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Ï As FG approves N1.1bn for Kaduna terminal

ÏÏÏ President Muhammadu Buhari has given approval for Aviation personnel to now bear arms, fashioned after system similar to the America Transport Safety Administration (TSA).

Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, disclosed this while briefing State House Correspondents after the first meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC)

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in 2017, presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Minister, who was joined at the briefing by his Internal Affairs counterpart, Gen. Abdurahman Danbazau (rtd), said when operational, the outfit would be equipped with dogs, guard batons, handcuffs, light weapons, for their Continued on page 12

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 VOL. 3. NO. 271

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GAINERS AS AT January 4, 2017 FLOURMILL

Aviation: Security operatives now to carry arms

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You’re a serial liar, Obasanjo tells Awujale Ï Says description of him in the monarch’s autobiography a tissue of lies Ï Describes hate campaign against him in sections of the book as unbecoming of an Oba Ï Slams Oba Adetona for rumour-mongering Ï ‘I have long developed thick skin over such allegations’

R-L: Chairman Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu; National Commissioner, INEC, May Agbamuche Mbu and Air Vice Marshal Ahmed Muazu (rtd) during a courtesy visit by the Special Investigative Panel on the 2016 legislative rerun election in Rivers State on the INEC chairman in Abuja… on Wednesday. PHOTO: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

Anambra declares Hunters, vigilante state of emergency foil fresh bomb 6 blast in Adamawa on roads 12

Customs arraigns 2 Chinese, Nigerian for smuggling tusks, animal scales 12

The Folio Media Group, owners of The Daily Times of Nigeria, on Tuesday, January 3, 2017, appointed Dr. May Ikeora, as the Executive Director of Miss Nigeria Organisa-

tion.

Ikeora’s appointment was contained in a statement, signed by Mr. Fidelis Anosike, the Founder and Chairman of Folio Communication Limited.

Ikeora, is an academic researcher, an ex-beauty queen-cum entrepreneur.

She was the first Nigerian to win Miss ECOWAS, held in Cape Verde, in 2003.

Her interest in human

rights and peace building, led her to become a goodwill Ambassador for ECOWAS, during which she toured all the West Africa countries on peace missions.

ÏÏÏ

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday, came hard on the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, describing the Monarch as a serial liar.

Obasanjo also described extracts from the autobiography of the Awujale over his personality as a tissue of lies and untruths.

Oba Adetona had in his book: “Awujale: The Autobiography of Alaiyeluwa Oba S. K. Adetola, Ogbagba II,” published by Mosuro Publishers 2010 on Pages 187195, faulted the role played

by Obasanjo during the chairman of Globalcom, Chief Mike Adennuga’s, travails with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2006.

Oba Adetona had also accused the former president of squandering the enormous goodwill he carried Continued on page 5

N5000 stipend: Govt won’t lie to 8 Nigerians –Adesina

Folio Media Group appoints Ikeora, Executive Director, Miss Nigeria Organisation ÏÏÏ

Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta

Ikeora has leveraged on the rare exprience she garnered during her reign, to pursue a career in International Humanitarian Law. Continued on page 5

2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Page Three

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Editorial Ending child malnutrition in Nigeria

C

hildren are the joy of every home and the future of every country. That is why their arrival is celebrated by all and sundry, while their progress generates enormous interest in all societies. Therefore, like other countries of the world, Nigeria cannot afford to be indifferent to the welfare of her children. Even at this, Nigeria has continued to lag behind the internationally accepted standards for child development, especially in the area of child nutrition. Due to this, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Nigeria has been at the forefront of sensitising mothers and other stakeholders on the need for breastfeeding children from the start of pregnancy until their second birthday.

This 1,000-day period represents a critical window of opportunity to avert malnutrition and ensure that they have adequate nutrition at this time to grow, learn and rise out of poverty. For long, there has been rising malnutrition among Nigerian children. According to recent Federal Ministry of Health report, more than 41 per cent of Nigerian children under age of five suffer stunted growth resulting from malnutrition.

Corroborating this report, UNICEF put the estimate of severely malnourished in the country at 1.1million. In fact, the findings estimate that nearly four in 10 Nigerian children of less than five years of age are stunted- the second highest rate in the world, and the highest in Africa. This embarrassing development is cause for concern and a clarion call for action.

Question is, what is malnutrition. It is a condition that occurs when people consistently do not consume or absorb the right amounts and types of food and essential ingredients. Dubbed “Nigeria’s Silent Crisis”, malnutrition is responsible for the deaths of more than 500,000 children in the country before their 5th birthday, even as it is a major contributory factor for stunted growth among them. The same survey shows that almost 30 percent of Nigerian chil-

dren are underweight, while those who are wasted or too thin for their height has risen from 11 percent in 2003 to 18 percent in 2013.

Moreover, up to 1 million Nigerian children under age five suffer from severe acute malnutrition (SAM), while 4 out of 5 of do not meet the World Health Organisation’s recommendation for exclusive breastfeeding in the first six months of life, even as 70 percent of children between 6 to 23 months are not receiving the minimum acceptable diet. With this alarming development, we call on the Federal Government and other health related agencies to devote more attention and resources towards eradicating child malnutrition in Nigeria.

With all hands on deck, we believe that malnutrition, which manifests in some children as kwashiorkor and affects the cognitive ability to learn in school, can be history, even in Nigeria with a high children population.

All that is needed to tackle the conundrum is the redoubling of campaign for families to space their children adequately, and to a proportionate size.

However, the problem of malnutrition goes far beyond how it affects children.

A large population of Nigerian adults is suffering health-related problems due to imbalance in their diet. Many ignorantly go on feeding on meals with high percentage of carbohydrates, which health professionals deem inadequate for balanced diet. On the other hand, child-feeding practices should be improved through breastfeeding. This is because breast milk contains enzymes, antibodies, long-chain fatty acids and hormones.

Nutrition to support the life of children should be given the urgent and priority attention it deserves for the healthy growth of the next generation.

It is fact that well-nourished, well-educated children undoubtedly grow into a more productive labour force as adults, while improvements in nutrition could lead to a boost in GDP growth by as much as 11 percent.

Editor, Daily Rose Moses Deputy General Manager State House/Northern Bureau Chief Tony Ailemen Special Projects Editor Sam Nzeh Business Times Editor Andrew Odioko

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Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi (middle); Chairman of the State Christian Association of Nigeria, Rev. Emmanuel Nshi (left) and Bishop of Ikwo Anglican Diocese, Bishop Kenneth Ifemene, during a courtesy visit on Umahi in Uburu, Ebonyi State… on Tuesday.

L-R: Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga; Ogun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun and outgoing Head of Service, Elder Olusola Adeyemi, during a special reception in honour of Adeyemi in Abeokuta, Ogun State... on Wednesday.

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L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information, Abubakar Muhammad Danshehu; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Commissioner of Information, Jeli Abdulkadir Abubakar, during the flag off of the ‘Change Begins With Me’ campaign in Sokoto...Wednesday.

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Nelson Mandela

Obafemi Awolowo

Nnamdi Azikiwe

“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

“Behind the ugly terrible mask of misfortune lies the beautiful soothing countenance of prosperity. So, tear the mask!

“There is plenty of room at the top because very few people care to travel beyond the average route”.

4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria j ƑƏ Ɨ ƕè C Ƒ Əƕ ǀè ƾƠơƣ

5 News

You’re a serial liar, Obasanjo tells Awujale Continued from page 1 into office “with a performance that left him with a second term short of tangible achievements.”

But responding to the position of the traditional ruler, Obasanjo, in a letter dated December 30, 2016, a copy which was made available to Daily Times on Wednesday, remarked that Oba Adetona’s assertion in the publication was a tissue of lies and untruths.

Obasanjo stated that he was not aware that the former vice chancellor of the BELLS University, Prof. Julius Okogie, invited Adenuga to contribute to the project “until Mike pulled out. And that I have not and I will not talk to Mike about it should convince you that I know nothing about its genesis.

Former President Obasanjo is the owner of BELLS University.

Reacting further, the former president said, “Under my watch, EFCC was free to its job as it saw fit. Common sense would suggest that wild rumours should not be perpetrated by an Oba of your calibre. Kabiyesi, your cousin did not tell you that my Chief of Staff, Abdul Mohammed, put his reputation on line by assuring EFCC that Mike would go nowhere and they should trust him to give him his passport. I did not even know that Abdul had done that until the chairman of EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, reported the case of my Chief of Staff seemingly colluding with Mike to run out of the country.

But I had implicit confidence in my Chief of Staff and I was to resolve the issue. Should your cousin not have mentioned to Abdul, who guaranteed the release of his passport, his fears and intention to go on exile? On several

occasions, Nuhu Ribadu had asserted that under my watch, he was a free agent to do his work as he deemed fit. Where it was necessary, he reported the outcome of his work to me and the subsequent or follow-up actions he intended to take. On no occasion did I guide, lead or direct him on what to do.

“Mike did not need to send anything to me to satisfy me, he needed to satisfy EFCC and so your sending any documents to me was insinuating that I am the one to be satisfied rather than the EFCC. So, such documents were not paid any attention by me. You, as the cousin and part beneficiary from Mike as you have told me in the past, would not be able to see the tree from the forest as far as the mode of operation of Nuhu Ribadu was concerned, viz-a-viz, Mike. If the EFCC was investigating anybody, I did not consider it right for me as the President of Nigeria to be undermining EFCC by hobnobbing with that person.

EFCC must be given free hand to

do its work. Even if such a person was my child, the best I could do would be to secure a good lawyer to handle the matter before the EFCC for that child,” Obasanjo wrote On the alleged rumour of owing the Obajana Cement Company, Obasanjo recalled that would not be the only case rumored against him by the traditional ruler, stating, “the latest one you did in 2016 was you telling me that you heard that I had gone to Rasak Okoya to seek to marry his daughter, Abiola, when it was the girl that came to appeal to me to intervene to placate and appeal to her father to forgive her for all her misbehaviour to her father.

“I did and the father and daughter were reconciled. I told you even then that it was unbecoming of an Oba… Of course, I am used to such rumours, slandering and insinuations since my days as a Unit Commander in the Army and I have developed thick skin.

If 10 per cent of the rumours as-

cribing businesses and properties I know nothing about were true, I would be the richest man on earth. But recently, when Aliko (Dangote), yourself and myself were together, Aliko assured you that I never ever had a single share in any of his business interests but whenever called on me to help within and without to promote his business interest, I always helped. And I will always do because that is part of my job as a Nigerian leader - to help Nigerians grow their businesses or interests - and I have done that for other Nigerians and indeed for non-Nigerians, Africans and nonAfricans, who have requested me for help. It was revealing to me on that occasion when Aliko made the point that one of his directors on his cement company is somebody very close to you.”

On squandering of his goodwill, Obasanjo says: “Kabiyesi, if I have squandered all the goodwill I had, you would not have contacted me on behalf of the All Progressive Party (APC) to receive them

in 2014 and you would not have been personally present when I received them as I demanded. I probably have greater goodwill, internally and externally than I had in office.

Obasanjo further said in his letter, “Kabiyesi, the total sum of what you have put down in those pages of your book is that I dislike Mike. Maybe I need to remind you that if there was any iota of truth in such a position or mindset, Mike would not have been granted the mobile telephone licence, which made him a billionaire. It was my prerogative as the President so to do. You may also be reminded that in the first round of the auction, which Mike did not make, the country earned US$285 million for each licence.

The country earned only US$200 million from the licence transaction with Mike, and in the subsequent transaction with Etisalat, the country earned US$400 million. It was a deliberate action on my part that a Nigerian should own one of the licences.

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Accidental discharge injures 2 in Aso Villa ÏÏÏ

An accidental discharge, yesterday, from the weapon of one of the security operatives in the Presidential Villa, has left a female staff at the State House, Abuja, wounded.

The incident happened shortly after the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Administrative Reception.

Daily Times gathered that the incident occured when the security agent, said to be off duty, was attempting to empty the weapon, which went off, injuring him and the woman in the process.

The female worker was said to have sustained injuries on her thigh, stomach and a part of her back, and was conveyed to the State House Medical Centre in Asokoro by one of her colleagues, where she is responding to treatment.

Hunters, vigilante foil fresh bomb blast in Adamawa

Tom Garba, Yola

ÏÏÏ Hunters/Vigilante prevented an attempted bomb blast in Gulak headquarters of Madagali by killing three female suicide bombers who attempted to ramp into a sleepy village of Dar to detonate bomb hidden under their dresses.

The Adamawa state Commissioner for Agriculture, Waziri Hamman, made the disclosure

while briefing journalists after State Executive Council (SEC) meeting Wednesday in Yola.

According to him, the three female suicide bombers who came from Bakin Dutse, a village near Gulak, were detected and immediately shut dead by members of the vigilante who were on full alert in the area.

“Two of the victims age between eleven and twelve, while the other an adult woman came from Bakin Dutse village, when

they members of the vigilante cited them, they were shut dead while attempting ramp in to Dar market.”

The Commissioner however said there was no casualties recorded, as the timely killing of the suspects prevented the suspects from achieving their target.

The Chairman Magagali LGC, Yusuf Mohammed, confirmed the incident, saying “today (Wednesday) is Dar market

day and we strongly suspect that the bombers were on their way to the busy market.”

He urged the people of the area to continue to be security conscious and vigilant to avert such threats in the area.

The spokesman of 28 TaskForce Battalion Mubi, Major Akintoye Badare, confirmed the incident.

It is coming just a day after the army repelled insurgents’ attack on the same Dar village.

6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria j ƑƏ Ɨ ƕè C Ƒ Əƕ ǀè ƾƠơƣ

7 News

Lalong releases 39 prison 01 ƓƆƋƇ ƏƆ ƈ ƈƐƈ ƐƈƒƆ ôƋƋ Ɔ Ɔ ƅƈ Ƌ ƐƆ ƈ è ƕ R Ƒ inmates in Plateau

Chijioke Kingsley, Jos

ÏÏÏ The Plateau state gov-

ernor, Simon Lalong, has secured the release of 39 prison inmates in Shendam in Shendam local government of the state. The prisoners were serving serious jail terms in the prison.

Lalong effected their liberty by paying the fines of the inmates, which amounted to N465,700, as some of them were still in custody because of their inability to pay the fines.

The governor, who visited the Shendam prison on Tuesday, gave the statistics

of the freed convicts which indicated that 11 of them are from Jos Prisons,13 from Shendam Prisons, six from Pankshin Prisons and nine from Prisons Farm Centre in Lakushi.

Meanwhile, the state government is to introduce Town Hall Meetings in all local governments in the state to make known government’s score cards to its citizens.

State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mallam Ahmad Muhammad Nazif, disclosed this yesterday in a chat with journalists in Jos. Nazif was alarmed that

the Rescue Government is doing a lot but only little is communicated to the people, hence the need for introducing the monthly media briefing by the ministry.

He, however, explained that this year, the ministry is going beyond media briefing to engaging the citizens of the state in the project, stressing that information will be carried to the grassroots people in all the local governments in their local languages which will be more acceptable.

While saying that the information dissemination is still at its low ebb.

Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo

ÏÏÏ The Osun state govern-

ment has commended the Federal Government for successfully key starting at least two major socially impactful welfare programmes.

The state government said the programmes would go down to ease social tension and motivate the poor.

The government said this in its message signed by the Director, Bureau of Communication and Strategy Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon.

The government said that the Muhammadu Bu-

hari-led Federal Government has touched on the very aspects of national life that had contributed to youth restiveness, kidnapping, other crimes and care for the desperately poor.

The statement read in part, “It is germane at this stage to congratulate the Federal Government which in the last one week commenced the payment of monthly stipends to its successful applicants for the N-Power schemes for the unemployed youths in our country and the payment of monthly stipends of N5,000 to vulnerable but socially responsible poor in our so-

ciety.”

It said the commencement of the payment of another N5,000 monthly to its verified poorest and most vulnerable in the society just as the Agba Osun scheme which pays N10,000 to 1,602 carefully selected most vulnerable elderly persons in the state would go a long way to reduce poverty, crime and other social vices which are at the heart of social instabilities in Nigeria.

The Bureau also urged the Federal Government to intensify its efforts at achieving a nationwide implementation of the school feeding programme.

CƑƋƕ ƢƠƢƿ Ƅ Ɨ ƐƐƏ ƅƐ ƈ ƆƏ ƕƈƆƋƗ ƒƆƏ ƏƐ ƐƆ Ə Bonny Amadi

ÏÏÏ

Trends in the debt instrument market have shown that long term instruments are generating higher yields than short term bonds, reflecting mar-

ket sentiments as trading opens for the year.

Market sentiment that ushered in trading for the year reflected that investors were largely bearish in the bond market as yields trended upwards across the

curve.

This increase in yields was more pronounced on long dated maturities especially on the July 2034, up 39 bps to 15 .64%. While the yield on the seven-year benchmark bond inched up

4bps, the yield on both the 7yr and 10-year benchmark bonds increased by 111bps to 15.83 percent and 16.19 percent respectively.

Analysis of the debt market performance as the trading year opens on good

note showed that for the first day of trading on 3rgd January, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) conducted an Open Market Operation (OMO) auction selling N50.8billion worth, of 184 days and 352 days tenured

bills at 18.00 per cent and 18.60 per cent stop rates respectively.

However, irrespective of the potential adverse impact the auction may have for system liquidity, money market rates declined

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Folio Media Group appoints Ikeora, Executive Director, Miss Nigeria Organisation Continued from page 1 She moved to the United Kingdom(UK) eleven years ago, where she successfully obtained a Masters degree in Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies; and later capped her robust acacdemic pursuit with a PhD in Law. She had worked across Africa and Europe, as a specialist in Human Rights, Environment, Gender and Peacebuilding; consulting for organisations like, the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU); and the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Institute.

Following her enormous interest in global peace, Ikeora has also

received numerous awards with regards to her work within the African Diaspora communities in the UK; and recognised by the House of Lords in the UK Houses of Parliament.

As an academic, she has to her credit, numerous published articles in her field.

As an entrepreneur, Ikeora founded an organic & natural cosmetics company, called, L’Avyanna Skin Naturals, which is based in the UK and Nigeria. It is her aim to make this business one of the best in Africa; and exporting it to other parts of the world.

Combining her experiences in beauty, she has continued the advo-

cacy for the empowerment of young African women (through her Raising Girls’ Project), as well as, improve the existing ethics in the beauty industry through her campaign: “My Colour My Heritage.”

Her appointment, as the Executive Director of the Miss Nigeria Organisation, followed her involvement in successfully advancing the platform towards empowering women beyond beauty in the 2016 Miss Nigeria event.

As a former queen, academic and entrepreneur, Ikeora understands what it takes to make Miss Nigeria a consistent, sustainable and intellectual platform that will change the face of pageantry for the betterment

of young women in Nigeria.

Her experience in sustainable environment will be most useful in driving the Green-Girl Project - A Miss Nigeria initiative aimed at increasing the voices of young women in the discourse of environmental sustainability in Nigeria.

As Executive Director, Ikeora is expected to commit her wealth of experience in implementing Miss Nigeria Organisation’s five-year strategic plan of empowering 5,000 young women in sustainable environmental development.

Folio Media Group reports that her appointment remains part of sustained effort to leverage Miss Nigeria

Lagos to host Miss Virginity beauty pageant Jan 14

N5, 000 stipend: Govt won’t lie to Nigerians -Adesina

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

Tony Ailemen,

ÏÏÏAll is set for the 9th edition of the

annual Miss Virginity Beauty Pageant billed to take place on the 14th January, 2017 at Surulere Local Government along Alhaji Masha Road, Onilegogoro area of Surulere in Lagos.

The beauty pageant is put together by the Virgins, a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) with focus on keeping and celebrating virgin girls in Nigeria.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday to sensitive the media on their preparedness ahead of the pageant, Founder and National coordinator of The Virgins, Princess Adediran Adunni said that all arrangements have been finalized to achieve a hitch free show that will produce the 2017 Virgin Queen.

Princess Adediran said that this is the ninth year of the celebration of the Virgins, explaining that it was to come up on the 16th December, 2016 but was postponed to 14fh of January because of financial crunch.

She said this year’s participation is free and that parents and guardians are free to come with their children and wards to the venue on January 14th.

“This year’s celebration is free and parents and wards can bring their children to the venue that very day.

Those who cannot come can as well give letters of consent to their children. However, the basic requirement is 3 passport sized photographs with their their names and phone numbers written at the back”, Adediran said.

Explaining the hurdles, she passed through before putting this year’s ceremony, Adediran said “In fact I made text messages for financial assistance to 200 fellow Nigerians asking for the sum of only N2, 000 but only twenty people responded out of the 200 people I appealed to. But God assisted me further and a Chief of Staff which I will not mention his name for now sent the sum of N50, 000. A female lawyer also sent the sum of N10, 000.00. The actual amount to appreciate virgins is however, somehow countless”.

pageant, one of the biggest, annual, glamorous, fashion, beauty, lifestlye and entertainment shows.

The other ancillary benefits of her appointment include, infusion of intellectual content and empowerment of young women beyond beauty.

Meanwhile, Miss Nigeria Organisation commended all partners, sponsors and stakeholders, who contributed immensely toward the successful hosting of the 40th edition of the Miss Nigeria in 2016.

An elated Ikeora said,“ Our commitment is that the 41st edition of the Miss Nigeria pageant would further situate Nigeria positively in the international entertainment space.”

Abuja

ÏÏÏPresidential media aide, Femi

L-R: President, Agriculture Graduates Association of Nigeria (AGAN), Michael Egbuta; General Manager, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF), Abimbola Okoya; Chairman, BATNF Rice Farmers Group, Bida, Niger State, Abu Far; Coordinator, Niger State AGAN, Illyasu Hussaini and Communication and Events Manager, BATNF, Tajudeen Akinwande, at the BATNF exhibition stand, during the 3rd NEPAD Nigeria Rice Investment Forum in Abuja… recently.

Ambode preaches hope at Glo co-sponsored One Lagos Fiesta

ÏÏÏLagos

state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has assured Lagosians that the year 2017, which incidentally marks the 50thanniversary of the state, would present limitless opportunities and true happiness for all Lagos residents.

The Governor spoke at the Bar Beach, Victoria Island, Lagos, where the grand finale of the second edition of Globacom co-sponsored One Lagos Fiesta (OLF), an end-of-the-year initiative of the Lagos State Government, was held.

According to him, “our vision remains the same: to create a smart mega city where business and creative opportunities abound; where physical and social amenities are world-class; and where lives and property are safe and secured.”

The event was rounded off with talent hunt show christened ‘Lagos Has Got Talent’ in which youths

across five major divisions of the state competed in the areas of dance, rap, comedy and drama.

Master Ogunlaja Ahmed (Mr. Dollar) from Epe Division emerged the overall winner, followed by Blessing Akiote from Agege and Flexible Twist in the second and third positions, and they went home with fantastic prizes from the state government and Globacom.

Speaking at the occasion Mr. Folu Aderibigbe, Globacom’s Coordinator, Business Enterprise Group, restated the commitment of the company to the growth and development of the state as well as to supporting the growth and passion of its customers.

He expressed the company’s delight to be the exclusive telecom partner of One Lagos Fiesta (OLF) for the second year running, add-

ing that “Globacom is a brand that promotes the active lifestyle of fun and excitement.”

Globacom, according to him, would always do its best to support the empowerment of Nigerians, in addition to continuous investment in building the best telecommunications network in the country.

Top music acts including Globacom Ambassador, MI, Juju Maestro, King Sunny Ade, street music mega star, Olamide, Mavin Music Diva, Tiwa Savage, ‘Orente’ crooner, Adekunle Gold, and song writer and singer, Dr. SID, entertained guests all through the fiesta.

It was fun all the way as hundreds of revellers danced their way into the New Year sending reverberations of excitement around Victoria Island and beyond, while celebrations continued well into the early hours of Sunday.

Adesina, rose yesterday to stoutly defend the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration over the disbursement of N5, 000 stipend to poor Nigerians declaring that government is particular about its integrity and will therefore, not lie to its citizens.

Adesina was briefing State House Correspondents after the first Federal Executive Council Meeting yesterday stated this while reacting a statement credited to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, who said government lied about commencing the payment of N5,000 monthly stipend to Nigeria’s poor and vulnerable.

The Ekiti state governor had in a statement accused the Federal Government of running on propaganda as it claimed it has commenced payments in states, mostly the All Progressives Congress, APC-controlled states knowing that the governors cannot come out to disprove the payment.

Briefing alongside the minister of Interior Abdurahman Dambazzau, and the minister of state for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, Adesina who noted that Nigerians can choose who to believe, however assured that the President will not lie to deceive the people.

“On N5,000 stipend, it was announced specifically from the office of the vice president that the scheme has started in nine states. And then a certain governor came and say it is not true. Is just a matter of who do you believe. This is a government that is built on integrity and accountability.

“This government will not lie to Nigerians, does not lie to Nigerians, in fact anything you hear from this government you can take it to the bank, believe it. So, if anybody comes and say its politics is not true. Choose who to believe I can tell you that you should believe this government because this government will not lie to you,” he said.

Pictures: Victor Ike Oye, Buhari

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Politics

s

Lagos Assembly Minority Leader assures of better representation in 2017 The Minority Leader of Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Akeem Bello has promised his constituents better representation and more developmental projects in 2017.

Hon Bello who is representing Amuwo-Odofin constituency 11 in Lagos Assembly made this promise in a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Saheed Gbajabiamila in Lagos.

The Lagos Minority Leader assured the people of Amuwo-Odofin that all the successes recorded in the previous years is a tip of the iceberg compared to what the new year holds for them as he promised to continue to collaborate with the state government to attract more developmental projects to the constituency.

“We have been able to attract good roads to our area out of the 114 roads built by the state government in 2016, the governor has promised more this year, so we are already looking at those roads in our constituency that needs urgent attention.

“My main focus this year is going to be taking the youths off the street while I also empower the se-

9

nior citizens as well, I just need my people to continue to give me all the necessary support as they have been doing,” he said.

Hon. Bello in his goodwill message to his constituents explained that he has lined up various empowerment programmes for both youths and senior citizens in his constituency, urging them to continue to obey the law of the land.

Speaking further on his programmes to make his constituents happy in 2017,he said, “I am working on direct employment for the youths, so also skill acquisition programmes to get the youth busy so that they won’t be susceptible to criminal activities, I have just graduated a set, another set is coming on.

“In my ward alone we have about seven tank farms, at Ijegun we have not less than 14 tank farms too, we have a good number of companies in my constituency, I am already talking with these companies on how they can help me absorb some of the youths so that we can get them engaged doing something so we won’t continue to give them fish all the time,” Akeem reiterated.

Niger APC chairman charges political office holders on service SAKA BOLAJI, Minna The chairman of Niger State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jibrin Mohammed Imam has called on lawmakers in the state who have not impacted positively in their constituency to have a rethink and be mindful of their mandate in the New Year 2017.

Imam who handed down the advice in an interview with our reporter in Minna, decried the lack of adequate initiatives by most commissioners in the state making a snail pace of governance, this is as he throws his weight behind Governor Abubakar Sani Bello who expressed dissatisfaction with their performance thus far.

The party chairman added that the 60 percent score of commissioners by the governor was not based on government performance rather on lack of adequate initiatives by them, leaving the

entire burden on him, instead of doing the thinking for the implementation.

He expressed worries over some of the lawmakers in the state who have found a base in the state capital and have shun their constituencies and the people who elected them into office to the detriment of the party, urging them to desist from such trend.

He emphasised that he has more faith in his political party APC for its sustainable governance in the state considering the achievements recorded in the 25 local governments of the state in the areas of provision of portable water, electricity, roads, and some immediate needs of the people in the grassroots.

The party chairman commended the council chairmen for not disappointing the party at the grassroots level, scoring them 80 percent, adding though that some could not measure up, but assured that he will talk to them.

He lamented over the level of infrastructural decay inherited by the present government in the state while efforts is being geared towards putting things in the right perspective.

Imam further expressed happiness that the present administration in the state is working in adherence to the party manifestos in its provision of dividend of democracy to the electorates with the level of performance of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello in the provision of basic social amenities for human development in the state, despite the meager resources available to it.

He explained that some political office holders in the party were up to date in remitting party funds while some are not doing well in that regard and since the idea of party sponsorship by government was over it has to resort to levying members, assuring that the government seat will be returned to the party in 2019.

Lagos APC chairman bags Golden Man of the Year Award Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC),Chief Henry Oladele Ajomale has emerged winner of the maiden edition of Lagos State Golden Man of the Year 2016.

Ajomale defeated other nine nominees to emerge as the winner of the golden award through a very keen selection process of public opinion rating and sms voting which began since July and lasted till September 2016.

Organisers of the award, LASGMAYA, an innovation of Africa Stride International, which is said to be a growing public relations and media organisation in Nigeria, with the aim of promoting public-spirited service, enduring leadership, good democratic principles and national development interests, said it found the APC chairman worthy of this

prestigious award.

According to LASGMAYA, a platform created for annual review of the activities of leading Lagosians with a vision to giving honour to the most outstanding personality in the year under review, said Otunba Henry Ajomale has recorded landmark achievements as an exemplary statesman and a legendary democrat.

