Daily Times of Nigeria

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.25

INEC records WASC for Buhari

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President Jonathan with a young mother and her baby at the camp of internally displaced persons in Maiduguri... on Thursday

Bird flu in Lagos, Kano 6

President in surprise trip to Borno ÏÏÏPRESIDENT

Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday paid a surprise visit to Borno State, a hotbed of Boko Haram activities which he

had since 2013 been accused of neglecting.

The visit was kept under wraps, and CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Oyedepo to Winners members: It’s Operation show your PVC next Sunday

6

INSIDE XT Exclusive

EXTRATIME

AYC:

Poster!

We’ll conquer all opposition, says OLORUNLEKE

OTONYE IWORIMA

X2

Full name: Birth Date: Nationality: Event: Honour:

EXTRATIME

Otonye Iworima April 13, 1976 Nigerian Triple jump 2006 Nigeria’s Female Athlete of the Year

Achievements Year Competition 2006 Commonwealth Games 2006 African Championships 2007 All-Africa Games 2008 African Championships 2008 African Championships 2010 African Championships 2010 Commonwealth Games 2011 All-Africa Games

Venue

Position

Event

Notes

Melbourne, Australia Bambous, Mauritius Algiers, Algeria Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Nairobi, Kenya Delhi, India Maputo, Mozambique

2nd 3rd 3rd 11th 6th 3rd 9th 3rd

Triple jump Triple jump Triple jump Long jump Triple jump Triple jump Triple jump Triple jump

13.53 m 13.88 m (w) 13.83 m 5.83 m (w) 13.38 m 13.65 m 13.21 m 13.53 m

Indeed, things are difficult here (Maputo) but one cannot succumb to those distractions and forgo her set objectives. I made a vow that I would win gold in the All Africa Games and it stands. I am not going to settle for silver or bronze medals. Gold is my target and I know that I am as good as gold.”

“My coaches have driven me to the point where nothing else can compensate for my efforts. I am in good condition and hopefully, that it will be like this until I crown my efforts with the gold medal. Frankly, I am not for silver and bronze. No, they are not for me. My aim is gold. My dream is gold. No alternative.” --Otonye Iworima said at the Games Village in Maputo in 2011.

Otonye

Iworima

X4,5

Thursday, January 15, 2015

EMENIKE, ALVES training row turns ugly

CRISTIANO RONALDO A star like no other!

X6

History beckons as Australian Open serves off

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Burkina Faso plays Gabon in opener X3

X7

2

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Politics Page Three

3

s

Editorial The pact between Jonathan and Buhari

T

he recent pact between the presidential candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Goodluck Jonathan and All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, is indeed a welcome development. The two candidates are said to have committed themselves to abide by the rule of safe, fair and non-violent elections.

In agreeing to maintain the peace, both contestants have now bound themselves to a deed of good conduct prior to, during and after the elections.

In the five page agreement signed by Buhari, Jonathan and 12 other presidential hopefuls, they admitted, that for long elections in Nigeria have come to look like a do-or-die affair. Definitely, Nigerians are genuinely worried about elections that are conducted without integrity, especially where state and elite sponsored violence become institutionalised mechanism to abridge franchise, and, ultimately, our democracy. For long, the average Nigerian politician has been seen as a venal individual that is seeking office simply for personal gains and greed.

The historical trajectory of electoral process in the country have been characterised by violence, that the utterance, dispositions and mindset of the parties, candidates and their supporters are seen as responsible for most of the election violence in Nigeria. It is a fact that recent manifestations of electoral violence, most importantly since the birth of the Fourth Republic in 1999 have assumed an unprecedented mag-

nitude and changing form, resulting in instability in democratic consolidation as well as the loss and displacement of many innocent lives.

There is no denying the fact that politicians and their supporters are creating a climate of fear and apprehension all over the country through their conducts. What is more, if the parties and their candidates manage to trade the key issues in contention, it will be clear, at the very least, that the two critically absent elements in our governance mode today– development and security– can only be restored through an election defined by integrity.

Whatever our differences as a people, electoral violence is not one of the solutions. What will solve the problem of inequity in the polity, of poverty, of improving governance, of empowerment for the marginalised segments of our community, of corruption, and development, is democracy, which is made possible only when we have free and fair elections.

The blatant absurdity of violence by politicians and their supporters must stop today, and all actors in this election must promptly come to understand the compelling reasons for sanity and peace to reign. Toward this end, we also call on political, religious and traditional rulers to follow in the steps of the presidential candidates and educate their followers on the need to show restraint.

Elections are popularity contests not tests of terror. Those who lose can wait for another cycle and that’s the beauty of the game.

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Sam Nzeh

ÎÎÎThe signing of a peace

pact to ensure violence-free general elections in February by President Goodluck Jonathan, General Muhammadu Buhari and other gladiators on Wednesday in Abuja no doubt is a welcome development.

This is so particularly when viewed against the backdrop of rising hate speeches by chieftains of the two major parties in the election, the Peoples Demo-

cratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) and actions of their supporters which have choked the polity lately.

While the contestants in the February presidential poll should be commended for appending their signatures to the peace pact, not a few Nigerians want them go beyond the surface to see that their ‘body language’ does not encourage their supporters overtly or covertly to take laws into their hands prior to, during and after the election even where they feel cheated.

Again and most crucial is the need for the gladiators to be ready to concede defeat after the polls are held

Words On Marble :

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Beyond the peace pact and results announced.

Where they feel robbed of victory, the contestants must be ready to seek redress in court.

They must know that this is a contest and no matter how optimistic they and their followers are, only one person will emerge winner.

This realization and the willingness of the two major gladiators in the poll to concede defeat easily and without over heating the polity will be the acid test to their maturity and love for Nigeria and her people.

This will also ensure that efforts that culminated into signing of the peace pact are not in vain.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

dailytimesng www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

Publisher

Fidelis Anosike

Group Managing Director Noel Anosike

Managing Editor Gabriella Osamor

Editor

Yinka Olujimi

Deputy Editors Yemi Ogunsola Sam Nzeh

Abuja Bureau Chief

Head of Operations

Group News Editor

Online Editor

Bisi Abidoye Segun Adio

Innocent Nwankwo Adetayo Adelaja

Editorial Page Editor

Business Editor

Sports Editor

Head, Sales & Marketing

Okay Osuji

Andrew Ekejiuba

Emmanuel Ogbonnaya Moses Ebong

Head ICT (Shared Services) Banjo Ayorinde

Head Graphics King Ododoru

Deputy Head Graphics Afeez Odeseye

The opinions expressed in the articles published in this newspaper are solely those of the authors. Articles may be reproduced, provided that the original source is indicated.

Seriake Dickson

Ango Abdullahi

Goodluck Jonathan

We have a strong political horse. If the war horse is strong, anybody can ride it tio victory. The other party is yet to be tested at the national level

The Northern Elders Forum welcomes the emergence of General Buhari as a presidential candidate because he has better credentials to lead Nigeria out of its current challenges

Nobody can use violence to take the people’s mandate and sleep with his eyes closed

4

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 15, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

5 News

Kuku challenges Buhari on PTF

Opposition parties deplete C’River PDP

Tosin Ajuwon

Emma Obi

Akure

ÎÎÎChairman of

the Presidential Amnesty Programme and Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs, Hon. Kingsley Kuku has challenged General Muhammadu Buhari , presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to account for the fund realised through the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), when he headed it.

Kuku threw the challenge at a media gathering and lecture on the Transformation of the Niger Delta held in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

He alleged that the former

Head of state and members of APC have been engaged in campaigns of calumny.

The Special Adviser said that Buhari should disclose his alleged deals while he was the chairman of PTF and noted that he should stop casting aspersion on President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. “Buhari is the most corrupt leader or how else do you determine corruption? He has to admit all his failures on the issue of PTF. “He should stop talking about corruption in this country because he is the most corrupt person in the country,” he added.

Kuku also asked rhetorically,

“Are you not aware of how General Buhari put Pa Adekunle Ajasin in prison custody without committing any offence?

He used his military power to incarcerate many Nigerians. Is he the same person that we will allow to rule us in Nigeria?” he queried.

He said “ (Senator Bola)Tinubu cannot say that he doesn’t know the author of corruption in Nigeria. I am not saying that Tinubu is a corrupt person, but he cannot deny the fact that he knows what corruption is. He can identify corruption and those who are corrupt in Nigeria. Tinubu knows what corruption means and what it means for an individual to be corrupt”.

He also disclosed that the relationship between President Goodluck Jonathan and former President Olusegun Obasanjo might be frosty adding that their issue is like that of an aggrieved ‘father and son’.

“The same Jonathan that Obasanjo is accusing today was the same person he rated as the best person in2011.”

He, however, said a presidential debate must be held for both the PDP and APC candidates to test their knowledge and see who could actually lead the country.

“Buhari must attend the presidential debate with Jonathan where several questions would be asked on the economy of our country”, he said.

President Goodluck Jonathan laying the wreath during the 2015 Armed forces remembrance day in Abuja on Thursdays Photo:

Temitope Balogun

Calabar

ÎÎÎAs the 2015 general elections

draw closer, opposition political parties in Cross River State have continued to deplete the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Within the last few weeks, some PDP stakeholders have dumped for either All Progressive Congress (APC) or Labour Party (LP).

Prominent among the decampees was Prince Bassey Otu, a serving senator representing the Southern Senatorial District of Cross River State who decamped to Labour Party.

Others who have dumped PDP in the state include; Barr. Fidelis Ugbo, a one- time Secretary to the StateGovernment, who picked a governorship form on the platform of the PDP but lost in the primaries also decamped to Labour Party to contest against Senator Ben Ayade who is the PDP governorship flagbearer; Alex Egbona, immediate past Chief of Staff to the governor had contested the office of the House of Reps representing Abi/Yakurr Federal Constituency and failed. Subsequently, Egbona also dumped the PDP for Labour Party to contest the same office.

In an interaction with Daily Times in Calabar, state chairman of Labour Party, Mr. Austin Ibok said these was a sign of impending doom for the PDP in Cross River.

FG seeks better National Defence Policy Andrew Orolua Abuja

Jonathan, others honour fallen heroes Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÎÎÎPresident

Goodluck Jonathan and 12 other dignitaries have laid wreaths at the National Arcade, Abuja in remembrance of fallen heroes who died in defence of the country.

The solemn ceremony marked the peak of events for this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day. It featured a colourful four column parade mounted by members of the Armed Forces comprising units of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Air Force and members of the Nigerian Legion.

Other dignitaries who took

turn in the laying of wreaths were the Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Senate President David Mark, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha who represented Hon Aminu Tambuwal who was conspicuously absent, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed and Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed.

Defence Minister, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusua Mohammed, Chief of Defence staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff, Lt.Gen. Kenneth Miminah, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal

Adesola Amosu and the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba also took their turn.

Chairman of Nigerian Legion, Colonel Micah Gayya (rtd) and the doyen of Diplomatic Corps, the Malian Head of Mission in Nigeria, Mahamane Maiga also laid wreaths.

Beside the wreath laying, the solemn event featured a 21-gun salute by soldiers, inspection of parade by President Jonathan and the symbolic peace gesture by the president who released a large number of pigeons at the venue before he signed the register.

Senate President, David Mark said in an interview after the ceremony that it was the high-

est honour for the fallen heroes.

Mark, who fought alongside the Nigerian Army during the civil war, said the event was a morale booster for serving soldiers and officers.

He assured that the welfare of members of the armed forces would continue to be the priority of the Federal Government even without the current security challenges facing the country.

Also speaking in separate interviews at the event, Defence minister, Lt. Gen Aliyu Gusau Mohammed and Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro reassured Nigerians that the armed forces would overcome the country’s current security challenges.

ÎÎÎA national committee inau-

gurated last year to review the Nigeria National Defence Policy has said that it is inviting the public to make input to improving the security status of the country in view of its diverse challenges.

The federal government, through the Ministry of Defence on November 20, 2014 set up the 35-man Committee to review the policy after it covered that the current policy was inappropriate in dealing with the insurgency.

Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Umaru (rtd), chairman of the committee who addressed a press conference in Abuja on Thursday said that after his committee conducted a plenary session, it visited strategic industries and institutions, and held talks with key stakeholders, it became imperative to hold public sessions in Kaduna, Enugu and Lagos.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

INEC records WASC for Buhari Segun Adio

ÏÏÏTHE

controversy surrounding the educational qualification of the Presidential standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, may have finally been laid to rest by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The commission on Wednesday posted on its website the profiles of the 14 presidential candidates and their deputies for the

February 14 general election.

In the statement, INEC recorded West African School Certificate (WASC) for Gen. Buhari.

There has been a raging controversy over the academic credentials of the Katsina State-born army-turned politician in the last couple of weeks.

On Wednesday, the APC claimed that Buhari’s certificates were seized by the administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida shortly after the 1985

putsch, at which Buhari was kicked out of office.

While listing all eligible candidates for the highest office in the land and their running mates on Thursday, INEC indicated that Buhari possesses a secondary school leaving certificate.

Of the number, 23 possessed either first degrees or the Higher National Diploma, HND and above while three, including Gen. Buhari had either the West African School Certificate, WASC or its equivalent.

The commission’s spokes-

man, Kayode Idowu, told the Daily Times on Thursday night that INEC simply uploaded the information supplied by the candidates.

Six of the candidates, including President Goodluck Jonathan, have Ph.Ds. The list showed that only seven of the 14 presidential candidates and their running mates had their ages to their names.

Not even the ages of the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan and Vice President Namadi Sambo were included.

The ages of Gen. Buhari and his running mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo were also missing in the list.

Free tertiary education is impossible, Fashola tells Awoists Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo

ÏÏÏLagos State Governor

Babatunde Fashola has faulted demands for free university education by activists in Nigeria, saying they are not well informed about what it means to give it at all levels.

He made the declaration at the 2014 series of the Obafemi Awolowo Free Education Lecture organised by the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Faculty of Education on Thursday.

The governor explained that free education can only be guaranteed at the primary and secondary level, noting that many people fail to differentiate between education and specialisation.

To Fashola, who was the guest speaker and an awardee of Life Patron of the Obafemi Awolowo Free Education Order, education

Bird flu in Lagos, Kano Augustine Aminu

ÏÏÏThe

Federal Government has issued an alert on the outbreak of avian influenza in the country.

This was contained in a statement by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, which indicated that unusual high mortality of birds has been reported in two poultry farms and live bird markets in Kano and Lagos States.

He said: “The Federal Ministry of Agriculture

and Rural Development (FMARD) wishes to notify the general public that unusual high mortality has been reported in two poultry farms and live bird markets in Kano and Lagos States.

“Samples forwarded to the National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), Vom tested positive for H5 Strain of Avian Influenza virus and confirmatory samples have been sent to the International Reference Laboratory in Padova, Italy for further characterisation.”

According to the Minister

measures have been taken to arrest the situation. “The Ministry has taken the following measures in the affected sites to contain the reported outbreaks.

“Quarantine of infected premises and restriction of movement of poultry and poultry products into and out of areas around infected premises.

“All State Directors of Veterinary services and FCT, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) and other stakeholders have been informed and advised to be on alert with intensified

bio-security measures to avert possible spread of the disease to other states.

“The World Organisation For Animal Health (OIE) and Inter African Bureau For Animal Resource (AUIBAR) and Development Partners have been appropriately notified in compliance with our statutory international obligations “ Immediate reactivation of all Animal Health component of the Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) on Bird flu for Nigeria “Conduct of surveillance activities around in-

Oyedepo

President in surprise trip to Borno Continued from page 1 took place shortly after the President had performed the yearly Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Abuja.

He was received by the state Governor, Kashim Shettima. The president was accompanied by the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs, the National Security Adviser and the Director-General of the National Emergency Management Agency.

President Jonathan visited officers and men of the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army at Maimalari Cantonment in Maiduguri to thank them for their patriotic and courageous service to the nation.

It’s Operation show your PVC next Sunday – Oyedepo Segun Adio

ÏÏÏMembers

going for worship at the Living Faith Church also known as Winners Chapel in Ota, Ogun State come Sunday, may not be armed with their Bible alone.

They are to be identified also with their Permanent Voter Cards (PVC).

Daily Times gathered that founder of the church, Bishop David Oyedepo, gave the charge last Wednesday during a mid-week service.

The auditorium of the church’s headquarters located at Km 10, Idiroko road, Sango Ota, Ogun State is said to have a seating capacity of 50,400 people and an outside overflow capacity of over 250,000, with four services every Sunday.

It was gathered that Bishop Oyedepo said each member coming for the church service should come along with the cards so that it could be prayed upon before the general elections scheduled for February this year.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Bauchi police recover 15 IEDs, ammunition from robbers Daniel Jolly, Bauchi

ÏÏÏ Determined to reduce crime

wave in Bauchi State, the Police Command have recovered arms and ammunitions, 15 Improvised Explosive Device (IEDs) and 33 various vehicles in the last 12 months.

The state Commissioner of Police, Lawal Shehu, who disclosed this Thursday while briefing journalists at the police headquarters in Bauchi, said that the command arrested over 1,195 suspects comprising of cattle rustlers, armed robbers and rapists within the same period.

Shehu further stated that the police recovered 13 AK47 rifles, 3 Barreta rifles, two G3 rifles, one SMG rifle, one double barrel gun, 11 fabricated pistols,

27 dane guns, four G-3 Rifles, 3 K2 Rifles and 586 rounds of AK47and 8 SMG live ammunitions as well as 43 catridges and one magazine from criminal elements in the state.

According to him, within the period under review, 15 Improvised Explosive Devices IED were recovered while two were concealed in a fire extinguisher adding that 33 vehicles of different models Sharon, Toyota Hilux, Corolla, Jeep, Honda Accord, Peugeot, trucks; Golf vehicles and five motorcycles were among those recovered.

He disclosed that the command also smashed and syndicate of cattle rustlers and recovered 164 cattle, 34 sheep and 20 goats while five suspects had been arrested and charged to court for prosecution.

While lamenting the new trends of crime bedevilling the state now, which he said were rape and procuration of minor girls, Shehu said that, “On this note, the command recorded over 10 cases of rape between August to date and arrested 13 suspects, eight of which were charged to court for prosecution, while five others were under investigation and will also be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.”

He further informed that police in the state arrested over 1,195 suspects in connection with various offences, including house breaking and theft, car security, fraud, vandalisation of NITEL cables, obtaining under fraud pretence and some members of the dreaded Sara-Suka thugs.

Kawonise threatens court action as Ogun LP picks guber candidate Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta

ÏÏÏ The Ogun State chapter of

Labour Party, LP, has dropped the candidature of the former Commissioner of Information during Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s administration, Sina Kawonise as the governorship candidate of the Party in Ogun State.

The party has announced a maritime consultant, Comrade Abolaji Sunmola as its governorship candidate for the forthcoming election in the state.

Kawonise, who was the sole aspirant of the Party was affirmed as the candidate of the Party in a Governorship primary held in December last year.

The indication that Kawonise might not be fielded as the flag-

Ex-Adamawa Ag. Gov defects to APC Tom Garba, Yola

A cross section of Lagos State gubernatorial aspirants and clergy men at the 2015 Gubernatorial Debate held in Lagos on Thursday. Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

7 News

The former Acting governor of Adamawa State, Rt Hon. James Barka has defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday during a campaign tour to Toungo, Ganye and Jada LGAs with scores of his supporters that filled the Gangwari Ganye square to the brim to witness his formal defection to APC. But his formal declaration to APC took many of his friends and associates in PDP by surprise.

The indoctrination of Barka into the party alongside with

bearer of the Party emerged last week when INEC announced the name of the State Chairman of LP, Bode Simeon as its Candidate for February 28 elections.

While speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta, Oginni explained that the party had replaced the name of the state party chairman, Olabode Simeon whose name had been submitted as the party governorship candidate with Sunmola.

Sunmola, a Gbagura man from Abeokuta North Local government area of the state, aged 54, was said to have been selected by members of the National Working Committee of the party and had submitted his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

many PDP members was done by the chairman of the party in the State, Alhaji Shuaibu Yamusa, who assured them of equal treatment in all affairs of the party adding that, “our party is for the general masses cutting across all corners of the federation without any form of sentiments, we in this party we assure you of fair play and justice”.

Yamusa continued to remind them of how Nigerians are in dire need of change while adding that only leaders with good heart will change the history of Nigeria for posterity sake.

Said he: “Barka we need people like you who have reached a particular level in the political history of our state to have a good rethink for a better U-turn to the only party of change, today all of you are now agents of change as our party manifestos is concerned”.

NEMA advocates Buhari promises new deal for youths, women Insurance Law for traders Augustine Aminu The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), has assured that General Muhammadu Buhari will initiate policies and programmes that will impact positively on the lives of youths and women when he is voted into office in the February 14 presidential election.

A statement from the Directorate of Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation said the APC manifesto contains several innovations and legislative

proposals that will promote the manpower development and social participation of women and youths in the country.

The statement, signed by Mallam Garba Shehu on Thursday, said: “Drawing extensively from the information contained in the APC’s manifesto, a federal government under the leadership of Buhari promises to offer women and youths in Nigeria a new deal.

“We are firmly committed to the value that women are the backbone of the Nigerian society, especially in our rural communities. Therefore, issues that

matter to the average Nigerian woman cut across the spectrum of policy areas, such as agriculture – where they predominate as farmers and farm labour – to health and education, where their concern for their children are paramount.

“Our policy position for woman takes into cognisance the fact that in spite of several rights outlined in the 1999 Constitution, many women do not enjoy the same freedom as men, particularly in the fields of education, economic empowerment and political participation” Shehu stated.

Moses Oyediran, Enugu The National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) has advocated for the enactment of law that would compel traders in the country to insure their goods against disasters.

The south East , Zonal Coordinator of the Agency, Major James Eze said this while briefing newsmen on Thursday in Enugu on activities of NEMA in 2014, he said, “compulsory insurance policy for traders would reduce burden on government when disasters occur.

According to him, the idea if

put in place, will be in line with best global practices and present emphasis on disaster risk reduction in Nigeria.

“Traders should ensure they insured their goods against disasters as government may not always have the financial muscle to take care of all disaster victims in the country”, he said.

The South East NEMA boss, also noted that gone were the days when insurance companies refused to compensate people that paid premiums, assuring that any trader that insures his or her goods would be adequately compensated when disasters occurs.

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Retired military personnel appeal for payment of benefits Monday Osayande, Asaba

ÏÏÏDelta State Chairman

Governor of Osun State , Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola laying the wreath during 2015 Armed forces Remembrance Day at the Military Cenotaph, Osogbo, on Thursday

LP denies adopting any presidential candidate Julius Alabi,

ÏÏÏNational

Secretary of the Labour Party (LP), Barrister Kayode Ajulo, has said that the party had not adopted any presidential candidate for the February general election.

He noted that contrary to what the opposition parties and some unpatriotic individuals would want the world to believe, “we are saying that no candidate has been adopted as its Presidential flag-bearer for the February 14 presidential election.”

According to him: “The rumour is baseless. The LP is yet to make its decision known on who to support for the presidential

INEC dismisses two officials over theft of PVCs

election and whoever we will adopted would have demonstrated beyond reasonable doubt that he is a visionary leader and pragmatic leader of the people.”

Ajulo, who made this known, yesterday, while speaking with Daily Times in Akure, the Ondo state capital, said: “We are still consulting on who to support saying that a committee would be put in place to pick or adopt the right candidate whom we think will be trusted and has people-oriented programme.

“As far as I’m concern now, nobody has been adopted by the party and we will make our decision

known in due course. Yes, we know that time is essence, but we will not be in hurry to adopt any candidate”, he said “We have not given our prayer to any candidate.

We are still neutral and we are working hard to ensure that we did not pick a wrong candidate as our choice. Our consultation will continue until we arrived on a credible candidate as our choice to adopt,” he said.

Ajulo said, besides, that: “I want to tell you that Nigerians should expect surprise, because the LP will surprise many people in the forthcoming election.

Let me also inform you that we have our candi-

dates into various elective positions in the country and people would see what the LP is made of.

“In Ondo state we are repositioning our party.

We are mapping our strategies on how to recapture the state”, he explained.

Ajulo, while speaking on his nomination for the Man of the Year by Triangle magazine and CityPeople magazine said he was elevated and happy for the award and this will spur him to do more for his people and community in terms of giving help to indigent people. He, however, has charged Nigerians to use their position to care for the less privileged and needy in our society.

Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The dismissed officers are: Mr. Collins Omofoma, a level 9 officer and Mr. Onome Avbunudiogba, a level 7 officer.

