African voice newspaper edition 546

Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014 ISSUE 546

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How APC presidential candidate will emerge — Buhari SEE PAGE 12 Like us on Facebook facebook.com/africanvoicenews Follow us on Twitter @africanvoice2

Nigerian students pass GCSEs ahead of time

By Yemi Dipeolu 8 year-old Israel Adeboga, has become the youngest student to pass his GCSEs this year. The young Nigerian joined the 21Day Excellence in Education (EIE) Course which was piloted to help students understand the fundamentals of ANY subject in less than 3 weeks. This was first celebrated by the London’s Evening Standard and other leading media outlets, including Sky TV. Israel, who achieved a grade C in Maths, describes the EIE programme as ‘enjoyable’ as it helps him to understand and solve difficult math problems, and his passion for the subject is clear.

“I enjoy EIE because they give you end of chapter games from Maths Manual - which make hard sums look easy,” he said.

When he’s older Israel hopes to be a scientist, a singer and possibly even Prime Minister: “In the future I want to be a scientist because I am brainy and I have always been interested in it because I find out so much interesting since they look into things much deeper.

I have always loved singing and I am very good at it is sort of my passion since I have been doing it since age 4.”

The Excellence in Educational programme has pioneered new learning methods that have produced the recordbreaking results for students from the most disadvantaged schools, and communities.

Most of them have broken or set new records in academic and music/sports. EIE has now developed a new 21-day A-Level/ GCSE course that can help any student of any ability, age or post code understand the fundamentals of any subject through gamification and other innovative tools such as the Maths Manual.

This year the following inner city students participated in the programme which Professor William Maxwell of Harvard described as “the most unprecedented educational phenomena of recent years”, when he visited London during the last academic year.

Other EIE students also achieved outstanding results, highlighting the company’s solid teaching methods. 10year-old Ann Ogundipe achieved a grade B in GCSE Math as well as managing to secure several scholarships to the UK’s top secondary schools.

Continued on page 4

Youngsters at the Excellence in Educational programme

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Sex education should begin at age 7, say Lib Dems

Sex education should be taught to primary school pupils from the age of seven, according to the Liberal Democrats, who hope to extend sex education classes to KS2 children.

The ‘age appro- priate’ classes will be introduced as part of the PSHE (Personal Social Health Education) curriculum, and if plans go ahead will be compulsory for all schools, including academies where sex education does not have to be taught. The plan comes as part of a greater scheme which education minister David Laws describes as a “curriculum for life” which will teach youngsters about money management and being a good citizen “We have long made the case, both inside and outside government, for updated sex and relationship education to be taught in all schools, including academies and free schools, but it is not something the Conservatives are open to,” Laws said.

“We believe that by educating children about sex and relationships in an appropriate way, we can help them to make informed choices in their personal lives. Currently, academies and free schools have no requirement to teach sex and relationship education, depriving children of important life lessons.

“The Liberal Democrats are committed to ensuring that children have access to ageappropriate sex and relationship education regardless of where they go to school.”

News

Misquoted kids’ laureate hits back at online abuse

By Yemi Dipeolu

Author Malorie Blackman, Britain’s first black Children’s Laureate, has received a torrent of racist abuse following an interview with Sky News, in which she was grossly misquoted.

The writer, who is renown for her critically acclaimed Noughts and Crosses series, spoke to reporter Richard Suchet of Sky News about the lack of diversity in children’s literature, pointing out not only seeing one’s self represented in literature but also the importance of being introduced to other cultures through reading.

“That’s not to say that children and young adults only want to read about themselves... you want to escape into fiction as well and read about other people, other cultures, other lives, other planets and so on.”

Blackman said. “But I think there is a very significant message that goes out when you cannot see yourself at all in the books you are reading. I think it is saying ‘well, you may be here, but do you really belong?’”

The interview was published on the Sky News website accompanied by a deliberately provocative and inaccurate headline claiming that Blackman said “Children’s Books ‘Have Too Many White Faces’”, which resulted in Blackman being racially attacked on twitter and in the comments section of the article. The headline was

Malorie Blackman

soon changed, and Sky apologised after Blackman complained about the quote, saying, “Not once did the phrase in the banner headline pass my lips because I don’t think in those terms”. However, the damage was already done and the abuse unfortunately continued, causing the writer to take a break from the social media site.

After receiving support from her fellow writers, Blackman returned to Twitter refusing to back down from her abusers.

She said: “Hell will freeze over before I let racists and haters silence me. In fact, they just proved to me that I was right to speak

out. So thanks so much everyone for your support. I can’t tell you how much it means to me. I walk hand in hand with you. #WeNeedDiverseBooksUK.” This, unfortunately is not the first time that black media figures have been racially attacked after highlighting the lack of diversity in Britain’s cultural arena. And while some measures are being put in place to better represent Black and Ethnic Minorities in various institutions, these attacks only serve to highlight the fact that these problems need to be addressed on a greater scale.

Foreign students should be exempt from immigration cuts, says MP

By Yemi Dipeolu

Publisher and Editor-In-Chief Mike Abiola Editorial Board Adviser Dr Ola Ogunyemi Managing Editor Alan Oakley News Editor Peter Olorunnisomo Sports Editor Abiodun Teriba Arts Editor Golda John Columnists Milton Tella Yemi Dipeolu Photo Journalist Isaac Adegbite Graphic Designer African Voice UK Accountant Fanla Agboola London Office: Unit 7 Holles House Overton Road London SW9 7AP

Tel: 020 3737 3077

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African Voice is published by African Voice UK.

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A call to exclude international students from immigration cuts has been made by ministers highlighting the invaluable contribution they make to the UK economy.

Cuts to the number of students allowed to come to the UK to study will potentially be reduced in order to help the Conservative government to meet their target to reduce the number of immigrants coming to the UK to 100,000 by 2015.

Former deputy prime minister Lord Heseltine has criticised the Home Office’s refusal to exclude foreign students from cuts following a study by Universities UK, which showed that only 22% of people classed international students as immigrants. Another poll suggested that 66% of people felt that the government should not reduce the number of international students to the UK even if that meant not meeting the Conservative’s immigration target.

“There are very large numbers of students in this country - in our universities, in our business schools - who are a great asset financially and educationally,” Lord Heseltine said, adding: “The public do not see students who come and go as part of the immigration problem.”

He described foreign students, who collectively boost the UK’s economy by bil-

Chuka Umunna MP lions of pounds a year, as a ‘financial asset’ and added that they not only help to keep universities, which have seen a large amount of cuts to funding, open but also act as ambassadors for the UK. Shadow Business minister Chuka Umunna supported these views saying: “Higher education is one of the UK’s biggest exports; worth over £10bn a year to our economy, which this Tory-led government has played fast and loose with. We do want stronger controls on temporary student visitors for short courses - because those visas

are being abused - but legitimate university students from overseas, who bring so much to our economy, should be removed immediately from the net migration target.”

It is thought that these cuts along with several changes to the student visa system that have been made since 2010, including the introduction of a maximum study time, an increase in application costs and fewer opportunities for work after graduation, will take business away from the UK to its competitors in Australia and the US.

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News

Caroline Odogwu presented with Prime Minister’s award An inspirational young woman from South London who has helped over 100 young women to realise their potential has won a new volunteering award, Prime Minister David Cameron has announced.

Twenty-six year-old Caroline Odogwu is the latest recipient of a Point of Light award, which recognises outstanding individual volunteers, making a positive change in their community and inspiring others. Each day, someone, somewhere in the country is selected to receive the award to celebrate their remarkable achievements.

Caroline co-founded and set up ‘She Is You’, a social enterprise which runs confidence-building workshops aimed at young women to help them raise their aspirations and achieve their potential. The workshops tackle low confidence and self-esteem and encourage young women to understand their value and aim high. Caroline works with young women to identify their talents and abilities and shows them how they can develop and use what they’re good at.

She teaches them to communicate, express themselves better and build consciousness about how their behaviour and communication style makes other people feel.

The sessions Caroline and the team runs through ‘She Is You’ touch on issues such as diversity, gender equality, youth entrepreneurship and sisterhood and showcase inspirational female role models from all backgrounds and ethnicities. Recent supporters included well-known figures such as ITV journalist Julie Etchingham.

Thanks to her passion and the enthusiasm Caroline has become a role model in her own right and has inspired many other young women to take charge of their lives.

The workshops have been a real success and what was initially a small number of community workshops has grown and feedback has been great with 9/10 girls experiencing an increase in their self- confidence as a result of their workshops. Caroline & the team now provide many more mentoring

Caroline Odogwu: Passionate about giving young women a platform events and a YouTube channel to feature inspirational role models.

Prime Minister David Cameron said: “Caroline is helping to inspire young women, showing them that they can achieve their goals and make a difference in their lives. I’m delighted to recognise Caroline as a Point of Light, and I hope that she continues to help more young women reach their potential.”

Caroline is the ninety-second winner of the new Points of Light award which has been developed in partnership with the hugely successful Points of Light programme in the USA and was first established by President George H. W. Bush. Over 5,000 US Points of Light have been awarded and both President George H. W. Bush and President Barack Obama have publicly supported the partnership with Points of Light UK which honours shining examples of volunteering across the country.

