Saturday, june 29, 2013 binder1 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Mandela’s health has improved –Winnie P. 54

Vol. 03 No. 28

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Man beaten to P. 17 stupor over affair with brother’s wife

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Saturday, June 29, 2013

OAU student who gave birth in toilet names P. 37 baby Okikiola

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PDP crisis

Presidency to replace 5 NWC members

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•Disqualifies Jaja, Amaechi’s associate, others •Metuh, Chikwe, Mustapha,Onwe set to return FASHOLA TURNS 50

y! x se o Om Did la Omotola pay forr 00’ ‘Time 100’ honour?? P. 26

(L-R) Demola Fashola, National Leader, Action Congress of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN and his wife, Abimbola, Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Mrs Jaiye Alade, and Alhaja Feyintola Muri Okunola cutting Governor Fashola’s 50th birthday cake at the State House, Marina, yesterday.

20 terrorists killed, 4 others arrested in Borno

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x e S lk Ta

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Why Oshiomhole signed death warrants –Edo AG

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Top Stories

How ex-militant stripped, sexually assaulted waitress

Celebrities weigh in for OJB Jezreel, donate almost N25m

Two

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Boy, 10, escapes ritual P.50 kidnapping in school Miracle baby after 19 MISCARRIAGES! P.35

Masquerade stabs man, 60, to death in Enugu SEGUN ADIO

he annual masquerade festival in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State turned bloody last Thursday when a masquerade stabbed an old man to death. The incident brought the annual festival to an unceremonious end as residents fled in different directions and traders hurriedly closed their shops. Speaking on the issue, Ebere Amaraizu, Enugu State Police Public Relations Officer, said that one Chinedu Iyioke of Umuofiagu Ukehe was the man inside the masquerade that stabbed Emma Nnamani, 60, in his abdomen for a reason yet to be ascertained. Amaraizu confirmed Nnamani’s death, adding that Iyioke has been arrested and detained for further investigations.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

… D’Banj N7m, P-Square N5m, Wizkid N3m, Ini Edo N2m, 2face N1.5m, Don Jazzy N1m, Olamide N1m, Davido N1m, MI N1m, Iyanya N1m, Mercy Johnson N.5m, Julius Agwu N.5m OSEYIZA OOGBODO

uccour seems to have finally come the way of Babatunde Okungbowa, who is widely known as OJB Jezreel and who produced one of the greatest songs to ever come out of Africa, 2face Idibia’s African Queen. Last week, OJB went public with the information that he had severe renal problems. Unsurprisingly, the disclosure of his condition went viral in seconds, due to his fame and his invaluable contribution to the growth of Nigeria’s music industry. He made it known that he needed the hefty sum of N15m to undergo a kidney transplant so he can stay alive. Some members of the public reacted to his financial need by mandating his colleagues in the entertainment industry to contribute the money he needs. And after much bashing by the public, the celebrities have indeed begun to donate what they can to aid him. Don Jazzy was the first of them to avail OJB of N1m. Shortly after, it was reported that 2face Idibia, arguably the person who has benefitted the most from OJB’s musical ingenuity, had also donated N1.5m. They were followed by Mercy Johnson whose contribution was initially undisclosed but has now been revealed to be N500, 000. On Thursday evening, P-Square and

Julisu Agwu (2nd R) and other well-wishers during a visit to OJB (middle)

their brother-manager, Jude Okoye, upped the ante by presenting a N5m cheque to OJB. The Kukere master, Iyanya, gave N1m and Julius Agwu also gave N500, 000. Others who have given are Ini Edo (N2m), Wizkid (N3m), and Davido, Olamide and MI (N1m each). The donations known thus far add up to N24.5m, more than is being sought. Even as more and more celebrities are expected to chip in, Ghanaian actress Juliet Ibrahim has stirred the hornet’s nest by taking to Instagram to question why $100,000 is being sought for OJB. According to Ibrahim, who claims to be knowledge-

able about kidney disease because she has a kidney foundation, a kidney transplant doesn’t cost more than $50,000, half of what OJB is requesting. Ibrahim added that she has asked those in charge of OJB’s fundraising to contact her foundation and that OJB’s representatives just have to reach out to the right people for the necessary intervention instead of harassing celebrities who have their own responsibilities. She didn’t spare the public either, telling them to stop harassing celebrities to aid OJB as they too can support him with whatever they have, even if it’s just N1, 000.

Tonto Dike returns to smoking?

ast year, it was widely reported that Tonto Dike had quit smoking. But it seems she has returned to the unsavoury pastime. During the week, she posted a comment and pictures of a substance believed to be marijuana on Instagram. The comment was succinct, to say the least. “‘Mi smoke ganja, mi smoke weed while my haterz smoke ma gossip.”

Dike and the pictures of suspected marijuana she posted on her Instagram page

Crazy PHCN bills: 60-year-old man to commence hunger strike on Monday TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

60-year-old activist and initiator of The Stable Power Movement, Abayomi Gbode-Ogun Dawodu, has declared that he will embark on hunger strike from Monday, July 1 to prevail on the federal government and top officials in the power sector to abolish estimated billing which leads to crazy billing by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCn). Speaking with Saturday Mirror, Da-

wodu demanded that estimated billing must be permanently abolished and prepaid meters given free to electricity consumers. “I urge the government to pay special attention to the behaviour of PHCN staff. Since electricity tariff was increased in July last year, PHCN has kept increasing it, even when there is no power and when people should be charged for their consumption only,” he said. Having complained to the officials of PHCN, Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), Coalition of

Residence and Business Association of Nigeria (CRBAN) and many others on several occasions without any meaningful change, he stated that he has no other option than to embark on hunger strike. “I will embark on hunger strike. I will sit at Yaba in the sun, in the rain, in all manners of weather, expose myself to the dangers of the night at the age 60 so that estimated billing, the first cousin of crazy billing, will be abolished permanently. Don’t let Yaba turn into Tahir Square. Don’t let my hunger strike lead to Nigeria’s awakening,” he warned.

Dawodu

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

Saturday Starter

Ishola Oyenusi, a notorious armed robber, being led to the stakes at the Lagos Bar Beach in 1973 Al mustapha

Shofolahan

Ezeugo

Stuck on death row: Why do governors refuse to sign death warrants? Capital punishment is not a stranger to the Nigerian Constitution neither is it considered weird by the ordinary Nigerian. A couple of weeks ago, however, the tide changed. President Goodluck Jonathan tasked the governors to sign the death warrants of condemned convicts in their respective domains. As if waiting just for this, the dam of debates on capital punishment broke swirling all in its path. Where stand the governors and is their inaction actually a factor to be considered while fathoming out an end to prison congestion in the land?

K AYODE FALADE

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he state governors sometimes find it difficult to sign death warrants in cases of capital punishment. I have been telling the governors that they must sign (death warrants), because that is the law. The work we are doing has a very sweet part and a very ugly part and we must perform both. No matter how painful it is, it is part of their responsibilities.” With these words, President Goodluck Jonathan on June 16 opened the floodgate to the deluge of debates that now swirl around the existence of capital punishment in the nation’s constitution, its continual desirability coupled with its effectiveness and otherwise. Maximum penalty is recognised in Nigeria’s grundnorm. The 1999 Constitution (as amended), also backs it. Its section 33 (1) provides thus: “(1) Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria. (2) A person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of his life in contravention of this section, if he

dies as a result of the use, to such extent and in such circumstances as are permitted by law, of such force as is reasonably necessary (a) For the defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property: (b) In order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; or (c) For the purpose of suppressing a riot, insurrection or mutiny.” Popular awareness of Nigerians was first brought to capital punishment in the early 1970’s when the then military government of General Yakubu Gowon promulgated a decree authorising the public execution of people convicted of violent crimes especially armed robbery which was then gaining ground fast in a society hitherto alien to the vice of being violently dispossessed of one’s possession. Among the celebrated instances of capital punishment and public execution were those of Ishola Oyenusi in 1973 and Babatunde Folorunsho. Both were notorious armed robbers in the early post civil war years of the country. Public execution became the norm then. And it was unusual to hear Nigerians discussing a trip to the Bar CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saturday Starter ‘Governors refusal to sign death warrant is an impeachable conduct’ Fred Agbaje is a constitutional lawyer. He spoke with KAYODE FALADE.

resident Goodluck Jonathan recently urged governors to sign convicts’ death warrants. Can governors, according to the law, choose not to sign? Nigeria is full of a mixture of the good and bad. How can someone who knows the duties and the functionalities of the office of the governor of a state, contests for it, wins election, then turns around and says he’s not going to implement some of decisions of the court of law? It is an aberration of the rule of law and, in fact, it is an impeachable conduct. Impeachment conducts include any act that violates the constitution. If you swore to respect the rule of law, discharge your duties faithfully and in accordance with the constitution. When a court sentenced a criminal to death, you cannot turn around to say, “it is against my religion to sign the death warrant.” My question is, didn’t you know you had a religion or conscience when you contested the governorship? Their refusal to sign the death warrant amounts to opposing the constitution. It amounts to fraudulent manoeuvre of the electorate, who gave them their mandate to govern. It’s a betrayal of the electorate and I believe an aggrieved electorate can go to court and demand a judicial release of mandamus to compel the governor to carry out his constitutional responsibility. Part of that constitutional responsibility is to reduce crime in the state; to encourage people to be law-abiding; to stem the culture of impunity; and to encourage the police to do their work better. If a governor says no to these, that means he is encouraging such and is not fit to be in office one more day. Can a soldier, who upon signing for the military, renege from war front? Or avoid corpses in war front? Or can a medical doctor avoid surgery and blood without being guilty of violating the Hippocratic oath? Let me add that the governors, who are refraining from signing convicts’ death warrant, as required by law, are executive cowards and they want to portray the judiciary in bad light. What of the argument that signing the warrant or even transmuting a death sentence to life imprisonment, and outright pardon all depend on the governor’s discretion? Those propounding such theories are equating executive powers to judicial power. No governor can tamper with the judgment of a court, except under the guise of prerogative of mercy. You make a fool of the courts when you fail to execute their decisions. You will be against the judiciary. Under the principle of rule of law and the doctrine of separation of power, once a court takes a decision, it becomes binding. If you are not satisfied, you appeal. But if the Supreme Court has ultimately decided that a convict must be condemned to death, the governor has no excuse, unless there is a prerogative of mercy. The governor has no right to unilaterally turn judicially-pronounced death sentence to life imprisonment. There is no executive discretion in a judicial or constitutional matter. Does it mean that the constitution does not permit a governor to pardon a convict sentenced to death? No. The governor can pardon through the committee for prerogative of mercy. If the committee of prerogative of mercy advises the governor to pardon a particular convict, who has been convicted for armed robbery, the governor can in that situation pardon the person. What are the implications of a state governor not signing a death warrant? When a state governor refuses to sign, there are many implications which include: he is putting the judiciary into ridicule and in a tight corner. Second, the tax payers’ money is being used to feed these people that have

Agbaje

been condemned to death and such verdicts had been upheld by the highest court of the land. Are they also aware that the problem of prison congestion is also caused by this sort of thing? It is not just signing millions away criminally and fraudulently that portrays you to be working as a governor, the same zeal and alacrity they exhibit in doing these should be brought to signing the death warrant. Why are they jittery? Do you think Nigerian laws should be changed to abolish death sentence and replace it with life sentence? It is high time Nigerian laws were changed. However, I’m saying it feebly, because of the human right instinct in me, that it should be changed so that we can have life sentence in place of death sentence. Until that law is in place, the existing law must take its course. However, don’t forget that the person that was killed in the course of armed robbery, or a victim of kidnapping, who is dead, deserves justice. We must not look at justice from the perspective of the accused person, who has terminated another person’s life un-

constitutionally. Justice is a four-way thing. There must be justice to the accused, who is standing in the dock; justice to the victim, who is dead and buried as a result of wanton destruction of life by the accused; justice to the larger society, whose norms have been desecrated by the criminal act of the accused; and above all justice to the whole world. Those who are saying that the accused that has been convicted in a murder case should be pardoned should also consider the man in the grave that was killed. Does he not deserve justice? I don’t care if we go back to the Bible days, when the law was “an eye-for-aneye.” If you kill you must be ready for the consequence. That is the fundamental essence of criminal punishment. That is the jurisprudence of criminal law. In the realms of criminal law, especially comparative criminal jurisprudence, every person is deemed to understand the consequences of his actions. If you kill, you must understand that the law will come after you and you will go in for it. That is the only way there can be sanity in the society; that is the only way the culture of impunity can stop. Otherwise, it will continue. It is ironical if not a paradox that state governors that who had hitherto whimsically, arbitrarily and criminally found a way into the state treasury in the guise of development whereas we know such monies are never used for the benefit of the people. It is now the same state governors that are now foot-dragging to sign the death warrant whereas it is part of their statutory responsibilities. What I am saying in essence is that some governors who in a jiffy can sign millions and billions of state funds and put it in their pockets are now the same ones that cannot put pen to paper to sign death warrants. It is highly ironical and it tells so much about our political development. Meanwhile they are prepared to stick their head into criminality by way of corruption by taking the tax payers’ money but they are not prepared to discharge their constitutional responsibilities. Some people have argued that capital punishment has not reduced capital offences. What is your take? Nothing can be so fallacious than that type of argument. Nobody wants to die. The armed robber tied to the stake is still begging that his life should be spared. Most times when these capital offenders are caught by the police, you see them singing like birds begging for forgiveness. When paraded you see them shaking like jelly fish. In other words they do not want to die. From that analysis, it shows that they do not want to experience what they have done to others.

Edo executions Crimes behind the death sentences •Daniel Nsofor was travelling from Ekpan to Ehor along with two others and a lady called Maria Imariagbe. At about 07:15pm, they disembarked from the vehicle at Ehor and then they attacked their victim, Maria Imariagbe. They strangled her to death and stole her money. •Chima Ijiofor was a spare parts dealer in Benin. He had a relationship with a woman that led to the birth of a baby. The baby was two and half months old when he visited the mother at her house. There, he gave money to the mother to go and buy him a bottle of Coca-Cola. Before she came back, he poured acid into the mouth of the baby and the baby died. What was his excuse? That as a first child from his state of origin, he was not expected to have a child out of wedlock! •Osarenmwinda Aigbokhian went into the bush to hunt. He said he saw a big deer and shot at the deer and the deer died. He started butchering the deer. While butchering the deer, the deer turned into a human being. He didn’t stop to say, ‘oh, let me run to the village and call people to come and see the wonder of the world: a deer has turned into a human being. He cut the human being into small parts and buried the parts in several parts of the bush. And when autopsy was done, there was no mark of a bullet. So, there was no shooting. The person was killed with a very sharp object. •Richard Igagu went with his gang to rob a family. After robbing the man of his money and valuables, they raped his wife. And after raping the wife, they inserted a bottle into her vagina. She bled to death.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

Saturday Starter

‘Execution not panacea to prison congestion’ Dr. Abiola Sanni teaches Law at the University of Lagos. He spoke with KAYODE FALADE. Excerpts:

hat is your take on state governors refusing to sign the death warrants of condemned convicts before them? I disagree with the so called directive of President as a panacea for prison decongestion. A sustainable solution to that hydra-headed problem will need to be more creative. Having said that, there are host of constitutional and legal issues involved. Falana and others had rightly flagged the constitutional right of appeal of the convicts within a period of time. But let us assume that the President had in mind those whose had unsuccessfully appealed up to the Supreme Court, it is submitted with respect that the President lacks the power to direct or order the Governors to sign the death warrants. The criminal law and procedure of the States and the Federal Government are separate and distinct from each other. The President had simply acted ultra vires. I am not sure the President consulted with his advisers on this issue before making the statement. Really, we need to find out what is responsible for the delay in executing the decisions of the court on death sentence. The problem may not be that of the governors alone, as a host of offices and officers are involved in the process culminating in actual execution. Since decisions are made by the judiciary, the Governor being the head of the Executive may not become aware immediately. For example, the Sheriff and the Attorney-General have roles to play. So we need to find out whether the files of the convicts are actually before the Governor’s gathering dust and how many they are. If everyone has done his part and the

Governor’s fails to do his, his action may become condemnable. This is because it may be traumatic for a person to be on the death row for unduly prolonged period not knowing when death will come. The menace of this was captured in John Grisham “The Chambers”. That perhaps should be the President’s concern much more than prison congestion. By not signing, are they breaking any law? To my knowledge, they are technically not breaking any law. Upon convicting a person for a capital offence and pronouncing death sentence, the judge issues a certificate which he transmits to the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice with a certified true copy of the record of proceedings. These shall be accompanied by a report containing any recommendation or observations for the purpose of enabling the Advisory Committee on prerogative of Mercy to advise the governor on the exercise of the prerogative of mercy. The governor upon the advice of the Committee on Prerogative of Mercy will decide on whether to recommend a pardon or commute the death sentence to imprisonment. Although the law states that the governor shall inform the sheriff of his decision where pardon or commutation or reprieve is not granted the offender, the law does not state the period within which such information must be passed to the sheriff by the governor. Thus while the governor is bound to inform the Sheriff, he is not bound to do so within a particular period of time. In other words, a Governor while bound to sign the death warrant of the convicted offender, is not

bound to do so within a particular time. How quickly the warrant is signed depend on a number of factors including the Governor’s priority, political or religious beliefs. The current global outcry against death penalty may also come into play. As we can see this is not enough to deter Comrade Adams Oshiomole of Edo State. It all depends on who is the governor at a particular period in time. Why the call now on governors by President Jonathan when others around the world are moving away from death penalty? That is why I doubt if Mr. President was well guided. First, signing the death warrant is not the panacea for the problem he was addressing. Let us assume that about 500 on the death row are executed now to what extent will that address the problem of prison congestion? The President should worry more on reports on prison reform that may be gathering dust and implement it with vigour. We should also consider decentralizing prisons and give States power to build and maintain their prisons for those convicted under State laws. A few States may creatively point to the direction of proper prisons reform in their approach which other States and Federal Government may borrow from. What is your response to the condemnation of the President’s call by the US? There is no global convergence yet on the issue of death penalty. There are much arguments on both sides of the divide depending on one’s background, orientation and a host of issues. Some

Sanni

States in the US still retain death penalty in their statutes notwithstanding the global campaign against it. To that extent, the position of the US may be weak. One may question the moral basis of the US pointing a finger while the remaining four are directed to it. A few hours ago today, 27 June, the State of Texas put to death one Kimberly McCarthy making her the State of Texas’ 500th modern execution. Therefore, in as much as some States in the United States still retain and enforce capital punishment under her laws, she has no moral right to condemn death penalty in Nigeria. The directive by the President and the manner of it are different kettles of fish.

Why do governors refuse to sign death warrants? CONTINUED FROM 3 Beach, where most of the public executions by firing squad was taking place, as if going for a picnic. Then, it was a public show and the citizens viewed them with apparent glee. This also applied to convicted coup plotters. The pubic execution of 52 people following the botched coup d’état of 13 February, 1976 which claimed the lives of the head of state, General Murtala Ramat Mohammed and some other senior members of his administration including Kwara State governor, Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo. Public sentiment, however, started changing against capital punishment shortly after that. It was alleged that some of the executed coup plotters were not guilty after all. The gradual and subtle aversion for this practice, however, came to an end in April 1985 with public execution of three convicted drug pushers by the General Muhamadu Buhari military regime which sentenced to death Bernard Ogedengbe, Bartholomew Owoh and Lawal Ojulope. It was a sight many who watched the execution

would not want to remember. A senior police officer on duty even reportedly slumped. Another enforcement of the capital punishment which left a sour taste in the mouth of Nigerians was the execution at the gallows of environmentalist and Ogoni rights defender, Ken Saro Wiwa and eight of his kin now known as the Ogoni 9 on 10 November, 1995. They were executed by the General Sani Abacha led junta. Ever since, the public display of execution has been mellowed. With the enthronement of democracy on 29 May, 1999, the carrying out of execution both public and in the confines of the prisons nearly paled into insignificance. A notable exception is Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State who signed some death warrants which were enforced on June 24 when Chima Ejiofor, Daniel Nsofor, Osaremwinda Aigbonkhan and Richard Igagu, hitherto on death row, were hanged. The June 16 pronouncement of the President has, however, brought the discourse on death sentence once more into the fore. Presently, no fewer than 98 countries have abolished death penalty from their statutes, while 57 nations (in-

cluding Nigeria) practise it. About 10 countries (also including Nigeria) have not carried out execution of condemned persons in the past 12 years. China ,Iran, North Korea, Yemen, United States, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Syria, Bangladesh, Somalia, Sudan, Palestinian, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Taiwan, Belarus, Japan, Iraq, Malaysia and Bahrain are currently practising the maximum penalty. China tops the list. The crimes which attract death penalty in Nigeria today include armed robbery, murder and treason. Famous Nigerians who have been sentenced to death but still on the death row many months even years after the court verdict include Emeka Ezeugo, aka Rev. King, the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the former Head of State, late Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, and an aide in the Chief M.K.O Abiola Campaign Organisation, Lateef Shofolahan. It is believed that there are not less than 4, 000 condemned inmates awaiting execution in various prisons in the land. The question now is: is the number high because of the state governors’ refusal to sign death warrants of condemned criminals since the advent of democracy in 1999 as implied by the President?

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Saturday Starter ‘Governors should sign death warrants’ Jiti Ogunye is a Lagos based lawyer and public commentator. He spoke with KAYODE FALADE. Excerpts:

hat is your take on most governors refusing to sign the death warrant of condemned convicts in their domain? The governors should just sign. Sign when many countries, especially in the West, are moving away from capital punishment? Have you considered the philosophical foundation of their moving away from capital punishment? The philosophical foundation is that they tried and it is being concluded that death penalty is cruel form of punishment and that there is no empirical evidence indicating that it is serving as deterrent to offenders. And I know that there is a UN moratorium on the application or enforcement of the death penalty of course inspired by western countries. But even the United States that can be said to be moving away has some of its states carrying out executions. So what is all this view being projected by these western countries? But there are people here who are kowtowing to international donors and western powers. What is wrong with (Adams) Oshiomhole signing death warrants? My own position is this – if Nigeria is going to abolish death penalty, let it do so. But you cannot be asking judges

to sentence people to death and yet refuse to execute the death penalty. It is a mockery of the rule of law. People committed armed robbery, murder and all sorts of capital offences and you asked the judge to act according to the dictates of the law, the judge then imposed the maximum sentence as Justice Oyewole, for instance, did with Reverend King. Our governments are killing our people directly and indirectly by neglecting their welfare and all sorts. The health situation is so pathetic that people go to India for all sorts of ailment like kidney and so. Of course they go to India to go and die. And to achieve political power they do all things including violence and killing people. So, why then pretend that they are afraid to sign death warrants? My take is if you want to abolish it, abolish it. But so far it is still there, the rule of law says enforce it. Are the governors who refuse signing flouting any law by their inaction? For those who have exhausted their appeals up to the Supreme Court, Section 287 of the Constitution says that the judgement of the high court, Appeal Court and the Supreme Court shall be enforced by all authorities and persons.

It is mandatory. So if someone had been sentenced to death and it has been confirmed by the Supreme Court, there is no time frame that is given any judgement. For example there is nothing like let us leave this person for three months, no. So you are now leaving the person for one, two, three years and even more. What are you waiting for? But there have been cases where people who had been executed were found to be innocent of the crime after their execution... (cuts in). I am familiar with the literature. In the United States, it is prevalent, particularly when they were profiling people, black people and so on and later on forensic test or DNA later revealed that they were innocent? I am familiar with all these. These are exceptional situations. They are isolated cases. I am saying that once someone is condemned to death as prescribed by law, carry it out. I can understand the feeling. Because it is the western countries which dictate the standard these days. So EU is threatening that Oshiomhole has carried out an execution, that Nigeria is banning gay marriage and so on. I am saying that for a country like Nigeria, if you want to reform your laws, do so. If you are saying

Ogunye

that you are deleting death sentence as a punishment prescribed by law, do so. But, insofar that law is there, you cannot pick and choose. Now, one poser: what is the justification of holding people in prison, when you say you are not going to execute somebody that has been sentenced to die by law? So you pick and choose? Why not release all of them? You cannot pick and choose in a matter of rule of law except we now have a situation that the National Assembly in its wisdom and the people now decide and say, death penalty is not worth it. Unless and until we get to that stage, it a punishment prescribed by law, once it is pronounced by court and appeals are exhausted up to the Supreme Court, apply it. That is the law.

‘Death sentence should be expunged from Constitution’ Benjamin Odeh is a civil rights activist and the legal consultant to Project Alert on Violence Against Women. He spoke with KAYODE FALADE. Excerpts:

Odeh

hat is your take on state governors refusing to sign the death warrants of condemned convicts? I think the constitution has made it clear. It has given the executive governor of a state the right to sign the death warrant of a convict who has gone through the due judicial process and a court has duly made such pronouncement. I think the responsibility now rests squarely on the shoulders of the executive governor of the state to sign the death warrant. If not, the person would still be waiting on death row. But the legality or otherwise of that provision, if you ask me, I would say is not right.

Why? It is not right because the constitution has stated it that the governor should sign and if he didn’t sign the person would remain of the death row. But if you look at the flip side, the issue has become so controversial and it is no longer national but international. It has reached a situation that the Amnesty International is now involved. There have been campaigns all over the globe that the death sentence should be abrogated. I think this also form part of the sentiments that some of these executive governors are sharing. In recent time, I don’t think any state governor apart from Adams Oshiomhole of Edo has signed any death warrant. What is your take on death sentence? My take is that as a Christian, though the issue is not a religious one, is that nobody gives life and nobody has the right to take it. Secondly, I don’t think that death sentence has helped solved or reduced crimes in the country. If you look at the sociology of crime in the society, you will discover that the more violent the security agents are on the criminals, the more they are devising new ways of perpetrating their crimes. In essence, I don’t belong to the school of thought that says death sentence should still be our law. So I would suggest that death sen-

tence should be expunged from our law. What should now replace death sentence if it is expunged? I think this goes back to our reform system which almost all administrations have been paying lips service to. If our prison system is properly reformed, I tell you that if a person commits a capital offence, they can be made to go through a more rigorous jail term. For instance, if someone commits murder and they are given a life sentence with hard labour, that would serve the purpose and they would still be useful to the society. This would serve a better purpose than just exterminating the person. By the time you kill, the person just goes and it does not really affect things because the criminal would have trained many others before he is killed. So giving a capital offender a life sentence would make the convict to even be useful to the society. But this can only happen when the prison has been reformed and restructured. Is the refusal of the governor to sign death warrants not contributing to the congestion and deterioration of the prison? No, I disagree with that provision. What led to prison congestion in the country is not the number of condemned men and women but those who have no

business being there in the first instance: the awaiting trials. How many people are on death row in the prisons all over the land? Do you know how long it takes a court to pronounce someone condemned or convicted of a capital offence? It takes years. But we have situations of somebody accused of a crime and standing trial for years in the prisons. Those in this category are much. So the issue of prison congestion has nothing to do with signing or not signing death warrants and condemned convicts. However, you may want to ask, what is the purpose of our prison? The purpose should not be to confine human beings into a place like animals. First and foremost, human beings should be treated like human beings regardless of the offence they have committed. So in a situation that we have 20 armed robbers who have been sentenced to death by the court, and you think that by killing them, you will decongest the prison, it is not so. That cannot solve our problem. The solution is that the prison should be properly reformed and structured. If these are done, you will agree with me that our prisons will start serving the purpose for which they are made for. We have situations where criminals come out worse from prisons. The prisons have become a breeding place for criminals rather than reformation.

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NATIONAL NEWS

June 29, 2013

UNESCO tasks NASS on medical laws and ethics A ZA MSUE KADUNA

L-R: Deputy Director, Legal Services, Federal Ministry of Works (FMW), Mrs. Rhona Dimude; Minister of State for Works, Amb. Bashir Yuguda; Retired Deputy Director, Highways, Mrs Obiako Eunice; and Permanent Secretary, FMW, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, during the send-forth for PHOTO: NAN Directorate Cadre Officers who retired from the ministry in Abuja on Thursday.

PDP crisis: Presidency shops for replacement for 5 NWC members •Disqualifies Jaja, Amaechi’s associate, others •Metuh, Chikwe, Mustapha, Onwe set to return

OBIORA IFOH ABUJA

ive members of the former National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party who recently resigned from office will no longer be elected into their positions as the Presidency has already initiated moves to search for their replacement. President Goodluck Jonathan has also warned that he would no longer allow political patronage and indiscipline by top political leaders to create unnecessary distraction in the running of the party. Sources told Saturday Mirror that the Presidency had directed that offices of the Deputy National Chairman, the National Secretary, the National Youth Leader, the National Treasurer and National Legal Adviser would no longer be occupied by the former members of the NWC. According to the source, the exclusion from the special convention which would likely hold between August and September was not because of their inability to perform while in office but because of the protests by party members and stakeholders that inundated his office of their elections. “Their case against Dr. Sam Sam Jaja has nothing to do with his competence but for his relationship with the suspended Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amae-

chi. Jaja was appointed by Amaechi, the governor who is seen as not being loyal to both the party leadership and the Presidency. “Also, the former National Youth Leader, Garba Chiza’s election has been faulted due to his age. At over 60 years of age, Chiza has been said to be a square peg in a round hole. The president has therefore directed that the party needs a younger and more suitable person that will flow with the trend.” The source said that Bala Kaoje who was a former Minister of Sports and a trained engineer could not be entrusted with the finances of the party. The source said, “His appointment to serve as the party’s exchequer raised an eyebrow. Petitioners who objected to his election demanded to know why an engineer should take the office meant for not just an accountant but for one who must have chattered in the profession. “The National Legal Adviser Victor Kwom is no doubt a very intelligent lawyer. In his short stay in office, he rarely worked like a politician rather he worked like a true professional. Unlike in the past, the National Legal Adviser has personally pursued cases involving the party rather than contracting them out at huge financial burden to the party. But the only sin of this Plateau born politician is his short experience in the bar. It is expected that to be qualified to fill that

position, one is expected to have spent at least 10 active years in the bar.” There is also the issue of the National Secretary which is vacant and which the South-West may have to field a fresh candidate should the candidacy of past occupant, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, can not fly. The former governor of Osun State, a few days ago, faulted the position canvassed by the South-West zonal caretaker committee chairman of PDP, Chief Isola Filani, which declared the position of the party’s National Secretary vacant; describing the assertion as “disappointing, illogical, pedestrian and unfortunate in view of its moral and legal implications as well as the attendant obvious violation of the party’s constitution and disrespect for the rule of law.” Onyilola said that It is true that a motion was filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos, which ordered the nullification of the South-West zonal congress of the PDP held in Osogbo in March, 2012 but he contended that he was never produced by the said South-West zonal congress of the PDP. In fact one of the issues being contested by Oyinlola is whether the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Hon. Justice Abdu Kafarati, had the power to set aside a subsisting ruling of the Court of Appeal, a superior court which granted a Stay of Execution on the

same matter. Chapter 4, Part 10, Article 33 (10) of the PDP Constitution as amended in 2012 states that “a special National Convention may be convened at any time at the instance of the National Executive Committee or if requested for by two-third of all State Congress and the Special National Convention shall meet to discuss only special matters which shall be specified in the notice summoning the convention.” The other NWC members that may have passed the Presidency’s screening include the National Organising Secretary, Abubakar Mustapha, the deputy National Secretary, Onwe Solomon Onwe, the National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh as well as the Woman Leader, Ambassador Kema Chikwe. The national chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur; the Financial Secretary, Bolaji Anani; the sacked National Secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; and the sacked National Auditor, Chief Bode Mustapha. Oyinlola and Mustapha were in February removed by the party, which relied on court judgments which were against them. While Oyinlola’s office was taken over by Onwe who was the Deputy National Secretary, Mustapha’s position was occupied by Alhaji Adewole Adeyanju whom the court recognised as the validly elected officer.

ead of Nigerian Unit, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation,UNESCO, Chair in Bioethics, Prof. Yohanna Dangata, yesterday called on the National Assembly to urgently enact medical laws and ethics to save the health sector. Dangata, a Professor of Anatomy, Medical Law and Ethics, said lack of ethical knowledge by medical doctors and other health personnel is affecting patients and contributing to the decay. Dangata who stated this during an inaugural lecture on medical laws and ethics organised by Kaduna State University, KASU,stressed that patients at the grass roots also lacked basic knowledge of their rights would benefit from the law when enacted. He added that medical trend had changed in

the developed countries where patients have the right to ask questions regarding their treatment when they choose to do without any obstacle. His words: “Many of the patient in Nigeria today lack basic knowledge of their right which will have help them challenge some actions by their doctors. “We are here in KASU to train medical doctors and students in both Nigeria and abroad on law and ethics. It will enable them handle their patients with proper care without violation of their rights because medical practice has been paternalistic in that regard where patients solely depend on the doctors to examine and treat them regardless of whether they want it or not. The doctor see himself as a king to the patient, likewise the patient regard doctors as unquestionable persons and can’t express his or herself,”Dangata said.

