Dtn 21 12 15

After Dickson’s sister, gunmen abduct Bayelsa commissioner ÎÎÎGunmen

suspected to be kidnappers on Sunday abducted the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Local Government Madam Serefi-

na Otazi, family sources told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Mr Patrick Oba, nephew to the Commissioner,

said she was kidnapped in Otuoke at gun point on her way to attend funeral at Ewoi Community in Ogbia Local Government Area.

The development came a day after the kidnap of Miss Nancy Dickson, younger sister to Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa.

The kidnappers reportedly whisked away the Commissioner who was Continued on page 6

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2015 VOL. 2. NO. 5

GAINERS

LOSERS

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 18th December 2015.

JBERGER

39.7

41.68

1.98%

OANDO

5.46

5.73

0.27%

TOTAL

INTBREW

15.5

15.98

0.48%

HONYFLOUR

1.74

1.91

0.17%

DANGCEM 155.05

152.2

N150

145

-7.2%

NB

118.79

115.99

-2.8%

150.01

-5.04%

UACN

20.43

19

-1.43%

Naira: We need structural adjustment now – CBN Gov

Ï d ƒƈ ƇƏ ƌ jd ƈƐ ƒƆƏ MƾƐƏ ÎÎÎGovernor of Central Bank of

Nigeria (CBN), Mr Godwin Emefiele has said that Nigeria needs to follow up the recent devaluation

of the national currency, the Naira, with structural adjustment, just as he disclosed that savings from the Treasury Single Ac-

count has also hit over N2 trillion.

Emefiele, who made the remark at an Interactive Session with Media Editors in Abuja, insisted that

the 22 per cent depreciation of the naira was reasonable when compared with other emerging economies adversely affected by global

economic recession.

Said he, ‘’Zambia, for example, Continued on page 6

Profit gB3 shortfall: Six banks may merge in 2016 Corruption: If Buhari can go the whole hog, he will become a Messiah – Ajayi g 8 Political g12 associates, friends shun Dokpesi’s son’s wedding

Iyabo Ojo: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (left); his wife, Bolanle (right), dancing with kids, during the 2015 children’s End of Year Party at Lagos House, Ikeja... on Saturday.

Achieving new heights as an gL1 entertainer

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2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

3

Politics Page Three Æ s Editorial Return of tollgates

W

ith the hint of possible return of tollgates on the country’s highways, very many Nigerians have commented on the veracity or otherwise of such initiative. While some welcome the move, others posit that going by experience, the return of tollgates will only fester corruption on a wider scale. It would be recalled that recently, the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, said the Federal Government is considering reintroduction of tollgates to provide optional funding for road maintenance.

Fashola also explained that the current budgetary allocations are not enough to maintain the 36,000 km federal roads in the country, even as he maintained that the road sector had so many road projects estimated to cost about N2 trillion.

When it goes into operation, the policy reversal will be coming eleven years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo dismantled tollgates all over the country.

Reason for dismantling them at the time was that they constituted a drain on the public purse. Moreover, that administration took the action after increasing fuel prices, arguing that the additional income, estimated at more than N4 billion a year, would provide the much needed fund for repair of roads. In addition, such massive income contrasted with the measly N800 million collected annually by tollgate operators. Question is why tollgates now?

Even though Fashola defended reasons for bringing back tollgates, we see the exercise as a confirmation of policy inconsistency that has characterised all administrations in the country. It further shows the confu-

sion on how best to manage our roads by those in authority. If government under former President Obasanjo dismantled the tollgates due to inefficiency, what is guarantee they will be operated efficiently under the Buhari administration?

Like most Nigerians, we are also worried that tollgates may end up as political projects to compensate party loyalists. It is a fact that tolling has always been controversial with Nigerians, as motorists see no need to pay since the roads were constructed with public funds. There were allegations in the past that many of those who got the leases for operating the tollgates were but fronts for high-ranking government officials. Not only was the effect of tolls not seen in road maintenance, they turned havens for extortion of money from motorists by various government agencies. That is why the persistent apprehension over reintroduction of tollgates.

Even when Nigerians are not totally against tolling, there is need for government to approach the issue with caution and careful planning to avoid the pitfalls of the past. Happily, technological advances have made it possible to plug loopholes and frustrate the efforts of those trying to rig the system. In addition, it is imperative to state that the yearly budgetary allocation to the Ministry of Works is not enough to construct all major roads in the country.

Therefore, income from the tollgates would augment such allocations apart from opening a window of opportunity for funding federal road projects. While we believe that in the developed countries, people pay toll fees, we also urge Nigerians to give the initiative another chance because it is a global practice and we should begin to think in that direction.

Deputy Editor/Southern Bureau Chief Sam Nzeh Deputy Editor/Northern Bureau Chief Lateef Ibrahim

Group News Editor Segun Adio Politics Editor Akintola Akinjide Business Editor Friday Atufe Head, Graphics/Design King Ododoru

Group Managing Director Noel Anosike

ÏÏÏ

Minister of Transport, Chief Chibuike Amaechi, last Tuesday, stunned Nigerians when he announced that he never knew the railways as a means of transport efficiently existed in Nigeria.

He made the declaration when he and other officials of the Ministry of Transport toured the facilities of the Nigerian Railways Corporation (NRC) in Lagos.

Amaechi’s declaration makes many to wonder if he was saying the truth or just playing to the gallery.

But if actually Amaechi means what he said, then it clearly shows how ignorant he and many other public officers are with

regards to happenings around them and in the country. And this is unfortunate.

For whatever reason Amaechi made the declaration, fact is that it does not portray him as someone to be taken serious.

May be he was joking.

How can a public officer of Amaechi’s status feign ignorance of the revival of the railway transport system in Nigeria, even if it is miles away from what exists in the West and other countries?

Amaechi, for instance, from 1999 when the country returned to the democratic rule till date, has been a public officer.

During this period, the rehabilitation of the railways, firstly during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and secondly during the

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immediate past administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, received a boost. And the rail lines running through Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, where Amaechi was governor up until May 28, 2015, also benefitted from the rehabilitation exercise.

So, for the minister to feign ignorance of the existence of a functioning railway transport in the country is to say the least playing to the gallery. So, Amaechi and other public officers like him should refrain from statements that end up ridiculing them.

Be that as it may, now that Amaechi knows that a functioning railway transport exists in Nigeria, Nigerians are waiting to see what he will do to take it beyond the level it is currently.

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Words On Marble :

Publisher/Editor in Chief – Fidelis Anosike Editor Biodun Durojaiye

Should anyone take Amaechi serious?

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Mike Omeri

Paul Adefarasin

“The world can provide for the need of everybody but cannot provide for the greed of everybody.”

“We are better-off as one indivisible entity, so let us all begin again to build bridges of brotherhood”.

“The transformation we desire will not only come from the governments of our land or from beyond our shores, it must also come from our hearts; it must also come from our faith and our families”.

44

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Naira: We need structural adjustment now – CBN Gov Continued from page 1 has depreciated its currency by about 48 per cent, Angola by 25 per cent while Brazil depreciated its currency by about 48 per cent from October last year till now. ‘’Our situation is not as bad as people think. When you devalue, there must be a structural adjustment. We have never followed up with structural adjustment. ‘’So, the approach we are adopting at the moment is that, having done a 22-per cent adjustment in the currency, let us structurally adjust our position.

‘’Let us say, look, stop importing rice; stop importing toothpick; stop importing tomato from South Africa; stop importing 20 million eggs daily from Africa. ‘’That’s the gist of what we are saying. We are saying Nigeria can do without these items. And the truth is that the reserves are no longer there.’’

Emefiele said the apex bank is evolving additional measures to boost the nation’s economy and stabilise the naira, but declined to give details of the measures and modalities for their implementation. ``Don’t ask me because I

will not disclose our strategy for now’’, adding that doing so would be counterproductive and pre-emptive.

The CBN boss advised importers to restrict their imports to raw materials and equipment rather than finished products and food in order to reduce the pressure on the nation’s scarce foreign exchange. ‘’CBN will soon start a nationwide campaign to sensitise Nigerians to items excluded from importation. ‘’This is part of efforts to save more foreign exchange and stabilise the nation’s currency. ‘’The solution to free fall

of the naira is by controlling the demand for foreign currencies such as the dollar. ‘’If we are able to reduce importation, the demand for the dollar will fall automatically.’’

Emefiele said the country should go back to the farm to produce what was needed. ``Public servants should also engage in farming because the only business public servants are allowed to engage in is farming. ‘’And you don’t need power to farm tomato, vegetables or fish’’, Emefiele said.

He blamed unscrupulous

businessmen who engage in illicit activities for exerting intense pressure on the dollar and other currencies.

According to him, the apex bank has ensured reasonable stability in the value of the naira by keeping official exchange to the dollar between N196 and N197 to the dollar.

Emefiele advised Nigerians to always approach their banks for their request for foreign exchange at the official rate as against patronising the black market operators. ‘’CBN does not have plenty dollars to sustain

the bureau de change’’, he stressed.

Emefeile said CBN had created the enabling environment to encourage the growth of small scale businesses through the grant of soft loans to small business operators.

He said only N60 billion of the more than N200 billion soft loans meant for SMEs had been accessed so far.

He urged Nigerians to be patient with the Buhari administration in its efforts at easing the sufferings of Nigerians.

After Dickson’s sister, gunmen abduct Bayelsa Commissioner Continued from page 1

R-L: President Muhammamudu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka during a courtesy visit to President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja...at the weekend.

Afenifere to FG: Halt slide to anarchy, tackle National Question Sam Nzeh

ÎÎÎThe pan Yoruba socio-

cultural group, Afenifere, on Sunday, called on the Federal Government to lower tension in the country by engaging the different theaters of agitations across the country with view to holistically address the national question that is it at the heart of the rising tension in the country.

The group made this known in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, stressing the need for a judicial inquiry into the Zaria and Onitsha killings with a view to serving justice and ensuring the killings do not happen again.

According to Afenifere,

any country that can turn a blind eye to such unwarranted killings of its citizens in such manner no matter the views that they hold has lost its humanity.

The expressed worry over the spate of excessive aggressions that have led to the loss of several lives in the hands of the Nigerian military in its “Rule of Engagement” against agitators in different parts of the country recently.

It called for peaceful resolution of the crisis with the understanding of the dynamics of social movement which makes violent change inevitable when the peaceful approach is jettisoned.

The pan Yoruba socio-cultural group in the statement said it is fully persuaded that

the recommendations of the 2014 National Conference provides a basis to start addressing the ethno-religious issues that are threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria.

While reiterating that it does not condone any group taking the law to its hands by blocking the highways, Afenifere stressed that the law should be used to curtail such excessive and not brutal force borne out of self-help.

The statement reads: “Afenifere is deeply worried by the spate of excessive aggressions that have led to the loss of several lives in the hands of the military in its “Rule of Engagement” against agitators in different parts of the country in

the last three weeks.

“The Joint Military Task Force on December 2, 2015 opened fire on proBiafra protesters on Onitsha bridgehead killing 9 armless citizens with an encore on December 17 on the same spot as security forces killed 5 members of IPOB and MASSOB who were celebrating the court order to release Nnamdi Kanu from detention.

“While condemnation was still trailing the Onitsha massacres, a pogrom occurred in Zaria penultimate Sunday when rampaging soldiers killed several members of the Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria in what from most accounts appears a premeditated murder in a vengeful operations.

in company of two ladies when they attacked and took away her car keys.

Otazi had served as Commissioner for Women Affairs and Acting Chairman of Ogbia LGA. Mr Endurance Frank, a family member, told NAN that the family had reported the incident to the Police and prayed that the victim would be released unhurt.

Also, Police in Bayelsa on Sunday confirmed the kidnap of Miss Nancy Dickson.

Asinim Butswat, an As-

sistant Superintendent of Police and spokesman for Bayelsa Police Command, confirmed the development to NAN in Yenagoa.

Butswat said Nancy, 26, was abducted in her shop located on Okaka Road, Yenagoa the state capital, on Saturday.

Butswat said the gunmen, who drove in an ash Lexus SUV, trailed Nancy to her shop and whisked her away at about 2.50 p.m.

The spokesman said police had commenced stop and search on vehicles in Yenagoa to track down the perpetrators.

PDP wins all council seats as EKSIEC releases results ÎÎÎThe

Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC) , on Sunday released names of winners of Saturday’s local government election in the State.

Chairman of EKSIEC, Justice Kayode Bamisile, said candidates of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), won all the 16 local government seats and the 177 wards.

All the winners are to be presented with certificates of return on Monday.

Those who won the chairmanship seats are Mr Dapo Olagunju (Ifelodun/Irepodun), Mr Deji Ogunsakin (Ado Ekiti),

Mrs Sade Akinrinmola (Gbonyin), Mr Bola Alonge, (Ikere), Mr Lanrewaju Omolase (Ekiti South West).

Also Mr Olumide Falade, (Ise/Orun) and Mr Kolawole Omotunde (Ekiti West), Mr Bolaji Jeje (Efon), Mr Samuel Adeniyi, (Ekiti East), Chief Ayodeji Arogbodo, (Ido/ Osi), Mr Tayo Ogundare (Oye) and Mr Taiwo Oguntunase, (Emure) were among the winners.

Others are Mr Adesola Adeyanju, (Ikole), Mr Ganiyu Bakare, (Ilejemeje), Mr Abiodun Dada (Ijero) and Mr Adeniyi Adebayo (Moba). (NAN)

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Amnesty: FG offsets overseas bills

L-R: Consumer Services Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited, Peace Emele; Commercial Manager, Ikeja A, Commercial Territory, NBC, Tope Ayeni; General Manager, Lagos Television (LTV), Deji Balogun and Regional Logistics Director, Lagos/West, NBC, Nurain Saka during the celebration of the LTV Family Funfair at Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbin, Ikeja, Lagos ... recently

Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏFederal

PDP paying for past election crimes, impunity, says APC Tom Okpe Abuja

ÏÏÏThe All Progressives

Congress (APC) has said that the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is paying for the past election crime and impunity they made the country went through in the last 16 years of governance.

Described as hogwash, last Friday’s outburst by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum that the nullification of elections of PDP governors was a plot by APC to take control of oil producing states by all means necessary.

The National Secretary of the APC, Mai Mala Buni

dismissed the statement credited to the PDP Governors as “clannish” and “sectional”.

In a statement issued in Abuja last weekend and made available to journalists, Buni said, “The APC and indeed Nigerians are increasingly worried by the clannish and sectional positions being canvassed by the PDP Governors. We reject the PDP Governors’ attempt to polarize the country along oil-producing and non-producing lines. All geo-political regions of the country are important and equal, partners in progress, in efforts by the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to return Nigeria to its re-

Oyegun

spected position in the comity of nations.

“During the 2015 general election, in many parts of the south-south, particularly Rivers and Akwa Ibom states, Nigerians and the international community watched in horror how the PDP used a combination of

security operatives, thugs and party agents to rig elections against the popular will of the electorate.

“Nigerians are still recovering from the last 16 years of locust under the PDP. We invite the PDP to support the current efforts aimed at social, economic and institutional reforms.

Change has come”.

The party secretary who said, “The judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Recent court decisions in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Taraba States are not partisan but simply a confirmation of PDP’s brazen election malpractices, manipulation and intimidation perpetuated during the 2015 general election.

Shun corrupt practises, Lalong warns new commissioners Chijioke Kingsley Jos

ÏÏÏGovernor

Simon Lalong has warned the newly sworn- in Commissioners to shun any act of corruption even as they take up the mantle of leadership.

Lalong stated this last weekend during the swearing-in of the 17 new commissioners in the state.

According to him, the commissioners should focus on developmental projects and philosophy that is

7 News

geared towards moving the state forward rather than dwelling on personal gains.

He said the commissioners were carefully selected to reflect power balance across board.

In his words: “Today, we are gathered here to ensure the expediency of power balance across board, in the selection and appointment of our sons and daughters as commissioners. Being a human process, it can definitely not be said to be perfect,

but it represents in the fairness of our judgment, the best that can be obtained, given the different interest that must be put into consideration to guarantee stability in the governance process, as we consider the broad spectrum expectations of our citizens, who are by right, very critical stakeholders in the Rescue Project of the APC government”.

Urging the commissioners to shun corruption, Lalong implore them to be

of good conduct as their performance must reflect the sensitivity, yearnings and aspirations of the people of Plateau, which is justifiably high.

“There will be no place for idleness, laxity and unproductive ventures and above all, you must be prudent and device cogent ways to avoid waste of resources, as well as fight corruption, which are the hallmark of the change mantra” Lalong admonished.

Government has announced that it has paid undisclosed amount of money to offset bills owed

by Nigeria overseas in the Amnesty programme by the past administration.

Brigadier-General Paul Boro (retd), the Special Adviser to the President on Armnesty Programme, stated this while paying a courtesy call to the Hon. Minister of State for Aviation, Alhaji Saidi Sirika.

He said his office has recently paid undisclosed amount of money to offset bills owed by the past Amnesty office headed by Dr. Kingsley Kuku, in the cause of its foreign train-

ing of ex-militants across the globe.

Brigadier Paul Boro (retd), said that in as much as the programme remains a major priority to the government, that his office will ensure issue of cash strap among ex-agitators while in overseas training will never occur again.

He noted that the initial problems recorded by his leadership, that led to late payment of the backlog was as a result of the transition period from the past leadership, led by Kingsley Kuku to his own orchestrated by the change of leadership in the country as the ruling party at the point of taking off would like to put its records straight.

Delta Speaker dedicates Appeal Court victory to God ÏÏÏThe

Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Monday Igbuya, on Sunday, said that his fortune was a clear testimony to the fact that power belongs to God. Igbuya, who spoke at a special thanksgiving service in Sapele said without God, the efforts of those struggling to get to political offices would be in vain.