It has equally terminated the appointment of Mrs. Obi Chinwoke Ugochi, an administrative Officer II, for alleged absence from duty without leave.

Mrs. Ugochi works at the Commission’s office in Anambra state.

A statement issued, yesterday, by the Director (Commission’s Secretariat), Ishiaku A. Gali, said that the dismissal and termination of the three staff followed the Commission’s meeting held on January 8.

ÏÏÏThe

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed two of its officers for alleged theft and burglary of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in its Patani Local Government area office of Delta state.

of the Nigerian Legion, Lt. Col. Daniel Amerie (rtd), has appealed for prompt payment of their outstanding arrears running into millions of naira.

Amerie made the appeal at the grand finale of this year Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration held in Asaba yesterday.

He said Nigeria government is not giving much attention to the Legion, even as it obviously undermined the sacrifices of the fallen heroes who laid their lives for the nation.

According to him:

“Funds had not been released to us to educate our children nor employment for the graduates among them, years after graduation.”

Religious leaders used the occasion to pray for the continued, peaceful coexistence of all Nigerians irrespective of their religious and political believe.

Reverend Father Jude Ogugua of the Roman Catholic and the Champlain, Venerable Samson Oladunye prayed for President Goodluck Jonathan, the Armed Forces, the Nigerian Legion and the State Govrnment for the peace and development of the country.

Mysterious fire razes buildings in Warri Joe Ogbodu, Warri

ÏÏÏMysterious

fire has razed two buildings in Warri, the commercial nerve centre of Delta state and destroyed properties worth over N30million (thirty million naira).

The incidents happened between Wednesday and Thursday in two separate incidents.

A storey building, and a popular shopping mall were razed by the inferno.

The shopping complex situated at No. 2 Erhihovwere Street, Okumagba Avenue, and chains of

Uduagan

stores in the building were destroyed.

“I was sleeping in my home, when my phone rang at about 1a.m., on Wednesday, from someone that there is a fire disaster at the compound where I have my store,” one of the victims, Mrs Joy Anyahi said.

“Before we rushed to the scene, the fire had already razed down ten stores including properties worth over 10 Million naira. It took the help our good samaritans to quench the fire after a long time.”

Daily Times Nigeria Friday January 16, 2015

Land dispute in two Osun towns, houses razed Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo

ÏÏÏThere is high apprehension at

Ipetumodu and Asipa communities of Ile-Ife, Osun State, over continuous clash over land disputes, among other communal crisis in the area.

The new phase of the clash resurfaced on Wednesday evening and continued on a larger scale on Thursday. When our correspondent visited the area around 08:10 on Thursday, there was a serious fight between youths of both communities.

The youths were fighting with guns, charms, cutlasses and other traditional war weapons. Several gun shots were heard, with many of the youths injured.

The Thursday morning fracas started when youths from Asipa barricaded a junction linking the two communities. The Asipa ‘warriors’ also stopped and axed motorists who were entering their opponent’s community.

One of their victims said he was riding his Okada to Ipetumodu, when four youths stopped him.

According to him, two of the ‘warriors’ had guns on them, while one held charms and a cutlass.

“When I attempted to escape, because their warrior-like looks, they held me. They tried to kill me but I wasn’t harmed. Despite their shoot-

2015: Tsav lauds presidential peace pact ÏÏÏFormer

Machete-wielding youths in the town ... on Thursday

ing and axing, none penetrated my skin.

“They later left me alone when they saw that I could be stronger than them. Although I was pained by their axing, I later escaped with my motorcycle.”

Other cyclists on the road at that moment said there was commotion and confusion when the guns were

shot. According to them, they ran into each other and minor accidents occurred.

One of them, who identified himself as Aranse, said: “I was the second bike rider, when suddenly I noticed four warriors appeared in red attires. I quickly turned back, despite their shooting at me. It was when others saw me turn back that

they ran back too.”

When our correspondent gained access to the communities, residents were packing their belongings and leaving the community.

Some parents were also seen with their children leaving the communities Some families absconded on foot, while others left in various vehicles.

MTN spent N10.5b on social responsibility Val Okara, Owerri

Eno-Obong Okon, Uyo

of MTN Nigeria, Dr. Paschal Dozie, yesterday disclosed that the company has spent over N10.5 billion, since it started operations in the country, as part of its cooperate social responsibility (CSR).

Dozie, who spoke during the official flag-off of the MTN Foundation EyeRIS ceremony at the Imo State Specialist Hospital, Umuguma in Owerri West local government area, said the organisation had set aside one per cent of its

Briefs

Freddie Adamgbe, Makurdi

54 LG retirees die awaiting pension in Uyo

ÏÏÏChairman

9 News

annual profits for cooperate social responsibility.

According to him, the communication giant had been involved in areas such as women empowerment, award of scholarships, and appealed to the people of the state to embrace the three-week programme.

Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of MTN Foundation, Nonny Ugboma, said that the foundation, in conjunction with the EyeRis, had carried out over 12,000 surgeries on cataracts in the first phase of the programme.

He, however, noted

that 2,100 surgeries were carried out at Abia State last year on people affected with various eye diseases.

The three-week programme would be held simultaneously in three major cities of Mbaise, Orlu and Okigwe, in the state on different dates.

Governor Rochas Okorocha, in his brief remarks, said the country suffers today as a result of visionless leadership. He advised the country’s leadership to borrow a leaf from the United States, which had placed the care of the poor as its major priority.

ÏÏÏChairman,

Board of Trustees, Association for the Welfare of Retired Local Government Staff, Mr. Emmanuel Usoro, says more than 54 retired local government workers in Akwa Ibom State have died while waiting for their benefits.

Speaking to journalists in Uyo on Thursday, Usoro revealed that the pension arrears of employees retired in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 have not been considered for payment, due to inadequate allocation to Pension Board.

He stated that since 2010,

the state government has neglected to remit to the Pension Board its share of 2.5 per cent counterpart fund amounting to nearly N1.44bn to offset the retirees arrears.

According to him, the failure of the state government to remit its own share of 2.5 per cent made available to Local Governments Pension Board has worsened the problems, which the retired local government employees were facing.

“More than 54 of our members have died while waiting for their benefits; others are suffering and may die if immediate help does not reach them.

Lagos State Police Commissioner, Alh Abubakar Tsav, has observed that the peace agreement signed by the 14 presidential aspirants to ensure a free and fair elections would be cosmetic, if the Police and other security agencies remain partial and uncivilised in their discharge of electoral duties.

Tsav, who was reacting to the peace pact by Presidential Candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Goodluck Jonathan, and his All Progressives Congress counterpart, Gen Mohammadu Buhari, alongside 12 others in Abuja, yesterday, stressed that desperate and impatient politicians also need to be thoroughly warned and tamed against the use of thugs anywhere on election day.

Enugu ugrades College of Agric to Polytechnic Chukason Nweze, Enugu

ÏÏÏEnugu

State House Assembly yesterday gave a legal backing to the bill for the upgrading of Enugu State College of Agriculture and AgroEntrepreneurship (House Bill 8) to become Enugu State Polytechnic.

Passing the bill into law, almost all the members who spoke said the upgrading was a good thing for the people of the state and beyond.

Leader of the House, Hon. S. K. E. Udeokoye, who sponsored the bill, said the upgrading of the former College of Agriculture, when accented to by the Executive, would achieve a lot of goodies for the people of Enugu state.

“Our people would be gainfully employed when the institute is upgraded,” Udeokoye stated.

The house leader expressed the view that apart from providing jobs, the upgrading would bring a lot of packages for the institution, like the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund.

News 10

Daily Times Nigeria Friday January 16, 2015

Delta Arewa yet to endorse presidential candidate Monday Osayande, Asaba

ÏÏÏArewa

Community in Delta State says it has not endorsed the candidature of either President Goodluck Jonathan or General Mohammudu Buhari for the February Presidential Election in the country.

The Secretary General, Alhaji Muktar Usman said in an interview with Daily

Governor of Kaduna State, Mr Mukhtar Yero (left), presenting an overseas scholaship award to a student, Malam Al-Amin Bello in Kaduna ... on Wednesday.

Aregbesola faults approach to Boko Haram menace Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo

ÏÏÏOsun

State governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola has identified lapses in the approach employed by the Federal Government in fighting the Boko Haram terrorists.

Aregbesola spoke on the occasion of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day at the Cenotaph in Osogbo , where wreaths were laid by him and the Commandant, Nige-

ria Institute of Safety, IpetuIjesa, Air Cmdre. Oyewole Jackson in honour of fallen soldiers on Thursday.

According to him, the lapses included the lack of provision of good arms and non-provision of motivating welfare to the soldiers. He, however, encouraged Nigerians not to give up, saying, “Yes we have seen some lapses in the war against terror. Still we cannot run down our fighters. We must give encouragement and

support, both in prayers and confidence, to the fighting spirit of our armed forces.

“We must note that those who rise in arms against our compatriots in the North-East are less in number than the rest of us. That misguided and malevolent minority must not triumph over us, the majority.”

The governor also tasked those with spiritual powers to intervene and rescue Nigeria from the Boko Haram menace. He added, “These

are trying times. Yet, we must not shy away from our service to this country, whether as soldiers, public or private citizens.

“That enemy, popularly known as Boko Haram, is our common enemy. Consequently, we must be formidably united in confronting it. It is by standing together in support of our men and women in the fight against terrorism that we can be sure of victory”. The governor emphasised.

Aliyu seeks financial autonomy for military Pita Chikwem, Minna

ÏÏÏNiger State governor, Dr.

Babangida Aliyu, has suggested financial autonomy for the Nigerian armed forces as a way to ensure availability of funds for the procurement of arms and ammunition.

Aliyu, while he made the suggestion in Minna after laying a wreath to mark this year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day, said “The military should be placed on the first charge in the disbursement of money from the Federation Account, all this call for financial autonomy”.

He said Nigeria, with a

large population, required a very strong and wellequipped army adding that the country should adequately take care of its officers and men to ensure better security for the country.

Government, at all levels, must come to terms that the armed forces are a very important institution in the country,” we should show reverence to those, who, one way or the other, sacrificed their lives for the unity of the country’.

Aliyu commended the gallant officers and men of the armed forces on peace keeping operations across the

globe and those battling insurgents in some parts of the country.

In answer to a question, Aliyu said the accord between the presidential candidates towards the February, 2015 general elections would stabilise democracy and assure Nigerians that all will be well before, during and after the elections.

“I am happy that the two signed a violence-free pact, we must now reduce the expectation of each party because supporters of the political parties believe that their candidates will win one election or another”, Aliyu added.

Times in Asaba on Thursday, that since there was no choice candidate between PDP presidential candidate and the APC Courterpart , every Arewa member in the State was free to vote for his choice candidate..

He also noted that the Arewa have continued to pray to God to let the best candidate emerge winner and for peace to reign in the country.

Don’t politicise detention of Odudu Ukpanah – Akpabio ÏÏÏFollowing

recent calls by the civil society for the release of Odudu , son of the late Chief Albert Ukpanah, detained by security agents over his alleged involvement in the murder of his father, Governor Godswill Akpabio has cautioned the people against turning it into a political issue.

Akpabio, who gave the advice during the launch of the governorship campaign at the PDP secretariat in Uyo said, “it is not totally surprising that during a political period as this, politicians would use anything to condemn one another just to score cheap political points, adding, this trend could be seen in the sponsorship of some misguided individuals, who claim to be human rights groups, by politicians.”

Akpabio disclosed that what led to the arrest, detention and prosecution of Ukpanah was as a result of inconsistencies in his actions on the death of his father, adding that Ukpanah had visited him two days before he was murdered to seek his support for the treatment of his wife who, accord-

Akpabio ing to Albert was having a degree four cancer and needed N4million for chemotherapy.

The governor said he gave Ukpanah, whom he had not seen for a while before that Tuesday, N2million with a promise that by Thursday, he would arrange for the woman to be flown abroad.

He added that on hearing that the man was murdered; he paid a condolence visit to the family where Odudu informed him that his father, on the fateful day, had called him on phone to set three chairs outside for his expected visitors as he too was on his way back home.

2015: Rep wants elections in N’East Henry Omunu, Abuja

ÏÏÏA lawmaker in the House

Babangida Aliyu

of Representatives from Borno State, Hon. Kyari Gujbawu, has tasked the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to ensure that elections are conducted in the troubled North East.

Gujbawu, who spoke to journalists in Abuja, said the conduct of the general elec-

tion and the participation of the people of the area in the election of candidates of their choice would reassure them that they remained part of Nigeria.

The lawmaker said any attempt not to hold the February elections in the states affected by insurgency meant that the people of the affected states would be denied a voice in running the affairs of the country.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday January 16, 2015

2015: S’East traders adopt Jonathan, APGA candidates Okey Chris Awka

ÏÏÏBarely two weeks after de-

nying endorsement of any candidate for the February 2015 general election, Southeast Traders under the aegis of the South-East Amalgamated Market Traders Association (SEAMATA), Thursday adopted President Goodluck Jonathan, the Presidential flagbearer of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) as their candidate for the 2015 general election.

SEAMATA, whose membership included Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States applauded the strategic vision of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), under the party’s current leadership and vowed to do everything within its powers to support the party candidates

all over the country in the forthcoming polls.

This came to the fore following a Voice Vote motion moved by Chief Christopher Talibe from Abia State and seconded by Mr. Festus Onowu from Enugu State at the group’s Special Meeting held at the Women Development Center, Awka, Anambra State.

Speaking on the occasion, the President-General of SEAMATA, Chief Dr. Okwudili Ezenwankwo explained that their decision to throw their weight behind President Jonathan and APGA candidates in the forth-coming elections was influenced by the intense lobby mounted by Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and other due considerations they made to that effect.

Ezenwankwo also reassured

that the traders would continue to support Governor Obiano’s administration as a result of his magnanimity and support to the traders in the South-East zone which would soon transit to enabling the Ndigbo take their rightful position in the country.

Responding, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State commended the market union for their kind decision to work for President Jonathan’s re-election noting that the President would guarantee a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria, devoid of discrimination and other forms of extremism when voted in.

Obiano also disclosed that the State government had commenced the construction of a world-class international market at Ogbunike, in Oyi Local Gov-

ernment Area of the State with a view to availing the South East traders greatest opportunity to grow their businesses.

He further announced that his government had harmonized all the levies and fees being paid by traders in order to prevent any incidence of double or multiple taxations, even as he pledged to improve sanitary conditions, provide more waste management containers and receptacles at various markets across the State, and to organize special seminars where financial experts would educate them on banking transactions.

He enjoined them to channel their levies copiously into government accounts so as to beef up the State’s internally-generated revenue.

11 News Ogun APC chieftain escapes death Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta

ÏÏÏThe

spate of political violence going on in the country seems to have spread its tentacle to Ogun State as a chieftain of All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon Bankole Sheriff, Thursday narrowly escaped death when unknown gunmen invaded his house and made attempt to shoot him.

The incident which occurred around 4.00am, according to an eyewitness, was the peak of series of threat messages coming from some unknown persons.

Though Hon Bankole narrowly escaped due to the intervention of some good ‘samaritans’ as he miraculously escaped before the gunmen could gain entrance into the house.

Anambra Gov plans 400 megawatts increase Doris Nnabuenyi, Awka.

ÏÏÏAnambra

State Governor Chief Willie Obiano, has affirmed that his administration would increase the state power supply from the present 90 megawatts to 400 megawatts in less than two years.

Governor Obiano stated this Thursday while commissioning a 7.5MVA power transformer donated by his administration at Umuoji Idemili North Local government area of the state.

He explained that with the influx of investors and new industries springing up in the various parts of the state, his administration was determined to provide adquate power supply to drive the investment.

Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshimhole laying the wreath at the cenotaph of the ‘Unknown Soldier’ at the 2015 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Benin City on Thursday.

Goodluck/Sambo LG coordinators inaugurated in Benue Freddie Adamgbe, Makurdi

ÏÏÏBenue State Coordinator of

the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organisation Dr. Sam Odeh has charged the 23 local coordinators to work hard to deliver the state to the People’s Democratic Party in the February general elections.

Dr Odeh, who made the charge Thursday while inaugurating the coordinators in Makurdi advised them to link up with their people and incorporate campaign organisations of candidates and that of those who aspired for positions in

their various local governments.

“As you go out to begin the campaign for our dear President I urge you not to run a one man show, bring women, youths and Elders to garner support for Jonathan in the forth-coming polls, because if you go solo the purpose won’t be achieved.

“I therefore want you to incorporate campaign organisations of all aspirants who had contested under the platform of the People’s Democratic Party so that you will deliver your various local governments and Benue as a whole to President Jonathan” he

stated.

The former Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs also asked the coordinators to hit the ground running and make sacrifices and not see their positions as opportunity to make quick money.

Mr. Odeh who highlighted some of the achievements of the President in the state said the President has massively transformed the economy of the country through his transformation agenda adding that as someone who had been an inner person he was in a better position to tell the people how well the president has performed.

Robbery attack in Ikare-Akoko unfortunate, says Mimiko ‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure

Jonathan

The Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko has said his administration would work with security agencies in apprehending the dare-devil armed robbers who attacked three banks in Ikare Akoko, Akoko Northwest Local Government Area of Ondo State leading to loss of lives.

Africa 12

Daily Times Nigeria Friday January 16, 2015

Mugabe plans elaborate 91st birthday

Mugabe

Madagascar names military officer as PM ÏÏÏMadagascar’s

Rajaonarimampianina

president appointed a serving Air Commodore as Prime Minister on Wednesday, two days after the government of the Indian Ocean island nation resigned over criticism of its handling of recurring power outages.

“In accordance with article 54 of the Constitution, Air Commodore Jean Ravelonarivo is appointed Prime Minister,” announced Pierre Roger Ralala, secretary-general in the presidency.

Former Premier Roger Kolo - a radiologist by trade - and his cabinet resigned on Monday following heavy criticism for their response to the repeated electricity failures.

Ravelonarivo is a former governor of the Rotary Club in Madagascar and is general manager of a state-owned real estate company. He was appointed to the

position of Air Commodore last month.

With just 15 percent of Madagascar on the grid and water and electricity company Jirama struggling to pay oil suppliers on time, blackouts have become an increasingly common feature since President Hery Rajaonarimampianina came to power a year ago.

Two people have died in recent weeks when angry Madagascans took to the streets to protest the rolling blackouts.

Energy Minister Richard Fihenena was fired last October for his inability to solve the problem.

Rajaonarimampianina, who does not have a majority in parliament, appointed Kolo as premier in April 2014, five months after democratic elections brought to an end a political crisis sparked by a 2009 coup.

ÏÏÏZimbabwean President Rob-

ert Mugabe plans to celebrate his 91st birthday with a party in the resort town of Victoria Falls, the ruling party’s youth league announced on Thursday.

The Zanu-PF youth league members have already started fundraising for the party, which traditionally sees thousands of supporters attending, according to a statement.

Donors are expected to hand over “generous” donations this year.

Mugabe opponents regularly criticise the holding of lavish birthday parties for the president when Zimbabwe’s economy, though more stable than during the 2000-2008 crisis, is still far from sound.

“The youth league will approach donors so that they generously donate to the [21st February] Movement for the cause this year,” according to the statement quoted in Thursday’s Chronicle newspaper.

Mugabe’s birthday is on 21 February. The 21st February Movement was set up in 1986 to raise money to celebrate the president’s birthday each year.

The exact amount supporters hope to raise this year has not been stated.

Mugabe told Zanu-PF members at a party congress last month that he had no intention of retiring.“I am here for as long as I am still sane... I still have a bright mind; I still have will. I know our history more than you do,” he said.

Libya warplane fires at suspected Islamists’ trawler ship ÏÏÏA

Libyan warplane from the internationally recognised government attacked a fishing trawler carrying petrol to the port of Benghazi after suspecting it was supplying Islamist militants, a military official said on Thursday.

There were no details about the ownership or origin of the vessel which military official Mohamed Hejazi said was attacked on Tuesday.

Forces from the government carried out an air strike on a Greek-operated oil tanker on 4 January, killing two crewmen.

100 feared missing after boat sinks in CAR ÏÏÏNearly 100 people are feared

missing in the Central African Republic after a boat caught fire and sank in a river in the impoverished country earlier in the week, officials said on Thursday.

The accident occurred on Monday, after a boat carrying an estimated 100 people left the capital Bangui on the Oubangui River. Some 125km downstream, the boat’s motor exploded, starting a fire that quickly engulfed the vessel as terrified passengers jumped overboard, an official with the country’s naval forces told AFP.

60 rebels surrender in eastern DRC ÏÏÏAt

least 60 fighters belonging to one of the armed groups operating in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo surrendered their weapons on Wednesday as peace talks were under way.

The Patriotic Resistance Force of Ituri (FPRI) was in talks with government and United Nations representatives in Aveba, about 80km south of the eastern city of Bunia.

Nearly 400 fighters had been due to disarm, but many refused as long as the government did not accept their demand of an amnesty and of being integrated into the army.

FPRI leader Cobra Matata surrendered to the army in November 2014, but was arrested in January when trying to rejoin his fighters.

The group was accused of involvement in massacres and of recruiting child soldiers.

Dozens of armed groups are active in eastern DRC, which has been ravaged by violence since the 1996-2003 DRCwars.

They include the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which failed to surrender and demobilize by a 2 January deadline set by the Southern African Development Community and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday January 16, 2015

Don’t kill in God’s name, Pope Francis pleads ÏÏÏ

Weighing in on last week’s terror in France and the debate over freedom of expression it stirred, Pope Francis said en route to the Philippines on Thursday that, while no one should “kill in the name of God,” neither should they “insult other people’s faith.”

The Pope made clear there was no justification for the killing of 17 people in three separate terror attacks, including a massacre in and around the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. The assailants were reportedly Islamist extremists, some of whom called out “Allahu akbar,” which is Arabic for “God is great,” as they singled out the magazine, French authorities and Jewish people.

“One cannot make war (or) kill in the name of one’s own religion,” Francis said on his way to the Philippines. “... To kill in the name of God is an aberration.”

Still, even as he decried the violence and generally spoke in support of freedom of expression, the pontiff said that such freedom must have its limits.

He didn’t mention Charlie Hebdo specifically, or its cartoon depictions of Mohammed, something that many Muslims

find offensive. A previous cartoon was one reason the Paris magazine was targeted, and it didn’t back down afterward, with its post-attack cover showing Mohammed again, this time crying and holding a sign with the rallying cry “Je suis Charlie,” French for “I am Charlie.”

Still, even without talking about the magazine by name, the Pope prefaced his remarks

by saying, “let’s go to Paris, let’s speak clearly.” He then referred to recent violence there, as well as the debate about freedom of expression.

Francis said on his flight from Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Manila that everyone had not only the liberty, but also the obligation, “to say what he thinks to help the common good.”

But he added that this should

be done without giving offense, because human dignity should be respected.

If a friend “says a swear word against my mother, then a punch awaits him,” Francis said.

“It’s normal, it’s normal,” he said of such a response. “One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith.”

Pope Francis

13 World Pakistan condemns new Muhammad cartoon ÏÏÏPakistani

lawmakers on Thursday criticised fresh caricatures of the Muslim prophet Mohammed which appeared in a special edition of the French magazine Charlie Hebdo, officials said.

“This house condemns the publication of cartoons of the prophet in France,” read a resolution adopted in the National Assembly, the lower chamber of the country’s parliament.

“We urge the international community, including the European Union, to make sure such things are not repeated,” the resolution said.

The move comes a day after the latest issue of Charlie Hebdo, the magazine attacked by Islamist gunmen last week, hit newsstands across the world with a cartoon of Muhammad on the cover.

After the meeting, the lawmakers marched in front of the parliament building in Islamabad.

“Why do people in the West do this when they know the punishment for this is death in our shariah [law]?” Railways Minister Saad Rafiq said at the rally.

At least 12 people, including some of the magazine’s cartoonists, were killed when two Muslim gunmen stormed the publication’s Paris office.

Turkish PM equates Israel’s Netanyahu to Paris attackers

Myanmar Police accused of cracking down on US movies

ÏÏÏTurkish

ÏÏÏPolice

Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Thursday compared his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu to the Islamist militants who killed 17 people in Paris last week, saying both had committed crimes against humanity.

Davutoglu said Israel’s bombardments of Gaza and its storming in 2010 of a Turkishled aid convoy headed there, in which 10 Turks were killed, were on a par with the Paris attacks, whose dead included shoppers at a Jewish supermarket.

The comments at a news conference escalated a war of words between the former allies: Israel’s far-right foreign minister,

Avigdor Lieberman, called President Recep Tayyip Erdogan an “anti-Semitic bully” on Wednesday for criticizing Netanyahu’s attendance, with other world leaders, at a Paris solidarity march for the attack victims on Sunday.

