the claim in several quarters that APC is a party of strange bedfellows. Don’t you think so?

I laugh when people talk of strange bed fellows. Let us take the whole world as an example. Is the world not filled up with strange bed fellows? The Americans has a system that is different from the Russians.

The Chinese has their own ways of life that is not in accord with those of others in Asia. We have all been living together for ages as a result of management. Even when you look at religion, some people are Christians, some are Moslems while some

Olusi

believe in ancient religion and you cannot put all of them together because they are strange bed fellows, but we have been managing to live together in the same city and the same environment, even in the same compound. We have succeeded as a result of management skills which God has given us and so, therefore, I congratulate our leaders in the APC for their management of differences in the party. We are human beings and part of the good thing in democracy is that you have the opportunity of expressing your opinion, not only expressing it and persuade people to accept it. But at the end of the day, it is the management skill that the leadership put into play that prevailed.

People talk of strange bed fellows, but we are moving on; we were able to organize primaries, present people for elections and at the end, God gave us victory to run the affairs of this country. As at today, the problem in the House of Reps has been solved.

The former Minority Leader, who did well for the party has somehow been compensated with the position of Majority Leader and most of our members in the House had accepted the position of the party and so, I congratulate them and so, I am confident that we are going to get to the promise land.

Lagos State is believed to be the bedrock of progressives in Nigeria but the outcome of this year’s election almost changed the tide as the PDP made a surprising incursion in the state at the end of which it lost narrowly to the APC in all the elections. Are we seeing the end of progressive politics in Lagos?

You see, the victory of our party in Lagos State is a victory for democracy good governance and victory for the progressives. The first time in the history of our country the President left his Olympian heights and descended to Lagos with all the resources of our country and with the so called federal might and they lost. Is that a not a victory for all of us in this country?

Taking into consideration that all security apparatus were maneuvered to coerce the

people of Lagos and all the destructive elements were also aided as you remember that hoodlums were parading the streets of Lagos, uprooting the flags of APC, beating our members and our leaders and in spite of all that, God being on our side. So as far as I am concerned, it is a big victory and in fact, those of us in Lagos State, we are still going to celebrate the victory in a big way.

There is an ongoing debate concerning the issue of probe of corrupt office holders. The PDP is saying that Buhari should extend the probe beyond the Jonathan government, alleging that the current method smirks of selective and witch hunting. What is your take on this?

I would say that position you have mentioned is being projected by mischief makers. I think that projection is wrong. Buhari is not even probing any government whatsoever. What Buhari is saying is that he is making attempt, laying foundation on the right part and definitely if you want to rehabilitate a system, definitely you make some tough decisions. If there are cracks, you definitely want to look into what causes the crack and possibly remove it. What the president is doing now is to look into our resources and to find the areas where some people have looted the treasury as being reported. Everyday people make accusation of things budgeted for and not purchased and the money that was budgeted had been diverted to other areas. So these are the normal governmental examination and as far as I am concerned, this has nothing to do with the administration of Obasanjo or Jonathan. A thief is a thief whether you stole yesterday or today, anyone who is alleged or found culpable of looting the treasury should refund it so that the outcome will serve as a deterrent to all of us so as to reduce our greed and our unnecessary desire for wealth and that is the light I want all of us to see it rather than seeing it in the light of probing Mr, A or not probing Mr. B

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August 15, 2015

Talking Politics

‘Nigeria doesn’t have to be this bad’

‘Comparing Tinubu with Awolowo makes me sad’

­­— Elder statesman and Afenifere chieftain, Chief Ayo Adebanjo

­­ Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Publicity Secretary of the — All Progressives Congress APC

“O

ur party promised Nigerians change, but the change that we promised and which Nigerians desire so much cannot be achieved if we allow the resources that belong to all Nigerians to be appropriated by a few. How do we upgrade our decayed infrastructure and provide jobs for our people when the money meant for that has been squirelled away by a few?

“What some of us in the progres¬sives that has now trans¬formed into governance in this country cannot accept is that the nation needs to be as bad as it is today. Yes, the circumstances of the last 16 years ago are different, the nature of the economy is dif¬ferent, people have evolved but the basic fact remains the

“T same and that is for any nation, for any government to have any legitimacy, its key emphasis and the whole justification for its existence must be the welfare of the people who have entrusted that party or that leader with the governance of their common affairs. That is the key thing.”

‘Come and confess’

—Professor Itse Sagay, chairman, anti graft committee

“A

nyone who knows that his hands are dirty, should come out and confess. I am sure, certain lenient terms can be obtained by him, but let them not hide under the cloak of selectivity ignoring that their hands are deep red with guilt.

“For me, there is no selectivit, it is

plain and straight forward. Those who have looted the country’s funds are going to be requested to return them and in fact, prosecuted if necessary. It has nothing to do with selectivity.”

“I see my appointment as an honour because this (corruption) is a major problem for the country, if we are going to develop, if we are going to eliminate poverty, misery and joblessness. These ills we are facing arise out of depletion of our resources by very focused anti social elements, who have sucked us dry.

“If we resolve it (corruption), we have resolved a major problem holding this country back. It is an honour and all of us in the committee are glad to put hands together with this government to try and solve that problem for the liberty of Nigeria.”

‘Odigie-Oyegun deserves recognition for APC merger ‘ — Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar

“I

congratulate the chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, towards the formation and victory of the party in the last elections.

“Odigie-Oyegun deserves commendation for his “effective leadership.”

“The story of the APC in Nigeria, from the merger to ousting the Peoples Democratic Party from power would be incomplete without recognising Odigie-Oyegun’s effective leadership.”

hat is part of the nonsense being peddled by the media.

How can Tinubu be the leader of the Yoruba race? The background of Awolowo’s leadership was never because he was in government.

“It was his integrity and track record.

Now, they are calling Tinubu the leader because he won an election. Is that the qualification for Yoruba leadership?

“There is no way you can compare Tinubu with Awolowo and I regard it as an

insult. What is the knowledge of Tinubu?

How many books has he published?

“Awolowo propounded theories and established philosophies, such that a former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Harold Wilson, said Awolowo was qualified to rule America.

“Even though Awolowo was the leader of the opposition, the then President, Shehu Shagari, honoured him with the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic title despite the fact that the title is preserved only for Heads of State. That shows you the pedigree of Awolowo.

“What of the background of Awolowo?

Can we say the same of Tinubu? Comparing Awolowo to Tinubu is bringing Yoruba leadership to the ground. When did Tinubu come into prominence? Awolowo fought colonialism for years. But because Tinubu just won an election, those he has put in positions are now shouting ‘leader’. All those calling Tinubu Yoruba leader are his creations”

‘Boko Haram no longer led by Abubakar Shekau’ —Idris Derby, Chadian President

“B

oko Haram is decapitated.

There are little groups (of Boko Haram members) scattered throughout North-east Nigeria, on the border with Cameroon. It is within our power to definitively overcome Boko Haram.”

“The war will be short, with the setting up of the regional force, it will be over by the end of the year.”

“There is someone apparently called Mahamat Daoud who is said to have replaced Abubakar Shekau and he wants to negotiate with the Nigerian government.”

‘Buhari should investigate corruption in Rivers’

— Deputy Publicity Secretary of PDP in the Rivers State, Mr. Samuel Nwanosike

“S

ince the President of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, has told the world that he is a man with zero tolerance for corruption, we, Rivers people, are asking that there should be no sacred cow. We are saying that corruption in Rivers State should be investigated and justice should be done to Rivers people.”

“As we speak to you, we cannot trace the proceeds that emanated from all the transactions made over the infrastructure we had in Rivers State provided by past leaders that ensured that the state came to limelight.”

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August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Living

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August 15, 2015

17

Worshipping God or Pastor?

Jesu Oyingbo, Reverend King, Jim Jones of the Peoples’ Temple, who is best known for the mass murder-suicide of 909 of his members, David Koresh of the Waco Siege fame, Marshall Applewhite of Heaven’s Gate, Aum Shinrikyo of the Tokyo sarin gas attack fame, and more recently, Prophet Lesego Daniel, leader of Rabboni Ministries in South Africa, who makes members of his congregation eat grass as a display of faith, and Penuel Mnguni of the End Times Disciples Ministries, also in South Africa, who declared snakes as chocolate bars and made his members eat them, because he “has authority to change everything into anything,” history abounds with ‘men of God’ who actually ‘play God’ with members of their congregation. ERIC ELEZUO examines the phenomenon.

R

eligion, according to Karl Marx, the famous Russian Socialist, is the opium of the people. Karl Marx made this remark, having watched how people held tenaciously to the dictates of their individual religions, and whatever its leaders dishes out in form of instructions, no matter how detrimental it is to their person. That’s not all, the way and manner

the people see their leaders as next to God, if not God himself, prompted the philosopher’s outburst.

The acceptance of religion in whatever guise, has therefore, encouraged all and sundry to float one form of belief or another, knowing that followers will be drawn, and at the same time establishing one place of worship after another. One

would not forget in a hurry the saga of Nigeria’s Jesus of Oyingbo, Guru Maharaji, who tagged himself the perfect master, Reverend King, among others. These men built a harem for themselves where they

while rechanneling same to themselves.

The preponderance of these places of worship has created unwholesome competition among overlords of such places, who are better called pastors,

He ordered his congregants to remove their clothes before sitting on top of them to pray for them. He then

jumped on a female congregant he

was ‘praying’ for, while the rest of the congregation sang and danced in celebration. No one saw the abnormality of his act.

became not only the constitution, but a reference point; becoming a larger than life image, which could only be feared, adored, reverenced and most of all, worshipped.

The scenario is still playing out today, as most ministers of God has sacrificed and mortgaged the respect meant for God,

general superintendents, senior pastors or general overseers in Christendom.

These champions in their own rights have cast their images in iron, proving impenetrable to the so called lesser mortals, somehow disproving Jesus, who CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

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LIVING

August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘There’s slavish attachment to the charms of these pastors’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 to all intents and purposes, is the role model.

While Jesus was on earth, He made it a point of duty to do good without as much as tagging His name to it. That informs why on some occasions, He charged the people not to tell anyone of a miraculous act done to them. He did not stop at that, He stooped so low to wash His disciples’ feet, thereby taking them through an exercise in humility.

Those and many more other acts characterised the works and times of Jesus Christ while He walked the face of the universe. But today, the drum beat has changed. The religious leaders, with special emphasis to Christendom, have gone haywire in making themselves demigods, suit for worship and adoration.

They also go as far as propagating policies, supposedly detrimental to human existence, to showcase the all encompassing powers they have acquired overtime.

These ‘men of God’ are invariably worshipped by members, who struggle against one another to gain their attention, using their time, wealth and sometimes extraneous qualities to penetrate them.

It was reported not long ago of a South African pastor, Penuel Mnguni, 24, the leader of End Times Disciples Ministries church in Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, who allegedly declared a snake a bar of chocolate for the congregation to eat.

The pastor had reportedly told the congregation the he had “the authority to change everything into anything, and it will obey because of our authority,” and they obeyed him.

Members testified that this is not the first time Pastor Mnguni has done something out of the ordinary. It was reported earlier he ordered his congregants to remove their clothes before sitting on top of them to pray for them. He then jumped on a female congregant he was praying for while the rest of the congregation sang and danced in celebration. No one saw the abnormality of his act. To the congregants, his words and actions were divine and must not be questioned.

It was again reported that the young pastor made his congregants eat a weave off a woman congregant’s head. He told them the weave had turned into nutritious food that would do no harm to their health.

Mnguni is the understudy of Rabboni Ministries leader, one Prophet Lesego Daniel, who made headlines a few years ago for making his congregation eat grass.

It later came to light that he had begun making churchgoers drink petrol. He told his congregants the petrol would turn into Fanta Pineapple flavoured drink. This is as an expert in petrology, Dr. Dickson Anyansi, said “Petrol is highly toxic and can give you serious gastric erosion. It will lead to severe stomach problems.”

He said that humans with faith eat anything to feed their bodies and can survive on whatever they choose to eat, and persuading them to eat grass and drink petrol was simply a way of proving the point.

One woman claimed eating grass

Rev. King

Jim Jones

stopped her having a sore throat, while another said it healed her after a stroke.

A congregant, Rosemary Phetha, said: “Yes, we eat grass and we’re proud of it because it demonstrates that, with God’s power, we can do anything.” That is that height gullibility and trust they placed on their pastor Mnguni, who was arrested afterwards, just for being cruel to animals (snakes), had been released on bail.

According to Isidore Bolatito, a human rights activist, “There appears to be a certain cult of Pastor worship amongst many Christian communities, particularly African Christian communities. This has grown to the point where no criticism of any manner of the pastor is tolerated by the members of the communities. The likes of Jim Jones and the Davidan sect leader comes to mind. In the current times, we have other ‘men of God’ whose words, no matter how ridiculous, are law among their teeming church members.

“The majority of these Christians are so mesmerised by these pastors that if they were to walk in on the pastor sleeping with their partners, they are likely to ask the Pastor to sleep with them as well. That is the level of the slavish attachment to the charms and falsehood of these pastors.

“Christians are meant to obey God rather than men. That means if the requirements are different, then you choose God. Of course God is The Father, The Son Jesus and the Holy Ghost. If the requirements are on the same page with

God’s, then obey. Obedience to God is not a call for insurbodination. We should obey our leaders (Spiritual and others) as long as it doesn’t displease God.” In a rather vehement counter, Reverend Kenny Nlemadim of the Gods People Assembly, said “Members of certain denominations defend their pastors when you want to speak nonsense against them.

Remember, this is not worship. What you actually call worship is more of obedience to biblical instructions. In the book of 2 Chronicles 20:20, God made it abundantly clear that if you believe your prophet, you will prosper. But note that believing is tied to God’s Word, not on frivolities.”

He added though that no child would allow another child to inflict insults on his father. These pastors are the spiritual fathers of their members.

Ejiroghene Mark, a member of a Pentecostal sect that goes by the alias, Jehovah Sharp Sharp, located at Alakija area of Lagos, explained the phenomenon behind what has been termed pastor worship, saying it lies in the path of salvation showed by the pastors to their members.

“Yes, most of the Christians are crazy about their pastors, because they show them the way to salvation. They brought light into their lives,” he said.

Christian Okorie, a Consultant, who is a member of Peculiar Christian Centre in Lagos, spoke in the same vein.

Said Okorie, “In typical adorational fashion, most members live the life of their

These ‘men of God’ are invariably worshipped by members, who struggle against one another to gain their attention, using

their time, wealth and sometimes extraneous qualities to impress them

Jesu Oyingbo

mentor-pastors; dress like them, speak like them, walk like them and do most of everything like them. If you hear a member of Deeper Life speak, you would not be told of his root, the same with Members of Lord Chosen, Redeemed, Winners and a host of others.

“There is nothing wrong in emulating your pastor for the good deeds, but I have a problem with members doing some odd unbiblical things, all in obedience to a mortal being. I also have a problem with most members of Christ Embassy, who go about with permed hair just because Pastor Chris perms his hair.”

Laide Oyenusi said that much as most of the reverend gentlemen blatantly desire worship from members, most of them actually run from it, citing the example of Pastor Sam Blessed, who he said he noticed something about.

“The way meetings are mostly structured is that worship is going on when he gets on stage, so no one is clapping, whooing, or anything of that nature.

“I also observed that except he has to end the service otherwise with announcements or other speeches, he would usually sneak off stage after he’s instructed: “Lift your hands towards heaven; worship Him (Jesus),” and against his instruction, many still have their eyes open and still clap and whoo, when he’s leaving. . . So why would I blame him?!

“I have personally not heard any of these pastors instruct or even suggest that they be worshipped, but when people get freaked about their “hero” (in this case someone who brought them the gospel that gave them life), you know how far people would go, so perhaps, you shouldn’t be quick to judge the pastors.”

Consequently, who should be blamed for the unwholesome adoration and worship of mere mortals, who invariably bear the words of the most high God; the members, who have become so gullible that they do carry out whatever instruction dished out by the preacher; the preacher, who had taken advantage of a gullible congregation, or the society that has set unachievable standards that people are simply unable to meet, which drives them to wherever the drums of prosperity miracle are playing?

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LIVING

August 15, 2015

19

Understanding the unsound

Contrary to the general belief that mental illness is caused by witches and curses, experts report that there are more than 200 different symptoms of mental illness, caused by either physical illness or psychological conditions, writes JULIET UMEH.

D

ada, born about 35 years ago, might have been a happily married man now, maybe a father of some children and a darling husband of his loving wife if the health of his mind had not been damaged. But he walks the length and breadth of Sango Ota, Ogun State, either singing spiritual songs at various junctions or preaching sermons like priests of the two popular imported religions. He carries a Bible, Koran, hand bell, wears soutanne (white garment), rosary and wields a Tesbyu (Muslim prayer beads). If he wants to act a moralist, he quickly goes to a major junction to gain attention of passersby by speaking against abortion, bleaching, prostitution, bleaching, gay marriage, smuggling, menace of Boko Haram etc. His enthusiastic audience are children who hail Dada, Dada, Dada. The elderly also watch and listen to his message, but with a tinge of bitterness and show of pity, because they know he was born a normal child, but his health suddenly declined before he was 15 years old when according to a neighbour, “he took a drug which damaged his mind.” Maybe he took the wrong medication or too much of even the right prescription.

If Dada is entertaining and friendly, such is not the case of Musa Apata, who went

violent and deadly on a sunny afternoon in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, some few years ago, when he continuously pelted with pebbles the driver of a car which got stuck in a hold-up until the innocent man, whose partner on the fateful day was his dear wife, died immediately. A team of armed policemen and members of the public went on his trail, before Musa, a huge man, half nude with unkempt hair and bloodshot eyes, was captured.

But Olufemi Owolabi, who hails from Osun State, unlike the first two, is not as hyperactive or sensational as the last duo, but his mind is also disordered. Last May, he made an attempt to commit suicide, a

strange act, which he almost achieved by consuming herbicide in his B 19 Ogbon Egbe Street home. According to some people, the Grade Level 04 environmental officer in Osun State, considered suicide a ‘wise’ escape from the problems of life. In recent times, because of unpaid salaries, Owolabi has been finding it difficult to provide for his family. He almost succeeded in sending himself to early grave, but good neighbours, who had been observing his funny behaviour, prevented him from executing his satanic plan. However, members of his family countered the claim that his aborted action had relationship with the unpaid workers’ salary in Osun State. They confirmed he had a history of suicide attempt. Also, Dr. Ishaq Opakunle, the doctor who handled his case in the hospital, said Owolabi had clinical depression, which sometimes leads to suicide.

A World Health Organisation (WHO) report, in 2001, said about 400 million people in the world were suffering from mental or neurological disorders or from drug and alcohol or psychosocial complexities. Today, about 15 years after, the figure may have worsened, if not creating fear.

Thank goodness, about 80 per cent of the Nigerians are of sound mind, leaving less than 20 per cent being prone to mental imbalance. According to Dr Femi Olugbile,

Economic depression leads to human depression. Every day, people are breaking down due to economic depression. A lot of people have lost their jobs while we have graduates who are jobless roaming the streets in search of elusive jobs.

Frustration often leads to insanity.

a consultant psychiatrist and former Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospial, (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos, he said that at least 20 per cent of the population will at some time in their lives experience a type of mental disorder which could be due to high rate of poverty, lack of social welfare and high rate of endemic infectious diseases.

Explaining further, the doctor said at any point in time, two to five per cent of the 20 per cent population of a nation would manifest the symptoms of mental disorder at early stage, but mental disorder can increase in times of social upheaval, such as war, terrorism and so on, adding that security challenges including kidnappings and armed robbery can lead to increased stress, which increases the likelihood of nervous breakdown. Perhaps, that was what Mr Owolabi exhibited by trying to terminate his life out of frustration.

Supporting Dr Olugbile, Chief Medical Director of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr Raman Lawal, in a chat with Saturday Mirror, gave more insight on the percentage of population prone to mental disorder. He said the statement was actually talking about the tendency to natural prevalence under ordinary condition and not that 20 per cent of Nigerians are already mad on the streets.

He confirmed that studies had been carried out in different parts of the world to show that about 20 per cent of the people have one form of mental disorder or the other. “This ranges from ordinary anxiety conditions, phobic conditions, mild to moderate depression,” he stated.

Mentioning conditions that cause psychiatric disorders, Dr Lawal said sometimes it’s a combination of factors. “It ranges from ordinary illnesses like malaria.

There are some types of malaria that lead to mental illness and even some type of

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

20

LIVING

August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘400 million people suffer from insanity worldwide’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

typhoid when it is severe enough. Some infectious conditions including Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), sometimes present itself initially as psychiatric condition. We have seen it a few times here.

“Physical illnesses can lead to psychiatric disorders. For example cancer, in addition to cancer, a patient may develop depression. We also know that a condition like diabetes is usually associated with hormonal problems like that of thyroid conditions, they can also bring psychiatric conditions.