He emphasized the hand of God in his political life, saying that God stood for him from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in Sapele to his victory at the Court of Appeal, Benin Judicial Division.

Fuel subsidy was a good idea abused ÏÏÏThe Trade Union Con-

gress of Nigeria (TUC) has condemned the push for the removal of subsidy by the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Lagos state governor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

The astute politician made the disclosure last weekend in Kaduna during the memorial conference organised in honour of the late Dr. Bala Usman. According to Tinubu, the policy has overstayed its usefulness.

In a statement signed by the President of TUC, Com-

Drawing inspiration from the book of Psalms, Igbuya said “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive” In his words: “PDP won the House of Assembly election in Sapele State Constituency of Delta State. It was the toughest and freest election in the history of the area. The Court of Appeal affirmed the decision of the National/ Legislative Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Delta State in Petition No. EPT/DT/HA/26/2015 delivered on 7th October 2015”. rade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and made available to Daily Times, said the statement

by Tinubu was not only unfortunate, but rather ironic that it was made in the 10th year anniversary of Dr. Bala Usman, who gave up all privileges in the pursuit of common man’s happiness.

“Were Bala Usman to be alive today, he would fight to ensure that the policy is not abolished without functional refineries. The subsidy is an accepted policy the world over targeted at specific items to either fusion the effect of harsh environment for the benefit of the less privileged or to encourage people into less attractive but important aspects of national economy.

8

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Politics

Æs

2016: Labour set for war over Subsidy Removal, N18,000 Minimum Wage, Electricity Tariff Hike

Aliyu Wabba

Osinbajo

Fashola

The organized Labour and senior civil servants in the land are set for a showdown with governments at all levels over planned removal of Subsidy, hike in Electricity tariff and reduction in the N18,000 minimum wage for workers.

Leaders of the various unions are meeting this week to finalise

how to confront government over the three issues seen as anti-workers and anti-people.

This is coming as Senior public servants in the country under the auspices of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, (ASCS accused governors of using threats of either reducing the N18,000 minimum wage or

the workforce as a ploy to evade entering into negotiation with organised labour for an upward review of the National Minimum Wage as required by law.

The body recalled that the National Minimum Wage Act signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 after both houses of the National Assembly passed it into law, has a proviso for it to be reviewed up after five years.

The senior civil servants advised governors who feel they can CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Corruption: If Buhari can go the whole hog, he will become a messiah – Sir Olaniwun Ajayi Sir Olaniwun Ajayi, legal practitioner, politician and business guru, is one of the few surviving associates of the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo. In an interview with this reporter last May, shortly before President Muhammadu Buhari was sworn in, he spoke of his fears of a Buhari Presidency, being a Fulani, warning of a possible Hausa/Fulani hegemony. As if prophetic, the first appointments made by Buhari reeked of a northern presidency which sparked condemnations across the country. Now six months after, he has a different opinion of Buhari on account of his ongoing war against corruption which he described as a success. He said if Buhari could go the whole hog in his corruption crusade, Nigerians will hail him as a Messiah as things would be okay in the country. He spoke with Politics Editor, AKINJIDE AKINTOLA and TUNDE FAPOUNDA at his Isara, Ogun State, home. Excerpts: Recently, national leader of the Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti announced his sudden resignation but within a spate of 24 hours he had overturned himself. How did you manage the crisis as many had thought this signaled the death knell for the foremost Yoruba group?

We did it as we always do when such situation arises in the management of our affairs in our midst bearing in mind what is right and proper. He saw the futility in his resignation and sought to make amends as a good man, good Yoruba man and a good leader. He realised it was in his own interest, the interest of the organisation and the interest of Yoruba that he withdraws, hence we implored him to withdraw and he withdrew his resignation. That’s all.

It was like magic?

No. You journalists, you are chroniclers of history; you know the age of Afenifere, how many years has it been in existence? Organisations like Afenifere, were they around? What is their position, where are they today? These are issues you should find out.

There are a world of difference between how the Yoruba manage their affairs and how other people manage their own affairs. We started since 1952 as Afenifere and thank God, by the special grace

Sir Olaniwun Ajayi of God, we have weathered the storm.

At the last Yoruba Summit held recently in Akure, many

Buhari Yoruba leaders were in attendance except groups loyal to former Lagos State Governor, Senator Bola Tinubu. Did you

not reach out to him?

I don’t think we should read anything as regarding the absence of Sen. Bola Tinubu at the summit.

Because the first summit was in September or October in Ibadan, members of his party were present. As matter of fact, we were received by the Governor of Oyo State which was held in the House of Chiefs hall in Ibadan. The Governor of Oyo State was there, the representative of the Governor of Ondo State was there and the representative of another governor, Osun State was also there. Again this one, the governor of Ondo State and his deputy were there at the summit. The governors are very busy people, although for the crucial nature of Yoruba summit, all hands should be on deck.

I think as things move on and with the grace of God Almighty, the next summit will be attended by as many governors as possible.

Since we now know and realise CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Supreme Court: Akala, Ajimobi others appeal to Ladoja to sheathe sword Following last Thursday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal in Ibadan which confirmed the Tribunal verdict validating the election of Senator Abiola Ajimobi as Governor of Oyo

State, eminent people have been calling on his challenger, Senator Rashidi Ladoja to drop plans of going to the Supreme Court.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Ajimobi

Akala

Ladoja

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

9 Politics

Dasukigate: Jonathan should apologise to the nation for rot under his watch – Ajayi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

that the unity of the Yoruba race is exceedingly important and very important.

I recalled that the last time I came for an interview in May and I did ask you about your impression of the new president who hadn’t been sworn then, you expressed your fear that being a Fulani man that he would not be fair or behave like a sole administrator.

I want you to assess him against your fears you expressed at that time. How do you assess him few months of been in the office.

Do you think that Nigerians have seen the changes that APC promised six months after?

Well, if the arrest and trial of those who are alleged to have committed financial crimes, if that is something to go by, well, one may say Nigeria has shortly seen some light and hope. Because to arrest those people who are very powerful people in the last administration isn’t a small matter. And the president himself said that there would be no sacred cow that, he will not treat his friends differently if any of his friends is found in this sort of scam. That is a lot of hope. I hope the president will keep this up. Because it is killing if not killing completely, but reducing drastically the incidence of corruption in our body politics.

If he can see the beauty and goodness in that and what it may bring to him personally. We can see that its going to be very great and incalculable goodness for us, he should go on and go the whole hog. All

Sir Olaniwun Ajayi

Jonathan

the remaining culprits should be brought to book. If he did that, he will be doing a lot of beautiful things that will never be forgotten and will ever make Nigerians love him and admire him and regard him that yes, our Messiah has come. But he has a lot to work on his hands because this is a beautiful country endowed with beautiful and wonderful things nearly everything that you can think of.

But then all along, it has been mismanaged, abused, misused etc. So, I hope he will not disappoint us, fall by the way side in these trying times.

If you look at what is going on now, an important person in the Army, a Colonel, appointed National Security Adviser (NSA) and

coming from a very good home, a royal house that we believe should set the examples that should be followed. He is the son of former sultan, No we shouldn’t spoil that name because that name has now to be redeemed. And the governors, and the important men, the two of a whole, people look at them as an important men; its terrible. The more of these things coming out, the better for this country. There is this other aspect of his administration that gave me some worries between the past few weeks. Sometime ago, he said subsidy was going to go. We were very happy but really, and precisely, there is no cause for subsidy, none at all. The amount we are paying for petrol is exceed-

ingly higher than what it ought to be; that is what we were told by experts. However, he said there was no more subsidy. But some three weeks later, a supplementary budget was prepared to provide for subsidy. If subsidy was going to go let it go, but don’t let it come anymore. But to say that a supplementary budget has been provided for subsidy, I couldn’t fully understand. However last week they said by 2016, subsidy will go; so, let’s see what’s going to happen in 2016 because they’ve diagnosed that Nigeria will be a better place.

Because to a large dose, they don’t think about a lot of us. We are just many as leaves and we shouldn’t be many for nothing but for something. In China, they are very many and they have something to show for the multitude but we aren’t showing anything for our numerical strength. Recently, newspapers carried the news that Angola has outstripped Nigeria in the production of oil, so Nigeria should go and sit down. Angola was in a war for 17 years but now, they plan their lives and everything is good for them to push us back, just as Brazil has pushed us back or India or Russia. All these countries have pushed us back.

To take you back to the Anticorruption fight by Buhari, the PDP said that the corruption war is one-sided, that its only directed at PDP members only and they have also called for Truth Commission, to let us know what transpired between

Ladoja, a former governor of the state and candidate of the Accord Party had challenged the victory of Ajimobi at the Governorship elections petition tribunal which threw out his case and confirmed Ajimobi’s victory.

Undeterred, Ladoja approached the Appeal Court in Ibadan which also last week affirmed the victory of the governor at the polls.

A former Governor of Oyo State and Ladoja’s deputy while in office, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala called on aggrieved contenders to stop litigations and join hands with Governor Ajimobi in moving the state forward.

The governor advised the Accord governorship candidate, Senator Ladoja to stop further litigation over the April 11 election by not proceeding to the Supreme Court.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Ladoja

Supreme Court: Akala, Ajimobi others appeal to Ladoja to sheathe sword CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

2016: Labour set for war over Subsidy Removal, N18,000 Minimum Wage, Electricity Tariff Hike CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

no longer govern because of the fall in revenue allocation and downward slide in the price of oil in the international market to immediately resign to allow more serious minded individuals, who are prepared to harness resources of the states for the benefit of the people including workers, take up the mantle of leadership.

In a statement by its President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Secretary-General, Alade Bashir Lawal, the union warned of dire consequences, which might include a shutdown of the state governments, if the governors make good their threat to reduce

Aliyu Wabba

Osinbajo

Fashola

the N18,000 monthly minimum wage or embark on massive retrenchment of workers.

The ASCSN expressed shocked that the Governors that had not deemed it fit to reduce their humongous salaries and allowanc-

es were bent on jettisoning the N18,000 monthly minimum wage so that they could begin to pay as low as N5,000 monthly to workers.

According to the statement: “Given current high cost of living, the N18,000 monthly mini-

mum wage cannot even last the average worker one week and yet the Governors are bent on reducing it. This is very unfortunate because these Governors allocate to themselves, on the average, one billion naira monthly as Security

Vote and spend nothing less than 18,000 daily to feed one of their animal pets or buy recharge cards for one of their children or worse still for one of their numerous girl friends.”

The union recalled that as soon as the National Minimum Wage Act was passed in 2011, the Nigerian Governors Forum set up a Committee led by the then Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, to examine the financial implications of the new salary regime.

“It is on record that the Fashola Committee came up with the verdict that the State Governors cannot pay the new Salary CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Politics 10 Supreme Court: Akala, Ajimobi others appeal to Ladoja to sheathe sword

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Buhari should remove subsidy now – Ajayi

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Alao-Akala was one of the early callers at Ajimobi’s Oluyole, Ibadan residence to congratulate him on the verdict of the Court of Appeal Ibadan Division, which upheld his election victory on Thursday.

He said the victory was well deserved and was an affirmation of the popular mandate given to the governor by the people of the state.

The former governor used the opportunity to confirm media reports of his planned defection to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which, he said, was almost a done deal.

Alao-Akala said, ``I am here to rejoice with my brother for the judgment of today in the court. We already knew what the outcome would be; we had expected what we got today. So we are rejoicing. ``The governor has the interest of the people of Oyo State at heart.

He should, therefore, be allowed to take care of their welfare and to let them have life more abundant. We are all one. ``When somebody is in the front, you must follow him; God has put him there. Let us all help him so that he can also help the teeming population of Oyo State. ``I will advise the opposition or whoever is still aggrieved to please let us bury the hatchet and work together with the governor to move the state forward.’’

Commenting on his reported deCONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Sir Olaniwun Ajayi

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Goodluck Era down to Obasanjo Era? When Obasanjo came, he thought that the Truth Commission will be a good thing, therefore, he spent money and time and energy on the Truth Commission, but what is the outcome of those things, Nothing. The result hasn’t been published up till now.

I haven’t seen it anyway. Somehow I have the unauthorised copy of the report of Obasanjo’s Truth

Buhari

Commission, anyway that has nothing to do with that. Let us go according to law. The EFCC said they are using the criminal law to cope with the scam and the corruption, so far, that has been discovered and is being used, so, let us go by that one. I don’t know, if they say yes it is one-sided, let us know about the other side. They should write to the EFCC, asking about so and so person who is culpable to the EFCC for them to investigate. I don’t think we should continue in this unseriousness in

tackling a serious matter affecting our lives and level of living. They too want to continue to cover up.

Some of them are saying that not everything should be opened up because the president gave money to the companies to buy cars and there are certain things which were done and should be kept secret. If we are running an open government, what is secret about it? There are laws which must be followed in the constitution, lets see it. The money is ours what do they want to hide. As a matter

of fact what we have heard so far, Jonathan is a person I like very much, he’s a nice young man. If I were him I would have done something about the ongoing Sambo Dasuki circus and the revelation of others going from some journalists and some politicians and so on and so forth. I would a statement and say something like, Hello Nigerians l like to apologise in particular reference to my administration I feel ashamed and very disappointed about what is going on that’s why I apologise to you for what happened throughout my administration. So far, though none of them has been traceable to me but then the thing happened under my watch; so therefore forgive me. Or if he wants to be hailed as a good Christian he would have called an accountant to audit his account which would show illicit money. And as soon as illicit money is found, he should send it back to government. I’m sure if he did that he will calm the nerves of many particularly, bearing in mind that he did what was most uncommon in Nigeria, he acknowleged the fact that Buhari won and congratulated him, that made him a good politician and in this case he should come back to apologise to Nigerians and confess all he knew about it. As a matter of fact if I were him I wouldn’t stand the last election I would have resigned.

Those chibok girls were enough reasons to resign. About 200 girls taken away in their formative years by some useless set of peoCONTINUED ON PAGE 11

2016: Labour set for war over Subsidy Removal, N18,000 Minimum Wage, Electricity Tariff Hike CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

regime unless the revenue formula was restructured. Thus, if not for the nation-wide protests embarked upon by workers and their Trade Unions, most of the Governors would not have implemented the N18,000 monthly minimum wage in the first instance.

It is, therefore, not true that the Governors are now opposing the minimum wage because of the shortfall in crude oil revenue.

The truth of the matter is that the Governors never wanted to pay the 18,000 monthly minimum wage to their workers,” the Union

emphasized.

The ASCSN posited that there was no state in the country that did not have natural resources but instead of harnessing them, they preferred to wait for monthly handouts and now bailouts from Abuja to administer their states.

It stressed that if the State Governments could reduce wastages, tackle corruption, and moderate their greed as suggested by Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State, there would be more than enough money to pay enhanced minimum wage and carry out meaningful development in their States.

The union recalled that while formulating the Minimum Wage Fixing Convention No. 131 of 1970, the body of experts of the International Labour Organization (ILO) emphasized, among other views, that the minimum wage should be premised on the: “needs of workers and their families, the cost of living, social security benefits, and the relative living standards of other social groups.”

“The ILO also expects member nations to adjust minimum wage regularly in order to maintain the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) of the affected workers in the face of price increases and to avoid large

occasional shocks to the economy because the welfare of poor workers and their households critically depends on both their wages and the prices that confront them in the markets. It is to avoid entering into negotiation with the Trade Unions to pay a living wage to Nigerian workers that the Governors are now saying that they are unable to pay N18,000 monthly minimum wage. But they are only deceiving themselves,” the Union emphasized.

It further warned the governors against toying with the retrogressive idea of either reducing workers’ salaries or embarking on re-

trenchment because such a policy would be vehemently resisted by the Trade Union movement.

NLC leader Aliyu Wabba warned at the weekend that the workers will not take it easy with the governments over their antilabour policies wondering why they want to pauperise the masses at this period in the New Year.

He assured the nation that the workers will not allow any government to kill them with such policies, hence they will work in concert with all stakeholders in the country to ensure an effective opposition against any government of oppression.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

11 Politics

Supreme Court: Akala, Ajimobi others appeal to Ladoja to sheathe sword CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

fection to APC, Alao-Akala said ``it has been on; we are still crossing the t’s and dotting the i’s. I am on my way (to APC)’’.

Addressing supporters and party faithful, who thronged his house shortly after the judgment, Ajimobi dedicated his latest judicial victory to the Almighty and the people of the state.

The governor attributed the visit of his immediate predecessor to his (Alao-Akala’s) kindred spirit and God-fearing nature, asking other leading opposition members to take a cue from the gesture. ``We gave glory to God. If God says Yes, nobody can say No. we owe this victory to the Almighty and to the teeming population of Oyo State who wanted continuity and which reflected in their vote for me. ``I am appealing to my brother, Senator Ladoja and others to join us and work together with us instead of going from Appeal Court to Supreme Court. ``As you can see, we have formed an alliance with former Governor Alao-Akala; he is a formidable force in the politics of Oyo State and in Nigeria. ``An elephant in Ibadan, when he goes to London, he will remain an elephant. So an elephant in Peo-

Ajimobi ples Democratic Party or Labour Party that comes to APC is still an elephant. So his coming is good. We are one,’’ the governor said.

The Court of Appeal had on Thursday affirmed the judgment of the election petition tribunal in October 27 in which Senator Abiola Ajimobi was declared the winner of the April 11 gubernatorial election in Oyo state.

The three man tribunal panel in their judgment had dismissed the appeal of Senator Ladoja and

Ladoja Accord party challenging the victory of Oyo State governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi in the April 11 governorship election.

