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NIGERIA
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.77
ABUJA
ENUGU
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KANO
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LAGOS
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Sai Baba! ^ ƅ ƗƈƗ ƐƆ Ɠƈ presidential poll at fourth attempt
Nigeria’s solar power capacity hits over 28mw
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Lateef Ibrahim & Mathew Dadiya, ƄƑƉ
ÏÏÏIn
the keenest electoral result Nigeria has ever witnessed, Major General Muham-
Jonathan calls Buhari, concedes defeat
Saraki set to be Senate president?
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madu Buhari on Tuesday emerged Nigeria’s nest president on Tuesday even before the last votecount arrived. The emergence threw many parts of the Federal
ÏÏÏPresident
Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday showed the statesman in him as he doused tension in the country over last weekend’s general election by placing a call to his main CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
MAIDUGURI
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Capital Territory (FCT), Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa and Lagos, among others, into wild jubilation. Incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic
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Party (PDP), who contested and lost, placed a call to Buhari at about 5.15pm to concede defeat and congratulate him. CONTINUED ON PAGE 30
Ï Buhari: Indeed, quitters don’t win Ï Ɔ Ɨ Ƈ Ə ƆƔƐ ƒƐ
6
Ï C Ɛ ô ƋƆ ƅƕ Ƈ ƇƏƆƆè Ƈ ƈƏ ƍ ƋƋ Ï GƆƐ Ɛ ƆƏƆ ƄƆ Ƌƈ Ɛêêê
7 7
BACK PAGE
Fresh fears over global crude oil prices
17
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Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Politics Page Three
3
s
Editorial Agenda for the incoming President
W
e join millions of Nigerians and friends of the country in congratulating Major General Muhammadu Buhari on his victory as Nigeria’s next president. Before now, General Buhari had made three gallant but failed efforts to occupy the highest office in the land through the ballot box. No doubt, the desire to make Nigeria greater than it currently is may have been a force propelling him to continuously seek the people’s mandate in order to achieve the ambition. Now that Buhari has been elected into office, it is pertinent to remind him of what Nigerians want from him. There is no denying that the General knows the myriad of problems facing Nigeria, which have been responsible for the lack of progress in the country. Even at that, there is need to set agenda for him that includes a shopping list of what the citizens want. These include constant power, jobs, end to the Boko Haram insurgency, and an end to a general sense of despondency in the country. First and foremost, no country desiring to develop would ever neglect the power sector, as has been the case in the country for more than three decades. Every modern society depends on electricity for industrial and home use and Nigeria cannot be an exception. That is why the incoming administration must tackle the issue with the utmost urgency it deserves. The present parlous state of the economy is traceable to the lack of sufficient and reliable power. Secondly, the issue of unemployment has been on the front burner over a
long time with successive administrations lacking the ability to tackle it. It is incumbent on the new government to proffer forward-looking policies that will help bring this monster under control in no distant time. It is a crying shame that millions of ablebodied Nigerians are unemployed due to lack of will on the part of successive governments to address the issue. The consequence is the high crime rate and wrenching social dislocation being experienced in the society. Definitely, General Buhari knows that one of the dangers facing the unity of Nigeria is the continuing insurgency by the Boko Haram sect, especially in the country’s North East. It is heartwarming that one of his campaign promises was the elimination of the insurgency threat if elected President. Even when credit goes to the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan for decimating and severely limiting the capability of the insurgents, it is left to the new administration to finish the job of completely defeating them. That public infrastructure all over the country is dilapidated cannot is, indeed, no news. The roads, bridges and health facilities are in various stages of decay and need to be rehabilitated while new ones should be constructed to allow for steady economic growth. Finally, it is noteworthy to state that the General Buhari made firm pledges of tackling corruption, which is country’s public number one enemy. It is therefore expected that he make good the promise to yank the country from the grips of this hydra-headed monster. We wish him well as he begins the task of taking Nigeria beyond the heights that the Jonathan administration has put it.
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Brigandage shifting to the courts? Sam Nzeh ÏÏÏThe
growing attacks on courts across the country by armed supporters of politicians has once again heightened fears that brigandage is gradually being extended to the judiciary. Just on Monday, no fewer than 15 lawyers, among them a pregnant woman and two Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), escaped death in a stampede triggered by armed invasion of the Federal High Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, by suspected thugs over the suit between Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and
Foster Ogola. It took the deployment of armed policemen and sporadic shooting into the air to restore normalcy as the invaders fled the scene. Also on Friday, December 5, 2014, suspected political thugs numbering up to 1,500 and wielding different types of dangerous weapons invaded the Ebonyi State Court complex in Abakaliki, the state capital, and disrupted proceedings in the various courts including attacking judges and judicial workers. Suspected political thugs had on Monday, September 22, 2014, caused pandemonium at an Ekiti State High Court sitting at Ado-Ekiti, resulting in damage to government property.
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On and on the list goes, making many to wonder if politicians are now exporting brigandage to the sacred chambers of the courts. Such attacks are not only appalling but also clearly show the level of desperation among politicians and their supporters. Rather than uphold the sacredness of the court while their cases are being heard, the politicians who engineer these attacks have now turned the courts to a theatre for supremacy fight. This must not continue. Well-meaning Nigerians must rise and condemn the ugly trend. Aggrieved parties must allow the judiciary do its work in an atmosphere devoid of harassment and intimidation.
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The opinions expressed in the articles published in this newspaper are solely those of the authors. Articles may be reproduced, provided that the original source is indicated.
Anatole France
(Leroy) Eldridge Cleaver
Martin Luther King Jnr.
An education is not how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It is being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you do not know.
You’re either part of the solution or part of the problem.
Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
4
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
A
True Statesman
My ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian
–Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
Once again, Mr. President, you have proved that you are an exceptional democrat, who believes in the sanctity of the ballot and the expressed will of the Nigerian people. By conceding defeat and congratulating your main challenger in the presidential election, General Muhammadu Buhari, Mr. President you have written your name in gold in Nigeria’s history.
You have set a standard that will endear you to the global peace community and position you for the Nobel Peace Prize. Congratulations Mr. President for raising the bar in Nigeria and Africa’s democratic culture. I also congratulate the Presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari. “There is no good war just as there is no bad peace.”
Hon. Kingsley Kuku Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
5
NEW DAWN
Images of All Progressives Congress supporters jubilating at Markaz road, Agege, Lagos‌ on Tuesday.
Photos: BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI
New Dawn 6
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
An agenda for President-elect Buhari Yemi
Ogunsola ÏÏÏMiracles neither come easy
nor cheap – as a general rule. Dislodging an entrenched government is as symbolically herculean as depriving the palm kernel of its seed. That progressive forces intent on change have finally routed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDPP after 16 years of democratic rule, is a miracle of superlative proportions. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has coasted to victory in the presidential poll on the wings of the mandate of the generality of Nigerians. A similar victory was almost recorded 22 years ago on June 12. But Mephistophelean forces aborted it. Now it has happened. What next? President Muhammadu Buhari’s second coming is Nigeria’s last chance at forging a united nation. Should President Buhari fail to tackle and solve these age-old impediments to true unity, his government will fail – unfailingly: Treachery/Injustice Nigeria’s first and worst enemy is treachery/injustice craftily incorporated into the new Nigerian nation from inception by colonial forces. Nigeria was presented as a gift to the North behind the backs of fellow nationalists from the South. Thus, British colonial officers like Harold Smith, were di-
rected to manipulate the elections to ensure Power went to the North and – if possible – stays there perpetually. This conspiracy emboldened the then Sadauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello, to declare in an interview with the Parrot Magazine, just 11 days after independence on October 11, 1960: “This new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power, use the northern minorities as willing tools and the South as conquered territory and never allow them have control over their destiny/future.” That mindset survives in the North till today. It was manifested in the June 12 saga through the annulment of the mandate freely given to an illustrious Southerner, Chief M.K.O Abiola. Abiola’s attempt to resist the hegemonists cost him his life. The mindset again played out when President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua died in office; and rather than let his vice, Goodluck Jonathan, a southerner take over, northern hegemonists began a most ignoble game of hide-and-seek with the corpse of the late president – just so that Jonathan would not get to rule Nigeria. We delude ourselves and postpone the evil days if we fail to face and tackle these diabolic factors which makes some persons in Nigeria brand themselves as “Born to rule”.
Trust can’t coexist with treachery. Educate the North Colonial powers and the elite of the North colluded to keep the masses of the North uneducated. This was a ploy by the northern elite to make their own people easy tools of manipulation to serve the interests of the minority elite. According to Chief Richard Akinjide in his book “Path to Nigeria’s Democracy”, the slogan among the British colonialists then was “Educate the North and lose Nigeria.” The educated South constituted a challenge to the colonialists which they did not want duplicated in the North. The evil plot worked. Today the darkest minds in Nigeria, unilluminated by any ray of modern education, are found in the North. The most glaring evidence of this is “Boko Haram” (Western education is abomination) which easily found roots and fertile ground in the teeming masses of the illiterate North. Can the rest of Nigeria ever forget, even if willing to forgive, the periodic mass slaughter of other Nigerians by the misguided horde of northern almajiri and other fanatics? Can other Nigerians forget the mindless slaughter of fellow Nigerians, including women and babies – by rampaging Fulani herdsmen? The Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang has kept complaining that perpetrators of the slaughter
are never prosecuted. Rather, they are spirited away from the reach of the law of the land to Abuja and set free. Nigeria can never survive under the best president in the world if this horde of misguided and illegally armed anarchists are treated as sacred cows? It is instructive that Goodluck Jonathan may have built more almajiri schools than all past Nigerian leaders of northern extraction put together. More federal effort should be made to educate the North – correctly. Fight Corruption Corruption is rot. Rot is decay. Decay reduces to the dust. Any nation or person that clasps corruption to its chest like precious gift is headed for perdition. Sadly, Nigeria is an example of how corruption can make citizens of a rich country wretched. Buhari has both the character and the reputation to stop it. Despite Buhari’s other shortcomings, he still towers above virtually all other aspiring leaders in integrity. He should live up to this reputation. The 51 suitcases saga should not be repeated. There are many Nigerians of integrity ready and willing to work with him. Old Tam David West is thankfully still alive – and possibly still available. Oil theft must stop. He stopped it once; he can stop it again. Power supply
There are principalities and powers of darkness behind the power problem. Go after them. There can be no industrialisation with epileptic power. Deregulate power generation. Encourage and sponsor Independent Power Projects (IPP). Other countries have done it. Ghana over there has done it. Sai Baba, you can do it. Be a good Muslim When Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) ran into trouble in Mecca, he sought safety among Christians of Abyssinia (Ethiopia). And he was accepted. And saved. The greatest act of worship to God is CARE FOR MAN. Islam enjoins us to respect all God’s messengers. And God’s messengers are found in all races of the world. Like the APC has done, all true followers of Anobi Yisa, Anobi Mohammad (PBUH) and other anobi’s- including Orunmila, should be united in fashioning a better Nigeria. And there can only be a better Nigeria if there are better Nigerians. God has ordained you to lead Nigeria in this effort. Beware of the West Don’t trust the West “even when they bring gifts.” But don’t show it. Pretend to play along. I believe you are wise enough for that to be enough… May the forces of LIGHT guide your actions as you stir the ship of nation. Sai Baba!
Sports an engine of youth development Andrew
Ekejiuba ÏÏÏThe Nigerian Sports indus-
try is one of the key sectors of the economy that has direct impact on Nigerians, and the reasons for this assertion is not far-fetched. As a kicker, sport plays an important role in promoting nationbuilding, social cohesion and a healthy lifestyle. However, this sector has been plagued by massive corruption, mismanagement of funds, infrastructural decay and power struggles which are major problems the incoming president must address in order to move the industry forward. A peep into the sector reveals the challenges ahead because the sector has adverse effects on not only sportsmen and women, but
every Nigerian. Thus, there is need to actively engage the best technocrats whose duty will be to help curb the aforementioned challenges in order to ensure that we progressively improve as nation in sports. It is worthy to note that the Ministry of Education in the various states and even at the federal level in the new dispensation must start realising that they are key partners in sports development in Nigeria, especially as far as school sport is concerned. The reason being that it is in schools that future Olympians can be discovered at tender ages and trained to stardom. The advantage of catchingthem-young is enormous since it enables a young athlete to take to instructions and be willingly to adhere to laid down rules prepara-
tory to a competition. Also, since sport participation is a short term career, athletes tend to enjoy their career more when they commence early to take part in sport before reaching their peak in their chosen field. Therefore, the incoming president must commit enough funds to help develop sports from the grassroots, especially from schools. Another aspect of sports development which needs adequate attention is in the curbing of corruption from that sector. Corruption is one major problem that has continued to hinder the development of sports in the country. For example, in football, from the administrators, referees, coaches and even the players, the story remains the same as this hydra-headed monster continues
to torment and eat deep into the fabrics of the beautiful game. Unfortunately, all the relevant anti-graft agencies have turned a blind eye at fighting this monster. Thus, it is expected that the incoming administration will have their hands full in putting an end to it. On record, despite all the huge cry from stakeholders of Nigerian football to end this greed among football administrators, not a single person has been convicted. For example, during the Sani Lulu-led NFF, the sum of $236, 000 disappeared from the secretariat of the NFF. The then Secretary General of NFF, Dr. Bolaji OjoOba, in whose office the money grew wings feigned ignorance of what happened by denying having knowledge of how the money got missing. Today, Ojo-Oba is a free man as he recently retired as the
Director of Grassroots Sports Development in the National Sports Commission (NSC) in Abuja. The extent of corruption in the sports sector once prompted the Senate President, David Mark, to take a swipe on the NFF in early 2012, describing the body as the most corrupt government agency in the country. Mark added that corruption in NFF was responsible for the total decline in football, lamenting that Nigeria which was once the football giant of Africa now quivers before smaller football nations during matches. The Senate President even went further to advice the Federal Government to shutdown football for a period of time to allow for better planning which can still be done to sanitize the system in the new dispensation.
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
7 New Dawn
Jonathan: Legacy of free, fair polls Sam
Nzeh ÏÏÏIn the history of democratic
Nigeria, at least from 1999 to date, no President can assail Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, when it comes to commitment to free, fair and credible elections. This was demonstrated early in his administration when as acting President, Jonathan appointed Professor Attahiru Jega, a professor of Political Science and Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Jonathan appointed Prof. Jega on June 8, 2010 to replace Prof. Maurice Iwu who was roundly condemned for the shoddy way he conducted the 2007 general election. The appointment drew commendation from various quarters as people saw it as evidence of Jonathan’s commitment to restore integrity in the nation’s electoral process. After Jega’s appointment, Jonathan enhanced the electoral body’s capacity by providing necessary funding to enable the commission discharge its duties. Aside this, Jonathan in line with
his commitment to free, fair and credible election, against the usual practice by predecessors, gave the commission free hands to carry out its mandate. He refused to interfere in the INEC’s operations even when close allies pressured him to do so. This was seen in the conduct of the various elections which held from 2010 till date. Whether it was in Anambra, Edo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states among others, where his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), presented candidates for elections, Jonathan gave INEC free hands. He ensured that all that the commission needed to deliver free, fair and credible election was provided. This, of course, included provision of adequate security for the elections. Jonathan also wasted no time to congratulate the winner of such elections while calling on the candidate of PDP to accept the defeat. In Ondo State, for instances, where the PDP’s candidate in the October 2012 governorship election, Chief Olusola Oke, and the state chapter of the party refused initially to concede defeat to the winner, Olusegun Mimiko, Jonathan wasted no time to congratulate Mimiko.
Commenting on this, Olisa Metuh, national publicity secretary of the PDP, in a statement said: “Another lesson here for the nation, especially the opposition parties, is to draw from the commitment of our great party to the full entrenchment of the legacy of free, fair and credible polls. “This is the manifestation of the unwavering devotion of President Goodluck Jonathan to the cause of democracy. He led the campaign of our party to Ondo State and promised free and fair election; free and fair election he has once more delivered,” Metuh added. Jonathan also used every opportunity to reiterate his commitment to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria. At one of such occasion while addressing the United Nations General Assembly in Washington, United States of America in September 2014, he reassured the international community Nigeria under his watch will hold credible elections in 2015. He said: “On May 29, 1999, Nigeria ended military rule after the inauguration of a democratically elected president. Come February 2015, the country will conduct the fifth post-military-rule general election. As elected president by the people, we shall conduct elec-
tions based on global best practices to further strengthen our democratic institutions”. Nothing further demonstrates Jonathan’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria as the way he resisted the calls for the removal of the INEC chairman in the run up to March 28, 2015 presidential and National Assembly. Recall that even before the postponement of the poll from the initial February 14, 2015 date, several allies of Jonathan and groups had accused Jega of working in concert with the All Progressives Congress (APC) to short-change Jonathan and the PDP. Some prominent personalities including former Anambra State governor, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, accused the INEC chairman of complicity to manipulate the result of the presidential poll in favour of APC and called for his removal. Also, a group made up of prominent leaders in Southern Nigeria pointedly accused Jega of holding clandestine meeting with northern leaders as well as APC leaders in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and urged Jonathan to sack him. But true to his character, Jonathan stuck to his word; he refused to bow to the pressure. And Jega
eventually conducted the election which Jonathan has now lost. Jonathan’s commitment to free, fair and credible elections also played out on Saturday, March 28, 2015 when the Presidential election was held. At the polling unit in his village, Otuoke, where he was registered, the Smart card reader, could not read Jonathan’s finger print. Thrice, Jonathan presented himself for accreditation, but the card reader failed to read his finger. Yet he kept his cool; he never appeared ruffled. And in the end after being manually accredited, Jonathan voted. This calmness, in the face of provocation, which certainly many in his shoes would not have tolerated, clearly shows a man who is will not allow his ambition becloud his vision and make him renege on his commitment for free, fair and credible election in Nigeria. If it were others, they would not only have lost their cool but set in machinery to scuttle the election. These, among other countless actions, no doubt, mark Jonathan out from past Nigerian leaders who aside interfering in the electoral body’s work, used state apparatus to ensure victory for themselves and other candidates of their parties in elections.
Buhari: Quitters don’t win... Akinjide
Akintola ÏÏÏAfter losing the last Presiden-
tial election in 2011, Muhammadu Buhari, a retired General and generally regarded as an uncompromising strongman, surprisingly shed tears, regretting that it was a shame that Nigerians failed to elect him into office in order to change the country. It was his third time of contesting the presidency and loosing. The tears he shed was like he had lost hopes of ever contesting again, not to even talk of winning as he hinted that he may not venture into the race again. But that was not his first time of trying. In 2003, he contested under the platform of the defunct All Nigerian Peoples Party, (ANPP), losing to General Olusegun Obasanjo, in his first attempt. Feeling cheated at the polls, he approached the courts, and for several years, was at the presidential tribunal and later at the appeal
court, which eventually restated Obasanjo’s victory. During the court sessions, he was virtually left alone to continue the fight as the party chairman, Chief Don Etiebet, often would not come to court nor send the legal representations. In spite of all these seeming neglect, he fought on doggedly, not allowing the disappointments to discourage him and came out again and again. It was the same scenario that played out in 2007 when he faced Umaru Yar’Adua in the presidential election and lost. Again, he went to court to contest the result, and again he lost in the courts to his contender. Yet, he came out again in 2011 against Goodluck Jonathan, losing again in what was believed to be daylight robbery, which resulted in widespread bloodshed across the north for which a lot of people still hold him responsible. But in the countdown to the 2015 polls, the new rebranded, vibrant opposition restrategised, refocused and queued behind Nigeria’s reti-
cent former Military head of state, literarily having to drag him from a proposed retirement. And it was not a difficult proposition for him to accept as it became obvious that the 71-year old retiree was not a quitter either, despite having lost three times in a row. He accepted to lead the opposition in what looked like an impossible but determined war to rescue the country from the overlord ship of the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) which had held the country by the jugular since the return to democracy in 1999. In the history of Nigeria, no incumbent government had ever been defeated. And in what appeared like the repeat of the Abraham Lincoln phenomenon in the United States of America, Buhari championed the struggle, backed by a new opposition that has been envisioned to redeem the country. As a result of his antecedents as a maximum ruler between 1984 and 1985 when he shook up the
country with his war against indiscipline and corruption, it was not difficult for people of like minds across the country to join the opposition groups in order to rout what was generally believed to be an inept, corrupt and lackluster administration which many even described as clueless. Besides, Buhari has a way with the “talakawa” who loved him while many felt that his military background and his clout as a disciplinarian are just characteristics that the country needed at the moment. But he had issues as he is seen as fiercely pro-north and has often been accused as an Islamic fundamentalist which has placed him against the largely Christian South. Perhaps the major albatross which had been standing in his way was his anti-democratic tendencies which was as a result of his overturning a democratically elected government of President Shehu Shagari in 1984. His poor human rights records also added
to his negative image amongst Nigerians especially his tight fisted rule when many were killed or sent to jail unceremoniously. Though he had claimed to be a born again democrat, but that tag still hangs on his neck like an axe of Damocles. Also closely related to this is the allegation of being against the south. This was due to the nature of his crusade against corruption which was seen largely as targeted against the south with many of the southern leaders jailed for embarrassing huge years by the tribunals he set up. But all these were to pale into insignificance with the notion held by many that he is a sympathiser of the dreaded Boko Haram which had wreaked so much havoc in the north eastern part of the country. He has endured all kinds of insults, disappointments, neglect and intrigues in his 12 years of struggle and at a stage, last year in Kaduna, his convoy was bombed by agents suspected to be the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents. He escaped death by the whiskers.