“Then we have psychological conditions such as when someone is jilted by the person s/he loves so much, someone who loses a very good job, in fact, life events generally can also precipitate mental illness, conditions like dementia, partially of the hereditary but not hundred per cent,” he declares.

However looking at mental health from the perspective of a psychologist, Mr. Akin Gabriel, clinical psychologist at Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Lagos, said that what is mostly considered as mental illness means many things. He said most people think a mentally ill is someone who hears strange sounds, who dresses in an inappropriate manner, who looks disabled and unkempt or those who wander about. He said these are the general interpretations of mental illness, but “there are more than 200 to 250 different symptoms of mental illness and it’s still growing. For example, apart from the very popular ones, the chronic ones like schizophrenia, forms of depressions and others that are uncommon, which people may not actually know,” he said.

Really, mental disease is applied to a large number of sicknesses which have different symptoms and different in mildness or severity: bad temper, immorality, feelings of inferiority, loneliness, dependence, excessive trust in other’s suggestion, anxiety, hysteria, low intelligence and severe illness that can result in interference in sufferer’s personal life, also known as psychosis or insanity.

But other hallmarks of mental challenge in our everyday life include greed for power and money, excessive lust after sensation of sex, drug addiction, criminal acts, inferiority complex and anger over trivial matters, fear and excessive feeling of guilt, keeping malice, being secretive, sensitive, solitary and suspicious. No wonder experts describe it as an illness existing everywhere but difficult to recognise.

Many centuries ago, abnormal mental conditions were not regarded as sicknesses, because then they were considered to be religious or legal problems, but western medicine started to acknowledge responsibility for insanity as a variety of sickness, but in African societies, mental disorders are seen as effect of curses or actions attributed to the wickedness of evil spirits such as witches and wizards. The victims are taken to spiritual homes for where ritual sacrifices are made to appease the offended spirits before they are cured.

Some who have become ‘wild’ are chained and thoroughly flogged, because such punishment, it is believed, can drive out the demonic spirits tormenting them. But most relatives of victims now free themselves from this undeserved punishment by making them have the divine touch of the arresting power of more comforting Holy Spirit at deliverance services of many

Pentecostal churches.

But outside metaphysics or mystery, the realities of the world economy could cause mental disorder. Mental Health Foundation, a non-governmental association in Nigeria, explaining factors responsible for mental illness said: “Economic depression leads to human depression. Everyday people are breaking down due to economic depression.

A lot of people have lost their jobs while we have graduates who are jobless roaming the streets in search of elusive jobs. Frustration more often leads to insanity. People are going through massive psychological torture to be able to survive in this country. This is why many people are walking naked in this country.”

In Nigeria, increasing number of people suffer from mental illness and other personality disturbances. According to a statistic available to Saturday Mirror, 136,348 mentally ill patients were tested in 2000 as against 129,092 in 1999 in Yaba Psychiatric Hospital. Dementia and chronic psychotic disorder top the cases the hospital established in 1907 attended to. With an increase rate of five per cent, the figure of the mentally impaired could

be in a neighbourhood of 300,000 now.

Schizophrenia, a term used to describe any of a group of psychotic disorders characterised by progressive deterioration of personality, withdrawal from reality, hallucination and emotional instability, according to a WHO report, is suffered by about 45 million persons worldwide above the age 18 at certain point in their lives. It also causes wide disruption in thinking, thought perception and sense of self. The Western Pacific has the highest recorded cases of schizophrenia globally: 18 million, while south-east Asia comes next with 15 million cases. Africa has about 10 million cases.

But only few people understand that psychosis, which to the layman is insanity, is a legal term. It simply means that a given person’s symptoms of mental disorder have grown too severe or serious and his sense of judgement has become so faulty that the law steps in and makes it possible for others to decide for the patient what measures are necessary for his proper treatment and safeguarding of his property.

Many Nigerian streets and homes have psychotic or people of severe

Mental disease is applied to a large number of sicknesses which have different symptoms: bad temper, immorality, feelings of inferiority, loneliness, dependence, excessive trust in other’s suggestion, anxiety, hysteria and low intelligence

mental disorder whose individual contact with reality is highly strange. Among the symptoms of an insane person are unreasonable anxiety, violent behaviour, high excitement, withdrawal into a state of imagination, seeing vision or hearing voices and having false ideas of possessing wealth or that somebody is trying to kill him.

Adeoye Akinloye, 45, a native of Ondo State, who couldn’t complete his engineering course in a British university, manifests a characteristic of the psychotic. Deported from Britain in the early 70’s maybe because of the shameful ailment, he lives in his elder brother’s house, but whenever he sees a student, he asks: ‘Have you any proooblem in Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus or Analysis? Bring it, I can help ya. If he does not see somebody to talk with, he gets to the centre of a dusty road to draw mathematical diagrams and solve problems.

Not a few forms of insanity are preventable, but other kinds even when the mental constitution is predisposed to it, could be prevented. Also Dr Lawal said mental illness is not 100 per cent hereditary. “The fact that a father has it does not mean that the children must have it, so awareness creation about these things is very necessary,” he said.

Some forms of insanity are curable, but others are not. Inasmuch as doctors are interested in preventing mental disease, if a patient’s mental disorder is not discovered in his youth, by the time the adult years are reached, there is relatively little that can be done by way of preventing disorders, except perhaps to keep milder ones from growing more serious.

In many mental hospitals in advanced countries, a psychotic patient could stay between six and 15 years there. Many even die there. It is doubtful if mental hospitals in Nigeria can keep a patient for so long because cost of medication is enormous and number of relevant professionals (psychiatrists and neurosurgeons) few.

Moreover, the number of asylums and psychiatric hospitals just few. This was confirmed by Dr Olugbile who lamented that the number of psychiatry hospitals in the country is few compared to the number of people that need medical attention.

According to him: “There are eight Federal Government-owned neuro-psychiatric hospitals, and there are smaller units in the teaching hospitals and a few general hospitals handling mental cases.

“However, there is need to effectively use what is on the ground as mental healthcare should start from the Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs). All PHCs should be primed to render basic mental healthcare in form of diagnosis and simple treatment, while referral, where necessary, should originate from here,” Olugbile said.

However, this could explain why environments are flooded with countless mentally-impaired or mentally-challenged, some at times challenging the peace of lives.

But if the statement of WHO which says that for a good mental health, we need “A healthy environment is required. One that is peaceful, in which all people may prosper, where tolerance is generalised and where violence is diminished,” is accepted as truth by all, maybe risk of all mental health may not be far from control.

As part of the solution, Dr Olugbile is also advocating that private hospitals should be integrated into the system to provide universal care.

Entervaganza

The Saturday Mirror Magazine

Sex talk Should you call it

quits over bad sex?

P.32

Fashion

Youthful and stylish P.28

Relationships

Can mouth/ body odour kill love?

P.32

Oge

... oozing talent

22

ENTERVAGANZA

Celebrity

August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Playing vampire was scary for me —Oge Okoye

Oge Okoye is one of Nollywood’s biggest actresses. OSEYIZA OOGBODO took her up and they spoke about her career and the pros and cons of her being in Nollywood.

Why did you become an actress and not a nurse or engineer?

Oh my God! This is like me asking you why you chose your profession as a journalist. But that notwithstanding, acting is my calling and it’s a part of my life that I reflect so much in. Thinking back to childhood, I’ve always desired to be an actress whereby I will be like a voice to the viewers and at the same time they will be entertained.

Have you achieved what you wanted to that made you become an actress?

Well, yes, by becoming an actress, but at the same time, I’m not totally fulfilled because there’s so much still not done yet and I’m yet to attain that greater height of accomplishment. In all, I’m thankful to God. How many movies have you done overall?

Wow! Honestly, I’ve lost count of the number of movies I’ve featured in.

Tell us your most memorable role.

My most memorable role is where I took up the character of a vampire. It was scary for me but at the same time enjoyable.

And the most challenging?

For me, all my movies, in their different characterisations, are all challenging.

Why is it that entertainers are never able to take care of themselves when they have health challenges?

Well, I don’t think that sort of question should be directed to me because I don’t get what you’re driving at.

What do you like most about Nollywood?

What I like most about our large family is that Nollywood is a strong voice to the world showing the different lives of different people and different things happening in the world. A strong voice it is indeed.

What do you hate most about it?

Sometimes the negative criticism and judgmental attitude towards us.

What is your advice to upcoming actresses?

My candid advice, as I always say, is that they should always follow their heart and passion of being an actress to achieve whatever and everything they want. It’s about being focused, working hard, making sure they are worth their salt. Never envy anyone, be yourself and make good use of your potentials. Practice makes perfect. For me, I never knew the ups and down of being an actor but I got into it and I developed myself professionally. It’s not a bed of roses but always have passion and love for it and the rest will be history.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

August 15, 2015

Why are D’Banj, Don Jazzy still single?

A

t this point in time, it has become necessary to ask the question of why celebrated music personalities, D’Banj, and Don Jazzy, are still single and childless.

In the world we live in nowadays, many people are single parents and many more are married parents. In a nutshell, it’s very difficult nowadays to see people who have come of age, especially those of D’Banj’s and Jazzy’s affluent status, who are single and childless at the same time.

In Nigeria particularly, of which the duo are proud indigenes, marriage, and children (which are even held in more esteem than money) come with the success these two have attained.

And all around them, their colleagues and family members who are not as successful as them are getting married and having children.

D’Banj’s younger brother, Kayswitch, whom is also a music artist like him, already has a child. Wande Coal, the popular singer that found fame and fortune courtesy of the duo in question, has at least one child.

Tiwa Savage, who is signed to Jazzy’s Mavin Records, is married with a child.

Likewise Dr SID who’s also signed to Mavin. Di’Ja, the young female artist who also owes her success to Jazzy, and is with Mavin as well, is alleged to have a child.

Some of their fellow celebrities even have children from extramarital affairs. A recent example being Maje Ayida who is married to Toke Makinwa and still got involved in an extramarital affair that’s produced a child.

Before Tunji Balogun, Tiwa Savage’s husband, made a legal lady of her, he already had two children from another lady.

Need we even mention 2face who had several children from three women before he finally married one of them to earn back some of the respect he lost thereby.

The list goes on and on. Pasuma Wonder, popularly referred to as Baba Wasilat, but is not married and has no plans to get married soon but has children and doesn’t hide it.

How about Waje whom is yet to meet Mr Right, but already has a daughter? Or Genevieve who is yet to marry but has a daughter as well?

Simply put, virtually every successful entertainer in Nigeria is married with a child or children or single with a child or children.

So why are D’Banj and Jazzy still single and childless after a decade of rolling in millions of naira?

D’Banj

That’s the big question that’s got tongues wagging now, because there are many innuendoes arising from the two superstars’ continued ‘sort of celibacy.’

Oh yes, celibacy, because it has now become apparent with time that the two seem to have a sort of aversion for the opposite sex.

Though over time, D’Banj has been linked with a fair number of ladies, Genevieve, Adama Indimi, Bonang Matheba, and Jennifer Obayuwana included, it’s safe to say that his so-called romantic affairs, as proven by that of the one with Genevieve, are just mere publicity stunts to make it seem as if he’s actually into women when he really can’t be said to be, veritable proof

Jazzy

of which would have been that he got one of them pregnant.

Mind you, we’re not saying he’s into men, but he cannot really lay full claim into being into women like many other celebrities.

And while D’Banj keeps trying to ‘hoodwink’ us into thinking that he’s dating, Jazzy doesn’t even bother. Though he’s been linked with Tonto Dike in the past, it didn’t even hold any water back then.

Considering how ladies are dying to have the two of them, and will even be ready to take care of them just to have them, the fact that they both cannot be solidly linked to at least one lady has definitely become worrisome and a cause for concern.

They make noise about wanting to get married, but that’s just what it is, noise, because with so many willing single women out there, should it be that difficult for them to get hitched? After all, no one has mandated that they must marry from a particular tribe, religion or country.

What’s really odd is that neither of them has a wife or a child. The normal scenario would have been that one of them should have had at least a child by now, and that’s not the case publicly, unless they are keeping it a secret.

Since people poorer than them without a kobo in the bank have several wives, concubines, legal and illegal children, what is their excuse?

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August 15, 2015

E-NEWS

Nigeria’s David Oyelowo is the new James Bond

F

or a long time now, there’s been a debate over whom the first black man to ever act the role of the iconic British spy character, James Bond, will be.

Respected names like the Americans Idris Elba and Sean Combs have been mooted as likely first black James Bonds.

And even as that debate rages on, Nigeria’s very own David Oyelowo, an actor who is rising steadily and is based in Los Angeles, has landed the role.

But before you get too carried away, Oyelowo won’t be playing Bond on the silver screen.

His voice will just be used as Bond’s own in an audio book, and he’ll be the second black man’s whose voice will be so used, Hugh Quarshie being the first..

But it’s still a worthy feather to his cap as anything to do with Bond is a major achievement worldwide.

Congrats, Dave.

CLASSICAL LYRICS

Oyari

Artist: Dr SID featuring Tiwa Savage E gba mi Oyari E gba mi Oyari Ma ma je ki kini mi yari To ba tu yari e ma funmi miliki E gba mi Oyari E gba mi Oyari Ma ma je ki kini mi yari To ba tu yari e ma funmi miliki Mo gbe, O pari E gba mi E gba mi E tu je ki kini me yari E tu je ki kini me yari Mo gbe, O pari E gba mi E gba mi

Oyelowo

Davido keeps suffering setbacks T

his is not a good time for high flying music artist, Davido. The singer, who has been trailed by criticism all of his career with some quarters still insisting that his success is a fluke, has given his critics reason to flay him again.

That reason is that he has postponed his sophomore album’s release again, and his critics are now saying that he’s scared of releasing the album because he’s not sure if it will do well.

The album, titled BADDEST, was supposed to be released earlier this year in June, but Davido claimed he had to postpone it because of the fuel crisis the country was going through then.

Then this week that it was supposed to be released on August 10th, it’s been postponed again and Davido is now being seen in many quarters as being unserious.

Speaking on why he had to postpone BADDEST’s release for the second time, Davido said, ‘The official release date for the much-anticipated album from the renowned award-winning afro-beat superstar, Davido, will now be in September 2015.

We are aware that many have been expecting the album at an earlier date, and though we were set to release the album this month, the date has been moved. We are currently placing the finishing touches on the album and we have some exciting news coming up that will greatly benefit the album project.”

A word of advice, Davido.

Get your act together and release the album unfailingly in September or people might just lose interest in it totally.

Davido

Beware of sex —IK Ogbonna

Dide Tan Imole for launch

P

P

opular actor, IK Ogbonna, has warned that people should be wary of sex and not let it affect their fu-

ture.

According to a report by Nigeriaflms. com, the actor said sex comes with both a spiritual and physical bond and that having sex indiscriminately is dangerous.

“What is really in your bed with you?

Sex is fun and as human beings we are weak when it comes to resisting. But do not use the moment to hurt your future,” Ogbonna warned.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ogbonna

reparations are in high gear for the launching of a new music album, Dide Tan Imole (Arise And Shine), by the Light of Joy Ministry God Inspirational Band, next Saturday.

The launching will hold at the church’s auditorium at Ayobo, Ipaja, Lagos and will have Evangelist Sunday Oyerinde as the headlining music minister.

Others are Abel Dosunmu and Evangelists Paul Friday, Ola Johnson, Segun Oyetola, Abass ijimayowa, Shina Oyeyemi and Shola Seriki.

Female ministers are not left out of the ball, and they will be represented by Lady Evangelists Mercy Grace, Esther B. Alabi and Kemi Adeyemi.

E tu je ki kini me yari E tu je ki kini me yari Bi sho wa yi you’re killing me The way shake that booty baby Je jaka jiggy jiggy follow me When we finish you go kpada si mi baby Oya ko eyin si mi back it up Come give me the maggi baby I don drop the turkey fot the matter And na wetin be the turkey melody Make you jump up and down Baby wind your belly down now Baby girl make you tell me what you want now I can get you to my place in an hour Na everything I go give to you Oya bounce along bounce along Only you dey turn me on Make you bounce along bounce along Only you dey turn me on E gba mi Oyari E gba mi Oyari Ma ma je ki kini mi yari To ba tu yari e ma funmi miliki E gba mi Oyari E gba mi Oyari Ma ma je ki kini mi yari To be concluded next week

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

25

August 15, 2015

Who will be evicted from Project Fame today?

L-R: Deborah, Jennifer, Tejiri, Kumi and Richie while being announced as going on probation

L

ast Saturday, it was time for the 14 contestants of Project Fame West Africa 8 to showcase the result of their weeklong tutelage in the Project Fame Academy, and they did impress the judges with their performances.

Three wild card finalists, Ruby Awa-Agwu (Pearl’s

twin sister), Oluchi Odii, and Nkechi Ilo, kicked off the show with their performances that they hoped would earn them entry into the Academy to compete for the millions of naira and automobiles that will be given to the final top three PF winners.

And after their performances, Nkechi’s performance

could not earn her a stay in the Academy, but Ruby and Oluchi so much wowed the judges that both were given a chance to compete with those already in the Academy.

Then, the judges and the audience enjoyed the initial fourteen contestants’ performances without finding faults with or exposing their loopholes because it was their first performance each and no one would be placed on probation.

But on Sunday, the game changed from the laidback attitude of the previous day to one of strictly business.

Though the contestants had only spent a week in the Academy, but with the hard work they had already been put through by their teachers, coupled with the judges’ undeterred expectations of appropriate performances, it was time to find out those who had been paying attention in classes.

And although they all gave captivating performances on Saturday, Sunday was time to see if they would be able again to impress the judges, faculty and everyone at large with their second set of performances, as a failure to impress would lead to some of them being put on the much dreaded probation list which might lead to eviction from the contest.

So, taking it a notch higher, they all mounted the stage one after another with the determination to give it their all and shine through. While this worked out well for some, others unfortunately didn’t have it so, and those others found that the unwanted probation was their lot.

So, Jennifer, Tejiri, Deborah, Kumi and Richie’s heads are on the chopping block and tonight, we’ll know which of them will be axed from the show.

Oh well, many are called, but few are chosen.

As Tosyn Bucknor prepares to marry a white man ... she shouldn’t forget Kate Henshaw

T

here’s no doubt that on-air personality, singer and all-round entertainment personality, Tosyn Bucknor, has many male fans who are in love with her and hoping in their heart of hearts that it just might be possible for them to capture her heart as long as she’s single.

As long as she’s single, that is.

Well, she’s no longer officially single, as she has accepted his marriage proposal, and hasn’t even been informally single for some time now that it’s been known she’s dating a white boy, a Frenchman named Aurelien Boyer.

And when they eventually marry, she won’t be the first Nigeria-based female celebrity to marry a white boy.

One such celebrity is actress, model, on-air personality, movie producer, blogger and many other things Judith Audu.

She’s married to a caucasian Dane, Morten Foght, since July 1st, 2011, and they are madly in love.

But probably the most popular of them is actress, reality TV judge and pol-

Judith (left) is married to Foght

Bucknor (right) is set to marry Boyer

itician Kate Henshaw. She was married for twelve years to a white guy, Roderick James Nuttal, and the bubble burst suddenly. Ironically, the marriage nosedived

marriage.

So, is this reason, that white men make better husbands, that Bucknor too prefers Boyer over the tons of Nigerian men dying a few months after she al- for her? legedly claimed that white Well, only men were better than Nige- she knows rian men when it comes to that.

Henshaw (right) is now divorced from Nuttal

26

August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tonto Dike blasts her critics

F

ollowing the unexpected negative reactions that have trailed her traditional introduction ceremony to Oladunni Obasanjo Churchill, fiery actress, Tonto Dike, has reacted with a message that is her usual self: blunt and bold.

According to her post: “Always be careful of what you hear about a woman.

Rumours either come from a man that can’t have her or a woman who can’t compete with her.”

But she didn’t rest her pen with that.

She continued thus: “Watch who you are talking to. Be mindful of who you are letting into your life. If you ever sit down with someone to talk and they are belittling and bitching about people they used to be close to or never close to … chatting sh*t or telling truths that you don’t need to know … generally hating and gossip talking about whoever … don’t tell these

people anything about you.

“Recognize that they will do same to you when you aren’t flavour of the month anymore. Some people will try to use you. When you can’t be used/used anymore, the selfish and disloyal behaviour will begin. I say try to use you, because people who are trying to bring you down are already beneath you.

“No one higher than you in wealth, success, life will ever belittle themselves to stoop so low to trash or destroy you unless you steal from them. The people who are speaking negatively about you aren’t in a good place. Spiritually they are losing out. Let them talk sh*t. These are the same people who will do whatever they can to try and get people to like them. Never willingly let them into your life unless you enjoy drama. If you have these people in your life, remove them …

FAST. They will never help your life, just attempt to hinder your progress.”

