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ÎÎÎThe youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-

cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has frowned at the attempts by President Muhammadu Buhari to unseat Senator Ike

Ekweremmadu as Deputy Senate President.

This warning from Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, came as a reaction to media reports

that Buhari had in his recent meeting with Continued on page 6 www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.207

GAINERS

N150

LOSERS

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 28th September 2015.

NESTLE

859.7

39.70

4.62%

NB

146.04

5.97

4.09%

SEPLAT

249.9

-5.10

-2.04%

UNILEVER

45.13

-0.87

-1.93%

FO

250

10.01

4.00%

UACN

31.5

1.50

4.76%

JBERGER 41.88

-2.20

-5.25%

ZENITHBANK

17.52

-0.59

-3.37%

Lƈ ƈ ƐƆƏƈ Ƌ ƅƏƆƆ ƈ ë

Senate may waive key condition

Ï RƑƏ Ə Ƒ Ɔ ƈ Ɛ ƌƈ ƆƆ è Ƅƕ ^ƆƐƈƐƈ ƆƏ Ï Ƒ Əƈ Ɠ ôƐ Ɛ ƍ ƅ ƏƏƑƍƐƈ ƍƏ ƄƆ ƈ Ɛ ƌ Ɔƅ ƈè 0 Ƌ è Ɛ ƆƏ – APC Olufemi Samuel Ɨ Tom Okpe, ƄƑƉ

ÎÎÎThe Senate, on Sunday, said

the traditional rule where two Senators must endorse a ministe-

rial nominee may be waived if a nominee passes other criteria of the screening hurdles.

The Senate had on Thursday

listed the endorsement of a nominee by at least 2 two senators from their state as among the criteria for screening of the nominees.

The Senate made the latest disclosure via its Twitter handle @ Continued on page 6

Dangote cement opens g17 $600m plant in Tanzania Army warns officers against fraternising with g5 politicians Times Monday, October 12, 2015

dƆ ƐƆ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛè #Əê ƑƊ Ƌ d Ə Ɗƈ æƾ Ɨ ƋƆƇƐçì ƈƏƌ è Mƈ ƆƏƈ &ƋƆƅƐƏƈƅƈƐƕ `Ɔ ƑƋ Ɛ Əƕ ƌƌƈ ƈ æM&` çè #Əê d ƌ ƌ Ɨƈ æƾ Ɨ Əƈ Ɛçì ƈƏƌ è dƆ ƐƆ Ɨé ƅ ƌƌƈƐƐƆƆ ^ ƓƆƏè dƆ ê Eƕ Əƈ ƄƑƄ Ɗ Ə æƋƆƇƐç Ɨ dƆ ê L R Ƒ ƄƑ Ɠ æƏƈ Ɛç ƇƐƆƏ Ɛ Ɔ ƌƌƈ ƈ ƒƈ ƈƐƆƗ Ɛ Ɔ dƆ ƐƆ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛ ƈ ƄƑƉ êêê dƑ Ɨ ƕ

Falz gL1 From Law chambers to music studio

2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

3

Politics Page Three Æ s Editorial Gamaliel Onosode (1933-2015)

A

gain, Nigeria has lost one of her foremost technocrats and administrators in the person of Gamaliel Onosode who succumbed to the cold hands of death a fortnight ago. He was 82 years old.

Fondly called “Mr. Corporate Nigeria”, the boardroom guru had been down with bone cancer for more than two years. We join other Nigerians in sympathising with the family over this sad loss. Definitely, his death is a big blow to the nation’s capital market, the banking industry and entire corporate Nigeria. A leading player in the corporate environment, Onosode’s giant strides in the private and public sectors are well known to all and sundry. ‎Born Gamaliel Oforitsenere Onosode on September 22 May, 1933, in Sapele, Delta State, he attended Government College, Ughelli, then known as Government Middle School, in 1947. Five years later, he won multiple scholarships to study at the University College Ibadan (now University of Ibadan) where he graduated with a‎ Bachelors Degree in Classics in 1957. Onosode began his career as a management trainee at the Commonwealth Development Corporation before he was appointed General Manager of the Nigeria Housing Development Society in 1962. He was later to serve at the top echelon of various companies and organisations including Dunlop Nigeria Plc from 1984 to 2006; Cadbury Nigeria Plc from 1977 to 1993; Commerce bank from 1989 to 1994; Nigerian Stock Exchange Investment Protection Fund from 1995 to 2000.

Late Gamaliel Onosode was a Fellow of the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank as well as the Nigerian Institute of Management where he was President from 1979 to 1982. He was also a Fellow of the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank as well as the President of Nigerian Institute of Management from 1979 to 1982. A man of many

Publisher/Editor in Chief Fidelis Anosike

Group Managing Editor Molara Wood

Deputy Editor

parts and calling, Onosode went into politics and contested for Senate seat during the regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha and then under the Abdulsalami Abubakar regime as Presidential aspirant of the All Nigerian Peoples Party(ANPP). Before then, Onosode was the one time former presidential adviser to former President Shehu Shagari. In addition, he was the immediate past and inaugural President of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Uyo and immediate past President and Chairman of Council of the Association of Pension Funds of Nigeria. Late Onosode was awarded an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Letters and holds Honorary D.Sc. degrees of Obafemi Awolowo University (1990), the University of Benin (1995), and the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (2003) as well as Honorary D.D. degree of Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary, Ogbomoso (2002).

A devout Christian, he was credited with establishing the Good News Baptist Church on Feb 1, 1984.

It is also to his credit that the religious denomination is now a force to reckon with in the Nigerian Baptist Convention in terms of missions and evangelism.

Despite his gifts and great learning, Onosode was the very incarnation of humility. A man of immense wealth, he could have acquired all the chieftaincy titles in the land if he so desired, yet he disdained such titular appurtenances in favour of a life of simplicity and service to God and humanity. We believe no tribute would be enough to capture the essence and impact that the late Gamaliel Onosode left on the sands of time. However, we take solace in the fact that he left behind a rich legacy for emulation by the present and future generations. No doubt, he was a true symbol of integrity and icon of the best of Nigeria’s national values.

Unnecessary wait for ministerial nominees Sam Nzeh

ÎÎÎWhen

on Wednesday last week President Muhammadu Buhari eventually sent the list of the first batch of would-be ministers to the Senate, it turned out that the more than four months that Nigerians waited for the list was unnecessary after all.

This is because as it turned out, the nominees were no strangers to many Nigerians and they were not saints. They were persons who at one time or the other had been in and out of public office at the federal and state levels.

Just sample a few: Chris Ngige; Kayode Fayemi; Rotimi Amaechi; Babatunde Fashola; Abdurrah-

man Dambazau; Ogbonaya Onu; Udoma Udo-Udoma; Audu Ogbeh; Ahmed Isa Ibeto among others.

Fact is that some of the nominees cannot claim to be clean particularly with allegations of corruption hanging on their necks.

In fact, long before the names of the nominees were made public on Tuesday, there were protests and petitions against their nominations. Some of the nominees, according to the petitioners, soiled their hands at their last duty post, a reason they ought not to be nominated in view of President Buhari’s determination to fight corruption.

But before submission of the list of the nominees, President Buhari was said to be searching for ‘clean persons’ to nominate as

Words On Marble :

ministers and Nigerians hoped that this time, there will be a clean break with the past. As a result, not a few Nigerians gave him the benefit of the doubt, and waited patiently to see the the nominees.

But when eventually the list of the nominees was made public, it turned out that there was nothing really special. There were no surprises; no clean break from the past. They were the same ‘old faces’ that had been touted all along.

So, why the long wait for the list of the nominees? Clearly, governance would have by now been on full steam if the list of the nominees had been submitted to the Senate earlier for confirmation and subsequent swearingin and assigning of portfolios.

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Ibrahim Gambari “Neither complacency nor wishful thinking or for that matter mere verbalisation of our ambition can lead us to our cherished goal.”

Kayode Ajulo

“It reeks of suspicion when the famed champion of anti-corruption nominates people who are already burdened with accusations of malfeasance and flagrant mismanagement of public funds.”

Bukola Saraki “It is normal in democratic setting, from time to time, you see the parliament talking with the executive, and that is how to make things work.”

4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Army to deal with officers fraternising with politicians Segun Adio News Editor

ÎÎÎThe Chief of Army Staff,

Lt.-Gen. Turkur Buratai in Lagos on Saturday said the Nigerian Army would deal with officers who fraternise with politicians, telling them to be apolitical.

He made the statement while addressing officers and men at 9 Brigade in Ikeja, Lagos.

‘’I want you to remain professional and apolitical. Any officer or soldier seeing hibernating with politicians or getting involved in politics of whatever nature would not be tolerated and such officer will be dealt with accordingly if caught,” Buratai said.

Buratai also told officers that the country must have a professionally responsive army in the discharge of its constitutional roles, which

was part of his vision.

He said the officers must be professional at all times, adding that soldiers must be responsive in the discharge of their duties.

“We must conduct ourselves professionally and responsibly to tackle armed robbery and oil theft challenges to a logical conclusion which cuts across most part of the country,” he said.

Buratai also said there

were other challenges like administrative and welfare challenges which would also be taken care of.

Buratai also commended the soldiers in North East of the country saying they were doing well in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents.

Buratai also said the soldiers must embrace ‘spirit de corps and be their brother’s keeper, adding that there

L-R: New Bishop of Methodist Church of Nigeria, Diocese of Okun, Kogi State, Very Rev. Bamidele Ibikunle; Archbishop of MCN Abuja, Most Rev. Joseph Oche and Cathedral Priest, Rev. Joseph Samuel during the sent forth for Ibikunle in Abuja… on Sunday Photo: Temitope Balogun

Suspected Falae’s abductors arrested in Niger ’Tosin Ajuwon, Akure

ÎÎÎFive persons suspected

in the abduction of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief Olu Falae, at his farm in Ilado, Akure North Area of Ondo state have been arrested A source in the Falae’s family confirmed this to journalists, on Sunday, in Akure, the state capital, and said that three of the suspects were apprehended in Niger State.

The source who repeatedly pleaded not to be quoted also revealed that the remaining two suspects were nabbed at different locations

in the country.

“Three of the abductors were arrested in Niger State last Sunday. This also led to the arrest of another two members during the week,” the source said.

He added that the arrested suspected kidnappers had been placed under interrogation at the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Ondo State Police Command.

The source, however, disclosed further that security agents were currently searching for seven other members of the ring who had formed a syndicate in the kidnapping business.

The Police are still trailing seven other members

of the group who are on the run.

Daily Times contacted other family members close to the elder statesman and Afenifere leader but they declined comment on the issue.

Although, some of them confirmed the arrest but said they would not speak until other suspects who were possibly on the run were nabbed.

The State Police spokesman, Femi Joseph, said he could not confirmed the arrest, thereby, directing all cases relating on, Falae, to the office of the Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, for proper updating.

Joseph noted that Falae’s

case had become a national issue and was being handled by the Force headquarters in Abuja.

He hinted that the Police Chief, Solomon Arase, might address a conference of journalists in Abuja over latest investigation on case.

It would be recalled that the former Presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) was abducted on his 77th birthday on the 21st of September, 2015, and was released four days later after public outcry.

He was released from captivity after his family had paid the ransom of five million naira, while the police had earlier denied any ransom paid.

must be close co-operation with other security agencies.

“You must work closely with the Nigerian Police, Department of State Security, Immigration and so on” he said.

He added that the soldiers also must have a good civilmilitary relations, adding that many project had been embarked on to ehance this relationship within the army’s area of operation. ‘’You must all conduct yourselves professionally when dealing with the civilians, respect their fundamental human rights.

“As a professional soldier, you are here to defend the territorial integrity of the country which include the population so they must not be molested,” he said.

While speaking with journalists, the army chief said the fight against the insurgents would be over at the stipulated time given by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He added that multi-joint task force was also working with the Nigerian Army, aimed at putting an end to the insurgency.

5 News We won’t engage in needless opposition against Buhari – Umahi Jacob Mbam Ogodo Abakaliki

ÎÎÎEbonyi

State Governor David Umahi has said that his administration and the Peoples Democratic Party in the state would not engage in “needless opposition” to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government.

He told a team of the Peoples Democratic Party in the state who paid him a condolence visit at his country home, Uburu, in Ohaozara Local Government Area, on Saturday, that since the state had a lot of challenges, it would make no sense for it to embark on “senseless opposition.”

But he was quick to add that supporting Buhari’s programmes did not, in any way, mean that he and other members of the PDP in the state would abandon their party.

Reiterating his support for Buhari’s anti-corruption programme, Umahi said he believed in his honesty and commitment to bringing graft to the barest minimum level in the country.

Giesi ruling house divided over choice of Ooni’s replacement Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo

ÎÎÎMembers

of the Giesi Ruling House are currently divided as they launched full effort towards the selection of candidates for the vacant stool of Ooni.

Among the family members, there are allegations that the screening exercise favoured one side of the royal family.

Family sources revealed to our correspondent on Sunday evening that protests had rocked the screening committee headed by one Professor Aderibigbe.

The cause of the protest, it was learnt, centred on the composition of the screening committees, which was alleged not to reflect the representatives of all the seven royal families in Giesi Ruling House.

The royal families within Giesi Ruling House are Moniki Royal Compound; Waniki Royal Compound; Luugba Royal Compound; Debooye Royal Compound; Idu Royal Compound; IduOfin Royal Compound and Agbedegbede Royal Compound.

It was gathered that all the four names penciled down to be presented to Ife Kingmakers were purportedly from Agbedegbede Royal Compound.

In a protest letter addressed to the Ife Kingmakers by six of the seven royal families, signed by Venerable Samuel Ishola Ojo from Moniki Roral Compound and Prince Babatunde Olafari Olasaare from Luugba Royal Compound, the aggrieved families alleged that the screening exercise was a one man show.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Senate may waive key condition Continued from page 1 NGRSenate.

It said: “The tradition of two Senators having to endorse a ministerial nominee is not sacrosanct and can be waived if a nominee passes other criteria.”

The Senate also urged Nigerians who have questions they would like Senators to ask during the screening on Tuesday, to send them on Twitter to the Senate handle, @NGRSenate us-

ing the hashtag #MinisterialScreening.

Going by the Senate’s latest disclosure that endorsement of a nominee by two senators is not sacrosanct, some of the ministerial nominees who have petitions standing against them from their respective states, including their Senators, are likely to heave sighs of relief.

Meanwhile, less than 24 hours to the scheduled screening of the nominees,

tension has continued to build around some nominees given the level of opposition against their nomination from their respective states.

This is even as the All Progressives Congress (APC) said President Muhammadu Buhari will not stop corruption probe against any member of the party, including former governors of Rivers and Lagos states.

Mostly affected states from where petitions detail-

ing some alleged infamies on past activities of the nominees were filed before the Senate are Kaduna, Oyo and Rivers State.

Petitioners had asked the Senate not to screen or clear nominees from their respective states on the basis of allegations levelled against them bothering on antiparty activities, corruption, and lack of electoral value in their states as well as little or no consultation by the President with the most

affected states.

Stakeholders of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State were the first to approach the Senate with request that the nominees picked by President Buhari from the State, Barrister Bayo Shittu, does not command the confidence of the people.

The petitioners from Oyo state alleged that Shittu has little or no electoral value in Oyo State, alluding to his inability to make impact as the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) candidate in the 2011 gubernatorial elections.

They said he recorded a paltry 2,000 votes in the whole of Oyo State.

The nominee’s opponents also alleged that Shittu has persistently engaged in antiparty activities such as negative press interviews and court cases against the leadership of the APC in Oyo State in the last two years.

They told the Senate in their petition that in some instances, he even went as

far as instigating court cases against the APC and even appeared as the Lawyer for litigants in such cases.

The petition read reads in part: “In addition to the above, Barrister Shittu did not contribute any form of financial or moral support to the APC in Oyo State during the last Gubernatorial and Presidential elections only for him to start stealing the show when President Buhari won the Presidential elections in May 2015.

“It is also on record that despite Barrister Shittu’s unfounded allegations that the CPC was marginalised in Oyo State, the CPC and its members in the State and the Oke Ogun area were well integrated into the APC. In addition, the following CPC members were given political appointments.

The most intriguing case against ministerial nominees came from Rivers State where the government seemed to have been neck deep in a plot to stop former Continued on page 12

Hajj stampede: Nigeria’s death toll rises to 145 Vehicles on a bad potion at Ekpoma section of the Benin/Auchi/Okene highway ... on Sunday

ÎÎÎThe

Ohanaeze youths warn Buhari over plans to remove Ekweremadu Continued from page 1 Saraki which was brokered by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogora, allegedly, insisted on Ekweremadu’s removal as condition for his reconciliation with Saraki and warned President Buhari against using Ekweremmadu as the sacrificial lamb to settle his scores with the embattled Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

OYC therefore warned the President to thread with caution as “any attempt to unseat the Deputy Senate President is an affront to democracy. Removal of Ekweremadu amounts to political genocide against Ndigbo “.

In a press statement issued at the weekend in Umuahia by its National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro,

OYC asked Buhari to place the peace and unity of Nigeria above his political views and wondered what the President “intends to achieve by excluding an entire geopolitical zone from the power equation of the country.”

The statement read in part: “Buhari should not over-display his hatred for Ndigbo by insisting that the only position God gave us through the instrumentality of progressive minds at the Senate is snatched away.

“Buhari has deliberately excluded the South East from all his political appointments so far, yet he is not satisfied but wants to close the only window granted us by providence.

“He appointed all his service chiefs and other key public officers without con-

sidering anybody from South East. When we cried foul, his apologists told us to wait for ministerial list.

“He has presented his long- awaited ministerial list with only two slots for a zone with five states. It is already obvious to us that Buhari-led administration is tribalistic and bent on punishing Ndigbo for our political decision in the last election but he should beware of the grave consequences of his actions”.

The youths urged him to stop interfering with the internal affairs of the National Assembly but instead concentrate on issues that would engender unity and national cohesion, noting “no administration in Nigeria has ever succeeded without Ndigbo, and Buhari’s government will not be an exception”.

According to the youths,” We have no regrets for our political choice in the last election. Buhari will not be President for ever but we want other geopolitical zones to be aware of the injustices against Ndigbo by the APCled government”.

They renewed their earlier call for the implementation of the recommendations of the 2014 national conference as the panacea to the myriad of problems threatening Nigeria’s unity and peaceful co- existence, stating: “The recent succession threat by the Yoruba leaders is as a result of the failure of the Federal Government to address some fundamental questions in Nigeria including obvious injustices as can be deduced by the deliberate exclusion of Ndigbo by Buhari.

National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, on Sunday, confirmed that 145 Nigerians were killed in the September 24 stampede in Mina, Saudi Arabia.

Although Saudi authorities confirmed more than 769 pilgrims from across the world dead, the death toll is believed to be over 1,000 with Iran having the higher death casualty of over 400 people. About 1,000 people were also injured during the stampede on one of the roads leading to the Jamarat complex (stone throwing site) in Mina.

Briefing journalists in Mecca in an update, NAHCON’s commissioner in charge of Planning, Research, Information and Library Services, Saleh Okenwa, said that seven of the 42 injured pilgrims were still on admission at various hospitals in Saudi Arabia.

He, however, said that the number of pilgrims earlier declared missing had reduced from 214 to165 following the discovery of additional bodies of some Nigerians killed in the stampede.

On the transportation of pilgrims back to Nigeria, NAHCON’s Commissioner in charge of Operation, Saleh Modibbo, said that more than 60 per cent of the pilgrims had been transported back to the country.

Specifically, he said that 40,850 of the 76,000 Nigerians, who performed the pilgrimage had been transported back to the country.

Among those transported back to Nigeria are pilgrims from Kwara, Gombe and Nassarawa states.

Mr. Modibbo said that the various committees set up by NAHCON helped in processing the pilgrims’ documents and luggage.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Ogun monarch beaten to coma, vehicle damaged Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÏÏÏ The rift between two

royal fathers in Ilara, in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, took a deviling dimension when a village head of Alagbe, a border town in the area, Chief Joseph Ogunrinde, was beaten to coma, while his official car was destroyed.

The ugly incident, which occurred last Saturday at the palace of the Oloola of Ilara, Oba Sam-

uel Adeluyi, who is the prescribed authority of the Alagbe, was reportedly mastermind by the people from Ilara, including the wife and the son of Oloola.

It was gathered that the incident was as a result of the crisis that erupted between the two traditional rulers of the towns, following the controversy trailing the upgrade of village head to Oba position.

Narrating his ordeal, the Village head of Alagbe, accused the monarch’s wife and one of his children

for harassing him in the palace “for allegedly disrespecting the monarch.”

He said his Honda Accord car, with registration number Lagos JJJ 597 AP, was vandalised beyond repair and later set ablaze, with some documents which he said he kept in the car.

According to him, “around 5 pm, Kabiyesi, Oba Samuel Adeluyi called me to his palace and gave me the letter from paramount ruler of Yewaland, the Olu of Ilaro, which I

read. I told the Kabiyesi that I want to make photo copy so that I can take it to home and show it to my community in Alagbe.

“As I came down from the stairs, he called me back to return the letter, his junior wife held me by my neck and asked me that I could not run to Kabiyesi when he called me. Immediately, Kabiyesi’s son, Prince Sola Adeluyi, came out from a room, snatched the letter from my hand and started beating me till I became unconscious.

7 News

Four injured in Lagos explosion Esther Adeyemi

ÏÏÏ

There was pandemonium at Oworonshoki area of Lagos State on Sunday, when a suspected bomb exploded at a lock-up pub.

South West Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, confirmed that there was an explosion inside a locked beer parlour that is yet to open today at L&K Street, Oworonsoki, inward Mayaki, Lagos State.

He said four people in-

We’re ready to defend Yoruba against oppression - OPC Sodiq Adekunle Osogbo

ÏÏÏ

Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa (left) and the Regent of Warri Kingdom, Prince Eroro Emiko during the Governor’s condolence visit to the Itsekiri nation...recently.

APC, PDP mourn Alamieyeseigha Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Acting National

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has on behalf of the National Executive Committee (NEC) and the PDP family nationwide, mourned the death of former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Secondus, in a statement by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Sunday, said the party is still in shock over the news of the sudden death of the former governor.

He described the development as deeply saddening.

According to the statement, “The PDP mourns the demise of this great Nigerian, who made immense contributions and sacrifices towards the unity, stability and development of his state and our dear nation, both as a military officer and a politician.

“Chief Alamieyeseigha was a true democrat, humble leader, brilliant administrator who had extraordinary love for his people.

“He was an outstanding party-man, who, despite his travails, remained loyal to the PDP at state and national levels to the very end.

“The PDP sincerely commiserates with Governor Seriake Dickson, the Alamieyeseigha family, the Ijaw kingdom, and the people of

Bayelsa state and pray God to give them the fortitude to bear this great loss”, the statement said.

In the same vein, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has condoled with the family and friends of the former Bayelsa State governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who died on Saturday.

In a statement issued on Sunday, in Abuja, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also condoled with the Bayelsa State government over the death of its former governor.

It said it received the news of the former governor’s demise with great shock, considering that he was not publicly reported

to have been gravely ill.

APC prayed that the family would find comfort in their moment of sadness, as well as the strength to bear the loss of their loved one. ‘’May the soul of the departed also rest in perfect peace,’’ the party said.

Alamieyeseigha

Oduduwa Peoples Congress (OPC) has expressed readiness to defend the Yoruba race against any oppression from any quarters.