“Apart from having left indelible marks in his legal profession, his capacity, coupled with an unusual courage, charisma, patriotism, selflessness, dedication, loyalty, leadership and team spirit in co-nurturing, mentoring and building a lonely opposition party in the South West, the Action Congress (AC) and later Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), founded by Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in 2006 into galvanizing tremendous support, first in the South West and later across Nige-

Abia State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (middle), top government officials and some indigenes of Ukome Isieke community after the official flag off of Ukome/Isieke road in the state by Ikpeazu… recently ria, to lead a phenomenal change that eventually culminated in re-configuring the political history of Nigeria barely nine years after, is tantamount to golden accomplishment worthy of honour and celebration.

“He has since remained the rallying point for his party, the APC, in Lagos State and a dependable ally for many of its leading gladiators.

“Besides, the astounding success of the Lagos State government over the last 18 years and especially the onongoing massive infrastructural development under the APC led administration of Governor Akinwumi Ambode further reaffirm the commitment and resoluteness of the party led by Ajomale in the state to deliver democratic dividends to the good people of Lagos

State.”

In his acceptance letter, personally signed by him, Otunba Ajomale expressed delight in his confirmation for the noble honour as he said, “I find it particularly gratifying to note that my nomination and subsequent confirmation for the award is not unconnected with my contributions to societal advancement at local, state and national levels, especially as

it concerns with my records as a statesman, politician, philanthropist and advocate.”

In conclusion, the letter read, “Arising from your conviction and my subsequent confirmation therefore, I hereby convey to you my acceptance of the honour, while also wishing you a successful preparation for the award ceremony,” Ajomale said.

10 Politics

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

For development in Niger Delta, we must back Buhari’s peace agenda -James Pastor Bassey James, a renowned criminologist, security expert and clergy, is also the National President, Southern Youths Development Forum. James, a man passionate about Nigeria, Niger Delta region and empowering the youths for leadership is confident that with President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent olive branch to the Niger Delta region on peace, things will soon take a new positive turn in the region and development will be evident. He also speaks about other issues including the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Ministry of the Niger Delta and what his group is doing to re-orient the youths of the Niger Delta and Nigeria towards building a positive mindset in this interview with PATRICK OKOHUE. The President recently, while receiving some people on Christmas visit to him, reached out to the people of the Niger Delta, urging them to lay down arms and work with him for the economic progress of the country, do you see sincerity in that call?

You know a few weeks ago I granted an interview to some media houses and spoke about the issue of the Niger Delta and how the President is tackling the issue and I also commended the President for inviting the Niger Delta elders and leaders of thought to Aso Rock for a meeting. I believe that this is a follow up to that meeting. I have seen that this President is sincere in the issues of bringing peace to the table of Nigerians and also coordinating the affairs of Nigeria in good light, so we are happy. As the President of the Southern Youth Development Forum, this is the biggest news for the year 2016.

The biggest news in terms of what the results will be, because a singular statement from the President is enough to calm the nerves of the people, so, as a Niger Delta person and as a stakeholder in the Niger Delta youth matters, I want to commend the President for the move and I also want to commend the leaders of the Niger Delta for continuously creating an avenue for peace and I can assure you that the Niger Delta youths are going to work round the clock to make sure that there is stability in that region and we have been talking from the point of the Southern Youths that I preside over, we have been reaching

out to the churches and some of the youths of the Niger Delta on the issue of security.

You can’t have a society that fight itself, we want to see development in our region, we want to see stability, we want to see progress, we want to see maximum re-alignment of the people of the Niger Delta with their brothers in the North, South, East and West. We know that the issue of Nigeria cannot be discussed except there is stability, for me this is a new beginning, we will move on from there and spread the message of hope and reconciliation to the whole of nation, for our people, because Niger Delta by the grace of God lay the golden egg and we must be able to protect it through prayer, through talking to them, meetings, discussions and this is part of what we are trying to do over the years, creating an avenue for people to talk.

The advantage of talking cannot be over emphasised and we are doing everything to make sure that there is peace in our region, because peace in the Niger Delta means development in Nigeria, instability in the Niger Delta will directly affect the national pulse, so I am happy for that and I am sure everybody will take it from there, and I want the religious leaders to take the message of the President, the youth leaders from my own point will also do the same thing.

But, how do you intend to go about that?

We are planning in the next few weeks to have what we call a stakeholders meeting, the National Youth Impact Conference which will take

You can’t have a society that fight itself, we want to see development in our region, we want to see stability, we want to see progress, we want to see maximum re-alignment of the people of the Niger Delta with their brothers in the North, South, East and West.

We know that the issue of Nigeria cannot be discussed except there is stability, for me this is a new beginning

James place in Akwa Ibom State and in that meeting we will bring in political leaders, youth leaders, market women, students, to discuss on the peace project, because peace is a project and it must be discussed, it has nothing to do with government or certain forces, everybody from the Niger Delta must come together to build our region and also connect our region with other regions.

The President making this call is an indication that he want to find resources for development across the country, but do you think that he has done enough for the Niger Delta region to make the people want to corporate with him?

Don’t forget that this President is less than two years in office, that is number one, number two, this President has just constituted a very powerful board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).

And what is so special about the board?

Yes, it is about the caliber of people that are on the board, that is very important for us, we have the chairman of the board, a seasoned administrator, a democrat per excellence, who was a commissioner at a very tender age, a senator and has

been around the corridors of power, he understands the political issues, he understand the region, he understands the workings of government from the Senate point of view and, he also has contacts across board.

Also we have the Managing Director, a man who is we call Mr. Strategist, he understands the issues of the Niger Delta. Mr. Nsima Ekere, former deputy governor of Akwa Ibom State, a man who understands almost all the language of the Niger Delta and a man that is also very at home with the average young man in the Niger Delta and a man that understands the strategy of the issues of development, the issues of empowerment. When Obong Nsima Ekere was appointed as the MD of the board, there were wild jubilations in the Niger Delta area, because he is a man that understands the people, that understands the politics, a man who is very much at home with everybody. I think that is a plus for Mr. President and other members of the board, we have never had any issues about any part of the Niger Delta complaining about any member of the board.

The President did a very wonderful job by carefully selecting those that will lead the board, because

the Niger Delta represents about 40 percent of the change that we are talking about. If you put the Niger Delta Ministry right and you put the NDDC right, you have absorbed more than 50 percent of the Niger Delta problems, because the Ministry of Niger Delta will secure development for the people, the NDDC will go a long way in building the structures that will have the face of the people and also empowering the people, all we need in the Niger Delta is empowerment, it is strategy to see how the region will develop, from Akwa Ibom, Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta and other states of the Niger Delta coming together through road network, communication, ICT, issues of financing small and medium enterprises.

Having the right people on board is one thing, having resources to do what is right is another, with the 2017 budget still before the National Assembly, do you think the provision for the NDDC and the Niger Delta Ministry is enough for it to achieve its purpose?

Well, I have not seen the budget for the Niger Delta, but when I do I will look at it very closely to know how much was allocated to the NDDC and the Ministry. But the most important thing is not even about the money, you can have a N100billion or even N500billion, if you don’t have people with the technical knowhow, the experts to manage the money, you will end up throwing the money into the larger ocean of the Niger Delta. We have seen that over the years monies allocated to the CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

11 Politics

‘For development in Niger Delta, we must back Buhari’s peace agenda’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Niger Delta has gone through the pipelines, crossing the river into the Atlantic Ocean, people have not felt the impact of the resources, since the creation of the NDDC we have never really felt the impact of the NDDC in our region.

It is not about presenting the issues on television, we want to see development. For me it is about the prudent use, total use of the resources, not anybody taking advantage of the people of the Niger Delta by diverting the funds to other use.

If you put a N100billion in the Niger Delta today and you monitor the development, I can assure you that every state will go home happy. The President is a man that understands the Niger Delta also, he has been in the Ministry of Petroleum, he has been a Head of State, he has been at the corridors of power, he understands the politics of every region, so by appointing this NDDC board I think the President also have an eye on what is going on in the Niger Delta.

Again it behooves us as the people of the Niger Delta to begin to ask questions, we must begin to ask questions consciously, we begin to know how development is distributed across the Niger Delta region and I think that one of the things we should begin to ask in the next few months is state by state development. The Southern Youths Development Forum is also going to put up a structure to begin to monitor what comes to Akwa Ibom, what goes to Abia, what goes to Rivers and so on and how this fund is being used to the benefit of the people.

Besides the Ministry of the Niger Delta and the NDDC and what they are expected to do, will you say your people in Akwa Ibom are yet feeling the impact of this government?

Like I said this is a government that is less than two years in office and because of the state of the nation when they came in it will natural that they take time to set things in motion, but I believe that they are moving in the right direction. But, for my people in Akwa Ibom, I will say we are happy with the President, because besides giving us the position of the MD of the NDDC, he also appointed one of our very bright minds in the legislative arena to be his Special Adviser on Senate Affairs. Distinguished Senator Ita Enang is one Nigerian who has gone through the rudiment of legislative practice and there is no area of the legislature in this country that he has not operated from and so making him the liaison officer between the Presidency and the upper

chambers of the National Assembly speaks volumes of his capacity and the trust that the President has on him. So, I am confident that it is only a matter of time that these caliber of people will begin to attract development not only to Akwa Ibom State, but also to the entire region of the Niger Delta.

Recently the President announced the final rooting of Boko Haram militants from the Sambisa forest that has hitherto been their operational base, but people are saying it is not enough to tell us about the dismantling of Boko Haram and use that as a reason to score the government high on security, when there is still the issues of the rampaging Fulani Herdsmen, militancy in the Niger Delta, though on the low for now and other such challenges. How do you think the President can leverage on the success with the Boko Haram to tackle other security challenges?

As a criminologist, one of the things I must say to the President is Mr President you have done well, I commend him. Because Boko Haram is like a guerilla warfare and defeating Boko Haram by the grace of God is a plus to Nigeria, an average Nigerian will be very happy that the Boko Haram is defeated, because the destruction, the lives wasted, the financial resources that Nigeria deployed to rebuilding the North East is enormous and if that funds was applied to building structures across the larger part of Nigeria it will be a plus. So for me the President has done well. On the issue of the Herdsmen I think the President is tackling that. There is also the issue of people building ranches across parts of the country that should also be taken seriously. On the issue of the militancy in the Niger Delta, by the grace of God the statement of the President has already given us the signal that there is hope for the Niger Delta people and that the Niger Delta people should also lay down their arms to embrace peace. Do you know the average Niger Delta person is a very peaceful person, we are not troublesome, the fact that you have one out of twelve disciples misbehaving does not mean that the entire disciples of Jesus are bad. So for us there are more good people in Niger Delta that are praying for peace and I believe that the same thing is happening in the North.

You cannot have development without peace, so for I strongly believe that 2017 will mark the end of this insurgency, militancy and all forms of distraction, because these are distractions to the President.

Imagine if there is no herdsmen, no

Buhari I read so much about the struggle for the independence of our great country and the struggle was for unity, it was for peace, it was not about ethnicity, not about religion and why must that be happening in the 21st century, that Nigeria should be talking about the issue of religion, the issue of ethnicity and the issue of herdsmen, militancy and the issues of Boko Haram and all that militancy, no Boko Haram, what the President would have achieved. It is not easy for anybody to sit down when a part of his community or village is in crisis, so I pray and believe that something good is coming out in 2017.

As president of the Southern Youths Forum, what are you doing in your capacity to mobilise the youths towards creating a new mindset and keying into the President’s peace agenda?

Since 2009 I have been having conferences, don’t forget that I am also the chancellor of Akpabioism Centre and I am also involved in youth development. We have been talking, reaching out, preaching, sharing handbills. I have had conferences

Enang in Abuja, in Akwa Ibom and in Lagos. We have over the years created an avenue to talk to our youths and to also give them a strong hope of a better Nigeria. Do you know that everybody in the Niger Delta should be an ambassador of peace? For us in the Southern Youths Development Forum we have done our beat and we will continue to do more. Currently what I am putting on the table is called National Youth Impact Conference, I think it is the first of its kind in the history of Nigeria.

The idea behind the conference that will be coordinated by the Southern Youth Development Forum is that it will be done in five regions in the country, we will do it in Abuja to cover the FCT and states around that corridor, we will also go to Kaduna to hold the conference, aimed at seeing how we can build synergy and build a bridge across North, South, East and West, because the independence struggle was for a purpose. The spirit of independence, the spirit that made Tafawa Balewa and the Sadauna and Nnamdi Azikiwe, Obafemi Awolowo and the likes of Eyo Ita to come together to build an independent state was very powerful, so we must do everything to stand behind the founding fathers of Nigeria.

I read so much about the struggle for the independence of our great country and the struggle was for unity, it was for peace, it was not about ethnicity, not about religion and why must that be happening in the 21st century, that Nigeria should be talking about the issue of religion, the issue of ethnicity and the issue of herdsmen, militancy and the issues of Boko Haram and all that. We must come together as a people to see how we can support

the government to have a united Nigeria. So, we will kick start the National Youth Impact Forum in Akwa Ibom State for the South South and the centre is ready.

We have the biggest centre by the grace of God in the South South, it can host close to 10,000 people and we are reaching out. I want to appeal that everybody should be involved, it is not about money, it is about giving us your moral support and see how we can connect with several ministries, like the Ministry of Youths, the Ministry of Niger Delta, the NDDC, state governments and other relevant bodies to see how we can reach out to the youths of the South South, on the issue of security, on the issue of empowerment, on the issue of infrastructure, on the issue of unity and living together.

This is what we are trying to achieve, once we finish in Uyo by the grace of God, we will move to Enugu, and in Enugu we will try to bring in the ministers from the South East, governors and everybody that matters from the South East to see how we can build a new fabric, a new bridge across our different regions.

From Enugu we will go to Lagos, where we will talk to the South West youths on the same ideology on the principle of living together peacefully, then we will move to Kaduna and finally we will move to Abuja, the idea is to see how we can build a strong synergy among our youths and to spread a message that beyond politics, beyond ethnicity, beyond religion we are Nigerians and that there is the need for every Nigerian to see themselves first as Nigerians, not based on religion, not based on region or tribe.

News 12 Anambra declares state of emergency on roads John Chinenye, Awka

ÏÏÏ The Anambra state government has declared a state of emergency on all the dilapidated roads that had thwarted the economic activities, especially in the commercial areas, of the state.

This was stated during the Priests’ New Year get-together and Silver Jubilee celebration at Retreat Center, Okpuno, Anambra state.

Explaining the reason for the action, the state governor, Willie Obiano, said his administration had mapped out necessary logistics to embark on construction of 111 roads, cutting across the three senatorial zones.

Governor Obiano noted that the idea to embark on the roads this dry season was to ensure standard construction due to the influx of heavy vehicles plying the state roads.

The governor stressed that the state had employed 400 youths across the state to ensure zero tolerance to potholes, as well as another 400 to embark on the sweeping of the roads to maintain cleanliness of Speaking on his achievements in education, Governor Obiano stated that over 33 teachers in the state had been sponsored by the state for a training in Singapore, in addition to welfare of teachers and renovation of school buildings in the state.

He noted that more teachers would soon be sponsored for another international training, alongside training and retraining that had been going on within the state.

Earlier in his homily, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor described Governor Obiano as the lover of education who has invested tremendously to lift the standard of learning in the state.

Bishop Ezeokafor expressed gratitude to the governor for his contributions in building Paul University project, saying it would ameliorate the sufferings of many youths who had been frustrated by other conventional universities.

The Catholic prelate disclosed that the present administration had restored the confidence of people in governance which is in line with providing the people with the necessary amenities they cannot provide for themselves.

The Bishop noted that the present security Situation in the state had attracted meaningful investments and also recorded unprecedented mass return of people in the state.

Daily Times Nigeria j ƑƏ Ɨ ƕè C Ƒ Əƕ ǀè ƾƠơƣ

Aviation security operatives now to carry arms Continued from page 1 effective operations.

He disclosed that currently, the Ministry of Interior was helping out on the modalities of shaping the outfit, which he said would be unveiled during the next stakeholders meeting.

“When I came, I did say that our focus is not on beautification of airports, or having robust structures for aesthetic reasons, we said our own focus was to ensure that we are safe and secured.

“What concerns me is how you depart Point A and land in Point B safely. These are things you don’t see.

“You will soon see tremendous amount of improvement. We are very serious about aviation security. Just last week, the President approved that aviation security should bear arms, so we are trying to make them take the form and shape of American Transport Security Administration (TSA), with K-9 dogs, handcuffs, the guards, the batons, light weapons, etc.

“The minister of interior is helping us in that regard with the directive of Mr. President. They are partnering with us and other stakeholders to keep our airports secure. All these will be unveiled at the next stakeholders meeting,” he said.

The minister, while advancing further reasons for the intending closure of the Abuja International Airport, cited the similar situation that led to the closure of the Port Harcourt airport for over two years, which he said, would have been avoided if the right decision was taken at the right time.

His words: “We are all witnesses to how Port Harcourt shut itself.

The Port Harcourt runway was folding like mat, it was caving like deep gully erosion and FAAN was busy patching until one night it caved in and Air France landed, destroyed their landing gear and busted their tyres and after the repairs, the airport was closed for two and a half years until recently.

“Lest we forget, if at the time people are taking the appropriate action, probably they would have closed the airport for six weeks rather than two years.

“So it is extremely important that when things are bordering on safety we don’t joke about human lives. The life of one elite is not more than the life of one downtrodden person, they are all Nigerians.”

“It is with great pains that we will have to resort to diverting traffic. If it was a case of where a section of the runway is bad, we

wouldn’t have to close the airport, we would be working at night, close at 10 and reopen at 6am, but the entire structure of the runway has failed.”

Sirika disclosed that the runway was designed for 20 years to cater for not more than 100,000 people per annum, adding that “today, it is doing over five million persons per annum and has been there for 34 years.

“So it is going for 14 years in excess of design. It is not a joke, we are a government and a very sensitive one for that matter. We would not just cause hardship or distortions to the economy for the heck of it. It is a very serious matter and for a very good reason.”

He also announced that FEC has approved the completion of Kaduna terminal building at a cost of N1.1 billion.

“It was awarded in 2011 and

commenced in 2012. During the rehabilitation of the terminal building, a contractor noticed some structural damages to the building itself and then increased the scope of what to be done to put it to use and that necessitated the variation of contract sum.

“The cost of variation is in excess of 15 per cent. It had to go to the then President Goodluck Jonathan for approval anticipation, that was approved and they went to BPP. So we brought it to council today to ratify and of course, taking into cognisance the exchange rate and inflation that has increased the cost of completion of the terminal building.

“Council has approved the completion of that terminal building and it will be completed in six months. The contractor has accepted to work within that six months.”

Gé`ë M Ɛƈ Ƌ dƆƅƑƏƈƐƕ Ɨƒƈ ƆƏè Ƅ L Ƒ ì 6Ɔ Ɨ Ƈ dƆƏƒƈƅƆ Ƈ Ɛ Ɔ 0ƆƗƆƏ Ɛƈ è zƈ ƈƇƏƆƗ Rƕ é9Ɛ ì ƈƆƇ Ƈ dƐ ƇƇ Ɛ Ɛ Ɔ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛè ƄƄ Eƕ Əƈì dƆƅƏƆƐ Əƕ Ɛ Ɛ Ɔ 1 ƒƆƏ ƌƆ Ɛ Ƈ Ɛ Ɔ 0ƆƗƆƏ Ɛƈ è # ƒƈƗ Ƅ ƅ ƈƏ G Ɠ Ƌ Ɨ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛ LƑ ƌƌ ƗƑ Ƒ Əƈ èƗƑƏƈ Ɛ Ɔ 0ƆƗƆƏ Ƌ &ƔƆƅƑƐƈƒƆ Ƒ ƅƈƋ ƌƆƆƐƈ Ɛ Ɛ Ɔ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛƈ Ƌ yƈƋƋ è ƄƑƉ Č zƆƗ Ɔ Ɨ ƕê

Customs arraigns 2 Chinese, Nigerian for smuggling tusks, animal scales Joy Anyim

ÏÏÏ The

Nigeria Customs Service has arraigned two Chinese Mr. Shu Xiang Quan, Mr. Wu Sheng He and a Nigerian, Mr. Ugochukwu Frank, for attempting to smuggle out for export animal tusks and unprocessed animal scale to Hong Kong.

It was gathered that the suspects, who were arrested in December 2016, had loaded the items in a 1×20 feet container numbered MSKU 249088/0 on a MAN diesel truck with registration number XS713.

When intelligence filtered to the Customs Service on the activities of the trio, it was reported, its operatives immediately swung into action and arrested Ugochukwu with the container at Area B Apapa road Lagos on the December 15, 2016 and he also led the operatives to the hideout of the two Chinese at Adeniyi Jones Street Ikeja Lagos where they were also

picked up on the December 23, 2016.

The suspects were arraigned before Justice Mohammed Hassan of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi Lagos on Thursday December 29, 2016 on four counts charge of storing and exporting prohibited items.

According to the Federal Operations Unit Zone A Controller, Comptroller Haruna Mamudu, who made the disclosure in a press statement issued yesterday, the seized items had been handed over to the Nigeria Environment Standards and Regulatory Enforcement Agency (NESREA) for further actions, while the court had ordered that the three suspects be remanded at the Ikoyi Prison for trial as the case was adjourned to January 5th and 23rd, 2017 respectively.

Comptroller Haruna said, “you will recall that part of the responsibility of the Federal Operations Unit is to enforce different Inter-

national protocols and conventions that have continued to increase the responsibilities of the Nigeria Customs Service most especially in area of trade facilitation.

“Notably, the United Nations chatter on preservation of endangers species entails that Customs Administrations globally protect wild life by intercepting illegal trade on such animals.

“My unit will not relent in its effort in intercepting all contrabands from either going out or coming into the country.”

On his part, Badejogbin David who led the legal team of the Nigeria Customs Service, prayed that the court expedites the legal proceedings to serve as deterrent to others in the nation.

Similarly, the Comptroller also revealed that in the month of December a total of 22 suspects were arrested with 126 different seizures recorded and a cumulative net of N1,388,290,225.92

Giving a breakdown of the generated sum, the Controller stated that the seizures which comprised of Raw Hide/Skin, Elephant tusks, foreign parboiled rice, frozen poultry products, smuggled vehicles, Indian hemp and various general merchandise could be put at a duty paid value (DPV) N893,873,250.00.

The Controller also stated that, “the unit through its interventions recovered N494,416,97 from duty payments and demand notices on vehicles and other general goods that tried to beat the system from seaports, airport and border stations in the guise of false declaration, transfer of value, and shortchange in duty payment that are meant for the Federal Government of Nigeria, making it a cumulative of net of N1.4 billion.”

He attributed the huge recovery in the history of the Unit to exemplary leadership and motivation given to Officers and Men of the Unit.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

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14 Opinion

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Ibori and a nation united by corruption

O

Chido Onumah

ne of the highlights of the year that has just ended was the release from a British jail of one of Nigeria’s most notorious politically exposed persons (PEPs), James Onanefe Ibori. Ibori’s rap sheet is as long as the 338km East-West Road in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region, but the reason for his latest freedom was the conviction and sentencing—13 years in prison—by a Southwark Crown Court in April 2012 after he pleaded guilty to a 10-count charge of money laundering, corruption and conspiracy to defraud.

Of course, it wasn’t Ibori’s release that dominated the news, as newsy as his expected release was.

Rather, it was his triumphant return to the warm embrace of his kinsmen, supporters and well-wishers. James Onanefe Ibori or James Onanefe Ochuko Ibori, depending on if you are appearing before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, is an enigma. He was governor of Delta State from 1999 to 2007. He and his bosom friend, Bukola Saraki, Nigeria’s current senate president, bankrolled the political machine that led to the emergence of Umaru Musa Yar’Adua as president in 2007. And if not for providence—the death of Yar’Adua in May 2010—Ibori, who up until then was the de facto vice president of Nigeria, would have succeeded Yar’Adua.

Yar’Adua died and Nigeria dodged a bullet or so we thought!

Ibori was subsequently jailed in 2012, two years after he was arrested—and extradited to the UK—by the Interpol in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where he was hiding after fleeing Nigeria. Even in prison, he maintained his godfather role and from the public admission of one of his surrogates, played a key role not only in the emergence of high-ranking public officers in Delta State but the leadership of the National Assembly. For the trajectory of the Ibori saga and persona, readers will find the piece, “The welcome party for Ibori” by Simon Kolawole, instructive.

Depending on where you come from, perhaps your political affiliation and how much you benefitted from the Ibori heist in Delta State, either directly or through a third party or even tangentially as a hanger-on, the celebratory Mass held in honour of Ibori’s release from prison, though detestable, was quite understandable. After all, there is an Ibori in many of us. There are countless Iboris in the National Assembly, criminals making laws and posing as “distinguished senators” and “honourable members”. There are Iboris in various government houses across the country; scoundrels posing as executive governors.

There are Iboris in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Customs, Immigration, Prisons, Police, our universities and sundry public institutions where those who have been kept in charge of what Peter Ekeh in his seminal essay, “Colonialism and the Two Publics in Africa: A Theoretical Statement”, referred to as “civic public” conveniently and unconscionably steal from it and divert their loot to the “primordial public”.

That is the sorry state of Nigeria.

And it explains the Ibori conundrum. According to Ekeh, “A good citizen of the primordial public gives out and asks for nothing in return; a lucky citizen of the civic public gains from the civic public but enjoys escaping giving anything in return whenever he can. But such a lucky man would not be a good man were he to channel all his lucky gains to his private purse. He will only continue to be a good man if he channels part of the largesse from the civic public to the primordial public. That is the logic of the dialectics. The unwritten law of the dialectics is that it is legitimate to rob the civic public in order to strengthen the primordial public.”

So, just as it is often the case where one person’s freedom fighter is another person’s militant, as a people, Nigerians seem not to be in agreement on what constitutes corruption or who a corrupt person is. What one Nigerian sees as corruption, another sees it as “blessing from God”, their own opportunity or “turn to eat”. The national cake is there for the taking. The state has abdicated its responsibilities—roads, water, school, health, sanitation, etc—and instinctively we have learned to “manage” by helping ourselves to as much of the national pottage, in the “civic public”, as we can lay our hands on.

Take the ongoing spat between the

current Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, and his predecessor, Solomon Arase, who has been accused of making away with over 20 police vehicles when he retired in June 2016. Arase didn’t deny carting away police vehicles. He is just piqued that when it was his “turn to eat”, the police authorities suddenly became amnesic. To show his righteous anger on an issue that has caused public discomfiture, Mr. Arase’s reminded the all-righteous police authorities that there is nothing new in Inspectors General of Police making away with enough vehicles to open a car shop when they retire.

“I expect that former occupants of the office of the Inspector-General of Police should not be demeaned.

This explains why Force Order 295 was emplaced by the force management under my leadership as acknowledged in your letter in reference,” Arase wrote to his predecessor in his defence. “In spite of the emplacement of this order and despite the fact that my two immediate predecessors left office with 13 and nine vehicles of different makes and models respectively, I never pressurised either of them to return any of such vehicles neither did I engage in any act that was capable of bringing them to ridicule as being done to me of late by a force I dedicated my life to serving up to the highest level.”

Clearly, pubic office in Nigeria is simply a sinecure and you would be eternally excoriated by your kinsmen and associates for not taking advantage of a life-changing opportunity. As someone once reminded me, public office in Nigeria is like climbing a mighty tree with lots of fruit. Once you climb, you are required to get as much as you can because you may not have a second chance. So, we are all, ceaselessly,

engaged in the race of getting a nibble at the cake. To appreciate the Ibori phenomenon, you must understand Nigeria. Here, the best private schools, including universities, are owned by those whose responsibility has included how to make our public schools functional. It is the same story for the health, transport, and indeed, every sector of the Nigerian society.

It is as if Nigerians, wherever we find ourselves in the “civic public”, are in a race for a medal on how best to pillage the country. The “Villa Repair Heist”, as someone has described it, provides a fitting example of this brazen larceny that is called public service in Nigeria. The 2016 budget for repairs and rehabilitation of Nigeria’s Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, was N642.5 million.

By 2017, the budget had shot up to N5.6 billion. “Was the Villa hit by a bomb or earthquake unbeknownst to us citizens?” “Was there a war akin to Aleppo in the place?” one commentator asked. No, there wasn’t. It is simply “their time to eat.” In the same budget, there is a provision of N2.3 billion for the Defence Headquarters to clear backlog of electricity bills that is budgeted for every year.

In July 2012, I was part of an audience at Chatham House, London, where an ex-governor of Niger State and Chair of the Northern States Governors Forum, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, was guest speaker. Dr. Aliyu spoke on “Nigeria’s Unity and Regional Socio-Political Groups: Influence and Impact of the Northern States Governors Forum (NSGF).”

He noted that “corruption was the single unifying factor of the elite in Nigeria and that the way to deal with it was to reduce the focus on the centre.” Aliyu is right in many ways.

But it is not just the elite. It is about Nigeria.

Today, if someone is robbed, we no longer get jolted. The refrain will be, “Thank God he is alive.” “We praise God the robbers took his possession and spared his life.” “God bless those robbers.” It is the same response you get when kidnappers strike. We no longer bother to interrogate armed robbery, kidnapping and other vices that have become part of our national ethos.

The celebration of Ibori’s return from prison, therefore, provides an opportunity to interrogate what Nigeria means to us as Nigerians. The problem is not really with Ibori or those who have elected to celebrate him. The problem is with Nigeria, a place where allegiance is to the “primordial public”, where rulers live in mansions and religious centres luxuriate in splendour while public schools and hospitals wallow is squalor.