Funke Akindele announces birthday galore

Dike

P

opular actress, Funke Akindele, has announced that she will celebrate her 39th birthday coming up later this month like a jamboree.

According to the actress who is probably the most successful Yoruba Nollywood actress in the country presently, and whose actual birthday date is August 24th, she will celebrate adding another year on earth in the UK in four cities on August 28th, 29th, 30th and September 4th.”

Courtesy of Instagram, she made her celebration plans known to the world with the post: “I’m super excited to ‘parry’ with my wonderful fans! LONDON! MANCHESTER! BIRMINGHAM! ABERDEEN! Are you ready! Let’s turn up!! On August 28th, 29th, 30th and 4th of September!”

The birthday gala is being organized by Cokobar, a respected outfit in the UK which has also held a similar birthday tour for celebrated blogger, Linda Ikeji, too.

… as Ayo Adesanya celebrates 45th birthday W Akindele

hile Akindele is to celebrate her 39th year on earth, another popular actress, Ayo Adesanya, has celebrated her own 45th year.

And one of the ways she did so was with the release of new pictures, as is the custom now.

And in the pictures, it’s obvious that she’s still looking good.

Adesanya (left) and children

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27

August 15, 2015

Rouge romance from

e r u t u o C O h s i R Tr

le StyGlam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

ouge Romance is the new collection from Trish O. Couture.

The creative mind be hind the collection, Patrici a Onumonu who star embellishing dresses ted at the age of 12, ex presses her creative side on ce more with this se t of reds and white hues to create detailed fe minine dresses with jewelle d embellishments th at truly stands a stylish lad y out any day From full length dres ses with Ankara de tail to short dresses made from eccentric fabr ic, the collection takes fash ionable ladies to a wh ole new level. Rouge Romanc e is laden with pure whites, crimson reds, vibra nt Ankara fabric wi th gold detail, splashes of gree n and black colours th at have been known to alway s adorn female figur es.

With elegance in mi nd, you can dazzle your dates in your choice of ja cket, tops and skirt s, blouses and Ankara dresses with just a touch of red her or there.

Just be elegant and romantic in your outin g today.

28

STYLE & GLAM

August 15, 2015

O

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Fashion

ne style of wear that will stand you out any day is anything that will present you as youthful and edgy. These are dresses that are short, fitted and generally casual for a younger person.

You will find this in a ready-to-wear collection for the modern woman Just for a style conscious you, they will surely make your day outstanding. And they are ready and cute for any of your dates today.

Just opt for outfits with shorter hemlines, fun spaceship inspired prints, delicate yet playful lace and a juxtaposition of blue shades teamed together to create a chic yet urban ensemble that is street style worthy. And with the touch of a creative designer, you are sure of an uncommon outfit that will give you a charming personality that is irresistible by all and sundry.

Youthful a

Fashion

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August 15, 2015

n frenzy

and stylish

n frenzy

STYLE & GLAM

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Fashion Guest

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STYLE & GLAM

August 15, 2015

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‘Nigerians 14 strange-butshould be more true health tips proud of their T heritage’ Ihuoma Cindi S. Levi is an upcoming artiste who sings in three major languages, English, Yoruba and Igbo. A creative and focused young lady, she wants Nigerians to be more proud of their heritage.

“It is disheartening to discover that Nigerians always look down on things that are theirs. We need to improve on this,” she told YEMISI ADENIRAN in this interview.

Why are you into music?

It is because of the passion I have for it. I am obsessed with music. I love to express myself through singing. Whenever I am unable to express my feelings in words, I sing it. I can’t

imagine life without singing, I just love it. It’s a good way to let it out. It’s my medicine.

Is there a fashion fault that you have observed that Nigerian women commit stubbornly?

The fashion fault I have overtime discovered that Nigerian women or ladies commit is poor combination of fabrics and colours. A lot of women don’t combine colours well. Another thing is that despite the fact that there is a tremendous improvement on our local fabrics, Nigerians seem not to be contended with made- inNigeria fabrics. They prefer those of neighbouring countries which at the end of the day is devaluing our domestic products. If you look around, you will see that it is hard to see a Ghanaian woman wearing Nigerian fabrics the way we always wear theirs and other foreign materials. The same thing is applicable to South African ladies and others. It is disheartening to discover that Nigerians always look down on things that are theirs.

So, what do you advise should be done?

We need to improve on this. It is good to be proud of whatever is ours, our heritage. The same thing is what happens in music.

You can never see a South African play or sing Nigerian songs or use rhythms other than Zulu. They don’t imitate Nigerians like we do others here. They are just proud of their own culture. We need to upgrade to that level in all that we do. We should be proud of what we have. That is why people like us appreciate artistes like Hon. Onyeka Onwenu, late Christie Essien Igbokwe, De Queen, Omawumi, and Omah of this present generation. These women are unique in their styles.

he major medical studies grab the spotlight in the media. But some of the best solutions to health problems are simple, little, and often unusual things. Check out this list to see how easy it can be to cure yourself.

Flush away trouble: Have you ever noticed how satisfying it is to flush a toilet? Think of this next tip as a stress laxative—a bit strange, but guaranteed to be gentle and effective: Before you go to bed, put some small strips of flushable paper and a pencil in the bathroom. The following morning, take a seat and write down the names of all the people or situations in your life that are causing you angst. Then throw them in the bowl and flush. You’ll be amazed at how great this feels and works.

Stand before you flush: And when you’re finished, (as with every time you use the toilet), stand before you flush.

When toilets are flushed, a fine mist of water containing contagious bacteria sprays up. You can catch intestinal bugs and hepatitis from it.

Use the first cubicle: Experts have found that in public toilets, the cubicle closest to the door consistently has the lowest bacteria levels (and the most toilet paper!) probably because it sees less traffic because it’s near the door and people want privacy.

Change your name: People with “positive” initials—ones that spell out things like J.O.Y. or W.O.W.—live nearly five years longer than people with neutral initials. People with initials such as D.U.D. and A.S.S. live nearly 3 years less. Other initials that may shorten life include I.L.L. and D.E.D. Accuse others of taking your keys: Research suggests there’s a marked difference between how younger and older people interpret misplacing their car keys. A young guy usually blames it on someone else: “Who took my damn keys?” An old man typically blames it on himself: “I must be getting old. I misplaced my keys again.” Never use your age as an excuse for anything like this and see if you don’t remain younger longer. It’s an effective mental trick.

Scratch the other limb: For itchy skin under a cast (POP), try scratching the same place on the other arm or foot. This may trick your brain into thinking you’re scratching the real itch.

Break a high fever: Anything up to 102°F is mild and can be treated by drinking plenty of fluids. But to quickly bring down temperature above that, put an ice pack under your arm or near your groin.

Icing either spot will cool your body’s core.

It’s uncomfortable, but it works fast. Then see a doctor.

Apples to the rescue: If you get claustrophobic in small spaces such as elevators, visit your local fruit stand. A sniff of green apple may help relieve claustrophobic sensations. Carry one with you.

Skip antibacterial soap: There’s absolutely no reason to buy antibacterial soaps, according to the American Medical Association. While close to 50 percent of soaps contain antimicrobial agents, the AMA claims there’s no solid scientific proof that these soaps are better at preventing infection than regular soap. In fact, the group argues that antibacterial soaps may be doing more harm than good—by making bacteria stronger and more resistant to existing germ killers.

Straighten your back: Taking a long drive? Pretend someone poured a cold drink down your back—notice how your shoulders pull back and your spine curves?

That’s the position your back should be in when you’re rolling down the highway.

Disinfect a wound with honey: Pour a dab of honey on a cut before covering it with a bandage. Believe it or not, honey has powerful antibacterial properties. A recent study found that it was capable of destroying almost all strains of the most common wound-infecting bacteria.

Call Dr. Pepper: Next time you cut yourself in the kitchen, reach for black pepper.

Run cold water over the wound to clean it, (use soap if you were handling meat). Then sprinkle on the pepper and apply pressure.

In no time, the bleeding will stop. It turns out black pepper has analgesic, antibacterial, and antiseptic properties.

Shave your mustache: If you’re prone to allergies and have a mustache, wash it twice a day with liquid soap. Or simply get rid of it! One study found that patients who did this used fewer antihistamines and decongestants. While cleaning gets rid of stuck pollen grains, losing the ‘tache’ frees you from trouble completely!

Pet away high blood pressure: To lower your risk of heart attack and stroke, get a dog. Numerous studies show that petting a dog keeps blood pressure under control when you’re stressed.

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August 15, 2015

Male Essentials

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@gmail.com

The 7 best fatburning tips

T

he demise of 33-year-old Carl Thompson, Britain’s erstwhile heaviest man at a scale-buckling 65 stone, should give any man carting around extra ballast food for thought.

You don’t need to be even a third of Thompson’s weight to start doing your body some serious damage. You might be fine with that doughiness around your middle (we blame dadbod), but it hides much more than your six-pack. Visceral fat – the kind that wraps around your internal organs – doubles your mortality risk even if you’re not actually overweight. Oh, and it also ups your odds of diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

Fortunately, it’s (relatively) simple to shift – for every 5% of your total body fat you burn, you can bid adieu to 15% of your visceral fat. So even if you’re nowhere near Thompson territory, start deploying these tips to keep yourself that way.

Torch your spare tyre in the gym Your first step for defusing this abdominal fat timebomb is intense. Although not in a “which wire do I cut” way. Instead of long runs or low-rep lifts, you want to spike your heart rate with bursts of exertion and short rest; research from the University of Virginia found this high intensity interval training (HIIT) was the most effective way to blast through the blubber. Try this visceral fat-shifting circuit to lose weight inside and out.

And keep the fires stoked once you’re home A slimmer physique isn’t fashioned by one hour in the gym; it’s the other 23 that dictate which way your waistband goes. Honing your sweat sessions by focusing on shorter workouts with more intensity primes your body to keep

shifting fat – visceral or otherwise – by upping your metabolism even between sessions.

Which could translate to an extra 4lbs gone every month.

Make small changes for big wins Crash diets don’t work – at least, not in the long-term, according to research from UCLA that found two-thirds of dieters are heavier than they started after five years.

Better is to enact these 35 manageable changes – from guzzling fat-shifting probiotics to switching off the idiot box when you eat – that will ensure the weight you banish doesn’t find its way back.

Ignore diet food Don’t be fooled by the packaged promises lurking in your supermarket’s ready meals aisle. Though lower in fat, they’re often spiked with sugar and salt to make them palatable, which slashes your satiety and means blood glucose spikes that have your willpower crumbling when the biscuit plate’s passed around. Fat doesn’t make you fat – but sugar might.

Treat everywhere equally Whether you’re most perturbed by

your moobs, beer belly or love handles, don’t focus on your problem areas. For one, you can’t spot target your fat loss – your body burns blubber from wherever it’s available, so a weight loss routine that’s just sit-ups won’t shed that belly. You need this higheffort, total-body workout to fire up more muscle and burn blubber all over.

Know your enemy There’s no fat loss quick fix that doesn’t involve general anaesthetic, despite what a root through your spam

folder might promise. But this quartet of tips from leading experts are guaranteed fat fighters, from how to set goals you’ll definitely hit to when you’re allowed a doughnut. Arm yourself to get of coronary disease’s crosshairs.

Do the maths to shift 10kg Your spare tyre is a function of calories in minus calories out. But put down the calculator – we’ve done the sums that will ensure you’ve got to buy a new belt by next month. Just stick in your age, activity and habits and you’ll get the personalised equations that will make swerving that cheeseburger a whole lot simpler. It’s weight loss that actually adds up.

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August 15, 2015

Relatio

Angle

Male

Jide animashaun 08034710902 jidemashaun@yahoo.com

I

Yes o!

f people believe that they have bad breath, it can be a source of worry and serious embarrassment to them. It can get to the extent that they will start feeling uncomfortable around other people and this can severely impact negatively on their self confidence especially in social settings. Yes it’s true that people generally tend to react negatively to odours and bad breath emanating from people around them and this can act as a barrier to good communication even if this may not be the fault of the person who may be having the bad breath or body odour. In some cases, people suffering from bad mouth or body odour where they are aware of it may tend to over react or overestimate their problems as the odours from their breath or body may not be anywhere near as bad as they think. Some will overuse performs to cover up these smells or use so many creams to the extent that they may start smelling like a flower garden in full bloom.

In truth almost every human being at one time or the other will suffer from bad breath or body odour as our diets will contain foods that will bring up bad breath or be in different harsh weather conditions that will make us sweat beyond normal while also quickly drying on our skin before we have the time to change clothes and have our baths but for some people the extent of the problem can lead to misery and become a constant source of worry to the extent that the person may not function well in a social setting as usual. In many instances the individual suffering from halitosis or bad body odour will only become aware of the condition only after having been informed of the condition by a close person because it is quite possible to have this problem without even being aware that one has it. It is mostly the manner of relaying this information that will affect how the sufferer will start relating with people.

There are a lot of ways that people can get these bodily odours ranging from illnesses like tooth decay, gum disease, yeast and other infections of the mouth, lactose intolerance to

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Can mouth/body

eating oily food or fish, onions, excessive alcohol intake and smoking and not just from poor oral or personal hygiene. In fact, if a person drinks excessively regularly or chain smokes in all kinds of weather conditions especially in the hot sun, there will be plenty of evidence for these odours. Truth be told, individuals with one or both addictions of alcoholism and smoking may regularly produce these unpleasant odours as a result of their lifestyles. The reason why excessive consumption of alcohol and cigarette smoking can lead to bad breath and body odour can be explained by the way the body deals with both. The two substances are basically seen as toxins by the body and while it tries to convert both to less harmful chemicals through metabolic breakdown, the body will release the harmful untreatable toxins through sweat and also via the respiratory system among other methods of removing toxins from the body.

A female friend of mine in a social network group while chatting about this topic put it vividly by saying that bad mouth odour from a partner can kill sex urges or even destroy sexual satisfaction faster than the thought of her mother walking in on her and her partner during love making. She said the thought of the embarrassment for her would be as if her world had come to an end. And the same goes for me.

Most men in the circle I move in wouldn’t even want to be caught dead with bad body odours or halitosis not to talk of dating a woman who’s got it. I can remember I once was interested in a very beautiful lady while in the university who had caught my fancy then because she was not only beautiful but she had a very good diction and command of the English language. What put me off was a severe case of halitosis when I got the opportunity of getting close to her to converse. That was the end of any amorous thoughts I had about her. As much as most cases can be treated, not dealing will the problem will definitely reduce if not even kill sexual satisfaction in a relationship.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

Should you call it quits over bad sex?

T

he lights are low. Your clothes lie in a heap on the floor. You reach for each other. The two of you tumble unto the bed, and...

Blah.

No explosions of passion. No breathy proclamations of desire. No tumultuous climax. Then you wonder: How can everyone in movies and romance novels be having fiery, combustible sex when you and your partner barely create a spark?

TV shows and movies give us this very skewed representation of what sex is supposed to be like.

Everyone seems to be climaxing and having orgasms all the time from whatever they’re doing.

When you grow up on a diet of that, and then your real life doesn’t match, you think, ‘There’s something wrong with me,’ or, ‘There’s something wrong with my partner.’

Real-life sex can almost never measure up to the passion portrayed on the screen. Movies hardly, if ever, portray sex scenes in which people pass gas when they are in an odd sex position or where someone takes the love of his/her life in their arms only to discover that s/he has bad breath.

Sex in the real world isn’t perfect, and it doesn’t always end with an earth-shattering climax -- and it doesn’t have to. Good sex doesn’t necessarily have to be about an orgasm. It can just be an emotionally fulfilling experience between partners.

• From mediocre to combustible Even when everything else in the relationship is working, sexual styles aren’t always compatible.

You like long foreplay sessions. Your partner is ready to go in an instant. You long for wet, sensual kisses. He prefers dry, chaste pecks. Sex is not just naturally perfect. There is the energy of a new relationship that is positive -- the excitement and the eagerness and the passion. And the negative is that you bump noses or knees because you just haven’t learned how to ‘dance together’ yet.

But even long-term couples can struggle in the bedroom. Though we can easily tell our partner what shirt/blouse we’d like him/her to wear, or what we’d like for dinner, we tend to get tongue-tied when it comes to the topic of sex.

• Time to talk People tend to be very sensitive when it comes to talking about sex. They’re afraid of hurting their partner’s feelings, so they don’t tell them what they like or don’t like. But you’re not going to get it unless you ask for it.

So how do you tell your partner what you want without bruising his or her ego? It’s really in how you phrase the statement. ‘I would love it if we...’ or, ‘Could we try this?’ You don’t want to make them feel bad about what they’ve done or haven’t

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RELATIONSHIPS

August 15, 2015

onships

Female

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Angle

JACQUI IWU 08165049669 email: amiicaregroup@aol.com

y odour kill love?

Your guess is as good as mine

A

This column is x-rated done.

You can have the conversation whenever and wherever it’s most comfortable for you.

But before you talk, you need to know exactly what it is about your sex life that bothers you.

Is it a question of technique? Personal hygiene?

Timing? Once you know what isn’t working for you, there are things you can suggest that can mitigate those circumstances.

For example, if something about your partner’s smell is turning you off, suggest taking a bath together before making love. If you crave more foreplay, ask for a slower entry into sex.

Before you can tell your partner what you want him or her to do in bed, you need to know what you like. This is especially for women.

They’ve got to explore their own bodies and know exactly what turns them on.

• When it’s just not working After you’ve tried talking and the sex still isn’t working, what then?

Experiment together. Learn to get to know each other’s bodies.

Try sex aids. Read books with pictures or watch an educational video together. Not porn, but explicit videos in which a voice-over explains what’s happening in the scenes.

Sometimes, the problem is a physical one, such as premature ejaculation. Or it may be that the stress from your job is bleeding over into the bedroom and disrupting your sex life.

In those cases it you need to take time to unravel why you two are not getting along in bed and try to remedy it.

This column is x-rated • Getting it or faking it If you’re still unsatisfied, is it ever OK to fake it in bed?

If you’re faking it, you’re doing yourself a disservice because you’re not learning what really turns you on. And eventually, faking takes a toll. Your partner is going to realise that you’re disconnected.

• So should you end your relationship/marriage over bad sex?

Can sex ever be bad enough to consider ending a relationship over? Possibly. You might really love somebody and the sex is never going to be better than OK. You have to decide whether you can live with that.

Whenever you’re considering a breakup or divorce, you need to weigh every element of the relationship and not just the sex. You can’t have everything in life. If you have a wonderful relationship and you love each other or you have kids but the sex isn’t great, maybe you can live with that.

Every couple has the potential to have good sex if they’re willing to put a little effort into it. If you’re two emotionally and physically healthy people, you should be able to work with what you’ve got. Not everybody needs to be hanging off the chandelier or sitting on the washing machine to experience good sex. You can get better. But you have to practice, and you have to be open to discussing it and helping each other to make one another happy.

person having body odour/ halitosis? What a bad romantic killer!!! Just one of them is enough to kill your romance not to talk of when you have a combination of both of them. I sincerely pity anyone reading this who is encountering any of this ugly body issue.

Body odour usually occur to most people who have or keep poor body hygiene. I keep wondering why someone living in the tropics where we have harsh sun could go home at the end of the day after sweating so much without taking a good bath.

Can people go for days without taking their baths but just using water to wash face/legs and off they scamper out of their houses? Do your own survey and you will know!

Apart from those who hate taking regular bath even when they are not lacking water and soap, there are those who experience bad odour even with having regular bath. So what can really make someone who takes regular bath still have bad or chronic body odor?

There are certain foods we eat that excrete their odour through the pores of our skin and if we do not go extra miles in maintaining very high body hygiene. Foods like garlic, onions, beans, eggs, groundnuts, soymilk, beef, fish,milk and some vegetables can really make those who do not like to keep excellent body hygiene have body odour.

Apart from the foods we eat, those who bleach their skin with certain skin bleaching products tend to have terrible body odour. In a climatic conditions like ours, such people will over sweat and because the melanin that protects the inner skin has been scrapped off by the bleaching agents, the sun will tend to eat up the fresh revealed skin that should be protected under, destroying it and making it to smell. Such people especially women, tend to have serious issues with their partners when it comes to making love. Their body smells awful no matter how many times they bath and amount of perfume they wear.

Men who usually do not like to bathe before bed usually smell awful and this can drive their wives away from them. Your wife has the right to reject you due to your body odour because, the idea of your body smelling is a bad turn-off when it comes to love making.

On the side of halitosis which is another bad odour from the mouth.

The foods i listed above are also among the food items that can cause it when someone who enjoys such foods do not keep good oral hygiene.

These are very healthy foods but you must ensure to keep a fantastic oral hygiene if you love eating them so much. Garlic/onions smell can last long in the mouth and smells awful.

So it is proper you brush your mouth twice in a day with a good brush and tooth paste...best after eating such foods to reduce their odour.