Separately on Thursday, Erdogan’s spokesman issued a statement saying it was Islamophobic and unacceptable for Netanyahu to link the Paris bloodshed to Islam.“The Israeli government must halt its aggressive and racist policies instead of attacking others and sheltering behind anti-Semitism,”spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said on the presidential website.

Netanyahu

in Myanmar, also known as Burma, have stepped up a crackdown on pirated versions of the movie “The Interview,” sparking speculation the government is bowing to pressure from North Korea.

Some local newspapers report the North Korean Embassy in Yangon pressured Myanmar authorities to stop selling and distributing copies of “The Interview.”

Colonel Win Kyi of the Yangon police force said the crackdown, though, has nothing to do with any particular movie.

“No. We confiscate those pirated VCDs [videos] on a daily basis.

Myanmar pirated VCDs hurt the Film and Video Association. So we

did it in accordance with the laws,” he said.But a local vendor, who did not want to be named, told VOA’s Burmese service that in the past, police only confiscated pirated movies with Burmese subtitles.

He said now, all pirated films are being taken, although the crackdown began shortly after “The Interview” went on sale in Yangon.

“The store has been closed since two or three days ago. They confiscated pirated VCDs, particularly of “The Interview” movie, from street vendors,” said the vendor.

North Korea says it is outraged by the “The Interview,” an American comedy about the fictional assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Opinion 14

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Hard talk for Ambode

T

Olanrewaju Ajiboye

alk is cheap. Blackmail is cheaper in Nigeria than a sachet of pure water.

Whether Ambode is a candidate of Tinubu, or Oba of Lagos or even from somewhere in the remotest part of Ilaje-Ondo is not my cup of tea, the question is that is he qualified to lead a state whose governance has been elevated to excellence? And I dare say yes.

Between Ambode and the candidate of the main opposition in the state, Jimi Agbaje, I chose him.

And the reasons are not far fetched.

The good saying is that you don’t change a winning horse as Lagos is one of the best governed states in Nigeria today with some shortcomings which is the fulcrum of this piece.

Another reason is that Jimi Agbaje in my estimation, has had two bad outings which has deflated his touted personage; his main reason why Jonathan should be returned is the fear that the President’s kinsmen might blow off the oil wells we all depend on to survive. The three insults from the inference of this slip are insult to the president who is the president of all and not to Ijaw nation alone.

It is insult to the Niger Delta people as if they are savage, uncultured, violent, intolerant, unreasonable and unpatriotic.

Why should there be violence if a

government is approved or disapproved by the majority?

It is a total denigration of all Nigerians as if we are people of no brain, lazy, lacking in dynamism and laid back people who will dry once oil wells dry up.

Jimi Agbaje was the candidate chosen to respond on behalf of others at the presidential rally of his party in Lagos. Rather than cash-in on the opportunity to sell his programme, he went on rabble rousing spree with no substance.

No doubt Lagos has fared better in the past 16 years but the state must identify further with the poor and the downtrodden more than they are doing and those are the areas Ambode must work very hard on.

The government of Fashola has provided for both the rich and the poor, good roads, good security but has not done enough in giving the children of the poor qualitative education, has not faired better by the gangster attitude of agencies like KAI, LASTMA and other task force agencies in their daily dealings with Lagosians, and has not done much in giving them affordable health care.

It took the loss of Ekiti election

by Kayode Fayemi for Fashola and APC to realise how an unpopular government policy can hurt a party, or the power of the poor when votes matter. Students and parents cried to high heavens on their disapproval to fee hike in LASU but

Fashola acted like a dictator until Ekiti upset gave him clarity.

Though education funding is not cheap but it not an investment a government or a country should demand immediate profit. Again, some people are abusing the functionality in Lagos to the detriments of Lagosians by exploiting the opportunity in LASU.What Lagos ought to have done then is to tie every student’s parents or guardian to evidence of tax paying but should not have done outrageous increments in tuition and other fees.

Thank goodness, that is history.

Most parents through living below poverty line are not too encouraged to send their children to public schools because of bad environments and non availability of teachers. Things are gradually getting better in this direction too; thanks to Sarah Sosan’s efforts as Deputy governor during Fashola’s first term. Ambode as governor would therefore need to fashion out ingenious ways of further revamping public schools, though the time is different, to those ‘old is gold’ days that gave him opportunity from Epe to be who he is today. Tall order you would say? That is why Lagos needs a genius at every turning point.

All general Hospitals have been upgraded but the truth is that they are not commensurate with the population of patients. The wait time is long, and it is somehow expensive. Ambode must find an

ingenious way to improve on this.

What about floating an insurance company solely for health and encourage Lagosians to subscribe?

Thereafter some doctors are called upon to partner with the state in public/private partnership arrangement. Every neighborhood should have a sort of ‘Home Doctors’; that is, a clinic proximate to their neighborhood where doctors can attend to ailments of family members for free provided the tax reference of their principal is used to register a family of six including both parents. Any extra member should be added at a fee to be paid to government. Ambode should therefore engage in a social responsibility/ business discussions with drug manufacturers with a view to seeing essential drugs manufactured in bulk at a reasonable rate to be dispensed to patients coupled with the insurance companies arrangements.

Under Ambode, agencies like LASTMA, KAI, and to a large extent VIO should cease to be a rampaging organs whose personnel arm twist the already sapped residents and which the government appear to be in tandem with, to generate additional revenues. In place of LASTMA’s impoundment of vehicles and charging unrealistic demurrage that usually results in auction of such durance vile.

What Ambode can also intensify efforts on is rural development and integration.

Northeast:Where children live in fear

D

Philip Obaji Jr.

uring four days in late October, I was on a mission to encourage reluctant parents in Maiduguri to send their daughters to safe schools working through traditional leaders, youth leaders and the local media as facilitators.

In those four days, I met girls who told me they were scared of returning to school because they fear they could be attacked by anyone. Because of their ordeal in the hands of militants, some of whom they identified as neighbours, they are unwilling to trust anyone.

Children no longer feel safe even in their homes. They also fear going to public places like markets, streams, farms and social gatherings for fear of being attacked or forcibly conscripted

by Boko Haram.

As many public schools in the northeastern Nigeria are

now closed, many students now hawk wares on the streets, and some have turned to criminal activities. The situation in the few still-open private schools is no better, as most parents are scared of sending their children there.

The insurgency itself has set back education in an area that is grossly underdeveloped and with a high rate of illiteracy. Since 2012, Boko Haram has burned more than 300 schools in the north and deprived more than 10,000 children of an education.

In a particularly gory attack in July, suspected armed Islamists killed 42 pupils and teachers and burned down a governmentowned boarding school in Mamudo village, Yobe State.

Figures released by Human Rights Watch indicate that more than 5,000 people, mostly adults have been killed since the insurgency began in 2009. As parents are lost in fighting, more and more children are without

families and homes.

Living with fear of being killed, and without anyone to turn to for protection and assistance, many orphans have joined the recruitment of armed conflict. The militia life has become more attractive to the children, who see a possible future of survival with their fellow soldiers. In most cases, these young soldiers from ages 12 to 16 come from communities where there are no schools to attend and no jobs to work and destitute families. Every year the number of child soldiers grows as more children are recruited into active combat.

Moreover, the continuous influx of Internally Displaced Persons into major towns in the region have increased the number of beggars on the streets, a situation that forced some of them- especially girls – into prostitution to make ends meet.

Millions of dollars, thousands of people’s efforts, and several

months have all been spent trying to secure a lasting peace in northeastern Nigeria. But these efforts have not gone far enough.

A lack of coordination, corruption in some quarters, and insufficient access to those most in need all make achieving wellbeing by children difficult, but not impossible.

Unfortunately, the fear of Boko Haram has forced many parents to withdraw their children from schools, and this can only add to an already explosive mix of the large pool of uneducated and unemployed youth and debilitating poverty.

Just four days spent in the heart of Boko Haram insurgency made me realize that protecting schools alone, even with the best trained military personnel, wouldn’t be enough to encourage every child to return to the classroom. They need a different form of home education that will help them cripple fear and rebuild their trust in the society.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

15 Opinion

Letter to Attahiru Jega on Adventists

D Agozino Agozino

istinguished Prof Attahiru Jega, I am concerned to address this letter to you publicly because of the crucial nature of the issue involved in the February 15 general election. I must, first thank you for your efforts for our democracy since you came on board.

As you know, Prof, I have tremendous respect for your wisdom and remarkable intellect whose sheer breath never ceases to amaze and awe me. Your perspective on politicking has always illuminated my understanding and appreciation of the complexities of our country and its often perplexing politics.

However, I am confused Prof, over the injustice to the SeventhDay Adventist Church and other Sabbath keeping churches when it comes to holding elections in Nigeria. The reason is that despite all representations made by the Seventh Day Adventist Church on behalf of other Sabbath keeping Christians to the effect that they are being deliberately and inexcusably disenfranchised and as next month’s general elections draws near, there is no official reaction from you, the boss of the Independent National Electoral Commis-

sion (INEC). Prof, these impolite manner of spiteful silence, by INEC is showing that the over six million Sabbath keeping Christians, all eligible Nigerians whose political right to vote and be voted for is being infringed upon, do not matter.

The Adventist worldwide which I am a member do not only worship on Saturday, but in adherence to God’s command on the sanctity of the Sabbath, honour and hallow the seventh day of the week.

Their case which they had brought before you, the Senate, Federal Government and the courts is that they have, over the years, been hindered from participating in the political process of Nigeria due to the inexplicable insistence of the authorities to voting on Saturdays (Sabbath Day). The Adventists had proposed that elections be held during the weekdays, from Monday to Thursday, like it is done in other nations of the world as to allow all major religious groups including Muslims who worship on Friday the freedom to cast their votes. But, it does appear, and quite regrettably, that their complaints are falling on deaf ears.

Thus, by the time your tenure as INEC boss is over, it is not only the frustrations with the untidiness over the Personal Voters

Card (PVC) exercise that would follow your name, but the burden of not defending the people’s right as represented by the right of the Adventists to vote and be voted for. The Adventist is merely demanding for a policy change.

They are merely asking for accommodation in a matter that concerns them. They simply are asking the authorities not to shut them out in a matter as crucial as the determination of the political destiny of the land. As one who has antecedent and a reputation of being an advocate for social justice, part of that responsibility demanded that you should use your good office to advance the argument of the Adventists because it borders on a people’s fundamental human right.

As a matter of fact, there is no statutory or constitutional provision supporting this strict adherence to Saturday voting in Nigeria which hinders the right and interest of a substantial minority. Nigeria can well comfortably declare a public holiday on a weekday for the elections as it is the practice in other countries of the world as to give all the citizens the chance for full participation in the process. Significantly, many Sabbath worshippers, essentially, the Seventh Day Adventist, have had a long presence in Nigeria

for more than a century and have fully integrated into the nation’s polity and its socio-economic development initiatives. In some parts of Nigeria like Ngwaland and Ubakala in Abia State, Jengre and Bukuru in Plateau State, Ekiti State, Elele and Ahoada in Rivers State, the Adventists are the predominant majority of the population and any public event fixed on Saturday in these areas is an instant failure.

The process of determining a nation’s leadership is a serious affair which requires the full participation of the general public. Thus, it becomes a morally and legally reprehensible for the authorities to continually infringe on the fundamental right of the Sabbath keeping Christians. Yet, these segments of our polity have the full backing of the constitution of Nigeria for their case. Both article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the constitution provides for the freedom of religion. Particularly, section 38(1) of the constitution provides for the freedom of religion. “Every person shall be entitled to a freedom of thought and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance”

2015:When providence beckons on Jonathan

I

Ogbu Ameh

t is a given that every modern nation state exhibits characteristics emanating from its organic or artificial make up. Thus; culture, religion, ethnic homogeneity or heterogeneity, geo- polity, historical linkage to foreign nations, international sphere of influence, natural resources, level of literacy, political culture and social attitudes among others. Against this sociological backdrop, Nigeria as a nation state grapples with the most bizarre manifestations of artificial contraption of a political entity.

The dominating roles of the three ethnic groups right from the pre- independence to the post- independence period gives credence to the outcry of marginalization by the vast minority ethnic groups. This minority groups spread across the country from East to West, North to South in the areas dominated by each of the Big Three. As true of human nature and society, soon the Big Three began fierce competition

for domination of the entire political space. It bothers on who controls political powers at the centre and the attendant patronage accruing to their people along ethnic line. This power contention degenerated into a three year old civil war that brought untold hardship and colossal loss of lives and properties. On its heels, a prolonged military interregnum that destroyed and desecrated the democratic landscape of Nigeria. Also, a festering mutual suspicion along the cultivated and sustained fault lines became the norm than the exception. The nation through a common front organised by civil society coalition and progress rank and file activist engaged the ruling juntas to a stand still, the people heaved a sigh of relieve.

At the turn of a new millennium, a nation burdened with military rule yielded to democracy for solace and regeneration.

Embedded in this turn of event, providence sets in motion events culminating in the emergence and enthronement of

a man from among the minority ethnic groups. This man who represents the down- trodden, the oppressed and exploited people to become the leader of this great nation. Thus, his emergence demystified the notion that the majority ethnic groups have monopoly of national leadership or born to rule. The jinx was broken and shattered to unveil the long years of undeserved privileges enforced by socio- political connivance of the members of the majority ethnic groups. Those who promote such oppressive tendencies must be force to make restitution as a process of reconciliation for nation building. The maxim that says, ‘change is the only constant phenomenon has always continue to baffle man.

People of different societies have always reacted ferociously in very negative manner to change over the age. It is not surprising in the least that as soon as the beneficiary of providence assumed the number one seat of power, all hell broke loosed. Various regime tendencies in concert-

ed efforts, both covert and overt have been hell bent on sabotaging, discrediting, terrorizing, the man and the good people of this country for accepting change in the status quo. These drastic and demonic reactions have exposed those who only love to plunder the resources of this country and turn against her people with active connivance with mercenaries to destabilize it. Let us learn how to support the President; the Presidency is not merely an administrative office, it is pre-eminently a place of moral leadership. All great Presidents were leaders of thoughts at times when certain historic ideal in the life of a nation had to be clarified. The presidency as a pulpit is a superb opportunity for re-applying and applying new conditions, the simple rules of human conduct to which we always go back. Without leadership alerts and sensitivity to change, we lose our way. A man or woman of integrity must at all times be considered for this exalted position.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January16, 2015

Today in History

s

1966 Soldiers revolt in Lagos, Enugu, Ibadan and Kaduna: Balewa and Okot’ebor missing Compiled by ‘Tunji Okegbola 1966 Soldiers revolt in Lagos, Enugu, Ibadan and Kaduna: Balewa and Okot’ebor missing The Council of Ministers of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria issued the following statements: “In the early hours of yesterday morning, a dissident section of the Nigerian Army kidnapped the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance and took them to an unknown destination”.

“The G.O.C. and the vast majority of the Nigerian army remain completely loyal to the Federal Government and are already taking all appropriate measure to bring the situation under control. All essential public services continue to function normally” The above scenario in Lagos thus signalled the overthrow of the Federal Government by the Nigerian Army in a coup ‘detat 1919 Prohibition takes effect The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, prohibiting the “manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors for beverage purposes,” was ratified on this day in 1919 and became the law of the land.

The movement for the prohibition of alcohol began in the early 19th century, when Americans

1936

1936 The Moon Maniac Albert Fish was executed at Sing Sing prison in New York.

The “Moon Maniac” was one of America’s most notorious and disturbed killers. Authorities believe that Fish killed as many as 10 children and then ate their remains. Fish went to the electric chair with great anticipation, telling guards, “It will be the supreme thrill, the only one I haven’t tried.”

Fish was executed for the

concerned about the adverse effects of drinking began forming temperance societies. By the late 19th century, these groups had become a powerful political force, campaigning on the state level and calling for total national abstinence. In December 1917, the 18th Amendment, also known as the Prohibition Amendment, was passed by Congress and sent to the states for ratification.

Prohibition took effect in January 1919. Nine months later, Congress passed the Volstead Act, or National Prohibition Act, over President Woodrow Wilson’s veto. The Volstead Act provided for the enforcement of prohibition, including the creation of a special unit of the Treasury Department. Despite a vigorous effort by law-enforcement agencies, the Volstead Act failed to prevent the large-scale distribution of alcoholic beverages, and organized crime flourished in America. In 1933, the 21st Amendment to the Constitution was passed and ratified, repealing prohibition.

1997 Entertainer Bill Cosby’s son murdered along CA interstate On this day in 1997, comedian and TV star Bill Cosby’s 27-yearold son Ennis Cosby was murdered after he stops to fix a flat tire along California’s Interstate 405 in Los Angeles. The 405, which runs some 70 miles from Irvine to San Fernando, was known as one of the planet’s bus-

iest and most congested roadways. Construction began on Interstate 405 in the late 1950s, with the first section opening in the early 1960s.

At approximately 1 a.m. on January 16, 1997, Ennis Cosby, a graduate student in special education at Columbia University Teachers College who was on vacation in Los Angeles, was driving a Mercedes-Benz convertible on Interstate 405 when he pulled

The Moon Maniac murder of 10-year-old Grace Budd. In 1928, at his Wisteria Cottage in Westchester County, New York, Fish strangled the girl and then carved up her body with a saw. Six years later, Fish wrote Budd’s mother a letter in which he described in detail killing the girl and then preparing a stew with her flesh that he ate over the next nine days. The letter was traced back to the 66-year-old man.

A psychiatrist who examined Fish stated, “There was no known perversion that he

did not practice and practice frequently.” Albert Fish was obsessed with sadomasochism.

He had his own children hit him with a paint-stirrer and a hairbrush; they also witnessed him hitting himself with a paddle studded with nails. He inserted sewing needles into his body.

Nearly 30 needles were found in his groin area after he told a psychiatrist they were there.

Fish also ate his own excrement and burned himself with hot irons and pokers.

Most disturbingly, Fish was obsessed with cannibalism.

off to Skirball Center Drive to change a flat tire. A Ukrainianborn teenager, Mikhail Markhasev, and two friends were at a nearby park-and-ride lot using the phone. Markhasev, reportedly high on drugs, approached Cosby to rob him but when Cosby took too long to hand over money he was shot and killed.

Ennis Cosby was the third of Bill Cosby’s five children and said to be the inspiration for the

1995 Avalanches bury buses in Kashmir

1995 Avalanches bury buses in Kashmir Avalanches sweep two buses off the highway between Srinagar and Jammu in Kashmir, India, on this day in 1995. Two more days of avalanches in the area eventually killed more than 200 people; 5,000 others had

character of Theo Huxtable on the hit TV sitcom “The Cosby Show,” which originally aired from 1984 to 1992.

In August 1998, Markhasev, then 19, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for Cosby’s murder. During his trial, Markhasev reportedly showed no remorse for his crime; however, in 2001, he confessed his guilt, stopped his appeals process and apologized to the Cosby family.

to be rescued.

January 1995 produced unusually heavy snow in the Kashmir region, an area already beset by years of war between India and Pakistan. Between the cities of Srinagar and Jammu is a narrow 110-mile highway through the foothills of the Himalayas.

On January 16, the accumulating snow caused a series of avalanches above the highway. Several buses traveling the route were knocked off the road by the sliding snow and debris. Of the 200 people who died in the avalanches, most were riding on buses.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Politics

17

s

SUSWAM

Northern Governors wives worried over Chibok girls

PAGE 18

Dooshima Yemisi Suswam First Lady, Benue State and Chairperson of the Northern Governors’ Wives Forum

JEGA

INEC: 4 million Nigerians in double registration saga Akinjide Akintola Over four million Nigerians were involved in double registration during the last registration exercise, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

Chairman of the Commission, Professor Atahiru Jega, who disclosed this while giving details of voters’ data in Abuja, called for the creation of Election Offences Commission to tackle the development as well as electoral offences in next month’s election.

According to him, sixty eight million, eight hundred and thirty three thousand, four hundred and seventy six (68, 833, 476) Nigerians will be eligible to vote in the 2015 general

Oduoye

elections.

Earlier, the INEC Director of ICT, Dr. Chidi Nwafor, said 74.6 million Nigerians were registered during the 2011 registration exercise, whereas 68,833,476 were eligible for the 2015 general election.

He said the commission had cleaned the voters’ register through the cleansing of the voters. The director said 61,681 eligible voters were found to be double registrants and their names were deleted from the voters’ register, adding that 580,000 had no fingerprints in their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC), hence they were cancelled.

He further disclosed that 14 political parties nominated presidential candidates for the February 14, 2015 Presidential

Oduoye: Some PDP leaders still believe it’s all about money

election.

The INEC chairman said though the commission had earlier received over 54 million PVCs, but added that more had been printed and delivered to the commission.

He announced the extension of time for the collection of the PVCs from 8.30am to 5.30 pm in all wards in the country from Mondays to Saturdays, expressing hope that before the end of January, all eligible voters would have collected their PVCs. He also threatened to sanction any staff of the commission that does not comply with the new time belt. He said no temporary PVC would be used for next month’s general elections.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Mr Kayode Oduoye is the House of Representatives candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal constituency in Osun State.

In this interview, he told SODIQ ADEKUNLE, what led to the challenges between him and

Jega

some top members of the state chapter of his party. Excerpts: Why are you contesting as a lawmaker representing Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin federal constituency among other political posts?

My ambition is borne out

of the abysmal neglect of our people within this constituency. Over the past three to four years, I have noticed with keen interest, that our people lacked the right and qualitative representation in Abuja. That is the reason we have not had any CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Politics 18

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

‘Northern Governors wives worried over Chibok girls’ The Northern Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) is seriously worried over the abduction and fate of the over 200 Chibok school girls spirited away over nine months ago by Boko Haram insurgents.

The forum last Tuesday declared that its members have been under serious trauma, having sleepless nights since the Boko Haram insurgency began in the North East region of the country.

Chairperson of the forum, Mrs. Dooshima Yemisi Suswam, made their feelings known in Maiduguri when she led members to make donations of relief materials to victims of insurgency in Borno State as part of their N40 million assistance to victims of disaster in the North.

Mrs. Suswam, wife of the Benue State Governor, accompanied by six other members of the forum, described their donation as their widow’s mite to the victims of the insurgency.

The others include Hajiya Halima Wada (Kogi), Salamatu Almakura (Nasarawa), Hanatu Ngillari (Adamawa) Jamila Sanni (Taraba), Fatima Yero (Kaduna) and Jummai Babangida (Niger).

Her words: “Northern Governor’s wives have not been able to sleep well and so we inquired how we may reach out and thought it wise to support the effort of your government and well-meaning individuals and organisations to supply our widow’s mite.

“Silver and gold we have not but that which we have as mothers is food.”

She disclosed that the donation was from the proceeds of the launch of the forum’s alma-

Yemisi Suswan

nac initiatives, adding that four states, including Borno was selected as pilot states.

She called on parents not to allow the abduction of Chibok girls to discourage them from enrolling their children in school, saying: “To those who may think of the Chibok girls and further shy away from sending their female child/ward to school, please don’t be discouraged, education is still the best empowerment.

“The story of the Chibok girls, a major disaster, is still fresh and ever since then we have not stopped to pray for them, the families, government and the Federal Government. We shall sustain our prayers as mothers until we get a breakthrough.”

Wife of the Borno State Governor, Hajiya Nana Kashim Shettima, called on the Federal Government to intensify effort in rescuing the abducted Chibok girls and other people abducted

by Boko Haram sect.

Speaking earlier during a courtesy visit on Governor Kashim Shettima, the forum chairperson said: “We are here to encourage you and to let you know that you are not alone.

This struggle and unwanted occurrences in the land take serious efforts. Do not take offence from any quarters, ignore some of their personal disappointments, consider it sacrifices for responsive leadership,” she added.

Responding to the goodwill message, Shettima expressed his gratitude for the gesture, saying he was really touched, adding that he was confident that Nigeria would continue to remain a single and indivisible entity despite fears in some quarters.

Silver and gold we have not but that which we have as mothers is food

“The story of the Chibok girls, a major disaster is still fresh and ever since then we have not stopped to pray for them... we shall sustain our prayers as mothers until we get a breakthrough” Yemisi Suswan

We are here to encourage you and to let you know that you are not alone

Nana Kashim Shettima

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

19 Politics

Jega wants Electoral Offences Commission CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

On the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Jega said a decision was yet to be taken on whether they would vote or not, but expressed hope that they would vote, adding that a stakeholders’ meeting with the political parties would eventually decide how they would vote.