Chido Onumah is the author of We Are All Biafrans.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

15 Opinion

Lest we forget

C

Johannes Tobi Wojuola

onsciously or unconsciously we become amnesic of the memories of ugly pasts as we make progress in life. And like a clergyman once said: for every new level we ascend, there is a new devil to challenge. Sounds poetic, but beyond the rhythm is an aphorism that highlights the reality we face when we have won a battle, so to say. The focus is to war the “new devil” so that we can climb to yet another higher realm. Still, even while we climb to new levels and struggle with their attendant worries, we must gaze in retrospect to appreciate our growth and change in fortune.

Permit me a brief flashback.

A couple of years ago, the forest of Sambisa seemed as uncharted territory; it was regarded as a bastion of the terrorist group, Boko Haram, where they recorded boastful and denigrating videos, where they launched deadly attacks that degraded security apparatuses, taking charge of towns and hoisting their disdainful flags on the soil of the captured territories - in defiance of the sovereignty of our great country.

And when came Christmas, it was a time we became unusually guarded, not for the sanctity and honour of the celebrations that

come with the season, but for the fear of guerrilla attacks, car bombs, or suicide bombers. It was a time when our phones were flooded with security tips, more than we received even of the Christmas well-wishing messages. Broadcasts were disseminated, warning us where to go and where not to go. Indeed, popular businesses suffered for this; others cautioned on the manner in which we were to judge people - based on their clothing, their mien or even their beards. Sadly.

Fast-forward to 2016. A different season has been witnessed this Yuletide: peaceful; and for the socialites and hedonists, fun-filled.

The major highlight of this season was the capture of the once occupied fortress of Sambisa - larger than the whole of the Federal Capital Territory, and perhaps, more than 15 times the size of Lagos State - by the Nigerian Military from the Boko Haram terrorist sect. Camp Zero was the last enclave of this vast swath of land to be captured after period of military advancement into the notorious forest.

The military have moved the necessary step further and are consolidating on this great victory: they say they would convert the vast forest into a military training centre and also a military equipment testing ground; they have begun constructing new roads to further this domination; and an intensified mop-up operation is further underway.

As businesses open up in Borno State, and the commercial capital of North Eastern Nigeria inches towards thriving again, the once war-torn region and economic backwater is headed, out of war, desolation and destruction, and to reconciliation, reconstruction and rehabilitation. Already, roads closed for close to three years, and more in some instances, have been reopened for users. The return to absolute normalcy would take time no doubt; one would be futilely prophetic to forecast that the wanton destruction and loss would be rebuilt in ‘3 days’.

Yet, assuredly, it would happen – step after step, house after house, road after road, school after school, hospital after hospital.

To boot: the joy savoured from this victory is not limited to the territory reclaimed, or in the near defeat of the terrorists, it also flows from the glory re-established of the Nigerian Military – known all around the world for their great valour, resilience, professionalism, and might.

The fall of Sambisa would be one of the greatest landmarks of the Buhari administration. It is a promise made, and kept.

Judging by the economic recession that hit the country, due largely to falling oil prices and militancy in the Niger Delta, 2016 may not seem to be the best year for some, but for the worth of where we are coming from - the sleaze and corruption that wasted an auspicious economy; the

low morale of a military fighting a war, coupled with diverted funds meant for the purchase of weapons; and dwindling revenues – the positive and sturdy foundations that have been put in place, the Rice Revolution that has just begun, the unprecedented Social Investment Programme of the Buhari Administration, the massive infrastructural reforms underway, this exultant victory of the Nigerian Military and more, has made the year worth it – and an assurance that we can aspire to a more victorious and propitious 2017.

The journey has just started.

And we must not be quick to forget the tears we shed in 2015 that were wiped in 2016; the story has changed for the better. But we hope for the best.

Yes, lying ahead is the looming fear of guerrilla and isolated attacks that may be experienced as the dissipated terrorist group struggle with their last breathe – this must be dealt with; more: the resuscitation of the infrastructural, humanitarian, economic and social well-being of the region must be done expeditiously; also, the rehabilitation and return to normal livelihood of about 2 Million displaced persons in the region is a task that must be done soonest; the release of the abducted Chibok Girls who have been captive for almost a 1,000 days too; indeed, the task ahead is as onerous as the one we have done behind.

establishments and asked them to reapply. Of course, that led to the mass exodus of doctors from the country.

From that time, the post-graduate programme became disjointed.

The one year exchange programme with hospitals in places like Britain, Canada, the United States and others, gradually fizzled out as nepotism and all kinds of vices set in. Back then, a country like Nigeria would pay some stipend for accommodation, maintenance and airfare for the young doctors and their families, while the host countries paid for research and training under their research grants.

Take the pathetic case of Ifedolapo.

When she manifested symptoms of illness, she was allegedly ignored by the NYSC officials who thought she merely feigned illness to avoid the physical drills at the camp. Then, perhaps, without a comprehensive diagnosis of her illness, an injection was administered on her. That worsened her condition. She finally died.

If the authorities said another one bled to death, did she commit an abortion?

Again, the question is: Why were the doctors at the camps not reoriented separately to enable them to handle the type of emergencies the three deaths presented?

From what I gathered, those ‘so-called doctors’ in the camps and rural areas in the Northern part of the country are mostly male nurses.

Since the mass exodus of Indian and other foreign doctors operating in that part of the country, the population of doctors have drastically reduced. Which hospitals were attached to the Kano and Zamfara orientation camp clinics for instance? Are there ambulances in the camps to take any patient to the nearest functional hospital? Do they have qualified senior doctors in the camps?

Nigeria is a funny country. Every day, people gather in their thousands in places all over the country, but when you look around, you hardly notice any ambulance in sight. Many churches in Nigeria that are usually filled to the brim by worshippers do not have emergency programmes in place to take care of emergencies.

What were the emergency arrangements put in place in the church which recently collapsed in Uyo? It is doubtful if doctors who have been licensed could not perform their chores well if adequate drugs and equipment were available. At any rate, the deaths should be looked into thoroughly to avoid wasting our talented and vibrant youths in such a careless manner.

And the ‘Corpers’ Died

D Dele Agekameh

eaths involving fresh graduates in Nigeria during their national youth service year may not be entirely new.

But the recent harvest of deaths at some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps in the country has created panic and trepidation all over the place.

In fact, hardly does a service year pass by without the scheme recording some deaths. Most of the deaths usually occur through fatal accidents as the fresh graduates move from one point to another during the service year on our horrible highways.

In the recent deaths, the first incident involved Elechi Chiyerom, a 27-year-old graduate of Ignatius Azuru University of Education, Port Harcourt. She was reported to have died from excessive bleeding and vomiting at the orientation camp in Bayelsa State. Less than 24 hours later, the nation was again confronted with another sad news. This time, the death of the duo of Ukeme Monday and Ifedolapo Oladepo, the former a male, the other, a female graduate.

The duo were first class graduates.

Monday studied Petroleum Engineering at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, while Oladepo graduated

in Transport Management from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomosho, Oyo State. The two young, brilliant Nigerians passed on at the NYSC orientation camps in Zamfara and Kano states respectively.

Their deaths have, once more, called to question, the deplorable and appalling state of our country’s medical system. The three corps members all gave up the ghost within intervals of 48 hours, just a few hours after they allegedly took ill.

In the early stages of youth service, many years ago, the doctors usually go for clinical orientation in teaching hospitals, prior to their NYSC orientation period.

Now, what is the problem with the NYSC that cannot co-opt doctors among the fresh graduates in the camps to provide effective and efficient medical services at the orientation camps under the supervision of some old hands in the profession?

What is the process of certifying doctors in Nigeria today?

The training process of doctors in Nigeria was actually disrupted in 1985 by the military regime of then Major General Muhammadu Buhari, who is now the country’s incumbent president. That was the time he sacked all doctors in government

16

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Features

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

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17

Akpo Community: Celebrating age-grade development system

Igwe of Akpo arriving the ceremony

Alphonsus Nweze Typical of all towns and villages in Anambra state, Akpo, in Aguata Local Government Area is an active community, especially during the festive periods like Christmas and New Year.

There are thriving commercial activities such as drinking spots and eateries, provision stores, motor-bikes and tricycle operators making frantic businesses commuting people from one end of the town to the other or to neigbouring communities.

For the elite group, it was a time to showcase their wealth with the type of cars they drive and the gorgeous dresses they wear, particularly the women folk, youths and children.

The Age-Grade Formula But one thing that makes Akpo unique and thick from other communities around the area is the age grade system, which has strengthened its unity and sustained developmental growth. Indeed, The Daily Times gathered that the system has become a tradition in many Igbo communities in South East of Nigeria.

In a discourse with our correspondent on December 30, 2016, one of the elders in council revealed that the age grade system has been an enduring culture in the community inspite of the advancement in Western civilization and Christian religion. “Every three and four years our community gathers together during the yuletide to inaugurate a new age grade in the community.”

Cross section of the new age-grade True to his testimony, December 30 of the just gone year, Akpo town hosted her prominent sons and daughters from far and near, led by His Royal Highness, Arc Jonathan Okpalaezecha, the Nnamoshimiri 11 of Akpo. The Central School Field was the venue where these young men and women were received into the new age grade called Amaraemenwanne age grade.

The occasion, as expected, was colourful and grand.

The initiation ceremony into the age grade, The Daily Times learnt, could take up to five years to complete.

Nze Chukwuma Ezealigo, an Enugu based Estate Surveyor who is the secretary general of the Amaraemenwanne age grade said that being admitted into new age grade was a process which spans over five years, because the new entrants were taught the culture and tradition of the town.

Ezealigo said that admitting the new age grade was always an important ceremony in Akpo community as it affords the people to socialise and network, resulting in new marriages, getting work or opportunities to learn a new trade or business, since Akpo indigenes within and outside the town even those in The Diaspora all come home for the ceremony.

Although admission into the age grade was voluntary, but because it confers certain rights and obligations on the members in the community, people offer themselves for admission into the new age grade. ”It is not compulsory but it is important,” Ezealigo said.

“The age grade system is very strategic in Akpo because that is

The chairman was full of commendation for the President-General for all he has sacrificed to ensure the success of the official inauguration of the age grade. the engine of development. Every emerging age grade is expected to pick an enduring project for the community,” he added.

Said the secretary general of Amaraemenwanne: “The emerging age grade usually donate something to the community. The previous age grade before us donated transformers and high tension cables to the community. We donated a farm land for the community, which indigenes can use for various aspects of farming, poultry, animal husbandry, crop cultivation and other forms of farming.”

The President-General of Akpo Development Association (ADA), Chief Ezeno G.O.C, told The Daily Times that the land the new age grade donated would be used as Akpo Farm Centre which will provide employment opportunities and food to the people of the town and even beyond.

He said the farm centre is in line with Governor Willie Obiano’s cardinal programmes of encouraging agriculture and that is the more reason they expected that the State Government will buy into the project by tarring the road leading to the farm centre for ease access for those who will use it, which he said the Governor has promised and the design is being worked on.

As enterprising as Akpo community is, they still have myriads of developmental problems, prominent among them according to the Ezeno, was the non-existence of a standard school in their town, no hospital and no good network of roads.

“The primary school we have, that is where we are now as and, as you can see, it is dilapidated. We have no hospital as the only maternity we have was provided by the missionaries, which is out of use.

“You came here and saw the road you followed and there is no light.

We do not have government appointment, yet we have produced highly qualified people. And that is why we are appealing to Governor Willie Obiano, Akpokue Dike, to come to our aid because we are solidly behind him now and even for his second tenure.

“We want him to start some of these projects he has promised us.

He promised to give us four transformers; we are yet to receive them.

If we have those transformers, it will improve our power supply and our people will be happy to support and vote him in his second tenure bid.”

But Chief Ezeno did not fail to advise the new age grade and the entire youths of the community on the need for them to realise that life is not a bed of roses. “It can sometimes be sweet and sometime sour, and to that extent, everyone should be very careful in life.

He said further: “For instance, if you don’t have education, you cannot attain certain heights in life. If you don’t have School Certificate, you cannot be a governor. They should

take their education serious. We have culture, tradition and norms. When they grow with it they will not go off mark. Don’t go for life on fast lane, it is destructive, avoid it.”

Ezeno further encouraged young people not to run away from home, because the more they visit home the more they learn the culture of their people and appreciate them and, “Who knows? Among them we may find somebody who will offer solutions to our many problems in the community.”

Expressing his happiness for their inauguration, the Chairman of Amaraemenwanne age grade, Nze Chukuemeka Okpalanyim assured that they will contribute to the best of their abilities to develop Akpo community, saying this has become necessary because development in the town has become age grade based.

He said that the formal inauguration of the age grade will further bring unity, peace and progress to the community.

The chairman was full of commendation for the President-General for all he has sacrificed to ensure the success of the official inauguration of the age grade.

The age grade system in Akpo community has been one of the ancient traditions bequeathed to the younger generation that still survives. The first age grade was named Nnamoshimiri, which was later adopted as the title name for the traditional ruler of the community.

Akpo, till date, has 26 age grades, while Udodiri age grade was the immediate past age grade before Amaraemenwanne.

Features 18

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Recession: How Nigerians coped with Yuletide celebrations

A woman buying ponmo for christmas morning meal

A shopper at a second-hand wears market in Lagos

Ladesope Ladelokun Christmas is traditionally heralded by events and activities that climax with the celebration of a brand New Year.

But, Christmas season means different things to different people. For some, the Yuletide is a period to make merry and travel to see families in the hinterland and even change old personal effects, while for some, it’s a period to show love to the needy and the downtrodden.

The Christmas and New Year celebrations may have come and gone, but for some Nigerians, the memory they left behind will continue to linger.

This is because, as analysts have observed, it has gone down in history of Nigeria, as perhaps, one of the most trying periods in the country’s economic history. Indeed,it can rightly be said to be the first Yuletide celebrated in a time of economic downturn in over a decade.

Many Nigerians, particularly the porest of the poor, were hard pressed trying to cope with the pains and pangs associated with the economic challenge.

It would be recalled that Nigeria’s Minister of Finance,

Kemi Adeosun, said Nigeria had technically slid into recession, while briefing the Senate in Plenary, on measures taken to bail out the economy last year.

She had said that, ‘‘Technically, in economic terms, we are technically in a recession.

But, I don’t think we should spend too much time on liable, we are in a tough place, but the most important thing is that we are going to get out of it. Technically, we are in recession, but I don’t think we should dwell on definitions ,I think, we should dwell on where we are going.’’

But, official confirmation of Nigeria’s recession status came with the release of figures from the National Bureau of Statistics.

For instance, the Bureau said in the second quarter of 2016, the Gross Domestic Product(GDP), declined by -2.06 pe rcent with annual inflation and food inflation rising from 16.5 per cent to 17.1 per cent and 15.3 per cent to 15.8 percent in July, 2016.

How then did Nigerians cope with this economic adversity befallig them and still managed to wade through the turbulence of the Yuletide?

‘‘This

recession is callous!

It turned Nigeria into a onestory nation last year. Boisterous homes became quiet and hapless children counted on neighbour’s generosity to taste chicken,’’ he said.

According to a social commentator and journalism lecturer, Dr Dele Omojuyigbe, therecession turned the merciful into “monsters and butchered our fraternity”. ‘‘This recession is callous!

It turned Nigeria into a onestory nation last year. Boisterous homes became quiet and hapless children counted on neighbour’s generosity to taste chicken,’’ he said.

For phone accessories dealer, Festus Nweke, the last Christmas celebration was the worst he had experienced. He further stated that owing to the fact that general sales had dwindled, getting money to travel to China was a tall really challenging, let alone replacing bought items.

Festus said that,‘‘Business is dull generally. I’m supposed to travel to China to bring more goods before Christmas, but

where is the money? The ones Ibought have not been sold, how do I begin to think about China?

This is the worst Christmas I’ve ever witnessed in my life I can’t even travel to my village. It has never happened .But what will I spend there?

Also, a fashion designer, Mrs. Bimbo Adekunle , who is based in Mowe area of Ogun State, believes Nigeria’s slide into recession has taken its toll on her business. She says, the patronage she enjoyed last year was incomparable to her current experience, and that affected how she celebrated Christmas.

Bimbo said:’’ I worked allnight this time last year. People were coming in droves to patronize us. But, as you can see, everywhere is ‘’dry.’’ I bought Christmas wears for all my children last year. We ate all that we wanted to eat. Honestly, it’s a different story this year. I pray things don’t continue like this.”

Despite the cries about the ongoing economic downturn and its effect on Christmas and New Year celebrations, some Nigerians were undeterred by it, as they found time to enjoy themselves to the fullest. .For instance, at the Ikeja City Mall, where a branch Shoprite

and Silverbird cinemas are located, our reporter gathered that fun seekers thronged the mall, causing traffic jams on Awolowo Road.

The Daily Times spoke with a fun seeker,Olaniyi Ajayi, about his experience.

Ajayi said, ’’It is true that there is economic recession, but life must continue. I work in Owerri, and this is the time I have to spend with my family.

So, whatever it takes to make my family happy, I will do it.

And that’s why we are here.

Though, I know fingers are not equal, one way to forget about the problems we currently face is to be here.’’

Another Nigerian, who had reasons to smile during the Yuletide, is Mrs. Mojirade Olatunde, who runs a boutique at the Igbogbo area of Ikorodu, Lagos.

She said despite economic recession, her business didn’t feel it. For Moji, she had no reason to lament, as business was good for her.

Moji, enthusiatically said,‘‘In December alone, I made a profit of over N100,000. That was a huge market for me. I had a wonderful Christmas celebration.’’

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

19

Crime

How mother of seven killed her husband on Christmas day Joy Anyim & Oguntade Ismaila When Mr. Romanus Odoh Miss. Christiana got married close to 30 years ago, to become Mr. and Mrs. Odoh, they had taken a marital vow to live as one indivisible entity come rain come shine!

For years, they had struggled together to raise a happy family.

They were simply happy being husband and wife, despite their austere living conditions.

They also also do things together, including going to churches for spiritual enhancement, among other things that couples like them, would ordinary do as a routine.

Strikingly, God was faithful to them, as they had beautiful children in quick succession.

Undaunted by the challenge of raising the children, particularly through fending for them; and sending them to school in the neighbourhood, and, in farflung areas, they simply became a cynosure of eyes.

Suddenly, the sweet story turned sour. On December 25th, 2016, the couple turned themselves into a punching bag. The result? Death.

Like the speed of the a Jamaican sprinter and multiple Olympic medalist, Usain Bolt, death visited them and took the husband away!

Indeed, the case of Christiana and her late husband, Romanus Odoh, is another tale of when love goes sour.

The duo who had been married for over twenty years and blessed with seven children made a sad end to their relationship, when Christiana was alleged to have stabbed Odoh to death on the 25th December 2016.

Earlier report had it that Christiana, who had threatened to kill her husband before the incident happened and had picked a fight with him over his inability to provide for the family’s need for the Yuletide made good her threat and fought him.

However, that seemed not to have been the case. A visit to the environment, where the incident occurred revealed the actually cause of the fight, which resulted to the death of Mr. Odoh.

When our correspondents visited the house, which is located at London Barber Street, off Majidun, Ikorodu, Lagos state, last weekend, gloom per-

Odohs’ children vaded the house.

The Odohs’ were the only once living in the six rooms, which were dilapidated. It was obvious that the family was living in poverty and squalor. They occupied two of the rooms, while the others, which were also filthy and decrepit as the other two they occupied, were empty.

Six of the seven children were at home, as at the time of our visit. The children looked unkept; begging for urgent attention.

Investigations revealed that the couple had maintained a cat and mouse relationship before the ugly incident.

Mercy, a niece to Christiana, who now takes care of the children since the unfortunate incident happened, spoke more about the relationship between late Odoh and his wife. The 24year- old, who had lived with the couple for over five years, said.

“I wasn’t around on the day of the incident. I had gone to a hotel, where I serve as the bar attendant. I was only called in the evening at about 5pm to be told that my aunt’s husband had died. I was also informed that my aunt caused her husband’s death.”

She said, “The two of them were never at peace with each other. They would fight always over every little thing; and neighbours would sometime overlook them, while they fought, because everyone was tired of them. It is just so sad that it all ended this way.”

One madam Joy, a friend and neighbour to the Odohs said, “My friend, Christiana, has

been through so much in the hands of her husband. As long as I have known them, she has been the bread winner of the family. It is from the little rice and pepper soup that she sells that she fed the seven children, clothed them, and took care of their education alone. Late Odoh, who is a welder at Orile, can go for about a month without sending a dime to her for the upkeep of the house. But, whenever he is around, he will start quarreling and accusing his wife of infertility. He would allege that the wife is sleeping around with men and that’s where she got money to sustain the family.”

She said, “The bone of contention had always been his penchant for sex. Odoh would always want sex whenever he is around, but Christiana would always object to it,because, according to her, since she isn’t on family planning and Odoh doesn’t like using condom, she could take in again, which is too risky, as she had been through the pregnancy troubles eleven times. She said she easily took in; and she didn’t want to go through the stress again, more so as , she is still struggling to take care of the seven left of the eleven children”.

According to her,”This recent fracas, which led to the death of Odoh,started again on the 24th, December. I heard them trading words as usual; and I advised my friend to leave the house that day, as it may be a plot by the devil to cause havoc. She headed my advice and returned home later that night.”

Madam Joy makes a shocking revelation about the couple.

“Meanwhile, about two months back, late Odoh had gone to the Baale’s house, in the area, to inform him to persuade their landlord to give them a quit notice, adding that,. “ He had even threatened that if the landlord didn’t, he would kill his wife and take his own life or the wife would kill him.

Upon that statement, the Baale had convinced the landlord to give them a quit notice. Christiana had even got a house and paid for it to move in on the 29th December, 2016, before the ugly incident happened.”

C o n t i n u i n g , s h e said,”Although I wasn’t present during the fight that led to the death of Odoh, but one thing I’m sure of, is, Christian would not, for any reason, kill her husband.

She is a good woman with a kind heart. She has been through so much and still stood strong.”

On his part, 17-year-old Chidera Odoh exonerated his mother of allegedly stabbing his father to death.

Chidera, the second son, who also assists his mother in her pepper soup business, said his father and mother were dragging the knife between each other, when the knife allegedly

Odoh’s apartment

pieced his father’s stomach.

According to Chidera, as usual, his father had accused his mother of infidelity on that fateful day.

He said: “On December 25, when my mother and I came back from market, where we went to sell rice and pepper soup, she was trying to sleep when my father, who had gone out to drink came back and started disturbing her that she had gone to see some of her male friends, argument later ensued between them.”

“Before we knew what was happening, my dad had picked up a bottle, broke it and threatened to stab my mother, I and one uncle Kola persuaded him before he eventually dropped the bottle.”

Chidera added that: “after we collected the bottle from my dad, he went inside the room and brought out a knife also threatening to stab my mother; out of annoyance, my mother moved close to him to collect the knife from him, it was when they were dragging the knife that it pieced his stomach.”

He said,”Immediately, the incident happened, I and some residents, tried to rush him to a nearby clinic when he gave up the ghost ; and my mother was held by the residents, who later invited the police, who arrested her and moved the remains of my father to the mortuary.”

Chidera also disclosed that his late dad always accused some men in the neighborhood, who used to come and buy rice and pepper soup from his mother of sleeping with her.

Our correspondent also spoke with the landlord, Prince Wale Akinsemoyin. He alleged that the couple had been on each other’s neck for long.

He said., “Late Odoh and his wife were troublesome. They would fight over every little things. They can’t even take good care of their children.

Sometimes, the children would stop going to school and I would personally take them to one of the government schools and enroll them there, buy them books and school uniform. The truth is that the couple never tolerated each other. The fights were endless and the entire neighbourhood is even tired of them. It’s rather unfortunate that it ended the way it did”.

He said,”I was in a meeting when I was called and told that Odoh has been stabbed to death by his wife. I immediately rushed down, called the police and assisted in depositing his remains at the mortuary. “

News 20

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

2017 Predictions: Atiku will be forced out of APC, Tinubu may be poisoned -Prophet Omale Tony Ailemen, Abuja

ÎÎÎAs Nigerians settle down

to look at what year 2017 has got to offer, the head of Divine Hand of God Prophetic Ministries International, Prophet Emmanuel Omale, has declared that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, will “be forced out of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).”

This is just as he revealed that “ God has showed him that the party’s National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, “may be poisoned.” urging Nigerians to pray fervently for the nation.

Reading out 2017 prophecies and vision God showed him in

a statement on Sunday in Abuja, Prophet Omale, also said that if “President Muhammadu Buhari chooses the Mandela option, not to contest again in 2019, a very powerful man will be anointed by him from North West to rule after him.”

Reading out further from the vision he said he received from God, he said only fervent prayers will save the Ekiti state Governor, Ayodele Fayose from possible “impeachment.”

The man of God disclosed further that God told him that the proposed mega party will not come to reality in 2017, while also predicting that two People Democratic Party (PDP) governors will “cross

carpet to APC,” while another “South-South strong man who rose out of the walls will join the ruling party.”

Speaking also on corruption, Prophet Omale said 2017 will witness the anti-corruption hammer landing on three serving ministers in President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet.

He also made several predictions and called on Nigerians to also pray for the health of a former President who he did not name, “to avert bereavement.”

“I see fire outbreak in Lagos and Abuja markets. I see changes in INEC Leadership.

Taraba should pray to avert a very severe ethno-religious crisis. A very important Emir

should pray against bereavement,” the cleric said.

He also warned that “Nigeria should pray to avert deadly inter-tribal clash in Lagos state,” and that “a former governor should pray against sudden death,” adding “I see massive oil spillage around Kogi that will lead to seven days’ fire. Three banks will collapse.

“A Service Chief of the armed forces will be dropped.”

He also predicted that the dollar will move higher from last year prediction of $350 to $570.

The man of God who predicted that oil cannot be found in explorable quantity in the North, urged the Nigerian Na-

tional Petroleum Corporation NNPC to seek the Divine Hand of God, to know where to find oil in the North.

He also predicted that there will be peace in Niger Delta, but urged that “Federal Government should make peace with former President Jonathan and his family to sustain that peace.”

While calling on the country to “pray against a plane crash in early 2017”, he also warned that prayer should be said “against Boko Haram efforts to create mayhem in Abuja: residents of Gwagwalada should be vigilant.

“January 27th keep ringing bells in my head, let us pray

Widow demands justice over alleged shooting of son in Warri

Adamawa Govt sets up committee to shut IDPs camps ÎÎÎAdamawa

Government on Wednesday said it has set up a committee to handle all the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps that would be shut down in the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Ahmed Sajoh, made this known while briefing newsmen on the outcome of a security meeting in Yola.

The state government had on December 28 announced that all Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in the state would be shut down in January.

Sajoh said that the committee would liaise with all relevant stakeholders on how to evacuate the IDPs to their respective states.

“At the meeting, a committee was set up to consolidate the evacuation of the remaining IDPs and to shut down the camps.

“The committee will also collaborate with all relevant stakeholders on IDPs matters to ensure smooth and effective evacuation of the IDPs,” Sajoh said.

He said that the meeting also resolved on the need for a massive enlightenment of the public to be vigilant and to report any suspicious movement.

for ourselves, for our country, we deserve political stability to enable economic prosperity.

Let us pray! There will be no shedding of blood.

On international level, the prophet said he “foresee a massive typhoon in Thailand that may be worse than the last tsunami.

“The new Ghana Presidentelect should pray against liver and internal organ sickness after inauguration. Yahaya Jammeh will hand over to President-Elect Barrow. Robert Mugabe may not survive 2017. Jacob Zuma may still be in trouble, adding that “big tragedy will happen in China.

The English Queen should pray against life threatening health challenges.”

On sports, he said a “famous Nigerian athlete should pray against injury that may end his career.”

ÎÎÎA widow whose son was

A cross section of women during the distribution of Delivery kits to expectant mothers at Nabayi Village, at Ganjuwa Local Government Area of Bauchi State… recently.

Ignore Ekweremadu and save Gambia from Jammeh dictatorship, APC tells Buhari Moses Oyediran, Enugu

ÎÎÎThe

Enugu state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari and other African leaders to disregard the position of the deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and save Gambians “from the clutches of unbridled and brutish Yahaya Jammeh’s dictatorship.”

The party made the call in a statement by its state publicity secretary, Kate Offor on Wednesday.

Ekweremadu had in a press statement through his media assistant, Uche Anichukwu, warned against military action in Gambia, following the presidential election, saying

such could threaten the security of the entire sub-region.

Ekweremadu had called for sanctions in line with the traditions and relevant protocols of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

Jammeh who has been in power for 22 years had lost the December 1, 2016 presidential election, but vowed not to hand over to the winner, Adama Barrow.

Reacting through the statement by Mrs. Offor, Enugu APC condemned in its entirety what it called “the anti-democratic, unconstitutional and unstatesmanlike mercenary statement of Distinguished Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Senate President and former Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament to the effect that

military option should be shelved in an effort to save the good people of Gambia from the bondage-shackles of Yahaya Jammeh’s dictatorship.”

Offor said: “We are making this statement because we are witnesses of how the anti-democratic unconstitutional and self-serving advice of Senator Ekweremadu contributed in no small measure in the less than glorious regimes of His Excellencies, Dr. Chimaroke Nnamani and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.