Another causes of halitosis is dirty stomach. There are men and women with protruding stomach.

Ever wondered what makes your stomach so big? (Apart from women who have fibroids) The contents of your stomach are filled with garbbage that should be eliminated so that when you speak, your mouth will not smell. The contents in your stomach smells out through your mouth but most of you will not belive this. By the time you detox and cleanse your inside, keeping a good oral hygiene you will see your mouth odour will be gone for good.

Does haliotsis reduces sexual satisfaction? Big time yes!!! How do you kiss someone whose mouth smells like a garbbage? Sorry, it is another big romantic turn-off just like body odour. There is no pretence in this one because if you keep kissing someone with bad mouth odour, you are ingesting some kind of bacteria.

Yes, there are bacteria in the mouth that should be destroyed but they are just there in your mouth causing bad breathe. Anyone who keeps coming in contact with your saliva is also at risk of being infected. Why on earth must you even tolerate someone with halitosis rather than tell the person to tackle the problem. If your wife or husband/love partner has halitosis, stop pretending it is not disturbing you and dying in silence, talk with him or her and get a solution for it.

The men are guilty of this and they feel they owe the women no apology for not making out time to keep a good oral hygiene. This is very wrong!

Body odour and halitosis are two body issues that no one must tolerate. They will not only destroy your romance, they will spoil your personal image.

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August 15, 2015

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Woman

‘If you worry less, you’ll look younger’ –Obilor

Omu Obilor has a degr ee in Engineering, but engages in many busi she is the Chief Execut nesses beyond engine ive Officer of OmuObilo ering. At present, r-L ux ur y Event Planner. She al organisation called Chi so runs a non-governm ldren Living with Cance ental r Foundation, where sh affects children. The gr e creates awareness on oup also dwells on the cancer as it importance of early de ADENIRAN, she spea tection. In this interview ks on her profession an with YEMISI d other related issues.

Excerpts: You are a woman of many parts. Can you tell us the different areas you are into?

Let me simply say that Omu is the woman next door who loves life and

living.

And that informed my decision to be a luxury event planner. I graduated with a Bachelors in Engineering, worked briefly and veered into busi-

ness. I am a member of the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) and a Sandals and Beaches specialist. I also

maintain good relationship with various destination facility providers, with

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When you worry less, you look younger because stress kills one

gradually.

35

August 15, 2015

Eating well and eating

right is also another secret of looking good and it is also good to engage in exercises emphasis on luxury. I speak at various international industry events and have succeeded in building a good network that enables me work anywhere in the world. I am a blogger and I love reading.

Why did you go into Luxury Event Planning?

I built a strong network with a lot of world leaders in the industry and they all told me that I belong in the area of event planning. Any time we discussed, they would tell me separately that they felt that I would carve a niche for myself. I knew that as well but wasn’t too sure how well I would be accepted, especially in my environment. However, the turning point was when I attended the Luxury Event Planners Summit in 2013.

Was there anyone who influenced your choice?

Quite a number of people did.

However, Lynnette and Sasha did encourage me. For every time I felt I was throwing resources down the drain attending these conferences, they assured me I would reap good results in future.

What would you say made you interested in destination weddings?

It was a coincidence. Sandals and Beaches is one of the members of the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC) and there is a free training at the annual conference. I got my initial exposure through it. Thereafter, I started exploring other viable destinations after my first trip.

How come there is no chapter of this association in Nigeria?

There is really no special reason.

They are actually open to opening a chapter in Nigeria but there has to be at least 13 members.

How do you spend your spare time?

I am a gym rat! I am also on the board of an NGO I work with. It’s called Children Living with Cancer Foundation. There, we create awareness of childhood cancer , and the importance of early detection.

What inspired your NGO? I was brought up to look out for the less-privileged. Apart from that I feel awful when I go to places like LUTH and see children who need just 10,000.00 to stay alive. You start to ask yourself questions. You feel pity for them and want to help out in one way or the other. The NGO is basically to find a way of assisting the less-privileged in that class.

There are so many NGOs today.

What makes yours stand out?

CLWCF is the first charity organisation catering for children with

cancer and their families. Quite a number of others had come up and folded up almost immediately.

The focus of your NGO is health related. How do you manage it, particularly when you are not a professional in that area.

We have health professionals and parents on the board and that makes us to be at the heart of the problem.

What forms does the support take?

We create awareness as well as support via provision of free drugs, counseling, creating an oncology ward for children, equipping the ward. We are indeed still equipping the ward and offering training for health care givers.

As a stylish woman, do you have any beauty routine?

I don’t have any beauty routine but I make sure that I have the contentment of God within me. I love the way I am and that is helping me a lot. A good way to keep a youthful look is to learn to be grateful to God for everything he has given you both within and without. If you will learn to appreciate what you have been given, how you have been made, you will be surprised at how beautiful you can be. Having a good rest when the body needs it is also a very essential way to youthful looks. Do the best you can and leave the rest to God. You don’t have to get unnecessarily worried about anything when you know that you have a God who is able and capable of handling situations for you. When you worry less, you look younger because stress kills one gradually. Eating well and eating right is also another secret of looking good and it is also good to engage in exercises no matter how small. If one will be careful to observe all of the above as a matter of duty, one will not only look younger but naturally beautiful too.

What is your advice for the young ones that are coming up?

What I can tell them is to be patient and also to be seekers of light.

They should learn to believe in God. What will be, will surely be.

They should also believe and be confident in themselves. Whatever career they want to do or carry on with should be done with sincerity and seriousness as well as dedication and commitment. They should live a life that fears and reverences God in all that they do. Once they have all of these and learn to rest on God, success will surely come their way.

Keeping ABREAST

Just ONE abortion or miscarriage can ‘ruin’ you –New study

W

omen who go through just one abortion or miscarriage are more likely to face complications during future pregnancies, scientists have warned.

It has long been established that undergoing several abortions or enduring more than one miscarriage increases the risk of problematic subsequent pregnancies.

Among the recognised complications, these women face higher chances of vaginal bleeding, pre-term birth, low birth weight and placenta complications.

But, a new study has now revealed those women who experience a single interruption in pregnancy during the first trimester, are 30 per cent more likely to face complications in future, than women who have not experienced a pregnancy loss.

They include higher rates of induced labour, caesarean sections and retained placenta after delivery.

But whether the first pregnancy was ended intentionally or spontaneously made little difference.

Researchers at Tel Aviv University, led by Dr Liran Hiersch, analysed 15,000 deliveries at Rabin Medical Center in Israel over the last five years.

They compared the pregnancy outcomes of nulliparous women - those who experienced a single previous firsttrimester interruption - with those of primigravidas women - those in their first pregnancy with no past history of abortion or miscarriage.

They focused on women who had either a naturally occurring miscarriage, known as a spontaneous abortion, or who had what’s known as an inducted, or induced abortion, using medication or surgery.

Overall, the researchers found that women with a previous pregnancy terminated by miscarriage or abortion

had a higher rate of fertility treatments and were more likely to have diabetes during pregnancy than the control group of women who didn’t have a prior terminated pregnancy.

Among the women with a past terminated pregnancy, 53 per cent had miscarriages, 33 per cent had abortions and another 14 per cent didn’t have the type of termination specified in their records.

About seven per cent of women with a prior abortion or miscarriage had labour induction, compared with about five per cent of women pregnant for the first time.

Caesarean deliveries were performed for 25 per cent of women with a prior terminated pregnancy, compared with 18 per cent of the other women.

Retained placenta after birth - where the placenta fails to deliver - occurred with about seven per cent of women who had a history of miscarriage or abortion, compared with roughly five per cent of the other women.

But extensive bleeding, a serious side effect of the placenta failing to emerge after the baby, was rare and happened in roughly three per cent of the deliveries regardless of the women’s prior pregnancy history.

Lead researcher, Dr Liran Hiersch, said, “A history of normal pregnancy is considered protective from adverse outcomes, so this group already had an advantage over those who had pregnancy loss in their past.”

Dr Hiersch said it is important to emphasise that a single pregnancy loss is a ‘very common event’ during a woman’s reproductive years.

“In most cases it has no effect on future fertility or pregnancy outcome,” Dr Hiersch added.

“In addition, although we found that a single early pregnancy loss was associated with an increased risk for subsequent adverse pregnancy outcome, the effect was mild.

Parenting

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August 15, 2015

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

Safety tips to protect your children at home this holiday (1)

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bout 21/2 million children are injured or killed by hazards in the home each year. The good news is that many of these incidents can be prevented by using simple child safety devices on the market today.

Any safety device you buy should be sturdy enough to prevent injury to your child, yet easy for you to use. It’s important to follow installation instructions carefully. In addition, if you have older children in the house, be sure they’re secure safety devices. Remember, too, that no device is completely childproof; determined youngsters have been known to disable them.

You can childproof your home for a fraction of what it would cost to have a professional do it. And safety devices are easy to find. You can buy them at hardware stores, baby equipment shops, supermarkets, drug stores, home and linen stores, and through mail order catalogues.

Here are some child safety devices that can help prevent many injuries to young children.

Use safety latches and locks: Use safety latches and locks for cabinets and drawers in kitch-

ens, bathrooms, and other areas to help prevent poisonings and other injuries. Safety latches and locks on cabinets and drawers can help prevent children from gaining access to medicines and household cleaners, as well as knives and other sharp objects.

Look for safety latches and locks that adults can easily install and use, but are sturdy enough to withstand pulls and tugs from children. Safety latches are not a guarantee of protection, but they can make it more difficult for children to reach dangerous substances.

Even products with child-resistant packaging should be locked away, out of reach; this packaging is not childproof.

Use safety gates: Use safety gates to help prevent falls down stairs and to keep children away from dangerous areas. Safety gates can help keep children away from stairs or rooms that have hazards in them. Look for safety gates that children cannot dislodge easily, but that adults can open and close without difficulty. For the top of stairs, gates that screw to the wall are more secure than “pressure gates.” If you have an older safety gate, be sure it doesn’t have “V” shapes

ParentingUpdate S

tudies have shown a link between TV and language development in babies.

The more time babies spend watching television, the more slowly they learn to talk.

According to this view, television is noxious, like cigarette smoke. But whereas cigarettes damage the lungs, television damages the mind. Watching TV makes you (quite literally) dumb.

TV is linked with slower language acquisition because TV time tends to displace conversation time between babies and adults.

What the data really show Television is merely a

medium for transmitting information. Surely it’s the information that counts, not the medium itself. Indeed, experiments have shown that kids who watch ageappropriate educational programmes, like Blues Clues, show immediate improvements in their abilities to recall information and to solve the sorts of problems modeled in the shows Possibly, certain aspects of television—like the fast pace or rapid change of scenes—might contribute to the development of short attention spans. This disturbing idea receives support from several studies, including a recent experiment that compared the effects of

that are large enough for a child’s head and neck to fit into.

Use door knob covers and door locks: Use door knob covers and door locks to help prevent children from entering rooms and other areas with possible dangers. Door knob covers and door locks can help keep children away from places with hazards, including swimming pools. Be sure the door knob cover is sturdy enough not to break, but allows a door to be opened quickly by an adult in case of emergency. By restricting access to potentially hazardous rooms in the home, door knob covers could help prevent many kinds of injuries. To prevent access to swimming pools, door locks should be placed high out of reach of young children.

Locks should be used in addition to fences and door alarms. Sliding glass doors, with locks that must be re-secured after each use, are often not an effective barrier to pools.

Use anti-scald devices: Use anti-scald devices for faucets and shower heads and set your water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help prevent burns from hot water.

Anti-scald devices for regulating

water temperature can help prevent burns. Consider using anti-scald devices for faucets and showerheads. A plumber may need to install these. In addition, if you live in your own home, set water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit to help prevent burns from hot water.

Use smoke detectors: Use smoke detectors on every level

of your home and near bedrooms to alert you to fires. Smoke detectors are essential safety devices for protection against fire deaths and injuries. Check smoke detectors once a month to make sure they’re working. If detectors are battery-operated, change batteries at least once a year or consider using 10-year batteries.

CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

Tiny Feet

NAME: Zainab Dasola Aduke Oladele BORN TO: Mr and Mrs Oladele AGE: 2 months old BIRTH WEIGHT: 2.5 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

Watching TV linked with slower language acquisition in kids - Study

“fast-edit” and “slow-edit” television on 4- to 7- year old school kids.

However, that’s not proof that TV makes you dumb.

What does seem likely is that babies have a relatively difficult time learning to talk by watching and listening to TV programmes. To learn to speak, babies benefit from social interaction. When it

comes to learning speech, nothing beats a live conversation A leading researcher in the field of language acquisition, has demonstrated this point in some elegant experiments on babies.

She and her colleagues presented 9-month old American babies with an unfamiliar language—Mandarin

Chinese. In one experiment, babies were allowed to interact with a real, live Mandarin speaker. After 12 sessions, these babies showed an enhanced ability to discriminate certain speech sounds that are common in the Mandarin language.

But when the experiment was repeated with another set of infants who watched only televised language tutors, the results were different. The babies exposed to Mandarin via TV were no more likely than control infants to discriminate Mandarin speech sounds.

Research suggests that conversation, not listening to stories or watching TV, has the strongest positive effect on language development.

Culled from www.

Healthlinks.com

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 15, 2015

People

Meet man who has been living as a goat!

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homas Thwaites is currently investigating what it might be like to live as a goat.

He commissioned prosthetics for his arms and legs so that he could walk, as comfortably as possible, on all fours.

He considered constructing an artificial rumen that would digest grass for him to consume, using actual gut bacteria found in goats. He consulted with a behavioural expert on goats, and even watched as a goat was dissected, to learn more about the animal he wanted to be.

But the best part is that Thwaites also arranged to live as a goat for a few days on a goat farm in the Swiss Alps amongst actual grazing goats.

“I was able to keep up for maybe a kilometre or so on this migration down the side of this kind of rocky mountain, and then they just left me in the dust,” Thwaites says.

“So I spent the rest of the day trying to catch up with them. Eventually, I found them again, and it was quite nice, in the actual soft grassy pasture bit. But actually heading down the mountain was petrifying. Because if I fell, I didn’t have any hands to stop me from hitting a rock.”

Thwaites is a conceptual designer based in England with an interest in technology, science and futures research. His previous projects have included ruminations on the future of genetic engineering and a hypothetical ‘god-as-a-service’ called Nebo. His latest project is similar, in that it considers how humans might augment themselves in the future.

“Posthumanism, transhumanism technology and stuff, is about allowing humans to achieve their desires in a way. And I guess some people’s desires aren’t necessarily to become super intelligent,” Thwaites explains further.

Post -humanism, trans humanism , technology and stuff , is about allowing humans to achieve their desires in a way .

And I

guess some people ’ s desires aren ’ t necessarily to become super intelligent

“In other words, it stands to reason that not everyone will want to be a cyborg. Some might prefer not to evolve, but to de-evolve instead. To be a nonhuman animal? So much calmer and simpler!” Thwaites exclaims triumphantly.

I wanted to explore what it would be like to live as a creature immune to the worries and frustrations—the “existential terror”—of everyday life, and to do so as authentically as possible with the technology that exists today. And then the biomedical charity, The Wellcome Trust, said, ‘go on then,’ and gave me a small arts award.”

Thwaites set a goal of crossing the Swiss Alps, and found a sympathetic goat farmer who was willing to let him live amongst his herd in September 2014.

But living as a goat—let alone navigating the region’s rocky, sloping terrain, Thwaites would soon discover— was far from easy.

There was little time to get used to the prosthetics, which placed a painful amount of weight on his arms when travelling downhill. It was much too cold and rainy to sleep with the goats outside, so Thwaites and his team set up camp each night.

And, of course, there was the matter of convincing the goats that this funnylooking man with prosthetic limbs and a helmet was actually one of their own!

“I found myself at nearly the highest point on the hill of the whole herd of goats, and there was this moment where I looked and noticed that all the other goats had stopped chewing and were looking at me,” he recalls.

“I hadn’t been scared at all before, but I suddenly became aware of their quite sharp and pointed horns.”

“A particular goat that I’d been hanging out with a lot seemed to have defused the situation,” he laughs. “I might just

be making human stories in my brain, but that’s what it seemed to me.”

Another farmer, whose herd was grazing with Thwaites, thought the goats had accepted him too.

In total, he travelled with the goats for three days, and spent another three days as a solitary goat.

This September, Thwaites will exhibit photos and other materials from his project at London’s Studio1.1 Gallery from September 3 to 17. He also has a book coming out in the spring with Princeton Architectural Press, tentatively titled ‘GoatMan: How I Took a Holiday from Being Human.’

“I think it’s a bit of an ongoing thing, because it seems so tantalizingly close to be able to gallop and be free and just eat grass,” Thwaites says.

“I’m not sure how close I’ll get in reality, but in my mind, my fantasy, I’m just one prototype away.”

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August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘My husband accused me of sleeping with his dad’ • While living with my father-in-law, my husband accused his father of sleeping with me. He said that was the only reason he would have allowed me into his house after he had sent me out of his —Wife

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rs. Shadia Ayoola has asked the Agege Customary Court to dissolve her marriage with Mr. Dare Ali. Ayoola claims that there is no more love in her marriage; that her husband threatens her life every time just as he has impreg-

‘Our butcher is sleeping with my wife’

•

I was surprised to see our butcher’s number on her phone. She said that he was just being nice to her. But when I called the number, the butcher told me that I should stop calling him if I don’t want to vomit blood ­—Husband • When I was sick, it was the butcher who paid for my treatment. Since then, he has continued to ask after my well-being and has been taking care of my child and me —Wife Stories by: Muda Oyeniran

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latunde Ogundimu has told the Agege customary court that after he risked his life to save his wife’s, she proceeded to have an affair with a man who is well known to him.

He said that his wife moves around without regard to the fact that she is a married woman. He added that she usually leaves home very early in the morning with the excuse that she is going to her mother’s house and would not return until late in the night.

“She will go out on Saturday only to come back on Sunday and when asked; her mother would say she sent her on an errand.”

He alleged that his wife is also unfaithful as she’s having an affair with a butcher.

“I was surprised to see our butcher’s number on her phone. She said that he was just being nice to her by selling N45, 000 worth of meat to her, but when I called the num-

ber, the butcher told me that I should stop calling him if I don’t want to vomit blood.”

I was scared by his response and I stopped calling his number.

Disclosing how he once carried out a sacrifice on behalf of his wife, Olatunde said that his wife once had a serious cough which defied all treatment.

According to him, he spent a fortune to cure it, while no one rose to their help financially.

“The most secretive thing I did on her behalf was a ritual in form of sacrifice so that she could be healed. This was a thing I have never done for anyone else,” he added.

Yemisi had earlier in her testimony stated that she and her husband were married for six years and blessed with a two-year-old girl.

In her defence, she stated that it was her husband who told her to collect meat from

the butcher and had refused to pay him.

“When I was sick, it was the butcher who paid for my treatment. Since then, he has continued to ask after my well-being and has been taking care of my child and me,” she said.

She therefore pleaded with the court to dissolve the marriage.

The court ruled that the husband should pay N4, 000 pending when the case will end .

nated another woman.

Ali, a mason, however, told the court that all his wife had said were lies and that he wasn’t ready to divorce her.

He claimed it was because of their constant fighting that his wife decided to leave him.

He added that his wife once used a broken bottle to stab him.

He said, “My wife is very troublesome, she fights with everybody in the area and that is why I get angry with her every time. I have a younger wife that is now pregnant for me.”

He said when Ayoola heard about him impregnating another lady; she got furious and asked him not to marry her.

Because of that, he said she broke his television and threatened to leave him.

He explained that during the course of this problem, he became ill for three years and his wife never visited him.

“She left my house to rent her own apartment but I still went to visit her. She even claimed the landlord was making advances at her, that I should rent another apartment for her, whom I did,” Ali said.

He told the court that he went to check his wife one day only to find his children sleeping alone in the house.

He said he waited till evening but his wife never returned; then one of her neighbours told him that she hardly slept in the CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

‘I dreamt of my wife having extra marital affairs’

• She had once confessed of her infidelity act, but later denied it, though she didn’t know that I recorded her confession­ ­—Husband

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43-year-old fashion designer, Mr Musiliu Bolaji, had approached an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos State to seek dissolution of his 13-year-old marriage to his wife, Memunat, over an alleged act of infidelity.

The petitioner was alleged to have accused his wife of an adulterous act, bad manners and trouble-making. “I dreamt, severally, that my wife was having extra marital affairs, I confronted her but she denied I

have also caught her red handed with her ex-boyfriend.

“She had once confessed of her infidelity act, but later denied it, though she didn’t know that I recorded her confession.

“More so, she is very rude and troublesome, I warned her to desist from her adulterous manner but she wouldn’t listen. “I reported to my motherin-law but she refused to call her daughter to order while my wife did not desist from her adulterous act,’’ he said. “I am

no more interested in the marriage,’’ Bolaji, a resident of Omobolaji Avenue, in Ikorodu, said.

