African Voice Newspaper Issue 619

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Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016 ISSUE 619

SINCE 2001

B R I TA I N ’ S N O . 1 A F R I C A N N E W S PA P E R MoneyGram’s ADESUA SETS ‘AND THE SPIRIT 20-millionth SLOWLY DIES’ money transfer

£1.00

SEE PAGE 7

SEE PAGE 5

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EAST AFRICAN BLOC TO INTRODUCE E-PASSPORT

Nigerian MP creates 21 jobs as constituency commends his efforts

Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe

By Olubunmi Omoogun Chief Correspondent, Nigeria

The 17th Ordinary East African Community Heads of State Summit was held in Arusha, northern Tanzania

By Alan Oakley The presidents of five East African states met this week in northern Tanzania, to discuss, among other things, the launching of the new electronic East African Passport and the possibility of adding new members, including South Sudan into the Arusha-based, community.

Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi and Tanzania will introduce the new digitalised and machine-readable East African Community (EAC) e-passport to replace the old EAC travel document, which was restricted to just the five member states. The proposed e-passport is to be as international as the current Tanzanian booklet passport, which means it will be accepted all over the globe.

The new EAC e-passport is to be introduced in January 2017, with each member nation being given until December 2018, to phase out their individual national passports.

This latest development is further demonstration of progress for the ongoing integration agenda.

Continued on page 2

A commendable action by a member of the House of Representatives in the National Assembly in Nigeria to tackle unemployment in his constituency has been regarded as a positive omen other politicians should embrace.

The member of the House of Representatives, representing Ogoja/Yala Federal constituency in the National Assembly, Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe has received more commendation from his constituency for employing 21 personal staff. A constituent member Odey Ajoma wrote “A brave and commendable action.

Continued on page 19

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Have You News Got News UK pledge £17 million to ease For Us migrant pressures in Calais Newsdesk: 020 3737 3077

Email: africanvoicenews@gmail.com

UK cutting red tape by £10 billion

Business Secretary unveils measures that will help deliver the government’s commitment to cut a further £10 billion of red tape.

Business Secretary Sajid Javid said: This government is delivering on its commitment to free firms from £10 billion of heavy-handed over-regulation and build a more productive Britain. Hundreds of businesses responded to our Cutting Red Tape reviews and we are taking decisive action based on their experiences.

Whenever we need to introduce new rules, we will consider their impact and make savings elsewhere. Through the Enterprise Bill, we are extending the scope of our deregulation target to cover the actions of regulators, going further than ever before to tackle troublesome red tape.

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 Photo Journalist Isaac Adegbite Graphic Designer Edward Mirza Accountant Fanla Agboola Chief Correspondent, Nigeria Olubunmi Omoogun London Office: Unit 7 Holles House Overton Road London SW9 7AP

Tel: 020 3737 3077

Email: africanvoicenews@gmail.com

African Voice is published by African Voice UK.

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At the UK-France summit in Amiens on Thursday 3 March, the Home Secretary Theresa May and French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve reaffirmed their commitment to addressing the issues raised by the migration pressures in Calais and the surrounding area.

This contribution will be used for priority infrastructure projects to help the French police protect the road networks around the port of Calais. It will also: fund efforts to give shelter to migrants in facilities in other parts of France, support the running of those facilities and enable further joint work to return migrants not in need of humanitarian assistance to their home countries The £17 million contribution, to be made over the course of the next financial year, will be administered by the UK-France migration committee, made up of senior UK and French officials.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: The situation in Northern France is a symptom of a wider international crisis, a crisis that shows no sign of easing in the short term.

So it is important that we redouble our joint efforts to protect our border, move migrants in the region into more suitable facilities in France, and return those not in need of protection to their home countries.

The UK Government has already invested tens of millions of pounds to bolster

Home Secretary Theresa May

security at the ports in northern France, and the UK and French governments have been working at pace to implement actions agreed in the Joint Declaration last August.

Security at the Calais port and around the Eurotunnel site has improved significantly as a result.

We are committed to continuing our close working relationship with our French partners on this important issue.

The UK and France are already running joint communications visits in the camp in Calais, which inform migrants of their rights to claim asylum in France and give information on family reunification. At the summit today, it was also announced that the UK will second an asylum expert to the French Government from next week to assist in the handling of family reunification cases.

East African bloc to introduce e-passport Continued from front page The EAC is made up of six member countries; the aforementioned five, plus South Sudan, which officially joined the bloc this week.

“The Heads of State further directed partner states to undertake awareness creation programmes and other continuous outreach programmes on the new international e-passport,” reads part of the Communiqué that was issued after the Summit.

The new document is said to be highly secure and difficult to duplicate when compared to the existing passports. Electronic passports provide travellers with benefits, such as the ability to use automated border clearance or “E-gates”, the automated issuing of boarding passes and faster travel arrangements with airlines.

Commenting on the development, John Mirenge, the CEO of RwandAir, said: “That is a very welcome development since it will further ease intra EAC travels. From our

perspectives, that is great for sub regional air travel business.”

Apart from facilitating fast clearance of travellers at immigration checks, an epassport’s database is enhanced with the Automated Fingerprint Verification System (AFIS) that guards against the issuing of multiple passports to the same person and enhances imposter detection. An e-Passport is also known as a biometric passport.

Biometrics are the unique and measurable physical characteristics of an individual that include face recognition, fingerprints, and iris scans.

An electronic passport contains an electronic chip encoded with the same personal information found on page 2 of the document.

Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda, John Magufuli of Tanzania, Yoweri Museveni of Uganda and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya attended the Summit while Burundi was represented by Joseph Butore, second Vice-

President. South Sudan which has become the EAC’s sixth member, was represented

by Vice President, James Wani Igga.

The 17th Ordinary East African Community Heads of State Summit also deliberated on a report by the EAC Council on the verification exercise for the admission of the Republic of Somalia into the bloc.

Other items on the agenda included the Council’s reports on the mode, structure and action plan of the EAC Political Federation; implementation of the framework for harmonised EAC roaming charges and modalities for the promotion of motor vehicle assembly in the region.

On Thursday, President Magufuli and his Kenyan counterpart, President Uhuru Kenyatta, will lay a foundation stone for construction of the Arusha-HoliliTaveta-Voi road linking Tanzania and Kenya. The road is under EAC development plans, being implemented by EAC member states.

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News

‘Phonics roadshows’ to help children early reading Children across the country are set to receive a boost to their early reading thanks to a new government drive which will help excellent schools share their expertise and make sure more children are mastering the basics.

To mark World Book Day, Schools Minister Nick Gibb on 3 March 2016 announced a series of roadshow events to promote effective phonics teaching and early reading, enabling more schools to benefit from methods which are already helping 120,000 more children each year learn to read.

The new drive has been launched in response to the latest phonics screening check results, which show that despite strong progress there are still regional variations in the proportion of children reaching the expected standard in reading by the end of year 1.

Speaking on World Book Day, Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: This government’s drive to tackle illiteracy will help make sure no child is allowed to fall behind in learning to read.

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World Book Day offers us all a chance to celebrate the exciting doors which reading can open and it is phonics that provides the key to unlocking a lifetime of books.

Thanks to our relentless focus on phonics and the hard work of teachers, thousands more children every year are being given the tools to become confident and independent young readers. These events, delivered by some of our best schools, will help spread that excellence further so no child misses out on the joy reading brings.

Ruth Miskin Training, who already work with schools to deliver effective phonics teaching, have been selected to deliver the roadshow events and will work with phonics partnership schools to deliver the events throughout March. The events will allow schools to share best practice in the teaching of phonics and early reading and support the government’s aim of ensuring high-quality systematic synthetic phonics in every primary school.

In total, 10 events will be held across the country with areas chosen based on performance in the latest phonics screening check results.

The government wants every child to achieve to the best of his or her ability

regardless of prior attainment, location or background. All primary schools should have a rigorous and proven systematic synthetics phonics programme in place to achieve excellence in phonics teaching so pupils are able to decode words to an age appropriate standard.

The latest figures show that 3 years on from the introduction of the phonics reading check, 120,000 more children across

the country are now on track to become excellent readers.

Achieving the expected standard in the phonics reading check is a strong indicator of a pupil’s performance in wider reading assessments.

Of those year 1 pupils that met the expected standard in the check in 2014, 99% went on to achieve the expected level in reading at the end of key stage 1 in 2015.

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News

Adesua Sets ‘And The Spirit Slowly Dies’

British Nigerian actress Adesua Etomi is to star in the UK, South African and Nigerian psychological family drama “And the Spirit Slowly Dies” alongside top African film Stars.

Adesua who has recently been nominated for the prestigious 2016 Africa Magic Viewer ’s Choice Awards in the Best Actress category will play the daughter of a powerful billionaire businesses mogul.

She is definitely one Nollywood actress who has the potential to sit comfortably on the world stage”

Michelle said “I’m extremely happy to have a talent like Adesua on board but what really excites me is, over the three auditions we had, Adesua has shown the ability to grow in her craft and I can’t wait to see where she goes with the character from here on, and how an international audience reacts to her. She is definitely one Nollywood actress who has the potential to sit comfortably on the world stage”.

Dapo Oshiyemi, Mmabatho Kau and Dipo Abdul are producing and Talking Drum Entertainment are acting as Distributors/consultants for the film.

The drama detailed how the loving father and daughter relationship disintegrates into a complex and tortured physical, emotional, and psychological battle, with each one becoming the biggest obstacle to the others happiness.

Michelle Bello, Director of the 2013 smash hit African romantic comedy ‘Flower Girl’ will direct from a script written by Dapo Oshiyemi and edited by Script Consultant Ann Woods.

