Saturday, January 12, 2013 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

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Task force arrests 84 Area Boys in Oshodi

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Saturday, January 12, 2013

PDP crises

Chieftains lobby to replace Tukur

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•Court sacks Oyinlola as secretary •Jonathan threatens to overhaul NWC a m n i d i •‘Obasanjo, Jonathan feud’ll not affect 2015’ Ch

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Oyerinde’s murder

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SHOW OF STRENGTH Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) officials barricade Millennium Housing Estate Ijaye, Ojokoro LCDA, Lagos State, over unpaid bills, as residents protests poor services, crazy bills...Thursday PHOTO: KING ODODORU

Dana crash: 14 families get 70% compensation

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Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

January 12, 2013

Taskforce arrests 12-yr-old, 83 other Area Boys at Oshodi

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

petroleum tanker explosion along the busy East-West road at Mbiama, in Rivers State led to a raging inferno which burnt a 60 year- old widow to death and left eight people with severe injuries yesterday. The fire also razed more than 25 shops and 10 vehicles. The deceased widow, who was of Isoko, Delta State origin was simply identified as Mrs.Onyime. Saturday Mirror gathered that the fire started around 8am and was finally put out at about 11.15am by personnel of the Rivers and Bayelsa State Fire Service. The burnt corpse of Onyime was still lying on the ground and covered with burnt zinc sheets as 11.45am when our correspondent visited the scene. The eight victims who had various degrees of burns were rushed to various hospitals by sympathisers. Owners of unaffected shops were seen evacuating their goods. Eyewitnesses told National Mirror that the tanker, with registration number XS 942 KJA, fell off at a bad portion of the road while attempting to dodge an oncoming vehicle. Fuel spewed out of the tanker into some shops in which people were cooking with kerosene stoves. The tanker driver and his conductor were said to have taken to their heels immediately the fire started. The incident paralysed business activities in the commer-

MURITALA AYINLA

Scene of the fire yesterday

Tanker fire kills widow, injures eight in Rivers cial hub, which is a border community between Rivers and Bayelsa states. The timely intervention of officials of the Rivers State Fire Service, the Joint Military Taskforce and Police finally extinguished the fire, which caused confusion among residents. One of the landlords of the shops and houses, Mr. Brown Egbo, lamented that several rooms and shops belonging to him were destroyed by the fire. “The tanker driver lost control owing to the narrow road

and skidded off the road as fuel gushed out of the tanker. Suddenly, fire erupted. There was no scooping of fuel by anybody. The value of my destroyed property will run into millions of Naira. I have lost all that I laboured for all these years,” Egbo lamented. Mr. Theophilus Egwim of The Federal Road Safety Commission, Ahoada Local Government Area, Rivers State, blamed the accident on recklessness of drivers and obstruction of the road by motorists. Ben James, a commercial

driver, however, called on the federal government to re-award the dualization of the EastWest Road, noting that the contractors to whom the road was awarded several years ago seem to be delaying the project. “We want government to look into this bad road. This road should have a parking space to prevent obstruction. Can you imagine this type of disaster? It’s a big loss. People have lost property worth millions of Naira and a poor widow has been burnt to death.”

Police constable shot, arrested over abduction of Nkiru Sylvanus CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

combined team of State Security Service (SSS) and the Army yesterday in Owerri shot and arrested a serving police constable identified as Matthew Ofurum, who is believed to be the leader of the gang that abducted Nollywood actress, Nkiru Sylvanus, a few weeks ago. Matthew Ofurum who hails from Assa community in Ohaji/ Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State, is currently serving with the Mobile Police Force Base 19, Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He was allegedly arrested with N3.5 million believed to be part of the N8million ransom paid to secure the release of Sylvanus.

The arrest of the alleged kidnap kingpin was confirmed by the Director of Operations, department of State Security, Mr. Femi. The SSS director, who did not give further details about the arrest of the constable, stated that “The suspect, Constable Matthew Ofurum, is in our custody for his involvement in the abduction of Miss Slyvanus.” Saturday Mirror gathered reliably that Police Constable Ofurum, who is suspected to be the leader of a gang of kidnappers operating in Imo, Abia and Rivers States is “a notorious policeman who used his police uniform as a security shield to rob and kidnap victims.” According to security

sources, apart from kidnapping, the police constable was also involved in the recruitment and training of criminals, as well as in supplying arms and ammunition to other kidnappers that had been terrorising the states in recent times. Mr. Jerry Okosun, the Director-General of Youth and Students’ Affairs in Governor Okorocha’s cabinet was arrested and detained at the Imo State Police Command headquarters, Owerri after being accused of being the point man of the kidnappers. The Edo born DG is alleged to have facilitated the negotiation between the kidnappers and the victim’s family, as a result of which N8 million ransom was paid to the gang. He is alleged to have been implicated

Sylvanus

by some text messages during the negotiations between the kidnappers and the actress’ family. He has, however, been released from detention. Sylvanus was kidnapped in Owerri on December 16, 2012, when she was shooting her latest film “Reincarnation.” She was released one week later after her family had paid N8million to the kidnappers against police advice.

ighty-four social miscreants, also known as ‘Area Boys,’ were yesterday arrested by officials of the Lagos State Taskforce on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit in Oshodi area of the state metropolis. Saturday Mirror gathered that the miscreants, among whom were 30 underaged boys, were arrested while sleeping in the shanties located under the bridges in the area. The taskforce also recovered a toy gun which the hoodlums used to terrorise innocent Lagosians in Oshodi day and night. Some of the minors were as young as 12 years old, while nine of those arrested had previously been arrested by the taskforce on four different occasions. The suspects said the toy gun belongs to Tajudeen Yusuf, who according the taskforce, had been arrested four times. But the said Yusuf denied ownership of the toy gun. Among those arrested was a13year old boy who said he ran away from home. He was arrested under the bridge at Oshodi. He said: “I am from Ondo State and I sleep under the bridge at Oshodi. My mother has died and I came to stay with my aunt in Lagos, but I ran away with her N1,000”. Another minor, Sheyi Alabi 12, said he was arrested at OkoMala, a ghetto in Oshodi, which is well known as a notorious haven where future criminals are bred. Another 13-year old minor said he lost his father some years ago, saying that his mother sent him away from home, which was why he pitched tent in Oshodi for nefarious activities. Briefing journalists on the operation, Taskforce Chairman, Bayo Sulaiman said that the hoodlums were arrested at Oshodi around 4am. “Nine of them have been arrested before and one of them has a toy gun. There are many young ones there and some of them will say they don’t have parents. The nine people arrested four times previously would be charged specially.

12-year-old Area Boy

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

January 12, 2013

Saturday Starter

Cassava bread

Have you been served? Next to rice, bread is probably the most common denominator on the table of rich and poor Nigerians. This may be why the Federal Government is making efforts to keep this staple within the reach of the average Nigerian. How feasible is this? What multiplier effects would this have on the common Nigerian whose other main staple, garri, is a product of cassava? How acceptable is the idea of cassava bread to bakers and of course the consumers?

ore than N200 billion will be saved annually from wheat importation when the Federal Government’s initiative of 40 percent cassava flour and 60 wheat in a loaf of bread finally takes off in the country, the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Adewunmi Adesina, has been quoted as saying on many occasions. Nigeria, experts have said, spends more than N625 billion on wheat importation yearly. Contrary to the opinion of many, cassava bread is not a wholly new concept neither is it absolutely exclusive to the current administration. According to the President, Association of Master Bakers, Confectioners and Caterers of Nigeria, Chief Bayo Folarin, the policy actually started in the dying days of military era in the country. He pointed out that former President Olusegun Obasanjo took it up and passed it to the current administration. Folarin said, “This is the third era this same policy will come up. A military administration put the percentage of cassava in bread at six. Later, Obasanjo said it would be 30 per cent, which was later reduced to five per cent; but all these did not work because of challenges. We are waiting to see how the 40 per cent inclusion of cassava in bread will work.” It was not Folarin alone who perceived some challenges in the coming to being of the initiative. Many

a Nigerian have also asked questions about the workability of the scheme and whether or not the gains are only and strictly economical, at least on the part of the Federal Government. The major question on most lips now, however, is its feasibility. This question has been answered by the United African Company (UAC), one of the foremost bread and confectioneries producers to latch on to the policy. UAC has begun the production of bread with 10 per cent cassava inclusion, through which the company fine tuned its processes and increased the cassava flour component to 20 per cent and then 30. UTC, another bread and confectionaries producer, recently in an elaborate ceremony had launched its cassava flour-included bread called “Starloaf ”. UTC Plc Managing Director and chief baker, Mrs. Foluso Olaniyan said the bread is ‘good to go’ having been under the certification searchlight of the National Agency of Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), millers and other international agencies for which it had got the nod to set sail to grocer’s shelves within and beyond Nigeria’s borders. Also, the Agriculture Minister a couple of weeks ago insisted that it was feasible and that the Federal Government was determined to ensure that before 2015, cassava bread would replace wheat bread in the

country. The minister made the declaration in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, while declaring open a twoday practical training organised by his ministry for about 70 Master Bakers drawn from the South-South geo-political zone on the use of cassava flour to make bread. Adesina, who was represented by his Special Adviser, Technical, Mr. Tony Egba, expressed regret that despite the fact that Nigeria was the largest producer of cassava in the world, the cassava tuber was only reduced to garri and fufu for public consumption. With this development, Nigerians have also expressed fears on the multiplier effects, the eventual implementation of the initiative may have on the economy of the common Nigerian especially as it affects cassava which is the main source of other staples like garri, elubo, fufu, akpu and the rest. But Dr. Oludiran Akinleye an Agricultural Economist with specialisation in Food and Agricultural Policy said there is no cause for alarm describing the situation that would evolve as a win-win one for all and sundry. “It is a positive development to the Nigerian economy. And it is a win-win implication. There is nothing negative about the idea of a cassava or potato bread in as much as local content and its multiplier effects is concerned,” he assured frightened Nigerians in an interview with Saturday Mirror. On the anxiety expressed in some quarters as to the health implication of the project, Oluwakemi Fashina an experienced nutritionist, allayed the fears. To her, cassava if processed into bread will give the body carbohydrate and making bread out of it does not remove anything out of its nutritional content. Cassava has nutrients such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorous, iron, a little bit of protein, little fat, ash and water while potato on the other hand is rich in carotene b, vitamins b and c, crude fibre, moisture and fat.

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saturday Starter

‘Flour millers have the major task’

Wole Abdulsalam is the Administrative Manager with Harvest Foods Limited, a bakery and confectionery firm based in Lagos, the producers of Premium Harvest Bread and other food products. THOMAS USHIE

ow far has your organisation been able to implement the cassava bread policy and what are the challenges so far? The whole issue is about the addition of 40 percent cassava flour to the normal wheat flour used in general bakery, to achieve 40 percent cassava and 60 percent wheat flour. It is not restricted to bread. Having clarified that, it is worthy of note that the policy implementation of the 40 per cent cassava flour addition to flour is not within the purview and operation of the bakers per se. It is the millers that should be concerned with such implementation. It is what they produce and sell to us that we improve on, innovate and sell to our esteemed consumers. We are end users. We don’t produce flour. It is within the bulk of whatever flour milling and addition in their appropriate percentage stopped with them. And once they commence the implementation, we shall not hesitate to do same. If the flour millers are yet to commence the implementation of the

40 percent cassava addition, do you think that the government is serious about the policy? Although the government proposed this addition last year, it is not the first time they have come out with this policy. And I don’t think that they are very serious about its implementation. I said so, because I have not seen any of the millers producing cassava flour nor its appropriate addition to wheat. They are all still producing wheat flour, whole wheat flour. I have never seen since the initiative of that cassava-wheat flour addition, the production of the flour anywhere. If that has commenced, we would have been seeing it in the branding of the flour packages or its indication on the labels appropriately. It cannot be a silent revolution. Have the bakers been able to meet with the millers concerning the implementation of the policy with regards to addition of cassava or potato flour as the case may be, so that the bakers could buckle up towards change in technology and baking approach? On individual basis as a bakery and confectionary firm, no, we have not. But I don’t know what the Federal Government has discussed with the millers. As I have said before, bakers are just end users. We are not close the chain of production of flour of whatever sorts and brands. However, as a company, we are committed to government policies that would promote local content development as well as nourish Nigerians and Africans in general. Our aim, as a food processing organization, is to hygieni-

dition is to be implemented at all, it would affect the production of whole wheat bread? The whole wheat bread is ideal for consumers who have diabetes or have signs of diabetes. Or those who want to avoid consummation of sugar. Whole wheat bread is produced without sugar and it is also ideal for aged citizens. Has the government discussed the cassava addition policy with bakers? They have not discussed it with us, per se. I think that the millers are more in the picture than the bakers.

Abdulsalam

cally nourish Nigerians and I think that government policies are always geared towards that. Although the policy has yet to be implemented as you observed, do you think that upon its commencement, the production of such mixture would pose additional challenges to bakers? Upon commencement of the policy, I think that the millers would have to perfect the mix before it gets to the bakers. If there are additional challenges, they are in the position to acquaint us accordingly. And they ought to do so. We are yet to get to the bridge. When we get there, we will know how to cross it. What are the differences between the wheat and whole wheat bread? Do you think that if the cassava ad-

What do you think would be the probable reaction of consumers to the proposed addition of cassava to bread since most Nigerians already consume cassava products almost on daily basis – in garri, akpu/fufu, alibo, abacha, cake, etc.? If that should be implemented, it would be through the millers, which I think the Federal Government would do. So, the government can only effectively and homogenously enforce the cassava addition through the millers who are the producers of flours and not the bakers. Ultimately, I think that it would be wise for addition of 30 per cent cassava rather than 40 per cent. My position stems from the facts you have pointed out and more so, that cassava is majorly carbohydrate. Wheat has other nutritional values that Nigerians do not consume from other products on daily basis. Wheat is like crude oil. When you extract crude, you can get several allied products from it. Wheat has protein, vitamins, and less carbohydrate.

‘Cassava bread has win-win implications for our economy Dr. Oludiran AKINLEYE holds a Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Economics with specialisation in Food and Agricultural Policy. He spoke with THOMAS USHIE. Excerpts:

Akinleye

hat is the implication of cassava bread production on the Nigerian economy? It is a positive development to the Nigerian economy. And it is a win-win implication. There is nothing negative about the idea of a cassava or potato bread in as much as local content and its multiplier effects is concerned. Most of the people living in Lagos have their fathers or grand fathers in the villages. They even left the villages because the economic opportunities there were limited. So, when there is the possibility for a high turnover in growing cassava, with thousands and millions of Naira accruing from it, several people would want to be part of it. And this would increase economic opportunities in the villages. That means you can be in the village as a cassava farmer, and ride a car, live all the good life that is obtainable or sometimes scarce and elusive in the city. Also, the innovation would stem ru-

ral-urban migration. You don’t need to come to Lagos or any city if you can farm and make it in the villages. In addition and very important, it would help to diversify the Nigerian economy away from dependence on oil. For me, it is a win-win for the Nigerian economy. The prices of cassava products such as garri, elubo, etc., have been on the increase. The proposed bio-fuel production is yet to start up. Now it is cassava flour for bread. Wouldn’t all these exact too much pressure on cassava? It would not. There are lot of unemployed Nigerians. So, the moment there is anything as pressure on the cassava, more unemployed youths would venture into cassava farming and make more money instead of looking for the all elusive white collar jobs. Chicken farming used to be a dirty business, now, university graduates are into poultry businesses and frozen foods. Cat fish used to be a dirty business; now graduates are into fish farming. If am sure that I would make money from cassava farming, nothing stops me from increasing my output. So, it is better for Nigeria that there is

pressure on cassava because that would mean more investment in it and more money. If we have to pay more to buy garri, why not? I would rather we pay more for garri than for wheat flour. The money paid for garri goes to Nigerians while that of wheat causes a leakage in the system because it goes to the United States. I would rather enrich a Nigerian than enrich somebody in America. Is it not possible for cultivate wheat in Nigeria and reduce the import dependency? It is possible but it is not geographically suited to Nigeria. It would not optimize production. Apple can be grown in Nigeria but how many apple trees have you ever come across? So, it is possible but you would not get value for money. However, cassava can be grown all over Nigeria. It is geographically suited to Nigerian soil. So, I think that we have the land, the manpower for massive cassava production. And it is a good thing for Nigeria. Is there any possibility for exporCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

January 12, 2013

Saturday Starter

‘It will increase demand for cassava’ When they go for mechanised farming, it is going to increase the cassava planting but the nature of cassava, may not allow many farmers to embark on mechanised farming. The fastest cassava we have is six to eight months and we also have the one of two and a half years. So no matter how fast is the mechanised farming, it can only help in the area of having a large farm, planting it on time, wielding it and making the wielding easy but it cannot affect the time of output. It will not affect the time of harvesting except there is high breed cassava that we will be able to plant and harvest within three months but which we don’t have that now. The average one we have is about a year so having a high breed of cassava of three months will help a lot.

Falade

Adeyemi Idowu Falade, a farmer, whose farm is located in Akufo Government Farm Settlement in Ido Local Government of Oyo State, in this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, said cassava bread would increase the demand for cassava. Excerpts:

hat will be the effect of the introduction of cassava bread to cassava farming in the country? It is going to affect cassava farming in the sense that currently the cassava market has come down and the scenario does not really encourage its farmers to plant because the output is not encouraging. They spend more on the planting and gain less; they don’t make much profit. Therefore, people are disengaging from planting cassava. So if cassava flour is used for baking bread, it will make the demand for cassava to go up. But now we don’t have much cassava in the farm and the little we have now cannot go round because out of the little we have, people are going to make gari, fufu, eba and starch. So if people

started making cassava flour for baking bread, it will not be enough considering that the people that are consuming bread are more than those consuming eba and fufu. Almost every home eats bread, so cassava bread will make demand for cassava to go up. If fact I am even feeling that we are going to run to a situation whereby people will not be able to find gari in the market by the time we fully embark on cassava bread because the cassava we have in farm now cannot even go round for it. So, cassava bread is going to seriously affect cassava products in the market and it is going to affect farmers. Do you foresee farmers going into mechanised farming to be able to produce cassava in large quantity?

What do you think government should do to help farmers to produce cassava in large quantity? Farming should not be something that the Federal Government should involve itself in. Farming should be left with the state and local governments. I will advise government to encourage farmers locally. They should go to grassroots through the local government areas and give them the inputs and make chemical and tractors available to farmers. Government should also give room for soft loan that will be accessible to people because they could not access majority of the soft loans made available to them in the past. Banks then were demanding collaterals. Many people would not have approached the bank if they had the kind of collateral the bank is asking for before giving out a loan. Government should make loan available and go through local government areas to the farmers so that the loan would reach the people easily. Doing this would make us avoid the ugly situation of he past. For instance, in the last exercise of receiving cassava stem on phone, a lot of farmers do not know how to use the phone; they lost the chance. Government on its own should even embark on its own personal farm. It should also make available a large portion of land for farming.

‘It is a win-win all the way’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

tation of cassava flour? It is possible. During the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, there was a lot of talk about cassava products such as chips and others. The only thing Nigeria needs to do is the processing capacity. Once it is processed in an exportable form, there is hope for cassava as a foreign currency earner. There is an export market for it. Is it a novel idea? It is not. We have been talking of cassava bread since Obasanjo’s years. I

think the Federal Government is too slow in implementing the policies on cassava flour. We have already shown with Ofada rice that there is a market for novelty agricultural goods. For many people, Ofada rice is more preferred to polish imported rice because Ofada is richer in value. We can also do same to a point when we can start to place value on cassava bread. For one, it would be more fattening with a whole new set of nutrients. Like I said earlier, it is a win-win situation – nutritionally, economically, employment generations, curbing rural-urban migration – it is win-win all the way.

What do you think is drawing back the full implementation of the policy? It is the fear of change. What could the government do to speed it up? Penalise all those who are yet to start adding cassava flour to the wheat mills. Or, if there can be an incentive to push it through, the government could also employ it. On the other side, there could be penalties for those who did not implement the policy within a time frame.

Fashina

‘Cassava bread is very nutritious’ Oluwakemi Fashina is a nutritionist. In this interview with FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON, she spoke on the nutritional content of cassava and potato and the feasibility of making bread out of them.

hat is the nutritional composition of cassava and potato and with what result if processed into bread? Cassava if processed into bread will give the body carbohydrate and making bread out of it does not remove anything out of its nutritional content. Cassava has nutrients such as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorous, iron, a little bit of protein, little fat, ash and water while potato on the other hand is rich in carotene b, vitamins b and c, crude fibre, moisture and fat. These are the basic components of potato and processing it into bread does not in any way devalue these components. How will the dangerous contents in these food items be avoided. For instance, there is cyanide in cassava: how will such be avoided? The cyanide content in cassava can be eliminated through fermentation and roasting which is part of the process bread goes through. Potato made into bread will also give glucose, which in turn serves as energy to the body. Another fact is that, potato and cassava can not be solely made into bread in the sense that you will still need to mix the wheat flour with it. It is usually in the ratio of 30 percent of cassava or potato to 70 percent of wheat flour. That is how it is done.

NATIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Court sacks Oyinlola as National Secretary

•Says PDP’s conduct criminal •Oyinlola to appeal judgement EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, removed Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola from office as the National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Delivering judgement in a suit filed by Chief Adebayo Dayo and Alhaji Semiu Sodipo challenging the March, 2012 national convention of the PDP that produced Oyinlola as national scribe of the ruling party, presiding judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati held that Oyinlola (3rd Defendant) “is not fit to continue in office as National Secretary and is unworthy of occupying that office.” The court which granted relief four, which sought an order “committing the 3rd Defendant, Oyinlola, to prison for such period as the court may see fit in the circumstance of his commission of criminal contempt...”, was however silent on committing Oyinlola to prison. Also, the court made a declaration nullifying the candidacy of Oyinlola for the position of National Secretary. In his reaction to the court’s decision, Oyinlola, who appeared in court fully robed, vowed to appeal against the ruling saying, “I want to believe that there was misapplication of the principles of justice and we will appeal the judgement.” Justice Kafarati, who frowned seriously at the decision of the PDP to confirm Oyinlola as Secretary

in utter disobedience of two subsististing orders of court, held that, “Their conduct amount to contempt of court and they may be liable to prison.” The court dismissed the preliminary objections raised by the PDP (2nd defendant) and Oyinlola, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit, the plaintiffs’ locus standi. It was further held that the plaintiffs’ suit did not constitute an abuse of court process, moreso that same had disclosed reasonable cause of action. Consequently, Justice Kafarati resolved the three questions formulated by Dayo and Sodipo for the determination of the court. It would be recalled that Justice Charles Archibong of the Federal High Court, Lagos, had in separate order and judgement dated 27 April and May 2, 2012 respectively, nullified the South-West zonal congress of the PDP, conducted in March of the same year. Therefore, the plaintiffs’ originating summon was predicated on the strength of the aforesaid judgement and its perceived flagrant disobedience. They told the court that they were in court “for and on behalf of the officers of the Ogun State Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party.” The suit numbers of the order of the Lagos court were FHC/L/CS/282/2012 and FHC/L/CS//347/2012. The aggrieved members of Ogun PDP had formulated three questions for the determination of the court to wit:

President Goodluck Jonathan receiving a letter from the Sudan Special Envoy, Dr. Nefie Ali Nefie, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

PDP Crisis: Chieftains lobby to replace Tukur as chairman •Jonathan threatens to overhaul NWC •‘Crisis will not affect 2015’ OBIORA IFOH AND TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE ABUJA

otable politicians from the North-East zone of Nigeria have commenced scheming to replace the embattled Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) national chairman, Dr. Bamanga Tukur, in the event that current crisis the party is embroiled in consumes him. This is coming on the heels of the news that the presidency has also requested that the National Working Committee of the party be overhauled should the crisis which almost tore the party apart within the week is not resolved. Saturday Mirror also gathered that there is an indication that Tukur may quit over “distrust and ir-

reconcilable difference” with NWC members. Tukur had publicly accused the 10 members of the NWC of betrayal after they held a meeting without his knowledge and annulled the recently conducted congresses in Adamawa State. It was also gathered from dependable sources that PDP leaders are expecting Tukur’s resignation letter as it is now glaring that he may not be able to continue to work with a team that he could not trust. According to sources, the national chairman is still in shocked over the gang up against him by the NWC members and his close associates have not ruled out a sudden resignation any time from now. It was further gathered that in anticipation of Tukur’s resignation, interests

Oshiomhole: S’ Court overrules Appeal Court on qualification ...Says issue not pleaded at tribunal EMMANUEL ONANI ABUJA

he Supreme Court yesterday ruled that the governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole had not questions to answer over his qualification or otherwise as challenged by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the

last governorship election in the state, Maj. Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd). In a unanimous judgement read on behalf of the seven-man panel by Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, the apex court held that the Edo State governor and candidate of the July 14,2012 gubernatorial election in the state, Oshiomhole, cannot answer questions on his qualification

or non-qualification, since same was never pleaded as a ground before the election petition tribunal. Justice Rhodes-Vivour stated that the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Maj. Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), approached the election petition tribunal with a sole ground of malpractice/non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

To this end, the apex court berated the appellate court for making a case for the respondent (petitioner at the tribunal), Airhiavbere, which ne never made for himself. Accordingly, the court held thus: “It is clear that the issue of non-qualification is not properly before the court and the tribunal had no jurisdiction to hear it.

have begun to emerge from notable PDP leaders to take over from him. Our source revealed that stakeholders from the north are taking proactive measures for quick replacement of Tukur to forestall a situation where his deputy, Dr. Sam Sam Jaja, will take over as national chairman. “They are expecting Tukur’s resignation anytime from now and in order not to shortchange Adamawa State, there is a consensus that Tukur’s successor should come from the state. It may interest you to know that our leaders are already looking in the direction of Wakili Adamawa, Dr. Hassan Adamu, as a likely successor to Tukur”, he said. However, there is a strong indication that former acting National Secretary, Dr. Shehu Babayo is being prodded to take over from Tukur should he resign. Dr. Babayo who hails from Bauchi state was a surprise choice of the PDP governors forum to emerge as the chairman in the last national convention but was ordered to step down by the presidency at the last minute for Tukur. The governors have not had a smooth relationship with Tukur since his assumption of office in March 2012 and have only last Wednesday differed with the national chairman on his position over the po-

litical impasse in Adamawa State chapter of the party. President Jonathan had, in a meeting with the NWC on Wednesday, threatened to wield the big stick if the crisis within the party hierarchy is not checked. Meanwhile, a chieftain of the PDP has stressed that the current crisis in the party, particularly, the feud between former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan will not affect the chances of the party in the 2015 general elections. Speaking to Saturday Mirror a chieftain of the party who pleaded anonymity said there is no serious tussle between Jonathan and his predecessor. The issues between the duo, he said, were mere problems of personality based on the fact that everybody wanted his voice to be heard. His words: “I believe all the reports about a rift between Obasanjo and Jonathan are mere speculations and we don’t believe in it. The party is one, and the party leaders are doing everything possible to unite everybody in the party under one umbrella. “As far as I know, no amount of gang up within and outside the party can stop the fortune of the party in 2015. Anybody trying to cause any problem would only be wasting his time.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

I was invited, not arrested by EFCC –Soludo OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

L-R: Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar; Chief Executive Officer, Highbee Investments Limited, Mr. Tunde Bajela, and Chief ExecuPHOTO: NAN tive Officer, Joed Nigeria Limited, Lola Adefusika, at the exchange of Memorandum of Understanding in Abuja, yesterday.

Power: FG raises panel to ensure payment of distribution companies ROTIMI FADEYI

he Federal Government has set up a committee to address the widening gap regarding energy delivery to transmission companies and payment for such deliveries. Speaking yesterday at a meeting on power generation in the country, Sambo said it was imperative to address the issue of delay or non-payment for the electricity supplied by the distribution companies. He urged the companies to honour the contract it signed with the federal government, noting that nonpayment for government investment on power may affect the smooth operation of the sector as government is paying for gas and other components to enable the sector to function. He raised concern over accumulating debt of a huge sum of money, adding that the essence of government building the sector was to create jobs and to provide constant electricity to Nigerians. In order to address the recurring issues and the centrality of multi-yeartariff-order to resolving the issues, the vice president set up a technical committee comprising the Minister of State for Power, the Director General of Budget, Chairman of National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Market Operator, Transmission Company of Nige-

ria (TCN), and Chairman of Task Force on Power. The committee has one week to submit its report. He also set up a committee of the Ministry of Power and Presidential Task Force on Power to assign accounting efficiency officers to the distribution companies and also come up with a suitable structure for the Market Operator Office.

On the difficulties in payment of salaries to the staff in Yola distribution office, Sambo directed the committee through the market operator to release funds to address the issue of salary, metering, payment for gas and other infrastructural needs to boost power supply. He frowned at the idea of keeping transformers in the stores instead of mounting

Jonathan reaffirms support for peace between Sudan and S’Sudan ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

resident Goodluck Jonathan has said that African Heads of State and governments must take the lead and do all within their powers to peacefully resolve the lingering boundary dispute between Sudan and South Sudan. Speaking after receiving briefing on latest developments in the dispute over the Abyei region from Nafie Ali Nafie, who was at the Presidential Villa as Special Envoy of President Omar El-Bashir of Sudan, Jonathan pledged that Nigeria would initiate further talks on a peaceful settlement of the dispute at the next summit of the African Union scheduled to hold in Addis Ababa this month. A statement issued yesterday by the Special Ad-

viser on Media And Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said that Jonathan called on African leaders to unite in support of the peaceful and amicable resolution of the dispute over Abyei and all other boundary issues that resulted from the separation of South Sudan from Sudan. He stressed that such issues would continue to cause problems between the two countries if left unresolved. “It is an African problem and African leaders must take the lead in resolving it. We cannot wait for others to come and do it for us,” Jonathan said. Nafie assured Jonathan of Sudanese President El-Bashir’s commitment to the peaceful demarcation of the boundaries between Sudan and South Sudan, and the establishment of friendly relations between both countries.

them for power consumers. Earlier, the chief executives of the eleven distribution companies enumerated their challenges including the 50 per cent increase in salaries of staff; increase in the number of staff following the unbundling of PHCN; security challenges in most areas; inadequate meter distribution to customers and other management issues.

lhaji Bukar Tijani, Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, on Friday in Abuja reiterated Federal Government’s commitment to boost cotton production in the country. Tijanni said this in a statement issued by the Director of Information, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Ru-

ormer Governor of the Central Bank (CBN), Professor Chukwuma Soludo, says he was not arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as was published in some national dailies on Thursday. Soludo said he was invited by the EFCC to make clarifications on some issues on a matter under investigation. According to a statement from Soludo’s media office made available to newsmen in Abuja, the former CBN governor voluntarily went to the EFCC office to honour the Commission’s invitation. The statement which was signed by Bonaventure Melah said Soludo was neither arrested nor escorted to EFCC office by operatives of the Commission as was reported.