The 33-year-old Memunat, however, denied all the claims by her husband whom she accused of having another wife.

The trader and mother of three children said, “My husband has another wife which he didn’t tell me about ; but the lady in question, confronted me herself and told me she is my junior wife. “We have been

living in peace until recently when he changed his attitude toward me. I do not want to leave my husband, I pray the court to help us settle our disputes,’’ Memunat said. The President, Mr Olu Adebiyi, ordered the couple to bring their family members to court at the next sitting for possible reconciliation.

Adebiyi, however, adjourned the case till September 7 for further hearing. (www.freedomonline.com)

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

DIVORCE COURT

August 15, 2015

‘She doesn’t prepare my food on time’

39

• Most times, I go to the canteen to eat when I am hungry. There is no point in harbouring a wife that makes me hungry —Husband

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or being late to prepare meals for him, a 57-year-old man, Olufade Adekoya, has done the unexpected to his wife of 25 years.

The aggrieved husband took his wife, Olusola, to an Ikorodu Customary Court in Lagos where their marriage was dissolved. According to the president of the court, Olu Adebiyi, he dissolved the marriage because there was ‘‘no longer any love in the marriage.’’

He pointed out that all the efforts of the court of law to settle the rift between the couple have proven abortive.

The 57-year-old husband had told the court that his wife does not cook for him regularly and when she does, the food comes late.

“My wife had failed in her matrimonial obligations; she doesn’t prepare my food on time, I have warned her several times but she wouldn’t listen to me.

Most times I go to the canteen to eat when I am hungry; there is no point in harbouring a wife that makes me hungry. In fact, my sister saw me there one of these days, I am totally fed up. Please separate us, I am no more interested in the marriage.’’

However, the 45-year-old

wife said all her husband’s allegations are lies. She claimed her husband wants to take in another wife, hence, his refusal to allow the court settle the matter amicably.

‘My husband made his mistress an evangelist’

• He has lost his mind since he ate vegetable soup in the house of one of the sisters in the church. I don’t love him anymore. I want a divorce —Wife

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n Orile-Agege Customary Court in Lagos has dissolved the 20-yearold marriage of a pastor, who had accused his wife of infidelity and threat to his life.

Pastor Sunday Owonikoko, 51, had filed a petition at the court on May 27, saying he could no longer continue with his wife, Bolajoko, 47.

Ruling in the case, court president, Mr Joseph Adewusi, said the marriage has broken down irretrievably.

His words: “Starting from today, you cease to be addressed as husband and wife; you shall go your separate ways and maintain the peace.

“The custody of the under-

‘My husband accused me of sleeping with his dad’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 36 house.

He said that he slept there till the next day but his wife still didn’t return and when he called her, she claimed she was in the house.

“I’ve tried all I can to bring her back to my house but she refused,” he said.

But Ayoola claimed that she left her husband’s house in August 2010, after he threw her things out.

She said after her husband threw her out, she had to sleep in front of her friend’s husband’s shop because her mother didn’t allow her into her house.

She said it was then that her father-in-law asked her to come

and live with him, which she did.

“While living with my fatherin-law, my husband accused his father of sleeping with me as that was the only reason he would have allowed me into his house after he (Ali) had sent me out of his.

He told his dad that he had no reason to accommodate me in his house,” she said.

Ayoola said immediately the allegation was made, her fatherin-law threw her out of his house and she had to rent another apartment for herself.

She denied that it was her husband who got and paid for her apartment.

She said her husband stopped sleeping with her after he married the second wife.

aged among the children is referred to Ikeja Family Court for final decision, but in the interim, the children should remain with the petitioner.

“The petitioner, Pastor Sunday Owonikoko, should pay a compensation fee of N25,000 to the defendant and also secure accommodation for her.”

The pastor, who lives at 1, Alowole St., Papa Ashafa, Orile-Agege, had told the court that his wife was still seeing her ex-lovers.

“My wife once travelled to

Ghana to meet one of her concubines. She did family planning without my consent and she goes out at will.

“She was suspended from the church for six months because she fought all ministers in the church. She then established her church, she fought all the members of the church, and they all left.”

The father of four children, aged between 19 years and 11 years, had also told the court that his wife threatened to destroy him and the church.

“I want the court to dissolve the union and grant me custody

of my children,” he had said.

Bolajoko, an evangelist, had, however, denied the allegations in her response.

She said: “My husband is adulterous. He has slept with almost all the sisters in the church. A mother of seven is presently living with him and he has made the woman an evangelist.”

Bolajoko told the court that her husband had “lost his mind” since he ate vegetable soup in the house of one of the sisters in the church. I don’t love him anymore, I want a divorce.”

‘She has starved me of sex for over 21 years’

• My wife is very abusive and uses different offensive words on me whenever we have a misunderstanding —Husband

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he relationships between Paul Odunbaku, 63, and his wife Titilayo were officially put to an end by a Mushin Customary Court as the husband could not endure the absence of sex and continuous emotional abuse.

The court President, Rukayat Wushishi, however asked the spouses to maintain peace as they had been blessed with 6 children.

Wushishi urged Paul to continue being father to his kids, 5 of whom are already married.

The petitioner explained that there had been no love

and sex between the two spouses for the past 21 years.

He also disclosed that Titilayo threatened him with physical violence.

“My wife has starved me of sex for over 21 years and has tried to pour acid on me. She did not stop at that, Titilayo also on one occasion threatened to stab me with a knife.

“My wife is very abusive and uses different offensive words on me whenever we have a misunderstanding and she also throws various dangerous objects at me.”

Titilayo, a school teacher, had

no objections and agreed on marriage dissolution saying that she was no longer interested in their relationships.

She added that she had tried several times to settle their differences with the help of their church, but to no avail.

According to the woman, she started refusing to have sex with her husband in fear of having more pregnancies, after delivering 6 children.

Titilayo confessed she had had to abort several pregnancies because they could not cater for more children.

(NAN)

EVENTS

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The stars shine with Ndani 40

August 15, 2015

Ndani is one programme that has really been supporting the celebrities. So when it launched its Ndani Series Bouquet last weekend in Lagos, it was only natural that the celebrities should turn up at the event. And they did in their numbers.

From Ngozi Nwosu to Falz, Victoria Kimani and Kehinde Bankole, the stars were at their brightest.

Mercy Ajisafe

IK Ogbonna

Adunni Ade

Tomi Odunsi

Chigurl

Ngozi Nwosu

Kehinde Bankole

Dammy Krane

Toni Tones

Falz

Victoria Kimani

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

August 15, 2015

Diabetic Foot Doctor Talabi has answers to your health questions

Write him today at prettyprevent@gmail.com or text 09099346165 (sms only pls)

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ccording to existing literature, people with diabetes are twenty five times more likely to lose a leg than non diabetics. Now, this is not meant to be a doomsday prediction but a call to action. An effort to let people with diabetes know how important foot care is in the overall management of the condition.

In a study by Chin-Hsiao Tseng (2008),about half of all non-traumatic lower extremity amputations are performed on diabetic patients .In almost all cases these amputations, especially of lower limbs are preceded by foot ulcers. Approximately ten percent of diabetics will have a foot ulcer in their lifetime. About a quarter of this will eventually progress to lower limb amputation. Diabetes, a group of metabolic diseases characterised by high blood sugar over a prolonged period of time, has assumed an epidemic status globally; the last estimate being about 400 million people affected. It is a multisystemic disease, affecting almost every part of the body with different complications. One of such complications is diabetic foot.

Definition

A diabetic foot is one usually seen in diabetics with constellation of pathological changes usually preceded by a non healing ulcer and often resulting in amputation and other complications. It is commoner in diabetics above 40 years of age. Talking of predisposing factors, diabetic foot is also commoner in ­–Males ­–In those who have been diabetic for a longer period ­–In diabetic smokers ­–In those with poor blood sugar control ­–In uneducated diabetics ­–In diabetics living in rural areas ­–And in those with other co-existing disease condition such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia

Causes A combination of factors makes diabetics susceptible to foot problems.

These are Diseases of the nerves: leading to loss of sensation in the feet. As a result, the individual may have leg injury without knowing it. If this persists, it can lead to foot ulcer Diseases of the arteries: this leads to poor blood supply to the limbs, thereby slowing healing of ulcer and increasing risk of infection Reduced immunity: diabetes being an immunocompromised state; the ability to fight infection reduces. A small

infection can then easily fester, leading to non healing wound, gangrene or eventual amputation Trauma: sometimes diabetic foot problems commence after a traumatic injury to the foot, especially one that is not quickly nipped in the bud Foot deformity: diabetes also sometimes leads to formation of calluses and deformity of limbs. The most important of this is Charcot joint. The deformed limb with constant pressure on weight bearing areas can break down the skin and lead to a diabetic ulcer.

Poor vision: common in diabetes, may result in falls and injury. It also makes it difficult for these individuals to take care of their toe nails, leading to overgrown nails or injury while self-cutting nails.

Symptoms Diabetic ulcers are of two varieties, ulcers due to nerve disease and those due to diseases of the arteries. Variations exist in their presenting symptoms. For example, while neuropathic (nerves) ulcers occur commonly on the part of the foot resting on the ground, ischeamic(arteries) ulcers are common on the side of the foot. In addition neuropathic ulcers may make the foot warm with distended veins and no pain, but ischeamic ulcers are usually painful, cool, with no pulse Generally, diabetic foot may present with punched out ulcers and super im-

posed infection giving rise to pus formation, smelly and swollen foot A more complicated disease may present in form of Charcot foot, a rare emergency, with bone and joint abnormalities and deformity of the foot.

In addition patient may present with uncontrolled blood sugar.

Treatment Herbs and homemade remedies have no role in the treatment of diabetic foot beyond complicating the wound and delaying life saving treatment. Therefore, individual should present in the hospital at the first sign of foot ulcer to improve the chances of healing and reduce the probability of amputation Treatments usually include: ­–Blood sugar control ­–Health education ,especially on foot care ­–Wound care and toileting if necessary ­–Antibiotics and other drugs to control infection ­–Amputation: as bad as it sounds, could be life saving and better than keeping a dead limb which can infect the whole body leading to death.

Prevention In preventing diabetic foot, control of blood glucose is paramount .Closely related to this, is foot care. The following steps may help in keeping your feet safe: ­–Wash your feet everyday with warm water and soap, then dry. ­–Moisturize the feet but leave out in

between the toes ­–Keep your toenails short, and avoid cutting it yourself if you tend to harm yourself ­–Wear socks and shoes that fit comfortably ­–Always check your feet for bruises or blisters –Check your foot wears for tiny ­ stones or other things that can harm your feet ­–NEVER walk barefooted Other preventive measures: –Do not smoke; smoking cuts off ­ blood supply to your feet ­–Control your blood lipid and blood pressure ­–Present early at the hospital if you notice any foot symptom

Conclusion Diabetic foot is perhaps the commonest reason why people with diabetes are admitted in the hospital for days, taking a toll on man power, bed space and healthcare cost. Yet it has been said that systematic and regular foot care reduces the risk of chronic ulceration and amputation in the lower limb by more than 50%.

Here then is another example where prevention is not only cheaper, more convenient, and more sensible, It also saves a leg!

You can chat with a doctor FREE at www.prettyhealthcare.com.ng. Every Wednesdays and Fridays (4-8pm)

42

August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Igbo Baalu: Nigeria’s link with WW II On the hilly sides of Ikogosi-Ekiti is spread a beautiful but historic place: the site of the first air crash in Nigeria

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ost people who know Ikogosi or have read about it, identify the sleepy town in Ekiti State with only one thing, a natural phenomenon: the warm and cold spring.

The town is, however, a witness to world history in a way many don’t even dream of.

In fact, it harbours one of the greatest treasures of the nation’s history in the aviation sector. Ikogosi, it was, where Nigeria experienced her first plane crash. It was a victim of international disaster precipitated by the Second World War. How did this happen?

On Sunday 12 April, 1942 at about 8:15 pm, the agrarian town entered yet another phase in the history of life. It was the day one of the cargo planes used to ferry the war’s deadly munitions crashed on a hill within its territorial circumferences. That hill is today known as Igbo Baalu or Igbo Aeroplane that is the forest of Aeroplane.

The Igbo Aeroplane’s story is one that the town and its children rarely pontificate to the outside world but which nearly all of them know.

What exactly transpired on the said date many years ago and how did the Ilapa Hill come to be referred to as Igbo Baalu? Igbo being forest and baalu, aeroplane.

The monarch of the town, Onikogosi of Ikogosi Oba Elijah Abiodun Olorunishola, dared reveal his domain’s ‘open secret’ to the press.

But to really do this, Oba Olorunishola, raised a two- man team made up of Mr. Olu Adeniji, a retired school principal, whose father and grandfather played prominent roles at preserving the story and site of the crashed plane. The other person is Gbenga Adewale, a former councillor, and one of the youth leaders in the town.

“It is not accessible by road. We have to park under the car and walk for about one and a half hours; most of it climbing the hill,” he said pointing to the highest hill around the town. It is the Ilapa Hill which is over 675 meters high.

Adeniji, an indigene of the town and graduate of History at the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University, armed with his double barrelled gun led the way.

He told the chilling story of the etymology of Igbo Baalu.

“My father, Baba Ogunkoyo, the second in command to the monarch, was an Ifa worshipper. On the morning of 5 April, 1942, he

plane-wreckage

woke up as usual to consult the Ifa oracle. In his divination, he read that danger loomed on Ikogosi and that something which had never occurred in Ekiti would happen and that it would affect Ikogosi in particular. He informed some elders of his finding. And as it was the period of World War II. Different thoughts occupied their minds, various options were proffered. Would the war start in Ikogosi? Would the town be invaded by enemy or occupied by others? Would it be consumed by fire as almost all the houses then were of thatched roofs?

“As the guesses of what could happened raged on, another traditional chief told Ogunkoyo that rather than waste time ruminating on what the disaster could be, he should appease the gods and ask for the solution.

“So, Ifa instructed them that in order to divert the looming danger, a big dog should be fetched as quickly as possible, tied on the neck and specially prepared with certain incantations. It should then be dragged round the town and buried far away from where the people live possibly on a hill. And that exactly was what the elders did.

“And exactly seven days later, at about 8:15 pm on Sunday 12 April, 1942, a heavy deafening sound was heard from the Ilapa hill accompanied by a thick wild fire and smoke.

“It was a day pandemonium gripped the town. The people were terrified. Nobody was actually sure of what it was. This was more so because loud bangs of explosion continued to reverberate from the hill till

dawn.

“However, the following day, the people now gathered and decided to investigate what actually happened on the Ilapa hill.

“The expedition to the Hill top was spearheaded by one Sergeant Adeleke, a native of Emure who resided here (Ikogosi) accompanied by some elders, hunters and the brave ones.

“What happened was very obvious from afar. Lo and behold, it was a replica of the Biblical burning but this time the fire was consuming the bush. The inferno raging on the hill was so severe that they could not move closer.

“They descended to tell the whole town which had gathered at the palace what they saw.

“The pilot should be commended, I think he manipulated the cargo up to the hill to prevent it from landing in the town because if eventually it had fallen within the town, it would have been the end of Ikogosi because I assumed that the speed with which it would run through the town would have destroyed many houses and people including all the animals, taken into cognizance that the houses were of thatch roof.

“For almost five years, nothing grew on the top of the hill. The thick forest was devastated and remained barren. This was a rich forest hitherto populated by monkeys, antelopes, Baboons, water hog, buffaloes and other exotic fauna.

“After the incident people started going there to carry part of the relics. I remember that in 1960, I was there to pick my own

share and my father picked his too.

“This site was called Igbo Ilapa then and after the incident it was changed to Igbo Aeroplane, we don’t do any rituals on the hill, our hunters only venture here for games and there were big animals here before the incident. This is where my father killed a buffalo 1939.

Adeniji deployed his experience as a professional teacher in telling us the story about the incident so well that the journalists never realized that they were walking up to over 675 meters above the sea level, burrowing through the rich vegetation and forest, having a panoramic view of the surrounding towns and villages, hearing the insects ranting and the chirpings of the birds.

The team got to the top of the hill after a walk of about one hour. They took off at 1:30 pm and got to the site at 2:27.

At the central portion of the hill top where it seemed that one could actually touch the sky as it looked closer lies parts of the wreckage of the cargo plane, the remnants of what could not be carried away by the people.

The testimony of a disaster that could have wiped out the whole Ikogosi town had it been the plane crashed in the community. Lying there and covered with tall, wild brushes are two big rusted engines with 13 pistons holes!

After a combing of the Igbo Baluu, looking to find some other parts and locating some which have now been preserved for posterity, it was time to depart and there begun the descent from the hill while Adeniji and Adewale could not stop their many remarkable tales about the town.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

August 8, 2015

LEISURE

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August 15, 2015

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From the Civil Service Tax Administration: EIRS lauds Scouts Association

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L-R: CEO LiveWell Initiative, Mrs. Bisi Bright; Chairperson of the event, Mrs. Tawa Arilesere; Chairman Association of Hospital and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria(AHAPN), Mr. Kayode Aiyegbajeje and Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Monica Hemben Emurjege, during 2015 AHAPN Day in Lagos, on Thursday.

Maritime practitioners hail Abdullahi’s reinstatement as NPA MD

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aritime practitioners on Friday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for reinstating Malam Habib Abdullahi as Managing Director of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).

Abdullahi was removed in April, 2015, by former President Goodluck Jonathan and was replaced by Alhaji Sanusi Ado-Bayero.

A statement issued by Mr Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, on Thursday, announced the termination of Bayero’s appointment and said that it was with immediate effect.

Acting Chairman, Society of Nigerian Mariners, Mr Olu Akinsoji, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that reinstatement of Abdullahi was a sign that Buhari abhorred injustice.

According to Akinsoji, the action is a clear demonstration of the capability of the president to right whatever he considers wrong in the interest of the nation and protection of the integrity of his office.

He explained that Habib’s tenure was not concluded and that the maritime community was not informed of the offence he committed to warrant his sack. ``The shipping commu-

nity and our international shipping associates give significant respect to reliable governing principles, legal instruments, commitments, transparency and consistency. ``These are some of the major factors for shippingtrade enabling environment. ‘’The powers of hire and fire must be exercised with due regard to these principles for shipping development. ``The president has demonstrated, in my opinion, his clear understanding of these principles and I hope he will use that understanding to right the rest of the wrongs in the maritime industry,’’ he said.

Mrs Jean Chiazor-Anishere, President of Women International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA Nigeria), told NAN that the reappointment of Abdullahi was an attestation of his ability to steer the affairs of NPA. Chiazor-Anishere said the reinstatement was a vindication of his wrongful removal by the former president. ``This is a welcome development and a morale booster. We salute Mr President and congratulate Malam Habib,’’ she said.

Capt. Niyi Labinjo, President of Nigerian Ship Own-

ers Association (NISA), said that Abdullahi was a technocrat with good knowledge of maritime business.

On his part, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu, National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), commended the reversal of Abdullahi’s sack, saying

that it was a good action which showed that integrity paid.

Contributing, President, Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Capt. Saib Olopoenia, said reinstatement of Abdullahi showed that he was not justifiable sacked. (NAN)

he Executive Chairman, the Edo State Internal Revenue Services,(EIRS) Chief Sir Oseni Elamah has emphasized the important role of Scout Association of Nigeria (SAN) in Tax administration.

He made this known when he played host to the association members who were on excursion visit to the agency in Benin City.

Chief Elamah stressed the need for partnership between the EIRS and SAN using the body as a pointer to reaching members, parents/relations on the need to adhere to tax payment.

This he said will enable the government ensure the necessary environment for the youths who he described as the nation’s future leaders, just as he assured the body that he would not disappoint them on his investiture as patron, bestowed on him during the visit.

Earlier, the SAN leader, Livenus Anyanwu, said besides the body’s usual ac-

tivities they also deemed it necessary to engage members on meaningful excursions to reputable agencies.

Anyanwu stated that the idea would enable them acquire new innovation, education, and enlightenment with a view to acquiring first hand information that would help broaden their knowledge, hence the visit to Edo State Internal Revenue Service which he said has impacted positively in the development stride of Edo State.

He said they were on the visit to EIRS to tap from the wealth of experience of the EIRS boss, judging by the training in physical, mental and leadership skills the scouts were undergoing.

They were however conducted round the various departments of the EIRS including the Tax Identification Number (TIN) office by the Executive Director of other Revenues, Prince Felix Isuku who sensitized the visitors on the importance of TIN.

ready for the programme and have displayed some level of seriousness adding that they will do well in their respective areas of application.

Chief Ofuani advised the youths to take the progrmme seriously as

they have displayed to serve as model to others just as he said that those that could not scale through this time should not worry as they could be opportuned to be among them at another time.

on a petition titled “Disbandment of Edo Youth Employment Scheme our dear state, sitting on keg of gun powder” presented on the floor of parliament by Hon. Roland Asoro of APC representing (Orhionmwon South Constituency), Chairman, House Committee on Commerce and Industry.