Jega said: “INEC has always said it is preparing to conduct elections in all the 36 states and the FCT, including the three states in the North-east experiencing the challenge of insurgency. The commission however will work closely with security agencies who have the constitutional responsibility for securing the election environment.”

The INEC chairman said the commission had received 132,000 card readers and there would be more than enough card readers. He also said there would be 155,000 voting points and already over 25,000 card readers had been distributed to

Oduoye: I can offer better representation

Oduoye

“INEC will work closely with security agencies who have the constitutional responsibility for securing the election environment” respective states.

On closure of schools during elections, Jega said since some schools might be used, it might be necessary for some of the schools to be closed, but not for a ‘general closure of schools,” saying as a commission, INEC was yet to make such a decision.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

meaningful presence of federal government in our constituency. I believe I can offer a better and functional representation for our people in the House of Representatives. The only way that can be done is by ensuring that the federal government’s consciousness is galvanised towards our constituency.

What would be your major priority, if you eventually win?

By the grace of God, come 14 February, 2015, I would be declared the winner of the election in my constituency. My major focus would be in the manpower sector. This is because whatever you want to do for a man, as long as he is not comfortable, all efforts would just be in vain. In this regard, I would concentrate more on the empowerment of the people

Jega

and improvement of their welfare.

Poverty is one of the challenges thwarting the development of the people. How do you intend to tackle it in your constituency if you win the election?

I am aspiring to become a lawmaker in the lower chamber. I would strive to make laws that would be tilted towards welfarism. We would be expected to show more responsiveness to our people within this constituency and I would make sure better opportunities are provided. So, welfare is a key thing for me and that dwells on education, job creation and empowerment of the people.

With the incumbency of APC-led government, do you think you have the political wherewithal to win the elec-

tion?

I would say for any politician that aspires for political position, we all make promises one time or the other. But, when you begin to wane in your promises or fail to fulfill it, you will lose grip of the grassroot or those who have given you the mandate, and that is what I think the APC has done. So, it was not difficult for me to make our people understand that they can have a better result and impact than what they having now. For instance, the present member of the House of Representatives, representing this constituency has not done well. Our people are getting wiser by the day and they realise that when you need them, you come around begging for votes. When you are elected, you carry the mandate of thousands of people. The onus lies on you to revert back to them

and also ensure that you carry their problems and challenges on your shoulders for the federal government to see. If you are able to bring federal government’s attention to this constituency, it would help a lot in convincing the grassroot that you are not a political dealer, but a politician to serve the people. Opportunity has come to show that our people can be better served. The confidence I have towards this election is that our people are better educated and more enlightened.

They want a better deal. By the grace of God, we would coast home to victory.

APC’s primary in this constituency was marred with malpractices and your kinsman in this constituency was at the centre of that criCONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Politics 20

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Frank Gardner BBC security correspondent Home Secretary Theresa May was explicit. Addressing MPs on Wednesday, she said the Paris attacks were enabled by the use of military assault weapons. These were “not unknown in the UK but extremely uncommon”, she said.

So what exactly were these weapons that killed 17 people in such a short space of time, and what are the chances we could see a similar well-armed attack on our streets?

The two Kouachi brothers who attacked the offices of the Paris magazine Charlie Hebdo on 7 January, used as their primary weapons of choice, a modern derivative of the AK-47.

This has been a standard infantry weapon in dozens of countries and the firearm of choice by insurgents, revolutionaries and terrorists all over the world since the 1960s.

With a high rate of fire and a 30-round magazine, these weapons can be devastating at close range. AKs were used by the attackers in both the Mumbai siege of 2008 and the Westgate siege in Nairobi in 2013.

They are also far more powerful than anything carried by the gendarmes who confronted the gunmen as they left the Charlie Hebdo office after killing 10 people inside.

Amateur footage taken from a nearby rooftop shows the police car beating a hasty retreat and reversing down the street once its occupants realised they were outgunned.

The Kouachis shot dead two policemen before fleeing north to a suburb where they were eventually killed by police snipers from the French Counter Terrorism unit, GIGN. As well as the assault rifles carried by Cherif and Said Kouachi, the two men were armed with an M82 grenade launcher, grenades and at least one Tokarev pistol.

Their accomplice Amedy Coulibaly used a Czech-made Scorpion

Could weapons used in Paris attack reach UK? Cameron sub-machine gun, a popular weapon in the criminal underworld.

France has strict laws forbidding private ownership of such automatic weapons yet illegal weapons are depressingly easy to obtain, with one report claiming that for every legal weapon in the country there are nearly two illegal ones.

The Belgian media have reported that most of the weapons used in the Paris attacks were supplied to Coulibaly by an underworld arms dealer in Brussels for less than 5,000 euros (£3,900).

The EU’s counter terrorism coordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, told the BBC: “It is probably too easy to get hold of military weapons in Europe.” But he said the EU had significantly improved its checks

“It is probably too easy to get hold of military weapons in Europe.... the EU had significantly improved its checks on its external borders”

on its external borders and that it was constantly improving its response to the threat.

The bulk of Europe’s more powerful illegal arms are believed to come from the Balkans, specifically from warehouses in Albania and what used to be Yugoslavia.

The home secretary warned on Wednesday that north Africa could also be a source of dangerous illicit weapons.

The Schengen Agreement, which abolished physical borders between west European countries, has facilitated their proliferation into many European cities.

The UK, though, is not part of the Schengen group and government officials maintain this country has correspondingly stricter border controls.

As soon as the Paris attacks took place those controls were further tightened, with armed police patrols deployed at St Pancras station where passengers arrive at the Eurostar terminal from the continent.

It could conceivably be only a matter of time before determined jihadists in Britain get their hands on the sort of high powered assault weapons used in the Paris attacks but intelligence will be key in trying to head off such a plot before it materialises.

Ever since the Mumbai raid in 2008 that killed over 160 people Whitehall planners have been rehearsing with police, special forces and the emergency services to cope with a similar event that they hope never takes place.

Politicians should be responsive –Oduoye CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

Oduoye

sis. What brought you into alliance with him?

I would say I can speak for 100 percent reasons why I am contesting. I can also speak to a great extent, why the person you are referring to, Barrister Ayo Kusamotu, has taken some steps. We met and discovered

we have a common purpose and that has brought us together.

The bond is there to serve our communities and make sure that we do things better. Both of us carry the responsibility to ensure that Ifelodun is better than what it is right now. And that is why it seems we have some challenges with some of our leaders who believe that it’s

all about money. Like you have said, our ideologies are geared towards the same purpose to make sure Ifelodun is a better place. In terms of crossing over to the PDP, it is a work in progress.

As a member in the House, what impact do you intend to have as regards bills and

motions?

There are things I may not be able disclose now. They are part of our strategies. But, when we start campaigning, some of these things would be made public. My concern is to give my people better, proper, functional and responsive representation in the House of Representatives.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Weekend Starter

21

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Orire: Pastor, doctor, Ogboni member says:

Reformed Ogboni, Christianity serve same God Dr Adebayo Orire, leader of Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF), is also the pastor of a gospel Church, a medical doctor and a chieftain of the All Progressives Party (APC) in Ekiti. In this interview with our Ekiti State Correspondent, GBENGA SODEINDE, he explained the genesis of ROF which has just celebrated it centenary anniversary, and its relationship with Christianity and other religions as the will of God among others

Yes, over 20 years ago I had been an Alakoso, which means (head of ?) the Executive Council of Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, in Nigeria, in Africa, and worldwide.

That means I will be like a bishop controlling some parishes in the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity.

The ROF has just concluded a oneweek centenary programme, tell us about it?

Yes, the ROF is exactly 100 years old. It was actually formed by the first Archdeacon of West Africa, the first set of Nigerians who were clergies of repute. It was Archdeacon T.J. Ogunbiyi that actually formed the ROF100 years ago patterning it after the Freemasonry, the fraternity of the old and our native aborigine Ogboni system.

It was resolved as a result of what was happening in Christendom at that time. They(Christians) were actually not faithful; they were killing each other for posts and struggling unethically for unnecessary and unprofitable things. They were all on each others’ throats and if our traditional system could be refined along the line of the fraternity system that existed in Europe, US, and even in the far East.. They now went around, studied these systems of cults operating in Britian, the US, like the Amorc.

They now gathered all these systems that were actually projecting the fatherhood of God and brotherhood of mankind.

The only mistake he made was

Is it really true that you are a bornagain pastor and Ogboni member?

I am Rev. Dr, Andrew Adebayo Orire, I am a medical practitioner of over 35 years in practice, a called man of God and a general overseer of a church, with experience spanning many facets of life --- mysticism, fraternity, medical jobs, business development, pastoral job and of course, I am a political and immediate past chairman of the hospital management board in Ekiti State under the immediate past administration of the APC Government led by Dr Kayode Fayemi.

Then you are not just a member but an executive member of ROF?

Dr. Orire

‘Except it’s a spiritual curse, there is no disease that has no natural cure’

Oladepo, woman who cures fibroid with herbs God’s Covenant Snr

Aworonke

The sight of a large brass pot with various herbs being boiled

on fire by the roadside may not be uncommon on Lagos mainland, especially in Mushin, Yaba and other suburbs. But that of a teenager, who, in one breath,

is busy stirring the contents of the pot, while, in another, scooping same with a cup into sachets and bottles and selling to people in front of the Oba Adams Complex, along Iju Road, Agege before the popular Pen-Cinema round about, attracted our correspondent. Upon inquiry about his job, the teenager pointed to the complex and said ‘Go to Mama, she is in the office’.

‘Mama’ turned out to be Chief (Mrs.) Aworonke Oladepo, an al-

using the name Ogboni. May be if he had called it “The real brothers” or “The children of God” which they actually are, there wouldn’t have been any hue and cry about it. We people in Nigeria and Africa, don`t really appreciate what we have; you see and Ogboni has had a kind of awesomeness around him.

The name Ogboni would evoke some fears and some anxiety from people and up till date is still goes on. All he did was that he moved against anything negative or fetish . In fact, we preach against anything that goes with worshiping idol, or anything that could really hurt anybody or fellow human being.

Ogboni fraternity is against anything that is not in agreement of God, and Ogboni was reformed totally to the system of fraternity where wisdom of God, the name of Jesus, and the fatherhood of God is supreme and primus. In short, ROF was formed to bring sanity to Christendom In fact, it was initially named, “Christian Ogboni Fraternity”, but the name had to be changed when other people started coming in, like Muslims. It is quite unfortunate that people do not really know what we do in Ogboni Fraternity.

There, you are supposed to worship God only ; in fact one of the primus questions in ROF is “Do you believe in God?” If you don’t believe in God, you will not be accepted.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

ternative medicine dealer, who claims to cure fibroid without surgery.

On getting to her office, which was filled with labelled bottles of dry herbs, roots, tree backs and stems and others of concoctions for different ailments, Oladepo, was busy with a client on the phone, while some female clients waited patiently to be attended to.

Introducing her business to CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

Weekend Starter 22

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

The Herbal Chemist

Aworonke

Oladepo, woman who cures fibroid without surgery CONTINUED FROM PAGE 21

Daily Times, she said her mother taught her everything she knew while she developed on it. “My family is well known in Agege and I am of the third genera-

tion in my mother’s lineage who is still in the business as Iya Al’agbo”.

Taking the practice from just boiling roots and herbs for malaria and other minor ailments, Oladepo, without a formal education, had upgraded her practice

to rendering full clinical services. The business is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) as Nawode Wonderful Herbal Healing Centre (CAC/2158921 NG/TM/2010/142) and Lagos State Government (with registration LSG.TMB RN:

003166) besides other professional affiliations that testify to her competence. Her business also boasts of a website and an e-mail address, besides numerous phone lines. Apart from the Agege office, the healing centre also has a branch at Ojuelegba.

“I had my education in herbs and roots. As a young girl, I knew every leaf and back, root and fruit that corrects any ailment in the human system; my mother, who learnt from her mother, taught me everything I know today. My clients cut across race, religion and gender. I have customers coming in from other states and overseas”, she said with pride.

Born Aderonke Oladepo, the word Awo (herbalist) came naturally from the family’s customers who called little Aderonke ‘Kekere’Awo (little herbalist) as

she sorted out herbs and roots for her mother while under tutelage; then following the death of her mother about a decade ago, Aderonke, on starting her business, became known as ‘Aworonke’, a name she cherishes till date.

“Curing ailments with herbs is my life because I know the medicinal property in everything green, whether fruit, leaf or tree.

There is more healing power in natural plants and fruits than all English drugs put together, and I am not boasting; in all my years of experience in this business, many diseases that hospitals could not cure were referred to me, and they still do so.”

According to her, she has a long list of ailments she can cure and this include fibroid without surCONTINUED ON PAGE 23

African Christians started ROF CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

Dr. Orire

That is, the only God, “Olodumare” in Yoruba language, or Allah in Hausa language. Then you must do unto others as you want them to do unto you.You must also believe in the brotherhood of mankind otherwise you will not be accepted. But every other thing underneath that range would not be counted. Your

religion would not be counted, politics or your political parties would not be counted against you. You are free so far you are going to show truth, love, and harmony to your co-fellows and agree to the fatherhood of God. So, that was what we have been doing since 1914 when it was formed. It also believes in this harvest system like is done in churches.

But where the problem started was that we are against falsehood on oath. You must speak the truth at all times, do good to people, your brothers, you must not kill, you must love you brothers truly, you must be somebody who will return good for evil done to you by others.

You must be somebody who will leave vengeance to God and God alone. These rules were too harsh

for them, so instead o going along with such a system, they started criticising it, talking evil against it and in fact they were actually going to excommunicate the founder, Bishop Ogunbiyi from the church system until people like Arch-Bishop Vinnie and some other top ministers of God from churches went CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

into this Reformed Ogboni Fraternity and discovered that it was actually in agreement with God and the system of both traditional Amorc system and the traditional freemasonry in Europe, US, Germany and in other islands.

23 Weekend Starter

‘Belief in God is condition for membership’

Do you agree that ROF is a secret cult?

What Do you mean by secret cult? You see, this is part of the ignorance that is peddled around, a secret organization will not be registered. ROF is registered under the company Act; ROF is a legally registered organization. A secret society will not worship publicly in places that are known to people, the addresses of all the headquarters and the branches are known to people. A secret society will not know the members, we know the members, a secret society will not have anything written, we have a constitution of this ROF. A secret society will not hold meetings in the day or in places where people can see them; we hold meetings in the day and in places where people can see us. they tell me that they close their doors, but even in churches you have to close your door at times. It is just that people don’t know what they do there and they assume a lot of things. The only thing is that the society has its own secrets, just like every other society has its own secret.

What are the benefits of ROF? As a society that goes with truth and love and harmony is of God and it is practicing love of faith in line with the injunction of God, you will know that there is reliability in there. It is a place where you can go and do business with your brother with your eyes closed, with your mind at peace. You can know that you can worship your God under any guise knowing that there is only one God; you can know that when you get to any place where these people are, you can rest assured that your family are there.

Right now, I can go to any city or country now to strike a deal with

the nation. So if you don’t want to die of the repercussion of breaking your oath, you must behave well. Whether it is APC, PDP, APA, Labour, APGA, or any other political party, you must remember you are one and must see each other as brother who must not hurt each other.

Can you settle quarrels that do not emanate from the gathering?

There is no problem that you take there that cannot be settled because that is one of the things which we were guided by; that is, to be at peace with all men at all times and you must forgive others their sins. You see, forgiveness is one of basic rule of the organisation.

Francis Oluwagbenro Meshioye, the Olori Oluwo (Supreme Leader) of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity

any member and he will take me serious more than any other person who is not a member. The trust is the thing there, the brotherhood there, the fraternal relationship is there, and when you are doing business with anybody that is your brother, know he cannot take your money away. You know he cannot kill you, you know he cannot do anything negative or anything that could harm you.

But there are politicians there and politicians do lie, how do you manage this?

I am a politician, and I don’t lie, and I know you have known me for over 10years now and I Know that

There are more healing powers in natural plants, fruits

you know that I don’t lie and I am a politician, or have you ever seen me telling lies?

You see, politics does not make you. But if you are a liar, even if you are in heaven, you will still lie.

After all, Satan was one of the best Angels of God but he became the devil. So, if you are a liar and you find your way to Ogboni fraternity and it has become your habit to lie, definitely you will still lie. But if you are a truthful person and find yourself in the business of politics, you will not lie. So it is you who wants to lie and not the system that makes you to lie.

So, there are persons from dif-

ferent political parties together in ROF, how do you handle that?

That is the beauty of it. You are not going to see any difference in us. In fact, we deal with each other as children from the same father and mother. We can go and do our politics outside and when we come back in the evening, we embrace each other. If there is anybody that is killing each other out there, we are not concerned. Because there will be no reason for you to kill your brother if you call him your brother, since we have swear an oath not to kill our brother and even not to do anything against the love of God and against the law of

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 22

zia, skin rashes and itching.

“Also, I have a special one here”, she held up a labelled bottle, the liquid as black as the night; “This is my herbal medicine for boosting sperm count, watery sperm and dead sperm. It will increase sperm count from zero to 82 million; it also improves the spermatozoa greatly to 85 per cent, and quality and speed of the sperm will improve tremendously within one week of treatment.”

Asked about her claim to cure fibroid without surgery, Aworonke lifted up a brew labelled FBP.

gery; stroke; staphylococcus; tuberculosis; asthma; painful menstruation; gonorrhea; low sperm count; HIV/AIDS; diabetes; vaginal discharge; calculating pregnancy period; cancer of the bone and breast; weak erection; quick ejaculation etc.

“Over the years, I have perfected a well-researched herbal formula for the treatment of all sexually transmitted diseases and venereal diseases like E-coil, herpes virus, candidiasis, Bilhar-

You are also pastor of a gospel church, how do you manage the relationship?

I grew up as a Catholic, even I grew up as one of the sacristy boys on the altar before I later joined another gospel church. But for some time, for what happened in Christianity, and in some churches I do not go to church again. I took to fraternity, to mysticism, and spiritualism. I was studying very hard, reading the Bible, Holy Quran, and other spiritual books and practicing them and I found my way into the fraternity, Amorc, Reformed Ogboni fraternity and Freemasonry, and in the process, God called me. But because I was not suffering any physical, social or spiritual problem, I was socially accepted and acceptable, I had my job, money was not my problem, so Ignored the call of God, and the call from God kept coming and I delayed. God now began to punish me in many ways so that I could CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

“This is my special herbal formulation for women with fibroid”, she said. “It comes in different categories; some for infertility, internal heat, cleansing of the fallopian tube and removing blockage, irregular and dirty menstruation, and so on.

“But this FBP clears and stops any fibroid growth without surgery. You know that fibroid grows like grass, some are just like stubborn grass; using surgery is like a gardener cutting grass very low; CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

Weekend Starter 24

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Using herbs to boost sperm count CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

after a short time the grass grows again. But FBP will uproot the fibroid growth and recondition the

womb bed and wall so that the fibroid won’t grow again.”

Commenting on recurrent STDs that never seem to have permanent cure, Aworonke told Daily Times that it cannot hap-

pen with her treatment. “Except it is a spiritual curse, there is no disease that has no natural medicine to control and eliminate it. It is like using the right tool for the right work and you get an excel-

lent result.

“I don’t believe in drugs or treatment that you use for one or two days and there are no changes; come to my clinic and a trial will convince you. My advice to

STD carriers is that if one partner is infected, whether fresh or old infection, the couple should be treated together and for the same length of time to avoid a reoccurrence.’

‘ROF open to all religions’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23

heed the call in time, to the extent that people would lie against me.

My businesses started going down, so many things were happening to me that I had to heed the call of God and that was since about six years ago that I have heeded the call of God. I have been doing his will. In fact, I would not have had any business with church if not for God that called me because majority of the pastors of churches nowadays are liars. They will see visions that are not true and you know I hate lies so much. And when God called me, he even gave me some specific instructions not to attend certain churches and I have to heed his call. And thank God, I have been doing well since then and I have been seeing the very beautiful hands of God in my life.

I want you to explain spiritualism as it relates to the physical realm?

All things that you see in the physical realm emanate from the spiritual realm. And what is the spiritual realm? It is the realm of the invisible, the realm of vibration, the realm of waves, the realm of sound, the realm of the world, the realm of intangibility. The realm where things that will happen in the physical must first of all be incubated, the realm which determines and controls the physical, so it is the realm of God, and who is God? God is spirit and what is spirit? Spirit is not what you can hold with your hands, but that gives you power in the invisible realm to manifest his glory in the physical realm. So, whatever is to happen to you in the physical realm must first

manifested in the spiritual realm and you cannot have the physical real without the spiritual.

Do you have negative and positive in the spiritual? “Yes”, just like we have positive and negative in the physical. Is religion better than cult or fraternity in the real sense?

I say ‘No”, and “Yes”, because if you are a celestial church member and you light your candle to kill, that is evil, and if you are a Catholic member and you use your holy water to curse, that is bad, if you are cult member or you are a fraternal member and you use your spiritual powers to pray for your friend or enemy, that is good, but if you use either of them negatively, that is bad.

What is the way of God and that of the devil?

The Way of God and work of God is anything Good, and the way of the devil is anything bad and devilish Ask because of some people who believe that God’s ways are slow, they prefer to consult the devil or Idols which they believe act faster?

There cannot be anything faster than God and there cannot be anything slower than God. You see, it depends on the way you make use of his powers in you, but all the ways you may want to apply must be pure because everything you sow, you shall reap, meaning that whichever way you may go towards achieving things has its own repercussion. And nothing you do on earth that you will not get its reward. So it is better to choose the clean, pure and God- approves ways of doing things to achieve anything in life because as for me, I have maintained the positive ways of

God all through my life and it has paved ways for me at all times. As to how God answers prayers, I want to say that everybody is God in his own right as empowered by God. It depends on your faith in God, you see, invocations, proclamations and affirmations are just normal. You see, what you think you are doing through other gods, you are actually doing through God the Almighty. For instance, if you keep on hammering things to yourself now something you ordinarily would not have gotten in the next one year, but because of your faith that you will have it in few weeks and you keep on saying it to yourself that you want it, believe me you will have it. So, there is no way iron or wood and any other symbol carved as gods will do anything for you, it is God that approves and answers all prayers.

It only depends on your faith, perseverance and consistency. It is you that is talking, it is the power of the spoken word in you given by God that is doing it. That is one of the things that I learnt in the study of spiritualism and spiritism; you can put anything down and begin to chant incantations and when God answers the prayers, you think it is one Ogun, or one idol that you put down that is doing it. But mind you because you took that negative way or means to achieve this, there will be repercussion because God is against idol worshiping and there is nothing you do whether negative or positive on earth that you will not get the reward before you die.

Do you believe in destiny? And can you explain it?

I believe in destiny; what you call destiny is what some people

Dr. Orire misinterpret as pre-ordained life.

You are an embodiment of a system that is of your past, your present and your future. To God there is no past, there is no future, life is a continuum. We measure time because the Earth moves around the Sun and when the Earth is facing the sun, there is light, when it is facing away from it, there is shadow.

Because God does not have time, if you have some positive things planted in your life yesterday, you will see the positive things coming into your life today. Life is a continuum, the spirit does not die, thus, if a person died 10years ago, and he was negative and he is coming back to life again(reincarnation), he would carry some things from his past and he would add some

new things into his life at the point he was coming to earth before he is formed in character. These two, the past and the present would now mold themselves together to form his destiny. That is, you have some things that must happen to you because of your past reincarnation, I have some things that must happen to me because of my past reincarnation. When you were in your mother’s womb, what your mother was saying, the environment she was living in, what your father was saying to your mother up till the time you grow up and become the person of your own mind, you have the society which you live at present, so the past and the present would combine to give you your destiny.

Money

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

s

Chinese consortium to build power training institute in Nigeria ÏÏÏ ƑƏƆ Ƈ Ɖ Ƅ Ƈ Ə ƐƆƆƌƈ Mƈ ƆƏƈ Augustine Aminu A consortium of five major Chinese companies Thursday visited the Ministry of Power with a promise to foster a win-win mutually beneficial relationship aimed at creating relevant skills in the power sector so as to ensure the creation of jobs for young Nigerians.

Speaking in Abuja, when the Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, received a delegation under the auspices of High Hope International SkyRun Corporation, the local partners of the consortium, he said that from the presentation made by the group and the high-powered delegation from the country’s envoys in China, it is authentic to do business with the group, especially as they have expressed interest in setting-up training platforms for Nigerians.

He promised to link the group up with the sector’s training arm, National Power Training Institute (NAPTIN), for development of training modules either in Nigeria or to coordinate trainees to be sent to China for training.