The Governor of OPC in Osun State, Alhaji Adeleke Akintayo, a.k.a Olojongbodu, said this at the state headquarters of the Congress in Osogbo.

He reiterated the group’s commitment to ensuring that the Yoruba race are given the desired respect

cluding a girl were injured and had been rushed to Afolabi Hospital for treatment.

“Fire service and police are trying to find out the cause of the explosion as the shop was locked at the time of explosion.

“Crowd are greatly impeding emergency works.

“We call on the crowd to leave the area entirely. The explosion partly affected a building next to the beer parlour. The partly affected collapsed building do not pose any danger to the people,” he said. and rightful positions in the country.

He also said that the group was keen to the liberation of the entire Yoruba’s and promotion of peaceful co-existence among the race.

While calling on Nigerians to change their perception about the congress, he said “the congress will continue to champion the course of Yoruba’s at any point in time. The congress will continue to promote culture and traditions of Yoruba’s. Culture remains symbol of identity of any race.”

The Osun OPC governor, who decried attitude of some Yoruba’s to their culture, emphasised the need for them to place value on their culture and traditions all the times.

Obasanjo, Tinubu, Govs for Hotelier’s Retreat Remi Oladoye

ÏÏÏ

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Senator Remi Tinubu and governors of South/West, are among other dignitaries expected to participate at the Hoteliers Association of Nigeria (HAN) Southwest zonal retreat, billed to hold in Abeokuta, between October 13 and 15, 2015.

This was disclosed by Mr. JamiuTalabi, Public Relations Officer of the association on Sunday.

According to him, the association is an umbrella body of Hoteliers in the country, serving as a platform through which the collective interest of hotel, tourism and entertainment

stakeholders can be promoted and sustained.

Talabi also maintained that the maiden business retreat which is billed to hold at INDICESSUITES AND GARDEN, Onikolobo, in Abeokuta, Ogun state is part of the measures toward fulfilling some of the mandates of the association.

He, however, listed the mandates to include promoting the hotel industry towards sustainable development and efficient resources management, understanding of the principles and practices and effective service delivery through deployment of modern management skills and capacities.

8

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Politics

Æs

2016: Edo people must decide Oshiomhole’s successor Francis Ehigiator

Oshiomhole

Ogbemudia

Osunbor

Necessity, according to an English proverb, is the mother of invention. It indeed finds expression in the dictum that “when the need for something becomes essential, you are forced to find ways of getting or achieving it.” Erudite scholar, the late Chinua Achebe further justified this popular assertion via

Igbinedion

a captivating illustration in that spectacular novel – Things Fall Apart- wherein he wrote: “Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching.” These two positions capture my thoughts on the prevailing political issues in Edo State.

The people of this great State CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Ajimobi, Aregbesola advocate sustenance of Wind Of Change The Governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has warned that nonadherence to party supremacy and discipline, as witnessed recently in the National Assembly, portends great danger for the polity and democracy in the country.

This is coming just as his Osun State counterpart, Comrade Rauf Aregbesola revealed that in spite of the encumbrances and spanners thrown by the opposition elements to truncate President Muhammadu Buhari’s ambition, the President triumphed because Nigerians desired change.

Both helmsmen were speaking at the distinguished personality lecture of the Department of Political Science and Diplomatic Studies of Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State. Ajimobi who was the Guest Lecturer spoke on “Sustaining the wind of change.”

Comrade Aregbesola, was the chairman of the occasion, while the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Matthews Ojo, was the chief host.

Emphasising the need for caution on the part of the major players in the crisis that had pitted the leadership of the National Assembly against the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, Ajimobi noted that no arm of the government could afford to play the ostrich.

The governor said: “for the new wave of change to be sus-

Ajimobi tained, the legislature must not only be stable and predictable, but parliamentarians must

Aregbesola learn how best to support party positions on important national issues.

“The recent event in the National Assembly, in which the time-tested principles of party

supremacy and discipline were rubbished, may not augur well for the polity.

“While not casting aspersions on anyone, more so that the Senate President (Senator Bukola Saraki) and the Speaker of House of Representatives (Hon. Yakubu Dogara) are eminently qualified to occupy those positions; the snag, however, is that the views of the APC, which was the platform that brought them to the parliament, was not sufficiently respected in matters of national interest.”

Since the APC felt strongly on the issue of Federal Character in the election or appointment of principal officers of the House, which Ajimobi described as a cardinal legal, moral and constitutional principle that should be respected by the party faithful, he said that the CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Diezani: Buhari Group mocks PDP

Alison-Madueke

The Buhari Media Support Group (BMSG), an organisation dedicated to promoting President Muhammadu Buhari’s agenda for change, has mocked the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the arrest in London, of former Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke on money laundering

charges.

Madueke was a key figure in the PDP administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The group challenged PDP to appoint a formidable legal team to head for London and defend the former Petroleum Minister, who CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Buhari

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

9 Politics

Edo people must decide Oshiomhole’s successor

Oshiomhole CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

have been taken for granted since the inception of democratic governance in 1999; deceived and hoodwinked with outright lies, rhetoric and propaganda by their successive political leaderships.

They came with sweet promises, dangled carrots before them, but unfortunately reneged on the promises once in the saddle of political governance.

The truth is that in the history of Edo State, no governorship candidate has inspired more hope in the people before an election like Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole.

His labour background and promasses posture endeared him to them. And when he retrieved his

Ogbemudia mandate through the courts, the comrade governor enjoyed popular support. He was also able to secure a second term mandate for several reasons, but largely not because his performances were outstanding. This is an issue for examination at another time.

But seven years down the line, the manifest quandary with its attendant hopelessness that has permeated every part of the state is gradually spilling over. With different revelations springing up, possibilities abound that the political curtain of deception has fallen off the face of the people and they can now see what some of us had seen and foreseen from the outset. Of course, some of us knew, ab-initio, that propaganda

Osunbor is always a disservice to good governance and has been greatly and unfortunately exploited as part of governance in Edo State. But in the long run, propaganda will always fizzle out like we are experiencing now. Some of us knew very well that the end would definitely expose the management and/or otherwise of Edo resources.

It is indeed gratifying that the people are gradually showing remarkable readiness to take their destiny in their hands and liberate the state. “Once bitten, twice shy,” they say, and by implication, Edolites are no longer ready to be caught napping again; hence, they have commenced serious stocktaking ahead of another election

Igbinedion year. This is apt and wise, since in Nigeria, most public officials have found ways of circumventing the process of rendering public account of their stewardship to the people. But, as the people of Edo, especially some individuals who served in the government of Oshiomhole, have started giving accounts of their experiences, the revelations across the state are scary and worrisome.

Almost every day on different media platforms, tales of woes are shared concerning the terrible state of affairs in Edo. The one that recently caught my attention was an interview granted by one Mr. Orobosa Omo-Ojo, a two-time Commissioner and a close ally of the comrade gover-

nor, in Daily Sun of September 29, 2015, at pages 26 and 30. He revealed the feeling of emptiness that is now likely to be the lot of other public officials in Edo State, including those still in the cabinet of Gov. Oshiomhole. According to Omo-Ojo, “But on a general note I can’t be bold enough, in all honesty, to say we have delivered on our promises, except we do so in the next 12 or 13 months.”

The pertinent question here is: can 13 months achieve the things that were not done in 83 months?

Definitely in this case, it may suffice to say that a camel will be able to find its way through the eye of a needle than for any meaningful CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Buhari group mocks PDP over Diezani’s ordeal CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

is currently facing corruption investigation in the UK, preparatory to formal trial.

In a statement, BMSG reminded the PDP of its previous allegations that the anti-corruption war is a political witch hunt against political opponents, wondering why the opposition PDP is yet to accuse the UK police of witch hunt for daring to investigate Mrs Alison-Madueke.

It noted that President Buhari could not have told the British police how to do their job, or dictated to them to arrest innocent people and charge them to court merely because they were part of the unseated PDP government.

The BMSG also recalled that

Buhari

Buhari

the PDP has repeatedly sought to discredit the anti-corruption crusade of the Buhari administra-

tion, stressing that the President would never cause to or pencil down anybody for investigation

or trial when there is no evidence linking them to wrongdoing.

Besides, it explained that, as a man who is conscious of his integrity, President Buhari would be the last person to link innocent people to crimes they didn’t commit.

The group expressed surprise why the PDP leaders have abandoned Alison-Madueke to her fate in London, despite her loyalty to the party and illegally funding the erstwhile ruling party with state resources while she was in government.

It therefore advised the PDP to stop belittling and disparaging the anti-corruption war through unhelpful allegations that President Buhari is using the crusade to witch hunt his political opponents adding that the consequences of corruption harm the larger

society, regardless of whether they are APC or PDP supporter.

The group then advised the PDP leaders to sincerely and patriotically join hands with the federal government to make Nigeria better.

The group then challenged the PDP to freeze the billions of Naira handed in by the former Minister to the party as oil sector contributions preparatory to the last election until a full certification is obtained on the legality of its sources pointing out that this will proof whether the PDP is toeing the line of the anti-corruption war of the Buhari administration as it is claiming.

The group also advised the PDP leaders to sincerely and patriotically join hands with the federal government to make Nigeria better.

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Why party supremacy, internal democracy must be supreme, by Ajimobi, Aregbesola CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

lawmakers ought to toe the party’s line.

Ajimobi blamed the financial insolvency stifling socioeconomic development in most states on what he called the manifestation of brazen corruption that characterized the former President Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Federal Government.

He traced the country’s pervading precarious financial woes and insecurity to mediocre leadership at the federal level, which, he said, promoted administrative ineptitude, unwarranted aggrandizement-cum brazen corruption and lack of vision.

Refraining from what he called blanket condemnation, Ajimobi, nonetheless, acknowledged that few of the PDP governors provided effective leadership in their respective states, adding that none of the political parties was bereft of good materials.

His words: “It is common knowledge that two reasons are responsible for the drop in statutory allocations to the states; which are theft of over 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day and the fall in oil prices from over $100 to about $50 per barrel.

“While the fall in oil prices might have been beyond (former) President Jonathan’s control, it remains unclear why no single oil thief was caught or apprehended, beyond a few

????? pipeline vandals”, he wondered.

He adduced these and many other reasons for the decision of Nigerians to embrace the change slogan of the APC, which swept the PDP out of power after 16 years of the party’s firm grip on the country.

In order to sustain the change agenda of the Buhari administration, he called for total rebirth, moral rectitude and patriotism on the part of citizens, while calling on the government to liberalize the solid mineral sector and to diversify the economy from the oil sector.

Calling on the National As-

????? sembly to tinker with the law that places mining of solid mineral resources in the Exclusive List and make it Concurrent, he said a lot of revenue was daily being lost to illegal miners, who have capitalized on the inability of the FG to effectively control the sector.

Beyond these, he also advocated improvement on national security; adherence to professionalism by the mass media that dwells more on investigative journalism; robust legislation by the legislature, overhaul of the education sector and improvement on the country’s for-

eign policy.

Aregbesola noted that the change electioneering slogan that brought Buhari to power was an idea whose time had come.

In spite of the encumbrances and spanners thrown by the opposition elements to truncate Buhari’s ambition, the Osun State helmsman said the President triumphed because Nigerians desired change.

Aregbesola said: “For those who care to know, the election of President Muhammadu Buhari was the culmination of the struggle by the progressives

since independence. Hence, he won despite all the obstacles and odds.

“After the Ekiti electoral heist that saw to the emergence of a PDP government, the evil machinery was moved down to Osun State. Their calculation was that if Osun could be seized, other South-West states will become low-hanging fruits for them.

“But, my victory foretold the eventual triumph of President Buhari. It was a strong statement that the APC had become unstoppable. The recent media attacks targeted against me was for no other reason than that I played a major role in stopping the PDP from holding on to power. But, I’m not worried”, he stressed.

For the country to benefit fully from the change in guard at the federal level, he admonished citizens to change their attitude to work, and to critically assess the impact their activities is having on the society and the economy.

The VC of BOWEN commended Aregbesola for his contributions to the growth and development of the institution; while applauding what he called Ajimobi’s relentless efforts at urban renewal, as well as social, industrial and infrastructural revolution in Oyo State.

Ojo saluted the doggedness of the two governors that saw to their winning election for second term in office, especially Ajimobi, whom he said broke the second term jinx in the state.

2016: Edo people must decide Oshiomhole’s successor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

development to come by in the next one year. Unfortunately, this is not the best of times for economic growth in Nigeria. Almost all the states in Nigeria are on lifesupport of bailout funds. Today, Benin City, the state capital is in a serious mess, threatened by flood.

So, also, some other parts of the state are ravaged by flood due to weak and/or lack of supporting infrastructure.

Only recently, some youths from Egor Local Government Area of the state, pelted members of the State House of Assembly with water sachets in protest over the dilapidated state of roads in

their areas. If Oshiomhole can feel the pulse of the people, he will realise that the frustration is real; it is growing and the people are indeed very hysterical. What happened in Egor is just one among other unreported cases in the state. The reactions we are seeing all over the state today, are as a result of years of neglect. The people are becoming increasingly agitated, especially now that his government is in its last lap, yes home stretch.

The unemployment situation in Edo is alarming and contrary to the promise of 10,000 jobs Oshiomhole made at the inception of his administration, his erstwhile commissioner, Omo-Ojo,

contended that he has failed to meet up this expectation. According to him, “The number one thing I have today is the issue of the youth empowerment. We came up with this theme ‘ByeBye to poverty’ and we equally said ‘Let the People Lead’. Those two things were very attractive because they fell within my own believe about leadership. And in fact I am not too happy at all, after seven years, I can’t honestly, face any of our young boy or girl and tell them we have provided for this number of people. We promised them we will provide 10,000 jobs during our administration.”

What is now even more disturbing is the second tranche of the

foreign (World Bank) loan that was recently acquired by Oshiomhole. The people are worried that a good part of the money may be used for political and election purposes. Although some concerned Nigerians tried to prevail on the State House of Assembly and the Senate not to approve the loan; however, the protests that greeted the process of approval, will definitely make more people to increase their searchlights on how the loan is utilised. It is noteworthy that many people are now more alive to their responsibilities, coming out to ask questions.

Edo people did not make a mistake when they conceded to and embraced the democratic form of

government like every other part of Nigeria in 1999, as the best alternative to military rule. They did so believing that they would be best served by their own representatives. The people should not despair; they should in their good consciences make the best choice on who will better serve them ahead of the next gubernatorial election and ensure that person succeeds Oshiomhole. While they must insist that Oshiomhole gives account of how the state resources were utilised, on no condition should they allow the comrade governor to dictate who will succeed him. That will amount to meting out a raw deal and an unfair treatment to Edo people.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

11 Politics

Osun bailout war: Group tackles Aregbesola over diversion A group, Civil Societies Coalition for the Emancipation of Osun State (CSCEO) has carpeted the state Governor, Rauf Aregbesola for the alleged diversion of N34.988 billion bailout fund released to the state by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

It was for the purpose of paying the backlog of salaries and pensions due to all the categories of workers and retirees alike for a period of seven to eight months, alleging that the Aregbesola’s government reluctantly pay the two, three and four months salary arrears respectively to the affected workers and retirees from the accumulated monthly allocation to the state and local governments from the Federation Account.

The development was unveiled following grumblings within the state workforce and retirees, on the rationale for the state government to pay only two to four months salaries and pension from arrears due to them after the Federal Government has bailed out the state from the salaries and pension palava.

The group, according to its chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman also condemned the recent threat to the lives of Journalists practicing in the state by Aregbesola at a public function as it affects the lives of Mr Femi Makinde of Punch Newspapers, Mr Wole Ige of Nigerian Tribune Newspapers, Mr. Abass Okandeji of MITV, Mr Niyi Folorunso and others, stressing that Aregbesola detests criticism against his maladministration and called on well meaning Nigerians, including President Muhmmadu Buhari and security agencies not to treat Aregbesola’s threat with.

Comrade Sulaiman faulted the illegal diversion of the bailout fund by the state government at the expense of the suffering people of the state, particularly, the workers and retirees, describing the development as anti-people, ungodly, unconstitutional and undemocratic. He therefore called for the declaration of state of emergency whereby the Federal Government would take over the payment of backlog of salaries and pension due workers

“We have every authority to say that Mr. Aregbesola has only used the state and local government share of monthly allocations from the Federation Account to pay only the two, three and four months salary and pension arrears recently paid to some workers in the state and local government. It is on record that the state and local government share of the federal allocation has been released to Mr. Aregbesola up to date.

Aregbesola

and retirees respectively in the state.

His words: “CSCEO believes that government should be people–oriented and development

programmes should be directed at improving people’s welfare and well being but the reverse is the case for Osun people in the hands of Mr. Rauf Aregbe-

sola, who since his taking over as governor of the state has embarked on programmes and policies that have diminished the value and dignity of our people, impoverished them and sent many of them to early graves.

“In our state, there is a clear fight between good and evil, justice and injustice, truth and falsehood and the CSCEO has resolved to remain focused and objective in our fight against evil, injustice and all forms of falsehood. We are ready to tell the truth no matter whose ox is gored.

“While seeing the Civil servants as essential key to national development and nationbuilding, the CSCEO is worried

over the misapplication of the Federal Government / Central Bank of Nigeria (FG/CBN) bailout loan recently released to Osun State to pay the backlogs of salaries and pension due to workers and retirees by Mr. Rauf Aregbesola.We are informed that Aregbesola has diverted the #34.988 billion bailout fund and that is why the state government cannot pay the backlogs of eight months’ salary and pension arrears as directed by President Mohammadu Buhari.

“We have every authority to say that Mr. Aregbesola has only used the state and local government share of monthly allocations from the Federation Account to pay only the two, three and four months salary and pension arrears recently paid to some workers in the state and local government. It is on record that the state and local government share of the federal allocation has been released to Mr. Aregbesola up to date.

“We cannot hide our disposition to query the rationale behind Aregbesola’s administration’s failure to use the bailout fund to pay the total arrears of salaries and pension, particularly that of the workers in the state owned tertiary institutions that have been on strike for many months now despite the importance of the education sector to the future development of our state and her citizens.

This insensitivity of Aregbesola to workers plight in the state has done serious damage to the people of the state most especially the students who are now idle and at the mercy of unscrupulous politicians who engage them for nefarious activities”, he said.

The group added:”We would recall that in the recent past, the lives of some journalists have been terminated under suspicious circumstances in Alimosho area of Lagos State, “Similarly, we will like to remind you of former Aregbesola’s Personal Assistant (P.A),Mr. Sola Aderibigbe who petitioned Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) over Rauf Aregbesola, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Babatunde Fashola on Lagos State Local Government funds and Aderibigbe has been missing since 2010 without any clue till date”, it added

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Fulani herdsmen: Afenifere blasts Falana over comment on Yoruba leaders’ threat Segun Adio, Group News Editor

ÎÎÎPan Yoruba socio-polit-

ical organisation, Afenifere, on Sunday, berated Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), over his comment on the threat by Yoruba leaders to banish Fulani herdsmen from the South-West following the recent kidnap of former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae.

Falana had on Sunday in a statement described the threat by Yoruba leaders as diversionary and escapist solution.

He said: “This is not the time to resort to diversionary or escapist solutions to manmade problems.

The ruling class should be compelled to address the challenges of establishing livestock, grazing reserves, ranching and modernisation of pastoralist or nomadic livelihood in line with the

aforesaid recommendations.

“Instead of calling on the security agencies to enforce the law by arresting and prosecuting the group, some Yoruba leaders threatened that the South-West region would secede from Nigeria if Fulani nomads were not banned from entering the region!

“It is unfortunate that the senior citizens, who issued the threat, did not address the legal implications of their demand. It ought to be

pointed out that every Nigerian has a constitutional right not be expelled from any part of the country.”

However, reacting to Falana’s position, Afenifere speaking through its Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said the Yoruba leaders were resolute in their quest for regional autonomy not irrespective of the views Falana.

He described Falana as irrelevant to the issues at stake, adding that the hu-

man rights lawyers had always been against the interest of the Yoruba at critical times.

“He did that at the 2014 National Conference and was busy campaigning against all we achieved,” Odumakin said.

The Afenifere spokesman said Falana’s “latest outburst is understandable as the second batch of ministerial niminees is still being awaited”.

Falana in his statement on Sunday had argued that the recent kidnap of Falae only added “a new dimension to the kidnap saga in the region” as he tried to situate the criminality in the same context of the October 2010 kidnap of a traditional ruler and a college provost in Ekiti State and the abduction of the wife of Osun State Speaker in Osogbo about the same time.

He recalled that the wife of Osun State Speaker was later found by a vigilance group in Ogun State and that shortly after that, the then

Chairman of Ejigbo Local Government Area of Lagos, was kidnapped and was only released upon th payment of N15m ransom.

The Human rights lawyers said the threat against the Fulani herdsmen in the South-West would not solve the problem until far-reaching measures, such as proactive intervention by the police as well as establishment of modern livestock production by state governments, were adopted.

He added: “It is on record that not less than 10,000 heads of cattle are consumed in the South-West daily. Majority of the heads of cattle are brought in malnourished, having been made to walk hundreds of kilometres from the northern part of the country.

“Instead of issuing threats, the Yoruba leaders ought to have mobilised the South-West state governors to set up ranches and abattoirs for the production and distribution of meat in the region.”

Senate may drop key condition Continued from page 6 Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris, presenting a portrait of President Muhammadu Buhari to Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, when the latter visited him at the Treasury House... at the weekend.

Police summons KWAM 1 over shooting of OOU student Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÎÎÎThe

popular Fuji maestro, King Wasiu Ayinde Marshal, has been invited by the Ogun State command of Nigeria Police force over the alleged shooting of a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University Student on Sunday.

The invitation was sequel to the shooting of a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University at the musical show of a fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde otherwise known as Kwam 1.

The student identified as Azeez Kofoworola from the department of Business Education was reportedly

shot by one of the band members of the King of fuji which led to abrupt suspension of the show.

According to a source, the incident happened at Limelite Hotel in AgoIwoye during an occasion organised by the owner of the hotel identified as Sesan Rufai around 1: am.

The source said that Kofoworola was hit by a bullet shot by King Wasiu Ayinde entourage while sitting inside an unregistered Honda Accord that belonged to an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence identified as Hassan Afeez.

It was further gathered that the party was organ-

ised to mark Ago-Iwoye day which was scheduled for Saturday but was postponed because of the convocation ceremony held by the university.

Further findings revealed that the owner of the hotel had paid Ayinde for the show before the postponement and the musician reportedly refused to refund the money but, insisted to come and play which was agreed by the management of the hotel.

It was also revealed that the lady has been rushed to general hospital in Ijebu-Ode as the bullet reportedly entered through the right hand side of rear door of the car and hit the

victim on her right bottom.

The Police Command in the state confirmed the incident, saying, its men were informed about the incident and had taken the victim to the hospital.

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Muyiwa Adejobi, who spoke to our correspondent on phone, said the state commissioner of Police, Abdulmajid Ali, has directed that Ayinde Wasiu should be invited for interrogation.

He said: “We got the report of the incident and we have taken the victim to the hospital. The bullet has been removed from the victim’s body.

governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaech, as the Rivers State nominee.

Last Wednesday, the Senator representing Rivers East, George Sekibo, had, on behalf of senators from the state, presented a petition against Amaechi, alleging that the former governor looted Rivers State’s funds.

The Rivers State government took its anti-Amaechi’s stance to an extreme limit when it timed the presentation of a Report by the Commission of Inquiry against Amaechi with the very period his screening would be taking place in Abuja, making visible efforts to paint the former governor as very corrupt and undeserving of the chance to represent Rivers.