According to the findings of the report during its consideration at the Committee of the whole, the report of the committee Observed that the disbandment of Edo YES workers who were

casual workers in various ministries, Department and Agencies was to pave way for regularization of the appointments of the YES workers into the state Public Service.

The findings of the report further indicated that the regularization of the appointment of the workers of Edo YES would be in their benefit as a Committee had been setup by the state Government to screen returns from ministries, Departments and Agencies for the Ultimate purpose of the regularization of the disbanded Edo YES Staff.

DTSG screens applicants for YAGEP, STEP in Warri T he team leader, adhoc Committee on Job Creation, Delta State, Chief Clement Ofuani, has advised youths who may not make it in the first batch of the empowerment programme of state government to be patient as there is hope for their engagement in subsequent ones.

Chief Ofuani gave the advise at the flag off of screening exercise for shortlisted candidates for the first phase of the Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP) and Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP) for Warri North and South Local Government Areas held at Warri South Local government Secretariat.

He said, the programme was meant to empower the youths between the ages of 13 and 35 on

agriculture and related fields such as electrical, mechanical among others for self-employment andq employers of labour.

He said, the youths are

Exercise patience, Edo Assembly tells disengaged YES workers

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do State House of Assembly yesterday adopted a resolution urging members of the disbanded Edo State Youth Employment Scheme (Edo YES) to remain calm and exercise patience, as the state government is already working out plans to screen and regularize their employment with a view to making their status permanent.

The adoption of the resolution was sequel to the consideration of a report of the House Standing Committee on Commerce and Industry

Sport

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August 15, 2015

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Africa Games: Nigerian boxers in fight mood Nigeria’s Oto Joseph (L) and Michael Alexander of Trinidad and Tobago in action in the lightweight category at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games

...vow to win five gold medals

Ifeanyi Eduzor

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igeria’s readiness to participate in the forthcoming All Africa Games (AAG) slated for September 4-19 in Brazzaville, Congo came on steam last Wednesday when the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) became the first sport association to release the list of athletes that will represent the country in the biggest sporting fiesta on the continent.

The list indicates that out of 26 pugilists who had been in camp since June ahead of the games, 13 of them made up of 10 men and three women were selected after the final trials conducted at the Brai Ayonote Boxing Gym, National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The boxers include three Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medalists namely; Apochi Efetobor (91kg), Efe Ajagba (+91kg) and women national champion, Edith Ogoke (75kg). Others who made the team are: Muyideen Ayakojo (49kg), Taiwo Abiodun (52kg), Sanusi Abiodun (56kg), Rilwan Oladosu (60kg), Waheed Shogbamu

(64kg), Korede Adeniyi (75kg) Kehinde Ademuyiwa (79kg) and Ekele Danuloko (81kg) while Caroline Linus (51kg) and Kehinde Obareh (60 Kg) completes the list.

It is on record that boxing was an AAG event at its inaugural edition in the same Brazzaville in 1965 and has continued to feature prominently at the competition in each of its subsequent editions.

Since Nigeria started participating in the event, it has won a total of 38 medals made up of 14 gold, 15 silver and nine bronze medals with Team Nigeria at the 2011 Maputo Games winning three silver and one bronze medal to show for their efforts.

Incidentally, two of the boxers that will represent Nigeria in this year’s games; Apochi and Ademuyiwa who fight in the heavyweight and welterweight categories respectively, won silver at the last games and it is expected they will carry their wealth of experience to Congo and win gold medals for the country. Also expected to do the country proud at the games is Ogoke who narrowly missed silver medal at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.

Apart from these two boxers, the re-

maining 11 pugilists are tested hands who emerged winners in various categories at the last Kenneth Minimah Boxing Championship and are expected to go to Brazzaville with one ultimate target, winning gold medals for the country as that is the only way Nigeria can re- launch itself in the noble art of self defence in the continent.

However, it must be noted that since Nojim Maiyegun won Nigeria’s first Olympic bronze medal at the Tokyo, Japan 1964 Olympic Games followed by Isaac Ikhuoria, who won a bronze medal at the 1972 Olympics which was capped by a silver medal won by Peter Konyegwachi at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Nigerian boxing has been going down, thereby allowing other African countries to be dictating the pace in the ring.

Until recently, Nigeria was reputed as a producer of world-class boxing talent. Before Independence in 1960, the country already boasted a world champion in Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey which was followed by Dick Tiger Ihetu who became a world champion in the middleweight division in 1962.

Apart from these professional boxers,

there were other amateur fighters that did the country proud both at the continental and global level. In the 1980s boxers such as Davidson Andeh, Jerry Okorodudu, Joe Lasisi, Obisia Nwankpa, Billy Famous, Christopher Ossai, David Izonritei, David Dafiagbon, Isaac Ekpo and Albert Jegbefumere all wrote the name of the country in gold in the pugilist game but after them, the game has been going down in the country without any appreciable record in either the All Africa Games, Commonwealth or Olympic Games.

Although the National Sports Commission (NSC) has not fulfilled its promise of hiring a Cuban coach that will help prepare the boxers for the games but the Nigerian boxing team led by Anthony Konyegwachi to be assisted by Adura Olalehin, Okorodudu and Ossai are optimistic they will win at least five gold medals for the country at the games, assuring that the boxers are well equipped to do the country proud in Brazzaville.

As the pugilists embark on their last camping ahead of the games, one of the tournament hopefuls, Apochi has assured Nigerians that he will no longer play second fiddle at the games as his ultimate ambition is to improve on his silver medal won in Maputo four years ago and go for the gold medal in the heavyweight category.

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August 15 , 2015

Di Maria completes PSG move

Coloccini extends Newcastle contract

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abricio Coloccini has signed a new contract at Newcastle United until 2017. Coloccini had been linked with a move to Crystal Palace, and a link up with former United boss Alan

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ngel Di Maria has completed his move from Manchester United to Paris Saint-Germain on a fouryear contract.

The clubs agreed a £44.3m fee for the transfer of the Argentine last weekend and United confirmed the deal had been done on their Twitter feed.

Di Maria said: “I am very proud, and can’t wait, to wear the colours of Paris Saint-Germain.

“I want to win every competition we enter, both in France and Europe. I want to win the Champions League, which is a dream for all footballers, for a second time.

“We will do everything we can to bring Europe’s biggest trophy to France and the fans of Paris Saint-Germain.”

United signed Di Maria from Real Madrid for a British record £59.7m last summer, but after an impressive start, his form dipped and he only started one of the final 10 games of last season.

Mourinho stands by medics criticism

Mourinho

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helsea manager Jose Mourinho has stood by his criticism of club medical staff.

Dr Eva Carneiro and physio Jon Fearn were criticised by Mourinho after they left his side with nine men against Swansea by treating Eden Hazard.

Carneiro and Fearn will not be on the bench for Sunday’s match at Manchester City, but Mourinho has not ruled out their return. He met with his medical staff on Thursday and says they have a “good relationship”.

Carneiro and Fearn tended to Hazard after he was tripped in the final minutes of last Saturday’s 2-2 draw with the Welsh club, meaning the Belgium forward had to leave the pitch.

It reduced Chelsea to nine men as goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois had already been sent off and Mourinho afterwards said his medical staff were “impulsive and naive” and did not “understand the game”.

Speaking at a news conference on Friday, Mourinho said: “Jon Fearn and Dr Carneiro will not be on the bench. But that doesn’t mean they cannot be in the future. It is my decision.”

Asked if he regretted his outburst, Mourinho said he had an “open relationship” with his medical staff that was “open to disagreement”.

Coloccini

Di Maria

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ario Gotze’s future at Bayern Munich remains a mystery after he once again failed to rule out leaving the Bundesliga champions this summer.

Speaking after Bayern won the Audi Cup with a 1-0 victory over Real Madrid,

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Wilshere

The club has also confirmed that Wilshere will continue to be assessed by their medical team as they attempt to fasttrack him back to full fitness.

Wilshere has been plagued by a long line of injury problems during his early career and missed five months of last season after sustaining ankle ligament damage in a defeat to Manchester United in November.

McCarthy signs new Everton deal

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ames McCarthy has signed a new five-year deal with Everton which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2020.

The Republic of Ireland international has been in talks over an improved contract with the Merseysiders for a number of weeks.

He had been reported to be a target for other Premier League clubs including Tottenham as discussions stalled.

But he has now pledged his future to the Goodison Park outfit after reaching agreement on enhanced terms.

McCarthy, 24, has impressed fans with his consistency since his arrival from Wigan Athletic almost two years ago.

The midfielder has now made 76 appearances under manager Roberto Martinez and has scored three goals against Hull City, Newcastle and Manchester United.

Pardew, so the news comes as a welcome boost on the eve of the new season.

Coloccini, 33, told the club website: “I am very happy to have signed a new contract. I have been here for seven years and I love this club. I feel part of the family at Newcastle United.

“Headlines and speculation are normal when a player only has one year left on their contract, but the club has shown they want to keep me and that has made me feel very happy and very proud.

“I am also very happy to continue as the captain of this football club. Captaining Newcastle makes me so proud. I am not from this city or this country, and so to be given the responsibility of wearing the armband every week is a very special thing.”

Gotze refuses to rule out Bayern Munich exit

Wilshere to be out for few weeks rsene Wenger has confirmed Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere has suffered a hairline crack to his left fibula and will miss “a few weeks” of the new Premier League season.

Wilshere sustained the injury during an accidental collision in training last Saturday and Wenger initially announced that the problem would only rule the England international out for a matter of days.

But the 23-year-old, who sat out 1-0 Community Shield victory over Chelsea at Wembley, is now facing a longer spell on the sidelines and is also a doubt for England’s European Qualifiers with San Marino and Switzerland in September.

“The information you have heard about Jack Wilshere is right,” Wenger told Arsenal’s website.

“I had a bad surprise because it is a hairline crack in his fibula that will keep him out for a few weeks out.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

McCarthy

Gotze

Gotze only revised part of his remarks from 24 hours earlier, when he was particularly silent over what the future held, saying he had endured two difficult years with the club.

He confirmed he had no problem with Pep Guardiola after suggesting on Thursday that his goal against AC Milan might prompt the former Barcelona manager to talk to him more often.

The World Cup winner reiterated he did not know where he would be playing next season, as he did on Wednesday, although Gotze hinted it would not necessarily be his decision to leave to leave the Allianz Arena.

“I’m very, very happy here,” he told ZDF television. “From my side, I can say that I’m happy to play here, with these fans, with this club; it’s a fantastic job.

Schweinsteiger backs Manastian U toSchweinsteiger win title says he

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came to Manchester United to win titles and believes manager Louis van Gaal will bring the glory days back to the club.

Schweinsteiger moved to Old Trafford for £15m in July after a trophy-laden 13year career with Bayern Munich, during which time he worked with Van Gaal.

And while the midfielder is braced for a tussle at the top of the table, he believes his new team can win the Premier League again under the Dutchman’s guidance.

“First of all, I think it is not easy to win a title in the Premier League, as you have really good teams here,” he told Sky Sports ahead of their live coverage of Aston Villa v Man Utd. “But if everyone works hard together, and believes in each other, I think there is a Schweinsteiger chance to win the title.

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SPORT

August 15, 2015

Balotelli revels in birthday T celebration

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MirrorGolf With Pius Anakali

Tel: 08023367071

WGC-Bridgestone Invitational removed from European Tour he WGC-Bridgestone Invitational will not feature on the European Tour next season after it was moved to the end of June by the PGA Tour of America.

The PGA is bringing the event forward next year to avoid a clash with the Rio Olympics, where golf will feature for the first time since 1904.

However, the June date clashes with the French Open at Le Golf National.

As a result, money won at next year’s Bridgestone will not count towards Ryder Cup points or the Race To Dubai.

The Bridgestone event, this year co-sanctioned by the PGA and European Tour, was won last

week by Irishman Shane Lowry.

The French Open is continental Europe’s oldest national championship, celebrating its 100th staging next year, and has been on the European Tour schedule since the Tour’s formation in 1972.

WGC events are open to all players in the world top 50, meaning many leading names will be playing at the Firestone Country Club in Arizona next June instead of Le Golf National, which is also the venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup. The European Tour requires members to play in 13 tournaments each year and with four majors and four WGC events counting towards that total.

No Australian Open for McIlroy

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ario Balotelli’s Liverpool career may have gone completely flat, but there is still some fizzy in his personal life as the Italian star celebrated his 25th birthday.

Balotelli did not feature at all for the Anfield club in pre-season, and his time on Merseyside looks set to end before the end of the transfer window.

But the striker still seems to be enjoying life, as he was sprayed with champagne by friends to mark his birthday, before being handed a cake with a candle on it.

Balotelli posted a video of the surprise drenching to his Instagram account, with the caption: ‘happy birhday??? grazie 25 #really #payback thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes’ The former Manchester City forward signed for the Liverpool from AC Milan last summer for £16million, but failed to match up to the expectations attached to that price tag.

He scored just four goals in

28 games in all competitions and with the new signings of Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino, has been told that his own role in the first-team at Anfield is over.

However he continues to support his team-mates on social media, posting a picture of Liverpool’s match-winner Coutinho scoring against Stoke on Sunday with the message ‘OF COURSE HIM’ Baloteli, started his professional football career at Lumezzane and played for the first team twice before having an unsuccessful trial at FC Barcelona, and subsequently joining Inter Milan in 2007. Inter manager Roberto Mancini brought Balotelli into the first team, but when Mancini left, Balotelli’s disciplinary record fell away.

He had a strained relationship with new manager José Mourinho and was suspended from Inter’s first team in January 2009 after a number of disciplinary problems. In March

2010, he came under criticism

by Inter fans after he appeared on the Italian TV show Striscia la notizia, wearing an A.C. Milan jersey. This damaged the prospect of him having a long career at Inter, but he did make several appearances after that.

With doubts over his career at Inter, former coach Roberto Mancini had since moved to Manchester City and decided to give Balotelli a fresh chance at a new club. He joined Manchester City in August 2010, where his performances and off-field activities continued to be enigmatic and unpredictable. Balotelli eventually fell out of favour with Mancini after a “training ground bust up” between the two in January 2013.

His departure from City and return to Italy with A.C. Milan followed several weeks later. After 18 months at A.C. Milan, he returned to the Premier League with Liverpool.

He is destined to leave the Reds any moment from now.

ory McIlroy has ruled out competing in a third straight Australian Open later this year, the Northern Irish world number one has told Reuters.

McIlroy, back in action at this week’s PGA Championship after being sidelined for 40 days with an ankle injury, said he did not plan to add any new events to an already busy end-of-season playing schedule.

“I was only contracted to play the one Australian Open but then after winning in 2013 I wanted to show respect to the tournament by defending my title,” McIlroy, 26, told Reuters before Thursday’s opening round at Whistling Straits.

“But it’s not on my schedule this year.”

McIlroy’s victory in December 2013 at the Australian Open set the tone for a remarkable 2014 campaign highlighted by four wins worldwide, two of them in the majors.

Back in competition this week for the first time since he tied for ninth in the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay in June, McIlroy will next set his sights on the four lucrative FedExCup events that conclude the PGA Tour season.

He then plans to compete for the first time in the Oct. 15-18 Frys.com Open in Napa, California, the PGA Tour’s seasonopener for 2015-16.

Spieth chases history at PGA Championship

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ordan Spieth is having a tough year. Not only is he not going to win the Grand Slam, on account of finishing one stroke out of the playoff at the British Open, but he still hasn’t reached his goal of becoming the No. 1-ranked player in the world.

He’s mired at No. 2 behind Rory McIlroy, who is back in action this week after returning from an ankle injury.

This borders on the tragic.

Which is a sarcastic and cynical way of saying, this is Jordan Spieth’s world and we’re only living in it. In Hollywood, they’d say, Jordan Spieth Is Killing It. In New Jersey, they’d say, Boo-frickin’-hoo.

It’s remarkable that Spieth has two wins and a fourth in three majors this year and still trails McIlroy in the rankings. That means McIlroy has been killing it, too, at least until he killed his ankle playing a little soccer.

It’s a cool matchup because of their contrasting styles. Rory has dominant-player length and superb iron play. Spieth is not long (but longer than average) but is superb with a wedge in his hands from any distance and even better with a putter. In a bunker-shot contest or a scrambling contest or a putting contest, Spieth would be your No. 1-ranked stud.

Spieth

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August 15, 2015

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Utagba picks holes in OIiseh’s choice of technical assistance

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The Super Eagles celebrate after scoring a goal in a tournament

AFCON 2017: Oliseh on right track with home-based players —Akpoborie Ifeanyi Eduzor

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s the September 5 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Tanzania draws nearer, former Super Eagles player, Jonathan Akpoborie, has defended the 23man home-based list released

by Super Eagles Coach, Sunday Oliseh, to open his camp, saying from the list some good players

Ifeanyi Eduzor

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hairman of J. Atete Football Club of Warri, Julius Atete has accused the Emeka Inyama led board of Nigeria National League of bias against his team which led to the loss of their week 19 match against Mountain of Fire Fc of Lagos.

In an interview with our correspondent shortly after the encounter, Atete who also doubles as skipper of the team, accused the board of ignoring his request to appoint referees from a neutral zone but was surprised that referees were drafted from Oyo and Ogun States respectively to handle the crucial match.

“My team dominated the first half but was unlucky not to score.

The referees from Oyo and Ondo

Atete

would be selected to win maximum points against Taifa Stars in Dar es Salaam.

Coach Oliseh last week invited 23 home-based professionals who will kick start preparations for the AFCON qualifier.

In an interview with Saturday Mirror, Akpoborie noted that the decision of Oliseh to give homebased players a chance to prove themselves in Tanzania must be applauded as that will help in not

only building confidence in the players but in the repositioning of the national team.

“I am happy that Oliseh is starting on a good note by inviting home-based players to the game against Taifa Stars of Tanzania. It is an indication that he has the interest of developing the country’s football at heart as well as appreciates the importance of the country’s domestic league,” said the former VFB Stuttgart of

Atete FC accuses NNL of bias States were evidently out to help MFM to win. Several unjust calls were made against us in the 2nd half and the centre referee shamelessly awarded an unjust free kick headed in by MFM attacker who

was behind our wall of defence”, lamented Atete who wants the league management board to be reorganized.

“Yes the board needs to be reorganized because they appear to

Germany play maker The former defunct Julius Berger FC of Lagos player stated that he is confident that the Super Eagles will triumph in the match.

On the appointment of Oliseh as the Eagles gaffer, Akpoborie described it as a good decision explaining that Oliseh is not only the highest qualified Nigerian coach for the job, but also the cheapest world class coach Nigeria can afford for now. be aiding South West teams by appointing South West referees to handle games involving MFM, First Bank, Atiba and Gateway.

“Such crucial games ahead picking promotion tickets should have been handled by officials from other Geopolitical Zones to guarantee neutrality and fairness.

Pro-Chess tourney debuts in Ibadan Afolabi Gambari

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etermined to sustain the momentum of varieties of tournaments this year, the chess train moved to Ibadan yesterday as the maiden ProChess Quarterly Chess Championships got underway at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium.

The Five-round Swiss event which will end tomorrow is sponsored by the President of Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF), Mr. Lekan Adeyemi, is among the numerous tournaments lined up by the federation to keep the chess players not only busy but improve their FIDE ratings.

“This one in many tournaments that we have planned for this year and many more will follow before the end of the year,” Adeyemi said.

“This is just my modest way at improving chess in Nigeria,” he added.

Winner of the tournament

will receive N50, 000 while the second placed will get N30, 000 as third and fourth placed will also get N20, 000 and N10, 000 respectively.

The 5th to 10th positions will get N5, 000 each while 11th to

20th positions would be rewarded with Pro-chess equipment.

The sponsor has provided accommodation and feeding to all participants while those coming from Lagos will enjoy free transportation to the event’s venue.

Fed Cup: Confluence Queens faults NFF semi-final venue

Afolabi Gambari

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he management of Confluence Queens Football Club of Lokoja has claimed the Nigeria Football Federation has handed the team an unfavourable venue in the semi-final of the 2015 Nigeria Women Federation Cup. The Wada Queens qualified to their first ever semi-final of the competition after edging out defending champions Rivers Angels at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu, and will now face Bayelsa Queens at the Oleh Township stadium in Delta State.

Reacting to the venue, the spokesperson of the club, Tosin

Ojo, questioned the NFF on why they will fix the match at Bayelsa United temporary adopted ground.

“We have come this far in this year’s Nigeria Women Federation Cup, though no one gave us a chance against Rivers Angels who are the favorite and defending champions. Our progress was due to hard-work and determination on the part of our players and technical crew,” Ojo said.