“We want to put it on records clearly that the media reports that Professor Chukwuma Soludo was arrested by the operatives of the EFCC in Abuja is totally false or to say the lease written in error. “The fact of the matter is that the EFCC wrote a letter to Prof. Soludo inviting him to their Abuja office on the 10th of January 2013. EFCC’s invitation letter to Prof. Soludo was dated 20th December 2012. “Prof. Soludo was abroad attending to several international engagements when the letter was sent to his aides. As a law abiding citizen of the country, Prof. Soludo returned to Nigeria in the New Year and honoured EFCC invitation on January 10th as requested. He voluntarily went from his home to EFCC office on Thursday. He was neither arrested nor escorted by any operative of the Commission.”

Minister reiterates FG’s commitment to boost cotton production ral Development and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). It quoted Tijanni as giving the assurance while signing an MoU with the representatives of the Government of India on Techhnical Assistance Programme for the Development of cotton sector (Cotton TAP). He said that a boost in the production of the crop was part of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of

the present administration. “It is the desire of the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan to see to the development of the Cotton Value Chain so that cotton farmers, textiles and users of cotton garments can get the best of this programme.” Tijani also gave the assurance that the transformation of the cotton value chain that was achieved in 2012, would be consolidated in 2013.

Armed Forces Remembrance Day: Sambo urges Nigerians to pray for peace ROTIMI FADEYI ABUJA

ice President Namadi Sambo has implored Nigerians to continue to pray for the peace and progress in the country and the success of the Transformation Agenda of the present administration. Speaking yesterday after the Special Juma’at Prayer held at the Central Mosque in Abuja to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, Sambo said the country would continue to remember

those who fought gallantly for the peace and progress of the nation. According to him, the gallant men and women who laid down their lives in the service of their country are heroes and heroines that the nation is proud of and would continue to celebrate. “We should continue to pray for peace and progress in Nigeria and this is the time that we all as Nigerians should come together and support this administration for the success of our Transformation Agenda,” he added.

The special prayer was led by the Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Sheikh Musa Mohammad. The Armed Forces Remembrance Day is an annual event which is always marked on January 15th to remember and celebrate gallant officers and men who laid down their lives in the service of the nation. Present at the event were Service Chiefs, the Inspector General of Police, heads of paramilitary establishments, members of the Federal Executive Council and other Muslim faithful.

NATIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

Bad weather forces Virgin, Arik to divert int’l flights •Domestic operators affected too OLUSEGUN KOIKI

ad visibility yesterday forced Virgin Atlantic Airways and Arik Air to divert their international flights to different locations while domestic operators had their early morning flights delayed. For instance, Virgin Atlantic Airways, which regularly arrive the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, from Heathrow, London, in the morning, diverted its inbound flight to neighbouring African

country, Ghana because of bad weather. Arik Air diverted its London-Lagos flight to Port Harcourt for the same reason. At the local scene, domestic carriers like Dana Air, Med-View and Aero had their early morning flights delayed for some few hours for the weather to improve and be safe for flight operations. The spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic, Kudirat Scot-Igbene, confirmed the diversion of its London flight to Accra, Ghana, following a foggy weather. She said the passengers

were later airlifted to Lagos when the weather improved. Also, Arik spokesman, Mr. Banji Ola, also confirmed that the bad weather in Lagos affected its London and Dakar flights. He explained that with the bad weather, no flight could land or take off in Lagos for over three hours in the morning. He said, “It is true we diverted our London and Dakar flights to Port Harcourt today (yesterday). The weather could not allow aircraft to land or take off in Lagos and for safety reasons, we flew to Port

Harcourt and when the weather normalised, we flew to Lagos.” Also, the Group Communication Manager, Dana Air, Mr. Tony Usidamen, said that its early morning flight out of Abuja was affected by the poor visibility in the morning. Usidamen noted that its 7am flight to Lagos was delayed for over two hours because of hazy weather. He said that for safety reasons, it stayed in Abuja for the weather to improve. He however emphasised that flight operations had since resumed without any hitches.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jonathan appoints Olatunde Kuye as MD, NEPZA

resident Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mr Oluwagbemiga Olatunde Kuye, as the Managing Director of the Nigeria Export Processing Zone Authority (NEPZA). This is contained in a statement issued by Mr Udo Akpan, the Chief Press Secretary to Mr Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Trade and Investment, on Friday in Abuja. The statement said that until his appointment, Kuye was the Executive Director, Operations and Technology, at ECO Bank Nigeria Plc between 2009 and 2012. It said that Kuye spent the bulk of his career in CitiGroup where he became the Vice President responsible for Central Af-

rica Operations and Technology, before becoming the Deputy Chief Executive Officer for CitiGroup Cameroun. ``Kuye has over 21 years of local and International banking experience with over 10 years at Senior Management level. ``He holds First Class Honors’ Degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos and several certified Professional Certificates in specific banking core areas. ``He was an active member of the Special Committee set up by the Minister of Trade and Investment for the Reform of Free/Export Processing Zones in Nigeria,`` the statement said. It said that Kuye’s appointment took immediate effect.

Disunity may deprive North of 2015 Presidency –Gabari AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

A Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ameen Ikioda, in a chat with the Commanding Officer, Spanish Navy Ship MV RELAMPAGO, Lt Commander Tanago De La Lastra, when the latter called on the FOC in his Apapa, Lagos, office, recently.

Dana crash: 14 families get 70% compensations –NCAA OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) yesterday disclosed that families of 14 victims have so far received the remaining balance of $70,000 after the submission and approval of the Letter of Administration from the major insurance company, Lloyds of London, United Kingdom. The Director-General of NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren, disclosed this yesterday in a press briefing on the update on Dana Air compensation to families of the victims. The families were at the early stage given the initial $30, 000 compensation by the airline’s insurance companies immediately after the

crash. 153 souls were onboard the MD 83 aircraft, which crashed on June 3, 2012 at IjuIshaga area of Lagos State. Demuren who was represented at the occasion by the Director, Aeromedical, NCAA, Dr. Theresa Bassey, assured that the airline would meet the two months deadline issued it by the Ministry of Aviation for it to recommence flight operations. Demuren further informed that 131 victims’ families had so far submitted documents for the payment of compensation while families of 12 were yet to submit any documentation for compensation. Also, two families were yet to submit full documentation while 53 victims’ families went to court, including

families of 23 victims who had collected the initial payment of $30,000. Besides, Demuren informed that documentation for 24 victims were still awaiting authentication by the insurers, adding that letters of administration for families of 48 victims are still being awaited. In a bid to fast track the letter of administration, he explained that NCAA wrote an official letter to Governor Babatunde Fashola, Attorney General of the Federation and Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State and an official letter to the Chief Judge of Lagos State, which was granted. He added: “Issues of multiple claims are also being carefully handled while the cheques of the initial

payment of $30,000 compensation have been paid 85 victims. In order for the families to collect the remaining $70,000 compensation, letter of administration is required by the reinsurance company. “NCAA has held several meetings with some of the families of the victims and their lawyers, alongside National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) and sought the assistance of the Lagos State Government in order to fast track the process of the issuance of the letter of administration.” On compensation for ground victims, NCAA insisted that all ground victims must be settled, but declined to be specific on when they would be paid by the airline’s insurance company.

s the build up to 2015 presidency begins with the North and the South-East laying claims to the slot, there is the fear that the seeming disunity among the Arewa’s rather than insecurity may rob them of the position. First Republic politician, Alhaji Lili Gabari, in an interview with Saturday Mirror yesterday said that the north remained deeply divided. The former chieftain of Nigeria Element Progressive Union (NEPU) who also represented Kano district as counselor under NEPU in 1956, said the issue of insecurity in the North was not the main problem for now. He pointed out that “our problem is disunity which should be addressed before we begin to think of challenging for the presidency.” “Here in the North, we have different political groupings which emerge from either NEPU or NPC, and these members still recall their sad experiences resulting from marginalisation and maltreatment by the NPC leadership,” he said. He noted that people who had long arrogated to themselves the leadership of the North are from the oppressive camp of the NPU.

He declared that until there is a genuine reconciliation of all the political groupings in the North, there would be no headway for the region. Gabari who was former governor, Abubakar Rimi’s political adviser on National Assembly Matters and Member of the Kano State House of Assembly on the platform of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), said “what the region needs now is a total reconciliation before they can work as a team.” Meanwhile, Second Republic politician, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has argued that insecurity in the North would not stop presidency from coming to the North. According to him, crisis in the Niger-Delta region did not stop President Goodluck Jonathan from emerging as president, and the North could not be different. “So, I can’t see why it should affect the North, it’s a lame argument, it doesn’t hold water.” “My attitude is that I don’t like Nigerians to devote their attention on matters pertaining to 2015 election, three years in advance. What we need to concentrate on is to ensure that the president and governors deliver on their promises to the electorate as debate on this issue will be counterproductive.”

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NATIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

Oyerinde’s murder: Your allegations are baseless, IGP tells Oshiomhole •Orders AIGs, CPS to sink Code of Conduct into policemen OMEIZA AJAYI

he Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has faulted the allegations by Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, that the Nigeria Police Force messed up investigations into the murder of his (Oshiomohole’s) Principle Private Secretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde. He said the governors claims were not based on any tangible or empirical evidence. Abubakar stated that apart from the fact that the case was still before a court of law and inconclusive yet, Mr Oshiomhole’s claims were at best “unfounded”. “In the first place, that case is in court, so it will be subjudice for me to respond to that but at the appropriate time, we shall respond because he (Oshiomhole) made allegations that were

unfounded,” said the IGP who spoke with journalists shortly after a parley with senior police officers from the rank of Commissioners of Police to Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs) of Police. The governor who spoke on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of a 17-page Code of Conduct for the Nigeria Police had called for the sack of the Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG “D” Department (Investigation), Peter Yisa Gana, for allegedly conspiring with some other police officers to shield the killers of his Private Secretary, Comrade Olaitan Oyerinde. In the same breath he praised the State Security Service (SSS) for arresting those he believed were the real culprits. “IG, you know that I am aggrieved; I am aggrieved over the murder of my Private Secretary and the way in which it was trivialised. I am saying it knowing that

the Vice President is here. “My secretary was murdered in cold blood and on the orders of Mr. President to fish out the killers, you dispatched a DIG to supervise that investigation; a DIG is a sufficiently senior officer in my estimation. They came to Benin and they did what the late Fela would have called police magic. “In the end, they went for a civil rights activist and charged him for the offence of murder,’’ said a tearyeyed Oshiomhole who spoke amid a defeaning silence. “The DIG Force CID has a case to answer; it is either he is guilty of conspiracy to murder or is guilty of conspiracy to shield murderers or both in which case he cannot wear his police uniform, he must be dismissed. “The Deputy Commissioner of Police that he used, who claimed that they have done a thorough job, he has no business wearing police uniform because by my judg-

ment, in his own narrative, he is a criminal,’’ Oshiomhole had said, claiming that the only conclusion that could be deduced was that “the police ordered the murder of my private secretary.” Abubakar was however silent on the governor’s call for the sack of the DIG and other officers he accused of shielding “murderers”. The conference which observed a minute silence for the late Assistant Inspector General AIG of Police, Mukhtar Ibrahim, as well as other officers who recently died in the line of duty was meant to evaluate the security situation in the country and assess the role being played by all police formations across the country. In his remarks, the IGP who noted that the conference was coming just after the Force’s national security summit and the launch of its Codes of Conduct, however ordered all Zonal Assistant Inspectors Gener-

al AIGs of Police as well as Command Police commissioners to organise a fora in order to sink the principles of the codes into the psyche of all policemen and officers in their jurisdiction. Abubakar however urged Nigerians to forward their assessment of police adherence to the codes to the Divisional Police Officers, State or Zonal Commands or his office at the Force Headquarters in Abuja. While he expressed the readiness of his officers and men to comply with provisions of the code, Abubakar said he believed that the government was working assiduously to enhance the welfare and professionalism of the Force. “Nobody is an Island hence valuable inputs must be sought from patriotic Nigerians and friends of Nigeria on ways to counter and contain the security challenges facing the nation by formulating acceptable and

workable courses of action. “The Code of Conduct for Police Officers launched by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces is to clearly inform us of what is expected of all Police Officers in the course of our duties as well as what we expect from the members of the public. “The actions of the members of the Force must be within the constitutional powers assigned to it and in observance of the rule of law. “I will want all the Zonal AIGS and Command CPs to pay special attention to the welfare of personnel. This is to make them feel unalienated and have sense of belonging in their own profession. We must carry them along in the scheme of things. This is because they are the ones that will be visible as we emphasise and insist on visibility policing as the extant policy of the Force and which is being pursued with all vigour”, said the IGP.

Tofa opposes zoning of presidency by parties AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

L-R: Minister of Women Affairs, Hajia Zainab Maina; Executive Director, UN Women, Ms. Michelle Bachelet, and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi PHOTO: NAN Okonjo-Iweala, during the visit of the Un Women’s director to the Minister of Finance in Abuja, yesterday.

Sea piracy: Nigerian Navy may seek Spanish support SEGUN ADIO

he Nigerian Navy will not hesitate to seek foreign support to combat the menace of priracy and sea robberies on the nation’s waters. This position was made known by the Command Operations Officer, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, during a joint press briefing with visiting Spanish Navy Ship MV RELAM-

PAGO in Lagos yesterday. Admiral Babalola, who also said that the frequent visits of foreign navies into the country lately clearly showed that Nigeria is back at its rightful place in the comity of nations, maintained that the exploits of the visiting Spanish ship in many pirates-infested countries in the continent has endeared the Nigerian Navy to them. Before she arrived Nigeria, the Spanish Naval

warship had helped in policing troubled spots like Somalia, Mozambique and part of the South African hotbeds. In the words of Admiral Babalola, “We are proud to be associated with the Spanish Navy Ship MV RELAMPAGO, and the Nigerian Navy shall advise the government to also look in the direction of Spain to tackle the menace of piracy on our waters because they had successfully carried out tour

of duty in more hostile environments than ours,” Admiral Babalola said. In his commend, Commanding Officer of the Spanish ship, Lt. Commander Tanago De La Lastra, commended the leading roles of the Nigerian Navy in the West African sub-region, saying that there is need for adequate security of the international waters around Nigeria because of its economic importance to the world community.

ormer chieftain of the All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP), Alhaji Bashir Tofa, has vehemently opposed the zoning of political offices, especially the Presidency by parties. He said zoning had remained the bane of the nation’s political development and made mess of our democracy. His words: “You see, to me personally, I feel that this North, East and West clamor for presidential ambition is anti-democracy; it doesn’t tally well with the democracy that we want, and it also harms our march to national unity.” The one time presidential candidate of the defunct National Republican Convention (NRC), recalled that, “We were doing very well in solving our problems in Nigeria before but suddenly this ambition of becoming president sectionally has jumped into our national psyche, prompting us to now move backwards into regionalism and from there to stat-ism and so forth. This unhealthy development does not in any way help our national unity.

“If people will seek an ambition and become somebody because they are from a particular part of the country, then you can say that the main motive of doing that is that people believe that until their own is at the helm of affairs, they would never fair well and this has been proven to be a fallacy. “For instance, Goodluck Jonathan is the president of the country from the South South. Does that mean that all people from that region are doing well and swimming in wealth? So, I think it is a fallacy but it is more dangerous that we should continue to see ourselves as Northerners and Southerners.” While speaking in an interview with Saturday Mirror he pointed out that “What we should be doing is to abolish this dichotomy and zoning arrangement, as far as national positions or president is concerned. People should go to their conventions as Nigerians from wherever it is and let the electorate elect whosoever among those aspirants that they want to be their leader, irrespective of where he is from and irrespective of any other regional considerations or characteristics.”

REGIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SOUTH WEST

‘Stop plan to haunt Buhari, Tinubu’ OJO OYEWAMIDE AKURE

andidate of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) party in the October 20, 2012, governorship election in Ondo State, Prince Soji Ehinlanwo, has appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to halt the reported plans to haunt opposition leaders in the country. Ehinlanwo said the smear campaign agenda against the former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari, and the national leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was aimed at portraying the two foremost

opposition leaders in bad light to the public. The CPC candidate, who issued a in a statement in Akure, Ondo State, stated that the plan, which was reported to include trumped up charges against Tinubu and Buhari, was aimed at derailing the grand attempt by the opposition to present to the Nigerian people a formidable alternative to the PDP government. Ehinlanwo, however, warned that no amount of “blackmail and dirty tactics” could deter opposition elements in the country from responding and leading the change that the people desire. The statement said: “We are embarrassed and disappointed that, in spite of the enormous

Ekiti leads rumour mill in Africa –Fayemi ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

kiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi yesterday advised people of the state to desist from peddling rumour, which, according tom him, is inimical to the growth and development of the state. Governor Fayemi, who lamented that Ekiti is the most prolific rumour mill in Africa, said, “I don’t know why we are like that, but that is how we are.” Governor was reacting to recent stories that he was ill and flown abroad, his deputy was also ill and resigned from office and lately about his cabinet reshuffle. The governor spoke during a visit to the secretariat of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in the state, where he presented of two buses to the women and youth wings of the party. In the words of Governor Fayemi, “Sometime ago, somebody called me and when I picked the call, he was surprised that I was the one that picked the call personally. He then told me that I am surprised that you are the one

picking my call because he said that he had just heard that I am sick and that I have been taken to hospital in an air ambulance. The person, who happens to be our party member told me further that rumour had it that the Deputy Governor is sick and that she had tendered her resignation letter,” Fayemi said. Fayemi, who said there was need to separate the wheat from the chaff as politics of the 2014 governorship elections in the state begins, charged ACN leaders in the state to rise to the challenge of portraying the party in good light before the people. The governor reiterated that his commitment for now was delivery of his electioneering promises to the people through meeting their yearnings and aspirations in line with his administration’s eight-point agenda. Earlier, State ACN Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, had lauded the achievements in office of the governor, said only “a fool will change the winning team” as the party prepares for the forthcoming governorship election”.

problems that we are confronted with, this government still has the time to engage in mindless and devious distractions such as was widely reported. Nigerians watch with dismay and

justifiable anger as our collective patrimony is being pillaged as reflected in several scandals such as the oil subsidy scandals, pension scandals etc . It continued, “ Rather

than being genuinely worried about the sad legacy of ineptitude and cluelessness that it is likely to leave if this current maladministration continues till the end of its tenure, it is cu-

rious, annoying and saddening that this government is co-coordinating action to nail opposition leaders in potentially distracted plot that is capable of bringing it to further disrepute.”

Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); President-General, Leagues of Imam and Alfas (Edo and Delta states), Sheik Mustapha Ajisafe (2nd left); Secretary to Osun State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti (2nd right); Chairman, Nigeria Legion, Osun Chapter, Col. Alimi Samotu (left) and others, during a special jumat prayer marking the celebrations of 2013 Armed Forces Remembrance Day, at Oja-Oba Central Mosque, Osogbo, Osun State, yesterday.

Ogunpa, Ifeleye shops demolition: Over 5, 000 displaced KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

bout 5,000 traders have been rendered jobless by the demolition of shops at the popular Ogunpa and Ifeleye markets in Ibadan, Oyo State by the Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led administration. Chairman of the Ifeleye Market Traders Association, Comrade Olusola Olalere, disclosed this yesterday while speaking with journalists on the demolition exercise carried out in the two major markets. Olalere said it was

unfortunate that majority of the traders that have been rendered jobless are bread winners of their various families. He lamented further that it is painful that many of the affected traders just obtained loans to stock their shops, maintaining that government should not have taken such action if it considered the fact that over 75 per cent of the people of the state are traders. Also, Igbo traders at the two markets groaned on Friday as the demolition team of the state government demolished

their shops. The President of the Igbo Indigenous Traders Association in Oke Padre and Ifeleye, Mr Vitus Udeh, while speaking on behalf of the Igbo traders, lamented that the exercise will cripple most of their businesses. Udeh said the state government should have involved all the stakeholders in proper dialogue before taking such action that affected thousands of lives. The Chairman of the Imo state Traders Association in the area, Mr. Christopher Ezebue, said the state government

should have properly informed the traders before rolling out the bulldozers. He said, “Many of us just returned from our villages with the hope of returning to our lawful duties and businesses, but we were disappointed with the way the state government welcomed us back to the state. Many of us had spent so much money for the Xmas and New Year celebrations, and hoping to return to business in order to make ends meet. Now, our hope has been dashed. The state government should have given us enough notice,” he said.

pointment of Professor Oluyemisi Obilade as the new Vice Chancellor. The union, at an emergency meeting held at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, said the non-constitution of the Governing Council for the university despite persistent demand by the union has made effective governance of the university impossible. The communiqué which was signed by Drs.

Segun Ajiboye (UI), Karo Ogbinaka (UNILAG), Tayo Omoniyi (OOU), Jamiu Oluwatoki (LASU), Anthony Oyenuga (TASUED), and Biodun Badmus (FUNAAB), read that the failure of the Visitor to constitute the governing council could have been a premeditated action to pave way for the governor to rob the university of its autonomy. ASUU, while describing the governor’s action

as illegal and unconstitutional, explained that the power to appoint and remove principal officers as contained in the university law is vested in the governing council The Union then urged Senator Amosun to toe the path of rule of law by constituting the governing council and reappraise the removal of the Vice Chancellor with a view to dispelling the cloud of instability on the university.

ASUU flays Amosun over removal of VC KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

he Ibadan Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), yesterday berated the Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, over his unilateral removal of the Vice-Chancellor of the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Professor Segun Awonusi and the ap-

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REGIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

SOUTH EAST

27 indigent Anambra children win scholarship NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

elief came the way of 27 indigent but brilliant children from Oba community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State as they won the maiden edition of IBEAYIFA scholarship scheme. IBEAYIFA, a sociocultural organization made up of elite citizens of Oba community, had during the just-concluded Yuletide season, instituted a multi-million scholarship scheme as a life-line for indigent but brilliant children in the area. Awarded under the IBEAYIFA Educational Empowerment Fund, the 27 recipients represented nine each for the university, secondary and primary school categories. Speaking at the Merchant of Light Secondary School Hall, Oba, venue of the ceremony,

chairman of the foundation, Professor Peter Onwualu, disclosed that the planning of the scheme had been in the pipeline for about three years now,

adding that it took such a long time for it to kick off because they wanted to get it right the first time as it would be an annual affair.

Onwualu who is also the Director-General of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) noted that although the scholarship

L-R: Zonal Coordinator, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Nsukka Zone, Dr. Chidi Osuagwu; Chairman, ASUU, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Dr. Gab Agu and Secretary, ASUU, Anambra State University, Dr. Sylvia Okonkwo, at a news conference in Enugu, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

45 shops under Niger Bridge shut

ecurity agencies have closed 45 shops closely attached to each other under the Niger Bridge in Onitsha to allow for proper surveillance of the bridge. A visit to the Onitsha end of the bridge by reporters yesterday, showed that the security agents had also drove away other occupants of the area. The surveillance of the bridge could be due to the

spate of bombings and activities of vandals of public utilities in the last two years. The other occupants, who were ejected, included roadside hawkers of goods, commercial tricyclists and bus operators as well as some destitute. Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Ralph Uzoigwe, said that the surveillance of the

bridge against possible terrorists attack was paramount to the command. Uzoigwe said that the area was now manned and patrolled 24 hours by the Anti-Terrorism Squad and other police patrol vehicles. Uzoigwe said that the police was collaborating with sister security agencies to further intensify security of the bridge in the area. His words, “We

have restricted and monitored every human movement under and on top of the bridge as well as restricted vehicles and motorcycles from stopping or parking anywhere on or close to the bridge. ‘`It is well-secured and we are leaving no chance for any funny thing to happen there. I wish to assure you that the bridge is safe and we are always on ground there,’’ he said.

Anambra awards more road contracts

nambra State Government has awarded contract for the construction of Uzoakwa-UbahuekwemOseakwa Road with a spur to Oluoha Okechukwu road Ihiala. The state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Joe Martins Uzodike disclosed this during the weekly post Executive Council Meeting at the Press Unit, Government House, Awka. The 15.25 kilometer project was awarded at

scheme might not cover all the needs of the recipients, it would however supplement the efforts of parents and guardians. Earlier in his remarks,

the cost of N2.095 billion. The Commissioner also announced that the State Executive Council has also decided that henceforth, all members of the Council will engage in tax drive to encourage people to be responsive to their civic responsibilities. Chief Uzodike, who recalled that internally generated revenue form bulk of the fund used in running government activities and projects in old Anambra State, said the present lukewarm attitude of the people to-

wards tax payment was unacceptable. The Commissioner warned that the State government is seriously thinking towards banning Okada and is presently monitoring their operations and excesses and will soon make its position known. Chief Uzodike said the council commended Governor Obi for giving a brand new car and sum of N1 million to the first Speaker old Anambra State, Chief Ifeanyi Enechukwu to enable him

take care of himself. According to the Commissioner, the Council also thanked the Governor for undertaking to give a State burial to former Deputy Governor of Old Anambra State, Chief Austin Ezenwa of Abagana. He said government had equally resolved to pay all his pensions and gratuities from the period when he was the principals of the DMGS and CKC Onitsha as well as the Deputy Governor of the State.

the chairman of the occasion and renowned educationist, Professor Ben Obumselu recalled his days at the Central School, Oba and his efforts in securing scholarship for his post primary education. Obumselu who also remarked that with the setting up of the educational empowerment fund, he has been relieved to have lived to witness this scheme come true, urged children of school age to make good use of all educational opportunities available to them. Also speaking, the chairman of IBEAYIFA, Mr. Darlington Mgbojikwe noted that the group has the vision of encouraging and sustaining the rapid development of Oba in all areas and pledged the preparedness of IBEAYIFA to continue to partner with other voluntary groups and well-meaning individuals for the progress of the town.

Enugu Water Corporation introduces new billing system

he Enugu State Water Corporation has introduced a new billing and data management system to ensure accurate water billing. Managing Director of the corporation, Mr. O’brian Ofordu, said in an interview in Enugu that the system would also reduce manipulations and extortion of customers. He said that the new data management system would accommodate computerized billing where customers would enjoy fixed prices for water monthly. According to Ofordu, ``If you had a camera, you would come and see the new billing hub that I have put in place. It is impressive and the management systems are all in place. ``We have started to populate as we are trenching, we are doing enumeration of all the communities that are also enjoying water sup-

ply and populating that information into the system now so, we are building a new billing data. If you have noticed, most of the bills now are no more hand written, they are all now computerised. We are also expecting that people will compliment us,’’ he said. On the sustainability of water supply, he called on the people to cultivate the habit of paying their bills to compliment government’s efforts, noting that the state government had subsidized payment on water by 400 per cent. In the new billing system, according to Ofordu, a block of flat will pay between N600 and N800 naira per month. He said such billing would be cheaper and more user-friendly. Ofordu continued, “People should understand that for us to build sustainability in water supply, they must cultivate the habit of paying for their water bills.”

REGIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SOUTH SOUTH

No Jailbreak in Ogwashi-Uku –NPS OMEIZA AJAYI & GOODNESS ADAOYICHE

uthorities of the Nigeria Prisons Service yesterday dismissed reports of a jail-break in OgwashiUku, in Aniocha South Local Government Area of Delta State. Earlier in the week, it was repoeted that three inmtes escaped from the prison facility in the community after a jailbreak. The service, however, disclosed that three inmates only escaped from a Prisons Warder in the prison on December 9, 2012, even as it claimed to have taken appropriate actions to manage the situation properly. Public Relations Officer of the Service, Kayode Odeyemi, a Deputy Controller of Prisons, said in a statement yes-

terday that the police and other security agencies were already on the trail of the escapees. Odeyemi was quoted as

saying that, “There was no jailbreak at the prison this year as reported. However three inmates escaped from an inspec-

tor in the prison last year December 9, 2012, and appropriate action has been taken, while the police and other sister agencies

are assisting in the recapture of the escapees”, said Odeyemi. The prisons service also dismissed specula-

Rivers State Governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi ( r ), Chief Judge of Rivers State Justice Iche Ndu and his wife at the rededication service for the 2012/2013 legal year of the Rivers State Judiciary at St Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt, yesterday

tions that it had begun a recruitment exercise, urging job-seekers to disregard any such report, explaining that no consultant has been hired to undertake such exercise on its behalf. Odeyemi continued, “I wish to also use this medium to inform the public of the activities of some unscrupulous people who are taking advantage of unsuspecting job seekers and the general public through the internet that recruitment exercise is on-going in the Nigerian Prisons Service. “The public is hereby informed that the Nigerian Prisons Service is not recruiting staff of any category and that when such exercise would commence it will be published in the media, and that no consultant has been hired to recruit for the service either through the internet or otherwise”, he added.

Akpabio assures ex-servicemen of improved welfare TONY ANICHEBE UYO

ctivities to mark the 2013 Armed Forces Day Celebration in Akwa Ibom State commenced yesterday with the launching of the remembrance emblem appeal fund at the Multi-Purpose Hall, Governor’s Office Annex, Uyo. The emblems were launched by the State Governor, Chief Godswill

Akpabio, represented by his deputy, Lady Valerie Ebe; the State Chief Judge, Justice Idongesit Ntem Isua; Secretary to the State Government, Obong Umana Umana and the Head of the State Civil Service, Mrs. Cecilia Udoessien. In his remarks, Governor Godswill Akpabio narrated the contributions of the Nigerian soldiers during the first and second world wars overseas and the Nigerian

civil war, saying that they fought bravely and some paid the supreme price to raise a banner for freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law which we are enjoying today. Governor Akpabio, who spoke through his deputy, Lady Valerie Ebe, appealed to corporate bodies and individual to assist the families of those soldiers who died or were injured in the course of duty. The Governor said

his administration will continue to support and boost the welfare of fallen heroes and those they left behind. The State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs. Helen Ukpabio, whose Ministry has the oversight function on the Union, said the event was to raise funds for those who died while serving the nation. In his address at the occasion, the state’s Chairman of the Nigerian

Legion, Col. Linus Eyo (Rtd), reassured the State Governor of their total commitment to ensuring the dividend of democracy brought by the uncommon transformation in the state stand the test of time. He said there is a strong bond of unity in the Council due to the peaceful resolution of the internal crisis that thwarted the growth of the body for years. Col. Eyo said that of the

9,812 ex-service men, 2,712 are widows that are not recognized by the state government and pleaded that the Governor, being their only hope, should help the body from dying. He expressed appreciation to the Governor for the supports they are enjoying despite the dark days of leadership tussle in the union and solicited for more to enable them to meet their needs and those of the families of the deceased.