‘Nigeria generates 3.2 million tonnes of waste annually’ PRISCILLA DENNIS MINNA

inister of Enviroment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafiya, has revealed that the nation generates approximately 3.2 million tonnes of waste, which, if re-cycled, can boost the economy. She also attributed the prevailing morbidity and mortality profile in the nation to high rate of infections and parasitic diseases, especially in the rural areas. Mailafiya, in her address in Minna, Niger State at the 2013 National Environmental Sanitation Day commoration said the 3.2 million refuge collected was aside from the waste generated from other sources in the country. She explained that the challenges of managing waste in Nigeria was becoming increasingly hard, ading that as cities, towns around the nation expand and grow, the quantum of waste generated increases. “A typical environment in Niheria utilises dumpsites that are not properly managed and within which there is no designated area for any catego-

ry of waste. If the refuge dumpsite is filled up it becomes too large to manage thereby serving as a health hazard and other forms of environmental degradation,” she said. She observed that the magnitude of the problems caused by environmental sanitation calls for collective responsibilty by all stakeholders to imbibe safe and hygienic sanitation behaviour as well as ensure access to safe sanitation facilities. The minister eexplained that it was against that backdrop that the Federal Ministry of Environment embarked on partnership with the Niger State government, on a number of programmes such presidential initiative on afforestation and provision of plastic waste re-cycling plant that is yet to be commissioned. Mailafiya further drew the attention of the 36 state governors to the reduction in the figure of Environmental Health Officers in the nation, adding that, “This class of health workers is indispensable in the efforts to ensure sustained environmental sanitation rejuvenation.”

NATIONAL NEWS

June 29, 2013

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Boko Haram kills soldier, abducts three others in Yobe

Court reinstates ex-Nigerdock MD into civil service

INUSA NDAHI

SEGUN ADIO

DAMATURU

unmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram, last night killed a soldier and abducted three others during an attack on the military in Potiskum town of Yobe State, a military source revealed. The incident was disclosed to journalists by a soldier in an a chat at Damaturu, the Yobe State

capital. The source said the corpse of the affected soldier had been brought to Damaturu from Potiskum and deposited at an hospital morgue. “The attack was a bad one because a soldier was killed and the terrorists kidnapped three other soldiers to an unknown destination. “Some members of our search team are combing within and outside the neighborhood of Po-

tiskum for the missing soldiers. A helicopter gun ship had been deployed from Maiduguri to join in the search team this morning,” the source said. The soldier also revealed that three soldiers were killed and two seriously injured two weeks back during an attack that also involved killing secondary school students by members of Boko Haram in Damaturu town. But the JTF official had

reported that no soldier was killed in that attack except a soldier that was injured. The source said the terrorists actually invaded the room where the soldiers were sleeping at night and shot them dead. “Two others only sustained injury during a separate attack on the same night. Soldiers were able to kill one of the terrorists and arrested one alive,” said the soldier.

L-R: Federal Road Safety Commission Corps Marshal, Mr. Osita Chidoka; Special Adviser to Minister of Information on Special Duties, Mr. Henry Angulu, and Executive Director, Exxonmobil, Mr Udom Inoyo, at the inauguration of Pan Nigeria Safety Awareness Campaign in Abuja, yesterday.

Refugee camps now slave camps –Soyinka

rof. Wole Soyinka has condemned the use of refugee camps in some parts of Africa for sex exploitation of women and underage girls. According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), presenting a paper on “Slavery by any other Name” in the University of Wuerzburg, Germany, on Friday, Soyinka said that such exploitations reduced the pride and dignity of victims. ``The name refugee camp assumes an ironical and cynical definition. Instead of being a place to find protection during crisis, it is now exposed to slave camps where women are turned to objects of sexual exploitation. ``In Africa, refugee camps from North East Sudan to Congo and Zimbabwe and most recently Mali have now turned to slave camps,’’ he said. The Nobel laureate noted that sexual exploitation

brought back memories of what happened in the past where Africans were sold into slavery by colonialists. He also said that politics as practised in some countries could be seen to be politics that encouraged slavery. ``Certain political practices, especially the ideologies of a theocratic order, the collaboration of religion and politics are the worst enslaving mechanisms used by some governments, especially in Africa, under the doctrine of submission to enslave the people,” he said. Soyinka said although slavery assumed different forms in modern times, its consequences to human beings remained identical. He called on different countries of the world to legislate against any form of slavery in order to boost the dignity of people. According to him, dignity is not a momentary façade but a summation of human existence in volition.

“Without volition, there is no dignity and without dignity, there is no humanity,” he said. In his remarks, the Manager, Global systems and Intercultural Competencies of the University

of Wuerzburg, Dr JanChristoph Marschelke, thanked Soyinka for honouring the invitation. Marschelke said the lecture would help the students and the university in handling issues of slavery.

Project Nigeria postpones national summit TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

he joint secretariat of Citizens Advocacy Group and Project Nigeria, organisers of the forthcoming National Political Summit on the future of Nigeria tagged Uyo 2013, has announced the event. Earlier scheduled for next Monday, it has now been shifted to August. In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday and made available to Saturday Mirror by the Summit Head of Communications, Malam Naseer Kura, the group

said the postponement became necessary in view of the overwhelming upsurge of interest to participate in the summit from more political stakeholders in the country than expected. The development, he said, had therefore created sudden challenges in summit logistics that needed to be urgently addressed. Kura also hinted that the federal government had approached the summit organisers at the weekend to request for more time to enable them have quality representation at the event.

Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has nullified the dismissal of a former Managing Director of Nigerdock Nigeria Plc., Dr. Victor Ozobia, from civil service, ordering that he be reinstated into the ministry. The judgement was delivered on June 14, 2013. Ozobia had filed a suit at the court after his dismissal in 2001, claiming that his dismissal from civil service was wrong and did not follow the laid down procedure in the public service. The judge thereby ruled that Ozobia be reinstated as Director in the Ministry of Transport. Presiding judge on the

suit no-FCH/L/C8/162/01, Justice Okon Abang ruled that the ministry erred in dismissing the former managing director of the company. In his judgement, Justice Abang ruled that all salaries, entitlements and promotions due to Ozobia, should be given to him within 10 days. Before his dismissal in 2001, Dr. Ozobia was the pioneer managing director of Nigerdock Nigeria Plc and a civil servant in the pensionable cadre of the Federal Civil Service. Dr. Ozobia was dismissed from service by then Minister of Transport, Dr. Ojo Madueke in a controversial circumstance. The court also awarded the sum of N100, 000 cost in favour of the plaintiff.

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NATIONAL NEWS

June 29 2013

State of Emergency: FG scores self 99% OMEIZA AJAYI

he federal government yesterday undertook a cursory evaluation of the State of Emergency in the three north-eastern states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, saying its special forces have achieved a success rate of 99 per cent. Since the proclamation of a state of emergency in the three states, there has been a heavy onslaught on members of the Boko Haram terrorist s sect which had made the states largely unpeaceful. Minister of State for De-

fence, Olusola Obada, gave the indication at a Ministerial Press Briefing in Abuja. She said the federal government would also ensure that it consolidate on the gains of the military operation in the states, saying civil authority would be restored in those areas while terrorists would be kept perpetually at bay. “Following the declaration of State of Emergency in three states, Operation BOYONA was established to contain the excesses of Boko Haram. The operation has so far been very successful. The insurgents as you are all aware have been dislodged

from their stronghold at Sambisa forest”, she said. Speaking off her prepared speech later on, Obada added: “We have recorded 99 per cent success and we are going to ensure that the places we have taken from insurgents are looked after so that civil authorities and normal life are restored.” In the fight to stamp out pipeline vandals and oil bunkerers, the minister said about 1, 653 suspects were arrested within a year while over 3, 700 illegal refineries were destroyed. She said the Nigerian Navy had achieved so

much in the area of training as well as discharging its mandate. “The Nigerian Navy (NN) on the other hand espoused the Trinity of Action concept which entails enhanced surveillance, response initiative and enforcement in order to enhance Nigeria’s maritime security. This initiative was targeted towards revamping the requisite sea power for maritime control and protection of Nigeria’s economic wealth particularly in the Gulf of Guinea and the Niger Delta. “Accordingly, to enhance surveillance of Nigeria’s coast, the Nigerian

Navy integrated the Regional Maritime Awareness Capability Centre (RMAC) with the Coastal Maritime Radar Surveillance System (COMARASS) assets which were previously under PICOMMS thereby increasing the radius of coverage”, she stated. She also said the Nigerian Army has established a modern kennery in order to enhance its surveillance activities. She said, “The Nigerian Army has established a Dog Centre at Abuja for deployment at strategic areas in order to enhance search operations and for detection of explosives.” According to her, the Operation Restore Order which was established in Borno State to contain the activities of Boko Haram has been largely successful. Obada added: “The following were achieved by the Task Force within the period under review: Restoration of normalcy and

confidence building between the troops and the populace; the operations of the Joint Task Force had made Maiduguri and environs untenable for the miscreants; destruction of some identified Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) production factories and recovery of large caches of arms, ammunitions and explosives; and, Identifying, monitoring and controlling the influx of illegal immigrants into Borno State and their repatriation as appropriate.” The minister added that Nigeria had continued to honour international obligations through contributions to peace and security across the globe particularly in Africa. She also added that a number of acquisitions were made in 2012 to improve on the equipment holding of the Armed Forces even as the ministry had also supported initiatives aimed at maintaining various platforms using the ingenuity of our local engineers thereby saving the nation scarce foreign exchange.

Attack on First Lady: Lawyers tell ACF to call Junaid to order OBIORA IFOH L-R: Alhaji Aliyu Masanawa, author; Aliyu Yahaya, Assistant Director of Finance of the NDLEA and Bala Mohammed, Director, Planning Independent Corrupt Practices and Other related Offences Commission (ICPC) at the launch of the book titled “Key to Retirement Without Tears,” at the Women Development Centre, Abuja, recently.

AON in disarray over leadership

•Body appoints board of trustees, electoral committee OLUSEGUN KOIKI

he annex of the Nigerian Civil Aviation authority, NCAA, at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, was taken over by members and executives of the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, as two factions fought to take over the leadership of the airline body. The current executive led by Dr. Steve Mahonwu as the chairman was elected in 1993 without any new election to usher in new excos for over 20 years since they took over the mantle of leadership. The two factions, those in support of the Dr. Steve Mahonwu-led executive and the other led by Capt. Edward Boyo were in a stormy session for over

three hours with each faction struggling to take over the affairs of the body. The pro-Mahonwu faction was led by Mahonwu himself who has been the chairman of the body for over two decades without an election. The faction has Capt. Mohammed Joji (secretary) and Alhaji Mohammed Tukur (assistant-secretary). In the Boyo-led faction were the Managing Directors of IRS, First Nation, Top Brass, Jed Airlines, Mr. Yemi Dada, Mr. Kayode Odukoya, Mr. Roland Iyayi and Nogie Megison among others. Another member of the pro-Boyo group was a former member of the House of Assembly, Hon. Ibn Na’allah. At the end of the meeting, the body finally resolved to dissolve the existing excos and replace

them with a five-man electoral committee. Briefing journalists after the closed door meeting, the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, and the Managing Director of Top Brass Aviation, Mr. Roland Iyayi, said that the former executives had been dissolved and replaced with a five-man electoral committee. The five-man electoral committee is headed by Mr. Abiodun Famudimu (Arik Air), while members are Mr. Kayode Odukoya (First Nation), Mr. Yemi Dada (IRS), Capt. Steve Rhodes (First Nation) and Mr. Akin Olateru of Omni Air. The electoral committee is expected to conduct election for various positions by July 12, 2013.

Also, a three-man Board of Trustees was inaugurated and expected to conduct the affairs of the association till a new exco is ushered in. Members of the threeman trustees are Dr. Steve Mahonwu, Mr. Kayode odukoya and Capt. Mohammed Joji. A source close to the meeting, told Satruday Mirror that the pro-Boyo faction had come with a set mind to remove the current leadership, citing their inability to protect the airlines as a reason. The Boyo group, we learnt accused the current leadership of not having a stake in the industry as none of them works with any airline in the sector. However, the pro-Mahonwu group, our correspondent learnt, was also determined to hold on to power.

ABUJA

eague of Rivers Lawyers in Abuja has called on Second Republic parliamentarian, Dr. Muhammad Junaid, to proffer solutions to the ravaging activities of Boko Haram sect rather than attacking Nigeria’s First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan. It also called on the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to call Junaid to order to ensure peace. The group made the calls on Friday in Abuja while reacting to Junaid’s alleged understanding on the roles said to have been played by the First Lady in the Rivers State crises. The league took exception to his alleged use of foul language to describe Nigeria’s First Lady. “If Dr Junaid is looking for what to talk or work to do, the collapse of the Northern economy, rising unemployment, illiteracy and alarming insecurity under his nose are enough engagement than abusing

Mrs. Jonathan. “What is his interest in Rivers State? Why is he crying more than the bereaved? A character like Dr Junaid thinks he has a monopoly of odious language and rascality because he is one of those deceiving Governor Rotimi Amaechi to be spending public funds to betray his brother and pursue a Northern agenda,” said the group. The league said that the activities of the First Lady during her recent visit to her state were merely reconciliatory and aimed at increasing collaboration among the political class so that the state could move forward. “But rather than call for total reconciliation for peace to return to Rivers State, Dr. Junaid is happy that Governor Amaechi is operating like an emperor, wasting public funds on selfish ambition of being a Vice Presidential Candidate, causing friction, overheating the polity, and behaving like a fly that has no advisers.”

NATIONAL NEWS

June 29, 2013

20 terrorists killed, 4 others arrested in Borno INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

o fewer than 20 people suspected to be members of a terrorists group have been killed in Mainok Village of Beneshiek Local Government Areas of Borno State in a gun duel between them and men of the Joint Task Force. Also killed, according to a reliable source, are two security personnel suspected to be policemen. This is even as four high profile Boko Haram members including one suspected to be very close to the leader of the sect group, Sheikh Abubakar Shekau, were reportedly arrested yesterday by Vigilantee Youths popularly

known as ‘Civilian JTF’ in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. Our Correspondent gathered from reliable source that the terrorists invaded Mainok Village on Wednesday in an attempt to launch attacks on one of the security posts in the area, but they were repelled by the JTF. The source said the terrorists laid ambush in the evening at about 6pm, which led to the exchange of gunfire. He said, during the encounter, several members of the terrorists group were killed, while two people suspected to be security operatives were also killed by the suspects. The arrest of some men believed to be memebrs

of Boko Haram, it was gathered, took place in different locations in Maiduguri metropolis. Three of the suspected members of the sect were arrested at Galtimari ward close to Giwa Barracks before they were handed over to the JTF unit along 21 Armoured Brigade Roads, while the other was arrested at Kawar-Maila in Shehuri ward, one of the strongholds of Boko Haram sect which had witnessed series of killings, bombings and destruction of houses in recent past. The ‘Civilian JTF’ which has been assisting the JTF to rid the state of terrorists, came to NNPC filling station along Lagos Street after they arrested one of the suspects which they

claimed to be very close to the sect leader, Shekau, and bundled him in one of their vehicle’s boot. Speaking to newsmen in an interview at the filling station, one of the ‘Civilian JTF’ who did not mention his name said that they were taking him to one of the car wash near the Sanda Kyarimi zoo in the metropolis to show them some of his lieutenants where they were hiding with their guns. Due to the total closure of GSM network services in Borno State for the past one month, the JTF spokesman, Leuitenanat Colonel Sagir Musa, and the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gideon Jubrin, could not be reached for confirmation.

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No apology on capital punishment, same sex marriage –FG EMMANUEL ONANI

he federal government has expressed its avowed determination to defend its constitution and extant laws at all times. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, made this disclosure in Abuja, yesterday, during a conference by the National Human Rights Commission. Specifically, Ashiru spoke against the backdrop of the execution of some convicts by the Edo State government, anti-same sex law, and the attendant criticisms from the United Kingdom and international organisations on human rights. According to Ashiru, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State signed the convicts’ death sentence based on the powers conferred on him by the constitution. He emphasised that until the constitution is amended, its provisions on death sentence will be implemented, notwithstanding an existing moratorium, which he noted, is inferior to the constitution. He said: “I agree that there was an unwritten

code that we should have a moratorium pending the time when our constitution is reviewed. “But don’t forget that the constitution we follow is supreme but the criminal code that we use is still the same handed over to us by the colonial powers. So, until the statute books are reviewed, there is nothing anybody can do and I think the governor of Edo acted within his constitutional powers. “He gave reasons why he signed the death warrants because the circumstances under which the crimes were committed were really heinous and in itself a crime against humanity.” Ashiru cautioned that, “We should not shy away to defend what is right, what is correct and what is in our constitution.” “We should not shy away to defend what is right, what is correct and what is in our constitution,” he said. On same sex marriage he said, “They have been tested and trusted and they have distinguished themselves in numerous peacekeeping operations across the world”.

Rep commended over empowerment programme •Distributes 11 cars, other materials KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN Consul General of Spain to Nigeria, Carolina de Manueles Alvarex (m); Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Ibok Ete Ibas (2nd left) and some senior officers of the command when the Consul General visited the Naval Command, recently.

Japan donates N1.2bn water equipment to Bauchi, Katsina MARCUS FATUNMOLE ABUJA

he government of Japan has donated water equipment worth N1.2billion to Bauchi and Katsina states. The aid, which is part of Japan International Corporation Agency’s (JICA) efforts to alleviate the burden of water scarcity and related-diseases in Nigeria, were handed over to the two states, through the federal government in Abuja, yesterday. In an address, Japanese

Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji, said the provision of safe water had been one of the priority areas of Japan’s economic cooperation with Nigeria. “Since 1988, Japan has continuously made efforts to accomplish this task in the country. Japan’s contribution to the challenge of water supply amounts to more than N7.56 billion including this project. With this grant aid for Bauchi and Katsina states, amounting to about N1.2billion, more than 150 new water

supply stations will be constructed and around 50,000 people will benefit from it in the two states. “Japan’s assistance in rural water supply, in the form of supplying equipment and machineries, has now covered a total of 12 states in the country,” he said. Responding, Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Sarah Ochekpe, said as part of federal government’s efforts to meet the challenges of water supply and sanitation in the country, it sought the assistance of Japan through JICA for Grant-in-Aid in rural water supply and

sanitation to Nigerian government; which, according to her, had brought similar aids to other states of the country to include Oyo, Kano, Yobe, Ondo among others. Part of the aid required from the donor’s government, according to the minister are: provision of drilling rigs, air compressors, trucks with crane facilities, geophysical investigation instruments for electrical resistivity surveys, pumping test equipment, water analysis equipment, community mechanic tools, PVC casing pipes and screens and soft component.

he member of the House of Representatives representing Surulere/Ogo Oluwa Federal Constituency, Oyo State, Hon. Segun Odebunmi, has been commended for empowering the people of his constituency through a multi-million naira poverty alleviation programme. At the event held at Baptist Secondary School, Oko, in Surulere local government area, poverty alleviations materials distributed include 11 brand new cars, motorcycles, deep freezers, sprayers, generating set, mobile phones, radio sets, grinding machines, cash awards to 231 people and bursaries to over 200 students of tertiary institutions. Former governor of the state, Otunba Ade-

bayo Alao-Akala, praised him for demonstrating a good sense of leadership and love for his constituents, adding that he was amazed by the quality and quantities of materials and equipments distributed through his pet projects, Bunvic Foundation. He said through his deeds and actions, the lawmaker had truly demonstrated that he is a grassroots politician who has been tested and trusted. Akala urged the beneficiaries of the poverty alleviation programme in the state to make good use of the equipment and cash awards to them, admonishing party members and indeed, the electorate in the federal constituency to continue to support Odebunmi who he described as a worthy ambassador of not only the PDP but Ogbomosoland.

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REGIONAL NEWS

June 29, 2013

SOUTH WEST

Ekiti won’t renege on probe of Oni govt –Commissioner ABIODUN ADO EKITI

kiti State Government yesterday said it had not

abandoned plans to probe the administration of former Governor Segun Oni over allegations of corrupt practices and looting of the state resources.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr Tayo Ekundayo, said that the Fayemi administration was committed to the probe with sights on

recovery of stolen public funds. Ekundayo spoke to journalists in Ado Ekiti in reaction to reports yesterday that the state’s government had reneged on

the probe. It was reported in the media on Thursday that the state’s government changed gear on the probe and instead had handed the alleged looters to God for judgment. But the commissioner said there was no way the Fayemi administration, which anchors its governance on transparency and accountability, would gloss over the large-scale fraud and corruption perpetrated by the Oni government. He maintaijed thatm after the May 31, 2013, Supreme Court judgment, Governor Fayemi had promised to look into the finances of the past administration in the state.

In the words of the commissioner, “Our position on probe of the administration of Segun Oni not changed. So, the probe of all these looters are not negotiable. But we want to emphasise that we believe in God and we are still relying on Him to punish these looters”. According to the commissioner, among avenues that the Oni governemnt used to perpetrate the alleged looting included N2.2 billion micro-credit fund, N6.6 billion worth Ado –Ifaki Ekiti dualisation project and N700 million for the purchase of 600 Cows for Ikun Dairy Farm among others.

Group tasks south west govs on development OSEYIZA OOGBODO

L-R: Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, University of Ibadan, Prof. Arinola Sanya; The Guest Lecturer, Prof. Ademola Ajuwon and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, at the inaugural lecture on excitement, complexities and challenges of University of Ibadan On Thursday. PHOTO: NAN

Rep empowers constituents with 11 cars

KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

member of House of Representatives, Hon. Segun Odebunmi, representing Surulere/Ogo Oluwa Federal Constituency, of Oyo State, has donated cars and other items worth millions of naira to the people of his constituency in his poverty alleviation programme.

Hon Odebunmi, at the event held at Baptist Secondary School, Oko in Surulere Local Government Area, donated 11 rand new cars, motorcycles, deep freezers, sprayers, generating sets, mobile phones, radio sets, and cash awards to 231 people. The lawmaker also gave bursaries to over 200 students of tertiary institutions from the constituency.

A former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, lauded Hon. Odebunmi’s gesture to his people, saying the lawmaker has demonstrated good leadership and love for his constituent. Akala urged the beneficiaries of the scheme to make good use of the equipment and cash awards given to them. The former governor also called on the people of the

area to continue to support Hon. Odebunmi so that he could do more for them. On his part, Hon. Odebunmi thanked the people of the area for their support and love for him since he was elected into the National Assembly. He promised that he would continue to make their welfare a priority in his agenda while he served them.

Again, Lagos Taskforce arrests 15 underage hoodums, 19 others MURITALA AYINLA

gain, the Lagos State Environmental and Special Enforcement Unit yesterday arrested 15 suspected under-aged hoodlums and 19 others in its operation around Oshodi area of the metropolis. This move, according to the taskforce, is part of the continued efforts geared towards keeping

Oshodi and other areas in the state sanitised. The suspected hoodlums consisting of 10 boys and 5 girls aged between 13 and 17 as well as 19 other adults were arrested in the early hours of yesterday morning at Oko Mola, a known criminal hideout at Oshodi. Speaking on the arrest, Chairman of the Task force, CSP Bayo Sulaiman, explained that recent surveillance of the area

revealed that Oko Mola is fast gaining notoriety as a hideout for miscreants and criminals. Sulaiman, however, lamented the continuous presence of under-aged children in the area. The taskforce boss particularly mentioned the case of one Cynthia Okunade, a 17 year old teenager from Edo State whom he said had been arrested previously and taken to her mother at Ejigbo area of the metropolis, butsurprisingly found her way back to

the dreaded Oko Mola. Another under-aged, Rotimi Johnson, 14, who had previously been arrested and returned home, said he ran away from home and took refuge amongst miscreants who he admitted were involved in shady deals like pick-pocketing and other petty crimes. Sulaiman however said the under aged will be taken to various recreational homes while the adults will be charged before the law courts.

rontline pan-Yoruba group, Oodua Republic Front (ORF), has challenged governors of the south west region of the country to strive to ensure that the region maintains its legendary status in the country, especially in infrastructural development. The group, who lauded the administration style of the Osun State governor, Ogbenin Rauf Areg-

besola, urged other governors in the region to follow the Osun example. Speaking with Saturday Mirror, ORF president, Comrade Jubril Ogundimu said, the Osun State government is running an all-inclusive administration which is fast transforming the state into a modern one. Comrade Ogundimu also urged governors of the region to move to further integrate the states in the region for even development.

Lawmaker tasks political office holders on empowerment

eputy Chairman of House of Representatives committee on Human Rights, Hon. Rotimi Makinde, has challenged political office holders in the country to always put the electorates first in whatever they do while in office. Hon. Makinde gave this charge while empowering some youths and market women at his Ife Federal Constituency, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The event held at the Ife palace square, attracted over 150 market women and youth leaders drawn from 42 wards in the constituency. The lawmaker, while addressing beneficiaries at the ceremony, enjoined politicians in the coun-

try to always give back to the people that put them in positions of authority. He also maintained that his commitment to the scheme was a conviction that arose from his will to serve his people and reduce poverty in the land. His words, ““Many of our young men and women are capable and desirous of engaging in meaningful economic ventures, and can do a lot for themselves if they are provided with the right and required facilities as well as skills,” Makinde said. The event had personalities Osun State Deputy Governor, Otunba Laoye Tomori, Commissioner for information, Hon Sunday Akere, among others in attendance.

REGIONAL NEWS

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SOUTH EAST

Anambra 2014: Ifeanyi Ubah registers in LP NWABUEZE OKONKWO ONITSHA

frontline gubernatorial aspirant and chairman of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah yesterday registered himself formerly as a card-carrying member of the Labour Party (LP). Ubah, who stormed Otolo Nnewi Ward I of the party, in Nnewi North Local Government Area, with a large crownd of

Ubah

supporters, was received on arrival at the office of the party, along Igwe Orizu Road, Nnewi, by

the Obi of Okpuno, Chief Emeka Okafor and party ward executive. Ubah was later guided

through the registration processes and signing of necessary documents by the chairman of the party

in Otolo Nnewi Ward I, Amobi Nkeirumonye and was issued with a membership card No. 0018073.

Members of All Progressive Grand Alliance Youth, Enugu State chapter, during a solidarity rally in support of Chief Victor Umeh in Enugu, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Igbo in the Diaspora unite on economic integration DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

he South East Communities Development Association (SECDA), Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Igbo professionals in Diaspora have commenced moves improve the economic and infrastructural development of the region. Rising from a meeting in Enugu, representatives of Ndigbo in the Diaspora, Dr. Anayo Robert Dikeukwu and Dr. Chinweike Justus Okey Nwosu, announced that Igbo in Diaspora were ready to pull resources together to transfer technology and build industrial villages across the region. According to Dikeukwu the meeting centred on how Igbo in the Diaspora would collaborate with the South East Communities Development Association (SECDA) to move the region forward. His words, “We have come to the realiza-

tion that it is time for Ndigbo to look inwards for investment. It is time for Ndigbo in the Diaspora to repatriate their wealth. During the civil war, we were able to do Ogbunigwe; we refined

petroleum; we were able to do all these things that we know we can do. That is why we came here to give support to these Igbo leaders so that we take the Igbo to the next level,” he said.

On his part, Dr. Nwosu, a UK-based medical practitioner, participants at the meeting all resolved it was time Igbo took their destiny in their own hands. Nwosu said it was

time for Ndigbo to take advantage of their ingenuity, industry and global spread to build regional economic integration that make Igbo self reliant economically. At the meeting, Chair-

Chime plans cabinet reshuffle DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

nugu State Governor, Sullivan Chime, will next week reshuffle his cabinet to inject new hands in the administration. To this

end, Governor Chime, yesterday, submitted a list of five commissioner nominees to the state’s House of Assembly for ratification and approval. Speaker of the Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odoh, whle reading a letter

forwarded to the House signed by Secretary to the State Government, Amechi Okoro, announced the nominees before the lawmakers. The Speaker later directed the Clerk of the House, Chris Chukwura, to communicate to

all nominees accordingly. The commissioner nominees were Dr. George Okechukwu Eze, Chukwuone Nnaemeka Andegbe and Okoro Uchechukwu Chris. The two others were Nwachukwu Michael Chukwuma and

Pro-Victor Umeh rally held in Enugu DENNIS AGBO ENUGU

everal youths of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), yesterday took o the streets in Enugu protesting any attempt to remove Chief Victor Umeh as the national chairman of the party. The placard carrying protesters were also chanting solidar-

ity songs as they marched rounds parts of the metropolis. The youths also dissociated themselves from the ongoing reconciliation efforts in the party, insisting the Chief Umeh is the authentic chairman of the party. The protesters maintained that Chief Umeh be allowed to serve out the remaining two years of his tenure in the

spirit of justice and fair play, before a new chairman would emerge. APGA youth leader in Enugu State, Emmanuel Onah, who addressed journalists, said that Chief Umeh had led the party faithfully, saying that it was unfortunate that some people who benefitted from his leadership could turn back to create crisis in the party.