8
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Politics Babatunde Fashola, Governor, Lagos State.
More surprises as PDP destroys APC’s invincibility in Lagos
s
Politics Editor: Akinjide Akintola E-mail: akinjide.akintola@dailytimes.com.ng
The seeming invincibility of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has at last been broken by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In the results of the just concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, the PDP snatched five of the 20 House of Representatives seats from the APC. The Accord Party also won one seat. In the Presidential election, the PDP got 632,327 votes while the APC clinched a marginal win of
792,460. This was the first time the PDP is making such inroad in the state. In Amuwo Odofin local government, which has a very high Igbo population, especially in areas like Kirikiri, Satellite Town and FESTAC, the PDP candidate, Oghene Egboh, who is from the Niger-Delta, defeated Mr. Ganiyu Olukolu of the APC. In Ajeromi/Ifelodun, which is one of the most densely populated areas in Lagos State and is home to Ajegunle (another Igbo domi-
nated area), the PDP candidate, Mrs. Rita Orji, who also hails from the South-East, defeated Taiwo Adenekan of the APC. The story was the same in the Igbo-dominated Ojo LG, where the PDP candidate, Mr. Tajudeen Obasa, won the seat. In Surulere federal constituency 2, which is home to Aguda and a few Igbo settlements, Mr. Tunji Soyinka of the PDP defeated Mr. Hakeem Bamgbala of the APC. CONTINUED ON PAGE 9
SENATE PRESIDENCY
Can Mark retain his seat?
Mark
Drama as Rivers Presidential result is announced
There was a mild drama at the National Collation Centre in Abuja on Tuesday while the results for the Presidential election in River State which is being challenged by the All Progressives Congress (APC) was to be announced. The drama started when collation officer, Professor John-
There are strong indaications that Senate President, David Mark may lose his top position when the next legislative assembly resumes in June. This is due to the ongoing changes that may take place in the senate as a result of last Saturday’s National Assembly elections which saw many Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) bigwigs and long time senators losing their seats to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). Investigation by The Daily Times showed that though Mark got re-elected on the ticket of the PDP, many of his long-time colleagues lost out in a sweeping change that will see the APC taking total control of the senate in the next dispensation. Senator Mark scored 99,538 votes to defeat his opponent of the APC, Daniel Onje, who scored a total vote of 50,115 from his Benue base.
Among those gunning for his plum job is former governor of Kwara State and leader of the APC, Senator Sola Saraki. Saraki, who is returning to the senate for the second time would be taking on Mark, who is coming in for the fifth time. Feelers from the party indicate that the party might retain the seat in the north seat which may make Saraki and others like George Akume also from Benue State eligible to fight for the seat. Akume, a two-term former governor of Benue State is coming into the Senate for the third time. He is currently the minority whip of the senate. Sources said the APC is already making plans on who would get what in the national assembly. Senate Leader, Senator Abdul Ningi of the Peoples Democratic Party lost his bid to return to the Senate, as Isah Misau of the All Progressives Congress was declared the winner of the Bauchi Central Senatorial District.
Etu Efiofor, Vice Chancellor of the Petroleum Training Institute was called to announce the result. Instead of reading from the original copy which he prepared and sent to the INEC collation centre through the internet, he claimed that he could not see it clearly and preferred
to read from his prepared notes. But INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega would have none of it as he insisted that the collation officer must read from the original document. To help him out, they took many phones to him so as to be able to read, yet he could not do so. Even when a lamp was
Declaring the results on Monday, the INEC Collation Officer for the Bauchi Central, Dr. Mohammed Yakubu, announced that Misau scored 208, 741 votes to beat Ningi, who scored 57, 172 votes. The result, as declared in Azare, the headquarters of the district on Monday, by the INEC Collation Officer for the Bauchi North Senatorial election, Dr. Muhammed Adamu, said Nazif polled 197, 919 votes, to beat Mustapha, who scored 97, 047. Also, the Bauchi State Governor, who is also the PDP candidate in the Bauchi South senatorial elections, Isa Yuguda, is trailing the All Progressives Congress candidate, Ali Wakili, from the results of four of the seven local governments announced so far. Also, a former governor of Plateau State, Joshua Dariye, was re-elected to represent the Plateau Central senatorial zone. CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
brought for him, he still could not read, asking to be allowed to read from his note, a request, Jega again rejected. After about 30 minutes when there was no headway, Professor Jega asked whether he would permit somebody to read for him from the original copy, CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
9
Politics
PDP breaks APC’s invincibility in Lagos CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
It was learnt that apart from the ‘Igbo’ factor, the incumbent rep, Mr. Aliyu Kazeem, had been in court with Bamgbala over the conduct of the primary. In Mushin federal constituency 2, the APC candidate, Yemi Alli, lost to Dauda Kako-Aare of the Accord Party. Kako-Aare, who is the incumbent, lost at the APC primary last December to Alli and defected to Accord. In Oshodi/Isolo federal constituency 2, the incumbent, Mr. Akeem Munir of the APC, lost to Mr. Tony Nwoolu of the PDP. But Honourable Solomon Olamilekan Adeola of the All Progressives Congress (APC) made history by becoming the first legislator in the country to be consecutively elected from the state legislature to the Lower House of the National Assembly and finally to the Senate. In the results of the Lagos West senatorial district, APC scored a total of 429,765 votes to his beat his rival, Mr Segun Adewale of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who scored 372,421 in the largest senatorial district in Nigeria. Adeola won in six of the 10 councils of the district, namely Alimosho, Agege, Ifako Ijaiye, Mushin, Badagry and Ikeja, to beat his rival with 57,344 votes. He lost in Ojo, Amuwo Odofin, Oshodi /Isolo and Ajeromi /Ifelodun local government areas. Also, INEC, on Sunday declared APC candidates winners of Lagos Island federal constituencies 1 and 2 in Lagos State. For the Lagos Island Federal Constituency 1, Mr Enitan Badru of the APC polled 15,389 votes to defeat Mr Lukman Oladipo of the PDP, who secured 5,732 votes.
Adeola
Kuforiji
“In Mushin federal constituency 2, the APC candidate, Yemi Alli, lost to Dauda Kako-Aare of the Accord Party.” In Lagos Island Federal Constituency 2, Mr Yakubu Balogun of the APC got 16,437 votes, while Mr Rahman Salawe of the PDP secured 7,305 votes. Hon. Ayodeji Joseph of the APC won the House of Representatives seat for Apapa Federal Constituency. Senator Remi Tinubu of Lagos Central retained her seat just as Senator Gbenga Ashafa also of APC retained his seat in Lagos East.
Tinubu
George
“But Honourable Solomon Olamilekan Adeola of APC made history by becoming the first legislator in the country to be consecutively elected from the state legislature to the Lower House of the National Assembly and finally to the Senate.”
“Senator Remi Tinubu of Lagos Central retained her seat just as Senator Gbenga Ashafa also of APC retained his seat in Lagos East.”
Ashafa
Politics 10 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
A former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, also secured victory to represent Anambra North Senatorial District. Oduah, who ran on the platform of the PDP, polled 143,478 to defeat the candidate of the APC, Chief Dubem Obaze of the APC, who polled 70,906 votes. Also Governor Aliyu Wammakko of Sokoto State (APC); his Plateau State counterpart, Jonah Jang (PDP); Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji (PDP); and Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano State(APC), former Governor of Osun State, Isiaka Adeleke (APC) all secured victory to represent their respective zones. However, Senator Ahmed Mohammed Makarfi of the PDP failed to return to the Senate as he lost to Malam Shehu Sani of the APC, who will now represent Northern Kaduna Senatorial District. Senators Ayo Akinyelure representing Ondo Cenral Senatorial District suffered the same fate as he lost to Donald Alasoadura of the APC. But APC’s Senator Ajayi Boroffice secured re-election to represent Ondo North Senatorial District as he defeated Senator Bode Olajumoke of the PDP. The candidate of the APC for Kwara Central senatorial district, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has
“The candidate of the APC for Kwara Central senatorial district, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has been declared winner of the Saturday’s election.”
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Saraki is top contender
Saraki
been declared winner of the Saturday’s election. Also, Mark’s deputy, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP) and the Senate Minority Leader, George Akume, of the APC have been re-elected into the upper chamber, just as high ranking senators like Smart Adeyemi (PDP), Abdul Ningi (PDP) and Chris Ngige (APC) lost their bid to return. Ngige lost to Uche Ekwunife (PDP) in Anambra Central; Smart Adeyemi (PDP) lost to Dino Melaye (APC) in Kogi West while Ningi, the Deputy Senate Majority Leader, lost also to the APC candidate in Bauchi Central. Senators Olubunmi Adetunbi and Femi Lanlehin and others lost their bid to come back to the Red Chamber. Lanlehin Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on National Planning, Economic was defeated by the APC candidate, Soji Akanbi. Senator Hosea Agboola PDP Oyo lost his seat to his APC challenger Fatai Buhari, who was a Commissioner in the administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi. Ayo Adeseun (PDP) Oyo North Senatorial Zone was defeated by his APC challenger, Mrs. Sunmonu. Adegbenga Kaka was defeated by the PDP candidate, Prince Buruji Kashamu But Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, PDP Abia South scored 1011433 to beat his challenger from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, (APGA), who had 70,502 votes. Senator Bassey Otu who was forced out of the PDP won the senate seat for Cross River South, on the platform of the Labour Party defeating governor Liyel Imoke’s candidate and godfather of Calabar politics, Chief Geshorm Bassey of the PDP as well as Senator Banabas Gemade who also lost the PDP
primary ticket to governor Suswan was returned on the APC platform, beating Suswam. Also, Ekweremadu who is returning to the Senate for the fourth time, was declared the winner of the Enugu West senatorial seat with120,075 out of the 123,286 valid votes cast in the Saturday’s election. The INEC Returning Officer for Enugu West, Prof. Fab Onah, explained that 10 candidates contested the election with Ekweremadu’s closest rival, Luisa Achieze of the APC, who scored 2,314 votes. Senator Babafemi Ojudu ((APC Ekiti Central) did not contest. However, former deputy governor of Ekiti State, Mrs Biodun Olujimi (PDP), polled a total of 62,344 votes to defeat the incumbent, Senator Tony Adeniyi of the APC, who polled 37,932 votes to win the Ekiti South district seat. In Ekiti Central District, Mrs Fatimat Raji-Rasaki of the PDP polled 54,459 votes to defeat Mr Gbenga Olofin of the APC, who scored 41,607. In Ekiti North district, Mr Duro Faseyi, a former member of the House of Representatives, scored 50,023 to defeat incumbent Senator Olubunmi Adetumbi of the APC. Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wammako (APC) and former governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero, (APC) have secured the senatorial seats of their respective constituencies. This came as Sa’idu Dakingari, governor of Kebbi state, lost his senatorial ambition to Bello Argungu, candidate of APC. According to report, while Argungu scored 139,197 votes, Dakingari polled 70,148 votes. Wammako, who contested on the platform of APC, defeatCONTINUED ON PAGE 11
Drama trails Rivers presidential result announcement CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8
a requested he eventually granted in order to save time. In the result which was eventually read by the coordinator of the centre, PDP pulled a huge vote of 1.4 million while APC got a mere 69,238 votes. Already, following the crisis that greeted the election in the state, the state governor, Rotimi Amaechi had petitioned the commission. The petition had already been received by the
commission which had immediately ordered investigation by despatching an investigating team to the state. INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega said the commission decided to allow the Rivers State presidential election results because there were no substantial reasons to cancel the results and reschedule the elections. Responding to an observation by the APC agent at the collation centre in Abuja, Jega said
the three man committee submitted its report, which showed that there were irregularities, but he insisted that they were not enough to cancel the results. Elections in Rivers State have been marred with controversy with state governor, Rotimi Amaechi accusing INEC of conniving with the ruling PDP. Election observers, both local and foreign have also corroborated the reservations raised by the governor. The INEC boss however
said after verification, it would not be ideal to cancel the whole the results. “We have verified the claim of election malpractices in River State. From our findings, elections indeed take place in River State. Therefore, we do not believe that the allegations are substantial enough to invalidate the elections of Rivers and re-scheduling it. In view of the above, we will take the results of elections in Rivers State and the results stay”, Jega said.
Amaechi
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
11
Politics
How Jega foiled attempt to disrupt announcement of result There was confusion at the National Collation Centre in Abuja, on Tuesday morning when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), reconvened to announce the remaining results from the states. Everything was set when suddenly former Minister of Niger Delta, Godsday Orubebe, seized the microphone and accused the INEC chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega of bias. According Orubebe, a petition was sent to the INEC chairman by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), requesting for investigation into the results released from key northwest states of Katsina, Kano, Jigawa and Kano, but was not accepted by the chairman. He said whereas a petition sent by All progressives Congress (APC), concerning the controversial election in Rivers State was promptly acted upon with a team immediately dispatched to the state to investigate. Orubebe, consequently, created an ugly scene, insisting that collation would not go ahead as they have lost confidence in the INEC chairman. The former Minister who is
a PDP chieftain refused all entreaties from everyone who appealed to him to be calm saying he would not leave. At a stage he sat on the bare floor and refused to hand over the microphone even to security officials insisting that Jega must respond to the allegations. It took over 30 minutes before normalcy was restored while throughout the time, Jega maintained his cool which perhaps saved the day. Reacting, Jega dismissed the allegation, saying one Dr. Bello Fadile, a PDP agent contrary to the rule gave a petition to his PA from the PDP after yesterday’s session. However, Jega said he asked his PA to return the document as all letters/petitions are to be submitted to his secretary in the office and not at the collation centre. Jega also dismissed accusation that he gave results to APC that the party has released on its website. “As I sit with you now, I have not received anything (PDP petition) from the secretary. “For you to engage me on this issue frankly, is not fair to me. Let us not disrupt a process that has ended peacefully,” he said.
Orubebe
Senate presidency: Akume may join the fray CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9
ed Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Ahmed Maccido, the incumbent senator in Sokoto Central senatorial zone, with a total of 225,642 to 65,692 votes. Aliero was declared winner of Kebbi Central senatorial district after polling 216,084 votes ahead of Abubakar Malam, the PDP candidate, who scored 68,792 votes. It was like history repeating itself in Bauchi South senatorial district of Bauchi State, as the state governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda (PDP), lost his bid to go to the Senate to represent the district in the National Assembly. Eight years ago, the then governor of the state, Alhaji Ahma-
du Mu’azu, who is now the national chairman of the PDP, lost to the then ANPP candidate, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Muhammed, now the FCT Minister, in what was then described as an upset. Yuguda, who flew PDP flag in the senatorial election, according to the result announced by the INEC returning officer, who is also the rector of The Federal Polytechnic, Bauchi, Dr Shuaibu Musa, on Monday night, garnered 115,575 votes, while the winner in the district, Mallam Ali Wakili of the opposition APC got a total of 341,708 votes. The governor lost to Wakili, a former Controller of Customs, in all the seven local government areas making up the Bauchi South senatorial district.
The local government areas are Alkaleri, Kirfi, Bauchi, Toro, Dass, Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro. Ironically, Yuguda could only manage 23,945 votes from the Bauchi Local Government Area, where he hails from, as against the 134,528 got by Wakili. Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam (PDP) lost Benue North East senatorial election to incumbent Senator Barnabas Gemade of the APC. Announcing the results, Prof. Ignatius Ada declared that Gemade scored the highest votes of 140, 715 to defeat Suswam who polled a total of 118, 603. Also, governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu of the PDP suffered defeat in the NigerEast Senatorial District as the
APC candidate, David Umaru, emerged winner with a wide margin. In the results announced by the returning officer for the district, Ali Jigam, at the Senatorial Election Collation Centre, College of Education in Minna on Sunday, Umaru scored 49,519 In the results of the Lagos West senatorial district, Honourable Solomon Olamilekan Adeola of APC scored a total of 429,765 votes to his beat his rival, Mr Segun Adewale of PDP, who scored 372,421 votes. Adeola won in six of the 10 councils of the district, namely Alimosho, Agege, Ifako Ijaiye, Mushin, Badagry and Ikeja, to beat his rival with 57,344 votes.
Akume
News 12
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Guinness Nigeria records 1000 days safety milestone
L-R: VicePresidentelect, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd) during a courtesy visit to Buhari in Abuja … on Tuesday
ÏÏÏLeading
Nigerian alcoholic beverage company, Guinness Nigeria Plc., has recorded yet another feat in the area of ensuring the safety of employees and visitors in its breweries and sites by achieving 1000 days free of lost time accidents (LTA), in one of its operational sites. This laudable achievement was recorded at its Benin office, which is now the third manufacturing site of the brewing giant, after its Ikeja and Aba sites, which also recorded over 1000 LTA-free days, all in the current financial year. By general standards, an LTA is defined as any work-related incident, involving injury or illness, where either Guinness Nigeria or a healthcare professional recommends one or more days away from work, or where the employee is absent from work or unable to return to work for the next shift, or where the employee is reporting for work, but unable to carry out normal duties. This assessment is made without regard as to whether or not the person was scheduled to work those days (i.e. off days, weekend, holidays, vacations, etc.). According to Supply Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc., Mr. Cephas Afebuameh: “Reducing accidents at all our brewery sites has long been an active strategy, through our Zero Harm Culture, which seeks to create a consistent and proactive culture for safety across all our operations. “I am extremely happy that the Benin brewery has recorded this amazing feat following in the footsteps of other sites like Ikeja and Aba and I pray that, as we continue to sustain safety best practices, we will hit 2000 and 3000 and so on.”
Abubakar commends Jonathan for accepting defeat Egena Egena Abuja
ÏÏÏFormer head of
State and Chairman of National Peace Committee on 2015, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has commended President Goodluck Jonathan for accepting the outcome of Saturday’s presidential election. He told State House correspondents, after a meeting with Jonathan on Tuesday at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja, that his committee was pleasantly surprised when it learnt that Jonathan had already accepted defeat ahead of formal announcement of the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Abubakar confirmed that
Jonathan, who was the standard-bearer of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), at the presidential poll called his rival and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari, at about 5:15p.m. on Tuesday, to congratulate him. He said his committee was delighted with Jonathan who, as a defeated incumbent, was gracious enough to congratulate his rival. Accordingly, he said he was at the Presidential Villa, along with other members of the committee, including Cardinal John Onaiyekan, former chief of General Staff, Ebitu Ukiwe; former president of the Nigerian Bar association (NBA), Mrs. Prescilla Kuye, and business tycoon,
Abubakar
Alhaji Aliko Dangote, among others, to thank Jonathan for his statesmanlike conduct. Abubakar said that the elections were peaceful, despite some hitches, and appealed to all Nigerians to keep the peace. He said: “At this moment, we thank Nigerians and the international community, who came to support us during the elections.
Polls results: Political thugs clash in Ondo Tosin Ajuwon Akure
ÏÏÏYouths suspected to be politi-
cal thugs, on Tuesday, disrupted the existing peace currently being enjoyed by the people of Idanre in Ondo State, by engaging in acts of violence. The violence came barely 48 hours after the announcement of the Presidential and National Assembly election results by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the state. A source in the town told journalists that the thugs were members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the town, who clashed, in a show of strength, following the announcement of the results. Presidential candidate of the APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, won the presidential result in the state with 299,889 votes, against President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP, who polled 251,368. A total of 1,501,804 voters registered in the state, while 618,040 were accredited. Total votes cast is 561,056. Many people, believed to be traders in the town, were attacked and badly wounded by the two rampaging party thugs. The areas of the town affected by the violence were Ojota, Sabo, Anaye Market and Palace Road. The violence shut down social and commercial activities in the town for several as residents scampered for safety, amidst destruction of property.
Fayose, Okorie congratulate Buhari Easter: FG declares Friday, ÏÏÏEkiti
State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, has urged Nigerians to accept the outcome of Saturday’s presidential election in good faith, saying: “The result is the will of God and Nigerians, and all lovers of peace, progress and development of Nigeria should accept it.” Fayose, in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, hailed the resilience and commitment of President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari (retd). He said the election results should not be seen as victory or
Fayose
Okorie
loss for any political party, adding that “to me, Nigerians and democracy have won.” He praised Nigerians for believing in the democratic process, adding that “by this election, Nigerians have shown that democracy has come to stay. “I salute Major-General Muhammadu Buhari for being a re-
silient and dogged fighter,” Fayose added. Also, the presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, congratulated Buhari on his resounding victory in the election. Said he: “The Nigerian people have spoken in your favour and entrusted you with their mandate to oversee their welfare and development for the next four years, beginning from May 29, 2015, when you are expected to be sworn-in to office as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, by the special grace of God.”