Caroline said: ““It is such a privilege and honour to be recognised for this award.

She Is You wouldn’t have come this far without co-founder Yinka Oyebade and our long-standing volunteer Elina Smyrniou.

In today’s world girls and young women are put under a lot of pressure by the media’s portrayal of what a woman should be.

I am passionate about giving young women a platform and a voice to support them to reach their individual potential and break down barriers that we face on a daily basis.”

Moira Swinbank, CEO of vInspired said: “We are so delighted that Caroline has been recognised with a Points of Light award. She is an incredibly positive young woman who has shown huge dedication and creativity in finding solutions to problems affecting other young women in her community. She’s a great example of the amazing things young people have to offer to their communities and to wider society.

We hope that this award will inspire other young people to take a chance on their own ideas to tackle the issues they care about in their communities.”

Elitist Britain? published The Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission has published a report on social mobility: Elitist Britain?

The report’s research highlights a dramatic over-representation of those educated at independent schools and Oxbridge across the institutions that have such a profound influence on what happens in our country.

Few people believe that the sum total of talent in Britain exists in just 7% of our country’s schools and less than 2% of our universities. The risk is that the more the few dominate our country’s leading institutions, the less likely it is that people believe

they can make a valuable contribution.

It found that 65% of people believe ‘who you know’ is more important than ‘what you know’, and 3 quarters of people think family background has a significant influence on life chances in Britain today.

The Rt Hon Alan Milburn, the Chair of the Commission, said: “We in the Commission hope this report prompts a re-think in the institutions that have such a critical role to play in making Britain a country where success relies on aptitude and ability more than background or birth.”

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News

Nigerian youngsters pass GCSEs ahead of time Continued from front page She commends the encouragement she received when first arriving at EIE: “My parents wanted me to get some help with my homework, and scholarship tests for secondary school, so we went to EIE, but when we got there, I saw many young children doing hard sums from the Maths Manual book. I was really surprised. So I wanted to have a go. Unlike in school everyone is encouraged to try, and try again then one of the mentors will help if you get it wrong”. “I was very happy when I later was able to answer tough Maths questions and played Maths games”.

15 year old Desmond Ogboru, also passed with flying colours, gaining an A over all. He praised EIE’s classes saying that he enjoyed “the freedom of learning at one’s pace during EIE sessions.”

He added that there is so, so much flexibility, it allows me to explore wider and deeper in any subject I like.”

EIE is chaired by Chris Imafidon, the patriarch of Britain’s brainiest family, whose children were high achievers from a very young age.

Two of his children became the youngest secondary school students after being accepted at the age of 9. “Everyone can be taught to love Maths,” he stated, “because simplicity and gamification should be at the heart of learning.

With the right methods, tools, and techniques, every student is a genius.”

In the course of last academic year, EIE used its new learning methodology to deliver grade boost revision session to groups of students in poor performing schools in Newham and Brent Councils. A FREE online class will be given to any disappointed students who want to turn around their any low grade. This is given on their website www.excellenceineucation. co.uk 4

Francis, Maxwell and Demond

Laurelle and Twins: Peter and Paula

Yolanda and Prof. Maxwell

Prof. Chris and Prof Maxwell

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Senegal

Africa Newsround

Senegal moves to isolate itself from Ebola epidemic The Interior Ministry in Dakar announced last week that it would seek to shut off access to Guinea, which borders the southeast of Senegal over fears that Viral Haemorrhagic Fever, better known as Ebola, which is known to have killed some 1,400 people in West Africa since March, could find its way into the country. Senegal is also imposing strict controls on maritime traffic from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.

Dakar is a regional hub for West Africa and many doctors and medical supplies arriving from Europe or the US pass through there before going to and returning from the affected countries. The World Health Organization has expressed concerns over whether a travel ban might negatively impact aid work. In response, Senegal’s Health Minister Dr Eva Marie Colle Seck told the BBC the travel ban would not affect

Senegal is keen to seal off its border with Ebola-hit Guinea

humanitarian flights, and that the WHO was “learning, like everybody [else]“.

A number of African nations are taking steps to prevent transmission of the virus, including now South Africa, which has issued a travel ban for travellers from Ebola-hit countries and told South African citizens returning from these countries they would be questioned, and screened if necessary.

Liberia in particular has struggled in recent days with a surge in cases. The World

Health Organization (WHO) has counted 972 confirmed cases and 576 deaths in the country, warning that many more cases might remain undiagnosed. UN spokesman on the epidemic, David Nabarro, said on arrival in the region that the outbreak’s spread was difficult to predict.

“We’re either close to a plateau, but then we’ll drop; or we’re in a phase - an inflection point - where it is going to increase, and I absolutely cannot tell,” Nabarro told the AFP news agency last week on a stopover at Conakry airport en route to Monrovia.

Nabarro said he was determined to “ensure that every piece of our apparatus is at its optimum so it could deal possibly with a flare-up, if that’s necessary.”

British physician Nabarro, who was appointed by the UN to coordinate the international response to Ebola, was due to visit Freetown, Sierra Leone; Conakry, Guinea; and Abuja, Nigeria during his trip to the region. After visiting the affected countries, Nabarro will return to Geneva and New York to report on his findings.

The virus’ spread has severely tested medical infrastructure and staff in West Africa. The Red Cross office in Liberian,

for instance, warned that the crematorium in Monrovia was struggling to deal with the bodies being brought in each day.

Cremation is an important step in efforts to contain the spread of the infectious disease, which is passed on through contact with bodily fluids. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf imposed a curfew and ordered a quarantine zone for the capital Monrovia’s West Point slum earlier in the week, prompting protests in the district of around 75,000 people.

There is not currently a vaccine or accepted treatment for Ebola, but the WHO intends to debate the safety and efficacy of experimental medications at a meeting in Geneva next month. Two US missionaries who contracted Ebola while treating patients in Liberia have left hospital after making a full recovery. Both received an experimental drug called ZMapp during treatment, but it is not yet clear whether the medication contributed to their recovery.

A British nurse who contracted the disease in Sierra Leone is undergoing treatment, including the administering of ZMapp, at London’s Royal Free Hospital.

Zimbabwe

Judge gets vex as man drops his kecks

A man has been charged with contempt of court after he pulled down his trousers while giving evidence.

Loveness Mutezo, aged 40, was seeking an order of protection against her husband, Jeffrey Chemutsanga, 45, for persistent drunken abuse. Chemutsanga, however, was keen to counter with evidence of his wife’s shortcomings. While making his submissions, he became overcome with emotion and dropped his trousers to expose his dirty boxer shorts as proof Mutezo did not do his laundry.

This followed Chemutsanga’s impassioned claim that his wife was also guilty of a kind of abuse when he asserted: “Your Worship, I was also on my way to make a 6

claim against her because she abuses me by denying me my conjugal rights.”

Mutezo defended herself, saying: “Your Worship I don’t deny him, it’s only when I am menstruating. He does not understand that it’s nature. He asks me about menstruation issues in front of [the] kids.”

However, it was Chemutsanga’s trouserdropping that proved the last straw for magistrate Langton Mukwengi, who ordered the defendant’s immediate arrest; but not before finding in favour of Mutezo.

Handing down his ruling Mr Mukwengi said: “I grant the protection order to your wife because you are a bad example to your children (...) If you are not satisfied with the ruling make an application at your own time.”

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UK ‘must export more for growth’

Britain needs to invest and export more to prevent its worldleading growth being a flash in the pan, a leading business group said.

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) upgraded its growth forecast from 3.1% to 3.2% this year and from 2.7% to 2.8% in 2015, but more than halved its prediction on export growth in goods and services to 0.8% this year.

The upgrade to the BCC’s GDP forecasts is due to a stronger labour market but, with interest rates due to rise from early next year, the lobby group is predicting a slight slowdown in the pace of growth from 2015.

BCC chief economist David Kern said: “To maintain our world-leading performance, we may have to look to other sources of growth.

“Greater efforts to boost exports and investment and avoiding premature interest rate increases will ensure that the recovery is sustainable and that the pace of growth can strengthen in the future.”

For 2016, the BCC’s GDP growth forecast remains unchanged at 2.5% but it warns that household consumption will

slow to 2.2% from 2.9% this year.

The unemployment rate is forecast to fall from 6.4% in the second quarter of this year to 5.5% next summer and then 5% in 2016 and 4.9% by 2017.

BCC director general John Longworth said: “ We are leading, rather than following, other major economies when it comes to short-term growth.

“Businesses up and down the country should be congratulated for their hard work and determination in driving the UK recovery despite a number of international and domestic challenges.

“The task at hand is to ensure that the stellar 2014 growth is not a flash in the pan. We need to invest and export more, innovate, and build.

“It is disappointing that we have downgraded export growth for the next two years as a strong international trade performance is key if we are to steer away from a reliance on consumer spending.”

Mr Longworth also called on the Bank of England to give businesses the confidence they need to invest by keeping interest rates low for as long as possible.

“Any future rate rises must be gradual and modest,” he added.