President Muhammadu Buhari

Wives on Strike

Georges Chikoti, Angola’s foreign affairs minister

Omoni Oboli

Wives on Strike, is a hilarious comedy about a group of market women who decided to take matters into their own hands against their husbands in a bid to stir them into standing up for a young girl whom they wanted to protect from the wishes of her own father.

The women, who hilariously interpret their roles, set a series of events in motion to give the movie many moments of laughter without missing a beat on the reason for everyone to know why they are on strike.

STARRING: Omoni Oboli, Uche Jombo, Chioma Akpotha, Kenneth Okonkwo, Julius Agwu, Kalu Ikeagwu, Ufuoma McDermott, Kehinde Bankole, Udoka Oyeka, Peggy Ovire, Emeka Okoye, and Collins Talker 5

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Health News

Fewer adults dying from conditions directly caused by alcohol Fewer adults dying from conditions directly caused by alcohol, but deaths from related conditions, such as cancer, rise by 1%.

New figures from Public Health England show fewer adults are dying from alcoholspecific conditions, such as alcoholic liver disease and alcohol poisonings.

The latest update to the Local Alcohol Profiles for England (LAPE) data tool shows that nationally, alcohol-specific deaths fell by 3% to 17,755 deaths. Alcohol-related deaths have seen a slight increase, year on year, from an estimated 22,330 in 2012 to 22,976 in 2014.

Alcohol-related deaths include conditions that are partially related to alcohol, such as heart disease and certain cancers.

A 3% decrease in alcohol-specific deaths is promising, however, a lot of the ill health we are seeing associated with alcohol, such as heart disease and cancer, is among people who are not dependent, but who drink frequently and are unaware of the risks. In both alcoholspecific and alcohol-related death rates, the rate for men is almost double that of women.

For the first time, the LAPE tool includes data on alcohol-related road traffic accidents.

This shows that between 2012 and 2014, in 2.6% of reported road traffic accidents, 1 or more driver failed a breath test.

There continues to be large variations in alcohol-related harms across the country, with 165 local authorities seeing an increase in alcohol-related deaths in 2014 and 161 seeing a drop.

Substantial health inequalities continue to exist for both men and women, with the rate of liver disease in the most deprived areas double the rate in the least deprived.

Professor Kevin Fenton, Director of Health and Wellbeing at PHE said: There are over 10 million people in England drinking alcohol at increasingly harmful levels putting them at risk of conditions such as cancer. For women who drink, they are 20% more likely to get breast cancer than those that don’t.

Alcohol harms individuals, families and communities and it’s crucial that, alongside effective local interventions and treatment for those that need it, we look more widely at what affects drinking behaviour in this country. Public Health England will soon be providing a report to Government on how we can reduce the harms caused by alcohol.

Wellness 2020 ‘health supplement’ company wound up by court order Wellness 2020 Ltd, a Middlesexbased company which made false and misleading claims in persuading the elderly and vulnerable to purchase health supplements, has been wound up in the High Court.

The company, which traded under the name ‘Vitabeing’, was wound up on 22 February 2016 following an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

The company purchased data lists from third party suppliers containing details of UK-based individuals over the age of 65 with restricted mobility. The company used a call centre in Goa, India, to make unsolicited calls to the individuals on these data lists to sell them a range of health supplements.

The investigation found that the company’s customers, many of whom were suffering from severe medical conditions such as acute arthritis, osteoporosis or dementia, were subjected to lengthy telesales calls in which the callers gave the impression they were healthcare professionals who were promoting a local healthcare campaign.

After customers had agreed with the telesales caller to purchase supplements, typically at a price of £15 per box, they were transferred to a supervisor at the call centre who would inform them that it was necessary to take a ‘course’ of supplements. Many customers were then charged several thousand pounds, including one customer who paid £5,154 for 223 boxes of supplements over a 4 month period. Some customers were sold 6

so many supplements that the products were beyond their expiry date before completion of the ‘course’.

Customers were falsely told that they would see a significant reduction in pain levels and improvements to their health, of up to 85%, by the end of the ‘course’.

In one instance, a customer was sold health supplements for his dog even though the product was for human consumption.

The company made unauthorised deductions from customers’ bank accounts by charging for more supplements than had been ordered, or processing additional orders without customer consent.

The company also operated in breach of consumer protection legislation by failing to disclose the commercial nature of the call at the beginning of the telesales call and by failing to disclose the customers’ statutory cancellation rights.

Commenting on the case, Colin Cronin, Investigation Supervisor with the Insolvency Service, said, Wellness 2020 Ltd caused considerable distress to elderly and vulnerable people, using highly manipulative and misleading sales techniques to sell large quantities of overpriced supplements. The company’s sales representatives made claims about the health benefits and pain reduction qualities of the health supplements which had no medical basis and implied they had medical experience when they had absolutely none.

These winding-up proceedings show that The Insolvency Service will take firm action against companies which systematically mislead the public in this way.

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News MoneyGram promises more to rural communities with 20-millionth money transfer

By Milton Tella MoneyGram and Post Office celebrated a milestone in their successful long-standing business alliance by marking their 20-year relationship and their 20-millionth money transfer transaction at a ceremony at London’s British Museum.

Marc Matthews Senior Regional Director – U.K and Ireland highlighted the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility towards customers in Africa in an exclusive interview with African Voice.

Matthews said: At MoneyGram we do have this responsibility to ensure that we help and support the communities back in the countries where money is being sent to. Education will always be the key one for us, the books for schools, laptops, and iPads. There are many more projects for rural communities who also need the money, not just about the big cities like Accra in Ghana or Lagos, Nigeria; it’s about the rural communities as well.

On a passionate note, Marc Matthews said: One of the key things is that we have a website dedicated to the MoneyGram Foundation which is now our global operations for providing grants for schools, for infrastructure so projects are funded now.

What we are aiming to do in the future is, we are working closely with our partners, looking to our partners to work with us so it’s not just a MoneyGram thing. We are working with our agents in different countries saying, let’s all get involved in this, it’s such an important thing that we do. There are people who desperately need the money, not just the money but the help, the support and the infrastructure to build and support their daily lives. So I will encourage people to visit the MoneyGram Foundation website, look at the different projects we have for Africa.

On the issue of customers concern about the exchange rate by MoneyGram. He has this to say: I share their concern. It is our number one priority. We are looking at what we can do to be more competitive than what we are now. We are talking to different people within our treasury department; we are also talking to central people within Lagos in Nigeria for example. It is the number one priority for our Regional Director who sits in Lagos. There’s no day that goes by without her thinking of how best to go about it. Its key for the United States as well, they face the same issue, the small kind of unknown niche players are getting more higher naira rate than the more regulated players in the market. We are doing what the Central Bank of Nigeria are telling us to do. It’s a huge priority for us to find a way to reach more of the Nigerian communities not just in the UK but also in the US and other countries around the world.

Standing Marc Matthews Senior Regional Director – U.K and Ireland. Seating from left: Paula Vennells, chief executive officer for the Post Office, Pam Patsley, MoneyGram’s executive chairman and Peter Ohser MoneyGram’s Executive Vice President, Americas & Europe.

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Government to remove inequalities in State Pension With the introduction of the new State Pension in April 2016, the government will continue to price protect the Guaranteed Minimum Pension of public sector workers.

This means that those who reach State Pension Age on or after the 6th April 2016 and before the 6th December 2018.

When the State Pension Age equalises – will receive a fully indexed public service pension for their whole life.

This will ensure public service pension payments to these individuals continue to be equal between men and women.

The government is committed to ensuring older people can live with dignity and security in retirement. The introduction of the new State Pension in April this year will radically simplify state pension provision, making it easier for ‎people to understand what the State will provide in retirement.

As well as simplifying the system, the new State Pension will remove the inequalities in the current system whereby some groups, such as women and the self-employed, tended to build

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up low amounts of Additional State Pension.

As part of these changes, this complicated, earnings related element of the current system, is being abolished.

To manage the transition to the new state pension, the government will continue its current practice of fully price protecting the Guaranteed Minimum Pension of public sector workers where the Additional State Pension uprating rules do not apply.

The government, as a large employer, has considered how best to address the implications of changes resulting from the introduction of the new State Pension, for public service pension schemes and their members, taking into account historical commitments made by previous governments.

The government is expected to launch a consultation this year on how to address this issue in the longer term, recognising the increased value of the new State Pension, and seeking to balance simplicity, fairness and cost for members, public service pension schemes and the taxpayer.

UK’s investment in clean, secure and affordable energy Energy and Climate Change Committee has published their report on investor confidence.

The government’s priority is clear – to ensure our families and businesses have access to the secure, affordable and clean energy supplies they can rely on now and in the future.

To deliver this, long-term decisions are being taken to tackle a legacy of under-investment in the UK’s energy system – creating the right environment for businesses to invest in clean, affordable energy and building an energy infrastructure fit for the 21st century. At the same time action is being taken to keep bills as low as possible to protect consumers and ensure they get value for money, including by being tough on subsidies so that technologies stand on their own two feet.

The top 10 things the government is doing to secure investment in clean secure energy:

• Reforming the Capacity Market, which sends a clear signal to investors that will encourage the secure and clean energy sources we need to come forward – such as gas and interconnectors – as part of our long-term plan to build a system of energy infrastructure fit for the 21st century.

• Committed to the first new nuclear plant for a generation at Hinkley Point C. It will power 6 million homes for 60 years and also provide 25,000 jobs giving the UK economy a huge boost.

• Boosting innovation funding to over £500m, including £250m for nuclear innovation and Small Modular Reactors.

• Confirmed we could support up to 10GW of new offshore wind projects in the 2020s, with a further three auctions in this Parliament if the Government’s conditions on cost reduction are met.