The Appeal court Judges in their ruling affirmed the victory of Senator Ajimobi and dismissed Ladoja and Accord’s appeal on the ground that the “the totality of evidence presented by PW1 is an opinion” and cannot be considered because it was not that of evidence. The judges further hinted that the principal witness is an interested party

and such evidence cannot be relied upon.

Citing section 68 (1) of evidence act, with reference to page pages 192,201,203 and 214 of the lower court judgment, the court submitted that PW1 evidence “does not contain statement of fact” because he is not competent to give such report.

All the panel of Judges agreed on the dismissal of Ladoja’s appeal and affirmed Ajimobi’ victory.

In their separate delivery, it was

unanimously agreed that PW1 who was the main witness in the case because he is a card carrying member of Accord, an interested person, queried why he should render an opinion when he is an expert, only an expert can make opinion in cases and will stand according to the constitution.

They also made references to inconsistency in the evidences which could not explained under cross examination that lasted five days at the lower tribunal. The court emphasized that the PW1 discredited himself during cross examination as he confessed to “wrong” at a point in time. They further submitted that the claim of violence and manipulation in areas mention cannot be established.

In the second appeal - CA/IB/ EPT/GOV/31A/2015, which was also dismissed, the judges further corroborated tribunal’s position. “ Tribunal was right to state that the document of pw1 was inadmissible” and that his evidence was a mere opinion.

The lead Judge, H.M. Ogunjimiju further added that there was no proof that non-compliance to the guideline of election affected the outcome of election. She also posited that the appellant “put all their eggs in one basket and the basket is a leaking one.”

Corruption: If Buhari can go the whole hog, he will become a messiah – Sir Olaniwun Ajayi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

ple and you as president cant do nothing about it. How can you explain it? You are either president or not. He should have behaved like a good president. If the thing is above you and you cant manage it then you should resign then you have won. Something happened in india about 3 or 4 years ago some rascals went into an hotel and devastated so many people.

Lives were lost, buildings were destroyed, it was an embarrassment to government. Where did the people come from, in any case they suspected that they might have come rom Pakistan unfriendly people within them but however the minister whose portfolio covers the administration of hotels just resigned. He said this is a matter under my purview, it shouldn’t have happened without my knowing. They didn’t do anything about it. He said if he had kept a good watch it shouldn’t have happened and should have done something

about it and therefore he is not fit to be a minister. That’s how to run government. Again, something like that happened in Germany many years ago. The secretary to a minister was caught spying for some foreign governments and was caught. The Minister knew nothing about it, but when the thing came out, he said: ‘this is very serious, a real scandal, I ought not to be a minister and he resigned. That is how to run life.

Jonathan should have resigned when the Boko Haram took the girls; they’ve been there now, how many years? Some of them have been impregnated, some of them have died, some have given birth to children who had no fathers sort of; all such things. If one of the girls were his daughter, how would he feel? I’m a Yoruba man, far far away from those people but I can feel the terrible thing which a parent would feel about the taking away of those girls. About people who should protect me who failed to protect me. What sort of gov-

ernment is that? You are a young man, these are the sort of things you must know; you don’t need to have a very strong person as your president or as your president, you must have very strong institutions. If you have a good army, a good police force, they should have done something about it.

This wouldn’t happen in America, it wouldn’t happen in England, even France, it wouldn’t happen.

And for this to have happened and with nobody arrested; the girls are still with those people; oh, it’s a great slur on this country, it’s a great shame.

Are you sure that if the president goes the whole hog in his fight against corruption, Nigeria would be better at the end of the day?

Oh, definitely. We would have recovered from this illness.

Oh yes, Nigeria would be quite healthy. Whenever we go to America or England, we are extraordinary cautious and very careful about what we say, about

what we do, about how we behave. Because we don’t want people to say: oh get away, you corrupt man, are you not a Nigerian; what I’m I going to say?

It’s a pity, but on the other hand, look at a situation like this: I was waiting at a airport and there was some sort of commotion as some travellers were trying to get the attention of the travel clerk.

There was a lot of noise and one man got up and said: Look, I’m an American. Absolute confidence and faith in being an American.

Can I say that, wont people say shut up, because I’m a Nigerian.

Nigerian what, Nigerian my foot; that’s what they would say. This is a country richly blessed by God, flowing with milk and honey but in the hands of thieves and light-fingered people. Oh, it’s a great shame. So, if Buhari can go the whole hog and kill corruption for us, this country shall forever remember him with gratitude and I pray that God almighty will be with him and confirm him in

this attempt to redeem Nigeria from shame and terrible embarrassing disrepute. Its terrible, terrible, look at our money, how it was shared, now, its not worth the money it was printed, it is now N270 to the dollar. Its as good as nothing; its not worth anything. What a shame.

But they are trying to smear his name by saying he also took $300,000 and two SUVs? But the presidency had since said the two cars were a replacement for the two cars allocated to him which were damaged in an attack by Boko Haram insurgents on him. Can you compare that with what the former Speaker of the House of Representatives had? While he was speaker, I wont mention his name, he bought so many cars, jeeps, all sorts and of course, he also made arrangement for his deputy to have similar number of fleet of cars. The people who voted them into power, some of them had no bicycle.

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Political associates, friends shun Dokpesi’s son’s wedding Opeoluwani Akintayo

ÎÎÎAs son of Dr Raymond

Dokpesi got married in Abuja on Saturday, political allies of the embattled Chairman of the Africa Independent Television (AIT) were found wanting in attendance.

The wedding of Williams Dokpesi to his heartthrob, Diane at Emerald Park and Recreation, Area 3, Abuja, which would have would have been a jamboree of some sort were the AIT Chairman not to have found himself in troubled waters, turned out to be scanty and was attended by few friends and family members.

Neither the church service nor the wedding reception was attended by

any of his political friends or popular faces in the Nigerian polity.

Photos from the event showed that the wedding fell short of expectations, as the venues were deserted.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, a popular figure in the national polity, said the troubled Daar Communications owner got shunned because of his ongoing battle with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

According to him, the wedding would have become the talk of town but for the recent scandal which none of his politician friends want to get associated with.

“It’s a pity that all his politician friends have

left him at the most trying times. Nobody wants to associate with him because of his EFCC trouble. We all know that anyone who attends or appears in the photos, might be picked up on by EFCC as an accomplice in the ongoing probe. It’s better to be safe,” he said.

The EFCC arrested Chief Dokpesi in connection with money disbursed from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

Dokpesi was later docked before the Federal High Court in Abuja where he is answering to a 6-count criminal charge that was preferred against him by EFCC. He was arraigned before trial Justice Gabriel Kola-

wole along with his firm, Daar Investment and Holdings Ltd. The anti-graft agency alleged that he received about N2.1billion from the office of the National Security Adviser between October 2014 and March 19, 2015, specifically for PDP’s presidential media campaign.

The prosecution maintained that the transaction was in breach of provisions of the Public Procurement Act, Money laundering Act and the EFCC Act. Meanwhile, Dokpesi pleaded not guilty to the entire 6-count charge.

Justice Kolawole has however fixed February 17, 18 and March 2 and 3, to commence full-blown hearing on the case.

18,000 displaced Nigerians returned from CAR Tom Garba, Yola

ÎÎÎThe

Federal Government, on Sunday, received over 18,000 Nigerians, who were displaced from the Central Africa Republic, and expressed its readiness to properly take care of them before dispatching them to their states of origin.

The returnees were sheltered at the international transit camp, in Fufore Local Government Area of Adamawa State, with stateof-the-art facilities to make them feel at home and relax, after the psychological trauma they had gone through.

The Fufore transit camp was a centre where repatriated Nigerians from Central African Republic and Cameroon Republic were quartered after being received by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) at Nigeria-Cameroon boarder in Mubi.

The camp was designated as rest centre by the agency for few weeks or a month to enable the returnees relax, get registered and later

evacuated to their respective states Air Vice-Marshal, Charles Otegbade, on behalf of the Director-General of NEMA Alhaji Sani Sidi, led a team of Federal Government officials, who received the returnees expressed satisfaction with the sufficient facilities at the camp.

He said that thousands of Nigerians, who fled the country to Cameroon as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency, had been returning home since August.

“Between Monday and Saturday, the agency received 1,306 Nigerian returnees from the Republic of Cameroon.

“Since August this year to date, we have received over 18, 000 thousand Nigerians from Central African and Cameroon republics,” Otegbade said.

He said that the number of the returnees was increasing on daily basis and that no record of casualty was recorded and that women and children were in the majority among them.

Yuletide: NURTW, RTEAN caution members, motorists against reckless driving

ÎÎÎRoad transport unions in

Empty seats at the Church service and wedding reception in Abuja... on Saturday

Kwara Govt imposes 24-hr curfew as 4 die in Share/Tsaragi renewed clash ÎÎÎAt

least four persons reportedly lost their lives on Sunday in a renewed communal clash involving Share and a neighboring town, Tsaragi in Kwara State.

Share, headquarter of Ifelodun, and Tsaragi in Edu, local government areas, have been involved in bloody land disputes for decades.

Meanwhile, the State

Government has imposed a 24-hour curfew on the two communities.

A statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Isiaka Gold, said the curfew was with immediate effect.

The statement said a detachment of Nigerian Army has been drafted to reinforce security being provided by the Police and other para-military agen-

cies in the area. ``The Kwara State Government warns that anyone found with illegal arms and ammunition or disrupting peace and public order in both communities will be dealt with in line with the laws of the land. ``The Kwara State Government, therefore, assures of its preparedness to deploy all lawful measures to ensure the welfare and

security of all citizens”, said the statement.

The statement appealed to other communities in the state to continue to live in peace with their neighbours.

It warned that the full weight of the law would be brought to bear on anyone or group found fomenting trouble in any part of the state, no matter how highly placed.

Lagos, on Sunday, cautioned their members against reckless driving and disregard for traffic laws before, during and after the yuletide to prevent accidents.

The National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) gave the warning in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Lagos.

They warned drivers to shun speeding and urged commuters to always warn drivers against reckless driving on the roads.

They said that life and property of their members and commuters were precious to the unions and the nation.

The Lagos State Chairman of NURTW, Alhaji Tajudeen Agbede, told NAN that drivers, commuters and traffic agents should work together to prevent accidents.

Agbede, who is also the Na-

tional Financial Secretary of union said that “It is only the living that has dreams and hopes. We should not kill ourselves and others because of carelessness on the roads.

“Our drivers must not be reckless behind the wheels and commuters must also caution drivers, whenever they observed that drivers were becoming reckless on the roads for the benefit of all.

“Safety is number one in our job. We can stop all preventable human and material losses on our roads from Lagos to Abuja to the far North and East.

“It is the union’s responsibility to sensitise its members on a need to shun reckless driving, obey traffic laws and traffic wardens, in order to prevent motor accidents,” he said.

Agbede, who also urged members to be patient on the road, cautioned against driving under the influence of alcohol.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Thousands rally in South Korea against President Park

ÏÏÏBlowing

horns and banging on tambourines, thousands of South Koreans marched in Seoul on Saturday to protest the arrest of a labor union leader who may face a rarely used sedition charge over the eruption of violence at an earlier anti-government protest.

The demonstration was the latest in a series of mass protests in recent months of conservative President Park Geun-hye.

She has been criticized for her increasingly harsh treatment of union members and dissidents resisting her drive to make labor markets more flexible.

13 Foreign News

Despite truce, clashes kill 68 in Yemen ÏÏÏU.N.-brokered

peace talks for Yemen are due to end Sunday after six days of negotiations backed by an often-violated cease-fire.

The talks in Geneva are being led by U.N. envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, who expressed deep concerns about the ongoing fighting between pro-government forces and Houthi rebels.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the negotiations, saying they were the only way to end the civil war.

The parties agreed Saturday to set up a committee to oversee the fragile

Ban Ki Moon

cease-fire.

Yemeni security officials said Saturday that at least 68 people had been killed in recent days in Hajjah province near Yemen’s border with Saudi Arabia. The deaths included 40 Houthis and at least 28 government

troops, with dozens more wounded on each side.

The government troops advanced across the border from Saudi territory, where they had trained for months, and engaged units allied with the Shi’ite Houthi rebels, military sources said.

The conflict between forces supporting President Abdu Rabu Mansour Hadi’s government and the Houthi rebels has killed an estimated 5,700 people. Battles erupted in September 2014, when Houthis seized the capital, Sana’a, before pushing southward and forcing Hadi to flee to Saudi Arabia as they took control

of the port city of Aden.

The Saudi government, supported by other Gulf states, responded with airstrikes that have since pushed rebels out of Aden and allowed Hadi to return. Rebels still control Sana’a.

Last month, top regional U.N. official Johannes van der Klaauw said more than 21 million of the country’s 27 million residents lacked basic necessities and urgently needed humanitarian assistance. He said aid workers were trying to stave off malnutrition among 3 million children and pregnant women in Yemen.

36 dead in Philippines after typhoon

ÏÏÏThe

death toll from Typhoon Melor increased to 36 on Sunday, with six people still missing, according to figures from the Philippines’ national emergency body and other agencies.

The agency had reported 34 deaths on Saturday.

It said one more fatality has been added to the death toll when a 21-year-old man from southern Luzon died after being hit in the head by a branch from a mango tree.

On Sunday, the civil defence office in Quezon province reported that the dead body of a 5-year-old girl was found under piles of mud and debris on Saturday evening. That death had not yet been included in the official count.

ICC transfers two militia leaders to DR Congo

ÏÏÏThe

Shi’ite fighters ride on a patrol truck as they chant slogans during a tribal gathering showing support for the Houthi movement in Sana’a, Yemen, Dec. 14, 2015..

International Criminal Court in The Hague has sent two Congolese militia leaders back to the Democratic Republic of Congo to finish serving their sentences for war crimes.

The ICC announced Saturday that Germain Katanga and Thomas Lubanga have been transferred to detention in the DRC. The court said it is the first time it has designated a state to implement a sentence imposed by the ICC. It said both men had expressed a preference for serving their time in their home country.

Car bomb blast kills 3, injures 25 in Mogadishu

Burundi fighting sides to resume talks

ÏÏÏAt least three people

announced Saturday that it would mediate peace talks between government and opposition groups in Burundi in an effort to end Burundi’s deadly political unrest.

Speaking to reporters in Kampala, Ugandan Defense Minister Crispus Kiyonga said 14 groups including Burundi’s ruling party, opposition parties and civil society organizations are to attend the talks scheduled for December 28.

He said Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni will moderate the discussions.

Both Burundi’s government and the largest opposition coalition welcomed the move to resume peace talks to address the dete-

were killed Saturday and 25 others were wounded when a car bomb exploded on a busy road in the Somali capital of Mogadishu, police said.

Police spokesman Ali Hirsi Barre told VOA the bomb was detonated near a shopping center shortly after gunmen in another car opened fire on nearby government officials. Local reports said those officials, traveling under security escort, included the governor of the Galgaduud region of central Somalia.

It was not immediately clear whether the governor was hurt in the attack.

A local hospital told VOA that 19 people were treated for injuries sustained in the attack, and that six of them had since been released.

Al-Shabab militants claimed responsibility, telling Reuters reporters that “some government officials died” in the attack.

On Wednesday, national and regional leaders in Somalia ended three days of talks on how best to hold elections in 2016.

The leaders decided to dissolve the government next September but are not prohibiting President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the 275 members of

parliament from seeking re-election.

The assembly also decided the next election model will be based on a combination of district and clan process, a compromise that emerged because the country’s main regions are split on whether to task responsibility of electing the lawmakers to clan elders or district representatives.

After a prolonged civil war, a government for Somalia was chosen by 135 clan leaders who met in Mogadishu in 2012.

Leaders are expected to meet again in Kismayo on January 10 to iron out final issues.

ÏÏÏUganda

rioration of the security situation in the country, where hundreds of people have been killed.

The African Union’s peace and security council this past week authorized deployment of 5,000 peacekeepers for an initial period of six months to Burundi and gave the government a four-day deadline to accept the troops.

The council condemned recent violence in Burundi, including attacks on military barracks in the capital last week that reportedly left 87 people dead.

The statement said the AU would not allow Burundi to descend into widespread violence that could

The court also said the enforcement of the sentences will be subject to supervision of the court and consistent with international standards governing the treatment of prisoners.

Katanga was sentenced last year to 12 years in prison for crimes that include being an accessory to murder in a 2003 attack on the village of Bogoro.

Two hundred people were killed in that attack, either shot or hacked to death with machetes.

Katanga was convicted of helping to supply the weapons.

affect the wider region.

The government in Bujumbura said Saturday it is not consenting to the arrival of foreign troops – soldiers and police, arguing that it has the right under AU protocols to reject the troops.

A Burundian presidential adviser said Saturday that the AU will be violating Burundi’s sovereignty if it goes ahead with plans to send in peacekeepers.

Violence, unrest Burundi has experienced eight months of violence and unrest since the announcement that President Pierre Nkurunziza would seek a third term, a move his critics say is unconstitutional.

News 14

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2014

UN to partner FG on cross border issues Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

Attorney - General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), has expressed happiness with the level of successes so far recorded by the Nigeria, Cameroon joint Border Commission in terms of resolving cross border issues between the two countries.

He made this known when the UN Secretary General, Ban

Ki Moon, represented by UN Special envoy on ECOWAS, Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, led a delegation on a courtesy visit to his office, last weekend.

The Minister assured that Federal Government’s concerted efforts to ensure that every unnecessary border disputes within the Lake Chad Basin areas are resolved amicably. He disclosed that governments of both countries are working on reforms and protocols that will ultimately, bring about everlasting peace in the region.