The Commission of Inquiry had alleged that Amaechi diverted the sum of N53 billion belonging to the state.

The head of the commis-

sion, Justice George Omoreji, made the disclosure while submitting the committee’s report to the state governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, at the close of last week.

Earlier a group identified as The Integrity Group, had filed a petition against Amaechi before the Senate, alleging that the former governor misappropriated several billions of monies belonging to the State, through phony projects and with connivance with his appointed agents.

Integrity Group, among others accused the governor of corruption, criminal breach of trust, unlawful enrichment and conversion of over N70 billion Rivers people’s money.

Kaduna State had joined in the bout of intrigues against ministerial nominee from the state, Mrs. Amina Muhammed given the perceived preparedness of political stakeholders in the state to frustrate her chances of becoming a minister.

13 International

Daily Times Nigeria Monday October 12, 2015

Thousands rally as Turkey mourns 95 killed in bombings Guinea goes to

poll as opposition cries foul

ÏÏÏPolls opened in Guinea on

Members of the left-wing Labour Party (EMEP) carry pictures of the victims of Saturday's bomb blasts during a commemoration in Ankara, on Sunday.

ÏÏÏThousands

of people took to the streets of Ankara Sunday, many of them chanting slogans against the Turkish government, as the country mourned the victims of twin bombings at a peace rally that killed at least 95 people.

The government reported that 160 people injured in the twin blasts were still hospitalized, with 65 of them in intensive care at 19 hospitals. Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party put the death toll at 128, but the government did not confirm this figure.

No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Reuters quoted two senior Turkish secu-

rity sources as saying the initial investigation is focusing on the Islamic State. The officials said the attacks bore striking similarities to a suicide bombing in July in Suruc near the Syrian border that was also blamed on Islamic State insurgents.

Selahattin Demirtas, the cochairman of Turkey's pro-Kurdish party, blamed the government for the explosions. "The state which gets information about the bird that flies and every flap of its wing," he told mourners, "was not able to prevent a massacre in the heart of Ankara."

The Hurriyet daily headline

called the attack "A bomb into our hearts." It added, "The deeply outraged public is waiting to find out who is behind the incident."

Some of the crowd in Ankara assembled near the scene of Saturday's bombings left flowers for the victims after initially being blocked by the heavy police presence.

A demonstrator holds flowers before a police barricade during a commemoration for the victims of Saturday's bomb blasts in the Turkish capital, in Ankara, Turkey, October 11, 2015.

A demonstrator holds flowers before a police barricade during

a commemoration for the victims of Saturday's bomb blasts in the Turkish capital, in Ankara, Turkey, October 11, 2015.

The blasts occurred near the main exit of the railway station in the Ulus district. That location was presumably intended to cause a high number of deaths among participants at the rally, which was organized by labor and civil society groups.

There was chaos and confusion at the scene of the bombings, where bodies lay strewn on the ground along with clothing and yellow flags of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP).

Congolese ponder President Kabila's speech

ÏÏÏFor

the past week, many people in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been discussing a rare public speech that President Joseph Kabila made Sunday at a meeting of his ruling coalition, the AMP. The president was reacting to a public letter written by seven political parties last month, in which they warned him against trying to stay in power beyond his constitutional two-term limit.

Days after the letter appeared, the seven parties - known as the G7 - were expelled from the AMP.

Thousands of Lebanese rally for Christian politician Aoun

But speaking over the weekend, the president suggested the constitution is not an issue.

"I don't remember," Kabila said, "having organized a meeting with the majority to raise the question of revising the constitution. I never raised that question.

According to some media, his remarks imply that he will respect the constitution and the AMP will soon choose another candidate for the elections in November 2016.

Opposition UNC party spokesman Stephane Mashukano, in Goma, does not agree.

ÏÏÏThousands of Lebanese ral-

lied at the presidential palace outside Beirut on Sunday in a show of support for Christian politician Michel Aoun, pressing their demand for him to fill the presidency vacant for over a year.

Waving the orange flag of Aoun's Free Patriotic Movement (FPM), they packed streets in the Baabda district that houses the

"If they needed to win the elections they would have presented a successor already, but that's an internal problem for them, which is why the G7 left," said Mashukano.

"If the president really wanted to stop all the rumors why does he not state clearly, I will not be standing at the next elections?'"

A spokesman for the president's party in Goma, Paluku Muhaya, told VOA that the majority still has a year in which to choose a candidate, and the president will respect the constitution.

One of Kabila's supporters,

North Kivu governor Julien Paluku, described the G7 parties at a rally this week as rats abandoning ship and said it was wiser to stay on board with the lifeboats.

Kabila

headquarters of the presidency.

The presidency is set aside for a Maronite Christian but has been unoccupied due to a political crisis stoked by regional conflicts including the war in neighboring Syria.

"The president of the republic shouldn't be just any person who fills the post, as some people want him to be," Aoun told the crowd as his supporters shouted, "Aoun for

president of the republic!"

"It should be someone who is like you, who reflects you and who rejects oppression and stands up for your rights," he said.

The rally was called to mark events in October 1990, near the end of the Lebanese civil war, when the Syrian army captured Baabda and many Lebanese soldiers loyal to Aoun were killed.

Sunday, but the country’s opposition candidates claim there is little chance of the vote being free and fair. Voters lined up across Guinea’s ocean-side capital early Sunday. President Alpha Conde is running for a second term against seven opposition candidates.

While looting and clashes between rival political supporters occurred earlier in the week in Guinea, there was no sign of trouble in Conakry as polls opened.

But Guinea’s opposition was already decrying the election. In an interview Saturday evening, leading opposition candidate Cellou Dalein Diallo told VOA he had no confidence in the electoral commission. He said he and the six other opposition challengers would reject the polls if they believed they were rigged.

Diallo says if the results announced by the electoral commission or the supreme court do not reflect the voters’ will, then he will not accept them.

In Conakry’s Hafia Minierre II neighborhood, voters waited calmly at roadside polling stations. Presiding officer Djenabou Sedec said everything was going smoothly.

Iran tests new mid-range missile

ÏÏÏIran

has successfully testfired a mid-range surface-to-surface Emad (Assertiveness) missile, Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan said on Sunday in Tehran.

Dehghan said the Emad missile had been developed and produced in Iran and was more precise than the preceding model. He did not say when or where the test had been carried out.

Fars news agency published photos of the new missile.

Military claims cannot be confirmed in Iran as all tests are carried out in secrecy, without neutral observers.

Concerns have been raised outside Iran that it could use its existing Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missile, which is believed to have a firing range of 2,000 kilometres, to hit arch-rival Israel.

These concerns were reduced following the historic agreement reached in mid-July that limits Iran's uranium enrichment programme and permits international inspections of nuclear sites in return for the lifting of sanctions.

Iranian President Hassan Rowhani has stressed that Tehran would not attack any other country in the region. Iran's military capabilities were primarily concerned with defence, he said.

News14

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Military uncovers plan by terrorists to attack Jos Chijioke Kingsley Jos

ÏÏÏOperation

Safe Haven (OPSH) deployed to restore law and order in Plateau State has called on citizens of the state to be security conscious, especially around places where a large number of persons were gathered.

It further said park operators and managers of relaxation sports, market unions, mosques,

and churches are enjoined to put in place security measures around their vicinity from henceforth.

According to a statement signed by its Media / Information officer, Captain Iweha Ikedichi and made available to newsmen at the weekend in Jos read “this is sequel to specific intelligence which revealed the intentions of the members of the Boko Haram terrorist group to carry out an attack within Jos

metropolis.”

OPSH further said that the planned attack which had been consistently foiled by security operatives for about two weeks running had already seen the increased presence of security personnel around identified flash points.

“OPSH reiterates its readiness to respond to any act of breach of security or criminality which is capable to cause possible death and destruction of property promptly.

While assuring residents within its area of operational responsibility of their safety at all times,” Ikedichi also said it would like to solicit for information from members of the community and assured that such information provided would be treated with absolute confidentially.

“We would want to reassure members of the general public of our determination to protect life and property of all law abiding citizens,” the body said.

Kogi guber: Audu receives more defectors ÏÏÏThe candidate of the All Pro-

L-R: Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Mr. Ekpo Nta; Director ICPC, Mrs. Rasidat Okoduwa and General Manager, Airport Service, Mr. Abubakar Othman, during the Corruption Risk Assessment (CRA) meeting with stakeholders held at NCAA annex, MMIA, in Lagos... at the weekend

Buhari, Tanzanian president commend Dangote’s business drive

ÏÏÏPresident

Muhammadu Buhari and his Tanzanian counterpart have described the business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, as Africa’s economic stimulant whose investments had sustained economy stability and standard of living in the African continent.

The two leaders were speaking on the occasion of the commissioning of the Dangote Cement’s multi-million dollars new cement plant in Mtwara, Tanzania and ground breaking of the 26-hectare jetty which attracted top shots not only from Nigeria and Tanzania but also from neighbouring countries of Ruwanda, Burundi and Democratic Republic of Congo.

Tanzanian President, Dr. Jakaya, Mrisho Kikwete said there was no better way of rejuvenating and sustaining a nation’s economy if not through investment, which opens the door of for job creation and opportunity for people to express their creative abilities.

He described the cement plant as the largest cement plant in Eastern and Central Africa, noting

that the investment was a huge one that would have a huge impact as well as bilateral relation between Tanzania and Nigeria.

“It will go a long way in transforming our happily existing diplomatic and political relations into investment and trade arena”, he noted.

Kikwete pointed out that the timing of the citing of the cement plant was very auspicious, coming at a time when the demand for cement was on the upsurge and increasing both locally and regionally.

Said he: “It is logical that there is a sound relationship between economic growth and booming of the construction sector whereby cement is a critical input. Tanzania is one of the countries where such relationship can easily be traced.”

To drive home his point that that Tanzania was a good destination for investment, Kikwete said Tanzania had registered an average growth of 7 per cent which made her one of the top 10 fastest growing economies in Africa and that

as part of this growth, the construction sector had grown 7 per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2005/2006 to 12.5 per cent of the GDP in 2014/2015.

He disclosed that cement price had been on the increase, especially because of the shortages in supply as opposed to increasing demands and that Dangote Cement was coming to fill the gap.

Buhari, who was represented by the Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, said Dangote wass a key role-player in the economic development of Africa and his investment model was in tandem with the unfolding economic policy of his government.

Buhari

gressive Congress (APC) for the November 21 governorship election, in Kogi State, Prince Abubakar Audu, has received more defectors to his camp, and declared a three-point agenda for the state if voted into power.

Audu who made his agenda submission known at Alu Yagba East local Government Area, said, while receiving thousands of defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Yagba federal constituencies, he would focus on power shift, declare state of emergency in critical sectors of the state, as well as concentrate on ‘stomach infrastructure.’

According to him, “Let me make my agenda known to the people of the state because I want to be held responsible for my word when I gain power. Firstly I will make sure that power shift become sacrosanct. I will be the first governor to shift power in the state. I must honour my agreement that, after my full tenure, I will ensure power rotation either to Kogi West or Kogi Central.

“Secondly, I will declare a state of emergency on the critical sectors of the state, especially in the infrastructural sector. Shortly after I won my party primary, I took a trip outside the country were I met international business organisations who by now are just waiting for me to be sworn in so that they can come and invest in the critical sector of the state.

“Lastly, I will concentrate on stomach infrastructure. The welfare of the people of the state remains a priority to me. Let no one deceive you; I have nothing but the best interest of the people at heart.”

Elder Leke Abejide, a House of Representative aspirant in the last election, who led thousands of other defectors from the PDP in the federal constituencies said he left the PDP because of its rigidity.

Lagos govt trains journalists on sexual, genderbased violence ÏÏÏIn line with the mandate of

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to increase public awareness on sexual- and gender-based violence issues across the state, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT), at the weekend, engaged staff of Unilever Nigeria Plc, as well as media practitioners on the various initiatives being taken to curb such incidents in Lagos.

Over 100 members of Unilever staff in attendance at the organisation’s Head Office in Oregun were present on the occasion, which featured interactive session geared towards enlightening staff.

The Co-ordinator of the DSVRT, Mrs. Lola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the session was a continuation of the existing partnership between both bodies, which saw the Vaseline, Close Up and Lux brands provide support at a recent engagement session between the DSVRT and market men and women associations in the state led by the Iyaloja General, Chief Mrs. Tinubu-Ojo.

CNPP seeks rancourfree screening of ministerial nominees Moses Oyediran Enugu

ÏÏÏThe

Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, (CNPP), on Sunday pleaded with the Senate, to, as a matter of urgent national importance, conduct a rancourfree screening and confirmation of the ministerial nominees submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said such a smooth process was the only panacea “to cement cordial bipartisan relationship, as a rancorous screening and confirmation process could in no way appease the good people of Nigeria, who were anxiously waiting for the progressive change they voted for.”

The CNPP stated that, “whereas, we appreciate the need to thoroughly screen the nominees and the import of screening out the bad eggs, we are making this passionate call of urgent national importance to fast-track the process, so as to engender cordial relationship between the executive and the legislature and usher in good governance.”

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

15 Opinion

Will Nigeria ever be safe?

W Abdullahi Musa

ell it all depends upon what Nigerians consider as safety.

If by safety they understand that nobody will ever die from planted bombs or from the deadly embrace of a suicide – bomber, then may be they will never be safe. A technologically sophisticated country such as United States has nearly every month for some time now, been suffering from shootings and killings of innocent people by gunmen. In Norway, a gunman killed dozens of school children. We woke up today to learn of twin bomb blasts in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

President Muhammadu Buhari gave the Nigerian Armed Forces directive to quash Insurgency within three months. Some media houses are of the view that the war on insurgency is not being won. They choose to forget that when the insurgency was at its peak, Nigerian flag no longer flew in most local government areas of Borno State.

Many first class traditional rulers had their palaces taken over by the insurgents.

Now it is in the nature of politics that you want to make hay over the misfortune or failure of your

opponent. In addition, it is in the character of average Nigerian to be hasty in condemnation. Surprisingly, going by reports from social media, Nigerians are coming to realise that terror, might be a tool in the hands of many, not Boko Haram alone. Many media houses have, attributed this latest horror to Boko Haram. But a segment are looking at possibility that those who are facing the likely date in court over corruption – related charges, may see benefit in making Nigeria unstable, or in cowing the government into submission.

However farfetched, the fight against terrorism will hardly be won when we allow our minds to channelled into one, dimly lit tunnel, where it is only the silhouette of Boko Haram that is discernable.

One of the latest bombs was said to have exploded near a police station.

So, if a police station cannot secure its surroundings, how can it secure outlying areas? When in a budget during the height of insurgency, former President Goodluck voted nearly a trillion for security, one expected to see changes in the security infrastructure. Alas, only sandfilled bags littered the landscape.

The security situation in most African countries, Nigeria included, is worsened by both our psychology and our sociology. In

Nigeria, the ordinary citizens are highly unruly, if not barbaric.

President Buhari made reference to this in his speech during Nigeria’s 55th independence anniversary. A witness to the recent bomb blast in Abuja when asked about the efforts by security agents in the concerned areas lamented that security agents do not get cooperation from the public when they want to enforce measures meant for the security of the public. We prefer to always do as we please.

Governments in Africa and other Third World countries fail to understand the necessity of education in modern governance. An uneducated person cannot usually be appealed to rationally. In quest for easy life, common people leave the countryside and flock to the cities.

They trade on sidewalks, move as if moths in public places like motor parks, and live in overcrowded shanties, where you cannot easily enforce order and discipline. Terrorists find safe havens in such areas, and see them as soft targets when they decide to strike.

As part of negative culture, we see nothing wrong with population explosion. However, we have proved highly incompetent in managing such huge numbers. Governments find it hard to provide education to growing millions, neither hous-

ing, nor water, nor health care. It is in such melting pot of confusion that we still want to see a perfect government. At the end of the day, we may have to clap when we achieve relative security. By relative security, we mean when no part of Nigeria is under the sway of insurgents. In itself, it will be one big achievement. That is not the case in Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria, in Sudan, in Mali, I think also in Philippines, in Sri Lanka until recently, in Pakistan ‘ s Waziristan, and in other places I might not be aware of.

If millions are too old to go back to classrooms, our media should help in educating citizens to be more civilized. Governments on their part have to be more proactive in tackling our sociological mess.

How can opportunities be created in rural areas whereby internal migrations are curtailed? Moreover, where they even have to flock to the cities, how should governments provide houses so that the common folks are not allowed to create slums?

Liberating Nigeria’s territory can be accomplished in the three months but the war on terror will take much longer. For more sophisticated terrorists may be found in legislative chambers, and in ex – this ex – that groupings.

Marauding herdsmen and the burning fuse

N

Joseph Rotimi

igerians generally condone assault on their fundamental human rights.

The government and those in positions of leadership assume the average Nigerian neither appreciates nor understands the rights of citizenship. Government always emphasises the need for citizens to sacrifice for the wellbeing of the nation, while the responsibility of rulers to the people is left in the hands of God, or chance, by the hypocritical use of palliative religious and tribal brainwashing. More than five decades after independence and with so many individual achievements in the arts, sciences, economics and political fields, we are still a nation groping in darkness.

That grazing animals roam with impunity in a largely agrarian country such as Nigeria is a degrading anachronism. Apart from health risks to other animals and humans, due to cross-border movement of cattle, herders have razed whole farming communities, accompanied by wanton killings as retribution, when farmers dared to protect themselves.

Rearing cattle is probably as old as the first domestication of these

animals. However, in modern times, most of the countries that have sizable cattle production industries have devised comprehensive methods for creating ranches and grazing reserves. In this way, everyone is happy because the animals can feed in peace and loss in weight and injury due to never-ending chase after green grass. The health status of the animals and vaccination regimes can also be monitored.

In Nigeria, Fulani herdsmen have not only disregarded the rights of settled farmers by willfully destroying their crops when cattle graze on them. They have become a serious threat to the livelihood of large swathes of north central Nigeria with ruthless incursions into the southeast and southwestern parts.

The Fulani have been implicated in instigating communal clashes in Plateau, Taraba, Kaduna and Benue states - in order to secure political, cultural and land rights.

The incursion of herders into the southwest has been going on for years, with many skirmishes, but the latest raid that involved the abduction of Olu Falae has generated a lot of dissension. The gentleman, was abducted on his birthday from his farm, kept incommunicado for four nights, and released only after ransom was paid. This was after

inflicting machete cuts on trhe farm workers. Curiously, the herders came back to deliberately wreak havoc on the farm.

It appears that since the conquest of the animist kings of Hausa land in ancient times by the Fulani, the amalgam has maintained a dim view of the autonomy or rights of other people in the space called Nigeria. To make matters worse, the departing British colonial powers found them easier to work with and virtually handed the country to them at ‘independence’. On the average, the Hausa-Fulani are very close-knit and have fiercely defended their way of life [which involves cattle grazing] at all costs. They are the least likely to integrate with others, amongst the many tribes in the country, except at the highest level, but even then, it is strictly for business - not personal integration. They have continued these self-identifying practices, despite the fact that some of their ways are an antithesis to modern life - or inimical to the creation of a truly Nigerian state.

Presently, the southwest is becoming justifiably restless due to oppressive activities of Fulani herders. For example, if the tables were turned, and people from the south are the ones going into the rugas [traditional Fulani settlement] and

farmlands of the Hausa-Fulani, destroying their means of livelihood, raping their women and setting fire to their homes, Nigeria would probably have ceased to exist. Some southwestern politicians are of the opinion that the implementation of the confab report of 2014, is the best solution to some of the internal crisis facing the country. There is no doubt that Nigeria needs to be restructured but we keep postponing this all-important exercise, by pretending all is well - because the most powerful political entities in the country benefit immensely from the status quo.

It is time to douse the burning fuse of Fulani impunity in the country and begin a comprehensive rehabilitation of game reserves and encouragement of ranching. In the few months, the present government has been in power, some northern state governments have boasted about how many cows, goats and sheep they recovered from rustlers.

However, they are silent about the deaths and destruction visited on farmers by Fulani cattlemen.

The choice of what we want for Nigeria in this matter is simple: a nation where individual rights and citizenship privileges are guaranteed or the Fulani conception of reaping where he did not sow.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Business Times Æ s

17

Fayose to commission Sterling Bank’s e-library project Adesola Akindele The Executive Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose will on Wednesday commission the e-library built by Sterling Bank Plc for the College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

The project is part of the lender’s contributions to improve the nation’s education sector under its ‘One Education’ initiative.

A statement signed by Mr. Shina Atilola, Group Head, Strategy & Communications and made available to newsmen over the weekend also confirmed that in sustenance of its strategic focus on clean environment as one of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) priorities, the Bank will also present 1000 units of branded highway managers’ and sweepers’ kits to the Governor.

The reflective kits will be used by the beneficiaries engaged by the State Government to clean various highways and major streets in the state.

It would be recalled that Mr. Atilola at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Bank and the authorities of the College assured that the project would be completed in a record time.

Disclosing that the e-library is equipped with 80 computers, three servers and fibre optic cabling to provide power, he added that the Bank would subscribe for education materials on behalf of the school locally and internationally on an annual basis. “This is to ensure that the students have access to updated materials to develop their academic career”, he explained.

His words: “Sterling Bank is known for innovation in several areas. As it concerns Education which has become the major focus of the Bank, we believe our business is to enrich lives in innovative ways. When you invest in people especially young people, you are enriching their lives and they will in turn enrich the society”.

In her earlier remarks, the Provost of the institution, Prof Mrs. Francisca Aladejana, commended the Bank for supporting the development of education in the country and for the provision of the e-library for the institution.

L-R: President/CE, Dangote Industries Limited, Aliko Dangote; President, United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete; Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai and Regional Commissioner for Mtwara, Halima Dendego at the commissioning of a new 3.0 Million MTPA, Dangote Cement Tanzania Plant and Groundbreaking ceremony of the Jetty at Mgao Village, Mtwara, Tanzania on Saturday...

Dangote cement opens new $600m plant in Tanzania Charles Okonji One of the world’s leading cement manufacturers, Dangote Group, over the weekend commissioned the conglomerate’s new plant at the Mtwara district of Tanzania.

The $600m Dangote cement plant in Tanzania, has an annual capacity of three million metric tons.

President/Chief Executive, Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, made this known to the press during the official commissioning of the factory, stressing that the investment was made possible due to the enabling environment created by the government Declaring the Plant open, President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, commended Aliko Dangote for investing hugely in the country, noting that the Plant will create about 7000 direct and indirect jobs for Tanzanians, “This becomes the single largest employer of labour in the country today.”

The plant commissioning was later followed by the groundbreaking ceremony of Dangote Cement’s 25 hectares of jetty land at Mgao village, located within the same district.

Dangote stated that the commissioning of the cement plant was a historic occasion which will further strengthen the existing cordial ties between Tanzania and Nigeria—on the one hand; and between the Dangote Group and Tanzania on the other.

Dangote noted that a key factor which drives investments in an economy is the presence of an investor-friendly business climate, stressing that, Tanzania is one of the most attractive investment destinations in Africa.

He noted, “The economic reforms in Tanzania, especially in tax, public sector, financial sector, innovations in rural finance, telecommunications and infrastructure as well as revamped legislative frameworks, have produced an enabling environment that has further provided a platform for future growth.”

“All these factors made us consider investing in the country.

We hope to see more foreign investors take advantage of these opportunities and invest in other sectors that will have multiplier effects on the Tanzanian economy.”