Ojo, further expressed the team’s displeasure over the choice of venue for their semifinal clash with Bayelsa Queens, which according to her, Confluence Queens will be playing Bayelsa Queens at home.

nited States of America based Nigerian football coach; Joseph Utagba has faulted Sunday Oliseh’s choice of a foreigner as his technical assistance, pointing out that a combination of Nigerian coaches will produce better result than engaging a foreigner who may not be fully committed to the job.

It will be recalled that Oliseh immediately he was unveiled as the Chief Coach of the Super Eagles announced Belgian, Jean Francois Losciuto as his technical assistant which was ratified by the NFF. He noted that the explanation by the NFF that the job of technical assistant will be centered on developmental programme such as working with youth teams and certified academies towards developing the game at the grassroots was unacceptable since the job could be better handled by a Nigerian.

According to the Ohio, USA based coach who has been handling Westerville Football Club for the past ten years, the decision is a slight on Nigerian coaches who have distinguished themselves in similar positions in Europe and America, noting that if he can be entrusted with such responsibilities in America, there is no reason he cannot do similar thing for his country.

Utagba

We’ll beat El-Kanemi for Ndifreke — Chisom

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bia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia top striker, Chisom Chikatara has said that the team has decided to beat El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri in a Glo Premier League encounter today to celebrate club mate, Ndifreke Effiong’s birthday.

Chikatara, who has so far scored nine league goals this season including a brace in Abia Warriors’ last home game against Giwa FC, described Ndifreke as a darling of the team.

“Ndifreke will be celebrating his birthday today, the same day we will be hosting El-Kanemi Warriors so we have decided to win for him. He is one of our best players and a darling to the club”, the Ibeku-born striker told Abia Warriors website.

Chikatara, who missed about four league games due to injury before he returned against Giwa FC, expressed happiness that he was back to full fitness level and is now ready to contribute his quota towards the realization of the club’s aspirations.

Crime Watch

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

49

August 15, 2015

Police arrest 17 arsonists over timber market attack

...We live in fear —Timber traders, sawmillers Patience Ogbo

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combined team of policemen from the State Criminal Investigation Department, CID, Panti, Yaba, policemen from the Denton Police Station, Ebute-Metta, and policemen from the Area C police Command have raided Criminal hideouts at the Ebute Metta area of Lagos following attacks on the Okobaba Sawmill market and cult related killings in the area.

It was gathered that the police acted on a petition by the Mainland Sawmillers Association to the Lagos State Commissioner of police, Mr. Fatia Owoseyin, alleging attack on their members by miscreants popularly call Area boys.

The insecurity in the market degenerated to heavy shootings when the urchins allegedly attempted to set the market ablaze but were prevented by the vigilance group, guarding the market.

The Saw millers said the Area boys numbering about fifty stormed the Sawmill market on July 20 and 21st threatening the lives of members and vigilantes employed to protect the market.

It was learnt that the area boys led by one Ogolo, a suspect on police wanted list, opened fire at the vigilante, shooting one of them.

A police source stated that the raid also follows the killing of six persons in the area by rival cult gangs in the last one week.

When our correspondent visited the Saw mill market, members said they have been recording low patronage and members are staying away from their shops over fear of attack.

Narrating what happened, a saw miller who did not want his name published said, “The area boys stormed the market on July 20th and they attacked the vigilante guarding the market. They abducted one of the vigilante and they beat the man up mercilessly and shot him. They broke his leg and left him thinking he was dead but he was rescued by other vigilante who had mobilized their members to the scene. The Area boys were chased away and prevented from setting the market on fire.

However, we were shocked when the area boys mobilized themselves from all over Lagos State and they stormed

Sawmill

the Saw Mill on July 21st. We were going about our business when we saw them with cutlasses, guns and other dangerous weapons. They chased us out of our shops and they said they were

looking for our executives and the vigilante members. We had to run for our dear lives. The police later came and chased them away. We have been living in fear because of these Area Boys.

They have threatened to come back.

These area boys are responsible for the theft of our machines and cables and other valuables. The area boys CONTINUED ON PAGE 50

Fake Alomo Bitters producer arraigned by NAFDAC

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businessman, Magnus Onyenkwu, who allegedly produced a fake alcoholic beverage, Alomo Bitters, was on Friday arraigned in Lagos by officials of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

Onyenkwu, who resides at No. 27, Toyin St., Oke, Ibadan, Oyo State, is standing trial in Federal High Court, Lagos, on a six-count charge bordering on unlawful production and distribution of unwholesome processed food.

The Prosecutor, Mr Barthlome Simon, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offences some-

time in January at his residence.

He said that the accused unlawfully produced, packaged, falsely labelled, distributed and sold to the public a fake replica of Kasapreko Alomo Bitters.

Simon alleged that the offences contravened Sections 1 (a), 5 (a) of the Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed foods (Miscellaneous Provision) Act Cap C34, Laws of the Federation 2004.

The offences are punishable under Sections 3 (1) (a) and 17 of the same Act. The accused, however, pleaded not guilty.

The prosecutor urged the court to remand the accused in prison pending trial. ``In view of the plea of the accused, I urge the court to remand the accused to prison custody pending the trial date,” Simon said.

But the defence counsel, Mr Olusegun Akanbi, urged the court to allow him make an oral application for bail.

But Justice Mohammed Yunusa, in his ruling, said he preferred such an application to be made formally.

He ordered the remand of the accused in prison and adjourned the case to Aug. 20 for hearing on bail application.

Do you have a story for us? Contact 08138773277 or crimewatchmirror@yahoo.com

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CRIME WATCH

August 15, 2015

Teenager jailed for stabbing Nigerian teacher in UK

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nurse arrested for stealing newborn baby boy

• Convict gloated over act on Facebook T he 14-year-old student who stabbed his Nigerian teacher, Vincent Uzomah, right before his classmates in the UK, has been jailed for eleven years.

Vincent, a science teacher at Dixons Kings Academy was stabbed with kitchen knife by a pupil, Yusaf Khan, on June 12, 2015 in a racially motivated attack.

Leading to the attack, the 50-yearold teacher had confiscated the teenager’s phone for using it to distract the class.

Handing down judgment yesterday, the Judge, Jonathan Durham Hall, QC, sentenced Khan to an extended sentence which includes six years custody and a further five years on licence. Current prison rules mean he could serve half of the six years behind bars.

The judge said: ‘What you have done is utterly shocking, deliberately, callously stabbing him.’

He said: ‘You went to your school armed with a knife with a significant blade intending, when the opportunity presented, you stabbed your teacher, Vincent Uzomah.

‘You boasted about it before, you boasted about it after when you had stabbed him.’

The convict had immediately bragged about his unholy action on his Facebook page after fleeing the scene of the crime.

Titilayo

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nurse has been arrested in Ogun State for stealing a newborn baby who was delivered in her maternity home.

The suspect, Adebola Titilayo operates a maternity home at Arogun Village in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun, and on June 13, 2015, assisted a patient in giving birth to a baby but claimed the baby was stillborn.

In a statement released by the Ogun State Police Command and signed by the PRO, Muyiwa Adejobi, police said that the suspect has seven biological children, and the command has recovered the one she stole.

The statement reads in part: “She was arrested by the police when the mother got a reliable information about the baby and immediately informed the police.

“The sympathisers in the community noticed that the suspect, who was never pregnant, suddenly started nursing a baby that she could not even breastfeed.

They informed the mother, who later reported the case to the police in Ewekoro on Friday, August 7, 2015.

“In the course of police investigation, it has been revealed that the suspect, a mother of seven, had issues with her initial marriage and got married to another man, whom she wanted to have at least one baby for, for reasons known to her.”

Yusaf Khan (right) inset: Vincent

Police arrest 17 arsonists over timber market attack CONTINUED FROM PAGE 49

also use our market for the initiation of their cult members. We need government protection urgently,” the source said.

Saturday Mirror learnt that following the incident, suspected area boys in a show of supremacy stormed, Kano, Jebba, Freeman and Borno Streets in the area and stabbed three persons to death to retaliate the killing of their members.

Following the incessant attacks, the Lagos Mainland Sawmillers Association sent an SOS to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, urging the police boss to come to their rescue .

Signed by the president of the association, Alhaji G. Onikeku, they appealed to the police authority and the Department of State Security, DSS, to arrest those behind the killing and destruction of property at the Sawmill .

The petition also urged the Lagos State government to relocate the Saw mill market to Ikosi, following a memorandum of understanding, MOU, signed between the government and the saw millers eight years ago.

Agbodemu Musbau, secretary, Mainland Vigilantee Group of Nigeria, decried the incessant attacks on innocent residents and security operatives, as he called on the

federal government to stamp out cultism in the country. “The Saw millers employed the vigilante Group of Nigeria Mainland branch to protect their machines and other valuables from thieves and other hoodlums who want to use the place as a criminal hide out but these area boys are cultists who have been operating with impunity.

We are collaborating with the police to ensure that we protect lives and property, but our members are also being targeted by these cultists. We are appealing to government to see cultism as a crime worse than Boko Haram and a crime that needs urgent attention, especially in the South Western part of the country.

“Cultists have become a menace to the society and government must address it like they are addressing Boko Haram before it consumes us in this part of the country. We hail President Buhari for the security moves he had made to address Boko Haram, but he should not stop in the north, he should bring the fight against insecurity to the Western part of the country because failure to halt cultism will breed criminals worse than Boko Haram”.

The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Patricia Amadin, while reacting to the killings at Ebute Metta, said the police will continue to work hard to raid the state of criminals.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Customs seizes N50m Indian hemp in Kebbi

T

he Nigeria Customs Service, Sokoto/ Kebbi/Zamfara Area Command on Thursday announced the seizure of Indian hemp and other contrabands valued at over N50 million.

The Controller, Muhammad Kabir, who made the announcement at a news conference on Thursday in Sokoto, said all the items were seiz Customs seizes N50m Indian hemp in Kebbi The Nigeria Customs Service, Sokoto/ Kebbi/Zamfara Area Command on Thursday announced the seizure of Indian hemp and other contrabands valued at over N50 million.

The Controller, Muhammad Kabir, who made the announcement at a news conference on Thursday in Sokoto, said all the items were seized at the Kamba border post in Kebbi State.

Kabir listed the goods to include 250 parcels of compressed and processed Indian hemp, 598 cartons of mosquitoes coils, 18 bales of sports wears, 396 cartons of nescafe and other prohibited items.

Kabir stated further that an articulated vehicle with registration number, XR 911 MUSHIN, LAGOS, was impounded.

He said: “Two other suspects, the driver and one other person, are also in our custody and we will dig further to get the real owners of the seized goods.

“This feat was recorded sequel to serious intelligence gathering and surveillance, coupled with inter-agency synergy.”

Kabir promised that the command would continue to protect Nigeria’s borders under it until Nigeria becomes “smugglingfree and a better country for all” in line with the vision of the new administration under President Muhammadu Buhari.

NAN.

Court remands man for alleged theft of grinding machine

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Crime Watch

August 15, 2015

Magistrates’ Court in Nomansland, Kano, on Friday remanded Amiru Ahmed in prison custody over alleged theft of a grinding machine and extension cable worth N35, 000.

Ahmed of Gayawa Quarters in Kano was arraigned on a two-count charge of shop breaking and stealing.

The Magistrate, Mrs Fatima Mohammed, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison custody and adjourned the case till September 2, for mention.

Earlier, the prosecutor, Junaidu Aminu, told the court that on June 28, one Sunday Ohitimosi of Niger Sabon Gari, reported at the Gwagwarwa Police Division that his workshop was burgled.

Aminu said that the complainant told the Police that on June 27, his shop was broken into, and a grinding machine and extension cable worth N35, 000 was stolen.

The prosecutor said that the case was investigated by the Police, and Ahmed was arrested over the incident.

He said that the offence contravened Section 347 and 288 of the Penal Code and the accused pleaded not guilty to the charges. (NAN)

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NDLEA docks farmer over drug trafficking

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36-year-old farmer, Christian Obumuneme, charged with illegally dealing in narcotic drug, by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), was on Friday arraigned at a Federal High Court, Lagos.

The accused, who hails from Aguata Local Government Area in Anambra, was alleged to have been caught with substance suspected to be cocaine at a motor park in Lagos.

The prosecuting NDLEA officer, Mr Orji Kalu, told the court that the accused was arrested for possessing 15.5 grammes of cocaine without lawful authority.

Kalu said that the accused committed the alleged offence on July 7, at Ezenwata Transport Company Park, Iddo Motor Park, Ebute-Meta, Lagos.

According to him, the offence contravenes Section 11 (c) of the NDLEA Act, Cap N30 Laws of the Federation 2004.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The prosecutor urged the court to remand the accused to prison custody and opposed his bail application with a seven-paragraph affidavit.

He, however, urged the court to fix date for commencement of trial.

Counsel to the accused, Mr Benson Ndakara, had urged the court to admit the accused to bail on liberal terms.

He supported his bail application with an 11 paragraph-Affidavit and a written address.

Giade, NDLEA boss

Trader stabs woman for dating her husband

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22-year-old trader, Kuburat Sanni, on Thursday in Lagos appeared before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for allegedly stabbing a woman. Sanni was accused of stabbing the woman over alleged dating of her husband.

Sanni, who resides at 18, Akindia Street, Agege, Lagos, is being tried for breach of peace, assault and conspiracy.

The Prosecutor, Kehinde Olatunde, told the court that the accused and others still at large allegedly committed the offences on July 9 at her residence.

Olatunde said the accused and the others assaulted one Mariam Bala, 20, by stabbing her with dangerous weapons.

He said: “The accused stabbed the complainant with a broken bottle, scissors and knife.”

Olatunde said Sanni allegedly accused the complainant of having an affair with her husband and that she had had series of abortions for him.

He said: “The complainant was sent by her mother to deliver a message to her elder sister who lives in the same house with the accused.

“When she got there, the accused, who claimed that the complainant was having an affair with her husband, locked her in a room and called some hoodlums.

“The accused and the hired miscreants tore the complainant’s clothes and started stabbing her with knives, bottles and scissors all over her body.”

According to the prosecutor, the complainant fainted due to the profuse loss of blood and that if not for the quick intervention of neighbours who rushed her to the hospital, the complainant would have been dead.

Olatunde said in the process of assaulting the complainant, her phone, valued at N20,000, and N30,000 cash, which was to be delivered to her sister, was stolen from her.

The offences, Olatunde said, contravened sections 166, 171 and 410 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

Section 171 prescribes a three-year jail term as penalty for offenders.

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, Aka Bashorun, ad-

journed the case until September 1 for mention. NAN.ed at the Kamba border post in Kebbi State.

Kabir listed the goods to include 250 parcels of compressed and processed Indian hemp, 598 cartons of mosquitoes coils, 18 bales of sports wears, 396 cartons of nescafe and other prohibited items.

Kabir stated further that an articulated vehicle with registration number, XR 911 MUSHIN, LAGOS, was impounded.

He said: “Two other suspects, the driver and one other person, are also in our custody and we will dig further to get the real owners of the seized goods.

“This feat was recorded sequel to serious intelligence gathering and surveillance, coupled with inter-agency synergy.”

Kabir promised that the command would continue to protect Nigeria’s borders under it until Nigeria becomes “smuggling-free and a better country for all” in line with the vision of the new administration under President Muhammadu Buhari.

NAN.

August 8, 2015

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

The intricacies of PMS marketing

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tudy has revealed that investing in fuel retailing business is a moneyspinner when proper and carefully setup and managed.

Looking at the increasing number of vehicles in the roads of major cities of Nigeria, one will tend to accept the above statement without any question.

Statistics has shown that the demand for fuel has been on an increase and will continue to increase. With the increasing number of domestic and industrial standby power generators in the country and the increasing number of Motorcycles(Okada) in our roads, the demand for petrol/fuel keep on increasing on daily basis.

It is therefore no doubt that no matter the level of economic down turn, this business is always a lucrative one.

This business is every forward minded business man. It is good for politicians, corporate managers and all classes of businessmen and women.

Though the project may be capital intensive the turnover rate of return and payback period is very encouraging.

To invest in the downstream sector of the oil industry, the investor has two options; either to start with micro (small) filling station or mega filling station.

Investing in any of the two is a function of available capital.

To handle the establishment of the project professionally, the first and foremost thing to do is to conduct a comprehensive and bankable feasibility studies on the project taking into consideration your preferred locations.

From our studies, location is very important in fuel retailing business because it is the major determinant of the turnover.

There are two major ways to go about the establishment of the fuel retailing station, either you acquire an existing station from a willing seller or you build one from the scratch. To acquire an existing station is good, but the level of traffic situation in the turnover is not a problem.

To start the construction from the scratch, the investor need to first acquire a landed property at a location that will be very accessible.

Accessibility is one of the major factors to consider for business success.

After acquisition of land, there is need to go to the department of

petroleum, resources to apply officially for approval to construct, giving details of the proposal and any information that may be relevant to the project.

You will be requested to submit an application form, three (3) copies of a plan showing the building existing or proposed on the site and the relation of the site to the roadways and adjourning properties.

There is also need to get clarifications from the Federal and State Fire officer and the Area/Town planning Authority for the construction of a filling station on the proposed site. Furthermore the investors need clarifications from the Divisional Police Officer or Superior police officer in-charge of the police motor traffic. An investor need to show evidence to the DPR that the company is duly registered as a limited liability company by the appropriate Federal Ministry to deal in Petroleum products. The investor is required to show tax receipts and tax clearance certificates for the preceding years

and Environmental Impact Assessment Report of the proposed filling station.

After meeting these requirements, on approval to construct will be granted by the DPR if the proposed site fulfills the conditions stipulated in the relevant sections of the petroleum regulations.

After the construction, an application for storage and sale license must be made to the DPR, after the inspection had been carried out and satisfied as being satisfactory by officials of the DPR. For a successful operation, the following facilities must be provided at the proposed petrol station; air compressor and air gauge, provision of water. toilet facilities, well stocked first aid box, refuge containers ( waste baskets) and safety equipment facilities.

The applications for storage/sale licenses may be channeled through a sponsor company, with which the applicant proposed to supplier of the products, which must be a major oil marketing companies or independent oil marketing companies and pipelines and

product marketing company.

Based on our financial analysis, the proposed project will take off with the sum of between N20million and N1 billion depending on whether it is micro or mega filling station.

Funding The Federal Government just released through CBN over N500Billion for injection into small and medium scale industries development in Nigeria.

Anybody with good business plan will benefit from the funds. There are also financial institutions and Special Project Funding Organizations that would be recommended to prospective investors on contacting the writer.

The most important thing in setting up the project is good location. There is need to locate the project close to heavy traffic to greater turnover.

For detailed comprehensive and bankable feasibility studies on the proposed project and comprehensive implementation plan interested investor should contact the writer

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

August 15, 2015

53

Alleged N12m embezzlement: Anambra PDP defends Metuh SOUTH EAST

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ollowing alleged embezzlement of N12 million campaign fund for the Presidential Campaign Committee of Nnewi North Local Government Area in the last general elections by the Peoples Dem-

ocratic Party (PDP) Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, party stalwarts in the area have risen in his defense.

In his defense of the PDP chieftain, the Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign and fund administra-

tor for Nnewi North Local Government Area, Hon. Nnamdi Nwangwu, said that he handled everything, and Chief Metuh was never involved in any form in the administration of funds.

“My attention has been drawn to a publication al-

leging that the National Publicity Secretary [NPS] Chief Olisa Metuh embezzled the sum of N12m campaign fund meant for Presidential Campaign Committee of Nnewi North Local Government Area in the last general election.

“Nothing can be farther from the truth as the malicious publication must have come from the imagination of the authors. I can say without fear of contradiction that even the fund in question was not up to that sum they are circulating about.

“I want to warn the people involved in this politics of blackmail to stop dragging my name into their politics as I will not hesitate to take legal action if they fail to retract their statement immediately,” he said.

In the same vein, the Chairman of Otolo Nnewi Ward 1 in Nnewi North Local Government area of Anambra State Mr. Emeka Ikejiuba, has warned those set out to malign and blackmail the National Publicity Secretary to be aware that they cannot distract the ref-

ormation and restructuring of the party for better result through such moves.

Mr. Ikejiuba said in a statement that the ward is aware of an orchestrated move to “cow Chief Metuh and distract him from performing his duty as the mouthpiece of our great party and warned the detractors to desist or be ready for legal action.

“We are also privy to the fact that some members, who are already working as fifth columnists, have concluded plans to join other parties. We wish them well, but they should not destroy people before leaving.”

The PDP ward leader however, urged Chief Metuh not to be discouraged by the malicious publications but see it as price of leadership for which posterity will record him right.