BCC Director General John Longworth

4th UK-Ugandan Investment Convention to hold in London The 4th edition of Ugandan Convention UK a full day event designed to promote investment opportunities in Uganda and the region will hold in London on 13th Sept 2014 at the Troxy, 490 Commercial Rd, E1 0HX.

Members of the government and business communities from Ugandan and the UK will discuss investment opportunities, investment updates and climate in Uganda and will encourage delegates to be part of the new elite investors of Uganda.

Why you should attend

We have structured the entire programme around one core principle: investment opportunities in Uganda.

The event will have presentations on the following: • Overview of Uganda manufacturing sector and its opportunities, balanced perspective, risks and challenges • Opportunities in Tourism, Leisure and Hospitality • Mining and refining and support to Oil and Gas sub sectors • International perspective on increasing UK’s exports and attracting UK investment into Uganda • Dividends from mechanizing agriculture and innovation in the field

link

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• Case study on rural development and transformation of Lwengo district into a prospering district • Role of Diasporas in the transformation of Uganda’s rural areas • Diaspora to support and invest in health sector opportunities as a solution to the problem.

Key speakers includes:

Hon. Edward Ssekandi Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, Hon. Maria Kiwanuka, the Finance Minister is an Economist and businesswoman, Hon. Amelia Anne Kyambadde, married, is Uganda’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Mr. Nuradin Osman Managing Director for AGCO in Africa & Middle East, Eng. Dr. Frank B. Sebbowa is the Executive Director of Uganda Investment Authority and Honorable Kasamba Mathias, member of Parliament, Kakuuto County, Rakai has facilitated the Community towards attainment of food security in all the five subcounties.

The UK delegation will include, Lord Popat and Lord Verjee, both very wealthy businessmen in the UK, who will talk on successful investments. From Switzerland, Mr Nuradin Osman, from Massey Ferguson tractors, will present opportunities on how to mechanize agriculture in Uganda.

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Faces @ The Diamond Jubilee: Actress Golda John Internationally renowned actress, Golda John Abiola turns 60 recently, friends and family members from several continents convened in London to celebrate with her. Golda’s film credits include Crispian Mills’ Fantastic Fear of Everything alongside popular English actor/comedian Simon Pegg.

Golda also featured in award winning Gone Too Far written by British playwright Bola Agbaje and directed by Destiny Ekaragha; a new film coming soon to cinemas.

Photos: Michael Ebo

Prof. Duro Oni, Mike Abiola, Golda and Prince Tajudeen Adeniyi

From right: Sister Funmi, Mike, Golda, EvangelistAlabi and Mrs Adeyeye

Linda James, Mike, Golda and Carlos

From left: Yetunde Oduwole, Mike, Golda and a guest

Old Student Reagan: Mrs Oshinowo, Golda, Temilola, Rev. Kourouma and Sola John From left: Ronke Udofia, Mike, Golda, Hajia Hawa and Peter Olorunnisomo

Sheena, Mike, Golda and Barrister Nosa Erhunmwunsee Mike, Golda and Dr & Mrs Boma Douglas

Mike, Golda and Mr & Mrs Shina Alege

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Mike, Pastor & Evangelist Cassey Badejo

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Faces @ The Diamond Jubilee: Actress Golda John

Prof. Alaba Badejo, Rev. Douglas, Carol, Golda, Richard Ajibade and Mr Badejo

Otunba & Princess Obafemi Adenuga

Olori Busola Okuneye, Golda and Mrs Yemi Abiola

Mrs Nene Osoba, Mr Inua (Jnr) Mohammed, Mike, Golda, Mrs Stellamaris Mohammed, Miss Alfarida Mohammed, Master Ehijele Mohammed, Miss Ifueko Mohammed, Master Eseosa Mohamned & Master Osaro Mohammed

Mike, Golda flanked by Evangelist & Mrs Ajala

Mrs Udorosi, Mike, Golda, Princess and husband

Mike, Golda and Mr & Mrs Gabriel Akintunde

Mr Adams, Mike, Golda and Elder Odunayo Otti

Moji Bamtefa, Mike, Golda and Mrs Ngosi Ebeniro

Mike, Golda and Mr & Mrs Patrick Ideh

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How APC presidential candid Former Head of State and a national leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress [APC] Muhammadu Buhari, has given insights into how his party will select its presidential candidate for the 2015 general election.

Mr. Buhari spoke to a team of editors from the leading Hausa Newspaper, Rariya, in his office in Abuja, recently.

PREMIUM TIMES’ Sani Tukur translated the full interview into English, with permission from Rariya.

Can you give us a glimpse into your typical day? How do you start your day, what’s your breakfast like and how do you coordinate your schedule?

Well, my day starts from 5 a.m. Normally the morning prayers are offered after that.

I am an avid listener of Voice of America and BBC Hausa Service so I stay around to listen to the news on VOA Hausa from 6 to 6.30 a.m. and from 6.30 to 7 am, I listen to the BBC. After that I try go out and see how the environment is. After that, I come back in and I try to rest again and of course take my bath, have breakfast and then my appointments virtually start from 10 in the morning to 10 in the night – whether I’m at home or in the office. Sometimes I work from home. From 10 to one o’clock I take another break and rest. Then from 2 to 3.30 I have another break and then from there, depending on my schedules, I try to look at the newspapers — at least the headlines.

I usually go back to the papers after dinner to read in detail. I then look at my appointments and mails and keep political appointments.

Nigeria’s Former Head of State Muhammadu Buhari, National leader of the opposition party

On daily basis, people want to discuss with you and these are people from all constituencies and they are from all geopolitical zones. The most difficult are from our geopolitical zones, due to our culture.

People without appointments but they feel they want to see you and they just bounce on you and want to see you. No appointment. Quite irritating but I give them audience. So really that’s how the days are except of course on weekends. On Fridays after mosque I don’t do much unless I have something to do in the office. Otherwise I stay home. People don’t respect weekends and that’s when they feel they should visit you. It is quite hectic.

What time do you go to bed?

Between 11.30 p.m. and midnight.

You always look fit and trim. Do you exercise?

Well I am lucky I have a good physique but my house is in a close, and there is a small space between the gate and the Boys’ Quarters. I take a walk within the precincts at least three times a week and I think this is good enough for a 70-year old man.

You have had a very robust relationship with people since you joined politics and I am sure it’s a different world from the military where expectations are predictable. What are the things you cherish most in people and what are those things that put you off about people generally?

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The problem is mainly cultural. People feel that you should be accessible. They don’t appreciate that you may want to read or do something else. All they want is when they need you they want you to be there, even without appointment. It is cultural and it’s very difficult to deal with: giving access to

people all the time. I try to let people understand, planning one’s life, even on daily basis with all these schedules is difficult.

Especially from retired people in Kaduna.

Kaduna being the old capital of the north.

It’s a home to a number of technocrats and the military and you need plenty of time.

So I try to maintain contacts and we discuss serious issues.

What do you cherish most in individuals Well, I think the spate of insecurity that is overwhelming and the unfortunate economic situation where people have lost not only physical security but material security are serious problems. People cannot, after retirement, especially those with schoolgoing children, cope with educating their wards because of the standard of education that have really gone very low and then the few good schools that are available are unaffordable to them.

I will give an example, in early 2007 one of the members of our party, having lost both at the election and the Supreme Court, came to me at home in Daura and agonized over our loss, mainly because he was an educationist from ABU. He recalled the good old days at the university when government was functional. He told me that his children could not go to tertiary institution.

He said he could not afford the fees. So he said that even as an educationist, he was raising illiterates in his home.

This is a graphic condition we are in now in the country. People can’t educate their children. Talk of security, talk of infrastructure…we are really in trouble.

My Vision for Benue Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014

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idate will emerge — Buhari If you become the President today, how will you tackle these myriad of problems and restore confidence in governance?

First I have to secure the country, because unless you secure the country, nothing can be done properly, So, first it is security and then how to manage the country, that is by resuscitating the economy, the infrastructure, getting the factories reopened, getting employment and goods and services. It is much easier to damage than to rebuild, but everybody agrees that Nigeria is an incredibly resourceful country, both materially and human wise. So it is a question of the elite getting their acts together and making sure the country is organized in such a way that it can be secured and managed well. It is not easy because a number of the institutions have being compromised. What do you do with the Nigerian Police in terms of their efficiency? The military itself? The judiciary?

The recent happening in our country, especially the abduction of more than 200 girls from their school is unbelievable.

For those of us who experienced the civil war, we can’t reconcile how a group like Boko Haram would come and collect from one school more than 200 children and after three months, the Federal Government cannot do anything. So for those of us coming from the 1960s to now, it is unthinkable for any group to emerge in Nigeria to hold everyone to ransom. I mean the so-called Boko Haram. I said this about six months ago. I said no religion advocates hurting the innocent. So the religious toga that Boko Haram is wearing can be exposed. You can’t wrap yourself with explosives and go and kill people in markets, churches, mosques, and motor parks, and also go and slaughter children in their sleep. It’s simply terrorism. This is my clear understanding of it and it is the duty of the Federal Government to stop it. Unfortunately, so far, the Federal Government has failed.