Monday public holidays
ÏÏÏThe Federal government has
declared Friday, April 3, and Monday, April 6 as public holidays to mark this year’s Easter celebrations. Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja. In a statement, signed on his behalf, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Abubakar Magaji, and made available to journalists, the minister enjoined all Christians and Nigerians in general to extend the “spiritual benefits of Easter celebrations, which are love, peace, justice and kindness,
to their daily living”. While wishing Nigerians happy celebrations, the minister urged them to use the occasion to pray for peace and unity across the country.
Moro
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Ugandan al- Shabaab trial prosecutor shot dead ÏÏÏGunmen
has shot dead a top Ugandan state prosecutor whose cases include the trial of 13 men accused of involvement in al-Shebaab bomb attacks that killed 76 people in 2010, police said. Joan Kagezi, acting assistant director of public prosecution, was assassinated by men on a motorbike early Monday evening as she was driving home in a suburb of the capital, Kampala police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said. "They were trailing her on a motorcycle.... They shot her dead," Onyango said. The July 2010 suicide bombings targeted football fans watching the World Cup final at a restaurant and a rugby club in Kampala. Somalia's al-Qaeda affiliated Shabaab militants claimed responsibility for the attack, the group's first outside Somalia. The trial of the accused - seven Kenyans, five Ugandans and one Tanzanian - began earlier this month at Uganda's High Court
Some al-Shabaab fighters ready to unleash terror.
on a range of charges including terrorism, murder and membership of a terrorist organisation. All but one have also been charged with belonging to the Shebaab. Jane Kajuga, spokeswoman for the office of the director of public prosecution, confirmed
the death of Kagezi, who led the prosecution's anti-terrorism and war crimes section. "She has been shot dead... but details are so far scanty," Kajuga told the NTV Uganda station. The July 2010 attack was one of the deadliest by the Shebaab, who also carried out the 2013 assault
on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, killing at least 67 people. Uganda and Kenya have contributed thousands of soldiers to the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), which was established to fight the Islamists and protect the internationally recognised government.
13 Africa Burundi landslides kill 10'near Bujumbura ÏÏÏ At least 10 people are miss-
ing, feared dead, in Burundi after landslides which have destroyed hundreds of homes, officials say. Some 3,000 people have been left homeless, according to a BBC reporter who has been to the scene. Their houses were destroyed after mud and rocks, dislodged by the rain, plunged down the hillside. Reports from the Democratic Republic of Congo say there have been similar problems across the border. UN-backed Radio Okapi says 14 people have been killed on the Congolese side of Lake Tanganyika. This bridge was destroyed Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza has visited the scene of the landslides, 35km (20 miles) south of the capital Bujumbura. The governor of Bujumbura district, Jacques Minani, described it as "a disaster", reports the AFP news agency. He said that the emergency services were now searching the area for survivors
Morocco reforms abortion taboo ÏÏÏ It was just 07:00 and Hoda was walking alone to a clinic in the Moroccan coastal city of Agadir. She skipped breakfast: the Senegalese doctor had told her that the abortion would be better done on a empty stomach. Four months pregnant by a man who didn't want to marry, she felt she couldn't have the child in a society that sees unwed mothers as little better than prostitutes. But as she approached the illegal clinic, something was clearly wrong. Police escorted a handcuffed doc-
Obama to visit Kenya ÏÏÏ Barack Obama will make a
long-awaited trip to Kenya later this year, visiting his father's homeland for the first time since becoming US president six years ago, the White House said on Monday. During the long-promised visit this July, Obama will attend a Global Entrepreneurship Summit in the east African nation, a
tor out of the clinic as a crowd gathered outside. Inside, a woman had just died from a botched abortion. "She had haemorrhaged, there was blood everywhere," recalled Hoda, who spoke on condition that her last name was not used because of the sensitivity of the situation. An estimated 600 to 800 abortions are performed every day in Morocco, where the operation is illegal except in cases of threat to the mother's health. Although the
procedure is widely practiced underground, the subject has long been taboo. Years of activism, however, have culminated this month in a new official move to reform the law to stem the tide of illegal abortions by making operations more accessible. "Morocco's penal code on abortion is very restrictive, the law is not fair to women," Moroccan Health Minister Houssaine Louardi told The Associated Press. "It's out of date and doesn't take into account
the reality that Moroccans live in these days — there is an urgent need to revise this law." With the exception of Tunisia, where it was legalised in 1973, abortion in the Arab world is mostly illegal except in cases of foetal malformation or danger to the mother's health – though in most countries there is an informal "don't ask, don't tell" policy that makes the practice widespread. Reform in Morocco could have wide repercussions for women around the region.
statement said. Obama has visited Africa four times since becoming president, but has not visited the country where he still has relatives. For much of Obama's presidency, Kenya's leaders have been under a cloud of prosecution by the International Criminal Court. Uhuru Kenyatta was indicted over the country's 2007-08 postelection violence, the worst since it won independence from Britain in 1963. Kenyatta has always protested his innocence. The case was dropped in December, with pros-
ecutors complaining that they had been undermined by a lack of cooperation by the Kenyan government, as well as the bribing or intimidation of witnesses. "President Obama will meet him in Kenya," a White House official told AFP, confirming a meeting that is likely to court controversy. The official, who asked not to be named, said the United States regularly raises "concerns with the Kenyan government about restrictions on human rights and fundamental freedoms." "The president's trip will create another opportunity for dialogue
with the government and civil society on these issues." Obama had visited Kenya before as a senator and before entering politics, visiting his father's home village and taking a very public HIV test. The president's origins have spurred domestic controversy, with some hardline political foes claiming he was not born in the United States and so was ineligible to become president. Obama allies say this is thinly veiled racism. The president has often made light of the controversy.
UN welcomes deployment of British Air Force aircraft in S’Sudan ÏÏÏ The UN Mission in South
Sudan (UNMISS) on Tuesday in Juba welcomed the temporary deployment of a British Royal Air Force C-130 aircraft to South Sudan. The UNMISS said the aircraft, which arrived in Juba, on Sunday would conduct daily flights to Malakal in Upper Nile State. The Mission said the aircraft would help in the delivery of vital supplies and vehicles to the UNMISS base and its ‘Protection of Civilians' site. It said the operation was expected to last until mid-April to prepare for the rainy season. During the rainy season60 per cent of roads in South Sudan would be impassable and Malakal would only be reachable by river barges.
Foreign 14
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Myanmar govt, rebels sign peace pact
Myanmar President Thein Sein (front 3rd L) and Naing Han Tha (front 3rd R), a leader of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordinating Team (NCCT), shake hands after signing a nationwide ceasefire draft agreement at the Myanmar Peace Center in Yangon, March 31, 2015
ÏÏÏ The government of
Myanmar and representatives from 16 major ethnic rebel groups have signed a draft cease-fire accord that aims to end decades of armed conflict. Speaking at Tuesday's signing in Yangon, President Thein Sein praised the framework nationwide peace deal as the first step towards holding political dialogue with the rebel groups.
Before a final deal is signed, the rebels first plan to hold a conference to finalize the terms. No date for the conference has been set. Even still, the United Nations praised the draft of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, or NCA, as a "historic and significant achievement." "The signing of an NCA is a first step towards a larger dialogue for settling the political and
Asian nations restrict Thai flights ÏÏÏ China and Singapore
Catholic bishops to challenge Rome on consecration of bishops
have joined Japan and South Korea in restricting flights by Thailand's airlines as the kingdom scrambles to address "significant safety concerns" by the U.N.'s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). The January audit in Thailand "revealed some safety concerns, primarily relating to air operator certification procedures," said Anthony Philbin, communications chief for the ICAO Secretary General in Montreal in an e-mailed response to a VOA query. "We can’t discuss any further details in light of the agreement in place between the Organization and its Member States governing the conduct and reporting of ICAO universal safety oversight audit results."
ÏÏÏ Two renegade Catholic bishops on Tuesday at a remote monastery in Nove Friburgo, Brazil, expressed their willingness to consecrate a new generation of bishops in apparent challenge to Rome. French Bishop Jean-Michel Faure, said the new group “rejected Pope Francis and his new religion" and would not engage in a dialogue with Rome until the Vatican reversed some of its actions. Richard Williamson and Faure, who were both excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church when the former made the latter a bishop without Vatican approval. Faure said the fact they planned to consecrate bishops was important because it means their schism can continue as a
military issues that will pave the way for an inclusive and harmonious future for Myanmar," U.N. Special Adviser Vijay Nambiar said in a written statement. "Today's agreement is a signal that new levels of trust, confidence and cooperation are possible between former enemies and that the seeds of change in Myanmar are beginning to sprout." Myanmar, also known as Bur-
rebel form of Catholicism. "We follow the Popes of the past not the current one. It is likely that in maybe one or two years we will have more consecration. “There were already two candidates to be promoted to bishop's rank,’’ he said. Faure said the group was first addressed as Roman Catholic now St Pius X, and later the Resistance. He said the St of St Pius X (SSPX) was a larger ultra-traditionalist group that was excommunicated in 1988 when its founder consecrated four new bishops, including Williamson, despite warnings from the Vatican. Faure said they rejected the modernising reforms of the 1962-65 ``Second Vatican Council’’ and stuck with Catholicism's
ma, has seen more than 65 years of clashes between the government and rebel groups trying to secure autonomy in many border regions. Since 2013, the military-dominated government and the rebels have held seven rounds of peace talks. The government hopes to have a final deal in place by the end of the year.
old Latin Mass after the Church switched to simpler liturgy in local languages. He said the resistance group would not engage in dialogue with Rome. "We resist capitulation, we resist conciliation of St Pius X with Rome," he said. Faure said he was not sure what it would take for Rome to return to its old traditions but conflict could be a catalyst. "If there is another World War maybe the Church will go back to the way it was before," he said. A report said former Pope Benedict readmitted the four SSPX bishops to the Catholic fold in 2009, but the SSPX soon expelled Williamson because of an uproar over his Holocaust denial.
French Senate overturns fines for prostitutes' clients ÏÏÏ France's Senate has reject-
ed a planned 2013 law penalising people who pay for sex, and has chosen to maintain the offence of soliciting. Although prostitution is legal in France, soliciting in public and pimping are not. The National Assembly voted 16 months ago to impose a 1,500 (£1,090; $1,600) fine on clients, shifting the criminal burden from prostitutes. The upper house's decision to scrap the fine will now go back to the assembly. Social affairs minister Marisol Touraine said that Monday night's vote was "absolutely unbelievable and contemptuous towards women". But Joelle Garriaud-Maylam, a conservative senator, argued that the offence of soliciting was a useful resource for the authorities. "To help these women, you first of all have to identify them."
Australia unveils cockpit rules after Germanwings crash ÏÏÏ Australia
has responded to the Germanwings air disaster by mandating that at least two crew members be present at all times in cockpits of larger domestic and international airliners. Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said that airlines, including Qantas and Virgin Australia, would implement the changed security protocols from Monday afternoon. It would apply to all commercial flights with at least two flight attendants or more than 50 passengers. A flight attendant would enter the cockpit if one of the two pilots left it for any reason. Previously, most Australian airlines have allowed their pilots to be alone on the flight deck. French prosecutors blame co-pilot Andreas Lubitz, 27, for the crash of Flight 9525 that claimed 150 lives in southern France last week. The cockpit voice recorder has revealed that the pilot had been shut out of the cockpit when the Airbus A320 crashed. Truss said there were already mental illnesses that stopped sufferers from being pilots in Australia, and that pilots' health was regularly assessed.
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
15 Opinion
Telecom: Declaring national infrastructure emergency
O Mimi Ucheagwu
luwakemi Babatunde is a fish trader based in Epe, a small town about 40 Kilometers from mainland Lagos. She’s been in the fish trade for ages, having learnt the ropes from her mother who was also a fish trader, with clients in diverse places that include Lekki and Ajah in Lagos. Babatunde says that today, things are radically different from what they were in the old days. She has just finished using her smartphone, one of the low-end models which she got from online retailer, Jumia. Using an app on the phone she has been able to compare average prices of fish over the past week in three major Lagos markets and decided which of the markets to head to with her wares, tomorrow. Her daughter who is in school, Babatunde says, introduced her to the app a few weeks ago. “Bose told me I needed to use a different phone from the one I was using. She helped me to order for this new phone through Jumia and I have found out that it can help with aspects of my business that my other phone could not,” she said. In the old days, she said, traders would go to any of the markets on
the basis of trial and error. “Sometimes, you get a good price but at other times you would be forced to either sell at a loss or risk carrying your fish back to Epe.” Due to the then lack of means to forewarn traders like Bbatunde, sometimes they would get to a market to discover late in the day that there is a glut of supply by which time moving to another market is out of the question on account of the logistic nightmare moving around Lagos entails. These days, traders are more certain of getting good returns on sales and a particular market, facing a much lesser likelihood of selling at a loss or returning home with unsold and ready-to-rot fish. Babatunde’s scenario is a sampler of the manner in which telecommunications continues to impact life in different ways across the country. The app on the phone for instance was developed by a brilliant young recent university graduate who had prior to his new career as an applications developer, reportedly searched in vain for a job. Today, the young man’s talent and creativity is not only earning him a decent living but in the process adding value to the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Jumia itself, from which Baba-
tunde obtained her smartphone, typifies yet another recent phenomenon, the emergence of online retailing in Nigeria. Jumia and Konga are the two biggest online retailers in that space and together are driving what is in effect, a paradigm shift in the way and manner Nigerians transact retailing business. Interestingly, research has shown that for the most part, Nigerians access these online retailers from their mobile phones. At other times, they access them from their tablets or computers. Jumia and Konga are today, blossoming businesses, riding the wave of opportunities that have been unleashed by the continuing evolution of the telecom industry. For instance, until recently, making voice calls and sending text messages were the predominant activities in which millions of subscribers to the telecom networks were engaged. The telecom industry has since evolved to a new standard, which it calls third generation and fourth generation (3G and 4G). At this level, they provide mobile broadband services which other members of the telecom ecosystem creatively deploy to consumers in the form of mobile TV, music streaming, online retail, and lots more.
While Jumia and Konga are easily the most notable of the online retailers, providing a most welcome service to a growing number of Nigerians and empowering hundreds with a livelihood in the process, there are dozens of similar online retailers and indeed a fast blossoming online ecosystem, in the country, providing a livelihood to thousands of people and driving economic development. In the absence of a national landline or government owned transmission backbone of any consequence, the telecom networks even though privately-owned have become the de facto communications networks for practically everyone and every private- or public-sector operative in Nigeria. It is difficult to imagine how Nigeria would cope in a situation in which all of the telecom networks collapsed even for one day. Government operatives would be incommunicado; financial transactions would become impossible as banks rely on the telecom networks considerably to facilitate transactions. Security would be threatened, as lack of communication would severely impinge on the ability of the defence apparatchik to commune with itself. The potential accompanying chain reaction to all of this is best imagined.
NIGERIA: Republic or criminal paradise?
W E.O. Eke
hen you look at the way Nigerian politicians behave, their audacity, sense of entitlement and hubristic attitude that has nothing but contempt for the opposition and people, you would think that Nigeria is either an aristocracy or a monarchy. But Nigeria is a republic and not an aristocracy or monarchy. Therefore, the duty of her government must be first and foremost to the people and not to Ezes, Obas, Emirs, kings, ex-military coup plotters and dictators and party leaders. The first duty of a republican government is to defend the rights of the citizens from whom it derives its power and ensure that crimes are investigated and those responsible brought to justice, no matter their position in the society. This is the single most important ingredient lacking in the Nigeria soup and which must be added to make it taste like a democracy. A responsive government aware of its obligations to the people will not pander to party leaders, traditional rulers and ex military chiefs at the
expense of the people. It will not seek to bribe interest groups in the hope that they would keep the people from revolting against their excesses. A people aware of their duty and rights, would question the source of sudden wealth and ensure that those whose duty it is to police the treasury are not taking more than their fair share. This is how a democracy is supposed to operate. Therefore, the pandering of politicians to select group of people, chiefs, traditional rules and self appointed community leaders, instead of engaging directly with the people, says something sinister about the conception of politicians, in a representative democracy. The business of government in a republic, should be the welfare and rights of the people and, whenever a republic fails to prioritise the interest and welfare of the people such a government has failed and such a country cannot claim to be a republic, in the true sense and meaning of the word. Educating Nigerians to understand that the government is established to serve them and that they should be vigilant to know, when those in power are misusing their power for selfish ends is their civic duty in a democracy should be part of change.
The failure of the Jonathan’s administration to build a civil society united under common values and interests is responsible for the present fraud, force and contrivance, when all it needed to do is affirm that all men are created equal with equal rights and ensure that all are treated fairly and the law respects neither riches nor position. If the revelations in the last few days are anything to go by, Nigeria has just entered her dark ages and no one knows, when the nightmare would end. The existence of an insurgency, which gets its arms from the same people who supply the government they are fighting, and significant number of people who share their ideology, but not their method or tactics is any country’s worst nightmare. The current reality in Nigeria has created a win - win situation for the arm manufactures, which are supplying both the Nigerian government and Boko Haram. On top of it, foreign armies are paid to fight Nigeria’s war, for the simple reason that successive governments, afraid of military coups, have underdeveloped and underfunded the military and millionaire generals stole whatever remains. The lesson of the relationship between America, Pakistan’s army
and the Talibans shows how an army sustains an insurgency to keep the money flowing. Some years ago, when I wrote ‘Nigeria wake up hell has come home’ I did not know that the disaster would be as bad as it is. I did not know that the government would stand by and watch Boko Haram slaughter innocent children, pregnant women and helpless elderly people. I have wondered why black people and Arabs have not asked themselves, why is it only in their region that differences are often settled by war. Why do they easily resort to violence to settle differences amongst themselves, while Caucasians talk first and then resort to war, when all fails? Well, it well be because in many African and Arab countries, leaders behave like Jonathan, Obasanjo, Babangida, Museveni, Mugabe, Buhari, Zuma , Gadaffi and many like, Femi Fani-Kayode, Ahmed Tinubu and Theodore Orji, line up to cheer them. When will hope return to Nigeria? When will the years of cankerworm end? Maybe, Nigerians should ask not when a democratic leader will emerge, but when they would take up their responsibilities of democrats.
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Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
bgl capital | bgl securities limited | bgl asset management | bgl private equity
www.bglgroupng.com
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Business Times
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Business Editor: Emmanuel Ogbonnaya Email: emmanuelogbonnaya@dailytimes.com.ng
Aba Mega Mall excites investors at London road show Ngozi Okafor, London
Obanua
The investment potentials of the $300m Aba Mega Mall (AMM) , literally got investors who gathered at a London road show on Monday, March 23, salivating and itching for a piece of the action. Apart from the promised returns of about seven per cent on investments outlined by AMM’s Managing Director, Paul Obanua, the regeneration of the city and its environs, coupled with the creation of hundreds of jobs for the youths, sounded like good music to the ears of the audience and these kept prospective investors asking relevant questions during the interactive session.
“We want to create value for investors and our community,” Obanua told them, and quickly added that the “Nigerian government alone cannot develop Nigeria.” He continued: ”If Nairobi with a population less than half of Lagos can have 23 malls,” while the latter boasts of only four, then the time to move from open markets to smart shopping has arrived and the opportunity to own a stake in it is what an investment in AMM is making available. Aba, he added, even “needs more retail spaces than Lagos,” and as such, guaranteed investors that any retail space they stake their capital on “will be rented
within ninety days.” Moreover, he also excited investors when he told them that AMM will allow local entrepreneurs to standardise the popular “made in Aba products,” which many already buy and wear, but thinking they were imported. Lending credence to the viability of the project, deputy controller of Customs, Wale Adeniyi (who stood in for the Comptroller–General of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Abdullahi Dikko Inde), told investors that NCS had thrown its weight behind the multi –million dollar mega project by ensuring that “bonded terminals are incorporated into the design of the mega mall.”