“Otherwise, how can Ekweremadu on one breathe admit that, ‘I am aware that several high-level meetings have been held and several missions undertaken to the Gambia as a way of finding solution to the problem’ and on another breathe fully aware that Jam-

meh who is not only defiant but takes himself as the sole owner of Gambia, will ever vacate office without force, but canvas kid glove rapprochemore?

“Is Ekweremadu as a former Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament not aware that up to this moment that Jammeh’s hand is stained with blood of innocent Gambians? Or that at this moment people are in droves fleeing Gambia and if the country is not saved by ECOWAS Authority Heads of States under the genuine Protocols which in no way violates the sovereignty of Gambia, the country will finally slide into a failed state. Which Rule of Law is he talking about when the Supreme Court of Gambia under Jammeh has only one justice?”

allegedly shot by a vigilante security guard in Warri, Mrs. Patience Emenuvwe, has demanded for justice in the matter.

Emenuvwe who narrated the ordeal in tears to newsmen on Wednesday in Warri said her son, Jerry was relaxing at Flourish Plaza in Bazunu when the vigilante on guard allegedly shot him.

The widow who named the suspect simply as Moses said the incident happened on Dec. 17, 2016.

According to her, Jerry was rushed to a nearby hospital for medical attention and was later referred to another hospital.

Emenuvwe said that her son currently suffers from internal bleeding and requires N1.6 million for operation.

“I deposited N150,000 before the doctor commenced treatment on my son.

“The vigilante deliberately shot my son with a mindset of killing him because doctor’s report indicates he now has internal bleeding.

“The vigilante only dropped N40,000 as part of the treatment and abandoned my son since the day of the incident.

“I want the Inspector General of Police, and other relevant government agencies to investigate and do justice to the matter,” she said.

When contacted, the Delta Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Andrew Aniamaka told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that he was not aware of the incident.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

NIGERIA FOOTBALL COACHES ASSOCIATION

KAPWA MUSLIM COMMUNITY MOSQUE FOUNDATION

The General Public is hereby notified that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2004.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEES :

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

BOSSO LADAN 2.

DR. SALAMI ISIAKA ABIODUN 3.

OGBEIDE SOLOMON 4.

ONIGBINDE FESTUS ADEGBOYE 5.

CHIEJINE ANN 6.

BITRUS BEWARANG 7.

JAMES PETERS -

President -1st Vice President National Secretary Member “ “ “

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: To secure, ensure, encourage and control in direct collaboration and administration of Football Coaching throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, P.M.B. 198, Garki, Abuja within Twenty-Eight (28) days from the date of this publication.

Signed: ISSA MARUGHU, ESQ. (Solicitor)

COVENANT POWER TABERNACLE INT’L

This is to inform the general public that the above named Ministry has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR EMMANUEL NWOKOCHA 2. PASTOR HELEN NWOKOCHA 3. MRS. OGOCHUKWU AKWUONU

4. CHIOMA NWOKOCHA

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

2.To be used as a forum to encourage miracles and propagation of Christian religion.

3.To encourage the study, understanding and practical application of Bible truths in everyday life.

4.To organize Prayer Meetings and conduct Open Crusades at any place as deemed fit and in the interest of the Church.

1. KAMALDEEN IBN SALAHUDEEN - IMAM 2. TAOFEEQ AKINTAYO AMOO - SECRETARY 3. MUHAMMAD BUBA 4. MUSLIM MARUF AKINADE 5. TUKUR IBRAHIM AHMED

21

RECONCILING FRIENDSHIP CENTER THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

Trustees 1. Dr Okey Nwokolo 2. Hon. Tos Nwokolo 3. Dr Ernest Nwokolo 4. Mrs Amal Pepple 5. Isreal Olorundare.

(SAN) 6. Hon. Justice Ndukwe Anyanwu 7. Aliahji Hussaini Musa Abdullahi

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO ESTABLISH AND BUILD MOSQUE FOR THE PROPAGATION OF ISLAM ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYIIRONSISTREET, P.M.B 198, MATIAMA, ABUJAWITHIN 28 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

Aim and objectives 1.Fight against women and child abuse

SIGNED: SECRETARY

Signed: Barr MERCY.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

CHRIST CORNER STONE CHARITY FOUNDATION

ROYAL HOUSE FELLOWSHIP INT’L

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED BODY HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORM THAT THE ABOVE NAMED CHURCH HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, DEGREE NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEE 1. KABIR AKINGBOLU 3. HANNAH O. KOLADE 5. STEFANCA DANIEL

TRUSTEES ARE 1. MR YEMI SAMUEL. 2. BARR. MRS VICTORIA OBIANUJU LAWRENCE 3. MRS AMAH SAMUEL 4. ROBERT OBE 5. MR. EMMANUEL ABOLUWADE

2. JONATHAN O. TAWOSE 4. GRAZZA O. DANIEL 6. RAFFAELA DANIEL

AIM AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO ASSIST DISADVANTAGE PEOPLE 2. TO HELP THE INDIGENTS IN OUR SOCIETY. 3. TO ASSIST THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST

Any objection to the Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar general, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIQGRIS CRESCENT,OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA, WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION

Signed: SECRETARY

SIGNED SECRETARY.

SIGNED: BARR. MRS. VICTORIA OBIANUJU LAWRENCE.

CHRIST CORNER STONE SALVATION PRAISE MINISTRY. This is to inform the general public that the above named Body has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEE 1. Jonathan O. Tawose 3. Grazza O. Daniel 5. Raffaela Daniel

2. Hannah O. Kolade 4. Stefanca Daniel

AIM and objectives 1. To preach the gospel of Jesus christ round the World.

2. To propagate the gospel 3. To help the widows, the orphans and the needy

EMPOWER 54 NETWORK

MARQUESS FRIENDS CLUB.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

Trustees Are; 1.

Ereku Omajuwa Erica 2.

Ereku Orode Benedicta 3.

Ifijeh James Lexy 4.

Jeremiah Osaide

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Nkume Williams.

2. Nwakuya Henry Ikenna.

3. Anayo Mbawuike.

4. Ugochukwu Okafor.

Any objection to the Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar general, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Aims and Objectives 1. To empower youths throught skill acquisition programmed Any objection this registration should be forwarded to the Registra-general corporate Affairs Commission plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Aim And Objective: 1. To unity and help each other in time of needs ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED Secretary.

Signed by Secretary

SIGNED: TRUSTEES.

MAKANRE OKADA RIDERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA.

ACTION ON BLOOD FOUNDATION

HOPE IN FAITH MISSION EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION JECTIVES:

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Foundation has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration Under part “C” of the Companied and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

The general public is hereby inform that the above named organization has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Degree No. 1 of 1990

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1). OMOTAYO CLADIUS - CHAIRMAN (2) JIMOH AHMED - VICE CHAIRMAN (3) AWOLERE SOLOMON - SECRETARY (4) AFOLABI OMOLAYO - TREASURER (5) AYO AKINFE AIMS/OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROTECT THE INTEREST OF MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

Trustees 1.

ABIOLA OKUBANJO 2.

DELA IDOWU 3.

DAPO ODUMERU 4.

KELECHI EKUWONWA 5.

DR. TOKE OKE Aims and Objectives 1.

To raise awareness educate and motivate Nigerians on the need for Voluntary blood donors Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registra-general Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED BY: THE TRUSTEES.

Signed BARRISTER ABIMBOLA OLADIMEJI

AID A CHILD FOUNDATION This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 Trustees: 1.Halima Idris.

2. Rakiya Mohammed idi.

Aims and objectives.

1. To cater for the less privileged.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Signed Secretary

WILSONS WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTRE This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Trustees are 1. WILSON FELIX LIMION EKEINS - FOUNDER 2. WILSON JANE EBIRERI - SECRETARY Aims and Objectives 1. To advocate for quality animal care 2. To provide education on wildlife 3. To breed west african manafees parrots 4. To advocate and provide for the preservation and conservation of drill monkeys, Mona monkeys, gorillas and chimpanzees Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Signed: Afrike chambers 08066056601, 08029799759

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. COKER OLUFEMI OLUFUSUBI CHAIRMAN 2.COKER OSAS ANTHONIA 3.COKER OLUDARE SAMUEL - TREASURER 4. NWIGWE FAVOUR SUNDAY - SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. Identify and support the less privileged to regain hope for a living 2. Deliver medical support and welfare to rural and peculiar urban communities 3. Be a support system for the vulnerable women and the aged 5. Provide a rehabilitation center for the renewal and reintegration of the destitutes into the larger society .

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tiqgris Crescent,Off Aguiyi ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this Publication SIGNED - SECRETARY

AFRICAN MEDICAL FERTILITY SOCIETY The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. professor oladapo Adenrele Ashiru(OFR) - President 2. Dr. James olobo-lalobo...Secretary 3. Dr. Kemi Ailoje ...Treasurer 4. Rev.Dr Alaska Humphrey The aim and objective: 1. To promote the acquisition of knowledge,training,and research to inform and support fertility care provision Any objection to this Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General of Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication SIGNED: SECRETARY

22

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

AFRICA COVENANT RESCUE INITIATIVE

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. STEVEN AIYEWUNMI (AIG RTD) 2. DR. (MRS). BOLA ADESINA 3. UMAR KARETO LAWAN 4. PROF. MAXWELL MICHEAL GIDADO (SAN) THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To promote peace and development 2. To conduct Action in research in collaboration with local and international partners on issues relating to development.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral of Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE GRACIOUS LORD FAMILY MINISTRY

NO 4, ALHAJI ADEYANJU STREET, CROWN ESTATE OFF MARTINS B/STOP, AKUTE, OGUN STATE The General Public Is Hereby Notified That The Above Named Ministry Has Applied To Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja For Registration Under Part C Of Companies And Allied Matters Act.1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. HIS GRACIOUS (AMB) PROPHET THANKGOD ONOSABORTOSOS OKODUWA - FOUNDER / PRESIDENT/OVERSEER 2. BARRISTER MARK OKPIAFOH ERIOFOLOH - EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 3. BRO. EMMANUEL OKODUWA. - EXECUTIVE TRESURER/CULTURE AND COMMUNITY WELFARE 4. SIS (MRS) STELLA CHUKWUEMEKA OLUKU - EVANGELIST/COMMUNITY MOBILIZER AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:: 1. To Teach The People Knowledge Of God Full Of Acceptable Words, Law Of The Land With Wisdom And Understanding Truth, Peace And The Fear Of God. To Reconcile People Back To God And To Work With Ambassadors Of The Lord In Nigeria And To All Nations.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC OF THE LOSS OF ORIGINAL RE-ISSUANCE OF CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY (C OF O) AKNOWLEDGEMENT, WITH FILE NO. MISC 52626 IN RESPECT OF PLOT NO MF4 CADASTRAL ZONE CO4 BELONGING TO M/S MAIWUYA VENTURES LTD ABUJA- MFCT. ALL EFFORTS MADE TO TRACE THE DOCUMENT PROVED ABORTIVE. AGIS, CONCERNED AUTHORITIES AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE. THE ORGANIZATION OF AFRICAN AND AMERICAN BLACK HEROES DAILY LEADERSHIP OF NIGERIA NO 4, ALHAJI ADEYANJU STREET, CROWN ESTATE OFF MARTINS B/STOP, AKUTE, OGUN STATE THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED, LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC) ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT.1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. HIS GRACIOUS (AMB) PROPHET THANKGOD ONOSABORTOSOS OKODUWA - FOUNDER / PRESIDENT/OVERSEER 2. BARRISTER MARK OKPIAFOH ERIOFOLOH - EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 3. BRO. EMMANUEL OKODUWA. - EXECUTIVE TRESURER/CULTURE AND COMMUNITY WELFARE 4. SIS (MRS) STELLA CHUKWUEMEKA OLUKU - EVANGELIST/COMMUNITY MOBILIZER AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO BRING TOGETHER HEROES OF AFRICA AND AFRICAN-AMERICAN IN NIGERIA, AFRICA, AMERICA AND ORGANIZED ANNUAL LEADERSHIP FORUM LECTURES, AWARD TO STRENGTHEN, PROPEL DAILY COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, PEACE AND UNITY IN AFRICA, AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND IN ALL BLACK COMMUNITIES IN THE WORLD.

2. To Setup Theology Educational Institutions That Will Enhance Educational Learning, Teaching Knowledge of God’s Word, That Will Strengthen Leadership In Nigeria, And Advancement of Gospel of Reconciliation, Peace And Unity In Africa And To Other Part Of The World

2. TO ESTABLISH SCHOOL OF TAUGHT, LEADERSHIP AND INSTITUTIONS THAT WILL ENHANCE EDUCATIONAL LEARNING, TEACHING, AND PROPEL THE PROGRESSIVE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP, GOVERNANCE, CORPORATE ORGANIZATION AND ADVANCEMENT OF GOSPEL OF PEACE AND UNITY IN NIGERIA, AFRICA, AFRICAN-AMERICAN AND OTHER COMMUNITIES IN THE WORLD.

Any Objection To This Registration, Appointment Of These Trustees Should Be Forwarded To The Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria Within 28 Days Of This Publication.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION, APPOINTMENT OF THESE TRUSTEES SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, GARKI, ABUJA, NIGERIA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

Signed: Executive Secretary Mark Okpiafoh Eriofoloh, ESQ

SIGNED: EXECUTIVE SECRETARY MARK OKPIAFOH ERIOFOLOH, ESQ

CASTLE OF LEGEND INITIATIVE

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for Registration Under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts,1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1 CHIEF DAVID UYUNMWUN EDEBIRI PRESIDENT 2 PRINCE JULIUS AKHANOBA 3 DR. PHILIP UGBODAGA - SECRETARY 4 PROF. LEO ENAHORO OTOIDE - TREASURER 5 BARR.. DR. OSAGIE OBAYUWANA 6 HON. KENNETH OSAMU EDEBIRI 7 MR. MOSES UYI OSARETIO 8 UGOLO CHRISTOPHER EDHEDHE 9 MR. EMMANUEL OSAYI OSAMENDE 10 MRS. OMIJIE THERESA EHI AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.

To honour persons who have rendered services to our country and humanity 2.

To promote and encourage acts of heroism 3.

To preserve, protect and promote culture of exemplary leadership and community service 4.

To secure and propagate the works and materials of heroes Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm and certify that OLANIYI JOHN OLAWALE and OLANIYI JOHN BOLAJOKO OLAWALE is the same person. Documents bearing all names remain valid.

General public take note.

SULIMAN TOLULOPE OLADIMEJI

AKEEM KEHINDE ROFAT.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS EWEDAIRO KEHINDE ROFAT, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AKEEM KEHINDE ROFAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

ROCK OF AGES ELDERLY RESIDENTIAL AND RESPITE HOME This is to inform the General Public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. Mrs Dorcas Oluwamiri Idowu - President 2. Mr Isaac Kolawole Olaogun 3 . Mr Lateef Olawale Idowu 4 . Mr Okanlawon Emmanuel Olamiposi OluwagbemiTHE AIM AND OBJECTIVE IS:To help each other in times of need Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication SIGNED BY :SECRETARY OFFIONG AMARACHUKWU INEMESIT.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ANOKWURU COMFORT AMARACHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OFFIONG AMARACHUKWU INEMESIT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SAMSON GODSWILL OMIKA.

Formerly known and addressed as AGBOOLA TOLULOPE OLADIMEJI, now wish to be known and addressed as SULIMAN TOLULOPE OLADIMEJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

Formerly known and addressed as EJIOGU MARCELLE NGOZI, now wish to be known and addressed as NKOMBENGNONDO MARCELLE PAMELA All former documents remain valid. General public take note

Formerly known and addressed as ALIH SAMSON UNEKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as SAMSON GODSWILL OMIKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AJAYI NIMOTALAI TEMITOPE

NEEC NONSO Formerly known and addressed as NONSO EDWIN CHUKWUEMEKA, now wish to be known and addressed as NEEC NONSO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

This is to confirm and certify that ORJI ISAAC and ORJI OTUU ISAAC is the same person. That I wish to be known and addressed as ORJI ISAAC. Documents bearing all names remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as HABEEB NIMOTALAI TEMITOPE, now wish to be known and addressed as AJAYI NIMOTALAI TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLUSHOLA SEUN VICTORIA

Formerly known and addressed as OSOSANYA SEUN VICTORIA, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUSHOLA SEUN VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SALAUDEEN AMINAT TITILAYO

Formerly known and addressed as OYELAMI AMINAT TITILAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as SALAUDEEN AMINAT TITILAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Secretary

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

OMOTOLA OLUWABUKOLA AJOKE

Formerly known and addressed as AWODEYI OLUWABUKOLA AJOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as OMOTOLA OLUWABUKOLA AJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BEN AND GRACE UZOEBO EMPOWERMENT AND ADVANCEMENT FOUNDATION

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. BERNADETTE CHINYERE UZOEBO -PRESIDENT 2. FABIAN CHUKWUMA NNADOZOIE- SECRETARY 3. EBUNIOLA LADIPO BAMGBOYE - MEMBER 4. EJEH DANIEL ONUORAH - MEMBER 5. AKINBOWALE TOKUNBO ESQ - MEMBER. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: I. TO PROVIDE ALCOHOL AND DRUG EDUCATION, COUNSELING, TREATMENT SERVICES AIMED PRIMARILY AT THE MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF NIGERIA. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28days of this publication SIGNED: SECRETARY

DANCE WORLD CUP FOUNDATION OF NIGERIA

NO 4, ALHAJI ADEYANJU STREET, CROWN ESTATE OFF MARTINS B/STOP, AKUTE, OGUN STATE The General Public Is Hereby Notified That The Above Named Dance Foundation Has Applied To Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja For Registration Under Part C Of Companies And Allied Matters Act.1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. HIS GRACIOUS (AMB) PROPHET THANKGOD ONOSABORTOSOS OKODUWA - FOUNDER / PRESIDENT/OVERSEER 2. BARRISTER MARK OKPIAFOH ERIOFOLOH - EXECUTIVE SECRETARY 3. BRO. EMMANUEL OKODUWA - EXECUTIVE TRESURER/CULTURE AND COMMUNITY WELFARE 4. SIS (MRS) STELLA CHUKWUEMEKA OLUKU - EVANGELIST/COMMUNITY MOBILIZER AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To Bring Together The Nigerian Dance Spectrum Under One Umbrella Shielding All Forms Of Dance In The World, The Council International Dance (CID) Recognized By UNESCO To Strengthen The Already Existing Dance Regulation And Present Nigerian Dances At National And International Competitions.

2. To Establish Dance Schools, Promote Community Dance, Leadership And Institutions That Will Strengthen Educational Learning, Teaching, Professional Skills And Advancement of Dances In Nigeria, Africa And The Global World.

Any Objection To This Registration, Appointment Of These Trustees Should Be Forwarded To The Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja, Nigeria Within 28 Days Of This Publication.

Signed: Executive Secretary Mark Okpiafoh Eriofoloh, ESQ

EXODUS DELIVERANCE TABERNACLE MINISTRY This is to inform the General Public that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1) ADEKOYA ADEBOWALE KINGSLEY (2) ADEKOYA ADEOLA ADEBUKOLA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:(1) TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (2) TO PROMOTE UNITY AMONG CHRISTIANS (3) TO PROPAGATE THE NEED FOR PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE AMONG OTHER RELIGIOUS SECT (4) TO DELIVER THE OPPRESSED, HEAL THE SICK, SET THE CAPTIVE FREE AND ESTABLISH FAITH CLINIC (5) TO ORGANIZE BIBLE TEACHING, PRAYER MEETINGS , CRUSADE/OUTREACHES, AND CHRISTIAN SEMINARS (6) TO IMPACT MEN AND WOMEN TO THE DISCOVERIES OF THEIR GIFTS, TALENT AND CALL Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication SIGNED BY : SECRETARY

OYENIYI AINA SEKINAT.

Formerly known and addressed as AMOSAT AINA SEKINAT, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OYENIYI AINA SEKINAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note JULIUS OLUWASEGUN TIMOTHY

Formerly known and addressed as JULIUS OLUWASEUN, now wish to be known and addressed as JULIUS OLUWASEGUN TIMOTHY. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OYEDELE ADUNOLA

SUSAN AGI

Formerly known and addressed as SUSAN ADOMAGBO, now wish to be known and addressed as SUSAN AGI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note ONYIA CHIDINMA NGOZI. Formerly known and addressed as PEACE CHIDINMA NGENE, now wish to be known and addressed as ONYIA CHIDINMA NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IBRAHIM LAWAN.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS OGUNBIYI ADUNOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OYEDELE ADUNOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as JAMES IBRAHIM MAINA now wish to be known and addressed as IBRAHIM LAWAN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ANTHONY AKINSOJI RICHARDS

ESTHER OGHALE EVI-OBIEROMA

Formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL AKINRINADE RICHARDS, now wish to be known and addressed as ANTHONY AKINSOJI RICHARDS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ESTHER: Formerly known and addressed as ESTHER OGHALE IBADU, now wish to be known and addressed as ESTHER OGHALE EVI-OBIEROMA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

AJAYI SHADIAT TEMITOPE. Formerly known and addressed as MUDASHIRU SHADIAT TEMITOPE, now wish to be known and addressed as AJAYI SHADIAT TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SALIHU AMINA KIRIKPO.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS MUSA AMINA KIRIKPO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. SALIHU AMINA KIRIKPO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm and certify that OJIAKU GILBERT UZOCHUKWU and OJIAKU UZOCHUKWU JUNIOR is the same person. Documents bearing all names remain valid.

General public take note.

OLAMIDE MARYAM AKINOLA.

OLAMIDE: Formerly known and addressed as OLAMIDE MARYAM SODIQ, now wish to be known and addressed as OLAMIDE MARYAM AKINOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

COMFORT AJALA IYABO.

I formerly known and addressed as Comfort Toyin Ajala now wish to be known and addressed as Comfort Ajala Iyabo. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please note.

ADDITION OF NAME. I, GODKNOWS HAPPINESS UDO wish to add, CHARLES, to my name which was,GODKNOWS HAPPINESS UDO . That I now wish to be known and addressed as, CHARLES HAPPINESS GODKNOWS UDO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AKINBOYEWA OMAVAIRE VICTORIA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS MOGAH OMAVAIRE VICTORIA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. AKINBOYEWA OMAVAIRE VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

OLABODE JAMIU BANKOLE I, formerly known and addressed as OLABODE JAMES BANKOLE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLABODE JAMIU BANKOLE. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

NUGA KAYODE ADEDAMOLA.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as NUGA KAY-EL ADEDAMOLA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as NUGA KAYODE ADEDAMOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

ABDULLAHI OLUWASEUN GIWA

I, formerly known and addressed as ABDULLAHI GIWA, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULLAHI OLUWASEUN GIWA. All former documents remain valid. General Public please take note.

EUGENE CHUKWUDI OGBU

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS JOSEPH EUGENE, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EUGENE CHUKWUDI OGBU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE. SANDRA OSAGIODUNA OGENYI ONAZI

ABIMBOLA OLUWABUKUNOLAMI WELLINGTON

I formerly known and addressed as Abimbola Oluwabukunolami OKE now wish to be known and addressed as Abimbola Oluwabukunolami WELLINGTON. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please note.

CHANGE OF FAMILY SURNAME We formerly known and addressed with our family surname as OGUNGBEMI TEMITOPE OLA, OGUNGBEMI OYINLADE ADEBOLA, OGUNGBEMI EMMANUEL INIOLUWA, OGUNGBEMI SHALOM OLUWABUSAYO and OGUNGBEMI SHAMMAH MOYINOLUWA, that we now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLUGBEMI TEMITOPE OLA, OLUGBEMI OYINLADE ADEBOLA, OLUGBEMI EMMANUEL INIOLUWA, OLUGBEMI SHALOM OLUWABUSAYO and OLUGBEMI SHAMMAH MOYINOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned take note.

OBAKIN OLUWASEUN OLUWABUNMI.

OSEBIEMEN JOHN IKHUORIA IGHODALO

I , formerly known and addressed as OKOBIEMEN JOHN IKHUORIA IGHODALO ,now wish to be known and addressed as OSEBIEMEN JOHN IKHUORIA IGHODALO. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLUGUNNA KADIJATU ABIOLA.

Formerly known and addressed as OBAGUN KADIJATU ABIOLA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLUGUNNA KADIJATU ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public please note.

ETUMUDOR DONALD.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AYANBEKU OLUWASEUN OLUWABUNMI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. OBAKIN OLUWASEUN OLUWABUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as DONALD FRIDAY ETUMUDOR, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ETUMUDOR DONALD. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMES That on some of my documents, my name appears as ZACCHEUS OLUWAMUYIWA, while on other documents, it appears as OLUWAMUYIWA ZACCHEUS. That I am the same person bearing both names mentioned above. All documents bearing both names are mine and remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

That on some of my documents, my name appears as ADIO OLANREWAJU AKINTOLA, while on other documents, it appears as GANIYU ADIO AKINTOLA. That I am the same person bearing both names mentioned above. That henceforth wish to be known and addressed as GANIYU ADIO AKINTOLA. All documents bearing both names are mine and remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

QUEEN ONYINYECHI OBIOHA.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as BABRA JACKSON, now wish to be known, called and addressed as QUEEN ONYINYECHI OBIOHA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

AIYEDARA ELIZABETH FUNLOLA

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

NWAGWU MARY JANE ANAYO

I, formerly known and addressed as OPARA MARYJANE ANAYO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as NWAGWU MARY JANE ANAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

ABDULHAFIS OLATAYO MUKHTAR

OGU MARYCOLLET UGOCHI

OLUSHOLA ROSEMARY BLESSING

I, formerly known and addressed as MARY-COLLET, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OGU MARYCOLLET UGOCHI. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MACDUFF ROSEMARY BLESSING, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLUSHOLA ROSEMARY BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. University of Port Harcourt, general public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

CHANGE OF NAME/CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

I, formerly known and addressed as TAJUDEEN LUKMAN OLADIMEJI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AHMED LUKMAN. That on my BVN, my date of birth was wrongly written as 2nd day of February, 1984 instead of 26th day of July, 1982. That my correct date of birth is 26th day of July, 1982. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ADEJOKE YUSUF, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AJANI ALIRAT AJOKE. That my correct date of birth is 14th day of January, 1978. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

OKECHUKWU DAVID NWORIE.

Formerly known and addressed as Nworie Okechukwu, now wish to be called and addressed as Okechukwu David Nworie.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OBIANYIA NGOZI BLESSING.

NAKOZI AGNES

I, formerly known and addressed as OMISS OJIEYIYI EBOSEREMEN AGNES, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS NAKOZI AGNES. That my date of birth was mistakenly written as 17/8/1976 instead of 17/8/1978. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKEREAFOR GODWIN CHINEMEREM

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS SHOETAN ELIZABETH FUNLOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AIYEDARA ELIZABETH FUNLOLA. All former documents remain valid. General Public please take note.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Eze Godwin Chinemerem, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Okereafor Godwin Chinemerem. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

AJAO NURENI OLAREWAJU.

LAWAL SAKIRU ABIODUN

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AJAO NUREIN O., NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AJAO NURENI OLAREWAJU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

I formerly known and address as Lawal Shakirullahi Olanrewaju,now wish to be known and address as Lawal Sakiru Abiodun.All former document remain valid.

General public should please take note.

UGOCHI AUGUSTA NWOSU I Formerly known and addressed as Ugochi Augusta Ogbunude Now wish to be known, called and addressed as Ugochi Augusta Nwosu. All documents and certificates bearing my former names remain valid. General public and Relevant authorities Please take note

I, Formerly known and addressed as JOACHIM IHEZIE , now wish to be known and addressed as DEREK CHIDUBEM IHEZIE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

OSAWARU JOY CHIGOZIE

OYEWUNMI TITILOPE HALILAT Formerly known and addressed as RAHEEM TITILAYO BUNMI and RAHEEM TITILOPE OLUWABUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as OYEWUNMI TITILOPE HALILAT. All former documents remain valid.

CHANGE OF NAME/ CONFIRMATION OF DATE

ABDULAKEEM YUSUF IYANDA.

AMINU HASHIM.

AWODI OGAH SALE I, formerly known, called and addressed as ANODI OGAH MEDIATOR, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AWODI OGAH SALE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Obianya Ngozi Blessing, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Obianyia Ngozi Blessing. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

l, formerly known and addressed as UKAONU JOY CHIGOZIE now wish to be known and addressed as OSAWARU JOY CHIGOZIE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take

Formerly known and addressed as AUWALU MOHAMMED, now wish to be known and addressed as AMINU HASHIM. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ADDITION OF NAME

On my Document, my name was formerly written as OBAZEE GIFT, now I am adding ‘ESOHIE’ to my name. Hencefort I wish to be known, called and addressed as OBAZEE GIFT ESOHIE. General Public and Authority Concerned should take note.

IGHO EKOKOTA DANIEL. I, formerly known and addressed as IGHO EKOKOTA DANIEL OCHUKO IGBEN,now wish to be known and addressed as IGHO EKOKOTA DANIEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note .

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ABDULHAFIS OLATAYO MUTAIRU, HENCEFORTH WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ABDULHAFIS OLATAYO MUKHTAR. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC, PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known and addressed as SANDRA OSAGIODUNA OGUNSUYI. now wish to be known and addressed as SANDRA OSAGIODUNA OGENYI ONAZI. All former documents remain valid general public should take note

Formerly known and addressed as AYUBA ADAMU, now wish to be known and addressed as MUHAMMADU UMAR. That my correct date of birth is 3 March 1978. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

UCHEAWAJI SUNDAY IJONGO

I , formally known and addressed as Ucheawaji Sunday, Now wish to be known and addressed as Ucheawaji Sunday Ijongo.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note .