There was the unfortunate attack on you in Kaduna and then there was an investigation. Has there been any progress concerning that incident?

You are asking me of progress. Have you forgotten that over 200 girls are missing for over three months now and nothing has happened? Ok. I know I’m a former Head of State and I decided to be in politics of opposition. Imagine your daughter being among the missing girls. So to come and talk to me about a near-death situation while over 200 children are still missing is insensitive. I do not expect anything to come out of the investigation into the attack on me honestly.

we again need to look for strong personalities to renew these institutions.

When the British came, they found some of us in this part of the country with advance social set up. They found in the north the emirate council system that only required accountability. There was taxation system — cattle and personal — but it was normally put in the pockets of the Emirs. The office of the treasurer was just a name. The British came and instituted accountability, a reform that helped the system already in place.

From left: Bisi Akande, Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Bola Tinubu and Aminu Masari You did say that Nigeria has the expertise to deal with the insurgency. Do you have an advice?

I think this is the right time to ask you this question. Are you going to contest the next election or not?

The problem is, as I have said in a few places, I have been in this struggle in Nigeria since 1966 when a certain group decided to wipe out our military and political leadership which led to counter-coups, which led to civil war, and which led to all sorts of unsettling instability in the society. I have been in it all and to boot, I too have been detained for more than three years. I tried to develop the capacity to bounce back and to appeal to people, especially the elite to be serious, to participate in politics so that credible people can be representatives and leaders in the country. That’s why I am in it. The National Assembly voted a year ago (or is it 18 months ago?) on the death of NEPA (may its soul rest in peace) after billions of dollars had been spent. What do we have now in terms of electricity? Nothing.

In pension funds, in petroleum industry, it’s the same situation…and no single person is being prosecuted. What will you think of this government?

Well I have to say that I am a loyal party member. Yes I have my own rights and so on, but being part of the merger, and the merger is not a political accident. I participated in the presidential elections of 2003, 2007 and 2011 so for me to participate in the merger process is not an accident. I realised that my experience in partisan politics from April 2002 to now is the only way I think of in confronting this amorphous ruling party, the PDP. I think the way forward for our country is for the opposition parties that have representations in the state legislatures and in the centre to come together and face the PDP. Unless that is done, we cannot stop the bad system. I have said it often that I am a converted democrat since 1991 when the Soviet Union, an empire of the 20th century, collapsed without a shot fired. People panicked, left nuclear sites, missile sites and now there are 18 or 19 republics. That was when I came to the conclusion that the democratic system of government is the best form of governance.

The question is if we see a Buhari presidency today, will these things be pursued vigorously?

Well, people have to be accountable, but there is a limit to what one can do if one finds himself as the president of this great country today. Earlier on, I talked about institutions being compromised so with who are you going to work? Whoever finds himself as the leader of this country next year, I hope he will not be overwhelmed by the problems and just sit back to watch the decay instead of doing something practical.

The picture looks very gloomy. I remember what an elder statesman, Ali Monguno said “where did we go wrong?”

So I ask you General, where did we go wrong?

I am sure you did not miss Obama’s statement in Ghana during his first visit to Africa. I think he came to tell us, especially developing African economies, that what we need to fix our countries are strong institutions, not strong individuals. But if Obama were in Nigeria, he would have arrived at a different conclusion. But we Nigerians know that it is strong individuals that destroyed strong institutions and so,

In like manner, going forward, we need to reform this country. So the elite must make sure they participate in electioneering, even if they are not card-carrying members of any party. They must make sure that in their constituencies they participate, even if they don’t want to go and contest election. They must make sure that credible, responsible Nigerians in their constituencies are the ones who become lawmakers, chairmen of local governments, senators, governors and so on. This is the duty of the elite because of what has happened to us between 1999 till now. When I tried to introduce Buba Marwa to his constituency, I said it. Let him go to the local government and know what are the condition of their schools, health care system and security there then and what the situation is now.

When you talked about Obama what you are saying is that we need strong personalities to build strong institutions but now in the merger you have individuals who are described as strange bed fellows. How confident are you that from now till 2015, people will remain committed to the change we need?

Well, I assume that we have agreed on the reason why we needed to merge. That no single opposition party could defeat the ruling party so we had to bury our differences to come together. What we did was deliberate and according to the Electoral Act 2010 that when you want to have a party, you have to apply and satisfy certain criteria.

We set up a series of committees one of which identified five political parties that should merge — ACN, ANPP, CPC, DPP, and APGA. And we graded ACN first, CPC second, ANPP third, APGA fourth and DPP fifth.

But we had to ask DPP and APGA to wait until after the merger because they had court cases and those could have been used to either delay or forestall our registration.

Continued on page 18 13

Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014

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CRIME

252 people arrested at Notting Hill Carnival

By Yemi Dipeolu

Despite the poor weather, thousands of revellers still made their way to London’s annual Notting Hill Carnival over the bank holiday weekend, some of whom ended up behind bars.

252 people were arrested over the course of the weekend, most of whom were arrested for drug offences. The Metropolitan Police said they were particularly concerned by the number of stabbings that took place this year.

Three men were reportedly stabbed while two police officers also suffered injuries.

An additional eight people are thought to have also suffered from knife injuries.

This eventually led to police using their stop and search powers to check people for weapons.

Chief of police Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said: “Although early indications are that reported crime is down at this year’s Notting Hill Carnival, I am concerned by the number of stabbings over the weekend.

“Stabbings are up on last year and in some

cases these are just centimetres from being a murder. Each will be thoroughly investigated and we will do everything possible to ensure those who brought trouble to Carnival are placed before the courts.

“Two of my officers were injured during an arrest yesterday and this shows the risks

they must take. I would like to thank all the officers and support staff for their hard work in the most difficult of weather conditions. Their commitment is a major factor in ensuring the carnival is a safe and enjoyable event for the vast majority of those attending.”

The 252 arrests were for a variety of crimes, including criminal damage, possession of offensive weapons and sexual assault. Carnival goer Mary Brandon was reportedly forced to spend nine hours in A&E after being groped then attacked by a man after she asked him twice not to touch her. The photos of her horrific injuries, which were accompanied by message against sexual harassment, have gone viral.

She said: “At Notting Hill Carnival yesterday a man in the crowd grabbed my arse,” she wrote, adding: “When I told him not to he did it again. I pushed him away, exercising my right to tell a man to stop touching my body without my permission, so he took a swing at me and punched me in the face.

Carnival is supposed to be about community and good vibes. I wanted to have a good time but instead I spent 9 hours in A&E because of this coward. I’m so pissed off that this man thought it was OK to hit me because I said no to him.”

Violent robbers jailed at Southwark Crown Court A man has been jailed at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday 26 August, after carrying out violent robberies on women in Westminster and Camden.

A second man will be sentenced next month. Junior Cooper 35 yrs old of Bruckner Street, W9 was found guilty on 17 July at Southwark Crown Court of conspiracy to rob three women. He was jailed for 12 years at Southwark Crown Court on 26 August.

Remy McLeod, 19, of no fixed abode was found guilty on 24 July at Southwark Crown Court of conspiracy to rob.

He will be sentenced on 8 September.

Cooper carried out two violent robberies on the evening of 15 November 2013.

At around 2230hrs he, along with two other men, attacked a woman in Montagu Square, Westminster. The woman was grabbed from behind and pressure was applied to her throat until she was unable to defend herself. The three men stole an expensive ear-ring and attempted to steal her Rolex watch and handbag, but they were unable to take the items from the victim due to her resistance and the assistance of members of the public.

Undeterred, Cooper and the two men attacked another woman in Hamilton Terrace, NW8 around 30 minutes later.

Again the victim was attacked from be-

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hind and grabbed by the throat, and the three men made off with her handbag.

On 26 November 2013, at around 2300hrs, a woman sat in a car in Aberdare Gardens, Kentish Town was grabbed through the open car window by Copper and two other men. They dragged the woman out of the car and made off with her handbag.

On 10 December, McLeod, together with at least three other men, attacked a woman at around 2200hrs in St John’s Wood. The group of men forced their way into the victim’s car and ripped ear-rings from her ears and also stolen a Rolex watch. The jewellery had a combined value of around £50,000.

Cooper and McLeod were associates who shared gang connections. Officers from Westminster Crime Squad established links between the four offences and set up Operation Ronay to target the suspects.

A stolen Audi was used by Cooper in all three offences, and this vehicle led to his arrest on 7 January 2014. McLeod was arrested three days later, and both were charged with conspiracy to rob along with two other men.

Dashaun Nicholas, 19 of Bruckner Street W10 was also found not guilty of conspiracy to rob on 17 July at Southwark Crown Court.

Junior Cooper

Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014

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Sounds of Diaspora People of America

Rihanna takes impromptu Ice Bucket Challenge in her stride

Shot Suge Knight should watch VMAs on TV

Suge Knight has taken a gunshot at a previous pre-VMA party

Death Row Records CEO Suge Knight has undergone emergency surgery after being shot at a preVMA party in West Hollywwod.