Nigeria’s solar capacity hits 28 megawatts – ECN Tony Nwakaegho Prof Jere Bala, the DirectorGeneral of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) has revealed that solar electricity generation has reached 28 megawatts. Bala disclosed this in Abuja, adding that Nigeria had started integrating some of the alternative energy sources, like the penetration of solar energy into energy supply in the country. ``A lot of solar street lights, solar mini grind and in fact, small hydro-power are being developed in this country and had been encouraged.’’ He said between 1980s and 90s, renewable energy was nothing to talk about in Nigeria but after 1989, Sokoto Energy Research Centre under the commission developed a mini grid. Bala said a survey conducted in 1989 had showed that the use of solar energy began with less 300 KW mainly for water pumping and other applications. ``Our current estimate was put at about 28 MW of the dispenser solar installation and there are many more plants to be grid connected through the Nigeria/Germany partnership and other private concerns.’’ The D-G said the major sources of energy in Nigeria was petro-
leum, coal, fuel wood (biomass traditionally energy sources) and largely hydro. He said through the introduction of the National Energy Policy, Nigeria had been able to diversify the energy source for National Energy Security, to provide the Renewable Energy Master Plan. He said the master plan would be promoted, using the sun as source of energy and heat, wind for mechanical and electrical energy and biomass for the production of biofuel. The D-G said the commission had created awareness on renewable energy since its establishment in 1989 and people were aware of an alternative source of energy. ``We will continue to produce these strategic plans and we will need them in a long time if our economy is to grow and to be within the 20 largest economies in the world. ``We have made the study in the commission and it has been ultilised in the vision 20:2020 and also in the production of National Integrated Infrastructure Master Plan. ``We will continue to produce this plan until Nigeria becomes energy secured and also derived economic benefits from the energy resources,’’ he said.
Solar panels
Oil refinery
Further depression of oil price looms Emmanuel Ogbonnaya Fears that introduction of one million barrels of Iranian oil into the already saturated crude market would force further depression of oil price, peaked Tuesday – the self-imposed deadline by involved parties for a deal to lift sanctions on Iran. The marathon negotiations have been going on for some time now, between Iran and foreign ministers from six world powers to restrict Iran’s nuclear programme in exchange for relief from crippling sanctions. The fact is that there is every likelihood of the deal going through as there is a possibility of further extension of the deadline, since it was self-imposed. There is no sign that the most intractable problems, such as the pace and timing of sanctions relief, have been resolved, the BBC reported from Lausanne the venue of the talks. However, other reports said there were plans to issue a joint statement on general points of agreement, accompanied by documents outlining more technical details. These would be enough for all parties to continue negotiations aimed at achieving a comprehensive accord in June. Although nuclear weapons proliferation is the headline item, one of the most significant side effects of the negotiations will be their effect on the price of oil. Iran, as a member of OPEC and a major oil producer on the world stage, still has substantial influence on oil markets. Oil producers are still producing more oil than the world can handle, with around 1.5 million barrels per day in excess capacity. Iran hopes to bring an additional 1 million barrels per day back online in the coming months if a deal can be signed, a volume that would crush oil prices.
Labour 18
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
NNSG, LASIEC hail active participation of Nigerians The Nigerian National Summit Group, NNSG, has commended Nigerians for active participation in Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly polls. In the same vein, the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission, LASIEC, also described the elections as impressive and innovative. LASIEC said that the use of the card readers for the elections was very innovative. Mr Tony Uranta, Executive Secrtary of NNSG told newsmen in Lagos that he was happy that Nigerians, especially people in the highbrow areas came out in their large numbers to vote. “I am particularly impressed that very old people, youth and
even nursing mothers defied the rains in some parts of Lagos to vote. “Election is a different phenomenon entirely. I will say kudos to all Nigerians for the vibrancy the 2015 electioneering campaigns generated. “Regardless of reported bombing in Enugu, I will say the election so far is peaceful,” Uranta said. On the challenges of the card reader, the NNSG secretary urged Nigerians to be patient, stressing that INEC operate within the ambience of the Electoral Law. Mr Jeje Adeyinka, the Permanent Secretary of LASIEC, also described the card reader as a commendable innovation.
“A lot of industry has gone into the card reader, it took less than 10 seconds for me to be accredited” Jeje said.
Uranta
Representatives of trade union centres from G7 countries, international trade union organisations, the German government, business investors, NGOs and the OECD have met to get answers on how to ensure effective implementation of labour rights in global supply chains through shared responsibility. At the meeting with the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, trade union representatives presented those priorities and discussed possible actions that could feed into the G7 agenda, and the Labour and Development Ministers meeting to be held in October. Germany is pushing for a G7 peer review process to strengthen the implementation of the OECD
Polls: Only Nigerians can sustain democracy-TUC chairman Stories by Joy Ekeke joy.ekeke@dailytimes.com.ng The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, Bayelsa chapter, has said that only Nigerians can sustain democracy in the country by their collective resolve. The chairman of the congress, Mr. Tari Dounana, in Yenagoa, has urged politicians to play politics by the rules of the game. Dounana said that the 16-yearold democratic rule had been a
blessing to Nigeria, adding that peaceful co-existence among citizens would further move the political system forward. “TUC is also preaching free and fair elections in Bayelsa; my advice to all Nigerians as we are set to cast our votes on March 28 is to conduct ourselves peacefully. “Politics is not a do or die affair, remember that violence can destroy the already existing democracy in the country. “Youths must not allow themselves to be used for thuggery or to cause violence.
“I urge all the political candidates in Bayelsa and Nigeria at large, to show spirit of sportsmanship and ensure that Nigeria have the most credible elections. “We must know that Nigeria is one and we will continue to be one for the betterment of our dear nation. “The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, should also ensure that the elections area free, fair and credible; this is the first major step towards preserving our democracy,’’ Dounana further said.
Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. It has also prioritised the creation of a Prevention Fund to reduce the number of workplace accidents through investments in proper health and safety conditions and social protection. The Trade Union meeting was the first of six G7 outreach meetings with non-governmental actors to be held in the run-up to the Summit in June.
NUJ prioritises safety of journalists during polls The Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) said it constituted a seven man standing committee for the safety of journalists during and after the elections. The council Chairman, Dahiru Mohammed, made this known to newsmen in Bauchi. Mohammed said the committee would ensure that the security of journalists were safeguarded at all times. ``The state council constituted the committee to interface whenever the safety of journalists in the state is in danger during and after the elections. ``The committee comprises
Kaigama, TUC president
OECD demands decent work environments
of the representative of the Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Department of State Service, Nigerian Prisons Service and three members of the NUJ,’’ he said. Emphasising on the importance of safety, he said: ``one has to be alive and healthy to report activities including the electioneering processes. Training sessions were held by the union on election coverage, while pamphlet titled `The Nigerian Media Code of Election Coverage’ was distributed to members.
Portuguese youths protest poor working condition Hundreds of people, mostly young activists, took to the streets in the Portuguese capital, protest against poor working conditions. The protests, organized by Interjovem, a young workers’ trade union and the country’s largest workers’ trade union CGTP, took place at a square in downtown Lisbon. “One thing is pockets full, another is empty stomachs,” said Armenio Carlos, CGTP head, during the protest, adding that he had joined the protest to fight precarious working conditions and employee’s rights. The Portuguese government has admitted that young people in Portugal have been among the most affected by the country’s financial crisis. Portugal emerged from a 78-billion-euro bailout program in May last year which forced
the government to enforce changes to social welfare, leading to mass layoffs and salary cuts. Although Portugal has returned to growth, the youth unemployment rate is still frighteningly high, standing at around 33.6 per cent in January, according to recent figures released by Eurostat.
Carlos
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
19 Brands & Marketing
Lafarge rewards distributors, others Stories by Godwin Anyebe To further consolidate on its motivation scheme, Lafarge Africa Plc rewarded distributors, staff among others with valuable prizes including cars, cash and electronical appliances at the 2014 Partners Award recently in Lagos. Speaking at the event, Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye described the ceremony, which was the 10th edition, as a rewarding scheme put together by the company to appreciate, and empower their trade partners, who have contributed immensely toward a monumental success, and also to the continued growth and overall well-being of the organisation. According to him. “Today, we are witnessing the tenth consecutive edition of this open demonstration of our company’s appreciation of your role as a key stakeholder and partners in our business with the theme ‘Rewarding Business Excellence’, which I consider most appropriate for all intent and purpose”. While reassuring the trade partners of the company’s deter-
mination to continue giving support to trade partners to boost their performance, the Chairman pointed out that the recently released 2014 full year financial results indicated that the company was yet able to put up a good performance even in such a volatile market as an affirmation of the strength of the new company and the group’s commitment to achieving excellence. Olasunkanmi Olaoshun of Temitope Enterprises emerged as the First National Winner and went home with a brand new Sport Utility Vehicle, while Engr. Basiru Atinsola, CEO, Oyinbashy Enterprises came second and smiled home with a Hyundai Sonata Executive Car. Others who smiled home with brand new cars include Alhaji Rasheed Ishola; CEO, Rasheed Ishola Ventures Limited who was presented a KIA Cerato Car for being the third national winner and Mr. Innocent Okafor Obi, CEO, Rosent Investment Limited, based in the Eastern Part of the country, who got a Hyundai ix35 jeep for winning the special recognition award for outstanding performance.
L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Temitope Enterprises and First National Winner in the 2014 Lafarge Partners’ Award, Alhaji Buraimoh Osunlola; Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye; and Managing Director, WAPCO Operations, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mrs Adepeju Adebayo during the presentation of star prize, a brand new Sport Utility Vehicle to AlhajiOsunlola in Lagos on Monday.
CAP Plc unveils 2015 Dulux ‘Colour of the Year’
Mr. Chef showers distributors with car gifts Mr. Chef, one of Nigeria’s food seasoning brands, has spiced up the lives of three of its key distributors in the North Central Zone by rewarding them with brand new cars for the loyalty they have shown towards building the Mr. Chef seasoning cubes business. Two distributors, Alhaji Surajo Mai Yahi and Alhaji Abubakar Mahali from Suleja, and Minna respectively, both won a Hyundai Accent saloon car each whilst Alhaji Idris Saleh based in Gwagwalada, took home a Hyundai i10 car. Managing Director of Bayswater Industries Ltd, Mr. Piyush Nair, who presented the cars to the winners at the Central Market, Suleja, Niger State, said: “We are happy that these distributors have demonstrated commitment to the growth of Mr. Chef seasoning cubes in their regions. The car gifts affirm that every relationship with Mr. Chef is valuable because we believe in partnerships that are mutually rewarding.” Alhaji Surajo Mai Yahi, who spoke on behalf of the winners, said: “We are happy to have won, we appreciate the gifts and we are encouraged that Mr. Chef has al-
ways fulfilled its promises to distributors and consumers.” Mr. Nair commended the distributors for their contribution to the success of the on-going Mr. Chef Awuf Now, Now sales promo. The promo offers high value gifts that include Kia Rio cars, trips to Dubai, generators, LED TVs, and refrigerators, which are contained in Scratch Cards in cartons of Mr. Chef Beef and chicken seasoning cubes. These are in addition to instant prizes that include Mobile Phones, Radios, Cutlery Sets, Trays, T-Shirts, Face caps, Towels, Aprons, Exercise Books and Biros to all customers who purchase a case of Mr. Chef beef and chicken-flavour seasoning cubes. Till date, over 50 winners across Nigeria have won high quality gifts that include Kia Rio cars, trips to Dubai, generators, LED TVs and refrigerators that are contained in Scratch Cards in cartons of Mr. Chef ’s beef or chicken seasoning cubes. Mr. Chef boasts of being an indispensable kitchen companion that gives value for money through a combination of quality, quantity and pricing that make customers happy all the time.
Ettah
Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc, makers of Dulux brand of premium paint, a subsidiary of UACN Plc group and the technological licensee of Akzo Nobel has named ‘Copper Orange’ as the 2015 Colour of the Year. Delivering his keynote address at the unveiling ceremony recently in Lagos, the Group Managing Director, UAC of Nigeria Plc, Mr. Larry Ettah revealed that the Dulux Colour of the Year initiative signifies the confluence of a great brand and an impactful idea about one of the central themes of life – colour.
One of the outcomes of the Colour of the Year initiative is the elevation of the art of colour beyond the mundane and prescribed usage and application of colour including the various icons and manifestations. According to him, Copper Orange totally captures the everyday mood and the five trends that support it which are adventure, unseen spaces, him and her layering and friendly barter in tandem with the prediction of colour experts, based on research, that a warmer spectrum of reds and oranges is emerging, one that reflects a more positive global outlook. “The intriguing side to the 2015 Colour of the Year is that it has shifted attention to the basic and ordinary things around us. After all, nature in its natural state tends to weave an array of colour in a way that blends, pleases and soothes our daily lives. I, therefore, urge you to enjoy and discover the value and true worth of the normal things of life! Let us all embrace the current colour tone and mood for the year as we strive
for all-round excellence and success.” Also speaking at the occasion, the Managing Director, CAP Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide, stated that the Dulux Colour of Year is a global initiative of Akzo Nobel where a trend setting colour that sparks discussions in the design and architectural sector, is chosen to represent and set the mood for a particular year. ‘’Today’s event marks the 10th anniversary of the Dulux Colour of the Year in our country. The colour of the year is chosen based on the constant monitoring of emerging social, economy and design trends happening around the world and a panel of independent design experts. She however, urged Dulux esteemed customers to visit any of the Dulux Colour Centers (DCCs) or Dulux Color Shop (DCSs) spread all over the country to meet with Dulux trained colour experts who will help them make over their homes and offices using Dulux Colour of the Year to bring out the beauty.
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Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
FiiRO Mandate
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Industrial profile on instant pounded yam flour NB: The initial fixed capital includes factory building, machinery and equipment, generator, project vehicle, office furniture and equipment and bore hole.
stant Pounded Yam Flour in both domestic and international markets. In the international market, large market exists in Europe and America and other continents most especially with sizeable black people. The potential demand for IPYF is in excess of 500,000 tonnes/annum.
ÎÎÎYam (Discorea spp), a tropi-
cal perennial crop cultivated mainly for its edible tubers is a staple food consumed worldwide and provides much economic benefit to the producers. Yam (Discorea species) can also be described as an annual or perennial tuber-bearing and climbing plants belonging to the family of Diocoreceae. In Nigeria, yam is eaten boiled, fried, roasted and pounded. The pounded yam is consumed by almost every tribe in Nigeria. Its consumption cuts across all regions, age groups, economic and social classes. It is served in parties/ ceremonies, hotels restaurants/ eating joints and as family menu. The traditional method of making pounded yam is very laborious and mostly unhygienic. It requires physical pounding with pestle and mortar by two or more strong men or women, depending on the quantity. Federal Institute of Industrial Research (FIIRO) has developed and perfected a process technology for production of Instant Pounded Yam Flour (IPYF) to remove the drudgery associated with the traditional pounding method. IPYF brings succor to pounded yam lovers as they can now obtain their menu of delight through a process that is less time consuming and of course a more hygienic product with longer shelf life. As a matter of fact, the proliferation of the Instant Pounded Yam Flour companies in Nigeria is as a result of the pioneering R&D and technology transfer activities of the Institute. MARKET INFORMATION There is high demand for In-
PROFITABILITY INDICATORS Return on Investment (Year 1) 85% Return on Equity (Year 1) 174.7% Net Profit to Sales 10.9% Gross Profit to Sales 15.6% Profitability Index 3.5 Breakeven Point (Year 1) 29.8% Payback Period 1.1Years Net Present Value @ 25% N28,655,210.00
RAW MATERIAL Yam tuber is the only raw material required for production of Instant Pounded Yam Flour. Industrial processing and utilisation of yam includes starch, poultry and livestock feed, production of yam flour and instant-pounded yam flour production. Major yam producing states in Nigeria include Adamawa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kaduna, Kwara, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, and Plateau . Table 2 shows the output of Yam in Nigeria. MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT The major machinery and equipment for production of IPYF are: -Yam slicer, -Dryer (Tunnel or Cabinet is appropriate), -Yam par-boiler, -Hammer mill with cyclone and Packaging machine. FIIRO has designed and fabricated complete process line machinery and equipment for IPYF. This is available at micro, small and medium scales. The Institute can also deliver the complete process line on turnkey basis within eight weeks of commissioning by the investor/ entrepreneur. The cost however, depends on the capacity which could vary from 1ton/day to 5tons/day. PROCESS TECHNOLOGY Production of IPYF includes the following simple unit operations: Yam Selection Weighing Washing Peeling and Slicing Parboiling Drying Milling Packaging
SERVICES AVAILABLE AT FIIRO 1. Technology Transfer Training on Instant Pounded Yam Flour Production. 2. Fabrication and Installation of production Machinery and Equipment. 3. Preparation of Bankable Feasibility Report/Business Plan on IPYF production. 4. Quality Control Services 5. Technical Assistance Services (including machinery and equipment installation, commissioning and personnel training on installed plant). FIIRO Yam Parboiler
The flour is packaged in moisture proof packaging materials. PRODUCTION PROGRAMME Production programme for a small to medium scale Instant Pounded Yam Flour production is shown below: Production Days/Annum - 300 Production Volume/Day - 3 Tonnes Production Volume/Annum - 900 Tonnes Projected 5- Year Production Plan TOTAL INITIAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT Initial Fixed Capital N16,292,730.00 Initial Working Capital N7,892,130.00 Pre-production Expenses N2,164,010.00 Contingencies N1,067,443.50 TOTAL N27,416,313.50
FOR FURTHER ENQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT: The Director-General/ CEO, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO) 2, FIIRO Road, Cappa Bus Stop, Oshodi, P.M.B. 21023, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria. Website: http://www.fiiro. gov.ng E-mail Address: info@ fiiro.gov.ng, technoentrepreneurship@fiiro.gov.ng. deleoyeku8@yahoo.co.uk, bukkyadesegha@yahoo.com Telephone: +234-70-33493395, +234-80-3801-0362, +23480-2365-3752.
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
21 Features
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291,827.10
12,402.65
FPS 6”X2
447,890.63
19,035.35
4”X2
38,999.96
1,657.50
9”X4
233,461.68
9,922.12
BPS 6”X3
652,640.63
27,737.23
3”X3
43,874.94
1,864.68
9”X3
161,635.50
6,869.51
BPS 6”X2
435,093.75
18,491.48
3”X2
29,249.98
1,243.12
8”X6
311,282.25
13,229.50
ROP2”X6
152,382.01
6,476.24
2”X2
19,499.98
828.75
8”X5
259,401.87
11,024.58
FPS 2”X6
447,890.63
19,035.35
1”X2
9,749.99
414.37
8”X4
207,521.50
8,819.66
BPS 2”X6
435,093.75
18,491.48
1”X1
4,875.00
207.19
8”X3
143,693.55
6,106.98
13”X5
368,842.50
15,675.81
BPS 2”X2
268,734.38
11,421.21
8”X2
95,786.12
4,070.91
13”X2
126,749.88
5,386.87
7”X5
226,976.64
9,646.51
11”X5
356,677.57
15,158.80
7”X4
158,886.00
6,752.66
11”X4
285,342.06
12,127.04
7”X2
68,249.93
2,900.62
11”X2
107,249.90
4,558.12
6”X4
143,693.55
6,106.98
EARPIECE 2”X2
281,531.25
11,965.08
CENTRE SPREAD
1,151,718.75
48,948.05
DOUBLE SPREAD
1,023,750.00
43,509.38
DOUBLE SPREAD (1/2)
511,875.00
21,754.69
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Vat
S/N
Vat
S/N
Vat
1
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309,684.38
13,161.59
16
10”X2
73,734.38
3,133.71
31
6”X2
44,240.63
1,880.23
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H/PAGE
176,520.09
7,502.10
17
9”X6
264,780.15
11,253.16
32
5”X5
92,160.88
3,916.84
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95,073.11
4,040.61
18
9”X5
220,687.29
9,379.21
33
5”X4
73,734.38
3,133.71
4
14”X5
300,393.28
12,766.71
19
9”X4
176,566.55
7,504.08
34
5”X3
55,300.74
2,350.28
5
14”X4
240,315.08
10,213.39
20
9”X3
119,483.60
5,078.05
35
5”X2
36,867.18
1,566.86
6
14”X2
121,533.92
5,165.19
21
8”X6
235,399.77
10,004.49
36
4”X2
29,493.75
1,253.48
7
13”X5
278,936.62
11,854.81
22
8”X5
196,185.05
8,337.86
37
3”X3
33,180.45
1,410.17
8
13”X2
95,847.32
4,073.51
23
8”X4
156,948.04
6,670.29
38
3”X2
22,120.32
940.11
9
11”X5
269,728.90
11,463.48
24
8”X3
108,668.25
4,618.40
39
2”x6
48,173.99
2,047.39
10
11”X4
215,783.12
9,170.78
25
8”X2
58,987.50
2,506.97
40
2”X2
14,746.87
626.74
11
11”X2
81,107.81
3,447.08
26
7”X5
171,661.92
7,295.63
41
1”X2
7,373.44
313.37
12
10”X6
294,200.16
12,503.51
27
7”X4
121,533.92
5,165.19
42
1”X1
3,686.72
156.69
13
10”X5
245,208.10
10,421.34
28
7”X2
51,614.05
2,193.60
43
DOUBLE SPREAD
774,210.94
32,903.96
14
10”X4
196,185.05
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29
6”X4
108,668.25
4,618.40
15
10”X3
147,138.80
6,253.40
30
6”X3
66,360.90
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387,105.47
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44,380.56
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7”X2
38,832.99
1,650.40
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6”X2
33,282.11
1,414.49
6
5”X2
27,736.42
1,178.80
7
4”X2
22,187.85
942.98
8
3”X2
16,640.27
707.21
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2”X6 (BOTTOM STRIP)
33,283.03
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22
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Today in History Compiled by ‘Tunji Okegbola
s
Cartoons from our Archives
1700 April Fools tradition popularized On this day in 1700, English pranksters begin popularizing the annual tradition of April Fools’ Day by playing practical jokes on each other. Although the day, also called All Fools’ Day, has been celebrated for several centuries by different cultures, its exact origins remain a mystery. Some historians speculate that April Fools’ Day dates back to 1582, when France switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar, as called for by the Council of Trent in 1563. People who were slow to get the news or failed to recognize that the start of the New Year had moved to January 1 and continued to celebrate it during the last week of March through April 1 became the butt of jokes and hoaxes. These included having paper fish placed on their backs and being referred to as “poisson d’avril” (April fish), said to symbolize a young,
1918 On April 1, 1918, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) was formed as an amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). The RAF took its place beside the British navy and army as a separate military service with its own ministry. In April 1911, eight years after the American brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright made the firstever flight of a self-propelled, heavier-than-air aircraft, an air battalion of the British army’s Royal Engineers was formed at Larkhill in Wiltshire. The battalion consisted of aircraft, airship, balloon and man-carrying kite companies. In December 1911, the British navy formed the Royal Naval Flying School at East church, Kent. The following May, both were absorbed into the newly created Royal Flying Corps, which established a new flying school at Upavon, Wiltshire, and formed new airplane squadrons. In July
easily caught fish and a gullible person. Historians have also linked April Fools’ Day to ancient festivals such as Hilaria, which was celebrated in Rome at the end of March and involved people dressing up in disguises. There’s also speculation that April Fools’ Day was tied to the vernal equinox, or first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, when Mother Nature fooled people with changing, unpredictable weather. April Fools’ Day spread throughout Britain during the 18th century. In Scotland, the tradition became a two-day event, starting with “hunting the gowk,” in which people were sent on phony errands (gowk is a word for cuckoo bird, a symbol for fool) and followed by Tailie Day, which involved pranks played on people’s derrieres, such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on them.