Formerly known and addressed as ABDHAKEEM YUSUF, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULAKEEM YUSUF IYANDA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

DEREK CHIDUBEM IHEZIE.

ATIKU PATSHINYA JOSHUA.

This is to confirm and certify that KUDIRAT OYEBISI OYELEKAN, OYEBISI AINA OYELEKAN and OYEBISI AINA MAKINWA is the same person. Documents bearing all names remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as GANDAFA PATSHINYA DANIEL, now wish to be known and addressed as ATIKU PATSHINYA JOSHUA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ISAAC YOHANNA ALI.

FIDELIA ETEIMOERE VAUGHAN

BANJO ADEDAYO MATTHIAS.

Formerly known and addressed as GENESIS AMOS now wish to be known and addressed as ISAAC YOHANNA ALI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

Formerly known and addressed as MISS FIDELIA ETEIMOERE TARAKEME, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. FIDELIA ETEIMOERE VAUGHAN All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

IGBOANUGO NKECHI LAWRENCIA.

OMOSULE OLATOKUNBO OLUWAFEMI.

Formerly known and addressed as L. IGBOANUGO NKECHI, now wish to be known and addressed as IGBOANUGO NKECHI LAWRENCIA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as SALIU TOKUNBO FEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as OMOSULE OLATOKUNBO OLUWAFEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ARE AYOKUNU MUTIU.

Formerly known and addressed as AYO BAMI, now wish to be known and addressed as AARE AYOKUNU MUTIU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as BANJO ERINLE ADEDAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as BANJO ADEDAYO MATTHIAS. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME.

I, JONAH IBOYI OLOKWU , wish to correct my name which was wrongly written as,JONAH OLOKWU , instead of JONAH IBOYI OLOWU . I now wish to be known and addressed as JONAH IBOYI OLOKWU . All former documents remain valid. FIRST BANK and The General public should please take note.

BLESSING SUNDAY ONOBUMHE

, formerly known, called and addressed as FELICIA EFFIONG OBONG, now wish to be known, called and Addressed as BLESSING SUNDAY ONOBUMHE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ANTHONY KEHINDE IDOWU.

I, formerly known and addressed as KEHINDE TONY BEN ADELEKE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ANTHONY KEHINDE IDOWU. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

ONUOHA CHIMA LUCIUS

I, formerly known, called and addressed as ONUOHA CHIMAUCHE LUCIOUS, now wish to be known, called and Addressed as ONUOHA CHIMA LUCIUS. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OKUNEBE JOSEPH I, formerly known and addressed as JOHN JOSEPH CHUKWUEMEKA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OKUNEBE JOSEPH. That my date of birth was mistakenly written as 17/3/1996 instead of 17/3/1997. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADAM OWOLABI ADAMSON I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADAMO LAMINA OWOLABI ADAMSON, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADAM OWOLABI ADAMSON. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE. FUSIER JOY SANDRA.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. JOY SANDRA UTUODOR, Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. FUSIER JOY SANDRA. All former documents remain valid .

The general public should take note.

AMINU HAMMED OLADIMEJI

Formerly known and addressed as NURUDEEN HAMMED OLADIMEJI, now wish to be known and addressed as AMINU HAMMED OLADIMEJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OKWUKANMA LINDA CHIDIMMA

Formerly known and addressed as UMEH LINDA CHIDIMMA, now wish to be known and addressed as OKWUKANMA LINDA CHIDIMMA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/ CONFIRMATION OF DATE OF

ANYANWU CELESTINA ONYINYE

Formerly known and addressed as AHMED ZAINAB OMOLARA, now wish to be known and addressed as AHMED ZAINAB OMOTOYOSI. That my correct date of birth is 1 May 1995 and not 1 May 1994. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS OPARA CELESTINA ONYINYE, now wish to be known and addressed as ANYANWU CELESTINA ONYINYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

OSEBIEMEN JOHN IKHUORIA IGHODALO.

I , formerly known and addressed as OKOBIEMEN JOHN IKHUORIA IGHODALO ,now wish to be known and addressed as OSEBIEMEN JOHN IKHUORIA IGHODALO. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

NWULI ISREAL AWELE.

I, formerly known and addressed as NWULI ISREAL CHUKWUDI, now wish to be known and addressed as NWULI ISREAL AWELE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

ODERAH DESMOND SIMEON. I, formerly known and addressed as OGBU DESMOND and ODERA DESMOND SIMEON, now wish to be known and addressed as ODERAH DESMOND SIMEON. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

UCHEAWAJI SUNDAY IJONGO

I , formally known and addressed as Ucheawaji Sunday, Now wish to be known and addressed as Ucheawaji Sunday Ijongo. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note .

AGU MARTINA NWAKAKU

I, formerly known and addressed as ONYIA MARTINA NWAKAKU and EJIKEME MARTINA NWAKAKU , now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AGU MARTINA NWAKAKU. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and General public should please take note.

IJEOMA SUCCESS IKECHUKWU.

I, formerly known and addressed as VERONICA ONYEIWU, now wish to be known and addressed as IJEOMA SUCCESS IKECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

IGHO EKOKOTA DANIEL

I, formerly known and addressed as IGHO EKOKOTA DANIEL OCHUKO IGBEN,now wish to be known and addressed as IGHO EKOKOTA DANIEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note .

EGBO MARY NKEIRUKA.

I, formerly known and addressed as EGBO RITA OBIAGELI, now wish to be known and addressed as EGBO MARY NKEIRUKA. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and General public should please take note.

ONOH THANKGOD FLORENCE.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UMEH THANKGOD FLORENCE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ONOH THANKGOD FLORENCE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME. I, JONAH IBOYI OLOKWU , wish to correct my name which was wrongly written as,JONAH OLOKWU , instead of JONAH IBOYI OLOWU . I now wish to be known and addressed as JONAH IBOYI OLOKWU . All former documents remain valid. FIRST BANK and The General public should please take note.

ADDITION OF NAME.

I, GODKNOWS HAPPINESS UDO wish to add, CHARLES, to my name which was,GODKNOWS HAPPINESS UDO . That I now wish to be known and addressed as, CHARLES HAPPINESS GODKNOWS UDO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NDU CLEMENTINA OGOCHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UDEH CLEMENTINA OGOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid.

Enugu State Universal Basic Education Board (ESUBEB) and General public should please take note.

OKOH NGOZI LOVETH. I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NWOBODO NGOZI CHINENYE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKOH NGOZI LOVETH. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

NWAIWU LINDA CHIDIMMA.

UGAH ADAORA IMMACULATA

UDEH CLEMENTINA OGOCHUKWU

ANI OGECHI JUBILANT I, formerly known and addressed as EGUH OGECHI JUBILANT, now wish to be known and addressed as ANI OGECHI JUBILANT. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

MEGAFU MAUREEN IFEYINWA

I, formerly known and addressed as ADIBE MAUREEN IFEYINWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MEGAFU MAUREEN IFEYINWA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

MATHIAS-ASIEGBU LILIAN CHIDINMA.

I, formerly known and addressed as ARUWA LINDA CHIDIMMA, now wish to be known and addressed as NWAIWU LINDA CHIDIMMA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ORANU ADAORA IMMACULATA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UGAH ADAORA IMMACULATA. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OBIOHA LILIAN CHIDINMA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MATHIAS-ASIEGBU LILIAN CHIDINMA. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as EZEJOHN CHIKAMSO EZENWAIGWE, now wish to be known and addressed as EZE JOHN .F. my correct date of birth is 16/2/1992. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to certify that EJIKE VICTORIA EKAITE, EJIKE VICTORIA ADA and VICTORIA ADA is one and the same person now wish to be known as EJIKE VICTORIA ADA. Born on 11-081975. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I formerly known as MISS OBIAGWU IFUNANYA AGATHA now wish to be known as MRS ONUKWURU IFUNANYA AGATHA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to inform the general public that my name IDERA CHIOMA DIKE was wrongly written during my BVN Registration but now wish to be corrected and addressed as OKOLIE JUDITH CHINELO. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and general public should please take note.

AKINYODE IMELDA UDEME I formerly known and addressed as ALBERT IMELDA UDEME now wish to be known and addressed as AKINYODE IMELDA UDEME. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

Formerly Miss OLUFUNSHO FOLAKE SAMUEL. now Mrs AYOKANMI FOLAKE OLUFUNSHO. Former documents remains valid.

General public please note..

OMOILE CHUKWUEMEKA MICHEAL

ODUNJO - ROBINSON OLOLADE CATHERINE

LADELE AYOBAMI OLATUNJI

CORRECTION OF NAME FUNMILOLA ALLWELL AND FUNMILOLA MARY ALLWELL OKERE ARE ALL ONE PERSON NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS FUNMILOLA MARY MAJEKODUNMI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. ECO BANK PLC, FIDELITY BANK PLC AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE

ADU, ESTHER SEKHUAMON.

CORRECTION OF NAME AND DATE OF BIRTH:

EZE JOHN .F.

I was formerly known called and addressed as OMOILE CHUKWUEMEKA FRANCIS. That henceforth, I wish to be known called and addressed as OMOILE CHUKWUEMEKA MICHEAL. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please note.

ONUKWURU IFUNANYA AGATHA

I was formerly known and address as ODUNJO OLOLADE CATHERINE now wish to be known and addressed as ODUNJO - ROBINSON OLOLADE CATHERINE (Mrs.).

All former documents remain valid. General public to please note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Formerly known, called and addressed as Oladele Ayobami now wish to be known, called and addressed as Ladele Ayobami Olatunji. Former documents remain valid.

General public note.

AJAYI KHADIJAT ABOLORE

UFOT: I, formerly known as UFOT AUGUSTINE, now wish to be known and addressed as UFOT AUGUSTINE SAMSON. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

LAFIAJI NIMOTA IDERA LAFIAJI: I, formerly known as ADEKUNLE NIMOTA IDERA and LAFIAJI ADEKUNLE NIMOTA IDERA, now wish to be known and addressed as LAFIAJI NIMOTA IDERA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AJAYI: I, formerly known as SHITTU KHADIJAT ABOLORE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AJAYI KHADIJAT ABOLORE. My correct D.O.B is 09/10/1983.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

NICHOLAS OSAIBO-SALAMI.

KENNEDY OSAIBO-SALAMI.

HENRY OSAIBO-SALAMI.

I formerly known and addressed as NICHOLAS SALAMI now wish to be known and addressed as NICHOLAS OSAIBO-SALAMI. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

I formerly known and addressed as KENNEDY SALAMI now wish to be known and addressed as KENNEDY OSAIBO-SALAMI. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

I formerly known and addressed as HENRY SALAMI now wish to be known and addressed as HENRY OSAIBO-SALAMI. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

UFOT AUGUSTINE SAMSON.

YEKINI RAFIU OLALEKAN. I formerly known and addressed as ABDULYEKINNI ABDULRAFIU OLELEKAN now wish to be known and addressed as YEKINI RAFIU OLALEKAN. My date of birth was wrongly written as 10/03/1965 instead of 06/04/1965. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

ANIETIE ADAMS UDO. I formerly known and addressed as ANIETIE ADAMS now wish to be known and addressed as ANIETIE ADAMS UDO. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm and certify that CHIKA CHUKS UGO, CHUKWUEMEKA CHIKADIBIA UGOCHUKWU and CHIKA CHUKS refers to one and same person but now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUEMEKA CHIKADIBIA UGOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

ADEYEMI TITILAYO JOY

OKORIE KINGSLEY ONYEKACHI

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OSENIYI TITILAYO JOY now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEYEMI TITILAYO JOY All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

I formerly known and addressed as NWAIWU PETER ONYEKACHI now wish to be known and addressed as OKORIE KINGSLEY ONYEKACHI. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME.

ADDITION OF NAME

In some of my documents my name appears as BALOGUN ABDULLAHI While in some other ones it appears as BALOGUN ABDULLAH OLAKUNLE AKANBI. I am the same person bearing the names. All documents bearing the names are valid.

General public to please note EZENWEINYINYA OGOCHUKWU VERONICA

I formerly known and addressed as Okafor Ogochukwu Veronica now wish to be known and addressed as Ezenweinyinya Ogochukwu Veronica. All former documents remain valid. General public to please note.

My name was formerly written as EWANSEHA OSAIGBOVO and now I wish to add SUNDAY to my name.Henceforth I wish to be known as EWANSEHA OSAIGBOVO SUNDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public to please note ANIEGBUNAM IFEANYI PHILIP

I formerly known and addressed as Aniegbunam Ifeanyi now wish to be known and addressed as Aniegbunam Ifeanyi Philip. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please note.

OLAJIDE ADEBAYO ISAIAH.

I formerly known as Miss Agbonaye Esther Sekhuamon now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADU, ESTHER SEKHUAMON. All former documents remain valid.

Authorities concerned and general public should please take note.

BABATUNDE MONSURAT OMOWUNMI

AYOKANMI FOLAKE OLUFUNSHO.

I, formerly known as OKUTA OGIDI (D.O.B: 04/09/1986), now wish to be known and addressed as OGIDI EWUTA EKWE (D.O.B: 04/09/1985).

All former documents remain valid. Ecobank and general public note.

MORUF AYINLA AREGBESHOLA

OLAJIDE: I, formerly known as OLAJIDE ADEBAYO LANRE, now wish to be known and addressed as OLAJIDE ADEBAYO ISAIAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BABATUNDE: I, formerly known as YISA NOSURAT OLAITAN, now wish to be known and addressed as BABATUNDE MONSURAT OMOWUNMI AYOMIDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MORUFU AREGBESOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MORUF AYINLA AREGBESHOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as EUGENE SALAMI now wish to be known and addressed as EUGENE OSAIBOSALAMI. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

EUGENE OSAIBO-SALAMI

GRACE FAVOUR KUTOJO. I formerly known and addressed as KOUTODJO GRACE now wish to be known and addressed as GRACE FAVOUR KUTOJO. My date of birth was wrongly written as 11/06/1984 instead of 11/07/1987 All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

I formerly known and addressed as OKONKWO CONSTANCE JUOCHI now wish to be known and addressed as EKEMENYE CONSTANCE JUOCHI. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

BALOGUN VICTOR

WEST CYNTHIA

EKEMENYE CONSTANCE JUOCHI.

DANIEL VICTOR

I formerly known and addressed as DANIEL YOHANNA now wish to be known and addressed as DANIEL VICTOR . All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

I formerly known and addressed as BALOGUN VICTOR SEUN now wish to be known and addressed as BALOGUN VICTOR. All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

I formerly known and addressed as NWAOKOYE CYNTHIA now wish to be known and addressed as WEST CYNTHIA All former documents remain valid. general public to please note.

ADDITION OF NAME My name was formerly written as ACHILE DAVID and now I wish to add IKANI to my name.

Henceforth I wish to be known as ACHILE DAVID IKANI. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please note

AZEEZ OLUWAFADEKEMI ABOSEDE.

ONWE JEREMIAH UCHECHI.

I formerly known and addressed as OSINAME OLUWAFADEKEMI ABOSEDE now wish to known and addressed as AZEEZ OLUWAFADEKEMI ABOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please note

ODO: I formerly known and addressed as ODO JEREMIAH UCHECHI now wish to be known and addressed as ONWE JEREMIAH UCHECHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

Am Tayeshe Kabir Alabi, but the name on my international passport is Tayeshe Kabir now wish to be known and address as Tayeshe Kabir. All former documents remain valid.

International, bvn and general public to take note.

Am Amoda Sakirat Asabi not Amoda Shakirat Asabi now wish to be known as Amoda Sakirat Asabi. All former documents remain valid. International, bvn and general public to take note.

LUCK EZEHI LILIAN OMOYE

I formerly known and addressed as Usifoh Lilian Omoye now wish to be known and addressed as Luck Ezehi Lilian Omoye. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please note.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Tambuwal flags off ‘Change begins with me’ campaign in Sokoto ÎÎÎGovernor

Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on Wednesday, flagged off the federal government’s ‘Change Begins with Me’ campaign in Sokoto, with a call on the people to shun vices that are inimical to societal cohesion and progress.

Speaking when he handed over jingles of the campaign to the state Commissioner of Information, Jeli Abdulkadir, for transmission in the state media outlets, Tambuwal said all Nigerians should imbibe the virtues of social reorientation and avoid bad attitudes imbibed especially in recent years.

“We should be positive in our thinking and have better attitude towards issues. Importantly, we should all support the government of President Muhammadu Buhari for it to deliver on its promises to the people of Nigeria.

“Already the government is doing exceeding well in the fight against insecurity and the fight

OLUWASEYI HALIMAT AJIBADE

OLUWASEYI: Formerly known and addressed as OLUWASEYI HALIMAT MOJEED, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWASEYI HALIMAT AJIBADE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

AYANDEJI FUNMILAYO CHRISTIANAH.

ACHUKWU: Formerly known and addressed as MRS. ACHUKWU FUNMILAYO CHRISTIANAH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AYANDEJI FUNMILAYO CHRISTIANAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ONOJAH JONATHAN.

I, formerly known and addressed as IBRAHIM S. JONAH, now wish to be known and addressed as ONOJAH JONATHAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

corruption. Similar efforts are being done to turn around the economy. You will agree with me these are the three main things which the President promised us and he is on track

According to him, the messages will be translated into Hausa and Fulfulde languages, and disseminated into all the nooks and crannies of the state for the benefit of the people.

Director, Compliance Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Engr. Bede Obayi and Senior Standards Engineer, Mr. Ajulo Dukson, jointly displaying seized container stocked with substandard bulbs in Lagos...recently.

OLANREWAJU OJERINDE RASHEDAT OLORUNJUWONLO

KUTI: Formerly known and addressed as MISS.KUTI RASHEDAT OLORUNJUWONLO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLANREWAJU OJERINDE RASHEDAT OLORUNJUWONLO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that ONUH KIKI and ONUH GIFT KIKI NKEIRUKA refer to one and same person. All former documents remain valid and should be treated as one person. Banks and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm and certify that SOLA OYENOWO and SOLA IRIOWURO, INUMISAN OYENOWO AND MINICA OYENOWO is the same person. Bt. Now wish to be known and address as SOLA OYENOWO. ALL Documents bearing all names remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

This is to confirm and certify that Mr. SOYOYE OLUSEYE OLATUNBOSUN and SOYOYE FREDRICK and SOYOYE OLUSE is the same person. But now wish to maintain MR. SOYOYE OLUSEYE. ALL Documents bearing all names remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OYALOWO RAIMOT BOLANLE, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS OYALOWO RAHEEMOT OLUWABUKOLA. And that my correct date of birth is 1st May, 2000. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ARIYO OLUWASEYI ARINOLA

ANOPUE BLESSING.

I, formerly known and addressed as ADESHINA OLUWASEYI ARINOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as ARIYO OLUWASEYI ARINOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

in the areas,” Tambuwal said.

The Governor added that the state will use its media organs to educate the citizens, while at the same time taking the lead in change of attitude.

I, formerly known and addressed as JOSEPH JOY, now wish to be known and addressed as ANOPUE BLESSING. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

NIMAT ONIZE SALIU.

NIMAT: Formerly known and addressed as NIMAT ONIZE UMAR, now wish to be known and addressed as NIMAT ONIZE SALIU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

BANKOLE OLAYINKA OLADIMEJI

I, formerly known and addressed as OMOBOLAJI OLAYINKA OLADIMEJI, now wish to be known and addressed as BANKOLE OLAYINKA OLADIMEJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

DAVID MONDAY NANJUL.

I, formerly known and addressed as LAR KURNAP, now wish to be known and addressed as DAVID MONDAY NANJUL. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

MOMOH TUNDE HABEEB.

I, formerly known and addressed as MOMOH TUNDE, now wish to be known and addressed as MOMOH TUNDE HABEEB. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADEWUNMI OLUWABUNMI OMOLARA.

AYINDE: Formerly known and addressed as MRS. AYINDE OLUWABUNMI OMOLARA, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS. ADEWUNMI OLUWABUNMI OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid. UNILAG and general public take note.

UFETE JOSHUA FRIDAY.

I, formerly known and addressed as UFETE-OKE FRIDAY JOSHUA, now wish to be known and addressed as UFETE JOSHUA FRIDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as PRINCE ADETUNJI JIDONU, now wish to be known and addressed as JIDONU SUNDAY ADETUNJI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

AYIBIOWU OYINKANSOLA YEMISI

25 News Man, 29, remanded for alleged attempt to murder father ÏÏÏ

An Ibadan Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, remanded Jeremiah Bamidele, 29, in Agodi prison for alleged attempt to murder his father.

The accused of Bamidele’s Compound in Idi- Ayunre area, Ibadan, is facing a four -count charge of conspiracy, kidnapping, demand with menace and attempt to murder.

The prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Ogunremi, told the court that the accused conspired with some others still at large and committed the offences on Dec. 21, 2016 at his residence.

Ogunremi further said that the accused kidnapped his father, Mr. Olumuyiwa Bamidele and threatened to kill him if he did not give him N500, 000.

“The accused had put a cutlass to his father’s neck in an attempt to murder him before he was rescued by neighbours,’’ he said.

OMOTOLA ADESOLA ADETIFA OLAWOLE: Formerly known and addressed as MISS. OMOTOLA ADESOLA OLAWOLE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OMOTOLA ADESOLA ADETIFA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADAOBI ONYINYE UCHENDU. ADAOBI: Formerly known and addressed as ADAOBI ONYINYE EMETU, now wish to be known and addressed as ADAOBI ONYINYE UCHENDU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ALICE OMONIYI BALOGUN I, formerly known and addressed as ALICE OMONIYI ODUKOYA, now wish to be known and addressed as ALICE OMONIYI BALOGUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as NZEI PATIENCE, now wish to be known and addressed as GEORGE PATIENCE GRACE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

YESUF JESSICA HASSANA.

I, formerly known and addressed as IGHO JESSICA HASSANA, now wish to be known and addressed as YESUF JESSICA HASSANA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OCHAI CHRISTY ENEOTSE.

I, formerly known and addressed as SOWEMIMO OYINKANSOLA YEMISI, now wish to be known and addressed as AYIBIOWU OYINKANSOLA YEMISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ATTAH CHRISTY ENEOTSE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OCHAI CHRISTY ENEOTSE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

GEORGE PATIENCE GRACE.

ADEJUMO OLU JOHN FAITH. I, formerly known and addressed as JOHN OLU ADEJUMO, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEJUMO OLU JOHN FAITH. Date of birth. 2-9-1951.All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLUSHOLA REBECCA OMONO.

I, formerly known and addressed as OGUNKO EBHAWAEGBELE REBECCA OMONO, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUSHOLA REBECCA OMONO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLUWAKEMI OLUWAYEMISI OMONIYI.

I formerly known and address as Oluwakemi Oluwayemisi Awolesi now wish to be known and address as Oluwakemi Oluwayemisi Omoniyi. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

FOR SALE

26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2016

Health

s

2017: All eyes on NHA, Health budget, PHCs, others

Lara Adejoro

Stakeholders in the health sector in Nigeria have said that if the National Health Act (NHA) is implemented, the budgetary allocation to health increased, the Primary Healthcare Centres revamped and improved, and the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) is made compulsory for every Nigerian, access to healthcare will be improved and Nigeria will be a hub for medical tourism.

Speaking exclusively with The Daily Times, the National President of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Professor Mike Ogirima said the act has been signed into law and needs to be implemented to enhance Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“With the National Health Act, we will have more funds for the health sector and make it more functional and there will be improvement in the areas of providing healthcare to the citizens. Every Nigerian has the right to ask for the implementation of the act legally and there is need for more doctors to be employed for improved services.”

Ogirima further said: “The equipment in our health facilities are breaking down and we are not replacing them. If the equipment is revitalized, it will go a long way to reducing medical tourism.”

The National Health Act of 2014 provides a framework for the regulation, development and management of a health system and sets standards for rendering health services in Nigeria.

According to the Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja, Professor Adewale Oke, the Ministry of Health should ensure that the Primary Healthcare system is secured.

“There is an explosion of non-communicable disease right now. In the past, we used to suffer from communicable diseases, viral infection, bac-

it can’t match it, they should go a bit higher, may be half, which would do a lot in sorting us out. Even people who are rich enough to go abroad to seek health cannot go anymore with the state of the Naira. So, the only way to solve our problem is to develop our health institutions.”

Health Minister, Prof. Adewole

teria infection; now we have an explosion of hypertension and diabetes; we also have epidemic of high cholesterol, stroke, kidney failure and heart attack. This shows that we are not living a healthy lifestyle, coupled with the present recession, which adds more stress to people.

“We have to check it with adequate management of all these conditions. The Health Minister, Professor Isaac Adewole is working 24 hours every week to make sure we secure the primary healthcare setting because if we do that, we will also prevent some of these non-communicable diseases from appearing in the future.

“Lagos state government

has started already with the three tiers of health management-primary health, the secondary health and tertiary health and we will fully establish that this year. With this, less patients will be coming to the tertiary centre because they would have been well managed at the primary and secondary institutions.”

The Don also said he expects that the HIV vaccine will be well established “because right now, in South Africa, there is a test going on and hopefully by the end of this year or beyond, we will have a vaccine for HIV. I expect that there will be control of viral hemorrhage fever and we are just recovering from the Lassa Fever that hit Ogun state and

there is also a vaccine being tested that will help in preventing Lassa Fever and may be the other viral hemorrhagic fever.

“We hope we have a wellestablished health insurance system in Lagos state because the House of Assembly has passed it into law. So, health, under the leadership of the Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris is working very hard. With that, any patient that is insured will have any kind of investigation and will be given the treatment available.”

He however said, the only problem is funding “and I think the federal government should give us the appropriate WHO allocation. Even if

Lagos State Chairman of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Dr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo said, “The Federal Government must implement the National Health Act to improve the health sector and that will allow us advocate for the Universal Health Coverage. If the act is implemented, we will be able to address the issues of certificate of standard and who takes care of the hospital.”

The chairman also said that the health budget is abysmally low. “The budget should be improved to 7 per cent, if not up to 10 per cent. Some countries have raised the bar to even 20 per cent and we are still on 3 per cent.

“Again, there should be an emphasis on the Primary Healthcare to reduce the burden on our secondary and tertiary institutions.”

The National President of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr John Onyebueze said in 2017, “the NHA must be implemented, improve on the funding to the health sector, revamp and maintain facilities and equipment in the health sector, honour agreement with the unions in the health sector, improve staff welfare and relationship with the unions, pay all arrears of salary of 2015 and 2016 including those arising from victimization of our members by selectively applying No Work, No Pay rule during the period they were on strike to demand the payment of their salaries as it was not applied to other workers who also went on strike as well as in the Ministry of Education.”

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2016

27 Health

‘Emotional hangover’ may influence future memory formation Research has shown that highly emotional events - including weddings, childbirth, or the death of a loved one - are more easily remembered in the long term, as published on Medical News Today.

The more emotional an experience is, the more accurately and vividly we will remember it - not only minutes after, but years later.

However, could it be that an emotional experience also influences how we process and remember future events?

In other words, is there such a thing as an “emotional hangover?”

A team of New York University (NYU) researchers - led by Lila Davachi, an associate professor in NYU’s Department of Psychology and Center for Neural Science - set out to investigate whether emotional brain states influence how we remember subsequent, nonemotional experiences.

The NYU scientists wanted to see if long periods of emotional arousal can influence future brain states, and, if they do, what impact they have on forming memories

of neutral events.

To study this, researchers designed an experiment in which they asked partici-

pants to view a series of images that contained emotional content.

The participants were split

into two groups. The first group saw the emotional content first, and 10 to 30 minutes later, they also viewed a series of non-emotional, more ordinary images. The other group viewed the nonemotional content first and the emotional scenes afterward.

Participants took a memory test of the images around six hours later.

Throughout the experiment, scientists monitored physiological arousal (by measuring skin conductance) and brain activity (using a functional magnetic resonance imaging machine) in both groups.

They hypothesized that the carry-over effects of emotional experiences would manifest in low-frequency amygdale connectivity.

Therefore, the researchers also examined whether this type of brain activity, present during emotional memory encoding, was also present during the neutral memory encoding phase in the two groups.

The results were published in the journal Nature Neuroscience.

Ministry partners NEMA to prevent waterborne diseases Lara Adejoro The Federal Ministry of Water Resources is partnering with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to prevent the outbreak of waterborne disease in Nigeria.

Mrs Elizabeth Ugoh, Deputy Director, Water Quality Control and Sanitation in the ministry, said that the collaboration would ensure improved

livelihood.

Ugoh said such response include the promotion of good hygiene practices, provision of safe drinking water and toilet facilities, to improve the overall living conditions of Nigerians.

She said its partnership with NEMA was specifically targeted at emergencies, especially in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, and promotion of overall well be-

ing of such persons.

According to her, persons living in the IDPs Camps in the North-East are in continuous need of water and accessible toilets facilities, which should not be ignored.

Ugoh said that although inadequate funds was still a challenge, development partners such as UN Children’s Fund and the UN High Commission on Refugees, had been partnering to improve sanitation and hygiene.

She said that access to water and sanitation had reduced incidences of preventable deaths, adding that it was necessary to scale up actions on these needs.

Ugoh said that Water Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) interventions could interrupt diarrhea transmission, and reduce the burden of morbidity and mortality associated with faucaloral.