• Set out world leading plans to close all unabated coal-fired power stations by 2025 if we’re confident that the shift to new gas can be achieved within the necessary timescales.

• Allocated £295 million to invest in energy efficiency measures in schools, hospitals and other local public services.

• Introduced a new energy efficiency supplier obligation for 5 years from April 2017 set at £640 million a year - helping more than 1 million homes cut carbon emissions and keep their bills low.

• Committed to more than double the support we give to households and businesses to decarbonise their heating supply in this Parliament (from £430 million to £1.15 billion).

• Allocated over £300 million to deliver up to 200 heat networks in communities, leveraging up to £2 billion in private investment.

• Announced a 50% increase in the UK climate finance commitment to a total of £5.8 billion over the next five years to help the poorest countries cut carbon emissions and adapt to climate change.

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Comment Arts Culture

Back to the Land: What we should have done decades ago with our oil money! - Part One

by Akintokunbo Adejumo “With the downturn in the global prices of oil, we now have to prospect our solid minerals. We have to return to agriculture.

Mining and agriculture are our hopes now. We will welcome investments in these areas. We will appreciate an in-flow of more resources and expertise to help us achieve our objective of economic diversification.”

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria speaking to Council of Saudi Arabia’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Indeed, Nigeria has no other choice than to “massively” invest in agriculture and solid minerals so as to address the current oil downturns facing the nation.

I emphasised “massively”, because that means a considerable amount of money, which we do not have now, considering that other economic areas have to be funded. However, a great proportion of our income from other sources, e.g. solid mineral and other non-oil income, including the little we currently get from agricultural export, customs tariffs, taxes, external trade, etc., could be utilised if we can plug the loopholes of corrupt practices that have been draining the country’s blood away for decades. And yes, indeed, we need foreign investment in these two areas, agriculture and solid minerals, for success to be achieved and recorded within the shortest possible time.

The agricultural sector in Nigeria is the segment most critical to the achievement of the elusive goal of a diversified economy. If a fully integrated approach is adopted across the value chain of various agricultural commodities for which the nation possesses comparative advantage, Nigeria would rapidly emerge from its current state of dependence on a single source of revenue -oil. It is therefore of the utmost importance to encourage all sections of governments, federal, state, local, executive and legislature to design strategies to accommodate small farmers who account for over 90 per cent of output and activities in the sector, and who have been ignored and neglected during

Groundnut pyramids

decades of mismanagement and visionless and bad governance.

They (World Bank, IMF, FAO, European Union, etc.) have been advising successive Nigerian governments since we found oil in the 50’s that the oil money should be heavily invested in Agriculture. Our governments, military and civilian alike, never heeded these advices, from Gowon to Jonathan, including even General Buhari’s short military intervention. Now, the reality has sunk in, almost too late. If Nigeria had invested in agriculture in the 1960’s, we would have now been spending at 200 times less than what we will now be investing. And believe me, Nigeria would have been number one producer of cocoa, oil palm, rubber, cassava, mangoes, plantain, bananas, groundnut, sorghum, millet, maize, teak, animal skins etc., and self-reliant on food production. Imagine the effect now. The country would by now be the most industrialized in the whole of Africa, mainly based on agricultural raw materials, and swell our exports to countries that need these products.

So when people start blaming foreign countries and IMF, World Bank, etc. for our woes, I can tell you these foreigners have been advising (even if we accuse them of selfish interests) our leaders for decades to reverse the reliance on oil and invest in other areas such as agriculture, solids minerals and medium scale industries.

It is the raw materials from agriculture that will be used in small industries to eventually service larger industries.

Look at how many agricultural research centres are located in the city of Ibadan alone; what have been their contributions, uses and benefit to Nigeria’s agricultural, economic and technological development?

The professors and research scientists there are just servicing their pockets due to many reasons, including government’s

ignorance and apathy, lack of funding, no motivation and the general corruption malaise that crept up on us.

Yet, remember that the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo remained a lone voice in the wilderness. His efforts in the South West of Nigeria, from Independence to the late 1960’s, when it comes to agriculture and industrialisation, still remain a feat which no other leader, in any part of Nigeria, including the South West, can emulate or rival till today.

We are a visionless nation or a nation cursed with a bunch of clueless, greedy, selfish, brainless and corrupt leaders.

Since the discovery of the black gold, rather than be a blessing, we’ve reversed it to be a curse, instead of investing and revolutionising our mainstay Agriculture, we abandoned it and became importers of virtually everything.

I remember the fraudulent “wheat revolution” during the Shagari era that continued far into the Babangida era. Billions of dollars and naira were fraudulent spent on non-existent wheat farms in the northern part of the country; and the same with the rice revolution in several parts of the country; the Operation Feed the Nation, (I was one of thousands of Nigerian undergraduates in those days who took part in it) which, as we would have it, suddenly metamorphosed into Obasanjo Farms Nigeria Limited (so they say) and of course, we know of the cassava bread of the immediate past administration. Many people, in and out of government today, became immediate billionaires, nourished on our money.

Ex-leaders became great and very rich farmers, funded by ill-gotten wealth.

Ironically, with these farmer-turned ex-leaders, agriculture was never on their agenda, vision and priority during their tenure; during the height of their powers;

during the time when they had billions of naira and dollars to play with; but the moment they left office, agriculture became a passion for them. There was a need to invest their loot in something, and agriculture became attractive to them. The only positive being that they created some employment! There is something very wrong with their brains.

For having the present administration aiming high to resuscitate Agriculture, Nigerians should be optimistic that the Groundnut Pyramid of Kano, the Cocoa Heaps of the South-West, and the Palm Oil Rivers of the South-East will resurface AGAIN. We must go back to the land; it is the source of everything a human being exists on. Even the wealth they are looting is derived from the land/ soil.

Agricultural diversification can take many forms, but the need to identify opportunities and an extra source of income has become increasingly apparent. What are the critical issues linking diversification into agriculture and international trade? Are they competitive, or even antagonistic, concepts in the broader context of food security and agricultural development?

Are they complementary and synergistic and, if so, how? Or are they two ships passing in the night which have little if any linkage? There is no doubt that there is conventional wisdom regarding divergence from oil to agriculture as a desirable strategy for national and economic development.

What are the effects on production, consumption and trade as well as the implications for price and income variability and overall economic performance? There are two supposed advantages of a policy of diversification expanded sources of income/revenue and employment. In a world of economy-wide reforms, including trade liberalization, deregulation and privatization, is diversification from oil to agriculture a relevant policy objective? I conclude that such diversification as a policy goal is very relevant and will eventually save Nigeria and Nigerians.

Nigeria’s unworkable and non-working agricultural policy must be revisited and overhauled. I will take the liberty of refering to the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN)’s summary of Nigeria’s agricultural policy, the first of which was in 1988, and was expected to remain valid for about fifteen years, that is, up to year 2000:

Continued next week 9

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Arts

Theatre, Shows and Musicals

By Edward Mirza

I SEE YOU BY MONGIWEKHAYA NOMA DUMEZWENI Now – March 26th, 2016

I SEE YOU (English) NGIYAKUBONA (Zulu) EK SIEN JOU (Afrikaans) NDIYAKUBONA (Xhosa) “I don’t need your sorries white boy, yes. You heard right. You know white people think we are the same? We both look black. But only one of us is black” Post-Apartheid South Africa, after dark.

Ben meets Skinn for a night out. But the party is interrupted by the police. Ben, a young student who doesn’t know his own history, is accused of a crime he didn’t commit. And Officer Buthelezi, a former freedom fighter, can’t let it go.

Based on a real encounter.

“Speak to me in your mother-tongue and I will let you go.”

The Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square London SW1W 8AS

KINKY BOOTS Now – May 28th 2016

The UK première of Kinky Boots, Broadway’s huge-hearted, high-heeled hit opens at London’s Adelphi Theatre on 15 September 2015, with previews from 21 August.

With a book by Broadway legend and four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage Aux Folles), and songs

by Grammy® and Tony® winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover, and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind.

Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos.

The Adelphi Theatre, Strand, London WC2R 0NS

THE MAIDS Trafalgar Studios Now - May 21st 2016

Double Emmy Award winner Uzo Aduba (Orange is the New Black), Zawe Ashton (Fresh Meat, Not Safe For Work) and Laura Carmichael (Downton Abbey) will star in Jean Genet’s masterpiece UK premiere of Benedict Andrews and Andrew Upton’s contemporary version of The Maids 10

The Jamie Lloyd Company’s first production of 2016 will be the full-throttle UK premiere of a contemporary adaptation of Jean Genet’s powerful psycho-drama, The Maids, with an all-star cast - Uzo Aduba, Zawe Ashton and Laura Carmichael.

In a luxurious bedroom, two maids fantasise about killing their employer, playing out dangerous and sadistic scenarios as they plan her violent death.

An intense psychological thriller seething with unique theatricality and brimming with intrigue, The Maids is a vicious analysis of the class system, and a provocative exploration of gender and sexuality.

Uzo Aduba and Zawe Ashton will play the maids, Solange and Claire. Laura Carmichael will play Mistress.

The Trafalgar Studios 14 Whitehall London SW1A 2DY

MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM Jan 26th - May 18th, 2016

Chicago, 1927. In a recording studio on the city’s South Side, a battle of wills is raging.

Ma Rainey, Mother of the Blues, uses every trick in the book to fight her record producers for control of her music. Hardened by years of ill-treatment and bad deals, she’s determined that ‘Black Bottom’, the song that bears her name, will be recorded her way.

But Levee, the band’s swaggering young trumpet player, plans to catapult the band into the jazz age. His ambition puts them all in danger.

Inspired by the real-life Blues legend and infused with her music, August Wilson’s play speaks powerfully of a struggle for self-determination against overwhelming odds.