Rihanna could hardly say no in front of 45,000 fans

Eminem and Rihanna took the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to a new level last weekend. The tour buddies completed the challenge on stage in Detroit on Saturday night. At the end of the show – the duo’s final stop on their The Monster Tour – Eminem accepted Dr. Dre’s nomination and had Rihanna dump a bucket of ice water on him while he sat in a chair on stage.

Eminem and Rihanna are traveling around the country on the “Monster Tour,” and they spent the past weekend in Detroit, Eminem’s home city. Fans at Eminem’s hometown show got an added bonus when Eminem accepted and completed the viral

ALS Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or ALS (more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) live on the stage.

After Eminem took the challenge he called out Denaun Porter, Rick Rubin and, of course, “Detroit, what you think? Should I do it?” Rihanna asked the crowd of 45,000.

Eminem did the honours and doused the singer while Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” played in the background.

It is kind of cool that they took the challenge in front of a live audience. Instead of doing it at home and simply uploading a video, they brought the whole crowd into it.

The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has helped to raise more than $40 million for ALS related charities within the past few weeks.

49-year-old Knight, who was famously alleged to have been involved in the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls, was shot six times by an unidentified assailant at the nightclub event hosted by Chris Brown. The gunman fled the scene in the resulting melee.

Two bystanders were also hit and all three victims were taken to Cedars Sinai Hospital, where doctors said they are expected to make full recoveries.

A statement issued by Knight’s family urges fans to pray for the record mogul and to “stray away from the negativity portrayed by the media.” The statement continues: “Suge is currently resting and has lost a lot of blood, he’s human. He’s done a lot of things for the community and the culture as a whole so we ask that you respect that.”

Despite suggestions from witnesses that Knight was not the primary target, police say CCTV footage shows a gunman aiming at him. From this writer’s point of view, to propose any other scenario is to suggest that someone who clearly fancies himself as a hitman, missed his intended target six times! If this proves to be the case, his next port of call needs to be his Careers Officer.

Knight, who co-founded Death Row Records with Dr. Dre and the rapper The D.O.C. and is alleged to have employed violence and intimidation to make the label a success, is no stranger to the effects of gun violence. He suffered a gunshot wound to the leg during a shooting at a 2005 preVMA party, hosted by Kanye West. He has been accused as being complicit in the gunning down of friend Tupac Shakur, who is rumoured to have been planning to leave Death Row. Tupac’s rival, Notorious B.I.G. (aka Biggie Smalls) was killed, according to conspiracy theorists, to divert attention from Knight.

Legend cans Zimbabwe concert date

John Legend has revealed no reason for cancelling his Harare show

Grammy Award-winning singer/ songwriter John Legend has cancelled his concert in Zimbabwe, which was scheduled to take place on November 19th.

The announcement was made on the star’s official website. No reason was given for the change, but other November shows in Spain, Portugal and Italy, followed by dates in South Africa, which would have book-ended the Zimbabwe show, are to go ahead.

The box office for the Zimbabwe date, which was located at the Harare International Conference Centre (HICC), opened in June with most tickets selling out before mid-July. The show’s promoters announced that they were pleased with the early response from fans with the online reservations proving a huge success.

At the time the concert was announced, Legend posted the following on his Facebook page: “Hey Zimbabwe! I am excited to announce the addition of a show on November 19 in Harare at the Rainbow Towers Hotel and Conference Centre.”

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Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014

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Gospel

By Michael Adekoya

GIVE THANKS TO GOD ALWAYS “Giving thanks always for all things to God, the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Eph. 5:20.

Dear brethren, let me ask you these questions. “Do you have difficulty with delayed answer to your prayers? Are you down cast or miserable? Maybe you are confused or weary? Are you filled with guilt? Maybe when you look at what is happening in your life or around you, you have no option than to complain or murmur? Are you not contented or satisfied?

Probably you have done what is needed to be done and yet, the so- South African Singer and Poet Zahara Performing in Nairobi, Kenya lution seems not coming? An attiis not long enough to thank God for all that tude of gratitude can change those He’s given you. His blessings come daily. He is at work so that His name may be glorithings and literally transform your Psa. 68:19 says, “Blessed be the Lord, who fied in your life. So, you have no reason to life. be ungrateful.

There are four levels of living. People in the lowest level constantly complain. These people are always griping, murmuring and complaining. They are always worried, sorrowful and sad. Rather than being humbly grateful, they’re grumbly hateful. The second level is just a little higher. These are not people who are constantly complaining; they just never give thanks for anything. They take things for granted. People in the third level are those who thank God for the obvious blessings, when things are going good, when their needs are met and everything are going fine. But the fourth level, which is the highest level, are those people who give thanks to God always for all things, either good or bad. My friend, this is the attitude that will change your life and my life.

You may ask, “But Michael, how can I achieve the highest level?” Of course! Let me give you two principles that will help you achieve the highest level. First, you must know that anything good that you have today came from God. You didn’t get it by luck, ingenuity, hard work, or by your wisdom. It is proper to thank God for it. Don’t be boastful of it but be thankful to God for it.

Second, you’re not just simply to be thankful one day or one season a year. One day

daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation ...” His steadfast love never cease.

Even His mercies are new every morning Lam 3:22-23. My friend, every day God has brand-new blessings and mercies for you, and every day ought to find you thanking God. Every prayer that you pray ought to be salted with praise and thanksgiving.

The Bible says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1Thes. 5:18. My friend, in everything give thanks. Not in some things, but in all things. Good or bad! Every area of your life is to be a subject of thanksgiving. There’s so much to thank God for. If you didn’t have anything else but Jesus and life, you have enough to praise God for all eternity. You should be thankful for your spouse, children, parent, siblings, fiancé, fiancée, relatives, friends, enemies, leaders, others, health, food, and even the air you breathe in. Thank God for the simple things.

You can even be thankful for the heartache, the pain, the disappointment, loneliness, hardship, trial or challenges. Bible says, “All things work together for good…” Rom 8:28.The thing itself might not be good, but it is God who can working all things together for good. You may not understand what is happening in your life but God is in control.

­­

Are you looking for a church?

Not settled in any particular congregation?

Perhaps now is the time to pray about it If you are not yet saved try one of the following: Jubilee International Churchmeets at 2,30pm on Sundays at Kings Avenue School, Park Hill. London SW4. Part of Jubilee International Churches Worldwide. For information, you may call (020)8697 3354 New Wine Christian Church- 11am holds meeting at Ringcross Tennants Club, Lough Road, Holloway, N7. a member of the Icthus Fellowship

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Worldwide. For more information call 020 7609 959 or 07957 757 663.

Praise Tabernacle- 10:30am holds meetings at 620 Western Avenue (A40), Park Royal Business Centre, opposite Warner Bros. Cinema Complex, W3. part of The Redeemed Christian Church of God. For information you may call 020 8993 3010 New Life Christian Centre 10.30am & 6.00pm. meetings at Cairo New Road, Croydon. The church has

My friend, do you want to live in the highest level of life? Cultivate the attitude of gratitude always and in all things. No matter how bad, difficult, dark, hurting, shameful or mysterious things get; even how frequent the attack of the enemy; take the ultimate step of faith and say, “God, You’re greater than this, and I thank You.”You may say, “Well, I don’t feel like thanking Him.” Don’t thank Him by feeling; instead thank Him by faith. You’re not told to feel thankful but to be thankful. Nothing shows your faith in the absolute sovereignty of God more than just simply thanking Him in every situation.

Thankful people are happy people. This is a proven truth. I challenge you to try it as from today.

“Well,” you may say, “if I had something to be thankful for, I’d be happy.” My friend, you have missed the point! You do have something to be thankful for. You have life. You have Christ. You slept and woke up. You are still breathing. You are beautifully and wonderfully made in the image of God. You may say, “But Bro Michael, my circumstances are not good.” You may say, “But, I’m still single.” .You may say, ”But, I’m jobless.” Or I’m a victim of the current global financial crisis.” Or “I’m yet to

a Bible school, primary, is involved in extensive mission work in Eastern Europe, Italy and India. For information you may call 020 8680 7671 Ruach Ministries - holds meeting at 9am, 11am and 6pm. For information you may call 020 8678 6888 International Central Gospel Church - Battersea Chapel, holds meetings on Sundays from 2.00pm. . For information you may call 020 8684 4934 Jesus Arena International- Sunday service at 11.00am at Broadwater Farm Centre, Adams Road N17 The Bible Life Church UK- They meet on Sunday mornings at 2.30pm at St Giles Centre, Camberwell

be healed.” Or “I’m going through stress, pains and hurts and frustrated.” Listen!

The Apostle Paul was in prison when he wrote “Giving thanks always for all things to God, the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Eph. 5:20, yet he was rejoicing in the Lord. Gratefulness can turn your prison to a palace, but ungratefulness can turn your palace to a prison. I’m telling you, the attitude of gratitude will change your life and take you to higher altitude. It is a new day and a new opportunity for you.

Give thanks to God, your Creator.

Before we are told to give thanks in Eph. 5:20, verse 13 says, “…Be filled with the Spirit.” My friend, listen! Living with gratitude is supernatural, not a human way or a natural way to live. And this kind of thankfulness only comes out of an intimate relationship with God. The Holy Spirit is the substance of it, the source of it, and the strength of it. We are to be filled with the Spirit, and we are to be giving thanks. And that’s the only way we can do it.