The deputy director said Nigeria needed to improve its policies at increasing access to water, sanitation and hygiene.

She urged private individuals and industrialists to take ownership of improving sanitation in their local communities.

Ugoh said that such ownership would reduce the spread of preventable diseases, boost healthy living, and promote a more productive citizenry.

The official said that globally, no fewer than 500,000 children die annually from preventable diseases caused by unsafe water and sanitation.

She said it was important for all stakeholders to play their part to ensure that Nigerians live healthy, dignified and productive lives.

Ugoh, however, called on Nigerians to have clear plans and programmes on water and sanitation, to enable it to meet the Sustainable Development Goals on universal access to water and sanitation by 2030.

She said that that there was need for all tiers of government to take ownership of improving WASH service to all Nigerians

Impending strike:

Doctors to review demands next week Lara Adejoro

The National Executive Council of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will on Thursday 12th through Sunday, 15th January, 2017 review the status of their demands from the Federal Government and take decision on the planned strike.

Speaking with our correspondent, the National President of the association, Dr John Onyebueze said, the strike has been put on hold, because of the scheduled meeting with the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole on Tuesday.

“While the NEC of our association would meet between 12th-15 th of January to review the status of our demands and take decision on the strike, we shall use the window and the grace of the extra 10 days to still explore all avenues of dialogue as we have always done.

“To further press home our displeasure in the coming 10 days (beginning from Monday), our members have been directed to commence to wear black ward coats and conduct 2 hours daily rallies/walk in their centres/states.

“Finally, we shall try as much as we can to ensure that negotiations do not break down from our side.

We do not wish for this strike to happen and we do not also want the agents of government to cause this strike to happen.”

Resident doctors are agitating for a uniform template for the Residency Programme, infrastructure for tertiary health facilities, proper grading of doctors and payment of outstanding salaries amongst other issues.

Dr. Sekumade

28

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

KAA Gent sign Kalu

N

igerian winger Samuel Kalu has signed a three-and-a-half-year contract with former Belgian Champions KAA Gent from Slovakian side AS Trencin for an undisclosed fee.

Kalu will join his compatriots Moses Simon, Anderson Esiti, Rabiu Ibrahim and William Troost-Ekong at the Belgian side.

The 19-year-old will also be the third Nigerian who has moved from Trencin to Gent after Rabiu Ibrahim and Moses Simon.

Kalu, who can play from the wing or as a second striker, joined Trencin in January 2016 and won the Slovakian league title with them as well as the Slovakian Cup. The pacy winger played 42 matches for Trencin, scoring six goals and providing eight assists in his debut season in Europe which prompted Gent to sign him on.

Kalu, like Moses Simon, is a product of GBS Academy in Jos, Nigeria, and will continue his football education with the Kalu Buffaloes until 2020.

Page 29

Thursday, JANUARY 5, 2016

Mikel’s future still in limbo!

Mikel

C

helsea manager Antonio Conte says there is no news to report as regards the future of the club’s Nigerian midfielder Mikel John

Obi. Mikel has been frozen out of the Chelsea team as he has yet to make a competitive appearance for the side this season.

The Super Eagles midfielder has been linked with a January move away from the club with

Olympique Marseille, Valencia and a club in the Chinese Super League mentioned among his suitors.

Conte, however, stated in his press conference on Tuesday that he had no concrete news about a possible transfer for the Nigeria national team captain.

“For now, we haven’t got any news about Mikel,” Conte said when he was asked if Mikel will

leave the club this month.

Meanwhile, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr has said he will hope Mikel Obi moves to another European club, but should he opt for China, it will not affect his place in the national team.

Rohr said he would want him to stay in Europe, but will respect his decision to take the cash in China and that will not shut him out of his team plans.

“I prefer Mikel stays in Europe and play in a European team,” Rohr said.

“When I was in London two weeks ago, we spoke about that. But Mikel is an experienced and intelligent player and he knows what to do.

“If he decides to choose the money of China, then we must respect that.

“If he goes to China and is playing well, he will come to the Super Eagles.”

RSG backs PH Golden Jubilee Polo tourney Ordega nets first Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

T

he Rivers State Government (RSG) has assured the people of the state that it would support the forthcoming Port Harcourt Golden Jubilee Polo Tournament as it would have positive impact on the state’s economy.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by the leadership of the Port Harcourt Polo Club at Government House, Port Harcourt, on Tuesday, the governor of the state, Chief Nyesom Wike, stated that the Polo Tournament which was expected to attract Polo players from Argentina, South Africa, and Dubai would place Rivers State on the international business map.

The governor said that his administration would support the International Polo Tournament because it would afford the state the opportunity to highlight its potentials to the international community.

Also speaking earlier during the courtesy call, the President of the Port Harcourt Polo Club, Mr. Ibiwari Pepple, said that the Golden Jubilee Tournament would hold between January 8 and January 14, 2017.

Pepple revealed that well known players from Argentina, South Africa, and Dubai would attract business concerns to the state and sought the support of the Rivers State government for the successful hosting of the event.

He informed the governor that during the tournament, participating players and horses would dressed in ceremonial attires that would depict the culture of the state.

The Rivers State Golden Jubilee Anniversary was marked to celebrate 50 years of the creation of the State which took place on the May 27,

1967 by the then Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd).

The governor, last October, inaugurated a 151-member committee with Chief Ferdinand Anabrabra as the chairman, Chief Onueze Okocha (SAN) as alternate chairman, and Dr. Jacob Beredugo as secretary.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (right) and President of the Port Harcourt Polo Club, Mr. Ibiwari Pepple during the visit of the officials of the Polo Club to Government House, Port Harcourt on Tuesday.

goal for Sydney FC

N

igeria international Francisca Ordega scored her first goal in Sydney FC’s 6-0 win against Canberra United in the Austrailia Women League on Tuesday.

The 23-year-old who is currently on loan from Washington Spirit was making her third appearance but second consecutive start in the colours of the Sky Blues at Lambert Park.

Aside Ordega, Remy Siemsen netted a brace plus a strike each from Nicole Bolger, Kyah Simon, Leena Khamis as Daniel Barrett’s ladies silenced their visitors.

She was later replaced by Princess Ibini in the 80th minute. Ordega’s Austrialian side will next face reigning champions and fourth place Melbourne City on Sunday.

30

Thursday, January 5, 2016

EXTRATIME

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP… ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP… ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP…

Y

aya Toure is adamant he is not thinking about leaving Manchester City in the January transfer window.

The 33-year-old seemed likely to depart earlier this season after falling out with head coach Pep Guardiola at the start of the 2016-17 campaign, but he has been reinstated to the first team in recent weeks after apologising for comments made by his agent.

The former Ivory Coast international has still been linked with a January exit, but the midfielder - whose contract is due to expire in June - has dismissed suggestions he could leave Etihad Stadium in favour of a lucrative move to China.

“No, I will not speak to other clubs during the transfer window,” Toure said.

“My focus is on City. The future is there because for now the league is not finished.

Me and the guys are always focused. That is the main point. I am a footballer, I belong to the field.

“City have always been a team who fight to the end to win a trophy and at the moment we are not happy with the position in the league. We have to fight. We are starting the second half of the season and I think we will have to be almost perfect.

“We will have to win all the games when we play the top four. The lads, the fans, the manager, we are all understanding that and we will try to do our best to get there,” he concluded.

Toure dismisses Man City exit talk

Toure

Zlatan wins PFA Fans’award Wenger

M

Ibrahimovic

T

hibaut Courtois says Chelsea are doing better than expected this term after an underwhelming 201516 campaign and is confident they can keep up their good run of form.

The Stamford Bridge side had to settle for 10th spot in the table last year after parting ways with Jose Mourinho in December 2015.

They appointed Antonio Conte ahead of this season and the former Italy boss has made a major impact, leading Chelsea to top spot in the Premier League table.

“With the current run of wins, we can say we are doing better than expected after a bad season last year,” Courtois told reporters.

“We are top of the league with far more points than we had at this time last year, or even two years ago when we

anchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has won the PFA Fans’ Premier League Player of the Month award for December, beating the likes of Adam Lallana and Cesar Azpilicueta.

Nearly 64,000 votes were cast in the poll, with Ibrahimovic claiming victory with 24,092 votes.

Liverpool’s Lallana came second with 17,935 votes, while Chelsea defender Azpilicueta was third with

11,944 votes. Rounding off the top six were Tottenham’s Dele Alli (5,863), Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (2,874) and West Ham’s Dimitri Payet (1,264).

The six candidates were chosen by our expert panel, which included Sky Sports pundits Peter Beagrie and Paul Merson, Mike Riley - general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials, and Malcolm Clarke - chairman of the Football Supporters’ Federation.

Speaking before he added to his tally against West Ham, Ibrahimovic declared that he had already silenced those who doubted he could succeed in the Premier League.

“It gives me a lot of energy, trust me,” he said. “A lot of energy, because they get paid to talk and I get paid to play with my feet - that’s how I enjoy it.

“I wanted to come when everyone thought I was over the hill. I’m super-happy and I feel good.”

Courtois surprised

by Chelsea’s success were champions in the end. So that says we are doing well. It is going very well and we are very happy with the points.

“But let’s not talk too soon. Let’s keep working and then see where we stand in February. But I think if we keep our concentration on ourselves and what we need to do then we can keep the run going.

“The system is our secret, it not only gives cover for the goalkeeper but it’s a good system for the team in general.

“It was after the Arsenal game when we lost badly that we decided to go to three at the back in a 3-4-3 system.

Since then we have trained it constantly.

After that result, we had to build a new Courtois thing and we did it well.”

fears bad

Coquelin news Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger fears Francis Coquelin could face a spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury. The midfielder picked up the problem in his side’s 3-3 draw with Bournemouth on Tuesday and was forced off after just 28 minutes, making way for Alex OxladeChamberlain. Coquelin will undergo a scan in the coming days to determine the extent of the injury, but Wenger expects bad news after seeing the player’s reaction on the pitch.

Lookman undergoes

Everton medical

Charlton winger Ademola Lookman underwent a medical on Wednesday ahead of his proposed move to Everton. Sources revealed that the fee for the 19-year-old is in the region of £10m and it is anticipated the deal will go through in the next 24 hours. It is expected that this move will be the start of a busy transfer window for Everton who are understood to also be looking for a central midfielder and centre half.

Bournemouth appeal Francis

red card

Bournemouth have appealed against the red card shown to Simon Francis in Tuesday’s 3-3 Premier League draw with Arsenal. The defender was sent off in the 82nd minute for a foul on Aaron Ramsey with the score at 3-2 to the hosts, and Arsenal went on to capitalise on their man advantage, completing a comeback from 3-0 down to draw courtesy of Olivier Giroud’s 92ndminute equaliser.

Tuesday, January 5, 2015

EXTRATIME

31

SPECIAL FEATURE

Top 10 players that never won APOTY Africa boasts of great players that made the continent proud by playing the round leather game and also winning Africa Player of The Year (APOTY) award in grand style. Shina Oludare examines African football greats who never won the APOTY despite their brilliance and achievements in the beautiful game. Excerpts:

AUSTINE OKOCHA (Nigeria) The unluckiest of all having lost narrowly thrice. Jay Jay was top scorer and MVP at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations plus one of the five Africans in the FIFA greatest 100 footballers short list.

SEYDOU KEITA (Mali) He was beaten to the award by Yaya Toure in 2011. Keita picked up three La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey, three Supercopa de Espana and two Champions League titles with Barcelona.

MOHAMMED ABOUTRIKA (Egypt) Despite winning a record four African InterClub Player of the Year titles, winning the big prize was a wild goose chase for the Egyptian great as he was beaten to the crown by Togolese Adebayor in 2008, his best year.

MICHAEL ESSIEN (Ghana) Tied with Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure as the African footballer with most consecutive nominations in the award (5), the Champions League winner is one of the most luckless players not to have picked the crown. He finished third on every occasion.

BENNI McCARTHY (South Africa) One of the few Africans to have won the Champions League, the deadly striker was the most outstanding individual at the 1998 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations where he scooped the top scorer ‘s award. He remains Bafana Bafana’s all-time top scorer.

ASAMOAH GYAN (Ghana) Bowed to Samuel Eto’o at the award ceremony in 2010. The skilful forward, who is the youngest player ever to score for the Black Stars, holds the record as the highest scoring African at the FIFA World Cup with six goals. Yet he has not won the African Player of the Year title.

JOSEPH-ANTOINE BELL (Cameroun) He is recognised by IFFHS as Africa’s greatest goalkeeper of the 20th century and was twice runner-up in the African Footballer of the Year award.

DANIEL AMOKACHI (Nigeria) Despite being one of Nigeria’s deadliest strikers, he was the first player to score in the Uefa Champions League in its present format. The Bull also came close twice to win the award in 1994 and 1996, where he was beaten to the award by compatriots Emmanuel Amunike and Nwankwo Kanu respectively.

HOSSAM HASSAN (Egypt) The sublime poacher was a key figure in three of Egypt’s AFCON triumphs in 1986, 1998 and 2006.

He remains the Pharaoh’s top scorer of all time with 68 goals in 176 outings but was never considered good enough for the African Player of the Year award.

RIGOBERT SONG (Cameroun) Song is the only African to have featured in eight Africa Cup of Nations tournament and boasts of the highest consecutive games played at the tourney with 35 first team games where he led the Indomitable Lions to two titles in 2000 and 2002.

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Editor Daily: ROSE MOSES

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 2016

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Mikel’s future still in limbo!

P 29

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N Gernot Rohr tips Kelechi Iheanacho to make the short list for next CAF African Footballer Award.

Yusuf

Rohr tips Eagles’ trio for CAF Award

igeria coach Gernot Rohr has tipped Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses to make the short list of the next CAF African Footballer Award.

Worried over the soccer prowess of Nigerian players, Rohr without mincing words, tipped Premier League stars like Iheanacho, Iwobi and Moses to be seriously considered for the next CAF Footballer of the Year after no Nigerian player made this past year’s award.

“I am sure next year one of Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses will be in the final shortlist for the Africa Player of the Year award,” he predicted.

The experienced Franco-German coach also added that he is considering recalling youngster Victor Osimhen.

Rohr first called up Osimhen, MVP of the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, for his first game in charge against Tanzania in September, but he has since overlooked the young centreforward.

Osimhen will this month sign a professional contract with German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg and Rohr has now said he will be reconsidered for the full international team.

“Victor Osimhen is having a good beginning at Wolfsburg. I spoke with Wolfsburg manager and he said Victor is doing very well.

And who says Victor who will be playing in the Bundesliga cannot come and play as our number nine,” Rohr said in an interview.

The 18-year-old Osimhen has already featured for the country’s U-20 and Olympic teams.

Oduamadi resumes training

with Milan N namdi Oduamadi has resumed full training with Serie A side AC Milan after his loan spell with Finnish club HJK Helsinki in 2016.

Oduamadi who has been on loan to eight clubs from the San Siro outfit is ready to fight for his place in Vincenzo Montella’s team as they aspire for a Champions League spot.

The 26-year-old Nigeria international who netted seven times in 28 league games of HJK last year, took to his Instagram page to share a picture of his training.

Neymar

Oduamadi

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

Banks in Calabar decry inadequate cash flow Page B3

MTN may exit Nigeria over fines, others Tony Nwakaegho (with Agency report) Indication has emerged that MTN may exit Nigeria over what it terms incessant imposition of fines and penalties on it by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and endless harassment by the National Assembly through Senate probes.

A senior executive of MTN Nigeria told Business Journal during a chance meeting in Lagos recently.

Business Journal quoted the official as saying that “Nigeria of today is a very hostile operating environment for MTN. Can you imagine that the NCC imposed a $5.2 billion/N1.04 trillion fine on MTN over unregistered SIM cards, tarnishing the brand reputation of the company across the world?

It seems very clear that the NCC EVC, Danbatta, came into office with a negative mindset to kill MTN. And before we could recover from that dark episode, the Senate began harassing the company over an alleged illegal transfer of $13.2 billion. I can tell you that one or two directors of MTN are already discussing the possibility of MTN leaving Nigeria if the endless hostility of NCC and Senate continues unabated this year.”

The NCC imposed a fine of $5.2 billion on MTN in 2015 over the sale of unregistered SIM cards.

The fine was later reduced to N330 billion over a period of three years.

In the same vein, the Senate also commenced investigation against MTN Nigeria over an alleged illegal transfer of $13.2 billion from Nigeria to its headquarters in South Africa through Diamond Bank, Citigroup, Stanbic IBTC and Standard Chartered Bank.

MTN Nigeria is the largest telecom operator in Nigeria with 39.91 percent of the market as at November 30, 2016. This translates to 61.2 million subscribers, according to latest figures from the NCC.

BUSINESS TIMES Editor Andrew Odioko Head Business Azubike Nnadozie Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

Second coming of Yinka Adepoju as OYSAA boss Page B6

Thursday, January 5, 2017

FG to train, empower 10,000 ex-militants in agriculture

Page B7

39 companies to bid for Nigerian crude for 2017/2018

Opeoluwani Akintayo

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has slated 39 companies to bid for Nigeria’s oil during 2017/2018, even as it released the list of bidders yesterday.

Announcing the results on its Website, the Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division, Mele Kyari, said the contract would be for one year with effect from January 1, and the allocation

of crude oil will be for 12 circles.

The 39 winners include 18 Nigerian companies, 11 international traders, five foreign refineries, three National Oil Companies (NOCs), and two NNPC trading arms.

The contracts were for 32,000 barrels per day except for Duke Oil Ltd which will lift 90,000 barrels per day.

A total of 224 bids were submitted by companies seeking to purchase and lift Nigerian crude oil

grades for the period 2017/2018, according to the list released.

Indigenous companies to benefit are Oando, Sahara Energy, MRS Oil and Gas, AA Rano, Bono, Masters Energy, Eterna Oil and Gas, Cassiva Energy, Hyde Energy and Brittania-U. Others are NorthWest Petroleum, Optima Energy, AMG Petroenergy, Arkiren Oil and Gas Limited, Shoreline Limited, Entourage Oil, Setana Energy and Prudent Energy.

Foreign companies to benefit are Trafigura, ENOC Trading, BP Trading, TOTAL Trading, UCL Petroenergy, Mocho, Tevier Petroleum, Heritage Oil, Levene Energy, Glencore and Latasco Supply and Trading.

Five foreign refineries to also take part include, Hindustan Refinery, Varo Energy, Sonara Refinery, Bharat Petroleum and Cepsa while the NOCs are India Oil Company, China (Sinopec) and South Africa (Saccoil).

L-R: Managing Director, Nigerite Limited, Mr. Frank Le Bris; Mr. Emmanuel Olushola Egbedi, Long Service Award recipient, displaying his award; and Chief Financial Officer, Nigerite Limited, Mr. Tijani Tajudeen Adio, during the firm’s end of the year party and Long Service award in Lagos… recently.

SON to destroy N400m worth of seized tyres Godwin Anyebe The Director General of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Mr. Osita Aboloma, has said that fake and substandard tyres worth about N400 million seized from dealers across the country by officials of the agency are set for destruction.

Aboloma, who made this known in Abuja recently, said

that the tyres, which had been in the agency’s warehouses, were seized by the agency’s enforcement officers in an operation that lasted for months.

“We will continue to take necessary steps towards cleaning up our economy and our country of substandard products so that Nigerians will have the benefit of enjoying quality and safe products.

It is also of creating space for Nigerian-made products

to sell, the reason being that, right now, many quality local products are being choked by cheap imported but substandard ones,” Aboloma stated.

He advised motorists to take precautions and measures that will safeguard their passengers’ lives on the highways.

While he blamed the motorists for causing accidents on Nigerian roads due to their carelessness and their desire

to make maximum profits, he also enjoined them to always check the status of their tyres before embarking on journeys.

According to him, the SON would continue to come up with policies that will enlighten Nigerians as well as make moves to reprimand offenders who engage in acts that are not in accordance to laid down procedures to the existence of Nigerians.

Capital Market B2 Afolabi Adesola The equities market yesterday further declined at the close of trading as benchmark index plunged by 0.46 percent.

The All-Share Index (ASI) closed at 26,495.04, shedding 121.85 from the previous closing figure of 26,616.89. Market capitalization dropped N41.9 billion to settle at N9.116 trillion.

Investors traded 602.0 million shares valued at N1.2 billion in 2,150 deals, in contrast to 3.4 billion units of shares, worth N3.8 billion exchanged by investors in 2033 deals transacted during the preceding day.

The negative trend showed that most sector indices plummeted except for the NSE Premium index that grew slightly The index was driven by Zenith Bank that grew 1.04 percent to close at N14.55 per share, and the NSE ASeM index that added 0.57 percent driven by a 1.19 percent growth of Omoluabi Savings Banks to close at 85 kobo per share.

The Banking index recorded the highest decline of 1.6 percent

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Market capitalization sheds 0.46 percent for N9.12tr close on the back of falling share prices of Guaranty, ETI, Wema, and Stanbic.

Other sectoral decliners were the NSE 30 and the Insurance and Pension Index that fell 0.6 percent each, while the Oil and Gas dropped 0.5 percent as Oando, Forte Oil recorded losses of 3.80 and 0.74 percent, respectively.

The market recorded 14 gainers against 17 losers at the close of trade. Vitafoam emerged the highest gainer by 4.96 percent to settle at N2.54, followed by Livestock Feeds as it appreciated 4.76 percent to close at 88 kobo, and UAC-Property that gained 4.73 percent to close at N2.88.

Africa Prudential Registrars increased 3.09 percent to close at N3, while UCAP also grew 2.85 percent to close at N2.89.

Ashaka Cement led the decliners table with 4.91 percent to close at N11.43. Guaranty Trust Bank followed with a loss of 4.58

percent to close at N22.90, while Diamond Bank fell 4.44 percent to close at 86 kobo.

Cement Company of Northern Nigeria depreciated 4.21 percent to close at N4.55, and Oando plunged 3.80 percent to close at N4.30.

Top traded stocks were Unity Kapital Assurance with 436 million units of shares valued at N335.7 million. Omoluabi Savings and Loans followed with 104 million shares valued at N83.3 million while UBA traded 9.2 million shares worth N41.7 million.

UCAP traded 6.7 million shares for N19.4 million and Guaranty emerged the fifth most traded stock with 5.2 million shares worth N120.6 million.

Meanwhile, Investors have reacted positively to the release of Vitafoam Nigeria’s full year 2016 results on Tuesday, as the stock recorded the highest percentage appreciation of 4.96 percent to

settle at N2.54 per share.

Vitafoam Nigeria had announced a loss after tax of N32 million for its financial year ended 30th September 2016, reducing its losses by 55.5 percent from N72 million recorded as loss after tax for the same period of 2015.

The company’s results also

Summary of activities on NSE ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE CAP

26,495.04 2,150.00 602,047,325.00 10,078,152,395.76 1,204,262,945.99

Firm advises hedging against dollar risk Bonny Amadi

Deputy Managing Director, FirstBank, Gbenga Shobo (Middle); Executive Chairman and CEO of EbonyLife TV, Mo Abudu ( third left); Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, FirstBank, Folake Ani-Mumuney (second right) presenting the star prize to the winners of the FirstBank FirstStars Reality TV show (Team Sisterly).

Higher yield for long-term over short-tenor bonds

Bonny Amadi

Trends in the debt instrument market have shown that long-term instruments are generating higher yields than shortterm bonds, reflecting market sentiments at the beginning of the year.

The market sentiment which ushered in trading for the year reflected that investors were largely bearish in the bond market as yields trended upwards across the curve.

This increase in yields was more pronounced on long-dated

maturities especially on the July 2034, up 39 bps to 15 .64%. .While the yield on the 7yr benchmark bond inched up 4bps, the yield on both the 7yr and 10-year benchmark bonds increased by 111bps to 15.83%, and 16.19% respectively.

Analysis of the debt market performance as the trading year opens on good note showed that for the first day of trading on 3rd January, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) conducted an Open Market Operation (OMO) auction selling N50.8billion worth of 184 day- and 352-day tenure bills

at 18.00 per cent and 18.60 per cent stop rates, respectively.

However, irrespective of the potential adverse impact the auction may have for system liquidity, money market rates declined across all the tenured bonds.

While the three months and six months NIBOR rates declined by 40bps and 45bps to 18.15 per cent and 21.76 per cent respectively, the one month NIBOR rate declined by 103 bps to 16.69 per cent. Going forward, Analysts summed that market activity would largely be driven by liquidity levels.

showed that profit before tax dropped 71.3 percent to N61.2 million from N213.1 million recorded for 2015 financial year, while a revenue of N13.6 billion was posted for the 2016 year, representing a decrease of 19.5 percent from N16.9 billion recorded in the previous year.

A capital market services provider, Infoware, has urged investors to ensure that dollar risks are hedged this year in order to secure superior investment advantage.

The investment history in the country, according to Infoware, has shown that the better-performing equities can vary from year to year, hence difficult to predict. “However amidst the obvious volatile stock market in Nigeria today, adventurous investors are seeking for how to hedge their portfolios and strategically position themselves in the market based on perceived implications of the incoming Trump administration on US dollar exchange rate.

In its recent newsletter made available to Daily Times, the company urged investors to take the benefit of marketfriendly tools to mitigate losses, moderate shocks and grow earnings in 2017.

“In the new year, the ability to manage risk and maximize returns will be paramount in the minds of both retail and institutional investors,” said the company.

The tailored services, the company said, provide the most comprehensive set of tools both via its free Finance portal and on mobile applications.

The services to mitigate risks in 2017 financial year, the company said, would assist the

investor to know the best entry and exit points to lock in gains in companies. “Investors are well advised to use the extensive but price trigger notifications to set their best entry and exit points and get instant email alerts in real time once those triggers are met.”

The company urged investors to ensure efficient tracking of their portfolios, creating personalized watch lists, following market news in real time as well as market analysis and market-focused programmes, According to the firm, hedging dollar risk in 2017 is imperative as the US president-elect has assured of a greater focus on the devaluation of the dollar to offset mounting debt and lure American companies in the Diaspora.

It noted that currency swings could and do have the impact on foreign investors over selected periods, adding that in developed nations, when currencies are devalued, it is to encourage exports, because the prices of local products serve as an incentive and a toast for foreign buyers. However, that is not the same in Nigeria.

Infoware noted that even as the Nigerian capital market has remained bearish since the nation went into recession, the mood in the capital market is stimulated by the on-going political activities, foreign exchange rates and the usual forthcoming emergence of new US president.

Money Market B3

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Naira appreciates to N487/$1 at parallel market Stories by Motolani Oseni The Naira yesterday appreciated by N3 to close at N487 per US dollar from Tuesday’s N490, having traded for 495 per dollar last Friday when the market closed for the New Year holiday.

Towards the end of 2016, the Naira had stabilized at N485 against the dollar for about two weeks but fell on Friday to N495 at the parallel market, as the greenback’s scarcity worsened ahead of the New Year celebration.

The local currency, however, traded flat at the official interbank window and on the parallel

market on the first trading day of the year, while stocks fell almost one percent in trading dominated by losses in petroleum, banking, and brewery shares.

The naira closed at 305 a dollar on the official window, the same rate it closed on the last working day of 2016. The currency initially traded at 315.50 to the dollar but gained after the central bank sold $1.5 million in the market.

On the parallel market, the naira maintained the trading rate at 490 to the dollar, the same price it was sold on Monday.

Earlier in the week, United Capital said in a research note to clients, “In the week ahead, we expect pressure on the naira to

linger, especially at the parallel market, as unmet demand from the official market continues to stoke imbalances.”

Meanwhile, the nation’s external reserves had a balance of $25.781 billion by 29 December 2016, showing a decline of $3.288billion while compared with the $29.069 billion it stood by 31 December 2015, latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data has shown.

This is even as the apex bank reiterated its commitment to its pledge to ease the foreign exchange pressure on manufacturing and agricultural sectors through forward sales under the new flexible Foreign Exchange

regime.

However, the latest foreign exchange reserves statistics represent a 12.7 percent decline yearon-year (y/y), but increased by 4.2 percent month-on-month, up from $24.69 billion on Nov.28 to $25.781, due to a slight recovery in global oil prices.

Despite demand pressure, the nation’s external reserves and the volume of money or other assets held by the central bank have recorded an increase of $642 million in one month, after weeks of consistent and gradual gains.

The increase now brings reserves to $24.57 billion as at November 24, up from $23.93 billion in the preceding month.

It also closed up a two-month decline to $247 million, after losing $836 million between September ($24.74) and October ($23.91).

All these are in spite of a US$2.3 billion decline in average inflows of foreign exchange into the CBN every month over the last 26 months according to the apex bank governor.

However, CBN disclosed in its data on foreign exchange utilization for October 2016, that it granted access to about 7,792 requests for foreign exchange, valued at over $867 million through the inter-bank window to enable them to source vital raw materials and spare parts for their respective industries.

Banks in Calabar decry inadequate cash flow Edem Edem, Calabar

PMI rises 11.2% in one month Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) for the Nigerian manufacturing sector has shown a strong rebound from 48.8 percent in November to 50.0 percent in December; an appreciable growth rate of 3.2 percent in one month, data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has shown.

The index update is a familiar data release at the start of the calendar month in developed markets (such as the ISM in the US), the larger emerging markets such as China and a few other frontiers. It is based upon the responses of manufacturers to set questions on core variables in their businesses.

However, the apex bank said that the manufacturing sector expanded in December for the first time in 11 months, signaling a recovery from the economic which prevailed in 2016.