Sharon D Clarke plays Ma Rainey. Cast includes Giles Terera, O-T Fagbenle and Lucian Msamati.

Upper Ground, London SE1 9PX

THRILLER - LIVE Now - April 17th, 2016

Thriller - Live, the spectacular concert show that celebrates the music of the world’s greatest entertainer and undisputed King of Pop, Michael and the Jackson 5, is celebrating its 2,000th West End performance on Thursday October 24.

Smashing all previous records at the Lyric Theatre, where it recently celebrated becoming the longest-running production in the theatre’s 125-year history, Thriller - Live first moonwalked into the West End in January 2009 after three acclaimed UK tours. It has just extended its West End booking period to Sunday 28 September, 2014 Several world tours have seen the show play to acclaim in 26 countries, including Germany, Italy, Poland, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, France, Singapore, South Africa, China, Sweden, Finland and Norway, Japan and Brazil.

More than 1 million people have seen

FroI See You by Mongiwekhaya Noma Dumezwenieatre

the show at the Lyric Theatre and more than 2.5million people have seen the show worldwide.

Unlike other West End productions, Thriller - Live is not a rigid book musical with set songs, but is a constantly evolving music concert celebration. When Michael Jackson died, the Lyric theatre became a focus for fans from all over the world, who created a massive shrine of flowers, candles, and tributes. More than 40 books of condolence were signed in the foyer then sent to the Jackson family. A year after his death, a permanent West End memorial to Michael was unveiled in the theatre foyer. Thriller - Live brings to life on stage the distinctive high-energy dancing and pulsating sound of many of pop’s greatest hits, blending eye-popping video footage and effects together with dazzling choreography by the show’s award-winning director Gary Lloyd. The show has regularly been updated with additional songs, new visuals and choreography.

Thriller - Live was originally conceived and created by Adrian Grant, a long time associate of Michael Jackson, and author of Michael Jackson – The Visual Documentary. Thriller - Live is produced by Paul Walden and Derek Nicol for Flying Music in association with Adrian Grant for Key Concerts.

Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue London W1D 7ES

A RAISIN IN THE SUN Jan 28th - March 26th, 2016

Injustice, inequality and a housing crisis lead to family tension in Lorraine Hansberry’s landmark play, revived by the UK’s leading Black-led national touring company Lorraine Hansberry’s groundbreaking play, the first on Broadway written by a Black woman, is to tour the UK in a new production directed by Eclipse Theatre’s Dawn Walton. This intense family drama, written on the cusp of the civil rights era, sees the Younger family await the arrival of a cheque for a life changing $10,000.

Driven to conflict as they encounter issues of inequality, housing and lack of opportunity that continue to resonate today, the play acts as a stark warning to anyone who measures happiness and personal worth in capital gain.

UK tour: 28 Jan – 13 Feb Sheffield Theatres 55 Norfolk St, www. sheffieldtheatres.co.uk | 0114 249 6000; 17 Feb – 20 Feb, New Wolsey Theatre, www.wolseytheatre.co.uk | 01473 295900, 23 – 27 Feb, Nuffield Theatre, www.nuffieldtheatre.co.uk | 023 8067 1771; 2 Mar – 5 Mar, Liverpool Playhouse, www.everymanplayhouse.com | 0151 709 4776; 8 Mar – 12 Mar, Watford Palace Theatre, www. watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk | 01923 225671 ; 16 – 19 Mar, The Albany, www.thealbany. org.uk | 020 8692 4446; 22 – 26 Mar, Belgrade Theatre, www.belgrade.co.uk | 0247 6553055

Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016

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Culture

Les Blancs - at The National Theatre

YAEL Farber will direct Lorraine Hansberry’s Les Blancs, which runs in the Olivier Theatre from March 30 (previews from March 22) to May 4, 2016, with further performances to be announced. It has since been announced that the production will complete its run on June 2, 2016.

An African country teeters on the edge of civil war. A society prepares to drive out its colonial present and claim an independent future. Racial tensions boil over. Tshembe, returned home from England for his father’s funeral, finds himself in the eye of the storm.

A family and a nation fall apart under the pressure to determine their own identity as this brave, illuminating and powerful play confronts the hope and tragedy of revolution.

Staged eleven years after A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry’s final drama is an unknown masterpiece of the American stage and a highly theatrical search for the soul of post-colonial Africa.

The cast includes Fola Akintola, Sheila Atim, Gary Beadle, Sidney Cole, Elliot Cowan, James Fleet, Clive Francis, Daniel Francis-Swaby, Tunji Kasim, Paul Lavers, Katie Lightfoot, Anna Madeley, Xhanti Mbonzongwana, Anne-Maria Nabirye, Roger Jean Nsengiyumva, Siân Phillips, Tumo Reetsang, Cameron Robertson, Danny Sapani, Mark Theodore and Karren Winchester.

Lorraine Hansberry (1930-65) was a playwright, journalist and activist whose work includes The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window and A Raisin in the Sun (1959), for which she won a New York Critics’ Circle Award – the first black playwright and the youngest American to do so.

Yaël Farber’s recent work in the UK includes The Crucible for The Old Vic, Nirbhaya at the 2013 Edinburgh Festival, and Mies Julie at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival and Riverside Studios.

Les Blancs will be the first play by Lorraine Hansberry to be produced at the National Theatre, and also Yaël Farber’s first production for the National.

Les Blancs

The production will be designed by Soutra Gilmour, with lighting by Tim Lutkin and movement by Imogen Knight.

NB: Les Blancs is the first of the year’s Travelex £15 Tickets plays.

I Want Peace of Mind in My Life not To Hate Others…Carolyne Danjuma

Caroline Danjuma

Nollywood actress, Caroline Danjuma, has been trending in the news for some days now and this has been as a result of her recent outing with her husband whom many have rumoured to have fallen in love with another lady.

Over the weekend, the actress shamed her haters by stepping out with her husband and her two boys to the movie premiere of ‘Stalker’ which she co-produced and many were left wondering what was playing out before them.

The two love birds even went as far as having an after party in a club where she had to tweak for her husband and also got a massage from him. Well, the actress through a meme has explained that she is a queen with or without a man.

She also stated that “Time they say heals all wounds but I believe forgiveness heals better.

Let it go but never go back on your words. It is better to live in peace than to drain yourself in hate. Never burn bridges, Focus on what is paramount, peace of mind is priceless, know your worth.”

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Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016

Events

Indomino Confidimus – Eko Boys Europe Up To The Task EKOBAEUROPE, a forum established for former students Eko Boys’ High School (Alma mater) to meet, maintain links with the School and to be kept informed of current school information as well as the current activities of other old students held annual gathering in London recently.

Welcoming guests to gala night, Ekorian Joshua B. Johnson President of EKOBAEUROPE said, over the past years Eko Boys’ High School has never had a purpose-built space for learning resources and individual study. Now we have an exciting project to build a state –of –the –art study centre that will be central to student’s independent learning for many years. It will spur and inspire students, enhance academic performance and give young people opportunities to develop long-life skills.

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The resources in the new study centre will benefit every Pupil in the school across the whole curriculum, the separation of study and social spaces will help pupils to focus on their work in an environment akin to University. Top study facilities and comfortable, modern social areas will mean that young people will have something to take ownership of in the future.

In an emotional laden voice, Johnson appealed to former students and invited guests to support the initiative.

I believe with the support of everyone of us here tonight, the school will see a fully equipped Higher Education and Careers space, ready for them to make use of to plan their next steps.

They will be able to enjoy a bespoke designed learning space, equipped for their needs. So please support our cause.

President of EKOBA EUROPE knots the School Tie to the admiration of other old students.

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Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016

Sri Lanka

False AIDS gossip empties whole school

All but one pupil at a Sri Lankan junior school has been withdrawn following what is said to be a false allegation that the remaining child is HIV-positive.

Parents mounted a protest outside Sambodi Primary School northeast of Colombo against the boy’s admission after he turned up for his first day of class, according to regional school director Saman Wijesekera.

“Parents don’t want their children to be in the same school with this six-year-old boy,” the official told reporters.

Sri Lanka has a national HIV/AIDS awareness programme but understanding of the disease and how it spreads is low, leading to frequent cases of stigma and discrimination against sufferers.

The boycott by the school’s 179 students is the latest blow for the child and his mother,

Normally a hive of activity, Sambodi Primary School is almost deserted

who has been trying since last year to find him a school to attend. She said a string of schools had refused her only son a place after

Vietnam

Farmers suffer in worst drought since 1926

false rumours spread in her village last year that her husband had died from AIDS. He in fact died of tuberculosis and kidney failure.

According to the mother, the school’s headmaster agreed last week to admit the boy only after intervention by authorities.

“Only after I complained to the child protection agency did they intervene and got him into this school,” she said.

She said lawyers had filed a case in the Supreme Court for compensation for trauma caused to her and her son.

The mother, who is a casual labourer, said she has been unable to find work in the village after the false rumours and media coverage of the ostracism of her child.

Wijesekera said parents along with health and legal experts were set to hold a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the boy’s admission.

Sri Lanka has few cases of HIV -- 2,073 at the end of 2014 with 29 of them below the age of 14, official figures show.

Papua New Guinea

12 gunned down in mass jailbreak

Water has reached its lowest level in 90 years

Vietnam is suffering its worst drought in nearly a century with salinisation hitting farmers especially hard in the crucial southern Mekong delta, experts said on Monday (March 1).

“The water level of the Mekong River has gone down to its lowest level since 1926, leading to the worst drought and salinisation there,” Nguyen Van Tinh, deputy head of the hydraulics department under the Ministry of Agriculture, told reporters.