Be upright in justice delivery –Amaechi tells judges, legal practitioners

ivers State Governor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has urged judges, lawyers and other legal practitioners in the state to be fair and upright in delivering justice that will protect the rights of everyone, especially the weak and vulnerable in the society. Governor Amaechi spoke yesterday at the opening of the 2012/2013 legal year and rededication service of the Rivers State Judiciary at St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt. The Governor urged

members of the state judiciary to allow their conscience guide their actions. His words, “One thing you must do is that you must take an action that when you go to bed you will sleep like a

baby. Always allow your conscience to guide you in whatever you do,” he said. He said he has so far kept to his pledge never to interfere in the judicial process in the state. The governor also said

he has promptly and properly funded the state judiciary. Governor Amaechi continued, “I must say to you that I have fulfilled the promise I made to the state about my relationship with the judiciary. I

promised not to interfere; God knows that I have never interfered with what you people are doing. In fact, the only interference is when you invite me to your ceremony that I, believe me I struggled

A’Ibom parades airport equipment thieves TONY ANICHEBE UYO

he Akwa Ibom State government has reiterated its commitment towards making Akwa Ibom International airport the safest and most equipped in the country. Commissioner

for Special Duties, Barr. Austin Mbeh disclosed this when he paraded some suspected members of a syndicated that specializes in coordinated theft of airport equipment. Mbeh said that it was unfortunate that despite government’s intensified

efforts at providing an international airport for the state, miscreants were going around to steal and sabotage the noble intentions of government. The commissioner said that following incessant reports of pilfering at the airport, the government decided to inject a new

strategy in the security system and this paid off with the arrest of members of the gang, maintaining that they will be immediately handed over to the police for appropriate investigation. Four Jerry Cans loaded with diesel and the sum of N12,000 were recov-

to come, the Attorney General literally pushed me here this morning because I thought in the name of that separation of power that only lawyers would be allowed to join their lordships.” ered from them. The arrested suspects were all staffers of Gitto Construction company, the firm handling the new taxiway of the airport. The suspects are Bassey Adeyo from Okobo, Bruno Etim from Nsit Atai and Edem Etim Ukana a compactor operator who hails from Uyo.

Politics

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

January 12, 2013

PDP’s unending battle over BoT chairmanship Tukur

Anenih

TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

he expectations of many political observers were dashed on Tuesday night following the failure of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to elect the chairman of its Board of Trustees (BoT). Prior to the Tuesday meeting of the board, there were high expectations that a new chairman would emerge through a consensus agreement. However, the meeting which lasted about three hours was ended in a deadlock. The BoT members, rather than electing the much expected chairman of the board, refused to go ahead with the election. Rather, they set up a six-man committee led by former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Prof. Jerry Gana, to streamline membership of the board in preparation for the election of a new chairman. The committee headed by Gana has Dr. Shettima Mustapha; Governor Ibrahim Shema; Chief Olabode George; Hope Uzodinma and Mrs. Stella Omu as members. The committee which has one representative from each of the six geo-political zone has three weeks to conclude its assignment after which the trustees will sit down to elect the new chairman of the BoT. The trustees at the meeting also reconfirmed the election of the BoT Secretary, Senator Walid Jubrin, with a mandate to serve for five years. Speaking with journalists at the end of the BoT meeting, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Canada and former PDP national secretary, Chief Ojo Maduekwe, said that the six-man committee was set up to streamline mem-

Jonathan

bership of the board in preparation for the election of a new chairman. Maduekwe said the committee has three weeks to conclude its assignment, adding that its mandate was to properly align membership of the board in such a way that the election of the next BoT chairman would be a model of internal democracy. Speaking on why the BoT chairman did not emerge on Tuesday, the former PDP national scribe disclosed that the BoT had no constitutional duty to conduct election in the meeting, adding that the latest move was to reduce likely area of challenge since the simplest of election would stand the risk of being challenged. He also said apart from the procedure for the election of the BoT chairman, the meeting did not come close to discussing the aspirants or endorsing any of them. “The meeting did not come close to election, nomination or endorsement of any aspirant. There was no deadlock and no gridlock. The meeting resolved that Jibrin should continue in his position as the secretary,” he said. Also speaking to journalists after the meeting, Prof. Gana, the chairman of the six-man committee, admitted that the decision to set up the committee arose because some members were already challenging the legality of some people to vote. Jibrin, the BoT secretary, said so far, 12 members of the board had shown interest in the chairmanship job, adding that it was when Gana’s committee concludes its assignment and submits report that a date for the election will be chosen. A member of the BoT, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, in an interview with Saturday Mirror, also denied the speculation that the election of the BoT chairman did not take place because of disagreement among the party leaders

Obasanjo

to adopt a consensus candidate. His words: “There is nothing like disagreement during the meeting. We held a very peaceful and quiet meeting, re-elected the BoT Secretary and we said anybody who is going to vote must be constitutionally covered. We postponed the election of the BoT chairman because we want to reconstitute the BoT to make sure that those who are going to vote are those who are constitutionally covered to vote. There is nothing like disagreement during the Tuesday BoT meeting. “We re-elected the Secretary of the BoT for a five year time, so there is no disagreement over candidate issue. We are reconstituting a new board governed by the constitution of the party and they will be the one that will elect a new chairman. The committee is expected to work for three weeks and I believe that within one month the election of the new BoT chairman will be held.” To many people, the failure of the PDP to produce a new BoT chairman after the resignation of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in April last year, is likened to the power tussle between the political gladiators within the party, especially the alleged lack of cordial relationship between Obasanjo and President Goodluck Jonathan. It would be recalled that since the resignation of Obasanjo, some PDP chieftains have been strategising to succeed him, but there is sharp division among the BoT members over whom to back for the position. While Obasanjo’s camp is rooting for the candidature of former PDP national chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, the presidency is believed to prefer former Minister of Works, Chief Tony Anenih, for the position. Some other CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

POLITICS

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

INEC should revisit funding of

hat is your view about the state of the nation, considering criticisms against the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration? Constitutional provision gives people freedom of speech and expression but I would not buy into the idea of some people that Nigeria is not working. If Nigeria is not working, why are people still alive? So, I believe Nigeria is working. The fact that we have one or two problems, which include that of security does not mean that Nigeria is not working. The issue of insecurity threat is a global issue; it is not happening in Nigeria alone. What matters is the capacity of any government to respond and curb insecurity and that is exactly what the government has been doing in solving the problem of insecurity. What is important is the cooperation that Nigerians would give to government to stabilise the country. Nigerian government must be ready to take responsibility and enforce the regulation of the land; nobody should be spared if you go contrary to the laws of the country. What I know that is really hitting us hard in the country is corruption; other things are human elements problems, which can be resolved. It takes a great leader to stand his foot down and get these things resolved. Do you think Nigeria presently has such leaders that can be described as great? We have that leader; Jonathan is a great leader but he needs the support of Nigerians. Nobody can do it alone and if we think we can just sit down in the comfort of our homes to be complaining and castigating without providing solutions, that is not the best thing to do. What we need to do is to engage the government constructively and proffer solutions. But many people seem not to be satisfied with Jonathan’s performance. Some of those condemning Jonathan cannot even keep their home not to talk of discussing the issue of Nigeria. Some people cannot even maintain a home; keep their wives and children together under one roof but because they have access to the press they will be talking stupid things against the president. So, you believe President Jonathan is performing? He cannot do it alone. He needs the support of everybody and if anybody thinks he can keep talking about Jonathan, he is not helping the matter. Jonathan is one person and he is like any of us but divinely he is now the president of the country. So, he needs the support of every Nigerian to succeed. There are speculations that President Jonathan may run for second term in 2015. Do you think he deserve a second term? Is it Jonathan that is pasting some of those posters in Abuja? I don’t think this is important now. The issue now is the state administration and that is where all of us should focus on. 2015 is still very far, so, government needs not to be distracted. He should not be distracted. He should be allowed to continue to rebuild the coun-

Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, national chairman of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), in this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, urges the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revisit the issue of funding political parties in order to empower them. He also speaks on the state of the nation, President Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration, ongoing mega talks among major opposition parties, 2015 general elections, corruption among other issues.

Aniebonam

try. That is important and it can only be done with the cooperation of Nigerians. How do you see the agitation for 2015 presidency between the North, South-East and South-South geo-political zones? How many people from those zones are really talking about the 2015 presidency? We have to look at the statistics and the number of those people agitating that their zone should produce president in 2015. We must not abuse privileges. The country should be allowed to run smoothly in cooperation and partnership. All the prophets of doom in the country will not help anybody and to me it is neither here nor there. The constitution guarantees freedom of speech but there must be limit to what people can say. People should learn not to make statement that could create problem within the system. What I think government must do, as far as I am concerned, is to do everything possible to make people understand what

the government is doing. The information ministry of the government must be properly funded so that they can disseminate information on the direction the government is going. Nigeria is quite a large country and we must look in the direction of fighting corruption in our country. How do you think we can tackle the menace of corruption? By enforcing government’s regulations. Nobody should be above the law. If anybody does anything contrary to the law, then the person should face the music. The machinery of justice must be moved against that person. Ahead of 2015, opposition parties are seriously ganging up against the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). What is your view about the ganging up? I am a leader of a political party, the NNPP. Why should I gang-up against PDP? The time I would spend in ganging

up against PDP should be the spent to galvanise followership for my party. So, those ganging up against PDP are just distracting themselves because the resources and energy they are wasting would have been channelled into something better. INEC is there as umpire to have registered the political parties and the platform is there for people to go and test their popularity. PDP is relatively at the national level and there are other political parties that are holding different positions in every state and more are also coming up. So, this is a democracy we must allow to thrive, but then it has to do with hard work and upholding the principles of quality leadership. Do you believe in the proposed mega party? I am not opposed to it if there is any reason to form a mega party that everybody agrees to. Democracy allows that. Will your party join the merger talks if you are approached? We will not. Why? What for? Did we form New Nigeria Peoples Party to go and form a mega party? It is arrant nonsense for people saying that they are opposition political parties because you cannot register a political party as an opposition party. What are you opposing? Rather, you should be talking about responsible partnership with whoever is in power and that does not stop you from galvanising followership of your own political party for you to be able to win an election. Rather than run your own political party as an opposition party, you should work towards giving Nigeria a quality good governance and leadership. As national chairman of a political party, what is your view about the deregistration of some political parties by INEC? INEC has the statutory responsibility within the contest of the law and the conditions for registration of the political parties are there. Aside from that, the discretional power of INEC to perform some functions in relation to good governance and elections in Nigeria is also there. That is why they are regulatory agencies and they have the supervisory capacity over political parties. What is the relevance if you run a political party that your office cannot be located, you don’t file annual reports and INEC cannot locate where you are? Do you still call yourself a political party? It is all about causing confusion. So, INEC is in order but the good thing is that those who are affected have gone to court and the court will decide that matter. The presence of some of the registered political parties are not usually felt during general elections, do you support the agitation from some quarters that there should be drastic

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POLITICS

January 12, 2013

political parties –Aniebonam reduction in the number of political parties? INEC is still pruning political parties and if tomorrow they prune down New Nigeria Peoples Party, so be it. But before they deregister NNPP, I should have been convinced of the reasons to have our party deregistered. For now, I don’t think there is any reason for us to be deregistered because we met all the INEC requirements for political parties in Nigeria. Considering the cost of conducting staggered elections, there was a recent statement by INEC that all general elections will hold in one day. Do you support INEC plan of holding general elections in a day? INEC is in a very good position to make such decision because they are directly involved. They might be looking at the issue of funding, logistics and security. If conducting the election in a day will

be cheaper and easy for them provided it is sustainable and of integrity, so be it. But personally, I will rather prefer that we conduct elections in zones so that logistics and supervising capacity of INEC would be the best. For instance if you look at the Edo and Ondo governorship election last year, you will notice that all focus were there and there was no room for rigging. Some people have been calling on INEC to use electronic voting system. Do you think Nigeria can make use of it? Yes, Nigeria can use it. The women in rural areas use telephone set effectively. So, what stops them from using electronic voting? With the use of electronic voting, the essence of minimising fraud will be appreciated. In Nigeria today, the presence of many political parties is not felt. What would you say are the prob-

Aniebonam

lems? Funding is a major problem of many political parties in Nigeria and that is

why I think that INEC has to revisit the issue of funding of political parties so that some of them can be assisted. We still have to look at the attainment of the legislative instrument called Nigerian Constitution that has created opportunities for multi-party system. What are in the minds of the drafters of that constitution? That is what we must try to bring out because people come and go. PDP is there right away with all their tentacles and there is no doubt about that. The other political parties are also trying to survive. There are ones that may have more to give to greater numbers but because of issue of logistics and funding they can’t do much. However, there idea is with them. So, INEC must revisit the issue of funding political parties and see how the genuine political parties - those that are determined and focused - can be helped in building the leadership qualities of our country.

PDP’s unending battle over BoT chairmanship groups in the party gave their support to former Senate President, Ken Nnamani. Without any iota of doubt, what transpired on Tuesday is a clear indication that the contest for the BoT chairmanship may not be as easy as some people had thought. Considering the new move in the process that will lead to the emergence of a new BoT chairman of the PDP, many are watching with keen interest to see how the new chairman will emerge. Some analysts are of the view that the proposed plan to streamline the BoT members is part of the strategies by some of the power brokers in the party to edge out some people from participating in the election of the chairman of the board. According to the PDP constitution, anybody that is below 50 cannot be a member of the BoT except he or she is holding a high ranking position in the party or at federal level. Therefore, many people who are presently members of BoT as a result of their nomination may lose their seat in board. As the PDP is looking forward to elect its BoT chairman, the contest seems to have been narrowed down to two people - Tony Anenih and Ken Nnamani. Some analysts are of the view that the re-election of Senator Jibrin, who is from North Central as BoT secretary, has tactically knocked out the candidature of the former national chairman, Ahmadu Ali, who is also from North-Central. According to a reliable source, the Senate President, David Mark, called for the ratification of Jibrin’s election in order to truncate Ali’s aspiration to become the chairman of the BoT. The move was strategic because if Ali had been elected chairman of the board, he would have become the leader of the North-central zone instead of Mark. Though Ahmadu Ali, who is believed to be Obasanjo’s choice is yet to withdraw from the race, many believe that his chance of becoming the BoT chairman

is very slim. Therefore, some are of the view that Obasanjo, who is alleged not to be in good terms with Anenih, the choice of the presidency, may throw up another candidate from the South-East or South-West to stop Anenih from leading the BoT. The absence of Obasanjo at the Tuesday meeting is giving many people sleepless night and some are of the view that any plan by the party to choose the BoT chairman without his consent may end in a deadlock, considering the influence of Obasanjo in the party. The president who seems not to be losing sleep in the battle will do everything possible to ensure that Anenih emerges as the chairman. The president, with the support of the PDP governors, will work in support of Anenih, who played crucial roles in the emergence of some governors and Jonathan as president. Irrespective of the machinery put in place by the PDP in the process of electing or selecting the BoT chairman, political gladiators will do everything possible to protect their interest ahead of the 2015 general elections. Speaking to Saturday Mirror, the South-West Organising Secretary of PDP, Engr. Adedeji Doherty, said that PDP is a large family and irrespective of the issues surrounding the emergence of the party BoT chairman, the party will not hesitate to ensure that the best candidate emerges. “The decision of the BoT members to make sure that the process that will lead to the emergence of a new BoT chairman is fair and credible is a good development because the country is looking at the BoT of the party and they are following it closely. There is horse-trading, discussion, compromise, and quarrel over the position and that is what democracy is all about. Which party has their BoT being followed closely as that of the PDP? Apart from PDP, all other political parties are one man’s party. “There is a resemblance of democ-

racy in PDP considering how people are allowed to express their mind willingly, which cannot be said of other political parties, which are owned by individuals. PDP is not like ACN owned by Tinubu or CPC owned by Buhari. PDP is a large political party and we cannot but do what

is necessary to put our house in order,” he said. However, notwithstanding the justification for the postponement of the election of a new chairman of the BoT of the party, it remains constant that the battle appears unending.

In your refreshingly different State of the states: The unÀnished tasks It is 2013 but the echoes of 2012 are still reverberating. For most of the states in the federation, the issues of 2012 are still with them. And to make progress, these issues must be tackled. From poor financial base to crippling debt burden and poor infrastructural developments. This week, we take you to some of these states and problems confronting them… it is a compelling read.

Interview

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

Agitation for presidency by

2015 is still over two years away but the zones, anti-democratic –Tofa agitation for who leads the country is gradually growing. From the South East, the Alhaji Bashir Tofa does not need an introduction except for agitation has been for a president of Igbo those born after the June 12, 1993 election. He was the extraction. The North is saying the region presidential candidate of the second major party in that elecmust produce the next president. The two tion, the National Republican zones should not be fooled by President Goodluck Jonathan who has not declared Convention (NRC). In this interview, Tofa is saying the parties should do his intention. away with zoning arrangements. Again, this week we take a look at the What are his reasons? He also agitation from the different zones and most spoke on other national issues such especially, we serve you a menu of those as the unending call for a sovereign men who would want to be president from national conference, INEC under the zones. Prof. Attahiru Jega, among others. For months now, the Enugu State governor, Tomorrow, we serve the details. Sullivan Chime has been out of circulation, the same is applicable to his Cross River Nikki Khiran bares counterpart, Liyel Imoke. In Taraba, the state her mind is also grappling with the absence of its Fashion designer Nikki Khiran has made governor, Danbaba Suntai who is recuperating in Germany after his ‘discharge’ from her marks as a designer of repute. So hospital. But what have been the effects of when she speaks on fashion, you better these governors’ absence on governance? listen. To her, Nigerian women are commitHow are the states coping with the absence ting a major faux pas in fashion. You probof their chief executives? We provide ably want to know what these are. Pick a answers tomorrow. copy of the paper tomorrow to find out. These and many more available tomorrow in your

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

MAGAZ INE

Chidinma

...Kedike queen

Sex talk What’s your New Year sexolution?

z z z z z z

Relationships Should your partner know how much you earn?

z z z z z z

Fashion • You and your accessories • Cocktail glamour

18 Chidinma recently won the KORA award for best West Africa female singer with her hit song Kedike. In this interview with OSEYIZA OOGBODO she disclosed her plans and the secret of her success amongst others. Excerpts:

January 12, 2013

‘I never thought Kedike would be a success’ What was the greatest thing you learnt there? The greatest thing I learnt there was how to make use of my voice because naturally, I have a very large voice and it took every single teacher to help me contain my voice and make good use of it because it can be scattered all over the place. Most times, I just thank God for them because if I had to pay for the lessons I had, I don’t think I have that much money.

Celebrity

ow did you get the inspiration for Kedike? Kedike is a love song that I came up with in the studio working with Cobhams. We were to work on a song and it was supposed to be a love song and the beat was supposed to be like ‘You make my heart beat, you make my heart go kedike,’ that was it.

Between you and Iyanya who are the most successful Project Fame contestants, would you say you are better and more successful than him? I can’t answer that question. The public can judge for themselves but I can’t answer it.

How long did it take you to record it? It took all of a day. At that point in time, did you think it would become this big? No, I never thought so because I didn’t even like it at the time.

What is your advice to upcoming artistes who are aspiring to achieve what you have? I can only say, don’t stop dreaming. Nobody can take your dream away from you. Nobody. And it doesn’t end with your dream. You work towards it. Hard work pays a lot. I’m a witness to that. Work hard and leave the rest to God and everything will fall in place.

How did it then become successful, since you didn’t like it? It was just divine. Nobody knew or understood what happened or what was going on. It just happened. We just saw it and we didn’t even know here in Nigeria that it was massive everywhere until we crossed the borders of Nigeria and we moved to the rest of Africa before we understood how massive it is. Was it what made you go on an Africa tour? Yes, yes it was. The demand was getting too much. We were getting too many enquiries so we just had to go on the tour as fast as possible. How was the tour for you? How many countries did you go to? It was a massive tour. We were in almost all the countries. What we met there was much more than we expected. In which of the countries did you have the most memorable experience? It was in the Republic of Benin, Cotonou. I remember I couldn’t even stay backstage because it was filled up. I had to go to the stage from the car and it even took me like three minutes to get on stage. Everywhere was crowded and somehow I discovered I wasn’t with my shoes so I performed without shoes. What sort of venue was it? It was a stadium. My second memorable performance was in Cote D’Ivoire. I had to go there twice because the first time, it was in a stadium but they had, I think, problems with transportation so people couldn’t move out of their houses, except those that had their own cars so I had to go back. When are you going on another Africa tour? I don’t know. I learnt there’s one but

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it might not be all the countries because we are working on an international tour. How did you feel the night you won the KORA award? I felt great, yeah, and I felt very, very excited. When I was called, I didn’t really know what to say. I can’t remember what was on my mind at the time but I couldn’t really say much. I didn’t even know what to say. I didn’t even know when my name was called. But it felt really good turning out as the best female in West Africa. It’s no joke. You won the KORA Best Female West Africa against many big names. Do you really feel you are the best? I can’t think I’m the best but I know I deserve the award. I really deserve the award because it’s my sweat and thank God it came at the right time because it was at the point where I felt I had done all the work for the year and then it just came as a result of everything I had done.

How did you celebrate it? I’ve not even had time because I’ve been everywhere.

How did you feel that Didier Drogba was the one who presented your award to you? Maybe if he had been a music star, it would have different. But because he is a footballer, I’m not a footballer, you know, so I didn’t really feel as I would have felt if it was a Beyonce or a Mariah Carey. But at the same time, it still feels good because he’s an icon when it comes to football and he’s highly, highly respected. Maybe I don’t understand much because I’m a girl and I don’t understand much about football but trust me, when my brothers saw the picture of me with him, they were like ‘Drogba, yeh.’

How did you discover your music talent? It was when I went for MTN Project Fame.

Do you have any challenges in your path or is it a smooth ride for you because you won Project Fame? Even at that, that Project Fame was a jumpstart for my career, it wasn’t easy because coming into the industry, people were like let’s see what she can do and a whole lot is expected of you and you have to deliver and that made me work 10 times harder than I should. But the bottom line is that it’s never easy whether you are upcoming or successful, you just have to keep working hard.

Are you saying you had no interest in music before Project Fame? Before Project Fame, it was just a hobby. Just singing here and there, in the church, karaoke. I didn’t know I actually had it in me until I went for Project Fame. And thank God for the teachers we had in the academy, they helped bring out the best in everyone.

Your father never supported your career. How’s your relationship with him now? He is getting used to it. It was hard for him initially that his baby girl was going into music, a world which is not that friendly and takes a strong person to survive in it. So he was just concerned for me.

When and how are you going to celebrate it then? There’s going to be a party and it’s going to be very soon, maybe next week or so.

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January 12, 2013

Entervaganza

With OSEYIZA OOGBODO

08023755142 kingseiza@gmail.com

Tonto Dike ignores critics A

Lola Rae leans on Iyanya

013 is fast turning out to be a year that upcoming music artistes are going out of their way to get their career to the next level. Even as Burna Boy, Ms. Jaie and many others began the year by releasing videos that will further enhance their brands as the year progresses, Lola Rae too has joined their list by releasing the video of her steadily rising song, Watch My Ting Go. While she is already tipped as one of those expected to set the music industry on fire this year, the release of her video proves that she does intend to live up to what is expected of her. And mindful of the fact that collaborations and featuring are an essential strategy now for music success, she recruited Kukere crooner, Iyanya, to appear in the video to ensure its commercial acceptance.

Rae

Tiwa Banks thanks supporters, well-wishers

Savage

hen the news broke that a female singer named Tiwa was stabbed by her landlord’s son last month, many people immediately thought it was the popular singer, Tiwa Savage. Later, they realised it was anoth-

Banks

er singer, Tiwa Banks. Though Tiwa Savage is more popular right now, Tiwa Banks has all along been trying to make a name for herself as Tiwa Banks while Tiwa Savage was out of the country. She released some singles

and at least two videos but the arrival of Tiwa Savage on the scene made Savage the more popular Tiwa. And in a way that Banks had never enjoyed fame before, she did so last month when she was stabbed. Instantly, the news of her stabbing became an internet sensation with pictures of her mutilated body circulating fast. She was admitted into the hospital for treatment and but is now back on her feet. She has thanked all those who supported her during her time of predicament. Among those she is very grateful to her are Weird MC, Azeezat, Tito Da Fire and Ruggedman. Needless to say, it is now on record that Savage is not the only Tiwa around. But can Banks now use her predicament to rise to fame and fortune and even eclipse Tiwa Savage? Don’t forget that one of the factors responsible for Tuface Idibia’s astronomical success was the armed robbery attack on him. It generated more interest in him and paid off for his career.

s things stand right now, it is yet unsure how to categorise Tonto Dike’s fledgling music career so far. While she has been bashed for her singing aspiration, she is also being shown love in almost the same measure and was even invited to perform though she didn’t show up. Having being in the many public light for many years, Dike is used to criticisms and she isn’t letting the severe berating of her singing ability weigh her down. She is currently shooting the videos for her two singles, Itz Ova and Hi, that got her bashed and is still making more music. She is not the only actress who has been extremely persecuted for doing music. Genevieve’s music career died a cold death because of negative comments. But having shown that she is not ready to take notice of her critics, we can only wait to see how far Dike will go musically.

Dike

Tunde Kelani goes into sickle cell advocacy

Kelani

ickle cell anaemia has long been regarded as an issue that needs more sensitisation and awareness about its existence, characteristics, etc. Better known as SS, it is a health condition that inflicts a lot of pain on those who have it, hence the repeated calls for more sensitisation on it as it can be prevented, and prevention is the best way to fight it. In light of the need for sensi-

tisation, internationally reputed filmmaker, Tunde Kelani, has decided to shoot a movie that will focus on SS. Speaking on the upcoming movie which is based on Dazzling Mirage, a book by Olayinka Abimbola Egbokhare, Kelani said: “I have had a personal relationship with sufferers of this ailment and I consider it my responsibility to bring their story to the fore.” And on why he chose to finally

do so through Egbokhare’s book, he said, “I’m intrigued by the writer’s approach to weave a love story with it and that to me, is an attraction.” Kelani will however not be the first Nigerian filmmaker to tackle sickle cell. Mortal Inheritance, starring Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, did so several years ago and it was so emotional and well accepted that it made Omotola into the star she is currently.

ENTERVAGANZA

January 12, 2013

CLASSICAL RYHMES

AIRWAVES LINK

Glo fetes celebs, youth subscribers

t was a night full of fun, thrills and excitement as the leading network telecommunications and official sole sponsor of Glo Presents The Big Friday Show, Globacom, hosted celebrities and top entertainers to a night of good music, exotic drinks, finger foods and freebies recently.The event was hosted at the

popular Aura Lounge, opposite Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos to mark the Yuletide season. It was a night to remember as both stars and invited Glo subscribers were given a special treat. The party paraded an array of Nigerian stars in the movie industry, some of whom are also Glo Ambas-

sadors. They included Rita Dominic, Uche Jombo and Ramsey Noah. They have featured in the popular TV show, Glo Presents The Big Friday Show. Other celebrities at the party included Nse Ikpe-Etim, Rukky Sanda, Ejike of Cool FM, Uti Nwachukwu Sound Sultan, Banky W and Skales. The evening kicked off with photo sessions by celebrities with their acquaintances on the green carpet where Glo hostesses welcomed and registered invited guests. A statement from Globacom said that the party was specifically packaged to fete its youth segment of the market. “The attendees were Glo youth subscribers and were selected through a trivia quiz on Globacom’s Google+, Facebook and Twitter handle as well as invites given out by some select radio stations,” the statement said.

Alexx Ekubo (2nd left), Uche Jombo (middle), Ramsey Noah (right) and friends at the party

Choice FM picks top afrobeat songs

opular radio station, Choice FM, has released a collection of its top afrobeat songs of the year 2012. Based in the UK, Choice FM is arguably the top radio station when it comes to afrobeat music in the UK. With afrobeat continuing to reshape the global music landscape and moving further into the mainstream in 2012, the world is sitting up and paying attention to the genre’s every move. Choice FM has been right at the forefront of this revolution, especially with its pioneering Afrobeats Radio Show which has been bringing the very best of afrobeat music to its UK audience every week since April 2011. Featuring 30 songs, and put together by DJ Abrantee, the compilation known as Afrobeats The Ultimate Collection, unsurprisingly features the hits of top afrobeat stars including D’Banj, P-Square, Wande Coal, R2Bees, Atumpan

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and Naeto C. Abrantee has been one of the leading faces in the UK afrobeats scene. His hunger and passion for afrobeat music knows no bounds as he continues to champion the genre and bring it further to the attention of more mainstream and far-reaching audiences all over the country. His last compilation mixtape caused a massive stir in the UK and featured the best New Afrobeats song which went on to become massive hits in 2012, like D’Banj’s Oliver Twist, May7ven’s

Ten Ten and The Thing by Atumpan with mainstream media such as The Guardian, Evening Standard and CNN all wanting a piece of the superstar DJ and afrobeat music. Second time around, DJ Abrantee has gone one better as this brand new compilation will prove to be even bigger and better with massive hits, exclusive collaborations and a bevy of international stars - Conor Maynard, NeYo, Lemar, Tinchy Stryder - all featured on Afrobeats The Ultimate Collection. Some of the songs on the collection are Chop My Money (PSquare), Carolina (Sauce Kid) and one of the biggest afrobeat tunes to come out of the UK, Boom Boom Tah by Mista Silva featuring Flava, Kwamz and Skob to Davido’s Dami Duro, Iyanya’s Your Waist and its remix featuring D’Banj.