“The Tanzanian economy has been growing rapidly over the

last few years. GDP growth rates have averaged seven per cent per annum. The World Bank predicts that Tanzania can maintain this impressive growth over the next five years if the government continues to spearhead these laudable reforms. This attests to the success of Ujamaa (African Socialism) that Tanzania has vigorously championed.”

“The existing cement manufacturers have historically been unable to satisfy local demand, which has been filled by imports.

As essential economy-driven infrastructure continues to be built to improve electricity supply and the transport network, additional demand for cement can be expected.”

He said that the company’s strategy is to invest in countries that offer investors attractive returns on investment as well as provide them with an enabling environment to operate.

According to him, Tanzania has abundance of limestone, a major input for the production of cement, saying that the abundance of essential material encouraged the group to site this project at Mtwara.

He said; “We are here to create wealth and provide jobs for Tan-

zanians. In fact, one of our key strengths lies in our ability to understand the peculiar needs of Africans and how to do business successfully on the continent.”

“That is why we have made Africa the centerpiece of our multibillion dollar investments. We believe that it is only Africans who can develop Africa. We are also motivated to create an African success story because we believe that entrepreneurship holds the key to the future economic growth of the continent.”

In his speech, Mallam, Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai, Executive Governor, Kaduna State, who represented the President of Nigeria, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, stated that the investment showcases original African economic integration.

He noted that Dangote deserves commendation for expanding Africa’s productivity through industrialization, adding that Africa would experience more growth and development fellow Africans emulate Dangote’s example.

He assured that the Nigerian government would create more enabling environment, maintaining the federal government is improving the power capacity.

Labour18

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Kwara: Unions issue 14-day ultimatum over unpaid salaries Stories by Joy Ekeke Committee of Unions in Tertiary Institutions (CUTI) owned by the state government comprising Unions of academic and non-academic staff of Kwara State colleges of education in llorin, Oro, and Lafiagi as well as the College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies in llorin have jointly issued a 14-day ultimatum to the government to pay all arrears of workers’ salaries or face industrial action.

Earlier the Kwara State government had declared in a statement that salaries of the state workers have been paid.

The state chairman of the unions, Comrade AbdulKareem Amuda-Kannike, said the claim that the state has paid all workers is misleading, stating that the affected staff were owed four months’ subvention while September salary is yet to be paid.

Speaking of the possibility of a strike, he said: “We have issued a 2-day ultimatum which has elapsed and we have equally issued another 14-day ultimatum which will elapse on Wednesday, 14th October and if nothing is done, then we will go to the next stage.”

He said many affected staff have died while many cannot pay their children’s school fees.

It is devastating,” the chairman said.

Amuda-Kannike added that if the government refuses to pay them, the worst may happen, saying that the state head of service had invited them for a meeting where he promised to discuss the matter with the governor.

For the staff of College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS), Ilorin, the situation is beyond explanation because the state government has seven months backlog of 2013 salary arrears to offset and owes them another five months this year, according to the Chairman of Academic Staff Union of CAILS, Comrade Muhammed Umar Faruk.

“My institution is the most affected because even before now the institution was owing us seven months arrears of salaries in 2013 and all along we had been taking 70 percent of our salaries before the salary got stabilised but when it got stable, they promised that our salaries will be paid from the internally generated revenue but now the government has taken up collection of the IGR according to our management.

Meanwhile, Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed, during the monthly media chat in Ilorin on Thursday confirmed that salaries of state and local government workers have not been paid and explained that the delay in the payment of primary school teachers and local government workers was because the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has not released the N5 billion bailout fund meant for the payment.

He however, said that, the release of the funds would soon be approved by the CBN and reiterated that those tertiary institutions were expected to pay their salaries from their IGR because they are among the revenue generating agencies, including the state owned media houses.

The Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU) on Saturday again called for a new salary structure for media workers and improved funding of media agencies.

RATTAWU President, Dr Yemisi Bamgbose, stressed that media workers’ wages and allowances must be paid promptly.

Bamgbose spoke on the sidelines of the 23rd/24th Convocation Ceremony of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, where he was conferred with a PhD in Applied Psychology.

The labour leader lamented the remuneration discrepancy existing among workers in the nation’s critical sectors, decrying that media workers in public establishments were being treated unfairly.

He said the delay in the implementation of the union’s recommendations to government was regrettable, maintaining

that “the struggle would be sustained to enhance media workers living standards.’’ ``We are talking about the decay of media outfits such as FRCN, NTA, VON and NAN; these organisations are not well funded. ``During my research, I focused on the media to determine why there is a dearth of creativity, professionalism and motivation on the side of media staff. ``It was discovered that lack of motivation and poor working conditions and the inability of employers to meet the yearning and needs of their workers were the major causes. ``If government wants to transform the economy, government must first transform the pocket of workers. ``It is very important because for any business to grow, one must motivate the work force who constitute the engine room of the organisation.

He lamented the gross breach of media workers’ allowances, saying the union would not rest on its oars until government improved the situation.

The RATTAWU president appealed to government to consider approving the media salary structure for the benefit of the workers. ``We are just waiting on President Muhammadu Buhari’s cabinet to take position and we will continue our advocacy from there,’’ he said.

Mr Ayinde Soaga, the Assistant Director, Training and Capacity Building, NTA, urged state governments to ensure that their salaries were paid promptly. ``Right now, the major challenge of the state governments is in the area of salary payment to its workers. ``Salaries should never be delayed and must be paid as at when due so as not to demoralise the workers,” he said.

VW emission scandal: AUTOBATE urges SON to take vital steps

The General Secretary of Automobile, Boatyards, Transport, Equipment and Allied Senior Staff Association (AUTOBATE); Comrade Sola Olorunfemi has noted that the Volkswagen (VW) Gas Emission Scandal which has generated global uproar is “another case of manufacturers putting profit before the people.”

VW management has admitted last week that it “equipped 11 mil-

lion of its vehicles with software that had effect of causing the diesel cars to run cleaner during testing by regulators than they did in actual driving.”

This was confessed to Environmental Investigators in the U.S. The defeat devices-software is meant to evade tax. But the gasses emitted cause health and environmental hazards to the society in general. The cars affected are the models made from 2009

to 2015 that is, Jetta Model Years 2009-2015, Beetle Model Years 2009-2015, Audi A3 Model Years 2009-2015, Golf Model Years 2009201 and Passat Model Years 20142015.

Olorunfemi said that the scandal is one out of many that capitalists engage in order to maximize profit. For him, such scandal has contributed to the increasing “environmental barbarism” that has plunged the world into unending

tragedies like earthquake; air pollution and tsunamis.

The AUTOBATE General Secretary then called on “Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) to fast track its said investigations into the matter as our country is so open that we must have been affected by the gas emissions.”

Other relevant authorities like the Federal Ministry of Environment to join in the investigations, and take vital steps.

L-R: Business Executive, Commercial Banking, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Obi Egbarin; Executive Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Lanre Adesanya; General Manager, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Engr. Abdulwahab Ogunbiyi and Assistant General Manager, Admin and Human Resources, Mr. Segun Adeniji, during the bank’s courtesy visit to the management of Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in Lagos …weekend.

RATTAWU advocates improved media salary structure

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

FG tasked on radar communications The federal government has been urged to upgrade the nation’s aviation communications and Radar systems after 25 years to a 21st century technology in order to stop equipment from moving to inaccurate positions.

Delivering a paper title “Impacts of Air Traffic Management on National Security” Mr. Samuel Akerele, a retired air traffic controller at the air traffic controllers AGM in Akure Ondo state declared that the upgrade in communications will avoid vectoring aircraft into each other and prevent disastrous consequences.

Mr. Akerele opined that foreign airlines will only do business in a conducive environment adding that recently security has become a major issue not only in civil aviation but also in all modes of transportation.

The retired air traffic controller while enumerating the objectives of Air Traffic Management to include the prevention of collision between aircrafts; expedite and maintain an orderly, economic and efficient flow of air traffic and use of satellite air navigation to guarantee flexible routing.

According to Mr. Akerele ATM will ensure the protection of the people, assets and integrity of the country from external and internal aggression and to secure Air Navigational system facilities and operational rooms.

He noted that in the past Civil ATM trained military personnel on the use of Civil ATC Radar system to the level of obtaining civil licenses while ATC facilities were manned together harmoniously.

Akerele called for the reinforcement of operational personnel rooms’ facilities and most importantly, the ATM personnel be protected as aircraft manufactures were busy building security measures in the cockpit due to modern security threats.

He opted for the training of 200 ATM personnel with 12 months to be addressed in 2016 budget as a top priority for aerodromes, airstrips and heliports.

Buhari

19 Aviation

Engineers warn against frequent aviation personnel changes

L-R: Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Uriel Palti; National Vice President, Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Dele Oye and Director General, NACCIMA, Emmanuel Cobham, at NACCIMA business meeting with the Ambassador in Lagos...recently.

FG working to end strikes in aviation sector, says Perm Sec Stories by Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo The federal government has said that efforts are being made towards addressing the incessant strike action

by Labour unions in the Nigeria aviation industry by collaborating with relevant stakeholders to ensure a conflict-free business environment in the sector.

It said labour laws with appropriate sanctions and policies have been put in place and are being vigorously enforced to promote social justice and industrial peace between workers and management of various parastatals.

Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh made the disclosure at a three day workshop on ‘Redefining Industrial Relations in the Aviation Industry’, organized by Safecrest Services Limited as parts of a training programme for members of the Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) in Badagry.

Dr. Illoh described the current industrial relations system in Nigeria as being chaotic, lawless, crisis-ridden and strike prone and said the aviation sector was one sector that has been badly hit by industrial unrest, hence the need to redefine industrial rela-

tions in the sector.

He said the contribution of the aviation sector to the growth of Nigeria Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was unquantifiable and bemoaned the negative impact on productivity visited on the industry by incessant labour unrest.

Dr. Illoh urged labour leaders to pursue all necessary avenues and statutory procedures to settle disputes and not allow them to snowball into a situation that deprives the country of revenue.

According to him, the industry has in recent times been anything but peaceful, with challenges ranging from jurisdictional scopes crises and overlapping voluntarism fraught with different erroneous interpretations; lack of training for labour leaders and poor leadership among trade union executives among others.

Guest Speaker and Director, Department of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations in the ministry, Mrs. Comfort Dike said the workshop was organized to foster relationship between trade union leadership, management and government.

Also, Lead Partner and CEO of Safecrest Services Limited, Mr. Solomon Ohiomah said the training was put together in order to keep the leaderships of the unions abreast with current industrial relations and dispute resolution mechanism in the dynamic aviation industry.

The Nigerian Society of Engineers Aeronautical Division has cautioned government on frequent changes in the aviation sector.

Speaking in an interview shortly after his election as the new Chairman of the Aeronautical Division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers in Lagos, Engr. Bola Bido MNSE, warned that frequent changes of heads of parastatals and senior management staff in the aviation sector prematurely was capable of destroying the industry.

Engr. Bido said frequent changes does not give room for stability and professionalism as most professionals were retired at their prime ages in their professional carriers “Frequent changes has affected people to go out of the system prematurely, it does not augur well for the system” He urged engineers to uphold professionalism to ensure safety, warning that compromising professionalism will amount to

compromising safety.

Engr. Bido noted that since aviation was engineering based, they will continue to play their professional role in order to guarantee safety.

On his election, Bido said it was a new dawn for all engineers in the aviation sector calling all members to continue supporting the government of President Buhari to fight corruption.

He commended the management of NAMA for the level it has taken the agency to in terms of provision of management equipment.

Members of the new exco include Engr. Bola Bido chairman, Iteke I.C. vice chairman, P. Achurefe general secretary. F. Ohikeyode Assist. General Secretary and F. Agubata technical secretary.

Other officials include G.N. Aliemeke publicity secretary, M. Sowemimo treasurer, A.H. Makanjuola financial secretary and BOA Oyetayo ex-officio.

NCAT simulator to be ready in 2016 – Rector The proposed simulator for the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology NCAT Zaria to be built in Lagos will be ready in December 2016.

The Rector NCAT, Capt Samuel Caulcrick who disclosed this in a chat with aviation correspondents in Akure Ondo State said, the manufacture of the equipment for the installation of the simulator had progressed fifty per cent.

Caulcrick said he met with the manufacturer’s representative in the country and that the manufacturer was awaiting the design and pattern of the location in order to get the project installed.

Caulcrick said the project which was to be sited in Lagos because of its location as the centre of aviation will be changed in future for Abuja.

The Rector noted that citing the simulator in Abuja will work but not for now, following the concentration of aviation business in Lagos.

“The approval we got is for Lagos and for a good a reason, Lagos being the centre of aviation for now. That will change in the near future to Abuja, not because it will not work but it will not be

as it will be in Lagos. It is a moveable asset.”

Caulcrick said he believed that Abuja will be made the centre in the near future by the time the country starts having over 200 airplanes, adding that Lagos remained the best choice for now to reduce the strain on operators.

The NCAT Rector expressed delight that the aviation college has contributed positively to the growth of aviation in the country through quality trainings.

Caulcrick said NCAT was considering having campuses in three states in the country saying that Akwa Ibom, Enugu and Niger states governments have approached the college for the construction of facilities in those states for the college to run them.

“There could be the time a particular region will be the best for training if the facility is ready and the approval is there from NCAA, it will be seamless” Caulcrick said the Degree programme of the college was on course and was awaiting the amendment of the enabling Acts and expressed the hope that it will take off as soon as a new minister was appointed.

Energy 20

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Navy declares war against oil thieves

Executive Director, Business Development, Nigerian Stock Exchange, Haruna Jalo-Waziri handing over the gong to the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc., Nnamdi Okonkwo as part of activities to mark the close of market on the floor of the Exchange on Friday.

NNPC opts for joint operatorship with NPDC— Kachikwu Stories by Opeoluwani Akintayo

The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr Ibe Kachikwu has said that it will opt for joint operatorship module instead of retrieving oil blocks taken away from its subsidiary, Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC).

Speaking in Lagos recently in Lagos, Kechikwu said the oil blocks taken away from NPDC

is still under review but retrieving them back would not be the solution.

“There were signed contracts.

What I have tried to do is to review those contracts and get the best value yield. For efficiency and approval levels, I will not subscribe to the reversal but what we are going to do is to look at joint operatorship model. Over a period of time, when NPDC gets its own financial muscle, it get to a point it begins to operate. Less than 10 per cent

of what NPDC is doing today is being done by third party operators’, he said.

When asked the reason behind the decision, Kachikwu simply said it was “for the growth of the company”.

Since his appointment as NNPC’s GMD, the Nigerian oil industry has been going through major restructuring with the most shocking being the sack of eight Group Executive Directors of NNPC. The GEDs who were relieved

of their duties are: Mr. Ian Udoh, Group Executive Director, Refining & Petrochemicals, Mr. Adebayo Ibirogba, Group Executive Director, Engineering and Technical; Dr David Ige, Group Executive Director, Gas& Power and Dr. Attahir Yusuf, Group Executive Director, Business Development.

Others are: Dr.Dan Efebo, Group Executive Director, Corporate Services; Mr. Bernard Otti, Group, Executive Director, Finance & Accounts.

How Nigeria can sustain stable electricity - Experts Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo To ensure stability of electricity in the country, engineers and experts have advised government to employ alternative ways of generating energy.

Among the suggested alternative ways that could aid stability of electricity in th country are research into the fields of material science and technology, waste management and stoppage of charcoal.

Others are investment into alternative sources of energy like Bio-gas, solar power, wind and water power.

The ways forward were suggested in a report made available after an international technical

visit/tour of Sweden, Denmark and Netherlands by delegates from Nigerian Society of Engineers, Abuja branch.

The report, which wassigned by the host and Chief Executive Officer of Edufinder Limited, a subsidiary of Edulutions Limited, Mr. Adrian Ajala, noted that the tour aided opportunities for valuable business interactions with young European entrepreneurs.

The report read in part, “Nigerian companies and government can explore the numerous opportunities for technology transfer and acquisition in the areas of alternative renewable energy sources, Environmental protection, pollution control, water resources engineering and the

maritime sector.

“Research into the fields of material science and technology is one sure way to advance development in the fields of energy, environmental technology, Information Communication Technology, health, biotechnology, agriculture and climate. This research would provide new insights to the behaviour of particle matter; superconductivity of materials like magnesium bromide could aid the distribution of electricity with little or no energy loss from resistivity.”

Lamenting the current situation of electricity in Nigeria, the experts urged government to gear its policies towards moving the country away from total reliance on fossil fuels.

The report added, “Power is yet to be stable and adequate. Transportation infrastructure is in a critically poor state, hampering productive activities in agriculture and commerce. Consequently, competent human capital is in steady flight out of the shores of the country to more favourable climate for productive endeavour.

“The practice of collecting solid waste in municipalities and disposing them in land-fills should be reconsidered. Other more sustainable and environmentally friendly means of managing waste should be explored. This includes waste-to-energy plants that can convert the latent energy in waste to Bio- gas, heat and electricity. Recycling and re-use of waste should also be pursued.

The Central Naval Command’s Flag Officer Commanding, Apochi Suleiman, has issued out warning to oil thieves, to desist from their nefarious activities as the Nigerian Navy has put all in place to battle oil theft in the country.

He made this known last week at the scene of arrest of a vessel laden with 6,000 metric tons of crude oil alongside a tug boat alleged to have been used in the oil theft around Eremor 1 marginal oil field in Peretorugbene in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa state.

On Tuesday, October 6, the vessel, identified as MT DERA and laden with 6,000 metric tons of suspected stolen crude oil as well as the tugboat, identified as Runner Charley, and 11 crew members were detained by the Naval authorities.

While speaking at the scene of the arrest, Apochi Suleiman, Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, said preliminary investigation was ongoing.

“The barge was arrested at a point where there was no loading point. The crude was suspected to be stolen from a well head at the Eremor 1 Marginal Field,’’ Suleiman said.

Suleiman, who attributed the feat to the command’s stance on crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism, illegal oil bunkering and other sundry crimes, assured that the Navy would continue to wage war against crude oil theft, and pipeline vandalism in the area, and that the Nigerian Navy is battle ready to combat theft in the country.

Aiteo takes over OML 29 operatorship

Aiteo Eastern E&P Company Limited has taken over operatorship of the Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29.

The takeover which began on September 1, 2015, came at a time of plunging output of the asset.

OML 29 averaged about 50,000BOPD, (22,500BOPD Net to AITEO) until mid-2015, and has now gone down to 35,000BOPD. The Nigerian independent, which is part of a diversified energy group including crude oil and petroleum product sales, completed acquiring the 45 per cent interest in the acreage in March 2015. That equity belonged to three European companies Shell (30 per cent), TOTAL (10 per cent) and ENI (5 per cent), with the majority stake, 55 per cent held by NNPC, the Nigerian state hydrocarbon company.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

21

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(LAGOS) IFEANYI - 08086296714 (ABUJA) FEMI - 08033550468

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OPERATIONAL HEADQUARTERS DTN COMPLEX LATEEF JAKANDE ROAD, AGINDIGBI, IKEJA, LAGOS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 44 ADETOKNBO ADEMOLA CRESCENT WUSE 2, ABUJA

News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

TSA: FG considera special attention for security Mathew Dadiya Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Office of the Accountant General of the Federation said, at the weekend, that the Federal Government would accord special attention to security agencies in the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA), because security of lives and property was one of the cardinal agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, said that his office would give special attention to security institutions like the Police and the Armed Forces in the implementation of the TSA to ensure that they acted well their mandates.

Lagos warns against punishing students for hijab

Sodiq Adekunle

ÏÏÏ

The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Adebule, has said that tutors general and principals in education districts across the state should not punish student who wears hijab and berets outside

In a statement made available to the Daily Times in Abuja by the Communications Officer, Mr. Ifeanyi Okereke, stated that, Idris gave this assurance in his office in Abuja while receiving in audience the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase.

He said that his office was aware of the enormous responsibility facing the security agencies in contending with armed robbery, insurgency, kidnapping and other vices and would ensure that the release of funds required for the execution of all special operations aimed at overcoming these evils were not, in any way, affected by the implementation of the TSA. Idris said the Treasury Single Account was not meant to hamper to activi-

ties of Ministries, Departments and Agencies, but to entrench a more transparent, efficient and robust management of public funds that would ensure the speedy realisation of government plans and programmes.

He commended the Police for complying with the directive on the TSA and urged them to embrace more scientific and electronic means for transacting their businesses. Idris explained that the era of carrying money in “GhanaMust-Go” bags to payment points were gone, adding that the TSA would complement the already existing electronic platforms.

Arase commended the Office of the Accountant General for its support to the MDAs, particularly the

Nigeria Police, in the implementation of the TSA. He Solicited the support of the Accountant General of the Federation in the sustaining their special operations on counter-terrorism and other crimes, as well as early settlement of staff salaries.

school premises pending the case currently in the court of appeal.

Adebule, who represented Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, spoke at the 2015 annual conference of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos State University (LSAU) branch, on Sunday.

It would be recalled that members of MSSN Lagos had sued the Lagos State Government over harassment of students who wore hijab in some public schools.

Though the students lost the case to LASG in the High Court, they have filed an appeal suit.

Adebule gave the warning while responding to the speech of the out-going

President of MSSN Lagos, Kaamil Kalejaiye, on threats by some principals and tutors general in Education Districts one and five.

She said, “I have taken down the complaint on hijab as regards principals

and tutors general in District One and Five. I will get across to all principals that until the court case, pupils can wear their hijab outside the school. Students can still wear their berets in the school premises and outside.

Ahmed

Oshiomhole targets strong finish, swears in two commissioners Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State says his administration is aiming to finish stronger in the next thirteen months than it started about seven years ago, and has therefore brought on board fresh competent hands to drive the government’s dream in this regard.

Speaking, on Friday, at the swearing-in of two new Commissioners in the State Executive Council, Oshiomhole also urged the people of the state and Nigerians to give their undivided support to President Muhammadu Buhari to enable him drive the desired change

Kano govt to introduce compulsory education Yakubu Salisu Kano

LOSS OF DOCUMENT This is to inform the general public of loss of the Deed of Lease belonging to FERDINAND ENTERPRISES NIGERIA LIMITED with Plot E/5, River Side Housing Estate, Phase II Abakpa Nike, Registered as No. 6969/738 at Land Registry Enugu. If found, contact the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, Enugu.

THE NEW COVENANT APOSTOLIC CHRIST CHURH INTERNATIONAL The General Public is hereby notified that the above named outreach has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for change of trustees under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2004.

THE OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Prophetess .A. O.Akindele - Late Founder 2. Pastor .H.A. Akindele - Late President 3. Pastor H.A. Dairo (Late) 4. Arch, Prophet .A.A. Ladipo,, 5. Eld. M.A. Araromi NEW TRUSTEES 1. Rev, Dr.Andrew Abolade Ladipo - Gen. Overseer, 2. Rev. Dr. Matilda Iyabode Apampa - Deputy Gen. Overseer 3. Rev . Mathew Sunday Akindele – Gen. Secretary 4. Patron Ayoola Oluseyi Odunowo 5. Matron Felicia Idowu Olatunde.

6. Elder Michael Adejoro Araromi.

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

SIGNED: H.O. TOBALESI, TOBALESI &,CO SOLICITOR TO THE CHURCH

ÏÏÏ

The governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has announced that preparations had been made to introduce a compulsory education scheme in the state. He said

the country needed.