My friend, whether you’re in a palace or in prison today, as Paul was; whether you have abundance or you lack something, whether you are married or single and lonely; whether you are rich or poor; whether you are healthy or sick; whether you are employed or jobless, whether you have your children or yet to have one; whether you have received answer to your prayer or not, you can praise God. Whether you are going through disappointment, betrayal, difficulty, abandonment, crisis, attack, hardship, enter His gate with thanksgiving in your heart and into His court with praise in your mouth.

I’m telling you it will change your life. Bitterness, fear, self pity, ungratefulness, negativism, complaint, dissatisfaction or attitude of ingratitude will go out of your life if you will practice the grace of gratitude. And it is only possible when you let the Holy Spirit fill you. He is our Comforter. Give thanks to God today!

Remain blessed!

Church Street, London SE5 Christ Apostolic church (Full Gospel & Pentecostal) Surrey Docks District 163 Ilderton Rd South Bermondsey London SE16 2UT. Tel. 020 7252 2086.

Time of worship: Sunday English service 9- 11.30am. Yoruba service 11.30 -2.30pm. Prophetic counselling: Monday, Tuesday & Thursday 12noon- 5pm, Saturday only 5- 7pm.

Holy Cross Church InternationalSunday 10.am- 1 pm at Crown House 71-73 Nathan Way London SE28 0BQ Tel: 07904 234 126, 07809 381 886 Times of service:Bible study: Thursdays 8pm. Night Vigil: Friday Forth-

nightly 12am Sunday Service: Sundays 10am - 1pm Winners’ Chapel London- part of the Living Faith Church Worldwide, at 1 Churchill Close, Green Street, Green Road, Dartford, Kent, DA1 1QE meets Sunday 7.30am, 9.15am and 11am and Wednesdays at 7pm.

For details call: 01322 292097 Christ Apostolic Church Gravesend, St Aidan’s Church, St Aidan’s Way, Gravesend, Kent, DA12 4AG Tel: 01474 355 841, 07956 38 38 70 Time of worship: Wednesday Bible study: 7:30pm to 9:00pm Friday, Night Vigil: 9pm to 11pm Sunday Worship: 12:30pm to 3:00pm

Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014

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Mugabe reaches out to China China

Robert Mugabe is visiting China to seek a lifeline for Zimbabwe’s faltering economy, according to Harare government officials who have dismissed as untrue media speculation that the southern African nation is targeting a $4 billion rescue package.

Speaking in Beijing, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa said funding frameworks had been agreed for specific projects under the government’s ZimAsset programme. He insisted that security for the support was based on the cashflows of the targeted projects and not on Zimbabwe’s mineral wealth.

“No country sets aside a lump-sum payment for no specific projects,” said the minister, adding: “Projects must demonstrate their ability to pay for themselves. You will not come to China to ask for money to invest in a project that won’t pay for itself.

That would not make economic sense”.

Now ninety years old, President Mugabe is on his 13th trip to China. President Xi Jinping told the Zimbabwean leader: “The traditional friendship between China and Zimbabwe was forged in the glorious years when we stood shoulder to shoulder against imperialism, colonialism and hegemony.

“The Chinese people value friendship and we will never forget those good friends and good brothers who have shown mutual understanding and support vis-a-vis China and who have come through thick and thin with us.”

The comments by the head of the world’s second-largest economy were unusually effusive compared to the usual Chinese dip-

lomatic formality. Xi also called the Zimbabwean president a “renowned leader of the African national liberation movement” and “an old friend of the Chinese people whom we respect very much”. Mugabe said he felt “very much at home”, thanking Xi for the invitation which reminded him of the past and “brings our past to the present”.

Zimbabwe’s relations with China and the Chinese Communist Party date back to the liberation struggle of the 1970s, when Beijing provided arms and trained some of the top guerrilla leaders. Xi and Mugabe watched as officials signed nine agreements, including some on loans and food donations.

“We have signed agreements which provide securitisation framework under which projects in infrastructural and productive sectors can be funded,” said Chinamasa.

“The agreements with the China Exim Bank put into place a framework under which we can secure funding for projects in the productive and infrastructural sectors on a case by case basis that also puts into place securitisation framework on the basis of which we can then submit projects for funding. But that funding will only come from China Exim Bank.

“The agreement with the China Export and Credit Insurance Corporation is also providing securitisation framework for infrastructure and productive projects that can be funded by both the State and nonState financial institutions. It’s opening up other sources of funding. These projects will be anchored on securitisation.”

Zhang Ming, vice foreign minister for African affairs, said Xi and Mugabe

China’s Xi Jinping regards Robert Mugabe as a ‘good friend and good brother’ stressed expanding and improving relations and also discussed broader African and international issues.

“Economically the two sides should continue to seek mutual benefit and common development and be good partners in this regard,” Zhang told reporters.

Mugabe has ruled Zimbabwe since 1980, his more than three decades in power starting amid optimism but eventually characterised by corruption and mismanagement leading to hyperinflation and enduring economic crisis, along with brutal crackdowns against political opposition.

There was a partial economic recovery during a power-sharing agreement with the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), which ended last year when Mugabe’s Zanu PF party won elections which the opposition says were rigged. But the economy is now threatened with recession as factories shut, consumer spending slumps and deflation takes hold. Economic growth, which averaged 10 per cent between 2009 and 2012, is forecast at 3.1 per cent this year, according to the International Monetary Fund.

USA

Uzi-wielding child shoots instructor dead A gun instructor was shot dead by his 9-year-old trainee on Monday (August 25th) when the sub-machine gun she was being trained to use recoiled, causing her to lose control.

head and died shortly after being airlifted to hospital.

The lower age limit to shoot at the Last Stop range is 8 years old. A spokesperson from Mohave County sheriff’s office has said: “No citations or charges will be filed against the range, because it is a legal operation “.

The unnamed little girl had been taken to the Last Stop shooting range in Arizona by her parents, who were looking on when the 39-year-old instructor inexplicably switched the Uzi from single shot to automatic. The girl, who was clearly surprised at the force of the gun’s reaction, was unable to maintain her grip, causing it to veer sharply up and to her left where the instructor, named as Charlie Vacca, was standing. The 17-year veteran of several armed conflicts was shot in the An Israeli Uzi sub-machine gun similar to

the one that killed instructor Charlie Vacca

Pro-gun apparel is popular as casual wear in ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’

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Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014

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Continued from page 13 Three of us – ACN, CPC and ANPP – decided to merge. We had to convene a convention, dissolve ourselves with the intention of registering a new political party. We did it successfully. We asked the three leading members of the parties-chairmen, secretaries and treasurers to apply but INEC corrected us, saying we needed 25 to 30 people, so we had to go to all geo-political zones and put in place interim management at the top until the convention where elected members formally took over. We had to put the structure on ground from local government to states. After all that, the registration became successful. To do that we needed card-carrying members to complete the process. So in every INECrecognized polling unit, we registered at least 100 card-carrying members. Then we moved on with the convention. Now there is a party and we are looking forward to primaries and then to general elections.

No doubt you have achieved a milestone because this is the first merger in the history of Nigeria. You have organised a convention. How satisfied are you with the results of the convention? What role do you envisage for yourself in the primaries?

The most important thing is to remove self if one is serious. That’s what I call stabilisation of the system. As I said, we realised that no single opposition party could do it, so we came together. You can’t always have it your way. We insisted on having the registration because when we registered under the same party we can come together and discuss our differences.

This is what we are doing. Differences exist and will continue to exist, but being in the same party, we have to find a way of getting over our differences. For example, we had to do what is called harmonization committee and especially when we were joined by five PDP governors with their structures. Naturally, they crushed my poor grassroot supporters. This is the reality on the ground. Forget about me. I convinced our colleagues that the first thing to do is to have the party on the ground; the party needs to be on the ground. Let us go and start from the grassroots. That’s where we are now. We are trying to kill the delegates system, we are going to do direct primaries. We will start from the ward and come up. The convention will just be to ratify it. So even for those who have so much money, there will be no delegates to buy, the people will have their way. And that is how our candidates, including that for the presidency, will emerge.

Your mantra during your first outing in 1983 was to fight corruption. How different was the Nigeria you met in 1983 and the Nigeria of today? Secondly, What is your vision?

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someone recently. It’s a result of a research I commissioned.

have the national secretary. They are the people that have left the party.

The study found that the late Ahmadu Bello was spending about 43 percent of the whole northern budget on education.

Awolowo was spending more than 55 per cent. Go and check in the South-west, there is only one or two states that are spending about 20 per cent on education. We have to get a much more serious type of leadership.

This is where we are and it is the responsibility of the elite to push for a change.

We know whom they are working for. Their first objective was to scuttle the registration and to ensure that the merger did not materialize. Their second objective, which they are still working on, although they have gone back to where they belong, is to make sure that at every step, they make things difficult. This is partisan politics.

Do you think we should hold Jonathan responsible for the serious malaise we find ourselves in. Is his government incompetent or in your view? Do you talk to him or offer any advice?