Onah stated that the crisis has endured because the leaders have been blinded to the truth. His words, “ If they want Umeh out, the best thing is not to go to court. He should be allowed to serve out his remaining tenure and a well constituted election will follow for his successor”. Also speaking during the protest, another offi-

Ubah and his supporters later moved to the Nnewi North Local Government party office along Owerri Road, where promised to assist the executive in furnishing their empty office complex. Addressing his supporters, Ubah explained his decision to contest the 2014 governorship race under the platform of the Labour Party (LP), saying that the race to Government House in Awka is a contest among four major political parties namely Labour, PDP, APGA, and ACN (APC). RAtionalising his choice of LP, Ubah says, “As you all know, AGPA is in crisis. PDP is also in crisis. ACN or APC is in a trance. So what remains is the Labour Party” Responding, Anambra State chairman of the party, Sam Oraegbunam, commended Ubah for his choice of the party and assured him that he would realise his ambition in the Labour Party. man of steering committee of SECDA, Prof. Laz Ekwueme, and the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo Igariwey had set up a fiveman committee headed by Nze (Prof.) Mark Odu to streamline the finances and structure of the association. Ene Michael Christopher Chukwuma. Though the House deferred consideration of the five nominees to a later date, there were indications that the nominees would be screened by the House of Assembly on Tuesday, July 2, 2013. cial of the party, Okomgbe Kenneth, said they were now prepared to confront the leadership of the party tell them the basic truth which had eluded the party for some time now. Keneth however said that the ongoing crisis would not have any negative effect on the party, adding that they were already mobilizing for the 2015 general elections in the state.

Politics

Buhari

Tinubu

APC: Working towards a dream come true TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

hen the idea of opposition parties coming together to form a mega party to challenge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 was made public by some opposition leaders, many thought the dream would not see the light of day. Some thought that the All Progressives Congress (APC) being spearheaded by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) will crash at the planning stage considering how past efforts to form a mega party or alliance failed. However, today, the APC has gone past the initial preparations and got to a level that it is now requesting for the approval of the electoral body in the country, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Meaning, therefore, that the idea is becoming a dream come true. In the coalition are five major opposition political parties. They are the Action Congress of Nigeria; Congress for Progressive Change; All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP); Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) led by Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State. Showing its readiness to displace the ruling PDP in 2015 elections, APC on Tuesday named members of its Interim National Executive Committee (NEC). The composition of the party’s interim members is part of the prerequisites for APC’s

registration by INEC. Emerging from its meeting, the party announced its executives as follows: Chief Bisi Akande (Chairman); Senator Annie Okonkwo (Deputy Chairman, South); Aminu Masari (Deputy Chairman, North); Alhaji Tijani Tumsah (National Secretary); Mallam Nasir-el-Rufai (Deputy National Secretary); Hajiya Sadiya Farouq (National Treasurer); Senator Osita Izunaso (National Organising Secretary) and Mr. Muiz Banire (National Legal Adviser). Also named are James Ocholi (Deputy Legal Adviser); Alhaji Lai Mohammed (National Publicity Secretary) and Mr. Isa Madu Chul (Deputy National Publicity Secretary); Mrs. Sharon Chiazor (National Woman Leader) and Mr. Abubakar Lado (National Youth Leader). Those elected as Vice Chairman for the six geo-political zones are: Otunba Niyi Adebayo (South-West); Chief Tom Ikimi (South-South); Gen. Abdullahi Aboki (North-Central); Dr. Ayim Nyerere (SouthEast); Mr. Salisu Fagge (North-West) and Umaru Duhu (North-East). Some other key members of the executives, such as exofficio members were also named. Saturday Mirror gathered that the positions were shared among the five political parties. ACN got the post of National Chairman; National Legal Adviser; Deputy National Treasurer; Deputy National Youth Leader; two Vice Chairmen and two ex-officio members while CPC produced the National Treasurer; Deputy National Chairman (North); Deputy National Secre-

tary; Deputy National Legal Adviser; Deputy National Auditor; National Woman Leader; National Youth Leader; one Vice Chairman and one ex-officio members. ANPP got the slot for the National Secretary; National Financial Secretary; Deputy National Organising Secretary; National Welfare Secretary; Deputy National Publicity Secretary; two Vice Chairmen and two ex-officio members while APGA was given the National Organising Secretary; Deputy National Chairman (South); Deputy Financial Secretary; Deputy National Woman Leader; one Vice Chairman and one ex-officio member’s post. DPP got the post of the National Auditor and Deputy National Welfare Secretary positions. Quite an achievement, many political observers have said of the feat achieved by the APC in that light. This is because efforts in the past had ended up in the river that the party has just crossed. It is the success achieved so far that has made many to conclude that there is a good level of seriousness on the part of the party and that it showed that it had learnt from its past mistakes. With that, the aprty has given hope that the issue of who to fly the party’s flags for various positions during the 2015 elections will not create any chaos. Many also believe that the success recorded by APC in the formation of its interim NEC is in fulfillment of the promise by many of the party leaders that public interest would override personal interest in whatever decision the party is making.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

Having gradually inched towards registration after overcoming what was expected to be a stumbling block, needless to say that PDP may be in for a tough challenge come 2015 when the battle will hold. Political analysts are of the view that a lot of things will work in favour of the APC in the battle, particularly, the one for the coveted presidential seat. One good thing the APC has done is starting its groundwork early enough when compared to its other efforts. Barring any unforeseen inhibition, this time around, the party appears to have started early and that would make it have a good opportunity to strategise. The battle readiness of the party is also seen in the equanimity with which the parties came together as one whole. The romance between the leaders of the party and some PDP governors is one obvious move which would certainly not work in favour of the ruling party. If the APC succeeds in wooing the governors who are already, in one way or the other, out of favour with the power block in the PDP, then, the coalition will present one big irrepresible front. The havoc that the APC is capable of doing if it succeeds in its lobbying of some PDP chieftains can be seen in the roles played by eight PDP governors and 11 opposition governors during the election that saw Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State back in office as the chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), after the expiration of his first term. It would be recalled that despite having 23 governors in its fold, Amaechi defeated President Jonathan and PDP’s candidate for the NGF chairmanship post, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State, by three votes. Amaechi scored 19 votes while Jang scored 16 votes. Giving inkling into how much deep the APC has eaten into the fabrics of the PDP, Lai Mohammed recently disclosed that 23 governors were already in the APC. He said that 12 PDP governors would make their declaration for APC after the party has been registered. Although many of the political parties that melted to form the APC may not be regarded as having their spread nationwide, considering their performance in the last general elections, political observers believe that the coming together of the ‘regional parties’ under one umbrella will be an added advantage to APC. Also worthy of note as a plus for the APC is the presence of some heavyweights, such as former Head of State and two-time presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari; former governor of Lagos State and national leader of ACN, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former governor of Kano State and former presidential candidate of ANPP, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau; former PDP national chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh; former governor of Edo State, Chief John Oyegun; former Speaker of House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Aminu Masari; former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chief Tom Ikimi; former Minister of FCT, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; former chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and former ACN presidential candidate, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and 11 governors. Apart from the present gladiators in CONTINUED ON PAGE 15

POLITICS

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘APC doesn’t have the Chief Owolabi Salis, a New York-trained chartered accountant and lawyer is the Lagos State 2007 governorship candidate of Action Party of Nigeria (APN) and former Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) National Secretary aspirant. Salis, in this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, says that Nigeria will gain a lot if President Goodluck Jonathan is allowed to run for second term in 2015. He also speaks on 2015 general elections, Lagos State PDP, proposed automatic tickets for president and governors and the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC), among other issues. Excerpts:

any people have blamed internal wrangling within Lagos PDP for the party’s inability to win Lagos. Why is reconciliation always difficult to achieve in Lagos PDP? It has to do with individuals. I am a party person and I have a reputation for not belonging to either Establishment or Union group which are the two major two groups in Lagos PDP. I am a party person and I work with both groups. The situation is now so bad that Establishment group doesn’t want to see those in Union group and those in Union group don’t also want to see people in Establishment group. For me, as a person, I love everybody in the party and I relate with Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, Chief Bode George, Dr. Yomi Finnih and virtually everybody. I have tried my best to unite the groups, particularly their followers, but it has been difficult to achieve that. No single group can win election in Lagos State. We are strong enough to win Lagos if only we are united. I can tell you that PDP has been failing to win Lagos State since 2003 because we are not united. The situation has been PDP defeating PDP since 2003 because PDP members always defect to help the opposition. That was done during the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections. Whenever there is any crisis in PDP some people usually partner or go to opposition party to work against PDP victory during general elections. Since several efforts to reconcile the major factions in Lagos PDP are yet to yield any fruit, what do you think is the way out, considering that 2015 general

Salis

elections is less than two years? For people like me, I don’t think the Lagos PDP crisis should have gone to the level it is now because the crisis has become critical. So, the solution is for the president to come in. If the president comes in, then there would be settlement. With due respect, for someone like me, I can speak to A and B if I were to be a minister. I know I can speak to them, talk and beg everybody and I am sure everybody will listen. So, the Presidency should do a search inside PDP and find out who relates well with everybody and is connected to the grassroots. If such person is appointed as a minister, it could also be a solution. Apart from the crisis at the state chapter of the PDP, the party is presently going through a lot of crises at the national level. Don’t you see the crises affecting PDP’s chances in 2015 general elections? When people are fighting, you hear the cry of the losers more. Even though the winners are the majority, one loser will continue to make noise. So, in PDP, because of the power of the president as an executive to dispense privilege, he always has those who are majority, who are there to support and back him. Whenever you go for an election, you are contesting to acquire two powers; the power to dispense privileges and override bureaucracy and access to capital. So, for you to succeed you need idea and experience. Experience is not about having occupied one position or the other before; it is about ability to put brain, materials and machine together to

achieve your idea. The power to override bureaucracy and dispense privileges is always there for public office holders. With overriding bureaucracy and ability to dispense privileges, president and governors used their power to achieve many things which may be difficult for an ordinary man to achieve. They also have access to capital because you have power to tax people. They are in charge of the good faith and credit of the country or the state as president or governor. Some governors used the good faith and credit to raise bonds. In politics, interests clash and everybody is trying to scheme to acquire power. But unfortunately, in this country, they encourage people taking negative move rather than positive move. Positive move is for you to think and use your skill to outsmart the other person while the negative move is for you to try and destroy. So, why does Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, for example, want to be chairman of NGF at all cost? Why is it a do-or-die affair thing? Why did he insult all the other governors and put hidden camera in Rivers State Governor’s Lodge? The governors are men of equal equity. So, there is a level of desperation in what Amaechi is doing. So, it is satisfying special interest and he is the one making the noise. It is about clash of interests. Two interests are always in view whenever someone is in power or government; the group interest and personal interest. Sincerely, group interest is supposed to override personal interest but fortunately in Nigeria personal

interest overrides group interest. People do things based on what they want to get for their personal interest. If you take anything to anybody, if you don’t put his own interest into consideration, the thing will fail. How do you see the recent suggestion by the chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih, that automatic tickets should be given to first term president, governors and performing National Assembly members? With due respect to Anenih, what he said is not in the spirit of PDP from inception and you will recall that people have said that before by campaigning for second term for presidents and governors but somehow because PDP is a national party they want to always conduct primaries. So, let us wait till that time. What he said was like an ACN solution. If Tony Anenih has said that I know that he is moved by the interest of the president because there are attacks coming from majority of people who are not used to minority being on board and who want to grab power. Personally for me, I will prefer that President Jonathan continues so that those people will get used to minority being onboard because we are all Nigerians. Jonathan’s continuation in office will help to perfect our democracy and add conscience to our diversity. Ahead of 2015 general elections, All Progressives Congress (APC) is seriously strategising to send PDP packing from Aso Rock. Do you see APC ending PDP’s reign in Nigerian politics? APC is a joke. If you travel across the country you will notice that APC is a joke. APC’s presence can only be felt in Lagos State because Lagos is being governed by ACN, but in many other places in Nigeria they just read about APC in the newspapers. So, it is a joke. APC is not in existence. They don’t have the weight to win Nigeria. But they have Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, Asiwaju Tinubu and others, who many people see as strong weights in Nigerian politics. Apart from Buhari as former heads of state who are the personalities behind Buhari? Zero. Where it is happening is PDP. Apart from Tinubu in ACN, who are the other personalities in Lagos State? But APC has governors as its members. I understand that they have governors but apart from Tinubu, who are the personalities behind APC in Lagos State? In Lagos PDP, we have Bode George, Senator Ogunlewe, Dr. Abayomi Finnih, former deputy governors, Femi Pedro, Bucknor Kofoworola-Akerele and Rafiu Jafojo, and many others. But with all these people you have mentioned, PDP failed at different times to win Lagos. Our major problem is the crises in the party. Because people are fighting, PDP has been defeating PDP in Lagos State. And if PDP is going to be defeated at the federal level today, it is going to be PDP defeating PDP. You are saying, in essence, that APC has no chance?

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

POLITICS

June 29, 2013

weight to win Nigeria’ No chance for APC unless PDP moves there en-masse to help them. On their own they have nowhere to go. I once contested for National Secretary of PDP and during my campaign I travelled round the country; I saw the value of PDP as a party that is on ground in the country. During the last general elections, ACN was making noise in Akwa-Ibom State but they did not exist. Let us analyse all the states, where does APC exist? PDP has ministers in all the 36 states and they have many corporate personalities in many states. All that is needed is for those that are managing

the structures of the state to add their individual capacities. We are very unfortunate in Lagos State because we have a Minister that is assigned to us that is not politician. We have a minister that was brought from abroad. Imagine if we have a minister like Ogunlewe, there would be serious interface considering what happened in Lagos State when Ogunlewe was Minister of Works. Lagos State is strong because all the resources that the ACN government in Lagos State is making money from are owned by federal government. To be honest with you, I don’t hate the personalities

in ACN; they are brothers. Tinubu is a big brother and he is an America returnee like me. Governor Babatunde Fashola is a colleague lawyer. But what they are playing with us is politics and Lagos State will be better governed by PDP because Lagos State would have been gold today if it has been governed by the PDP since 1999 till date. We would be making our money internally and we will also be drawing from federal government at the same time. Lagos is not gold because people have not been able to see the alternative in PDP as a federal party.

Salis

APC: Working towards a dream come true CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13

country will be stronger, our democracy will grow and blossom and hence pave the way for the unity, peace and prosperity of our dear country.” A chieftain of the National Conscience Party (NCP), Ogbeni Lanre Banjo, said that APC’s emergence is commendable. “We commend them and we hope that we will forge ahead. We can only hope that they contest for 2015 elections because nobody can predict what will happen in future. Let us hope that they will give internal democracy a chance and once they do that I don’t think there will be any problem. PDP definitely needs a strong opposi-

tion party and that is why I am commending the brain behind the formation of the APC,” he said. A PDP chieftain, Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, believes that there is not celebration yet for the APC. He is of the view that the survival of the APC depends on INEC and the courts. Gbadamosi also believes that APC will not shake PDP if they are registered. “PDP is not going to be shaken by the APC. As separate parties, they couldn’t hack it. Is it now that they present one single big target that they will become difficult to overwhelm?” Gbadamosi asked?

In your refreshingly different Asian factories as killing fields

Nigerian workers, particularly the casuals, across companies owned by Asians have somewhat become endangered species and prone to accidents, which range from minor to fatal. Many have died without being reported. Other victims, who have suffered major injuries like loss of their hands or legs, are often dismissed after receiving tokens that the companies give out on “compassionate” ground. But Eugene Enwerem’s case is different. Though he is dead, we tell you about the strange circumstances of his death in a Lebanese-owned company. Keep a date tomorrow.

Interview

Why I left Bode George -Feyi, estranged wife First wife of Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Chief Olabode George, Feyi, who has been living in South Africa since 2008, breezed into the country recently. In an exclusive interview with Sunday Mirror, Feyi recalled her days as First Lady when her husband was the military governor of old Ondo State and also offered explanations on why she parted ways with Bode George. Besides, she speaks on the state of the nation, advising both the government and the governed, on how to make Nigeria great. Keep a date with her.

Passion

APC, some prominent Nigerians and politicians are also believed to be working secretly for APC presently in preparation for the 2015 elections. The calculation in some quarters is that ACN, with the support of Tinubu and South-West governors will deliver South-West for APC while the Governor Okorocha-led APGA faction, with the support of the newly elected APC Deputy National Chairman (South), Senator Annie Okonkwo, and other Igbo chieftains in the party are expected to deliver South-East for APC. Buhari has an enormous clout in the North putting into consideration his performance in the 2007 and 2011 presidential elections. Buhari is expected to work with Shekarau, CPC and ANPP governors and other prominent Northerners to deliver North for APC. Ikimi, Oyegun and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State will be expected to lead the battle in the fight for South-South states for the APC. Simple logic indicates that the ongoing internal wrangling in PDP will be to the advantage of the APC considering the division in the rank and file of PDP. That is, if the ruling party tarries too long to reconcile the feuding parties and restore confidence in its members. With the proposed automatic ticket for president, governors and members of the National Assembly in PDP as suggested by the chairman of the party’s BoT, Tony Anenih, many people are bound to leave the party in droves. The place to be, going by the present calculation, of course, is the APC. Although, realising the fate that may befall it if urgent steps are not taken to put its house in order, PDP is working assiduously to reconcile all the warring factions in order to forge ahead. But will the efforts yield fruit, especially when the reconciliation appears not to be genuine? That is the question that begs for an answer. However, that is not to say it is uhuru for the APC already, as PDP may prove to be a hard nut to crack. Speaking with Saturday Mirror, Oyegun expressed optimism about the readiness of the APC to take over the rein of power. He said the agreement and willingness on the part of some of the prominent politicians in the party to sacrifice is a

pointer that APC has come to stay. His words: “The composition of the members of interim NEC is the final act in all what we need to do to be registered and that is a precursor to what is to come. It is one of the things we could put together to work for the launching of the APC, various congresses and the convention. It is supposed to work for the launching and presentation of APC to the Nigerian public. “After the first week or two from the time we started negotiation (and I was there at every meeting), I was sure in my mind that the good Lord in Himself has a hand in what was going on. I have no doubt in my mind because I have never seen such agreement and the willingness to sacrifice on the part of Nigerian politicians.” The national chairman of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, during his party’s NEC meeting hailed the progress made so far in the merger process and expressed confidence that with the APC on ground, realising the goal of producing the next president is possible, if elections are free and fair. Said he: “Let no one ever think that it will be easy to defeat an incumbent administration. But, it can be done. However, a lot of hard work will be needed. Challenges will come. Our patience will be tested. Our ability to persevere will also be tested. But if our eyes are on the right path, if we listen attentively to the voice of Nigerians and respect the feelings of all, we will definitely succeed by the grace of the Almighty God. “Hence, it is important, that building a strong political party requires sufficient consultation, in a way that all organs of the party can function efficiently. It is then, that members can have a strong sense of belonging. By so doing, people will be ready to put in their best for the good of the party. “I am confident that with the APC on ground, realising our goal of producing the next president of our country is possible, if elections are free and fair. Serious efforts must be made to ensure that every vote, counts and every voter, matters. Every effort must be made, to ensure that a conducive environment is created to make elections free and fair. This, we should insist on for the good of our country. I believe that with a credible electoral process, our

PDP moves to reclaim Ekiti, Osun Ahead of the 2014 governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP which was dislodged from the zone after the courts nullified the party’s governorship election, is regrouping again. The South-West arm of the party met last week in Lagos, apparently to strategise. We bring you a detailed analysis of the PDP attempt to reclaim not just Ekiti and Osun but also other South-West states.

Yes, I’m still legally married, but anything can happen –Alex Okoroji Alex Okoroji is the first daughter of Tony Okoroji, the president of Copyright Society of Nigeria. A Biochemist by profession and mother of one, she has featured in so many movies and soaps. She shares her experience in Nollywood with Sunday Mirror These and many more available tomorrow in your

June 29, 2013

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June 29, 2013

Adultery sends shock waves through community …As man is stripped naked, beaten to stupor over amorous affair with ‘brother’s’ wife Ilochuckwu and Uche, both from Anambra State, were regarded as brothers in their host community in Ogun State. But on June 22, 2013, the story changed. Uche was caught pants down with Ilochukwu’s wife, right on his matrimonial bed. SEGUN ADIO

esidents of Ijuri community in Igbesa area of Ogun State will not forget Saturday, June 22, 2013 in a hurry. That was the day a member of their community, identified as Samson Uche, was beaten to stupor and stripped naked in broad day light over an illicit relationship with his neighbour’s wife. Uche, said to be from Awka, in Anambra State, but who is resident in Sango Ota, Ogun State, was reportedly caught pants down with a housewife, identified as Perpetua, right in the middle of a sexual act on the latter’s matrimonial bed. Uche and Perpetua, both indigenes of Awka, Anambra State, attended the same secondary school back in their village before they both went their separate ways. The two of them met again in Lagos sometime in 2010. By then, Perpetua was already married to her present husband, Ilochukwu. While at school, Uche and Perpetua were said to be lovers, but their romance did not lead to marriage before they parted ways. It was reported that the two lovers had planned to be husband and wife, but stiff opposition from Perpetua’s father truncated their plan. Efforts to have the old man give his blessing to the proposed union were unfruitful. In the end, Uche and Perpetua had to go their separate ways. By the time Uche and Perpetua were reunited in Lagos, Perpetua was already a mother of two boys but Uche was a bachelor still. Before the close of 2011, however, Uche also bade farewell to bachelorhood. Perpetua was said to have participated prominently in the wedding ceremonies. By sheer accident or design, when Uche wanted to move into a bigger apartment, he got accommodation a few blocks away from where Perpetua lived with her husband. With time, the erstwhile lovers became family friends, with Perpetua sometimes going to Uche’s house to stay with his wife when Uche is away in the office. Perpetua lived in a three-bedroom apart-

I CAME ALL THE WAY FROM OSHOGBO TO SPEND THE WEEKEND WITH MY FAMILY AND WHAT I MET WAS A MAN WHOM I TOOK AS A BROTHER SLEEPING WITH MY WIFE RIGHT IN MY HOUSE. I STILL CANNOT BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED UP TILL NOW. ment her husband newly erected in the area. Somewhere along the line, her husband was transferred to Oshogbo, the Osun State capital from his office, leaving Uche and her two kids at home. Perpetua’s husband is believed not to have visited the family he left behind in the last three months. He, however, called his wife regularly, promising to return to her and the kids before the end of August. Apparently, this seeming gap between Perpetua and Ilochukwu created room for Uche to be close to his erstwhile girlfriend again. It is reported that Uche always stopped by Perpetua’s house most evenings on his way from the office. Before long, Uche and Perpetua started keeping late nights together. This strange movement between them started generating interest in the neighbourhood. On that fateful Saturday evening, Ilochukwu (Perpetua’s husband) came home unannounced after an official assignment at his firm’s headquarters in Lagos. Having spent most of the day at his Lagos office, Ilochukwu headed for his Ijuri home,

hoping to spend the weekend with his family and return to Oshogbo on Monday morning. The heavy rush-hour traffic prevented Ilochukwu from getting to Ijuri until well past 10p.m. After knocking the gate severally without getting any response, Ilochukwu forced open the gate to his compound, disturbed as to what would have prevented his wife from coming to open the gate for him. Ilockukwu went straight for the front door of the apartment. His persistent knocks produced no response still. Curious as to why there was continued silence in the house, Ilochukwu decided to enter the house through the kitchen. While walking towards the kitchen though the back of the master bedroom, however, he heard some disturbing sounds. He paused to listen well and he was soon convinced that his wife and a man were actually having sex in his bedroom. Ilochukwu peered through the window and was shell shocked to see a man on top of his wife right in his own bedroom. Ilochukwu continues the story. “I came

all the way from Oshogbo to spend the weekend with my family and what I met was a man whom I took as a brother sleeping with my wife right in my house. I still cannot believe what happened up till now.” Upon seeing the ‘drama’ going on in his bedroom, Ilochukwu immediately raised the alarm, yelling at the top of his voice. Within minutes, Ilochukwu’s compound was full of neighbours. Perpetua was prevailed upon to open the door. When she eventually did, some neighbours descended on Uche and gave him the beating of his life. A neighbour, identified as Bamidele, reported that Uche had been noticed to frequent the Ilochukwu’s house in the last two months, but was never challenged. “We used to see the man coming to Mama Chinedu’s house, but I personally do not have cause to challenge him because they speak the same language and I would not know whether they are relatives, until the day Papa Chinedu raised the alarm and we met the man half naked and sweating there,” he said. Uche, who is presently receiving treatment at a private clinic at Alaba Rago area of Lagos State, could not be reached for his comments. His wife, however, claims that she has sent word to the village on the scandalous incident. Perpetua, on her part, is said to have left her matrimonial home in shame on the night of the incident, leaving her two kids behind. She has not been seen since then.

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THOMAS USHIE

everal myths are associated with babies with Cerebral Palsy (CP). And often, according to Mrs Nonyelum Nweke, who has a baby with the condition, people tend to give spiritual connotations to these babies and refer to them as “spiritual babies”. People describe children with CP as snails or fish. Traditionally, such babies are believed to be inhabited by spirits of some animals. It is also believed that if they are abandoned in the bush, they would transmute into the animal inhabiting them. Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a neurological disorder that affects the major part of the brain, the cerebrum, resulting in paralysis of some major nerves that control movements in the body. It affects the child’s ability to develop the act of crawling, standing, walking, talking, and general movements. It can occur during pregnancy as a result of infection, radiation, trauma and stress; during childbirth as a result of prolonged labour due to the size of the baby, and other related problems of childbirth; or after birth up to about the age of three. However, Nweke, whose experience with her baby who has CP, has made her shrug off the traditional myths, calls on parents not to abandon their babies with any health conditions. Although she does not have a biological child of her own, her experience with her adopted baby who has CP, would make one wonder. What manner of love would make a woman abandon her lucrative business to cater for a child with a difficult health condition? Nweke who runs a Cerebral Palsy Centre, trashed the traditional myth while encouraging parents and siblings to show children with CP love and care rather than abandon them. She says “Most times, parents who have children with cerebral palsy do abandon them due to traditional belief that they are fish, snail or whatever. “Such people take their child with CP to the bush or evil forest and abandon them there believing that they would turn into whatever animal. It is erroneous and must be stopped. Even parents who are enlightened often hide children with CP because of stigmatization and whatever. When such happens, the siblings to such babies also feel ashamed to associate with them or tell their friends that they have a sister or brother with such condition. But it is wrong. They are human beings and must be loved and taken care of the same way other children are loved. Parents should not throw them away or abandon them. If they are proud to show them off, the society would not have any choice than to accept them. That is what I tell parents because that was what I went through with my baby. I do tell friends and even church members who were initially scared of touching my baby believing that if they cannot shake her hands, then they should not bother to shake me. “We occasionally make sure that parents of babies with CP take their turn to take care of the babies in the centre. We also make sure that their siblings as well as parents take them home and bring them back daily in time, giving them the

Children with Cerebral Palsy at the centre

Does your child have Cerebral Palsy? PEOPLE DESCRIBE CHILDREN WITH CEREBRAL PALSY AS SNAILS OR FISH. TRADITIONALLY, SUCH BABIES ARE BELIEVED TO BE INHABITED BY SPIRITS OF SOME ANIMALS. IT IS ALSO BELIEVED THAT IF THEY ARE ABANDONED IN THE BUSH, THEY WOULD TRANSMUTE INTO THE ANIMAL INHABITING THEM needed attention and priorities, showing them affection and love. Families of children with CP are welcomed in the centre to interact with their children and with each other. This centre is not just a place for therapy, but a place where families can find each other, share joys, heartaches and learn from experiences gained from raising children with Cerebral Palsy. Siblings of children with CP need to tell their friends about such babies when they are interacting with each other so that when then eventually see them, they would not be surprised or feel ashamed to associate with them” she advised. Narrating her heart touching foray into providing care for children with CP, Nweke said that children are not material possessions that one could buy and if found defective, would be returned to the sellers. “My baby, Chizimuzondu was adopted as a six-day-old baby. She gave me so much joy because I did not have a baby of my own. With time, however, I noticed that Zimuzo, as I fondly call her, was not developing appropriately. She was not achieving her developmental milestones. At four months she was yet to hold up her head, reach for toys or do any of the things babies her age would do. She used to shake

and shiver like she was always cold, what I now know, after some studies, to be spasm and seizures. When I consulted a doctor, it was dismissed with a wave of hand, saying that some babies are naturally slow developers. “Nevertheless, at five months, she was diagnosed with CP at Owerri Sick Bay, a private children’s hospital in Imo State. Coincidentally, Zimuzo was adopted from Owerri through the Ministry of Women Development and Social Welfare. The doctor, the owner of the hospital, advised me to take back the child to the ministry, had fearing that I would not be able to take care of such a child. On getting to the ministry, I met with the head of the unit, who insisted that I leave the baby, believing that I would not be able to take care of her due to the challenging condition while assuring me that they would arrange for another baby for me. I asked them what would happen to the baby if I should abandon her; they said that they would just leave her in the orphanage. I was touched. I don’t think that babies are like pieces of furniture or material possessions that could be bought and if found faulty, returned to the sellers. Whether they are physically challenged or with whatever deformities, they are hu-

man beings and must be shown love. “Prior to that encounter, I have heard about Cerebral Palsy and the doctor’s reaction, clearly showed that the condition is not easy to manage. But I was ready to show Zimuzo love. I made up my mind to take care of her, show her motherly love. And that is what I have been doing. That is what I teach other parents to do as well. That was what led to the establishment of this centre,” she stated. Nweke braced the odds, abandoned her lucrative fast food business located at Surulere, studied the condition and ventured into the tortuous path of giving care to as many babies with the condition. “I started a search for a place that cares for children with Cerebral Palsy, a place where I could leave her during the day so that I can attend to my business. I could not find one. A friend later took me to an orphanage which was then located off Adeniran Ogunsanya Street, Surulere. The orphanage was caring for children with different forms of disabilities. The owners accepted but later reneged. So, I was faced with challenge of looking after Zimuzo, managing my business, keepCONTINUED ON PAGE 39

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Joseph

The death of Citizen Olumide Davies draws attention again to the fact that many Nigerians treat hospitals as a last resort. Davies slumped during an argument with a commercial bus driver on his way home from work. Instead of taking him to the hospital, his family called their pastor! He was dead in a matter of hours. FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON

LIVING

June 29, 2013

t was about 6.30 pm on a Wednesday evening. Olumide Davies was heading to his Akute home. Traffic was at its peak. Everywhere was crowded. As usual, drivers of commercial vehicles were driving on wrong sides of the road. Davies was patiently following the very slow pace of the heavy traffic. Suddenly, a commercial bus driver came driving recklessly towards him, Davies, in anger, alighted from his car and started raining abuses on the bus driver who was obviously wrong. The driver screamed obscenities back and a heated argument ensued. Suddenly, Davies slumped. If the bus driver had laid a finger on Davies, he would probably have been mobbed for having a hand in his situation. Fortunately for the driver, he was still seated in his driver’s seat, with his seatbelt fastened. Indeed, he was as bemused as everyone else when Davies suddenly slumped. A motley crowd quickly gathered and tried to revive Davies. Just then, his phone rang. His son was calling to find out his whereabouts. Instead of his father’s voice, a strange voice picked the phone and alerted him of his father’s situation. He quickly rushed to the spot and saw his father in the midst of the crowd that was trying to revive him. He took him home. Significantly, he did not take him to the hospital as would have been expected. Back home, the Davies family called their pastor. Taking their husband and father to the hospital was the last thing on their agenda. Sadly, Davies gave up the ghost that very night. The sad end of Citizen Davies draws at-

Dr. Francis

Pastor Adebiyi

Between orthodox and alternative healing tention again to the seeming preference of many Nigerians for faith healers and traditional doctors over and above hospitals. Dr Francis Onyemuchara, medical director of Healing Balm Hospital in Ikeja area of Lagos describes as disturbing the fact that hospitals seem to have become the last resort. “Hospitals are meant to take care of the sick people. Even pastors and traditionalists go to the hospital. As a matter of fact, gone are the days when pastors will tell you not to go to the hospital for treatment when you are sick. Personally, the proper thing for a person to do if he is sick is to go to a hospital and see a doctor. I am a Christian and I also believe in miracle from God who has the overall power to heal us, but seeing a doctor who is trained to do the needful in health emergencies is the appropriate thing to do. After all, doctors only care but God heals. It is very important to go to those who are primarily trained to care for sick persons. “Self medication is the worst thing any reasonable person can dabble into. Herbs are alternative ways to get healing, but the danger in their use could be in not knowing the actual thing wrong with the person. There is no proper diagnosis. If you go to the hospital for treatment, you will be asked to undergo tests to ascertain what the problem is and then proper drugs will be recommended for you to cure the ailment. But the case is not the same in those alternatives. “Some would tell you that going orthodox is expensive and that they spend less at the traditional healing centres and chemists. Self medication is as good as a death sentence. And most of these so called traditionalists and chemists end up adding more problems to the conditions of these people. At the end of the day, they end up spending more without results,” he said. Abdul Akintoba, who trades in iron rods at Cement area of Lagos state has a different opinion. He says, “Sincerely, I think it is because most ailments are psychological or that many people believe they are having spiritual attacks. The belief therefore

HOSPITALS ARE MEANT TO TAKE CARE OF SICK PEOPLE.