The low-lying and heavily cultivated Mekong region is home to more than 20 million people and is the country’s rice basket. Intensive cultivation and rising sea levels already make it one of the world’s most ecologically sensitive regions.

Scientists blame the ongoing 2015-2016 El Nino weather phenomenon, one of the most powerful on record, for the current drought. Water shortages have also hampered agriculture in nearby Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

Le Anh Tuan, a professor of climate change at the University of Can Tho in the heart of the Mekong region, said as much as 40-50 percent of the 2.2 million hectares (5.4 million acres) of arable land in the delta had been hit by salinisation.

“We do not have any specific measures to mitigate the situation,” Tuan told AFP, adding that residents had been urged to save water for domestic rather than agricultural use.

Vietnam’s communist rulers have announced US$3.8 million of financial assistance for affected areas.

The nation is the world’s second largest exporter of rice and coffee, two crops that are particularly vulnerable to drought. Severe cold and drought hit Vietnam’s lucrative coffee industry in 2013 and 2014.

Vietnam’s rice yields have nearly quadrupled since the 1970s, official figures show, thanks to high-yield strains and the construction of a network of dykes that today allow farmers to grow up to three crops per year.

Twelve prisoners have died from gunshot wounds after breaking out of Buimo Jail in Papua New Guinea’s second-largest city of Lae.

A further 18 were wounded as police and prison guards battled to recapture the 94 men who escaped after attacking guards at the prison’s main gate on February 25.

PNG’s Corrections Commissioner Bernard Nepo said the wounded were taken to Lae’s Angau hospital, where four of them were in a critical condition. Sixty-four men remained at large.

Lae’s Police Superintendent Anthony Waigambe Jr said many of those who escaped were on remand awaiting trial.

“I am warning the general public to be cautious on their movements and take necessary precautions,” he said.

“I am anticipating a rise in criminal activities in the city with the large number of escapees on the run.”

Superintendent Waigambe warned Lae residents not to help the escapees.

“If they are caught [helping], they will be arrested and charged,” he said.

The Angau hospital has restricted normal visits while it treats the wounded prisoners, saying relatives wanting to identify the dead prisoners would need clearance from Correctional Services or police before they would be allowed in.

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Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016

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CRIME Trio jailed for firearms offences

A teenage boy and two men were jailed on Friday, 26 February, at Wood Green Crown Court, for a total of 30 years after a loaded shotgun was found in their possession.

The 16-year-old boy from Upper Edmonton, was sentenced to eight years’ after he pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of an offensive weapon, and was found guilty of possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Olatunji Ladejobi, 21 of Araglen Avenue, South Ockendon, Essex, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty of possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Elvis Kisikidi, 20 of Gurney Close, Barking, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment after he was found guilty of possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of a firearm with intent to commit an indictable offence.

Captured Firearm

Two other men - Henrikas Lozovskis, 25, of Dagenham and Kaelem Wynter, 19 of Borehamwood were found not guilty of all offences.

Appeal following Croydon assault

E-fit of man police wish to speak with

Detectives from Croydon have released an E-fit image following a violent and unprovoked attack.

The attack left a 28-year-old-man requiring hospital treatment.

The assault happened at approximately 23:05hrs on 17 December 2015 outside the Millets store on High Street, Croydon.

The victim and his friend were returning from a Christmas function.

As they were walking along the High Street the lone suspect was walking in the opposite direction and their shoulders made contact.

The suspect then stepped towards the victim and became verbally aggressive.

He then head butted and punched the victim before running away.

The victim was taken to hospital and treated for facial and head injuries; he suffered a broken nose in the unprovoked attack.

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The suspect is described as black, 6ft tall, aged in his mid 20s, and had corn rows.

Detective Constable Abhi Bibra, said: “This was a violent and unprovoked attack that left an office worker requiring hospital treatment during the Christmas holiday period.

“I would ask the public to contact me if they recognise the person who may have been responsible, or have any other information about this assault. Your information may be vital in identifying the person responsible and will be treated as confidential.”

Anyone with information should contact Croydon CID on 020 3276 2236 or 07769 922321. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The trio was arrested after a pre-planned operation by detectives from the Trident and Area Crime Command led to a loaded shotgun and a knife being recovered from a car in Islington.

As part of the intelligence-led operation detectives and firearms officers stopped the Citroen Berlingo at 15:43hrs on 3 August 2015 in City Road at the junction with Angel Road, N1.

A loaded shotgun and knife were recovered from the vehicle and the five occupants were arrested and subsequently charged. The teenage boy was additional charged with possession of an offensive weapon.

Detective Constable Tom Wiles, of the Met’s Trident and Area Crime Command, said: “Today’s sentencing should send out a clear message to those affiliated with gangs; tackling gang-related violence remains a key priority for us and we will continue to target and convict those who are involved in this lifestyle.

“A firearm has been seized and taken off the streets and three very dangerous people will now face a significant period behind bars where they are unable to continue causing fear, alarm and misery to local residents.”

Man jailed for murder of care worker

Jennny Foote

A man who attacked and killed his care worker with a fire extinguisher has been found guilty of her murder at the Old Bailey.

Michael Meanza, 47 of Perryn Road, Acton was convicted of the murder of Jenny Foote, 38 today, Wednesday, 2 March February 2016.

He was immediately sentenced to life imprisonment, and ordered to serve a minimum of 24-years in jail.

The court heard how Meanza, who suffered schizophrenia, had been residing at a specialist centre for vulnerable adults in Perryn Road.

On Monday, 27 July, the centre’s onduty care worker, Jenny Foote, had received a complaint about noise coming from the bedroom of Meanza.

She visited Meanza and requested that

he turn down the volume of his television. Other residents heard an argument before Ms Foote returned to her office.

Moments later a member of staff heard a scream and walked towards the main office to investigate. She noticed a blood trail along the stairs and discovered Ms Foote collapsed on the office floor.

Jenny Foote, of Craven Park, NW10, was pronounced dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination later gave the cause of death as head injuries. She had been struck across the head with a fire extinguisher.

Michael Meanza was captured on CCTV walking away from the office and leaving the building.

Following a police appeal he was quickly traced later that day at a friend’s address in nearby Eaton Rise, W5 where he was arrested.

Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016

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Sounds of Diaspora People of America

Oscars song choice incurs Public Enemy ire Rap royalty Professor Griff and Chuck D of Public Enemy have commented unfavourably about the use of their 1989 track, Fight The Power, as compere Chris Rock’s walk-on music at Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony.

Sunday’s Oscars started and ended with the track, which was ironically written for independent movie ‘Do The Right Thing’, written and directed

by Spike Lee, whose comments about and subsequent boycott of this year’s Awards proved to be a catalyst for the #OscarsSoWhite diversity campaign.

But some of the members of the hiphop group weren’t too pleased with the Academy’s choice of music. In a statement to TMZ, Professor Griff said, “The show can’t claim the blackness of Public Enemy’s message.” Griff, 55, added the

Academy used the controversial song to temporarily appease protestors.

Chuck D also made similar comments on Twitter after the broadcast.

“The song FightThe Power is beyond me & the crew. The point of the song is a call to making change eventually not just applauding the thought,” he wrote, followed by: “Art speaking. Fight The Power. Make change. Demand respect.

Do your own awards RIGHT & give indie artists & actors a chance to make a LIVING.” He also spoke about #OscarsSoWhite and Hollywood’s issue with race. “I dont wanna hear about Oscars being white,” he tweeted. “Oscar been white. We have need black communities to support our ARTS as much as we do sports IMO.” When asked about the choice to use “Fight the Power” as a walk-on and walkoff song, Oscars music supervisor Byron

Clueless actress defends Oscars fail Stacey Dash has filmed a video of herself reading out tweets sent to her following her awkward appearance on stage at Sunday night’s Oscars.

Host Chris Rock introduced the actress and FOX News contributor as “the new director of our minority outreach program” which was a reference to the fact that Dash has spoken out about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy and boycott and questioned the celebration of Black History Month.

“I just walked off stage from the Oscars where I got no applause, no boos, nothing,” Dash, who is of West Indian heritage and a first cousin of Damon Dash, argued that the BET Awards lied to black people about news regarding the boycotting of the Oscars due to lack of ethnic diversity, and called for an end to Black History Month.

On stage she said, “Happy Black History Month” but the joke went above the heads of audience members and, in all likelihood, viewers at home.

Stars including model (and Mrs John Legend) Chrissy Teigen and Black Canadian singer The Weeknd were visibly unimpressed with Dash’s appearance.

“I just walked off stage from the Oscars where I got no applause, no boos, nothing,” Dash says in the video which was filmed backstage on Sunday night.

“People were, I think, awestruck.

Which was a little disappointing. But

The Academy’s use of the song he commissioned might not sit well with Oscars denouncer Spike Lee

Phillips told Entertainment Weekly, “[We wanted to] really set the tone for what the night was going to be and do something that was representative of Chris, and who Chris was, and the vibe and tone Chris wanted to set for the evening. There was obviously nothing more perfect than ‘Fight the Power’ for that.”

Phillips suggested they wanted to make a splash: “You’ve never had a song like that open the Oscars,” he said. “I think anytime you do something that’s some dramatic break with what you’ve seen historically on the show, I think that people will always be interested in how it happened or certainly talk about it in social [media].”

Lee, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith led several celebrities who boycotted the annual Oscars bash at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre. Reverend Al Sharpton held his own rally prior to the show. And in lieu of attending, Ryan Cooler and Ava DuVernay appeared at a benefit for Flint, Michigan residents affected by the town’s water crisis.

Stacey Dash’s brief appearance on stage at the Oscars was met with a mixture of confusion and derision

I did it because I wanted to. I stand in my position, and Chris asked me to do it and I love him and I support him.”