While swearing-in Chief Tom Uloko and Gideon Obakhan as Commissioners, Oshiomhole “Nigerians wanted change and that is why they voted for a man, who has the capacity to provide leadership for that change as represented by President Muhammadu Buhari and we all can see that a couple of things are already changing.

“I want to assure our people that we appreciate that we are in hard times; finances are dwindling, a lot of money was stolen from our treasury by previous governments, but we are not lamenting. this was inspired by the good gesture and support of Rochas Okorocha the Governor of Imo State towards eradicating illiteracy among children in the state.

Ganduje made this annoucement when Okorocha paid him a courtesy visit.

According to him, despite the free education, the state government was offering its indigenes and the tremendous assistance of Okorocha some parents are yet to send their children to school.

BONNY IMPROVEMENT ASSSOCIATIONOF PORT HACOURT This is to inform the general public that the above named CHURCH has applied for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Ebere Sodenye Augustin - President 2. Tamunoteke Samuel Jumbo -Vice President 3. Jumbo Abie Joseph- Gen .Sec. 4. Jumbo Comfort Oyinya... Tresurer 5. Barasua Anengi - Fin. Sec. 6. Jumbo Gladys.. Welfare Ofificer 7. Pepple Baclays . PRO 8. David Warikiri Mirilla-Green AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To foster the unity among members .

2. To enhance co-operations among members Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: PRESIDENT

LIVING VINE WORSHIP CENTER

GLORIOUS ORPHANAGE HOME

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

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

The trustees are: 1. Pastor Godwin John Rufus - General Overseer 2. Deaconess Juliet Godstime 3. Deacon James Nwonodi

The trustees are: 1. William Akande 2. Felicia Akube 3. Dr. Bola Moses 4. Mr. David Ekanem

The Aims and Objectives: 1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama - Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Secretary

The Aims and Objectives: 1. To cater for the less privileged and orphans Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama - Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Secretary

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Abia govt commences distribution of bailout fund Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÏÏÏAbia

State Government, on Friday, commenced disbursement of the N14.152 bailout funds to clear the arrears of salary owed workers.

The total debt, so far, captured by the Committee constituted by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to handle the disbursement of the fund as at its last week’s sitting was

Ikpeazu

about N7.1 billion, said the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Uchenna Obigwe.

Ministries and Parastatals so far captured by the Committee include Health Management Board, whose workers are owed seven months’ arrears and Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba, is owed about nine months arrears.

Others are Primary School Teachers owed three months, Local Government workers owed two months, Local Government Pensions, said to be owed two months and Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) whose arrears range between one to two months.

According to Obigwe, who is a member of the

committee, the money for the payment of local government workers had been paid to the Joints Accounts Committee with instructions for the opening of a Local Government Bailout Account, where the money would transferred and disbursed the workers to ensure transparency.

The NLC chairman said that workers in the sectors so far captured would begin to receive bank payment alerts from this week, and urged the workers to be patient assuring that everything was being done to ensure that the disbursement was smooth.

“As for local government staff who are being owed two months arrears, money has been made available to the Joint Accounts Com-

mittee (JAC), with a directive to the Councils to open separate Local Government Bailout accounts where the money would be transferred to and disbursed to individual workers. The payment was for July and August.

“Primary School teachers were paid for three months – June, July and August.

September has already been taken care of by normal allocation. Local government pensioners were paid July and August. “Health Management Board workers were paid seven months, ABSUTH workers were paid nine months, while the case of parastatals on subvention such as Abia State University and Abia State Polytechnic would be discussed on Tuesday,” Obigwe explained.

23 News

N2.4m fraud: Court remands fake corps members

Sodiq Adekunle

doctor’s corpers' letters of posting and identity cards.

Faremi also told the court that they presented themselves as National Youth Service Corpse (NYSC) Medical Doctors of the state NYSC batch ‘B’ 2014, whereas they were not and thereby committed punishable offences.

According to him, “the act contravened Section 422, 467, 516, 108 and 509 of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol. II Law of Osun State of Nigeria, 2003 and punishable under same sections."

The presiding judge, Mr. Olusola Aluko asked defence counsel, Seye Oluyombo, to file formal application for the bail of the accused.

FCTA audits council accounts

Wednesday. He said “every public office holder needs to be probed this is because the funds they handle does not belong to them. The funds belong to the people who give them the political mandate.”

He said that the probe of public office was the act of correcting some anomalies within the public sector. He advised fellow area council chairmen who were indifferent about the exercise to make themselves available for the evaluation, since public office needs probe, while declaring that the act of auditing is the only proper way of correcting some anomalies.

According to him, there is no much money to steal as far as he was concerned.

Osogbo ÏÏÏFour suspected fake corp members have been remanded in Ilesha prison for allegedly defrauding the state government over N2 million by a magistrate court sitting in Osogbo.

The accused – Oyeniyi Kazeem Wale, Lawrence Akinwale, Kolade Oladiran Samson and Akinlabi Zacheaus – were remanded despite pleading not guilty to eight count charges slammed against them.

The prosecutor, Moses Feranmi, told the court that three of the accused conspired to defraud the government by forging five

Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏAs the Federal Capital Participants at the Breast Cancer Awareness programme organised by Sebeccly Cancer Care, held at Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, Lagos… recently. Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

Take advantage of ban on poultry products – Ekiti tells farmers Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏEkiti

State Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Hon. Kehinde Odebunmi, has advised poultry farmers in the state to take advantage of the window of opportunities created by the recent ban on importation of frozen poultry products to increase their production, and advance their economic standard and that of their state.

Odebunmi, who gave the charge in Ado-Ekiti during the commemoration of the World Egg Day, also called on people in the state to

make egg an essential part of their diet, stressing that the gesture would assist in eliminating hunger, food security and malnutrition.

He said that it had been established that contrary to earlier believes, eating one egg per day does not have a negative impact on cholesterol level or lipid profile of the consumer.

Charging farmers in the state to pool resources, in order to become major players in the on-going revolution in the agricultural sector, Odebunmi emphasised the need for poultry farmers to exhaust the complete value chain of production which he

said transcends raising of birds and selling of eggs.

He, however, advised the farmers to develop storage mechanisms so that they would be in control of how produce were released to the market, as well as avoid wastage.

The Chairman of the State Chapter of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Oke, who described egg as “God’s natural pill”, noted that eggs had the highest protein, aside from breast milk.

According to him, “Eggs are the best follow-up to breast milk in children as they contain the richest mix of essential amino

acids. An egg contains the perfect combination of protein, 12 vitamins and 12 minerals. Eggs help to regulate the brain, nervous and cardio-vascular system since one egg yolk has about 300 micrograms of choline, helping both memory and mental capacity.”

Highlighting other benefits of eating an egg a day, Oke posited that eggs may prevent breast cancer, stressing that women who consume, at least, six eggs per week inadvertently reduce their risk of breast cancer by 44% and decrease ageing of their skin.

Territory Administration, begins the annual routine evaluation of performances of the six area council Chairmen, Alhaji Yahaya Garba Gawu, of Abaji area council, is happy with the exercise, describing it as an error-correcting measure and not witch hunting.

He said this while receiving the auditing team from the FCTA area Councils’ service secretariat, on

ICOPRON rejects domicilisation Tom Okpe Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

National President of the Institute of Cooperative Professionals of Nigeria (ICOPRON), Dr. Emma Okechukwu, has rejected the move to domicile the Federal Department of Co-operative in the Federal Ministry of Labour.

Expressing his displeasure at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture headquarters in Abuja, Okechukwu stated that the proposed move would be a rape on cooperatives.

He said the Institute was in the Ministry to make its

stand known on the proposed bid to domicile the Co-operative Department in the Ministry of Labour, and that “our intention is not to be confrontational with government or its agency, but to register our displeasure in civil manner through interactions and verification of ideas.”

Citing Decree 5 of 1974 which moved the Department of Co-operative from Ministry of Labour, Okechukwu said, “Successive governments in Nigeria recognised the synergy between the Co-operative Department and Ministry of Agriculture, where 68% of Nigeria societies are Agriculture biased, which would enhance government policy towards food sufficiency and rural development.”

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

L-R:Country Manager,Pro Parco,Mr. Olivier Follin;French Ambassador to Nigeria,Mr. Denys Graver; Managing Director,Guaranty Trust Bank,Mr. Segun Agbaje;Country Director,French Development Agency,Olivier Delefosse and Consul General of France to Nigeria,Laurent Polonceaux at the agreement signing ceremony of Ariz Portfolion Guarantee Scheme in Lagos... recently

Ministerial nominees: NMA lauds Buhari over nomination of medical doctors Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏEdo State Branch of the

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his foresight in ensuring that qualified professionals in the medical profession were nominated in the ministerial list to the senate, to pilot the affairs of the country in bringing dividend of democracy and medical expertise to Nigerians.

Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Edo State Branch, Prof. Afekhide Ernest Omoti, while applauding Buhari on his recent nomination of Dr. Osagie Ehanire and Dr.

Chris Ngige as ministers in the soon to be screened ministerial list already before the Senate said the decision to enlist medical doctors for the task in building the nation was a step in the right direction and assured that the calibre of the duo nominated speaks volume of their unblemished record.

Omoti said, “This progressive action is a testimony to the role that medical doctors have been playing in the socio-political development of Nigeria. We can testify to the personal integrity, discipline and uncommon courage of the two doctors who are the hallmark of members of the medical profession. In nominating them, the President must

have reckoned with their pedigree, incorruptibility, eyes for excellence and bias for equity to all who have come in contact with them,” he said.

He noted that Ehanire was a distinguished consultant orthopedic surgeon who had impacted on society through his humanitarian disposition over the years as a physician. “He is very highly respected in Edo State as a distinguished surgeon with the added quality of being very grass-rooted and result-oriented.”

While describing Ngige as a successful medical doctor and dogged politician par excellence, Omoti said, as governor, Ngige raised the bar on good governance

and his legacies are still being celebrated in Anambra State till date adding that, “as a distinguished senator in the last republic, Ngige performed his duties creditably and was one of the senators with unblemished character, who stood by the good people of Nigeria in every endeavour."

Omoti, who expressed confidence in the nomination of Ehanire and Ngige wished them all the best in carrying out the important responsibilities that would be entrusted to them by Mr. President noting that, “the president can be sure that these men will not let him down as he pursues the change agenda of the All Progress Congress (APC).”

Boko Haram: FCTA tasks security organisations on security Idu Jude

Abuja ÏÏÏIn response to a tall order issued to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Permanent Secretary, Mr. Obinna Chukwu, over Boko Haram return to the FCT

by President Mohamadu Buhari, a security council meeting, on Thursday, was held across the six area councils to sensitise the locals and specifically all the internally displaced persons (IDPs), in Abuja, to ensure adequate security and bring the menace to an end.

The Chairman of Abaji Area Council, Alhaji Yahaya Garba Gawu, on Wednesday, in Abuja, told Daily Times

that his administration, called all security agencies within its locality counting from the military the police, immigration, civil defence and other paramilitary organisations in a meeting to honour the order issued by Buhari and Chukwu.

Gawu said his office summoned the meeting to discuss in details and the way to start enlightening the public and the locals since the insurgents had devised the means of hitting targets in the urban and rural areas. He stated that the meeting would go a long way in exposing the locals on the identity of the insurgents and how to identify them quickly.

“The reason is to bring what happened in Nyanya and Kuje to a stop because this place has been hit twice now and this is an indication that the people within the areas, have not been well enlightened on the operation of the Boko Haram terrorists.”

In his words, “various security agencies in all the six area councils, have been asked to prepare papers for presentation in yet to be fixed sensitisation seminar across all the area councils and the internally displaced persons IDPs. We are going to sensitise the people in the localities; those of us who leave in the urban areas may not know that there are

some of them who do not have television or radio sets to monitor the news or be able to identify them when within their areas.”

Meanwhile, several irregularities in the FCT’s Treasury Single Account (TSA), has delayed the salaries of the six area councils of the FCT for the months of September and October.

Buhari

A’Ibom tribunal reserves judgment on guber poll Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Akwa Ibom State

Governorship Election Petition Tribunal has reserved its judgment on the petition filed by Chief Umana Okon Umana challenging the victory of Governor Udom Gabriel Emmanuel, indefinitely.

Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Sadiq Umar, reserved the judgment after counsel to the petitioners and the respondents adopted their final addresses.

Adopting his address, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), who is the counsel to the petitioner, urged the tribunal to uphold the petition and nullify Emmanuel’s election on the ground that the petitioner had proved beyond reasonable doubt that there was no valid governorship election in the

state on April 11, 2015.

He invited the tribunal to thoroughly look at the evidence and exhibits presented by the petitioners, so as to arrive at a just judgment.

Olanipekun, in his response to the three preliminary objections to the petition, raised by the respondents, prayed the tribunal to refuse them for lacking in merit.

He argued that it was not the business of the tribunal to look into the nomination of a running mate of the petitioner.

He also submitted that the Supreme Court had resolved the issue raised by the respondents on the use of initials by witnesses on oath.

But, Emmanuel and his counsel, Chief Paul Usoro (SAN), saw it differently as they prayed the tribunal to dismiss the petition in its entirety for lacking in merit.

NAF probes fighter jet crash Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Chief

of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiqe Abubakar, on Sunday, set up an investigation panel to unravel the remote and immediate cause(s) of the crashed of an F7-Ni fighter jet belonging to Nigerian Air Force (NAF801).

The fighter jet crashed, on Saturday, at about 1623hrs (4.23 p.m.) around Hong, in

Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.

Air Commodore Dele Alonge, who is the Director of Air Force Public Relations, confirmed the crash.

He said the ill-fated fighter jet was returning to the base from an interdiction mission when it crashed due to bad weather. He dismissed insinuation that the jet was under enemy fire. He there was no survivor in the crash.

Group laments underdevelopment in Ikaleland ’Tosin Ajuwon Akure

ÏÏÏA group of

concerned Ikale people in the diaspora, under the auspices of Overseas Ikale Patriotic Congress, (OIPC), has decried the ‘injustice, marginalisation, and underdevelopment’ of Ikale land by the Ondo State government.

The OIPC, on Sunday, in Akure, the state capital, accused the state government of perpetual subjugation and apparent neglect of the Ikale land, sit had abandonment the infrastructures in the region The communiqué signed by its Chairman, Dr. Iyiola Aiyeku and Secretary, Dr. Duro Akindutire, said the infrastructural abandon-

ment had crippled the economic development of the Ikale people, as well forced the youths into unwholesome activities and other related social vices.

It noted that among the abandoned infrastructures were; the Oluwa Glass Factory, Okitipupa Sport Complex Project, Irele-Okitipupa Bridge, Aye-Igbotako road, Cassava Processing Industry at Ikoya in Irele, which would have provided employment opportunities for the people.

OIPC also complained about the lack of government social amenities and stressed that the total neglect of the Ikale land was equal to sending the people of the region to early extinction.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

From left: Head of Corporate Services Division, Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria, Ms Rita Michael-Ojo; member, Board of Trustees, PZ Cussons Foundation, Mr. Tunde Oyelola; Managing Director, PZ Cussons Family Care, Mr. Alex Goma; member, Board of Trustees, PZ Cussons Foundation, Mrs. Yomi Ifaturoti; Head of Category and Channel Marketing, PZ Cussons Family Care, Mr. Olujimi Taiwo; South-West Zonal Coordinator of the National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria, Deacon Olusoji Adams and Carex Brand Manager, Oluwaseun Ayeni, at the launch of 2015 PZ Cussons Carex Chemistry Challenge in Lagos. Photo: BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI

Bayelsa: How gunmen killed oil worker, stole weapons at military Akam James Yenagoa

ÏÏÏThere

was heavy silence among top commanders of the Joint Military Task Force, code named Operation Restore Hope, following last Friday invasion of a Military post at Kolo Creek, in Ogbia Local Government Area of the state, by unknown gunmen and carting away a high calibre military weapon known as the General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG).

Our correspondent gathered that the invasion of the Military post, which was mounted directly close to a gas facility owned by the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC),

caught the soldiers unaware and led to the killing of an oil worker.

The deceased oil worker, identified as Mr. Austin Ikechukwu Igwe, an uncle to the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) on Youths Matter, George Turner, was caught in the cross fire, while exiting the complex of the gas facility.

Daily Times learnt on Sunday that the military authorities at the Operation Pulo Shield Headquarters, are trying to unravel the mystery behind the ease with which the armed men carted away the weapons.

It was also gathered that the gunmen, who arrived

the area in a black coloured Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) were said to have stormed the post, carted away arms and ammunition and zoomed off unchallenged.

According to a JTF source, " it was still a mystery how the gunmen stole the weapons. What we learnt was that the gunmen who rode on an SUV stopped close to the army post, walked majestically into the post and dismantled the General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG). They took the GPMG and other rifles and ammunition, entered their vehicle and zoomed off".

On the killing of the Staff of the SPDC, the source claimed that the gunmen may have killed the civil-

ian guard on the suspicion that he recognised them.

The corpse of the deceased, was reportedly evacuated by policemen from Ogbia Division and soldiers of Operation Pulo Shield (OPS), and was later deposited in a mortuary.

Relations of the victim were said to have besieged the crime scene as they cried uncontrollably.

One of them who spoke in confidence said: “We heard that unidentified gunmen had attacked Shell facility and that our brother who was on duty fell to their bullets, we got here and found out that it was true. The pain is too much to bear.

This is tragedy for us. I am short of words", he said.

Ex-Senator frowns at petitions against ministerial nominee Olufemi Samuel

Abuja ÏÏÏA former Senate Committee Chairman on Environment and Ecology, Senator Grace Bent, has dismissed the petition against President Buhari’s nominee from Kaduna State, Mrs Amina Muhammed, urging the Senate to disregard it and endorse her for appointment as a Minister during screening on Tuesday.

Bent

Senator Bent, in a statement on Sunday, described the issue of non-indigeneship of Kaduna raised by opponents and critics of Mrs. Muhammed as unholy, impious and debasing for women in Nigeria whose contributions to national growth and development, she stressed, have been unequalled.

In her words: “Nigerians should stop this absurdity of humiliating and debasing their women with the slightest opportunity. It is an aberration as well as barbaric for anyone to begin to discriminate and fight a woman on the basis of marital affiliation. I feel our Senators should not entertain that.”

Bent identified those behind the plot to deny the Kaduna state’s nominee of ministerial appointment as high-handed, mischievous and ignorant political elites who she said, have nothing to offer and hence, do not wish Nigeria well.

The Senator said Nigerians should at all times be ready to tap from the intellectual property which, according to her, Mrs. Muhammed is imbued with, and should jettison cheap blackmail and sentiment so far raised to deprive the nominee of her constitutional right as a Nigerian.

She said the constitution of Nigeria accords every right to any Nigerian woman to serve the country in

any capacity, notwithstanding her marital affiliation or state of origin, quoting section 42 (2) to buttress her argument.

Said she: “I ran through the constitution and discover that it rather supports inter-ethnic marriage, whereas section 42 (2) states specifically that no ‘citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his or her birth.

“What the ill-informed opponents of Mrs. Amina Muhammed were trying to do is to deprive this hard working, intelligent and committed woman of an opportunity to extend her service to Nigeria.

25 News

‘No bomb explosions in Karu’ Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Administration has dispelled the rumour going round of a bomb explosion around Karu Satellite Town, a suburb of Abuja, on Saturday night.

In a press statement on Sunday, the FCT Permanent Secretary, Engineer John Obinna Chukwu, assured the residents of the Federal Capital Territory that the al-

leged rumour is unfounded.

According to him, the FCT Police Commissioner, Wilson Inalegwu, in company of other security agents, combed all the nooks and crannies of the area from Orozo to Nyanya and from Karu up to Mararaba, in Nasarawa State, without any sign of bomb explosion.

Chukwu, therefore urged the residents of the Territory to disregard such rumour, describing it as baseless.

He, however, assured that the security agencies have intensified the surveillance the entire Federal Capital Territory, in order to nip it in the bud or any of such unfortunate incident.

Ministerial screening: Rivers' APC seeks special consideration for Amaechi Lateef Ibrahim

Bureau Chief, Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Rivers State Chap-

ter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), on Sunday, made a strong case for the immediate past governor of the State, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, to be among the few who should be given special consideration by the Senate during the screening of ministerial nominees.

The party, in a statement in Port Harcourt by the State Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, commended the Senate for decision to be thorough in the forthcoming screening exercise.

The Party, however,

urged the Senate not to totally discard the tradition of asking deserving ones to take a bow and go.

According to the Rivers' APC, “We wish to respectfully appeal to the distinguished Senate to put Rt. Hon. Amaechi on the list of nominees to be honoured with the ‘bow and go’ tradition because he is a distinguished former lawmaker and, indeed, the only Nigerian who, apart from being the Speaker of a State House of Assembly for eight years from 1999 to 2007, but also meritoriously served as Chairman of the Nigerian Speakers Forum, thereby greatly contributing to the legislative evolution of Nigeria”.

Economy not favourable to first term govs, says Gov. Yari Moses Oyediran Enugu

ÏÏÏChairman

Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Alhaji Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, last weekend in Enugu, said first term governors who assumed office in their respective states are unlucky in view of the present harsh economic realities starring the nation in the face.

Yari, who was accompanied by the former Speaker of the House of Representatives, and now governor of Sokoto state, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, as well as the governor of Enugu state, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ug-

wuanyi, however, pointed out that there is hope in the current efforts to revitalise the economy.

The visiting governors, who attended the burial ceremony of the mother of All Progressives Congress (APC) National Vice-Chairman (South East), in Enugu, paid a courtesy visit to Governor Ugwuanyi and said it was in the spirit of their cordial relationships during their tenures as members of the House of Representatives. The three National Assembly members were elected governors during the last governorship elections in their respective states.

26

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Features Æ Many challenges of ‘Japan of Africa’ Ultra Modern Nnewi Market

‘‘It is noteworthy that Innocent is also of the same stock and clan of Umudim as the Ikemba of Nnewi, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Other indigenes of Nnewi in the manufacturing and allied industries include business mogul, Ibeto Industries, Chicason, Gablos Paints, Ogbuawa and Catta who are dealers in industrial machine parts.’’

With the ban on motorcycles in many cities in Southern Nigeria, GBUBEMI GOD’S COVENANT SNR visited Nnewi, the home of two-wheels automobile and observed that the once acclaimed ‘Japan of Africa’ is struggling to keep afloat, with traders blaming federal and state governments for their woes.

His report.

Scrap metal dealers across Southern Nigeria have never had it so good as remains of destroyed motorbike seized by policemen are converted into spare parts and useful metal containers.

According to records, a total of two hundred and fourteen motorcycles have been impounded by the Ondo State Police Command following the suspension of Okada activities in the state.

To this end, it became an offence for private motorcyclists to carry passenger while plying major roads in Akure, the state capital.

The Police Commissioner,

Burning of motorcycles in Delta State

Mr. Isaac Eke disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Akure.

Mr. Eke said the police decided to impound only Okada plying major roads pending the time the suspension would be lifted on Okada activities especially in the state capital.

According to the police, private registered motorcyclists including civil servants and security agents are allowed to ride without any passenger to make the suspension order effective.

Meanwhile in Lagos, since the last administration of Babatunde Raji Fashola, the government’s seat of power in Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja has played not a few unwholesome host, with state business activities pralaysed by commercial motorcycle (okada) operatives and association of commercial motorcycle mechanics, protesting Police arrest and impounding of hundreds of motorcycles from their workshops.

The mechanics claimed the

policemen, while enforcing the Road Traffic Law 2012, would storm workshops where motorcycles are being repaired and impound any okada they see.