Prof. Nebo expressed excitement over the Group’s capacity to participate in the entire value chain of electricity and therefore tasked the consortium to help the nation develop

its capacity, “as we strive to attain vision 20/20/20 target of 20,000MW in the next 5 years and 40,000MW afterwards”.

He urged the consortium through its proposed institute to be involved in addition to capacity building, in knowledge of research sharing in the area of renewable energy. To this end, the Minister challenged the Chinese to manufacture high quality solar panels and train Nigerians in the art so as to assure all that solar panels from China can compete effectively with the ones from Europe and America.

The Minister also spoke about the need for the Group to work with Nigeria in its quest to embrace the energy efficiency initiative through energy saving bulbs, stressing “we are ready to work with the Group in developing template to institutionalize lighting that could save as much as 75% to 80% energy in local consumption”. He described such saving in energy as substantial as it could be available for other uses.

Prof. Nebo tasked the Group to invest in distributing power model by which case a power company can generate energy from 10MW – 15MW within a small area, and make same available for distribution to the existing Disco in the locality.

He said now that the price of oil is on the downward trend in

Donald Kaberuka, AfDB boss

Short news Hawking of new currency notes is legal – Association Chairman, New Currency Note Hawkers Association, DeiDei, FCT, Alhaji Aliyu Nasir, has said that hawking of new naira notes is legal, just like the Bureau De Change operators.

Nasir told the newsmen on Thursday in Abuja that any business being operated without a law backing it was assumed to be legal, unless proven otherwise. ``If there is any law that is meant to regulate, coordinate and monitor the daily affairs of Bureau De Change, the same law is applicable to us as we have virtually everything in common. ``The operators sell and buy currency notes, regardless which denomination, country and what have you. So likewise us; in fact we sell new naira notes only.

Nebo, Minister of Power the international market, fossil fuel, diesel or black oil can be used to produce power for local distribution at minimal cost,

adding that the Ministry will be ready to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese in the next few days.

Ƈ# MǀơÖêơƾ Ƅ ƍƏ ƉƆƅƐ ƍ ƏƐƇ Ƌƈ ƈ Mƈ ƆƏƈ Ɛ ƾƠơƿé RƇƇƈƅƈ Ƌ Country Director, African Development Bank (AfDB), Nigeria Field Office, Dr Ousmane Dore, said on Thursday that the bank’s total portfolio in Nigeria as at December 2014 was about 3.09 billion dollars (N519.12 billion).

Dore disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Abuja.

He said the total value of the bank’s group public sector portfolio during the period was 1.41 billion dollars (N236.88 billion), while investments in the private

25

sector totalled 1.68 billion dollar (N282.24 billion).

Dore explained that the projects portfolio covered the supports to both public and private sectors in the country which were given as loans during the year.

He explained that the loans were investments that were channelled to infrastructural development which essentially comprised water and sanitation projects, energy and transport

and agriculture in the country.

The country director said the bank’s intervention in key sectors of the economy was in line with its strategy which was designed in collaboration with the Federal Government.

According to him, that strategy calls for an intervention focus on infrastructure development and supporting policy environment so that the country can best use its resources for development.

Emefiele, CBN governor

j Ɣ ƍƍƆ Ƌ jƏƈƄƑ Ƌ ƗƉ ƑƏ MÕêƤƌ FIRS suit The Tax Appeal Tribunal, Abuja, on Thursday adjourned hearing till February 2 the suit filed against Hotel Ladon Limited, Abuja by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) for nonpayment of N6.8 million tax.

The tribunal’s Acting Chairman, Mr Nnamdi Ibegbu, adjourned the matter at the instance of the parties.

According to the notice filed by the FIRS, the company was in default of payment of company Income Tax, Education Tax, and Value Added Tax (VAT), totaling N6.8 million.

Money 26

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Researchers develop new oil palm model

Palm fruits

Australian scientists have developed a model for oil palm cultivation, aimed at helping growers of the crop maximize the yields of their plantations, while minimising detrimental environmental impacts.

The model was recently published in the journal Environ-

mental Modeling & Software.

“Oil palm has become a major crop in the tropics, cultivated on more than 39 million acres of land,” co-author Dr Paul Nelson of James Cook University (JCU) said.

“Demand for the product con-

tinues to grow, and the industry is expected to keep expanding in the foreseeable future.

“At the same time, there is significant concern about the industry’s environmental impacts, with many purchasers wanting only certified sustainable palm oil.

“Given that this is one of the most important industries in the tropics, our aim is to contribute to a research-based approach to its management. Growers need information that will help them make decisions that are good for both productivity and the environment.”

Rice policy: Asian cartel and their disruptive agenda Emmauel Ogbonnaya Nigeria is the largest rice producing country in West Africa, but is also the second largest importer of rice in the World. Nigeria’s rice productivity is among the lowest within neighbouring countries, with average yields of 1.51 tonne/ha.

At the last Africa Rising Conference held in Maputo, the Mozambique capital, in May 2014, former Acting Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Sarah Alade, disclosed that Nigeria spends an average of $4bn annually on the importation of rice.

For a country to annually inject about N670 billion into the economy of other countries for what it has capacity to produce, while its own people languish in joblessness is outright insanity, which was why the federal government decided to formulate a policy that would in the shortest possible time place Nigeria on the pedestal of home-grown rice sufficiency.

On May 26th, 2014, a new rice policy was approved by President Goodluck Jonathan to encourage investment in local rice production and milling through the introduction of an import duty differential on rice (brown or polished) imported by rice investors compared to rice traders.

The policy initiatives also aim at prioritising the rice sector and decreasing dependence from international imports, fostering production and supplying agricultural inputs. Investors that have milling capacity with verified Domestic Rice Production Plans (DRPP) would enjoy an import duty of 10 per cent and levy 20 per cent while trad-

Imported Thai rice being offloaded from a ship

Adesina, Agric minister

ers will pay an import duty of 10 per cent and levy 60 per cent.

The new rice policy also stated that importation of brown or polished rice should be limited to the national supply gap for import-grade rice to be determined by an inter-ministerial committee chaired by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), with membership drawn from the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF), Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment

cations under the preferential arrangement, but instead of abiding by the quota allocated to them to import from their countries, exceeded the approved import quota allocation to fill by 410,368.16MT and as a result are owing the federal government about N36.56 billion for the excess quota imported.

Without waiting for determination of supply gap by the inter-ministerial committees or issuance of quotas, two Asian companies, Popular Farms and

(FMITI) and the National Planning Commission (NPC).

Daily Times has however gathered that there is a perverted rice importation plan of a handful of Asian companies, who are determined to undermine Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in rice production, as they have repeatedly done under a number of previous governments.

These foreign importers, who the government deemed fit to be part of its transformational objectives, were also given allo-

Mills – owned by Stallion Group, and Olam, had each imported 390,145.53MT and 244,126.63MT respectively of polished rice as at December 3rd at the preferential duty of 10 per centt and levy 20 per cent, according to data from Nigerian Customs.

This kind of flagrant abuse for people and economic oriented policy initiatives are nothing short of sabotage and an attempt to take government for granted all in the name of self-

Continued on page 27

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

FG to enact new gas pipeline network code The Federal Government says it has concluded plans to enact a new regulatory instrument to ensure gas pipeline integrity, open access and common understanding on metering.

This is contained in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) last quarter bulletin in 2014.

It said that the plan was part of government’s effort towards transparency and efficiency in the operation and management of pipelines nationwide.

According to it, the network code is a regulatory instrument geared at ensuring that only quality gas entered into the pipeline.

It said the code, moderated by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), was putting finishing touches in areas that would boost investment in the nation’s gas development.

It explained that the code was expected to be unveiled soon. ``As part of gas master plan, the gas network code is also being developed. ``When fully implemented, it presents a governance code for open access to the pipeline and other protocol which the NNPC and any other transporter of gas will abide by.”

It also said that the master plan, which was approved in February 2008, was designed to optimise the vast gas resources in the country.

27 Money

Extension of forex trading days could further weaken naira, says expert A foreign exchange dealer, Mr Harrison Owoh, on Thursday said the CBN’s upward review of banks’ daily foreign currency trading positions could further weaken the Naira.

Owoh told newsmen in Lagos that the CBN’s decision would give room for speculations about the Naira and further depreciate it.

He said that banks before the review could not speculate because they were only allowed to hold-on to unutilised foreign currencies for 48 hours.

Owoh, who is the Managing Director, HJ Trust Investments Ltd., Lagos, said that the 48 hours allowed banks to buy on

the first day, sell the following day and return the unsold forex on the third day to CBN was okay.

He said the one-day extension implied that banks now have an extra trading day, which would give room for hoarding before the unutilised funds were returned to the CBN. ``The commercial banks in the past had only 48 hours to utilise foreign currencies bought, after which they will return it to the CBN. ``Reviewing the time-frame to 72 hours means that banks now have three days to trade with foreign currencies bought and this will lead to speculations.

Eko Disco to begin installation of smart meters soon The management of Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) said on Thursday in Lagos that it would soon commence the installation of smart meters to its consumers.

The Principal Manager, Public Affairs Division, EKEDC Mr Ademola Adegoke, said this during an interview with newsmen.

Adegoke said that the smart meters would address irregularities and bottlenecks associated with the billing system and the challenges posed by meter bypass by consumers.

NAN reports that smart metering is the new technology in electricity metering which cre-

Madueke, Petroleum minister

ates an inter-face between electricity providers and electricity consumers.

The smart meter is available both in prepayment and postpaid formats.

It also allows the electricity providers to access and monitor consumers meters from their offices, to ascertain if the meter is in working condition or has been by-passed.

Adegoke said that the smart meter technology became necessary due to increased cases of meter by-pass and energy theft which have contributed in truncating the services of the company.

‘How cartel disrupts Nigeria’s rice policy’ Continued from page 26 ish interests and protif taking.

Daily Times gathered that currently, Popular Farms and Mills owe the Treasury N19.379billion in unpaid levies while Olam owes the Treasury N9.02billion.

Together these two Asian companies owe the Federal Government N28.399billion.

Rather than pay the levies owed, the two Asian companies wrote letters to the Minister asking for a revision of their rice import quotas; Olam asked for 400,000MT rice import quota, to cover the quantities of rice that they had gone ahead to im-

port (or still desire to import) without any approved quotas or DRPP as required, but a mere agreement with Nigerian Customs that they would pay the duties due once the quota allocations are out. They pleaded with the Minister of Agriculture to no avail as he insisted everyone must follow the transparent and rigorous methodology on issuance of quotas.

Three other companies ContiAgro, Central Trading and Export, and African farms with no Domestic Rice Production Plan have also imported 98,285MT of rice without approved quotas and owe the treasury N8.16 bil-

lion. All these five companies owe the Nigerian Government a total of N36.56billion.

According to the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina “Every company must follow the rules and there are no sacred cows. The days are gone when they can bribe to get what they want. I will not allow them to scuttle our self-sufficiency drive in rice production.

I cannot be bought or bribed.

These two companies Olam and Popular Farms and Mills owe N28.399billion and they must pay for the excess rice they imported above their allowed quota at preferential rate.”

These foreign importers have even falsely argued that rice production in Nigeria is not economically feasible and uncontrolled imports should be allowed in. But the reality is completely different. Nigerian farmers have shown an impressive performance in response to Government’s new rice policy that favours local rice production and milling.

Since the onset of ATA, Nigeria has seen a rapid growth in paddy production from 4.5million MT in 2012 to 7.89million MT in 2013, and 10.7million MT in 2014; with the addition of a completely new rice growing

season – the rice dry season farming program. Indeed never has Nigeria seen such a dramatic increase in rice production.

Adesina stated categorically that: “Nigeria cannot lose any revenue due to the economy. All companies who have imported rice above their allocated quotas must pay fully the amounts due to the treasury. With the devaluation of the Naira, all hands must be on deck to ensure that all leakages are blocked. Nigeria is not for sale”. The Minister further noted “I will not be intimidated. I will not be bought or corrupted. I will not sell my country to any foreign company.

Auto 28

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

The Polaris slingshot

The trikes: Created for fun, business

Niyi Omo-Okiri

One of the hottest-selling vehicles in the motorcycle industry (The Trikes) isn’t a motorcycle at all.

It’s a three-wheeled variant that’s part superbike, part gocart and all business. But threewheeled motorcycles aren’t new, especially in the United States (US) and Germany. US meter maids and ice cream vendors of yore favored trikes driven

by Harley engines…and the three-wheeled motorbikes with sidecars, manufactured by Ger-

mans, was very popular and excellently deployed by Hitler’s Third Reich army during World War II. However, when one of the most famous motor-bike manufacturers, the United Statesbased Harley Davidson, was hatching the idea of producing and launching the trikes into the auto world, surely they had fun seekers as their prime target. Main reason being that the vehicle can take only one, and a maximum of two passengers - a man and a woman, as the case may be.

Obviously too, they hadn’t taken Africa and other third world countries, so to say, automobile markets into cognizance.

Therefore, one wonders how auto buffs in these climes would welcome the new innovation, whose earlier models had for decades been accepted in developed countries.

Nevertheless the new model trikes are meticulously engineered and beautifully designed, as these pictures show, and could carve a niche for itself among the children of the Nigerian rich. And depending

on their ruggedness and how well they can handle the Nigeria roads, they would also surely be embraced, but gradually, by superbike lovers, who run from Lagos to Benin and to the East on their bikes. Riding clubs and fun lovers would definitely take their share too.

In the US, sales appear to be increasing rapidly among the Harley-Davidson’s top-selling models, and at premium prices.

Contenders in this arena include the Can-Am Spyder and the Polaris Slingshot, rivals to

the segment-leading Tri Glide and Freewheeler models from Harley.

But the new trike-bikes are sleek, powerful and expensive.

The traditional ones, like those from Harley, use motorcycle engines to power two drive wheels in back and a single wheel in front.

The updated ones, such as those from Can-Am, Polaris and Campagna, have a single drive wheel in back, and do their steering with two wheels up front.

Differe

ent views of the Polaris

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

29 Auto

Auto clinic

The Tech-Care Evolution With the evolution of selfparking, fuel-efficient, and WiFi on board cars, technology is gradually replacing drivers’ input to the barest minimal creating faster warnings and responses as well as a more comfortable car experience.

Cars that return great fuel economy and weigh a fraction of what they used to may sound like a pipe dream, but 2015 models are already set to transform reality. From the 700-poundslighter 2015 Ford F-150 to the Wi-Fi enabled Cadillac ATS and Audi A8, to the self-parking 2015 Chrysler 200 and 2015 MercedesBenz C-Class, automakers are unloading the hottest new technologies within the next year.

Upcoming 2015 models are set to be fully stocked with the latest technology, whether it is light-weight aluminum helping with fuel efficiency or Google Glass-ready interactive computer systems.

CONNECTED CARS Genesis sedan owners will be able to connect with their vehicle using wearable devices.

Hyundai’s cloud-based Blue Link technology will make remote start and service information quickly accessible, without the inconvenience of pulling out a smartphone, through new devices like Google Glass.

More vehicles are coming with built-in Wi-Fi hotspots.

They include GMC’s 2015 Canyon midsize truck and Cadillac’s ATS coupe, which has a new OnStar system with a hot spot that can connect seven devices at once.

Audi’s A8 navigation system tops that by connecting eight.

ALUMINUM V. STEEL Ford put its “Built Ford Tough” reputation on the line with extensive use of highstrength, military-grade aluminum in its upcoming 2015 F-150, which makes it 700 pounds lighter. Replacing steel body panels with aluminum should increase fuel economy; but Ford has not released those figures.

The Can-Am Spyder trike

Driving the Polaris Slingshot You really can’t go anywhere in a Slingshot without causing a sensation.

Sure, right now it’s new and strange and shocking, but this thing gets more eyeballs than a Lamborghini. Everyone’s looking, everyone’s doing doubletakes and pulling out their phones and shooting photos.

As I was driving through town with a friend riding shotgun, he gestured to the phones aimed out both rear windows of the car ahead and said: “This must be what it feels like to be Adam Levine.”

The driving experience doesn’t quite live up to the promise of the radical styling, but how could it? You’d need a flux capacitor under the hood, not a GM Ecotec. The 2.0-liter turbo from the Sky Red Line would’ve been a fun selection, but possibly also scary-slash-dangerous.

Polaris says you should always wear a helmet when driving the Slingshot, but if you live in a state that doesn’t require them for motorcycles then you’re free to drive lidless. I’m normally pro-helmet, but in this case I’m not so sure. You’re wearing a seat belt and you’ve got a pair of forged aluminum roll hoops towering above the cockpit - this thing has to be safer than a lot of antique cars.

It doesn’t help that the Slingshot’s one-piece seats have head-

rests that jut out a few inches, forcing your neck forward when you’re wearing a helmet. Polaris says the solution is to recline the seatback, but that’s awkward, too. Anyway, the helmet question is a moot point if you’ve got the base model - with no windshield, your full-face helmet is the only thing keeping your face from getting sandblasted by road grit and serving as a bullseye for suicidal insects.

So there’s an argument for the more-expensive SL - you really

A driver on his trike

do want a windshield. But even at 24 grand I think the Slingshot’s a deal, because it offers a visceral open-air driving experience that you can’t really get outside the Morgan 3 Wheeler, which costs more than twice as much and doesn’t go nearly as fast. But there will be doubters.

One friend, riding in the passenger seat, said, “I’d get one of these… after I had everything else.”

Additional source: Yahoo Autos

30

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Features Why Police tear-gassed agency office in Kano

Yakubu Salisu A fight broke out recently between officials of the Kano State Road Traffic Agency head quarters (KAROTA) and some police personnel during which the former fired tear gas canisters into the air forcing people to scamper for safety.

The agency was established by the present administration to help control traffic as well as arrest traffic offenders. However, its operation has been

s criticised by some people. They accuse the Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso administration of using the agency for revenue generation.They point to the fact that those caught for traffic offences are forced to pay as much as N20,000 as fines for minor offences, including crossing the stop line at a road junction.

The activities of the agency are said to have led to many road accidents,with many loss of lives and injuries. For example, personnel of the agency are

in the habit of chasing motorists and commercial motorcyclists at top speed.

Business men and women within and outside the state are also alleging that the agency’s officials are always extorting money from them even for legally conveyed goods. This situation has forced many business people to avoid doing business in Kano. Only two weeks ago, some officials of the agency asCONTINUED ON PAGE 31

A KAROTA arrest

The Pyramid end of Point Zero

EKO ATLANTIC CITY

Natural wonder goes under Gbubemi God’s Covenant Snr In good old Lagos, fondly called Eko, few landmarks stand out and remain indelible in the minds of the aborigines as the pride and heritage of Lagos.

Eko Akete, as the Islanders love to call the city would recall, is the hot hub of Eko in the 60s through to early 1980s, which included the Tinubu and Campos Squares, the City Hall, Quay Side on the Marina; and then the Bar Beach.

Until 12 years ago, the Bar Beach held a natural history that was once thought to be a myth, but those curious enough did verify the story, and spiritualists, even the commercial white garment churches had it going for them …

until 2003.

The story was that the Bar Beach Ocean, and the Lagos Lagoon, reached an understanding to dwell together; the two mighty elements had agreed to respect the other’s territory without breach and this treaty was very visible at a point some seven kilometres from the land area housing the School of Oceanography and environs.

What would have earned its right of place among the natural wonders of the world was the point where, it was said, both oceans met side by side, the Bar Beach, with her clear sparkling blue waters and the ash dark waters of the Lagoon with neither flowing into the other. There was

even a story that if you pour both into a bottle, you would risk an explosion, even when there was no proof.

Daily Times took time to visit this place, tracing the old path that could lead to recapturing the wonder in the face of the massive Eko Atlantic City project.

Daily Times was able to search out one inquisitive lady, now a grandmother, Mrs. Yomi Adeosun, a medic and social worker, who first went there as a child, and much later as an adult. She went back down memory lane to the most eerie and awesome sight she ever saw. Like an intellectual documentary, Daily Times relives Yomi Adeosun’s live encounter with the Bar Beach and the Lagos Lagoon:

“We entered from the road beside the School of Oceanography, which used to be the demarcation of the Bar Beach and the Lagoon.

A little way down you find piles of stones arranged in a straight line into to the sea; its width was like a normal road but it was a very long road – up to seven or more kilometres, running in a straight line, till where the road ended.

“There was a rail track skillfully laid on the rocky road; but the rail terminated at a point, it was not clear what the rail was used for, but it was a very rugged old rail track.

“In those days, we trekked all the way as there was no motor CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

Adeosun

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Arresting a police van sparked-off the fracas

31 Features

The oceans lay like consenting adults

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30

saulted a soldier by hittinh him with on the head for violating one of their rules. The development caused panic among the people, even when the victim took the incident in his stride.

The recent fracas was as a result of the agency’s personnel arresting a police vehicle which they claimed drove against traffic. They therefore impounded the vehicle and drove it to their office. Later, Policemen arrived and demanded the release of the vehicle,which the agency refused. It was in the course of argument that fight broke out in the head office.

When contacted, the Commander of the agency, Abdulmuminu Aliyu Babani said it was unfortunate that communications broke down between the two law enforcement agencies, even as he insisted that the command would not release the impounded car until those driving it underwent psychiatric tests, which is the standard procedure in the agency.

This situation has led to the call for the disbandment of the agency. Some people interviewed frowned at the impunity of the personnel whom they accused of impounding even stray animals,while the owners are asked to pay fnes. “These men confiscate even domestic animals found on the road,while the owners are asked to pay fines for their release,” complained a resident. People allege that the fines most times are more than the costs of the pets.

When the fines are not paid, the animal is declared property of government.

The Kano State Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), Musa Majiya confirmed the incident and said that the matter was being investigated.

A commercial bus driver, Abdulkadir Muhammad said Karota has become an ant that bites without warning. “The governor has given them so much power they feel even more powerful than soldiers. They are thugs, recruited into the CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rock pilling out the shape for Eko Atlantic City CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30

able road. The separating rocks were high and people used the available spaces as churches, restaurants, and the type we call buka. At the end of the road, was a light house, and that was where the rail terminated.

“When we stepped down from the rail, we were confronted with a very big building, the entrance opened into a space that would occupy two modern living rooms put together”.

“It was like when you get to the end of a street, or a road intersection, there is usually a slight bend, and so it was there; they had left the front untouched but built a a white garment church there.

“The church had two entrance doors; we saw signs of female and male entrances and visitors were expected to strictly observe the or-

der; they go in one way, and come out from another.

“It happened that we went on a day there was no service and, as we approached the church, we saw one man standing on one of the rocks and he was fishing; he looked over at us, and asked in Yoruba whether we wanted to see someone, but the man with me, one Mr. David Olowolabi refused to reply.

“We just walked in as if we were members of the church, but we each observed the rule. Mr. David went in through the male entrance, and I followed through the female one, and we both met at back of the church facing the sea.

“My heart skipped a bit and started racing, my hairs stood and I felt goose pimples all over me.

The Church has drawn the Star of David on the ground and right there we saw a man kneeling and

“The separating rocks were high and people used the available spaces as churches, restaurants, and the type we call buka” praying. I couldn’t climb any of the rocks because I was afraid.

“From left to right you can only see the Takwa Bay in the distance.

While I was staring, Mr. David asked whether I recognise it was Takway Bay, I just nodded because I was still awed by the sight, and the massive waves lashed, even as the waters would sometimes splash on us. In fact I was told that if we had come during the high tide, the waves could throw out live fishes on the rocks”.

The marriage of two oceans “From this end of the church you could see the meeting point of the Bar Beach and the Lagoon.

“Both met side by side, the Bar Beach, with clear sparkling blue waters and the ash dark waters of the Lagoon. The line of demarcation was distinct from where we stood.

“It was a sight I will never forget. In fact it was the desire to see it again that made me go there a CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Features 32

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Reclamation is possible occupation

The Bar Beach side of the divide CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

second time.

When our correspondent visited the area on Christmas day and on January 1, a diligent inquiry revealed that the mysterious white garment church has been demolished, and so were all structures that dotted both sides of the rail track; they have given way to the state government’s ambitious 10 square kilometre land reclamation that has gulped up the natural wonder no one would believe ever existed before 2003.

The rock pilling thus far has taken up five million square metres of sea to a spot called Point Zero. It is a pyramid shaped pile of massive rocks, some as massive as a lorry, and others shaped to fit into gaps in between; systematically the rocks at the pyramid point, spreading backwards.

Daily Times learnt that the rocks have been brought in by huge trucks from Ibadan, Oyo State.