The index had recorded decline in the preceding 11 months.

CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said, “Eight of the sixteen sub-sectors surveyed recorded

expansion in the review month in the following order: cement, food, beverage and tobacco products; textile, apparel, leather, and footwear; plastics and rubber products; paper products; appliances and components; chemical and pharmaceutical products; and furniture and related products.

Production level index “The fabricated metal products subsector remained unchanged, while the remaining seven subsectors declined in the order: computer and electronic products; electrical equipment; primary metal; transportation equipment; petroleum and coal products; printing and related support activities; and non-metallic mineral products.

“At 57.6 index points, the production level index for manufacturing sector indicated the sector expanded in the review period, compared to the decline recorded in the preceding eleven months.

At 51.8 points, the new orders index showed expansion in new orders after eleven months of contraction. It stood at 45.1 in No-

vember 2016.

“At 47.9 index points, the supplier delivery time for manufacturing sub-sectors contracted in the month of December 2016, after nine consecutive periods of expansion.

Employment level index in the month of December 2016 stood at 48.6 points, indicating declines in employment level for the twentysecond consecutive month.

However, the index shows a slowing contraction in manufacturing employment when compared with the level in the preceding month.

“At 51.6 index points, the index shows an expansion in raw materials inventory in the review month, after declining for eleven consecutive months.”

The report also revealed a slowing of the decline in the nonmanufacturing sector in during the month. It stated that: “Business activity, new orders, employment level and raw materials inventories in the non-manufacturing sector declined at a slower rate in December 2016.

Commercial banks in Calabar, Cross River state are experiencing inadequate cash to dispense to customers who just came back from Christmas and New Year public holidays.

Our correspondent who went round banks in Calabar observed that banks hardly gave out the exact amount of money demanded by their customers.

The banks either give out half or one-quarter of the money.

“We don’t have enough money to dispense to customers. That had been our greatest headache this time around.

All efforts to get enough money from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) proved abortive.

Hence, we have to cut down on the demand of our customers.

We regret such happenings but we have no alternative because we have to service everybody,” a banker said.

He further said that although the customers have pressing needs and the money in the banks’ positions are customer’s money, the banks owed the customers obligation to give them

Queing at Nigerian Bank

their money on demand, but the banks cannot help the situation.

The banks, according to some staff who pleaded anonymity begged customers to understand even as they pleaded with the federal government to release the money so that people can have access to it.

At Ekondo Microfinance Bank and other banks visited, civil servants who had their December salaries paid to them could not get all their entitlements because there was not enough cash. Some workers who went to the bank around 9 am had to wait until 3.30pm before money was given to them.

“We were here since 10 am but could not get our money until 4 pm when bank officials came back from an unknown destination,” a staff from the local government affairs office told our correspondent.

However, some aggrieved government workers who confided in our correspondent lamented over their experience during the celebration. “We did not get our December salary and now that it came, we cannot get our complete money.

B4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Bonny Amadi ????

Analysis of ?ing, why have you not paid your shareholders,� he said.

B5

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

D aily M ark e t Ro u n d U p To p 10 Tr a d es b y V olu m e

To p 10 G ain ers

Sust a i n e d Pr o f i tD o w n 46 b ps Th e Eq uities m ark e t close d n e g a tive t o d ay as t h e A ll Sh are In d ex (ASI) lost 46b ps t o se t tle a t 26,495.04 p oin ts w hile YTD loss w orse n e d t o -1.4 % .

Co nse q u e n tly, invest ors lost N41.9b n as m ark e t ca pit aliz a tio n se t tle d a t N9.1t n. Th e n e g a tive close ca n b e a t trib u te d t o sust ain e d pro fit-t a kin g in b a n kin g st ocks - G U A R A N T Y (-4.6 %) a n d ETI (-2.4 %)

a n d w e a k er a p p e tite

f or W A PC O (-2.3 %). A ctivity level w as also t hin as volu m e a n d valu e tra d e d f ell 41.7 % a n d 36.5 % t o close a t 62.1m u nits a n d N785.3m resp ectively.

A ll Se c t o r In d ic es Cl ose i n t h e Re d Sect or p erf orm a nce w as b e arish as all in dices tre n d e d so u t h w ard. Th e Ba n kin g in d ex e m erg e d t h e w orst p erf ormin g in d ex, d o w n 1.6 % o n acco u n t o f d eclin es in G U A R A N T Y (-4.6 %) a n d ETI (-2.4 %). Th e In d ustrial G oo ds in d ex traile d, losin g 1.0 % du e t o losses in CC N N (-4.2 %) a n d W A PC O (-2.3 %) w hile t h e Insura nce in d ex d eclin e d 0.6 % - pressure d by C O N TINSURE (-3.0 %)

Tick er VIT A F O A M LIVEST O CK U A C-PROP A FRIPRU D UC AP FLO URMILL FIDELITYBK U NITYBN K AIIC O UB A

Price (N) 2.54 0.88 2.88 3.00 2.89 18.49 0.85 0.58 0.61 4.51

Price Ch g % 5.0 % 4.8 % 4.7 % 3.1 % 2.8 % 2.7 % 2.4 % 1.8 % 1.7 % 1.3 %

Price (N) 11.43 22.90 0.86 4.55 4.30 0.96 1.02 0.71 9.54 40.00

Price Ch g % -4.9 % -4.6 % -4.4 % -4.2 % -3.8 % -3.0 % -2.9 % -2.7 % -2.4 % -2.3 %

Tick er O M OSA V BN K UB A UC AP G U ARA N TY TRA NSC ORP O ANDO ZENITHB A N K W APC O FBN H A CCESS

Price Ch g % 1.2 % 1.3 % 2.8 % -4.6 % 0.0 % -3.8 % 1.0 % -2.3 % -2.1 % 0.7 %

To p 10 Tr a d es b y V alu e

To p 10 Losers Tick er ASH A K A CE M G U ARA N TY DIA M O N D BN K CCN N O ANDO C O NTINSURE NE M STERLN B A N K ETI W APC O

V olu m e (m) 104.0 9.2 6.7 5.2 4.6 3.7 3.6 2.9 2.8 2.6

Tick er NB G U ARA N TY W APC O O M OSA V BN K FO ZENITHB A N K UB A UC AP O ANDO A CCESS

V alu e (m) 226.0 120.6 117.2 83.3 52.2 51.3 41.7 19.4 16.0 15.1

Price Ch g % 0.0 % -4.6 % -2.3 % 1.2 % -0.7 % 1.0 % 1.3 % 2.8 % -3.8 % 0.7 %

NSE A ll Sh ar e In d e x

29,000

NSE All Share Index

Naira Value (m)

12,000

a n d N E M (-2.9 %). Similarly, t h e O il & G as in d ex sh e d 46b ps as invest ors soldo f f o n O A N D O (-3.8 %) a n d F O RTE (-0.7 %) w hile t h e Co nsu m er G o o ds in d ex close d t h e d ay fla t tish.

28,000

10,000

27,000 8,000

Se n t i m e n t

Re m a i ns

Weak

as

Po r t f o li o

M a n a g e rs

Re b a l a n c e

to

26,000

Invest or se n tim e n t re m ain e d so f t t o d ay as m e asured by m ark e t bre a d t h

25,000

U n d e r w e i g h t E q u i t i es

6,000

w hich st o o d a t 0.8x (14 a dva ncin g st ocks a g ainst 17 d eclin ers) rela tive t o 0.7x

04-Jan

01-Jan

29-Dec

26-Dec

23-Dec

20-Dec

17-Dec

14-Dec

11-Dec

08-Dec

05-Dec

`

02-Dec

29-Nov

26-Nov

23-Nov

20-Nov

e q uities as p art o f 2017 invest m e n t stra t e gy. Give n t h e b e arish se n tim e n t in

22,000 17-Nov

se aso n al tre n d, as w e h a d exp ect e d p ort f olio m a n a g ers t o u n d er w eig h t

14-Nov

b e arish se n tim e n t since t h e t urn o f t h e ye ar is in lin e w it h projectio n a n d

2,000

23,000

11-Nov

G U A R A N T Y (-4.6 %) a n d DI A M O N D (-4.4 %) w ere t h e w orst p erf orm ers. Th e

08-Nov

LIV EST O C K (+4.8 %) a n d U A C-PR O P (+4.7 %) w hile A SH A K A CE M (-4.9 %),

4,000 24,000

05-Nov

in t h e previo us sessio n. Th e b est p erf ormin g st ocks w ere VIT A F O A M (+5.0 %),

t h e m ark e t a n d w it h lit tle f un d a m e n tal drivers t o su p p ort p erf orm a nce, w e exp ect t h e Be nch m ark in d ex t o co n tin u e t o p ost losses u n til b arg ain o p p ort u nities surf ace.

Term of t h e d a y D e m u t u aliz a tio n is w he n a m u t u al com p a ny o w n e d by its Cash Flo users/m e mw b ers co nverts in t o a com p a ny o w n e d by sh are h old ers. In ef f ect, t h e users/m e m b ers exch a n g e t h eir rig h ts o f use f or sh ares in t h e d e m ut u aliz e d com p a ny a m o u n ts ch arge d o f f f or d e precia tio n, a m ortisa tio n, a n d extra ordin ary ch arg es; or cash receip ts min us cash p aym e n ts.

M a cr o e c o n o m ic G ist Th e Fe d eral G overn m e n t o f Nig eria is said t o b a n t h e im p ort a tio n o f re fin e d p e trole u m pro d ucts by t h e ye ar 2018. This w as m a d e k n o w n by t he M inist er o f Scie nce a n d Tech n olo gy, Dr. O g b o n n aya O n u. A ccordin g t o him f Pe trole u m Exp ortin g Co u n tries is n o t b ein g m e t as a result o f t he m e n ace o f insurg e ncy;

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

B6 Brands & Marketing

Insight Publicis wins PepsiCo Creative in 14 markets Stories by Godwin Anyebe One of the leading creative agencies in Nigeria, Insight Publicis, has added to its kitties the account of PepsiCo in 14 different markets in Africa.

The agency which already has control of Pepsi’s creative brief in Nigeria will now do same for 14 markets.

The agency has already started work on the new brief and

will soon rollout a new campaign for Mirinda, one of the major brands under the PepsiCo product portfolio.

Insight which is one of Nigeria’s biggest agency, has since signalled its intention to play in the highly competitive waters of global advertising, and this triumph takes the agency a step closer to that expectation.

The account was won after a very intense contest which set the agency up against some of

the big agency networks in the world.

The contest for the multi-billion naira account was a twolegged tie, as an initial presentation was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and the final leg took place in South Africa. At the end of it all, it was Nigeria’s Insight Publicis that was adjudged the most creative.

Speaking on this development, Feyi Olubodun, Insight Publicis CEO, said “This was a

pitch that took over 6 months.

We had to go over to Ethiopia to make the first presentation and then we made it again in South Africa before we were awarded the piece of work.”

Insight has been the creative agency for PepsiCo representative in Nigeria, SevenUp Bottling Company, for the last 26 years, and over the period, it has built different brands on SBC’s portfolio to market leadership position.

Why we are supporting Borno IDPs – NBC In furtherance of its Corporate Social Responsibility commitment to promote better and sustainable living, Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (NBC), has donated relief items to residents of the Teachers’ Village Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Maiduguri, Borno State. The handover of the relief materials took place within the IDP Camp premises recently, and witnessed a large turnout of the camp residents, community leaders and traditional rulers.

Speaking at the formal handover ceremony, Legal, Public Affairs & Communication Director for NBC, Mrs. Sade Morgan, said, “The gestureis a combined initiative of NBC Management, NBC branch of the Food, Beverage & Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB) and National Union of Food, Beverage, & Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), together with personal contributions from individual employees of NBC.” “At NBC, one of our major aims is to continuously champion and drive investment in the well-being of our host communities through intervention programs in the areas of skill acquisition for the youth, women empowerment initiatives, provision of sustainable water solutions to households and other environmental sustainability initiatives.”, Mrs. Morgan stated further.

Promasidor is NIPR’s ‘Best Company in Education’ L-R: Omotayo Azeez, Public Relations Manager, Power Oil; Kingsley Onyeochara, Shopper at the Mall and Oyeyemi Fagbemi, Area Marketing Manager, Power Oil, Lagos during the power oil Free Xmas Gift wrapping Exercise at the Ikeja City Mall Lagos recently.

Second coming of Yinka Adepoju as OYSAA boss

Adepoju

The recent reappointment of Yinka Adepoju by the Oyo State government as Director General of the Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OYSAA) has been viewed by industry watchers as an honour well deserved. Adepoju was the agency’s DG before the appointment of Mr. Babajide Fagade who recently resigned to pursue other ventures.

Daily Times gathered that Adepoju who left for Vanguard newspapers as a special projects expert and later joined Media Link Outdoor Advertising Limited, was re-appointed by the Governor Abiola Ajimobi led govern-

ment recently.

It was gathered that the Abiola Ajimobi led government reappointed Adepoju, a resourceful marketing communication practitioner with sound knowledge of outdoor advertising in Nigeria, in a bid to sanitise the practice of outdoor advertising in Oyo State.

Adepoju who has been in advertising since 1986 attended the prestigious Government College, Apata Ganga, Ibadan, Oyo State and later proceeded to The Polytechnic, Ibadan where he studied Mass Communication and graduated in 1985 after which participated in the man-

datory National Youth Service Corps with Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) in Lagos and Akure respectively.

After his NYSC assignment, he joined Vanguard Media Limited, later made a formal foray into advertising when in 1987. He joined St George’s Publicity Limited for a very short period until 1988 when he moved to Babu Akinbobola and Kole Ademulegun anchored Media Link Advertising Limited, Ilupeju, Lagos where he started as a Senior Client Service Executive till he later became the Commercial Manager and later ended up as the company’s first General Manager.

The efforts of Promasidor Nigeria Limited in elevating the standard of education through its Cowbellpedia Mathematics Television Quiz Show initiative has earned it the ‘Best Company in Education’ in the 2016 Lagos PR Industry Gala and Awards (LaPRIGA) organised by the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos Chapter recently in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the Chairman, Lagos NIPR, Mr. Olusegun McMedal, said the consistency of Promasidor’s Cowbellpedia Mathematics Quiz initiative is commendable, and that it has motivated students to have interest in the subject which is a basic requirement in any profession in life. He affirmed that Promasidor has done well in ensuring that students imbibe the culture of having Mathematics as one of their favourite subjects in school.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Stories by Charles Okonji The Federal Government has disclosed plans to train and empower 10,000 ex-militants in the Niger Delta region on agriculture and its value chain.

According to the federal government, over 40,000 farm workers would be created in 2017 through the training programme.

Brig-Gen Paul Boroh (rtd), Coordinator and Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta, who disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday, stated that the office had keyed into the Green Alternative initiative of the Federal Government through a stra-

FG to train, empower 10,000 ex-militants in agriculture ...To create 40, 000 jobs

tegic partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers programme.

He noted that the Amnesty Office would collaborate with governors of the nine oil producing states, Ministry of Agriculture and National Biotechnology Resource Centre, adding that the training programme would be done in clusters.

Boro pointed out that the office in collaboration with

the Bio-resources Development Agency had developed and equipped more than 200 ex-agitators with tools and research mechanism needed in agriculture, stressing that the dynamics of the CBN Anchor Borrowers’ Programme would not only create millions of jobs but was also capable of lifting thousands of smallholder farmers out of poverty.

The Special Adviser

Adopt scientific measures, Jacobs tells cassava farmers Mr. Umoroye Jacobs, Chairman, Cassava Growers Union (CGU), Abua /Odual Chapter, Rivers State, has called on cassava farmers in the area to adopt scientific methods in the fight against pests.

Jacobs who stated this on Monday during the Union’s 2016 end of year activities in Abuja noted that apart from weeds, pests remain one of the major enemies to the cassava farmers.

He pointed out that pests have been known to attack during the dry and wet seasons with the attendant consequences of low productivity records from farmers.

He urged the farmers to take advantage of the services rendered by the state Ministry of Agriculture in particular and the

B7 AgriBusiness

services of the various District Agric officers across the 23 local government areas of the state.

Jacobs who bragged of large hectares of cassava farm in his local government area advised other state governments to make available inputs like herbicides, pesticides, fertilizers as well as soft loans to farmers in the state to enable them to cope with the challenges of operating bigger

farms.

“Although the government of Governor Nyesom Wike is doing its best in promoting agricultural development, we still call on the state to make available pesticides, herbicides and soft loans for cassava farmers in the state.

The occasion was used to review the successes and failures of the union with a view to charting a way forward for the year 2017.

Mechanised spraying of pestisides

urged the governors of the nine oil producing states to assist in integrating trained youths through a sustainable human capacity development and job opportunities.

He said, “Collaborating with the states will serve as a control post that will enable the Presidential Amnesty Office in Abuja to have a firm control of the beneficiaries at the grassroots.”

He noted that President Buhari’s administration was committed to laying a solid economic foundation for the future through mechanized farming, maintaining that the move is tilted towards ensuring that indigenes of the Niger Delta region earned a living rather than beg for it.

He explained that the nation was blessed with arable land that tolerates cultivation for all seasons,

Boroh

adding that he was committed to exploring the agricultural potential of the nation to its maximum advantage.

Dangote to reopen tomato factory

Dangote tomato

The Dangote Tomato Paste Processing Factory in Kadawa, Kura Local Government Area of Kano State is to resume production in February 2017.

The company, which started production in February 2016, had to suspend operation due to shortfall in supply of the needed raw materials.

Alhaji Abdulkadir Kaita, Managing Director of the company, who disclosed this while addressing newsmen in Kano on Tuesday, noted that preparation for production to resume was at an advanced stage.

He explained that the company had to suspend production when most of the tomato farms in about five states were affected by the dreaded tomato pests, which destroyed all the tomato species in 2016.

Kaita said; “We expect that tomato farmers would have produced enough for the company to process, hence our decision to resume production in February. Many tomato farmers at the Kadawa, Kura, Garun-Malam and Hadeja-Jama’ are at irrigation sites and are expected to produce enough for the company to process.

“We deliberately decided to resume production in February because we don’t want to create a scarcity of the commodity. We want to make sure that there is enough to process so that its price will not go up.”

“All our trained staff are still with us and we are paying them a salary but if there is a need to recruit additional staff, we will do so to ensure effective service delivery. The company has the capacity to process 40 trucks or 1,200 tonnes of fresh tomatoes per day, would soon begin recruitment of additional staff.

Kebbi University to set up four agric training centres

The Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, has stated that it will set up four centres to train farmers on modern agricultural techniques to boost food production in the state.

Bello Shehu, acting Vice-Chancellor of the University, who disclosed this while addressing newsmen, on Wednesday in Aleiro, Kebbi State, stated that the university had already trained relevant staff to carry out the programme which was targeted at supporting

efforts of the Federal Government to diversify the economy through agriculture.

He said; “We will establish four centres within the local communities around the university; we will locate them in Aleiro, Sabiyo, Danwari and Jega. We have received equipment worth one million dollars from Gate and Melinda Foundation which are geared towards making research in order to support farmers and government.

“The foundation also established

a molecular research laboratory and equipped it for the university.

In the whole of Africa, no university has such equipment to carry out research on viral diseases.”

Shehu noted that institution had sponsored some of its lecturers for higher degrees, and had instituted three research projects, one of which was sponsored by a university in Togo, assuring that graduate of the institution that the university would conduct its first convocation this year.

Kebbi Varsity

Audu Ogbeh

Motoring B8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Concept reveals features of Infiniti’s new X3 Fighter

By Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo Infiniti’s new QX50 Concept has shown the possible direction the Nissan-owned premium brand is going with its next mid-sized SUV. Although the showroom version will most certainly be toned down, the concept does imply that the new crossover will spot a bolder and more striking design as it attempts to lure buyers away from competition.

Set to be revealed at the Detroit Motor Show next week, the QX50 Concept also previews some of the semi-autonomous driving

technologies that Infiniti plans to bring to market in the near future.

As with the systems that other premium carmakers are introducing these days, the gadgets still require the driver to take ultimate control, but they will help with things like stop-start traffic on the highway and keeping track of surrounding vehicles.

Infiniti will also be showing off its ground-breaking variable compression ratio engine in Detroit, citing that it’s perfectly suited to

the packaging of the XC50 Concept. Said to be the first production-ready engine of its kind, the VC-Turbo engine can instantly select the most suitable compression ratio (between 8:1 for optimal performance and 14:1 for maximum efficiency) by seamlessly raising or lowering the reach of its pistons.

The 2-litre engine has a targeted output of 200kW and 390Nm, and engineers are aiming to make it 27 percent more efficient than a similarly powerful V6 petrol engine.

Kia releases first images of all-new Picanto

Latest Kia Picanto for 2017

Kia Motors has released images of the all-new Picanto, the thirdgeneration of one of Kia’s global best-selling cars.

Created by Kia’s design centres in Namyang, Korea and Frankfurt, Germany, the new Picanto brings youthful and energetic character to the A-segment.

The new model revealed recently in Kia’s sports-inspired ‘GT-Line’ specification, conveys a more assertive stance through bolder body lines and subtly sculpted surfaces. A 15 mm longer wheelbase (2,385 mm to 2,400 mm) also pushes the wheels further out into each corner for

a more confident appearance.

The Picanto’s colour palette is more vibrant than ever, with a choice of 11 bright paint options designed to make the car stand out.

Inside, Picanto’s suite of hightech comfort, convenience and safety features is underscored by a modern and refined new cabin design. At the heart of the cabin is a new ‘floating’ touchscreen infotainment system, making the latest in-car technology available to occupants.

The Picanto now offers greater potential for customer personalisation, with buyers able to choose from a range of colours for trim and upholstery.

Buyers of the all-new Picanto will enjoy smarter packaging efficiency than ever before, with more cabin and cargo space than rivals in the segment. In spite of its extended wheelbase, the Picanto retains its characteristically compact dimensions. With a shorter front overhang and longer rear overhang, the all-new model is the same length (3,595 mm) as the car it replaces.

According to Kia, the auto company will reveal the allnew Picanto in public for the first time at the 2017 Geneva International Motor Show in March and will go on sale at the end of the third quarter of 2017.

Volvo cars expands production in China Car dealers urge FG to reconsider ban on

Swedish carmaker, Volvo, has unveiled a new manufacturing strategy for China in which production capacity will be increased and China will be developed into a global manufacturing and export hub, servicing growing demand for its new range of cars in the US, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

Volvo said it would produce the top-ofthe-range S90, based on its Scalable Product Architecture (SPA), at its plant in Daqing, Heilongjiang province, in northern China.

It also announced that production of the new S90 premium sedan would in future be moved from Europe to China.

The Swedish company also states that existing and future 60-series medium-sized SPA-based cars will be built at its plant in Chengdu, Szechuan province, in Western China, while its planned 40 series smaller cars, based on its Compact Modular Architecture (CMA), will be made at a plant that is currently being built in Luqiao, 350 km south of Shanghai.

“With three plants – and the designation of one car line for each plant – Volvo creates an efficient production structure ensuring future capacity for growth,” Håkan Samuelsson, president and chief executive of Volvo Car Group, said.

The company said the Luqiao plant, which is owned by Zhejiang Geely Holdings but operated by Volvo Cars, will produce Volvo’s new range of smaller 40-series CMA-based cars, as well as CMA-based cars for LYNK & CO, the new car brand launched in October by Geely Auto, highlighting the growing industrial synergies being developed by the automotive group.

Volvo’s expanded production capacity in China forms an integral part of its broader global industrial footprint.

Volvo currently operates two plants in Europe – in Sweden and Belgium. The Swedish plant in Gothenburg will continue to make other 90 series and 60 series SPA cars while its plant in Ghent, Belgium, will in future be a CMA-only production facility making new 40 series cars.

Volvo is also building a new plant in South Carolina in the US that will also make SPA-based vehicles for domestic US consumption and for export.

The details of Volvo’s new manufacturing strategy in China come the same day it unveiled a new China-built version of its S90 sedan and a top-of-the-line, especially upgraded luxury model called the S90 Excellence, in advance of their first public appearance at the 2016 Guangzhou Motor Show.

importation through land borders

Some car dealers in Lagos have urged the Federal Government to rescind the ban on importation of vehicles through land borders to aid inclusive economic growth and crime reduction.

The car dealers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that the policy was ill-timed considering the economic recession, high foreign exchange rate and increasing unemployment.

NAN recalls that the Federal Government, had on Dec.5, 2016, announced a ban on importation of used and new vehicles through land borders with effect from Jan. 1, 2017.

Prince Kingsley

Godswill, the Managing Director, Attitude Auto Mart, said that the economic situation in the country had reduced the ability of Nigerians to purchase automobiles.

“The car lots of many auto dealers that import massively into the country are almost empty.

“The exchange rate is killing the business and prices of automobiles are going beyond the reach of an average Nigerian.

“The land border ban will further worsen the situation, especially for upcoming car dealers that prefer the land borders because of affordability.

“My appeal to the government is to reverse this order because we are only struggling to survive

in this harsh economic climate.

“We understand that the government needs to improve its revenue base, but it can be done by strengthening the customs service and instilling transparency in its operations,” he said.

Mr. Olaseni Obafemi, the Chief Executive of Emmoba Motors in Lagos, said that a downward review of duties on imported automobiles would boost economic activities while generating more revenue for the government.

“The current price of a vehicle could purchase three vehicles before now due to the fluctuations in the foreign exchange rate.

The Edo Times

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

FRSC to fine one way traffic offenders

Philip Shaibu: The multiple -awards winning Deputy Governor ET 2

ET 3

Nigeria will not witness depression, says Odigie-Oyegun ÏÏÏ National Chairman of

Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki (right) and wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Mariann Shaibu, bearing the Christmas babies of Mrs. Salamat Maiza and Mrs. Aminat Momoh, respectively, delivered at the Central Hospital, Auchi, Edo State.

2017: Obaseki assures on speedy economic recovery Ï^ƍ ƆƂƆƎ ƃƎƆƐƆƎƆƄ ƅ ƋƍƆƐ ƎƄ Ǝ ƒ ƃ ƉƉƄƃƎ ƍ

Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Edo State Governor, Mr. God-

The Edo

T E A M

win Obaseki, has assured the people of the state of a quick economic recovery in 2017, even as he announced the prohibition of activities of private tax collectors in the state.

Gov. Obaseki, who gave the assurance in his New Year broadcast, said he would never betray the confidence reposed in him by the people who elected him governor on September 28, 2016.

He said: `` I would like to use the occasion to express my profound gratitude and appreciation to you for overwhelmingly entrusting me with the responsibility to take charge and to steer the socioeconomic and po-

litical destiny of our beloved state in the next four years. `` I am aware of the enormity of the trust and confidence you have reposed in me and by the grace of God Almighty I will meet your expectations’’.

Obaseki, who reviewed the socioeconomic activities of year 2016 and concluded that although harsh, however, exuded confidence that 2017 would be better for the people of the state. ``As we reflect on 2016, we have every reason to be thankful to God Almighty for preserving us and our country. 2016 was a year of challenges, difficulties, excitements and opportunities. ``Undoubtedly, the economic recession unleashed unprecedented

Special Project Editor Sam Nzeh

Correspondent Titus Akhigbe

difficulties on individuals, families and communities as no aspect of our economic and social life was spared the severe economic hardship. ``Because of the drop in the price of crude oil and the vandalism of pipelines, we saw the value of our currency decline significantly. ``We also saw industries and businesses shut down, while people lost their jobs, the level of unemployment has continued to rise; all these have thus led to increase in crime and poverty in the land. ``In spite of the difficulties and gloom, 2016 nonetheless, experienced some bright moments for us in Edo State for which we are grateful to the Almighty.’’

He said Edo people remained the most fortunate, describing the coronation of Oba Ewaure II, the Great and his election as governor of the state, as two memorable events in the annals of the state in particular and the nation in general in 2016. `` By providence, we had the opportunity to show the world the rich

tradition and culture of the Edo civilization during the coronation of our most revered Royal Majesty Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Eware II, the 40th Oba of the Benin Kingdom. ``This generational display of splendor and culture fortuitously coincided with my victory and inauguration as the 5th Governor of Edo State,’’ he said.

According to him, ``these challenges and changes in the outgoing year, therefore offer us an opportunity to create a society where we can utilize our historic, cultural and logistic advantages for economic prosperity and social stability.

He therefore disclosed that his government would speedily put in place mechanisms, policies and programmes that would galvanize the economy of the state and make it haven for investments. ``As we therefore strengthen our democratic and other institutions, they will serve as a bastion to propel our economic revolution.

“The advantages which Edo State has in agriculture, the creativity and CONTINUED ON PAGE ET 2

the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has affirmed that Nigeria will never go into depression.

Rather, he stated that the country is gradually getting out of recession.

According to him, all the government’s policies are geared towards ensuring that the country gets out of recession and experience a very robust economy.

“We are working. The government is working. We are not thinking of depression. We are thinking of how to get out of recession. All government policies are geared towards the country getting out of recession,” he posited.

According to him, the Federal Government is working towards improving on the power sector which when achieved will be a plus for our industrial revolution.

Oyegun said that the current recession that the country is going through is a welcome development as it has helped Nigerians in cutting down their excessive lifestyle.

On the low key of the Christmas celebration, the APC chieftain asserted that “what is important is that you can see signs of people having fun. This means people are contented and happy. Those are good signs.