Lagbaja

Konko Below Artist: Lagbaja Pade mi ni’sale ele le le le Arigi di, arigi di Ah, thunder Atoto pato, atoto pato pato wo Ah thunder Ose bata E pade mi ni’sale e le le E pade mi ni’sale e e E pade mi ni sale E pade mi ni Konko below Ko below Konko below Ko below Ah, thunder Ah onibata yi o kare, eee Sebi Naija ni e o Sisi O se wa n gb’ese Bi oyinbo o O sa mo’ru e Sisi O se wa npajo lekun Bi oyinbo o, Owo gba’lesha Ese gba Port Har Ori wa nfi dugbe dugbe Bi agama, Konko below Ko below Ah, thunder Ibadi ni’jo wa E gbe jo Ibadi ni’jo wa E gbe, e gbe E gbe jo o, Bere mo’le E gbe jo Isaleele ele gangan gangan E gbe jo o, Konko below Ko below Ah Pade mi ni’sale People are you ready To do something freaky To get busy Better watch your waist now ‘Cos we’re going right down To the floor now Meet me right down, down, down Down down down Down down down Get into the groove, baby Let me see you move honey Let me see you dance See you move See you move Aaaaa Ijo ya o Ijo ya o, Lagbaja Konko Below Ko Below Konko Below Ko Below, Get on down Under Omoge Campus Je’n r’owo e loke Na’ka e s’oke, Owo kan pere E ko mo’le E ko mo’le Omoge campus Ah, Get on down Under Ijo ti ya, Konko below Pade mi ni’sale Aaa, pade mi ni’sale E pade mi ni konko below

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ENTERVAGANZA

January 12, 2013

BOX-OFFICE HITS

BRAIN BEHIND THE SCENE

Femi Odugbemi … transforming Nollywood

emi Odugbemi’s achievements speak for him as a brain behind the scene. He is so versed in the intricacies behind the scenes that he was once the president of the Independent Television Producers Association (ITPAN). That is just one of his achievements. Probably his major achievement is the fact that he is aggressively advocating for change in Nollywood. The main agenda he has set for himself is the transformation of Nollywood into a genuine movie industry comparable or even better than Hollywood. He doesn’t hide his feelings about Nollywood. He is widely known to hold the opinion that “change is what Nollywood needs. Change is the only constant thing in life and Nollywood is not exempt from that need for change.” Recently, he earmarked the four urgent steps that must be taken to ensure Nollywood’s sure ascendance to true success. Among the four steps are the ‘need to improve film language’ and the need for ‘professional training’ which is one mentioned by virtually all Nollywood stakeholders and even non-stakeholders. Without mincing words, he confirmed that the problem with training is the attitude of Nollywood practitioners to training. Disclosing that Nigeria’s training centres are not really up to par, he added that training shouldn’t just be about equipments but their creative use. Like another brain

behind the scene, Valentine Afam Nduka aka Valucci, also said that making movies is not necessarily about big budgets but the practical, pragmatic and prudent use of available resources, Odugbemi also believes that Nollywood shouldn’t be about money spent but the efficiency of the money spent. Odugbemi has every right to talk about Nollywood and to proffer solutions to its multifarious problems. The mere fact that his documentary, Bariga Boy, won an African Movie Academy Award (AMAA) back in 2010 is enough qualification for him to speak about the industry. Bariga Boy is proof of Odugbemi practising what he preaches: creativity, content, language and every other technical detail properly taken care of and it truly buttresses that Odugbemi wants to transform Nollywood.

Odugbemi

On set

n The Last Stand, Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as Sheriff Owens, a disgraced lawman who fled the LAPD to lord over the sleepy border town of Sommerton Junction, which becomes the only thing in the way of an escaped head of a drug cartel’s path to freedom. There’s no better action movie combo than Arnold Schwarzenegger and big guns, so it’s great news that The Last Stand has both in abundance and these factors will definitely draw people to see it in

ansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is one movie that is really generating a lot of interest. Firstly, its title reminds people of the classic tale of Hansel and Gretel which was a huge favourite back in the day. This movie itself doesn’t stray too far from the book in the sense that it also has witches involved. Hansel and Gretel in the movie act the par of bounty hunters who hunt witches. As children, they had a terrible encounter with witches so they grew up hunting down the bizarre creatures that tormented

droves at the cinema. When Owens leaves his LAPD narcotics post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with remorse and regret, he settled into a life fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction. But that peaceful existence is shattered when Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega), the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the western hemisphere, makes a deadly yet spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy. With the help of a fierce band of lawless mercenaries led by the icy Burrell (Peter Stormare), Cortez begins racing towards the US-Mexico border at 250 mph in a specially-outfitted Corvette ZR1 with a hostage in tow. The only thing that stands in the drug baron’s way is Owens and Owens decides to take a last stand and stop the baron.

their childhood. So if you are a Hansel and Gretel fan from reading about them in their book, make it a date with them at the cinema too to get an almost human feel of them.

January 12, 2013

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Relationships

Should your partner know Why keep it secret?

mmm… it’s all about control. A relationship is about partnership and sharing to complement each other in everything and regardless of what you are earning or who is earning more, it is about being open. Most of the time, we hide things so as to be seen to be important. We believe that money or our other assets are what make us important in the sight of our spouse; therefore the image we have built for ourselves as self absolved individuals will entail not divulging how much we are earning. In the typical African setting, especially among those who are still living in the past, financial power equates control over your spouse. Secrets are kept from each other to maximise your potential control base and power over each other. We believe erroneously that money and assets equate power to control people. Even when we pretend otherwise, our attitudes and general disposition speak volumes of how we treat our spouses. A relationship is a partnership of two consenting adults coming together to form a union which is based on mutual respect, good and effective communication, serious commitment and an attitude to not only show or rather, display caring, but also use all these attributes to build a lifelong companionship in which mutual trust and honesty will be the watchword. Having said all these, will it not be a disservice to say one has a relationship and at the same time say that you cannot tell your spouse how much you earn or will be bringing home for any business you do, knowing full well that your partner is the closest person to you? Another reason to tell your spouse how much you earn has to do with the issue of budgeting and planning. At this point, I know some of my female readers here who may have been following me closely and supporting my line of reasoning will be smiling and thinking it’s all about the man. I’m sorry I’ll disappoint you here. This is the age where both partners are bringing in money into the home and I do believe that what is good

for the goose is equally good for the gander. Those who want to go to equity must go with clean hands. You can’t claim that your spouse is not telling you how much he earns or even what he earns when he doesn’t get the same treatment from you. Life is a two-way street, and you better believe that. The partnership of a relationship connotes that both of you must see each other as one and this will translate into seeing each other’s assets as of mutual usage. What belongs to one automatically belongs to the other. For me, this has translated into having a joint purse financially with my spouse. I’m refraining from saying ‘joint account’ because that may give an image of just sharing or keeping an account in one bank. My ‘joint purse goes beyond that. Everything that is mine is for the usage of the family, likewise hers. So it is easy for us to plan and budget for what to use for the upkeep of the family on a weekly, monthly and quarterly basis. Relationships aren’t about the good times alone. Sometimes things do get tough. How you weather the bad times with your spouse is determined by how much trust your spouse has in you, and one of the surest ways of building that trust is if your spouse is sure that you’ve been completely trustworthy with the issue of finance with him or her. I have seen relationships blown to pieces because the couple did not have an open policy of financial disclosure when the relationship first started. Imagine how heartbreaking the shame will be after you may have lied about what you earn to feel important and your spouse gets to see the true picture later and you get accused of lying? I don’t know about you, but for me, that is something what thinking about; that is, if you do have a sense of shame. Finally, spousal demands are cut to the barest minimum when your spouse knows how much you earn. If you can hide something as mundane as finance from your partner, it raises the question of what other secrets you may be hiding from your partner.

SEX TALK This column is x-rated What’s your New Year sexolution? This year, I will… ask for what I want Don’t be afraid to be more verbal. Resolutions are all about being proactive. If you have a fantasy, then speak up and take responsibility for your own pleasure. Realise your desires and communicate them to your partner. People don’t talk enough about sex when they’re with someone, but this is exactly how you can guarantee a more fulfilling sex life. Talk about your desires, wants, needs and fantasies. Be open about it -- this includes dirty talk. Don’t be embarrassed to say something on your mind while you are having sex. Whether it’s an emotional connection you want -- or something more kinky -- it’s never wrong to speak up. The first step to getting what you want is identifying it and then asking for it

This year, I will… stop overthinking things Sometimes it’s so easy to get caught up in your thoughts and insecurities, but that can be a total mood killer in the bedroom. Focus on your partner and what your bodies are doing. Make a pact with yourself to stop thinking about that memo you have to write for work, what you’re going to have for breakfast tomorrow, and especially what your partner is thinking. You won’t be able to read your partner’s mind no matter how hard you try, so save yourself the trouble. If your mind wanders during sex, he will probably notice and get insecure, and everything will fall apart

This year, I will… find myself sexy That popular saying: “You can’t love someone else until you love yourself ” cannot be

truer. It makes sense then that you can’t fully enjoy sex with someone else until you enjoy it with yourself ! Why don’t you up your sexual ante this year by making a resolution to find something new that turns you on just for you. Enjoy your new source of pleasure and then see how it translates into even more pleasure with your partner. And don’t forget that you are gorgeous, sexy and powerful and that you have a wonderful body. The person you are intimate with is lucky to have an opportunity to see you in your birthday suit! Don’t you dare get selfconscious about your body! If you are only willing do it in a pitch-black room under the sheets, it’s time to stop. You are hot and you have nothing to apologise for. Your partner wants to have sex with you, and that means that s/he is attracted to you, so let it all go and let yourself enjoy the moment. Nothing is sexier than that!

This year, I will… lead It sounds intimidating, but you’ve already voiced what you want -- now take matters into your own hands (literally).You don’t have to throw your partner against the wall and initiate everything. But you shouldn’t lie there like a rag doll, either. Women, especially, tend to forget that it takes two to tango, and it’s not all up to your partner to make the sex good. You have to perform, too. Take a little bit of control and help guide things in the right direction. You have the power to make this experience memorable and delightful for both of you. Some men also like to lie back and take it, especially if they have weight issues. If you are one of such men, it’s a good idea to hit the gym and lose the extra flab, rather than unburden your woman unnecessarily.

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RELATIONSHIPS

January 12, 2013

CHINWE ANNIE AMAECHI 07028684481 chinweamaechi@gmail.com

how much you earn? A

This column is x-rated This year, I will… extend the foreplay Ever heard the cliché “give and you will receive”? Well, it’s true when it comes to foreplay and those moments before sex. It’s important to be giving and compassionate in your relationship, both emotionally and physically, because what comes around goes around. This includes more foreplay, more teasing and more flirting. If you’re not getting the foreplay you need from your partner, and most women require foreplay to get in the mood, you should start by taking more time to undress each other. Tease each other and do everything three times slower than you think you should. You can also suggest taking a shower together, asking for a foot rub or just a long hug. Women need time to get their motors running and it’s imperative to ask for it. Men want to know what turns you on and will be happy to hear you asking for what you need.

This year, I will… learn some new tricks It’s very easy to fall into a routine when it comes to sex. Missionary, again? No way! Something as simple as making it a goal to try a new position every month can really rev things up. It may be a great idea to pick positions from “mild-to-wild” as the months go by. Start with a small tweak to a favourite, and save a new grand-finale position for December.

This year, I will… be more touchy-feely Remember how hot it was back in

This column is x-rated the days when you would make out for hours in the backseat of your boyfriend’s car? Those hot make out sessions don’t have to be a thing of the past. Kissing is the first thing that goes in long term relationships, so try and commit to more passionate foreplay. The more excited one gets, the higher their pain threshold grows, so don’t be afraid to get a little aggressive with your kisses during sex. Bite each other’s lips to release feel-good endorphins. Then to top it off, take a nibble at the nipple. Or for some spine-tingling chills, swipe on some mint lip balm or champagne (if you can afford it) before planting a kiss on your dearest’s lips. The menthol from your lip balm will electrify your kiss and the fizz from the champaigne will produce a new pleasant effect.

This Year, I will… have sex on every surface Nothing spices things up like an unexpected location. Find new places and surfaces on which you and your partner can have a sex escapade.

This year, I will… initiate (and win!) an orgasm race Next time you’re feeling competitive, why not have an orgasm race? Doing something competitive with your partner will help get both of your adrenalines running and really set the mood. Whoever wins has to assist the loser in climaxing and the ‘winner’ gets to have the ‘loser’ do something sexy when they’re ready to go again! Sounds like fun? Yeah!

Why not?

lot of people hate to admit the fact that 90 percent of problems in marriage are traceable to money matters. It is true (and more agreeable) that the primary cause of marital problems is communication, but the bigger truth is that 99 percent of the communication glitches are money-related. Remember, communication is a combination of what you say and what you don’t say. Taking it from this premise, which should not be encouraged: disclosing your earnings or not giving your partner details about your financial income? Note: “partner” includes boyfriend/girlfriend, fiancé and husband/wife. How do we categorise the idea of not knowing what your spouse earns? Is it a case of “what you don’t know will not kill you” or “my people perish for lack of knowledge”? There are basically two sides to everything – the pros and the cons. The truth is that by nature, every man’s emotional stability is wired to his pockets. You can always tell when a man is broke from the way he acts. The man feels more in control when he is financially stable. In a relationship, the man unconsciously assumes that the level of respect he receives from his woman is dependent on the level of his finances. The average woman, on the other hand, can find happiness and satisfaction in other things apart from money. However, the man is generally supposed to be the “provider” while the woman is the “finance manager” and home maker. The woman would therefore find it difficult to manage the home without money which she expects the man to give her. In this vein, we can conclude that both men and women do not take money matters lightly. From my survey, there are four positions on this issue. The first position is that men need not disclose their financial status, but women must let their partners know what they earn. Of course, this position is male-driven. The second is that there should be mutual disclosure; nothing should be hidden from the one you love, especially when you are married. A few women took this stance. The third position which is female-dominated is that women should only disclose their earnings when the man discloses his. The last which has the least number of advocates is that there should be no disclosure – every man to his own pockets! Quite extreme, if you ask me. Members of the first school of thought hold that since the man is the head of the home, he need not let the woman know what he has in his bank account at any given time. All he has to do is provide for his home in the best way he can. His wife

should be able to manage whatever he gives her to run the home. On the other hand, the woman must run an open book because financial disclosure is part of her duty to be submissive. What these men fail to realise is that a woman would be more understanding and would manage finances better when she can predict what will come to her per time. When a woman is ignorant about her husband’s income, she is prone to be suspicious towards him. Members of the second group seem to be the most reasonable. They feel that mutual disclosure will help both partners know what to contribute to the bottom line and this will aid better management of their affairs. However, some of them feel that mutual disclosure need not be full disclosure. In this regard, your spouse should know your basic monthly income, but he/she needs not know when “extra” comes in – bonuses, special allowances, etc – especially when you have various streams of income. This enables you to do some things without the need to provide explanations. The advocates of the third position “conditional disclosure” - are of the view that when a man hides his financial status from his wife and insists that she runs an open book, he will exploit her and manipulate her as he pleases. These women feel that men are naturally selfish and irresponsible; they have the tendency to leave their responsibilities to their wives when the woman has the financial capacity to run the home. This position seems sensible, but it has caused a lot of problems in marriages, especially when such women are married to advocates of the first position. The last position, in my opinion, is extreme and does not sound reasonable. The take of its advocates is that partners ought to have some ‘private’ areas of their lives and their financial income is one of such. In their opinion, a man and his wife can sit down and share financial responsibilities in the home without disclosing their incomes. To me, such an arrangement will definitely cause problems. Gone are the days when the woman would sit at home and expect the man to provide for the home all by himself. The average 21st century woman knows that she must contribute to the bottom line, no matter how little. Therefore, the issue of disclosure of earnings is not about a “consumer” poking her nose into the financial affairs of her “provider”; it is about two financial partners knowing what their capital, inflow, outflow and overhead costs are at every point in time. So, should there be disclosure of financial income in marriage? I believe so.

January 12, 2013

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Woman ‘Polygamy has more disadvantages than advantages’ Growing up in a polygamous home opened Pastor (Mrs) Olufunke Olumuyiwa’s eyes to polygamy in all its ramifications. She certainly does not recommend polygamy in any form. She says “No sane woman would allow her daughter to go into polygamy, no matter how attractive the offer may be.” She spoke to YEMISI ADENIRAN.

here did you grow up and what was it like growing up? I am a native of Ado-Ekiti in Ekiti State and that was where I grew up. I had a lot of fun while growing up along with lots of disciplinary care from my parents. I had a father who was very strict and loved education like his best meal. He never joked with education and it is your impressive performance on that line that could make you to be in his good book. He was a businessman; he was into all kinds of businesses - clothing, building materials and anything very lucrative. A good investor, he was always monitoring whatever that was in high demand to sell and to make good profit. He was wealthy and was influential. He taught us to use our brain in calculations and he monitored this very closely. That is why till today, I found it easier to calculate more with my brain than with calculators. I grew up in a large family because my father had a large family. The family is still large till now. It was fun because the home was always exciting. We were all very close so much that it was difficult for an outsider to draw the line between a person’s direct siblings from the other. Was your father a chief ? He was not. He was drawn in several ways and at different times to become one but he kept refusing. Yet, he lived like a king. Because of his wealth and influence, people from all around the town dashed him women as gifts for one reason or the other. That was how he ended up with a polygamous family. I am sure he would not have gone into polygamy if not for that. He was a good Christian but the circumstance drew him into it. All the same, he tried as much as possible to keep us all together. The wives were one, they love themselves just like we the children. This is not to say they did not have their fights and quarrels; of course they did and physically too. The only thing was that they usually came together immediately after their fight, making it difficult for their friends to know. You seem to have nothing against polygamy. Would you for any reason support polygamy for any woman or a young lady? I do not support polygamy for any reason. Apart from it being against my belief, I must stress it here that polygamy has more disadvantages than advantages. Those who practised it in the past did so for one reason or the other. Some, because of their large farms that need a lot of manpower on; others, because they were the only children of their parents and like my father who ended up with polygamy because of his fame and largesse to his society, he had them as gifts. They were not as civilised as we are today; most of these women saw it as a way of life then, I mean, they saw it as no big deal and they coped quite well. Talking from experience, I must tell you that there were a lot of preferential treatments in our home then. Children, whose mothers were not on good terms with our father, suffered in all ways. In some other homes, people went out of their ways to

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WOMAN

January 12, 2013

gain the attention of their husbands because of their children’s welfare. They did a lot of havoc on children who were doing well so as to favour their own children. Honestly, no sane woman will encourage her daughter to go into polygamy no matter how attractive the offer may be. And what can be the attraction anyway? Money! That is the only factor that draws many into it. Meanwhile, marriage is more about love than money. The kind of freedom that is enjoyed by people in monogamy marriages is far away from those in polygamy. Monogamy is more healthy, safer and of course better than polygamy. Most young ladies today date married men, yet they want to be married to single men. What would you say about that? It is because of their love of money and material things. They want to have their cake and eat it. And that is not possible. Some will tell you they are more mature and comfortable than the single ones. They will tell you they don’t want to suffer with any man and all of that. I blame this on poor orientation which must be addressed by parents. It is important to train our children, especially ladies, to learn to work hard and rely on their effort than on any man. We should continue to let them know that Rome was never built in a day; those married men that appear more mature to them did not get mature on a day or suddenly. They grew to that level gradually, so, they should learn to allow their young men grow to maturity too. As for money, once their men are not lazy and they themselves are not lazy, money will come. It is a matter of time. They should just be patient, be focused and above all be prayerful. Mothers, especially, have a lot of work to do here. They must live by example, keep a good eye on their kids and put them right always. They must not mislead these children because of their own selfishness too. How do you mean? Some mothers, out of their own selfishness, have misled their daughters today and they are both suffering it. If you are favouring a suitor just because he has money and you end up imposing him on your girl, when the trouble comes at the end of the day, you will bear it together. If your girl is dating a married man and you keep quiet because she brings gifts home from the man, when she finally enters trouble by it, you will share in the blame. We must learn to pray and guide our children right because God will require from us one day, an account the roles we play in their lives. How did you meet your husband and how did he propose to you? We met while we were in secondary school. He just walked up to me one day and said we should be friends, I can’t remember saying yes up till today and here we are today.

What is it like to be married to a man of God? There is nothing special and there are special things there in. He was not a pastor when we got married but he had been a responsible man who loves God and caters for others right from the on set. He is not a cheat, so, it is easier for him to get better with time and become a servant of God. Men of God are human beings just like every other man. The only difference is the post they hold in the church and its environment. My husband is a very loving man and very principled. He relates with me as his wife and his children, not only as a father but as their confidant. I can assure you that the kids are closer to him than they are to me. As a wife of a pastor, you are cautioned all the time both at home and outside it on the way you talk and comport yourself. You are made consciously and unconsciously to be rooted in the words of God too because once he is not around, you are the next. You must move at his pace so as to fill the gap of a pastor yourself. A lot of people look up to you, so, you are careful all of the time. What are your words of advice for both the married and the unmarried, especially in this New Year? I will advise married men and women to be more tolerant and patient this year. God is about to do something new and only those who will be patient to listen and draw near to Him will reap great rewards. They should know that there is no marriage without its challenges, no matter how long it has been existing. One thing they must know is that the devil does not want any marriage to survive which was why it went to disrupt the first marriage in the Bible. Note that the couples here did not have any quarrel, they loved each other, and so, it went through the serpent. The devil can come in any way; they should be prepared to fight it. Couples must learn to say sorry, thank you, I love you more to enrich their relationship. They must not abuse this also. I was close to a home where the man would say sorry 21 times in a day but would end up going back to the same offence he was saying sorry for. Wives should respect and honour their husbands while the latter should love their wives as Christ also loves the church. Most marriages were sealed up before the couples became born again. But because they handed it over to God, the homes are blossoming in the Lord. This year, couples should be closer to God than ever before. They should stop complaining about each other, they should learn to appreciate each other. A man or a woman who complains all the time will never be satisfied by anything his or partner does, no matter how he or she tries. They should not be partial with their children, it is dangerous. For the unmarried, they should seek the face and the mind of God on marital issues. They should be humble enough to draw near to God and allow His will be done in their lives.

Keeping ABREAST Pear-shaped women are not protected from heart disease –Study

eople who are ‘apple-shaped’ with fat concentrated around their middles - have long been thought to be at greater risk from heart disease and diabetes than their ‘pear-shaped’ peers. But now researchers say the protective effect of carrying weight in the hips, thighs and bum is probably a

myth. They found that gluteal fat stored in the bottom secretes abnormal levels of two proteins that can lead to inflammation and insulin resistance - early risk factors for heart disease and type 2 diabetes. The study leader said, “Fat in the abdomen has long been considered the most detrimental to health, and gluteal fat was thought to protect against diabetes, heart disease and metabolic syndrome. “But our research helps to dispel the myth that gluteal fat is ‘innocent.’ It also suggests that abnormal protein levels may be an early indicator to identify those at risk for developing metabolic syndrome.” The study was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Eating fish oils during pregnancy gives babies best start in life

cientists say new evidence suggests women should be eating more fish oils, known as omega 3 fatty acids, to give their children the best start in life. But their benefits could be reduced by diets that contain too much omega 6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Pregnant women who eat too much of the ‘wrong’ type of fat are likely to have fatter children, warn researchers. They found that consumption of high levels of fats found in cooking oils and nuts can affect the body weight of the child years later. The researchers assessed the fat and muscle mass of 293 boys and girls at four and six years.

The results were compared to the concentrations of different types of fatty acids measured in blood samples collected from their mothers during pregnancy. The study found children born to mothers who had consumed greater levels of omega 6 during pregnancy had greater fat mass. According to the lead researcher, “These results suggest that alterations to maternal diet during pregnancy to reduce omega 6 PUFAs intake might have a beneficial effect on the body composition of the developing child.” The result of the study was published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

January 12, 2013

Parenting

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

ways to make your kids listen to you

re you worried that your kids won’t just listen to you? What do you do when you have tried explaining, reasoning, reminding, distracting, ignoring, punishing, shaming, bribing and even begging but nothing works? Don’t worry, help is at hand. Just try the following methods:

est.

. Listen to them If you want your child to listen to you, you need to start listening to them first. Both to their verbal and non-verbal language. Are they out of sorts? Are they overwhelmed, frustrated, unhappy with something? Don’t put them in situations that they can’t handle just because you feel they ‘should’ — if they don’t like shopping then find a way to do it without them, if they struggle in big groups then avoid those, if they don’t like strangers talking to them talk for them, if they become fidgety in restaurants only use drive-thru’s or take-aways. We wouldn’t dream of forcing a friend to a concert if they hated loud noise or crowds, so why do it to our children? . Be reliable Do you always say what you mean with your child? Do you make a plan and stick to it? ‘I won’t be long’, ‘I’ll bring you some cake home today’, ‘You can watch that tomorrow’, ‘You can have that after dinner’ – typical, seemingly innocent ‘promises’ that we fully mean at the time but end up breaking because we are busy or our minds are elsewhere. However, to a child, breaking these ‘promises’ erodes trust and eventually they will stop listening to what we have to say. . Be honest Are you someone who is always honest with and around your children? Do you ever knowingly tell them ‘white lies’ to appease them like, ‘We’ll come back tomorrow’ , ‘We’ll get that game another day’ , ‘I have no money in my purse right now’ , ‘Tell the lady I’m not home’, ‘The shop was closed’, ‘Don’t tell your brother I got you that’? Those little lies build up and, children aren’t stupid, they work out quickly if mum and dad are people who tell lies or people who have integrity. Why should they listen to someone who doesn’t always tell the truth? Try to be hon-

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. Be accurate By all means, share your views on certain things with your kids but, if you want them to continue listening to you, be wary of scaremongering and giving advice as ‘fact’ – state your case as your opinion and help them explore other people’s viewpoints and their own. . Be Playful Playing with the kids, especially side-by-side activity, is a great way to get kids talking. Don’t expect them to join you in your world doing things you like, but join them in theirs. What do they love? Why? Get engrossed in their latest game, book, sport, craft that they love, in their space, and share it with them and watch the communication just flow. . Reduce the ‘No’s’ and find the ‘Yes’s’ If someone said no to your requests numerous times a day how would you feel about that person? Would you feel like complying when they asked something of you? No! If your child requests something that isn’t agreeable to you (for non-arbitrary reasons) then rather than providing an outright no — try and ‘find the yes’ and offer acceptable alternatives to both of you. This shows you are really listening to them, and are trying to help them. For example, if your child

wants a toy and you can’t afford it, rather than say an outright no, you could say, ‘Sure, let’s put it on the wish list and work out ways we can buy it’. Do you have anything you can sell or trade? What about a second-hand one? Let’s work out ways we can save up for it’. Showing them you are always on their side, trying to find ways to help them, will strengthen their trust in you and set you up as partners rather than adversaries. . ‘No’ is an acceptable answer Conventional parenting tells us it is rude and disrespectful for a child to say ‘no’ to a request from a parent, or any adult for that matter. However, isn’t it more disrespectful of adults not to accept a ‘no’ just because they are a child? The more we accept ‘no’ as an acceptable answer, the more likely our child is to respond to a ‘no’ from us, and to say ‘yes’ intrinsically rather than out of fear, duty or compliance. . Be informative. If you follow all the above steps with your child, you will eventually find that providing them with information, feedback, and advice — rather than demands or orders — will result in them listening to you. However, don’t always expect them to comply with your request — just as you do with them, they may say no but suggest acceptable alternatives to you both.

Tiny Feet

NAME: Rodiat Asabi Lawal

BORN TO: Mr. and Mrs Lawal AGE: 2 months BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.2 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

ParentingUpdate

Could the choirboy disappear?

z Scientists find boys voices are breaking earlier than before due to ‘rich diet’ z Where male voices were breaking around age 13 or 14 in the 1960s, they now deepen around 11 or 12

he sound of angelic boy choristers singing carols at Christmas could be a thing of the past - because their voices are breaking earlier. A study of 1,000 boys over two years found that where male voices were breaking around age 13 or 14 in the 1960s, they can now expect to deepen aged 11 or 12. The researchers claim the change is because we enjoy a richer diet than in the past and call for choirboys to start training earlier. According to the lead researcher, “There is some controversy building around what our findings mean for choirs. “People are concerned that we will not get the quality of older, more mature boys with improved singing skills performing as trebles in choirs, and this is becoming a fact. “They are more mature when they get to 15 and are still singing, but this is rare now. “The answer to it is to begin

teaching boys to sing earlier, allowing them more time to mature as choristers. “We are seeing in today’s 12 year olds what was seen in the 1960s in 14 year olds. Unfortunately, the consequence is that older and musically experienced boys are being lost early, with a potential impact on the choir’s ability to perform the more difficult music,” he concluded But many choirmasters say they have more problems with finding boys who have time for the choir. A Cathedral choirmaster who was interviewed said “Our choir certainly isn’t lacking in quality because of boys having to pass into the young people’s choir sooner than in the past. “Our problem is with recruitment because we require a lot of time and commitment from our choristers and there are so many other extra-curricular activities for them to do.” •Culled from www.mailonline.com

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January 12, 2013

le StyGlam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

hoosing an appropriate outfit for a cocktail party can be tasking most times, but you need not bother as there is always a way out. Just make it simple but elegant. 1. Put on a cocktail dress which is chic and elegant. The length of a cocktail dress normally ranges from a few inches above the ankles to above the knees. Forget about dresses which give you too much exposure. Try to choose something appropriate. 2. Accessorize your attire. Opt for jewellery that flatters your dress but donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t over-

do: one or two items will be enough. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget about a good purse, it is essential to carry it while holding a drink. 3. Wear dress shoes. Heels are the best option but flats are acceptable, too. Think of comfort, cocktail party is usually long and you will have to be on your feet all the time. 4. Pay attention to styling. Spend extra time on your hair, nails and makeup. Messy look is not a good idea for a cocktail party. Having these simple rules in mind you will look perfect at a cocktail party.

STYLE & GLAM

January 12, 2013

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Fashion Frenzy

BEAUTY

Q&A

Your candid response to all fashion questions 51 fashion tips and tricks every girl should know 10. “If you don’t have time to try on jeans in the store, try the Neck Method: You can determine your size by placing the waistline of the jeans around the diameter of your neck. If the waistline of the pant comfortably meets at back of your neck, then the jeans will fit. 11. Cut down your closet by 25% by asking yourself this one ques-

tion: “If I were shopping right this second, would I buy this?” If the answer’s no, out it goes. 12. Never put your swimwear in the washing machine, and always hand dry. The machine will damage the suit and it will lose its elasticity. 13. While fake designer bags are a huge don’t, fake diamond studs are a huge do. Faux stones are hard to spot to the untrained eye.

14. Dre your silho 15. Nev actually c to set the 16. Sna onto shirt

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STYLE & GLAM

January 12, 2013

essy occasions aren’t the time to play with trends, so know ouette and stick to it to always look your best. ver put on a garment immediately after ironing, as this can cause new wrinkles to form. Instead, let it sit for five minutes press ap clip-on earrings onto flats for an instant evening shoe, or t collars for embellishments.