It would be recalled that the state government enacted the Road Traffic Law 2012, aimed at returning sanity to roads in the state.

The protesters, under the aegis of Federal Motorcycle and Generator Mechanical Association of Nigeria, FEDMGMAN, had at various times stormed the Governor’s Office, chanting several anti-government songs to express their displeasure

over the action of the law enforcement officers in the state.

The artisans carried placards with inscriptions such as “Enough of police harassment”; “Police leave us alone”, “We are doing our legitimate business”; “Repairing okada is our legitimate source of income” among others.

The protesters, in a letter signed by the National President of FEDMGMAN and addressed to the state governor, said “following the ban on okada in Lagos, officers of the Nigerian Police, Lagos State Command have CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

26 Features

Nnewi market as Japan of Africa The plastic products are better than imported ones, the motorcycle tyres and tubes have lasting impression, and the vehicles they assemble are well branded with touch of class. Unparalleled in localised technology building, the Innoson Group ranks top in massive investment, employment opportunities and training of indigenes in the Southern parts of the country — UNIDO

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

been arresting my members and impounding any okada found within their workshops.

“We understand that okada riders are banned from plying some specific roads in Lagos, but certain roads were exempted by the law. Okadas plying these exempted roads go through wear and tear, hence they need repair.

When these Okadas are brought to our workshops for repair, policemen come to the workshop and impound any okada found within the premises.”

Secretary of FEDMGMAN, Jimoh Sulaymon had told the press they embarked on the protest to expose the illicit act of the policemen, saying “we are tired of daily arrests and impoundment. Many of our members are today indebted because of this illicit act of the law enforcement officers.”

Solicitor to FEDMGMAN, Mr. Segun Ayodele, had lamented that several motorcycles had been impounded by Policemen in workshops under the pretence that they were enforcing the road traffic law 2012.

Japan of Africa Zone 3 Nkwo-Nnewi, Nwag-

bara Estate, is where the Ultra-Modern Market, the once famous ‘Nigerian-Japan’ twowheel fully built up (FBU) and completely knocked down (CKD) market is located.

Over one kilometre long, the street called Nkwo-Nnewi which runs right through the market is a haven for just about anything motorcycle. It is estimated that millions of whole motorcycles or motorcycle parts related businesses exchange hands in this ultra-modern market every single day except on Sundays.

One of two giants in the two-wheels business is a son of Nnewi soil, Chief Innocent Chukwuemeka; Chairman of the manufacturing and assembly group known as Innoson Group of Companies. The company also has a mega vehicle assembly plant in Emene and in Nnewi respectively, which produce different vehicles brands, motorcycles, plastic and allied products; many of them are acclaimed to be of better quality than their imported counterparts.

At a recent meeting in Lagos, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) openly acknowledged

Seized okadas being destroyed.

and commended the high quality and standard of Innoson Group products. UNIDO’s Representative in Nigeria, Dr Patrick Korwama said he is very much impressed with what Innoson Group is doing. “The plastic products are better than imported ones, the motorcycle tyres and tubes have lasting impression, and the vehicles they assemble are well branded with touch of class.”

Unparalleled in localised technology building, the Innoson Group ranks top in massive investment, employment opportunities and training of indigenes in the Southern parts of the country. On this Dr. Korwama highly commended the Chairman of the group on his vision and love for the develop-

ment of his country technologically.

“I’m greatly overwhelmed by the performance of the management team led by its Chairman, Chief Innocent Chukwuma; he deserves commendation for the success story of this group because having money and bringing technology to Nigeria is not only good but a demonstration of true love for one’s country.

The job opportunity created for the youths is not only laudable but would help in the eradication of poverty in Nigeria.”

Chief Innocent Chukwuma in his response pointed out some hurdles still facing the industrial and technological sectors of the economy and expressed the hope that the visit of UNIDO’s Representative and the

Director, policy and planning of National Automotive Council, NAC, Lukman Mamudu would be an indication of good things to come for manufacturers. “I believe that very soon, all the problems confronting us would be solved and more industries are likely to be established in due course,” the Innoson Group Chairman said.”

It is noteworthy that Innocent is also of the same stock and clan of Umudim as the late Ikemba of Nnewi, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Other indigenes of Nnewi in the manufacturing and allied industries include business mogul, Ibeto Industries, Chicason, Gablos Paints, Ogbuawa and Catta who are dealers in industrial machine parts.

WORLD POST DAY:

Connecting the world through letters and parcels 141 years on!

Over 150 countries (including Nigeria) celebrated World Post Day last Friday October 9, with pomp and nostalgia. Daily Times monitored the celebrations worldwide and took a poll on just when last anyone had need to write and post a letter?

GBUBEMI GOD’S COVENANT SNR reports.

The day was traditionally observed as a ‘working holiday’ in many parts of Europe and Asia.

Activities included display of

World Post Day posters at post offices and public places, mail centres and postal museums around the world.

Seminars and workshops featured sports, cultural and other activities to celebrate the anniversary of a business that linked the communities of the world for almost a century and half.

It was especially an opportunity for many postal administrators round the world who seized the opportunity to introduce and promote new postal

products and services. Some post masters also used World Post Day to reward their employees for good service.

Friends and staff of the profession were issued special souvenirs like T-shirts, badges, special stamps, etc.

World Post Day is celebrated each year on 9 October, the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in the Swiss Capital, Bern.

It was declared World Post Day by the UPU Congress held in ToCONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Features 28

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

141 years of Postal service CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

kyo, Japan in 1969. Since then, countries across the world participate annually in the celebrations.

The theme for 2015 - ‘Posts claim their place in the changing communication landscape’ denotes that the global manual communication union realises the need to assert its relevance in a fast and digital internet age where the now generation lack the patience and despite the art of writing and posting letters which was a passion of the going age.

This year, countries all over the world committed themselves to working together towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, which aim to end extreme poverty and hunger, fight inequality and injustice, and take action to reverse climate change - to name just some of these 17 agreed new Goals. Playing its part in this

global effort, the Post today has a more relevant role than ever by providing infrastructure for development.

In many countries, philatelic exhibitions were organised and new stamps and date cancellation marks were issued.

Daily Times caught one of the day’s activities at the old white Brazilian type bungalow on Tinubu Street in Lagos Island, with a spacious living area converted into a museum of postage stamps of all descriptions, an inner hall that serves as the office pool that leads to the Corporate Planning Department of the Nigeria Postal Service NIPOST. A top official of this CPD who spoke in the absence of his boss threw some light into the history of World Post Day. “If for example you write a letter destined for Kano, somebody will take it first from Lagos to Ibadan, and another person takes it from Ibadan to Ilorin,

and so the relay continues from Ilorin to Jebba, and eventually it would get there. Though it was an exclusive right of the kings and the nobles in those days, but eventually as civilisation developed, the common people also started to have the need to write letters to people outside their communities and states. Over time, this written method of communication became so popular apart from being the main means of communication.”

While it is feared that technol-

JUST HUMAN

8.25 am. Young soul rehearsing for the future. Photo God’s Covenant Snr 085.

ogy would conquer every strata of communication, officials here say they believe that there will still be a select few who will still stick to the love of writing.

One of the guests at the museum, the CEO of a private communication outfit was unequivocal as he said the art of letter writing is effectively dead.

“Of course, it is fading into history. How many people still write letters today? There are so many fast alternatives besides voice calls, and the younger

generation just love the instant social media like Facebook and WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter, etc than the labourious pain of physically writing letters.”

Whichever way you look at posts and telecommunications, it is still one of the largest employers of labour worldwide and it would take a revolution to completely force them out of existence.

Daily Times wishes World Postal Union happy anniversary.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

29

Our Heritage Æ s

Her Royal Majesty, Obi Martha Dunkwu

Radiance of the Regent Omu of Okpanam, Her Royal Majesty, Obi Martha Dunkwu, combines beauty and brain.

Agozino Agozino who visited the regent recently writes.

Locating the Omu of Okpanam and Anioma in her hometown, which shares a common border with Asaba, Delta State capital, is not a difficult task. The task is made all the more easier by a signpost standing at about ten minutes walking distance into Obodoogba quarter, Okpanam, through the town junction along the BeninAsaba Expressway, pointing to her palace.

Okpanam town in Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State is indelible in the history of Nigeria, being the hometown of late Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, the man credited with leading a group of young soldiers that staged the first coup d’etat in Africa’s most populous nation in January 1966.

With a population of about 70,000 people, made up mainly of civil servants and farmers, Okpanam is bordered by Asaba

and Ugbolu to the East, Igbuzo (Ibusa) and Ogwashi-Uku to the South, Issele Azagba and Azagba Ogwashi to the West and Akwukwu Igbo, Atuma and the River Niger to the North.

The town has a history of having attracted dwellers from diverse cultures such as Anam and Oba in Anambra State; Benin in Edo State and Auchi in the riverine area of Delta State.

The Omu institution is one of the most unique features among the culturally endowed people of Anioma. Anioma literally means “a land that is good” or “a land of decency”. It is made up of the people constituting the present Delta North Senatorial District, who have a common identity and share the same linguistic features.

The nine local government areas making up Anioma are: Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Ika North East, Ika South, Ndokwa East, Ndokwa West, Ukwuani, Oshimili South and Oshimili North.

Serving as the Queen Mother of this vast area is Her Royal Majesty Obi Martha Dunkwu, who bears the title of Omu of Anioma.

The origin of the Omu institution

cannot exactly be ascertained but it is believed that the institution is as old as the communities where they are established. But it is believed to be conceptualized when it became necessary to involve women in governance, particularly in the area of mobilizing the female folk for the benefit of the community at large.

The institution, which is generally referred to as the Omu council is made up of mostly women set aside to perform the assignment they are called out for. The council is called the Omu’s cabinet and has the Omu as the head.

The office is an exalted one that demands both physical and spiritual responsibilities.

This makes the appointment and installation of an Omu an enormous one.

While the traditional ruler is the father of the community, the Omu is the mother of the community and also head of women in the community.

She is the Queen mother and the only female in the traditional ruling council. Just like the monarch, the Omu has her separate palace from where she carries out her

responsibilities.

The functions of the Omu cut across physical and spiritual. She is the custodian of the market and oversees the overall commercial activities of the community.

She is the link between the spiritual realm and the living.

The desires of the ancestors are revealed to the people through the Omu who are a direct recipient of the information. She and members of her cabinet carry out sacrifice of atonement, cleansing and purification. She also acts as judge and counselor as she settles quarrels between her people especially between the female folk, and offers useful advice to the monarch on administrative and religion related matters.

The Omu’s office is a highly revered one and carries so much dignity and respectability. This is why the position is not just open to any woman because it takes so much to occupy this office and the responsibilities attached to it are enormous and demanding.

For a woman to become Omu, her nomination must be confirmed by the oracle before she assumes office. In most cases however, the

direct selection and endorsement of a woman for that position comes from the spiritual realm, revealed to the community. Before the woman chosen for that office eventually becomes Omu, she must go through some rituals and purifications aimed at preparing her for the tedious physical and religious responsibilities.

Once she is crowned, she discontinues marriage obligations to her husband if the man is still alive. The Omu is more like a man. In days gone by, the Omu could marry women and have children. In which case, the Omu will designate a man for that purpose.

To ensure that the conditions attached to that office are kept, elderly women (usually widows) were often preferred. In most communities, the Omu of the land is often produced by a particular family or quarter. In Okpanam, for example, it is the Umuosa family in Obodogba quarters that has the responsibility of producing the Omu of the town.

When an Omu dies, she is buried in a sitting position in a special traditionally made coffin

Our Heritage

30

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Nigerian Visual Artists with all traditional rites and rituals performed.

The institution in the past was commonly characterised by the installation of an old woman knowledgeable in the tradition but without any formal education.

Things, however, took a new turn in Okpanam with the installation of Obi Martha Dunkwu, highly exposed, educated, not aged and not a widow, as the Omu, giving the institution a new nature.

Born at Okpanam, Obi Martha Dunkwu was crowned Omu of Okpanam on January 26, 2002 and Omu Anioma on January 15, 2010. She was presented with the Royal Beads (Ivie-Urhu Beaded Necklace) on October 7, 1998 by His Royal Majesty, Omo N’Oba Erediauwa, CFR, Oba of Benin.

Relaxing in her palace, calm, composed and adorned in her lovely cultural regalia, Obi Martha explains her role as Omu Okpanam and Anioma, ‘As Omu Okpanam and Anioma, my traditional constituency is women of nine local government areas of Delta North. I am trying to reposition Anioma women in particular; Delta State and Nigeria in general, by fusing the good of the old and good of the new for what will definitely come.’

The Omu’s sense of style and elegance speaks for itself any day, as she always steps out looking gorgeous; an act she describes as a way of promoting her culture.

Her words: ‘I actually didn’t know I have style; I am just wearing what I think I should wear, because the Akwa Ocha is the Anioma national wear. It is the traditional wear of the Anioma people given to us by God and our ancestors. And the Akwa Ocha has aesthetic values.

So it is my duty as the Omu and the mother of Anioma nation to promote the attire. Once you are seen wearing it anywhere in the country, you are identified as an Anioma person. The red cap and the feather is the crown. So these are the paraphernalia of the office of the Omu. ‘When you go to Europe and America the white people promote theirs, and having been there, I am inspired to promote mine. The Indians, Japanese and Chinese are promoting their culture. The only one that is not doing so is the black man.

HOW SHE RELAXES ‘I relax by talking to God through our ancestors; it makes me happy because the work of the Omu is almost 80 per cent spiritual,’ she says. ‘I pray for calm in my hometown Okpanam, Anioma, Delta State and Nigeria. And what gives me innermost peace is when I am at peace with my ancestors. I relax by doing everything possible to put myself in a state where I can connect to the higher realm.’

story through the lens of Evelyn Osagia

Miracle Udeagha From being one of the fresh voices promoting artistic collections and their crafts through her insightful pieces, culture journalist Evelyn Osagie, who is also a performance poet, made her debut as she joined the league of individuals documenting Nigeria’s rich cultural and artistic heritage through photography.

Inspired by two renowned female artists, Lauren Greenfield and Elisa Paloschi, Osagie brings her experiences covering the arts/ culture sector to bare in her photography at Osagie the exhibition. choice of subject She made her stems from the debut as an artist desire to share at a two-month in the stories that group exhibition that unfold around her, opened recently also noted that she at the prestigious Th e late Su e Wenger’s home sees photograph Princess Theresa One of Osagzaie’nn s works at the show. as an artistic selfIyase-Odozi’s GreenHouse Art Empowerment expression of reality, thus, she Centre, Olambe, Ogun State. uses her camera to unearth and Nigeria’s master print maker explore the world around her.

“I have always imagined and greatest experimental artist, Bruce Onobrakpeya led the group photograph as unspoken memory with experience. exhibition, which was complemented garnished by paper presentations and the Whether it is a walk down a hill with presentation of the maiden edition a friend, the serene town resting in of the GreenHouse Art Journal by between mountains or the embrace of two iconic poets, each image Prof. Onobrakpeya.

The well attended exhibition is a memory of diverse tales in which featured installations, man’s existence. Capturing these painting, watercolour, textile, unspoken scenes in a flash is what ceramics/pottery, mixed-media, excites me as a journalist and artist. sculpture and photography, was led The most exciting of all, which I

by Prof Bruce Onobrakpeya, and consider beautiful, is that each featured works of 12 celebrated of those moments is kept alive in artists. They include: Sam Ovraiti, photographs.” She said.

Born in Lagos, Osagie’s foray Princess Theresa Iyase-Odozi, Dr. Mabel Oluremi Awogbade, Ato into photography dated back to Arinze, Stella Awoh, K.K.Olojo, Juliet her undergraduate days at the Ezenwa Pearce, Bolaji Ogunwo, University of Benin, where she Stella Ubigho, Oke Ibem Oke and engaged in poetry performances, of course the debut photographer, creative writing and other artistic endeavors.

Evelyn Osagie.

As a student, this graduate of In line with the exhibition’s theme, Nigerian Visual Artists and Politics, English and Literature became Osagie showcased a body of works, interested in landscape and wildlife, featuring nine pieces in coloured while visiting relations, and other and monochrome in varying sizes. universities, canvassing for a jointHer displays highlight issues such undergraduate writers’ association.

Osagie, an award winning as politics, tourism, culture/art, artistic and religious expressions, journalist is currently a Senior hope, peace and unity, among Correspondent with The Nation Newspaper in Lagos. Her reportorial others.

Her body of works explores the engagements have also touched interaction between people, their a plethora of issues bordering on art, their environment and their cultural advocacy, women and child attendant power-play. The pieces, rights, civil rights, mental health and spanning eight years of her career a host of others.

On the advocacy front, she as a journalist, feature images showcasing places like Idanre has been deeply engaged in and Osogbo; artists/poets like Prof campaigns, seminars, workshops Wole Soyinka, Odia Ofiemun, Chief and other commitments aimed Muraina Oyelami of Iragbiji, the late at fostering better policies in Suzanne Wenger, religion, children, rights protection for many NonGovernmental (NGOs) and Civil and 2011 and 2015 elections.

Osagie who disclosed that her Society Organisations(CSOs).

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

31 Opinion

Fulani herdsmen’s scars on Falae “I did not know where I got the strength to survive from in all the time I was with them. It was only when I returned home that the pains hit me,” Yinka Odumakin

ÎÎÎ Chief Falae took au-

dio and video evidence to the police and the Fulani herdsmen were invited.

At the end of it all the herdsmen were asked to compensate him for the loss.They came pleading that they could only afford half of what they agreed to pay and the good natured man accepted.

He thought that was the end probably because he did not read Mallam Aliyu Gwarzo who wrote in October 2014 “Many say we are behind Boko Haram. My answer is what do you expect? We do not have economic power or intellectual power. All we have is political power and they want to take even that from us.

We must fight and we will fight back in order to keep it. They have brought in the infidels from America and the pigs from Israel to help them but they will fail.

The war has just begun, the Mujahadeen are more than ready and by Allah we shall win.

If they don’t want an ISIS in Nigeria then they must give us back the Presidency and our political power. Their soldiers are killing our warriors and our people every day but mark this: even if it takes one hundred years we will have OUR RE-

Chief Falae

VENGE”.

Chief Falae saw hell in the four days he had to sleep on the ground with leaves as his cover cloth.

He had only a bottle of coke each day with excruciating pain from the machete cuts on his body. “I did not know where I got the strength to survive from in all the time I was with them .It was only when I returned home that the pains hit me,” he said as a delegation from Afenifere visited him in his Akure home recently.

The strength of course came from God above who loves Nigeria and would not allow the Chief to die

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in the hands of scoundrels which would have caused an eclipse.

There was also the inner strength from nobility. An illustrious Yoruba elder like Chief Falae was waylaid by some criminals on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway years back and dispossessed of all the material valuables on him.They thereafter asked him to prostrate and he looked them in the faces and asked “ Kemi dobale fun eyin?Ibo lowa lowo yin yen.eyin!

(I should prostrate for you.Are you not carrying guns?Shoot now).

As I looked at the deep

cut on Chief Falae ‘s arm, it occurred to me that the vandals who abducted him were practically living out what their elites demonstrated to us at the 2014 national conference that they value the lives of cows more than humans.That the elder statesman would carry scars on his body for the rest of his days because he insisted Fulani cows cannot eat maize Fulani herdsmen did not plant is an open wound on the soul of Nigeria that would not heal until justice is served.

The nightmares of Falae which were the cli-

max of Fulani herdsmen afflictions of numerous victims of their rampaging over the years and the fact that ransom had to be taken to somewhere in the North are annoying enough.To cap that with bodily wounds on a septuagenarian is like a message that those who oppose the right of cows to eat up their sweat would pay with their blood the way Ken Saro-Wiwa blood was used to flush the pipes.

Those who abducted Chief Falae like “namma” have just put a knife to something that would be difficult to join together again except Nigeria pays reparation by recognising the autonomous right of the constituent units of Nigeria to live their civilizations. When a community is under affliction in our traditional way, a man is sent to carry the calabash of sacrifice to meet the gods in the forest or rivers. He is called Arugba in Yoruba and may return or perish in the expedition.

That is the kind of assignment Chief Falae just returned from and the herdsmen would wish this never happened as I sense strongly they just put an end to their reign of terror on the Yoruba space.

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MONDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2015

VOL. 1. NO.207

Price: N150

NFF MOVES TO ENFORCE CODE OF CONDUCT –X3

E M A T S E L G A E N I S N O LI S L E S S BRU ANDREW EKEJIUBA

S

uper Eagles whitewashed rivals Indomitable Lions of Cameroun 3-0 on Sunday night in a much improved display from their earlier loss to DR Congo.

After the shambolic showing against DRC on Thursday, the Super Eagles raised their game against the Indomitable Lions to win the much publicised friendly and ease pressure on Coach Sunday Oliseh after his major falling out with Lille goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama.

Efe Ambrose sent the warning shot when he scored the opener in the 39th minute of the

encounter.

The Celtic defender rose above the Cameroun defence to power home a free kick from the right taken by Mikel Obi. Moses Simon scored his second Eagles goal on the hour when he blasted past the Cameroun goalkeeper after he was released by skipper Ahmed Musa.

Substitute Odion Ighalo took the game beyond the Indomitable Lions with a third goal two minutes from time when he headed home off a delightful cross by Elderson Echiejile from the left flank.

Cameroun had to struggle when skipper

Stephane Mbia was sent off in the 47th minute after his second booking of the night.

Before then, Cameroun young goalkeeper Ondoa had to pull off at least two big saves to deny the Super Eagles a scoring opportunity.

Ondoa also got a strong hand to a pile drive by Emmanuel Emenike after 31 minutes.

But after Nigeria’s goal, Cameroun raised their game and ought to have at least drawn level particularly in the 44th minute when spurs winger Clinton Njie got behind the Eagles defence, but Leonard Kweuku could not get a touch to his pass from inside the six-yard box, thus ending the game 3-0 in favour of Nigeria.

Life&

Times Monday, October 12, 2015

Falz the Bahd Guy From Law chambers to music

L2

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Relationship is a distraction

–Falz the Bahd Guy He’s christened Folarin Falana, son of popular Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana but popularly known and called ‘Falz The Bahd Guy’ by friends and fans in the entertainment circle. The Ekiti indigene trained-lawyer was born and bred in Lagos; the centre of excellence, schooled in Osun State before he travelled out of the shores of Nigeria to pursue a Law degree in the UK. The comical artiste speaks exclusively with Life &Times on his style of music, name, choice of lady, sense of humour and his latest single ‘Karashika’ amongst other interesting issues.

As a graduate of Law and a qualified Barrister, what inspired you to drop law for music?

It’s a matter of passion. when you have passion for something, it’s not that maybe I don’t like legal profession, law is a wonderful, prestigious profession. I am also somebody that if I follow that line, I will still be successful. But something of passion I love so much to do is that I really enjoy myself anytime I’m writing or recording music and performing on the stage. You know something that gives you maximum satisfaction. There is no way you will not follow your heart and that is why am here today.

Which institutions did you attend and where?

In terms of my educational background generally speaking people often doubt my qualification but I will have you know that I have a lot of certificates but the most recent of all is my certificate of ‘Call to Bar’.

I am a practicing Barrister called to Nigeria Bar after attending Law School in Abuja. Before then, I went to the University of Reading in the UK. For secondary school, I went to Olashore

Life&

T E A M

Falz the Bahd Guy

Music Correspondent Akintayo Opeoluwani

Movie Correspondent Mutiat Alli

International School, Osun State, am a mixed of different environment; generally speaking at least very well traveled.