“That is not to say that there is no sign of belt tightening. We were becoming wasteful. Now we are all been forced to adjust and measure the way we spend money. That adjustment is going on. The economy is now enhanced,” he explained.

On rice consumption and production, Oyegun stressed that Nigerians now compare the quality of the different rice been produced locally, a sign that “people are now domesticating their taste.”

He prophesised that Nigeria may start exporting rice to other parts of the world in 2017.

Oyegun gave the thumbs up to the military for its “gallantry in ensuring that finally the brigands {Boko Haram} were dealt with decisively.”

He described the routing of the insurgents as the “best ever Christmas gift to Nigeria in recent times.”

Going further, he said that it (insurgency) is almost behind us, adding: “I won’t be surprised if there is occasional noise making.

To me, they have been completely dealt with.”

The Edo Times 2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

FRSC to fine one way traffic offenders

ÏÏÏ Edo State command of the Fed-

eral Road Safety Commission (FRSC) has pegged fifty thousand naira fine for one way traffic offenders or face the option of a mobile court.

The state sector commander, Mr. Samuel Odukoya, disclosed this to Edo Times in Benin, stating that the process would begin next week.

He said this while evaluating the successes recorded by the commission in the reduction of number of crashes and death in 2016.

The sector commander observed that the commission would continue to improve on its campaign of educating road users on safety and the dangers of not conforming to traffic rules.

He emphasised that in the year 2016, the Corps recorded road crashes

of 220 with 112 deaths as against 251 crashes with 163 deaths recorded in 2015.

While harping on zero tolerance of road crashes on our roads, Odukoya vowed to punish traffic offenders who refuse to heed road signs and warnings, stating that 80 percent of road crashes are most times caused by human error.

Odukoya, while expressing pain over the death of one of the Corps personnel by a hit and run driver while on duty, said two of such offenders are now in prison custody, while calling on road users to have a change of attitude on the road.

He appealed to government to help fix failed portions of our roads to stop avoidable crashes.

PANDEF right spokesorgan of N’Delta people, says Ogbebor

ÏÏÏ A veteran of

the Nigeria - Biafra war, Col. Paul Ogbebor (rtd), has thrown more light on the objectives of the recent dialogue between the forum and the Federal Government.

Ogbebor, who is also a key player in the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), said the body is set up to fight for the interest of the people of the Niger Delta speaking with a voice, adding, “We were fed up with the idea of the different groups speaking from different perspectives on issues bothering the region”.

“So, the PANDEF consists of members from different divides of the region speaking authoritatively on issues bothering region,” he added.

He affirmed that the issues that the group presented to President Muhammadu Buhari are all germane.

“None of the issues can be waved aside as being inconsequential. They were all deliberated upon and considered necessary for the sustenance of good government and advancement of the region.

“Contrary to insinuations that

some of the demands of PANDEF are so selfish and uncalled for, we spoke extensively on the issues affecting the region before coming up with those templates,” he stressed.

On claims in some quarters that the PANDEF is made up of elders who are trying to hijack the gains of the youths in bringing attention to the plight of the people in the region, the retired military officer opined that most of the issues canvassed by PANDEF were those that the youths have always grieved about.

“The youths can be described as the foot soldiers while the elders who populate the PANDEF are the conflict resolution arm of the Niger Delta affair.

“The elders and the youths are all agitating for better condition premised on ensuring that the people are not shut out of any good things they deserve as a people.”

On the spate of ethnic militias springing up in some parts of the country, Col. Ogbebor (rtd) said it should be the case.

2017: Obaseki assures on speedy economic recovery CONTINUED ON PAGE AT 2

entrepreneurship of her people and its location and ability to attract industries and develop technical and vocational skills, will in no time, pull us out of the current challenges.’’ ``In 2017, we will continue to build on the successes achieved over the last 8 years at a much faster pace.

Our goal is to attract investments to and make Edo state one of the easiest places to locate businesses and industries in Nigeria. ``We have commenced actions to invest in and improve our technical and vocational schools so that we will train and produce highly qualified and employable people. ``The development of Gelegele as a port and industrial zone is of high priority to the Government and people of Edo State as it will improve the economic competitiveness of

our state. ``I have therefore set up a sevenmember high powered committee headed by Engineer Gregory Ero, to establish Gelegele, as a foremost economic and industrial hub in Nigeria,’’ he said.

Governor Obaseki, who also assured visitors and residents of the state of their continued safety, announced the immediate prohibition of private tax collectors in the state. `` I must quickly mention that one issue that continues to agitate Edo people is the lawless activities of some individuals who persist in harassing and extorting innocent citizens under the guise of collecting taxes and levies. ``The laws of our country vests the responsibility for collecting taxes exclusively on the 3 tiers of government i.e. Federal, State and local governments.

Ban on revenue collection: Firm’s chief urges strict compliance Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ

Following the recent announcement by Governor of Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, baning revenue collection by the agents to the Edo State Government, Chairman of Akugbe Ventures, a Revenue Consultant firm to the Edo State Government, Comrade Tony Kabaka Adun, has urged the agents and members of the public to strictly comply with the directives for the purposes of integrity, just as he had religiously enforced the ban by ordering motorists not to pay money to any person or group of persons.

He gave the charge in his residence in Benin City, on Wednesday, while holding a sensitisation meeting with the Executive and members of Akugbe Ventures on the need to strictly adhere and allow the directive regarding the ban to prevail and subsist in the state, saying that the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, as a renowned

Economist wants to restructure the revenue base of the state in line with the current economic challenges in the country for efficiency and transparency.

Speaking with journalists while responding to the ban, Comrade Adun maintained that the Governor who had demonstrated his capability to turn around the fortune of the state for development, had the prerogative to restructure the revenue generation in the state, hence there was need to join hand with him to enforce the law in order to avoid criminal acts by the socalled agents, who may use the privilege to flout the order and swindle unsuspecting motorists, noting that this present administration is committed to good governance to the people through articulated and consolidated revenue drive.

According to him, Governor Obaseki is a man who does not want people to continually constitute nuisance by intimidating motorists through collection of

revenue, hence he had to come up with this directive so as to allow accountability and transparency, adding that the state needs revenue apart from the federal allocation to develop the state and create job for the youths, especially the first 200,000 jobs earlier promised by the Governor.

Adun, who commended the resilient dispositions of the Governor in taking youth empowerment as a priority of his government, however, urged the people of the state not to be discouraged by the ban, insisting that he (Governor Obaseki) is a God-sent not only to revamp the economy but to alleviate the poverty level of the people through good governance, just as he had ordered the members of the public to report any case of illegal collection of revenue to his office and to the security agents, especially the office of the Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, for appropriate action, noting that he has sent his boys round Benin metropolis to monitor those that may defy the order.

Edo State Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu (right), presenting bags of rice to senior citizens in Jattu/Auchi in Etsako West Local Government Area of the state.....on Boxing Day.

Red Cross donates to physically challenged persons ÏÏÏ

In the spirit of the yuletide, the leadership of the Edo State branch of the Nigerian Red Cross Society on Monday donated a wheelchair to Project Charilove, the home of physically challenged persons in Benin.

Presenting the item to the beneficiary, the Edo State Chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Mr. Festus Alenkhe, said the presentation of the wheelchair was to identify with the less privileged as the world marked Christmas and the New Year festivities.

Alenkhe said the less privileged

ones must be given a pride of place in the society as they also have a role to play in national development.

He pointed out that the Red Cross Society was an International Humanitarian Organisation whose main objective is to render care and assistance to those in need, adding that the seven principles guiding the Red Cross which are humanity, impartiality, neutrality, voluntary service, independence, unity and universality are aimed at boosting the contribution of Red Cross to societal

growth.

The Red Cross Chairman called on spirited individuals and government to continually support the work of humanity.

Receiving the item on behalf of the beneficiary, the Coordinator, Project Charilove, Mr. Chris Omusi, lauded the initiative of the leadership of the Red Cross led by Mr. Festus Alenkhe for the donation of the wheelchair to the home.

He said Project Charilove runs a humanitarian outfit where physically challenged persons are given adequate attention.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Give youths chance to succeed, Osagie urges Obaseki

Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ

United States of America based indigene of Edo State, Mr. Dion Osagie, has appealed to Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to give youths opportunity to occupy public office through which they can contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.

Osagie stated this during a chat with newsmen in Benin, the Edo State capital, noting that the days are gone when the youths are only used to snatch ballot boxes or to actualise the ambition of some greedy politicians.

“Now, than ever before, the youths must be given the opportunity to shine. There is no better time for that than now. Youths hold the key to a brighter future for the state and indeed the country,” he added.

In giving the youths the opportunity to serve the people, Osagie

stressed that all should be done to put the square peg in the square hole, adding that care should be taken in screening nominees for public office.

“All public office seekers should go through proper screening to avoid a situation where charlatans are celebrated and foisted on the people.

“When such happens, the confidence of the people wanes and they see the government as being weak to address certain policy issues.

“I am certain that if the proper procedure is undertaking in selecting people to occupy public office, a good many of such people will be an asset to the state,” he stated.

On foreign investors, Osagie promised to use his extensive international connections garnered in his close to twenty years’ experience traversing the length and breadth of Europe, America, Canada and some other parts of the world would be used to optimum

value in the area of partnering with those interested in agriculture, solid minerals, transportation, health and other critical sectors of the economy.

“Edo State desire to be rated as one of the best states in Nigeria and as such deadwoods should be sieved out of the system for things to move in an upward direction.”

He disclosed that his pet project, Godsent Foundation, in recent times has embarked on a project tagged ‘The Random Act of Kindness’ whereby on a daily basis its operatives move around the city of Benin and adjoining towns to pick street hawkers and empower them with as much as N100, 000 or above which will be enough to make them move up the ladder and do some other meaningful business.

To him, Governor Godwin Obaseki will engrave his name on the sands of history if he can pilot the affairs of the state on a projectile of progress and abundance.

3 The Edo Times

LAPO launches campaign for cancer control …As founder bags UNIBEN Honorary award

Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Lift Above Poverty Organisation

(LAPO) has commenced the implementation of its 2-year Community Campaign for Cancer Control (LAPOC4) Project, designed to mitigate cancer-related deaths with primary focus on prevention and early detection in Nigeria.

Founder of the organisation, Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, while addressing stakeholders at the project flag-off training in Benin City recently, expressed concern that almost 102,000 new cases of cancer occur annually in Nigeria with over 60 percent in women due to breast and cervical cancer.

Represented by the Executive Director, Sabina-Idowu Osehoho, he traced the main barriers to cancer control in Nigeria to poor access to screening services and inadequate awareness, noting that with early

detection, over 80 percent of cancer cases are preventable and 40 percent of the disease eradicated by changes in lifestyle.

Meanwhile, the founder of Lift Above Poverty Organisation (LAPO), Godwin Ehigiamusoe, has been conferred with an honorary Degree of Science (D.SC) by the University of Benin (UNIBEN).

The award is in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the area of empowerment of small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs), promotion of entrepreneurship and business leadership in Nigeria and in sub-Sahara Africa.

In his citation, the orator of the University of Benin, Prof. Eddy Erhagbe, said Ehigiamusoe’s career journey embodies tenacity, continuous development, empathy for humanity, spotting and solving social problems and sharing his experience of building a social enterprise with very useful advice to upcoming social entrepreneurs.

Group pledges to empower more women Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ The

in the state with a view to reducing poverty, especially as it affects women.

Imadojemun explained that during the one week training empowerment programme, participants were trained on how to produce liquid soap, disinfectants, body perfume, air-freshener, make-up, and traditional bead making, among others.

Some participants who excelled during the one-week training were given forty thousand naira (N40, 000) each as a grant to enable them take-off in their respective chosen areas.

Those who benefited from the grant include Blessing Ugboh, Glory Okwe, Stella Ehiokpamwan, Iziegbe Efehi and Esohe Idehen.

All the other participants were given N10, 000 each.

Wife of Edo State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Mariann Shaibu (right carrying a kid) felicitating with inmates at Martha Orphanage Home, Iraokhor, Etsako Central Local Government of the state on Boxing Day.

Coordinator, Excellent Rural Women Empowerment Foundation, Loveth Ivie Imadojemun, has said the body will continue to contribute its quota towards the empowerment of women.

The coordinator of the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) made the pledge at the closing ceremony of a one week training and empowerment programme for some women, organised by the NGO in collaboration with Environmental Right Action, which took place in Benin City recently.

She said the group was founded in 2009 with the aim of tackling the high level of poverty arising from unemployment, adding that the body since inception has trained and empowered numerous women

NASS by-election: Group drums support for candidate

Court grants 2 alleged homosexuals bail

ÏÏÏ

The Etsako Progressive Agenda, a social cultural organisation, has urged progressive minded Etsakos to support the aspiration of Mr. Johnson Oghuma as candidate for the Estako Federal House of Representatives in the upcoming by-election.

The group drummed the support in a statement signed by Dr Sani Usman, a copy of which was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Tuesday.

Oghuma, a former lawmaker, has represented Etsako Central Constituency twice in the Edo House of Assembly.

He is now seeking to replace Mr. Phillip Shaibu as the representative of Etsako Federal Constituency, after the latter was elected

Deputy Governor of Edo State.

The organisation expressed confidence in Oghuma to effectively represent the people at the National Assembly, having delivered on his mandate at the state House of Assembly.

It called on other politicians in the constituency to close rank and support Oghuma, whom it described as an experienced, loyal and grassroots politician.

The group noted that what the federal constituency needed was a bold, fearless person to fill the big shoe left by the deputy governor in the National Assembly (NASS).

“It is time we put aside politics of self-interest and parochial tendencies that has been the bane of politics in Afemai land and sup-

port someone who can represent our people, rather than pretenders who seeks public office for personal benefits.

“We decide to come out this time to ensure that we don’t get anything less than the best for our people because the task of law-making at that level should not be left for neophytes,” it said.

It would be recalled that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, had recently declared the Etsako Federal Constituency seat vacant.

While the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to fix a date for the by-election, no fewer than six aspirants have indicated interest to fill the position.

ÏÏÏ

An Oredo Magistrates’ Court in Benin, the Edo State capital, on Wednesday, granted two alleged homosexuals, Paul Frank, 31, and Ejimofor Christian, 22, N100, 000 bail each.

The Chief Magistrates, Mrs. M.C. Ojobo, who granted the accused persons bail said they should provide a surety each in like sums.

She said that the sureties must be civil servants working with the Edo State Government.

The duo, who are facing charges bordering on conspiracy, unlawful carnal knowledge and stealing were remanded in prison on Dec. 28 for the consideration of their bail applica-

tions.

Earlier, the Prosecutor, O.A. Enebabor, had told the court that the accused committed the offences between Dec. 14 and Dec. 17 at Boundary Road, Benin.

Enebabor alleged that the accused engaged in unlawful sexual act.

He said that the first accused also stole one Techno Y6 Phone valued at N25, 000 from one Solomon Shaibu.

The offences contravened Section 214 (3), 217 (3), 390 (3) and 516 of the criminal Code.

The magistrate adjourned the case to January 17 for hearing.

The Edo Times 4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, January 5, 2017

Philip Shaibu: The multiple -awards winning Deputy Governor Austin Otas-Osegbe

ÏÏÏ

It is barely a month plus that the present administration in Edo State under the pragmatic leadership of Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki assumed office.

In as much as it is too early in the day to begin to assess the performance of the new administration, it is instructive to stress that the body language, pronouncements and actions of the Governor underscore its uncommon determination to consolidate and build upon the monumental legacies of the immediate past administration including the creation over 200,000 jobs – as part of its employment generation agenda in order to boost the social and economic prosperity of Edo State.

Already, deliberate plans are being put in place - culminating in a three-day strategic dialogue organized by the state government to set agenda for the administration.

For record purposes, the strategic dialogue focused on six thematic areas which include Institutional Reform, Infrastructural Development, Social-Welfare Enhancement, Environmental Sustainability, Economic Revolution and Culture/Tourism.

Talking about the Obaseki-led administration, it is fundamental to state that an active player of the team is the ever reliable, dependable and loyal Deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, the indomitable grassroots politician of many positive parts who has paid his dues as far as the governance and development of Edo State in particular and Nigeria as a whole is concerned.

Within the short period he has stayed in office, Comrade Shaibu has been honoured with several prestigious awards from reputable professional groups for his outstanding contributions to country and humanity over the years.

That Comrade Shaibu is being recognised and honoured is an attestation of the holy writ: “Seeth thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before Kings, he shall not stand before mean men”.

At the moment, the Deputy Governor has been honoured with four awards which are very well-deserved.

From the stable of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Edo State Council, is an Award of Excellence bestowed on Comrade Shaibu for his remarkable contributions towards the Politi-

Philip Shaibu cal development of Nigeria.

Speaking at the occasion attended by dignitaries from all walks of life, the NUJ Chairman, Sir, Roland Osakwe, described Comrade Philip Shaibu as a dogged democrat and a true ally of the journalism profession.

Similarly, the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Edo State Branch, gave the Deputy Governor an Award for Exemplary Commitment towards the growth and development of Nigeria and Edo State in particular.

At a colourful ceremony which was held at the Benin Branch Secretariat of the Society, its Branch Chairman, Engr.

(Prof.) Emmanuel Aluyor, stated that Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu was one of the most influential Politicians from Edo State who has endeared himself to the people by virtue of his selfless service.

Also, the Edo State Football Association, under the leadership of Mr. Frank Ilaboya, honoured the Edo State Deputy Governor with an Award of the Grassroots Football Development of the year.

In a citation, Comrade Shaibu was referred to as an ex-footballer with an unwavering support for the growth of grassroots football.

The Ex-Professional Footballers/Coaches Association led by former international, Dahiru Sadi, has officially installed the Deputy Governor, Comrade Philip Shaibu as its Patron for his passion in promoting the game of football.

That Comrade Shaibu is being recognised and honoured is an attestation of the holy writ: “Seeth thou a man diligent in his business, he shall stand before Kings, he shall not stand before mean men Responding at the various events, the Deputy Governor remained his humble self. “I will continue to do my best to serve the people and advance the cause of humanity as long as God gives me life. The only reason I am accepting the award is because there was no strings attached and I never lobbied for it”.

Fellow Nigerians, particularly the good people of Edo State, this is just the beginning. In the months and years ahead, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, the Edo State Deputy Governor will certainly be recognized and honoured with more Awards for his patriotic service to his fatherland and mankind.

Austin Otas-Osegbe is Public Relations Officer, Office of the Deputy Governor, Government House, Benin City

Opinion & News NGO commend Obaseki’s ban on private tax ÏÏÏ The Conference of Non-Gov-

ernmental Organisations (CONGOS) has commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for banning the activities of private tax collectors in Edo State.

CONGOS also urged him to match action with the pronouncements.

The conference said this in a statement signed by its President and Secretary, Mr. Jude Obasonmi and Mr. Enabulele Destiny respectively in Benin on Wednesday.

Obasonmi said the announcement which formed part of the governor’s New Year broadcast, had generated mixed reactions.

“As the conscience of civil engagement, we have decided to respond to the broadcast in line with the key issues. “ “The state government’s plans to invest in and improve technical and vocational schools infrastructure; to develop the Gelegele Port as an industrial zone to improve the economic competitiveness of the state and disbandment of private tax collectors in the state.’’

The conference said the issues were quite apt to the economic development of the state on technical education, but however, made some recommendations that may assist the state government achieve these objectives.

On the technical education, the conference said “the Ministry of Education should be refocused to ensure that the curriculum captures the gap in the sector’’.

“While the organised private sector can be called upon to see how much support and collaboration they can give in the area of investing and improvement.

“The development of Gelegele Port, this has been a promise

made by past administrations, but has not been backed by actions beyond the statement made.

“We look forward to the report and developmental plans from the 7-man committee. This would in no doubt make the Gelegele Port a foremost economic and industrial hub in Edo State.

“This step is highly commendable; however we suggest that the governor himself pay key attention to this developmental step in Gelegele making it a key realisable project in this administration.’’

According to him, the ban on private revenue collector is a welcome development that has been long overdue as it has continually agitated the Edo people with no solution in view.

“We have repeatedly condemned the lawless activities of some individuals who persist in harassing and extorting innocent citizens under the guise of collecting taxes and levies. We appeal to government to have the political will to sustain this arrangement.

“Equally, we call on the Board of Internal Revenue and other relevant agencies to immediately start the transparent process for this revenue drive. There should be clear cut definitions on when to pay, who to pay to and what to collect.

“We are quick to restate that this ban pronouncement should not be the normal ritual. History has it that the previous governments have made such pronouncements but failed to progress in their constitutional requirements to the people.

“What was later seen was policy somersault in the name of politicking at the people’s expense,’’ he noted.

Fadama group lauds SEEFOR project ÏÏÏ The Federated Fadama, a

group of enterprising youths, has lauded the State Employment and Expenditure for Result (SEEFOR) project in Edo, saying that it has been a huge success.

Mr. Henry Ebole, the National Secretary of the body, made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Sunday.

SEEFOR project, which is sponsored by the World Bank and the European Union (EU), engages youths and women who are paid stipends to clean drains, maintain roads and dispose refuse.

The programme which is aimed at reducing poverty and

unemployment has been on in four Niger Delta states of Edo, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers for the past three years.

Ebole said: “The Edo Government has, in conjunction with SEFFOR, given a boost to its youth employment programmes, with the engagement of women and youths across the three senatorial districts.

“SEEFOR project does not only create jobs; it has also assisted farmers in grading farm roads in the state.

“We appreciate the project for the routine maintenance of roads, de-silting of drains, and regular sweeping of roads across the three senatorial districts in the state.”

Life&

TIMES Thursday, January 5, 2017

Omawumi signs with Cabal entertainment

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Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Mutiat Alli

Omawumi signs to music outfit Cabal Entertainment nitely bringing good deals to some of our notable superstars with if you ask me crooner, Omawumi Magbele, signing unto a newly -

pendent artiste for a while is excited about her new deal with the entertain-

group which will henceforth take charge of her management deal and other issues.

Omawumi who has been running her act as an inde-

an accompanying video.

It is, however, important to note that the soulful

Sunny Ade, Kendrick Lamar, Beyonce to perform at Coachella 2017 Living African music legend King Sunny Ade, has joined the line-up of top musicians who will be performing at the 2017 edition Music and Arts Festivals billed to hold April 14 - April 16, 2017 and April 21 - April 23, 2017 at the nia, USA. Sunny Ade will be performing alongside DJ Khalid, Beyonce, Kendrick Lemar, and Tory Lanez amongst others .

Organized by the Golden

the new imprint. The lovethemed single produced by

many genres of music including rock, indie, hip hop, electronic dance music as well as art instal-

be signed on to the music

Badagry to get state-ofthe-art-cinema complex

Sunny Ade lations and sculptures.

It will be recalled that last val saw Nigerian trio, The Young

Beyonce Fathers of Liberian and Scottish origin participate at event alongside African acts such as Black

Alibaba gives Nigerians a hearty New Year’s gift at ‘January 1 Concert’ …As Laff Doctor emerges winner of Spontaneity He knows how to set the pace for others a good way to start the New Year. In its 3rd year, the event has improved tremendously depicting that a lot more work was put into

ers, socialites, politicians, friends and families amongst others.

The night witnessed hilarious performances from a number of fast-rising comedians - giving them an avenue to showcase their ingrained talents.

The fast-rising comedians engaged in a Ali Baba freestyle prowess of each contestant is testaudience. After intense rounds of competitive Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode

Life&

T E A M

Residents of historical Lagos town, Badagry have started looking forward to exponential growth and developtor as Lagos Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode promises to build a state of the art cinema in Badagry within the next 18 months.

This was revealed when the governor visited the town as part of his state tour during the just concluded One Lagos Fiesta.

According to Governor Ambode, the construction of the cinema would

create employment opportunities for Badagry youth, while also boosting the tourism potential of the region which is already popular for popular tourist sites such as the Slave Museum, The Agia many more.

The governor further encouraged young entrepreneurs in the state to take full advantage of the Employment Trust Fund made available by his administration as well as seeking constant opportunities for education and self-enlightenment.

Entertainment Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Abimbola Obatayo

emerged winner, going home with a brand new car.

Popular comedians- Gbenga Adeyinka, Teju Babyface, Bash, Seyi Law, AY, Nedu, Yibo Koko and Alibaba- also took part in a freestyle roast, where each comedian is allowed to pick a topic on a provided list to roast.

Other comedians who performed on the night include Omobaba, Akpororo, Kenny

and Ycee were among the musical acts that graced the stage to deliver stellar performances.

Honorary awards were also presented to

highly revered personalities for their achievements and impact in the society.

A segment of the concert also witnessed en three hours to sew attires for volunteers in cided and rewarded with a brand new sewing machine worth N100, 000 and N300, 000.

Alibaba, also, made the night an unforgetconcert, inducing uncontrolled laughter from the audience each time.

Other talented artistes, prestigious socialites and personalities in attendance included former First Lady of Lagos state, Abimbola Fashola, Mary Akpobome, DJ Jimmy Jatt, Hafeez Oyetoro, Doris Simeon, Faithia Balogun, Nollywood actor RMD, 2face, Mercy Aigbe-Gentry, Toyin Aimakhu, Yaw, and several others.

Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, January 5, 2017

L3 Gist

Mutiat Alli

IMO Record artiste, Ellyman, gives back to society Ellyman

Coming from the stable of IMO Record label, wave -making artiste, Elias Sunday Ogbu, popularly known as Ellyman, is resurfacing into the music scene with his hit track, Got The Money.

Formerly signed to a

music label in Ghana, El-

the music star into the music industry, before releasing his current hit Ellyman, a music producer, is formerly based

in Minna and his journey into the music industry started six years ago, after deciding to relocate to Lagos to push his music career.

Having performed at the recent Nigerian Models and Achievers Award 2016 and Glamour Award that held in Lagos respectively, Ellyman is gradually becoming a household name in the music scene.

Apart from being a musician, Ellyman is also a philanthropist who makes sure he gives back to the society that has done such more for him in his music career.

In the spirit of yuletide, the singer spent his Christmas on several streets in Lagos, reaching out to the people of Makoko, Yaba and Itedo in Ajah with gifts and food items.

#ANewDawnForNaija: Media Panache shares photos depicting the Nigerian economy, future projections

Cross section of members of the media panache team

Lagos- based Public Relations agency, Media Panache Nigeria, has released its resilience-themed photo shoot. Shot by popular celebrity photographer, Shola Animashaun . The thought-provoking pictures convey a tone of hope and steadfastness for Nigeria as a nation; showing unity, hope and prosperity.

With a hospital theatre setting, the is more to them than meets the eye.

New Video Alert: CDQ out with ‘First come, First serve’ General record label act and rapper, CDQ , opens the New Year with a smash(FCFS) as produced by Masterkraft. is sure ready for the game ahead in 2017 nitely raise the ranks of his works on the chart list of this year.

On how prepared he is for the year, CDQ disclosed that 2016 was indeed a great for him and his entire theme and as such 2017 already looked favorable and such all hands are on deck towards making an impact this year.

labour can be seen draped in what appears to be a maternity gown while surrounded by a small assembly consisting of a Muslim cleric (locally called Alfa), a pastor, an Igbo man, a Yoruba man, a Hausa nurse and the doctor as they gather to stand by the about-to-be mother through her excruciating ordeal.

The analogy in the photo mirrors the present embittering state Nigeria has been in the whole of 2016 – but despite the unfavourable condition, we as Nigerians, regardless of the tribe; come together to support our beloved nation; hence the small assembly gathered around the labouring lady.

The second photo however, conveys

an uplifting tone as it embodies a sense of hope, sense of restitution and resurgence for the nation.

In the second picture; the lady has put her hands her baby; the year 2017 while smiling ardently. The people surrounding her are conspicuously in high spirits, too as they congratulate and comfort her.

The second photo depicts a positive note; the birth of 2017. A year of hope and unwavering prosperity for Nigerians and the nation in itself.

Speaking on the concept and the inspiration behind the shoot, the CEO Media Panache Nigeria; Timilehin Bello relatively been through so much totribulation; yet we remain unshaken and undaunted by it.

The loyalty and unprejudiced love from Nigerians towards the nation is an inspiration. The resilience is incredibly commendable. We are basically just trying to remind the whole nation there are better days ahead – 2017 will certainly be a year of unending jubilation!

76’ movie set to hit Ghana cinema tomorrow Critically- acclaimed movie of 2016, “76,” is set to make a debut in Ghana cinema tomorrow, Friday January 6, 2017.

The movie which earned over Choice Awards nominations, including Best Actress for Rita Dominic, Best Actor for Ramsey Nouah, Best Overall Movie, Best Movie West Africa, Best Director,

Best Make-Up Artist, Best Cinematography, Best Art Director among others.

Produced by Adonaija Owiriwa and Tonye Princewill, and directed by Ojukwu, the story in the film is told from two points of view: that of a young pregnant woman, and that of her husband, a soldier accused of being involved in the 1976 military coup

and assassination of General Murtala Mohammed.

The movie featured a stellar cast that includes Ramsey Nouah, Rita Dominic, Ibinabo Fiberesima, Chidi Mokeme, Memry Savanhu, Adonaija Owiriwa, Daniel K. Daniel, Nelly Ekwereogu and Shuaibu Ebenehi Adams.

Ramsey Noah & Chidi Mokeme

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Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, January 5, 2017

Addressing discrimination in Nollywood

By Femi Isaac

...a case of disunity in diversity These are interesting times for the movie industry

It seems that one of the strongest advantages of the