The rocky road which was about the width of a normal one lane road had been expanded, while the ocean reclamation has continued beyond the location where the church used to be right into the infinite, formless deep seas.

Daily Times sought the opinion of someone in the know, a cleric and legal practitioner, Barrister Sylvester Okwechime of Wisdom Chambers, Maryland, Lagos.

“Land reclamation from the sea?” he began; “You can only reclaim what originally belonged to you that was illegally taken from you. I see the 10 square kilometres land reclamation for Eko Atlantic City project as a forcible land acquisition and illegal occupation.

What the principals of the project have done is a forcible dumping of rocks which they believe cannot be moved, but only time will

“The rocky road had been expanded, while the ocean reclamation has continued beyond the location where the church used to be right into the infinite, formless deep seas” tell.

“As a cleric, I can tell you that natural law comes to play here; to force their dwelling upon the face of the seas, even to the extent of overrunning the confluence of the Bar Beach and Lagoon? Is there no better and safer way for science and technology to prove their wisdom?”

When Daily Times reminded the cleric that God gave man dominion over the seas, he refused to concur.

“God gave man dominion over the fish in the sea, not the sea. God gave man dominion over the earth and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth but not the sea.

“Time will not permit me to show you that the sea is a human being, since you know that God gave man dominion over the earth, you should also know He created the earth and the entire web of life upon the seas, and established them all on the flood; so CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

newly established agency,”he said.

According to him, the penalty by the Karota is too high. How can an agency ask for N20,000 fine from a commercial bus driver? How much does he make in a month/” he asked. He said there is need for the government to merge the agency with the FRSC for efficiency. He said unlike the FRSC, whose personnel will stop and caution a first offender , those of Karota are only after money A tricycle owner, Malam Sani said they had been at the receiving end of the agency’s highhandedness. “The agency directed us to register our tricycles in order to get serial numbers printed on our machines, as well as our local government areas for identification. We were also forced to pay for identity cards to operate in the state. Even at that, they arrest us indiscriminately and sometimes cause damages to our tricycles,” he said.

A driver at the Unguwa Uku Motor Park who pleaded anonymity, said the Karota slogan is “ba sa ni ba sa bo” which means that which means familiarity does not prevent the slaughtering of a chicken. He said they come to their parks and demand a manifest listWhere none is presented, you are forced to pay fines. He said they are not well-trained. Why should they be moving around with sticks and knives,” he queried?

The agency has on several occasions been responsible for some fatal accidents,especiall on Zaria Road. An officer of the the agency was recently crushed CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

KAROTA official stops a cyclist

‘N20,000 fine was asking too much’

‘One arrest too many’

Another KAROTA arrest

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

33 Features

Kano Police, agency in power show CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

by a trailer while trying to stop a car by contesting the steering wheel with the driver.

The agency recently dismissed some of its personnel caught drinking at their duty posts. “There is the need for the state government to review the activities of the agency”, he said.

KAROTA official stops a cyclist

The struggle for dominion

Rising from the belly of the oceans CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

the sea is the strongest and most powerful element created.

“I love natural scenes and I have great passion for preserving them. If there is to be one natural tourist attraction the state government should have preserved, it the confluence of the Bar Beach and the Lagoon. It is not a land that should be giving way in the overriding public interest.

“There is a place for the rivers, and there is a place for wild beasts and birds; there is also a place for man and his kind. Would it not be wise if men stay within the natural boundary set for them? God made all the nations of men to dwell on the face of all the earth, and has set the bounds of their habitation.

“Then you overrun a sensitive point like that, and you say, Eko o ni baje? Let me tell you, it is only a mad man that would gather woods with live cobra in the forest, carry it on his head and expect to arrive home safely.”

Sensing the lawyer is a lover of

nature; Daily Times asked if he wished the area had been spared.

“See, I love natural scenes and I have great passion for preserving them. If there is to be one natural tourist attraction Lagos State Government should have preserved for posterity and for all times, it the confluence of the Bar Beach and the Lagoon. It was not a land that should be developed for whatever reason.

“Besides that, there is a place for the rivers, and there is a place for wild beasts and birds; there is also a place for man and his kind.

Would it not be wise if men stay within the boundary that nature has set for them? For God He is, that made of one blood, all the nations of men for to dwell on the face of all the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and has set the bounds of their habitation.”

On the demolition of the church, Adeosun nodded with approval. “For me, it should be demolished because that day, when we were in the church, you could feel strong negative spiritual pres-

ence. I think it is good they demolish it. Such a place should not be allowed to exist.”

“Have you seen models of the Eko Atlantic City, and the 3-G photographs?” Adeosun asked with excitement; “You need to see it.

When you see the animated version of what the city will look like, where the shops will be, the apartments and all that, Olorun oni je ki omi gbe nwo lo! (God will not allow water to carry them away!).

“Do you know why I am uncomfortable with this land reclamation? At Lekki Phase 1, where the late Prof. Ransome Kuti lived, even though the water is clean and clear, but whenever it rains, we usually wade through the flood to get to his house.

“When I was young, that Sura water covered up to Sangross.

Where the lagoon waters stopped is the place we have Sura market now. In fact, Leventis and Kingsways were built on the strip of the Marina that separated them from the lagoon.”

The good side

the size of the Manhattan District of America’s New York City.

“I think it is good they demolish it. Such a place should not be allowed to exist”

The Lagos State Government is convinced that the Eko Atlantic project is worth all the demolitions of monuments in the area.

Information available at the website on the mega project says that the new Nigerian city will rise from what was in existence over 100 years ago; that it will support a new urban development

What is Eko Atlantic City?

The proposed city is the most impressive urban development project in Nigeria.

It will be home to an estimated 250,000 people and the workplace for another 150,000. It is a 10 square kilometre development project with waterfront areas, tree-lined streets, efficient transport systems and mixed-use plots for residential areas with leisure facilities, offices and shops.

In addition, it is envisaged to enhance the status of Lagos and create a new and stronger financial hub for the entire West Africa region.

According to Governor Fashola, Eko Atlantic will change the face of Africa and will help Lagos transform into megacity status.

The state will provide space for the 25 million people expected to live and work in the region by 2015. Eko Atlantic is an ambitious project that will be a source of national pride.

34

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Our heritage E-mail Please do not hesitate to send us your feed back: agozinoagozino@yahoo.com

s

A diplomat’s love for Nigerian arts

Akpan

Akpan reads in Port-Harcourt Book of the Month ÏÏÏVeteran

writer and Jesuit priest, Fr. Uwem Akpan will be the first guest writer of the Port- Harcourt Book of the Month (BOTM) reading and interactive session on Sunday, January 25, 2015.

He will be reading in the Atlantic Hall of Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt at 11 am to be followed by a drama performance.

A widely read and respected author, whose works have received rave reviews, Akpan was born on May 19, 1971 in Ikot Akpan Eda, Akwa Ibom State.

Akpan, whose parents were teachers, joined the Jesuit Order at the age of 19, in 1990, and in 2000, studied Theology in Nairobi, Kenya. He became a priest on July 19, 2003, and later earned an M.F.A.degree in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan, United States of America. He also studied Theology at Creighton University and Philosophy at Gonzaga University.

Westerhuis Agozino Agozino Barely one year in Nigeria, the Economic Counsellor of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Nigeria, Taco Westerhuis, is already a fan of Nigerian arts and he is not hid-

2015 Man Booker prize gets judges Wood

ing it.

He hardly hides his passion for Nigeria’s artistic talents scattered all over the country and the rich artistic heritage of the country. Anywhere you find him, you would find him with artists, writers, curators or in galleries

and museums. He already knows many Nigerian artists by name such as Dr. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Mrs. Nike Okundaye among others, and had collected the works of many of them in his private collection.

In a chat recently, the Dutch

ÏÏÏJudges for the 2015 Man Booker Prize for Fiction have been announced.

They are: Michael Wood (Chair), Professor Emeritus of English and Comparative Literature at Princeton; Ellah Allfrey, journalist and Deputy Chair of the Council of the Caine Prize; John Burnside, prizewinning poet; Sam Leith, author and Literary Editor at The Specta-

tor and Frances Osborne, author and biographer. None of the judges have previously been a member of a Man Booker Prize judging panel, and they bring together a wide knowledge of international literature.

2015 is the 47th year of the prize, which was launched in 1969.The 2015 judges’ panel, will be looking for the best novel of the year,

diplomat expressed hope that the art sector would soon become Nigeria’s biggest export to the world.

Westerhuis appraised the Nigerian art sector in 2014 which, he described as “extremely exciting” and projected that the current year would be more interesting.

According to him, “for the first time in the history of Nigeria, there is an upsurge of young talented artists who are producing world class works and breaking records in arts. I am moved each time I see young Nigerian artists producing wonderful paintings, sculptures and other art pieces. It is a wonderful thing for the country and i am happy to see this development,” he said.

The advantage, according to him, is that in future, Nigeria would not only depend on oil as a source of foreign exchange but would have creative art sector that would be creating jobs through abounding talents. He added that this would go a long way to create fresh opportunities for the country.

Throwing more light, the diplomat said what struck him most “is the energy in Lagos”. He cited the existence of many art galleries as a sign that creativity is growing.

“I am happy for the many museums, galleries and arts centres that I have seen all over Lagos.

They hold events every weekend.

And I have visited many of them.

Continued on page 35

selected from entries published in the UK between 1 October 2014 and 30 September 2015.

Following a change in the rules introduced in 2014, the prize is now open to novels by writers of any nationality, published in the UK and originally written in English.

Last year, 154 books were submitted, of which 44 titles were by authors, eligible under the new rules.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

35

Our heritage

It’s all about light in Yelloseesee Uwaoma’s art

Antsui, Grillo, Shonibare, others in US show ÏÏÏA NEW six-part TV show series titled African Masters, which features cubist Yusuf Grillo, sculptors, Bruce Onobrakpeya, El Anatsui, Romouald Hazoume, Yinka Shonibare and Sokari Douglas-Camp is currently showing on cables in the United States of America.

Monitored via the Internet, the series, which is courtesy U.K-based The Africa Channel also features curators, such as French-born André Magnin and Bisi Silva of the Center for Contemporary Art (CCA, Lagos).

The documentary, which is quite educative, brings the progressive contents of African art into focus, while diffusing the ancient perspective from which African art has been viewed by the west.

In the first episode with the subtheme, Revelations, a retrospection of African contemporary art is taken against the background of how the west truncated the continent’s creative growth. It takes viewers’ memory back into the ancient art of the continents and the looting era when most of the works were taken to Europe and the Americas. The camera gets to Lagos where Grillo and Onobrakpeya speak on the rise of African modern art. Onobrakpeya notes that the texture of European art cannot be removed from the contents and influence of ancient African art. Grillo argues that the contemporary world of art can no longer refuse to recognise artists of the continent.

An artist celebrates paintings inspired by enchanting lights. Agozino Agozino meets him in Lagos.

ÏÏÏWhen

artist Jidechukwu Uwaoma, popularly known in the art circle as Yelloseesee came with the idea of light as inspiration for his art, it was just a studio experiment, intended for the exploration of the aesthetic essence of his kind of painting.

Eventually, the result is now what he dubs his unique pattern of art. Through the self-styled technique, he acquired an identity for himself. One thing becomes apparent upon meeting him, is that he is passionate about art. He is also as immensely passionate about this new art medium which is expressed with ‘ink and pen’.

A recent chat with the reddishbrown skin coloured, with dirtygold colored hair artist, shows an artist who is not only fulfilled but had carved a niche for himself through his unique art.

Uwaoma, whose abstract paintings are deeply characterised by shadings, said his secret is that of seeing where other artists’ eyes fail to see, especially, as most of his works are abstract in nature.

The artist who switches from different abstract experiments says all he does are simple exploration initiative to chart a desired distinct from what others are doing, adding that most of his works were inspired by light. He said the aim is to have a distinct

art that would define him in future.

Born to an artist father; Mr. Alphonsus Jude and a banker mother, Mrs.Victoria Chinasa Jonathan-Ojei, Uwaoma gave credit to the art genes that run in him from his father. He said he started exhibiting his art trait when he could barely handle a pencil.

This would later make him draw everything he saw in his” Alvin and the chipmunks”comic book onto his exercise book.

Smoked fish and birds and another untitled works by Uwaoma

Promoting talent through arts Continued from page 34 I like Nike Art Gallery, Terra Kulture. Before I came to Nigeria, I never knew that this country had such wonderful art heritage where people go and view arts of great magnitude. He said this showed that Nigerians were talented people.

“I am very happy because I go out weekends to the galleries’’,

Westerhuis disclosed.

He is hopeful that such art shows and creative centres would go a long way in promoting talent, as well as orientating the public on the opportunities that creativity offers.

The visual arts sector is not only the one that he said was blooming, Westerhuis, also noted that in the literary creative sector, the country had also made a

name. Such names as Wole Soyinka and the late Chinua Achebe and others fascinate him. He expressed belief that with such writers and many emerging talents, Nigeria has a future. These talents bring respect to the nation because of their works.

He described Mrs. Nike Okundaye as one Nigerian woman that projects the nation’s image globally well because of her arts.

“My advice is that the art establishment in Nigeria should try and link up with global art market. I would simply say this would help the sector. The artists should also continue striving to be good at what they do and never stop producing so that they can continue to be relevant, visible and viable. It is possible for the country. 2015 holds better promises.”

One of the works in the ongoing show by Shonibare

Friday, January 16, 2015

Politics

17

s

Money 26

Northern Governors wives worried over Chibok girls First Lady, Benue State and Chairperson of the Northern Governors’ Wives Forum

JEGA

www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

INEC: 4 million Nigerians in double registration saga Price: N150 Akinjide Akintola

elections.

Earlier, the INEC Director of ICT, Dr. Chidi Nwafor, said 74.6 million Nigerians were registered during the 2011 registration exercise, whereas 68,833,476 were eligible for the 2015 general election.

He said the commission had cleaned the voters’ register through the cleansing of the voters. The director said 61,681 eligible voters were found to be double registrants and their names were deleted from the voters’ register, adding that 580,000 had no fingerprints in their Permanent Voters Cards (PVC), hence they were cancelled.

He further disclosed that 14 political parties nominated presidential candidates for the February 14, 2015 Presidential

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PAGE 18

21

News

Daily Timesdetrimental Nigeria land,” co-author Dr Paul Nelson while minimising environmental impacts.16, 2015of James Cook University (JCU) Friday January The model was recently pub- said.

“Demand for the product conlished in the journal Environ-

Palm fruits

tinues to grow, and the industry is expected to keep expanding in the foreseeable future.

“At the same time, there is significant concern about the industry’s environmental impacts, with many purchasers wanting only certified sustainable palm oil.

“Given that this is one of the most important industries in the tropics, our aim is to contribute to a research-based approach to its management. Growers need information that will help them make decisions that are good for both productivity and the environment.”

Business

INEC: 4 million Orire: Pastor, doctor, Ogboni member says:Mugabe plans Reformed policy:100 feared ÏÏÏ 21 plans elaborateRice Mugabe Nigerians Reformed Ogboni, Asianand cartelmissing and after elaborate 91stcartel RiceChristianity policy: Asian Ogboni, boat sinks in Christianity their disruptive birthday in double Pserve 91st birthday CAR 17 same God their disruptive P12 agenda serve same God agenda P 26 registration saga Dr Adebayo Orire, leader of Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF), is also the pastor of a gospel Church, a medical doctor and a chieftain of the All Progressives Party (APC) in Ekiti. In this interview with our Ekiti State Correspondent, GBENGA SODEINDE, he explained the genesis of ROF which has just celebrated it centenary anniversary, and its relationship with Christianity and other religions as the will of God among others

election.

The INEC chairman said though the commission had earlier received over 54 million PVCs, but added that more had been printed and delivered to the commission.

He announced the extension of time for the collection of the PVCs from 8.30am to 5.30 pm in all wards in the country from Mondays to Saturdays, expressing hope that before the end of January, all eligible voters would have collected their PVCs. He also threatened to sanction any staff of the commission that does not comply with the new time belt. He said no temporary PVC would be used for next month’s general elections.

https://twitter.com/DailyTimesNGR Over four million Nigerians were involved in double registration during the last registration exercise, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said.

Chairman of the Commission, Professor Atahiru Jega, who disclosed this while giving details of voters’ data in Abuja, called for the creation of Election Offences Commission to tackle the development as well as electoral offences in next month’s election.

According to him, sixty eight million, eight hundred and thirty three thousand, four hundred and seventy six (68, 833, 476) Nigerians will be eligible to vote in the 2015 general

Australian scientists have mental Modeling & Software. developed a model for oilTimes palmNigeria“Oil palm has become a major Daily cultivation, aimedFriday, at January helping 16, 2015 crop in the tropics, cultivated on growers of the crop maximize more than 39 million acres of the yields of their plantations,

Africa 12s WeekendStarter Starter City File

Dooshima Yemisi Suswam

VOL. 1. NO.25

Friday, January 16, 2015

Researchers develop new oil palm model

SUSWAM

FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria

Yes, over 20 years ago I had been an Alakoso, which means (head of ?) the Executive Council of Reformed Ogboni Fraternity, in Nigeria, in Africa, and worldwide.

That means I will be like a bishop the largest controlling rice some parishes in the country in West Reformed Ogboni Fraternity.

Emmauel Ogbonnaya

Is it really true that you are a bornagain pastor and Ogboni member?

I am Rev. Dr, Andrew Adebayo Orire, I am a medical practitioner of over 35 years in practice, a called man of God and a general overseer of a church, with experience spanning many facets of life --- mysticism, fraternity, medical jobs, business development, pastoral job and of course, I am a political and immediate past chairman of the hospital management board in Ekiti State under the immediate past administration of the APC Government led by Dr Kayode Fayemi.

dailytimesng

Then you are not just a member but an executive member of ROF?

Dr. Orire

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe plans to celebrate his 91st birthday with a party in the resort town of Victoria Falls, the ruling party’s youth league announced on Thursday.

The Zanu-PF youth league members have already started fundraising for the party, which traditionally sees thousands of supporters attending, according ÏÏÏNearly 100 people are feared missing in the Central African to a statement.

Donors are expected to hand Republic after a boat caught fire over “generous” donations this and sank in a river in the impoverished country earlier in the year.

Mugabe opponents regularly week, officials said on Thursday.

The accident occurred on criticise the holding of lavish birthday parties for the presi- Monday, after a boat carrying dent when Zimbabwe’s economy, an estimated 100 people left the capital Bangui on the Oubangui though more stable than during the 2000-2008 crisis, is still far River. Some 125km downstream, the boat’s motor exploded, startfrom sound. ing a fire that quickly engulfed “The youth league will approach donors so that they gener- the vessel as terrified passenously donate to the [21st Febru- gers jumped overboard, an ofary] Movement for the cause this ficial with the country’s naval year,” according to the statement forces told AFP. quoted in Thursday’s Chronicle newspaper.

Mugabe’s birthday is on 21 February. The 21st February Movement was set up in 1986 to raise money to celebrate the president’s birthday each year.

The exact amount supporters hope to raise this year has not been stated.

Mugabe told Zanu-PF members at a party congress last month that he had no intention of retiring.“I am here for as long as I ÏÏÏAt least 60 fighters beam still sane... I still have a bright longing to one of the armed mind; I still have will. I know our groups operating in eastern Adesina, Agric ministermore than you do,” he history Democratic Republic of Congo said. cations under the preferential Mills – owned by surrendered their weapons on Stallion Group,

using the name Ogboni. May be if he had called it “The real brothers” or “The children of God” which they actually are, there wouldn’t have been any hue and cry about it. We people in Nigeria and Africa, don`t really appreciate what we have; you see and Ogboni has had a kind of awesomeness around him.

The name Ogboni would evoke some fears and some anxiety from people and up till date is still goes on. All he did was that he moved against anything negative or fetish . In fact, we preach against anything that goes with worshiping idol, or anything that could really hurt anybody or fellow human being.

Ogboni fraternity is against anything that is not in agreement of God, and Ogboni was reformed totally to the system of fraternity where wisdom of God, the name of Jesus, and the fatherhood of God is supreme and primus. In short, ROF was formed to bring sanity to Christendom In fact, it was initially named, “Christian Ogboni Fraternity”, but the name had to be changed when other people started coming in, like Muslims. It is quite unfortunate that people do not really know what we do in Ogboni Fraternity.

There, you are supposed to worship God only ; in fact one of the primus questions in ROF is “Do you believe in God?” If you don’t believe in God, you will not be accepted.

Nigeria is producing Africa, but is also the secThein ROF has just concluded a oneond largest importer of rice week centenary programme, tell us the World. Nigeria’s rice producabout it? tivity is among the lowest withYes, the ROF is exactly 100 years old. It was actually formed by the in neighbouring countries, with first Archdeacon of West Africa, average yields of 1.51 tonne/ha. the first set of Nigerians who were At the last Africa Rising Conclergies of repute. It was Archference held in Maputo, thedeacon Mo- T.J. Ogunbiyi that actually formed the ROF100 years ago patzambique capital, in May 2014, former Acting Governor, terning Cen- it after the Freemasonry, the fraternity of the old and our tral Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Sarah native aborigine Ogboni system.

Alade, disclosed that Nigeria It was resolved as a result of what was happening in Christendom at spends an average of $4bn annuthat time. They(Christians) were ally on the importation of rice. actually not faithful; they were killFor a country to annually ingineach other for posts and strugject about N670 billion intogling theunethically for unnecessary unprofitable things. They were economy of other countriesand for all on each others’ throats and if what it has capacity to produce, our traditional system could be while its own people languish in refined along the line of the fraternity system that existed in Europe, joblessness is outright insanity, and even in the far East.. They which was why the federal US, govnow went around, studied these ernment decided to formulate a of cults operating in Brisystems policy that would in the shortest tian, the US, like the Amorc. possible time place Nigeria They on now gathered all these systems that were actually projecting the pedestal of home-grown rice the fatherhood of God and brothersufficiency. hood of mankind.

On May 26th, 2014, a new The only mistake he made was CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 rice policy was approved by President Goodluck Jonathan to encourage investment in local rice production and milling busy stirring the Thai contents ternative medicine Imported riceofbeing offloaded from adealer, ship who introduction spiritualthrough curse,the there is no ofis an

‘Except it’s a the pot, while, in another, scoop- claims to cure import duty differential oning rice same with a cup into sachets surgery. disease that has no natural cure’ Mugabe ers will pay an import duty of 10

60 rebels surrender in eastern DRC

Humanity against the narcissists of death

Wole Soyinka

Oduoye

Oduoye: Some PDP leaders still believe it’s all about money

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Mr Kayode Oduoye is the House of Representatives candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal constituency in Osun State.

In this interview, he told SODIQ ADEKUNLE, what led to the challenges between him and

some top members of the state chapter of his party. Excerpts: Why are you contesting as a lawmaker representing Ifelodun/Boripe/Odo-Otin federal constituency among other political posts?

My ambition is borne out

of the abysmal neglect of our people within this constituency. Over the past three to four Aworonke years, I have noticed with keen interest, that our people lacked the right and qualitative representation in Abuja. That is the reason we have not had any

God’s Covenant Snr

The sight of a large brass pot with various herbs being boiled

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Madagascar names military officer as PM ÏÏÏ

Rajaonarimampianina

ÎÎÎOur

Total submission, laced with adulation, remains the driving goal of the authoritarian temper – never mind that it is covered in mufti, khaki or clerical regalia.

The objective remains – Power over others

predicament is universal, and this is what we have stressed from the very beginning. The nature of religious zeal that would routinely maim, kill, or enslave the object of its proselytizing – that sometime euphemism for brainwashing – rather than let it thrive and contribute to humanity from within his or her limitations and uncertainties, from within its questions or scepticism; a mental cast that equates the mere absence of exhibitionist ardour or rigid conformism with impiety and apostasy, punishable by death or mutilation, is no different, in effect, from the tyrannical temper of the political dictator of any age.

Both can only grasp the substance of their being through an inverse reflection of themselves, that is, in the complete and evident submission of their citizens, their flock, their human charge, in every aspect of their lives, without questions, without the concession of a possible alternative order of

social being to whatever ideology or religious absolutes that they choose to peddle. Total submission, laced with adulation, remains the driving goal of the authoritarian temper – never mind that it is covered in mufti, khaki or clerical regalia.

The objective remains – Power over others! And if ever there was an unholy marriage entered into to plague human existence, it is the obscene wedlock of the theocratic and secular mandates of power.

Its issue has always been guaranteed as enslavement, misery, death and destruction. It is this that represents the greatest threat to human freedom, and its creative will. This is the proposition that acutely confronts the African continent today, following upon centuries of enslavement, colonialism, and the mutated versions of both in her dealings with the rest of the world.