How and why did you come up with the name ‘Falz The Bahd Guy’?

The name ‘Falz The Bahd Guy’ generally speaking is just a title that they give me when you say somebody is bad guy you know that there is something about him that is so strong; something about his character that is so strong. That is why they have to call him the Bad Guy but! My own Bad guy actually has an acronym because I spell it BAHD “Brilliant and Highly Distinct” So that’s the kind of Guy that I am exactly.

If you aren’t doing music or practicing law, what else would you rather find yourself doing?

Well, apart from music and law if there’s something I want to do professionally... I would like to be a professional Footballer; I so much like sport and football in particular. I believe so much in my skills as well, I think I’m capable of playing professionally, the problem is that super eagles suppose to sign me but they missed their chance, they missed their opportunity but it’s so unfortunate for them... what can I say?

You seem to have quite a large number of viewers on YouTube and other platforms because of your comical and humorous videos/skits, what inspires the idea and concept behind these videos?

The skits are just something of comedy nature, I can not necessarily call myself a comedian but I like to say I’m comical, comical because all these things I do is like funny stuffs. But generally speaking, initially, I didn’t even want to do something like interaction with my followers with my fans and before I know it, it’s out of hand. You know everything just go out of hand.

But what really inspires me are just things that are happening in life around me. Generally speaking there are a lot of local people in my surrounding, so all I do is just tap into the anointing and then just try to express myself and you know that’s what the end result is always.

Is Falz in a relationship?

Well in terms of relationship matter, I want to keep that one aside for now because relationship can be a distraction, when somebody loves a woman so much he abandons his work and those things I don’t want that to be my story. So matter of relationship is to one side, I am still single and I don’t have anybody.

So should we tag you (SSS) single and seriously searching or (SRM) Single Ready to Mingle?

No, it’s not like single and just ok where it is. I am not necessarily searching and not searching doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s not ready to mingle. We can still mingle and

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

catch fun together and who knows somebody may just capture my heart. So I may be over here saying I’m not searching, I’m not searching and somebody may be out there just planning for me and by the time they capture me like this, I will become love struck what can I do when it happens?

You did a song with Yemi Alade “Marry Me” do you have any intention of getting married soon?

Marriage! Marriage is a matter of serious stuff; one cannot just jump into it like that, so when people ask me about marriage plans and stuffs like that, I just tell them God’s time is the best time. At this moment I don’t want to jump into it and say that maybe tomorrow, no; but sometimes in the future, but I believe that whenever God says it will be, it will be.

How do you like your girls/girls, Tall or Short, Dark or Light skinned, Big or small?

To be completely honest in terms of stature not necessarily, particular of a stature but somebody who is very intelligent, somebody with a wonderful sense of humor these are the things I really look out for in a woman. But in terms of preference generally, I think I like the light skinned girls but this doesn’t necessarily mean that there is no hope for dark skinned girls and it doesn’t mean that you should go and bleach.

Tell us more about your latest song ‘Karishika’.

‘Karashika is a name that we build from old Nollywood movie, if you remember it was such a scary movie and it really tormented me in my childhood. Back then I was so afraid that anytime I watched it, I won’t be able to go anywhere alone back then. So I remember it to be so scary, so we picked it and we made that ‘Karashika’ to be the figurative expression for anybody in this life that may have appearance of witchcraft or anything or just anybody that may be trying to bring you down that is the meaning of that ‘Karashika’.

If you had to date a Nigerian celebrity, who would it be and why?

Wow! Wow!! Wow! Maybe Chidinma or Yemi Alade; Please don’t forget these are beautiful ladies and I will like to date them.

What do you like about Chidinma?

She’s very pretty, she’s petit, there’s cuteness and sweetness about her and that what’s attractive about her, although we have not yet necessarily flow to that level for me to know what’s inside her, am only speaking from the outside that’s it.

What about Yemi Alade?

Yemi Alade is also beautiful if you look at her physic, I swear one cannot deny that; in fact that’s a wonderful lady but you know also it’s not maybe that we know each other to that extent that I can also say that ok, these are what will make me want to date her, I’ m only speaking based on the looks.

Graphics Luke Utomi

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

10

1

Most expensive

Ron Arad Stainless Steel Sofa – $300,000

SOFAS 6 3 7 Afolabi Omobolaji & Onyegbula Onyenaturuchi

Eames sofas $9,800

The amount is N59,715,000; this is the most expensive sofa in the world. It is a creation of art. The Ron Arad Stainless Steel Sofa, a piece of furniture is showcased in a Museum in New York. The Museum of Modern Art in New York has on display this w-shape sofa, created with numerous curves so that the pattern resembles the letter. The architect is Ron Arad.

2

Onyx Sofa BY Peugeot – $185,000 The 2nd world expensive sofa goes for N36,824,250. From the Peugeot Design Labs, we have another sofa matching the high-end, custom, expensive and luxury specifications.

After the release of a car with lots of horsepower and custom bodywork made out of carbon fiber and copper the guys from Peugeot wanted to show-off a little bit and with the help of a designer created a sofa.

5

Poltrona frau kennedee curved sofa $21,200 At number 5, it costs $21,200 or N4,219,860. This particular part of furniture completes a set with a normal sofa, an armchair and an ottoman all designed by famous interior designer. JeanMarie Massaud. It was created by the artist in 2006 and inspired from the Kennedy era of elegance and discrete furniture.

10

Aston Martin DB6 Couch $7300 Number 10 is Aston martins DB6 couch and it costs N1,453,065. The Aston Martin DB6 Couch was produced in the year 1965 and 1970. This piece of chair is perpendicular to the back seat of the car with the same name. The couch was created as a piece of art, from a back seat; it was transformed into a stylish sofa. It has a silver birch finish, red leather upholstery and engraved number plates and head rests. You can choose the color of the birch and upholstery, so why not try it?

L3 Luxury

At number 6, this lovely chair cost $9800 or N1, 950,690. This is a three-seat sofa which was created in 1978 by famous furniture designers to complete a set. After their death, the piece of furniture became famous and was further marketed until today reaching pretty big price. The sofa caught the eye of the public because it had simple forms, a great material but also for the fact that it completed an office suite which has plush padded chairs and chaise lounge.

Plume Blanche Diamond Encrusted Sofa – $184,000

With $184, 000, you can get the 3rd most expensive sofa in the world. It cost N36,625,200. You could buy a limited model of a French design company which creates luxury furniture. The designer from Plume Blanche created a limited edition sofa, in 50 copies which features a leather and lacquer finish, mahogany wood and latex .So far these are your normal materials for a sofa but, the high-end luxury furniture designers added real diamonds to the body of the furniture piece.

4

Michael Jackson sofa $73,000 It is not surprising to see Michael Jackson sofa on this list as he was a costly idol. Only way to get the chair is with N14,530,650. The king of pop was so concerned for his residence in Kent, England that he ordered the piece of furniture along with matching other pieces, all custom designed to his tastes.

Fabio leather cinema sofas $9000 It cost 9000$ or N1,791,450. Fabio’s brand created by the Fabio Leather Cinema Sofa, is meant for the cinema only.

The “L” shape couch with specific features was built so you can have a great and comfortable time while watching a movie. The home cinema at your place finally has the perfect sofa created for it.

8

VIG Crocodile leather sectional sofa The VIG Crocodile Leather Sectional Sofa cost $8500 or N1,691,925, a four person couch which is “L”, a pattern created and designed with large hardwood. The crocodile leather to this sofa, is a type of leather that is stronger than any traditional materials.

9

Padma’s plantation loft sectional -$8200 Number 9 is quite loveable at 8200 dollars or N1, 632,210 for the standard one, extra. So if you have a loft or large sitting area where you would like to have a coffee with friends or family, it is made for you. The sofa comes along with Abaca hardwood for the frames, elastic springs and white fabric cushions and notices the bottom part where the tropical hardwood has an intricate pattern.

Wellness L4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Maria Anifowose

Excessive air conditioning and its

Hazards

Technology has indeed brought numerous benefits to the 21st century. However, it is not without its pitfalls. Several technological gadgets have been produced and improved upon over the years including devices such as phones, tablets, Ipads, music players, internet television, etc., all of which have their own merits and side effects.

Likewise, the air-conditioner which is seen as a wonderful luxury and a refuge from heat, has its benefits and threats.

Today, air conditioning has become a norm in many offices, houses, public places and transport systems, thereby becoming a big part of our lives. Nonetheless, too much exposure to it has a lot of disadvantages especially to our health.

The Risks of too much Air conditioning

• Dry Skin: Being exposed to air

conditioning for very long hours can make your skin lose too much moisture, thereby making your skin become very dry, flaky, cracking and even itchy.

Drying of Mucous Membranes: Too much air conditioning can also make the mucous membranes in the respiratory system to dry out, thus making one prone to contracting colds, flus and respiratory infections.

Noise Pollution: The constant noise produced from less efficient air conditioners constitutes noise pollution and has the potential to cause hearing damage.

Exacerbation of Chronic illnesses: Extreme air conditioning intensifies sicknesses that one may have already been suffering from. Air conditioning is

•

• •

infamous for heightening the symptoms of low blood pressure, arthritis and neuritis, consequently, making it difficult for such patients to deal with pain.

Difficulty in dealing with heat: Spending too much time in air conditioned environments may make you feel totally uncomfortable when you go outside or make you intolerant to heat. This happens as a result of the stress on your body from moving from a cool environment to a sweltering outdoor air.

Transmission of infectious respiratory diseases: According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission, if the air in your home or environment is poorly circulated or contains allergens, you may begin to suffer from nasal issues or breathing difficulties. In extreme cases, asthma attacks and pneumonia may develop. This is why it is very important that the filters and every part of your air conditioning system are kept clean.

•

•

Tips on avoiding the Hazards of Excessive Air Conditioning Keep the air conditioner’s temperature between 210 and 250 C Ensure that your air conditioner is well installed, well maintained and cleaned so that the dust particles or dirt in it would not cause air pollution and diseases to you.

Ensure to use moisturizers so as to avoid having dry, flaky or itchy skin under extreme air conditioning atmospheres.

Ensure to carry a jacket with you if you know that you are always in an airconditioned environment. This would help protect your body system from any extreme temperature changes.

• • • •

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

L5 Nutrition

Eat

Bananas, Judith Frank-Edet

Banana delivers huge nutritional value; you’ve probably heard that before. But what you may have never heard of is the benefits of banana peels.

After reading the following surprising benefits of banana peels, you will think twice before tossing any banana peel into the bin.

Banana peels are the thick ropey-textured and green to yellow colored skin of bananas.

Banana peels can be eaten raw or cooked to make it more palatable. There is a long list to the health benefits of banana peels but here are a few.

Rich source of fiber Banana peels are rich in soluble fiber best known to promote healthy bowel movement and relieve constipation.

It also helps you maintain a healthy weight, by making you feel full. Studies have also shown soluble fiber to reduce the risk of heart attacks and avert early onset of diabetes.

Fight Cholesterol The soluble fiber contained in banana peel which is also in the banana flesh too helps in lowering cholesterol levels.

Soluble fiber has been extensively studied and proven to reduce the levels of low density lipoprotein, LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol.

Depression Ripe Banana Peels are great for depression. According to a study at the University of Taiwan, Banana Peels are packed full of serotonin which boost your mood and help you feel happy. Studies show that if you eat two Banana Peels a day for three days you have a net increase of 15% in your serotonin level.

Antioxidant Properties Banana peels contain polyphenols and carotenoids, which are phytochemicals with antioxidant properties.

Studies have found that unripe banana peel contains more of these anti-oxidants than ripe banana peel.

Protect your Eyesight Another antioxidant found in banana peel is ‘lutein’, is known to reduce oxidative stress and neutralize free radical damage in various organs, including the skin. But lutein is also known to provide nutritional sustenance to the eyes – by not only reducing the risks of macular degeneration and cataracts, but by also filtering out harmful UV rays from damaging the eyes, as well as protecting cells in the eyes from free radical damage.

Researchers suggest a minimum of 6mg – 10mg is required daily to derive the benefits of lutein. So as you add up on your daily lutein intake with dark green leafy vegetables, spinach and fruit, why not throw in some banana peel as well to hit the mark?

Reduces Wrinkles The inside of the banana peel could be used to moisten the face. It helps keep the skin hydrated and tightens the pores. This makes it softer and helps in reducing the small wrinkles.

Make sure to wash the peel very well as some may have been sprayed with pesticide. Now when you eat your banana, eat the peel too.

eat the peels

Buzz Byte L6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Mutiat Alli

Oritsefemi

official parts way with Ex-Manager, Danku Musical Taliban and MSN gang act, has hinted that he officially parted ways with his former manager, Yusuf Adepitan known as Danku.

Oritse made this known when he shared picture on his Instagram page unveiling his new representative with the tag: ‘For booking: contact Eniola Olofin; disregard any other contacts aside this!! Beware of fraudster.

According to insiders, Oritsefemi

has filed a petition to the Nigerian Police Force against Danku, claiming threat to life, fraudulent activities and criminal conspiracy against the person and international image of Oritsefemi.“ In the petition filed on May 22, he alleged that Danku went away with 2014 model E Vogue Range Rover SUV, a car belonging to Oritse Femi, without permission.

It is also stated in the petition that the manager got the car damaged in an accident. The petition sent to Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, also alleged that a sum of N58 million which covers the income Oritse Femi made from shows, endorsement deals with Brandy and Mac Dowell cannot be accounted for by the manager, who was only able to come up with N5.5 million from the huge sum.

New Music Alert Toby Grey out with Laleyi Toby Grey has stayed consistent with her releases since she caught our attention with her cover of ‘Woju’ that also earned her an opportunity to perform at the just concluded NEA Awards. She returns with ‘Laleyi’ produced by Drumphase.

Yemi Alade collections debut on BLAND2GLAM Award winning afro pop/ R&B singer, songwriter, composer, actress and entertainer, Yemi Alade has hinted that top online jewellery atelier and retailer, Bland2Glam, will be launching the first ever ‘Yemi Alade Collection’ at the Civic Centre in Lagos. The collection is an exclusive range of exotic costume jewellery inspired by the career and personality of Yemi Alade.

“This is a very personal project for me,” explained Yemi Alade. “It has been a long year of planning with Bland2Glam and I am very excited that finally we are ready to unveil all the love, innovation and hardwork that went into every single one of these pieces,” she added.

Also to be launched on the same platform is the ‘Get Mented’ initiative: An innovative mentorship network for girls and women across Nigeria which aims to provide a platform via which girls and women across Nigeria are given the opportunity to give and receive mentorship in vocational/career development, self-improvement, financial intelligence and intellectual development.

Pharrell

Pharrell Williams to perform at MTV EMAS in Milan Man of many talents, Pharrell Williams is set to perform at the 2015 MTV EMAs, it was revealed by MTV Base.

The “Happy” singer, songwriter, producer and fashion designer will bring his trademark style to the stage of the Mediolanum Forum in Milan on Sunday, 25 October for what will be an unforgettable performance.

Host, Ed Sheeran and co-host Ruby Rose will be taking charge of this year’s MTV EMAs, which will be broadcast live across the globe on Sunday 25 October at 8PM from the Mediolanum Forum in Milan.

Rihanna unveils album artwork

Yemi Alade

Fans waiting for Rihanna’s long-awaited eight studio album finally have a visual for the record.

Recently at a party hosted by Rihanna, the singer revealed the cover for the album. The 27 year-

old who hasn’t released an album since 2012’s ‘Unapologetic’ – announced that her latest project has been titled ‘ANTI’ with the artwork created by Roy Nachum.

There’s still, however, no release date set for the album.

Basketmouth

Basketmouth, Trevor Noah, othes to perform at omedy Central Festival Comic act, Basketmouth will perform alongside other top African comedians at the first ever Comedy Central International Comedy Festival billed to hold in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The comedy event put together by Comedy Central and Savanna Premium Cider will bring African and international comedy stars together under one roof for a hilarious, world-class celebration of comedy genius.

Billed to perform at the event alongside Basketmouth are popular acts such as Trevor Noah, Schalk Bezuidenhout, and Salvador.

The concert is scheduled to hold between Thursday, November 26, 2015 and Saturday, December 5, 2015.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

L7 Buzz Byte

Mutiat Alli

ON

Set Movie Title: One fine day Produced by: Desmond Elliot & Emem Isong Directed by: Desmond Elliot & Emem Isong Cast: Funke Akindele, Joke Silva, Olu Jacobs, Benjamin Touitou, Memry Savanhu, Frederick Leonards.

Movie title: Eliza Producer: Toyin Bankole Cast: Funke Akindele, Muyiwa Ademola, Biodun Okeowo, Liz Da Silva, Seyi Edun, Adekola Tijani, Toyin Alausa, Kamilu Kompo Director: Adebayo Tijani Production Manager: Afeez Eniola

EL Director takes location rehearsals with cast Biodun, Muyiwa , Funke and Liz da Silva

Funke and Muyiwa on set

Movie Title: Secret and Scandal Producer: Elvis Chuks Director: Elvis Chuks Cast: Helen Paul, Matilda Obaseki, Micheal Godson, Florence Onuma, Nobert Young Location: Lagos

OFD Director, Desmond Elliot on set

SS cast securing costume Micheal and Helen Paul, Florence Onuma on set

Nobert Young and Florence Onuma

Discussion time on set between Olu Jacob, Desmond Elliot and a cast

Cross section of students scene in the movie SS Maltida Obaseki and Micheal Godson

Movie title: Not Enough Produced by: Ebube Nwagbo Directed by: Afe Olumowe Cast: Oge Okoye, Ebube Nwagbo, Alex Ekubo, Micheal Bonny Bassey, Susan Zayat Location: Owerri, Nigeria

Some of the cast and crew members NT Director on standby

NT Alex Ekubo and Ebube goes cosy

NT cast and crew of the movie

NT Ebube and some cast members.psd

Olu Jacobs, Joke Silva, Funke Akindele and a cast

Movie Title: Dry Produced by: Stephanie Okereke-Linus Directed by: Stephanie Okereke-Linus Cast: Darwin Shaw, Liz Benson Ameye, Olu Jacobs, Bill Mc Namara, Zubaida Ibrahim

DR location scounting for dry DR Olu Jacobs

DR stephaine on set of dry

DR Director checks the picture frame

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, October 12, 2015

Showing on

Showing on

150 Africa Magic Showcase

162 Magic World

12:00

18:30

Mon, 12 Oct | PG13

Mon, 12 Oct | PG13

African and international celebrities and featuring the latest news and takes you behind the scenes of magazine, movies and music video shoots.

101 M-Net

00:40 Roger Corman’s Operation Rogue 02:10 Emperor 04:05 Caught On Camera 05:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 06:00 The Big Bang Theory 06:30 Hawaii Five-0 07:30 Caught On Camera 08:30 Angel Dog 10:30 The Odd Couple 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 12:00 The Voice 13:00 Royal Pains 14:00 Arrow 15:00 Resurrection 16:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 17:00 The Goldbergs 17:30 The Voice 18:30 Madam Secretary 19:30 Revenge 20:30 Elementary 21:30 Carte Blanche 22:30 The Bag Man

‘S2/E301 - 2/301’. Jack withdraws from Lilly’s company, which annoys Angie, while tension continues to rise between Itumeleng and Marang.

Diksie and Zintle go for a wild night out on the town. Faye Peters, Amber van Rensburg, James Alexander.

118 Telemundo

00:30 The Impostor 01:20 The Impostor 02:10 The Impostor 03:00 The Impostor 03:50 The Impostor 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Labour Of Love 07:00 Part Of Me 07:50 Queen Of Hearts 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Labour Of Love 11:10 Part Of Me 12:00 Queen Of Hearts 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Labour Of Love 15:20 Part Of Me 16:10 Queen Of Hearts 17:00 The Impostor 17:50 Forbidden Passions 18:40 Labour Of Love 19:30 Part Of Me 20:20 Queen Of Hearts 21:10 The Impostor 22:00 Forbidden Passions 22:50 Labour Of Love

L8 Television

120 BBC Entertainment

128 SONY MAX

10:30 The Cube 00:25 The Cube

11:20 New Tricks

01:10 Antiques Roadshow

12:20 Top Gear

02:05 Call The Midwife

13:15 Come Dine With Me

03:00 EastEnders

14:10 Total Wipeout UK

00:35 Killer Karaoke

03:30 EastEnders

15:05 The Weakest Link

01:30 Tattoo Nightmares

04:00 EastEnders

16:00 EastEnders

02:00 Most Shocking

04:30 EastEnders

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

03:00 Most Shocking

05:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series

17:10 Pointless

04:00 Exposed

05:25 QI

18:05 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

04:30 Exposed

05:55 Miranda 06:30 EastEnders

19:00 Celebrity MasterChef

05:25 Exposed

07:00 Antiques Roadshow

20:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA

05:50 Exposed

07:55 The Weakest Link

21:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA

06:15 Video Zonkers

08:45 The Chase

21:55 The Graham Norton Show

06:40 Video Zonkers

09:30 Total Wipeout UK

22:45 Would I Lie To You?

07:05 What Went Down

155 AfricaMagic World

05:00 I Bet You Will

07:35 Caught On Camera 08:35 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago 09:05 South Beach Tow 09:35 Most Shocking 10:35 Most Shocking 11:35 Video Zonkers

154 AfricaMagic Family

12:05 Video Zonkers 12:35 What Went Down

00:30 Game Plan

13:00 At Home With Joselyn Dumas

02:00 Jane And Abel

14:00 Goge Africa

02:30 Jane And Abel

14:30 Comfort Zone

03:00 Good Morning Africa

15:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh

04:00 53 Extra

16:00 Prem

04:30 Losers Take It All

16:30 Tenant

06:00 Good Morning Africa

17:30 Mashariki Mix

07:00 Star Gist

18:00 Jane And Abel

07:25 President For A Day

18:30 Jane And Abel

08:30 Tenant

19:00 Tinsel

09:25 Mashariki Mix

19:30 Star Gist

10:00 Good Morning Africa

20:00 Life Begins

11:00 Tinsel

21:00 Family Ties

11:30 Star Gist

21:30 Goge Africa

12:00 Music Block

22:05 Living With Trisha

13:05 Caught On Camera 14:05 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago 00:00 Music Block

13:00 Music Block

14:35 South Beach Tow

01:00 Good Morning Africa

14:00 Star Gist

15:05 Most Shocking

02:05 Deal Or No Deal SA

14:30 Star Gist

16:05 1000 Ways To Die

03:00 Deal Or No Deal

15:00 Star Gist

16:30 Video Zonkers

04:00 The Dzigbordi Show

15:30 Lies That Bind

17:00 Video Zonkers

05:00 Good Morning Africa

16:00 The Dzigbordi Show

17:30 Caught On Camera

06:05 The Mastermind

17:00 So Wrong So Wright

18:30 What Went Down

07:55 Star Gist

17:30 So Wrong So Wright

19:00 South Beach Tow

08:25 Star Gist

18:00 The Dzigbordi Show

19:30 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago

09:00 Good Morning Africa

19:00 Kumwesu

20:00 Underclassman

10:00 The Dzigbordi Show

19:30 Kumwesu

21:30 Poorman’s Bikini Beach

11:00 Deal Or No Deal SA

20:00 Miserable Wealth

22:00 Poorman’s Bikini Beach

12:00 Deal Or No Deal SA

22:30 Most Shocking

NPFL: WOLVES INSIST TITLE RACE STILL g X3 OPEN

Poster!