Muhammadu Buhari

It is how it was. As I said before, now my attention is on the elite. Let them search their consciences. Let them go to their local government areas and see the infrastructure there and its quality –schools, medical care, the provision of water, security and let them find out, what was the situation then and the amount of money allocated. Look at the money this country earned between 2003 and 2011. Nigeria has never realised so much money in its history. I give example of the National Assembly hearings on some institutions — banks, petroleum industry, NEPA and so on. Look at the billions of Naira that are missing. Just look at it. Even in Abuja there are areas where you can stay for weeks without light. Where are the billions of Naira spent?

The Nigerian educational system is in shambles. Recently, results released by WAEC shows 70 percent failure in Maths and English. ASUU went on strike for many months; polytechnics just resumed after many months of strike; How will you react to the situation?

Yes, as I said, the damage is done. We mentioned infrastructure and social services, including education, healthcare and water provision. But one has to start somewhere.

For example, if APC forms the government, there will be no National Conference, that N7billion they said they spent would have been used to fund education and ASUU strike wouldn’t have taken place. Polytechnics would not have gone on strike for 11 months. Our children would have been in school instead of on the streets. So which kind of government is this? Do we have to go and tell them their priorities? That we have to keep our children in school? Do we have to tell them to keep the standard of education high? Are they not aware that 90 percent or 70 percent of our children do not have the opportunity to go to tertiary institutions because they couldn’t pay?

Don’t they know that teachers don’t have the equipment they need to teach? I will give you an example which I mentioned to

The normal thing is that the leadership is held responsible for whatever goes wrong.

If things go wrong in your house, who is responsible? Is it not you Mai Gida? It’s the same thing. It’s the leadership. Now when I talked about our past leaders — the Sardauna and Awolowo — and the most serious issue was provision of education. If you educate people qualitatively and properly, you don’t have to bother too much really. There is a level below which they will not agree to live. They will look after themselves and their environment but when you ignore education, and people can’t educate their children you are gradually killing the whole country, not only your own community. This is very obvious.

There is a kind of campaign out there that your party, the APC is so insensitive that it is contemplating the so-called Muslim/Muslim ticket. Is this a rumour or a possibility?

Well, when I started first in APP in 2002, who did I pick as my running mate? Was it not late Okadigbo? A Christian and Igbo.

Who did I pick in 2007? Umezuoke a Roman Catholic Christian and Igbo. Who did I choose in 2011? Pastor Tunde Bakare. Is he not a pastor? So, what was the pattern of the voting? It was not based on religion.

Anyway as I said, I am a loyal party member. My party will decide.

Your party doesn’t seem to be lamenting the exit of certain people like the former governors of Sokoto and Kano states. Is it a case of good riddance or a case of indifference?

I told you that when we wanted to fill the interim management positions, we gave ACN the chairmanship position. CPC was recommended for national secretary.

ANPP had three governors -Borno, Yobe and Zamfara. CPC had only one. But it is known in the political circle that if ANPP were to face PDP alone, they would have been buried out of existence. They knew that CPC was more on the ground since we were sharing the same base in the northern part of the country. Some of the leadership said they did not agree and that they must

Who are those you consider your likes either among the Nigerian elite or the political leadership?

No I won’t answer that question. I will rather keep my genuine supporters because they are making sacrifices to make sure that people vote for us. I am going to give you one example. In 2010, having floated a new party (CPC), we realized that we had to do registration, congresses, primaries and convention before the general election and the Electoral Act 2010 for the 2011 election only came five months to general elections, and we weren’t allowed to go out to campaign so I said I was going to start to establish our offices so I started from Kano Senatorial districts. From Southern Kano to central and end up in Bichi which is the northern Kano senatorial district. Do you know that from the southern senatorial zone, the vehicles that came to meet me were from there almost to Kano bumper to bumper and each vehicle was decorated with at least five of my posters? When I came to open the office in Kano, I couldn’t come down from my car.

They only brought the string and scissors for me to do the ceremony because the security there could not stop the surging crowd.

And do you know that people were making posters free. When somebody asked me about the crowd, I told him that the only money that came out from my pocket was the one used in fueling my cars. People got round themselves to finance that.

Why is Gen. Muhammadu Buhari not giving up on Nigeria?

I answered that question about 30 years ago that I remain committed to this country because I have nowhere else to go. I have been a governor in six states, I have been petroleum minister, head of state for 20 months, chairman of PTF for five years — at a stage we had fifty three billion naira in the banking system and all parts of Nigeria saw what we did. After serving this country at those levels, where do I go? The only time I operated an account was when I was in training in the UK, India and the United States and when I came back I closed all the accounts. I don’t have a property even in Niger, so where do I go?

What’s your last word for your supporters?

Let them remain steadfast and be prepared for Nigeria next year.

Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014

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Music

HipTV-Cokobar All White Party / IYANYA LIVE IN CONCERT The 02 Brixton Academy witnessed an unprecedented roll call of Nigerian Hip Hop musical artistes on Monday 25th August 2014.

It was the Cokobar Anniversary celebration concert in London, UK. Iyanya was joined on stage by Ice Prince, Emma Nyra, Awilo Longomba and Chidinma.

Iyanya lived up to expectations as the revellers mainly young ladies enjoyed every bit of his stage acts.

Celebrity photographer Daniel Sync captures Iyanya and Emma Nyra on arrival in the UK via Heathrow airport. Chidinma, Patoranking, Wizkid, Sefiya, Ice Prince were at the HipTV-Cokobar All White Party.

Daniel was also at the Iyanya and Emma Nyra final rehearsals. What a Bank Holiday celebration.

Sync PHOTOS

Iyanya and Emma Nyra at Heathrow

Femi, Magazine Show BEN TV, Ayo Animashaun Publisher Hip Hop World and a promoter

Eccentrik

Chidinma and Ropo, Founder Cokobar

Patoranking, Wizkid, Ice Prince...

19

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Germany edge Nigeria to take the trophy

The team of Nigeria line up before the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014 final match between Nigeria and Germany at Olympic Stadium on August 24, 2014 in Montreal, Canada

By Agency Reporter Germany have won the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup for a record-equalling third time after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Nigeria at Montreal’s Olympic Stadium.

Lena Petermann scored the title-winning goal eight minutes into extra time to settle a match that, like the semi-final against France, had seen the Germans outplayed for long stretches. For the second match in succession, though, the Europeans’ will to win shone through, as did the quality of goalkeeper Meike Kamper - again named player of the match.

This clash of styles and football cultures was always expected to produce an open, engaging final, and so it proved. Nigeria quickly gained a foothold and went on to dominate the first half, creating the better and more numerous chances. An inability to convert those chances was their only failing, and the most guilty party was tournament top scorer Asisat Oshoala.

The in-form striker, who had scored four times in the semi-final win over Korea DPR, was lively throughout but missed her first golden opportunity after 22 minutes. In fairness, she created the opening out of nothing, robbing Margarita Gidion, outpacing the German defence and rounding Kamper in a stunning display of speed and strength. She could not, however, find the finishing touch, managing only to shoot 22

into the side-netting from an acute angle.

With Nigeria’s superior physical attributes a telling factor on the big Olympic Stadium pitch, it wasn’t long before more chances arrived, with Oshoala again given a sight of goal seven minutes before the break. Again, though, her sights were out, with the ball flashing wide after Chiwendo Ihezuo had done well to snatch possession from Rebecca Knaak at the byline and cut the ball back.

These were nonetheless worrying times for Germany, whose best effort had come from a Lina Magull free-kick comfortably saved by Sandra Chiichii. But Maren Meinert’s side began the second half brightly, with Theresa Panfil and Lena Petermann combining to tee up Sara Daebritz for a powerful left-foot shot that skidded into the arms of Chiichii.

Oshoala remained a constant source of danger, though, and she again came to life three minutes later, jinking in from the left wing past two German defenders. All that was lacking was the final touch, with the No4’s first effort striking a team-mate before the rebound was sliced high and wide.

However, missing chances wasn’t restricted to Oshoala and Nigeria. Germany also spurned their opportunities, with Pauline Bremer stealing in unmarked on a Sara Dabritz free-kick only to head wastefully wide. The Super Falconets then had to call on the bravery of their keeper, with Chiichii racing from her line to dive at the feet of Lena Petermann, picking up a bruised jaw in the process.

Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria wins the adidad Golden Shoe during the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014

Play still tended to rage towards the other end, though, and with five minutes remaining Nigeria had the ball in the net only for their celebrations to be cut short by the assistant referee’s flag. That left extra time to settle this pulsating affair and, after Oshoala had again gone close for Nigeria, it was Germany who found a breakthrough.

Petermann scored it, slotting home from

six yards, but the plaudits went to the energetic Bremer, who had robbed left-back Gladys Abasi before driving towards the byline and delivering the perfect cutback.

Nigeria, who had given so much to the match, proved unable to respond. Germany saw out the remaining minutes with a degree of comfort and can now savour the familiar feeling of being crowned champions of the world.

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CAF U-20: Senegal hopefuls face final hurdle Holders Egypt likewise big guns, Ghana and Cameroon face uphill tasks as the qualifiers for the 19th Orange CAF U-20 Championship climaxes this weekend.