British Royal Air Force is founded 1914 the specialized requirements of the navy led to the creation of RNAS. Barely more than a month later, on August 4, Britain declared war on Germany and entered World War I. At the time, the RFC had 84 aircraft, while the RNAS had 71 aircraft and seven airships. Later that month, four RFC squadrons were deployed to France to support the British Expeditionary Force. During the next two years, Germany took the lead in air strategy with technologies like the zeppelin airship and the manual machine gun. England’s towns and cities subsequently underwent damaging bombing raids and its pilots were defeated in the skies by German flying aces such as Manfred von Richthofen, dubbed The Red Baron. Repeated German air raids led British military planners to push for the creation of a separate air ministry, which would carry out strategic bombing against Germany.
Daily Times April 1, 1961
1924
Beer Hall Putsch secures Hitler’s rise to power
Adolf Hitler was sentenced for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch of November 8, 1923. The attempted coup in Munich by right-wing members of the army and the Nazi Party was foiled by the government, and Hitler was charged with high treason. Despite his conviction, Hitler was out of jail before the end of the year, with his political position stronger than ever. Germany was in the midst of a national crisis in the early 1920s. After World War I, its economy was in shambles, and hyperinflation caused widespread discontent. Hitler and the Nazis stepped into this breach with often-racist demagoguery that attracted a significant following throughout the nation. The failed coup turned out to be quite a boon for Adolf Hitler. His trial brought him more attention and publicity than ever before. With a crowd of thousandsincluding press from around the world-watching the proceedings,
Hitler made the most of this opportunity by going on the offensive. Taking every chance to turn the subject away from the putsch itself, Hitler frequently made speeches about Germany’s postwar plight. He blamed the Jews, Marxism, and France for all of the country’s problems, repeatedly returning to his theme of hyper nationalism. The conservative-leaning judges did nothing to stop Hitler or keep the focus on the attempted coup. The prosecutors, who had been threatened by Hitler’s student followers, shrank from challenging the defendant. It soon became evident that Hitler was winning the public relations battle by using the 25day trial as a showcase for his extreme right-wing views, even if he was technically losing the case. In his closing argument, Hitler declared that he would ignore the court’s verdict because the “Eternal Court of History” would acquit him.
1992 The
“Polish Prince” killed in plane crash On this day in 1993, race car driver and owner Alan Kulwicki, who won the 1992 National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) Winston Cup championship by one of the tightest margins in series history, was killed in a plane crash near Bristol, Tennessee, where he was scheduled to compete in a race the following day. The 38-year-old Kulwicki had been the first owner-driver to collect the championship since Richard Petty did so in 1979, as well as the first NASCAR champ to hold a college degree. Kulwicki was born on December 14, 1954, in Greenfield, Wisconsin, a fact that later marked him as an outsider among the other NASCAR drivers of his era, who typically hailed from the southern U.S. Kulwicki’s father, Gerry, built race-car engines and as a teenager Alan became involved in Go-Kart racing.
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Accept election result, PDP chieftain urges Nigerians
L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Former President, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar; Former Chief of General Staff Ebitu Okiwe; Alhaji Aliko Dangote and John Cardinal Onaiyekan at a close-door meeting with Jonathan at the tail end of the collation of results at the Presidential villa… on Tuesday
Ifeanyi Onwuneme
ÏÏÏA People Democratic Party
(PDP) stalwart in Abia State, Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogar, has called on Nigerians to accept the general election results in good faith and not to resort to violence. Ogar, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Masters Energy group of companies, stressed that politics is not a door-die affair, but should be seen as sports, where a contender who loses should congratulate the winner. Fielding questions from newsmen in his country home at Onuaku in Isuikwuato Local Govern-
Benue poll: Suswam heads for tribunal as INEC declares Gemade winner Archibong Eneti Makurdi
ÏÏÏBenue State Governor, Ga-
briel Suswam, has rejected results of the March 28 Senatorial election for Benue North East. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief agent for the poll, Prince Solomon Wombo, who is the special adviser to the governor on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, called for the cancellation of the results for Logo, Ukum and Konshisha Local governments, citing cases of disenfranchisement and authenticity of the results. The results were announced on Tuesday morning, at the Benue State Secretariat of the Indepen-
dent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Makurdi, the state capital. The results, which were announced by the returning officer for the senatorial districts, Prof. Muhhamed Ignatius Ada, showed that the incumbent senator Barnabas Gemade of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 140,715, while Governor Gabriel Suswam, polled 118,603 votes. The returning officers for Logo, Ukum and Konshisha complained of harassment, coercion, intimidation and threat to life during the course of their assignments. But Wombo insisted that the results from the three local gov-
ernments should be cancelled in the interest of justice. He told reporters that the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Prof Istifanus Dafwang, had shown, by his conduct, that he took sides with the (APC). According to Wombo, the result was partial and, therefore, unacceptable and Dafwang’s conduct questionable. Meanwhile, the head of the legal team of Suswam’s Senatorial Campaign group, Mr. Andrew Wombo, said the team had commenced processes to approach election tribunals for redress. APC won two of the three senatorial seats in Benue. PDP won one.
Court adjourns Tinubu’s case against COAS to April 20 ÏÏÏA Federal High Court in La-
gos, on Tuesday, adjourned till April 20, a fundamental rights’ enforcement suit filed by former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, against the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah. Tinubu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had sued Minimah over the deployment of soldiers to lay siege to his No. 26 Bourdillon Street, Ikoyi, Lagos home, between February 9 and February 11, 2015. Justice John Tsoho had, on March 26, granted an interim injunction banning the military’s siege on Tinubu’s home and stopping any possible arrest or deten-
23 News
tion of the applicant during the period of the general election. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that after granting the order, the judge adjourned to hear the substantive suit. At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, only the applicant’s counsel, Mr Chukwuma Onwuemene, who was holding brief for Mr Femi Falana (SAN), was in court. Minimah was not represented. Onwuemene prayed the court for a short adjournment for the hearing of the substantive suit. Tsoho recalled that the applicant had already secured an interim injunction shielding him from arrest and intimidation by the military, adding that the court
Tinubu
could not give any date before the Easter vacation. He, therefore, adjourned till April 20 for hearing. Tinubu is seeking a declaration of the court that the military siege on his home was an infringement on his fundamental human rights to private and family life, protected under Section 37 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Daniel Jolly Bauchi
ÏÏÏThe winner of
the Bauchi South senatorial district election and a Customs pensioner, Mr. Ali Wakili, has attributed his victory to the unfortunate failure of Governor Isa Yuguda to provide the needed democratic dividends to the entire state throughout his eight years in office. Wakili emerged victorious by polling 341,708 votes, while Yuguda had 115,575 votes.
ment Area of Abia State, he said: “I take politics as sports. For instance, if you go in for wrestling and someone throws you down, you have to go home and prepare to come back for a better performance. Then you will be able to face the person squarely”. Asked about his defeat in the last PDP gubernatorial primaries, Ogar said: “I am not embittered that I lost in that contest, I am at home with my party.” He dismissed the idea of an independent candidate in any future election, stressing that one must have a platform and a structure on which to run.
Why I won Bauchi Senatorial seat – Wakili The senator-elect added that his victory also summarises his connection and link with the people of Bauchi State, explaining that Yuguda has been disconnected totally from his people.
Ministry to partner AFAN to alleviate poverty in C’River ÏÏÏThe Cross River State Minis-
try of Agriculture says it was willing to partner with All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN) to alleviate poverty in the state. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. Ukam Edodi, made the assertion, on Tuesday in Calabar, when the executive members of AFAN, Cross River chapter, paid him a visit. He described farming as one sector that had continued to sustain the lives of the ordinary man, in spite of various challenges facing the sector. ``I think that if more emphasis had been put on agriculture since independence, Nigeria would have been better placed than wholly depending on crude oil, which has created uncertainty today,” he said. The commissioner charged AFAN to be competent and resourceful and to look into processing and marketing along the value
Edodi
chain to help sustain the farmers and the economy. He assured them of the ministry’s willingness to assist within the limits of available resources. The state’s Chairman of AFAN, Mr. Etim Nakanda, said their interest to add value through the processing, packaging and marketing of agricultural value chain would create direct employment. Nakanda added that this would also eradicate glut and post-harvest waste.
News 24
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Nnamani declares self winner of Enugu senatorial election Moses Oyediran Enugu
ÏÏÏFormer
governor of Enugu State, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani, has declared himself winner of last Saturday’s senatorial election in Enugu East, on the platform of the People for Democratic Change (PDC). “I want it to be on record that I won the senatorial election. I won the election; I don’t need anybody to declare me winner; I have declared myself winner. We are
going to change the politics of Enugu in the next 10 days; it is possible that the PDP will not produce the governor. It is very possible,” Nnamani added. Nnamani, who made the declaration, on Monday, at the Michael Okpara Square, accompanied by a large crowd of supporters from the six local government areas in the zone, protested what he called the “decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to award victory to
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Senator Gilbert Nnaji”. The supporters carried several placards with inscriptions like ‘Chimaroke won Enugu East senatorial seat’, ‘INEC sold Nnamani’s mandate to PDP’, ‘Democracy has been killed in Enugu’ and ‘This injustice will not stand’, while they were chanting ‘No Chimaroke, No Gburugburu’. The former governor, who expressed his displeasure with the way INEC colluded
with PDP to declare Nnaji as winner of the election, told newsmen that he was convinced that his people elected him, and not Nnaji. “We condemn and reject in its entirety, the result of the National Assembly election in the Enugu East senatorial district, as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission. Documented and provable evidence, indeed, abound on the magnitude of charade and fraud that characterised the process.
L-R: Managing Director/CEO, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTB), Mr Segun Agbaje; new chairman of the board, Mrs. Osaretin Demuren; outgone Chairman, Egbert Imomoh and company secretary, Mrs. Olutola Omotola at the 25th Annual General Meeting of GTB held at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos State...on Tuesday. PHOTO: TAOFEEK BABAJIDE
PDP rejects election results in Bauchi Daniel Jolly Bauchi
ÏÏÏThe
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) senatorial agent for
Bauchi South, Yakubu Ibrahim, has rejected the National Assembly election final results for the zone. Ibrahim, while speaking on Monday at the presidential Collation Centre in Bauchi, insisted that three out of the seven local government areas in the zone were attacked by insurgents during the election, while the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, from the areas said that they were yet to receive results from about 10 polling units, but went ahead to declare the election conclusive with a winner emerging. “We do not agree with results from Alkaleri, Bauchi South, and Kirfi local government areas, as those areas were attacked, while collation of results was going on
and all those involved ran into the bush for their safety. “Instead of waiting for the whole results to be assembled, compiled before being collated, they only used those at hand to conclude the election,” adding that the party would seek the opinion of its legal adviser, with the option of contesting the results in the election petition tribunal.
Senator-elect assures constituents of better life Pita Chikwem Minna
ÏÏÏNiger
East Senatorelect, David Umaru, has said that he would be in the Senate to ensure a better life for his constituents. Speaking at a press conference in Minna, he said the people deserved a better life as a way of reducing their sufferings. The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, who promised to work for the good of his senatorial zone, insisted that he was not going there to collect allowances. “I am going to the Senate to work, and not collect allowances or amass wealth, but to work for
the progress of my people who, for many years, have been neglected. The lives of my people must improve, so that they can have a sense of belonging,” he added. Umaru described his success as a ‘political tsunami’, which swept away the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its Governor, Babangida Aliyu, who had ‘wanted to use the opportunity to continue to steal the people’s mandate’. “I have, on several occasions, advised him to stop toying with the collective will and interests of our people, but he would not heed. Instead, he continued to trample on their collective dreams and aspirations”, he added.
Saraki lauds INEC over free, credible elections Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin
ÏÏÏThe
Chairman, Senate Committee on Ecology and Environment, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has commended the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting transparent, free, fair and credible election in Kwara State. In a statement signed by his media aide, Bamikole Omishore, he said: “On our part, we in the APC will continue to stand on the side of the people. We will continue to put in our best in order to ensure further social, economic and infrastructural development to all parts of Kwara State. We will continue to fight for what is in the best interest of Kwara and Nigeria.” Saraki also praised the security agencies for ensuring that the elections
were held in an orderly atmosphere. The former governor of the state, whose party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), won all the nine National Assembly seats in the state and the presidential election, said that through the outcome of the election “it is clear that the people of Kwara have spoken loud and clear with their votes. “They have demonstrated their unflinching commitment to democracy and the progress of Kwara State in particular and Nigeria as a whole. I urge all politicians and key stakeholders to listen to the voice of the people,” he charged.
Low attendance stalls plenary in House of Reps ÏÏÏThe
resumed plenary in the House of Representatives could not hold on Tuesday, due to lack of quorum, as only 16 out of 360 members showed up.
The Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, announced that the house would, therefore, resume plenary on April 1. ``I can say that this is the first time we are
recording the lowest attendance of lawmakers in this chamber and I can understand that it is in view of what is going on in the country. ``Since yesterday,
results were being released and, of course, we are waiting for the big one, which is the announcement of the presidential result,’’ Tambuwal said.
Leader of the House, Rep. Mulikat AkandeAdeola (Oyo PDP), moved a motion for adjournment, and it was unanimously adopted by the House.
Saraki
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Election result: Abuja grounded over fears of violence Andrew Orolua Abuja
Ă?Ă?Ă?Fears
that violence may erupt after the release of the final result of last Saturday’s Presidential election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) paralysed commercial activities in Abuja,
the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its suburbs, on Tuesday. The palpable fear heightened among Abuja residents, after the polling agent of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a former minister in Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe, accused INEC Chairman,
Prof Attahiru Jega, of bias. The tension also disrupted activities in the Federal ministries, departments and parastatals, as the few civil servants who turned up for work hurriedly sneaked out of their offices. Commercial banks also hurriedly shut their gates, leaving bewildered cus-
tomers to the services of their ATMs only. Several businesses in the city centre did not open at all. Many restaurants and ‘Mama Put’ joints were locked up. Fuel stations, except the NNPC filling facilities, were also closed to motorists.
Anambra polls: APGA, APC, PPA reject results Doris Nnabuenyi Awka
Ă?Ă?Ă?The
All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) has rejected the results announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Anambra State, noting that the electoral process was manipulated at the collation stage by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in the area. In a press conference held on Tuesday by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Chief Tony Onyima, along with media aids of Governor Willie Obiano, on behalf of APGA, the party condemned the manner the election was conducted, saying the voting exercise was “brazenly violated and voting results manipulated at the collation stages of the electoral process by anti-democratic forces, most disturbingly by elements of Igbo extraction in the PDP, who felt encouraged by their so-called links to Abuja.� The party lamented that “anti-democratic elements, who are also notable figures of the PDP, were directly involved in manipulating the electoral process in key areas of the state; kidnapping INEC officials, hijacking the results from polling stations and re-writing the actual figures in favour of PDP candidates.� It said a case in point was an incident in Ihiala Local Government area, where “an attempt to stop some PDP elements from altering the results of the voting exercise led to the
death of two Nigerians - a policeman and an innocent citizen. “What is instructive in this incident is that citizen, Ifeanyi Ubah, chairman of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), accompanied by Olisa Metuh, PDP National Pub-
licity Secretary, were allegedly physically present at the scene of the incident,� it alleged. The party further cited another case in Idemili North Local Government area, contending that it had already lodged a formal protest with the INEC
“where an invading mob, led by a Federal minister, brazenly thwarted the will of the people by altering the results of the votes cast in the entire council area in favour of his junior brother, the PDP candidate, against what were recorded in the various polling booths.�
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Ă?Ă?Ă?The
result that declared Governor Jonah Gang as the winner of the Northern Senatorial Zone of Plateau State was, on Tuesday, rejected by the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial candidate, Mrs Eunice Ayisa Sambo, who contested against the governor. Daily Times observed that trouble ensued when Governor Jang was declared winner of the polls with a total number of 250,666 votes, as against 226,743 scored by Mrs Sambo, as the APC agent supervising the polls refused to sign the result. Mrs Eunice, while addressing the Press in protest against the result, on Tuesday at the NUJ Press Centre, said: “We received the results and also the declarations of the results; we also received briefings from our agents from across the constituencies, polling units, wards, and we have issues with some of this
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APC rejects Plateau North senatorial result areas. “The Plateau North Senatorial Zone where, as you are aware at the collation center, issues came up in relation to the massive irregularities associated with the results of some of the areas. We have been briefed adequately by the Returning Officer (R0) and even when one of it was entertained, it was not implemented by the Senate Returning Officer in the Person of Prof. Rotgak Iliya Gofwen. “And due to all of these and some other irregularities associated with the processes and validity, our agents refused to sign the final result that declared the winner for the Northern Senatorial Zone,� she posited.
Election: Military shows ‘force’ in C’River Calabar
#$ % ! & ' ( ) *
) # % ( ) )
Chijioke Kingsley
Emma Obi
25 News
team of members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the para-military organisations, on Tuesday, in a show of force, drove round the streets of Calabar in Cross River State, blaring sirens as they drove along. The convoy, consisting of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Mobile Police, the Police, Civil Defence, Prisons, Customs and Immigration personnel etc. drove in over 40 Hi-Lux mini buses, and the occupants were fierce looking and armed with sophisticated weapons. They drove round and in front of political party offices, markets, open fields etc., where people, mostly youths, gathered in small groups discussing the outcome of election results, even as they were still being announced. A retired military personnel, who prefers anonymity, said such operation by the military is called a ‘show of force’. “It is most likely that the
military is demonstrating to show that they are battle ready to confront any individual or group that may be discontented with the outcome of the election results as they are being released, and may want to foment trouble,� the retired officer said. It would be recalled that observers had, even before the conduct of the elections, predicted that Calabar Municipality/Calabar South and Abi/Yakurr Local governments could be flash points for likely violence, should the election results be contrary to people’s expectations. On Monday, the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by its Chairman, Pastor Usani Usani, addressed a press conference, even before the results were made public, alleging that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state had doctored the results in favour of PDP candidates. Consequently, the state APC rejected the results, even before they were made public.
26
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Education
FCE (Special), Oyo, celebrates
The Federal College of Education, (Special) Oyo, recently held its 16th convocation ceremony at an event witnessed by several bigwigs in the education and declared open by the Hon. Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau. The college was uniquely established to cater for students who have various educational impairments and it is the only established school for such in West Africa. “The college has been produc-
s ing great men and women who have contributed their quota to the development of the nation,” the Provost of the college, Dr. Femi Adeniyi, said in his welcome address. While declaring the ceremony open, Mallam Shekarau who eulogised the historic city of Oyo as the cradle of Yoruba tradition and culture said, he was happy for what he called his “home coming”. The minister highlighted the relevance of education sector
to the present government’s reform which he said had been considered as a fundamental pillar of human rights, democracy, sustainable development and peace. “We believe that education remains very critical to bringing about the needed transformation of the nation and building the Nigeria of our dreams,” he said. Shekarau continued: “On our part, in the quest to turnaround the fortunes of the Nigerian
education industry, my ministry will continue to prosecute the roadmap for the transformation of the education sector with higher education as a major thrust”. The highpoint of the ceremony was the commissioning of several projects within the campus, which the provost said were put in place to accelerate the course of education in tandem with the visions of the school’s forefathers.