Malami said in the spirit of mutual cooperation and collaboration, the FG is willing to further deepen the cordial relationship that had existed among the countries.

Earlier, the Special envoy informed the Attorney-General of UN’s readiness to cooperate with Nigeria to further strengthen the administration of Justice, rule of law and respect for human rights. He tasked the entire sister African countries in the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) on collaboration and coopera-

tion to confront the menace of Boko Haram.

While congratulating the Minister on behalf of United Nations on his appointment, he noted the land mark achievements resulting from the free, fair and credible elections that were recently conducted in Nigeria, this he said has brought progress to Africa’s nascent democracy.

Dr. Chambas was optimistic that with the completion of the remaining 100km border posts, Boko Haram terrorists will be defeated.

FG to exploit tourism potentials – Minister ÏÏÏ

L-R: Managing Director/CEO, First Step Technologies Limited, Mr. Olabode Oshodi-Glover; Mother of CEO FirstStep, Alhaja Kudirat Oshodi-Glover; music masero, Commander Ebenezer Obey and Alhaji Oshodi-Glover, during the official commissioning of the Head Office of FirstStep Technologies Limited at Ikeja, Lagos.

Army backs Coast Guard establishment Mathew Dadiya Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Chief

of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai has declared the Nigerian Army’s support on the need to establish coastal and border guards in the country.

General Buratai made this known while receiving the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (retd) in his office in Abuja.

According to him, it is high time the country established a Coast Guard or a semblance of it to help secure the country’s coastal areas, and that the beneficiaries of the Presidential Amnesty should have a role to play in it.

He said Border Guards are also necessary to help with securing

Buratai

the borders especially in the borders with Cameroun in the SouthSouth, and in the North Eastern part where the country is experiencing insurgency.

Buratai said suggested that agencies like coastal and border guards can both be self-sustaining as well as reduce unemployment in the country.

He said General Boroh was a

role model in the Military Academy and that his well-deserved appointment “received wide acceptance in the country.”

The Army Chief of Staff said General Boroh’s knowledge and experience are important in his new assignment and that the Army will collaborate with the Amnesty Office in training the Amnesty beneficiaries.

General Boroh thanked General Buratai for his support for the Amnesty Programme, adding that the Amnesty Office will collaborate with the Nigeria Army Resource Centre which is dedicated to security, training, research and consultancy.

He said the Amnesty Programme is in its last stage of sustainable integration; a point it needs the support of strategic partners, including the Army to fully reintegrate the Amnesty beneficiaries back into society.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has underscored the commitment of the present administration towards exploiting full potentials of the tourism sector as part of efforts to diversify the economy.

The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, spoke at a workshop on “Mainstreaming Tourism into the Economic Agenda of Government” in Abuja last weekend that oil revenue could no longer provide resources to meet the growing and competing demands of the nation, hence the need to explore tourism as catalyst for economic growth and job creation.

“The experience of the past three decades clearly highlights the shortcomings of a development strategy that places premium on foreign exchange earnings from non-renewable natural resources, especially oil and solid minerals. ‘’The economic and social dislocation that has been the country’s experience from the 1970s right from the first decade of the country, had its origin in the collapse of the international oil market. Our experience in the recent past also clearly demonstrates that oil and mineral resources are non-renewable and have very limited potentials for addressing the development challenges that face the country today over the medium and longterm period,” the Minister said.

Why I’m a radical -Emir of Kano Yakubu Salisu

ÏÏÏHis

Royal Highness the Emir of Kano Alh. Muhammad Sanusi II has admitted he is “radical” and has revealed reasons why he is so.

The traditional ruler made the revelation while speaking at the 10th anniversary memorial seminar organised by the Centre for Democratic Development and Research Training in honour of late Dr. Yusuf Bala Usman.

According to him, graduating from the late Usman’s school of progressives made him struggle to become a teacher, banker and now a radical emir.

In the words of the monarch, “Most of us graduated to become radical teachers, radical professors, radical bankers and radical emirs, but we never left the essential message of Bala and it is a message that all of us should take home.

MSSN to send 4,500 for Islamic course in Niger Pita Chikwem Minna

ÏÏÏDisturbed by the incessant

use of youths to perpetuate devilish acts and religious violence in some parts of the north, Muslims Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), on Sunday, said it will engage 4,500 delegates to attend 73rd National Islamic Vocation Course in Niger State to discuss youth’s matters The Chairman of Local Organising Committee (LOC), Ustaz Yabagi Alfa, made the disclosure in a press briefing in Minna, intimated that the event is scheduled for next week, adding that adequate preparation has been made for the participants.

According to him, the event which comprises the 19 Northern states and FCT Abuja, has the theme: Purposeful Leadership: a tool for good governance and positive change, said that the essence was to bring the youths under one umbrella and to inculcate in them to stand for unity and need for peaceful coexistence in the country.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

15 Opinion

Why we should teach History

T Reuben Abati

here is never a scarcity of shocking events, revelations, encounters and experiences in the course of the interesting times we seem destined to live in.

However, nothing can perhaps be more shocking than a recent encounter with a young man. He had remarked quite innocently to my hearing that he wondered what all the noise was all about over the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola. “Who is he?” he asked. I almost passed out.

“Who is Chief M.K.O. Abiola?

How old are you? When were you born?” I retorted. I followed up with another question.” You mean you don’t know MKO.” Why should I know him? Does he know me?”

It turned out that the young man was born in 1995, two years after the 1993 Presidential election, and he was still a toddler by the time of the return to civilian rule in 1999.

Now 20 years old, and a university graduate, he has grown up inside Nigeria, never knowing the late MKO Abiola, the main man whose sacrifice resulted in a long, civil society protest against military rule. Abiola was in addition, a major African philanthropist, a promoter of sports and one of the most remarkable figures in Nigerian history in the latter part of the 20th Century. I tried to explain Abiola’s significance to the young man.

“Good for him”, was his response. I could sense that he was not excited.

I dare not ask him to read some books about that period in Nigerian history, knowing what new technology has done to many of our youth, who find it difficult to read anything that is more than a few easy paragraphs. My encounter with this young Nigerian ended with the sad feeling that there are many like him out there, out of university and busy thinking of next steps in their lives but know next to nothing about the history of their country.

I have had similar encounters in more recent times: young Nigerians who do not know the author of “Things Fall Apart”, and who have never heard of Lord Lugard, Ahmadu Bello, Bola Ige or Kaduna Nzeogwu. The other day, I stumbled on an exercise on social media in which someone posted the picture of Samuel Ladoke Akintola, and asked he should be identified. This generated some confusion as some referred to him as Adegoke Adelabu, and some of those who could identify him said Akintola was the one that uttered the famous phrase: “peculiar

Buhari

mess”, which got translated by his Yoruba listeners to “penkelemesi”.

The only relief I took away was that nobody said the picture was that of Aminu Kano or Sa’ad Zungur.

This is one of those self-inflicted omissions in our development process. Close to two decades ago, history was removed from the primary and secondary school curricula as a core subject. The teaching of history also became threatened at the tertiary level, as it was labeled as one of those disciplines that cannot get anyone a job in the oil and gas sector or the banks. In an attempt to remain relevant and avoid being shut down by the National Universities Commission, History Departments became changed their nomenclature to History and Diplomatic Studies, or History and International Relations.

A succeeding generation of History graduates never failed to emphasise the suffixes. At the primary and secondary levels, history was replaced with social studies or made optional, until it was removed from the syllabus.

Years of lamentation by history teachers has not made any difference. It is in fact quite ironic that Religious Studies occupies a more privileged place in the Nigerian school curriculum: we are busy teaching our students and the future generation, the two major

religions, and many of them grow up force-fed with only that kind of history that the religious books teach, along with the dogma. Today, we are harvesting the dangers.

History is the connecting link between the past, the present and the future. Serious nations take time out to teach students and the general populace the history of the people and their country, for it is only when a people know where they have been, where they are, and where they are going that they can better prepare themselves for challenges.

Every country that cherishes memory and the art and culture of remembrance of all things past and present strengthens nationalism.

History is a truckload of mistakes made, from which we can draw lessons and accomplishments from which we can draw inspiration.

It is also an instrument of power: colonialists in Africa did not teach the history of the colonised, they taught their own history. It took a whole generation of African historians to insist on the existence and the authenticity of African history, and to tell our story to the world. Today, this aspect of the struggle against mental slavery and domination has been abandoned.

The teaching of history needs not be formal: indeed in developed countries, more history is taught informally, bits of history are inserted into the landscape of social being in various forms.

These include different types of museums: natural history, art, aviation, technology, war. monuments are erected at chosen locations to remind the people of the past. Homes and birthplaces of famous achievers, including writers, statesmen and war heroes are marked and described.

Public buildings welcome visitors with history. Cultural products, including movies promote national history and energise the populace.

By the time a child grows up in the midst of all this, he develops a sense of awareness that guides his relationship with country. It is also for the same reason that professions, including the military, teach their own history, to project tradition and achievement.

The historical narrative, thus represented in many shapes, has defined many societies. Back home, we have no museums, telling any significant story. We have no public places preserving the memories of our heroes past. Every child in Ghana knows who Kwame Nkrumah is, because his legacy is well preserved. Where are the Nigerian equivalents: we don’t even keep official records anymore.

Where is Nigeria’s National

Presidential library? A nation without a conscious promotion of its history, culture, landmarks, icons, symbols, monuments, and heroes is a society deserving of extinction.

In the absence of a deliberate and structured effort to see history as a tool for national development, we have left the telling of our story to revisionists playing games with national unity and promoting the enemies of amalgamation.

They deliver their narratives in convenient short-hand formats and through rumours. Many of the young men today who are clamouring for secession have never read the history of the civil war. They are victims of a false single story, which says other Nigerians do not like Igbos. The Yoruba landlord who does not want an Igbo tenant may not have heard that Igbos once represented Yorubas in parliament, or that Igbos have always been strong stakeholders in Lagos politics – all he knows is that silly story that Igbo tenants take their landlords to court, as if Yoruba tenants do not do the same.

Those young men and women who allow themselves to be turned into foot soldiers by Pastors and Imams, and who turn religion into a vehicle of violence. Those religious groups who take over the highways and our streets, claiming they are holding a special revival or a procession, and who do not care about the rights of other road users have probably never read stories about the tension generated by such encounters between the state and religion. They all do not know that turning religion and ethnicity into enemies of the Nigerian state will ordinarily attract dire consequences because the state has a responsibility to allow freedom of expression but also has responsibility to prevent any form of abuse. By the same token, those trigger-happy security men who indulge in extra-judicial murder, have never read how such conduct indeed violates the dignity of the state, and sets a condition for the failure of government and state.

Those who ignore history and fail to learn from it are bound to repeat it. We keep repeating the same errors because we forget too easily. It is not enough to admit that some of the worst fanatics using religion and ethnicity to threaten national integration are university graduates: this indicates a great omission in the curriculum; in form of the failure to use the education system to produce Nigerians who are first and foremost citizens with loyalty to country.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Imo lawmakers allegedly demand N2m from commissioner nominees Val Okara Owerri

ÎÎÎCrisis

is now breeding between Imo State lawmakers and the state government following the demand of N2 million

from commissioner nominees before they were cleared.

The lawmakers were equally demanding N1 million from each Transitional Committee chairman. The 13 commis-

sioner nominees allegedly contributed N26 million while the Transitional Committee chairmen coughed out the sum of N27 million totaling N52 million.

The Daily Times re-

ports that a meeting last Wednesday at Government House, Owerri, ended in deadlock.

Present at the meeting included Governor ROchas Okorocha, his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere,

Speaker, Chief Acho Ihim, Chief of Staff, Uche Nwosu, Secretary t Government of the state,, Sir Jude Ejiogu.

Despite Governor Okorocha’s plea to the lawmakers to back down

on their demands fell on deaf ears. Following deadlock, the screening on both commissioner nominees and the Transitional Committee chairmen, has been postponed indefinitely.

Bindo

Fuel Scarcity:

Fed Govt.should be blamed- Adamawa people lamented Tom Garba

Yola

ÎÎÎThe

ongoing nation wide fuel scarcity is bickering harder on the low income earners in the country, Adamawa state indigenes seems to be worst at the receiving ends as some are lamenting on devastating effects of the limited petroleum products that has being the live wire of the country’s economy.

Our correspondent stumbled on a long queue that is running to many kilometres of vehicles waiting to have fuel at Mega filing station who are selling at the official price of 87 naira.

He interview some of them, were most of the people cannot hide their anger and outright shifted all their blames to the Federal government who they believe has all answers to the over bearing lingering fuel crisis in the country.

Obadiah Ezekiel who said he spend over 24 hours waiting to fuel his car with over 300 cars ahead of him only hope and wish to have his car fuel today (Saturday). According him Adamawa state is always having the bad side of every good thing.” Why”?

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21 2015

17

Features Æ s Growing up with two mothers:

Untold story of children of same sex marriage (1)

Gay rights activists - Roadmap to a complicated future

Our features desk this Monday presents the untold story of the lives of children ‘born’ and raised by same sex couples. MARY EKEMEZIE periscopes the worrisome trend worldwide and lends her thoughts in the first of this series.

I am no lesbian, I do not walk in their shoes or have their struggles, but I sympathise because I am bit of a rebel myself, and because I am struggling like every other living person, with several imperfections, faults, weakness and sins.

I understand Struggle. My Faith,

however, is the defining element of my life, my raison d’être; and I am learning in the words of an older friend, not to use it as a defence or a weapon. I am ‘a sinner whom Jesus has gazed upon’ and I believe the word of God as what it is, Divine revelation. We are neither the origin nor the source of that Word; we are firstly ultimate finished products and then custodians of that Word.

But let us examine this true account of a product of two mothers, made public by Robert Oscar Lopez revealing the conflicting trend that has produced human children now in their adult age who are finding it extremely difficult to fit into

I was a well-raised, high-achieving child, finishing high school with straight A’s. Inside, however, I was confused. When your home life is so drastically different from everyone around you, in a fundamental way striking at basic physical relations, you grow up weird. I have no mental health disorders or biological conditions. I just grew up in a house so unusual that I was destined to exist as a social outcast. the structure of human family as known from the beginning of human history: The children of same-sex couples have a tough road ahead of them -

I know, because I have been there.

The last thing we should do is make them feel guilty if the strain gets to them and they feel strange.

Between 1973 and 1990, when my

beloved mother passed away, she and her female romantic partner raised me. They had separate houses but spent nearly all their weekends together with me in a trailer tucked discreetly in an RV park 50 minutes away from the town where we lived. As the youngest of my mother’s biological children, I was the only child who experienced childhood without my father being around.

After my mother’s partner’s children had left for college, she moved into our house in town. I lived with both of them for the brief time before my mother died at the CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Features 18

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

UN, Women Arise and YMCA up against gender based violence Violence against women in Nigeria has always been on the front burner with rights activists, NGOs and civil rights lawyers holding one conference after another. Yet the legal and societal attitude towards violence against the female gender is not abating.

Now, beyond mere confabs, workshops and fanfares, a16 days of activism campaign against gender based violence -organised by prominent organisations like the United Nations (UN), Young Women’s Christian Association (YMCA) and Women Arise – kicked off in Lagos recently.

The objective, BABAJIDE OKEOWO reports, is to curtail this uncivilised trend in the society.

In February of 2013, the social media went agog when a video footage emerged of some men numbering about five torturing three women. In the video that went viral, a woman and two female teenagers were apprehended for allegedly stealing pepper and were tortured for more than six hours with pepper and bottles inserted into their inner regions.

The video sparked off widespread outrage, with women’s group calling for probe of the barbaric act.

One of the victims, Juliana Agoma,

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

age of 53. I was 19.

In other words, I was the only child who experienced life under’ gay parenting’ as that term is understood today.

Quite simply, growing up with gay parents was very difficult, and not because of prejudice from neighbours. People in our community didn’t really know what was going on in the house.

To most outside observers, I was a well-raised, high-achieving child,

eventually died afterwards.

As if that was not enough, the late Juliana’s father, a palm wine tapper had his house destroyed by the gang and was not only banished from the community, but also forced to part with 50,000 Naira as a fine to aid in the release of his wife and two daughters.

Another recent report of gender based violence involves one Risikat Bamidele now lying critically ill at the General Hospital, Ijaiye, Abeokuta as a result of the torture she received in the hands of one Amos Samuel, the Divisional Police Officer in the Kemta-Idi Aba police station. Risikat was reported to have lost her two months pregnancy to the ordeal.

Her crime was that she had tried to call her brother-in-law to report that her husband was

Joe Odumakin leading the campaign on GBV, recently being detained at the police station for an undisclosed offence. For that effrontery, she was allegedly assaulted by DPO Samuel.

Risikat told Daily Times at the state hospital how her husband gave her his phone to call his brother when she arrived the station on the day in question.

“While I was calling his brother, I saw one policeman I did not know was the DPO. He told me that I was stupid for making calls in the police environment after eight o’clock.

“He later called a policeman to arrest me. I was harassed, pushed and brutalised. My husband saw what they were doing to me and

he told them that I was pregnant and begged them not to touch me, but the DPO turned deaf ears and boasted they will take me to Eleweran the following day.

“In the middle of the night, I started having stomach pain; all my pleas to the policeman at the counter to help me fell on deaf ears.

Even when I started bleeding, he said there was nothing he could do.

“I was planning to go to the hospital the following day so that I can get drugs but I went to my office to sign before going to the hospital.

It was there that I collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. The doctor confirmed that I had lost my nine

weeks pregnancy.”

In another development, the police in Owutu, a suburb in Ikorodu have charged a middleaged man Ajisafe Solomon and his sister Ajayi Ayomide before an Ikorodu magistrates court over allegations of wife battering and sodomy.