No wonder then, that we feel compelled to ask ourselves: what were our people’s struggles for liberation about? True Liber-

fibroid without

and the National Planandby bottles and selling to people On getting to her(FMITI) office, which (brown or polished) imported and levy cent.with labelled ning Commission (NPC). arrangement, but instead of in front ofper thecent Oba Adams Com-60 per was filled bottles of plex, along Iju Road, Agege before dry also herbs,statroots, treeDaily backs and The new rice policy Times has however abiding by the quota allocated to the popular Pen-Cinema round stems and others of concoctions ed that importation of brown or gathered that there is a per- them to import from their counabout, attracted our correspon- for different ailments, Oladepo, ricehisshould be busy limited tries, exceeded the approved iminquiry about job, was with a verted client onrice the importation plan of aim at prioritising the ricedent. sec-Uponpolished the national supply for handful port quota allocation to fill by on fire by the roadside may not the teenager to the comphone,gap while some a female clients of Asian companies, tor and decreasing dependence to pointed be uncommon on Lagos main- plex and said ‘Go to Mama, she is to waited attended import-grade rice be patiently deter- to be who are to.determined to under- 410,368.16MT and as a result are fromespecially international imports, land, in Mushin, Yaba infosthe office’.

Introducing her business to mined by an inter-ministerial mine Nigeria’s self-sufficiency owing the federal government tering production and and other suburbs. But thatsupplying of ‘Mama’ turned out to be Chief CONTINUED ON PAGE 22 committee chaired by the Federin rice production, as they have about N36.56 billion for the exa teenager, who, in one breath, (Mrs.) Aworonke Oladepo, an alagricultural inputs.

Investors al Ministry of Agriculture and repeatedly done under a numcess quota imported. that have milling capacity with Without waiting for deterverified Domestic Rice Produc- Rural Development (FMARD), ber of previous governments.

These foreign importers, who mination of supply gap by the tion Plans (DRPP) would enjoy with membership drawn from Ministry of Finance the government deemed fit to inter-ministerial committees or position of Air Commodore last an import duty of 10 per cent the Federal Madagascar’s president apof its transformational issuance of quotas, two Asian and levy 20 per cent while trad- (FMoF), Federal Ministry of In- be partmonth. pointed a serving Air Commodore dustry, Trade and Investment objectives, were also given allo- companies, Popular Farms and

rice investors compared to rice Oladepo, woman who cures traders. fibroid with herbs The policy initiatives also

Jega

ation? Or re-enslavement?

Algeria has gone off the radar in recent times, but I must continue to stress this, especially on the continent: we would do well to keep our mind on that nation, not so long freed – and not even completely as yet – from a malady that is currently consuming other parts of our continent and the world. In our own interest, for the survival of our humanistic values, we could do worse than keep that nation in our minds as a crucial cautionary template, so that we can begin to grasp the enormity of Boko Haram, al Shabab, al Queda and other active carriers of the same spore of human deformity. It is only at our peril that we forget that we have been here before, and elsewhere, that there is nothing new about the extremes to which the power urge can exert itself. For those who perhaps were not born during that prolonged internal struggle for a people’s total liberation – and I am not speaking of the brutal struggle against French

as Prime Minister on Wednesday, two days after the government of the Indian Ocean island nation resigned over criticism of its handling of recurring power outages.

“In accordance with article 54 of the Constitution, Air Commodore Jean Ravelonarivo is appointed Prime Minister,” announced Pierre Roger Ralala, secretary-general in the presidency.

Former Premier Roger Kolo - a radiologist by trade - and his cabinet resigned on Monday following heavy criticism for their response to the repeated electricity failures.

Ravelonarivo is a former governor of the Rotary Club in Madagascar and is general manager of a state-owned real estate company. He was appointed to the

With just 15 percent of Madagascar on the grid and water and electricity company Jirama struggling to pay oil suppliers on time, blackouts have become an increasingly common feature since President Hery Rajaonarimampianina came to power a year ago.

Two people have died in recent weeks when angry Madagascans took to the streets to protest the rolling blackouts.

Energy Minister Richard Fihenena was fired last October for his inability to solve the problem.

Rajaonarimampianina, who does not have a majority in parliament, appointed Kolo as premier in April 2014, five months after democratic elections brought to an end a political crisis sparked by a 2009 coup.

settler colonialism – or who were miraculously shielded from its vicious and prolonged intensity, or whose education has stopped short of the chilling testimonies of its survivors, I recommend a sobering and thoroughly authenticated compilation by Professor Karima Bennoune with the title – Your Fatwa does not Apply Here. All that is necessary is that we immerse ourselves in the tragedy of that nation to enable us to grasp the ruthless enterprise of terminal censors, the shadowy killers, the obsessed enemies of creativity, crippled minds whose notion of a divine mission is the eradication of all knowledge, and truncation of the reaches of the imagination.

Then we would cease to be surprised by the fate that nearly overcame, and still threatens our neighbour, Mali, that ancient warehouse of Africa’s intellectual heritage whose capital, Timbuktu, became a household name even in the racially jaundiced histories of Euro-

and Olam, had each imported Wednesday as peace talks were 390,145.53MT and 244,126.63MT under way. respectively of polished rice as The Patriotic Resistance at December 3rd at the preferenForce of Ituri (FPRI) was in tial duty of 10 per centt and levy talks with government and 20 per cent, according to data United Nations representatives from Nigerian Customs. in flagrant Aveba, about This kind of abuse 80km south of theeconomic eastern city for people and ori- of Bunia.

Nearlyare 400 fighters had been ented policy initiatives nothing short of due sabotage and an but many reto disarm, attempt to take government forthe government fused as long as granted all in did the name of self-their demand of not accept

Libya warplane fires at suspected Islamists’ trawler ship

Continued on page 27 an amnesty and of being integrated into the army.

FPRI leader Cobra Matata surrendered to the army in November 2014, but was arrested January when trying to reÏÏÏA Libyan warplane from in join his fighters. the internationally recognised The group was accused of ingovernment attacked a fishing volvement in massacres and of trawler carrying petrol to the recruiting child soldiers. port of Benghazi after suspectDozens of armed groups are ing it was supplying Islamist active in eastern DRC, which militants, a military official has been ravaged by violence said on Thursday. since the 1996-2003 DRCwars.

There were no details about They include the Democratic the ownership or origin of the Forces for the Liberation of vessel which military official Rwanda (FDLR), which failed Mohamed Hejazi said was atto surrender and demobilize by tacked on Tuesday. a 2 January deadline set by the Forces from the government Southern African Development carried out an air strike on a Community and the InternaGreek-operated oil tanker on 4 tional Conference on the Great January, killing two crewmen.

Lakes Region.

pean scholars.

Perhaps it is time that we constructed Walls of Remembrance, on which we shall inscribe the ever lengthening roll-call of victims of this ongoing resurgence, and their place names, in order to give flesh and blood to statistical losses sustained to blind doctrine, victims young and old, extinguished before the full bloom of their creative powers. We are speaking of musicians, cineastes, writers, journalists, intellectuals, even the consumers of their products, condemned for daring to taste the forbidden fruit of knowledge. My mind immediately goes to – among others – fellow authors like Tahar Djaout to whose posthumously published work, The Last Summer of Unreason, I had the honour of contributing a preface.

Excerpted from recent Overseas Lectures on our common concern, for the BRING BACK OUR GIRLS Visitation, Jan 13, 2015.

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. website: www.dailytimes.com.ng; email: info@dailytimes.com.ng. Tel: 018447948. EDITOR: YINKA OLUJIMI News Hotlines: 08138773277, 08173901838. Advert Hotlines: 08169118913, 08075038528

Life&

Nollywood practitioners L2 support Ambode

TIMES

P

Friday, January 16, 2015

I now know who my real

friends are –Faze L3

P

Genesis Boss, Demola Oyefeso Stranded In Lagos?

L3

P

Life & Times L2

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Why I left Now Musik for Panache Records

–Faze

In what seems like a never-ending ride through Festac Town, Faze drove, in search of where to feed his hungry stomach .

Eventually, the ride came to a halt at a local joint where he devoured a handful of ‘eba’ and’ egusi’ soup with beef, the rest he asked to be packaged for his dog...how nice!

More like an informal chat, with OPEOLUWANI AKINTAYO, Faze spilled the beans on his new projects, relationship with ex-Plantashun Boiz mates- Tuface and Black Faze, marriage plans and others.

So what have you been up to lately?

I’ve been working on my project , the new album, 2000 And Faze, new videos and I’ll soon be starting my radio and TV tour. Basically, that’s what I’ve been trying to do, putting myself on the right spot.

What about the video you’ve shot already?

My first single is ‘Your Daughter’ and I noticed that everybody wants to dance. So I’ve shot the video and it should be out next week. I’m also working on the single I recorded with Patoranking. The video will be out in about a month. We are both going to South Africa to shoot the video and we will be back in a week’s time. The whole album will be out next year.

New video alert!

How many tracks?

I haven’t specified how many songs will be inside but I already recorded many songs. It’s not just

TeeBlaq’s Nicki Minaj ft.

Olamide

about me. I have to agree with my management, Plantashun Entertainment before anything can be done.

Aside Patoranking, which other artistes will you feature in the album?

I don’t want to mention them. It’s a stepping stone. I want to work with Flavour and some of my friends in the industry.

Are you still with Now Musik?

No I’m not Why did you leave the label?

Nothing. I’m now with my partner, Panache Records.

Was there a grudge with Now Musik?

There was no grudge. We had an agreement to go our separate ways because I had to do my thing

TeeBlaq is starting the year with a hard punch as he teams up with Unlimited L.A. for the visual of the Olamide-assisted track titled ‘Nicki Minaj.’

Shot in Lagos, The Eldar Records’ ensigned is all high energy as Unlimited L.A delivers a visual that is true to the song title.

Unlimited L.A recreated scenes from some of Nicki Minaj’s best videos as dictated by the song.

Video premieres in a few days, on TV and VEVO.

on my own terms. They tried but my way of doing things is different from theirs.

Your contract ended with them?

No. We decided to part ways amicably.

So why choose South Africa for your video?

I wanted variety. I shot ‘My Daughter’ here in Nigeria. So, I’m just trying to change places.

Wizkid recently got bashed for using white and coloured girls in his video. Are you also going to do same?

I won’t say anything yet. I just want people to wait and see it. It’s not all about the girls. It’s all about the song and how it makes them happy because at the end of the day, after lashing out at Wizkid, everybody still dances to the song. So, why not stay stiff if you think you don’t like the song?

Why choose Patoranking?

I didn’t choose him. Funny enough, this song was recorded before he came out as Patoranking but thank God he’s now big and strong. And he’s been asking me to do the video even before he became popular but I kept shifting it until now. So this is God’s time and I know Patoranking will keep getting bigger because he’s humble and gives me

that respect and I respect him too.

You must be enjoying your new look...

Yes. I’m happy I don’t have to bother with dreads anymore. All I need to do is cut my hair, bathe from head to toe and keep it clean.

And you don’t want to go back to

Nollywood practitioners team up with Ambode Mutiat Alli Nollywood practitioners in the Yoruba movie industry have expressed solidarity with the All progressive congress (APC) governorship candidate of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

This support was expressed with a courtesy visit led by Nollywood thespian, Adebayo Salami, Yinka Quadri among others.

The group paid an august visit to the governorship candidate in his campaign office situated in Gbagada area of Lagos State where they show their support for his political ambition.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

L3 Life & Times

Where ‘N’ Wh en 1

Ogogo’s album lau nch- Jan. 25 @ the 10 degree event center, Lago s.

2 Nations CupJan 7-Feb.8 @ Equi torial Guinea 3 Movie premier e, Maybe Tomorro w , Jan. 18 @ Terra Kulture, Ti amiyu Savage Stre et, V.I 4 Bring It OnComedy Unleash, Su n, Jan. 25 @ Shebu Centre, 20 Mobolaji Bank An th ony Way, Sheraton, Ikeja.

5 Sun Newspape r Awards, Sat. Jan. 17, 2015 @ Eko Hotel, V.I.

and whenever it’s necessary, we meet.

What about Blackface?

We speak a lot too Tw years ago, he got signed on to a new label for almost N60 million. I even saw him shooting a video around 23 Road earlier in the year…

Yes, I heard the good news about him too. He told me about the video and I would have been in the video but wasn’t around.

So he was down, now he’s up…are you happy for him?

Everybody faces challenges in life and now, he’s at the peak of his success. His time is coming really soon and he’s going to come out fine. wearing dreads?

Not at all.

Is it true you sold your house in Festac?

I don’t want to say anything about that because that’s about my personal life. If you notice my kind of person; I don’t like to show off anything because of my family and for security reasons. I like to live like an average person. As you can see; I don’t like to go around with an entourage. I don’t have a driver but whenever it’s necessary, I move around with crowd.

Do you still see Tuface?

Yes sure. I talk with him on phone

You said your Re-fazed album was going to be the biggest. What happened with it?

I had issues with my marketer and I don’t want to talk about it. Now, I’m doing the whole thing alone with my partner, Panache Records because we have the same mind set and he’s my very good friend. I trust him and he believes in me.

You’ve been going on and off the music scene. Why? Yes, that’s because I had issues with my last album and I couldn’t promote it because of the problem. There was no way I could start pushing out those songs when I had some scores to settle with my marketers. So I had to halt it but now, everything is settled. I’m going to be disturbing your radios, TVs and headphones. You won’t be missing me anymore.

A lot of people think you’re broke...

Yes. A lot of people say that and that’s Nigerians for you. People are affiliated to success. When people see that you’re doing well, they start calling

you, even those who don’t even know you. I was on Hip TV for an interview, and when it was aired, I started getting even strange calls from people who didn’t bother about me in a long while. But I don’t react to them, I just answer them kindly.

But everything made me stronger and I now know who my real friends are and I’m going to roll with them and they will enjoy me.

Tuface and Black Face?

They are my family. I’m not even talking about entertainment friends alone, it applies to even my normal relationships.

I saw you giving some area boys money on our way. Is that how you give them all the time?

I don’t give out money like that all the time. It’s just that they are the people that secure us and they are not privileged to be where we are. So, the only way to appreciate them is through money but, I know it’s not good to always indulge them as such but, giving someone money like that could save his day because that money could be what he might use for his three square meals and God will bless me.

I don’t just give to the area boys. I also do it for charity because God’s blessings come from there.

You’ll see that in one of my songs titled ‘Give Back’.

We don’t see you at shows and events anymore I’m very selective about the kind of shows I attend.

You’ll get to a stage and people will get tired of seeing your face, I don’t want to be in that category.

I want to be there and make sure I have something new to give to people I’m trying to upgrade myself.

You don’t get endorsement deals like some of your colleagues. What’s the problem?

They came actually but I just want something new first of all. I want to bring out something new, especially with the Refazed album so that people can know that music is what made me and not because I just want to get endorsed by brands.

You are kicking out endorsement deals?

I didn’t say I kicked out endorsement deals. I’m looking for bigger ones.

You drove us almost round the whole of Festac Town just to eat at this local joint.

Why not some sophisticated eatery?

I live in Festac and I can walk on the streets comfortably. Of course I can’t walk freely in Ikeja or Surulere but I’ve lived here almost all my life, it’s over 20 years I’ve been here. So, this is my hood.

So now you want to move out of Festac.

Ain’t you going to miss here?

I’m not moving out. My family is still here. It’s just that I want to start shuttling places now. I love Festac.

So did you rent the new house you’re moving to or you bought it?

I will be quiet about it. I don’t like people knowing about my personal life. I’m a very quiet person.

Now that you’re moving into a new house, when are you bringing in your wife?

I’m not married I know. The last time we met, you told me you had someone, so?

Yes I do have a girlfriend and she’s still the same person So what’s going on?

She’s in school. When she’s done, we’ll know what

we’re doing next. Education is very important you know because tomorrow if I’m not capable, she should be able to take care of the family but, I know that can never happen.

You must love that girl because you guys have been dating like forever We have our ups and downs and that makes us stronger as we try and rectify our mistakes But you meet other girls whenever you go out.

People make the mistake of thinking I go out a lot. I don’t go out that much. I visit clubs whenever someone has an occasion and invites me or whenever I want to hear the kind of music in vogue.

Did you have any embarrassing moment when you were coming up in the industry?

I’ve not had such an experience since I went solo, maybe when I was still with Plantashun Boiz, we used to beg for shows and they never let us in. But as Faze, I’ve never had such an issue.

Aside music, what else do you do?

I do business. By the time I’m through with it, I can now start telling the world about it How many people are you sponsoring in your hood?

I help anybody that comes to me with something reasonable and I’m sure it’s going to be beneficial to him. But once I know someone is the type that smokes everyday and he comes to me, like the area boy I gave some money and I said it was somehow wrong to give him money...no matter what they do, they will still smoke their weed from the money but in all, they will feed out of it.

And these people are those who go around telling people what you’ve done. So if you don’t give them; they’ll mess up your name.

Is Genesis boss, Demola Oyefeso broke?

Isaac Oguntoye

Genesis Promotion boss, Ademola Oyefeso is in the news again. This time around, it’s not about his alleged incarceration for many years in the United States of America, but how the New Jersey, United States of America-based promoter, has been struggling in Lagos to raise money to return to his base.

Our source disclosed that the ever-bubbling socialite, had been in the country for sometime but maintained a low-profile which was unlike him when things were still rosy.

Demola Oyefeso is one of the promoters that command great respect among musicians and artistes, especially in the Yoruba social circle.

His problem we scooped, started in late 2004 when he was reportedly incarcerated in the USA over tax evasion and had to cough out a huge sum of money to pay his debt.

Those he had promoted included K1 the Ultimate, the late Sikiru Ayinde Barrister, Kollington Ayinla, Salawa Abeni, Lagbaja, the late Orlando Owoh, Adewale Ayuba, Abass Obesere and Kola Ogunkoya.

Life & Times L4

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, January 16, 2015

Showing on

Showing on

21:00

Nickelodeon

16:30

Fri,16 Jan. | PG 13

Fashion Police: The 2015 Golden Globe Awards.

E! recaps fashion dos and don’ts at this year’s ceremony.

A package of various animated adventures.

101 M

00:00 Tony Bennett And Lady Gaga 00:30 Elysium 02:20 Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones 04:30 As Dreamers Do 06:05 The Ellen Degeneres Show

138 True Movies

131 Lifetime

07:00 Got To Dance 08:30 The Lottery 09:30 Ellen Degeneres Show 10:30 Fast & Furious 6 12:35 Got To Dance 14:10 The Ellen Degeneres Show 15:00 Blue Bloods 16:00 The Fixer 17:00 Marvel’s Agent Carter 18:00 The Ellen Degeneres Show 19:00 Mom 19:30 Got To Dance 20:30 Marvel’s Agent Carter 21:30 Mind Games 22:30 Empire State

00:00 Lifetime Matinee Movies 01:20 Bridezillas 02:10 Double Divas 02:40 Flipping Vegas 03:35 Dance Moms 04:30 Double Divas 05:00 Bridezillas 05:50 Dance Moms 06:35 Lifetime Matinee Movie 08:05 Double Divas 08:35 Team Sca: No Ordinary Women 09:30 Little Women; LA 10:15 Lifetime Matinee Movies 11:45 Bridezillas 12:35 Dance Moms 13:25 Double Divas 13:50 Orphan Black 14:35 Suits 15:25 Lifetime Matinee Movies 16:55 Double Divas 17:20 Bridezillas 18:10 Dance Moms 19:00 Little Women:LA 19:45 I’m Having Their Baby 20:35 Bridezillas 21:25 Dance Moms 22:15 Little Women: LA

117 Universal

00:00 Regeneration 01:00 Half A Dozen Babies 02:45 The New Royals 04:00 Betrayed: A Story Of Three Women 05:45 Everything She Ever Wanted 07:30 Second Sight: A Love Story 09:15 King Solomon’s Mines 11:00 Jonathan Stone: Threat Of Innocence 12:45 Danielle Steel’s Fine Things 14:30 Life On Liberty Street 16:15 Sweet Temptation 18:00 The Man Who Lived At The Ritz 19:45 Forgotten Sins 21:30 Life On Liberty Street

00:00 Law & Order 00:25 JAG 01:10 Haven 01:55 Haven 02:40 Haven 03:30 JAG 04:15 JAG

05:00 Fairy Legal 05:45 Fairy Legal 06:35 Two And A Half Men 07:00 JAG 07:45 JAG 08:30 Fairy Legal 09:15 Cold Case

Fri,16 Jan. |PG 13

127 SONY

00:00 The Test 00:10 One On ne 00:35 One On One 01:00 Baggage 01:25 Trisha 02:10 The Test 03:00 Saving Hope 03:50 Saving Hope 03:50 Baggage 04:15 The Test 05:00 The Test 05:45 Trisha 06:30 Hangin’ With Mr Cooper 06:55 Hangin’ With Mr Cooper 07:20 Sister Sister 07:45 The Bernie Mac Show 08:10 Overboard 10:00 Saving Hope 10:50 Trisha 11:35 Trisha 12:20 One On One 10:00 Two And A Half Men 10:30 Rookie Blue 11:15 Rookie Blue 12:05 JAG 12:55 NCIS: Los Angeles 13:40 Flashpoint 14:25 Cold Case 15:15 Two And A Half Men 15:40 Last man Standing 16:05 Psych 16:55 Two And A Half Men 17:20 Flashpoint 18:10 NCIS:Los Angeles 19:00 Vikings 20:35 Two And A Half Men 21:25 The Mentalist 22:10 Flashpoint 22:55 Law & Order

12:45 One On One 13:10 Sister Sister 13:35 Hangin’ With Mr Cooper 14:00 Hangin’ With Mr Cooper 14:30 Overboard 16:20 Trisha 17:10 Sister Sister 17:40 Hangin’ With Mr Cooper 18:05 Hangin’ With Mr Cooper 18:35 The Bernie Mac Show 19:00 The People Under The Stairs 20;40 Saving Hope 21:30 Baggage 21:55 Baggage 22:20 Trisha

152 Africa Magic

03:00 Official Fracas 06:00 Fishers f Men aka End...

07:45 End Of Fishers Of Men 09:50 The Village Servant 13:15 Wounded King 15:20 End Of Wounded King 17:20 Jealous Husband 19:00 King Akubueze 21:15 Enuma The River Goddess

XT Exclusive

EXTRATIME

AYC:

Poster!

We’ll conquer all opposition, says OLORUNLEKE

OTONYE IWORIMA

X2

Full name: Birth Date: Nationality: Event: Honour:

EXTRATIME

Otonye Iworima April 13, 1976 Nigerian Triple jump 2006 Nigeria’s Female Athlete of the Year

Achievements Year Competition 2006 Commonwealth Games 2006 African Championships 2007 All-Africa Games 2008 African Championships 2008 African Championships 2010 African Championships 2010 Commonwealth Games 2011 All-Africa Games

Venue

Position

Event

Notes

Melbourne, Australia Bambous, Mauritius Algiers, Algeria Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Nairobi, Kenya Delhi, India Maputo, Mozambique

2nd 3rd 3rd 11th 6th 3rd 9th 3rd

Triple jump Triple jump Triple jump Long jump Triple jump Triple jump Triple jump Triple jump

13.53 m 13.88 m (w) 13.83 m 5.83 m (w) 13.38 m 13.65 m 13.21 m 13.53 m

Indeed, things are difficult here (Maputo) but one cannot succumb to those distractions and forgo her set objectives. I made a vow that I would win gold in the All Africa Games and it stands. I am not going to settle for silver or bronze medals. Gold is my target and I know that I am as good as gold.”

“My coaches have driven me to the point where nothing else can compensate for my efforts. I am in good condition and hopefully, that it will be like this until I crown my efforts with the gold medal. Frankly, I am not for silver and bronze. No, they are not for me. My aim is gold. My dream is gold. No alternative.” --Otonye Iworima said at the Games Village in Maputo in 2011.

Otonye

Iworima

X4,5

Thursday, January 15, 2015

, E K I N E M E S E V AL training row turns ugly

CRISTIANO RONALDO A star like no other!

X6

History beckons as Australian Open serves off

X2

Burkina Faso plays Gabon in opener X3

X7

X2

Friday, January 16, 2015

EXTRATIME

EMENIKE, Emenike

ALVES training row turns ugly

N

igeria’s striker Emmanuel Emenike was involved in a training ground row with Fenerbahce team-mate Bruno Alves.

According to media reports, the pair clashed during a training session of ‘The Yellow Canaries’ on Wednesday.