NUC clamps down on illegal varsity in Oyo Stories by Tunde Atobatele The National University Commission (NUC) recently wielded its big stick on an illegally-operated university in Oyo State. The university, named Borough College, London, was situated in Ighoho, Oke Ogun area of Oyo State. The clampdown was due to information given to the commission about the operations of the illegal institution of learning. Leading the NUC team to the
Ighoho campus of the institution was the commission’s chairman on illegal university, Prof. Adebisi Balogun, who said that the university had six faculties and 200 students already. Prof. Balogun also said that the school started its illegal operations in October, 2014. His words “The illegal Institution was established in October, 2014 by one Prof. Ogunleye, though, the said school proprietor, Prof. Ogunleye had earlier
written a formal letter to the NUC seeking to obtain form of establishment but he later failed to follow-up with the processes.” Balogun urged parents to always do a thorough check on universities before enrolling their children to guard against both financial and time losses. The Federal Government recently approved the establishment of additional nine universities across Nigeria, bringing the total number of privately-owned universities in the country to 50.
Shekarau, Minister of education
WAEC to adopt CBT Technology
Uwadae
The West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) has disclosed readiness to toe the line of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) by adopting the Computer Based Tests (CBT) method. According to the WAEC’s Board Registrar, Dr. Iyi Uwadae, the board plans to introduce the technology into its examination across the West African sub region. Speaking at the Board’s 20th annual endowment fund lecture
in its Ikeja, Lagos, international office, Uwadae said: “WAEC is ready to adopt the technology based method in conducting its examination across West African Countries. The Board’s new international office in Lagos is already equipped with internet facilities and can sit over 350 candidates at once”. Uwadae disclosed that WAEC’s Ikeja office was used by JAMB for the recently-conduct-
ed UTME examination. Of concern is the unique system of WAEC’s examination being theoretical in nature, compared to the UTME’s objective questions. The Registrar however, was very prompt to dismiss this as a non-issue. His words: “The fact that the WAEC exams are theoretical will not stand as a major challenge in adopting the CBT, though, our Board will not in a rush to adopting this CBT method.”
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Inside Campus
27
s
Inside Campus Editor: Mutiat Alli mutiat.alli@dailytimes.com.ng
UNIBEN rotary club installs 30th president Eddy Uwoghiren and Ezekiel Efeobhokhan, UNIBEN
Angry youths of Uviwe community, Worri
PTI: Host community protests lopsidedness in employment Felix Chidi Wobialor (PTI Warri) While students of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) were busy preparing for their upcoming examination which is just two weeks away, they woke up to the sound of loud music coming from the school’s gate with giant speakers mounted around and chanting of solidarity songs. Soon the environs of the institution turned into a protest centre. This protest came as a result of the recruitment exercise organised by the PTI in conjunction with the Federal Character
Commission to employ new lecturers into the institution with 80 percent of Northerners getting the job while the remaining 20 percent was shared by the other ethnic groups. Speaking with one of the angry Uviwe graduate, he said: “Why can’t we ever get it right for once. If only, they have considered the host community in the first place. Not that the host community can’t provide qualified applicants but they (FG) choose to go this way. It’s a pity and this marginalisation has to stop now. It’s should be fight until we get the much needed result”. Debunking reasons for the
protest, PTI Assistant Director, Mr. Aliyu Yama, disclosed that prior to the allegation that 80 percent of the employment went to the northerners, he said: “It’s all cock and bull stories; the Urhobo community actually had about 47 slots and even the Hausas they claimed to have all the slots got less than 20 percent. The Uviwe community which is a part of Uhrobo are detaching themselves from them so as to have fresh slots allotted to them which is not possible as the Federal Government is in-charge of the employment. The registrar and principal of the institution are Deltans“.
Nigerians should be optimistic, says American Don Odeyemi Olawale Unilorin
McCain
An American don, Professor Danny McCain, has urged Nigerians to be optimistic about the outcome of the general election. McCain, who is currently a Lecturer at the Department of Religion & Philosophy, University of Jos, Plateau State, gave the charge during a lecture in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, organ-
ised by Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS), University of Ilorin, in conjunction with the Society for Peace Studies and Practice (SPSP). The lecture which was hosted by the CPSS Director, Dr. Mahfouz A. Adedimeji, of the Department of English of the university, attracted distinguished world political analysts around the world to the institution. It was titled “Towards Peaceful Election in 2015: The Roles of
Members of the Rotary Club of University of Benin have installed a 300 level Social Works student, Olaloluwa Adene, as the 30th president of the Rotary Club, UNIBEN district at a gathering held at the Banquet hall of the institution which attracted dignitaries from the various Rotary districts in Edo State. Speaking at the event, Princess Ann Akenzuwa, from the Public Administration Department of the university, stated that Rotary club was founded on the principle of helping the less privilege. She added that a life lived for others is one worthy of emulation and called on members of the club to portray the club in good light wherever they found themselves. Responding on behalf of the new executives, Olaloluwa thanked members for finding him worthy to be elected as the president. He promised to make them proud by instituting projects that would stand the test of time. Other members of the executives installed included Emmanuel Ndueche, Tabitha Edim, Erinfolani Olusola, Oyetayo Oluwafemi, and Efficient Temitope, amongst others.
President and other exco
Stakeholders in Nigeria”. In his lecture, Professor McCain asserted that “Peace and safety in society are often sacrificed on the altar of political rigidity, personal arrogance and unbridled greed.” He pointed that “Nigeria faces many daunting problems at this time, adding that “politicians cannot solve all of these problems instantly but through democratically electing, supporting and holding accountable honourable politicians is the starting place.”
Exhibition
Students tasked on entrepreneurial skills ...As AAU holds exhibition Kelvin Osakpolor Igbineweka, Uwoghiren Louis, Igbinigie Eghosa (AAU Ekpoma) Students of the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo State, have been charged to involve actively in entrepreneurial skills. This call was made last week at the exhibition and public lecture series held at the Rev. Chris Oyakhilome Auditorium in the university. Speaking at the event, Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. C.A Agbebaku, noted that entrepreneurial development was introduced into the university curriculum by the National University Commission (NUC) due to its peculiar nature in helping to advance the cause of self training and development in the creation of employment opportunities by our youths for themselves and others in the face of present mass unemployment in the country. Agbebaku also congratulated students whose products were displayed during the exhibition, urging them to put more effort as in no distant time products like cars and other highly technical equipment will be produced and showcased at future exhibitions Products manufactured by the students include beads, shoes, belts, art works, flowers, tie and dye, paints, soups, body cream, bleach, perfume among others.
28
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
&
Industry TECHNOLOGY Issues
By MOSES OWOLABI, mosesowolabi2005@yahoo.com; 08053064507(sms only)
Timessearch
Sarah ODEDE
Why new subjects by WAEC? ÏÏÏI was surprised, when my daughter,
who was preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASCE), hopefully, this year, rushed in to tell me about the new subjects introduced by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). On hearing of this new development, which I am yet to confirm, I decided to contact the TIMESEARCH, to shed more light on this issue and educate me and other parents, whose children were about sitting for the examinations. Mr. Femi Olowolagba, P.O. Box 4431, Orile Agege, Lagos State.
Prof Cleopas
Imperative for national information technology development ÏÏÏThe
eNigeria2014 has come and gone but the memory will certainly linger for a long time to come. We are happy to have participated at the forum and we feel proud that such wonderful discoveries could come out of Nigeria’s Nazareth. However, we noticed that even though NITDA has done well in the area of software development, little or nothing is being done in hardware development. In 2012, we asked the erstwhile Director General of NITDA, Prof Cleopas Angaye, what his agency was doing in this regard; he had no clear-cut answer to our question. Again, the same question was asked at the eNigeria2014 but nobody seemed to be prepared for it. We will like to suggest the following: NITDA should overlook what has come to be termed ‘comparative advantage’ and deliberately invest in manufacturing computer hardware in Nigeria. The term is used to discourage ambitious Third World countries eager to become First World. If Japan had considered only her areas of comparative advantage in the beginning would she have been developed today? In achieving the hardware goal, there is a need to involve National Office for
Technology Acquisition & Promotion (NOTAP), Nigeria Communication Satellites Limited (NigComSat), computer assemblers, Federal Technical College, Yaba, local and foreign component makers; and Electronics Development Institute (ELDI), Awka, Anambra State. NOTAP will serve as coordinator (that is one of its mandates); NITDA will fund and oversee all the software development; NigComSat will provide mother board; ELDI will provide the power unit and other components. It will also provide the designs. The mould for the cases will be made by the Federal Technical College Yaba. The Otigba-Lagos-based computer village could also be drafted as a major stakeholder to provide advice on what the market wants. Any of the assemblers patriotic enough to buy into the project by releasing its facilities for the project should be highly encouraged in any way possible. Also, we feel NITDA and NigComSat should work together in commercialising some of the innovations developed by the latter over the years. One of them is one that converts old computers to irrigation equipment. This is the way to go --- and grow!
This issue was taken up with the Public Affairs Department of the West African Examinations Council, Harvey Road, Yaba, Lagos, where it was learnt that “In compliance with the directive on the introduction of a new Secondary School Curriculum, the West African Examinations Council, (WAEC) conducted the maiden examinations in the newly introduced trade subjects in the May/June 2014 West African Senior School Certificate Examinations (WASCE) in Nigeria”. Based on this development, “39 new subjects for the Secondary School Curriculum were developed by the Nigeria Educational Research and Development Council, (NERDC). The new curriculum was approved by the National Council on Education (NCE) in 2011, when it was also expected to become operational. The new curriculum was, primarily, designed to equip the students with entrepreneurial, vocational and technical skills that would make them job creators. However, according to the Head of the Test Development Division and Chief Discussant at the January edition of the monthly seminar of the Research Department of the WAEC International Office in Lagos, Mrs.
Olayinka Ajibade, the curriculum was expected to equip students with these vital skills for development. It was learnt that to achieve such entrepreneurial skills, the students must sit for four core subjects: English Language; General Mathematics; Civic Education and Trade/ Entrepreneurial Studies, beginning from 2014. Unlike the former curriculum, whereby, students could pick eight or nine subjects of choice, the new curriculum categorised other subjects as elective, which were also grouped into Humanities, Science and Mathematics, Technology and Business Studies. Students in Senior Secondary School 1-3, have to choose from any of the groups. They must pick four subjects of their choice from each group and pick two or three from the elective. Any implication for assessment? Mrs. Ajibade said, “The assessment requires the teaching of some frameworks, including syllabus development to guarantee the desired outcome. What are the constraints against the new policy? She mentioned “Lack of proper understanding of the curriculum by stakeholders; inadequate personnel; slow pace of review or development of appropriate textbooks and teachers’ handbooks”. Others include dearth of necessary infrastructure in schools; funding of programmes to support entrepreneurial education; large class size and shortage of career guidance counsellors in schools. TIMESEARCH also learnt that the constraints could, however, be checked through constant review of textbooks and teachers’ handbooks by NERDC and practical handson training by teachers, which would aid students in learning. Other solutions include empowering teachers through technology, increasing the usage of Information and Communication Technology, recruitment of qualified guidance and counselling personnel and increasing funding by the relevant arms of government.
What are the gains of biomedical research? ÏÏÏI am an undergraduate of
a Nigerian university (names withheld) and my university is not one of those that collaborate on biomedical research. Can TIMESEARCH shed more light on the issue? What does the initiators of this research, actually, want and what do they intend to gain from it? Opeyemi Olaoluwa, P.O. Box 4419, Modakeke, Osun State. Only six federal universities in Nigeria are promoting biomedical research through joint efforts. An official of the National Universities Commission, (NUC), Abuja, who preferred
anonymity, disclosed that the issue had been on since 2013 and that, according to the coordinator of the project, Professor Eugene Okpere, the focus was to make the six universities work, jointly, and ensure the rapid development of biomedical research in Nigerian universities, and boost their ranking. He added that there was a NUC committee for the promotion of biomedical research in Nigeria. The official added that “Because of this, you are able to identify a university or a professor in New York, doing the same kind of research as you, you can then link up and collaborate with him and move faster than you are able to do alone”. However, the NUC would be involved in the project through capacity building, advisory role, seminars and regular sourcing for funds.
Our heritage
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
s
Tara: Touching lives through art Stories by Moses Kadiri SHE needs no introduction when it comes to the art of beauty make-up; Tara FelaDurotoye, is a master in the art. The Chief Executive Officer of the leading beauty brand, House of Tara, credited with the setting up of the first makeup studio and establishing Nigeria’s first make-up school in 2004, is very passionate in touching people’s lives with her beauty outfit. Inspired by her stepmother’s beauty routine and her work as a make-up artist during her university days, Tara said she was, inadvertently, drawn to cosmetics, after seeing “what make-up, actually, does to enhance a woman’s self-esteem.” While talking about her passion for teaching, Tara said: “I am still a teacher; the only thing is that, this time, I am not teaching Mathematics or English, but, I am teaching enterprise, I am teaching make-up artistry, as a platform for enterprise.” Making a difference in young lives is part of the mission for the 37-year-old cosmetics guru. “There are certain things that tell you that you cannot make it; that you will not make it; that Nigeria is not a place where people make it,” says Tara, adding “I beg to differ.” She revealed that the Tara beauty range was born out of her frustration at the lack of suitable cosmetics in Nigeria, “Importers didn’t know, exactly,
Teju Cole, Helon Habila, others win Windham Campbell prizes
Tara
what was right for the Nigerian women, so, I want to fill the gap, while encouraging pride in home-grown glamour.” “Many Tara products were named after beauty icons or beauty philosophies in Africa,” says Tara, “for us it is about sharing the world and sharing our culture to the world.” Tara also highlighted the brand’s achievements, “Today
Nigerian-American writer, Teju Cole, and Nigerian novelist, Helon Habila, are two of nine writers who have been named recipients of the 2015 Windham Campbell Prizes, each worth $150,000, Teju is the author of ‘Open City’ and ‘Every Day is for the Thief ’, and the Nigerian
we have about 14 schools, across the country, where people have been trained to become makeup artists. I can, confidently, say that for 80 percent of the make-up artists, that are active players in the industry today, either working as entrepreneurs or within other beauty brands, were trained by House of Tara and I think for me, that is the greatest joy.”
Caine Prize-winning writer, Helon is that of Waiting for an Angel. Cole was named recipient of the prize for his fiction work alongside other writers like Geoff Dyer’s Out of Sheer Rage, John Jeremiah Sullivan’s Pulphead and Edmund de Waal’s The Hare with the Amber Eyes.
29
New Dawn 30
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Buhari is President-elect, Jonathan concedes defeat Continued from page 1 After the results of nation’s 36 states and the FCT were collated, General Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) polled 15,426,921 to Jonathan’s 12,853,162. Hundreds of APC supporters occupied major streets in the in the nation’s capital, many of them in motorcades, moving from one part of the city to another chanting “Nigeria! sai Buhari; APC, change!” At about 6:10pm, while INEC was on recess to reconvene by 8pm for the collation of the final result from Borno State, the
Daily Times broke the news on its website that President Goodluck Jonathan had called General Buhari, to concede defeat. Incumbent President Jonathan contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). From the moment the news hit the streets, the capital city became occupied with jubilant party supporters and loyalists of the APC and its candidate. After three previous failed shots at the presidency, Buhari finally clinched the victory that will guarantee his moving into Aso Rock, as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
FINAL RESULT S/N
State
APC
PDP
Winner
1
Ekiti
120,331
176,466
PDP
2
Ogun
308,290
207,950
APC
3
Enugu
14,157
553,003
PDP
4
Kogi
264,851
149,987
APC
5
Osun
383,603
249,929
APC
6
Ondo
299,889
251,368
APC
7
FCT
146,399
157,195
PDP
8
Oyo
528,620
303,376
APC
9
Nassarawa
236,838
273,460
PDP
10
Kano
1,903,999
215,779
APC
11
Jigawa
885,988
142,904
APC
12
Katsina
1,345,441
98,937
APC
13
Kwara
302,146
132,602
APC
14
Kaduna
1,129,760
484,085
APC
15
Anambra
17,926
660,762
PDP
16
Abia
13,394
368,303
PDP
17
Akwa Ibom
58,411
953,304
PDP
18
Benue
373,961
303,737
APC
19
Borno
473,543
25,640
APC
20
Cross River
28,368
414,863
PDP
21
Delta
48,910
1,211,405
PDP
22
Edo
208,469
286,869
PDP
23
Imo
133,253
559,185
PDP
24
Kebbi
567,883
100,972
APC
25
Lagos
792,460
632,327
APC
26
Niger
657,678
149,222
APC
27
Yobe
446,265
25,526
APC
28
Plateau
429,140
549,615
PDP
29
Bauchi
931,598
86,085
APC
30
Gombe
361,245
96,873
APC
31
Ebonyi
19,518
323,653
PDP
32
Sokoto
671,926
152,199
APC
33
Zamfara
612,202
144,833
APC
34
Rivers
69,238
1,487,075
PDP
35
Bayelsa
5,194
361,209
PDP
36
Adamawa
374,701
251,664
APC
37
Taraba
261,326
310,800
PDP
TOTAL
15,426,921
APC
PDP
come May 29, 2015. The victory is the first ever by any opposition party in Nigeria to unseat an incumbent since the inception of democracy in the country. One of the people celebrating, Mr Chris Eze told Daily Times that the jubilation was based on the fact that the votes of Nigerians counted, for once. He said: “This is a ballot revolution and I am very happy because our politicians will never take us for granted again. Now we have realised that we have the power to vote in and voteout any government that performs below the expectations of the electorate.” Former President of the Ijaw Youth Council, and founder, Niger Delter People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari has disclaimed a report on tweeter that he has declared support for the President- elect. Dokubo-Asari made the disclaimer on his tweeter handle stating: “There is a tweet circulating and trending right now purportedly ascribed to me.... This tweet is not from me...I had never supported any government in the Nigerian state before the government of my brother Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan... “My position on the independence and restoration of the
stolen sovereignty of my country will never never be negotiated away....Let it be known by the creators of these cowardly tweet that treachery is not part of mine DNA,” he warned. Rivers state governor and Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi, said on Tuesday that his party would be magnanimous in victory when it takes over power on May 29. Gov Amaechi, who said this at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, pledged that the government of Buhari would be all-inclusive. “It has become clearer to the nation that APC has won the election and we will be magnanimous in victory,” he said. Buhari added that the APC cherished the victory so much but “it is not only about celebration, it is about the seriousness of governance and you must see the difference between us the current government.” He continued: “If we say there is incompetence, we must show competence; if we say there was corruption, we must show that we will not be corrupt. If we say that people were denied their basic right, we must protect the right of people. “If we say there was impunity, we must govern by the rule of law and once we show that, you will see the basic difference between us and the current gov-
ernment’’. He noted that the victory of the party at the presidential election was historic as it was the first time in the history of the country’s democracy that an incumbent federal government would be defeated. “The victory is historic to me. I will be proud to tell my children that for the first time in the history of Nigeria, the opposition party was able to rout the government and party in power. “We were able to present a different picture of what life looks like which is giving the people the courage to confront the current government on corruption and confront the fact that people were hungry. This is because they don’t go to the same market as other Nigerians go. “They have the kind of funds they want and they eat the kind of food they want to eat but Nigerians were dying of hunger. “We want to let Nigerians know that Boko Haram was not about religion alone, there was element of poverty and ignorance saying that the incoming government would have to deal with falling standard of education and unemployment in the north and in the south. He assured that the Buhari administration would make Nigerians to understand that religion was never an issue in Nigeria.
Jonathan concedes defeat, congratulates Buhari Continued from page 1 challenger, Major General Muhammadu Buhari, and conceding defeat. President Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost re-election bid to General Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He also held a closed-door meeting with the Peace Committee for the 2015 general elections, headed by former military ruler General Abdulsalam Abubakar. Also at the meeting were the president of the Aliko Group of Companies, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; former President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mrs Priscilla Kuye; Primate of the Anglican Communion, Nicholas Okoh; former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe; and Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Onaiyekan. When members of the committee came out of the meeting with the president, General Abubakar
Jonathan
Buhari
who spoke with State House correspondents, urged politicians to give peace a chance. “Jonathan has conceded defeat
and called Buhari. All politicians should give peace a chance,” Abubakar told the reporters after the meeting.