According to the police, the accused conspired and inflicted grave bodily harm on Solomon’s 25-year-old wife, Opeyemi Amuda, by inserting a bottle of Tubor beer and pepper in the victim’s vagina which made her run mad.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Mrs Risikat Bamidele

Flashback to Ejigbo GBV

Children of same-sex couples have a tough road ahead of them finishing high school with straight A’s.

Inside, however, I was confused.

When your home life is so drastically different from everyone around you, in a fundamental way striking at basic physical relations, you grow up weird. I have no mental health disorders or biological

conditions. I just grew up in a house so unusual that I was destined to exist as a social outcast.

My peers learned all the unwritten rules of decorum and body language in their homes; they understood what was appropriate to say in certain settings and what wasn’t; they learned both

traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine social mechanisms.

Even if my peers’ parents were divorced, and many of them were, they still grew up seeing male and female social models. They learned, CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

The Gay threathened Continent

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

19 Features

My home life was neither traditional nor conventional CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

typically, how to be bold and unflinching from male figures and how to write thank-you cards and be sensitive from female figures.

These are stereotypes, of course, but stereotypes come in handy when you inevitably leave the safety of your lesbian mom’s trailer and have to work and survive in a world where everybody thinks in stereotypical terms, even gays.

I had no male figure at all to follow, and my mother and her partner were both unlike traditional fathers or traditional mothers. As a result, I had very few recognizable social cues to offer potential male or female friends, since I was neither confident nor sensitive to others.

Thus I befriended people rarely and alienated others easily. Gay people who grew up in straight parents’ households may have struggled with their sexual orientation; but when it came to the vast social universe of adaptations not dealing with sexuality—how to act, how to speak, how to behave—they had the advantage of learning at home.

Many gays don’t realize what a blessing it was to be reared in a traditional home.

My home life was not traditional nor conventional. I suffered because of it, in ways that are difficult for sociologists to index.

Both nervous and yet blunt, I would later seem strange even in the eyes of gay and bisexual adults who had little patience for someone like me.

I was just as odd to them as I was to straight people.

Life is hard when you are strange. Even now, I have very few friends and often feel as though I do not understand people because of the unspoken gender cues that everyone around me, even gays raised in traditional homes, takes for granted. Though I am hardworking and a quick learner, I have trouble in professional settings because co-workers find me bizarre.

In terms of sexuality, gays who grew up in traditional households benefited from at least seeing

Strange union-Lesbian marriage

Gay people who grew up in straight parents’ households may have struggled with their sexual orientation; but when it came to the vast social universe of adaptations not dealing with sexuality— how to act, how to speak, how to behave—they had the advantage of learning at home. Many gays don’t realize what a blessing it is to be reared in a traditional home

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

GBV is a global challenge that must be faced squarely – Ochiagha of YWCA

According to the residents, Solomon with his siblings allegedly poured ground pepper and inserted a Tubor beer bottle in Amuda’s private part over allegations that she committed adultery and had the effrontery to fight her motherin-law. Amuda has since had a mental collapse following the severe treatment she received from her husband and her sister-in-law.

However, what would go down as the worst of gender based violence was the murder of Titilayo Arowolo, a banker with a first generation bank, who was stabbed

to death by her husband, Akolade Arowolo.

Arowolo allegedly stabbed his 29-year wife to death at their Isolo residence in Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on 24 June, 2011. The prosecution alleged that the victim was stabbed over 50 times.

These and many more are some of the gender based violence that goes on daily in Nigeria; many also go unreported.

Understanding Gender Based Violence While addressing journalists in Lagos recently, rights activist and founder of Women Arise for Change Initiative, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin

some kind of functional courtship rituals around them. I had no clue how to make myself attractive to girls. When I stepped outside of my mothers’ trailer, I was immediately tagged as an outcast because of my girlish mannerisms, funny clothes, lisp, and outlandishness.

Not surprisingly, I left high school as a virgin, never having had a girlfriend, instead having gone

to four proms as a wisecracking sidekick to girls who just wanted someone to chip in for a limousine.

When I got to college, I set off everyone’s “gaydar” and the campus LGBT group quickly descended upon me to tell me it was 100-percent certain I must be a homosexual.

When I came out as bisexual, they

described gender based violence as ‘any violence inflicted on women because of inequalities between the male and female genders’.”

Such violence, she said, includes female genital mutilation, domestic violence, verbal and psychological abuse of women or the girl child as well as violence against noncombatant women and women in conflict situation. Rape and sexual abuse and social and legal discrimination against women and girl children all fall within the definition of gender-basedviolence, Odumakin said.

It would be recalled that a 2006 national survey put the percentage

of victims of gender violence and abuse at 64.5% and this has multiplied in the last eight years.

At a seminar organised in partnership with the United Nations Information Center (UNIC) in commemoration of the 2015 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence, National President of Young Women’s Christian Association (YMCA), Lady Chikwe Ochiagha, in her welcome address, stated that gender based violence is a universal reality and global challenge that must be faced squarely.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Features 20

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21 2015

Growing up different from other people is difficult CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

told everyone I was lying and just wasn’t ready to come out of the closet as gay yet. Frightened and traumatized by my mother’s death, I dropped out of college in 1990 and fell in with what can only be called the gay underworld. Terrible things happened to me there.

It was not until I was twenty-eight that I suddenly found myself in a relationship with a woman, through coincidences that shocked everyone who knew me and surprised even myself. I call myself bisexual because it would take several novels to explain how I ended up “straight” after almost thirty years as a gay man. I don’t feel like dealing with gay activists skewering me the way they go on search-and-destroy missions against ex-gays, ‘closet cases,’ or ‘homocons.’

Though I have a biography particularly relevant to gay issues, the first person who contacted me to thank me for sharing my perspective on LGBT issues was Mark Regnerus, in an email. I was not part of his ‘massive survey’, but he noticed a comment I’d left on a website about it and took the initiative to begin an email correspondence.

Forty-one years I’d lived, and nobody - least of all gay activists had wanted me to speak honestly about the complicated gay threads of my life. If for no other reason than this, Mark Regnerus deserves tremendous credit - and the gay community ought to be crediting him rather than trying to silence him.

Regnerus’s study identified 248 adult children of parents who had same-sex romantic relationships.

Offered a chance to provide frank responses with the hindsight of adulthood, they gave reports unfavorable to the gay marriage equality agenda. Yet the results are backed up by an important thing in life called common sense: Growing up different from other people is difficult and the difficulties raise the risk that children will develop maladjustments or self-medicate with alcohol and other dangerous behaviors. Each of those 248 is a human story, no doubt with many complexities.

Like my story, these 248 people’s stories deserve to be told. The gay movement is doing everything it can to make sure that nobody hears them. But I care more about the stories than the numbers (especially as an English professor), and Regnerus stumbled unwittingly on a narrative treasure chest.

So why the code of silence from LGBT leaders? I can only speculate from where I’m sitting. I cherish my mother’s memory, but I don’t

Lesbians mince words when talking about how hard it was to grow up in a gay household. Earlier studies examined children still living with their gay parents, so the kids were not at liberty to speak, governed as all children are by filial piety, guilt, and fear of losing their allowances.

For trying to speak honestly, I’ve been squelched, literally, for decades.

The latest attempt at trying to silence stories (and data) such as mine comes from Darren E. Sherkat, a professor of sociology at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale, who gave an interview to Tom Bartlett of the Chronicle of Higher Education, in which he said—and I quote—that Mark Regnerus’s study was “bullshit.”

Bartlett’s article continues: Among the problems Sherkat identified is the paper’s definition of “lesbian mothers” and “gay fathers”—an aspect that has been the focus of much of the public criticism. A woman could be identified as a “lesbian mother” in the study if she had had a relationship with another woman at any point after having a child, regardless of the brevity of that relationship and whether or not the two women raised the child as a couple.

Sherkat said that fact alone in the paper should have “disqualified it immediately” from being considered for publication.

The problem with Sherkat’s disqualification of Regnerus’s work is a manifold chicken-andegg conundrum. Though Sherkat uses the term “LGBT” in the same interview with Bartlett, he privileges that L and G and discriminates severely against the B, bisexuals.

Where do children of LGBT parents come from? If the parents are 100-percent gay or lesbian, then the chances are that the children were conceived through surrogacy or insemination, or else adopted. Those cases are such a tiny percentage of LGBT parents, however, that it would be virtually impossible to find more than a halfdozen in a random sampling of tens of thousands of adults.

Most LGBT parents are, like me, and technically like my mother, “bisexual”—the forgotten B. We conceived our children because we engaged in heterosexual intercourse. Social complications naturally arise if you conceive a child with the opposite sex but still have attractions to the same sex. Sherkat calls these complications disqualifiable, as they are corrupting the purity of a homosexual model of parenting.

The word of God is information given to us by a Supreme Being, who is, has always existed, and will always exist. I recognise my Faith as what it is, an inestimable gift, Priceless! It is a sure anchor.

Unlike life itself, it does not change or vary. It is constant and always true. Because it is a revelation, and not my invention, it is not bound, circumscribed or defined by my expectations, desires, wants or feelings. In relation to this Word, only two options exist: accept it for what it is - together with all its consequences in all its totality - or reject it. The luxury of picking and choosing does not exist.

We all are familiar with the story of Sodom and Gomorrah, for those who are not, it is a biblical story and can be found in chapter 19 of the book of Genesis. God caused these cities to be destroyed by fire and brimstone because the people who lived there practiced and approved of homosexuality and lesbianism.

Only Lot and his children survived the destruction (Lot’s wife looked back and turned into a pillar of salt). I have not been to the Middle East myself, but I hear that in the place where these cities were sited, no life exists there. In these days of empiricism, I may have insisted that I would only believe if I see it myself, but because of Him whose word it is, I know it to be the truth, for God can neither deceive nor be deceived. These are not my words, they are God’s words, His directives, His commands, and while in the exercise of our free will, we may choose to reject, refuse, neglect it, no-one can ask, demand or compel, that others do so also, or that this

Word be changed, amended or rewritten to suit their desires.

The demands of same-sex couples who wish to marry in the Church or to have their union accepted and legitimised by the Church, I liken to that of those Christians, who seek to legitimise pre-marital sex. We can no more change the deposit of faith nor can we by our disbelief, will God into extinction. I would like to see those who do not share our Faith come to know the love of Christ, but I cannot coerce them into doing so, and I ask that my right to believe that which I believe, be respected and that I, in union with other believers, be allowed to practice our faith. As I mentioned earlier, I sympathise with people that struggle with same-sex, I understand a little about being different, not being a conformist and the pain and struggle that comes with being that way, but then again, we heterosexual Christians struggle too.

Thus far, I have written about my convictions for rejecting the proposal to legitimise same-sex unions from a religious perspective.

I now turn to some anthropological (reasons that derive from our human nature), which stems from my understanding of the meaning and the purpose of marriage (we will I hope, in the not too distant future, discuss the meaning and nature of marriage).

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

21

News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Blame Jonathan for Nigeria’s economic challenge –Aregbesola Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo

ÏÏÏ

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, has described former President Goodluck Jonathan-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a corrupt regime, which caused Nigeria’s current economic storm.

Aregbesola, who was represented by Secretary of the All Progressives Party (APC), in Osun State, Hon. Rasaq Salinsile, spoke at the 25th Iwo Day celebration, an annual event held in Iwo, in the state.

He also called on Nigerians to be patient with President Muhammadu Buhari as he found solutions the

country’s economic problems.

He said, “The recent revelation of former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) claims that he got instruction from former President to allegedly divert arms money for PDP’s campaigns gives credence to the fact that Nigeria was brought to her knee by Jonathan’s government, the cause of what we are facing today.

“It is a condemnable act which all patriotic Nigerians, regardless of their political leaning must condemn. How would a few individual decided to divert money meant to save

PLACE YOUR ADVERT HERE MARY PEACE OBOT

CORRECTION OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as ELIZABETH IDARA JIMMY, now wished to be Known and addressed as MARY PEACE OBOT. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

I known as JANE UCHENNA DURU is same as JANE UJU DURU. All financial institutions/ authority to whom it may concern and general public should take note.

ZUDES INITIATIVE FOR MORAL RECTITUDE.

lives of Nigerians to campaigns?”

He, however, admonished Nigerians to see President Buhari as a hope for a better tomorrow and belief that the present economic challenges would not last long.

Earlier, the new Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Adewale AbdulRasheed Akanbi, congratulated sons and daughters of Iwo land on the 25th edition of Iwo Day celebration and urged them to embrace one another in love for the development of the ancient town.

The monarch charged Iwo indigenes both home and in Diaspora on the

need to contribute positively to develop its array of untapped resources, particularly the young ones which were on daily basis drifting towards wrong practices.

“Iwo land will return to its enviable height, if we all can embrace the cord of love, peace and unity. Its greatness lies in our hands regardless of our differences; let see ourselves as one” the monarch advised.

Salinsile, in his goodwill message also congratulated all Iwo indigenes for the year’s celebration, and said that the event was historic one, it being the silver jubilee of the annual pro-

Gov. Aregbesola

gramme and the first time HRH, Oba Adewale Akanbi would be attending as the Oluwo.

While thanking the organisers of the occasion,

he called on the monarch to remain focused and use his wealth of experience to bring development to Iwo land and the rest of the state.

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- Chairman 2. Appah Tata Esther 3. Samuel Ijeoma Okuchukwu - Secretary 4. Abakpoya Jimson Ehigha 5. Ajeh Tari Oribi 6. Ajeh Diseye Bereni

AIM AND OBJECTIVE 1. To preach the word of the lord jesus christ Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguyi Ironsi Street, P.M.B. 198, Matiama, Abuja within 28 days from the date of publication.

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

23 News

FG orders probe of Aero’s Bauchi airport scandal

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏScandalised

by the use of a ladder to disembark from an Aero Contractor’s flight to Bauchi, at the weekend, the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has directed an immediate investigation into the use of an unauthorised equipment by Aero Contractors Airlines at the end of a charter flight to Bauchi at the weekend.

A statement signed by Deputy Director, Press and Public Affairs, James Odaudu, noted that Sirika received several reports indicating that the airline used a ladder to disembark

passengers from a Boeing 737 aircraft at the Bauchi airport, on Saturday, December 19, 2015.

According to the Minister, the act was inconsistent with Nigeria Civil Aviation Regulations (NCAR) and International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS).

He stated that the investigation would determine the immediate and remote causes of the incident with a view to developing and implementing measures that would prevent a recurrence of the unsafe and unacceptable procedure that exposed passen-

gers to a high risk of serious injury.

He reiterated that if the airline was found culpable, the full weight of sanctions within extant laws and regulations would be applied on it.

He assured the travelling public that the Ministry of Transportation in collaboration with Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) would ensure strict adherence to NCAR, as well as SARPS by all operators.

Sirika further stated that the Ministry would not shirk its responsibility to ensure a safe and secure air transport services, which he viewed as sacro-

sanct.

Meanwhile, Aero, in a statement late on Saturday, said, “a special charter flight operated by Aero to Bauchi had problems with unserviceable equipment by the airport management in disembarking about 34 passengers from Abuja. Consequently against the airline’s wish and operation safety guideline, the passengers used a ladder to disembark”.

However at the time of boarding the air stairs became functional and the passengers boarded successfully”.

“Aero wishes to state that it took adequate and

safety measures for this operation, including the airport’s ground staff crew to handle the air stairs equipment in Bauchi, unfortunately it became unserviceable at the point of disembarkation.

Although the airline crew tried to calm down the passengers to wait while the equipment was being fixed, the passengers insisted on their own volition to disembark against all safety protocol of the airline”.

The carrier disclosed

Group rally support for ex-Senate president Chijioke Kingsley, Jos

ÏÏÏ

The Idoma progressive forum has called on the people of Benue South Senatorial district not to betray the former Senate President Senator David Mark, in the forth-coming senatorial re-run election in the zone.

The national President of the group, Hon. Melvin Ejeh Adegahi, stated this in Jos at the weekend while addressing a crowed of Idoma group.

Ejeh stated that though Mark may have stepped on some toes in the course of his duty as a senator, he remained the best option for the people of Idoma, for his wealth of experience.

CEO of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Ladi Balogun with the victorious beach soccer team of Cote D’ivoire during the finals of the COPA Lagos Beach Soccer tournament... on Sunday

Enugu is in God’s hands –Gov Ugwuanyi Moses Oyediran, Enugu

ÏÏÏEnugu

State Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has lamented the poor economic situation in Nigeria, occasioned by the dwindling fall in oil revenue saying that the sustenance of the states, especially Enugu, was in the hands of God. Ugwuanyi also lamented that paying workers salary was a problem, still less embarking on developmental projects.

He said all these on Sunday during a thanksgiving mass/reception held at Roman Catholic Assumption Church, Nkwo Nike, organised by the entire Nkanuland, the Enugu East

Gov. Ugwuanyi

Senatorial Zone, for the Speaker of Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon. Edward Uchenna Ubosi, a citizen of Nike, Enugu East Local Government Area.

Ugwuanyi pointed out that in the recent past, Nigeria enjoyed money from excess crude but, today, Nigerians are yearning

for a bail out for states to be able to pay salaries.

He, however, said that in spite of the murky economic fortunes, Enugu State would prosper.

Ugwuanyi based his optimism and conviction on the prayers of the people of the state, promised to rule with the fear of God. “We must work in Enugu State with the fear of God. Always put us in prayer. Put us in prayer and we shall succeed,” Ugwuanyi said.

The officiating priest, Msgr. Patrick Ugwu lauded Gov. Ugwuanyi for his care for the poor and the needy and urged him to continue with his good works.