EVEN PASTORS

AND TRADITIONALISTS

HERBS CAN HEAL. BUT THE DANGER IN THEIR USE IS NOT KNOWING THE ACTUAL THING WRONG WITH THE PERSON.

THERE IS NO

GO TO THE HOSPITAL.

PROPER DIAGNOSIS BEFORE

is that if they go to the hospital, drugs will not work on them, because drugs cannot deal with spiritual illnesses. But once they visit faith healers, they believe that solution is at hand.” While Akintoba feels the problem is psychological, Osarieme Joseph feels a lot of people turn to these alternatives because of financial handicap and the attitude of health professionals, especially at the general hospitals. “I remember when my wife was sick and I took her to the General Hospital in Ikeja for treatment, I went through hell in the hands of nurses. We went there with the mindset that being a government hospital, it will be cheaper than a private hospital. We got there around 9 am and waited till about 3pm before they could attend to us. Meanwhile, some who came long after us were called in to see the doctor before us. My wife was there writhing in pains and not even one of these nurses could attend to us seeing the situation. At the end of the day, we spent almost N10, 000 on various drugs and tests. It was a harrowing experience for me. So tell me why I will not prefer to go to the traditional healers who would promptly attend to me and of course at a cheaper price?” Adewunmi Bamgbose, a dealer in hair products, does not see anything wrong in using orthodox drugs, traditional herbs and faith healing together. “It is good when one is sick to go to the hospital to see the doctor. However, sometimes, the money may not be there to do that and one would resort to using herbs

or going spiritual. I can also tell you that there are some situations that even orthodox medicine cannot cure. Some doctors have been known to tell some of their patients to seek alternative treatment where they adjudge their ailments to be spiritual. That is where the pastors, Alfas and spiritualists come in. It is not every ailment that can be cured with orthodox treatment. For me, the nature of the ailment will determine where I will head. But the first port of call when I am sick is usually the hospital. Some pastors will even tell you to seek medical attention when you are sick, while they will uphold you spiritually with prayers.” Pastor Mrs. Favour Adebiyi, wife of General Overseer of Jesus Healing Ministry in Ipaja area of Lagos says, “It is advisable for a sick person to go to the hospital for treatment. While he or she is in the hospital, pastors can also follow up with prayers. Still, one cannot take the fact away that some cases are beyond doctors. There have been situations where patients have been advised to seek alternative healing. Some have even been told to go home and die. But with the intervention of God, such ones are still alive. I can remember the case of one Mrs Shola Adeoti that I read in the papers who survived cancer. She had been told to go home and die because she was a cancer patient. That was some years back. Today she is still alive to the glory of God. As much as it is good to go to the hospital for treatment, it is also good to always remember that the source of every healing is God the creator of heaven and earth.”

THEY ARE ADMINISTERED.

rs. Olanrewaju Falola has been married to her husband for 21 years. The union is blessed with three children. But along the line, the couple separated and for the past nine years, they have been living separately. Now the woman wants the Agege Customary Court to make the separation legal. According to the account she gave the court, they were joined together in 1983 and lived together as husband and wife for 21 years, but have been separated for the past nine years.

June 29, 2013

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Woman seeks end of 21-year marriage

•Says, “He has married two wives since our separation” Falola accused her estranged husband of always fighting with her. “At a time, he threw my things out of his house,” she said Mrs. Falola stated further that efforts by family members, close friends and associates to reconcile them were thwarted

by her husband, which in her opinion is an indication that he has made up his mind to end the marriage. She said that since their separation, her husband has married two wives. The estranged husband, who was absent during the court session, sent a letter

explaining his absence. He said he was out of town on official assignment and that he would be present on the next hearing. The judges advised the petitioner to think about her children and not make rash decisions. The case was adjourned till 9th July, 2013.

‘He does not have sex with me’

35 year old trader, Afusat Usman, living at 21 Akinremi Street OkeAro has told the Agege Customary Court that she wanted to dissolve her 11 year union with her husband, Bashiru Usman because he does not have sex with her regularly. Indeed, she claimed that she sleeps alone. According to the petitioner, Bashiru always cheats on her. In fact, he has concluded arrangements to take another woman as his second wife, claiming the woman gives him good luck. The trader and mother of one claimed that her husband does not care for her and their child, and that that she has been the one responsible for the upkeep of the home. “When we did not have children, I was the only one running around. He never

cared,” she narrated. But Bashir, a 43 year old surveyor, said he does not want the court to dissolve their union. He said that he still loves his wife and her decision to dissolve the union is as a result of her mother’s influence According to him, his mother-in-law never wanted him to marry her daughter and she does not like him. He said that he has been struggling to make ends meet and that his wife has been there for him. He said that he wanted to marry a second wife but since his wife refused, he shelved the idea. The Court President adjourned the case till 15th July 2013 advising them to be sure of what they want. They were also advised to think about their child before making any decisions.

‘He turned me to a punching bag’

rs. Ganiyat Olayinka, a resident of 27 Adebowale Street Obawole, has pleaded with the Ifako Ijaiye Customary Court to dissolve her union with her husband, Mr. Muyideen Olayinka. She accused him of being a drunk who has turned her into a punching bag. The couple lived together for six years without having any children. Ganiyat told the court that her husband is always beating her when he is drunk. She said he is cruel and irresponsible. She also said that he is a stubborn per-

son hence all moves of reconciliation are thwarted. She stated further that there is no more love in the union and she prayed that the court grants her request for a divorce. Muyideen, a furniture maker who lives at 35 Adefuiye Street, Alagbado told the court that he is fed up with the marriage as well. According to him, all the claims made by his wife are not entirely true as he does not beat or maltreat her. He, however, insists that he wants out of the marriage.

He specifically stated that he wants the court to dissolve the union as they are practically living as strangers. The Court President, Mrs. C.A. Odujoko, having considered all the evidences before the court therefore dissolved the union on Monday 24th June, 2013. She urged both parties to maintain peace and respect for each other. The court stated that since their union has been dissolved both parties have no business with each other. Any disturbance from any of the parties should therefore be reported to the nearest police station.

Court Jails LAUTECH Student for impersonating woman in Internet fraud

ustice Akintunde Abass on Tuesday at the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State, sentenced Akinluyi Akintunde, a 24 years old Agronomy undergraduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso to three years imprisonment without an option of fine. Akintunde was arraigned before the court on March 13, 2013 on a two count charge of obtaining money under false pretence. He was alleged to have obtained the

sum of $450 about N80,000 from one Robert Jackson (an American) via Western Union Money Transfer under the false pretence that he was a lady. In his judgment, Justice Abass ordered that the sum of $450 recovered from the convict be returned to the victim, Robert Jackson through the United States Consulate as restitution. Also, he also ordered that the laptop recovered from the convict in the course of his arrest be forfeited to the Federal Government.

Culled from www.gazellenews.com

Abass

Prezzo parts with wife

X-BBA housemate, Prezzo, may have finally gotten his wish as the long court battle between him and his embattled wife, Daisy Jematia Kiplagat, has finally been resolved. Prezzo’s wife filed for divorce 13 months ago at the High Court in Nairobi, Kenya. Prezzo, real name Jackson Makini, did not defend the allegations. High Court Judge-Luka Kimaru granted Daisy’s application and ordered Prezzo to pay a monthly upkeep of Sh50, 000 for their baby born in March 2009. Daisy told the court in her evidence that Prezzo had committed adultery with various women, particularly a former model, Joy Wanjohi. Daisy also claimed that Prezzo had also been verbally abusive, causing her mental stress and anxiety. He physically abused her and failed to abide by his financial responsibilities. Other allegations raised by Daisy against her former husband were that he drinks alcohol heavily and consumes drugs almost on a daily basis after which he subjects her to verbal and physical abuse. Prezzo has spoken out severally about his troubled marriage, his love affair with former model Joy Wanjohi and his two-year-old baby.

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‘I’m going back to my music’ Celebrity Bolaji Rosiji is a man of many parts. Born privileged, he chose to empower the poor and needy through his Gaurapad Foundation. Also a musician, he told OSEYIZA OOGBODO that he will soon release his debut album in furtherance of his mission to help the underprivileged.

ou released a song, Heart of Gold, a few years ago. How far with your music career

now? I released it two years ago actually and right now, I’m working on the complete album. I had some delay as a result of the Gaurapad Empowerment Movement. I believe that this third phase of the GEM should be over soon, and then I can go back to finishing the album. So that is where it is. I want my fans out there to expect a mélange, a potpourri, because I do not approach album release in the traditional way of one genre of music. I produce an album with whatever genre I desire in my album. That’s me. I’m not a hip-hop person; I am not a rock person. I am me. Whatever flows is what I have in my album, so they should be ready for a very varied and rich album. Heart of Gold audio and video were very well received. Did you perform them? Yes I did. I had a

couple of performances, and I’m still waiting for the multinationals to pay me N20m to come and demonstrate. So until then, I’ll keep pressing on. If they don’t, maybe I’ll have to pay myself to perform. So why are you actually in music since you don’t seem to be the type that needs the money? Music is not a money thing. It’s a passion thing, and you know that my late father, Chief Ayo Rosiji, the founder of MUSON, the Musical Society of Nigeria, used to host all these concerts in our residence long before MUSON was built. So I was inspired by his good taste in music and by the numerous national and international artists that would perform at that time. So I was exposed at a very early age to mature music and that’s how it’s been till today. Besides that, I’ve performed with a school choir as well as the Pennsylvania State University Choir and toured with them and I’ve always dreamt to have my own. It wasn’t enough for me to interpret Mozart or someone else. I wanted to be my own Beethoven and Heart Of Gold was the first sample and now I know the trick of the game and I’m ready to do it big-time, believe me. So why did it take you so long to come out with your first single? I’m a latecomer now. But they say it’s better late than never. After all, my favourite music artist of all time began music at the age of forty. Who is that person? Her name is Mercedes Sosa and she’s from Argentina. And then again, sometimes it’s a question of when the spirit m o v e s you.

And being a bit of a perfectionist has its pluses and minuses. Because I suffered from the perfectionist syndrome, it was hard to bring something out and be satisfied with it. Any job I would compose in the studio was never good enough, so that’s the downside. The good side is that you can come up with a near perfect work, but I’ve learnt over the years to accept my best and put it out there. What do you want to achieve with your music? My goal is to, as part of my mission statement for the Gaurapad Foundation, change one billion lives for the better, in a holistic sense, meaning body, mind and soul. It is my overall vision in everything that I do, and I want to use music as a medium of providing the world with secrets, as well as joy and entertainment. Are you achieving this goal already? If you had asked me this last year, I wouldn’t have known the answer. But today, it’s a resounding yes that we are on track. But my belief is that an accomplished man is a defeated man. At the conquest of every hill comes a new mountain. So even if or when we get to the Promised Land, another journey beckons. How else are we going to do more for the service of mankind, for the service of God? Are you facing any challenges in realising your goal? Yes, there have been many challenges along the way. And these challenges have been stepping stones at the same time. You know what t h e y say; a letdown iss a setup for a comeback. We ’ v e

had many letdowns, but they have helped us to come back bigger, better, stronger. Now with over 12,000 members of the Gaurapad Foundation, now with many powerful and affordable health products to help people with, and with our NGO being able to reach more people, the stage is set for a dream come true. But you’re selling the health products you just mentioned? Yes, that is correct. Actually, we don’t sell them. Our members sell them. This is what it’s all about. We at the Gaurapad Foundation formerly used to give people ‘fish,’ so to speak, but today we are teaching people how to fish. Formerly, we were exhausting our coffers and we were not good at fundraising, so we would have to spend our money for every launch, every school project, etc. Today, we are able to empower 12,000 people to make their living, pay school fees, own land. Over 15 people were able to take home a parcel of land at our last awards. More people went home with vehicles and television sets. Thousands of people are receiving solutions to health problems that have lingered for decades. So we are inching towards our goal. You were once PMAN president … What do you mean once PMAN president? Didn’t they tell you that once a president, always a president? Am I not an African? President till death! How do you feel now about your presidency then? It was a wonderful experience. And I just don’t know why so many of my colleagues in the media emphasise the negativity that surrounded it. It was a wonderful experience. It was one of the most important growing experiences. You see, if you can work with artists, right-brained people, you can work with anyone. And artists are the most extreme of right-brained people, which means they are very profound, very creative, very original, and very unpredictable. If you can deal with that, you can deal with anything. It taught me what most of our Christian sayings have preached: that you love until it hurts.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ENTERVAGANZA

June 29, 2013

Tiwa Savage’s album fails to drop

espite e the massive publicity and hype that surrounded the e proposed June 14 2013 release date of Tiwa a Savage’s debut ut album, Once Upon A Time, the album is yet to drop. An Alaba aba marketer told ld Entervaganza that its failure to be released might be due to the fact that the anticipation and nd demand for it is not as massive ive as expected. The marketer er rated anticipation and demand for the album as ‘average verage at best’ when compared ared to the anticipation and demand for Wizkid’s debut, Super Star, or Wande nde Coal’s debut, Mushin 2 Mo’ Hits.

Save OJB Jezreel update •Believed to have eight to ten weeks grace to raise the money … As Mercy Johnson visits him in $100,000 SUV

t is no longer news that African Queen producer, OJB Jezreel, is down with serious renal problem. But More information keeps coming out every day regarding the issue, the most important being that his life will be in serious danger if the necessary intervention is not carried out in the next eight weeks. While artists have continued to visit him to show support, the public believes they shouldn’t just be visiting him but coughing up the N16m he needs. It was after public outcry against t h e m t h a t D o n

Siren encourages fat women NGOZI EMEDOLIBE

si Voke Winnie, better known as Siren, is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that women like her who are plus-size do not lack confidence and self esteem because of their size. To this end, she founded Big Bold Models, which helps plus-size women get modeling and acting jobs and she is putting plans in place for a beauty pageant for them. “There’s nothing wrong with being plus-size,” she declared. “People make it seem like a sin but it is not. That is why I have taken it upon myself to campaign on our behalf that there is nothing wrong with us and people should take us as we are. “That is why I’m holding the Face of Big Bold Model, which is in furtherance of my plans to encourage plus-size women that nothing, especially their size, should deter them in life. FBBM will be an avenue for people to see that plus-size women are intelligent, attractive and sexy and will also make us see ourselves as unique, beautiful and dignified.”

Sound Sultan claims Sean Tizzle’s Sho Le

s Sean Tizzle continues to enjoy the fame (and possible fortune) that has come with his smash hit song, Sho Le, his senior colleague and onetime mentor, Sound Sultan, has revealed that he wrote the song which shot Tizzle to the limelight. Without mincing words, Sultan revealed on a Kennis Music Channel programme that he wrote, arranged and directed Sho Le. Even as Tizzle has failed to come out to deny Sultan’s

claim, which has become viral, people are already reacting and wondering why Tizzle cannot give credit to whom it is due by letting people know that Sultan wrote the song, more so as Sultan has been of immense help to him by mentoring him under his Naija Ninjas record label.

Jazzy a n d 2face Idibia reporte d l y gave him N1m and N1.5m naira respectively. Rug g edman is also believed to have chipped in an unverifiable amount. Mercy Johnson’s visit to the critically sick producer during the week is the mother of all ironies. The SUV that conveyed her to him is said to be worth N15m, the approximate amount he needs for his surgery. Johnson is, however, believed to have given him a substantial sum of money. Her visit to him in such an expensive vehicle, however, sent tongues wagging. The talk out there is that if his colleagues can maintain their display of stupendous wealth, they should really be able to contribute the money he needs. And the Save OJB effort, one person whose absence is really being felt is late singer Susan Harvey, aka Goldie. It is believed that if she were alive, not only would she have given him at least N2m from her own purse, she would have also spearheaded the fundraising effort. OJB really did a lot for Goldie’s career and he was the only man who was ever linked romantically to Goldie, apart from Prezzo and her husband. Presently, the money raised so far to save OJB is a drop in the ocean compared to what he needs. To help him with whatever amount you have, nothing is too little. His bank details again are: Babatunde Okungbowa, UBA 1015075120.

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CLASSICAL RYHMES

MI supports blind lady at X-Factor A

her beauty and indomitable ndomitable spirit and for being an n inspiration to other physically challenged people. But her rendition dition of Mariah Carey’s I Will Be There could not see her through ass only MI supported her. “You are wonderful and you deserve ve to be in the competition,” the rapper said. Reggie Rockstone kstone and Onwenu however wever believed she needed eded to work more on her singing ability and consoled and encourouraged her instead. Owoyemi

major highlight of episode six of X-Factor brought to Africa by Globacom was the inspiring story of 21-year-old blind mulatto singer, Mary Musa Owoyemi. Asked why she was in the competition, Mary replied, “My mum taught me never to give up no matter the situation I find myself in. I want all those who are physically challenged to know that being challenged does not limit you at all.” Despite arousing much sympathy and emotions from the judges and audience, beautiful Mary could not get into the next round. She earned compliments from the judges for

Ebony Life TV arrives E

bony Life TV, the brainchild of dynamic African talk show star Mo Abudu, debuts on DStv on July 1, 2013 and prom-

ises to deliver a fresh new energy and perspective to audiences across East, West and Central Africa. Fusing exclusive African original

Sasha

Adara Artist: Sasha

programming and featuring some of the continent’s biggest names, with relevant international urban movie and series programming, Ebony Life TV will be available on DStv Channel 165 to DStv Premium, Compact Plus and Compact.

Matse to walk down the aisle

he dream of every woman is about to come true for Matse Uwatse who became a household name as an on-air personality with the popular radio station, Wazobia FM. FM Widespread reports have it that W the t beautiful lady who is now with Nigeria Info FM is going to walk

down the aisle next month with the love of her life, Ekemelu Bertram Nnoli. The two lovebirds are so enamoured with each other that after spending quality time together and going on exotic vacations outside the country, they decided to make their union a permanent one so as to properly enjoy the fruits of their relationship.

Black Pope drops Life Is A Challenge video Matse

ast-rising rapper, Chris Alia, better known as Black Pope, has released the video of his promising single, Life Is A Challenge, and pundits are predicting that it will take over the airwaves. The video was directed by a new kid on the block, 20-year-old Shina Sanusi who went out of his way to make the video an exciting and captivating one so that he too can be sought after like Clarence Peters,

Adasa Cookey and other established music video directors. Speaking with Entervaganza, Black Pope said, “I’m very happy with my video for Life Is A Challenge. It’s going to go places and open doors for me. I now believe that every disappointment is a blessing and that everything happens for a reason. When I had an accident in my Liberty SUV in December, I never knew it would inspire me to compose a song. That same song is Life Is A Challenge and it is now taking me places as the video is doing very well on both cable and terrestrial stations.”

Black Pope

Verse 1 I wanna talk about the stress Wanna get it off my chest Take my time and re-invest Asking is it worth it? All the sleepless nights The fights and the crisis, the critics biting Mama told me there’d be days like this Put your pen to paper never use your fist Imagine how I came through my fears rhyming Started my career, blew it up with the Trybesmen A lot of people had their own opinions Took it in my stride and stuck to my onions They think they know who she would be, should be Numbed by the pressure see I really wanna be me Inspiration gone, direction gone Packing my bags I must be must be done But my heart keeps drawing me back you can do it baby, one more track! Chorus (2x) Hey [hey] Keep your head up don’t you cry [cry] You can make it if you try Sa ra giri omo ekun Adara adara Verse 2 Wey the hits? Wey the album? Have to measure up to the standards of the stardom Can’t explain three years running and only one single Confessing to the audience only one video? But you hear me though, e mi ni mo wa ise Won de make sure pe, e mi ni mo ri ise Emcees coming out, gotta top the charts I’m losing it losing it, pulling all the stops Maybe a party song, no that’s regular

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

BBA: THE CHASE

BIG BROTHER UPDATE

Annabel

ulu and Fatima kiss and make up

Sulu and Fatima are back on good terms. Following a horrible blowup over marshmallows, they decided to bury the hatchet and are back on speaking terms. The blowup was due to Sulu eating Fatima’s marshmallows. An incensed Fatima stomped around the House, ticked off at how inconsiderate Sulu had been. Head of House, Feza, had to step in to calm the situation which threatened to spill over into something much more serious. On Wednesday, the two sat around the fire sharing stories and laughing like nothing had happened. Sulu was his normal jolly self as he discussed this week’s Task as well as last week’s party. “Showing up wearing women’s clothes was such a brilliant idea. I bet the Diamonds will show up in bikinis this week because we raised the bar,” he said with a chuckle. Fatima also joined in and mentioned how she feels Hakeem would not have gone through with wearing a dress. “I don’t think he would have done it. It would have taken a lot of convincing,” she said.

Fatima

looked ready to pass out any second as she reluctantly did what she was told. “I have a secret mission for you Selly. I understand that the Book of Tales in the Diamond House was stolen. I have found it and hidden it. If you can find it and put it back without anyone knowing that it was you, you will get a secret reward,” the fish told her. With haste, she took to the storeroom where she found the book. She hid it under her night gown and crept like a ninja in the night out into the garden where she managed to place the book back at the camping site without being caught by her fellow Housemates. Hurray for super Selly. She may have just saved the Diamonds from another humiliating Wager loss. And shame on you Biggie for making the poor woman almost jump out of her skin with fright. But it sure was funny to watch.

Ruby romance It looks like there is a new love affair brewing in the Big Brother House but not the romantic kind. This love affair is the bubbling bromance between Elikem and Bolt who have spent the entire morning practically attached at the hip to each other. The former Diamond duo have become as thick as thieves ever since the Sier-

Natasha

ra Leonean was moved into the Ruby House. It looks like girl trouble has seen the two men finding comfort in one another. While Elikem and Pokello’s romance has been on the rocks over the past few days, Bolt was separated from his own lady love when Betty was evicted on Sunday. One of the things that seem to have brought these lads together is their similar dominant personalities. Both are strong African men that prefer to be with the kind of woman that can humble herself before her man. “I want a woman that respects me. That goes without saying,” Bolt proclaimed Thursday morning as his buddy nodded in agreement. So tight are these fellows now that they have even taken to scheming together. Their first endeavour as BFFs has been a plot against Elikem’s Zimbabwean boss lady. Their plan was to have Bolt make moves on Pokello while Elikem pretended he knew nothing about it so that they could see how she would react. For now, this friendship looks rock solid. But there is an old adage that says: There can never be two bulls in one kraal. Seeing how these two both have strong personalities, how long will this bromance last?

Selly’s fishy fright Humorously priceless was the look of absolute terror on Selly’s face today as she got an unexpected visitor in the House. The Ghanaian was left trembling in her little furry slippers when one of the fishes in the bathroom tank started to whisper her name. The young actress thought that she was losing her mind and she bolted out of the House into the garden where her fellow Housemates were still sleeping around the campsite. After catching her breath, she slowly tiptoed back into the House only to find the voice calling out to her again. “Don’t run Selly. Come inside and close the door,” the voice beckoned. She

Feza Hakeem

Feza, Fatima reveal women’s secrets What do women want? That is a question many men have asked themselves over the ages. Well, Feza and Fatima decided to shed some light on this mystery. The two Ruby ladies sat outside chatting with the gents of the House. “If my man doesn’t attract other women, it becomes boring,” the two women confessed. “If a man is not challenging my mind, he can knock off,” the Tanzian emphasised. She also revealed the reason why she is so fascinated by her lover, Oneal. “I like confusion. Oneal confuses me,” she said, laughing. Fatima excitedly echoed her friend’s sentiments as she added that her ideal man is “a guy that can hold up a good conversation. A guy that can make me laugh, that respects me the way I am.” Well fellas, now you know what it takes to sweep Feza and Fatima off their feet.

On eviction row Annabel, Bolt, Dillish, Hakeem, Maria, Natasha and Pokello are up for possible Eviction this week. Vote now to keep your favourite Housemate in the game.

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nollywood a l o t o m O

Did

r o f y pa 100’ ‘Time ur? hono

Caroline O Danjuma

Jalade, Omotola n April 23 oured was hon Ekeinde IME T restigious by the p M e 100 ost s one of th a e . n zi a g ma the World l People in a ti n n e u co fl In e world to say, th g Needless e amazin her on th d te la tu gra ment. accomplish honour s of the n When ew ba, Chief hough she is no longer in the news as ichael Dja M , e, k ro b h TV said she used to be before she got married fficer of O o e v ti st a 21 re C s the a few years ago, Caroline Danjuma epitomize d “Omotola oman an w nee Ekanem remains one of Nollywood’s frican A l ry fu tu ss n e ce succ la most prominent personalities. Omoto ucing her d l ro p ea r R e e ft h a T : la to o Marriage has forced the pretty actress to ow, Om the recreality sh te her for la tu play a minimal role in Nollywood like her ra g n fluential Me, we co the most in f o e married colleague Chioma Chukuma. She, n o s a ognition sages on however, remains one of Nollywood’s biggest e world.” n the line, people in th w o d s th n mo the issue. achievers, having starred in several movies a Just two ed to be ev li e far, b s a So and produced one quite recently. n tur n what w might soo however, t n e of m e ls v om Carol added another year on earth on June 26 officia us achie coming fr zz meritorio u b e th e laand is now 33 years old. ndal, if gazine hav go by. A sa into a sca TIME Ma nything to a e is th e s in y ev nded to sa unds the grap not respo king the ro r a e m h t enrt h o g p u il lly bo cious re the ema ress actua ct a m d o su o to ly w t y ce n top Noll quiry sen ith the pri n the list w e . presence o them on th n N150m a th ro b re s o a m w of $1m, the deal rumour. ation says gents to a n The alleg ca ri e Am Omotola’s Me. kered by , The Real w o sh ty li a merre t is no longer news that one r e ed by her A boost h edly advis g e ical ll a m s o of the actresses fortunate a n w She the astro p u h g u ts to co erican enough to have made it in ican agen to the Am in k a re b er to ortedly the highly competitive Nollysum in ord h they rep stry, whic u d ad the in wood, Eucharia Anunobi, has h V e film/T one if sh d r e si a e be given her life to Christ and besaid would point. her selling s , she a come a preacher of the Word of st li Time on the list ppearance a r duce h ro God. Eucharia is right now in p r e Aft n TV an America in e d re im Dakar, Senegal to minister at a -t tu a ig de b has fe or, alongsi lo F e h im T crusade. K it d Okereke tion, H on an n stars Ak ca ri e m The crusade, which began on A Black t . Monday and which will span asked ou berly Elise ns being io st e e u th q seven days, is holding at the Gate t e a Th d true th Is it indee ay Family Church and Anunobi is there are: ht her w ress boug ct a le re scheduled to minister daily. b e a delect ould sh ckoning? C re f d o rl This is surely a total change o m w into opping su aid the wh lfor the actress who used to play ally have p million do and fifty d re d n bad girl roles. She isn’t however u h one e honour? ne the first in Nollywood to become lars for th k her pho id not pic d la to to an evangelist. Liz Benson also o r m e O lled h porter ca re is th u did so and Zack Orji too is proo n whe e rum r, ction to th a re r gressing rapidly in his theologie h get text mese react to sh id d r cal career. e h Anunobi neit

Eucharia Anunobi invades Senegal

Stephanie Okereke bags another award

tephanie Okereke-Linus is one actress who is just unstoppable. She keeps moving forward all the time, regardless of all the adverse situations she has encountered. When she had a terrible accident and her legs were almost destroyed, she bounced back stronger from the ordeal. When she also had problems in her first marriage to the extent that it had to be dissolved, she bounced back again and is even remarried now. The good news that just emanated from her camp is that the actress, who is also the producer of the acclaimed movie, Through the Glass, recently won the Montage Africa Women of Excellence Awards for Excellence in Drama and Entertainment.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

le StyGlam and

with Yemisi Adeniran

(08037801158) ydiran@yahoo.com

e l o m Ko

From Shade Thomas Fahm to Deola Sagoe

he 60s lace fashion, a more recent concept has caught on so very well. And no wonder, with its capacity to accommodate creativity and contemporary trends, it has become a delight for designers and fashionistas. Deola Sagoe in this collection tagged Komole gives ideas of

how to rock your 60s elegance of the Nigerian woman in a contemporary way. This interesting collection she describes as African fashion to be. Although with an old school feel still, its hot, sexy, flirtatious, gorgeous in deep and rare colours, it presents the African taste in a particular feminine and beautiful piece with a modern twist to it. The pieces made out of “ Lasque” according to the designer was inspired by the work of ‘Shade Thomas Fahm,‘ one of Nigeria‛s pioneering fashion designers and women‛ rights activist of the late 60′s and 70s.