Daily Times Nigeria Wednesday, April 1, 2015
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Let there be light... ÎÎÎDespite the unprecedented level of investment in the power sector and increase in electricity tariffs, power supply situation in Nigeria is still the same with the gap between demand and supply widening sharply in the urban areas even after the privatization exercise. Even though power generation has barely improved beyond 4000 megawatts over the past six years, the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan recently insisted he had delivered on his campaign pledge to make the power sector a priority for his administration as the Federal Government had invested about $8.26 billion in the power sector through the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) over the years. President Jonathan, who was speaking during the inauguration of a 750 megawatts Olorunsogo II Power Station in Olorunsogo, Ogun State, recently said that soon the challenges posed by epileptic power supply would become a thing of the past. Nigerians have been groaning and saying that the erratic nature of Nigeria’s power sup-
ply cannot guarantee any meaningful industrial development and can also not lead the country to her vision of becoming one of the top 20 industrialised nations of the world by the year 2020. The detailed power sector roadmap that is part of the implementation of the reform process, which legislative groundwork was laid by the Electric Power Sector Reform (EPSR) Act of 2005 is seen as a shame as customers are made to pay outrageous bills for “darkness”. The whole exercise is gradually being turned into a laughing shock with the Discos still battling with technical losses, which they attribute for their inability to distribute every megawatt received from the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN). Keen observers have accused the Discos of not deploying funds and loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria for infrastructural development, hence
no improvement in power distribution. They also said that about 20 per cent of the power sent to the Discos is not accounted for due to technical losses. Also, experts in the sector who commented on the development noted that the setting unrealis-
projects, some of which had been under construction for almost a decade, and had never been met. They cited the situation in South Africa that generate more than 40,000MW and declared that unfulfilled promises from the power sector drivers is not making Nigerians happy as all the privatization efforts have not made any significant impact so far in the power sector. The Federal Government appeared not prepared for the privatization of the sector as it is still controlling the generation and transmission sector leaving the Distribution sector to investors, therefore the incoming government should revisit the power sector to ensure that those investors who are not competent are relieved of their jobs in the various Discos. For the power sector overhaul to gain the confidence of the investors and consumers, experts say there is need for secu-
The detailed power sector roadmap that is part of the implementation of the reform process, ...is seen as a shame as customers are made to pay outrageous bills for “darkness” tic targets have become the practice in Nigeria, particularly in the energy sector. They noted that government failed to deliver on its target to generate 10,000mw, 6,000mw, 10,000 and 14,000 in 2007 and 2009, 2012 and 2013 respectively and also did not make timelines for completion of various power
rity of investment, right pricing and efficiency in power generation and distribution in order to sustain the delivery of power in the country. Another area of note is the issue of gas flaring in the Niger Delta Region, passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and the implementation of the Federal Government of the abandoned Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) national strategic policy which highlights steps to be taken to stimulate and promote the use of LPG among the Nigerian populace. The NNPC Audit Report is that is yet to be submitted to the National Assembly calls to question as the incoming government need to beam its search light on the report and the corporation to ensure that the turnaround maintenance of the nation’s refinery is achieved for it to refine crude oil at optimal capacity. It is an aberration for the country to be importing refined crude oil and this has to be stopped by the incoming administration for the power sector to have meaning and satisfy the yearnings of Nigerians.
Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. website: www.dailytimes.com.ng; email: info@dailytimes.com.ng. Tel: 018447948. EDITOR: YINKA OLUJIMI News Hotlines: 08138773277, 08173901838. Advert Hotlines: 08169118913, 08075038528
Life&
TIMES Wednesday, April 01 , 2015
Kemi Akindoju L2 On
P
making a difference as a thespian
The ‘George‘ wrapper: L4 A classic fashion trend P
L2
Daily Times Nigeria
Wednesday April 01, 2015
For every role, I develop a back story Mutiat Alli
for me in my acting career in terms
stayed relevant and she is still a professional to the core. I employed her in my play, The Wives in 2014 and
Nollywood actress and producfurther introduction in the entertainment industry. Ever since she got crowned at the 2010 Future has left no stone unturned, churning out wonderful performances in
actress, I already had my lines, and since I already had some years of dead the camera could be. Performing in front of a live audience is different from performing in front of a camera and all that I was able to learn on Tinsel.
mind that I was her boss; she was ready to obey and she was always has this passion about raising young people that will take over the movie industry. She has been working for over 30 years in this industry and has
rules. Others that I also admire and look up to are Tunde Kelani, Kate Henshaw, and Kunle Afolayan.
She has without a doubt, placed herself among the most sought after actresses in the industry. In reer and other sundry issues.
I see myself as a person. If I want know about coping but I thrive on multi-tasking and as for me, the essence of who I am is doing all these things at the same time, for me I
sure what direction my life was going to take, but I loved to perform on stage by singing and dancing. At one point, a friend from church was looking for casts for a two-man play, I did the play in 2005 and it was beautiful. I loved the way that I felt on stage,
for an answer.
Kelani? First let me say, working with Tunde Kelani is a blessing and it has opened more doors for me. It was a
did another play in 2007 ,but in 2008, I got into acting professionally. How do you prepare for a
a learning process. On our days on set, we would have conversations and deliberations, it was intense for me as an actor because playing the role of someone with sickle cell was
to do is to read the script and develop a back story more of a research. The age, place of birth, background, educational level, likes, dislikes, special traits, skills, ailments and every other information that helps. Once this is done, I develop a step for the charstand the relationship between my character and others.
role and rehearsing it since 2011. So we had gone through some processing.
Born March 8, 1987 Studied Insurance at University of Lagos Holds a master degree in Media &Communication
Sincerely every role I play is chal-
the play All I want for Chirstmas She has appeared in over 70 stage productions such as
role I play, with levity. One fact people sify a role as less challenging, the more technical it is to interpret.
T E A M
Life&
Editor Nkarenyi Ukonu n.ukonu@dailytimes.com.ng 08029030427
what it used to be before now. You can also attest to the fact that we
the industry globally.
How did acting really begin for you? I began acting in 2005 while still an undergraduate at the University of
Well working on the set of Tinsel was good and it also paved the way
about the development and changes in the entertainment industry, most especially in the movie sector. It is important to note that our production has taken good shape, our picture
‌.Kemi Akindoju Music Correspondent Akintayo Opeoluwani o.ogunjimi@dailytimes.com.ng 08126223784
Movie Correspondent Mutiat Alli m.alli@dailytimes.com.ng 08115557378
Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye i.ogundoye@dailytimes.com.ng 08069489893
Photography Quadri Olowolagba q.olowolagba@dailytimes.com.ng 08029745478
-
She is from Ondo State.
Graphics Austine Agbovi a.agbovi@dailytimes.com.ng 07060402397
Daily Times Nigeria
Wednesday April 01, 2015
I want to leave a legacy with
L3 Interview
LegacyN8TIVES - Goke Omisore
There is no slowing down for industrialist, art collector and fashion impresario, Goke Omisore, younger brother to former gubernatorial candidate, Iyiola Omisore, who has taken his fashion business to the next level, with the introduction of LegacyN8TIVES. The new initiative which was unveiled recently, coincided with his 66th birthday ceremony. The trained advertising design executive opens up in this interview about his new brand and his foray into the world of commerce.
Is this addition into the fashion scene, deliberately designed to coincide with your 66th birthday?
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At 66 when many would -
What sets your designs apart from the rest?
does this make you feel?
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gait is impressive as well and it life in fashion been like? able to achieve this, what with the launch of your fashion label, LegacyN8ive?
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What is your most prized possession?
Is this revolution going to also embrace the use of Asooke, Damask and other native fabrics?
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When did you notice that you had an innate ability to design?
Nigerians are generally not known to have succession succession plan in place?
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all the enterprises you have been involved in has made you?
Why do you want to pattern your designs after the Italians? -
fond childhood memories can you readily recall growing up as a prince? -
Through it all, what major lessons have you learnt about life?
Trado Fashion L4
Daily Times Nigeria
Wednesday April 01, 2015
The George wrapper: An ethnic fashion statement Nkarenyi Ukonu The George wrapper is one of the most important and elegant piece of clothing favoured by mostly women from the South South and South Eastern parts of Nigeria. Originally from India where it was used to make saris, the fabric has since gone on to become highly favoured by almost all ethnic groups in Nigeria and among the young and the old. A two-piece affair, it is often worn with a stylish sewn blouse and a head tie that gives off a glam look and not to mention that it is quite the fashion staple that can never be replaced by western wears. Care must however be taken when tying the two -piece George. Tie it wrongly and your movement becomes hindered. The trick is being able to tie the inner one perfectly and in in its full length. Tie with legs spread apart for ease of movement and also tie the upper one short enough to create that distinct look. Be careful not to tie the shorter one too tight as well. Because of the delicate nature of the George wrapper, with all of the intricate beadings and stones, avoid washing it too often. Air dry after each use and only hand wash carefully with a laundry bar soap after several uses. Unsure you can hand wash it yourself? Take it to a professional dry cleaner who is well versed in handling materials of a delicate nature like the George wrapper.
Evelyn
Ashionye Raccah
Mrs Gboneme
Daisy Danjuma
Maiden Ibru
Chinenye Ojiako
...And throw on the neck piece as well Statement making necklace or beads are a must have fashion accessory for the traditional look. Get inspiration for yours with these looks
Bellisimo beads
Lola Omotayo-Okoye Shade Okoya
Oma beads
Osazeme beads
Daily Times Nigeria
Wednesday April 01, 2015
Out boring nail shape, in
almond nails Nkarenyi Ukonu
Statement nails are in vogue now and no style makes more impact than beautiful almond-shaped nails. The almondshaped nail is feminine, sophisticated, and modern. They have always been a classic vogue style for women right from the vintage era till date. With an elongated shape, the possibilities are seemingly stunning. However, the almond-shaped their edginess, but you can adapt the length of the nails to suit your personal life style. Proper care is needed as the sharp tip of the nail can easily chip when subjected to pressure.
Nail polish
10 tips to get well groomed nails Nkarenyi Ukonu Want
beautiful,
come in the way of your daily chores and clip them regularly. Besides nails that are Your regular hand cream is too long are prone to breaksometimes not enough. In or- ing. der to take good care of your nails, you need to get special nail creams. Quite affordable, products regularly.
strong
break? Follow these tips for strong, elegant, pretty and feminine looking nails
1. Make rubber gloves your friends
Do not try to do the dishes or clean your home without wearing rubber gloves. The chemicals you use for cleaning are very strong and can really damage your hands and your nails. Not only that they will make your nails weaker, they could also give you nasty burns.
2. Calcium gels and nail hardeners
Even though they can make your nails stronger, away. You may need to give it some time and use the
3. Nail creams
6. Filing and polishing
you.
4. Cuticle removing
so that every time you clip
One of the biggest mistakes many do when it comes to their nail is cutting the cuticles. This should never be done. Instead, apply cuticle remover gel or cream and gently push your cuticles with a cuticle stick.
one direction only. Whn you move to the left and right, you are actually creating tiny cracks that weaken your nails. Polish your nails not more than once a month. If you do it too often, you can make your nails thinner and weaker.
5. Regular clipping
7. Easy on the nail polish
You really have no reason to have super long nails. Not only is it unpractical, it makes you look a bit slutty and dirty. Keep your nails at length in
Although colourful nails are quite cool, they actually do a lot of damage to your nails. The reason is that nail polishes contain acetone which makes your nails soft.
more than once a week and buy only high quality nail polishes. Throw nail polish piration date.
8. Oil based nail polish removals
The bad effect of acetone on nails requires that you invest in oil based nail polish removers. they are much less harmful
9. Acrylic or gel nails
Acrylic and gels keep natural nails from breaking. Be careful though as some people react badly to them not to talk of the risk of pulling your natural nail together when it is applied. It can hurt
10. Keep your nails healthy
No treatment or special
know how to keep your nails healthy.
Acrylic or gel nails
L5 Beauty
Luxury L6
10
Daily Times Nigeria
Wednesday April 01, 2015
9 Gadino Bag by Hilde Palladino Price: $38,470
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dile Handbag $38,000
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most
expensive
8
handbags
$42,000
2 Price: $1.9 million
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in the world Nkarenyi Ukonu
7
1
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3
Price: $92,000
Price: $261,000
Price: $3.8 million -
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Bag Price: $120,000
Price: $150,000
Price: $250,000 -
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coveted item in the fashion
Daily Times Nigeria
Wednesday April 01, 2015
L7 Luxury
Why the Hermes Birkin bag is the most sought after and the most cloned bag
Each bag is hand-sewn, buffed, painted, and polished, taking several
Its history in 1981, Hermès chief executive, Jean-Louis Dumas was seated next to British singer and
from different tanners in France, resulting in varying smells and textures. Because of the individual craftsmanship, other details of the bags may not all match.
Paris to London. She had just placed her straw bag in the overhead compartment of her seat, but the contents fell to the deck, leaving her to scramble to replace them. Birkin explained to Dumas that it had been
Hermès boutiques on unpredictable schedules and in limited quantities, creating scarcity and exclusivity.
bag she liked. In 1984, he created a black supple leather bag for her, based on a 1982 design. The bag has since become an icon.
cost more than those with larger scales and is lined with goat-skin. The color of the interior will always matches the exterior.
to its high price and usage by celebrities. Its prices range from $10,500 to $150,000. Costs escalate according to the type of materials used to make it; from calf leather, ostrich, crocodile, and lizard. The most expensive is the one made of saltwater crocodile
of sizes. Each one may be made to order with different customer-chosen There are other individual options, such as diamond-encrusting. several years, was reputed for having a waiting list of up to six years, the longest wait for any bag in history. As a result of the strong demand, the it has a high resale value in many countries, especially in Asia. plaining and guiding women on how to buy a Birkin are very popular.
of it, compared to other bags, based on the meticulous craftsmanship and scarcity. in France by expert artisans. The ing, developed in the 1800s, is one distinctive feature that sets it apart.
Global Fashion and Beauty News Banke Meshida-Lawal goes into E-publishing
Rihanna becomes first black woman to be the face of Dior
Singer and fashion icon, Rihanna has been named the face for the fourth install-
the face of the French luxury label. Rihanna also joins a slew of actresses, including Jennifer Lawrence, Marion Cotillard and ent facets of the French label. The singer who was honoured last year with the Fashion Icon award at the 2014 CFDA fashion awards, will also be continuing her foray in the fashion industry by partnering with Puma, where she will be the creative direcRihanna
Banke Meshida-Lawal Popular make-up artist, Banke Meshida-Lawal has just added a new project to her repertoire of businesses which includes, make up artistry, entrepreneur (she manufactures her own make up brand, BM Pro), hair business among several other enterprises. The new project is to be called BMPro covers, an online magazine that is mostly a beauty feature fused with makeup tips and ideas. The on line venture is expected to feature some of the many famous faces she has worked with and
still work with. And working with her as the creative director is Yomi Black, celebrity photographer and media entrepreneur. For her debut edition, plump Banke had Lola while Toke Makinwa featured in the second cover. Banke who recently celebrated her eighth year marriage anniversary began the art of makeup while still a student at the University of Lagos where she studied English Language. She has been at it for over a decade.
Kendall Jenner becomes new face of Calvin Klein
collection.
Vitiligo victim, Chantelle Winnie, honoured with beauty idol award tim, Chantelle Winnie has been honoured with the 2015 Beauty Idol Award. Her recognition goes on to prove that nothing can stop her shine. The 19 year old who has faced a number of controversial issues and seclusion in the fashion industry due to her skin condition was honoured at the Gala Spa awards in Baden, Germany.
Kendall Jenner The Keeping up with the Kardashian reality TV star, 19 year old Kendall Jenner, has been unveiled
Chantelle Winnie
denim series campaign. In a statement about the partnership, Kendall who is also the new face of Estee Lauder, said that modeling for Calvin Klein Jeans is really a dream come true.
L8 Television
Daily Times Nigeria
Wednesday April 01, 2015
Showing on
Showing on
139 M-Net Movies Zone
157 Africa Magic Yoruba
02:20
00:55
Tue, 31 Mar | 16
Wed, 1 Apr | PG
A rich man is assassinated by a gang of criminals because of money and the killers are confronted with bigger problem asides from sharing the money.
A girl embarks on a journey of self-discovery in this drama. After being accepted into a prestigious music school, she learns a shocking family secret. Adam Baldwin, Linsey Godfrey. (2011) Timothy J Nelson.
101 M-Net West
01:30 Us & Them 02:00 New Worlds 04:40 30,000 Leagues Under The
07:00 MasterChef Australia
10:30 Ride Along 12:30 About A Boy 13:00 MasterChef Australia
16:00 Chicago Fire 17:00 The Blacklist 19:00 The Middle 19:30 MasterChef Australia 20:30 Modern Family 21:00 Two And A Half Men
120 BBC Entertainment
118 Telemundo
00:00 Fearless Heart 00:30 The Del Monte Dynasty 01:20 The Impostor 02:10 Aurora 03:00 Fearless Heart 03:50 Labour Of Love 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Aurora 07:00 Fearless Heart 07:50 Labour Of Love 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Aurora 11:10 Fearless Heart 12:00 Labour Of Love 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Aurora 15:20 Fearless Heart 16:10 Labour Of Love 17:00 The Impostor 17:50 Forbidden Passions 18:40 Aurora 19:30 Fearless Heart 20:20 Labour Of Love 21:10 The Impostor 22:00 Forbidden Passions 22:50 Aurora
00:00 Total Wipeout UK
10:25 Deal Or No Deal
00:29 Top Gear
11:00 My Family
01:24 Call The Midwife 02:19 Come Dine With Me
12:20 Top Gear 13:20 Come Dine With Me
03:45 QI 04:15 Top Gear
15:05 The Weakest Link
05:05 Mr. Bean: The Animated 16:35 Deal Or No Deal 05:30 QI
18:10 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
07:25 Playing Victim
African 14:30 Jara 15:00 Kakibe Ki 15:30 Kakibe Ki 16:00 The African Child 16:30 Living With Trisha 17:00 The Comedy Club Live In Lagos
03:00 Late Night Heat
07:05 Antiques Roadshow 08:00 The Weakest Link
20:20 Top Gear
08:45 The Cube 09:35 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
22:10 Live At The Apollo 21:20 Top Gear
253 AIT
09:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 10:00 Good Morning Africa 11:00 Tinsel 12:00 Channel O: Volt 12:30 Channel O: Volt 13:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh
00:00 Vindicated 00:30 Vindicated 01:00 The Xperiment
17:20 The Cube
154 AfricaMagic Family
00:00 Football Legends 01:00 Kakibe Ki 01:30 OMG 02:30 Tinsel 03:00 Football Legends 04:00 Living It 04:30 Tinsel 05:00 Hammer 06:00 Good Morning Africa
135 BET
00:00 AIT Midnight News 00:30 Movie:
11:00
The
Money
12:00 AIT Reports
Wright
02:30 This Life 03:00 Focus Nigeria 04:00 Nigeria Vote 05:00 Oremus 06:00 Kaakaki 09:00 Uncommon Transformation 09:30 True Nigerian 10:00 Focus Nigeria
13:30 This Life 14:00 Global Business 15:00 Nigeria Vote 16:00 World News
20:00 AIT News Hour 21:00 Desperations 21:30 MTV Base 22:00 What Life Took From Me 20:30 Hell Date 21:01 Comics Unleashed 21:31 The Vince
17:00 Cartoon 17:30 Documentary
09:00 The Real 10:00 Keyshia & Daniel: Family First 10:30 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 11:00 Comics Unleashed 11:30 Conversation With Iman 12:00 Nellyville 13:00 The Real 14:00 Reed Between The Lines 14:30 Reed Between The Lines 15:00 Comics Unleashed 15:30 Conversation With Iman
17:00 The Real 19:00 Reed Between The Lines 19:30 Reed Between The Lines 20:00 New: Comics Unleashed 20:30 The Xperiment 22:00 Real Husbands Of Hollywood 22:30 Real Husbands Of Hollywood
Interview
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
EXTRATIME
EXTRATIME
X5
Num ber
X4
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Poster!
FIRMINO
PER MERTESACKER
tips Brazilian football to rise again X6
X4,5
Full name: Date of birth: Place of birth: Age: Height: Nationality: Current team: Number: Position: Foot: Outfitter: Twitter: Facebook:
Per Mertesacker September 29, 1984 Hannover, West Germany 30 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) Germany Arsenal 4 Defence (Centre Back) Right adidas @mertesacker PerMertesackerFans
Youth career 1988–1995: 1995–2003:
TSV Pattensen Hannover 96
Senior career 2003–2004: 2003–2006: 2006–2011: 2011–Present:
Hannover 96 Hannover 96 Werder Bremen Arsenal
National team 2003: 2004: 2004–2014:
Germany U-20 Germany U-21 Germany
ABOUT PER MERTESACKER
QUOTES BY
PER“
PER MERTESACKER
Per Mertesacker, born September 29, 1984 is a German professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Arsenal. He also played for the German national team but retired in August 2014 after winning the World Cup. Mertesacker is a youth product of Hannover 96 and he made his senior league debut in November 2003. Mertesacker was soon dubbed “the Defence Pole” by German tabloids and gained a reputation for his good disciplinary record and went 31 Bundesliga games without being booked. Since joining Arsenal, their fans have nicknamed him the BFG, which is short for “Big Fucking German” and an allusion to Roald Dahl’s The BFG due to his height. He has been described as an imposing, reliable, dominant and an accomplished defender. Mertesacker married German international handballer Ulrike Stange in June 2013 and they have two children (born April 2011 and May 2014). Mertesacker is a Protestant Christian. In November 2006, Mertesacker created the “Per Mertesacker Foundation”, initially to support the family of his former Hannover and Germany late teammate Robert Enke, and is targeted at those suffering from depression. Since 2007 the foundation has organised yearly charity football matches which has featured Mertesacker’s national and club teammates Philipp Lahm, Lukas Podolski and Tomas Rosicky as well as comedian Oliver Pocher, Fury in the Slaughterhouse member Rainer Schumann and German ice hockey legend Uwe Krupp.