Facelift YEMISI ADENIRAN

ccessories are good and are a girl’s must-have any day. But they will go wrong on you if your body shape and size are not considered. This is why you definitely will need these tips to give you a lead as you step out this new season: Rings Petite women with small hands should opt for narrow rings with one or more tiny gemstones. If you would like to choose a wider ring, try to find the one with a narrow stone of an oval shape. Rings with oval gems or the ones of a pear form with the tapered end pointed at the nail, make hands look thinner and more graceful. Girls and young women are recommended to wear rings with one little precious stone. Middle-aged ladies should prefer rings with a bigger gem or a whole placer of small stones.

Avoid wearing more than one ring. If you have short and thick fingers stay away from choosing a massive wide ring as it will make your hand look bigger than it really is. Earrings Massive studs are not recommended for women with round faces and those who wear glasses. They look better on young girls and middle-aged ladies with an oval or oblong face shapes. Small flat earrings look perfect on women with round faces. Young girls should steer clear of huge earrings. Bracelets Bracelets are usually worn on the right wrist. Bracelets with gems should cling to the wrist while those without stones or in a ring or a chain shape should wrap the wrist freely. If you have pair bracelets you can wear them on both wrists. Girls with a thin wrist will look great wearing a set of exquisite bracelets. But these should be avoided by ladies with thick arms because they will draw attention to something that isn’t worth demonstrating. Accessories have to be worn in the right time and the right season. Remember that bright necklaces and bracelets made of opaque glass, ceramics or plastics should be worn only in summer with light puffy skirts and cotton blouses. Handbags Whatever they say, the colour of your shoes should be matched to the one of your bag. Of course that doesn’t mean they should coincide ideally. For example, a yellow bag will look great with brown wedge shoes. A light grey bag can go well with shoes which have the same shade insets. If every woman followed them we wouldn’t see those crazy combinations of accessories which often remind one of circus performers’ costume details.

17. If you get wax on a piece of clothing, layer wax paper over the hardened wax and then run an iron over it to loosen it up. Once you pull off the paper, the wax should come right out with it. 18. To clean dirt off suede, remove the crust from a piece of bread and allow it to become stale. Gently rub dirt and stains with the edge of the stale bread, and they’ll disappear. To de-scuff suede, use an eraser or nail file. TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

9 major makeup faux pas Are you a makeup freak but always having problems with it at the end of all efforts? Check the following points and see if some of these mistakes are avoidable: 1. You are not blending well enough: You have to make sure there are no harsh lines. 2. You simply put on TOO much makeup: Makeup is meant to enhance your natural beauty. A word is enough for the wise. 3. Your under eye concealer is too light or too dark for your skin tone: The concealer is supposed to cover dark circles or blemishes so try using a shade or two lighter than your skin tone. 4. You got too much blush on: I’m sure your intent wasn’t to look like a clown in photos. Use a light hand while applying the blush. It is supposed to highlight your cheekbones and also bring some color to your face. A little goes a long way. 5. Your foundation looks cakey: You either put too much on or the makeup brand is crappy. Either way, please stop it. Learn to start off small, then add as needed. 6. You are wearing bad false lashes: If your false lashes seem to come across as spider legs, you may want to rethink wearing those lashes. 7. You are wearing a really dark liner with a light lip color: Stop with the 80’s look! You either want to use the dark liner to fill in your lips & then apply clear lip gloss OR use the same shade of lip liner for your lip color. 8. You shaved off your eyebrows, and then drew them in: No, no, no, no! I mean, what were you thinking?? Apart from the fact that you’d be scaring people off when you got no makeup on, you will have this “old and tired” look. Don’t do it! 9. You are wearing a really bright eye shadow: Leave that look

January 12, 2013

Male Essentials

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@yahoo.com w

Boutonnière

style OLUWASEGUN IJABIKEN

outonnière is one fashion sh hio ion n accessory that makes a groom and his stand is men st stan and d out. It is basically a flower on wer worn mostly ly o n the left lapel of jackets. Some wear it on the right however. The good thing about it iss that it isn’t worn for wedwed ddings only. It can also be used to complement your tuxedo, waistcoat, or any other form of jacket when keeping a date, attending a dinner, or putting utting in an appearance at any occasion where formal al evening wear is required. And good again, it comes in different colours and styles so you u can choose the one you want based d on its design as well as the colour our of your outfit.

The best way to wash your face O

n the list of grooming needs, it’s true that a toner or astringent is of relatively low priority if you’re in a hurry. But should guys use one? Probably. Mainly because they both sop-up residue left over from your face cleanser, plus chomp at acne-causing oil as they close up your pores. Using one is the real last step in properly washing your face.

But you should use the right one. For sensitive and dry skin, use toner. If you’ve got very oily and non-sensitive skin, astringent it is. That’s because astringents are usually alcohol-based which can make a face so tight, it’s difficult to smile. Toners are a bit more gentle (with ingredients like rosewater), meaning they’ll irritate your skin less. If you’ve got major oil slicks happening next to

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dry patches, you can use either just on those rough spots. But, again, be careful: astringent can mess with dry skin. Also, choose a cotton pad, swab, or something that’s on the softer side to brush the stuff across your face. Just once. Any regimen that’s more intense than that will just do more harm than good. Which, obviously, is never the point.

People OSEYIZA OOGBODO

hen it comes to Nollywood, Chika Ike has been there and done that. Her name rings bells and she is on the list of Nigeria’s top actresses. “The most important thing to become a successful actress or actor is the grace of God,” she said of what it takes to become successful in Nollywood, an industry that is one of Nigeria’s most difficult to succeed in. “Without God, you can’t succeed in any venture, so you have to keep calling on Him through prayers. I did so too and I keep doing so and I’m happy to say that I owe my success to God,” she added. Continuing, she said: “Perseverance is the second most important thing. You have to persevere because getting roles in movies won’t come easily. If you are able to persevere, you will finally get roles and your struggling wouldn’t have been in vain. “Then you have to believe in yourself not that you can become a star, but that you will become a star. It is this belief that will keep you going through the many downs. It is what will help you see hope in seemingly hopeless situations. It is not easy to see the light at the end of tunnel but belief will help you see the light.” Obviously, Ike knows what she is talking about. She began acting while she was an undergraduate at the University of La-

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January 12, 2013

Chika Ike: Succeeding against all odds gos and she readily admits that it was the three success nuggets she’s mentioned so far that helped her breakthrough in Nollywood. “Combining my studies with hustling for roles was very difficult. If not for my close relationship with God, perseverance and self-belief, I would have given up, but these three guiding principles kept me going,” she stated. According to her, she got her first role after four months of auditions. “Those four months were the longest of my life. I was going for auditions and hoping for them to call me back. And sometimes, I would almost lose the belief that they were never going to call me, but one day my phone did ring, and I was told I had gotten a role in “Sweet Love”. When I heard that news, the feeling that came over me was just indescribable, but it was of joy, happiness.” The achievement of landing her first role also meant more to her for another very salient reason: her father was against her acting ambition. “Back then in 2005 when I was going into Nollywood, it was made more difficult for me because an Igboman wouldn’t want his daughter to be an actress because of the bad tales trailing them. In other words, I had to go against my father’s wish to go into acting. And the only thing that would

have justified my rebellion was success which would only come with landing roles.” Luckily for her, she kept getting roles and kept getting more involved in Nollywood which has now made her an authority on it. And her fourth tip for hopeful actors and actresses is ‘hard work.’ “Acting seems just like a glamorous profession, a profession that you can just be having fun. The reality is different, though. It takes very hard work to be a good actor. You have to work hard to get yourself into the character you want to interpret, work on your speech and diction and acquire many other skills that will enhance your acting career.” Her fifth and last tip is a bit shocking but nevertheless practical. “You must also close your ears to what the haters and dream killers will say about you. They will say many nasty and untrue things that will upset you to the point of almost derailing you, so you have to close your ears to their antics.”

Felix Obae: Rising philanthropist TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

hen Felix Obae was leaving Delta State for 2011 Batch ‘A’ National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in Anambra State, he left home with the intention of returning after three weeks orientation to continue his business activities in the oil rich state. But his plan changed when he was made the President of the Anglican Corpers’ Fellowship (Anambra State chapter) few days to the end of the camping activities. His new leadership role made it impossible for him to seek for relocation as he earlier thought. Though at the initial stage, Obae seem to be worried about the new development but his passion to serve God and humanity made him to surrender himself for what he called ‘divine assignment.’ Today, Obae who was among the Batch A corps members that passed out on February 16, 2012, is happy and fulfilled having completed his one year national service in a remarkable way by the virtue of being one of the winners of the Anambra State NYSC award. Speaking to Saturday Mirror, Obae

disclosed that he won the state award as result of many projects he carried out during his one year national service, especially for putting smiles on the faces of many people in the state through payment of school fees, free coaching and renovation of some

school blocks. His words: “When I was coming for my NYSC scheme, I was not coming with the aim of serving in Anambra State because I was fully employed in Delta then. My plan was to seek relocation back to Delta State or to shuttling between Anambra and Delta state on weekly basis if I was unable to secure my relocation. But the mantle of leadership as President of Anglican Corpers Fellowship (ACF) fell on me and that gave me another programme entirely. “My emergence as ACF President gave me the need to be totally committed in whatever I does. I saw myself like many people that God used in the Bible; such as Daniel, Joseph, Esther, Deborah and many others. I believe I must cause change in my own little ways. With the help of God apart from meeting the spiritual need of the people, I also touched the lives of many people, especially students in the state through different project I embarked on as member of the NYSC Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).” Obae as a result of his passion to put smiles on peoples’ face despite the meager allowances he was receiving as NYSC

allowances decided to use the money receiving from government to give back to the society, especially to the needy. He said: “I did a lot of projects during my national service to assist the less privileged. Some of the projects I embarked upon that fetched me the state awards are; payment school fees of some less privileged students; sowing of free school uniforms for some students who cannot afford a uniform. I also source for materials from people and I gave it to pregnant women and nursing mothers. With the help of Engineer Godwin I also renovate three blocks of a primary school in Awka. “I also touched the life of those in the prisons; the inmates because I discovered that the inmates are not taking care of as such. I love putting smiles on the faces of the people and immediately I was posted to the state I started going to the prison to put smiles on the faces of people. I discovered that educationally wise they are not taking care of the inmates to make sure that the inmates are being taking care of so that they will be relevant whenever they leave the prison. I produced a manual of about 70 pages and make 20 copies of it available to the inmates free of charge.

January 12, 2013

Dear Igho

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

Having diﬃculties with relationships, family, work or any other aspectt off your life? lif Help is at hand with TOBORE IGHO OVUORIE

My 16-year-old brother is having sex Dear Igho, My brother, who is 16, had his girlfriend secretly sleep over behind my mum’s back. I went into his room last week only to play video games but when I went to throw my gum out, I saw two used condoms in his trash bin. I’m the only one who knows. Should I tell our mum? Andrea Ojo Samuel,

Ikoyi, Lagos. Dear Andrea, Stay out of it. He’s using condoms (a smart thing to do), and he’s not going to stop having sex because you tell on him. If he’s throwing them in the wastebasket, it looks like he’s not trying to hide anything. But, whatever the case let him live his life. If he were using drugs, that would be a time to blow the whistle on him.

My brother wants my kidney by force Dear Igho, My brother is in need of a kidney transplant. I started the process of finding out if I could be a living donor by having medical testing to see if I would be a match. However, my children do not want me to donate. My husband of 31 years died a year ago and they are afraid of losing me. I am also not an ideal candidate, medically. After having some tests, I was advised that I am Dear Aunty Igho, I want to ask for advice about my little sister. She is in her final year of school, and she has to study well to enter college. But the problem is that she is on her phone and laptop all the time, and speaking with boys more than girls. My parents, especially, my mum, doesn’t care about that even that she’s still on the Internet until the morning sometimes! I tried million of times to talk to her but that is not working, and my dad tries sometimes to talk with her in a strict way, but she becomes more rigid and disrespectful. I am sad because I am watching her dying on the net without doing anything in life as everyone in her age who wants to become something impor-

a “marginal” candidate – meaning that I could donate, but I may have medical issues later on in life. After I told my brother that I would not be going ahead with the transplant, he and his wife became angry with me and have cut off communication. I’m wondering if I should reach out to them or leave them alone. Did I actually commit any offence? Worried Sister,

G.R.A, Port-Harcourt.

Dear Worried Sister, You did all you could to see if you were a match, and whether the repercussions of a transplant could jeopardise your own life in the future. I think your first obligation is to your children. They lost their dad, and you have a right to a healthy future, as healthy a one as you can have, because your life is important to your kids, and the grandchildren you

My sister is an Internet addict tant in the future should. But I can’t do anything about it! She sees other families more happy than ours and blames us for not being like them, but she can’t figure out that she is the whole problem. Angela Sam-Ufford, Maitama, Abuja.

Dear Angela, I am sure you’ve done all you can to direct her into a more “thoughtful” path, but I am also sure she sees it as nagging.

Therefore, she digs in her heels even more to justify what she’s doing. There’s a good chance she will mature and put herself on the right path, but she can’t be forced into it. Really, it would have been nice if both your parents were in lockstep on discipline that’s makes it harder for the child to choose the easier road but you can’t change how they parent her. I think your best bet is to have faith that she will begin to take her life seriously, and challenge herself to do better. If she ever asks for you advice, give it, but do not preach. One thing I tell my advice seekers, and

My boyfriend hates Facebook Dear Igho, My boyfriend does not like facebook. He doesn’t have a page but I do. I like connecting with friends and family. He asked me not to post pics of him on my page. He said he doesn’t like the world knowing his personal life. I do not understand, if you love someone, wouldn’t you want the world to know it. I know I do. He made an agreement

have, or may have. Helping your brother should not entail a tenuous future for yourself. I understand their initial gut reaction is to be angry because they know the prognosis, but it’s not rational. However, I don’t think reaching out to them will make this situation any better, but you can try. The bottom line is that you made a choice. I think the right one, but choices have consequences. In this case, it might be estrangement from your brother, permanently. Only time will tell if that’s true. After losing your husband, and now this, it all seems so horribly unfair. My heart sincerely goes out to you and will remember you and the family in prayers.

with me that I could post pics as long as I filtered my albums to where only my family could see. I thought that was nice of him to do, but my friends are always asking why I have no photos of my boyfriend on my page. What should I do? Enny baby, University of Ibadan.

Dear Enny baby, There are people, believe it or not, who don’t like facebook like your boyfriend, my partner also doesn’t have a page, although people have asked him to make one. He likes the idea of privacy, and facebook doesn’t guarantee it. You see, once you put something out on your page, it’s “open season” on who sees it despite the “friends only” connection. As well, employers are asking for facebook ac-

you can pass this on to her, is that there is nothing worse than being old and looking back at your life with greater regret than satisfaction. It’s best to live your life so you have no regrets although, more than likely, humanly impossible. In life, some people choose to live by trial and error, and she may be one who does exactly that. Only time will tell whether she learns anything from her experiences. Get busy with your own life, and make yours the best it can be. You seem to have the right idea, and maybe you will, eventually, be a shining example to her on how to achieve her goals. counts to see if a future employee is a flake, or a person who has the good sense to be discreet, and respectable in their private lives. Some people don’t want cell phone generated pictures of their children on facebook out of fear they can be traced. Your boyfriend has a right to not want to be on facebook, and I think you should honour that. Respecting his opinion and his right to have one is the way to keep the relationship on track. He compromised by asking you to keep them among family, only. I think that’s a perfectly reasonable request.

Living

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

January 12, 2013

Too hungry to quit •Hunger wouldn’t let us stay at home –Lagos Okada riders

THOMAS USHIE

itherto, they were ubiquitous. Their modes of operation were sights that churned the stomach. They are the commercial motorcycle (Okada) operators of Lagos. But with the Lagos State Road Traffic Law 2012, they have become persona non grata on almost all the major roads and streets in the state, thereby, thinning out their ubiquity. In all, the law forbids their operations in about 570 roads within the state. However, the rank of the Okada rider is fast growing again. It is now not an uncommon sight to see a commercial motorcyclist with his client perched on his bike darting furtive glances here and there while speeding towards its destination on these roads they have been restricted from plying. One of these Okada riders who seem oblivious of the partial ban is Olu Akinbade. As this reporter rode with him on his bike from Isolo General Hospital to the Lagos State Polytechnic, Isolo Campus, he engaged an obviously nervous Akinbade in argument while he was riding with alarming recklessness, seemingly scared of security agents that were approaching. The reporter posited that the one-lane Isolo Road could not have been part of the restricted Okada routes. But he argued in the contrary. And when the reporter

Whether partial or total, there is a restriction on the operations of commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada in Lagos. Recent activities on most, if not all, of the 570 roads affected by the State Traffic Law 2012 have, however, raised a question: What happened to the ban? asked why he chose to violate the law that he seemed to be so conversant and certain about, he held that necessity knows no law. “Okada is not allowed to ply the Isolo Road. But this road is very lucrative. Because of the persistent traffic jam from here to Ikotun, business minded Lagosians prefer to go by bike instead of bus. If the traffic is angry, you can be in the bus for four hours for a journey that would take you on a normal level, just 30 minutes by bike. So, even though there is a bound on us using this Road, there is nothing some of us can do than to keep operating here. If they seize my bike, I will look for another one and continue my business. I cannot stay at home jobless. I must do something to survive. And stealing or armed robbery is not an option. So, the only option for me and some of these guys you are seeing on the road, is to continue to ride and render services to commuters. “How much did I charge you (the reporter) from General to the Campus? Cool N400. My guy, the simple truth is that man must survive. Although I know that

if am arrested, my bike would be seized, hunger and other challenges cannot let me stay at home. I have to provide for my family, pay my house rent and meet other needs. If there were alternative jobs, do you think that I would in the first place, go into this Okada business. It is very risky but life in general is a risk and that is why some of us have accepted our fate in order to fend for our families. I don’t have to ‘slack’ (lazy about). As unionists would say, ‘struggle continues’. “If we sit in the house, we would be hungry and our family would be in a horrible condition. If we are on the ‘illegal’ routes, as the government has made it now, we would face same. Why not be on the road and see what comes out rather than sit at home. Let me tell you, it is humiliating when a man cannot provide for his family. It can make a man mad. That is why when you see a man very aggressive in his business, you should know that something is pursuing him. So, the government should just take it easy with us. We would not spoil Lagos,” Akinbade promised.

For Tunde Lawal who has been rendered redundant since his bike was seized, the ban has put his family in disarray as he now runs from pillar to post with his belt tightened to fend for his fledging family to no avail. “The ban has scattered my family,” an obviously enraged Lawal whined. “As a man,” he continued, “if you cannot meet the needs of your wife, children, and other expenses, the family would be scattered. The government calls it restriction but to me, it is a ban. We don’t know for certain which road is allowed for the use of Okada because of the harassment from security agents. My family did not celebrate Christmas and New Year. That is not even a problem. The issue is that I cannot pay my house rent, my children’s school fees and meet the needs of my family. They are now scattered and I am a sad man. I have been rendered useless. It is very hard to take two square meals a day. I have my certificates but there is no job to do with CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

LIVING

January 12, 2013

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 it. Some of these Okada riders you see are graduates. Since they could not find white collar jobs, or secure loan to start a viable business, they decided to manage with Okada in order to survive. But our means of survival has been chopped off and we are languishing in pain. “I have three children and they are all in school. I am currently indebted to their school. I have pleaded with the school for understanding but how long can they understand. They are not a charity organisation. I cannot withstand the pain of seeing my children at home away from school because of school fees. I can drive. I have even applied for drivers’ job and others as well but I have not been lucky,” Lawal lamented. Appealing to government, he said that, “it would be very nice if the traffic law could be reconsidered so that more routes could be made available for us to ply our business. Alternatives should also be made available so that those who want to change can do so. Most of us are into this as a matter of necessity and not really choice. If we had alternatives, we would not have been running helter-skelter in the sun to survive.” Martin Olatunji’s motorcycle was seized some months ago. He had abided by the restriction but when he discovered that he was not financially viable, he strayed into the restricted zones and was caught. Today, the hitherto self employed man is a shadow of himself, living from hand to mouth. “My motorcycle was ceased recently and since then, I have been struggling to raise money to bail it. It has not been easy doing what is considered illegal but which you think otherwise knowing that it is your means of survival. The harassment has been so much but we are still struggling because we don’t have alternatives and we are just struggling to survive. I have two children and their survival, education and other needs are dependent on the Okada business. But I am now out of job,” he lamented as tears rolled down his cheeks. “I cannot feed my family. I cannot cater for their needs or pay my bills. I have been searching for job but it is not forth coming and I am just stranded. If I could not raise enough money to recover my bike, the pain would be just too much to bear. Even if I recover it, where else would I have to ply it? At my age, securing another job has been very difficult. I am over 50 years and I was just managing with this. The Christmas was worse than a normal day for my children. As a responsible man, it is just very difficult to withstand such a horrible situation where your family is left dried. We are just appealing to the government to give us a New Year gift by removing some of these restrictions or provide us the means of livelihood,” a sad and sickened Olatunji pleaded. Also speaking, Friday Ugo said that the seizure of the commercial motorcycles is not in the best interest of the youths. Agonising the beggarly condition the seizure has left him, he held that although he has been struggling day-by-day to fight fair, even if things continue to degenerate, he has resolved not to fight foul as everything good will surely come.

Ugo

Olatunji

Ibrahim

‘Hunger wouldn’t let us stay at home’

Ceased motorbike at Isolo-Ikotun Road

“The ban has not helped we young people at all. Although it is not the most decent job for the youths, most young people who do not have parents to feed them or who are orphan and have to take care of themselves, brothers, sisters, and may be, their mother, depend on this trade to survive. Now, how do you want us and our family to survive? There is no job in the country. Most of us don’t have money or somebody to train us. And since we don’t want our brothers or sisters to be in this same position, we use money realised from this business to train them so that they can be better in the future. “But things just suddenly changed for the worse last year when the government started restricting us. It was like a joke but when they started seizing the bikes and turning them to scraps in Alausa, we knew that they really meant business. My bike was seized about three months ago and I could not recover it. I have been practically turned to a beggar. I now beg from friends and relatives to survive. If I can even raise my fare, I would have travelled home. I am stranded and there is no job. I need help. But if it did not come now, I believe tomorrow will be better. The government can make tomorrow better for us,” Friday Ugo submitted. Moyibi Ibrahim hails from Kogi State. He plies his Okada business on CMS-Idumota. Speaking on the implementation of the law and its impact on the Okada riders, he said that although the security agencies are doing their jobs, “the raiding

is just too much, they don’t want us to breath. “The hustling is growing harder by the day. I have run into police trouble over and over again but I have always wangled my way out. I just cannot stop coming out to work because I just need to. Sometimes, I spend as much as N10,000 to bail my bike. Once they swoop on us, they don’t have to arrest all. They don’t even need to arrest the Okada riders. What they need is just to seize the bike and we would find our way to wherever it has been taken to. According to the law, we are not supposed to bail the bikes but because the security agencies charged with the responsibilities of implementing the restriction understand that we have to survive, they sometimes just impose fine on us and let us go. And we are grateful to them.” Asked if the money he had spent so far to bail his bike is not more than what he has earned and the rationale behind such a regressive venture, he said that “since I don’t have an alternative job yet, there is nothing I can do than to continue this way. It is not profitable but that is the way we have found ourselves. Those who could get something else doing, have started doing so. “My friend has relocated back to his hometown. His bike was seized and taken to Alausa. The bike was just three months old and he has not recovered his money. He had two bikes. Somebody was riding one for him. When the new one

was seized, he had to retrieve the second one from the man that was riding it and unfortunately, that one was again seized. It was so sad that after he has hustle for some years to buy those bikes it could not help him to achieve his dreams of settling down. He was so frustrated and had to go back to his hometown. If all of us who are not originally from Lagos should leave this town, Lagos would never be it again. It would become a ghost city. They should realise that it is the people that made up the population that gives Lagos all the advantages over other states. Without the population, what again is so special here in Lagos?” an angry Ibrahim stated. Asked to make a recommendation to the government on how they could still operate without raising the eyebrow of the government and security agencies, he said that “the ban on us operating on the highway is understandable because of the risk which the government had always said. However, we should be allowed to operate on other roads outside the high or expressways. I work on the Island. You know that roads on the Island except the major one linking Victoria Island and Lekki, are very narrow and prone to traffic jam. So we should be allowed to help people move easily along other roads on the Island, including Broad Street, Marina down to Idumota. They should arrest any Okada operating on the express but we should be allowed to ply the inner streets.” However, despite the partial ban or restriction on commercial motorcycle operators, some of them, out of the necessity of survival, have continued to ply those routes considered “illegal” by the Lagos State Government. Airing a similar thought, Ibrahim said that “I am married. I have children and they are in school. I need to pay their school fees. That is why even though they keep arresting my bike, I have not relented on coming out to work. I have to feed my wife and children.” And has he bothered to source for alternative to the maligned commercial motorcycle operations? He said he has but “if I have seen one, you would not have seen me here this hot afternoon. Or do you think I do enjoy this kind of business that does not give rest of mind,” Ibrahim quizzed in awe.

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LIVING

January 12, 2013

A cruel New Year gift

Families lose homes on New Year’s Eve

Most residents of Ilaje community, Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, did not ride into this year with happiness. Reason: Less than 24 hours to the New Year, their residences were demolished “without any prior notice”. Most of them now live under the open sky, exposed to the elements. What a way to end a year and start a new one! The ruins from the demolishment

INSET: Copy of the land document showing the signatories

FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON

onday 31 December, 2012 for most residents of Ilaje community in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State began normally. They never had any premonition of the coming blow. But before noon that day most of them were in tears while many others just stared dully into space too numbed to weep or laugh. The conviviality and air of geniality occasioned by the Yuletide which had characterised the beginning of the day came crashing down like a pack of badly arranged cards as bulldozers brought down abodes which had been erected as far back as 1971. According to one of the victims whose voice still quivered as he spoke with Saturday Mirror, a band of armed policemen in the company of a bulldozer had suddenly materialised around 11am and with lightening speed commenced a life wrecking demolition of the community without any notice. The demolition was allegedly carried out by one Ogunsakin family who according to the residents is a descendant of one of the families who own the land. Oyekanmi Idowu Meshack, the Community Development Association (CDA) chairperson for Okeola, a part of the community told Saturday Mirror that he had been around since 1971 and that

the land in the area was leased. According to Oyekanmi the documents of the properties were signed by three people: Alhaji Biaminu Balogun and Alhaji L. A Folami with Abu Agoro as witness. “I got in here in 1971 and at that time, we acquired this piece of land on lease and if you check the documents I have here, you will not find any name called Ogunsakin on any of the documents of the lands acquired in this area. “Sometimes ago, precisely on the 18 May, 1990, a court case ensued between Alhaja Taibat Adunni Ogunsakin and Alhaja Falilat Abu Ogunsakin who is a daughter of Abu Agoro, one of the three signatories on the documents against one Sumonu O. Adewale who is also a member of the family over a piece of land that is completely different from these ones. “The suit no of the case was ID/ 437/ 88. They went to court again sometimes last year and won the case because the defendant, Sumonu Adewale, did not appear in court. Victory was given to the plaintiff over another land entirely” explained Oyekanmi. While he insisted that the judgement was on another land entirely, he disclosed that some of the houses marked for demolition, however, had the case number on it. He was, however, riled by the fact that no prior notice was given by the family to the occupants of the demolished structures on their impending action.

“Even if they now agree that that is how they want it, shouldn’t there be a prior notice to that effect? Oyekanmi queried. He also went down memory lane reminiscing that around last June, the children of Adunni Ogunsakin, came to the residents demanding that they pay N75, 000 which they said would be for the purchase of the land after which they would not be requested to pay any money again. “However, the children of the people we acquired the properties from said we should not pay to them because they are not the legitimate owners and that they are not ready to sell off what their fathers left them,” he said. Corroborating Oyekanmi, Oluwole Ebiniyi, who is the secretary of the CDA, Okeola said: “there was no prior notice to inform the residents of the intended demolition and the said family that claimed they have the court order to demolish the properties are not the ones that leased the them to us. Their names are not on any of the leased properties. What they did is illegitimate, it’s dehumanising and it is illegal and I have written a petition to the Citizen’s Right Department under the Lagos State Ministry of Justice.” Ebiniyi further expressed his disappointment towards the state government over its silence adding “ever since the incident happened on the New Year’s Eve, the Ojo Local Government chairman has not even deemed it fit to come here to see

the level of ruins this family has caused people”. He further remarked that it is not that the community does not have agile and able bodied men that could resist the action that day but they decided to keep calm because they wanted peace and wanted the government to wade into the matter for an amicable settlement. “If the youths in this community had fought back that day, we would have been telling a different story now because apart from properties that were lost, lives would have been lost as well. But because this community wants peace, we kept our calm instead of fighting back that day. I am using this medium to make a clarion call to the government and society at large to come and intervene in this matter and get justice for us. Look at the whole place now in shambles, and majority of these people just renewed their rents only to now return to meet their homes demolished and in shambles. This is just too unfair” said Ebiniyi. For Adewale Adepoju, one of the residents of one of the demolished buildings, it is a nightmare he has refused to wake up from. According to Adepoju, “the whole thing started around 11.30 am, when we suddenly saw a lot of policemen all armed chasing people away from their various apartments and the bulldozer CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

LIVING

Adepoju

January 12, 2013

Mogbonjubola

Idowu

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ebiniyi

‘We were not given prior notice’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 35

came crushing down buildings. It was like magic. Before they got to our own house, we tried salvaging some few things but we eventually lost majority of these things to hoodlums which is usually the situation when one is in crisis like this. It was pandemonium let loose on that fateful day. Everywhere was in chaos. The frustration was much. A lot of people were not even around: they had gone to their villages to celebrate the New Year while to some of us around; it was so sudden and unexpected that we didn’t even know what to do. There were even some people who were indoors but sick and could barely walk; they had to start carrying them out before they got killed in the demolition. It was a very sad day for everyone of us in this community” Adepoju muttered. He also confirmed that majority of them renewed their rents barely a week before the incident in anticipation of a better 2013 with no premonition that they would be rendered homeless before the year ran out. Abibat Mogbonjubola, a single mother of three, was also one of the affected residents. Left homeless with her three children in the claws of the harmattan under the open sky where they had all been sleeping since the incident occurred. Mogbonjubola would want the government and the society at large to help intervene in the matter and assist them with whatever they can to sustain themselves. “It has been hell for me and my children since this incident happened. Barely two weeks ago, I gathered all I had to renew the house rent with the hope that we were safe in the area of accommodation till 2014. Little did I know that this terrible incident was around the corner. We lost all our belongings and we are now homeless. I have no where to go with my three children. We all sleep out here at night inside this cold harmattan. We were not given any prior notice. The only thing we saw was when they came to write those things they wrote on the wall with red paint and we didn’t even know what that meant. “Not too long ago, our landlord collected some money from us claiming that

it was meant to settle the land owners, only for this to happen now. It is so devastating out here. Government should please come to our aid and the society at large should have pity on us and help us out because we are helpless now” While speaking with the Baale of Ilaje Community, Ojo local government, Chief M.O Shaheyi who has been in that community since 1971, he also affirms that on the document of the properties leased to them were three signatories as stated earlier. He explained that the issue was that at the time people like them moved into that community, government did not allow anybody to sell any land there but they could only lease which was what we got on acquiring the property. Normally, the agreement is supposed to be for 99 years. Along the line, the descendants of the owners wanted to sell off the proper-

ties and use the money for themselves which was why they were requesting for N75,000 per plot from the landlords and residents which according to them, only a few people paid while others remained adamant. That was what brought the case back to court last year and because the defendant did not appear ever since the commencement of the case in 1990, victory was given to the plaintiff in the person of Alhaja Taibat Adunni Ogunsakin and Alhaja Falilat Abu Ogunsakin as the owners of the said property. However what baffles me is the fact that the judgement did not state that they should demolish the properties; it only stated that they should go for settlement. I was so shocked to see what happened on the 31st of December last year. It was a great shock and it is a very sad situation because a lot of people have been rendered homeless and displaced

without any prior notice. Saturday Mirror’s attempts to get the side of the said owners of the properties were futile. One of their family members popularly known as Baba Aka refused speaking with Saturday Mirror. Although it was gathered that the man in question is one of their relatives and like a father to them and that all the meetings they normally hold are usually in his house declined speaking with Saturday Mirror. His words: “The owners of the land don’t live here and I don’t know anything about this matter. I was not even around when the incident happened, I only came back to see the demolishment and I thank God that my own house was not demolished too. Further attempt to get his real names proved futile as he did not want to disclose his identity.