STYLE & GLAM

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fashion

lthough purple is a great statement colour, it is very easy to go wrong with it. A very tricky color, simply because it comes in so

many hues, it can look way too bold on some people, or entirely muted on others. The best and most common rule of thumb to fol-

favors fair skin and darker purple favo haired individual can choose any color

When wearing purple, regardless of clothing containing the colour to allow

low is to wear it based upon your skin and hair colour and your hair color as well. Dark skinned individuals with dark hair will look simply luscious in deep, jewel-

Pair purple with complementary blue, l shoes to make the color really pop. Da

er skin tones due to the huge color contrast. On the other hand, fair-skinned individuals with dark hair look great in almost any purple hue. Since lighter purple

from some of the guests at actress La

toned purples. Wearing pale purple, lilac, or a pastel purple washes out that pretty dark skin and makes hair look dull. Lighter purples also look gray on dark-

with lighter purples, where black can a black instead, to make purple stand ou miere at Lekki, Lagos recently.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Frenzy

ors dark hair, it‛s as if a fair-skinned, dark

June 29, 2013

STYLE & GLAM

Facelift

purple they‛d like. its hue, try to keep to just one item of purple to have the best desired affect.

ike a navy, in your earrings or bracelet or ark gray is a safe color as well, especially

appear harsh. Go for gunmetal or almost ut just as it should. You can borrow a cue

aide Bakare‛s latest movie; Jejere‛s pre-

You and your face powder A face powder is among the most popular cosmetics in use because it can dramatically alter skin tone, texture, and condition. It can be used as a finishing layer in makeup application, or it can be applied directly on bare skin without the accompanying foundation layers. They are available in two forms: pressed powder sold in compact cases and loose powder sold in small tubs. Loosepowder particles are finer and tend to set makeup better than pressed powder. Finely milled texture means the powder is easier to layer. It is applied with a brush or a puff. This makes it less portable and more difficult to apply on the go. Pressed powder comes in cake form, providing better and longer-lasting coverage. It is applied with a dense puff or makeup sponge, simplifying application whenever needed. Almost all individuals who use face powders should prioritize finding a powder that will flatter their skin type without causing any irritation. Remember that face powders can be used both to camouflage skin problems and to help alleviate those problems. The following tips are essential to note. Dry skin Those who suffer from dry skin may wish to choose moisturising face powders. These powders will help the skin to trap and retain moisture, allowing for a smooth finish and minimizing skin flaking throughout the day. These products generally work best when used in conjunction with moisturising foundation primers and concealers. Individuals with dry skin who live in humid areas will find that these powders moisturize the face without leaving the skin feeling greasy. Oily skin Even individuals who wear foundation can have difficulty combating oily skin. Matte face powders are an excellent choice for shoppers who want to control oiliness without causing skin dryness. These powders can be reapplied throughout the day in order to blot out oil on the skin. Most of these powders also help to set makeup in place and can minimize concealer and foundation touch ups.

STYLE & GLAM M

June 29, 2013

Fashion Guest

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘Why I love dresses’

Tomi Odunsi

Remember Salewa, the village girl who guarantees comic relief in Tinsel, the popular MNET soap? Tomi Odunsi shares her style secrets with YEMISI ADENIRAN

ow would you describe your growing up years? Growing up was fun and beautiful. My parents were wonderful and always there for us. They spared time to train us, gave talk on issues of life they believed we will be needing as we grow up. My mother used to dress us up, feed us when necessary. Personally, I used to be a tomboy, so, I didn’t like any of those girlie cares. I hated make-up, I believed it would make me look like a Dracula; I hated bras as they would alert all kinds of counseling and tutoring along issues of puberty, sex, men and all. I was comfortable in slippers and jeans and anything simple. But you see, I have outgrown those ideas. I now wear heels, bras and do all girlies things, I wear makeups and act generally like a woman that I am. You emerged the first runner up at Miss Teens Nigeria 2006. How did you do it? Well, I wouldn’t know. I just entered for it like other contestants. I had this interest in pageants and I guess those were the period I started wearing heels. My first pair of heels was bought by my mother. But like I have said before, my success at the competition gave more boldness and made me to appreciate myself the more. Before that time, I used to hate almost everything about myself; I hated my not being tall, my face and other things. But when I made it to that level, I knew, I mean I was convinced about myself and for myself.

What is style to you? It should be simple, elegant, comfortable and admirable. This is obvious in all that I do. It shouldn’t be the gra-gra type and should not be a follow-follow type. It should be distinctive, yet appealing.

Fashion Trivia Women should define their style – Opral Benson

Benson

Unitil a woman is identified with a particular style signature, she is not yet a fashionista, says ageless fashion icon, Chief (Mrs) Opral Benson. The 78 year old proprietress of Opral Benson Beauty Institute whose fashion signature is distinct in her elegant hats choice has stood herself out for more than four decades in

the fashion industry home and abroad. “ I think a person’s style should be part and percel of that individual. If a woman is not known by a particular way of dressing , she can’t be tagged as an outstanding fashionista,” she said. In addition to this, she advised women not to go out of their ways to make any special appearance. It can end up in a fashion fault. “ I don’t go out of my way to make any special appearance. It comes to me natu-

rally. I don’t just do anything in fashion,” she observed.

T.R.U.E set to rule makeup world A new makeup outfit known as T.R.U.E is currently set to take on the makeup world. The outfit which is run by Tomi Adenuga, a Mass Communication graduate of Covenant University, Sango Ota, Ogun State is out with several juicy offers and

beauty regimes to be rewarded by special makeup touches. “Patrons and successful participants will be specially makeup for their special occasions like weddings, birthdays and other ceremonies of choice,” Tomi said. Tomi whose love for beauty, fashion is inspired by the transformation makeup can give, if done properly, was trained by Oluchi Thompson in 2010 and also attended a refresher course with Abeke makeovers in 2011.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Last Sunday was a glorious one for talented musician, D’Banj. His album launch concert held at the prestigious Eko Hotel and Suites and it was a blast. Apart from D’Banj, who was the show’s headliner, other artists who performed were American rapper 2Chainz, Olamide, K-Switch, Naeto C, Kcee, Phyno and many others. The event was hosted by the trio of American Kenya Moore, comedian AY and Beat FM’s Toolz.

EVENTS

June 29, 2013

D’Banj’s DKM concert rocks Lagos

Kenya Moore

Nicole Chikwe

Naeto C

Kaffy and D’Banj in performance

Ill Rymz

D’Banj

Timaya

AY and Toolz

Gbemi

Annie Idibia

Juliet Ibrahim and Susan Peters

Koko Ita-Giwa

K-Switch

Kcee and Harrysong

2Chainz thrilling audience member

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Relationships

How do you deal

Reassess the relationship

uspicion on its own without relevant facts to back it up is like a virus in the soul without drugs to use in combating it. Most times, suspicion comes as an aberration from the norm or a change in pattern or lifestyle of the person who we suspect of cheating. We suspect that our partner is cheating when we feel something is going wrong or we feel short-changed in the relationship. We get to a point where we may start feeling that maybe something is going wrong and we need to address it quickly before it escalates into something we may not be able to cope with. Cheating in a relationship always come as a result of a character flaw in one of the partners most especially the person doing the cheating. It comes as a result of wanting more in the relationship beyond what the other person can give. It may also be as a result of serious issues like inferiority or superiority complexes which the cheat may be going through. Keeping calm to assess and reassess the situation at hand is of paramount importance here. Don’t react with anger, crying or making threats that you may not be able to follow through. Don’t forget that it’s a potential crisis that you may be facing and how you react and handle it will go a long way in how it is resolved. Apart from getting your suspicions substantiated through getting facts, you also have to weigh how you will have to confront your partner if you want to do so or continue living in blissful ignorance. Confrontation most times comes with two choices which are either to continue with the relationship after you have confronted the cheat, no matter the answer you may get or to be ready to leave the relationship because of the pains one may not be able to hold on to after. The truth is that no matter what, one will be hurt and have to go through the pains of the betrayal unless you never really cared about your partner and you had already prepared your mind for the eventualities of separation and was just going through the motions of a relationship until an opportunity presents itself to cut the relationship off. It’s a long road you’ll be walking no matter what you do because no

matter how you look at it, the cheat will have something to say which will impinge on your character as a person and unless you never really cared, the allegations which the cheat will level against you to protect herself if it’s a woman will deeply hurt you as a man. A lot of people erroneously assume that it is only men that cheat but the truth is that the art of cheating is not gender selective. More women are doing it now and getting away with it primarily because of this assumption. Women may be smarter in this clime or because the society doesn’t really see their shenanigans, but believe me when I say a lot of them, especially the married ones are doing it and getting away with it. Some of the signs to check out for include but are not limited to, when your woman is overly concerned about her shape and appearance; changes her dress style and starts wearing clothes for the younger generation; strange phone numbers with funny names that don’t mean anything to you; sensing her being overly sensitive over issues that she doesn’t normally get bothered with; withdrawn emotionally and sexually and finally, she’s unnecessarily working longer hours or doing over-time. But the funny thing about these signs is that they can work for both sexes but they may in the end in themselves not mean anything at all. It may just be that your partner wants to work harder or look better for you so that you can appreciate them. Infidelity does not always have to be the death knell for a relationship. In fact, it’s how you handle the issues that may determine where you both will be heading to from there. It’s a period of relationship reassessment which most couples don’t do periodically as they should. A lot of relationships can survive and even become stronger if you can forgive your partner if your partner is genuinely remorseful. But this can only work if the cheat is not a habitual cheat. The bottom line is that you need to get your head and heart straight and aligned with what you still want from the relationship and with facts before any accusation can take place because of the many ifs involved.

SEX TALK

This column is x-rated

How healthy is your sex life? What makes a couple’s sex life happy and healthy? Take our sex quiz with your partner (make sure you have separate answer sheets), then compare your results and get the conversation started. 1.How often do you have sex? A. It varies – whenever you’re both in the mood. B. On special nights. We make a point of setting aside time every week. C. As much as possible. D. Rarely. Neither of us is that interested. 2.What, if anything, would you change about your appearance? A. I would be fitter and healthier through exercise and a balanced diet. B. I wish I had the body and confidence of a supermodel. C. I would lose some weight. D. Sexiness is a state of mind. 3.When it comes to revealing your sexual fantasies, you: A. Keep most of your intimate ideas to yourself. You’re too shy to divulge them. B. Feel at ease discussing virtually anything with your partner. C. Don’t think you need to discuss them; you both know what the other likes. D. Aren’t afraid to talk about sex with anyone – your partner or your friends.

4.Is there romance outside the bedroom? A. The newness has faded, but you remain as close and committed as ever. B. You’re affectionate during foreplay; you’re too busy at other times. C. The fire is burning. You kiss like you did on your first date. D. You wish your partner put more effort into making you feel special. 5. If a gorgeous stranger began flirting with you, you would: A. Probably not notice. You only have eyes for your partner. B. Respond in kind. It’s harmless fun, and you get a kick out of the attention. C. Be stunned. You’re not the kind of person who draws admiring glances. D. Act friendly, not flirty. It’s human to find people attractive, but you wouldn’t do anything you couldn’t tell your partner. 6. What would you change to perk up your sex life? A. Get your partner to improve his or her skills and do what you like more often. B. Learn how to better communicate your desires, and find out what’s on your partner’s mind. C. Have more sex with your partner, or try more creative positions or toys in bed.

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RELATIONSHIP

June 29, 2013

with infidelity?

CHINWE ANNIE AMAECHI 07028684481 chinweamaechi@gmail.com

Work on communication and trust

This column is x-rated

D. You don’t know where to begin. You feel stuck in a pattern. 7. How do you feel about pleasuring yourself ? A. You often prefer masturbating over being with your partner. B. You do it occasionally. It’s your Plan B when your partner’s not in the mood. C. You’re not comfortable touching yourself. You feel awkward or embarrassed. D. You fly solo happily and regularly.

ANSWER KEY Answer your answers to the ten questions with these icons ✦✤❤. Then add up all the ✦s, ✤s and ❤s that you’ve selected.

9. Have you ever deceived your partner about something related to sex? A. You’ve broken his or her trust or cheated in the past. B. You’ve never told a big lie, but you sometimes fake your enthusiasm for sex C. No. You’re a firm believer in honesty as the best policy. D. Yes. Your partner doesn’t need to know everything you do and think 24-7.

IF TOU GET MOSTLY ✦, IT’S TIME TO TALK You and your partner have some major problems that need to be worked out before you can get your sex life back on track. You may tend to deal with these issues in an unhealthy way – by ignoring them or keeping quiet about how you feel. You may regularly avoid sex with your partner, making excuses or rationalisations, which could be the result of many things, including a low libido, traumatic past experiences or a lack of attraction to your partner. You may be fantasising about being with other people more than with your partner. IF YOU GET MOSTLY ✤, THERE’S ROOM TO GROW The foundation of your relationship is sturdy, but there are some small issues to resolve that could make it even healthier. One of your hardest dilemmas may be that life’s other demands steal time and attention from your sex life, and as a result you may take each other for granted. And while you enjoy sex together, it has developed a familiar pattern.

10. How important is sex to you? A. Nothing else gives you the same high. It makes your world go round. B. It’s important, but work, family or other responsibilities often get in the way. C. It’s a unique bond you share with your partner. It’s key to your happiness and health. D. Unlike your partner, you’re content having sex just occasionally.

IF YOU GET MOSTLY ❤, YOU ARE STILL GOING STRONG You and your partner have what experts consider crucial to not only a satisfying sex life but also a great relationship: the ability to communicate well. Even when you disagree, there’s honesty, trust and compromise. You make an effort to consider each other’s feelings, and you are open to change or trying things that are out of your routine.

8. If your partner proposed a sexual act that didn’t interest you, you would: A. Still be game to try anything, within reason, at least once. B. Say no. If you’re not keen on it, you don’t see the point. C. Agree in a heartbeat. Your partner makes an effort to please you, so it’s only fair. D. Decline but offer to do something else you prefer.

he usual expectation in relationships is exclusivity. You are my one and only man; I am your one and only woman. However, we all know that infidelity is so rampant that people now believe that it is inevitable; more like a way of life; a normal human inclination. This however does not change everyone’s desire to be the one and only in his or her partners heart. No one ever embraces infidelity because it causes pain and insecurity. So what should one do if you suspect that your partner is seeing someone else? Most times, if not all the time, cheating partners make efforts to hide their ‘back-door runs’ from their partners. For some, it is out of respect or the desire not to “hurt” the partner, for others, it could be just to avoid the “wahala” conversation, fight or breakup that follows ‘the discovery’. Some smooth runners are able to pull off their ‘runs’ without getting caught while some barely make it through. Somehow, one is expected to know when his/her partner is cheating, right? There are some indicators, I believe. But the truth is that these indicators are not 100 percent on point. For instance, if a man starts acting distant, keeping late nights, speaking to you in monosyllables or barely shows affection, this may be due to a financial downtime or work stress, not necessarily another woman. In such a case, if you confront him with the “are you cheating on me” line of questioning, you may ruin things. Of course, once you confront a man without UNDENIABLE evidence, do not expect a confession. In fact, expect the “don’t you trust me” or “how can you accuse me of such” line of admonition. Infidelity is not to be ignored, but when all you have is suspicion, and there is no concrete, undeniable evidence of such, how do you get answers to the mind boggling questions like - who is she? Is it a ‘she’ or are my up against more than one person? What did I do to warrant infidelity? etc. Suspicion

can drive a woman crazy, and until she gets to the bottom of the truth, she may not function well. People have different ways of handling suspicion of infidelity. Some engage third parties to spy on the “suspect”, some confront the ‘cheating’ spouse, some start acting cold towards their partners; others just try to act normal, waiting for concrete evidence to show up. The downside of confrontation and engaging spies is that if you find out (or your partner convinces you) that your suspicion was baseless, you may have created or increased mistrust in your relationship. Also, you will end up feeling guilty and looking for ways to make up for your ‘wrong’. This may lead you to ‘blindness’ which will affect your ability to detect infidelity in the future. Another downside of confrontation or cold treatment without evidence is that your partner may decide to do what you have already suspected him of doing. Eeeehm! I would not blame you for this o! But, give no room for such. I do not think there is a straightforward answer to this question. What a woman should do if she suspects that her partner is cheating should depend on the level of their relationship (dating, courting or married); the way they communicate, the source of her suspicion, etc. Study your man and know how to tell when he is being truthful. Work on communication and trust. In my opinion, if you work on building a stronger bond between you and your partner, you will succeed in narrowing any void that exists between you both and limiting the possibilities of infidelity. Once you express suspicion or act on it in certain ways, you are likely to cause more harm than good. However, if the infidelity is right in your face and it is such that going on with the relationship seems really difficult or almost impossible, that’s another ball game. So, what is the best way to handle suspicion of infidelity? It depends.

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Woman

Every woman should be a midwife – Ifeanyi Adefarasin Pastor (Mrs) Ifeany Ifeanyi Adefarasin is the co-pastor of The House on the Rock and the foun founder of Woman to Woman Ministry, an organisation committed to the e empowerment of women, the downtrodden and underprivileged in Nigeria and West Africa. A mentor and mother, she implores wom women to be midwives to fellow women. She spoke with YEMISI ADEN ADENIRAN.

ow would you describe womanhood? ministry. Every It is a ministr fulfil to her woman has an assignment to fu world is not world. Without a woman, the wo complete, which is why God created Eve after He created Adam. Men would have be been lonely without women; I mean, it would be a lonely created to be a world without women. We are create why we are complement, to fill a gap, and that is w helpmates to our husbands. There is a particular role we are to play and this is not limited to our immediate homes alone but it starts start from the home. Women should know and see this thi as their just charge. If you kill a man you may have killed k know that one person but if you kill a woman, k you have not only killed one person, you have just important a eradicated a generation. That is how im woman is. women in How would you rate Nigerian w particular? African women, Nigerian women in particutime. They are lar, should be celebrated time after time counterparts. They stronger even than their male counterpa pregnancies, and are the ones that will go through pregnan nurture these several of it in some cases, they will nur ends meet children and still go out to work to make e in situations where their men’s efforts are not sufficient. And they are keeping up with all the demands very well like that is basically what they are ar called to them do. The men should recognise this and shower sho before. Nigewith love and respect more than they do bef rian women are strong and most pushful in all a spheres of life. They are daily making their marks and a should have gradube given kudos for that. Today’s women ha manner of ally become men in nature. They do all m

work and responsibilities that men do. They get home as late if not later than their men and hardly see to the affairs of the home. Most women don’t get to see their children till the following day when the latter are preparing for school which, to me, is extremely odd. This is what is affecting the children and even the men. There should be more attention given to the home. A mother should be available at home for the welfare of the children and the family as a whole. It is when she is at home that she knows and determines the movement of her children, the friends they keep, what they do, how they do it and how best they should do it. We are not saying they shouldn’t work, they should. African women are never lazy, they have always been up and doing and keeping the heads of their husbands straight by giving their support, emotionally and financially. What we are saying is that more attention should be dedicated to because whether we like it or not that is our first ministry and we must handle it with all seriousness. If good home training, self discipline and life tutoring is given a child from the scratch, he or she will not depart from it and if these children meet in the society to rub minds, they will definitely be a positive influence on their immediate environment and the society as a whole. One thing you can never take away from the African woman is her strength and will-power to make success of her endeavours. Women are strong and rugged in whichever life endeavour they are found, that is why I am always proud of them. You rate women very high. Is it because you belong to that gender? Not just that but because I have kept watch on women development over the years and I have noted the tremendous impacts they have made. Nigeria should be proud of her women folks. Nigeria has the highest

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There are women who not only lost the precious babies they looked forward to for nine months, but also lost their lives for lack of the right people around them in their times of need number of professional women who have demonstrated by their achievements that indeed brains have no gender. The tradition of our women to hold their own in a male-dominated world in spite of many handicaps is a long standing one. Whether they are working in the fields or eking out a bare existence in slums and ghettoes, or are at the boardrooms or in the medical and legal fields or in the institutions of learning, Nigerian women are so well known all over the world that they cannot afford to hide their talents and therefore must be celebrated time after time. But I am not really surprised; they are created just as God their maker. How do you mean? Women are created after the nature of God which is why we are the one that can be pregnant as a parent. God, just like we women is ever and consistently pregnant. He is at the same time a doctor. He performed His first Caesarean Section when He made Eve out of Adam. So, He shares a lot with women, especially in the area of reproduction and life-giving. This is the area that women are yet to look at and exploit to the maximum. Can you expatiate on this? What I mean by this is that we should know that our lives are the work of faith and we should live a life of faith by holding unto our beliefs, dreams and aspirations very strongly believing that they can and will surely come to reality. Just as God will always bring all His pregnancies to birth time after time, we must also believe in ourselves and realise that we are endowed with several ideas to our benefits. Ideas are like pregnancies that need to be berthed if every necessary step is taken. I remember some 17 years ago when I was about to have my first child, I was in the labour room and it got to a point where the pains got so unbearable that I had to seek for a C/S. I sought to be cut open and get it all done with. Strangely, my mother-in law was not in support of it and was teaching me her alternative child-birth routine. With her encouragement, my husband’s and all, I ended up having my child without a C/S after all. At the point of pain, I thought I had gotten to the end of the road and you know if not for the people around me, I might have not had my baby at least the normal way. There are other women who had

WOMAN

June 29, 2013

not only lost the precious children they have looked forward to for nine months, they also lost their lives for lack of the right people around them at their times of need. The inference I am trying to draw our attention to is that women should encourage others as much as we can. If every woman will encourage others, the world will be filled with empowered women. We should be coaches to other women, we should be mid-wives to fellow women just as God is to everyone. When we do this, we become life and joy-givers to people around us. You have been married for several years and successfully too. What is your secret especially with the enormous task of being a mother, a wife, a minister and having to work on your empowerment programmes home and abroad? There is no secret than God’s help and our efforts to ensure that we stay together still. For any marriage to last long, the two players must be determined to stay in that marriage no matter what. They must be ready for the marriage, they must be convinced of their choices and be ready to stomach each other’s faults. They must be prepared to trust each other, disallow a third party in their affairs and respect each other’s views. They must respect each other’s passion and avoid each other’s dislikes. They must be each other’s best ally and build each other up as much as they can. I am able to cope and succeed at all of what I am involved in because of the kind of husband I am particularly blessed with. He is caring, loving and is always there for us in the family and even his brethren. He taught me that the act of being there is not optional but very essential. All of these put together with my wonderful children give me a favourable environment to operate. What advice do you have for today’s youths? They should be God-fearing and hard-working. They should rely on God and what they can do to help themselves and their generation. They are the strength of the nation and must strive not to be a disappointment. Just like women, they should know that they are loaded with several talents and ideas. All they need to do is to look very deep inwardly and discover their hidden but special gift to make their worlds outstanding.

Keeping ABREAST

Jo with her husband Steve and baby Emily-Kate

Miracle baby after 19 MISCARRIAGES!

new mother who suffered a devastating 19 miscarriages over 14 years has spoken of her joy at finally having her miracle baby. Jo Short, 37, had been diagnosed with endometriosis - a gynaecological condition where womb tissue grows painfully in other areas of the body. “It’s been a real emotional rollercoaster, really quite difficult, but it’s been well worth it,” said Jo, holding Emily-Kate. “The challenge was the limited research into the link between endometriosis and miscarriage. “The frustration was in being told by eight different consultants that everything was normal and to go away and keep trying. “The real difficulty is they tell you there is nothing categorically wrong. And every time you roll the dice and you get pregnant, you hope something will change, but you know deep down it won’t.” Jo explained that over the years she had had four laproscopies - a laser procedure that involves sticking a tiny telescope into the body to see what’s happening inside and to carry out surgery - each to a depth of 2.5mm. Each session would involve doctors

removing parts of the womb tissue from inside her stomach, which would relieve the pain for about a year but still leave Jo miscarrying. Then the couple met Cardiff consultant Richard Penketh who told them about a pioneering surgery that involved cutting back deeper than 2.5mm - all the way to healthy tissue. That was to provide the break they had been hoping for. Says Jo, “As soon as you find out you’re pregnant, you’re dreaming… then…You don’t lose a pregnancy, you lose a baby and everything that goes with it. “When you’re ready to try again is when you’re ready for that emotional reattachment.” According to experts, a couple who have had three miscarriages are at risk of having more. Lots of women have one or two. “The good news for a woman who’s had recurrent miscarriages is that your chances of having a healthy baby are much greater than if you can’t get pregnant in the first place. Getting pregnant in the first place is often a huge issue.” Culled from www.mailonline.com

What is endometriosis?

ndometriosis is a common condition in which small pieces of the womb lining (the endometrium) are found outside the womb. Endometriosis affects millions women. Most of them are diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 40. Endometriosis is a long-term (chronic) condition that causes pain-

ful or heavy periods. It often causes pain in the lower abdomen (tummy), pelvis or lower back. It may also lead to lack of energy, depression and fertility problems. However, the symptoms of endometriosis can vary and some women have few symptoms or no symptoms at all.

June 29, 2013

Male Essentials Stylish frames

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

08036961187

with Oseyiza Oogbodo kingseiza@yahoo.com w

rescription glasses are not worn But for fun like sunglasses. B ut because they are worn for aiding the sight, a serious intention, it doesn’t mean they have to be dull and unfashionable. Gone are the days when prescription glasses made their wearers look like nerds. Nowadays, da ays, if you have to wear them, ensure you look fo for the fashione most fash ashionable of the them hem that fit your face ce perfectly. The e men n on this page pa age e have all done ne that and an nd they are better off off forr it.

Top ten ways to become irresistible to women (2) •Continued from last week 5) Be thoughtful Know why women like gifts? It shows you were thinking about them ‘off the clock’ and that’s a feeling women need and want. The problem however is that gifts will make a woman feel the same inside whether it’s a card or a diamond. But start noticing little details about her and calling them out and she’ll melt. If she’s wearing a sexy new outfit or lip color, drop a compliment and she’ll feel an attraction that no ‘gift’ can make her feel for you. 6) Be unpredictable Sounds like a no-brainer. Women are drawn to men they can’t control or predict. In fact, they absolutely obsess over guys who flirt then don’t call the next day (this is how you will become irresistible to

women). So make sure to shake things up, even if it’s just challenging her to a race down the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Tease and mess with women in ways they didn’t expect or haven’t seen before. Avoid predictable routines and, above all, never, ever act like every other guy. After all, predictability is only attractive to women when it comes to choosing a husband. 7) Be adventurous Nothing is a bigger turn-off to a woman than a buzz-kill, so always be open and excited about trying new things, even if it’s just trying new food. And if you’re passionate about extreme adventures, that’s awesome … use it. In fact, dare her to join you on a sunset skydive, even if there’s no chance she ever will. It shows the sky’s the limit with you, and danger is definitely a major turn-on.

8) Be confident Do I really need to say it? Women are magnetically drawn to men who show no fear when going after what they want. Problem is, too many guys take confidence too far out of fear or insecurity and just come off as arrogant, which is not what I mean here. Women find men irresistible who see something they want and then go after it in a fearless way without bragging or smacktalking. That kind of confidence drives women wild. 9) Give her the right kind of attention Have you heard? Women like attention. But interestingly, it’s much better to hint at that kind of attention than to be over the top in demonstrating it. Example: Instead of buying flashy gifts or dropping obvious compliments, try saying “I was thinking

about you today” or “I just wanted to mention that I really like hearing your voice on the phone.” It lets her know she means enough to be in your thoughts when she’s not around, and that’s a very powerful way to become irresistible to women. 10) Be romantic Romance is about more than the runup to sex. It’s also about more than buying her flowers and lighting candles. It’s really about looking past the surface of a woman and letting her know that you love what you see. It’s about having the imagination to spot opportunities and drop a perfect compliment at the right moment, or tell a fascinating story that shows you know what matters to her. Learn to do that, and you’ll become irresistible to women in a way that makes gifts a thing of the past. •Concluded

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

Parenting

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

Talking around the kids: 6 things to avoid D

o you think your kids are too young to understand your grownup conversations? Think again. Parents are constantly shocked by what kids have overheard. You would be wise to note that as soon as children can talk, they’re listening to what you say. Kids can be upset and confused by overhearing adult conversations. But they may not tell you what they heard -and you won’t even know they are worried. Before your kid repeats something mortifying in front of your mother-in-law -- or worse -- it’s time to start speaking more carefully. What shouldn’t you discuss when little ears could hear? 1. Fraught topics. Be careful talking with your spouse about big issues -- like financial problems or a family crisis. Your kids are listening. Kids are magnetically drawn toward arguments and emotional discussions. However, they may not really understand what’s going on. Their interpretations may be scarier than what’s actually happening. What to do instead: If something big is going on in your household, trying to hide it from your kids won’t work. So give them the basic facts. The most important detail to give them is how these changes will affect them. Do they have to change schools or skip snacks. Let them know these things and especially why. Kids are usually quite understanding when their parents are faced with adverse circumstances. 2. Trash talk. Are you always criticising your child’s teacher, your partner, your mother, or your ex-husband/wife? What to do instead: Stop. You’re modeling bad behaviour for your kids. You may also say something nasty about a person your kids care

about -- and that can be deeply unsettling for them. 3. Criticism of your kids. Do you tend to vent about the frustrations of parenthood on the phone or do you take it out on them directly in the form of verbal abuse? Be careful. It can be really hurtful if your kids overhear you criticising them or talking about how hard it is to be a parent. They are likely to feel ashamed or guilty and then angry. What you should do instead: Don’t get in the habit of complaining about your kids. Be discreet about your kids’ indiscretions. Try not to repeat them to others. 4. Complaining. Adults tend to complain a lot -- especially about their jobs. What’s the problem? You’re modeling a bad attitude that your kids could apply to school -- or later in life when they have jobs. What you should do instead: Talk about the positive aspects of your work. If you worked on an interesting

project recently, make sure to mention that and share the details they can understand with them. 5. Upsetting world events. “For kids, the world is a small place. They may overhear you talking about the news and assume that armed robbers or kidnappers are going to be coming to their house, or that a tsunami or earthquake may hit their town. What you should do instead: You shouldn’t shield your kid completely from world events. Just help them put the news in context and reassure them that they are safe. Educate them on what to do to be safe. 6. Swearing. Many adults swear in front of their kids. If you are one of such parents, don’t overreact when your kids imitate you. What you should do instead: Try hard not to swear in front of your kids -- and never swear at them.