Ugwu urged everybody especially Ugwuanyi to always try to do the will of God. “We shall, at all times, try to do the will of God,” the priest said.

Ubosi said the occasion that the sermon taken from the gospel of Luke that gave account of the humble birth of Christ was like talking about himself.

According to Ubosi, Christ was born in a small village in Israel where no one thought a messiah would be born.

He likened himself to Christ saying that among all the members of the House of Assembly, Enugu State, he was chosen to be the Speaker.

that it was reviewing its safety measures with all charter operations to all airports to prevent such recurrence. It said that it would continue to “take adequate measures to ensure that its operations remain safe and secure.”

In a related development, the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc has distanced itself from providing ground handling services to the airline in Bauchi, saying, NAHCO did not have operations in Bauchi.

He further reminded his audience that Mark’s opponent in the re-run election, Comrade Daniel Onjeh, is a political green horn and an agent of those working assiduously to silence the Idoma race; a plot that must be vehemently resisted.

“Who is Daniel Onjeh?

Where has he ever worked and gain any meaningful experience in his life? We know who has been sponsoring his election and all his litigations in court. The Idoma people are learned enough to decide who will be their senator and it is not for the former governor of Benue State and now a serving senator Sen. George Akume to decide for us,” Ejeh said.

We inherited N11.8bn pension liabilities – Masari ÏÏÏGov. Aminu Masari of

Katsina State has said that his administration inherited a pension liability of N11.8 billion at the end of June 2015.

Masari said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja, on Sunday, adding that the government was making efforts to clear the debt after proper screening and verification of pensioners.

The governor said issues of pension and gratuity were central to his electoral campaign and, as such, he was determined to ensure that the problem of pensioners were addressed.

According to him, some retirees had not received their pensions and gratuities for over 10 years.

“When we came in, part

of what we promised was to look at the issue of pension and gratuity. We have discovered that some people have not collected their gratuity and pension for more than 10 years and some have died on the queue.

“When we came in on May 29 this year, we inherited N11.86 billion debt for pension and gratuity.

“We calculated it and as at that time, the figure given to us by the bureaucracy was about N11.8 billion, for which we sought a bailout from the Federal Government.

“What we are doing now is the verification, because there is a lot of fraud in pension and gratuity, and we want to make sure that those we pay are the real pensioners and not ghost pensioners,” Maisari said.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Arbitrariness of Govs stalls LGs autonomy, says Ekiti Senator Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏThe arbitrary conduct

of state governors and nonindependence of the state Houses of Assembly have been blamed for the failure of the Senate to grant autonomy to local govern-

ments in the country.

A senator representing Ekiti North Senatorial District, Mr. Duro Faseyi, who is also the Chairman, Senate Committee on Air Force, made the disclosure, on Sunday, at his country home in Iludun Ekiti.

He specifically accused the state governors of in-

fluencing the Assemblies to stall the efforts of the Senate to complete the process of constitutional amendments granting autonomy to all the 774 councils.

Faseyi lamented that it would practically be impossible for the 8th Senate, under Senator Bukola Saraki, to ensure financial

autonomy for the LGs, describing the much-touted change mantra of the All Progressives Congress as a fluke.

“The LGs are supposed to be autonomous, but Nigerian governors are so powerful that they use the state houses of assembly to stall the completion of

constitutional amendment after the Senate must have gone through the rigour of public hearing.

“The LGs are supposed to spend their own money without interference. The Joint Account Allocation Committee is a fraud, nonsense and must be thrown out. That was the instru-

Lawyer arraigned in court for theft

Our govt passionate about children’s future -Ambode

Titilope Joseph

ÏÏÏ

ÏÏÏLagos State Governor,

Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, has said that his administration was passionate about the future of children, just as he charged parents to guide their children to grow up and become useful to themselves and the society at large.

He spoke at the Lagos House in Ikeja during the 2015 Children’s end of the year party, and said that the welfare of every child in the state was of paramount importance to him, while assuring that he would do everything possible to protect the interest of the young ones.

He said, “We are passionate about what happens to our children in Lagos.

Children are our tomorrow and I will like to tell you that we will make the next year’s edition of the children’s party to be bigger and better than this. These children are the future of Lagos”.

Gov. Ambode

ment some governors used to control the councils. The governor can still control them by monitoring capital projects they embark upon.

“I was a member of the Constitution Review Committee in 2011 and we want this amendment passed, so that there would be participatory democracy at the third tier of government.

But each time we made efforts, the Assemblies, being effectively controlled by governors, will scuttle the idea.

L-R: Hon. Oluwafemi Adebanjo; Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Publicity, Mr. Gaza Gbwefi; Chairman, Abdulrazak Namdas, and Hon. Magaji Aliyu, during a press briefing on the activities of the House of Representatives at the National Assembly in Abuja.... at the weekend.

PHOTO: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

Crisis hits Ondo APC over misappropriation of fund ’Tosin Ajuwon, Akure

ÏÏÏThe

internal wrangling rocking the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State which has cleaved its members into an ocean of faction caused a heavy clash within members of its youth wing, last week, over misappropriation of fund.

The wrangling and outright indiscipline amongst the state party members raised the dust of brawl among the youths of the party who engaged in an open exchange of blow over a sum of money donated for a Youth Summit Programme allegedly squandered by their leader.

The brawl resulted in open fracas and caused pandemonium on the party’s secretariat on Oyemekun Road, Akure, as visi-

tors to the building located on the major road scampered for safety for fear of being injured.

Sponsored thugs numbering about ten and armed with dangerous weapons invaded the party’s secretariat, where they engaged some members of the youth wing in the party in a serious struggle leading to a pandemonium and unease.

The Daily Times gathered from sources that the youths were at loggerheads with the party’s state youth leader, Olutayo Babalayo, known as “Olutee”, over an allegation of squandering over one million naira deposited in his care for the summit.

Our correspondent findings revealed that the money was given by the leadership of the party to

the youth leader to support the programme where youths drawn from the 18 local governments areas of the state were billed to participate but the summit was a flop.

A witness said the youths missed with some sponsored thugs who were sympathetic to Babalayo, who were reacting over rumours that he might likely be suspended, as he could not account for the money meant for the programme.

“The youth leader could not account for the one million naira fund given to him by the party’s leadership and other money sourced for from philanthropic members of the party.

“He knew that he might be suspended from the party after embezzling the funds and led some thugs to disrupt the activities of

the party, but our unrelenting youths at the secretariat fought and overwhelmed the thugs.

“Thereafter, he went ahead to bring the police and alleged that he was beaten mercilessly by the youths in secretariat.

“It was the intervention of the party’s State Secretary, Rahman Rotimi, that salvage the situation; he pleaded with the police not arrest anyone – including the youth leader, who had gone to the station to report the fracas.”

A source within the party told the Daily Times that the youth leader had been suspended at an emergency meeting, held over his indiscipline and unbecoming attitude, which had brought disrepute to the image of the party and its leadership.

A lawyer, Joshua Olomo, who studied law at City University London, has been arraigned before a Tinubu Magistrate Court, in Lagos, for allegedly stealing documents and the sum of $40,000 (N8.2million) belonging to an oil company.

The 25-year-old lawyer, was arraigned before Chief Magistrate Mrs. S.K. Matepo, based on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy and stealing.

The defendant was said to have committed the offences between January and December 9, 2015 at the company’s office on Victoria Island, Lagos.

The charge made against the defendant by the police claimed that the defendant broke into the office of one Oluseyi Oladapo, the Chief Financial Officer of the company, with intent to commit a felony.

Housing is human right, says Kumo Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Managing Director/Chief Executive of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, Gimba Ya’u Kumo, has said that “housing is a human right” and he was doing everything possible to ensure that low and affordable housing schemes were provided across the 36 states of the federation – including the Federal Capital Territory.

Kumo said this, in a statement made available to Daily Times by the Head of Corporate Affairs, Alh, Lawal Kofar Sauri.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

25 Opinion

The manhandling of Patrick Akpobolokemi

Yinka Odumakin ÏÏÏ The manhandling of Patrick Akpobolokemi, a former director-general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) at the Federal High Court premises in Lagos by security agents on Monday, December 14, 2015 was an embarrassing moment for Justice Administration in Nigeria.

He was whisked away from the court premises by the security agents in plain clothes, moments after his trial for allegedly defrauding the Federal Government was adjourned by Justice Ibrahim Buba to January 18, 2016, In a scene reminiscent of kidnap, Akpobolokemi was overpowered and bundled into a waiting bus while onlookers watched in spite of his limp-leg which has an implant.

Effort by his lawyer, Dr. Joseph Nwobike (SAN), to intervene and prevent his client’s re-arrest was unsuccessful.

Narrating what happened, Wilson Ajuwa, one of the counsel to the embattled former NIMASA boss, said persons suspected to be SSS op-

eratives appeared with a detachment of policemen and beat Akpobolokemi as he stepped out of the courtroom.

The rough handling of Akpobolokemi by security officials in a thuggish fashion is condemnable and must never re-occur again. And it is gratifying that Justice Buba did not take kindly to the action when his lawyers returned to the court the following day.

Such a barbaric act on a citizen who has submitted himself to trial imputes motives order than accountability. The reason why the state is the one empowered to deal with Justice Administration because of its expected capacity to be seen to act above the parties.If every person were to exact judgement a person who is owed money may take the life of the borrower .The state is saddled with the patience to go through the process of trial to determine guilt or otherwise and measure appropriate punishment where the accused is found culpable.

And until guilt is established, an accused person is presumed innocent and should be accorded his dignity.

It is when state actors allow personal animosity to colour the the judicial process that the kind of abuse that happened in Akpobolokemi manhandling occurs.

I hope some of our friends with background in social justice, who trained under the irrepressible icon and are counsel to the EFCC should be able to advise the agency against such crudity. What is needed is diligent prosecution to re-

Akpobolokemi

trieve any money proven to have been illegally taken and not brigandage.

The well reasoned excerpts from Taiwo Osipitan and Abiodun Odusote’s “Nigeria: Challenges of Defence Counsel in Corruption Prosecution” is very apt : “Nigeria has embraced the adversary criminal process. Unlike the inquisitorial trial process, the accused under the adversary trial process is presumed innocent.24 Accordingly, it is the duty of the prosecution to prove the guilt of the accused person beyond reasonable doubt. But presumption of innocence is hardly reflected during pre-trial stage. Many inmates awaiting trial

W E A T H E R ABUJA

ASABA

LAGOS

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are effectively presumed guilty despite the fact that there is little evidence of their involvement in the crime which they are accused of committing.

Nigerian government is simply not complying with its national and international obligations when it comes to criminal justice.25 Pre-trial detention of suspects by the EFCC and the Nigerian Police Force has assumed an alarming proportion. Accused persons are forced to remain in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in violation of their right to human dignity (Osinbajo, 2009).

The criminal justice system suffers huge credibility crises when politi-

cally exposed persons are arrested, detained, and handcuffed, bundled to detention for unreasonable length of time. This process is vulnerable to corrupt practices by the law enforcement agencies, because it involves less scrutiny and the exercise of huge discretion by officers at the lower level of the system.26 The trauma of suspects is well captured by the UN special rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment. According to the report, pre-trial detainees, “are held in overcrowded cells, lacking appropriate hygiene facilities, with insufficient places to sleep, inadequate and/or insufficient food, water, and medical care, let alone any opportunities for educational, leisure, or vocational training.”

(Wowak, 2007, p. 16) A striking feature of the adversary process is the pre-trial and trial right of the accused person to remain silent even where his silence is inconsistent with his innocence. The 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria specifically confirms the right of the accused person to remain silent until he has consulted with a legal practitioner or any other person of his choice.27 The pre-trial rights of suspects to the guiding hands of counsel during interrogation by officials of the EFCC, ICPC and other agencies involved in the interrogation of suspects has remained utopian. Counsel are seldom allowed to witness interrogation of suspects. Where counsel are allowed to be present during the interrogation,

they can only be seen and not heard. Counsel invariably are compelled to blow muted trumpet during interrogation of suspects. Suspects are in effect denied the guiding hands of counsel during interrogation. The inability of counsel to assist their clients at the pre-trial stage of interrogation is a major challenge confronting counsel who defend persons accused of corruption.

It is respectfully submitted that denial of access to or assistance of counsel during interrogation of suspects is a violation of the fundamental right of the accused person to counsel of his choice.

Such denial, it is further submitted, should render the confessional statement made by a suspect during interrogation without the assistance of counsel or, where such is present but is disallowed by interrogators from assisting the accused person, inadmissible. It is now trite that confessional statements obtained as a result of threat, inducement or promise made to suspects or as a result of oppression of the suspects during their interrogation are generally inadmissible.

However, the admissibility or inadmissibility of confessional statements obtained in violation of the constitutional right of the accused persons to remain silent until he has consulted with his counsel has not arisen for determination by our apex court.

It is suggested that a confession made in violation of the right of the accused to the guiding hands of counsel of his choice during interrogation should be held as inadmissible.”

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BENIN CITY Low 12°C High 25°C

P/HARCOURT Low 22°C High 35°C

CALABAR Low 23°C High 39°C

ENUGU Low 22°C High 35°C

WARRI Low 23°C High 40°C

26

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Our Heritage Æ s Museums, where to celebrate this Yuletide Don’t just travel out of the country if you are a tourist or fun seeker looking for where to enjoy this year’s yuletide. There are many museums and galleries all over the country waiting to host you.

Nigeria has many museums, tourism site and historical centre waiting for you. A good way to learn about the country is to visit these museums. Here are some of the museums where tourists can enjoy the best of this season.

Esie Museum, Ilorin One of the museums worth exploring is the Kwara state town of Esie, known for its ancient legendry museum called Esie museum. In fact, Esie museum , fondly called House of Images, which is home of the world-famous Esie soap stone statuettes, is the oldest museum in Nigeria. Esie museum was opened in 1945, whereas Jos museum, the first national museum in the country, was launched in 1952.

Jos Museum Interesting, National museum Jos, inarguably Nigeria’s largest museum complex, has since morphed into one of the most visited repositories in this country. One of Jos museum’s biggest crowd pullers is the national zoo located near the transport gallery, one of the many bays of this compound museum complex. Other galleries of Jos museum complex include the Tin Mining Gallery, the Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture (MOTNA) and pottery gallery.

Benin Museum National Museum Benin is also a must-visit destination because it offers displays of hundreds of historical and anthropological relevant artefacts on three floors. Opened in the early 1970s during the leadership of the then Governor Samuel Ogbemudia, National Museum Benin is one of the most important repositories in Nigeria.

Calabar Museum Talking about savouring the sight of the museum as well as the national monument in one goes, a visit to National Museum Calabar inside the Old Residency area offers the same kick. National Museum Calabar is for countless tourists that have been there one of the best repositories in Nigeria’s Canan City is located near the Calabar Marina, and the visitor should

Throughout the country there are many museums and historical centres where tourists and fun seekers can experience the best of culture this yuletide season.

Agozino Agozino, writes on ten prominent museums you can visit this season

Tade: One of the early 14 century antique in Ife Museum

Benin Museum

Jos Museum

also look in at the Slave Trade Museum inside the Marina Resort Complex, which stands a walking distance away.

National Museum Ife Although National Museum Ife was opened in 1954, the museum was actually established in 1948. But despite being one of the oldest such institution in the country, the museum was virtually moribund for years.

Ile Ife, or simply Ife, is an archaeologist’s heaven, given the countless pieces of antiquity that have literally floated to the surface there. Aside relics of the exquisite state of art and craft in ancient Ile Ife, the settlement also boast numerous monuments and sites Seven of these monument sites includes, Lafogido Grove, Olokun Grove, Olu Orogbo, Ooni Ilare, Opa Oranmiyan, Saint David Potsherd (SDP) Pavement and Yemoo Grove are under the

Esie Museum

care of National Museum Ife. The staff (Opa) of Oranmiyan stands inside Oranmiyan Shrine in Moopa in the Aribidi end of town. Opa Oranmiyan stands roughly 16 feet in height and oral tradition has it that Oranmiyan, widely held as grandson of Oduduwa was a very powerful warrior, and he founded the empire of Oyo. Koko Museum The tourist, where possible, is also advised to see the National Museum in Delta State port settlement of Koko. National Museum Koko, officially called Nanna Living History Museum, is located in the port settlement of Koko in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The repository is a specialised museum, dedicated to the memory of Nanna, the Itsekiri King, who was dethroned by British colonial authorities and subsequently sent into exile in Ghana.

Nanna’s grandparent hailed from Jakpa, where Chief Nanna Olomo was born in 1840. Nanna Olomo subsequently founded new town, Eborohimi, where Nanna, the Itsekiri King, was born. National Museum Koko is housed inside the Palace of the late Nanna King of the Itsekiri.

In fact, the palace is also a National Monument, which means the visitor to Nanna Living History Museum can literarily kill two birds with one stone. S Lagos Museum Lagos, Nigeria’s Centre of Excellence boast of a National Museum at Onikan in Lagos Island.

Opened in 1957, National Museum Onikan is another must-see destination because of its collection and proximity to other places of interest. National Museum Onikan Lagos is adjacent to City Mall and stand almost opposite the Muson (Musical Society of Nigeria) complex.

National War Museum The National War Museum in Umuahia, Abia State Capital, is Nigeria’s oldest war museum. Popularly known by the acronym NAWAM, the National War Musem is located in Ebite Amafor Isingwu, Off Uzuakoli Road, in the Abia State Capital.

Although NAWAM was commissioned on 15 January, 1985, by the then Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters, Major-General Tunde Idiagbon, former Defence Minister, Lieutenant General Domkat Bali, launched the museum four years later, on 14 September 1989.