‘They did not listen to my pleas’ Chief M.O Shaheyi is the Bale of the Ilaje Community. He spoke with FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON.

hat actually led to the demolition? I am one of the first set of people that got to this community in 1971. At that time, this whole place was bush. When we got here at that time, government did not allow anyone to sell land, they could only lease. All of us in this community got properties here on lease. Normally, a lease agreement should last for 99 years according to the land use law. In 1990, some of the owners of the land went to court over a piece of land and won. The case was between Alhaja Taibat Adunni Ogunsakin, Alhaja Falilat Abu Ogunsakin and Sumonu Adewale which the former won because the latter Sumonu Adewale did not show up. The court injunction stated that they should go and settle with the residents and the occupants of the properties. In effect, the land owners demanded for an amount of N75, 000 from the occupants saying that they no longer want to lease the properties but sell them out. Some responded and paid while others remained

adamant. This brought the case back to court last year. There, they won and the court also ordered that they should go and settle with the occupants of the properties. However, the injunction did not state that they should demolish any property. I was very shocked about the incident. What was the name of the signatories on the document of lease issued to you on acquisition of the property you occupy? There were three signatories on the document which are Alhaji Balogun, Alhaji Folami and Alhaji Abu Agoro as the witness. Why is there such issue on the land now? It is just unfortunate because this is meant to be between the family members and not one that could have escalated this much and caused this much pain. The fact of the matter is that some of the land owners are in need of money and want to sell off the properties whether the occupants want or

Shaheyi

not. The speculation is already in the air that some of the demolished houses are already being priced by some people. I overheard one of them the other day saying that anyone who would be buying a plot would pay nothing less than N1 million for it. But I still believe that it would have been better to resolve the matter amicably instead of the way the whole thing went. I tried but the parties involved did not cooperate with me.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

LIVING

January 12, 2013

The 20-year-old- well filled with kerosene

The excitement was high; expectation rife. At last crude oil had been discovered in the North. But a few hours later, all tuned out to be a hoax. MARCUS FATUNMOLE and GOODNESS ADAOYICHE captured the incident.

uje, Abuja, a community that hosts the most prominent prison in northern part of the country, was in the news earlier this week. Not for famous corrupt politicians that are often remanded in its prison, but for an unusual incident that stirred the sleepy and fastgrowing town. News broke out from the community on Tuesday night that “crude oil” was “discovered” at Zamfara junction of the town, just behind the community’s market. Like a wild fire, billowing with thick smoke, the news spread through the nooks and crannies of the nation’s capital and was consequently, blown beyond proportion on the social media for Nigerians and the world. Government also responded to the anxiety and chaos that accompanied the “discovery” with prompt deployment of security personnel, comprising the Nigerian Army; State Security Service (SSS); Nigerian Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to the scene where an open well was already letting out what was initially conceived to be “crude oil”. The mystery behind the incident was not immediately known to anyone even the Chairman of the local council, Danaldi Etsu Zhin and Gomo of Kuje, Alhaji Tanko Jibril who were among the first people to storm the scene. “I asked myself rhetorically: ‘crude oil in Kuje?’ I could not believe it. I saw everyone bringing out different containers

Abubakar, owner of the kerosene tank

Abuja ‘crude oil’ mirage I WANT TO PLEAD WITH THOSE OF YOU, WHO CAME YESTERDAY EVENING TO FETCH THIS SUBSTANCE TO GO BACK HOME AND POUR IT

AWAY, BECAUSE THE SUBSTANCE MAY CONTAIN NOT ONLY

KEROSENE, BUT DIESEL AND PETROL

WHICH MIGHT BE VERY DANGEROUS

–COUNCIL CHAIRMAN

to fetch the product. When I perceive the odour, I sensed it was kerosene. But how could a well be filled with kerosene when people still fetched water till Tuesday night? The Hausa boys, who populate the surroundings, were perplexed too. I saw people fetching but I exercised caution. “Until it was discovered later on Wednesday morning that a nearby kerosene tank had leaked beneath the soil, where the product found its way into the well, the incident was a great mystery to everyone. ”, a nearby resident, Adebimpe Ifeoluwa, told Saturday Mirror. The owner of the tanker and a major kerosene dealer in the town, Abubakar Ibrahim, told Saturday Mirror in an interview how the incident occurred. “I had been suspecting that some people were breaking my pipe using master key. I had asked security people around and those that sleep inside our shop. They all told me nobody touched it. Right from my former place to this place, I had always suspected substantial disappearance of my product. That was what made me relocate from the house across the road to this place three weeks ago. “I guess, however, in my former place that it happened to their well, but they did not tell me. On Wednesday morning, the people told me they also discovered the thing in their well. Immediately I heard that, my mind went to checking the pipe of my tank. It was from there I confirmed

the leakage in the presence of security officials around that day. We dug the pipe and discovered it was leaking. “This week alone, I lost about three drums. Last week, I lost about six drums. By the time it was discovered on Tuesday night, many drums of the product had gone underground. At the time the product was discovered, people began to fetch it. I did not know that the pipe had been leaking underground. I thought people or my sales boy had been stealing the kerosene. I had sacked my sales boy because of the huge loss I always recorded. Ibrahim, 25 and single, is an indigene of Toto, Nasarawa State and a part-time, 400-level student of University of Abuja where he is studying Economics. According to him, eight drums of kerosene had been lost from the tank altogether in the past three weeks. Speaking on the loss, he added: “People have been fetching and going with it. Yesterday, the soldiers helped me to recover about three drums from the well. Some people may fetch it from the well and bring it to me to buy at a cheap price, while some also take what they fetch from the well away. “I am just appealing to government and well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid. I am a student. This is the only thing I have been doing since 2004. I am graduating this year with huge expenses for the completion of my project and payment of my tuition. I have greatly recorded a loss in this

business,” he pleaded. Soldiers and other security officials deployed to the scene on Wednesday left Thursday morning when it was clear to everyone that the “discovery” was spurious. While no one was molested by the security personnel, according to people in the area, there was palpable fear among nearby residents and those who conduct businesses in the area over their fate should the news be real. Meanwhile, Chairman of the area council, Danaldi Etsu Zhin, had reportedly said the “crude oil” was “discovered” by a young man, who went to fetch water from the well and in the process perceived an odour of kerosene. He said the man informed the chief of the community and some officials of the council, who later visited the scene, adding that some residents scooped the substance believed to be kerosene from the well. The chairman, however, advised the affected residents not to make use of the substance as it might contain petrol or diesel. “I want to plead with those of you, who came yesterday evening to fetch this substance to go back home and pour it away, because the substance may contain not only Kerosene, but diesel and petrol which might be very dangerous,” he added. He said the council had already mounted surveillance around the place in order to keep people away, adding that the council would report the discovery to the FCT Administration for experts to be sent in order to ascertain the genuineness of the claim. “We are also going to fence the place and relocate all the shop owners around the place and we will set up a committee to see how those who own houses around the place will be compensated,” he added. The distance between the tank and the polluted well is about 40 metres.

TOURISM

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Obudu Mountain Resort,

Nigeria’s best kept secret Aerial view of Obudu Mountain Resort

K AYODE FALADE

budu has increasingly become popular among tourists and event planners from all around Nigeria. Though, local travel companies are yet to fully respond to this phenomenon by increasing the range of services they offer, which could help Nigeria’s best kept secret assume its position by attracting even more travellers. At the moment, visitors come from Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt and a few international travellers. Travellers to the ranch now christened Obudu Mountain Resort by the management company (African Sun Hotels) following the upgrade of facilities by the owner, the Cross River State Government. Today, Obudu Mountain Resort under African Sun Hotels is working with several travel companies that are now offering virtually all types of travel services; ranging from educational and entertainment tours, conferences and eco-tourism, just to name a few. Obudu Mountain Resort, which had hosted prominent event such as ‘Gulder Ultimate Search’, is set in few weeks to also hosts’ world’s most enduring and famous ‘Mountain Race’ (Obudu Mountain Race) that has brought prominent runners from around the world. It is quite possible that in the near future, arrivals may double with plans being worked out by African Sun Hotels, not only for local, but also tourists from abroad will increase in numbers to enjoy the fascinating aura, serenity and tranquillity of the surrounding beautiful hills that seems more idea for the strong and fit alone, but the addition of the second longest cable car in the world and a world class water park on the foot of the mountain are all clear indication that the resort is for everyone.

Like a British resident in Nigeria, Ian Hunter, who was returning from his first visit to the resort aptly puts it, “Obudu is Nigeria’s best kept secret” Noting further, “the resort, is a true gem of Nigeria.” With well over a 160 accommodation categories, made up of standard rooms, executives, huts and chalets to a presidential apartment, amidst its extreme eco-tourism potentials, there’s more than enough space for other activities. Admirers of eco-tourism and adventure, bored by comfort of the hotel accommodations could easily get busy with a ride down the hill on the cable car and indulge in some water sports. One of the greatest assets of the resort is its sustainable tourism practice that gives priority to the interest of its host communities. For instance, the local communities that are largely farmers and cattle rearers supply some of the ingredients used at the resort. This guarantees steady income for those that are not fully employed by the resort. Seating on the altitude of 1,575.76 metres above sea level, the resort has a temperature of between 26°C to 32°C between November and January, and the nights are cool to cold during this period. Meanwhile, the lowest temperature ranges of 4°C to 10°C are recorded between June and Sep-

Cable cars offering spectacular view of the ranch

tember, which is the rainy season. Warm clothes, raincoat and water boots for hiking in rainy season are important companion when visiting Obudu Mountain Resort. Attractions Bebi Airstrip: This is a shuttle flight mode of transportation from Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt via Calabar to Bebi. The airstrip now attracts flights. The resort also has shuttle buses belonging to the Cross River Tourism Bureau. Water park Just before you start the 11-kilometre climb up the Obudu Mountain, you may wish to take a dip in the cool, crystal clear waters at the Water Park, situated at the bottom hill. Experience the thrill of stateof-the-art water slides and the relaxing effect of the Jacuzzi. It’s refreshing. It’s one of the new innovations to welcome you to the green hills of the Obudu Mountain Resort. situated at the bottom hill. Cable car Going up the plateau is a delight whether you make it by road through the 11-kilometre winding climb, with 22 breath-taking bends, or you take a princely, fairy-like ride in the cable car. The ranch cable car is currently the longest in the world, point to point. It gives

you a breathtaking view of the green rolling hills and the mountain ranges as it conveys you through the glorious clouds to the Ranch Resort. The Cable car facility accommo-dates a reception hall which brings in the bulk of guests from down the hill. Pine lodges Wouldn’t you love to settle in the cozy home-like feel of the Pine Lodges that’ take your mind far from the ordi-nary? There are currently 20 such with 3 ensuite rooms each equipped with a kitchenette and living room. So, be rest assured of its home away from home for friends and family. African huts The African huts give the Obudu Resort the look and feel of being in the safari.Take your mind back to the real Africa. There are 10 of them, each with two apartments. Becheve Nature Reserve Calling bird lovers! Discover one of nature’s best.The Becheve Nature Reserve is home to 250 different species of migratory birds that have been observed at the ranch at different times throughout the year. And for nature lovers, you can now explore the diverse fauna and flora of the reserve, by trekking on the 60metre canopy walkway for breathtaking views.

President Yayi Boni of the Benin Republic at the ranch

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

January 12, 2013

sore throat or throat pain is a common physical symptom usually from irritation or inflammation. The most common cause is acute viral pharyngitis (80 percent) which is a viral infection of the throat. Other causes include other infections (such as streptococcal pharyngitis), trauma, and tumours. It can cause mild to extreme pain. Analgesics such as Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and paracetamol (acetaminophen) help significantly in the management of pain. Gargling with warm, salty water, resting the voice, and avoiding air pollution are also helpful in this respect.

Sore throat

When should I seek medical care for a sore throat? Seek medical care:

What causes a sore throat? A sore throat can have many causes including common viruses, and even the viruses that cause the flu. Some viruses can also produce blisters in the mouth and throat. Breathing through the mouth can produce throat dryness and soreness, while sinus drainage (post nasal drip) may cause a sore throat. A sore throat can also be caused by bacteria. The two most common bacteria to cause a sore throat are Streptococcus (which causes strep throat) and Arcanobacterium haemolyticum. Sore throat appearing after treatment with antibiotics, chemotherapy, or other immune-compromising medications may be due to Candida, commonly known as “thrush.”

◆ Acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help control the pain. ◆ For adults, if your nose is plugged, nasal sprays may be used for two to three days to prevent mouth breathing. It is NOT a good idea to use these products for more than a couple of days; you may become dependent on them. ◆ Other decongestant products may be helpful.

A sore throat lasting for more than two weeks can be a sign of a serious illness, such as throat cancer or AIDS.

What can I do at home for a sore throat? Generally, sore throats must run their course exception being strep throat.

◆ Salt water gargles, hard candies, sprays and lozenges can provide temporary pain relief. (Caution: Lozenges and hard candy are a choking hazard for children. Avoid their use in young children.) ◆ A humidifier may be helpful in relieving symptoms, especially in sore throats caused by mouth breathing and dry air.

1. If you have been in contact with someone with strep throat and you have a sore throat, it is reasonable to have a strep test done. 2. If your sore throat is associated with a fever, swollen “glands” (lymph nodes), or white patches on the back of your throat. 3. If your sore throat is not associated with other cold symptoms (runny nose, watery eyes, sinus congestion). 4. Any sore throat that has a sudden onset and is associated with a fever. 5. If you are having trouble swallowing liquids (pain with swallowing is to be expected with a sore throat). 6. If your sore throat persists for more than a week. 7. If you have a sore throat and the front of your neck is sore and stiff.

LETTER

What about breast cancer? Dear Doctor, I want to know more about breast cancer, its cause, symptoms and its prevention. Where can I locate cancer screening centres in the northern part of the country and treatment? Can screening detect it? +234803-----------66

Mirror Doctor replies Breast cancer is cancer arising in breast tissue. Cancer is simply a group of abnormal cells that have abnormal growth patterns. Although breast cancer is primarily a disease of women, almost one percent of breast cancers occur in men. The breasts are made of fat, glands, and connective (fibrous) tissue. The breast has several lobes, which are divided into lobules that end in the milk glands. Tiny ducts run from the many tiny glands, connect together, and end in the nipple. These ducts are where 80 percent of breast cancers occur.

The most serious cancers are metastatic cancers. Metastasis means that the cancer has spread from the place where it started into other tissues distant from the original tumor site. The most common place for breast cancer to metastasize is into the lymph nodes under the arm or above the collarbone on the same side as the cancer. Other common sites of breast cancer metastasis are the brain, the bones and liver. Many women who develop breast cancer have no risk factors other than age and sex. Gender is the biggest risk because breast cancer occurs mostly in women. A woman with a personal history of cancer in one breast has a three- to fourfold greater risk of developing a new cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast. Family history has long been known to be a risk factor for breast cancer. Both maternal and paternal relatives are important. The risk is highest if the affected relative developed breast cancer at a young age, had cancer in both breasts, or if she is a close relative. First-degree rela-

tives, (mother, sister, daughter) are most important in estimating risk. Breast cancer in a male increases the risk for all his close female relatives. Hormonal influences play a role in the development of breast cancer. Women who start their periods at an early age (11 or younger) or experience a late menopause (55 or older) have a slightly higher risk of developing breast cancer. Conversely, being older at the time of the first menstrual period and early menopause tend to protect one from breast cancer. Having a child before age 30 years may provide some protection, and having no children may increase the risk for developing breast cancer. The use of alcohol is also an established risk factor for the development of breast cancer. The risk increases with the amount of alcohol consumed. Early breast cancer has no symptoms. It is usually not painful. Most breast cancer is discovered before symptoms are present, either by finding an abnormality on mammography or feeling a breast lump. A lump in the armpit or above the

collarbone that does not go away may be a sign of cancer. Other possible symptoms are breast discharge, nipple inversion, or changes in the skin overlying the breast, changes in texture, and puckering. Most breast lumps are not cancerous. All breast lumps, however, need to be evaluated by a doctor. Breast discharge is most concerning if it is from only one breast or if it is bloody. In any case, all breast discharge should be evaluated. Nipple inversion is a common variant of normal nipples, but nipple inversion that is a new development can be of concern. Surgery is the mainstay of therapy for breast cancer. The choice of which type of surgery is based on a number of factors, including the size and location of the tumor, the type of tumor and the person’s overall health and personal wishes. Breast-sparing surgery is often possible. The cancer is staged, using the information from surgery and from other tests. Staging is a classification that reflects the extent and spread of a tumor and has an impact on treatment decisions and also the prognosis for recovery. In the Northern region, you may visit any of the Teaching hospitals for cancer screening.

LEISURE

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Super Eagles defender Ogenyi Onazi (right) battling for the ball with Cape Verde’s midfielder Marco Soares during their AFCON warm-up match in Faro, Portugal on Wednesday.

AFCON: Stakeholders disagree over Eagles’ list SAYO OGUNDEJI

ith just a week to the commencement of the 29th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations slated for South Africa, two former internationals, Friday Ekpo and Bright Omokaro, have expressed their divergent opinions over the Super Eagles final list and choice of Faro, Portugal, for the camping. Also they expressed displeasure over the exclusion of Portland Timberwolves of USA striker, Bright Dike, from the final

squad to prosecute the competition. Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, unveiled his 23 man list shortly after the team’s goalless warm up game against Cape Verde on Wednesday with the power-playing US-based striker missing. The American-born Nigerian footballer, who made his international debut for the country in a 3-1 victory over Venezuela in a friendly at Marlins Park in Miami, Florida last November, scored the eqauliser in Nigeria’s friendly match against Catalonia on January 2 with many believing the player would be listed in the squad.

Messi dismisses title talk P. 42

The Eagles, who are to battle in Group C alongside Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and defending champions, Zambia, in the tournament have played two matches till date since their arrival in Faro and are expected to play one more before jetting off to South Africa, venue of the tournament. While the two ex-internationals praised Keshi for his courage at including six home-based players in his squad, Ekpo questioned the choice of Portugal for camping and the coach’s decision to leave out Dike who he thought would have given the team a different style.

P. 43 AFCON: Hamilton solicits support for Eagles

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

January 12, 2013

According to Ekpo who refused to hide his disappointment over the team’s poor performance against Cape Verde, the team does not look perfect yet with few days to the competition. And he added that the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) made a mistake by choosing Faro, Portugal as their camp. “Keshi has made a big statement with his inclusion of six domestic players in the list which is an indication that the Nigeria Premier League still produces good players and their inclusion will no doubt serve as a morale boost to the upcoming players. “But whoever chose Portugal as the ideal place for camping for a tournament holding in Africa made a big mistake because of climatic differences which obviously might have adverse effects on the team. “How many times have you seen Germany or Spain camp in Africa prior to an international tournament slated for Europe? It is because these European countries take the issue of camping serious and will not do anything that could jeopardise their ambition in such tournament. “Dike has many attributes of a striker and I think he looks very much like Amokachi during his hey days. I personally believe he should have been included because his physical presence could send jitters down the spines of opposing defenders, as he looks every inch of an ideal attacker,” Ekpo said with a tinge of regret. Reacting to the Eagles final list, Omokaro, in a separate interview expressed confidence in the team despite their not too inspiring displays in the warm up games they have played. He also refuses to blame the coach for Dike’s omission, saying Keshi is in a better position to determine the best position that will help his course. “The Nations Cup is very important to us as a nation and we must all come together to support the players and the coaches who are flying the country’s flag at the championship. “The pre-tournament warm up games should not be used to determine how far they can go as I believe they will raise their game when the competition starts, as most of the players are scared of sustaining an injury which may put paid to their ambition of featuring at the tourney. “The squad looks balanced to me, except for Dike who many believe should have been included. “I think Keshi may have found the guy fit technically, but not mentally ready and that will not do the team any good especially when we are all looking forward to the country winning the competition again after a very long time,” Omokaro added. Meanwhile, Nigeria kicks off her campaign with a match against Burkina Faso on January 21, at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.

Government must partner competent people to reposition sports –Obisanya P. 44

SPORT

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Can these Eagles fly in Mandela’s country?

n Wednesday, January 9, the Super Eagles of Nigeria in their characteristic manner played a barren draw with tiny Cape Verde in one of its Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) warm up matches. It was a game that exposed the glaring weaknesses in the team and prompted questions from many soccer fans across the world on whether these Eagles could fly in South Africa. Few hours after, I re-watched the clip of that encounter with the hope of comparing it with the quality of Black Stars of Ghana and Pharaohs of Egypt clash the following day. I did this to prepare my mind on this piece and equally educate the average Nigeria soccer fan on what to expect from the Eagles at the Nations Cup being hosted in Dr. Nelson Mandela’s country. Expectedly the following day, the Black Stars whitewashed the Pharaohs of Egypt 3-0 to confirm their status as one of the super powers of African football. Aside the win, the boys from Ghana made a bold statement that this year’s AFCON is not going to be a tea party, which the Eagles and their coaching crew must be mindful of. My findings after watching both matches confirmed that the Eagles never played like a team that wants to fly and surpass the semi-final target set for Coach Stephen Keshi in his contract

HARD TACKLE with

Andrew Ekejiuba anelsports@yahoo.com with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Instead we saw a wingless uncoordinated team whose psyche looks battered, maybe as a result of poor team selection, as the boys from Cape Verde used the match to reaffirm that the era of minnows in African football was no longer tenable. Also in the game between Ghana and Egypt, I saw a well blended Ghanaian squad that showed commitment, played with great patriotism, determination and unquantifiable willingness to lift the AFCON trophy. The Black Stars victory prompted questions from many soccer pundits who wanted to know how their FA were able to raise such a rock-solid side that is set to tackle and conquer any opposition they might come across in South Africa. But HT discovered that they worked hard to bring together

08023103605

the best legs the country could muster without any bickering from the coaching crew of the team or from the players themselves. Even the good players who couldn’t make the team only missed out because of injury. No wonder it was not surprising to see the likes of Asamoah Gyan, one of the deadliest strikers to come out of Ghana still in the team. But could that be said of our own Osaze Odemwingie? Coming back home, in the area of coaching, most of our home-based coaches have proved that they have learnt nothing from the past mistakes of their predecessors. Today, the issue of applying sentiments, favouritism, godfatherism and glaring demonstration of incompetence in team selection still hold sway among our homebased coaches. And these factors have continuously held them down from achieving success with

our national teams in major international competitions. Many of our coaches see themselves as having the monopoly of knowledge and in extreme cases depict a picture of the Biblical King Solomon ‘the wise’. For example, prior to the 2012 African Women Championship (AWC) in Equatorial Guinea, Coach Kadiri Ikhana who was allegedly forced out of retirement by the NFF to tinker the Super Falcons, promised those who cared to listen that they were going to the competition to defend the trophy they won in South Africa in 2010 under Coach Eucharia Uche. At the end, the reverse became the case as they were stopped by Banyana Banyana of South Africa with an emphatic 1-0 win at the semi-final stage, before the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroun compounded the woes of the Falcons with another 1-0 win in the third place match of the AWC. They finally returned home empty-handed and speechless. Coach Austin Eguavoen, remember him? He swam in the same turbulent ocean of failed promises as he ended up not qualifying the U-23 national team for the London 2012 Olympics men’s football event, despite having abundant talented players at his disposal. At the end, he resigned following the failure because it was the most honourable thing to do then.

PREMIERSHIP TABLE

EURO NEWS

Messi dismisses title talk

arcelona may be nine points ahead of their nearest rivals, Atletico Madrid, but Lionel Messi, who this week won his fourth consecutive Ballon d’Or, is keeping his feet on the ground regarding the title race. The Argentinean is taking nothing for granted as Barça prepare to face one of the toughest trips in La Liga when they visit fourth-placed Malaga tomorrow. “The league is still not resolved, Real Madrid have made up a similar lead like this in the past, we know that we can’t take anything as won and we must continue without errors or relaxing. “I would have liked to have won more titles last year, my goal

The most painful of all the failed promises came at the London 2012 Olympics when a former national team coach and currently the Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Chief Patrick Ekeji, promised Nigerians that they were going to the Olympics to garner medals especially in some events we had comparative advantages over other countries. But his dreams and aspirations turned out to be a mirage as Team Nigeria returned home emptyhanded once again. It was indeed a national embarrassment! From the foregoing, most Nigerian coaches are known for playing their matches on pages of newspapers and in extreme cases in their hallucinating subconscious minds. This must stop, beginning with the Super Eagles which happens to be Nigeria’s biggest football brand. It is also on that premise that HT wants to make it emphatically clear that Keshi’s approach and team selection for the Eagles ahead of South Africa 2013 Nations Cup is totally unacceptable because of his failure to invite the best legs for the continental showpiece. Therefore, he must be ready to take responsibility for his actions. It is our prayers that these Eagles should fly in Mandela’s country, notwithstanding whether they still have the wings to propel them to this much-anticipated victory.

Messi

is always to keep getting better and not be content with what I have, I always say I have to improve everything,” Messi said. Barça also have David Villa, who is yet to play a full 90 minutes in the league this season, back in goal scoring form after he hit a double in the 5-0 Spanish Cup win against Cordoba on Thursday. Former Barça forward Javier Saviola, now with Malaga, recognizes they will be big games for him. “They will be special for me personally and on a football level. They are a powerful and very technical team and any draw against a big club is good, but we’ll be going out to win,” said the Argentine.

Cavani relishes Leeds, QPR eye Habibou L Balotell’s partnership

dinson Cavani believes he could form a devastating partnership with Mario Balotelli if the Manchester City striker eventually joins Napoli. Speculation continues to suggest that Balotelli could soon be heading back to Italy, with City’s patience having been pushed to breaking point. AC Milan is believed to be leading the chase for his signature, but Napoli has emerged as a possible alternative. Cavani believes Naples would be an ideal place for Balotelli to rediscover his best form and feels criticism aimed in the fiery front man’s direction has been unfair. “Balotelli is a champion, he has shown that, and I’d like to play with him. “I won’t accept that Mario is a rotten apple. No-one should judge others when we are talking about champions who give so much joy to the Italian fans,” Cavani said.

eeds United manager Neil Warnock could be ready to compete with his former club Queens Park Rangers for striker Habib Habibou. The 25-year-old striker has impressed this season for his club Zulte Waregem, with six goals from 13 games.

Habibou

Silva: City can catch up with United

laymaker David Silva is confident Manchester City can catch up with Manchester United in the race for the Premier League title. Roberto Mancini’s men are currently seven points behind the league leaders, but have given themselves seven weeks to overturn the deficit.

Wenger rules out selling players

rsenal boss Arsene Wenger has refused to rule out further departures from the Emirates, but insists players will have to come in before they do. The Gunners are expected to strengthen their squad this month, and with the departure of both Johan Djourou and Marouane Chamakh on loan, Wenger has been linked with a string of players.

TEAM

PTS

1. Man Utd

2. Man City

3. Tottenham

4. Chelsea

5. Everton

6. Arsenal

7. West Brom

8. Liverpool

9. Swansea

10. Stoke

11. West Ham

12. Norwich

-10

13. Fulham

-5

14. Sunderland

-8

15. Newcastle

-12

16. Aston Villa

-24

17. Southampton

-11

18. Wigan

-17

19. Reading

-17

20. QPR

-19

Terry makes Chelsea return

helsea captain John Terry says he did not feel any pain in his knee after coming through a Chelsea Under-21 run-out on Thursday. Terry has spent 16 games on the sidelines since suffering the injury in November, following a nasty clash with Liverpool’s Luis Suarez, and made a 45-minute comeback against Fulham’s youngsters at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

January 12, 2013

AFCON: Hamilton solicits support for Eagles IFEANYI EDUZOR

ormer national team coach, Paul Hamilton, has called on footballloving Nigerians to support the Super Eagles to enable the team put up a good performance at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) slated to kick off on January 19, in South Africa. According to him, the recent decision of Coach Stephen

Keshi to include six home-based players into the squad for the AFCON campaign should be applauded by all Nigerians because it will help in building a solid national team. “It is a thing of joy that Stephen Keshi included six homebased players into his squad for the Nations Cup. “What this shows is that he is serious about encouraging home-based players to excel and I want Nigerians to give him all

their full support because that is the only way the team can put up a good performance in South Africa,” he said. Hamilton noted that Nigerians, rather than involve themselves in questioning why some players were dropped from the squad, should be interested in the performance of the team since according to him, it’s only the coach that determines players that will get good results for him.

Super Eagles captain, Joseph Yobo(right) in training at Faro, Potugal as Coach Stephen Keshi watches.