I prefer Zonal marking, I don’t like to get blocked, mostly man to man, means I have lesser impact defending. We just continue to play like that and I think we have a great chance in the FA Cup and in the league but, when you have one bad game in the Champions League - that’s the beauty of the game, then you are out - even against a team which was a bit underestimated by the public but I think they deserved it. —Per Mertesacker
”
MERTESACKER Wednesday, April 1, 2015
I’M S ’ N R E Y A B E C N DEFE ACE
R E U E –N X8
Farah to race in Doha
X7
Kazakhstan bids for 2026 FIFA World Cup X2
X7
X2
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
EXTRATIME
K
azakhstan has announced that they are considering making a bid to host the 2026 World Cup. The oil-rich country is already bidding against Beijing to host the 2022 Winter Olympics in Almaty and is now in discussions over a possible bid for the World Cup four years later. Kazakhstan FA president Yerlan Kozhagapanov is quoted in the French media as saying: “We are discussing this issue with the government of my country to assess what are our chances.” FIFA’s executive committee will decide on the 2026 bidding rules on
M
acauley Chrisantus, 24, of AEK Athens, winner of the 2007 FIFA U-17 golden boot, says he was not bothered, despite not scoring in his first five games for his new side. The Kaduna-born forward last scored a competitive goal on his debut for his former side Sivasspor a 2-1 loss to Galatasaray on the 26th of September 2014. Chrisantus ended a six-month wait to score a competitive goal after netting the winner for the team he joined in January in a 2-0 win over Kallithea, but according to him he knew it was coming.
Kazakhstan bids for 2026 World Cup May 30, and the 209 associations will vote at the FIFA Congress in May 2017 in Kuala Lumpur. The United States is the early favourite to be named as host nation while Canada and Mexico have confirmed their intention to launch a bid with Colombia also thought to be in the running.
CAF: Tunisia to compete in AFCON after apology
Macauley Chrisantus
CHRISANTUS NOT BOTHERED BY GOAL DROUGHT
T
unisia will be allowed to compete for a place at the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations after they issued an apology to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following accusations of bias. The Tunisian Football Federation (FTF) levelled the allegations against CAF following their controversial 2-1 defeat to Equatorial Guinea in the AFCON quarter-finals on January 31. Tunisia were incensed by a number of decisions from Mauritian referee Rajindraparsad Seechurn, including the award of a controversial penalty to Equatorial Guinea in second-half
stoppage time. Players and officials from Tunisia confronted the referee on the pitch at full-time amid unrest in the stands at Estadio de Bata. The FTF appealed against a fine of $50,000 for the actions of their players and officials from CAF. And the matter has now been resolved after the FTF opted to apologise, although a Tunisian appeal against their fine was rejected. Qualification for the 2017 AFCON starts in June, with the draw to be made on April 8.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
EXTRATIME
Super Eagles striker Olanare Aaron Samuel (right) in action against South Africa on Sunday
X3
CAF Champs League: Nigeria’s clubsides set for war!
N
I H C A K O M A N igeria assistant coach Daniel Amokachi has revealed that he and his technical team will continue working on striker Aaron Samuel, who failed to make the desired impact in the Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw with South Africa on Sunday. The burly 20-year-old was handed a start by Amokachi, but was pulled off after 66 minutes after what was a disappointing display. “He is a decent player. When a player is in the team he tries to do a lot of different stuff. Some players like to play with some certain players,” said Amokachi. “He is a young player, a very good player. He is someone we will keep coaching and counseling and let him know the right way to play as a number nine. Push when you need to push and score the goals.”
BACKS
SAMUEL
TO HIT FORM
igeria’s flagbearers in continental competition return to action this weekend, with elite division champions Kano Pillars staring down the barrel of a huge task at the Sani Abacha Stadium on Saturday afternoon. They host Moroccan side, Moghreb Athletic Tetouane with a whole four goals deficit from the first leg at the Stade Saniat Rmel on March 21. Chairman of the Pillars’ Champions League Campaign Committee, Alhaji Ibrahim Galadima has expressed confidence that the Nigerian champions will overcome the huge setback and sail into the next round. Nigeria’s other CAF Champions League representatives, Enyimba FC will depart the country on Friday for their return leg clash with Smouha FC of Egypt, scheduled for Sunday. They will travel aboard Egypt Air from Lagos. A letter from the Egyptian Football Association has informed the NFF that the match will be played at the Alexandria Stadium in Egypt’s second city, starting from 5pm Egyptian time. Enyimba won the first leg in Aba by a lone goal. Meanwhile, the country’s only remaining face in the CAF Confederation Cup, Warri Wolves will also travel on Friday, to play Dedebit of Ethiopia on Sunday. The Warri-based side won the first leg 2-0.
W
Wolves dismiss Confed Cup fears
Wolves star Etebo Oghenekaro (right) in action against Dedebit in Warri
arri Wolves have maintained they will not be walked over by Ethiopia’s Dedebit this weekend in a CAF Confederation Cup due to a cash crunch. Warri Wolves beat the Ethiopian club 2-0 in the first leg in Warri. There have been fears that Wolves could follow the line of Dolphins in the Confederation Cup as they are yet to book their tickets for their trip to Addis Ababa. However Wolves media officer Moses Etu has told AfricanFootball.com the team’s travel plans are on track. “There is no cause for alarm. We still have two days to make the necessary arrangements. The team is still in close camp,” he said. “Our plan is to head out of Warri on Thursday and arrive Ethiopia on Friday for the game on Saturday. “All things being equal, we will book the travel tickets today or tomorrow. The good thing is that it’s a direct flight.”
Leke James (left) in action for Aalesund of Norway
James shines in Norwegian league
N
igeria striker Leke James has sent a serious warning to other Norwegian clubs ahead of the new season after he scored a brace for Aalesund in a pre-season game on Monday. James scored a brace in a 2-2 draw with Molde. The 22-year-old striker scored his goals after his team were two goals
down. He scored his first in the 64th minute and completed a brace with the equaliser in the 76th minute. The striker scored 10 goals in the Norwegian league last season. Aalesund, who also have Nigeria international Akeem Latifu in their fold, start their season away at Rosenborg on Monday, April 6.
X4
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
EXTRATIME
PERSON INFOR Full name: Date of birth: Place of birth: Age: Height: Nationality: Current team: Number: Position: Foot: Outfitter: Twitter: Facebook:
Pe Sep Ha 30 1.9 Ge Ars 4 De Rig adi @m Pe
Youth career 1988–1995: 1995–2003:
TSV Ha
Senior career 2003–2004: 2003–2006: 2006–2011: 2011–Present:
Ha Ha We Ars
National team 2003: 2004: 2004–2014:
Ge Ge Ge
ABOUT PER MERTESACKER
QUOTES BY
“ PER
PER MERTESACKER
Per Mertesacker, born September 29, 1984 is a German professional footballer who German national team but retired in August 2014 after winning the World Cup. Mertesacker is a youth product of Hannover 96 and he made his senior league debut Defence Pole” by German tabloids and gained a reputation for his good disciplinary booked. Since joining Arsenal, their fans have nicknamed him the BFG, which is short for “B BFG due to his height. He has been described as an imposing, reliable, dominant and an accomplished de Mertesacker married German international handballer Ulrike Stange in June 2013 2014). Mertesacker is a Protestant Christian. In November 2006, Mertesacker created the “Per Mertesacker Foundation”, init Germany late teammate Robert Enke, and is targeted at those suffering from depre charity football matches which has featured Mertesacker’s national and club teamm well as comedian Oliver Pocher, Fury in the Slaughterhouse member Rainer Schuman
I prefer Zonal marking, I don’t like to get blocked, mostly man to man, means I have lesser impact defending. We just continue to play like that and I think we have a great chance in the FA Cup and in the league but, when you have one bad game in the Champions League - that’s the beauty of the game, then you are out - even against a team which was a bit underestimated by the public but I think they deserved it. —Per Mertesacker
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Wednesday, April 1, 2015
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NAL RMATION
er Mertesacker ptember 29, 1984 annover, West Germany 0 98 m (6 ft 6 in) ermany senal
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plays as a centre back for Arsenal. He also played for the
t in November 2003. Mertesacker was soon dubbed “the y record and went 31 Bundesliga games without being
Big Fucking German” and an allusion to Roald Dahl’s The
efender. 3 and they have two children (born April 2011 and May
tially to support the family of his former Hannover and ression. Since 2007 the foundation has organised yearly mates Philipp Lahm, Lukas Podolski and Tomas Rosicky as nn and German ice hockey legend Uwe Krupp.
SACKER
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Wednesday, April 1, 2015
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INTERVIEW
FIRMINO: BRAZIL STILL A FORCE
Firmino
TO RECKON WITH The 2014 FIFA World Cup 2014 was a momentous event for Brazil’s national football team. Their disappointing end to the competition not only brought about a change of coach but also gave many new players a chance to prove themselves for A Seleçao. Roberto Firmino is one of them. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has delivered a string of impressive performances since moving from Tombense to German side Hoffenheim in 2011. With six goals and seven assists to his name in the present league campaign, he is one of his team’s top scorers and has played a major role in helping the club from the Kraichgau region to reach their current position of seventh in the Bundesliga. His talent, and particularly his gift for making crucial passes, have not gone unnoticed by Dunga, the man now tasked with turning around the fortunes of the most successful team in World Cup history. Firmino celebrated his long-awaited debut in green and yellow in a friendly against Turkey last November – and immediately showed what he can do. Firmino earned another call-up to the Verdeamarela squad for this month’s international games and contributed an assist in his side’s win against France and scored against Chile. In an exclusive interview, FIFA.com asked him how it feels to take to the pitch for his country, how he views his role within the team and how his move to Germany helped him to realise his dreams of playing for the five-time world champions.
What does November 12, 2014 mean to you? And what’s your reaction to this fact that it was the day you made your Brazil debut against Turkey? It was the realisation of a lifelong dream. Every boy in Brazil wants to play for their country, from when they start kicking a ball about in the streets as a youngster. Brazilians often reiterate just what an honour it is to play for the national team. What is it that makes A Seleçao so special? The team is a symbol for the entire country. Brazil are record world champions and some of the greatest players in footballing history have played for this country: Pele, Zico, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo. They are legends recognised all over the world, just like the nickname A Seleçao. To run out onto the pitch in that shirt is simply unbelievable. It was a little surreal for me at first, but I think I did a good job. You scored your first international goal in only your second game – and a stunning goal at that. How did that feel? I really can’t describe it. It was phenomenal. I could feel that it was a
good shot the moment it left my foot, but for it to end up in the top corner was wonderful. How do you rate your chances of continuing to be named in the squad? I’ve got to keep performing week in, week out for Hoffenheim; if I can do that then I think I’ve got a pretty good chance. It all starts at TSG and goes from there. What personal targets do you want to achieve with the national team? I haven’t thought about that at all. I just want to be called up and play as often as possible. The 2014 World Cup in Brazil was not long ago. Do the national team still discuss it at all? What is the overall mood like within the squad? By the time I joined the side it was no longer an issue and the atmosphere within the camp was good. Of course that exit to Germany was a bitter setback. I watched the match in the team room at our running training camp in Westerburg and couldn’t really believe what I was seeing. I think every Brazilian had imagined that World Cup ending differently.
Seleçao experienced significant upheaval after the tournament. What do Brazil need to change to get closer to being among the best in the world again? As in every side, the coach naturally plays an important role. He gives very clear instructions and determines the team’s playing style. I don’t think Brazil are far from the top, and I think they’ll show that again in future. How important is Coach Dunga for you? He’s the one who called me up into the national side for the first time, so he’s an important figure for me. He and the other members of the squad made my first stint with Brazil easy – it really was a great experience. How do you view your role within the national team? Have I got a role yet? I’ve only been called up three times and I’ve played four games so far. I’m a young player who still needs to find his place, and I hope I’ll get an opportunity to do that. Neymar has his role within the side, so does Oscar, so does David Luiz – they’re players who are much further along in their careers than me.
You are enjoying a good season with Hoffenheim. What sets the 2014 team apart? The different characters within the squad work really well together. There’s a good atmosphere within the dressing room, and that’s important for a start. What’s more, we’ve had a clear philosophy ever since Markus Gisdol became coach in April 2013. We want to play TSG football and constantly continue improving. This continuity and the painstaking work that goes with it are extremely important factors in the team’s performances. What’s possible for TSG this season? We’ll see. We go into every match with the same objective – to win – but every week we come up against another opponent with a similar aim. We can only make the absolute best of our opportunities in every game. If we can do that, we’ve done our job.
You’ve been in Germany since 2011. Has German football made you a more complete player? I think so. When I arrived at Hoffenheim I could already play football, but I’ve developed physically, technically and tactically since then. The Bundesliga is one of the world’s best leagues. I had to adapt and improve to get by here, and although I’ve now reached a good level, there’s still more left to do. My own dissatisfaction is my biggest motivation. Your contract with Hoffenheim runs until 2017. Do you want to stay in Germany and TSG, or do you feel drawn to another club or even another league? 2017 is still a long way off. We’ll see what happens.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
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Farah
H A R A F TO RACE
Athletics
champion Mo Farah ritish double Olympic and world paign in Doha on cam gue will open his Diamond Lea . said May 15, organisers 0 metres in the opening Farah will compete in the 300 rking the 32-year-old’s first leg of the 14-meet series, ma appearance in Doha. gs about the track, the “I’ve heard so many great thin Doha,” said Farah. crowd and the competition in ng fields in the distances so stro very ays alw “There are test on the track for me. I’m this will be a great early season ance.” form looking forward to a good per metres double at the 00 10,0 and 0 Farah won the 5,00 year later became only the 2012 London Olympics and a s at the world championships second athlete to win both title in Moscow. of the greatest current “We are delighted to have one at our meeting this year,” Olympic and world champions president Dahlan Al Hamad. said Qatari Athletics Federation in Doha will ensure that nce “Mo Farah’s first appeara ance racing excellence will our tradition of early season dist continue this year.” gears up for the world Farah’s rivals in Doha as he August 22-30 include from championships in Beijing ers Ethiopia and Kenya. traditional distance running pow
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Cricket
Vettori calls time on international career
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ew Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori has announced his retirement from international cricket after an 18-year career at the top. The 36-year-old was looking to bow out on a high in Sunday’s World Cup final but the Kiwis were blown away by a rampant Australia side at the MCG. However, the Auckland-born veteran can look back on his career with much pride after playing 113 Tests, 295 one-dayers and 34 Twenty20 internationals for his country. He claimed 705 international wickets and scored 6,989 runs across all three formats, while also captaining the Black Caps in all three versions of the game. The slow left-armer secured 361 Test wickets and would have taken many more but for a plethora of injuries late in his glittering career, and he is one of only three men – along with Sir Ian Botham and Kapil Dev – to have scored 4,000 Test runs and taken 300 Test wickets.
Tennis
MURRAY
‘key to producing new talent’
Tennis
NADAL
strategises on his game
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Nadal
afael Nadal says he will work on the mental side of his game as he begins preparations for the clay-court season. The 28-year-old crashed out of the Miami Open with a three-set defeat to Fernando Verdasco on Sunday. It ended a disappointing few weeks in the USA after he lost in the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells to Canada’s Milos Raonic. The Spaniard did win a low-key event in Argentina back in February but it has generally been a below-par start to the year for the 14-time Grand Slam winner. The Majorcan has always been known for his mental toughness and he has been able to grind out results as his opponents wilted over the years. But, as he gets ready for another assault on the French Open and other clay-court tournaments, the nine-time Roland Garros champion admits that he still has much to work on.
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ndy Murray’s success on court is a key component in the development of future generations of British tennis stars, says Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) chief Michael Downey. Downey revealed the LTA has a four-year plan to try and increase participation in the sport. He has spoken to British number one Murray about the part he can play. “His role is to keep doing what he is doing and winning on the court in style,” said Downey. World number four Murray, 27, has appeared in six Grand Slam finals, winning twice. “Andy Murray winning court, doing well for the sport, being in the media every week, being on TV every Saturday and Sunday is the best thing he can do for this sport because it generates what I call water-cooler talk,” added Downey, who took over as LTA chief executive in January and was speaking on the Tennis Podcast. “We track the interest in him across the general population of this country and how people look at him in terms of a role model. “His numbers are very, very high and they continue to get high as he wins on court.”
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Wednesday, April 1, 2015
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BAYERN MUNICH
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ayern Munich Franck star Ribery says t that he will no y ur inj r he ot an risk to “disaster” just st ain ag feature d un rtm Do Borussia d. en ek this we winger The former France fitness s rou me has had nu ar and ye st pa e th er issues ov p with Cu ld or his missed the 2014 W ing to call time on cid de e for a back problem be . all tb foo b clu r to focus on international caree little niggles ed to be plagued by inu nt co s ha Ribery sustaining ld , with the 31-year-o this season, though en being th d an ry training in Janua in m ble pro igh th a e March 11 ankle knock in th forced off with an netsk. rout of Shakhtar Do Champions League rseille ace ex-Olympique de Ma Consequently, the ces with an ch y an ention of taking says he has no int liga meeting Saturday’s Bundes his fitness ahead of Park. und at Signal Iduna with Borussia Dortm pain,” the ba early and got ck “I started back too attacker said. to start too ly. It was a disaster “Then I trained poor It was a mistake. ea rly . body some “I’d rather give my shape at p to in rest time to be season.” e th of ge sta l the crucia sit 10 Bayern currently urg at sb olf points clear of W liga, es nd Bu e the top of th in wn do y wa e th with BVB all . ce 10th pla
‘Bayern ready to splash cash’
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ayern Munich’s finance director has said they could one day flex their spending power by becoming Germany’s first club to pay 100 million euros (US$108.5m) for a future transfer. “Yes, we could pay 100 million euros for a player,” Bayern’s Jan-Christian Dreesen said. “I want to avoid saying it could never happen, because I don’t like then having to correct myself at some point.” Real Madrid are currently the world’s highest spending club after signing Welsh winger Gareth Bale from Tottenham Hotspur for a reported record fee of 100 million euros in 2013. The transfer bettered their own record from 2009 when they paid Manchester United 94.4m euros for Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo. Bayern set Germany’s transfer record when they signed Spain international Javi Martinez from Atletico Bilbao for 39.9 million euros in 2012. A year later they paid Borussia Dortmund 37 million for World Cupwinner Mario Goezte.
Ribery
Y R E RIB
E R A C S Y R U J N I IN Revealed!
Bayern’s Neuer: I’m nce ‘kingpin’
No player has turned Bayern down
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ayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has said he shares duties with coach Pep Guardiola, explaining: “He orchestrates our attacks, and I our defence.” Neuer, 29, said his role under Guardiola was different to that under predecessor Jupp Heynckes, meaning that “we as a team no longer understand it as 10 plus one but as 11 players in the buildup play. “Our system changes throughout the season, sometimes even in a match,” he explained. “When we play with three at the back, I have other tasks, need to
make other runs than when we play with a back four including two fullbacks. Those are the details I pay careful attention to.” Neuer said the way Guardiola saw the game meant he is “almost playing himself,” adding: “He is vigilant and always tries to help. That’s also my job, only in defence. “He finds solutions to finish the attack and create chances. He’s always on the ball, and I am the one trying to maintain order in transition play and in defence.” Neuer attracted acclaim for his performances in Germany’s 2014 World Cup triumph, when he showcased his skills as a “sweeper keeper,” making several runs and interventions outside his area in the match against Algeria.
–Dreesen
Dreesen
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ayern Munich players talk about life as professional footballer at one of the world’s biggest clubs in Europe. Bayern Munich finance director JanChristian Dreesen has revealed that no player has turned down a move to the Bundesliga champions during his time at the club. Dreesen, 47, joined Bayern in February 2013, during the season that saw them become the first German club ever to win the Treble.
That period also saw a dramatic increase in financial turnover, which rose from 373.4 million Euro in 2012 to 528.7million Euro two years later -- a 41 percent rise he called “just incredible.” “Up to now, we have signed every player we wanted to sign,” Dreesen said. “I have not seen one wish of coach Pep Guardiola that we have not fulfilled. “My impression is that the coach’s input on which players fit here is very important.”