Some sources at the club played down the clash, saying it was the kind of incident

that happens during the course of a season.

It was learnt that there was a row and it took the intervention of the Team Manager, Ismail Kartal, for peace to reign.

The two internationals had to be separated into different training groups.

The pair have not been punished by the club.

The Nigerian international has been con-

stantly linked with a move to the English Premier League in recent years, with Chelsea and Liverpool both tracking his progress.

Emenike, 27, spent two successful seasons at Spartak Moscow from 2011 to 2013, where he scored 24 goals in all competitions.

Despite interest coming from EPL clubsides, Emenike returned to Fenerbahce but since has failed to hit form due to injuries.

Algeria’s keeper withdraws from AFCON

AYC: We’ll conquer all opposition, says

OLORUNLEKE

G

iwa FC first choice goal keeper, Ojo Olorunleke has stated confidently that the Flying Eagles currently preparing for the Africa Youth Championship (AYC) in Kaduna will conquer all opposition in Senegal when the competition gets under way in March.

Olorunleke who joined the Elephant of Jos in 2012 revealed that he is still a player of Giwa FC though he said both Enyimba and Kano Pillars have showed interest.

“Well, it’ll be a great pleasure for me to play for a team like Kano Pillars or Enyimba. But as it stands, none of them have secured my clearance from Giwa FC,” he confirmed.

Olorunleke who was in goal on Wednesday when the Flying Eagles defeated Nigeria National League (NNL) team, Spotlight FC 3-1 said the Flying Eagles aren’t going to Senegal to make up the numbers, but going to Olorunleke the AYC to become champions.

Baribote

NPL: Baribote assures on Nembe’s return Kalu Kalu

F

ormer Chairman of the Nigeria Premier League (NPL) and the proprietor of Nembe City FC, Chief Rumson Victor Baribote, has expressed optimism that his recently relegated team, Nembe City FC, will make a quick return to the elite league possibly after a season.

On the relegation of his team to the Nigeria National League (NNL) Baribote attributed it to the struggle to make the league function well, even as he explained that he was not worried that his team was relegated as they are going to bounce back to the Premier League where he said they rightfully belong to.

According to him: “Well, I am not disturbed about Nembe City FC’s rele-

gation to the Nigerian National League (NNL) at the end of 2013/14 Nigeria Premier League season,” Baribote said.

“I see Nembe City FC’s relegation to the NNL as a part of the price we have to pay in our struggle to make the system work well for the good of the game in the country.

“There is nothing to worry about because I know that we are going to return to Premier League because that is where Nembe rightfully belong,” Baribote assured Nembe City fans.

Speaking on their refurbished ground, he described it as one of the best in the country as it is a pitch made of natural grass which is not common in the country as most pitches at match venues are made of artificial turf.

Zemmamouche Algeria have suffered another injury blow ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals with goalkeeper Mohamed Lamine Zemmamouche ruled out after getting hurt in training.

The keeper became the third player named in the original 23-man squad selected last month to be forced to withdraw from the tournament in Equatorial Guinea, which starts on Saturday.

Zemmamouche suffered an injury to his shin, the Algerian Football Federation said on Thursday.

CS Constantine’s Cedric Si Mohamed, who was in the squad at last year’s World Cup finals, has been called up as Zemmamouche’s replacement ahead of Algeria’s Group C opener against South Africa in Mongomo on Monday.

Friday, January 16, 2015

EXTRATIME

X3

Countdown to AFCON 2015

Ebola: DR Congo cleared, hits Ebebiyin camp T

he DR Congo delegation reached their AFCON base camp in Ebebiyin via Mongomo on Wednesday afternoon, after undergoing a successful compulsory Ebola tests in Malabo. At the end of the test, all the delegation which included players and the entire coaching crew were all cleared for the AFCON. The Léopards also had a short training session at the Chiki Mayele Stadium until dark.

DR Congo coach Florent Ibenge who spoke to the media on their arrival in Equatorial Guinea from Cameroun where they had prepared for the continental competition revealed the preparedness of the team to have a successful outing at the end of the day.

“To be in a place where we could prepare peacefully was a fruitful experience for the future. We worked on our physical fitness and then tactically.

“What is interesting is that we

Group Matches GROUP

DATE

FIXTURES

A A B B C C D D A A B B C C D D A A B B C C D D

17-1-15 17-1-15 18-1-15 18-1-15 19-1-15 19-1-15 20-1-15 20-1-15 21-1-15 21-1-15 22-1-15 22-1-15 23-1-15 23-1-15 24-1-15 24-1-15 25-1-15 25-1-15 26-1-15 26-1-15 27-1-15 27-1-15 28-1-15 28-1-15

Equatorial Guinea v Congo 17:00 Burkina Faso v Gabon 20:00 Zambia v RD Congo 17:00 Tunisia v Cape Verde 20:00 Ghana v Senegal 17:00 Algeria v South Africa 20:00 Cote d’Ivoire v Guinea 17:00 Mali v Cameroun 20:00 Equatorial Guinea v Burkina Faso 17:00 Gabon v Congo 20:00 Zambia v Tunisia 17:00 Cape Verde v RD Congo 20:00 Ghana v Algeria 17:00 South Africa v Senegal 20:00 Cote d’Ivoire v Mali 17:00 Cameroun v Guinea 20:00 Congo v Burkina Faso 19:00 Gabon v Equatorial Guinea 19:00 RD Congo v Tunisia 19:00 Cape Verde v Zambia 19:00 South Africa v Ghana 19:00 Senegal v Algeria 19:00 Cameroun v Cote d’Ivoire 19:00 Guinea v Mali 19:00

B

VENUE

Bata Bata Ebebiyín Ebebiyin Mongomo Mongomo Malabo Malabo Bata Bata Ebebiyin Ebebiyin Mongomo Mongomo Malabo Malabo Ebebiyin Bata Bata Ebebiyin Mongomo Malabo Malabo Mongomo

DR Congo coach, Florent Ibenge, optimistic of a successful outing in Equatorial Guinea. played three games (against Cameroun and two local clubs) and left Cameroun without any serious injury apart from minor problems with Neeskens Kabano and Hervé Kage,” he began.

Florent Ibenge also spoke about the bonuses.

“If you send a kid to school and you don’t pay for his uniform,

for his school fees, for his meals, then it is a bit difficult to expect him to be top of the class.

“I don’t like to interfere. I leave the people in charge of that do their job

Burkina Faso plays Gabon in opener urkina Faso will play their AFCON opener against Gabon on Saturday in Bata.

Prior to the opening game, Burkina Faso concluded their AFCON preparations in Nelspruit with a 2-0 win over Botswana before heading to the tournament in Equatorial Guinea.

Jonathan Zongo and Aristide Bance both scored in the space of three minutes to put the Burkinabe two goals ahead on the half-hour mark at the Mbombela Stadium but the Zebras then held out stoutly to avoid the hiding that Swaziland received from “Les Etalons’ at the weekend.

In Burkina Faso’s first warm-up game they thrashed the Swazis 5-1 at the Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.

Botswana fielded a side mainly

TIME

made up of under-23 players with a few senior additions to strengthen it.

The West Africans had been preparing in Nelspruit for the last two weeks, using the city as a ‘lucky charm’ after they spent most of the last tournament camped there and played five of the six matches at Mbombela as they went on an unexpected run all the way to the 2013 final at Soccer City.

Superstitious Burkina Faso officials insisted they will go back to Nelspruit hoping that preparing there would allow them to replicate much of the same as they achieved in South Africa two years ago.

JALI

‘honoured to captain Bafana’ Jali

M

Danger man! Jonathan Pitroipa set to lead the attack for Burkina Faso against Gabon in their AFCON opener on Saturday.

idfielder Andile Jali couldn’t hide his joy after he was selected as captain of Bafana Bafana in the international friendly match against Mali played on Wednesday at the Stade de Monedan in Libreville, Gabon.

It was the first time in his career

that Jali wore the armband. South Africa won the encounter 3-0.

The clash was part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament which starts tomorrow in Equatorial Guinea.

Jali has represented Bafana Bafana on 23 occasions.

Since the return of head coach Shakes Mashaba to the reigns of the senior men’s national team, Jali has been ever-present and played all the AFCON 2015 qualifiers together with Dean Furman.

He only missed one match – a friendly against Zambia at the beginning of this year due to a knee injury.

X4

Friday, January 16, 2015

EXTRATIME

Full name: Birth Date: Nationality: Event: Honour:

Otonye Iworima April 13, 1976 Nigerian Triple jump 2006 Nigeria’s Female Athlete of the Year

Achievements Year Competition 2006 Commonwealth Games 2006 African Championships 2007 All-Africa Games 2008 African Championships 2008 African Championships 2010 African Championships 2010 Commonwealth Games 2011 All-Africa Games

Venue

Position

Event

Melbourne, Australia Bambous, Mauritius Algiers, Algeria Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Nairobi, Kenya Delhi, India Maputo, Mozambique

2nd 3rd 3rd 11th 6th 3rd 9th 3rd

Triple jump 13.53 m Triple jump 13.88 m (w) Triple jump 13.83 m Long jump 5.83 m (w) Triple jump 13.38 m Triple jump 13.65 m Triple jump 13.21 m Triple jump 13.53 m

Notes

Indeed, things are difficult here (Maputo) but one cannot succumb to those distractions and forgo her set objectives. I made a vow that I would win gold in the All Africa Games and it stands. I am not going to settle for silver or bronze medals. Gold is my target and I know that I am as good as gold.”

“My coaches have driven me to the point where nothing else can compensate for my efforts. I am in good condition and hopefully, that it will be like this until I crown my efforts with the gold medal. Frankly, I am not for silver and bronze. No, they are not for me. My aim is gold. My dream is gold. No alternative.” --Otonye Iworima said at the Games Village in Maputo in 2011.

Otonye

Iwor

rima

Friday, January 16, 2015

EXTRATIME

X5

X6

Friday, January 16, 2015

EXTRATIME

Feature

CRISTIANO RONALDO:

A star like no other!

S ince 2008, FIFA’s annual jamboree honoring the world’s best player has been dominated by just two names.

Ronaldo, Messi, Messi, Messi, Messi, Ronaldo, Ronaldo.

Monday saw Portuguese and Real Madrid superstar Cristano Ronaldo crowned as winner of the FIFA Ballon d’Or for a second year in a row. It came as scant surprise, given his club’s phenomenal form in 2014 that saw the return of Champions League trophy -- and with it the coveted “decima,” or tenth European triumph -- to the Bernabeu.

“It has been an incredible year,” he said at the awards ceremony. “I would like to continue the work that I have done so far. I want to try to improve, to become better as each day goes by.

“I never thought that I would bring this trophy back home on three occasions. I want to become one of the greatest players of all time.”

Top of their game

This seven-year duopoly reflects the importance of these two supreme athletes on the game, and allows us to see how lucky we are to be able to witness the long summers of two of the finest players to ever grace the sport.

And part of the fascination lies in how different the two men are. Debating the relative merits of Ronaldo and his great rival Lionel Messi, talismans of Real and Barcelona, respectively, has been something of a parlor game in recent years.

It’s easy to compare and contrast, at least superficially. On the one hand, the improbable, mercurial talent of the shaggy haired, oddly stooped figure of Messi, confusing defenders as much as inspiring his teammates to a higher level.

On the other: Ronaldo. A glistening, taut mass of muscle, neck like a tree trunk, powering forward relentlessly. He looks like he was created in a lab or a high tech factory; a Terminator, the ultimate footballer.

Media matters

The two couldn’t be much more different,

Ronaldo

in style and, if you are to believe the majority of the media, likability.

Ronaldo has suffered the slings and arrows of a largely hostile press for much of his career, starting as a foal-limbed teen in Manchester, where he was often derided as a “show pony,” for elaborate and unnecessary tricks, and -- a sin in the English game -- diving to win free kicks and penalties.

The negativity followed him to Madrid and a then-record transfer fee. It is largely Real’s cheerleading press, AS and Marca, that give him a free pass; the rest of the global sporting media grudgingly accepted his gifts, but are quick to level criticism when they feel it due.

He’s often seen as a ball-hog, a selfish player who would rather shoot than pass to a teammate. That he has taken at least 10 shots at goal in nine matches doesn’t exactly banish the perception.

That his fellow “galactico” Gareth Bale would have the temerity to take a shot (and miss) in a recent Liga game rather than pass to CR7, as the virtuoso has styled himself, earned him a withering look from the Portuguese master, and the opprobrium of fans.

Off the field, his reticence to engage the media -- a symptom, it is said, of his shyness -- has been interpreted as haughty and arrogant. Messi, on the other hand, who also eschews media

coverage has typically been viewed as humble and self-effacing -- although recent tax and locker room scandals threaten to change that.

Phenomenal 2014

But the stats don’t lie, and with the phenomenal return of 61 goals from 60 appearances (42 in 30 La Liga games alone) during 2014, it’s hard not to give credit to this year’s winner.

He reached the 400-goal milestone for club and country (in 653 appearances) in January, He is a footballing genius, and had he stood alone -- his yin unopposed by Messi’s yang -he would no doubt be already talked of as one of the all-time greats. As it stands, he’s talking about that honor in aspirational terms, as a goal; he’s spent most of his career battling comparisons.

He’s also developed in leaps and bounds since his 2008 World Player of the Year trophy, refined his unquestionable talent since he first grinned on that FIFA stage. He’s far more mature; gone are the unnecessary stepovers and (almost) the petulance.

To complement this, he long ago inherited an undimmable desire to win from his old mentor, Alex Ferguson, and he burns with passion and a need to score. That’s only become more evident as he grows into the complete player he has developed into over the past couple of years.

And along with his natural ability, he’s long

been an indefatigable, consummate professional who gives everything he has until the final whistle, and that’s what has fueled his work- and goal-rate in 2014.

He still takes a lot of shots, sure, but when “Ronaldo doesn’t score,” on the rare occasions that he walks away from a match without netting a goal is the headline, maybe he’s right to do so. Certainly his Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti, doesn’t begrudge him the efforts.

World Cup woes?

Germany’s irrepressible keeper Manuel Neuer -- who was a distant outlier for the Ballon d’Or this year -- may feel aggrieved that his superlative World Cup went unnoticed in voting. Indeed, Fabio Cannavaro won the award’s predecessor, the FIFA World Player of the Year in 2006, off the back of his considerable influence captaining Italy to 2006 World Cup glory.

But while he had a largely anonymous World Cup, it would be difficult to deny that, year round, it has been another Cristiano’s year of glory. And, like the man or not, no one should begrudge him his time at the pinnacle. Indeed Ronaldo is a star like no other!

Culled from cnn.com

Hakeem Olajuwon (left) in action

Friday, January 16, 2015

EXTRATIME

Australian Open

X7

History beckons as Australian Open serves off Samson Oloyede

derer is that Stefan Edberg is to present the trophy to the male singles winner.

T

he first grand slam of the new tennis season, the Australian Open, is just three days away, with the big guns aiming to add another slam title to their various collections, while the young ones hope to ruffle few feathers.

The Australian Open was once a grass court slam before it changed to hardcourt. Mats Wilander was the only player to have won on both surfaces, while Roger Federer remains the only player to win on both the Plexicusion and the Rebound aces surfaces.

Roy Emerson holds the record for most singles titles (6), while Margaret Court holds that of the ladies with 7 singles titles. The prize money hasn’t changed from that of 2014 ($30m), as the winner carts home a whopping 2.7m Australian Dollars.

Below is a critical breakdown of the big guns form, in what promises to be an exciting and intriguing Australian Open.

Stanislas Wawrinka Stanislas Wawrinka, the defending champion has the best single handed backhand in the game at the moment. He has in recent times showed that he is capable of mixing with the big boys at the top. Although his favourite surface is clay, he has improved greatly on hardcourts, reaching the semis twice of the last three hardcourt slams. His strength lies in his crosscourt backhand which was a major weapon in last year’s final. His weakness is the consistency of his game. He sometimes looks sharp and firing while on other occasions, he appears uninterested and out of sorts.

Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray are struggling with fitness and form, hence one might not expect much from them but one can’t rule out the capabilities of Rafael Nadal who is a legend in the game.

Novak Djokovic Stats from the last few years have shown that, a strong fall can lead to a strong start to the following season, hence Novak Djokovic is the favourite for the Australian Showers of 2015, followed closely by Roger Federer.

He ended 2014 strongly, defending his Paris Masters title, becoming the first man to achieve that and also won his fourth ATP World Tour Final title. Novak is an aggressive baseliner whose game is founded on quick reflexes, athleticism and power. His two-handed backhand rides off pace and power. His ball striking qualities gives him an edge on this outdoor surface- hardcourt.

Roger Federer Roger Federer had a superb 2014 season, though he couldn’t get a slam title to show for it. Nonetheless, he finished the year strongly- winning both his maiden Shanghai Masters title and Davis Cup title.

Roger is the most tactically sound player in the world. His game is founded on varieties, mobility and more importantly, serve and volley techniques. He uses this to shorten rallies by opening the court up for winners. His one handed backhand which was usually a weakness, improved significantly since Swedish great, Stefan Edberg joined his coaching team. A great motivation for Roger Fe-

Serena Williams 2014 was a disappointing year for Serena Williams, most especially as regards the slams.

She failed to make the quarterfinals of three slams but won the US Open and WTA World Tour Finals. At Melbourne where she has failed to win the title since 2010, Serena will be more motivated to win than ever because Martina Navratilova will present the trophy to the female winner.

She will surpass Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in the grand slam winners list. Serena is primarily a baseline player with a serve many tennis pundits and legends have considered as the greatest serve in the history of women tennis. With a game built around taking immediate control of rallies with her powerful and consistent serves and a clean ball striking technique that emanates from both forehand and backhand swings which results in powerful groundstrokes.

Her doubles experience and success with her sister, Venus, gives her an edge in net plays with precise overhead smashes. The surface at Melbourne suits her game more than any other player and it will take a Serena to stop a Serena!

Australia showers! Serena Williams hopes to receive the female single’s trophy from legendary Martina Navratilova.

Victoria Azarenka Victoria Azarenka’s injury marred 2014 season and a lack of match fitness won’t give the hard court specialist a favourite tag. The two-time

2014 was a disappointing year for Serena Williams, most especially as regards the slams.

She failed to make the quarterfinals of three slams but won the US Open and WTA World Tour Finals. At Melbourne where she has failed to win the title since 2010, Serena will be more motivated to win than ever because Martina Navratilova will present the trophy to the female winner.

champ in Melbourne has played four finals of the last five hardcourt slams she has participated in.

She can hit her strides on her favourite surface if fit though.

Maria Sharapova Maria Sharapova isn’t a hardcourt specialist, intact, she has struggles on hard courts over the years - winning just one title at Melbourne and Flushing Meadows. If her side of the draws opens up, she can make the latter stages of the competitions.

Agneiszka Radwanska Agneiszka Radwanska is the most tactically sound and subtle female player in the world. She makes use of a trademark disguised drop shit often swung in the same motion as a norm stroke during a rally. Her primary weapon is to include a mixture of slices and lobs along with the ability to hit a variety of angles. She also has a trademark crouching shot which enables her to crouch so low to return groundstrokes. Her weakness is the lack of power on her serves, her second serve is quite low and vulnerable to attack. Sometimes her shots lack penetration in the court, posing little threat to power hitters. After hiring Martina Navratilova as her new coach, one can only hope she fulfills her dreams of winning slams.

Caroline Woznaicki and Simon Halep Caroline Woznaicki and Simon Halep had a good 2014 season, but with injury scares this week, it’s difficult to access their level of readiness for the tournament especially on the outdoor hard court surface were both players do not have the best of records.

From the forgoing, one expects fiery contests and exciting matches during the whole duration of the tournament, as the race of a dominant season starts at the Australian Open. Expectations are high from tennis fans worldwide on who will receive the early showers of the season!

X8

Friday, January 16, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME

Governor Babangida Aliyu

Niger to reward 300 deserving athletes

Pita Chikwem

ment (SSG) Alhaji Idris Ndako Kpaki and the Commissioner for Education Alhaji Danladi Abdulhamid Umar to work out o fewer than 300 athletes mostly from rewards that will be commensurate to the laurels won by primary and secondthe athletes and recommend to ary schools in the state who have won laurels for the state him for approval within two are to be rewarded by the Niger weeks.

He also instructed the SSG State Government.

Our correspondent gathered to immediately find a way to redeem the N5m pledge the that Governor Babangida government made to some Aliyu has already directed the Secretary to the State Govern- of the athletes after they Minna

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emerged victorious in national and international tournaments in 2013.

The governor made the declarations on Thursday when officials of the Ministry of education led by the Commissioner, Alhaji Danladi Abdulhamid Umar, presented the athletes and the trophies and medals won to the governor.

Aliyu stressed the need for schools to engage their students in extracurricular

NSC steps up preparation for AAG Osaretin Emuze

and called for their sustenance Earlier the Commissioner for Education Alhaji Danladi Abdulhamid Umar had told the Governor that over 291 medals and 42 trophies have been won by the state in various competitions between 2008 and last year.

He said some of the teams have qualified to represent the state at international tournaments in USA, Canada and South Africa.

No cause for alarm over Champions League –Anyansi Kalu Kalu

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he National Sports Commission (NSC) will commence preparation for the All Africa Games (AAG) next month.

Sources close to the Sports Minister, Dr Tamuno Danagogo, hinted that the Rivers State-born NSC boss has directed all the Associations for the Games billed for July/August 2015 to go into open camping in preparation for the games.

“The Sports Minister wants the best for the country in the Congo Games, hence has ordered for early preparations.

“He wants the athletes to be in camp for at least three months before the National Sports Festival billed to hold in Calabar in April,” he said.

The source further revealed that the second phase of the camping excise will start immediately after the festival, which will be close camping that will lead to the All Africa Games starting in May. “Those selected for Congo Games

activities which he believes will make them an all-round student.

“We must participate in all competitions and we should also encourage the schools to go into other activities other than learning,” the governor said, assuring that his government will support such initiatives in schools.

Aliyu expressed happiness that school sports has been revived in schools in the state

Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo. will be selected from the National Sports Festival,” the source emphasized.

Meanwhile, the various associations are making final selections of the athletes to be invited for the open camping.

The Technical Director of the Cycling Federation of Nigeria (CFN), Mohammed Bashiru told Extra Time that arrangement has been concluded to invite 25 male and female cyclists to camp for the games and also feature in other competitions scheduled for Egypt and Cote d’Ivoire respectively.

hairman of two-time African champions, Enyimba International FC of Aba, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, has assured the teeming fans and supporters of the Aba millionaires that they have nothing to worry about as far as his team’s CAF Champions League preparations are concerned.

He said it was too early for people to start panicking over Enyimba’s preparation, even as he revealed that they are taking their time to put the necessary measures in place as the continental championship was a familiar terrain.

The longest serving club chairman in the country explained that Enyimba are preparing for the championship gradually and assured of Enyimba’s resolve to give the country quality representation.

“I would want to use this opportunity to assure all our supporters and fans that there is nothing to panic about Enyimba’s preparation for the

Briefs

Arteta, Debuchy sidelined after surgery Arsenal duo Mikel Arteta and Mathieu Debuchy are facing three months on the sidelines after surgery.

Midfielder Arteta has undergone ankle surgery, while defender Debuchy has had an operation on his shoulder.

Pogba: I still love Red Devils Juventus star Paul Pogba has explained why he chose to leave Manchester United but has admitted he still loves the club. Much to the dismay of United fans, the 21-yearold has developed into one of the top young players in the game since departing Old Trafford in 2012.

Sampdoria close to Eto’o deal

Eto’o Sampdoria are closing in on the signing of Everton striker Samuel Eto’o, according to reports in Italy. The Genoa outfit, which sold top scorer Manolo Gabbiadini to Napoli earlier this month, are desperately looking to reinforce their attacking line after negotiations aimed at signing Udinese forward Luis Muriel collapsed on Thursday.

PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES Today’s Matches Aston Villa v Liverpool 16:00 Burnley v Crystal Palace 16:00

Anyansi CAF Champions League.

“It is too early for people to start panicking over Enyimba’s preparation for this year’s Champions League competition.

“The CAF Champions League is a familiar terrain for Enyimba. We know what is involved, but I can assure you that Enyimba will give the campaign the best as we have always done,” Anyansi said.

Leicester v Stoke City 16:00 QPR v Man United 16:00 Swansea v Chelsea 16:00 Tottenham v Sunderland 16:00 Newcastle v Southampton 18:30 Sunday, January 18, 2015 West Ham v Hull City 14:30 Man City v Arsenal 17:00 Monday, January 19, 2015 Everton v West Brom 21:00