No cause for alarm over Spain, Uruguay clash in Doha non-release of Eagles T AFCON funds, says NFF he Qatar Football Association has officially announced that Doha will play host to the reigning European and world football champions, Spain, and the current South American champions, Uruguay, in an international friendly match at Khalifa International Stadium on February 6. The Battle of the Champions will be a dramatic prelude to the teams’ match-up in Group B of

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) said yesterday that the country’s preparation for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) was on track. Musa Amadu, the SecretaryGeneral of the NFF, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that in spite of the nonrelease of funds by the Federal Government, the Glasshouse did not envisage any problem ahead of the tournament whether financial or otherwise, adding that the Eagles preparations would not suffer any setback. “The most important thing is that the camping of the Eagles in Faro, even from here is going on smoothly. I can assure you that the team will not lack in anything. “The money will be released, there is no problem whatsoever. When they are released we will be available to access them,” Amadu said. He, however, did not disclose

AfroBasket 2013: Pillars’ coach makes case for domestic players SAYO OGUNDEJI Musa Amadu, NFF Secretary-General

the alternative source of funding for the AFCON. The Super Eagles’ would leave their Faro camp for Nelspruit, South Africa, next week where they would play their group matches at the 2013 AFCON. They have been drawn in Group C alongside, defending champions Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.

Former NFA chairman passes on ANDREW EKEJIUBA

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Friday received news of the death of a former Chairman of then Nigeria Football Association, Chief Efiom Edem Okon. A mail sent to the NFF stated that Chief Efiom Okon died suddenly on January 1, 2013 in Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom while on holiday. He was aged 88 years. Okon was Secretary General of then Nigeria Football Association between 1959 and 1961, and was also interim Chairman of the NFA between 1989 and 1990, and substantive Chairman of

the FIFA Confederations Cup, Brazil 2013 in June. Spain finished 2012 ranked as the best team in the world, winning the UEFA Euro 2012 and having previously won the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, where Uruguay finished fourth. Uruguay, known as La Celeste, ended the year ranked sixteenth in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking. The last time the two teams

the body between 1991 and 1992. He was one of those who worked very hard to sustain the good name of then Nigeria Football Association, and also to ensure that our dear country maintained its enviable reputation in international football. The late NFA Chairman worked as Chief Personnel Officer of the Nigeria Ports Authority until he retired in 1984, and served as Chief Commissioner of Boys Scouts of Nigeria between 1995 and 2010. He was survived by his wife Evelyn and three daughters. The NFF told Saturday Mirror that the late Okon will be buried at the Trinity Methodist Church, Rainsford Road, Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom on February 15.

ssistant coach of Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball team, Ahmed Sanni, has thrown his weight behind the inclusion of some home-base players in the national team, as the D’Tigers intensify preparation for the 27th edition of the men’s continental championship slated for Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, later this year. The D’Tiger made history last year as they qualified for the London 2012 Olympics despite been drawn in a group which comprised Greece, Lithuania and Russia. The coaches failed to select any player from the local league

and Sanni who handles Kano Pillars basketball of Kano is of the opinion that the local lads must be given equal chances as their foreign-based counterparts. “Nigeria performed better last year and the right thing to do is to go to Abidjan and win the tournament in order to convince people that our achievement last year was not a fluke. “Unfortunately, none of the local players got the nod, but it is high time we gave them equal chances to prove themselves and I believe it will boost the morale of the upcoming players as well as create peaceful competition in the team,” Sanni who assisted coach Ayo Bakare at the London 2012 Olympic Games stated.

D’Tigers, celebrating their 60-56 win over Tunisia at last year’s London Olympic Games.

faced each other was in 2005, when Jorge Fossati, the former Al Sadd manager, was coaching Uruguay. Spain won 2-0 at the Estadio El Molinón in Gijón, Spain. In the past few years, Qatar has successfully hosted several high-profile international friendly matches, including Brazil and England clash in 2009, Argentina versus Brazil in 2010 and Egypt versus Brazil in 2011.

NPL draws put on hold

he draws for the 2012/13 Nigeria Premier League (NPL) season has been postponed indefinitely. The draws were scheduled to hold in Kano today before the new development. Supersport.com learnt in Kano that lack of funds was the rationale behind the sudden change as the Kano State government refused to finance the event claiming that the NPL management committee had been given what would be needed for the activity. But one of the club owners, who would want to comment under the condition of anonymity, explained to supersport.com that the NPL interim management committee chaired by Nduka Irabor “has nothing to offer” for the development of the NPL. “How would a reasonable chairman of an interim committee ask all the Premier League clubs to deposit the sum of N50 million before the commencement of the new season, where does he want us to get the money from?” he queried in vexation. “We thought that the interim management committee would be better than the dissolved board, but I think we are wrong and as far as I’m concerned, my club would not pay a dime,” he vowed.

SPORT

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Government must partner competent people to reposition sports –Obisanya In his heydays, Babatunde Obisanya was a national table tennis champion, and won the maiden Asoju-Oba Table Tennis Championship 43 years ago. He later turned coach and nurtured many talented ping-pongers who made the country proud in the sport. In this interview with IFEANYI EDUZOR, he speaks on the poor state of sports in Nigeria and the way forward. Excerpts:

s the winner of the maiden Asoju- Oba Table Tennis Championship more than four decades ago, how would you rate the championship now? I want to tell you that having been privileged to win the maiden Asoju- Oba Championship, it was a thing of joy and it really helped me to achieve success later in life in the game of tennis. Having said this, there is no doubt that the championship has been waxing strong over the years and it has been able to produce not only national champions, but continental champions who have gone ahead to make the country proud at the international level. The championship has come as a blessing to table tennis players not only in Lagos, but all over the country because it is a championship every table tennis player is looking forward to participate in and once you are able to excel in Asoju-Oba, there is nothing stopping you from becoming a national champion and most probably, a continental champion. Casting your mind back to 43 years ago when you won the championship, how did you feel at that time? At the time I won the tournament in 1969, I felt I was on top of the world. It was a thing of joy winning the maiden edition of that championship and each time I look back at that victory, I always feel fulfilled because at that time, nobody gave me a chance to win the title. At that time, Lagos State was still number 1 in sports in the country, though there was a gradual contention from the then old Western Region, but then it was well known that once you are able to excel in Lagos, you are more or less the national champion. This was due to the fact that all the established stars were in Lagos and Western Region and for you to have excelled in Lagos, there was nothing stopping you from becoming a national champion. So, my winning the title brought me to national limelight and I want to tell you that the victory really prepared me for the successes I recorded in table tennis. From there, I was able to make it to both the national and continental levels and of course the world level. Apart from this, I am also happy that the championship has stood the test of time and credit must go to Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, the Asoju-Oba of Lagos for sponsoring the tournament many years after its maiden edition. You started as a footballer and later did cycling before going into table tennis where you became a house hold name, what made you quit other sports for the ping-pong game? My love for sports started at Christ

Church, Mapo, Ibadan, where I took part in the annual inter house sport competitions, but it was at the Physical Education (PE) class, which was then compulsory for all students that I got exposed to various sporting activities. And I continued when I moved to St Ebenezer Church School also in Ibadan. During this time, I took part in football, athletics, cycling and by the time I was admitted to Ibadan Grammar School, I became an integral part of my school’s football team. But after I got injured at Mapo hill, I abandoned cycling and concentrated in football and athletics. The Liberty Stadium also provided an ample opportunity for us to train and play football. As at then, it was a first class facility and I played alongside boys who had nicknames like Pelebe, Sanya, Abeki and other skilful schoolboy players. However, while planning to become a big football star, I got injured while playing on the hockey pitch of the Liberty Stadium, which made me, quit football. Despite the injury which forced me to quit football, I was not ready to allow my dream as a sports man die a natural death which made me switch over to table tennis. So, whenever I look back, I fell fulfilled taking that decision because it was through the sports that I achieved all I did in life. What would you describe as the greatest moment of your coaching career and your regrets as a coach before your retirement two years ago? I became a coach in 1977 after retiring as undefeated national champion. And because there was no professional career in table tennis outside Nigeria, then, I chose to be a coach after retiring from the game. Before then, I attended coaching course in Hong Kong in 1975 and was among the few players that were selected by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) to undergo a training course in Lagos under the tutelage of a Chinese instructor. After this, I became an assistant coach under Coach Oduntan and after Oduntan was re-deployed to NSC, I became the national team wach, where I worked with players like Atanda Musa, Olawunmi Majekodunmi, Fatai Adeyemo, Yomi Bankole, Segun Toriola, Monday Merotoun, Kazeem Nosiru, Bose Kaffo and many others. Having said this, I want to tell you that the greatest moment of my coaching career was when Atanda Musa won gold at the Commonwealth Games in India in 1982. Apart from this, I was also happy taking the team to the All Africa Games in 1995, where we won gold and silver. I also took the team to three other All Africa Games and we came out tops. It must be noted that the All

Africa Games that Nigeria hosted in 2003 was where I felt the most pressure, but fortunately for the team, we were able to win gold. However, I regret that I was not able to win a medal for the country at the Olympics, but I fell fulfilled with my achievements as a coach.

will

What do you think is responsible for our players dominating the continent and not been able to replicate such performance at the international level, such as the Olympics? I think a lot of factors are responsible for this and definitely, we cannot lay the blames on the door steps of any body. But I think generally, we should take a critical look at all our sports. It does not affect only table tennis, but all other sports. Table tennis has suffered greatly, resulting to poor performance s over the years and I believe that people at the helm of affairs should be able to tackle the problem in conjunction with the National Sports Commission whose duty it is to run sports in the country. I also want to use this opportunity Obisanya

be nurtured, we will continue to rely on the old athletes which is not good for the development of the country’s sports. As a retired national table tennis coach, what advise would you give

I BELIEVE THAT GOVERNMENT CAN USE ITS POSITION TO IDENTIFY PEOPLE WHO CAN DEVELOP SOME OF THESE FACILITIES AND PARTNER WITH THEM.

ONCE THIS IS DONE,

WE CAN SEE A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN OUR SPORTS DEVELOPMENT. to appeal to corporate organizations in the country to emulate what Asoju-Oba has done for table tennis and sponsor other sports because that is the only way our athletes can be fully developed to compete favourably with their counterparts from other countries of the world. Chief Okoya-Thomas is not the richest Nigerian, but his passion for sports make him sponsor the most popular and oldest table tennis championship in the country and I pray that God will continue to protect and guide him. Are you in support of arguments in some quarters that part of the problem is caused by the recycling of athletes? I have always believed in discovering new talents from all parts of the country and it is not impossible you have one or two old stars in the team who will help develop the young ones, but once we have a good developmental programme we will be able to develop new set of players at least quarterly. What I mean by quarterly is at least every two to four years, but so long as we do not have a good developmental programme where new athletes

to the government for the development of sports generally in the country? My advice is that the government should take a very serious look at our sports and partner with competent people to reposition sports in the country. When you visit the National Stadium at Surulere, Lagos, you will be shocked by the poor state of the stadium. But when you visit stadia of other countries including those that were built before our own, you will discover that they are well kept and all facilities are working. The National Stadium in Surulere has not only been neglected, but abandoned and rejected by various administrations and with its present state, nobody will like to come there and train. So, it is the responsibility of government to ensure that some of these stadia are fixed, and made functional once again. Although people will say that government cannot do it alone, but I believe that government can use its position and identify people who can develop some of these facilities and partner with them and once this is done, we can see a major breakthrough in our sports development.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

January 12, 2013

Ghana under pressure to strike gold

G Ghana’s AFCON Record Year

Position

1957

Did not enter

1959

Did not enter

1962

Did not qualify

1963

Champions

1965

Champions

1968

Second Place

1970

Second Place

1972

Did not qualify

1976

Did not qualify

1978

Champions

1980

Round 1

1982

Champions

1984

Round 1

1986

Did not qualify

1988

Did not qualify

1990

Did not qualify

1992

Second Place*

1994

Quarter-finals

1996

Fourth Place

1998

Round 1

2000

Quarter-finals

2002

Quarter-finals

2004

Did not qualify

2006

Round 1

2008

Third Place

2010

Second Place

2012

Fourth Place

2013

Qualified

Ghana’s full list for South Africa 2013: Goalkeepers: Adam Kwarasey Fatau Dauda Daniel Agyei Defenders: Harrison Afful John Paintsil Richard Kissi Boateng Wakasu Mubarak John Boye Isaac Vorsah Jonathan Mensah Awal Mohammed Jerry Akaminko. Midfielders: Anthony Annan Derek Boateng Rabiu Mohammed Agyemang Badu Solomon Asante Albert Adomah Christian Atsu Kwadwo Asamoah. Strikers: Asamoah Gyan Richmond Boakye Yiadom Emmanuel Clottey

hana will try again at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations to bridge the ever-widening gap since they last lifted the most prized piece of football silverware on the continent. Favoured to top the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Niger and win Group B, the West Africans could face much greater challenges in the knock-out phase, including title favourites Ivory Coast and title holders Zambia. It is 31 years since the ‘Black Stars’ last collected gold medals, winning the first final settled by a penalty shoot-out, against hosts Libya in Tripoli after a 1-1 stalemate. Then teenager Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew was part of the winning team and went on to become one of the first African footballers to make a splash on the European scene, including a Champions League winners’ medal with Marseille. A couple of his sons also play for Marseille and had hoped to be part of the 2013 Cup of Nations, but a hamstring injury ruled out midfielder Andre and striker Jordan failed to win a place in the squad. The loss of 2011 BBC African Footballer of the Year by Andre is a major blow, coming less than a week after leading Ghana Premier League goal scorer Yahaya Mohamed was forced out by a groin injury. Andre Ayew provided midfield creativity and the absence of Mohamed means extra pressure on captain and striker Asamoah Gyan to snatch match-winning goals. Gyan went into temporary international retirement last year after furious supporters blamed him for a shock semi-final exit from the 2012 Cup of Nations because he had an early penalty saved by Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene. “It is so frustrating for us,” admitted Gyan to reporters in Accra. “Every day we get reminded that we have not won a major trophy despite putting Ghana on the map with what we have done at the last two World Cup tournaments.” The Black Stars reached the second round of the 2006 World Cup in Germany and the quarter-finals in South Africa three years ago be-

Black Stars of Ghana in a group photograph

fore losing on penalties to Uruguay. But the shoot-out could have been avoided had Gyan not slammed a penalty kick against the crossbar seconds from the end of extra time at Soccer City stadium in Soweto. Some pundits have questioned coach Kwesi Appiah a member of the 1982 Cup-winning team adding the burden of captaincy on Gyan as he seeks to re-establish himself as a deadly penalty-area predator. Appiah is unmoved by the criticism as he seeks first place after the country finished third on home soil

in 2008, second in Angola two years later and a disappointing fourth in 2012 in Gabon/Equatorial Guinea. “I must pick players who are prepared to die for the nation and win. We do not just have to go to the competition we have to go to South Africa and try to win it,” stressed the first local to coach Ghana for many years. It could be recalled that after the 1963 and 1965 triumphs, Ghana hosted and won the 13th edition of the African Cup of Nations trophy for keeps in 1978, and four years later, won it again in Tripoli, Libya.

The team have won the African Cup of Nations four times (in 1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982), making Ghana the second most successful team in the contest’s history, together with Cameroon; Egypt has won the past three tournaments (2006, 2008, 2010) to give it a record seven titles. On Wednesday, January 9, Black Stars Coach Kwesi Appiah announced his final 23-man squad for the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. He left out only one member from his preliminary squad of 24. Asante Kotoko defend-

er Rashid Sumaila did not make the final roster as the final squad was submitted to the Confederation of African Football before the deadline on Wednesday. The Black Stars squad is made up of 10 debutants which includes Richard Kissi Boateng, Awal Mohammed, Jerry Akaminko, Wakasu Mubarak, Rabiu Mohammed, Solomon Asante, Albert Adomah, Christian Atsu, Richmond Boakye Yiadom and Emmanuel Clottey will all be making their first appearance at the Nations Cup.

Group B FIXTURES Jan 20:

Ghana v DR Congo

1500,

Mali v Niger

1800

Jan 24:

Ghana v Mali

1500

Niger v DR Congo

1800

Jan 28:

Ghana v Niger

1700

DR Congo v Mali

1700 (At Durban)

FACTFILE: Nickname:

Black Stars inspirational captain Asamoah Gyan

The Black Stars

Association:

Ghana Football Association

Sub-confederation:

WAFU (West Africa)

Confederation:

CAF (Africa)

Head coach:

James Kwesi Appiah

Asst coach:

Maxwell Konadu

Captain:

Asamoah Gyan

Most caps:

0) Richard Kingson (90)

Top scorer:

Abedi Pele (33)

Won AFCON:

Four times

Appearances:

FIFA code:

GHA

FIFA ranking:

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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January 12, 2013

Huge profit in table wine production

trategies for national economic survival dictate drastic economic reforms. One of such reforms is to discourage mass importation of foreign products and look inwards towards producing those goods that can be easily produced internally. This will reduce drastically the pressure mounted on demand for foreign exchange. We all know that a nation that relies wholly on other countries for its needs will never grow. It is also a known fact that government cannot provide all the needed employment to school leavers and graduates if industries are not established, not by government but by individual investors. The only role government can play is to protect the local industries by passing favourable laws to that effect, provide an enabling business environment and offering adequate international relations. To ensure the survival of our great country, the President Goodluck Jonathan and his Economic team banned the importation of some items into this country. The government felt that there are some products that can be comfortably produced in the country. Thus Nigerians have been consistently advised to embrace industrial production, local sourcing of raw materials, import substitution and export promotion. This is the only way this country can move forward. The President has not relented in his efforts to see that the Nigerian economy wears a new look. The whole nation must support him to achieve all his objectives. I strongly believe that the benefits of his economic reforms will not be reaped in a short term, but in a very long term if vigorously pursued. From our detailed investment analysis carried out, there are still some products that can be produced easily in this country, yet they are massively imported. One of such products is table wine. Table wine production should fall in line with the above economic goals all the required inputs for its production

can be locally sourced.

Importance and uses

Wine is a non-alcoholic beverage popular among the upper and the middle class. It is served at ceremonies and social gatherings such as weddings, outings, naming ceremonies, housewarming, parties and night clubs. In recent times, table wine has gained wide acceptance owing to its low alcoholic content. It is also a known fact that some brands have medicinal properties. Thus owing to changing lifestyles, drinking habits and health reasons, wine is now generally taken in preference to beer and other spirits. As such, it is now widely consumed by many households. It is also served in hotels, restaurants, and aircraft among others. From market survey carried out, there is an excellent local market, hence some businessmen in Nigeria have continued to import wine from the U.S. and other European countries to the detriment of our national economy.

Possibility of running this project in Nigeria

From all indications, wine can easily be produced in Nigeria since the raw materials, manpower and other required inputs can easily be sourced in the country. The only things lacking in Nigeria are the standard machines and part of the equipment required for production. These machines can easily be imported from technologically advanced countries. Already there are some foreign manufacturers of these machines that are located in Nigeria that can supply them. Some of them will be given to prospective investors on contacting the writer. This project can be established in any part of the country, both in the rural and urban settings.

Who can invest?

Although anybody can go into this business, people who into water and

fruit juice/ drinks bottling are mostly favoured. Some of those importers can easily travel overseas, procure the machines and install them in this country. State and local governments can also set up this project in their areas to generate employment. Those that have investment funds, but do not know where to invest them can consult the writer for further clarifications. Those that have fruit plantations but do not know how to process their products to more valuable and marketable products should contact the writer for further discussions. This project is for everybody.

Raw materials

Raw materials for table wine production include grains like maize or wheat and fruits such as sweet orange, citrus, grape, cashew, paw-paw, pineapple, mango and cocoa. Others include tubers such as carrot and potatoes and other additives. All these are 100 per cent locally available. The choice of raw material depends on the envisaged brand of wine. Water is a common input which accounts for up to 70 per cent.

Plants, machinery and equipment

Machinery and equipment include the crusher, juice extractor, liquor digester, fermentation tank, strainer, filler, corking machine and weighing scale. Auxiliary equipment includes knives, hydrometer and plastic/glass containers and buckets. Again, all these are locally available. Most of these machines are manufactured by foreign companies based in the country.

Production process

Production process involves raw materials sourcing, selection, cleaning, peeling crushing and extraction. Other steps include digestion, cooling, straining, fermentation, ageing, clarification, pasteurization and bottling.

Production may be diversified to include three brands, one each for local consumption, special export and sacrament. Details will be shown in the project feasibility report.

Capacity

The envisaged machinery has a capacity for 1,250 litres of wine per day. Operating at 50 per cent capacity level, a total of 156,250 litters will be produced in 250 working days per annum. The capacity can also be increased if the promoter wants. A smaller version of the plant which produces 500 litters per shift may be fabricated for small-scale investors.

Marketing strategies

60 per cent will be sold to the dealers while 10 per cent will be sold directly to religious organisations as sacrament wine for Holy Communion. The remaining 30 per cent can be exported to other African sub-regions.

Estimated cost of project and funding An estimated sum of N21.1million (as shown below) will be enough to commence the project. From pre-investment analysis carried out, the return on investment is about 72 percent. Total projected revenue will be N58.7Million in the first two years. This figure will increase to about N85.5Million in the fifth year of operation. The project will yield a first year net profit of N25.3 million. The payback period is about two years with a very hard working and experienced manpower. The project is very viable and highly profitable. Some financial institutions to be recommended will provide the necessary funds if the proposal is supported with a bankable feasibility report

Courtesy: Uba Godwin, ubagodwin@yahoo.com

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Door business is for the patient’ FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON

oors in homes signify the consciousness for security. The matter of security in this clime and time definitely cannot be over looked. Most people would spare no amount of money to ensure a watertight security. To this end, it is worth the while going into the business of security doors. Little wonder why Augustine Okechukwu, the proprietor of Corinthian furniture, is not regretting going into the business of providing security doors for those who need them. Also according to Okechukwu there is no need for importing flush doors anymore as they could be produced right here in the country at affordable prices and with high durability. To Okechukwu who has been in the furniture making business for over 20 years, it is high time investors went

TO START ON A LOW KEY, ONE MAY THINK OF HAVING ABOUT

N50, 000

WHILE ON A BIG SCALE IT COULD BE FROM

N20 MILLION

into this area of business. He also described it as a lucrative business that any investor would be proud to do. He further disclosed that being an arm of the furniture business, a formal training in furniture making is compulsory. He, however, warned that it could be capital intensive. To him, there is no hard and fast rule to kicking off the furniture making business as it solely depends on ones

financial capabilities and how small or big one intends starting off. “For instance, I started big. We started as a limited liability company and this cost us several millions of naira. However, if you want to start on a low key, you may think of having about N50, 000 while if you want to kick it off on a big scale like we did seven years ago, you will be talking of about N20 million and above,” he added. According to Okechukwu, the major challenge facing this business at the moment is the fact that a lot of Nigerians do not appreciate the locally made products. “But I believe that with time and more awareness, people will get to appreciate locally made products especially when they get to try them out and discover their durability,” he said. Okechukwu further noted that the last quarter of the year is usually a peak period for the business, although festive periods are also good times to make more sales.

Okechukwu

He also pointed out that because the materials for making these doors are locally sourced, there are no duties or tariffs to be paid because there no importations to be made. “No doubt there are others into the same type of business but it is usually good to carve a niche for yourself because that will set you apart by moving away from the norm. This is realisable if you have enough contacts on ground for patronage. The job depends a lot on referral as it thrives more on trust and confidence,” remarked Okechukwu. He further noted that patience and perseverance are needed for one to get settled down in the business before profit starts coming in. “It is a business for patient minded people. You have to be patient enough for the business to grow before you can start getting back your returns,” stressed Okechukwu.

Crime Watch Crime Watch

P. 51

Man stabs friend in the neck over N50,000

BRIEFS

Police arraign 9 for alleged incitement

ine men were yesterday arraigned by the Police before an Abuja Senior Magistrates’ Court for alleged joint act of inciting disturbance, causing obstruction and assault. The men, all of Katampe 1 village, Mpape, Abuja, are: Jude Gandi, Isaac John, Andrew Zabe, Benjamin Biya, Emmanuel Ishaku, Lokta Daniel, Bala Kauna, Haruna Bala and Sarah Jude. The Police Prosecutor, Musa Abdullahi, told the court that one Mr Lanre Sarki of Katampe 1 Village, Mpape, Abuja, reported the matter at the Mpape Police Station on 9 December, 2012. Abdullahi said the accused persons and one other now at large, beat up the wife of the complainant, Temi. “Sgt. Francis Okoguele and three others attached to Mpape Police Division went for investigation at the scene. In the process, they incited disturbance against the police officers,’’ he added. The accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge. Senior Magistrate Njideka Duru granted the accused bail in the sum of N10,000 each, with two sureties each, who must reside within the jurisdiction of the court. She adjourned the case to Jan. 17 for hearing.

Five men in court for alleged forgery

he Police on Friday arraigned five out of six accused persons before an Abuja Chief Magistrates’ Court for alleged joint act of forgery, criminal intimidation and trespass. The five are Bashir Yusuf, 26, Sani Suleman, 30, Bashir Ibrahim, 28, and Danladi Lawal, all of Maitama, Abuja and 53-year-old Suleman Bala, of Jabi, Abuja. The sixth accused person, Bello Sardauna, is still at-large. All the six accused are gardeners. Police Prosecutor, Mr Monday Akor, told the court that, on 26 November, 2012, one Peter Odany of Efab Mall, Area 11, Garki, Abuja, reported the accused to the Maitama Police Station. Akor told the court that the accused had dishonestly forged a change of offer of statutory Right of Occupancy for Plot A06, located at Owena close, Maitama, Abuja. According to Akor, all the accused went ahead to carry-out illegal construction work on the said land. He informed the court that when the owner confronted them, they threatened to kill him.

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January 12, 2013

Community under siege: How robbers attacked residents, churches SEGUN ADIO

ones Street, Ebute-Metta (West) in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State is generally regarded as peaceful and serene. But the tranquillity was shattered recently by booms of guns and clash of machetes. Not an intra community brawl but an invasion by armed hoodlums. For the residents, it was a harsh farewell gift from 2012 for the community was attacked on 30 December, 2012. No fewer than three churches and several houses were attacked and robbed, while about 10 people were critically injured at the invasion of the suspected hoodlums and robbers. Virtually all the vehicles parked on the street that black Sunday were also vandalised by the robbers. The suspected robbers said to be about 20 allegedly invaded the crowded community in the early hours of Sunday, 30 December, 2012, shooting sporadically into the air sending families scampering under the beds and inside lavatories for safety. It was around 2:30 a.m. A few days before the attack, some of the gang members, Saturday mirror learnt had carried out surveillance on the said street and adjoining ones. According to one of the victims of the raid who had the upper part of his mouth stabbed by the hoodlums, the marauders are not entirely strange faces in the locality. Recounting his ordeal, 27-year-old Olaitan Akiti, who was stabbed on the chin for reportedly refusing to pay toll at an illegal plaza erected in the community by the suspected hoodlums, claimed that he was attacked three days before the real raid. “It was one Alesh that led the attack on me and it is the same gang that raided Jones Street. My offence was that I refused to pay a toll at a barricade they erected in the community when they asked that everyone should pay before they could let down,” he said. But on that fateful day the suspected robbers invaded the community, they allegedly came in three Varagon buses parked along Apapa Road. Members of the gang forcefully entered house after house and subjected the occupants to untold hardship. After having raided virtually all the residential buildings on the street, the robbers turned their attention to houses of worship located on the long street. A branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) was raided. Also a branch of Faith Foundation Church and the New Spiritual Church of Christ felt the weight of the robbers. A leader of one of the affected churches, who preferred anonymity, told Saturday

Akiti before

For residents of Jones Street, Ebute-Metta, Lagos the wish to end 2012 on a happy note did not come to pass. Indeed, the opposite was the case. How come a street renowned for its serenity would be visited with such a harrowing experience on New Year’s eve?

Akiti now

Mirror his church was in a vigil to usher in the New Year when suddenly, deep into the programme, sporadic gunshots were heard outside the premises. “It was like an action movie. When we first heard the gunshots, some members including me came to the gate of the church to challenge whoever shot the gun. But we were confronted by two of the robbers who barked at us to return into our church or get shot. We hurriedly retreated back into the church,” the church leader said. Moments after the encounter with the robbers, three of the gang members allegedly scaled the fence of the affected church asking worshippers to drop their money, GSM handsets and other valuables

into a big sack they came with. This act was reportedly carried out at gunpoint. It was a similar experience in the other two nearby churches on Jones Street that early morning. Before the suspected robbers left the community almost an hour after their arrival, they allegedly smashed the wind screens and side mirrors of virtually all cars parked on the street. Speaking with Saturday Mirror on the incident, Agbodemu Ishola Musbau, Chairman of Otto Ilogbo ExtensionIfesowapo Community Development Association claimed that the suspected robbers that invaded the place were the same ones that attacked Olaitan and two others a few days before the Jones Street incident. He claimed that the robbers were members of the cult that clashed in Oyingbo sometime last year. “Jones Street is one of the most peaceful in Ebute Metta West before the hoodlums visited the area last December. Residents were woken from their deep sleep by sporadic gunfire as if we were at a war front. No one in the community would claim that he was able to sleep after the robbers had gone. Many of our people, especially women and children, are yet to get out of the trauma they were subjected to by the robbers, “he said. The matter was reported at Iponri Police Station and attempts to speak with the Divisional Police Officer in charge were unsuccessful. A policeman attached to the station, however, told Saturday Mirror that a manhunt is already launched to apprehend the perpetrators of the act.

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CRIME WATCH

January 12, 2013

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Estate agent rents one apartment to three clients, bolts with N1m An estate agent, Segun Owolabi, is currently assisting investigators at the State Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Panti in Lagos to unravel the reasons behind his defrauding house seekers of a huge amount of money.

SEGUN ADIO

wolabi runs an estate agent shop at Shyllon Street, Palm Grove, Lagos State. His posters and bill boards also adorn many parts of the area. A lot of house seekers often throng his office on account of his advertisement of apartment openings in the metropolis. Around October 2012, Owolabi reportedly posted an advertisement for the opening of a mini flat of a storey building on Odogbolu Street, Palm Grove area of the state. Apparently because of the rush for people to change apartment as the festive periods drew near, a couple of interested clients showed interest in the apartment Owolabi advertised. Indeed, no fewer than two other estate agents also contacted him to speak on behalf of their own clients wishing to relocate into another apartment. It was reported that once clients come, Owolabi always told them that they should pay him their rents to allow the house owner carry out a major partition on the apartment. The apartment on offer was reportedly home to a firm which parked out of the building for more capacious apartment on Lagos Island. True to his words, Owolabi soon purchased some concrete blocks and brought them to the compound of the house in question. This further convinced intending clients and they believed Owolabi’s story.