Ohuabunwa celebrates birthday, launches books Anambra State Deputy Governor, Dr. Nkem Okeke (right), presenting certificate of registration for meritorious youth service to the representative of the proprietor of charity ezeemo trust, Mr. Sochima Ezeemo, in Awka, Anambra State on Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

Eric Elezuo

Igbo community in UK petitions IG A over killing of member T he Igbo in Oxford, the United Kingdom, has cried out for justice to the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, following the recent killing of a member of their community, Chief Onyema Anyanwu Ejiogu The Igbo Community in Oxford has been shaken to the roots following the killing of one of the most respected members of their community, Chief Onyema Anyanwu Ejiogu. Chief Ejiogu travelled from Oxford, UK, to Nigeria, on Sunday July 12, and was killed on the night of Monday July 13.

He was tragically shot by gunmen in his home town of Umungara Obohia in Ahiazu Mbaise, Imo State. The killing, according to the group, happened over a month ago yet little progress has been made in bringing the killers to justice.

They stated that his death has shocked the Igbo

community in Oxford, stressing that he was an outstanding member of Oxford Igbo Union.

A spokesman of the Union described Chief Ejiogu as a kind and loving family man, whose daughter had just returned from

the University for the summer vacation.

Chief Ejiogu was a Nigerian and British citizen and had lived in Oxford since the early 1980s where he worked for an Engineering firm until his retirement.

The Union urged the

Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to ensure that the killing of Chief Ejiogu is thoroughly investigated, and the killers are brought to justice.

The Union had also written to the Imo State Commissioner of Police.

Verification of displaced persons begins in Imo LGs

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he Imo State Government has commenced verification of Internally Displaced Persons in all the 27 local government areas with a view to giving them a new lease of life.

Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Sir Jude Ejiogu, made this known during a crucial meeting with the 27 Directors of Administration and General Services (DAGS) in the state yesterday, at the cabinet office, along Sam Mbakwe Road, Owerri.

Sir Ejiogu, while disclosing the readiness of

the state government to ensure that Imo citizens are given a sense of belonging, further directed the 27 directors to compile and submit names of all internally displaced persons to enable government take urgent actions.

Continuing, the SSG urged the 27 DAGS to embark on radical sensitisation exercise geared towards educating the rural people in various council areas on the need to be cautious during the ongoing rainy season to avoid the recurrence of what the state witnessed in previous years, where individuals where sacked from their homes as a re-

sult of natural disaster.

Advising the DAGS to continue to instill discipline in their various LGAs, he maintained that the only way to achieve that or lead their subordinates as role models was to come to work on time in government’s recommended attire.

Responding on behalf of his colleagues, Chief R.O. Dike commended the SSG for the meeting, and appealed to the state government to give more attention to LGAs, while assuring of their willingness to continue to support the rescue mission administration of Governor Okorocha.

former Neimeth Pharmaceuticals Plc CEO and member of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa (OFR), turns 65 on Sunday, August 16, 2015 and is celebrating with a special national literary outing .

He will be launching his new two books titled The Port Harcourt Volunteer and Sam Ohuabunwa’s Paradigm to the delight of family, friends and invited members of the general public in four major cities of Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Port Harcourt. The works will be reviewed by the following erudite intellectuals: Prof. Jamie Onwuchekwa , Prof. Ayo Olokotun; Prof Onyi Nwagbara, Prof.

Nat Aniekwu, Prof. Walter Ollor, Prof Chris Ogbonna, Dr. Jerry Chukwu-Okoro and Alhaji Garuba Mohammed.

The celebrant, who is also an entrepreneur and long-standing author, throws more light on the book launch.

“In this season of economic belt-tightening in the country, I have chosen to celebrate my 65th birthday with a soul-searching

book launch instead of just a lavish party. I want to thank God for His profound mercy and grace on sustaining me alive to attain this age. My new books are actually my memoirs of the NigeriaBiafra civil war as well as my philosophical thoughts on life and the Nigerian condition.”

The National literary celebration events will commence in Lagos by 12 noon prompt on Monday 17, August, 2015 at Sheba Event Place, off Mobolaji Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos under the distinguished chairmanship of an eminent Nigerian intellectual, Professor Anya O. Anya.

The Abuja event will hold on Tuesday 18th August, at Shehu Musa Yaradua Centre, Central Business district Abuja and chaired by Prof. Uzodinma Nwala, and Enugu will host on Wednesday 19th August, at the Ohazurume Unity Centre ,opposite Enugu Airport with Mazi Emma Nwokoro as Chairman. The last lap will hold at The Arena Event Centre GRA Port Harcourt on 20th August with Chief Ada George, former Governor of Rivers State as chairman.

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REGIONAL NEWS

August 15, 2015

SOUTH SOUTH

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We’ll continue road construction despite rains –Wike Dennis Naku

PORT HARCOURT

L-R: Delta State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Nana Fatima; DirectorGeneral, Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency, Mr. Moses Beckley and Benue Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, during a news conference on 2015 Floods Agenda in Abuja on Thursday.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has said the rains will not stop the massive construction and rehabilitation of key roads going on across the state.

Wike, who stated this while addressing residents of Iwofe road

Oshiomhole alerts Edo people on flood Sebastine Ebhuomhan

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overnor Adams Oshiomhole, the Edo State governor, has advised residents living in low lands, river banks and other flood-prone areas of the state to take quick and effective proactive action.

The state government particularly, advised the people to be proactive enough by relocating to safer parts of the state to avoid endangering their lives from the flood that may occur through the opening of a dam in the Republic of Cameroon.

A statement signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities, Austin Akhuamhenkhun and released on behalf of the government on Friday afternoon, made available to Saturday Mirror in Benin City, stated that “The Federal Ministry of Environment has alerted on the opening of a dam in the Republic of Cameroon, which may lead to flooding in parts of the country. This is in addition to the current heavy rainfall being recorded in the year.”

“To this end, Edo State

Government through the Ministry of Environment and Public Utilities has put in place an action plan to ensure a flood-free 2015 through elaborate and extensive de-siltation exercise of major towns in addition to the on-going Benin City Storm Water master plan” “The good people of Edo State are therefore advised to collectively take the following precautions to forestall an incident of flooding and its consequence in the State.”

The statement warned the people to stay clear of dirty habit of

indiscriminate refuse dumping “The people are advised to desist from indiscriminate waste dumping habits that end up blocking the drains, which can result in the breeding of mosquitoes, flies and other disease carriers that may eventually result in a high prevalence of malaria fever, yellow fever, Lassa fever and cholera.”

“Always use the provided waste bins.

Ensure to de-silt the drains in front of our houses and cart away same. People living in low lands, river banks

and other flood-prone areas such as Ilushi, Agenebode, Udaba and others are advised to relocate to higher grounds.

Because of the expected rainfall pattern in 2015, residents are advised to take a second look at the binding of their roofs to ensure that they are firm.”

“The Government also calls on Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) to immediately take another look at all their distribution facilities within the state to ensure that they are firm and strong enough to withstand any stormy weather in order to avoid electrocution-related but avoidable deaths,” the statement concluded.

Why Akwa Ibom APC is bitter with Akpabio –PDP

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he Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Akwa Ibom State Chapter, Obong Paul Ekpo has attributed the bitterness nursed by leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state with Senator Godswill Akpabio to their defeat in the governorship polls, just as he described the rumour of his alleged resignation as the antics of the opposition party in the state.

Obong Ekpo made this remark while reacting

to the recent Press Statement by the Akwa Ibom State Chapter of the party, purporting to rationalize why President Muhammadu Buhari must take Akpabio’s so-called blackmail challenge very seriously.

Ekpo explained that it is ridiculous that the leaders of APC in the state, is still unable to come to terms with its defeat at the April 11, 2015 Governorship polls by consistently resorting to cheap blackmail against the former governor, whose

offence is that he mobilized his party to victory.

Obong Ekpo wondered why a Press Conference addressed by the PDP caucus in the National Assembly, which bordered on some issues of national interest, and which Senator Akpabio happened to chair as the Minority Leader in the Senate, has been reduced to a personality attack on the distinguished Senator, as against his party which made its position clear on the matters arising there from.

“It is also laughable that

my purported resignation is emanating from the APC camp. I have not resigned my chairmanship of our great party as being peddled by the APC. May be my resignation letter is with them and I would want them to produce the purported letter of resignation.” He stressed.

He therefore described the alarm raised by the APC state chapter as uncalled for, unnecessarily belligerent, and twisted hog-wash meant to instigate strife between President Buhari and Senator Akpabio, which will not work.

Ekpo argued that the APC can continue with their

innuendoes and conjectures on the 2015 governorship elections which they lost if they so desire, but that all their propaganda will not influence the verdict of the tribunal nor win them elections in Akwa Ibom which remains a stronghold of the PDP. Describing Senator Akpabio’s statement as very nationalistic and in sync with his status as a pan-Nigerian statesman, adding that, even President Buhari knows that, the conduct of the PDP caucus led by Akpabio is line with international best practices in any democracy expected of an opposition party.

after inspecting the ongoing project on Friday, said despite the challenges posed by the rains, all road projects will progress as scheduled.

The governor said that the execution of the critical road projects will not be hampered by funding as the state government took loans to complete them.

He said so far, the contractors have been working in line with approved specifications and schedule.

He, however warned that, any contractor who fails to meet the terms of contractual agreement will be sanctioned.

The governor said, “despite the challenges posed by the rains, these major roads under construction will be executed as scheduled by my administration.

“These are major roads that are critical to the residents of these areas for which we took loans to reconstruct them, their execution will continue as scheduled and we will not allow any contractor to perform below expectations,” Wike said.

Commenting on the slow pace of work at the Obio/Akpor International Market, the governor directed the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works to ensure that the contractor deploys more equipment and personnel to the project site.

In his remarks, Chairman of MCC, contractors handling Iwofe road project, Senator John Mbata assured the governor that his company will deliver on schedule. expectations,» Wike said.

Commenting on the slow pace of work at the Obio/Akpor International Market, the governor directed the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works to ensure that the contractor deploys more equipment and personnel to the project site.

In his remarks, Chairman of MCC, contractors handling Iwofe road project, Senator John Mbata assured the governor that his company will deliver on schedule.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

August 15, 2015

55

11-year-old rape victim has baby girl A

Royals tell paparazzi: Back off Prince George Prince George (left) and his father, Prince William

J

ust how far will the paparazzi go to snap pictures of Britain’s future king, now 2 years old? Here’s what Kensington Palace says: • Rent a car, stock it with food and drink and hang sheets from the windows -- all while hoping to snap a photograph of Prince George in a playground through a peephole in the chassis.

• Use other children to try to lure him into view around playgrounds.

• Hide in the sand dunes at a remote beach to try to snap him playing with his grandmother.

• Use long lens photography to photograph him playing in private parks with his mother, Catherine.

• Take pictures of other children who come to visit Prince George -- and pursue cars leaving family homes.

• Skulk in privately owned woods and fields around his parents’ country home and locations near the Middleton family home.

That’s all according to a letter sent out by the palace to media groups on Friday, highlighting “an increasing number of incidents of paparazzi harassment of Prince George” in recent months, and the “increasingly dangerous” tactics being used.

It’s not the first time

the palace has pleaded, on behalf of George’s parents, Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, for their children to be allowed as normal -- and safe -- a childhood as possible.

But clearly, past warnings have not been heeded by the paparazzi.

And some media outlets are still willing to buy their wares.

Worse, while paparazzi are always keen to snap the royals, Prince George “is currently their number one target,” wrote Jason Knauf, communications secretary to the royal couple and Prince Harry.

“We have made the decision to discuss these issues now as the incidents are becoming more frequent and the tactics more alarming.”

The letter is being sent to leaders of media industry bodies in Britain and around the world, said Knauf.

“It is hoped that those who pay paparazzi photographers for their images of children will be able to better understand the distressing activity around a two-year old boy that their money is fuelling.”

The palace also wants the readers who like to coo over “cute” -- but unauthorized -- images of the royal children in the publications that run them “understand the

tactics deployed to obtain these pictures,” he said.

The royals have released a series of authorized pictures of Prince George and his baby sister, Princess Charlotte, for media to use, most recently in July for the prince’s second birthday, and will continue to do so regularly, he pointed out.

All publications in Britain, as well as most in the United States, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, have respected a policy of not publishing unauthorized images, said Knauf.

But, he said, “paparazzi photographers are going to increasingly extreme lengths to observe and monitor Prince George’s movements and covertly capture images of him to sell to the handful of international media titles still willing to pay for them.”

The issue of paparazzi intrusion is an especially sore point given Prince William’s family history.

His beloved mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, and boyfriend Dodi Fayed, died when the MercedesBenz they were traveling in hit a pillar in a Paris tunnel in August 1997.

They were being followed at the time by the paparazzi after leaving the Ritz Hotel.

Investigators concluded that their driver, who also

was killed, was drunk and driving at high speed.

The letter describes in detail how the photographer who rented a car to turn into a makeshift “hide” sought to snap the toddler prince.

The incident, only last week, was “disturbing, but not at all uncommon,” Knauf noted.

The man “parked in a discreet location outside a children’s play area.

Already concealed by darkened windows, he took the added step of hanging sheets inside the vehicle and created a hide stocked with food and drinks to get him through a full day of surveillance, waiting in hope to capture images of Prince George. Police discovered him lying down in the boot of the vehicle attempting to shoot photos with a long lens through a small gap in his hide,” he said.

“It is of course upsetting that such tactics -reminiscent as they are of past surveillance by groups intent on doing more than capturing images -- are being deployed to profit from the image of a twoyear old boy.”

At a time of heightened security, such tactics are a risk to everyone, Knauf said. And security forces may not always be able to tell immediately whether someone is seeking to take photos or do more serious harm.

n 11-year-old girl, who according to authorities was raped by her stepfather, gave birth to a healthy baby girl Thursday morning in Asunción, Paraguay.

Asunción Red Cross Director Mario Villalba confirmed the birth to CNN. The baby was born by C-section and weighed 3 kilograms (about 6.6 pounds).

Villalba said both the baby and her mother “are in good health condition.” He also said doctors are monitoring them closely. They are expected to be released within three days if no complications arise.

The case shocked Paraguayans when it came to light in May. At the time the girl was 10 years old and 22 weeks pregnant. Authorities immediately arrested the girl’s mother. The woman, who according to reports is 32 years old, was charged with child neglect and complicity.

Paraguayan police also launched a manhunt for the girl’s stepfather, identified as 42-year-old Gilberto Benitez Zárate. Benitez was arrested shortly thereafter and charged with rape and abuse of a child. He denied the charges and demanded a DNA test to back up his claim.

The girl’s mother was released on bond in June, but still faces charges. Once out of jail, she told CNN that she went to authorities asking for help in November 2013.

“I was the one who reported all of this, asking for justice to be done and hoping that something would be done, but prosecutors dismissed the case,” she said in an exclusive interview with CNN en Español on June 25. “Otherwise, this would have never gotten to this point,” the unidentified mother said.

Paraguayan Health Minister Antonio Barrios told CNN earlier that neighbors were the ones who had reported the abuse, and that the mother had denied accusations against her husband.

The pregnancy was discovered in late April when the mother took her daughter to the hospital after the girl complained of abdominal pain.

The mother wanted the girl to have an abortion.

Human rights groups, especially Amnesty International, supported her posi-

tion.

“The physical and psychological impact of forcing this young girl to continue with an unwanted pregnancy is tantamount to torture,” Guadalupe Marengo, Deputy Director for the Americas at Amnesty International said then. “The Paraguayan authorities cannot sit idly by while this young rape survivor is forced to endure more agony and torment.”

But Paraguayan authorities refused. Health minister Antonio Barrios said that, even in this case, an abortion would be a violation of Paraguayan law.

“We’re totally against interrupting the pregnancy,” Barrios said in May. “The girl is getting assistance permanently in a shelter and the pregnancy is progressing normally without a problem.” There was no comment from the Paraguayan government Thursday regarding the birth.

Erika Guevara, Amnesty’s Americas director, said Thursday that the fact that the girl did not die “does not excuse the human rights violations she suffered at the hands of the Paraguayan authorities, who decided to gamble with her health, life and integrity despite overwhelming evidence that this pregnancy was extremely risky and despite the fact that she was a rape victim and a child.”

Paraguay has one of the strictest abortion laws in the world. It bans abortions except in cases where the pregnancy endangers the mother’s life. In the case of the 11-year-old, doctors ruled that, in spite of her age, the pregnancy did not endanger her life. Violation of the law carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

According to a 2013 United Nations report, 2 million girls under age 14 give birth in developing countries every year, many of whom suffer resulting long-term or fatal health problems. It estimated that 70,000 adolescents die each year from complications from pregnancy or childbirth.

In Paraguay, 684 girls between the ages of 10 and 14 gave birth last year. Most of the minors had been victims of sexual abuse, according to government figures.

Quote

of

the

day

“Despite the huge sums that accrued to the state in the last 10 months, and in spite of a sixmonth moratorium on debt payment, which saved the state N3bn, Fayose has continued to complain of paucity of funds.” —The Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Taiwo Olatubosun, giving a breakdown of the allocation in a statement on the government’s official website.

Saturday, August 15, 2015. www.nationnationalmirroronline.net

The strategy before the business (II)

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he domain of strategy is the corporation or the organisation. This is what I call the ‘centre of activities.’ This can involve the whole company or any part thereof, particularly in the case of specific restructuring, which may relate to marketing, operations, research and customer loyalty. It is taken for granted, as a general rule, that the organisation provides the general direction in the form of vision, mission, goals, objectives and broad course of action on specific terms of engagement.

Sometimes, the direction of activities may be in the form of competition. Here, things like innovation, accelerated innovation, imitation, resources, skills, and competitive advantage come into practical encounter to accelerate growth or warm activities. The centre of activities may also be around all stakeholder interests in the form of review of issues arising from employment, communities of operation (CSR), customers, regulators, and investors. It may also be in the form of performance for all measures and time horizons.

Here, the key indicator comes to play in the form of financial measures, short-term, long-term, or social measures. We deploy the strategic performance unit to coordinate the action booklet for feedback on reflections on management encounter on specific issues in the strategic road map.

The domain of strategy, or in my words, the ‘centre of activities’ of strategic engagement in an organisation is interesting. It is the centre of gravity. And in my view, this is where the opinion of Professor Isaac Newton becomes relevant in the science of management. For it is now safe to predict that the domain of strategy can only be sustained if the force of the base of support is continuous. This is because an object of the domain of

CFR

T hose

who will do effective

strategic alignment and expect effective management of the

corporation as a result , and more importantly , those who will drive strategy , must have adequate knowledge of how to engage strategic drivers strategy will fall if the centre of its mass lies beyond its base of support (which is the intellectual capacity of management’s strategic thinking).

The applied force on the object (domain of strategy) must be equal to the rate of change in momentum with time. The force (determination) is necessary to maintain the motion (domain of strategy or centre of activities that will achieve the goals) if all is to be well in the organisation.

In military war strategy, the force (determination of the soldiers to fight the war) is necessary to maintain the motion (operation to end the war). And when the centre of the mass lies beyond its base of support, it becomes a matter of concern for the capacity to achieve the desired result.

What needs to be done is to change tactical approach in the form of increased support for the

force (the soldiers) in the form of importation of more combat hardware and massive reforms in the welfare of the soldiers. It may also involve strategic engagement of the geomorphology or a redefined approach to climatology in specific cases. America would not have lost the Vietnam War if it had paid attention to these strategic matters.

The domain of strategy required in this particular case includes, apart from the military tactical strategy, financial measures, long and short term time horizon and some sort of social measures.

These are more of priorities than all stakeholder meetings at this time!

Strategic engagement in the centre of activities requires the six P’s. For instance, we Plan to win the war with good base support for the gravity of our force; we Position our force for safety; we will build our fort to enemy disadvan-

tage as we Ploy to launch strategic advantage with modern equipment in tactical attack, we Pattern our strategy on capturing the enemy with minimum causality, the Philosophy is that we must end the war. And in doing all of these, our Process must involve effective information management for the benefit of our soldiers and all the stakeholders, for which we require the loyalty of all.

The CEO in a management environment must appreciate not only the use of the Six P’s, he must know when to use them. For instance, you cannot Position in the market when you do not have Philosophy.

You cannot Process when you have no Plan. So also, your failure or refusal to Ploy with strategy of innovation will give you competitive disadvantage.

A CEO cannot Position in the market when his Process is weak.

The Process includes the offshoot of the Plan and the need for effective strategic alignment of the strategic kits. We cannot run away from Plan, for we already know that the consequence of not planning is actually planning to fail. If we Plan, we must know how to run the plan through the other five Ps. The joy is in the result and the burden is in the lack of knowledge, or not knowing what to do.

Those who will do effective strategic alignment and expect effective management of the corporation as a result, and more importantly, those who will drive strategy, must have adequate knowledge of how to engage strategic drivers.

So the strategist must drive and allocate resources to himself as the General first. The strategist must also know and understand the workings of the Strategist as Architect, the Chess master, the Orchestra Conductor and the Expedition Leader. These attributes will determine whether the strategy will succeed or not.

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