The museum covers a sprawling land area of about 30 by 30 meters with the open air gallery among other repositories. It also houses the famous Ojukwu bunker where the late Biafran leader conducted most of his cabinet during the Nigerian civil war.

Calabar Carnival If you are a lover of extreme sport or power bike riding, then the place to be this season is Calabar, where over 500 power bikers from around the world would strut their stuff in the ancient city on December 27.

The bikers’ show which is one of the new offerings to the festival calendar by Governor Ben Ayade, is drawing bikers across the country and neighbouring countries such as Ghana, Togo and Benin Republic.

According to the event organisers, route to be covered by the bikers is Mary Slessor to EffioEtte Junction.

The bikers are expected to thrill revellers with various stunt and displays. There will also be competition among the bikers for various categories such as the Most Beautiful Bike, the Loudest Bike, Biker Queen of the Year and Young Biker of the Year.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

A typical African elders in a meeting

The significance of Nigerian proverbs Proverbs are wise philosophical expressions, generally short and sometimes very funny, yet the messages they carry are deep. In Nigeria, proverb is a subtle means of expression and it is widely believed that a wise-elderly man uses a variety of it in communicating with his kinsmen. Agozino Agozino carried out a study on the significance of these proverbs. Here are selections of what he found Proverb: Lizard that ruined his mother’s funeral, what did he except others to do?

Literal meaning: One should not be enemy of his own progress Philosophical meaning: If you disorganise any activity that concerns you, you do not expect others to act otherwise. (In African culture, mother’s burial is a personal affair. Nobody cares the way you plan it.) Use the proverb when you want to caution someone about his attitude towards planning.

Proverb: He who will swallow udala’(apple) seed must consider the size of his anus.

Literal meaning: Do not go into what you cannot accomplish.

Philosophical meaning: To every action, you must consider the consequence. (An apple seed does not digest in the stomach.)

Proverb: The fly that has no one to advise him, follows a corpse into the grave.

Literal meaning: Listening to advise is very good and can save one from danger.

Philosophical meaning: When you lack a good counsel or fail to take one, you will fall into a trap.

Proverb: When a handshake passes the elbow, it becomes another thing.

Literal meaning: Don’t get too close to people.

Philosophical meaning: Be careful when a stranger gets too acquainted or mind when you are been mocked.

Proverb: When a mighty tree falls, the birds are scattered into the bush.

Literal meaning: A good leaders help a society.

Philosophical meaning: When a good leader dies people lack direction if they fail to get a successor. It is a lamentation.

Proverb: A common snake which a man sees all alone may become a python in his eyes.

Literal meaning: There is need to always look at thing from objective perspective Philosophical meaning: One man’s account is not enough to judge a case.

Proverb: The very thing that killed a mother rat is always there to make sure that its young ones never open their eyes.

Literal meaning: There is danger always lucking on the way Philosophical meaning: The wicked ones are at work all the time.

Proverb: A boy, who persists in asking what killed his father before he has enough strength to avenge, may be asking for his father’s fate.

Literal meaning: One should not try what he cannot do.

Philosophical meaning: Do not fight a battle you are not prepared or old enough to win.

Proverb: When death wants to take a little dog, it prevents him from perceiving even the smell of excrement.

Literal meaning: It is always good to listen to advise Philosophical meaning: When you are destined for a misfortune you will never listen to a wise counsel.

Proverb: A man who sees a hen scattering excrement should stop it, who knows who will eat the leg.

Literal meaning: It is good to always be your brother’s helper Philosophical meaning: When you see a young lady misbehaving, caution her for you never know who will marry her. It might be you or your relative.

Proverb: If that rat cannot flee enough, let it make way for tortoise.

Literal meaning: Give others chance in lives that are ready to work.

Philosophical meaning: If you cannot do something let others try. Nobody has absolute power or knowledge.

Proverb: White fowl with beautiful feathers.

Literal meaning: Someone who is beautiful for nothing.

Philosophical meaning: A good for nothing person or thing. (This is common in Africa when you are talking to or about a lady who is beautiful but lack good character.)

Proverb: Look for a dark goat first in the daytime because you may not find it at night.

Literal meaning: One should do all his work at a right time Philosophical meaning: Prioritize your goals and pursue them early before it is late to achieve them.

Proverb: What an elder saw while sitting, a youth cannot see it standing.

Literal meaning: The words of elders cannot be looked down Philosophical meaning: Elder has more wisdom and knowledge as compared to the youths.

27 Our Heritage

Kalu C

dropped from CHaN Eagles

HAN Eagles have replaced Enugu Rangers defender Orji Kalu, who is down with chickenpox, it has been gathered.

Kalu, who could play as a rightback or in central defence, is one of 26 players called up

by Coach Sunday Oliseh for next month’s CHAN in Rwanda, but he has yet to report to the team’s training camp in Abuja

on account of the infectious disease that has now sidelined him.

It is widely expected that in the new week Oliseh will sanction the drafting of a couple of new players to the squad.

The squad are due to travel out to Pretoria, South Africa, for a training camp prior to the CHAN, which kicks off on January 16 in Kigali.

Page 28

Barca lift World Club Cup g 30 Monday, December 21, 2015

Nigeria finish second at Copa Lagos

Babalola honours

N

onyali,

advocates NpUGa reforms Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

T

he founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN). has honoured the former African sprint queen and five-time Olympian, Mrs. Mary Onyali Omagbemi for making the country proud.

At the closing ceremony of the 6th edition of NPUGA hosted by ABUAD in Ado Ekiti on Saturday, the legal icon was equally honoured

by Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN).

Speaking at the event, the founder of ABUAD who also advocated for reforms in the

Nigerian Private Universities Games (NPUGA), said organisers of the games should review the age of participants to be between 16 and 25 years, so that the event could serve the purpose of talentdiscovery it is meant for.

Specifically, the senior advocate explained that this reform is very important so that the objectives of the games which is to discover talents could be used to prepare athletes for national and international sporting events.

“NPUGA should limit the age of participants, especially those who possess talents which have not been discovered. Only youths who

Onyali

possess talents which are yet to be discovered should participate and indeed qualify to participate in NPUGA. “An adult who is between 27 and 40 years have no hidden talents to be discovered any longer as he/she is already formed.

“I therefore suggest that only youths between the age of 16 and 25 should be allowed to compete so that their talents can be discovered,” he said.

ABUAD Vice Chancellor, Prof.

Michael Ajisafe, implored NPUGA Council and the individual private universities to do all in their powers

to ensure that future editions of NPUGA are devoid of the use of mercenaries.

The NPUGA President, Mr. Tunde Akinola, charged VCs to give the council the necessary support to promote the games.

At the event, Benson Idahosa University, Benin City, topped the medals table with 40 gold, 26 silver and 14 bronze; followed by ABUAD, 23 gold, 28 silver and 19 bronze and Igbinedion University, Okada with seven gold, nine silver and 16 bronze among the 21 private universities that participated at the games.

igeria’s Super Sand Eagles ended up in second place for the second successive year and behind Ivory Coast at the Copa Lagos Beach Soccer.

The Nigerians eased past Lebanon 7-4 in the final game of the beach soccer tournament at the Eko Atlantic City on Sunday.

It was Abu Azeez who set the tone for the Nigerians as he has done in their previous two matches.

The Warri Wolves man netted inside the opening minute against the Lebanese.

Ahmed Grada pulled Lebanon level three minutes later and his teammate Mohamed Merhi fired in a free kick past Nigeria goalkeeper Olalekan Oladepo to give the Asians a 2-1 lead.

Sand Eagles captain Victor Tale then scored twice in two minutes to restore his team’s one-goal before Merhi once again netted from a free kick to even the score at 3-3.

Ifeanyi Onuigbo, playing in his first beach soccer competition, netted Nigeria’s fourth just before the end of the first period.

Nigeria started the second period with a goal lead, and Azeez produced two excellent moments to increase the lead of the Sand Eagles.

The Wolves striker scored from an overhead kick and then from a composed finish to give Nigeria a 6-3 lead at the end of the second period.

Earlier in the day, the Ivorians retained their Copa Lagos title by defeating England 6-4 in a tight contest.

NFF reconstitutes standing committees ANDREW EKEJIUBA SPORT EDITOR

T

Pinnick

he Nigeria Football Federation will soon reconstitute its standing committees and judicial bodies, which were dissolved at the end of the 71st Annual General Assembly in Abuja on Wednesday.

In dissolving the committees and the judicial bodies, NFF President Amaju Pinnick said the objective was to rejuvenate them and reinvigorate the administration of football in the country.

“The committees and judicial bodies are very critical to the administration of football in the

land. They make most of the recommendations that inform all the decisions and policies of the Executive Committee.

“We dissolved them in order to carefully reconstitute them, and thereby reinvigorate the administration of football in the country.”

The NFF has 18 standing committees and two judicial bodies. Among these are the Emergency Committee, Finance Committee, Organizing Committee, Football Committee, Technical and Development Committee, Strategic Committee, Ethics and Fairplay Committee, Referees Committee, Match Commissioners Appointment

Committee, Youth Development Committee, Media and Publicity Committee and Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee.

The judicial bodies are the Disciplinary Committee and the Appeals Committee.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has proposed to fund the activities of all national teams with N5.9 billion in 2016.

This is contained in a document circulated to members of the federation at its ongoing Annual General Assembly (AGA) in Abuja.

The document showed that N1.5 billion would be spent on Super Eagles’ participation in the Championship of African Nations (CHAN) scheduled for Rwanda

from Jan. 16 to Feb. 7, 2016.

It stated that the amount would take care of the team’s camping and selection of players, qualifying matches (home and away), overseas training tour as well as actual participation in the competition.

It estimated that U-20 FIFA Women World Cup billed for Papua New Guinea from Nov. 13 to Dec.3, would gulp N672 million.

The amount would be spent on qualifying matches, overseas training tour and the competition.

The federation also earmarked about N369 million for Dream Team VI’s preparation and participation in Rio Olympics.

Monday, December 21, 2015

EXTRATIME

29

NIGERIAN PLAYERS ABROAD Ogbeche nets brace for Cambuur

N

igeria striker Bartholomew Ogbeche was again the hero of his struggling Dutch Eredivisie team Cambuur on Sunday when he scored twice to secure a 4-1 win at Excelsior.

The 31-year-old striker has now scored nine goals in 14 league games this season.

Cambuur are 16th on the League with 13 points from 17 games.

Ogbeche opened the scoring in the 34th minute and made it 2-0 in the 71st minute.

He was substituted with Martjn Barto in the 90th minute.

W

atford head coach Quique Sanchez Flores feels Odion Ighalo deserves the success he is enjoying in the Premier League this season.

The Nigeria striker scored twice as Watford recorded an impressive 3-0 home win over out-of-form Liverpool at Vicarage Road on Sunday – their fourth consecutive top-flight victory.

That took Ighalo’s tally to 12 Premier League goals from 17 appearances and Flores was delighted with his showing against the Reds.

“Ighalo is the biggest scorer this season,” Flores said. “He is always close to the box, always shooting and creating attempts, he deserves it.

“But of course it depends on the players, we create like a collective.

We are completely happy with the performance. It was an amazing

Watford manager Quique Sanchez Flores (left) celebrates with Odion Ighalo at the end of the game against out-of-form Liverpool at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

o l a h Ideg serves his EPL

success, says Flores

victory against an amazing team.”

The win puts Watford, who are seventh in the table, just one point adrift of Tottenham in the fourth Champions League spot.

Flores was eager to remain realistic when asked if a top-four

finish was possible, but admitted it is nice for the club to dream.

He said: “I don’t want to talk about that. It is the moment to enjoy after this match, I like the happiness and I want to enjoy, the fans to enjoy.

“We should be humble. This is our one

advantage, because the Premier League is very tough. We have a lot of matches to play. We never underestimate the teams we play.

Of course we want to dream but we want to remain humble.”

Sadiq scores first Serie A goal for Roma

N Sadiq

igerian starlet Umar Sadiq scored his first Serie A goal on Sunday for Roma as they beat Genoa 2-0 to end a seven-match winless streak in all competitions.

Roma are fifth on the league table with 32 points from 17 games.

Kaduna-born Sadiq, whose father

played for the famous DIC Bees of Kaduna, scored the second goal to seal the victory in the 89th minute with a header off William Varnqueur’s cross after a short corner kick by Lago Falque after coming on as an 82nd minute substitute for Mohammed Salah.

This was the 18-year-old striker’s first goal in the Serie A. Roma’s last victory was on November 11 in a 2-0 win over Lazio.

Roma ended the game with 10men following a 75th minute red card to Edin Dzeko.

30

Monday, December 21, 2015

EXTRATIME

Brilliant Barca win World Club Cup

B

arcelona finished the year with a dazzling display as they sealed World Club Cup success with a 3-0 win over River Plate in Yokohama.

With Neymar, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi all starting for Barcelona, the result was never in doubt, especially after Messi had given the reigning European champions a first-half lead.

Luis Suarez took over after the break, firstly racing clear on 49 minutes to double his side’s

advantage, before heading a perfect Neymar cross into the top corner on 68 minutes to seal more trophy success.

That’s five trophies in the calendar year for the Catalan giants, and with Messi, Neymar and Suarez back together, few look capable of stopping them in their quest for further glory.

Neymar and Messi’s inclusion in the starting line-up was

Ancelotti to replace Guardiola at Bayern

P

ep Guardiola is to leave Bayern Munich at the end of this season and will be replaced by Carlo Ancelotti, the club have confirmed.

Guardiola, whose threeyear contract expires this summer, is thought to be keen on a fresh challenge after securing two Bundesliga titles in his first two seasons in Munich.

Experienced Italian Ancelotti, who has been out of work since being sacked by Real Madrid in May, will sign a three-year contract to take over Bayern this summer.

Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed the news on Sunday, thanking Guardiola for his work with the team.

“We are thankful to Guardiola for all he gave our club and hope to celebrate more success in the current season,” Rummenigge said.

Glorious Barcelona players celebrate after winning the Club World Cup on Sunday.

somewhat of a surprise, after they had been doubtful in the run up to Sunday’s final, but both returned to link up with Suarez, and immediately the telepathy returned between the trio.

Andreas Iniesta’s quickthinking managed to play in Messi, whose snapshot was

PSV duo

Lestienne, Zoet P

Lestienne

brilliantly saved by River ‘keeper Marcelo Barovero, but it wasn’t long before the Argentine talisman was on the scoresheet.

There was a hint of controversy about the goal after 36 minutes, as Messi appeared to control the ball with his hand as he let the ball roll across his

arrested

SV have confirmed Maxime Lestienne and Jeroen Zoet were arrested by Eindhoven police on Sunday morning after an incident outside a local party venue.

Both players went out to celebrate their hard-fought 3-2 Eredivisie win over Zwolle on Saturday, but got involved in an incident early in the morning.

Lestienne was arrested for his involvement in a fight, while Zoet was brought in for trying to prevent police from arresting his team-mate.

“Jeroen Zoet and Maxime Lestienne were involved in an incident at the Stratumseind in Eindhoven on Saturday night,” a statement from the club said.

“Both players were brought in for questioning by police.

“PSV will discuss the matter with both players and deal with it internally because it concerns a private matter.”

Lestienne made his comeback versus Zwolle after a 10-week spell on the sidelines due to tragic personal circumstances, losing both his parents due to illness within the space of six weeks, and set up Luuk de Jong’s winner with a fine cross from the left.

M Benitez Materazzi:

scared of own shadow!

arco Materazzi has given a damning assessment of under-fire Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez.

The Italian World Cup winner spent half a season under Benitez at Inter in 2010 and Materazzi believes the Spaniard does not have the courage for a club of the magnitude of Real Madrid.

“Benitez was afraid of his own shadow. He was jealous of the memory of Jose Mourinho,” Materazzi told reporters.

“I had a booth with photos of my successes and Benitez forced me to take them down.

body, but that didn’t take anything away from the finish, as Messi controlled his strike brilliantly into the bottom corner.

However, just four minutes after the break, Suarez raced clear on the counter, before passing the ball past the despairing dive of Barovero to give his side more breathing space.

BRIEFS Suarez targets more glory

L

uis Suarez warned his Barcelona side to stay focused for the rest of the season after firing the Catalans to Club World Cup glory over River Plate. The Uruguayan scored twice in the second half in the 3-0 victory in Yokohama, after Lionel Messi had broken the deadlock before the break, finishing the tournament as top scorer with five goals, with his brace against River adding to the hat-trick he netted against Guangzhou Evergrande in the semi-final.

Allegri wants complacent Juve to learn their lesson

M

assimiliano Allegri has urged Juventus to be wary of complacency after watching his side almost blow a two-goal lead in stoppage time during their 3-2 victory at Carpi. Mario Mandzukic’s double and Paul Pogba’s second-half effort put Juve in control of the Serie A fixture at the Stadio Alberto Braglia. Marco Borriello’s early opener had earned a surprise lead for the struggling hosts, but Allegri’s team rallied and appeared to be cruising to an easy win.

“After we won the 2010 Champions League final at the Bernabeu, I said to Mou, ‘You’re an a**hole, you’ll leave us with Benitez. I will never forgive you.’”

Benitez did not last long at the club, losing his job in December, just over six months after taking over.

“When Leonardo came in, a smart coach, we were 16 points behind first place and we still managed to win another Scudetto,” Materazzi said in summing up Benitez’s reign.

Materazzi said there was simply no comparing Mourinho and Benitez.

“Mou remains the world’s best. The crisis of the third year is nonsense,” Materazzi said.

Monday, December 21, 2015

EXTRATIME

BRIEFS

O

dion Ighalo scored twice as Watford recorded a comfortable 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Vicarage Road on Sunday.