Tiny Feet

NAME: Moshedat Akinbayode

BORN TO: Mr. and Mrs Olumide Akinbayode AGE: 3 months BIRTH WEIGHT: 3.5 kg Have you just had a baby? Send a picture of your bundle of joy to mirrorbabies@gmail.com

Rotimi

OAU student who gave birth in toilet names baby Okikiola

he baby delivered in the toilet of Moremi Hostel by a 400-level student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Oyinlola Rotimi, has been named Nifemi, Okikiola. Rotimi, who gave birth last Tuesday, was initially accused of attempting to flush her baby boy down the septic tank. But it was later learnt that Rotimi, who was inexperienced in child bearing, thought she had stomach upset when she was actually in labour. She had said then, “Why would I flush or kill my baby after going through the pains of carrying him for about nine months? I am not heartless and I thank God for my life and the safe delivery. I know God has the best plan for me and my baby. I seriously appreciate the cleaners for their assistance because I got to the health centre before I understood everything that happened to me. I am happy that I am alive and my baby is alive too.” The 22-year-old mother, studying Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, said the circumstances that surrounded the delivery of her baby made her “a celebrity.” She expressed delight with the birth of the baby, describing her experience as “unforgettable”. When asked how soon she would have another baby, she said, “not so soon,” It was gathered that the naming of the baby was low-key due to the examination going on in the school. One of Rotimi’s friends, who spoke on condition of anonymity on Wednesday night, said

Rotimi was “extremely happy” at the naming. She said, “Today(last Wednesday) is one of the days I have seen my friend looking so happy. She is extremely joyous. Although, this is not the actual way we planned it. We should have celebrated more than this if not for the fact that examination is ongoing. “Most of our colleagues are taking exam and that is the major reason for the small celebration. I am hopeful that when the baby clocks one, we will celebrate it in a bigger way because he is our boy.” However, some OAU students, who were not at the naming of the baby earlier, organised another ceremony, where they named the baby after the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Bamitale Omole. The students, who gathered around 10pm on Wednesday, appointed a pastor among them to coordinate the christening. Among the names the students gave the baby are Oriyomi, Omomoremi, Oluwanimilo, Titilayo, Eniolorunopa, Bamitale Omole. The father of the baby, a 400-level student of Engineering in OAU, Oyewole Samuel, however, refused to speak on the matter. But one of his friends, who pleaded anonymity, explained that the father was not happy with the controversy that surrounded the birth of his baby. He said, “He does not like the controversy and the noise about the birth of the baby. He is a cool person and does not like publicity.” •Culled from www.gazellenews.com

June 29, 2013

Staphylococcal infections S

taphylococcal infections are a group of infections caused by the bacterium Staphylococcus. You may have heard them referred to as staph infections. Staph infections are caused when bacteria get into a break or cut in the skin. Depending on how deep it goes, the type of infection can be broadly classified into two groups: 1. Skin and soft tissue infections - such as impetigo (where the skin becomes red and crusty) and cellulitis (where the skin becomes red and hot) 2. Invasive infections - such as septicaemia (blood poisoning), septic arthritis (joint infection) or endocarditis (infection of the lining of the heart) There are several types of staphylococcus bacteria, but most infections are caused by a type called staphylo-

coccus aureus (S. aureus). Staphylococcal aureus is common in humans. It is often found inside the nose and on the surface of the armpits and

buttocks. In most cases, the bacteria do not cause any symptoms. If a person has bacteria living on their body but they do not experience any symptoms, they are

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said to be colonised by bacteria.

Skin infections Staphylococcal (staph) bacteria can spread through the air, by person-toperson contact and they can also be picked up from contaminated surfaces. Once the bacteria reach the skin, they can go on to cause infection if they become heavily concentrated on the surface of the skin or if they enter the body through a break in the skin. Staph bacteria often enter the body through an inflamed hair follicle or oil gland. They can also enter through skin damaged by burns, cuts and scrapes, other infections or insect bites. Invasive staphylococcal infections In healthy people, the layers of skin and the immune system usually provide a good defense that prevents a skin infection spreading further into the body. Therefore an invasive staph infection will usually only occur if you: TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

LETTER

‘I am pregnant, have fibroid’ Dear Mirror Doctor, I am a few weeks pregnant and it has been discovered I have fibroid, but I have not been counselled by my doctor yet. What is the likelihood that I will deliver through normal delivery? 07037-------57 Mirror Doctor replies Since you haven’t had any counselling, let me give you a little background. Uterine fibroids are very common benign tumours that can grow in the uterus. Most often, fibroids are located on the outside surface or within the muscular wall of the uterus. In these instances, the fibroids do not interfere with your reproductive system. However, occasionally, fibroids grow just under the endometrial lining in the uterus and end up protruding into the uterine cavity. When this occurs, the tumour can hinder the implantation and growth of a developing embryo as well as cause foetal deformities, premature labour and other labour complications. It is common for a younger woman to be given a fibroid diagnosis during routine pregnancy ultrasound, especially if she has a family history of fibroids. What causes fibroids? Although no one is sure what causes fibroid, there is some evidence to suggest that estrogens and progesterone contribute to the growth of the tumours. However, these hormones are not the initial cause for the formation of the tumour. There is some speculation as to whether or not there is a hereditary link and researchers are exploring this theory. Experts have found that there are cer-

tain factors that can increase your risk of developing uterine fibroids. Black women are two to five times more likely to develop them than Caucasian women. Fibroids are most often diagnosed in women between the ages of 30 and 40. While being overweight can increase your risk, giving birth can lower your chances of developing the fibroids. Does fibroid interfere with pregnancy? Fibroids, generally speaking, do not interfere with conception or pregnancy. However, fibroids can affect fertility. Depending upon where they are located and the size of them, they may distort or block the fallopian tubes or interfere with the movement of sperm from the cervix to the tubes. Submucosal fibroids - the ones that grow on the inside walls of the uterus - may prevent implantation and the growth of the embryo. They may also cause miscarriages. Thus, a fibroid can affect a woman’s pregnancy, but, surprisingly, the numerous studies that have been performed often disagree on the extent. (This is most likely because fibroids come in varying sizes and locations, and the studies often vary in what they are addressing.) What we do know is that pregnancy hormones cause the uterus to grow in order to accommodate the enlarging foetus, and a co-existing fibroid may grow simultaneously. The majority of fibroid growth seems to occur during the first few months of pregnancy. Although most fibroids will not cause harm during pregnancy or delivery, it is important to be aware of the following potential complications: Pain If the fibroid outgrows its blood supply, it may undergo “red degeneration” (it bleeds into itself) or “white degeneration” (portions

of the fibroid undergo cell death and liquefy or become cystic). Both of these conditions can cause pelvic and/or abdominal pain. Usually the pain (which is temporary) can be controlled with oral pain medications. In rare cases, the pain becomes severe enough to necessitate hospitalissation for epidural pain management and in a worse case scenario, necessitate fibroid removal surgery (myomectomy). Complications during early pregnancy Fibroids may cause bleeding and increase the risk of early miscarriage, but even here studies are not very conclusive. The type of fibroid most likely to cause problems is one that grows into the uterine cavity (submucosal). Because it disrupts the lining of the uterus it can prevent normal implantation of the pregnancy or the ongoing growth of the placenta. Some data show that uterine fibroids may also increase the risk of secondtrimester miscarriage, but that risk seems to be fairly small. Complications during late pregnancy The major concerns regarding fibroids are preterm labour, abnormal separation of placenta — placental abruption — or foetal growth restriction. If a fibroid is large or there are multiple fibroids, the risk of preterm labour may be higher. Placental abruption is more likely to occur if the fibroid is large or has grown into the area where the placenta has attached. It’s not clear whether fibroids restrict foetal growth. Complications during delivery A strategically “misplaced” fibroid can cause the baby to lie in breech or transverse position and an elective C-section may be in order. Even if the baby is positioned headdown (vertex) the fibroid can block its de-

scent and the progress of labour, again necessitating a C-section. Sizable fibroids also increase the risk of heavy bleeding after delivery (postpartum haemorrhage). In addition, they can block the expulsion of the placenta, and may also prevent proper contraction of the uterus after delivery. Because of these potential problems your doctor may indeed opt to perform a Cesarean section. However, you should know that most doctors will not attempt to remove the fibroid during this surgery for fear of heavy bleeding. The fibroids may shrink considerably once your uterus “recovers” from its pregnancy state (about six weeks). If they remain large, continue to grow or cause abnormal bleeding, surgery — or one of the other fibroid treatments such as embolisation (essentially, cutting off the blood supply to the fibroid so they shrivel up) — should be considered at a later date. I realize this is a scary list of potential complications, but there is no certitude that they’ll occur. And though many physicians will suggest undergoing some form of fibroid removal or treatment before conceiving, there’s still no consensus on when to categorically recommend a pre-pregnancy procedure. Once you’re pregnant, most doctors will monitor you conservatively, with a “let’s-wait-and-see” attitude. If pain develops, or if there is any bleeding or suspicion of premature labour, medication and bed rest may be advised. If the pain becomes severe or a uterine fibroid seems to be growing rapidly, your doctor may recommend a myomectomy (fibroid removal), even during the pregnancy. Fibroids, while generally harmless, can increase the risk of complications during pregnancy both for you and for your baby. It is important to have supportive, vigilant prenatal and delivery care.

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LIVING

June 29, 2013

‘Don’t throw your child away’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18 ing doctor’s appointments and going for physiotherapy at Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). I later found a day care center close to my residence. They accepted Zimuzo, but the very next day while at work, the head teacher invited me to a meeting and told me that they could not take care of her because other parents would withdraw their children from the center. That is discrimination. But I was not deterred. My continuous search informed my establishment of the Cerebral Palsy Centre.” The centre, she said, “provides early intervention services, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, special education services. It also gives information on newer alternative therapies. Most of these therapies work on the principle of neuroplasticity of the brain. It also provides the services of special educators and information on cerebral palsy in general.” She advised further: “If children with CP are not taken to good hospitals for diagnosis and advice on how they should be taken care of, the parents would be at a loss as to how the child’s condition could be managed. In our society, parents who have such children often blame it on their perceived enemies, on somebody who does not want their progress, who does not want them to have babies, and so on. But

that is not the case. The condition is not spiritual. It is not contagious. It is a physical disability in human development due to damages to the brain, especially the cerebrum, causing paralysis to part of the brain. “We therefore encourage parents to register their children as soon they are diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy because early intervention therapy is the key to successful rehabilitation. With proper management and adequate therapy, children from the center can function well in regular schools, we advocate their inclusion in these schools,” she admonished. The centre, however, still needs the help of people with caring hearts so that it could provide more care for such babies. “We are facing several challenges at the centre. We need a bus. The space is not big enough for the children to exercise and play. We need better and bigger space to operate. We are presently is a rented apartment and there are limits to what one can do with rented apartments. We are calling on public spirited individuals, corporate organisations; federal, state and local governments to show these children love by providing for their well being. They should not be abandoned. Despite the damages to their brain at childhood, they have the right to tolilive,” she charged to live,” she charged.

Nwoke

CP parents with their children at the centre

‘Early detection, intervention, key in managing CP’ Dr Ogunnubi Oluseun Peters, a Senior Psychiatrist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) is the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Medical Association. He is also the President/Coordinator, The Real Visionaries, a health-based NonGovernmental Organisation committed to improving the health of Nigerians through health promotional activities, education, disaster management, etc. He spoke with THOMAS USHIE. Excerpts:

hat is cerebral Palsy? As the name denotes, Cerebral Palsy refers to the condition of the brain (cerebral) associated with disorder in movement (palsy). It is a neuro-developmental problem of childhood. The brain is expected to develop to a certain extent but in the process of development, if any damage occurs, the brain would be affected. Unlike epilepsy, the damage to the brain that results in CP is much. In the developmental milestone, the child is supposed to learn how to talk and coordinate some actions at a certain age. However, in cerebral palsy, most of these developmental milestones are slow or absent because of the lobal brain damage. So, there are mass atrophies in cerebral palsy at a very young age barring the child from achieving normal developmental milestone. So, a child that should be walking would still be unable to crawl. I have seen a child of nine to 15 years old with the condition still unable to control his movement, still drooling saliva, unable to talk or walk or perform the function which even a one year old child could do. This is

so because the condition is characterized by abnormal muscle tone which includes slouching over while sitting, reflexes, or motor neuron development and coordination. There may also be joint and bone deformities and contractures. Children with the condition suffer speech impairments, unsteady movement, uneasy balance, irregular posture. The condition is usually obvious when the baby reaches the developmental stage, between six to nine months. During this period, the development of motor, limbs is delayed in children with CP, causing irregular movement. In some severe conditions, it could lead to seizures and epilepsy. What are the causes of the condition? The condition has prenatal, intra-natal or post natal causes. It could be caused by complications during birth, asphyxia before birth, hypoxia of the brain, labour trauma and stress, infection, exposure to radiation, etc. When a woman is pregnant and is eating all sorts of junks, the baby would grow too big and during delivery, the woman could suffer so much trauma

Ogunnubi

before birth. Such labour could lead to damages to the brain. That is why it is advisable to go for caesareans section rather than normal delivery when the baby is too big. Premature birth could also lead to CP. Can it be prevented? Pregnant women should stop patronising traditional birth attendants because in case of complications, they don’t have the medical wherewithal to response accordingly. The government should ensure that the hospitals are well equipped for safe delivery, provide good primary health care system, good antenatal care. Pregnant women should attend regular antenatal, take immunisation as required. All these would prevent trauma during birth and by extension prevent damage to babies’ brain during birth. Any hope of independent existence for children with CP? There is hope when it is detected early. There are children who, through effective physiotherapy, are able to regain all the muscle stone and able to perform some certain functions. I have seen a child with

the condition so bad that people had lost hope but his mother was able to summon courage and through speech therapy, through physiotherapy, etc. this child grew up to become a cobbler. He could fend for himself mending shoes. That is why it is a multi-disciplinary therapy. The child might not turn out to be a doctor or lawyer or engineer, but the need and aim of these therapies is for the child to be able to be independent in future. Medically, can’t the condition be cured? As I have said, the condition is due to lobal brain damage. So, what do you think that could be done medically? Perform brain transplant? The management depends on the causes. If it is developmental problem that has occurred invitro or during delivery, there is nothing that can be done, for now. But if it is as a result of infection, it can be corrected early. So, with cerebral palsy, early intervention is the best, otherwise, once the baby has lost all the developmental millstones, forget it. But early detection and intervention is very key in managing CP. How true is it that a late motherhood could lead to a child having the condition? Yes. It is possible. Don’t forget that late pregnancy is prone to infections, protracted labour, trauma; it is also prone to genetic problems in the child. That is why it is possible. When a woman is already 45 or 50 and is pregnant, genetic abnormality can easily be transferred to the child resulting in cerebral palsy, down syndrome, autism, etc.

EVENTS

June 29, 2013

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When Was-Lat Schools held its 1st inter-house sport competition Was-Lat Schools recently held its 1st Inter-House Sport Competition at Onikan Stadium, Lagos. The competition was between Pink, Green, Yellow and Blue Houses. Pink House came first overall in the secondary school while Green House was first in the primary school.

Alhaji Wasiu Adumadeyin, Was-Lat’s proprietor, returns the salute of Green House officers

Alhaji Oseni Yusuf, Chairman, National Association of Proprietors of Primary Schools (NAPPS), Lagos Island chapter, presenting a trophy to primary school’s Green House

Adumadeyin giving the opening speech

Green House primary school in a happy mood at their victory

Secondary school Blue House during their march past

Secondary school sack race

Chairman of the day, Adeyemi Thomas (KSM), giving his speech

Was-Lat Mowe invitational relay team

Was-Lat staff race

100 metres secondary school basket race

Parents’ race

Adumadeyin receives a bouquet from Miss Green House

Jebe Fawaz receiving a trophy from Alhaji Samsideen Kasali, Was-Lat Schools PTA Chairman

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K AYODE FALADE

TOURISM

June 29, 2013

ost people who know Ikogosi or have read about it, identify the sleepy town in Ekiti State with only one thing, a natural phenomenon: the warm and cold spring. The town is, however, a witness to world history in a way many don’t even dream of. In fact, it harbours one of the greatest treasures of the nation’s history in the aviation sector. Ikogosi, it was, where Nigeria experienced her first plane crash. It was a victim of international disaster precipitated by the Second World War. How did this happen? On Sunday 12 April, 1942 at about 8:15 pm, the agrarian town entered yet another phase in the history of life. It was the day one of the cargo planes used to ferry the war’s deadly munitions crashed on a hill within its territorial circumferences. That hill is today known as Igbo Baalu or Igbo Aeroplane that is the forest of Aeroplane. The Igbo Aeroplane’s story is one that the town and its children rarely pontificate to the outside world but which nearly all of them know. What exactly transpired on the said date many years ago and how did the Ilapa Hill come to be referred to as Igbo Baalu? Igbo being forest and baalu, aeroplane. The monarch of the town, Onikogosi of Ikogosi Oba Elijah Abiodun Olorunishola, dared reveal his domain’s ‘open secret’ to the press. But to really do this, Oba Olorunishola, raised a two- man team made up of Mr. Olu Adeniji, a retired school principal, whose father and grandfather played prominent roles at preserving the story and site of the crashed plane. The other person is Gbenga Adewale, a former councillor, and one of the youth leaders in the town. “It is not accessible by road. We have to park under the car and walk for about one and a half hours; most of it climbing the hill,” he said pointing to the highest hill around the town. It is the Ilapa Hill which is over 675 meters high. Adeniji, an indigene of the town and graduate of History at the University of Ife now Obafemi Awolowo University, armed with his double barrelled gun led the way. He told the chilling story of the etymology of Igbo Baalu. “My father, Baba Ogunkoyo, the second in command to the monarch, was an Ifa worshipper. On the morning of 5 April, 1942, he woke up as usual to consult the Ifa oracle. In his divination, he read that danger loomed on Ikogosi and that something which had never occurred in Ekiti would happen and that it would affect Ikogosi in particular. He informed some elders of his finding. And as it was the period of World War II. Different thoughts occupied their minds, various options were proffered. Would the war start in Ikogosi? Would the town be invaded by enemy or occupied by others? Would it be consumed by fire as almost all the houses then were of thatched roofs? “As the guesses of what could happened raged on, another traditional chief told Ogunkoyo that rather than waste time ruminating on what the disaster could be, he should appease the gods and ask for the solution. “So, Ifa instructed them that in order to

REVEALED!

Igbo Baalu: Site of Nigeria’s first plane crash On the hilly sides of Ikogosi-Ekiti is spread a beautiful but historic place: the site of the first air crash in Nigeria. divert the looming danger, a big dog should be fetched as quickly as possible, tied on the neck and specially prepared with certain incantations. It should then be dragged round the town and buried far away from where the people live possibly on a hill. And that exactly was what the elders did. “And exactly seven days later, at about 8:15 pm on Sunday 12 April, 1942, a heavy deafening sound was heard from the Ilapa hill accompanied by a thick wild fire and smoke. “It was a day pandemonium gripped the town. The people were terrified. Nobody was actually sure of what it was. This was more so because loud bangs of explosion continued to reverberate from the hill till dawn. “However, the following day, the people now gathered and decided to investigate what actually happened on the Ilapa hill. “The expedition to the Hill top was spearheaded by one Sergeant Adeleke, a native of Emure who resided here (Ikogosi) accompanied by some elders, hunters and the brave ones. “What happened was very obvious from afar. Lo and behold, it was a replica of the Biblical burning but this time the fire was consuming the bush. The inferno raging

on the hill was so severe that they could not move closer. “They descended to tell the whole town which had gathered at the palace what they saw. “The pilot should be commended, I think he manipulated the cargo up to the hill to prevent it from landing in the town because if eventually it had fallen within the town, it would have been the end of Ikogosi because I assumed that the speed with which it would run through the town would have destroyed many houses and people including all the animals, taken into cognizance that the houses were of thatch roof. “For almost five years, nothing grew on the top of the hill. The thick forest was devastated and remained barren. This was a rich forest hitherto populated by monkeys, antelopes, Baboons, water hog, buffaloes and other exotic fauna. “After the incident people started going there to carry part of the relics. I remember that in 1960, I was there to pick my own share and my father picked his too. “This site was called Igbo Ilapa then and after the incident it was changed to Igbo Aeroplane, we don’t do any rituals on the hill, our hunters only venture here for

games and there were big animals here before the incident. This is where my father killed a buffalo 1939. Adeniji deployed his experience as a professional teacher in telling us the story about the incident so well that the journalists never realized that they were walking up to over 675 meters above the sea level, burrowing through the rich vegetation and forest, having a panoramic view of the surrounding towns and villages, hearing the insects ranting and the chirpings of the birds. The team got to the top of the hill after a walk of about one hour. They took off at 1:30 pm and got to the site at 2:27. At the central portion of the hill top where it seemed that one could actually touch the sky as it looked closer lies parts of the wreckage of the cargo plane, the remnants of what could not be carried away by the people. The testimony of a disaster that could have wiped out the whole Ikogosi town had it been the plane crashed in the community. Lying there and covered with tall, wild brushes are two big rusted engines with 13 pistons holes! After a combing of the Igbo Baluu, looking to find some other parts and locating some which have now been preserved for posterity, it was time to depart and there begun the descent from the hill while Adeniji and Adewale could not stop their many remarkable tales about the town.

LEISURE

June 29, 2013

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People

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June 29, 2013

he journey so far I give glory to the Almighty God that the journey has been very good, pleasant and full of challenges. In any landmark, you find the good and the disappointing. But the celebration of the golden anniversary of my priesthood ordination is just an opportunity to thank God for His blessings. It is not time for singing praises or to begin to count achievements, because in the Church we are not politicians. We are not out there to go and proclaim ourselves. Our business is to proclaim Christ and that’s what we are ordained for. It’s been a pleasant and fulfilling journey. If I am asked to do it again, I will be glad to. I have spent 39 years of the 50 years as Bishop, and I thank God for that too. I am grateful to Almighty God for giving me the opportunity to take the responsibility of tending a little corner of the Lord’s Vineyard, and I give all the glory to God for whatever I have achieved.

Inspiration for choosing priesthood I was born into a Catholic family and we are only two children of my mother. My mother had a lot of problems in having children. So when I decided to go into priesthood, the whole household met and said why would I decide to go to the seminary when we were only two children. But I made them realise that they didn’t send me to the world and that God sent me to the world. I felt like going to the seminary, so it was my own personal decision to work for God. So I went down there and I was accepted. But what really motivated me to go to the seminary was around 1949 when I was about finishing my primary school. I was a member of the choir formed by the first Ekiti Reverend Father, Monsignor Oguntuyi. That was when Latin was the official language used in the liturgy of the Catholic Church. About 12 of us made up the Choir. We were drilled in the singing of the Latin chants which we used during high Mass and during celebrations. The boys of this choir were also taught to read and sing both “plain chant” (Gregorian Music) and Polyphonic Music, as well as to play the organ and conduct the choir on Sundays. I was interested in it then. During Easter and Christmas, we used to act the resurrection of Christ and the birth of Christ. I was fascinated by all these things and that was one of the things that took me to the seminary. I loved to be with this priest simply because he looked on to us as his children then and about 12 of us followed him from one village to the other to sing on occasions. Eventually when it was time to finish our primary school, five of us decided to enter the seminary,

Francis Folorunsho Alonge:

Fifty years in priesthood

Bishop Francis Folorunsho Alonge, immediate past Bishop of Ondo Catholic Diocese, was ordained priest exactly fifty years ago today. He spoke with HAKEEM GBADAMOSI on his journey in the Lord’s Vineyard. and we entered. Out of the five, two of us reached the end; Monsignor Adegoke and myself and we were ordained. When I got to seminary, I identified with what we were being taught there and eventually the Bishop called us and told us to prepare for ordination. We we’re ordained and that was the beginning of a very long but pleasant story. Challenges of priesthood Personally, I didn’t encounter any problem, because in priesthood, you work under authority and you don’t go against the wish of the authority. You are safe if you follow the wish of the authority, because if you make a mistake, it will not be you that made the mistake but the man who is ordering you. He takes responsibility. Once you obey him, you won’t go astray. So being obedient is the most important part of the dedication of the priest Some people think staying unmarried is the most challenging aspect of priesthood. Staying unmarried is necessary so as to devote all your time, ef-

forts, heart and love to God’s work. But obeying authority is among the most difficult of all the challenges. But once you have decided to submit yourself, there will be no problem. Nothing has actually made me decide to leave at any time and for this, I thank God, Achievements as Bishop of Ondo Catholic Diocese This is one area I don’t like to talk because I am not trying to promote myself. I am not contesting election. People know me; they see me and know what I have been able to put in place. There are priests who worked with me. They should be able to say one or two things about me. It is not in my place to praise myself. There was a time someone said he wanted to write my life story. I told him I won’t be able to grant any interview about myself. I urged him to write whatever he knows about me and he wrote what he thought and saw and it was a good one. I have nothing to hide. Our life is a public life. If you really want to know about any Bishop, ask the priests around him. They

will be able to tell you if he is good or bad or if he’s a real man of God. That’s how you can get to know anybody. Life after retirement. I have been doing various kinds of research since I retired. I have some hindrances, especially with the irregular power supply. What I was hoping is that there would be regular power supply to enable me to research different things on the Internet. So far, I have been able to research about 5,000 research topics since in the last two years ago. Most of my research is based on church history and literature, because I studied English literature in my university. I have plenty of time and I was able to research these topics and understand them better. If NEPA was more efficient, I would have achieved more. We run this place on generator and we have not had regular power supply for the past six months. If the electricity authority could make sure that we have regular supply of power, things would turn around for this country.

June 29, 2013

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‘Bottled water business is highly lucrative’

FUNMI SALOME JOHNSON

“W

ater is indispensable, everybody needs water to live. That’s why the business is so lucrative. Water is always in demand. Indeed, as the saying goes, water has no enemy. As long as you are alive, you need water every day.” These were the words with which Ramat Adizua, managing director of Just Drinks Ventures, which is located in Mende area of Maryland, in Ikeja, Lagos described her business. Adizua, however, says Just Drinks Ventures is not only into the business of bottled water. The company supplies bottled drinks and wines to companies and individuals, especially at parties. “We have a niche. We don’t sell bottled water alone. We sell drinks as well. We mainly supply drinks and water at parties, conferences and events. That is our niche market,” she said. Another reason the business is good,” says the businesswoman, “is the fact that Nigerians are fun loving and as such, party a lot. And there is no way you can party without drinks and water. And that for us is business time.” The business administration graduate of University of Lagos went into the bottled water business because she wanted to start a business that would give her the opportunity of having her time to herself. “I was once an employee of a food producing company based in Lagos. But at a point, I felt I had to do something for myself, something I could call my

own. That was what prompted me to go into the wine business.” The mother of three further disclosed that her interest in the business became strong when she went to a friend’s party and saw the manner in which people were drinking all sorts of exotic drinks heartily. “I decided on the wine business because of the way I saw people dinking at a friend’s party which I attended years back. All manner of exotic drinks were served at that party and that got me thinking that I could actually make a lot of money from the business. That was how I decided I would do the business. Today, about five years into the business, Adizua says, “The business is a good one that is worth investing in. The turnover on bottled water and drinks is very encouraging. In fact, it is a money spinning business that has no low season.” She however, explained that the peak period for the business is during the festive times, while the off peak period is the non festive period. “Although water is usually in demand, the demand for water is more during the dry season while low sales are recorded during rainy season,” she says. She further explained that potential clients include everyone who is having any kind of party, night clubs, hotels and individuals who are buying to resell. She, however, says the ability to satisfy customers is very vital to the business. “You must do all in your power to satisfy the needs of your customers

THE BUSINESS IS A GOOD ONE THAT IS WORTH INVESTING IN. THE TURNOVER ON BOTTLED WATER AND DRINKS IS VERY ENCOURAGING. IN FACT, IT IS A MONEY SPINNING BUSINESS THAT HAS NO LOW SEASON

Adizua

without disappointing them. It is a very important aspect of this business. It is not enough to supply the drinks to your customers. It is only acceptable when it is done at the agreed time. That way, your customers will find you dependable and ready for business and they would not

hesitate to do other businesses with you. Apart from doing business with you at other times, they will also refer you to some of their friends and referral is the key to success in this business” Despite the lucrative nature of the business, Adizua notes that the exotic drinks aspect of it has a major challenge. She says, “We are hoping that government will make the business easier for us because the experience we get in the course of clearing our goods at the ports is not a palatable one at all. We experience troubles of unexpected and unplanned levies at the ports. It is so bad that if an importer is not well grounded financially, he or she may get stuck in between and run out of business. That is a very big challenge the business is faced with. But because water is produced here, we have limited challenge on the supply of water because we deal directly with the manufacturers as distributors.” To start off in her line of business, Adizua recommends that “One can start on a small scale with about N500, 000 while on a large scale, one would need up to N5 million and above.”