Dash, who played Alicia Silverstone’s character Cher’s best friend Dionne in the 1995 hit comedy movie, Clueless, then read out some of the more unkind tweets aimed at her, including: “no one likes you”, “you looked foolish and sounded dumb”, and “You Sucked on the Oscars like you do on Fox News”.

Another said, “I was hoping there was a trap door on stage and @REAL Stacey Dash would fall through”.

“There are a lot of people who don’t agree with me and have a lot of very mean things to say,” she said.

“But here’s the thing: I do what I want to do because I want to do it, and because I believe in it, and it has nothing to do with race. And I wish you would stop saying that. Everything I do is because I believe in it, and I believe we are all equal.”

“I’m very happy about what I did and I’m proud of it,” she added.

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Gospel

By Michael Adekoya

Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016

DISCIPLINE YOUR THOUGHTS! David says, “I will set no evil before my eyes…” (Psalm 101:3)

Dear Readers, I claim this word from David for you and me in this x-rated world in Jesus name. But did you know that what we think determines the direction and quality of our life? Yes, it does! Life of purity, victory, joy or success starts from our thoughts! Before we can even hope to have a life of purity, we must have a clean thought life.

God works from the inside out. He knows that we cannot purify the water by painting the pump.

The Bible says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he…” (Prov 23:7). We are not always what we think we are, instead we are what we think. We are not what we eat, where we live, the type of car we ride, the position we occupy, what people think about us but we are what you think. Listen! Clothes do not make us, but thinking makes us. Therefore, in this day and age, it is vital and very important to keep our thought life active and open to the voice of God. I heard this story of Gandhi’s trip to England to speak before Parliament. The British Government had opposed India’s independence and as a result Gandhi had often been threatened, arrested and jailed.

Gandhi spoke eloquently and passionately for two hours, after which the packed hall Jocelyn and Ken Elliott have run a clinic in Burkina Faso for four decades gave him a standing ovation. Afterward, a your body can be healed, it will never be. divorce, it will happen. If you think the reporter asked Gandhi’s assistant how the If you don’t think you can receive answers thoughts of accusations from the devil and statesman had been able to deliver such to your prayers, no matter how long you from people around you, you will be ina speech without notes. “You don’t unspend in praying, you will never be. If you fluenced to do that which you may regret derstand Gandhi,” he responded. “What don’t think God can set you free, it will later. If you subject to fear of any kind, he thinks is what he feels. What he feels never be. Always remember that as you they will come to pass. As you think, so is what he says. What he says is what he think in your heart, so you will become. you will be. does. What Gandhi feels, thinks, says and When you think thoughts of failure, When you align your thoughts with does are all the same. So he doesn’t need you are destined to fail. When you think God’s thoughts and you start dwelling on notes.” What a word! As Gandhi thought, thoughts of defeat, ignorance, inferior- the promises of His Word, nothing can so he was in his life time! ity, mediocrity, or insecurity, you are des- hold you. His love, grace, faith, forgiveMy friend, the first place you must win tined to be taken captive by people around ness, deliverance, power, victory, strength, victory is in your own mind. If you don’t you who know better than you. When you favour and blessings will not be held back think and expect that you can be successful, entertain thoughts of sins, deceit, lies or from you. When you choose to dwell on then you will never be. If you don’t think ­­

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

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

thoughts that are based on truth of the Word of God – thoughts that will build you up in faith, confidence, boldness, endurance, perseverance, integrity, good character, trust and obedience – nothing can move you.

My friend, you can’t go through life in a negative frame of mind and expect anything to change for better. No! You need to strip off those old negative of lustful, sinful, defeated, insecured, inferiority, poverty, bitterness, jealous, fearful, angry, boastful, corrupt, greedy, injustice, discriminating, hatred and of bad reports nature. You need to put on a fresh new thoughts which will reflect in your belief, words, attitudes, and characters because negative thoughts leads to rebellion, disobedience, depression discouragement, unforgiveness, separation, divorce or division.

The Bible encourages us to think on things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, and things that are praiseworthy. (Phil 4:8). In other to think on the right things, it is important that we filter what we watch, what we read and what we listen to. My friend, don’t let the enemy slowly deceive you into lowering your standards, compromise your integrity and desensitizing you to what is good and pure. Don’t let him have a single opportunity to pull you down by watching or being involved in things that are questionable.

My friend, remember you are the temple of the Holy Spirit. You should fill your thoughts with the promises of God found in His Word – the promises of holiness, obedience and good relationships; the promises of peace, joy and freedom; the promises of salvation, safety, deliverance and provision; the promises of victory, a future, a hope and eternal life that you’ll only found through Jesus Christ! As you fill your thoughts with God’s Word, victory will come alive in every area of your life!

As you think in your heart, so you are.

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, Surrey Docks District, Solution Centre, 47-47 High Street, Swancombe, Kent, DA10 0DA Tel: 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

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Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016

Africa Newsround

South Africa

Zuma to face second ‘no confidence’ vote

For the second time in less than a year, South Africa’s parliament will debate a motion of no confidence in President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday.

The motion was brought by the Democratic Alliance following Zuma’s decision to change finance ministers in December. And while Parliament debates the president’s fitness to hold office, the High Court in Pretoria will be asked by the Democratic Alliance to review a decision to drop corruption charges against him.

Lacking a majority in Parliament, the Democratic Alliance has been lobbying for a secret ballot, in the hope that African National Congress MPs would vote against Zuma. The ANC has almost 250 MPs in the National Assembly and unless some of the members vote against Zuma, the motion destined to fail again.

ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said on Tuesday the party had full confidence in Zuma, and the party would use the debate to reaffirm their unwavering support. He called the debate “theatrics”.

“Through these debates the DA makes an attempt, feeble as it may be, to win in Parliament what they failed

Jacob Zuma’s position remains strong despite surviving several controversies during his tenure

to win in the streets - the hearts and minds of the South African people.”

He said the Democratic Alliance knew it lacked “superior arguments”

to convince Parliament and the South African people that President Zuma was not fit to lead.

“Hence they will resort to desper-

ate and unconstitutional measures by seeking to deny members of the Executive the right to participate in the debate,” he said.

The Democratic Alliance has called for Cabinet ministers to be excluded from voting, as they were directly employed by Zuma.

Kodwa said the ANC would use the debate to highlight some of the positive changes made in the country under Zuma’s leadership.

“The people of South Africa have seen these strides and have trusted President Zuma and the ANC to continue with this work and tackle the challenges that continue to plague us,” he said.

Democratic Alliance chief whip John Steenhuisen said on Monday the motion promised to be one of the most important in history, and it deserved to be done in as fair a manner as possible.

Over one million letters lobbying the ANC to support the motion had been sent so far, he said.

In March 2015, the Democratic Alliance motion was defeated with ease by the ruling party. Despite opposition MPs labelling Zuma a ‘thief ’ and a runaway leader, a total of 221 MPs voted against it, 113 supported it, and eight chose to abstain.

Zimbabwe

Mujuru launches ZPF party to battle injustice Zimbabwean former vice president Joice Mujuru has launched a new political party in a direct challenge to veteran President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF, as speculation increases over his succession.

Mujuru was Mugabe’s longtime deputy and was seen as a likely successor to the 92-year-old ruler before she was fired in 2014.

She was removed from the ruling ZANU-PF party on charges she led a “treacherous cabal” to oust Mugabe from power.

“Today is a historic day,” said Mujuru in announcing the launch of her Zimbabwe People First party at a press conference on Tuesday. “This is a day of significance in our country’s political history.”

Mugabe, who recently turned 92, has ruled since independence in 1980 during an era marked by alleged voterigging, mass emigration, accusations of human rights abuses and economic decline.

Mujuru and Mugabe endured a tense relationship shortly before she was fired in 2014

“We are not fighting one man but a system, that system which is unjust,”

said Mujuru.

At least four

former

cabinet

ministers who were fired by Mugabe were at the launch of Mujuru’s party, which was also attended by Western diplomats, Reuters news agency reported.

It is not yet clear how big Mujuru’s support is and whether it would be enough to loosen Mugabe’s tight grip on power. After being fired from her party and government posts, Mujuru was rarely seen in public, resorting to issuing newspaper statements that hinted at a future challenge to Mugabe.

Crucially for Mujuru, she still enjoys support from some of her comrades who hold senior positions in the military, according to her close aides. The military has provided the muscle to Mugabe’s 36-year rule.

When firing Mujuru in 2014, Mugabe made the point that some of his top security chiefs were no longer giving him crucial security briefs; instead they were reporting to Mujuru.

17

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Nigerian News

Ark of Noah, Tower of Babel in Ife - Ooni says... as he declares Ife as tourism zone

By Waheed Adekunle Osogbo The Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja 11, has said that the historic Ark of Noah and the Tower of Babel are still in ancient town of Ile-Ife.

He said this during the official declaration of Ile-Ife as a tourism zone in his palace. He said, “The Ark of Noah which the entire world has been searching for is in IIe-Ife. The Ark of Noah has been in existence and it is in Ife land.”

The monarch who said that traditional culture has been going into extinction, called on Africans to come together and salvage the culture.

He maintained that the whole land of Ife is full of mystery, saying “we want to bring out the mysteries for the whole world to see.

The monarch who also stressed that the whole world is gravitating into Yoruba culture, expressed dissatisfaction over the neglect of the culture saying “we the custodians of culture do not value it.

“The bottom line is that everything started in Africa and it has been established by researchers and historians.

“Wherever in Africa the origin of man started, it’s our general asset. We have to take the continent out of the poverty that we are.

The Ooni urged the African-Americans to visit Ile Ife to discover their root just as he called on the entire world to explore the tourism potentials of the ancient town.