ODION IGHALO

g X4,5

Monday, October 12, 2015

DE VRIJ

NOT INTERESTED IN MAN UNITED

g X7

E L A B COPING L A E R H WIT E R U S S E PR M A H K C –BE g X8

HAZARD:

I’m no longer untouchable at Chelsea g X7

X2

Monday, October 12, 2015

EXTRATIME

OPINION Aderonke Bello

I

have said it over and again, Oliseh is not the right choice for the Super Eagles job. So far the NFF said he is what they want, then, so be it!

Some weeks ago in Abuja, the Nigeria Football Federation appointed Sunday Oliseh, who does not have enough technical clue about coaching, he has however never been able to coach a top team in the history of his coaching career, and has obviously waited on the shelf for good seven years to get the Eagles job.

Safe to say, his appointment was controversial because it did not follow due process.

It is no longer news that he obtained the UEFA license coaching certificate, rather he is renowned for his excellent TV analysis and punditry which necessarily does not amount to good coaching and man-management, on-field techniques amongst others.

It was widely reported that Oliseh called the security operatives in Belgium to get Vincent Enyeama out of the Eagles camp.

The legendary goalkeeper was ridiculed, Vincent is not a perfect human being like the rest of us but, no one deserves such treatment. He is the captain for God’s sake.

What on earth was Oliseh thinking? This is just ridiculous. History will not forget him for the drama in faraway Belgium.

The coach who is using the Super Eagles to test run his coaching career disgraced the most capped player in the history of Nigerian football, Oliseh’s record cannot touch Enyeama’s record in Nigeria.

Going through the social media, some Nigerians were of the opinion that Ahmed

OLISEH NOT WHAT NIGERIA NEED!

Musa’s appointment is political because the Nigerian president is from the northern part of the nation. Why would anyone think about that, like really?

That is a dumb thing to say, and on the other hand, Musa is a great guy and lucky to be made a captain in a space of just a few years with the team.

I recall Enyeama had an issue with the NFF disciplinary committee some weeks ago when he refused to honour their invitation after he made comments about the team’s safety in Kaduna during the first leg of the 2017 Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad.

Since then, he has been in hot soup and a target, it is an obvious payback and some people are using Oliseh to do their beat.

How wise can Oliseh get? No one should be treated that way, not even

your dog. This is a low blow coming from Oliseh, his leadership skill is questionable, and Nigerians should get set to see more of this coach who has temperament issues, as we all know him to be since his playing days.

Enyeama could be rebellious too, but it takes a leader to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the people working under him and manage them well.

How did Oliseh feel when he was booted out of the team and he missed the Korea/Japan World Cup? I don’t believe in Vincent Enyeama retiring, he cannot leave like that after 13 years of dedication to motherland.

Carl Ikeme is the new messiah and you feel Enyeama is useless all of sudden, whatever happened to Austin Ejide, who deserves to be part of the team.

Oliseh is not what we need, he lacks the

Oliseh

ability and capability, his leadership skills and man-management is not good for chasing one of the greatest in the Super Eagles out in that manner.

The goalkeeper lost his mother and suddenly the picture of the NFF president was sent out in a press release when he attended Enyeama’s mother’s burial, he has done a great job isn’t it? Shaking my head. Do we call that hypocrisy?

Oliseh said he did not inform him when his mother died. Haba!!! We are talking

about his mother here, to add salt to his injuries, and despite burying his mum just last weekend he went to camp and this happened.

Enyeama, please go home and mourn your mum. Work on yourself as well and I hope to see you back in the team, your Instagram message on retirement as far as I am concerned is null and void.

Enyeama is still part of the team and I expect the NFF in their wisdom to wade in, it will be hypocritical of them not to.

Monday, October 12, 2015

EXTRATIME

X3

NPFL: WOLVES INSIST TITLE RACE STILL OPEN

W

NFF boss, Amaju Pinnick

NFF MOVES TO ENFORCE CODE OF CONDUCT

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

T

he code of conduct for players and officials of the various National Teams will soon come into force, so says the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

Speaking from Belgium on Sunday, NFF President Amaju Pinnick assured that the document was ready and would be implemented soonest to guide the conduct of players, officials and coaches and minimize areas of conflict and tension in the national camp.

“A small group had been working on the document and I am happy to say that it is now ready for implementation. This will spell out how players and officials must conduct themselves while in any of the national camps, and minimize the probability of misunderstanding between

Falconets to play South Africa

T

he U-20 Women National Team, Falconets, are up against familiar foes, Basetsana of South Africa in the African final qualifying round for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals.

Reigning world vice champions Nigeria earned passage into the final qualifying round on Saturday after a 2-0 defeat of their counterparts from Democratic Republic of Congo in Abuja, for a 4-1 aggregate win.

On their part, South Africa’s Basetsana had a close call as they managed to edge the Zambia U-20 girls 3-2 in the return leg in South Africa, following a 0-0 draw by both teams in Zambia.

coaches and players.

“The recent happening in the camp of the Super Eagles in Belgium was unwarranted but I am happy we have been able to put that behind us. Both Coach Sunday Oliseh and player Vincent Enyeama even spoke cordially on Saturday during Enyeama’s meeting with the NFF leadership,” he said.

At the meeting, Pinnick, in company with NFF 1st Vice President Seyi Akinwunmi and 2nd Vice President Shehu Dikko, told Enyeama in clear terms that the country is bigger than any individual, and that even if he was determined to quit international football, he did not have to do so in a situation of acrimony.

“I told him that he did so well for Nigeria over the past thirteen-and-half years that he had been there, and by all means, is deserving of an honourable exit. Whatever the situation, whether he decides to return

arri Wolves coach Paul Aigbogun has insisted the Nigeria league title race is still open after they were held to a draw by hosts Rangers and leaders Enyimba won at home.

Enyimba opened a five-point gap at the top of the table when they beat Shooting Stars 2-1 and Wolves were held to a 1-1 draw at Rangers in Week 33 games of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) on Sunday.

“The title race is still wide open,” said Coach Aigbogun.

to the team or not, the NFF will organize a worthy testimonial match in his honour because he served the nation so well.

“However, the Head Coach is in full charge of the team and the camp at all times, and that fact must be respected.

The NFF will support and respect the decision of the Head Coach of any of the National Teams at all times. Both Oliseh and Enyeama are true heroes of Nigeria football, if you look at what they achieved at different times. But Oliseh is Head Coach now and in charge of the team. We will continue to respect his contract; our role as a Federation is advisory,” he added.

Pinnick insisted that with regards to the recent misunderstanding, there is no victor and no vanquished. But he hinted that the code of conduct is certain to restrict the use of social media by players to air situation in the national camp.

Abu Azeez of Warri Wolves (right) on the prowl

EDOMWONYI

nets hat-trick in Sturm romp

N

Edomwonyi

igerian striker, Bright Edomwonyi scored a hattrick for Austrian club, Sturm Graz, in the 15-1 win over Kraftwerk U30 in an international friendly on Saturday.

The forward netted in the 49th, 79th and 88th minute as the threetime Austrian champions won in comprehensive fashion.

Edomwonyi has yet to score in the Austrian Bundesliga despite making six appearances for the side this season.

The 21-year-old commenced his professional football education in

Next weekend, Wolves will be home, while Enyimba will be on the road.

In Enugu, Warri Wolves took the lead after 13 minutes through Gbolahan Salami who slotted home a pass by Kufre Ebong after he was released by Ikechukwu Ibenegbu.

Osas Okoro drew Ranger level in the 51st minute when he stabbed home from deep inside the box.

This was just a minute after striker Emmanuel Eze had been denied by a point-blank save by goalkeeper Okiemute Odah.

2012 when he made just one league appearance for Red Bull Salzburg in the 2012/13 season.

He scored twice in 11 league appearances for FC Liefering the following season before Wacker Innsbruck in the second part of 2014.

Edomwonyi however enjoyed his most productive season yet in the 2014/15 campaign at Austrian club, TSV Hartberg where he scored nine goals in 15 league matches.

Born in Benin City, Edomwonyi has never been capped by Nigeria at any level.

EL KANEMI BOYCOTT LEAGUE MATCH OVER PAY

P

layers of El Kanemi Warriors stayed away from a Nigeria league Week 33 game against FC IfeanyiUbah on Sunday in Nnewi due to unpaid wages.

El Kanemi are owed salaries running over several months.

The walkover formality was carried out by the match officials.

Three goals and three points were awarded to the hosts IfeanyiUbah.

Ifeanyi Ubah now have 47 points from 33 games.

Monday, October 12, 2015

EXTRATIME

Odion

Ighalo

X4

Monday, October 12, 2015

EXTRATIME

PERSONAL INFORMATION Name: Odion Ighalo Full name: Odion Jude Ighalo Date of birth: June 16, 1989 (age 26) Place of birth: Lagos, Nigeria Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) Playing position: Striker Current team: Watford Number: 24 Youth career 2000–2005: Prime Senior career 2005–2006: Prime 2006–2007: Julius Berger 2007–2008: Lyn 2008–2014: Udinese 2009–2010: Granada (loan) 2010: Cesena (loan) 2011–2014: Granada (loan) 2014: Watford (loan) 2014–Till date: Watford National team 2009: Nigeria U-20 2015–Till date: Nigeria

About

ODION IGHALO

Odion Jude Ighalo (born June 16, 1989) is a Nigerian professional footballer who plays for English club Watford and the Nigeria national team as a striker.

Born in Lagos, Ighalo played in Nigeria with Prime F.C. and Julius Berger FC, where he was discovered by FIFA agent Marcelo Houseman who recommended him to Atta Aneke, being subsequently taken on trial by Norway’s Lyn Fotball.

He made his Tippeligaen debut on September 16, 2007 at the age of just 18, scoring in a 2–0 home win against Viking FK. He netted six goals in 13 games in his second year to help his team to the seventh position, and subsequently arose interest from other clubs in the country, with SK Brann reporting Lyn to the Football Association of Norway for unfairness in the negotiation process.

On July 30, 2008 Ighalo signed for Udinese Calcio in Italy, moving alongside teammate Jo Inge Berget and agreeing to a five-year contract.

He appeared rarely in Serie A in his debut season, scoring against Cagliari Calcio in a 6–2 home routing –four of his five league appearances came as a late substitute.

Ighalo was loaned to Granada CF in the 2009 summer, as part of the partnership agreement between Udinese and the Spaniards. He scored 17 times in his first year (playoffs included) and five in the second, as both seasons ended in promotion; this was interspersed with a brief loan stint back in Italy with A.C. Cesena.

Ighalo joined Watford on a season-long loan deal from Udinese, on July 29, 2014 and made his debut for the English club in the first round of the Football League Cup at Stevenage on August 12, and scored his first goal against Brentford on September 30, by tucking the ball home after his initial penalty was saved by David Button.

On October 24, 2014 Watford terminated Ighalo’s loan, and re-signed him on a permanent deal the same day after Udinese released him from his contract. Exactly three months later, he scored four second half goals and was voted Man of the match in a 7–2 home routing of Blackpool, who led 0–2 at half time; he took his league tally to 14 on February 10, 2015, after netting a brace to help his team come from behind at Brentford to win it 2–1 – his second came through an injury time header.

On March 24, 2015, after a series of solid performances for Watford, Coach Daniel Amokachi selected Ighalo for the first time, and the latter stated, “I feel good because it is my dream to play for my country”. He gained his first cap two days later, starting in a 0–1 friendly home loss to Uganda.

X5

X6

Monday, October 12, 2015

EXTRATIME

INTERVIEW “I am still determined to present myself as a candidate for the FIFA Presidency so I can introduce the governance reforms that are necessary to restore the order and credibility to world football.

I would also like to put football at the heart of FIFA once again and make sure that we continue to develop this beautiful sport around the planet.”

I HAVE ‘CLEAR CONSCIENCE’ OVER FIFA PAYMENT

— PLATINI U

EFA chief Michel Platini has told AFP’s Philippe Grelard in an exclusive interview that he did nothing wrong in accepting a 1.8 million euro ($2 million) payment from FIFA and that he was “still determined” to stand for the presidency of the troubled world organisation. His comments came after Swiss prosecutors had accused embattled FIFA president Sepp Blatter of making a “disloyal payment” to Platini in 2011 for work he carried out between 1998 and 2002. Excerpts: Can you explain exactly what the work undertaken by yourself on FIFA’s behalf from 1998 to 2002 consisted of?

I was employed by FIFA as a special advisor to President Sepp Blatter, working on various matters related to football, such as the international football calendar. It was a full-time job.

How were the payments staggered? Was a first tranche paid before 2011?

Like I explained to the Swiss authorities, I received only part of the agreed salary between 1998 to 2002. This occurred because at the

time, FIFA informed me that they would not be able to pay me the total agreed amount. Of course all the moneys received at the time were declared to the pertinent authorities.

How do you explain that a final payment was made to you as late as 2011, nine years after your work was completed?

Mr. Blatter informed me when I started my role as his advisor that it was not initially possible to pay the totality of my salary because of FIFA’s financial situation at that time. I never doubted, however, that the remaining amount owed to me would be paid eventually, so I did not actively pursue it. I even put the matter to the side for a while, before finally requesting that the outstanding balance was paid in 2011.

Have you already paid taxes on these payments in Switzerland?

Yes I declared all moneys received to the Swiss authorities and paid all tax due.

How do you respond to those who say that this last payment came in the year that Blatter was elected for the fourth time, with certain media deducing from this that Blatter paid what he owed you for not standing

“Mr. Blatter informed me when I started my role as his advisor that it was not initially possible to pay the totality of my salary because of FIFA’s financial situation at that time. I never doubted, however, that the remaining amount owed to me would be paid eventually, so I did not actively pursue it.

I even put the matter to the side for a while, before finally requesting that the outstanding balance was paid in 2011.”

against him?

Like I have said, the outstanding amount for the work I did was paid when I finally requested it to FIFA. The fact that this payment was

made a few months before the FIFA Presidential elections is irrelevant since I never had any plans of becoming a candidate. As a matter of fact, I was extremely happy to be re-elected as UEFA President at the UEFA congress in Paris in March of 2011.

Are you worried over your suspension by the FIFA Ethics Committee? Have you been contacted by the FIFA Ethics Committee on this subject?

Actually it was I who personally took the initiative to contact the Ethics Committee to tell them that I was at their full disposal to answer any question or to clarify any situation. I’m not worried over the suspension because I have done nothing wrong.

What is your state of mind today?

I am calm and totally serene since I don’t have reasons to be concerned.

I have also received many messages of support from many people around the world who trust me and who hope I can soon restore credibility to the governance of world football.

Have you been hurt by this speculation? Do you expect other controversies or even attacks given that the election will only happen in

February 2016?

I have known for a long time that I would be the target of many unfounded attacks and I am conscious that these attacks will continue until the FIFA elections take place. I have to say, however, that I am disappointed with the speculation in some media, especially the one coming from a French Tabloid that talks about there being “doubt” around me.

There is no doubt about my integrity. I have done nothing wrong.

That is why I have made myself fully available to cooperate with the relevant bodies and authorities to clarify whatever may be necessary.

Do you think it will be possible one day to re-establish a relationship of trust between football fans and FIFA? I am still determined to present myself as a candidate for the FIFA Presidency so I can introduce the governance reforms that are necessary to restore the order and credibility to world football. I would also like to put football at the heart of FIFA once again and make sure that we continue to develop this beautiful sport around the planet. Ï ƑƋƋƆƗ ƇƏ ƌ 0^

Monday, October 12, 2015

EXTRATIME

X7

HAZARD:

I’m no longer untouchable at Chelsea

E

Klopp

B

orussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke is not concerned newly appointed Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will attempt to lure any of his former players to Anfield without the Bundesliga side’s consent.

Klopp enjoyed a successful spell in charge of Dortmund between 2008 and 2015 and still enjoys a fine relationship with a number of the squad.

Recent reports have suggested Klopp could try to lure Marco Reus and Ilkay Gundogan to Liverpool, but Dortmund are confident their former coach would not approach any players without previously contacting his exclub.

“Jurgen would never do anything that would damage BVB’s interests,” Watzke said.

“I am 100 per cent certain about that. He would never approach any players behind our back.

KLOPP will not poach Dortmund players

den Hazard admits he is no longer untouchable at Chelsea after a string of underwhelming performances this campaign.

The Belgium international was one of the best performers in the Premier League last term and won a host of individual trophies as he helped Chelsea to the league title.

However, he has been unable to replicate that form in 2015-16 so far and has received his fair share of criticism in recent weeks.

Hazard recently acknowledged that he has been struggling this season and he now believes he is no longer an undisputed starter.

“It is true that I am no longer untouchable. You can be untouchable

–WATZKE “We are simply too close for things like that to happen. We have been through too much together.”

Liverpool have not won the title since 1990, but Watzke is confident Klopp can guide them to silverware again.

“This is a great move for both Jurgen and for Liverpool. He can get them back to greatness. We don’t even have to talk about that.

“I am convinced that he will be as successful at Liverpool as he was at Dortmund.”

S

before welcoming Newcastle for his opening match on home soil.

“We all know what a difficult position Sunderland are in, but I look forward to the challenge as always,” Allardyce stated.

“People always look at me and see what I’ve done at West Ham and Blackburn, which is a similar resurrection to what I’ve got to do at Sunderland.

“Get them out of trouble as soon as I can and up that league because this year is obviously very important time for everyone based on the new television rights deal coming in next season.

Hazard

DE VRIJ

Allardyce calls on past experience in Sunderland

am Allardyce reckons he has what it takes to guide Sunderland away from danger in the Premier League, having achieved the feat with other clubs in the past.

The former West Ham manager was appointed as Dick Advocaat’s replacement at the Stadium of Light on Friday, signing a two-year contract.

He assumes control of a side still without a win from their opening eight top-flight matches and only kept off the bottom of the table by fierce rivals Newcastle United.

Allardyce’s first game in charge will be against West Brom next weekend,

when you are playing well, but that has not been the case this season,” the 24-year-old said.

“I was even benched against Porto.

I think the coach wanted to send out a message by dropping me.

“But we have a large squad at Chelsea and we will need everyone.”

Chelsea’s poor run of form has seen manager Jose Mourinho’s position come under threat, but Hazard remains confident the Portuguese can turn things around.

“I do not read everything that he says and everything that is being written about him, but I am not worried too much for him,” he added.

“Mourinho is the best coach in the world to deal with this kind of pressure.”

NOT INTERESTED IN MAN UNITED

De Vrij

N

etherlands international Stefan de Vrij has insisted that he has no intention of leaving Lazio for Manchester United any time soon.

The defender has been heavily linked with a move to Old Trafford ever since Louis van Gaal took charge of United after the 2014 World Cup.

However, the 23-year-old has stressed that he is focused on his current club and is determined to win silverware with Lazio.

“I am continually being linked with Manchester United because Louis van Gaal is their manager,” De Vrij told reporters.

“A lot of Dutch players are being linked with Manchester United, but there was never anything in it.

“All I want at this stage is to win things with Lazio.

“Our start to the season was a bit difficult, but we are on our way up again. We are climbing in the table.”

De Vrij joined Lazio from Feyenoord in July 2014 and has since developed into a key figure at the Stadio Olimpico. He has a contract with Lazio until June 2018.

X8

Monday, October 12, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME

MESSI:

Sometimes Mascherano goes crazy!

B

ernd Leno is aiming to impress with Germany and stake his claim for a spot in the squad should they make it to Euro 2016.

The Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper, called up for the first time for the current round of international fixtures, watched from the bench as Joachim Low’s men were beaten 1-0 by Republic of Ireland last Thursday.

He hopes that by working hard in training he can garner favour with the coaching staff and be considered for a spot in the squad at the finals in France next year.

“We’ll have to wait and see. My task here is to make the best possible impression of myself here and to put in some convincing performances during training,” Leno said.

“Then I have to keep playing consistently for my club. It’d be a dream to be there in France. I will do everything I can to make that dream a reality.”

L

Leno

LENO:

IT WOULD BE A DREAM TO GO TO EURO 2016

ionel Messi has revealed that it is best to avoid conversing with Barcelona and Argentina team-mate Javier Mascherano on certain days.

Mascherano has published a book, co-authored with Nicolas Miguelez, entitled ‘The 15 Steps of Leadership’, in which he talks about his career and motivations.

The book’s preface was penned by the fourtime Ballon d’Or winner, who opened up about the intensity of his club colleague and compatriot.

“He has his days. Sometimes he comes in wanting to talk and make jokes, but he also has crazy days,” Messi wrote.

“When that’s the case it’s better not to talk to him. We see him there and no one dares to say anything.”

The 28-year-old was absent for Argentina’s 2-0 defeat at home to Ecuador in their first qualification fixture for World Cup 2018 due to injury.

In his stead, Mascherano took the captain’s armband, and Messi admitted that he often relies on the help of his team-mate to orchestrate the side.

Bale coping with Real pressure

Garcia

GARCIA

relishing open Serie A title race

R

udi Garcia says the Serie A title race is more open this season than any of the last four thanks to Juventus’ stuttering start to the campaign.

Juve have cantered to the Scudetto in each of the last four years and finished 17 points clear of Garcia’s Roma in 2014-15.

However, they have only won two of their opening seven matches and have been beaten by Udinese, Roma and Napoli - leaving them 10 points behind early leaders Fiorentina, and six adrift of Garcia’s men.

With Fiorentina, Inter and Lazio

all showing impressive early form, Garcia is relishing the title battle this season and hopes Roma can be part of that tussle come May. “It is a much more open Scudetto race after four years in which Juventus were champions of Italy four times in a row and beat the record for points in 2013-14,” he told reporters.

“This season the title battle is far more open and we have to make sure we’re up there all the way to the end.

“Our objective is to qualify for the Champions League, but it is our ambition to do as well as possible.”

I made Lewandowski a star, says Klopp

J –BECKHAM F ormer Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham has hailed Gareth Bale for the way he has been coping with the pressure at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The Wales international joined Madrid from Tottenham in September 2013 and impressed in his first season at the club.

However, he received his fair share of criticism last term and Beckham is impressed with the way Bale has managed to hold his own in the Spanish capital.

“I got to know Gareth when I trained at Tottenham a few years ago – and he’s a fantastic guy with so much talent,” Beckham said.

“I wasn’t surprised when Real Madrid signed him for the amount they did. But, obviously, with that comes a lot of pressure.

“And when you are at Real Madrid, whether you sign for £1million or £100m, there is always pressure on you to perform.

“In his first season Gareth won the Champions League and scored in the final – that was unbelievable for him.

“But for me it is now that Gareth is showing why he is such a great character.”

Bale, who recently returned to the pitch after a calf problem, has netted twice in five appearances in all competitions for Madrid in 2015-16.

Bale

urgen Klopp believes Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski would not have been the player he is now if it were not for his guidance at Borussia Dortmund.

The recently appointed Liverpool manager coached Lewandowski at Signal Iduna Park between 2010 and 2014 and hopes to be equally important in the careers of some of his new club’s promising youngsters.

The Poland international joined Dortmund from Lech Poznan as a relative unknown and has since developed into one of the most sought-after attackers in the game.

Klopp has highlighted his role in Lewandowski’s development and hopes some of Liverpool’s hot prospects can follow the same career path under his tutelage.

“The biggest satisfaction you can get is when you take a player like Lewandowski from Poland, from a small club and watch him playing today,” Klopp said.

“The difference between that player and the player he is today is unbelievable. I’m not self-confident enough to think I have had the only role in his development, but of course I did play a big part.