Sport

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June 29, 2013

PAST WINNERS OF FIFA CONFEDERATIONS CUP 1992-Argentina 1995-Denmark 1997-Brazil 1999-Mexico 2001-France 2003-France 2005-Germany 2009-Brazil 2013-? Spanish players celebrating on Thursday after defeating Italy 7-6 on penalties to book a place in tomorrow’s final against Brazil at the FIFA Confederations Cup

Brazil, Spain in crunchy final •Hamilton, Onigbinde rule out home advantage

IFEANYI EDUZOR

ootball fans all over the world will tomorrow witness the best of football action when world and European champions, Spain confront five-time world champion and defending champion of the FIFA Confederations Cup, Brazil, at the famous Estadio Do Maracana, Rio de Janeiro to decide which among the finalist will emerge the champion of the 9th edition of the competition used as a dress rehearsal for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The tournament which started on June 15, 2013 with eight teams namely; Brazil, Spain, Italy, Mexico, Nigeria, Japan, Uruguay and Oceania champions, Tahiti participating will come to a climax tomorrow when Spain who edged out Italy 7-6 in a penalty shootout to advance to the final will try to become the third team after Argentina and France to win all three major FIFA tournaments; the World Cup, Olympics and the Confederations Cup, while their South American opponents who defeated Copa

America champions, Uruguay 2-1 in the first semi-finals will be aiming to be the first country to have won the trophy for three consecutive times. The Spaniards with their “Tika Taka” style of play will be going against the “Samba Boys” in what has been dubbed a soccer rivalry between Europe and South America and soccer fans are looking forward that the explosive encounter will meet all the expectations of a world class final. As is expected in this type of competition, Coach of La Roja, Vicente del Bosque has already promised his fellow countrymen that fatigue will not be a major problem to his team when they face a Brazilian team that is not used to losing at the Maracana Stadium. He stated that although their last match against Italy went into extra time, but his players are in the right frame of mind to record a victory against Brazil in front of their home fans. Bosque, who has guided Spain to a total of 26-match unbeaten run is optimistic that the world and defending champions will add the FIFA Confederations

FIFA U-20 World Cup: Okani receives Obuh’s praise P. 47

trophy to their kitty and end Europe’s inability to win any major FIFA organised tournament in South America. “I want to assure our fans that fatigue will not be a problem to us when we file out against Brazil on Sunday for the final. “It is true that the extra time we played against Italy affected my players but it will not be an excuse for the players not to put up a good performance because we want to win the trophy and use it as a form of preparation for our world cup title defence in 2014,” he said. Also speaking, Brazilian coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari has assured that his players are on track to retain the title for a record three times after seeing off Uruguay in the semi- finals to book a date with Spain in Sunday’s final. Scolari, while admitting that the Copa America champions gave them a good fight noted that the team has what it takes to write history in the famous Maracana stadium tomorrow when they face Spain. Meanwhile two former handlers of Super Eagles, Paul Hamilton and Chief

Messi backs Neymar to succeed at P. 48 Barca

Adegboye Onigbinde has expressed optimism that the final is going to be very entertaining as the two teams posses quality players that are capable of turning the game against each other. In a telephone interview with our correspondent, Hamilton noted that home advantage might not play any role in determining the winner of tomorrow’s encounter because both teams have quality players who cannot be intimidated by fans. He noted that any side that has composure and displays enough maturity will carry the day. “The final is going to be very explosive because both teams possess quality and world class players who are capable of turning around matches. “People should also realize that at this level of the competition, home advantage does not play any role because the players are professionals who are used to hostile crowd and as such will never be distracted by whatever is happening outside the pitch. “I am also aware that a lot of fans will be rooting for Brazil, but because Spain have not lifted the trophy before, they will be at their best to write history which will make the final an explosive encounter,” Hamilton said.

Amputee football needs NFF’s recognition –Onwugbufor P. 49

SPORT

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Eagles: Lessons from FIFA Confed Cup crash

he 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup competition which kicked off on June 15, in Brazil will be concluded tomorrow with Brazil playing Spain in the final. Current African champions, the Super Eagles of Nigeria represented the continent in the soccer tourney which has been tagged by football analysts as a dress rehearsal for next year’s FIFA World Cup holding in the South American country, Brazil. However, the failure of the Eagles to emerge from their Group B which had the likes of Uruguay, Tahiti and world champions Spain has left soccer analysts asking some pertinent questions. Nigeria defeated weeping boys of Group B, Tahiti 6-1 in their opener on June 17, at Belo Horizonte, before narrowly losing 1-2 to Uruguay on June 20. In their last Group B tie, the Super Eagles couldn’t fly as they were pounded 3-0 by Spain at Fortaleza. And La Roja used the game to confirm that their FIFA ranking as the number one footballplaying nation in the world was not a mere fluke. At the end, it was the Eagles that were left licking their wounds following their second consecutive defeat in a FIFAorganised competition this year. As a kicker, did the Nigerian team truly live up to the expectations of soccer fans across the continent at the competition? What actually went wrong with Coach Stephen Keshi-tutored side? What should be done to revive the team spirit of the Super

HARD TACKLE with

Andrew Ekejiuba anelsports@yahoo.com

08054103021

Jonathan Tehau of Tahiti scoring with a classical header against Nigeria at the FIFA Confederations Cup Group B opener, on June 17, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

Eagles as a result of many internal wrangling involving the players and the administrators of the game in the country? Prior to the FIFA Confederations Cup, the team was engulfed in a bonus row that almost tore the team apart, but it took lots of persuasion from well meaning Nigerians and top government officials to make the players change their minds following their refusal to board

the plane to Brazil for the FIFA Confederations Cup. Aside the aforementioned problem, the misunderstanding between Keshi and the duo of attacking midfielder, Osaze Odemwingie and team captain, Joseph Yobo, was yet to be resolved before the crash in Brazil at the FIFA Confederations Cup, thus compounding the woes of the team. Also the issue of injuries cupped up by Emmanuel Eme-

nike, Victor Moses and Ogenyi Onazi which eventually ruled the trio out of the FIFA Confederations Cup did not help matters, as their absence at the competition exposed the weakness of the Eagles’ team. However, many Nigerian soccer fans are delighted with the team’s performance in Brazil and has appealed to Keshi to extend his searchlight in getting clinical finishers or fearless goal poachers to ensure the team does not find itself in a position of always struggling to score goals. Matches are won through scoring of goals and the Eagles must embrace it, if they want to rule the world in the round leather game in the near future. Many soccer analysts who watched all the matches involving the Eagles saw a team that was wasteful in front of goal, despite creating many scoring chances and this was evident in their opening match against Tahiti. In their second match in Group B, the Super Eagles outplayed Uruguay in virtually all the departments of the game and paid dearly for their wastefulness by going down 1-2 to a determined Uruguay side that had the likes of ageless Diego Forlan. In that game, Diego Lugano had put Uruguay ahead in the 19th minute before Mikel Obi leveled scores at the 37th minute, but a poor defending became Eagles albatross as Diego Forlan struck at the 51st minute to give Keshi and his players a nightmare in the competition.

The loss to Uruguay prepared and watered the turf for the 3-0 whitewash by Spain and it is the stand of HT that Keshi must take home some lessons from the defeat. He must also not relent in building a rock-solid team for Nigerians to be proud of in the near future. The major lesson from Brazil 2013 is that it is not yet uhuru in the rebuilding process of the Eagles, because there is glaring evidence of lack of quality strikers in the team, no thanks to Brown Ideye, Muhammad Gambo and Ahmed Musa who were the worst culprits. There is the need to invite more experienced players to the Eagles fold, in order to fortify the team. Since Osaze Odemwingie has shown interest in wearing the Green-andWhite jersey of Nigeria again, he should be given another opportunity to fight for a starting shirt in the team by Keshi. Aside Odemwingie, other players who are still relevant in the rebuilding process of the national team include, Dickson Etuhu, Victor Anichebe, Ikechukwu Uche, Kalu Uche, Chinedu Ogbuke Obasi and Michael Eneramo. Finally, the task of building a world conquering Super Eagles squad is a task that must be done and in actualising this, the football administrators in the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) should endeavour to take a second look at how its counterparts from Spain did theirs and take a cue from them.

SPORT NEWS

3SC deny news of players’ poaching Forms for Oyo monthly boxing

tourney out

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

he Oluyole Warriors, Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, have described the story of Kano Pillars snatching their winger, Tony Edjomarigwe and a midfielder, Philip Asuquo as untrue as the duo remains members of their team. While clarifying the issue to newsmen in Ibadan yesterday, Media Officer of 3SC, Jubril Arowolo said they only permitted the two players to visit their families following the short break in the league and not until they failed to report back on the scheduled period given to them that any suspicion can be entertained. Arowolo stated further that no club has approached them for the clearance of the duo and

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

O Danger man! 3SC of Ibadan striker, Gbolahan Salami (right) on the prowl during a Glo Premier League match

wondered how a player can be signed without following formal procedures. “Asuquo and Edjomarigwe are players of Shooting Stars we wonder where the website that posted the story got it from. As far as I’m concerned we are not ready to sell any player at this mid-season, as we are

finding a way to strengthen and fortify the team. “We are not happy with such one-sided report that is capable of causing rancour between the team and its teeming supporters who are looking forward to a rejuvenated squad when the second round gets underway,” Arowolo noted.

yo State Boxing Association has commenced registration by rolling out forms for intending participants for the proposed monthly boxing tournament aimed at reviving the sport in the state by Chairman of the Association, Baron Akintunde Opaleye. Opaleye while briefing newsmen in Ibadan said the association had taken a giant leap towards realising their dream of laying a new foundation for the development of boxing that has been in the doldrums for years, by rolling out participation form for boxing clubs and unattached boxers that

want to be part of the periodical bouts. He added that the tourney had attracted supports and endorsement from boxing enthusiasts which included the respected Yoruba monarch, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, the Alaafin of Oyo who has thrown his weight behind the monthly boxing tournament. The Oyo boxing boss however assured intending participants of easy access to the forms which have been distributed to the all zonal offices of Oyo State Sports Council, adding that the association had also made it affordable for boxing clubs to obtain each form at that rate of N5,000 and N1,500 for an unattached

boxer. He also noted that credible sporting bodies, such as The Links Youth Sports International of Nigeria (LYSIN) and TKO Sports have collaborated with the Boxing Association in organizing the event. “We are of the opinion that only active engagement of boxers can bring out the best in them and prepare them for national and international tournaments. “We also know that the process would also produce future great stars in the sport that can easily replace the ageing ones and that is why we are doing everything to make it succeed as we saw in the case of Lagos State,” Opaleye said.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

June 29, 2013

YSFON: Shema Cup kicks off June 30

FIFA U-20 WORLD CUP

IFEANYI EDUZOR

Okani receives Obuh’s praise Okani on duty for the Flying Eagles at the U-20 World Cup in Turkey

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

lying Eagles goalkeeper, Chukwunenye Okani, has received the praise of Coach John Obuh following his superlative performance at the ongoing FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey. The Flying Eagles needed a win to be sure of a spot in the last sixteen of the competition and Nigeria did so, downing Korea Republic by the only goal of the game on Thursday afternoon to seal second place in Group B at the

FIFA U-20 World Cup. The match-winner was Olarenwaju Kayode, but Okani’s effort in the match was noted, especially when the 19-year-old goalkeeper from Enyimba FC took to the field and transformed into a bundle of energy and determination. Okani’s magic moment against Korea Republic came after 54 minutes of the clash at Ali Sami Yen Arena in Istanbul. His opposite number in the decisive incident was South Korean striker Sunggyu Han. Han had ghosted in behind the defence and looked

certain to score, but Okani raced as if jet-propelled from his goal and smothered the ball before the opposing No 20 could even stretch out a leg to finish. The keeper’s brilliance ensured coach Obuh’s side went on to win the match 1-0 and expressed delight at their qualification for the next round of the competition. “I’m really happy this evening. We’ve made the next round, and I kept a second clean sheet in a row,” Okani said after the final whistle. Obuh regards Okani as one of the cornerstones

of his team, the kind of player he rates as irreplaceable. “Chukwunenye is a terrific lad and he was top class again today,” the Nigerian coach said. “What makes him special is his extraordinary leaping ability, and his skill and composure with the ball at his feet.” Okani and his teammates will now closely monitor events today in the last round of matches in Group F, as Nigeria will meet that section’s runners-up in the Round of 16, one of Uzbekistan, Croatia or Uruguay.

Mohammed assures on wrestling tourney IFEANYI EDUZOR

resident of Nigeria (Pro) Wrestling Federation, Prince Hameed Olanrewaju Mohammed has revealed that logistics has been put in place for a successful hosting of the forthcoming maiden edition of Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed International Wrestling Championship even, as he announced that the Local Organizing Committee of the tournament has selected centers across the state that will play host to the biggest wrestling tournament in the North Central zone of the country. Disclosing this to our correspondent, he noted that as part of efforts to sensitize citizens of the state about the importance of the championship, the national executive of the Federation has visited the traditional rulers and Local Government Areas of the state where the championship will be held.

Some of the Nigerian wrestlers looking set to battle ahead of the championship

“I am happy to inform you that centers for the championship have been selected and the national executive of NWF have visited the Emir of Lafiaji, Oba of Olofa, Oba of Isheyin and Oloro of Oro as well as all the Local Government Areas that will host the tournament and they all welcomed us warmly and expressed their willingness to be

part of the history making tournament. “We have also displayed banners of the tourney in ministries and parastatals in the state and all the Local Government Areas of Kwara State. And citizens of the state are eagerly awaiting the arrival of both home-based and foreign wrestlers who will storm the state in honour of Governor Ahmed for

giving dividends of democracy to his people,” Mohammed said. Meanwhile, the NWF President has commended the Commissioner of Sports and Youth Development in Kwara State who also doubles as the chairman of the LOC, Hajia Ramat Adeshina Abaya for her unrelenting efforts In ensuring a successful hosting of the championship.

rrangements have been concluded by the Youth Sports Federation of Nigeria (YSFON) to organize a successful 3rd edition of the annual Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema U-17 boys’ tournament slated for June 30thJuly 4th, 2013 in Katsina, the Katsina State capital. According to a statement by YSFON and signed by its Secretary General, Patrick Okpavuerhe, it stated that participating states are expected to come along with 20 players who must be 17 years as at 31st July, 2013, with body weight of 60kg and maximum height of 1.78m. Each player is expected to come with three passport photographs, and each participating state is expected to come with three officials; one of

whom must be a YSFON official even as he stated that facial appearance shall be used to determine the actual age of players whenever there is any doubt about the true age of an athlete. The statement further reminded all participating states that arrival date for the competition remains June 29, while screening of players will commence from 7.00am on June 30. Meanwhile, the National President of YSFON, Nasiru Gawuna has promised that this year’s edition will be a great improvement over the last two editions. Gawuna while commending Katsina State Government for its continuous sponsorship noted that all effort will be made to ensure that only qualified players are allowed to participate in the competition.

Heartland rule out signing of new players

eartland coach, Ndubuisi Nduka has ruled out signing new players for his side ahead of the remainder of the 2012/13 Glo Premier League season. The Nigerian Cup holders have resumed training after a brief holiday preparatory for their grudge midweek Glo Premier League encounter against Enyimba on July 3 at the Dan Anyiam Stadium, Owerri. The Aba club were 1-0 better than their oriental foes, Heartland in the first fixture at the Aba International Stadium. Nduka said the players in his fold are adequate to prosecute the side’s league and Federation Cup campaigns. “No, we’re not bringing in any new player within the mid-term transfer period, we’re contented with

Heartland FC of Owerri

the quality of players we’ve at the moment and will see our campaigns in the league and Federation Cup to a successful end with those players. “We’re equally not going to lay off any player except if such a player so desires to leave the team. “We did good recruitment at the start of the season, we’ve not seen any reason to doubt the performance or quality of the players. “The calibre of players we have should be able to give us what we want in the ongoing football season,” said the former Plateau United coach to supersport.com. Nduka said his side will be ready to pay Enyimba in their own coin when the side visit Owerri for the Glo Premier League Matchday 20 game.

SPORT

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

wants clarity over his Messi backs Neymar Cavani future to succeed at Barca E

ionel Messi is excited about Neymar joining Barcelona, saying the Brazilian will be ‘great’ for the La Liga champions. Neymar and Messi are widely considered two of the most exciting players in the game and will play together at Barcelona next season, prompting fans around the world to salivate at the prospect. Messi, the four-time reigning Ballon d’Or winner, said Neymar, who has joined Barcelona from Brazilian club Santos, is guaranteed to make the Catalan side better in the 2013/14 La Liga season. “Neymar’s arrival is great for us and can only make us a better team,” Messi said. “He’s a great player

Neymar and he’ll give us a lot and I look forward to playing with him. “Hopefully he’ll keep doing at Barca what he’s shown so far in Brazil.” Looking ahead to next year’s World Cup, Messi has reminded his Argentine team-mates they need to keep improving if they are to challenge for the

title at Brazil 2014. Argentina lead South America’s World Cup qualifying standings with 26 points but although they look just about certain to play in Brazil next year, Messi has conceded his national team are not ready yet, but said head coach Alejandro Sabella has them on the right track.

Tevez: I asked City to leave

arlos Tevez has been unveiled as a Juventus player and admitted that he asked new Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini for a move away from the Etihad Stadium. Tevez has agreed a three-year deal with the Turin side and, speaking at a media conference on Thursday, was delighted to finally complete the move. “I thank Juventus for

the effort they have done to bring me here. And I thank Manchester City for the beautiful years they gave me. “I talked to Pellegrini, telling him that I wanted to go away from Manchester City because I considered my cycle ended there,” Tevez said. The Argentine striker has been handed the famous number 10 shirt at Juventus and is aware he is following arguably the

club’s greatest ever player. He said: “The number 10 shirt is an important responsibility because it was a number of great champions of the past; the last one was (Alessandro) Del Piero. “For me it is an honour to wear his own shirt.” Tevez had also been linked with another Serie A side, AC Milan, but says that he only spoke to the club a couple of times.

Tevez

Monaco handed two-point deduction

onaco will start the new Ligue 1 season on minus two points after they were punished for crowd trouble in their home game with Le Mans. The top-flight new boys have been handed a threepoint penalty, with one suspended, by governing body LFP for overzealous celebrations from their

fans in the aftermath of their final home match of last season, in which they secured both the Ligue 2 title and promotion. Supporters lit flares and staged a pitch invasion after the final whistle, with the match referee attacked as the ugly scenes marred the end of their two-year stay in the second tier.

The principality outfit have also been ordered to play one home game behind closed doors. “Regarding the seriousness of the facts, Monaco are condemned to one match behind closed doors and a three-point penalty, including one suspended, for the next Ligue 1 season,” an LFP statement read.

dinson Cavani is keen to return to Napoli and discuss his future with Aurelio De Laurentiis, as rumours of an imminent transfer persist. Real Madrid, Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all been linked with the Uruguay striker, and he intends to sit down with the Napoli president once the FIFA Confederations Cup has ended. Since arriving at the club in 2010, the 26-year-old has scored 104 goals in 138 appearances, including 38 in 43 last season, and insists he is not expecting to leave the club he loves. “I love Naples. It’s my town, and my heart is there,” he said. “But when I was here in Brazil, I’ve heard untrue rumours and things about me. “For this reason, now I want to talk as soon as pos-

Bale should stay put –Hoddle

x-Tottenham midfielder Glenn Hoddle wants double player of the year, Gareth Bale, to remain at White Hart Lane. The 55-year-old former England international also believes Bale is not yet ready to sample life on the continent. Bale, 23, was voted ‘player of the year’ by both the PFA and Football Writers’ Association, and has been linked with a move to Spain. It has been reported that Barcelona and Real Madrid are keen to lure the Welshman to La Liga. But Hoddle said: “If he does move, I think he will settle easily at another club in England. “And the only ones he can realistically join are Manchester United and Manchester City. “He could get Champions League football there. But I want him to stay at Tottenham.” As for playing in Spain, Hoddle added: “He is still young enough to secure a move abroad later in life when he could cope better with it.”

sible with president De Laurentiis. We must clear this (situation up) ourselves. I’ll talk with him, as it’s done between men, really soon.” Cavani’s mother, father and brother have all been quoted in recent weeks about the future of the striker, but he insisted that the only people who would decide his future would be De Laurentiis and himself, advising people not to listen to any other opinions. “This is a good opportunity to tell the world that, when my family speaks, that isn’t Edinson Cavani speaking,” he stated. “I’ve asked my family thousands of times to please not talk anymore because it harms me. “I belong to Napoli, and everything depends on

Cavani that club.” With a host of clubs believed to be waiting in the wings to try and sign Cavani, he admitted he had dreamed of playing for Real Madrid when a child.

EURO BRIEFS United Baines bid turned down

verton have rejected an official bid from Manchester United for left-back Leighton Baines. The player has been linked with a move to Old Trafford since the end of last season in the wake of David Moyes’ switch from Goodison Park to replace Sir Alex Ferguson, but Everton are determined to hold on to the England international as new manager Roberto Martinez shapes his squad for next season.

Baines

‘Messi innocent over tax fraud Messi is innocent charges’ of tax fraud and specuLionel

Messi

lation about an out-of-court settlement on Thursday is wide of the mark, insists his lawyer, Angel Juarez. The Spanish tax authorities alleged that the Argentine soccer star failed to declare more than 4 million (£3.4m) in image rights income earned between 2006 and 2009, thus Messi and his father have been summoned to appear in court on September 17 to respond to the complaint.

Cassano ready for Parma switch

arma president Tommaso Ghirardi expects the Ducale club to complete a deal for Inter Milan striker Antonio Cassano “by the weekend”. The former Roma, Real Madrid and AC Milan player could move to the Stadio Ennio Tardini as part of a swap deal for Algeria-born forward Ishak Belfodil, with Nerazzurri defender Matias Silvestre another possible makeweight.

Cassano

Diego fancies Atletico return

olfsburg midfielder Diego Ribas has declared he would like to return to Atletico Madrid next season. The Brazilian spent 2011-12 on loan at the Vicente Calderon

and played a crucial role in Diego Simeone’s side finishing fifth in La Liga and capturing the Europa League, including scoring in the 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao in the final.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SPORT

June 29, 2013

Amputee football needs NFF’s recognition –Onwugbufor WHEN MY LEG WAS AMPUTATED AS A

RESULT OF ACCIDENT,

Uchechukwu Onwugbufor is a member of Nigeria Amputee football team popularly known as ‘Special Eagles’. In this interview with IFEANYI EDUZOR, he speaks on his involvement in the game, the need for government to give recognition to the sport ahead of their preparations and participation in the Amputee Nations Cup slated for Kenya in October.

ow would you describe your experience since you started as an amputee footballer? The experience has been wonderful because my involvement in the game has enabled me to show people that disabled members of the society if given the opportunity can be at par with their ablebodied counterparts. Although, it has not been easy playing with one leg, but with constant training and perseverance, we have been able to overcome the hazards of the game. Having said this, I want to tell you that I am fulfilled being involved with amputee football because prior to the amputation of my leg, I was a defensive midfielder and I needed only to adjust to my new condition to be able to fit in very well into the game. Frankly, I’m very happy that I am an integral part of the Amputee national team known as the ‘Special Eagles’. Not much is being heard about Nigeria in amputee football, what is actually happening with the team? The team is still intact and we train regularly, both as a team and on individual basis to ensure we are fit and ready for any major championship. It is true that we are presently facing the problem of a permanent training pitch within the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos especially after the stadium management refused to allocate a space to us, but we remain undaunted. Most times we train behind Stadium Hotel in Lagos to ensure we put up a good performance whenever the opportunity calls for the team to represent the country in the Amputee Nations Cup or even the world cup. It is unfortunate that since we started the game, we have not received any form of encouragement from government, except few corporate organisations and churches that have encouraged some of us. However, there is need for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to emulate what the Football Associations of Ghana, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Angola and Mozambique are doing towards developing the game in their various countries. What will you describe as your

greatest challenge since your involvement in amputee football? The challenges have been many. For the fact that you are playing with one leg is enough challenge because it is not always easy holding the crutches, running around with it and trying to kick the ball with only one leg. Also we are training with low standard crutches and boots which is impeding our movement during training. Another major challenge we are having is the lack of sponsorship, and this has made most of the players not to afford money to feed very well or transport themselves back home after each training session. Sometimes our crutches break in the course of training, and some of us will not be able to attack or defend the ball for the fear of losing or damaging the crutches, but because of our patriotism and the fact that we do not want to become liabilities by turning to begging for alms, we decided to keep faith with what we are doing believing that one day, we shall overcome. Nigeria amputee football team will be representing the country in the forthcoming All Africa Amputee Championship in Kenya, what efforts are you making to be selected as part of the team? Every member of the team is looking forward to be selected as a member of the team that will represent the country in the next edition of the Amputee Nations Cup slated for October this year, and I am confident that I will be among the defensive midfielders that will make the team. However, I want to appeal to government, corporate organisations and non-governmental organisations to come to the aid of the team so as to avoid a repeat performance of the 2007 edition in Sierra Leone when we nearly got killed by rebels when we travelled by road to the West African country, because of lack of funds. The technical crew of the team led by the national coach, Gbenga Dosumu is putting his best to ensure we put up a good performance at the tournament, but there is little he could do without adequate funding which is why I am appealing to the NFF to emulate other Football Federations of neighboring countries

I LOST HOPE THINKING THAT I WAS GOING TO BE A LIABILITY TO MY PARENTS, BUT WHEN

WAS INTRODUCED TO THE

PRINCE FEYISETAN AREH, I

GAME THROUGH

DISCOVERED A NEW LIFE AND SINCE THEN,

I HAVE

NEVER LOOKED BACK IN MY AMBITION TO BE A GREAT PLAYER. and support the team. I’m optimistic we can improve on our fourth position at the 2011 edition held in Accra, Ghana. As an integral member of the Special Eagles, do you think Nigeria has what it takes to perform well at the championship? Yes, Nigeria’s amputee team has all it takes to rule the continent in the game, but the lack of sponsorship is affecting the performance of the team. When we participated in the last Nations Cup in Ghana, about 10,000 fans trooped out to the stadium to cheer the home team whenever they were playing. Apart from this, top government officials, including top officials of Ghana FA were all at the stadium to support the team and in that type of situation, there is no way the team cannot perform well. Therefore, we expect the same support from the Nigerian government and corporate organisations. I believe that if the team is adequately financed, nothing will stop us from emerging African champi-

Onwugbufor ons and picking one of the slots to represent the continent at the world level. What advice do you have for other disabled athletes who want to embrace amputee football? My advice is that they should not allow their disability to discourage them from getting involved in amputee football. There is also the need for them to understand that there is ability in disability and it is a crime to beg, rather they should be useful citizens of the country. For my colleagues, I urge them to persevere because there is still light at the end of the tunnel. Do you have any regrets playing amputee football? I do not have any regret playing amputee football because the game has really made me forget my disability. When my leg was amputated as a result of accident, I lost hope thinking that I was going to be a liability to my parents, but when I was introduced to the game through Prince Feyisetan Areh, I discovered a new life and since then, I have never looked back in my ambition to be a great player.

Action recorded in a match during the Amputee World Cup in Turkey in 2012

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

BRIEFS

Court sentences two armed robbers to life jail

n Ado-Ekiti High court on Thursday sentenced two men, Adebayo Rufus and Bamidele Rasheed, to life imprisonment for armed robbery. The state counsel handling the case, Mr Folu Awoniyi, said the accused committed the offence on 29 September, 2008 at OtunEkiti, Moba council area of Ekiti. He said the accused, while armed with a cutlass and knife, robbed one Mrs Kofoworola Ajayi of N1, 500. Awoniyi also said that on the same day, the accused damaged one Mazda 626 millennium car marked LG 49 TUN which was the official vehicle of one Hon. Ajayi Olayinka. He said the offence contravened section 6 (b) 451 of the Robbery and Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R 11. Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. In his judgment, Justice Joshua Adeyeye held that the accused persons were guilty as charged. “Based on the evidences before the court, the accused are guilty as charged,’’ Adeyeye said.

Woman jailed 18 months for stealing

Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting in Mararaba, Nasarawa State on Thursday sentenced one Jessica Okoronkwo of Andy Young, Mararaba, to 18 months imprisonment for cheating. The police prosecutor, Mr Steven Kwaza, had told the court that the matter was reported at the Sani Abacha Road Police Station by one Njoku Perpetual on June 25, 2013. Kwaza said Okoronkwo visited a boutique belonging to the complainant and collected four toys valued N9,000 and seven handbags valued N58,000. Others were three shoes, valued N21,000 and a pair of slippers valued N4,000. The prosecutor said the accused also made away with several other items, including two children’s shoes.

Man, 40, docked for duping job seeker

man, Uche Odumegwu, who allegedly duped a job seeker under the pretext of securing a paid employment for him, was arraigned on Thursday in Lagos. Forty-year-old Odumegwu is standing trial at an Apapa Senior Magistrates’ Court on a charge of receiving money under false pretences. The Police prosecutor, John Iberedem, told the court that Odumegwu had sometime in April at 12.00 p.m. at No. 4, Adeyemi St., Ajegunle, Apapa, collected N12, 000 from a job seeker, Emmanuel Aduku, to secure employment for him. “The accused had approached Aduku’s elder brother that he would help his brother to secure a job on payment of N12, 000.

Crime Watch Boy, 10, escapes ritual kidnapping in school

z I only wanted him to help me check a student –Suspect z No, he charmed me and I lost consciousness –Victim SEGUN ADIO

biodun Oladele, a primary school student in Ibadan, Oyo State would have fallen prey to a suspected ritual killer but for sheer luck. The ritual killer was lurking around in Abiodun’s school of all places. Academic activities in the school (names withheld), said to house both primary and secondary sections in the same compound, came to a standstill on Wednesday, June 11, 2013, when the suspected ritual killer/kidnapper was apprehended The suspected, identified as Chigozie Chukwu, reportedly arrived at the school during the lunch break. Chukwu, 17, who hails from Anambra State, was said to have come into the school premises by scaling the fence and hiding in one of the uncompleted classrooms in the vast compound, waiting for any of the young pupils to fall prey to his obnoxious plans. It was reported that it did not take long before Abiodun strolled past Chukwu in his hiding place apparently wanting to go to the secondary section of the schools. Upon citing Abiodun, Chukwu reportedly called him, asking that he (Abiodun) help him locate one Taiwo in the school. But while Abiodun was trying to figure how he would be able to locate a Taiwo among the thousands of students in the two schools, Chukwu reportedly brought out a charm and started chanting incantations into it. Within minutes, Abiodun reportedly lost his senses and started following Chukwu through a narrow bush path, which leads to the second gate of the school. In an account Abiodun later gave law enforcement agents after he was rescued, he said, “I was walking towards the secondary school when this man called me that I should help him locate one Taiwo in the school. When I told him that there would be many Taiwos in the school, he asked that we go inside the school together. But before he followed me, he went into one of the uncompleted buildings and brought out something and started speaking a language I did not understand. He was not with the bag when I saw him. When he saw one of our teachers coming, he asked me to lie down so that the teacher would not see me and he also lay down beside me and started speaking a language I did not understand.” Luck, however, ran out on Chukwu

A school is believed to be a safe place. But that was where Abiodun, a ten-year-old primary school student in Ibadan, Oyo State, fell into the hands of a kidnapper. How did it happen?