“We want to bring out the mysteries for the whole world to see. God thrives on mystery and every inch of Ile Ife- the land of expansion- is full of mystery. God has blessed us with some mysteries and we need to bless the world with those mysteries.

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Former Governor State of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola during the Arrival at Ibadan Airport . Photo credit: Adejare Taofeeq

Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola and Former Governor State of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola at Ibadan Airport. Photo credit: Adejare Taofeeq

From right- Governor State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Asiwaju Musulim of Yorubaland, Khamis Tunde Badmus, and Former Governor State of Osun, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola at Ibadan Airport. Photo credit: Adejare Taofeeq

“For instance, there was a barren twin in Ife who turned herself into a river in order to bless the town. It remains the first wife of any monarch in this town. If you dare the water and fall into it deliberately, as small as it is, you will never return.

But if you fall into it by mistake, it will protect you and drop you at the nearest bank of a river where your relatives can see you.

“This river is Yeyemoolu, there is nothing you ask from her that Yeyemoolu will not give you.

This is another tourist attraction, a mystery river that the world can explore.”

The Director General of the Nigeria Tourism Department Corporation, Mrs. Sally Nwechue Mbanefo, remarked that much of the tourism potential of Ile Ife has remained untapped.

18

She said Ile-Ife has the tendency to challenge Lagos as the capital of tourism in Nigeria, stressing that the making the town a global Tourist Zone will be of advantage and assist in building an edifice for a Yoruba legend, Moremi.

Mbanefo cited Moremi, as a great heroine that should not be forgotten so soon.

Speaking at the event, the Osolo of Isolo, Akure, Regent Adebusola Abisoye Oluwatuyi applauded the move by the Ooni, describing it as one that will not only unite the black race culturally but draw the entire members of the universe to their origin.

Regent Oluwatuyi noted that the event was capable of making Ile-Ife a tourist destination and a befitting spiritual home of all the Yorubas and the world at large.

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Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016

Nigerian News Nigerian MP creates 21 jobs as constituency commends his efforts

Continued from front page

By Olubunmi Omoogun Chief Correspondent, Nigeria It is double success for us here as this has helped these youths off the streets and brought relative peace to the fold.

Employing them means providing for the needy through the long reach and contact of those employed”. It will be recalled that as part of efforts to help create jobs for the teeming youths, Jarigbe employed 21 people and made

them his personal support staff which can also be akin to Political Research Assistants like they have in the UK, where Members of Parliament in the House of Commons employ Research Assistants as back room staff.

This, the Federal legislator believes will address the issue of youth restiveness as well as give Ogoja/Yala real value and it is in line with the Governor of Cross Rivers, Sen. Ben Ayade’s policy theme that people of the state yearn for redemption, which comes from a philosophical change of attitude, re-orientation and restructuring of issues to ensure equity and fair play. The Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron started his political ca-

Dino Melaye wants Politicians to patronise ‘made in Nigeria ladies’

As Pro-’Made in Nigeria goods’ strides on the floor of Nigeria’ Senate

By Olubunmi Omoogun Chief Correspondent, Nigeria

The change bug flying everywhere in Nigeria today due to the President Buhari’s change mantra has extended its bite to the Senate.

The result is seriously manifesting in the motions been presented in the Red Chambers. A motion under the name ‘Need for patronization of made in Nigeriwa Goods in Nigeria’ sponsored by Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe representing Abia South, although serious as it came but with a bit of comic relief by no other Senator than Senator Dino Melaye (Kogi West). Dino said ‘The Campaign shouldn’t be a a mere lip service and shouldn’t be limited to goods alone but should include ladies’. Apparently referring to the governor of Edo state, his excellency Adams Oshiomhole who married an Eritean/Cape Verdean lady.

The motion by Abaribe couldn’t have come at a better time as Nigerian Currency, the Naira has received a serious hammering in the foreign exchange market due to the fact that Nigeria as a country imports virtually everything including toothpicks from abroad. The Senate recalls that in the 1960s up to the early 70s, the Nigerian economy ran on made

Senator Dino Melaye

in Nigeria exports. Industries were located in rural areas and made in Nigeria products were popular with Nigerians and many other African countries.

It now regrets that Nigeria today consumes what it does not produce.

Investment in real sector has given way to trading in foreign and imported goods. Nigeria government spends billions of Naira yearly to purchase imported vehicles, furniture, textiles, printing papers and even consumables such as rice, drugs, vegetables oil, fruit juice etc The Senate urges the Federal Government to initiate and implement the First option policy on purchase of locally manufactured products for any government procurement in all arms of government and every public funded organisation.

reer by learning the rope as a Research Assistant. Jarigbe who is also the Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Tertiary Education has always expressed optimism that the country will benefit from the wealth of experience and stability the Speaker Yakubu Dogara have brought to the green chamber. He promised to continue to work to improve the fortunes of his constituency.

Hon. Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe House of Representatives member representing Ogoja/Yala Federal Constituency of Cross Rivers state

Nigerian Students Abroad need our help - Sen. David Umaru

By Olubunmi Omoogun Chief Correspondent, Nigeria

‘This is a save-our-souls call from Nigerian students in Russia under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) programme of the Federal Scholarship Board. If something is not urgently done to help our situation, Nigerians should expect to see screaming headlines like Russian Government deports Nigerian Scholarship Students for begging for alms on the streets of Russia; Russia set to deport Nigerian scholarship students for working without work permits; Nigerian students starve to death in Russia; Senator David Umaru Female Nigerian students prosti- ance of $500; medical insurance of $200 and winter clothing allowance of $250, tute for food in Russia’.

This is a quote from a Nigerian student in Russia. A sad tale Nigerian students face in foreign land. It is not surprising to see a distinguished Senator to add his voice of support to the many Nigerian students abroad in dire need of assistance to further and complete their courses abroad.

The Bilateral Education Agreement Scholarship Award Scheme is the largest Federal Government Scholarship Scheme Nigeria entered with Russia, China, Ukraine, Cuba, Hungary, Egypt, Morocco and Algeria etc for the purpose of of training Nigerian Students in various specialised areas of academic pursuits.

Senator Umaru, under the motion ‘Non-payment of allowances to Nigerian students studying abroad notes that under the agreement, whilst the host countries take responsibility for tuition, Nigerian government is under an obligation to cater for the upkeep of such students that secured the scholarship award by providing a monthly upkeep allow-

in addition to the sum of $2000 per student being provision for flight ticket upon completion of studies. He further said Nigeria government has failed, neglected and or refused to honour its own part of the agreement to pay the allowances since 2013 despite repeated demands and appeals to the appropriate authorities such as Federa Ministry of Education and the Nigerian Embassy in Moscow.

Some of the students who are desperate to survive have taken to all sort of criminal acts just to earn a living as the laws of the host countries in most instances particularly in Russia do no permit foreign students to work. The Senate therefore urge the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to consider the possibility of employing a Russian scholarship benefactor graduate at the Nigerian Embassy in Russia as an education attachee who understands the plight of these students and will oversee the procurement and payment of the students’ monthly stipends.

19

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FIFA RANKINGS: Nigeria up, Cape Verde topple Cote d’Ivoire

Nigeria have moved a spot up in the latest FIFA rankings released today as they are now 62nd in the world, while Cape Verde Islands have now emerged as Africa’s No 1 team ahead of African champions Cote d’Ivoire.

Nigeria were 63rd last month and have moved a spot this month.

Cape Verde are now the 31st best team in the world and also the top team in Africa.

Cote d’Ivoire, who for many months have been Africa’s best rated side in the rankings, dropped to second place on the continent as they are 36th in the world.

Algeria (37), Ghana (41), Tunisia (47), Senegal (48) and Egypt (53) are the other top-rated African teams.

The March edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking was marked by few changes in the top 50, with most teams yet to play in 2016. Only 14 ‘A’ matches were taken into account for March, all of which were international friendlies. The total number of games played in 2016 currently stands at 58.

At the table’s summit Belgium continue to domi-

Cape Verde Islands team

nate, while Argentina, Spain, Germany and Chile stay closely pressed to the leaders. Four-time world champions Italy (14, plus 1) meanwhile, recorded the only positive movement in the top 20 this month. Further

Nigeria open training camp for Egypt showdown Sunday

down the table, Poland gained the most ground of the top 50 teams, climbing three places (31, plus 3) while Serbia (50, plus 1) re-entered the top 50 at Norway’s expense (51, minus 1).

While no team reached its best ever position in the March ranking, a few teams successfully held onto their best ever positions, namely: Belgium (1), Chile (5), Austria (10), Hungary (19) and Kyrgyzstan (105).

The most impressive movers for March were Venezuela and Armenia. The South Americans climbed 6 places and gained 57 points to rise to 75th position, thanks to an impressive 1-0 victory over Costa Rica in Barinas on 2 February. Armenia, meanwhile, enjoyed the biggest climb of the month (116, up 7). Closely chasing Armenia and Venezuela’s success were Israel (67, plus 6), Kazakhstan (125, plus 6) and Guyana (156, plus 6).

There were no shifts in the regional composition of the Top 50 for March and the distribution of the top 50 remains: UEFA (31), CONMEBOL (8), CAF (6), CONCACAF (4), AFC (1) and OFC (0).

Belgium, Argentina, Mexico, Iran and New Zealand held their positions at the top of their respective confederations, with the only change in leadership at the confederation level this month taking place in CAF. Cape Verde Islands snatched the first place from Côte d’Ivoire to become Africa’s new number one.

The next FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking will be published on 7 April 2016.

Ndlovu to answer Bafana Bafana’s call Dino Ndlovu has escaped his comfort zone and is shining brightly in the often unfairly underrated Cypriot top division. His form in front of goal could see him back in Shakes Mashaba’s Bafana Bafana selection.