Before two weeks that he did this, no fewer than eight interested clients showed up and matched their interest with action. One of the clients is a church leader, Pastor Ahmed Joshua. On Tuesday, November 13, 2012, while Joshua was away from Lagos on evangelism, some elders of his church reportedly approached Owolabi, on his behalf though, to pay for the apartment. In effect, N240, 000 was paid to Owolabi through a new generation bank in the area, leaving a balance of N100, 000 that would be paid later. The man of God did pay the balance upon his return from his trip. Three days after the payment was made, Joshua returned from his trip and met the estate agent who assured him that in two weeks, the partitioning would be completed and the house ready for human habitation. Two weeks came and gone, but Joshua could not move into the house he already paid for; Owolabi did not give him the keys to the apartment. Speaking with Saturday Mirror on phone, Joshua claimed that once the house rent was paid, he ordered that his property in his old house be moved out hoping that in less than two week, he would move into the new apartment. That was not to be after all. “When the man (Owolabi) told me that the house would be ready once we make payment, I asked some elders in the church to go pay him, because by then I was to be away from Lagos. On the day the rent was paid, the man called

me to confirm that he got an sms alert and that gave me assurances that we would move into the apartment. “When I came back two days later and asked him for the keys to the apartment, the man begged me that the occupiers of the office had not fully moved out of there. That was how we started the waiting game until I met him on Christmas day. That day I told him that as a man of God, I should not be seen engaging in shouting match with him, but he still begged that everything would be ready by New Year day,” Joshua said. But apart from Joshua, Owolabi still allegedly collected various sums of money from several other clients in like manner. He even collected money from his own colleagues in their profession who also approached him for the same apartment. After the payment, Owolabi

reportedly informed Joshua to Mr. Mayungbo, who paid N222, 000 and Mr. Solomon Akinjisola, N200, 000, 00. But in all these, none of the clients was given the clearance to move into the apartment they all paid for. Trouble actually started when upon realising that he was being fooled, one of the clients moved into the contentious apartment triggering a flurry of protests and quarrels among the three clients that already paid. The matter was reported at Ilupeju Police Station, by which time, Owolabi had already taken to his heels. It was reported that from New Year’s Eve, all calls to Owolabi’s phone lines were rejected. Law enforcement agents at Ilupeju Police Station soon launched a manhunt for Owolabi, while a manhunt was lunched for the fleeing estate agent. A petition on the

matter was also reportedly sent to the Lagos State police commissioner, which was referred to the X Squad, SCID, Panti. Luck however ran out on Owolabi, when another lady he also allegedly collected money for on the same apartment, tracked him to his Ikorodu house and had hi arrested. Owolabi was immediately transferred to SCID, Panti where he is being questioned on the matter. A policeman monitoring the case at Panti told Saturday Mirror that investigations had revealed that was not In The words of the policeman, “We have been able to establish that this man (Owolabi) has been in the habit of defrauding innocent people for a long time now. He has already confessed to his crime and you will be told of the next line of action soon,” he said.

Assault: Enugu Police Command arrests 10 in Amechi-Idodo

o fewer than 10 suspects have been arrested by the operatives of the Amechi-Idodo Police Division of the Enugu State Command of the Nigeria Police Force for allegedly beating SETRACO workers

and damaging their bus. Ebere Amaraizu, spokesman for the command, said in a statement that the alleged incident took place along Enugu-Abakilki Road around Amechi-Idodo axis of the state on Thursday, January 10

at about 4.30pm. Amaraizu claimed that a group of boys under the aegis of a youth organisation went to SETRACO working site and unleashed terror on the workers and also damaged their bus.

The aggressors also allegedly beat the bus driver to a coma. The police spokesman claimed that law enforcement agents, promptly responded to the distress call by the workers and were able to save the

situation from deteriorating. He maintained that the state police command is now trying to unravel the mystery behind the sudden attack with a view to bringing the culprits to justice.

Crime Extra

SEGUN ADIO

oruf Siyanbade, Tajudeen Ambali and Frank are friends or used to be friends until recently when two of them descended on the third in such a way that he is now lying critically ill at a hospital. The incident which separated the three jolly friends was one that residents of Ademu quarters in Lusada area of Ado/Odo Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State, where it transpired, would not forget in a jiffy. The gory incident occurred on Wednesday, 2 January, 2012. Siyanbade had just reportedly returned from a tour of the Cotonou, Benin Republic with his two friends. Siyanbade lives at Ademu quarters, a new settlement close to Lusada area of the state while his two friends reportedly live at Ijanikin in Lagos State. Thirty one years old Siyanbade and his two friends, Saturday Mirror investigation revealed, were porters at the Seme Border of the country. There the trio reportedly made their livelihood packing imported goods for importers. They only come home to spend their weekends. Business was good for the three jolly friends and they decided to put some of their earnings aside for the rainy day. To do this, the trio adopted the age long “esusu” contribution system. They agreed to be contributing N50,000 monthly. The N150,000 would go to one per-

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Man stabs friend in the neck over N50,000 Moruf Siyanbade, Tajudeen Ambali and Frank have been best of friends for years. What could have made one of them stab the other? Where and when did the three jolly friends fall apart? son. At the end of the following month, the contribution would go to another person until it goes round. All started well with Siyanbade taking the first slot in October. He went home with N150, 000. November was the turn of Ambali. He too was said to have gone home on November 24 with N150,000. December was the turn of Frank. But when it was the 24th day of the month, when each member was supposed to pay his N50,000 into the account of the collector. Ambali paid his into Frank’s account but Siyanbade’s was nowhere to be found. Frank, said to be a native of Ibusa in Delta State, had told his two friends that he would go to his country home for the Yuletide. He was reportedly assured that he would get his share of the contribution at the

agreed date. He was reported to have scheduled his movement to his Ibusa home town for Christmas morning. But Frank’s hope of celebrating last Christmas with his extended family in his village could not materialise, after all. As was their practice, both Ambali and Frank reportedly paid their own contributions into Siyanbade’s accounts. But a day before Frank was due to receive his own money, Siyanbade did not show up at their work place contrary to agreed terms. Several calls were made to his mobile telephone lines, but it was reportedly switched off. On Christmas Eve, Ambali and Frank were at Siyanbade’s house via Lusada but were told he had not been at home in the last three days. The two friends became restless. They reportedly went to Si-

yanbade’s church apparently thinking he was there for a programme as he often did. He was nowhere to be found. With persistent calls coming from Frank’s relatives back home, the trained electrician rallied his other friends in the metropolis and raised about N70, 000 with which he went home. He had promised to pay his debt to his creditors latest first week of January 2013 upon his return from home. He had hoped that Siyanbade would be available with his money by the time he (Frank) came back from the village. He was wrong after all. Frank reportedly returned to Lagos in the wee hours of January 2, 2013. He wasted no time in dragging Ambali to Siyanbade’s abode. Luckily for the two friends,

January 12, 2013

Siyanbade was about to go out when they arrived on a commercial motorcycle also known as Okada. An enraged Ambali reportedly wasted no time in accusing Siyanbade of reneging on agreed promise and of stealing his friend’s contribution money. Siyanbade reportedly tried to explain the reasons for his absence from home during the period, saying the illness of his father in Ilaro, a town in Ogun State, kept him away from the area at the time. He also reportedly told his fuming friends that he had spent the money he was to pay into Frank’s bank account on the treatment of his father’s illness. Ambli’s’s anger rose when he heard this. He wasted no time in dealing Siyanbade a hot slap on the face. Fighting soon ensued between the now estranged friends. During the scuffle, Ambali reportedly grabbed a bottle close by, broke it and stabbed Siyanbade in the neck. Siyanbade went down and collapsed in his own blood. Immediately Ambali realised what happened, he scrammed. It was Frank and a couple of neighbours around who reportedly took the injured Siyanbade to a private clinic at Agbara area of Ogun State. In a chat with Saturday Mirror, Ambali, said to have fled his home, pleaded self defence. He claimed that Siyanbade wanted to attack him with the bottle before he wrenched it from him and stabbed him with it. “I could not have attacked him first because we have been friends for long and I know his people well. Moruf (SIyanbade) caused havoc to the man (Frank) I introduced to him to partake in the contributions. When we contacted him, he lied that he had spent the money on his father’s illness. That was when we began to fight and he ran into a nearby shop, grabbed a bottle, broke it and aimed it at me. I overpowered him and used the bottle on him in the process,” Ambali said. Frank on his part refused to comment on who the aggressor was between Siyanbade and Ambali. He was more concerned with money he was to collect from Siyanbade and how he would pay back his creditors. “I do not think there was any quarrel between the two of them before that day. The Christmas period was really a bad one for me because this guy (Siyanbade) was supposed to pay my money before Christmas. I believe he will be well soon and he will pay my money,” Frank said.

January 12, 2013

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REGIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

NORTH

Police quiz Lamido’s son for killing man in auto crash AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST KANO

he eldest son of Governor, Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Aminu, who was arrested and detained by

Kano Police on Wednesday night following his involvement in a fatal motor accident that claimed the life of a middle aged man, has been released on bail. Aminu Sule Lamido

who is currently facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over money laundering charge, was yet in another trouble Wednesday night when his BMW

car, allegedly killed the man on the spot. The accident occurred on BUK Road, according to the Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Magaji Musa Majiya, who confirmed the ar-

rest and detention of Aminu. He said Aminu Lamid granted bail, while his car was impounded by the police, pending the completion of investigation.

Borno takes fight against polio to 16 LGs INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

he fight against polio eradication continues in Borno State, where 16 high risk Local Government Areas have been targeted for the 2013 Special Round Polio Immunization Sensitization (SRPIS) to kick out the wild polio virus from the state. This was disclosed by the state’s Commissioner of Health, Dr Salma Anas-Kolo, during the flag-off of SRPIS in Maiduguri at the Fatima Ali Sheriff Hospital in DalaAlemderi ward of the metropolis. Anas-Kolo said though seven cases of polio were recorded last year, there are 16 council areas that have been identified as “prone and high risk” to the polio virus among children below the age of five. The high risk council areas, she further disclosed, are in three Senatorial Districts which comprise, Bama, Jere,

Kebbi State Governor Saidu Dakingari (right), presenting fertiliser donated by the House of Representatives Member representing Bunza, Kalgo and Birnin Kebbi Federal Constituency to beneficiaries in Bunza Local Government Area, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Ngala, Mobbar, Monguno, Kaga, Bayo and Biu. The other eight council areas are Shani, Gwoza and Damboa in south Borno senatorial district,

while in the Central and North Senatorial districts, are Kala/Balge, Konduga, Dikwa, Mafa and Abadam, 287 kilometres north of Maiduguri,

the state capital. Speaking on the rehabilitation of polio victims, Anas-Kolo said that, “Our target was to rehabilitate 40 patients hit by the polio

virus, but the Ministry of Health was able to identify 16, because some parents refused to release their affected children and wards for rehabilita-

Majiya said the victim was taken to Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, where he was confirmed dead by doctors. The deceased had been buried according to Muslim rites.

tion and correction of their limbs at the Abuja National Hospital.” She said the 16 children had surgeries, and are undergoing physiotherapy at the State Specialists Hospital, Maiduguri, before they are re-admitted into schools to continue their education. Governor Kashim Shettima in his brief remarks at the occasion said that polio is one of the seven-killer diseases that must be eradicated with “commitments and dedications” of stakeholders, traditional and religious leaders at all levels. He however, allayed the fears that the polio vaccine was not to affect the reproductive systems of men and women in Borno, saying that if the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and donor Western countries were to reduce the population of Nigeria, there are different ways of depopulating the state or the country, even as he said, common panadol is not manufactured domestically.

Strike: Nasarawa govt, tertiary teachers’ talks deadlocked IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

here seem to be no end in sight to the feud between tertiary institutions teachers and Nasarawa State government, as their scheduled meeting ended in a deadlock. The Joint Union of Tertiary Institutions in the state had embarked on an indefinite strike in December, 2012, to press home their demand for the payment of their backload of 18 months salary owed

them since implementation of the N18,000.00 minimum wage. In a chat with journalists after an emergency meeting of the union and top government officials, led by Governor Umaru

Tanko Al-Makura, held at the Presidential Lodge in Lafia, the state capital, Chairman of the Joint Unions of Tertiary Institutions in the state ,Umar Bako, said the meeting was inclusive.

Bako explained that both parties failed to reach an agreement on the matter, as the union on its part demanded for payment of six months payment out of the arrears of 18 months owed them, while govern-

ment on her part offered to pay four months of the arrears. Meanwhile, both academic and non-academic staff of the state-owned three tertiary institutions have vowed to continue to

down tools, insisting that their demands must be met before returning to work despite calls from parents, guardians and students of the institutions on government and school authorities to sheathe their swords.

Terrorism: Cleric calls on security agents to be more alert HENRY IYORKASE MAKURDI

astor Israel Adanu of the Living faith church, winners chapel Makurdi has raised the alarm over influx of immigrants of

other natives into Benue State in recent times, saying a thorough search on strangers. The cleric expressed his feelings yesterday in a chat with Saturday Mirror in Makurdi while commenting on the un-

certainties arising from the escape of a suspected terrorist kingpin. Pastor Adanu urged security operatives in the state to be cautious of people’s movements in and around the state. The cleric further ob-

served that the escape of the Boko Haram kingpin was an eye opener for the people of the state and urged the citizens to be wary of strangers who cannot effectively communicate in English language and who could not

explain their mission in the state. The clergy man also suggested thorough scrutiny of every person coming into the state by the security agents so that their mission would also be ascertained.

REGIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NORTH

2015: Group warns Presidency over plot against Lamido, Amaechi A ZA MSUE KADUNA

pan socio.-political group, National Movement for Good Governance (NAMOG) yesterday warned the presidency against using the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) against governors of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido and his Rivers State counterpart, Rotimi Amaechi ahead of 2015 presidential elections. In a statement signed by the group’s South, North-West coordinators, Comrade Ahmed Balogun and Ibrahim G.Ibrahim, it said the purported report of three governors names submitted to president Goodluck Jonathan

over alleged corruption was a plot to scuttle governor Lamido and Ameachi ’s rumored 2015 ambition.

The group said the two governors performances in office would speak for them in 2015, calling on

the EFCC to conduct their investigations well before embarking on such actions which would threat-

en the election. The statement read in part, “The latest bombshell that came into cur-

Bauchi State Governor Isa Yuguda (left), welcoming the Director-General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, during the latter’s courtesy visit in Bauchi, recently. PHOTO: NAN

Six killed in fresh Nasarawa clash IGBAWASE UKUMBA LAFIA

ot fewer than six people have been reported killed and several others either injured or displaced in a renew clash between farmers and herdsmen, on Thursday, in Nasarawa State. Saturday Mirror gathered that trouble started

A ZA MSUE KADUNA

aduna State governor, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, yesterday sworn-in new Secretary to the Government, Ishaq Hamza Dan’Mahawayi and Chief of Staff, Yahaya

when an Eggon peasant from Ruwan Doma community in Bassa town of Doma local government area of the state was attacked by gunmen suspected to be Fulani herdsmen on his way back from farm. Consequently, the attack triggered provocation among the Eggon youths who on retaliation spree confronted some

herdsmen around the area leaving behind six dead bodies and various of degrees of injuries on during the clash. Our Correspondent, who visited the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, on Thursday evening, eported that the dead were conveyed there in a Police Hilux van. Over 1, 000 displaced

persons are currently taking refuge in different locations across Lafia and its environs. Narrating her ordeal to Saturday Mirror yesterday in in Lafia, one of the refugees, Mrs. Asabe Adamu, who took refuge at Angwan Sabongari, Shinge in Lafia, said “On Wednesday night we had that Fulani herdsmen had blocked three

he Chief Medical Director of Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, Kogi State, Dr. Dada Eleshin, has said that the institution will soon establish an Oxygen plant in view of its strategic location in the country, especially its closeness to the Federal Capital Territory FCT.

vaded their settlements came through the water ways as according to her, “Killing two Eggon men in their rice farm.” When contacted, the Nasarawa State Police Command’s Assistant Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Cornelius Ocholi, confirmed the incident but quickly added that only two persons were killed during the clash and Police men have been drafted to the troubled areas to restore normalcy.

Yero talks tough as he swears-in new SSG, aides Aminu Abdulahi, with a strong words that they should be fair to all in the state irrespective of religion and ethnicity. Also sworn in at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House was Special Adviser on Political Matyters, Mad-

ami Garba Madami. Yero had on Thursday announced the sack of s former Secretary to the State Government, Lawal Samaila Abdullahi, Principal Private Secretary, Yohanna Alamagani, Chief of Staff, Aboki Galadima

and Media Assistant,Mr Reuben Buhari, all aides to the late governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa. These new appointments were the first since Yero was elevated as governor late last year following the death of his for-

Kogi to get Oxygen plant for emergency cases OMEIZA AJAYI

Eggon men on their way back from the farm and engaged them in a fight that resulted to the death of one of them while others were injured.” She added that the insurgence had left them with no any other option than to scampered for their safety. Mrs Adamu also revealed that the suspected Fulani insurgents in-

rency last week that EFCC has already submitted the names of three governors to the president for possible prosecution for corruption is disturbing. It is stunning ,shameful and disheartening for EFCC to be witchhunting Sule Lamido/ Rotimi Amaechi who are blessed with talents, virtue to serve at the highest office in the country. EFCC is doing everything to scuffle and derail potential challengers of their paymaster and create unfair advantage and use an interim report to castrate and emasculate Sule Lamido and other presidential aspiration just for selfish interest and perfidious desire.”

Dr. Eleshin, who disclosed this yesterday in Lokoja when he granted audience to the state chapter of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, said medical personnels who would manage the plant have been taken to various world-class health institutions and research centres for adequate training.

Earlier, the State Chairman of the Union, Comrade Onu Edoka commended the CMD for his developmental strides especially the provision of infrastructural facilities in the centre. Edoka who called on the management of the centre to look into percentage of salary deduction of members of the union for their check-off dues which

was grossly low, equally appealed that the Senior Staff Association should not be allowed to encroach on the union in its drive to ensure the welfare of its members. Edoka stressed that the Senior Staff Association was not supposed to be at the Centre as it was specifically designed for workers at research institutes and teaching hospitals.

mer boss . Saturday Mirror gathered that commissioners and other political appointees of late governor Yakowa would be replaced any moment from now with loyal ones for firm control of government machinery. In his remark at the swearing in ceremony, Yero reminded them not to promote their personal interest against that of state and not to be carried away by the joy of the office. His words, “The office you have been sworn in today, May Amighty Allah give us the wisdom, the courage to do what is right for the people of Kaduna State. I like to remind you that, you should not

be carry away by the joy of your office, by joy of this opportunity thinking you can do whatever you want” Yero added “ In your new offices, you will meet with all manners of people irrespective of all kind of things but let me remind you that you should not put your personal interest above the conduct of your office you have sworn in to protect. As SSG you are not representing the people of your local government but the entire. Your office is sensitive enough to carry everybody along .I want to also remind you that ensure justice, equity and fairness in all your official conduct,” he said.

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INTERNATIONAL NEWS

January 12, 2013

Snake hitches a ride on Qantas flight

snake hitched a ride in the wing of a Qantas flight to Papua New Guinea. Passengers captured video of the distressed snake as it fought to stay attached to the wing amid freezing temperatures and brutal winds. The snake, later identified as a scrub python, apparently began the flight inside the small plane’s wing. Sometime after takeoff, its body began to emerge, perhaps due to the plane’s vibrations. An astute passenger noticed and told the crew. The snake put up a valiant effort, but the wind and cold temperatures might have been too much. A witness, Robert Weber, spoke to the Sydney Morning Herald about the real life “Snakes on a Plane” encounter: “I felt quite sad for it, really. For the remainder of the flight, he was trying to pull himself back into the plane, even though he was fighting against 400km/h

winds. The cabin crew told us that at cruising altitude, it was minus-12 degrees outside—but not even that was able to finish him.” Later, the wind whipped the snake’s body against the wing, causing blood to spray across the engine. According to Weber, the pilot, who had been watching the snake’s struggle, said, “He should be dead.” Not so fast, cap’n. The snake continued to fight the good fight until the plane touched ground. Based on the report from the Sydney Morning Herald, it’s unclear if it’s still alive, but it seems unlikely. While the snake was nowhere near passengers, there was a case last year of a snake showing up in the cockpit of a different plane. That flight’s captain, Braden Blennerhassett, was forced to make an emergency landing. “Look, you’re not going to believe this,” Blennerhassett said during the call to the control tower. “I’ve got snakes on a plane.”

Obama, Karzai meet to discuss ending Afghan war

harting the course for a war’s end, President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai met yesterday at the White House to discuss the future of the U.S. role in Afghanistan and the 66,000 American troops in harm’s way. The two leaders planned a joint afternoon news conference following a private Oval Office meeting and working lunch. White House officials said, however, that Obama would not announce any decisions on the next phase of troop withdrawals or whether any U.S. forces would stay behind in Afghanistan after the war formally ends in 2014.

U.S. commanders in Afghanistan have proposed keeping 6,000 to 15,000 U.S. troops after 2014 to continuing pursuing terrorists and training Afghan security forces. But the White House, which tends to favor lower troop levels than the generals do, says Obama would be open to pulling all U.S. forces out of Afghanistan at the end of 2014. “We wouldn’t rule out any option,” said Ben Rhodes, Obama’s deputy national security adviser. “We’re not guided by the goal of a certain number of U.S. troops in the country. We’re guided by the objectives that the president set — disrupt, dismantle, defeat al-Qaida.”

Shi’ite Muslim men shout slogans during a protest rally organised by the religious group, Majlis-e- Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM) in Karachi, yesterday, to condemn the bomb blasts in Quetta a day earlier, and the killings of Shiites. Photo: REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro

Royal Military Police sergeant, 36, rapes 12-year-old girl A

Royal Military Police sergeant who had sex with a 12-year-old girl after befriending her on his mobile phone is facing prison. Adrian Rose found the girl through the BlackBerry Messenger network popular with youngsters, posed as a 19-year-old, and then drove to her home city of Norwich to have sex with her. The 36-year-old, of Aldershot, Hampshire,

arranged to meet up with her and drove up from his barracks to have sex with her. The army sergeant denied seven counts of rape, six charges of abducting the girl and meeting a child following sexual grooming. The trial heard how the relationship was discovered when police saw Rose with the girl in a parked car at a Norwich business park last February. Prosecutor Clare Matthews told the jury that

officers noticed the girl’s trousers were unzipped and there were condoms in the car. When challenged, Rose told police: ‘As if I would do anything with a 16-year-old’. Police took the girl home and found that her mother was completely unaware she had met up with Rose and thought she had been with friends her own age Rose’s DNA was later found on the girl’s bra. Miss Matthews said the

girl admitted to police that she had sex with Rose on several occasions including a hotel after meeting him through BlackBerry messaging. She said he told her he was 19 and paid her compliments and made her feel special. The girl added that Rose ‘made it all sound cool’. Rose denied having sex with the girl or knowing that she was 12. In a statement he said he was shocked to be arrested and was unaware of her age.

Indiana boy abducted in 1994 found in Minnesota

uthorities yesterday identified a 24-year-old man discovered living in Minnesota under an assumed name, nearly two decades after his grandparents abducted him from Indiana. The paternal grandparents could face federal charges in the case, a Minnesota sheriff said. The Todd County Sheriff ’s Office said Richard Wayne Landers Jr. now lives in the small northern Minnesota town of Long Prairie under the name

Michael Jeff Landers. Indiana State Police announced Thursday that Landers had been found. Landers’ paternal grandparents took him in July 1994, when he was just 5 years old, because they were upset over custody arrangements, police said. Minnesota officials say the grandparents — now living in the nearby town of Browerville, Minnesota, under the assumed names Raymond Michael Iddings and Susan Kay Iddings — verified Landers’

identity. They were known as Richard E. and Ruth A. Landers at the time of the abduction. Charges against the grandparents were dismissed in 2008 because the case had gone cold. But Todd County Sheriff Peter Mikkelson said once an investigation is complete, the case would be forwarded to the U.S. attorney general for possible charges. A woman who answered a phone number associated with the Iddingses said she has told the truth to the of-

ficials who need to know, and declined a request for an interview. No home listing could be found for Michael Landers. Messages left with his wife were not immediately returned. Landers’ mother, Lisa Harter, was “jumping up and down for joy” when investigators told her a few days ago that her son had been found, her husband Richard Harter told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Thursday.

Tunisians set fire to police station, cars in border town protest

undreds of Tunisian protesters demanding jobs and the reopening of a border crossing with Libya set fire to a police station and cars, and police used teargas and fired shots into the air to disperse them yesterday,

a Reuters witness said. Protesters in Ben Guerdane want the Ras Jedir crossing reopened so that trade with Libya, on which most of the population depend, can start again. Tunisian and Libyan authorities opened the cross-

ing briefly on Thursday but shut it because of the security threat. Four days of protests in Ben Guerdane turned violent on Thursday. “Protesters burned police stations overnight ... now police are chasing

them and firing teargas and shots into the air to disperse them,” a Reuters photographer in Ben Guerdane said. Tunisia’s Islamist-led government has sought to revive the economy hit by a decline in trade with

Europe and by disputes between secularists and hardline Salafi Islamists over policy in the North African state, the cradle of the Arab Spring. Two years after the revolution that toppled Zine AlAbidine Ben Ali, increas-

ing numbers of Tunisians are staging street protests to demand jobs and economic development. Last month clashes between protesters and police in the northwest town of Siliana wounded more than 220 people.

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I dissolved the state executive council because it is time to reenergise, refocus and reposition governance to meet the yearnings of the people. Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, on why he relieved the state’s commissioners and special advisers of their appointments during the week.

Saturday, January 12, 2013. www.nationalmirroronline.net

Declining respect for Africa’s core values

n recent times, I have persistently expressed my grave concern about the danger of unemployment and underemployment especially among the youth. I see this as a possible cause of unrest and violence within African countries in the not-too-distant future if no effective actions are taken to arrest the situation. In the cause of discussion with a highlyplaced and concerned female individual on the same issue, she raised another matter of similar destructive potential capacity to our nations – the declining respect for core humane values and the kind of values imbibed by our youth. We cannot think of values without thinking of what is important to us in our lives, such as security, independence, choice, wisdom success, kindness, pleasure, gratitude, etc. Each of us holds numerous values with varying degrees of importance and attachment. There is no universal acceptance of all values equally by all peoples, however, acceptance of value-concepts by communities serve to unify the diverse interest of all and indeed sets standard and norms for the community or communities to move forward sure-footedly together for the individual and collective good. A community must endeavor to hold dear a value-set to drive and motivate the community and to guide, direct, harmo-

with President Olusegun Obasanjo hexcellency2011@yahoo.com

A COMMUNITY MUST ENDEAVOR TO HOLD DEAR A VALUE-SET TO DRIVE AND MOTIVATE THE COMMUNITY AND TO GUIDE, DIRECT, HARMONISE AND COMMUNALISE THE COMMUNITY nize and communalise the community. In this article, I do not intend to go into details on the Values Theory, except as it serves to underpin the ingrained and acquired characteristics, attitudes and accepted norms of rights and wrongs by individuals toward the whole and to build the whole. Values are desirable, if not imperative trans-situational goals

that serve as guiding principles in people’s lives. Values are beliefs and motivational construct that guide the selection or evaluation of actions, policies, people and events thereby serving as standards or criteria. Every community must embrace some core values around which the community is woven as a wholesome society.

SPORT EXTRA

AYC: Flying Eagles’ handlers invite 19 players to camp

he handlers of the Flying Eagles have called to camp 19 new players in preparation for the forthcoming 2013 African Youth Championship (AYC) in Algeria. Samm Audu, the team’s Media Officer, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja that the players were drawn from the top two levels of the Nigeria football league. “These players are from the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) and the Nigeria National League (NNL). They are to report at the team’s training camp at Serob Legacy Hotel in Abuja not later than Sunday, Jan. 13. “They are also to bring along with them their international passports, as well as training kits,” he said. The team had opened its training camp on Jan. 6 with 12 players, having earlier invited 20 players. In spite of the urgent need to have the players in camp, the team’s technical crew still allowed four players to feature in the ongoing NPL Super 4 tournament in Kano. “The 20 players earlier invited are the core of the team

which beat South Africa 4-2 on aggregate in October, to qualify for the AYC. But now, there is the need to have more players, and that is why the technical crew is inviting new players to camp,” Audu added. He listed the newly-invited players to include Chukwu Mgber and Felix Nwosu, both of Enyimba International, and Chibuzor David of FC Abuja. Others are: Sharks FC duo of Christian Pyagbara and Favour Oke, Aliyu Ibrahim of Nasarawa United and Ibrahim Ahmed of Giwa FC. Also on the list are: Joshua Odoh and Moses Odoh of Kaduna United, Ifeanyi George of Shuttle Sports Inter, Oluwaseun Taro of Rangers International and Ali Chiwendu of Dolphin FC. The rest are: Obasi Okoro and Amakaulo Tochukwu of Abia Warriors, Lekan Yusuf of Ajiroba Oni FC, Abdulrazaq Sani of Sokoto United and Alaba Johnson of Wikki Tourists. The 2013 AYC will kick off in Algeria on March 16 and the Flying Eagles are drawn in Group B alongside Gabon, Mali, and DR Congo.

Tradition and conformity values are especially close motivationally because they share the goal of subordinating themselves in favour of socially imposed expectations. These must involve restraint of actions, inclinations, attitudes and impulse likely to upset, harm, denigrate others and violate social norms, standard and expectation. In practical terms, we have African core cultural values. The community is the receptacle that holds everyone together and nothing must be done to denigrate the community and what the community stands for and represents. There must be community identity. Normally, we have our being and existence within the community. It provides the psychological and physical security. To be ostracized from the community is only a bit short of physical death, so conformity with the ethos of the community is taken for granted. The community is the custodian of individual, hence everyone goes where the community goes. The sacredness of life is another value held dear. There is nothing that can substitute for life. Taking of life of any human being unlawfully is an abomination. However, self-defence and war do not constitute murder.

TO BE CONTINUED

PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES Today’s Matches QPR v Tottenham 12:45 Aston Villa v Southampton 15:00 Everton v Swansea 15:00 Fulham v Wigan 15:00 Norwich v Newcastle15:00 Reading v West Brom 15:00 Stoke v Chelsea 15:00 Sunderland v West Ham 15:00

Sunday, January 13, 2013 Manchester Utd v Liverpool 13:30 Arsenal v Manchester City 16:00

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