Oladele

when one of the teachers of the secondary school, who apparently was watching the development from a distance, yelled at the top of his voice ordering Chukwu and the boy not to move an inch from where they were. The teacher also called on some senior students and teachers around to intercept Chukwu and the boy where they were while he ran down the stairs to meet them. When asked what his business was with the boy, Chukwu could not come up with a concrete explanation; neither could he explain what he was doing with the charm in his bag. The police was immediately called in and Chukwu was taken to Sanyo Police Station in Ibadan. During preliminary interrogation, Chukwu denied going to the school to kidnap anyone. Rather, Chukwu claimed, a JSS II student in the school asked that he (Chukwu) come to the school for a telephone handset he wanted to sell to him. He said, “I was in the school to see one Taiwo who is in JSS II. I met him recently and we discussed about a telephone handset he wanted to sell, but the money

on me that day was not up to the amount Taiwo wanted for the phone. So, he asked me to come to his school to collect it with the money. But I did not know his class, so I asked this boy (Abiodun) to help me search for Taiwo in the school.” Chukwu explained that the charm in his bag was not meant to harm anyone as being suggested, but to protect him from evil attacks. He continued, “The charm they talked about was handed down to me by my grandfather. It is meant to protect me from evil ones,” he said, denying vehemently that he hit the young boy with the charm and rendered him senseless by spiritual means, an act which is said to have made Abiodun do his bidding without resistance. A teacher in the school told law enforcement agents that he saw Chukwu making fetish moves on the pupil before he dragged him towards the back gate of the school. Oyo State Police Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Okuwobi-Ilobanafor, confirmed the story and said that Chukwu was assisting the SCID at Iyaganku on investigations into the matter.

Do you have a story for us? Contact 08138773277 or crimewatchmirror@yahoo.com

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CRIME WATCH

June 29, 2013

How ex-militant stripped, sexually assaulted waitress

zI was under the influence of alcohol –Suspect

Goodluck Dudu is a former militant undergoing rehabilitation in Lagos. What could have got him involved with a waitress in the hotel he is staying that now landed him in police net? SEGUN ADIO

oodluck Dudu is one of the reported Niger Delta militants said to be undergoing refresher courses in one of the tertiary institutions in Lagos State. He and no fewer than 30 of his colleagues are lodged at the Lagoon Hotel in Akoka area of the city. Since the militants arrived at the hotel, life has never been the same for the owners and workers there. It was reported that the lifestyle of the militants soon made operators of the hotel ponder over their continued stay in the facility. The atrocities of the militants, however, peaked recently when one of them allegedly attempted to rape a waitress. Deborah Kadiri (not real names) has reportedly been working as a waitress at the hotel in the last three years. Deborah, 24, is reported to be one of the good-looking waitresses the hotel could boast of. Her beauty aside, Deborah is said to be a decent and level headed young woman. However, on Monday, 24 June, 2013, while performing her duties, Deborah got the shock of her life when one of the guests she was assigned to serve in his room stripped her naked and attempted to rape her. She reportedly escaped the challenge by sheer luck. On the fateful day, Dudu reportedly phoned the reception of the hotel asking to be served Semovita and Egusi soup. Rather than go to the restaurant to have his food, Dudu requested that the food be brought to his room 403 of the hotel. It was reported that once the food was ready, a call from the kitchen was put to Dudu to intimate him that a waitress was bringing it to his room. But before the stewardess bearing the food arrived, Dudu had reportedly undressed with only a towel to cover his body. Moments later, there was a knock on Room 403 and Dudu beckoned on the person at the back of the door to come in. Deborah emerged from the door bearing a

Dudu

tray in her hand where Dudu’s food order was neatly packed. But Deborah was shell shocked to see that the occupant of the room was stark naked (for Dudu had reportedly removed the only towel covering his body). It was reported that when Deborah entered the room and saw the guest stark naked, she turned back to go out of the room apologising profusely. But to her surprise, as she turned to go out, Dudu reportedly got off from the bed and made towards her. He allegedly encircled her, still stark naked, and urged her to be calm. He reportedly asked her to sleep with him promising to give her a large amount of money for her ‘gesture. She reportedly refused the money

offer, Deborah reportedly declined, insisting that she had never had sex in her life as pre-marital sex was forbidden in her culture. For about 10 minutes, Dudu reportedly pestered Deborah to sleep with him but when it became clear that the lady would not do his bidding, Dudu reportedly asked that he saw Deborah’s nakedness since she had seen his own nakedness, and even threatening to stab her with a knife on the table should she refuse him sex. At that stage, Deborah reportedly started crying for help at the top of her voice. While Deborah struggled to free herself from the grip of Dudu (having dropped the food she brought on the floor of the room),

a colleague of Dudu, lodged in a room close by, dashed into Room 403 to see what was amiss. By then, Dudu had forcefully carried the lady unto the bed and torn her clothes up to her panties. It was the other militant that reportedly wrestled Dudu to the ground and freed the waitress, who ran down the corridor wailing. Deborah headed straight to the office of the hotel manager to report the matter and showed how she had been molested by Dudu. The hotel authorities soon called in the police and Dudu was promptly arrested and taken into custody. Dudu, in his statement at the police station, did not deny the charge against him. He only claimed that he did what he did under the influence of alcohol because he claimed he was heavily drunk that day. He however denied threatening to stab her as Deborah alleged. “I have myself to blame for this act. On that day, we were all heavily drunk before we retired to our rooms. I knew I called the kitchen to prepare food for me but I did not know when I started wrestling with her to sleep with her. Maybe the sex urge came on me while under the influence of the drinks. But there is no truth in the claim that I threatened to stab her if she refused me sex,” Dudu said. Deborah was said to have left for her house shortly after Dudu was arrested and has not returned to work since. A waiter at the hotel, who would not want his name in prints, told Saturday Mirror that since ex-militants came into the hotel, there had been no peace. “When we reported the activities of the people to the management when they first came, no one believed us. But we have been vindicated now. The hotel has never been at peace since they arrived here,” he said. When Saturday Mirror called the police station where Dudu was being detained, no one was ready to comment on the matter as the Divisional Police Officer was said to be away on official assignment.

Court jails driver 5 months for attempted murder

n Abuja Upper Area Court on Thursday sentenced a driver, Yakubu Mohammed, to five months imprisonment for attempting to kill Paul Eneche, the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Abuja. Justice Umar Kagarko sentenced Mohammed, 33, after he pleaded guilty to the offence. The judge, however, gave the convict an option to pay N35,000

fine. “I decided to impose this light punishment because the accused did not waste the time of the court and police through prosecution,’’ Kagarko said. The police had earlier arraigned him on a two-count charge of attempted homicide and belonging to a secret cult, under sections 230 and 97(A) of the Penal Code. Mohammed admitted that he

was a member of a secret cult with headquarters at the top of Zuma Rock, Niger. He told the court that he was assigned by the head of the secret cult to kill the pastor. “When I was about to carry out the mission, I tried all I could to finish him but my power left completely. “I had no option than to go to the church and confess. I was initiated into this group as a child. My

father was a retired army officer. I joined the secret cult in my 200 level in the university. I beg the court to temper justice with mercy as I have realised my mistake,’’ he said. Mohammed, who said he had “wasted a lot of innocent lives through this devilish act” promised not to return to the group. The prosecutor, Albert Okara, had earlier told the court that the convict confessed to one Pastor

Adetope James in the Security Department of the church. Okara said the convict had been monitoring the movement of Eneche since April and surveying the church premises for an opportunity to carry out his mission. “The accused told Pastor Adetope that he was unable to carry out his mission as he was arrested by the continued prayers of the pastors and members of the church,” he said.

REGIONAL NEWS

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

SOUTH SOUTH

Maternal mortality rate drops by 30 per cent, says Jonathan EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said that the nation’s maternal mortality rate has declined by 30 percent in the last four years. Jonathan said the

nation’s current maternal mortality rate was 350 as against 500 deaths per 100,000 women recorded in 2008. President Jonathan said this at Otuoke, in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, while commissioning a 40

- bed Comprehensive Cottage Hospital in the community. The president assured that the federal government would not relent in its efforts at attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) target of 250 per 1,000 women by

2015. His words, “I recall that the construction of this model hospital began in 2006 as an initiative of the Bayelsa State government, but it was later taken over by the Millennium Development Goals office in collaboration with the

state government. It is most gratifying to come and witness not only its completion but its formal commissioning today,” President Jonathan said. President Jonathan, however, advised the state government to take ownership of the health facility so as to ensure the sustainability of the project. The president continued, ““I am glad to declare that we are making significant progress in all sectors, as it’s evident for all to see. The health sector as you are all aware is a cardinal priority of our transformation agenda. Attainment of the universal health coverage as

well as provision of comprehensive health care for all our citizens is a goal we have set for ourselves,” President Jonathan said. Earlier, Governor Seriake Dickson had described the cottage hospital project as a product of the collaboration of both the federal and state governments. Dickson said the state government was currently building five referral hospitals as well as general hospitals in all the local government areas of the state in addition to several health centres to boost healthcare delivery in the state.

CACOL flays Rivers CP over ban on demonstrations

Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State (middle), condoling with the wife of his late friend, Mr Senibo Iyallah,(1st right) and the son of the deceased after the Christian Wake for the deceased in Lagos, recently.

Why Oshiomhole signed death warrants —Edo AG SEBASTINE EBHUOMHAN BENIN CITY.

do State AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Henry William Idahagbon, has thrown more light on reasons why Governor Adams Oshiomhole signed death warrants in the state. The Attorney-General said that all states governments in the country have the constitutional obligation to sign death warrants, saying that any governor who refuses to sign death warrant already confirmed by the courts of law could be sued for neglecting a constitutional responsibility. He maintained that realization of this constitutional obligation made Governor Oshiomhole signed death warrants in the state. Idahagbon made this clarification in his office

when members of the civil society organizations visited him to explore ways of halting death penalty for convicted criminals. The Africa Network on Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ), led by its Executive Director, Rev. David Ugolor, had protested the hanging of three convicted criminals, Messrs Daniel Nsofor, Osarenmwinda Aigbokhian and Chima Ejiofor to the commissioner. But Idahagbon explained that Governor Oshiomhole, like any other state governor in the country, has the obligation to sign death warrant as failure to do so could result in litigation against him in accordance with the provisions of the law. The commissioner urged the activists and their ilk in Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), So-

cio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Legal Defence and Advocacy Project (LEDAP) to take their protests to the National Assembly, which has the power to expunge death sentence from Nigerian laws. Meanwhile, notable lawyers in the country have backed the Gover-

nor Oshiomhole for signing the convicts’ death warrant. Among those who backed the governor are former Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, and Law teacher, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN); Alhaji Yusuf Alli (SAN) and West Africa Bar Association President, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN).

he Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL) has criticised Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, for placing a ban on rallies, processions and demonstrations in the state. CP Mbu had ordered those who may embark on peaceful protests or street demonstrations to seek and obtain police permit before such protest are carried out. CACOL, in a statement issued to journalists yesterday Mirror by its Executive chairman, Comrade Debo Adeniran, and made available to Saturday, noted that placing a ban on demonstrations and rallies by the police commissioner was a flagrant abuse of power and abuse of People’s human right, According to Comrade Adeniran, “This singular act of the CP is highly condemnable. By denying the

Delta spends N356bn on roads, drainage projects in 6 years

elta State Government has said it spent N356 billion in the last six years on drainage and road projects in the state. The Commissioner for Information, Mr Chike Ogeah, said this yesterday while addressing journalists on the outcome of the State Economic Advisory Committee meeting in

Asaba. Ogeah said that the state government had inherited 352 road and drainage projects valued at N105 billion from the previous administration. He said that out of the inherited projects, 181 had been completed. The commissioner said that the state government had also initiat-

ed 399 new projects, which would cost N254 billion. He also said that more than 80 per cent of the new contracts would be completed before the end of the present administration. Ogeah said the state government had revoked 17 contracts for non performance, adding that some of the contracts had been re-awarded.

people of Rivers State the right to participate in rallies and demonstrations shows that the police are taking side in the faceoff between the Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi and President Goodluck Jonathan, which is a bad omen for our democracy. The ban is a violation of the fundamental human rights of Rivers State citizens to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Chapter of the 1999 Constitution as amended.” Speaking further, the CACOL boss stated that police are supposed to be unbiased and steadfast in discharging their duties especially issues related to the mass of Nigerian citizens. “The security of lives and properties should be the priority of any responsible government at both state and federal level. It is however unfortunate that the President and the Governor of Rivers State could begin to play politics with the security of citizens of the state. From the look of things, Rivers State CP is dancing to the tune played by the Presidency, which is contrary to the code of conduct of the Police, which states that they should discharge their duties without favoritism, nepotism or regardless of social or political status. There are many pressing security challenges bedeviling the state.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

REGIONAL NEWS

June 29, 2013

NORTH

500 youths give up illicit drugs in Kaduna, seek rehabilitation A ZA MSUE KADUNA

nongover nmental organization, Benjamin Bisan Shekari Lives on Foundation, yesterday said about 500 youth drug addicts came out and seek counseling for rehabilitation

in Kaduna State. Executive Secretary of the organization, Mrs. Rifkatu Shekari, disclosed this during the activities marking the World Drug Day. Mrs. Shekari noted that out of the number, 78 drug victims were rehabilitated

and freed from taking the illicit substance. Mrs. Shekari maintained that the alarming rate of drug abuse among youths require urgent government attention so as tom curb the menace and safe future generations of Nigerians being

wasted. Her words: “We received over 500 youths who are into illicit drugs in our foundation for counseling in one year. 78 of them repented and vowed not to engage in drugs again. I resigned from my work and opened

this foundation to safe youths,” she said. Mrs Shekari told the gathering that one of her sons was into drugs before the son came out of the menace and wrote series of books against act. Mrs. Shekari, who called on the media to as-

sist in tackling the menace, however, said that the war against illegal intake of drugs among youths should not be left alone for government agencies. She said all stakeholders must stand up to safeguard the future of the youths.

Plateau Killings: Police, STF differ on casualty figures

JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

he Plataea State Police command and the Special Task Force (STF), maintaining security in the state have presented conflicting figures in the latest attack in Langtang South Local Government Area. Commissioner of Police Chris Olakpe, gave the figure as 10 during Thursday’s clash between Fulani nomads and peasant farmers in people that were killed on Thursday during the clash between Fulani nomad and peasant farmers in Bolgan, Karkashi and Magama villages of Langtang South Local Government Areas of the State. Contrary to that report, the Special Task Force (STF) claimed 28 people were killed during the renewed

clashes. The STF figure was contained in a press statement signed by the Media and Information

Officer,Captain Salisu Mustapha and made available to Journalists in Jos.

The STF statnent sread in parts, “Tthis is to inform the general public and good people

of Plateau State that on 27 June, 2013 at about 1:00am, suspected Fulani gunmen stormed

L-R: Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, Commissioner for Environment, Parks and Gardens, Hon. Umar Mohammed Nasko and Minister of Environment, Hajiya Hadiza Mailafiya, during the national environmental sanitation day at the UK Bello Arts Theatre, Minna, recently.

and attacked magama, Bolgan and Karkashi villages of Langtang South Local Government Area killing about 28 persons. “STF personnel went to the scene to bring the situation under control but the gunmen engaged them in gun duel that lasted several hours. In the process, about 20 of the assailants were killed while some who sustained gunshot wounds were arrested, some motorcycles, weapons and ammunition also recovered. The attackers withdrew towards Yamini, Yalwa Shendam and Agikamai villages of Shendam LGA” CP Olakpe while refuting the report yesterday in Jos stressed that security has been beefed up in the affected areas and normalcy has returned.

Bauchi indigenes protest relocation of council secretariat JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

nhabitants of Tafawa Belewa Local Government Area of Bauchi State yesterday protested the decision of the state government to relocate their council headquarters from Tafawa Belewa to Bununu. Governor Isa Yuguda, had in February 2012, asked the state’s House of Assembly to relocate the headquarters of Tafawa Balewa Local Government to Bununu against the wish of the people of the locality. Secretary General of Sayawa Chiefdom of Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro Local Government Areas of the state, Reverend Isaac Istifanus,

who led other council officials to address a press conference in Jos, yesterday, said they were convinced that the action of the state governor was done in bad faith. In the words of Rev. Istifanus, “We are calling

on the state government to reverse its unconstitutional and illegal decision to relocate the headquarters of our local government back to Tafewa Balewa from Bununu. We are also calling on the state gov-

ernment to amend the administrative districts and villages area law 2013 to give due recognition to the territory of the Sayawa chiefdom,” he said. The leader of the protesters maintained that

the people of the locality would continue to resist any provocative act that does no take the yearnings of the people into consideration. He added that many communities of Ningi and Misau Local Govern-

ment councils had come under serious attacks by gunmen whom he alleged come from Bununu suburb and wondered why the state governor would relocate the secretariat away from their own domain.

Borno NAWOJ donates to HIV/AIDS victims INUSA NDAHI MAIDUGURI

he Borno State chapter of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), has donated food items to widows of families of people living with HIV/AIDS to alleviate their sufferings. The items donated included assorted bags of maize,

beans, cans of vegetable oil among others. Speaking at the predentation ceremony, wife of the state governor, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, who was represented by the state’s commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Innah Galadima, called on individuals and other organizations to emulate NAWOJ by assisting to alleviate the suffering of

the victims of the dreaded disease. Hajiya Shettima said HIV/AIDS does not kill as much as the stigma attached to it, which she claimed kill victims faster than the disease itself. The governor’s wife reminded the gathering that no one is free from HIV/AIDS, but advised that all hands must be on deck to eliminate the disease.

In her address, Borno NAWOJ chairperson and also Media aide to Governor Shettima on Television, Miss Kwapchi Bata Dibal, thanked the Hope Initiative scheme of the government for identifying and bringing 100 women who have lost their spouses to the disease, most of whom are now living positively with the virus, to benefit from the donation.

The NAWOJ chairperson also expressed her gratitude to Hajiya Shettima, who is also the patron of the body in the state, “for taking it upon herself to alleviate the sufferings of the less privilege in the society.” Dibal also solicited for more support from well- meaning organizations and individuals to support the laudable programme of NAWOJ.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Nelson Mandela’s health has improved –Winnie

he ex-wife of critically ill Nelson Mandela said Friday that the 94-year-old beloved former president is showing a “great improvement” compared to a few days ago. Winnie MadikizelaMandela gave the update while speaking to media outside Mandela’s former home in Soweto. “I’m not a doctor but I can say that from what he was a few days ago there is great improvement,” said Madikizela-Mandela, who is a member of South Africa’s Parliament. Madikizela-Mandela pleaded with the media

to “understand the sensitivities and the feeling of the family.” One of Mandela’s daughters, Makaziwe Mandela, was among family members who arrived at the Pretoria hospital on Friday. The ministers of health and defense also visited, the South African Press Association reported. Outside the Pretoria hospital on Friday, a man flying a drone-like object with a camera attached was led away by several policemen, adding to an already heightened atmosphere where well-wishers continue to gather to pray for Mandela.

June 29, 2013

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Obama protesters rally near hospital treating Mandela

outh Africans protesting a visit to their country by U.S. President Barack Obama rallied on Friday a few blocks from well-wishers at a hospital in Pretoria where anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela is critically ill. Obama, on a three-nation tour of Africa, was due to arrive in South Africa on Friday with White House officials saying they will defer to Mandela’s family on whether the first African-American president of the United States will visit

South Africa’s first black president. Mandela, 94, is fighting a lung infection that has left him in a critical condition and in hospital for nearly three weeks. His fourth hospitalization in six months has focused attention in South Africa and globally on the faltering health of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who is admired as a symbol of resistance against injustice and of racial reconciliation. President Jacob Zuma

has said Mandela’s condition improved over Wednesday night but he remained critical. About 200 trade unionists, student activists and South African Communist Party members gathered in the capital Pretoria to protest Obama’s visit this weekend, calling his foreign policy “arrogant, selfish and oppressive”. “We had expectations of America’s first black president. Knowing Africa’s history, we expected more,” said Khomotso Makola, a

19-year-old law student. “He has come as a disappointment, I think Mandela too would be disappointed and feel let down,” Makola said. South African critics of Obama have focused in particular on his support for U.S. drone strikes overseas, which they say have killed hundreds of innocent civilians, and his failure to deliver on a pledge to close the U.S. military detention centre at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba housing terrorism suspects.

UK takes step toward ‘three-parent babies’

he United Kingdom took a step Friday toward being the first country in the world to allow a pioneering in vitro fertilization technique using DNA from three people that could prevent mitochondrial diseases but that also raises significant ethical issues. One in 6,500 babies in the United Kingdom is born with mitochondrial disorder, which can lead to serious health issues such as heart and liver disease, respiratory problems and muscular dystrophy. Problems with mitochondria, the “powerhouse” cells of the body, are

inherited from the mother, so the proposed IVF treatment would mean an affected woman could have a baby without passing on mitochondrial disease. But the cutting-edge IVF technique, which involves transferring nuclear genetic material from a mother’s egg or embryo into a donor egg or embryo that’s had its nuclear DNA removed, raises ethical questions. The new embryo will contain nuclear DNA from the intended father and mother, as well as healthy mitochondrial DNA from the donor embryo -- effectively creating a “three-parent” baby.

Iranian official signals no scaling back in nuclear activity

ran will press ahead with its uranium enrichment program, its nuclear energy chief said on Friday, signaling no change of course despite the victory of a relative moderate in the June 14 presidential election. Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, head of the Islamic Republic’s Atomic Energy Organization, said production of nuclear fuel would “continue in line with our declared goals. The enrichment linked to fuel production will also not change.” Speaking through an interpreter to reporters at a nuclear energy conference in St Petersburg, Russia, he said work at Iran’s underground Fordow plant - which the West wants Iran to close - would also continue. Iran refines uranium at Fordow

that is a relatively close technical step away from weapons-grade. Iran says it is enriching uranium to fuel a planned network of nuclear energy power plants, and also for medical purposes. But enriched uranium can also provide the fissile material for nuclear bombs if processed further, which the West fears may be Tehran’s ultimate goal. Abbasi-Davani said Iran’s so far only nuclear power plant - which has suffered repeated delays - had been “brought back online” three days ago and was working at 1,000 megawatt capacity. A U.N. nuclear agency report said in May that the Russian-built Bushehr plant was shut down, giving no reason.

Protesters carry placards as they protest against the visit of U.S. President Barack Obama in Pretoria on Friday

US president says Washington has moral imperative to feed Africa

resident Barack Obama, wrapping up the first leg of an African tour, said on Friday Washington had a “moral imperative” to help the world’s poorest continent feed itself and he then left for South Africa hoping to see ailing Nelson Mandela. White House officials hope Obama’s three-nation tour of Africa - his

first substantial visit to the continent since taking office in 2009 - will compensate for what some view as years of neglect by America’s first black president. Before departing Senegal after a two-day stay, Obama met farmers and local entrepreneurs to discuss new technologies helping to raise agricultural output in West Africa, one of the world’s

most under-developed and drought-prone regions. Standing in front of the agricultural displays at an event hosted by “Feed the Future”, the U.S. government’s global hunger initiative, Obama said his administration was making food security a top priority of its development agenda. “This is a moral imperative. I believe that Africa is rising and wants

to partner with us: not be dependent but be self sufficient,” he told reporters. “Far too many Africans endure the daily injustice of poverty and chronic hunger. “When people ask what’s happening to their taxpayer dollars in foreign aid, I want people to know this money’s not being wasted. It’s helping feed families.”

Mugabe, Tsvangirai register to run in Zimbabwe elections

imbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe and long-time rival Morgan Tsvangirai registered on Friday for elections scheduled for July 31 in which Mugabe is seeking to extend his three-decade rule. The 89-year-old leader will fight Tsvangirai, 61, for the presidency, while his ZANUPF party faces Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in the parlia-

mentary election after four years in a forced coalition following a disputed 2008 vote. Welshman Ncube, who leads a splinter MDC party, also entered the presidential race, but the serious contenders are Mugabe and Tsvangirai, a former fiery trade union leader who says the president has rigged elections since 2000 to shut him out.

“As ZANU-PF we are confident of victory. We are supporting our president because we have progressive policies,” Defense Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa told Reuters after registering Mugabe’s candidature at the High Court. In power since the former Rhodesia’s independence from Britain in 1980, Mugabe left Harare for a medical check-up in Singa-

pore on Tuesday. Tsvangirai is already on the campaign trail in Zimbabwe’s southwestern Matabeleland region. Mugabe, Africa’s oldest leader, denies reports he suffers from prostate cancer or other major health problems. He says he has cataracts and is expected home this weekend from what his spokesman called a routine visit to an eye specialist.

Saturday Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

June 29, 2013

With deep sense of loss but in total submission to the permissible will of God and with gratitude in our hearts, we regret to announce the passing unto glory of our son, brother, husband, father, uncle and friend:

Prince Adeniyi Magnus Elumaro (AME) December 29th 1970 - June 24th 2013 Survived by: wife, children, brothers, sisters and an aged mother.

FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS: Thursday July 4th 2013 Service of Songs Time: 10.00am. Venue: International Church of Christ (ICOC), Otunba Jobi Fele Way, besides Regency Hall, behind Marwa Gardens, Alausa, Ikeja.

Friday 5th July 2013 Wake Keeping Time: 5.00pm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7.00pm Venue: Late Oba Elumaro Compound, Ajagba, Irele LGA, Ondo State.

Saturday 6th July, 2013 Funeral Service Time: 11.00 am. Venue: Ajagba Town Hall, Ajagba, Irele LGA, Ondo State. Interment follows immediately.

Signed: Elumaro Family

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Education beyond meal ticket

with President Olusegun Obasanjo hexcellency2011@yahoo.com

EDUCATION BEYOND MEAL TICKET MEANS DELIVERING THE CURRICULUM IN A WAY THAT WILL LEAD TO THE PRODUCTION OF PERSONS

WHO ARE SELF-RELIANT, CREATORS OF JOBS AND RESPONSIBLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY There is no doubt that whether formal or informal, education has its core values which include self reliance, honesty, diligence, respect for rule of law and dignity in labour. Bundled with these knowledge and skills that education impacts on the learner and when education is well-rounded, all the ingredients for success in life are delivered to the learner. Sadly, education for must African youths is far from well-rounded as it is devoid of training for the world of work and the realities of contemporary life. University education is seen by many as

a mere pathway to obtaining a certificate which they erroneously take to be a meal ticket that will guarantee jobs and the good things of life. Few hours after leaving the university, they are hit with the realisation that the beautiful certificate cannot fetch them even the ugliest meal. The frustration that results has severe implications for national stability as we see by the day in youth restiveness all across the world. Education beyond meal ticket means delivering the curriculum in a way that will lead to the production of persons

SPORT EXTRA Compel clubs to have feeder teams, Laloko urges LMC

ashimawo Laloko, the Director, Pepsi Football Academy, yesterday called on the League Management Company (LMC) to enact policies that will compel clubs to set up genuine feeder teams. Laloko broached the idea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. He noted that what most clubs currently passed off as feeder teams was a far cry from what feeder teams should look like. The former Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA) added that most of the players in the feeder teams were even older than those playing for the clubs. Laloko stressed that the absence of viable feeder

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Death penalty remains part of our active laws and governors must enforce it. Minister of Justice, Mohammed Adoke, SAN, while reacting to the international condemnation of the four executed armed robbers in Edo State recently.

Saturday, June 29, 2013. www.nationalmirroronline.net

ver six decades ago, I had hoped to attend the famous Fourah Bay College and earn a degree. But my life’s trajectory steered me elsewhere. Today, I am pleased to be made an honourary alumnus of the historic and prestigious institution which nurtured Ajayi Crowther, Ransome Kuti an a host of other distinguished Nigerians who have made immeasurable contributions to our development and progrees in Nigeria and indeed in West Africa since the inception of this “Athens of West Africa” in 1827. While thinking about these awards you have conferred on me, I want to ask all of us parents, teachers, leaders and opinion leaders to think about the kind of education we are imparting on our youth today. It is a paradox that, the colonial masters gave us education that served colonial objectives and purposes while it would appear that today’s education, which we designed for ourselves and by ourselves, gives nothing short of a meal ticket – a well-crafted and ornamented certificate by itself which cannot fetch them a meal today I have therefore titled my brief speech “Education Beyond Meal Ticket”. Down through the ages, it is known that education is the antidote to poverty and ignorance and the key for unlocking natural resources and human potentials. There is a compelling body of research concluding that education is the main plank for economic development and for transforming the man or woman to a responsible, self-reliant citizen. The pertinent question that comes to mind is: What is the value and purpose of education?

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teams had in a way stunted the growth of the sport. “Clubs will tell you that they have feeder teams, but you will be surprised that the players are not feeder team materials. “The LMC has to put its foot down to ensure that all league teams have proper youth development programmes in place, because we haven’t progressed well in that regard. “We need to be sincere with ourselves on our youth development programmes that could move our football to the next level,” Laloko said. On his assessment of the growth of football at the grassroots, Laloko said that a lot needs to be done because the game was not progressing the way it should.

who are self-reliant, creators of jobs and responsible members of the community. It means preparing our youth and adult communities to contribute to assuring human security especially food and nutrition, environmental, health and employment security and to peace building. It means preparing our youths for future leadership positions for a strife-free continent. In sum, it means delivering education that will not just be for paper qualification- a meal ticket, but education for self-reliance- a life ticket! It must be education for citizenshio of the world as a good citizen of the world will be a good citizen of his or her own country. Some of the pathways to achieving these goals include reforming the curriculum at all levels to embed a strong slant of entrepreneurship. We must ensure a blend of training of the head, heart and hands and inculcate the value of hard work in our youth. We should train our youth to detect small business opportunities in villages, towns and cities and prepare them from school with entrepreneurial skills to take full advantage of such small business opportunities, which over time, will grow into large-scale businesses. As a practicing farmer and based on the huge potential of agriculture to national development and to youth employment, I canvass education that will tool our youth for farming and make them active partakers in agribusiness. Why should our faculties of Agriculture not become Faculties of Agribusiness and Food Production? We must think out of the box and more out of the box.

FIFA U-20 World Cup Fixtures Today’s Matches Croatia v New Zealand 18:00 Uzbekistan v Uruguay 18:00 Egypt v England 21:00 Iraq v Chile 21:00

FIFA Confederations Cup Sunday, June 30, 2013 Uruguay v Italy (3rd Place Match) 13:00 Brazil v Spain (Final) 19:00

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