Ifeanyi Matthew of Kano Pillars (right) tackles an Egyptian player

Nigeria will open their training camp for two crucial AFCON 2017 qualifiers against Egypt on Sunday with players from the domestic league, officials have informed.

The camp will open in Abuja before it moves to Kaduna, where Nigeria will welcome seven-time champions Egypt on March 25, before they fly out to the reverse clash in Alexandria on March 29 night.

This latest proposal for the camp to open earlier than a plan by former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh to get going two weeks to the match in Kaduna is expected to be endorsed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) technical committee, when they meet in Abuja on Thursday.

22

However, it is left to be seen whether the home-based players called up for the Egypt matches will be excused to feature for their clubs in league matches thereafter.

Nigeria are expected to announce a squad made up of players from the home league and foreign pros on Thursday after a deliberation by the technical committee.

NFF technical director Shuaibu Amodu met with caretaker coaches Samson Siasia and Salisu Yusuf on Tuesday in Abuja to draw up a squad list.

Emmanuel Amuneke, the third member in the Eagles consortium of coaches, was not present as he was back at his base in Spain.

The 26-year-old will be the first to admit that he failed to live up to his billing on home soil, but for Anorthosis Famagusta, the former SuperSport United striker has excelled.

With 15 goals in 20 starts for the club, Ndlovu has scored five more goals than the highest placed South African in the Absa Premiership golden boot race, Prince Nxumalo.

Thamsanqa Gabuza, Bongani Ndulula, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Tokelo Rantie - regulars under Shakes Mashaba have under-performed or lacked game time this season, opening the door for Ndlovu, who is expected to be named in Ephraim Mashaba’s squad for upcoming 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Cameroon this month.

Ndlovu was called up for 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Angola in November last year, but was not used by ‘Shakes’ over two legs.

The Klerksdorp-born striker, though, is fully focused on his club side, who

Dino Ndlovu

still harbour title ambitions. Anorthosis sit 10 points behind leaders APOEL after 25 rounds of fixtures.

“For me, my focus is on my club team at the moment and not on Bafana Bafana,” Ndlovu said. “If I continue performing at club level the opportunity to represent my country will present itself.

“I will always be available for selection.”

Asked what he thinks is behind his up-turn in form, Ndlovu said: “Hard work, I have had my ups and downs in my career and I am finally reaping the rewards of hard work. I am more focused away from home, the technical team, everyone at the club has been amazing and I can’t complain - I am enjoying myself and it shows on the pitch.”

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Super Eagles lose coach amid acrimony and accusations Continued from back page

On his Twitter feed on Thursday, the day he tendered his resignation, Oliseh posted: “Due to Contract violations ,lack of Support,Unpaid wages,Benefits to my players,Asst.Coaches & myself, I resign as Super Eagles Chief Coach” (sic) A statement posted on the Federation’s website on Monday (February 29) countered: “With regard to the allegation that he was not supported, it is pertinent to note that Mr. Oliseh himself had on numerous occasions expressed gratitude for the support he had received from the NFF and in particular from the NFF President and Vice Presidents. The NFF makes bold to say that he has been supported throughout his short tenure as the Super Eagles coach.

Not only have his requests and choice of training camps been accepted, his choice of players have never been interfered with, his choice of venues have all but once been accepted and even where not accepted, an explanation was promptly given which was duly appreciated and accepted by the coach.”

The lengthy NFF statement goes on to lay out ways in which it was Oliseh who violated the terms of his contract: “Even though by the terms of his contract he was obliged to return to Nigeria at least 2 weeks to any Super Eagles match and is obliged to watch our domestic league matches from time to time, one can count how many local league matches he has watched and one can point out that he did not return to Nigeria before he went to the CHAN championship on the grounds that he was ill. Yet, he went to South Africa and Rwanda but did not return with the team to Nigeria.”

Describing Oliseh’s management style as “impulsive” and his behaviour as “bordering in some cases on insubordination”, the statement suggests Oliseh had at one stage wanted to sack all the Super Eagles’ backroom staff and that a walk-out of the squad’s senior players was only averted when high-ranking NFF officials intervened in the former coach’s row with goalkeeper Victor Enyeama, who resigned and announced his retirement from international football after being stripped of the captaincy at a training camp.

Of the former coach’s accusation that he has not been fully remunerated for his services, the NFF says: The NFF gives the foregoing assurances despite the circumstance which has arisen with the untimely resignation of Coach Sunday Oliseh and despite the fact that the decision was taken unilaterally without discussion with NFF or any of its officials or board members, without giving the requisite 1 (one) months (sic) notice as stipulated in his contract immediately

Injured Konate could miss Niger clashes

Just three weeks after his return from injury, Senegal striker Moussa Konate is once more on the sidelines after tearing his thigh muscle on the weekend.

The FC Sion striker is expected to be out for two weeks and could miss his country’s double 2017 Africa Nations Cup Qualifying clash against Niger on 26 and 29 March.

On Saturday Konate completed a League match in the Swiss Super League, but at the end of the clash his injury was picked up by the team’s medical staff.

Should Konate miss Senegal’s two matches against Niger through injury, national coach Aliou Cissé will have a problem in his hands.

Konate has proven to be a consistent goal scorer and with Diafra Sakho having been out for some time, the Teranga Lions coach will need to look elsewhere for goals.

An aggrieved Sunday Oliseh has responded quickly to public criticism by Nigeria’s football governing body

after he was paid his arrears of salary and housing allowance after his request to travel across Europe to visit potential call ups for the matches against Egypt was approved by the President of the NFF and; despite the fact that we have crucial qualifying matches to play next month.

Also on Monday, Oliseh responded as follows in a piece entitled “Why I quit as Super Eagles Chief Coach”: “I wrote an official legal binding demand letter to the Nigeria football federation through the General Secretary, requesting payment of salaries and bonuses that were already long due and pending. In my said demand letter I listed 11 unpaid heads and articles. These 11 articles included demand for all sums dating back to July 2015. I therein also specified that I was willing to wait only up to the 25th February, 2016 before seeking means to get relief.

“Owed wages and accommodation were just 2 of these eleven articles.

“My letter was sent by email and by registered courier, both went unacknowledged nor honoured.

“This type of silence had become the new trend and my said demand letter was ignored just as my other e mails in the past weeks seeking support to prepare for the Egypt game.

And later in the piece: “Again some luxuries could have been shelved by the NFF to accommodate the outstanding bonuses for the players of the earlier qualifiers as the owed bonuses had become an issue with the players.

“As I have often been treated, along with my coaching crew and players it

is pertinent to note that days after my resignation and contrary to The NFF official press release and numerous interviews and misrepresentations and outright falsehood, my bank has confirmed that no payments whatsoever as alleged by the NFF has been made to me. (as at as this afternoon of the 29thof February 2016).

“I dare say that the NFF I know would have made public, evidence of the said payment. I leave to the imagination of the public what conducts of this nature would do to our players just before vital games as often was the case.”

It is clear the mud-slinging is set to continue for some time, but Nigeria have an AFCON qualifier coming up that could do without the distractions.

Despite their technical director Shaibu Amodu rejecting an offer to take temporary charge of the Super Eagles, the NFF has ensured a coach is in place for the upcoming Nations Cup qualifiers against Egypt by swiftly reappointing Samson Siasia as interim coach to replace Oliseh.

Siasia was national coach for the twelve month period from November 2010 to October 2011, when he was sacked after Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

The first task for Siasia, who was the coach of Nigeria’s Under-23 team (Dream Team VI) that won the 2015 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations in Senegal, is to prepare the senior squad for the Nations Cup qualifiers against the Group G leaders at home on 25 March and the return match four days later.

Drogba doubtful for MLS opener

Didier Drogba

Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba is a doubt for Montreal Impact’s Major League Soccer (MLS) opener away to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night.

The 37-year-old former Elephants captain scored 11 goals in as many MLS games in the 2015 season, his first in North America after spells in France, England, China and Turkey.

He helped his Canadian side reach the semifinals of the Eastern Conference, where they were beaten 4-3 on aggregate

by Columbus Crew.

According to Montreal radio station 98.5 Sports, Drogba is suffering from an inflamed knee following the Impact’s training camp in Florida. The injury is not a serious one, but coach Mauro Biello is unlikely to take a risk with his star player.

In addition, the Impact will be playing four of their opening five matches of the 2016 season on artificial surfaces, meaning Drogba was always likely to have a slow start to the campaign.

23

Friday, 4 March - Thursday, 10 March 2016 ISSUE 619

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Ndlovu to answer Bafana Bafana’s call SEE PAGE 22

SUNDAY AND NFF IN BITTER SPLIT Super Eagles lose coach amid acrimony and accusations

Sunday Oliseh (centre) took over the Super Eagles’ reins less than eight months ago to a significant fanfare

By Alan Oakley

A war of words has erupted following the resignation last week of Nigeria’s national football coach Sunday Oliseh.

Oliseh cited unpaid wages and contract breaches as his reasons for walking out, as well as accusing Nigerian football’s governing body, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), of unfairly criticising his team. He told BBC Sport: “Members of the federation were going public to criticise the team, even though we were winning. When you have played 14 games

and you have lost only one competitive match and one friendly, I don’t see what there is to complain about.”

He added he felt he was not only playing against opposing teams “but I felt I was also playing against my own federation, especially the technical committee”.

Continued on page 23

African Voice Newspaper is published by African Voice Communications. Unit 7 Holles House Overton Road London SW9 7AP. Tel: 020 3737 3077 Registered at the British Library as a newspaper. ISSN 1475-2166.Email: africanvoicenews@googlemail.com