The remaining six teams to join hosts Senegal and Nigeria, who qualified Lesotho were declared losers for failing to show up for the first leg will be decided after the second leg matches of the final round.

Elimination stares in the face of the Young Pharaohs of Egypt, who must overturn a 2-0 deficit against Congo to realize their dream of making a successful defence of the title whilst Ghana’s Black Satellites and ‘Les Lionceaux’ of Cameroon will be engaged in dicey away trips against Gabon and South Africa respectively.

The Congolese, winners in 2007, are seeking to reach the finals of the biennial championship for the first time in seven years, travel for the second leg on Sunday in Alexandria with a 2-0 advantage.

Striking sensation Kader Bidimbou, a graduate of ‘Les Diables Rouges’ U-17 squad that participated at the continental championship in 2013 in Morocco, and scorer of the two goals in the first leg lead his colleagues into the final lap, backed by his recent blistering form for local side AC Leopards, where his five goals in their last

two games fuelled their qualification into the last four of the Orange CAF Confederation Cup. The Congolese will also be seeking to avenge the painful loss of their juniors (U-17) to their Egyptian counterparts in the qualifiers for the African U-17 Championship Niger 2015 few weeks ago.

Three-time champions, Ghana also find themselves in a tight corner against Gabon in Libreville on Saturday. The Gabonese held the Black Satellites to a barren draw in Accra two weeks ago, putting the Ghanaians, the only African side to have won the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009 in Egypt, in a skintight situation as far as qualification is concerned.

Sellas Tetteh, the man who guided the Satellites to the historic feat five years ago is unfazed by the Gabonese threat, recalling a similar situation in the 2009 qualifi-

ers against Gambia. After managing a slim 2-1 win in the first leg, Ghana went on to beat Gambia 1-0 in the return leg in Banjul before going to win the ultimate at both the continental and global championship in Rwanda and Egypt respectively.

“I wasn’t surprised with the Gabonese strategy (in the first leg) because they did the same thing in their last game against Rwanda and they had it right but it will not always work for them. We will change the format and see how it goes,” Tetteh said.

However, Gabon coach Rigobert Nzamba is convinced the Ghanaians have come to the end of the road after holding them at their backyard.

“We managed to defend the way we wanted and I’m happy for the result,” Nzamba noted.

Cameroon are also in danger of missing out for the successive edition against South Africa at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. South Africa coach Ephraim Mashaba is looking forward to completing his job with the Amajita on a perfect high with qualification for the African Youth Championship before beginning his job with the senior national team, Bafana Bafana for the 2015 Orange Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Samuel Eto’o joins Everton

Continued from page 24 Finke told BBC Sport he has to look towards the future, especially after the debacle in Brazil.

“I think after this World Cup, there was no choice. We have to change. That means we also have to change the spirit of the team, we have to change the mentality of the players.”

Midfielder Alex Song is out suspended after elbowing Croatia’s Mario Mandzukic in the back during the World Cup while defender Henri Bedimo was injured in Europa League action for Olympique Lyon earlier this month.

Also left out was Benoit Assou Ekotto, who tried to hit team mate Benjamin Moukandjo during the 4-0 defeat to Croatia in Manaus.

Finke said he was looking for young players with potential and is keen to give local players, from the Cameroonian championship, a chance to prove their worth.

“This is the moment, now we have to make a break because there are 16 or 17 players who just played at a World Cup for a second time, having played in 2010 and now 2014.

“Both times, they were performances we could not accept. They were not good performances. This is why, this is the moment that it has to change.”

Benjamin Moukandjo, who recently moved to Stade Reims in Ligue 1, is one of 10 players retained from the disappointing 2014 World Cup trip. Volker has also named eight uncapped players.

Goalkeepers: Pierre Sylvain Abogo (Ton-

Cameroon’s captain Samuel Eto’o in action against Germany

nerre Yaounde), Guy Roland Ndy Assembe (Nancy), Joseph Ondoua (Barcelona) Defenders: Frank Bagnack (Barcelona), Gaetan Bong (Olympiakos), Cedric Djeugoue (Coton Sport), Jerome Guiahota (Valenciennes), Joel Matip (Schalke 04), Nicolas Nkoulou (Olympique de Marseille), Ambroise Oyongo (New York Red Bulls) Midfielders: Enoh Eyong (Antalyaspor), Marc Kibong Mbamba (Konyaspor), Raoul Cedric Loe (Osasuna), Georges Mandjeck

(Kayseri Erciyesspor), Stephane Mbia (Queens Park Rangers), Benjamin Moukandjo (Stade Reims), Landry Nguemo (Girondins Bordeaux), Edgar Salli (Monaco), Guy Christian Zock (Cosmos Bafia) Forwards: Vincent Aboubakar (Lorient), Eric-Maxim Choupo Moting (Schalke 04), Jean Marie Dongou (Barcelona), Frank Etoundi (FC Zurich), Leonard Kwueke (Rizespor), Clinton Njie (Olympique Lyonnaise)

Lesotho declared losers, Nigeria qualify

Hicham El Amrani, CAF Secretary General

Nigeria has qualified for the final tournament of the Orange African Youth Championship – Senegal 2015, after Lesotho was declared losers for failure to show up for the third round first leg clash scheduled for Saturday, 16 August 2014 in Kaduna.

CAF Secretary General, Hicham El Amrani in a letter addressed to the Lesotho Football Federation on Sunday, 17 August 2014, said the decision was reached in line with Articles 54 and 55 of the regulations for the competitions, after the officials of match indicated in their reports that the team of Lesotho did not show up at the time fixed for the match.

The referee followed the provisions of article 55 of the regulations of the competition which states “a team which shall not be present on the ground, dressed to play at the time fixed for kick-off or at most 15 minutes later, shall forfeit the match. The referee shall register the absence of the team and shall write it in his report. The final decision in this respect shall be taken by the Organising Committee.”

Article 54 also states “if for any reason whatsoever, a team withdraws from the competition or does not report for a match except for cases of force majeure accepted by the Organizing Committee, or if it refuses to play or leaves the ground before the regular end of the match without the authorization of the referee, it shall be considered to be the loser and shall be eliminated immediately from the competition.

The same shall apply for the teams which were declared to be disqualified by decision of CAF.” “Consequently, Lesotho is considered loser in the said match and eliminated from the competition and Nigeria is qualified to the next round. The second leg match is automatically cancelled,” the letter said.

In relation to other potential sanctions as stipulated in the regulations, the U-20 Organizing Committee will consider the specific case and will decide if any other sanctions are applicable.

23

Friday, 29 August – Thursday, 04 September 2014 ISSUE 546

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Germany edge Nigeria to take the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup trophy

SEE PAGE 22

Samuel Eto’o joins Everton

Cameroon’s captain Samuel Eto’o in action against Germany

By Agency Reporter

Everton have signed striker Samuel Eto’o on a two-year-deal after he was released by Chelsea last season.

The Cameroon international, 33, joins on a free transfer and links up with former Chelsea team-mate Romelu Lukaku, who signed for £28m this summer.

Everton boss Roberto Martinez said of Eto’o: “I met him and we had a very good chat. I was impressed about the hunger he still has.

“We are very excited and I think Everton is the perfect home for him.”

Eto’o’s contract with Chelsea expired at the start of July and he was not offered fresh terms by Blues boss Jose Mourinho.

“I have been very impressed by the style of play Everton adopt,” said Eto’o. “I could see straight away that at this club I will have the opportunity to play football.

“I had the chance to speak with the manager over the last few days and we agreed that this was what we would do.

“I was impressed with his enthusiasm but also by the knowledge of football that Roberto Martinez carries, his vision of football and how he reads football. I still think I can learn a great deal from him here.”

Four-time African Footballer of the Year Eto’o scored 12 goals in 35 appearances for Chelsea after signing a one-year deal from Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala last August.

He could make his debut against his old club at Goodison on Saturday.

Eto’o began his career at Real Madrid but made his name at their arch-rivals Barcelona.

During his time at the Nou Camp, he won the Champions League twice - in 2006 and 2009 - scoring in both finals, as well as winning the Spanish league three times.

Eto’o moved to Inter Milan in 2009 as part of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s switch to Barcelona and went on to win the Champions League again in his first season under Mourinho at the San Siro.

Meanwhile, Cameroon have made a major overhaul to their squad, dropping 13 players from the party who went to the World Cup including captain Samuel Eto’o.

German-born Volker Finke, who has been maintained as Cameroon’s national coach despite a poor showing in Brazil, announced a new-look 25-man squad on Saturday for their forthcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Cameroon are away to the Democratic Republic of Congo on 6 September, and then at home against Ivory Coast four days later.

“We also have to change the spirit of the team, we have to change the mentality of the players”

Eto’o has been without a club since being released by Chelsea at the end of last season and his absence was not unexpected as he has not played since his one appearance at the World Cup finals against Mexico in Natal.

The 33-year-old striker, who led the controversial strike over wages that delayed Cameroon’s trip to Brazil in June, had previously said he would like to add to his 115 caps.

Continued on page 23

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