Nathan Ake made the most of an Adam Bogdan howler to open the scoring, before Ighalo doubled Watford’s lead after just 15 minutes.

The Nigerian striker then scored Watford’s third after nodding in Valon Behrami’s superb cross, leaving the Hornets just one point off the Champions League places.

With just three minutes on the clock, a swinging corner fell into the hands of Bogdan, who was deputising for the injured Simon Mignolet, but he dropped the ball into the path of Ake - onloan from Chelsea - who prodded home his first Premier League goal.

However, replays showed that Bogdan may have had both hands on the ball at the time of Ake’s strike.

Watford then made it 2-0 when Troy Deeney played an excellent ball through to Ighalo, who muscled off Martin Skrtel

Mata apologises to United fans

M

anchester United midfielder Juan Mata says he feels ‘deeply sorry for the fans’ after the club slipped to their third successive defeat.

United suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Norwich City at Old Trafford on Saturday - their first defeat on home soil this season - which heaped further pressure on manager Louis van Gaal.

Earlier this month, the Red Devils were knocked out of the Champions League following a 3-2 defeat to Wolfsburg. Their exit from Europe’s elite competition was then compounded by a 2-1 loss to Bournemouth in the Premier League prior to the visit of the Canaries.

Van Gaal admitted his position as United manager was under scrutiny after watching his side slip to another defeat and drop out of the Premier League’s top four.

“Of course we’re disappointed,” Mata told reporters. “It’s another very difficult day for us, but the only thing we can do now is stick together and hope that we get the win in the next game because we need it. We need to win as soon as possible.

“It’s very frustrating not to win, especially at home. We should win at Old Trafford if we want to be successful, but we haven’t done it.

We feel deeply sorry for the fans, I think they’re incredible, so we have to do better for them.

“Everyone’s frustrated. The fans, the staff and especially us. As I said before, we need to stick together.

It’s time for us to show that we’re strong, we have to fight in every game and get back to getting good results as soon as possible.”

31

Ighalo

Ighalo double down Liverpool and fired the ball into the bottomright corner of Bogdan’s goal - his 27th league goal of 2015.

Liverpool’s problems worsened when Skrtel was forced off with

Origi’s deft touch set up Adam Lallana in the area, but his goalbound effort was superbly blocked by Craig Cathcart denying a certain goal.

an injury, as Jurgen Klopp opted to bring on Divock Origi as his replacement in an attackminded substitution.

Moments after the break,

Wenger rues Sterling miss

A

rsene Wenger has admitted he regrets not luring Raheem Sterling to Arsenal when the Manchester City winger was a teenager.

The England international began his career at Queens Park Rangers and rose through the youth ranks at Loftus Road before joining Liverpool in 2010 at the age of 16 for £600,000.

Sterling has since developed into one of the Premier League’s best young talents and completed a £49m move from Liverpool to City last summer.

Wenger told reporters in July he was never interested in bringing the

21-year-old to the Emirates Stadium for the forthcoming season, b u t has revealed ahead of Monday Night Football that he rues not signing Sterling prior to his switch to Anfield.

“We had many players on the flanks, but Sterling was at QPR that’s where we should take the players,” the Arsenal manager said.

“We watched him but you miss obvious players. The history of every club is full of top players that you missed. At the time Liverpool were quicker.”

Hiddink

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ewly appointed Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink has confirmed he wants Didier Drogba to be part of his backroom staff.

wants

Drogba as Chelsea backroom staff

Drogba

Pellegrini backs Guardiola for City top job

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a n u e l Pellegrini says he hopes outgoing Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola has the chance to work at Manchester City at some point in the future. It has been announced Guardiola will be leaving the Allianz Arena in the summer, with the German champions already having lined up Carlo Ancelotti as his successor. The former Barcelona coach has been linked with a move to a number of clubs in the Premier League, including City, and Pellegrini has no doubts that Guardiola will work in England at some stage.

Watford stars not for sale –Flores

Q

uique Sanchez Flores has issued a hands-off warning to Watford duo Odion Ighalo and Troy Deeney’s suitors. Ighalo, 26, has been in particularly good form, scoring 10 of the club’s 18 Premier League goals this season with three in the last three games. Deeney has supported his Nigerian strike partner well, chipping in with five goals in 16 Premier League games. As a result, Watford will be anticipating offers for their star strikers but Flores said he would rather spend money and improve what he has.

Gunners suffer Welbeck blow

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Arsene Wenger wanted to bring Raheem Sterling to Arsenal prior to the winger’s move to Liverpool.

rsene Wenger has admitted he is no closer to knowing when Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck will be able to return from injury. The England forward has yet to feature for the Gunners this season after undergoing knee surgery in September.

Welbeck was originally expected to return during the Christmas period but he has since suffered a set-back which has delayed any comeback.

Hiddink was named as the new man in charge at Stamford Bridge until the end of the season on Saturday and is now looking to compile a team of staff to help him get Chelsea back on track.

The Dutchman was accompanied by Drogba in the stands during Saturday’s 3-1 win over Sunderland and he has now made it clear that he is keen to bring the former Chelsea striker back to London.

“We would like to get him involved,” Hiddink said when asked about whether Drogba is an option as his assistant.

“But he still has a contract with

Montreal in the MLS, even though it is the close season for them now.

“But we definitely intend to get him involved.

“We want to get important players involved with the club they care about. Drogba’s heart is with Chelsea.”

Drogba enjoyed a successful first spell with Chelsea between 2004 and 2012, winning three Premier League titles, two League Cups, four FA Cups and the Champions League before returning to the club in 2014.

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mondaY, dEcEmBER 21, 2015

VOL. 2. NO.5

Price: n150

Sepp Blatter (right) and Michel Platini may face lengthy bans if found guilty by FIFA’s ethics judge today.

t n e m e Judg

! y a D FIFA

S

epp Blatter and Michel Platini will find out their fate today with FIFA’s ethics judge set to reveal his findings and verdicts over their conduct.

FIFA president Blatter and UEFA president Platini are expected to be found guilty of ethics code breaches surrounding a £1.3m “disloyal payment” made to the Frenchman in 2011. Seven year bans are likely for the pair.

German judge Hans-Joachim Eckert, chairman of FIFA’s adjudicatory chamber, held disciplinary hearings last week and is due to announce his findings and any sanctions this morning.

Ethics investigators accept that proving corruption, which carries a lifetime ban, will be difficult but are very confident that other charges including conflict of interest, false accounting and non co-operation or criticism of the ethics committee - will be proved. A file running to more than 50 pages was submitted by investigators.

Sources with knowledge of the case say sanctions handed down to other FIFA officials previously provide an indication of the level of the suspensions faced by Platini and Blatter.

In July, Harold Mayne-Nichols, the official who headed the inspection team for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, was banned from all football-related activity for seven years for conflict of interest and breach of confidentiality.

Former FIFA vice-president Chung MongJoon from Korea was banned for six years in October for ethics code breaches that he

to deliver verdicts on

Blatter, Platini said related to matters such as duty of disclosure, and confidentiality.

Platini boycotted his hearing in Zurich on Friday in protest, claiming a decision already appeared to have been made. His lawyers attended, but it looks as though the Frenchman is already preparing to take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

His slim hopes of running for the FIFA presidency on February 26 would be finally ended by any sort of a ban however.

The provisional suspensions imposed on him and Blatter in October mean he has been unable to carry out any campaigning.

Blatter is unlikely to go quietly either

as he faces an end to his four decades at the top of FIFA. The 79-year-old has called a news conference for Monday morning in Zurich in the same building that used to house FIFA before it moved to its new headquarters in 2006. He has already claimed that the ethics committee has no power to remove him as president.

The £1.35m Swiss franc payment at the centre of the case was made to Platini in February 2011. The Frenchman and Blatter deny any wrongdoing and say the payment was honouring an agreement made in 1998 for work carried out between 1998 and 2002 when Platini worked as a technical advisor for the FIFA

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP RESULTS Chelsea 3 - 1 Sunderland Everton 2 - 3 Leicester City Man United 1 - 2 Norwich City Southampton 0 - 2 Tottenham Stoke City 1 - 2 Crystal Palace West Brom 1 - 2 AFC Bournemouth Newcastle 1 - 1 Aston Villa Watford 3 - 0 Liverpool Swansea City 0 - 0 West Ham United Today’s Match Arsenal v Manchester City 21:00 SERIE A RESULTS Bologna 2 - 3 Empoli Carpi 2 - 3 Juventus Atalanta 1 - 3 SSC Napoli Fiorentina 2 - 0 ChievoVerona Hellas Verona 1 - 1 Sassuolo Roma 2 - 0 Genoa LA LIGA RESULTS Valencia 2 - 2 Getafe Espanyol 1 - 0 Las Palmas Real Betis 0 - 0 Sevilla Deportivo 2 - 0 Eibar Real Madrid 10 - 2 Rayo Vallecano BUNDESLIGA RESULTS Schalke 1 - 0 Hoffenheim E/Frankfurt 2 - 1 Werder Bremen FC Cologne 2 - 1 Borussia Dortmund Hamburger SV 0 - 1 Augsburg Hannover 0 - 1 Bayern Munich Ingolstadt 0 - 1 Bayer Leverkusen VfB Stuttgart 3 - 1 Wolfsburg Hertha Berlin 2 - 0 Mainz 05 B/M’gladbach 3 - 2 Darmstadt LIGUE 1 RESULTS Nice 1 - 0 Montpellier Caen 0 - 3 Paris Saint Germain Guingamp 0 - 2 Rennes Lorient 0 - 0 Nantes SC Bastia 2 - 0 Reims Toulouse 1 - 1 Lille Troyes 0 - 0 Monaco Saint-Etienne 1 - 0 Angers GFC Ajaccio 2 - 1 Lyon EREDIVISIE RESULTS Vitesse 5 - 1 FC Twente AZ Alkmaar 2 - 2 FC Utrecht PSV Eindhoven 3 - 2 PEC Zwolle Heracles 2 - 1 FC Groningen Excelsior 1 - 4 Cambuur NEC Nijmegen 3 - 1 Feyenoord SC Heerenveen 0 - 4 ADO Den Haag Willem II 3 - 2 Roda JC Kerkrade Ajax 2 - 1 De Graafschap president.

The payment was not part of Platini’s written contract but the pair have insisted it was a verbal agreement which is legal under Swiss law.

The timing of the payment has provoked suspicion though. It took place nine years after Platini had stopped working for FIFA and was made while Blatter was seeking support for a fourth term as president and facing a major challenge from Qatar’s Mohamed Bin Hammam.

The payment was made less than a month after a meeting between Platini and Bin Hammam where it is understood they discussed the presidency. Two

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

NSE launches Page B4 broker oversight, supervision system

Profit Page B3 shortfall: Six banks may merge in 2016

Building materials dealers want imported electric cables banned Some dealers in building materials have urged the Federal Government to ban the importation of electric cables.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, the traders said that Made-in Nigeria electric cables were the best.

Mr. Wilson Igbokwu said the home-made cables were the best in the world in terms of quality and adherence to international standards.

Igbokwu said most imported substandard cables were made from iron as against the locally CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu has directed the agency’s subsidiaries: the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, (PPPRA) to embark on renewed special supply intervention measures to en-

Thought Page B6 Leadership Customs to sack 66 officers over drug addiction Funmi Coker

L-R: Divisional Head, Marketing and Corporate Relations, United Bank for Africa ( UBA Plc), Mr. Charles Aigbe; Chairman, UBA Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Director, Marketing and Corporate Communication, UBA Africa, Mrs. Bola Atta and GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza, at the launch of REDTV a digital television network available on Youtube at the weekend in Lagos.

Yuletide: Kachikwu orders special fuel supply measures Augustine Okezie Abuja

Monday, December 21, 2015

sure a country-wide availability of petroleum products ahead of the forthcoming yuletide period and beyond.

A press statement signed by the General Manager Public Affairs, Mr. Ohi Alegbe yesterday said the special supply intervention mechanism which entails the ramping up of additional supply via massive truck-out to guarantee product penetration to the nooks and crannies of the country teed-off over the weekend.

The statement further stated

that the daily fuel truck out to locations such as Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Enugu, Ibadan and Jos have been increased significantly to enhance free flow of products across the country.

The NNPC also stated that it is consolidating its strategic alliance with some major depot owners and oil marketers with strong regional logistics outlay in those areas to ensure maximum infiltration of products especially in the hinterland ahead of the forthcoming Christmas and New

Year’s festivities.

While calling on members of the public to refrain from hoarding, product diversion and panic buying of petrol, the Corporation noted that the intervention measure would help circumvent the challenges posed by the unavailability of pipelines for the transportation of petroleum products.

It noted that product diversion is an economic crime and warned that it will not hesitate to report offenders to the security agencies for prosecution.

Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali has said 66 officers found to be hooked on hard drugs would be eased out.

Ali disclosed this while addressing officers and men of the Plateau/Benue Area Command of the service in Jos. “We are now operating zero tolerance on the issue of drugs, because it is very dangerous and inimical to our operations and to our success as a government revenue generating organ.

“These 66 identified drug-addicted personnel are as good as out of the system because we have no place for such persons in the service,” he said.

Ali blamed the existence of ”bad eggs” in the service on the recruitment system, which, he said, had to be changed to rid it of unscrupulous and unwanted persons.

He charged the officers to be disciplined in order to serve the nation well and gain their promotions.

According to Ali, promotions from now must be earned.

He told the officers to display the fear of God in all their operations and to be diligent in attending all the courses lined CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Fuel subsidy: NLC holds emergency meeting tomorrow Joy Ekeke

Wabba

National Working Committee of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) will be deliberating on the fuel subsidy removal debate in an emergency meeting slated for Tuesday.

This is as the Trade Union Congress promised to resist any move by the Federal Government to remove fuel subsidy.

The general secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, said

the scheduled meeting would deliberate on critical issues affecting the workers and the citizens.

Ozo-Eson, on Saturday, listed the areas of deliberation to include the current pressure on the government to remove the subsidy on petroleum products, planned increase of electricity tariff, and plans by some state governors to reduce workers’ pay.

He said the NLC was opposed to the removal of the fuel subsi-

dy because of its grave implication on the working population and other Nigerians.

He said, “We remain opposed to the calls for the removal of the fuel subsidy. We think those who are calling for the removal do not understand the implication of removing it, it has serious implications.

“Based on this renewed call for the removal of fuel subsidy, we have called an emergency meeting of the Central Working

Committee of the congress for Tuesday at 1pm to discuss these issues.

“These are the issues of new pressure for the removal of subsidy, the issue of the plan for the increase of electricity tariff and the illegal move by some governors to reduce the minimum wage.”

Meanwhile, the president of the TUC, Mr. Bala Kaigama, urged the Federal Government CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Building materials dealers want imported electric cables banned

AMCON’s intervention saved Aero Contractors from collapse-Management Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

produced ones that were made from copper.

He said the ones made from iron could easily get burnt which sometimes could lead to loss of lives and property.

“The ones they import are below standard; Nigerian cables are made from copper which is 2.5 mm, while the substandard one is 2.2mm or even 1.9mm.

“Although sometimes it will be labeled 2.5mm but the dealers will be able to differentiate the home-made cable from the substandard one imported from other countries,’’ he said.

Mr Okwuchukwu Okolo said the ban on the importation of such cables would encourage Nigerian manufacturers to expand and produce more.

Okolo said the quickest way for any society to transform from a developing economy to an advanced modern society was through Industrialisation.

He advised the Federal Government to encourage local manufacturers of electric cables to discourage the importation of substandard products into the country.

“It is sad that Nigerians will go to other countries to request for substandard products,” he said.

He blamed the situation on the neglect of the manufacturing sector to meet the demands of the Nigerian populace.

Okolo decried the attitude of some marketers who were importing substandard products at a cheaper price to maximise profit ``because of greed.’’

Another dealer, Mr Emmunel Obiaku, said some builders preferred to buy substandard products in order to make more profit.

Ali

JTF creek

JTF arrests three militants, vandals in Delta Funmi Coker Troops attached Operation Pulo Shield (OPS), formerly known as Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta have nabbed three suspected militants and vandals following a raid on active camps located in the creeks of Delta State.

The troops also recovered explosives identified as dynamites and cache of arms from the suspected militants and vandals who operated along the Benin River and adjoining creeks in Itagbene, Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State.

Parading the suspects and the arms at the OPS Headquarters, Yenagoa yesterday, the Commander, OPS, Major-Gen. Alani Okunlola, named them as Mako Ajigidi, a.k.a Sorsor, Godspower Alebi and Okiti Ariri.

He listed the recovered arms as one Light Machine Gun (LMG), five AK47 rifles, one G3 rifle, one LAR rifle, 20 AK47

Customs to sack 66 officers over drug addiction

magazines, 415 rounds special and other ammunition.

He said 10 explosives identified as dynamites and bundles of detonating cords were also impounded from the militants.

Okunlola said the feat was achieved through ongoing intensive patrols and raids of suspected militants’ camps.

He said, “The operation is a continuous one aimed at recovering all illegally acquired arms that have found their way into the Niger Delta region. “l call on the good people of the Niger Delta region to key into our zero tolerance campaign against illegalities and also give useful information that will aid troops to track and arrest miscreants.”

He said the joint task force remained determined to fight against crude oil theft, pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities in the Niger Delta region.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

up for them.

He expressed hope that the service would meet its 2015 revenue target of N944 billion before the end of the year.

“Presently, we have generated N825 billion but we have to double up so that we will not only meet the target but surpass it by God’s grace,” he said.

FG to create 7 new railway corridors, says Amaechi The Federal Government is to create seven more rail cor-

Nigeria’s oldest airline, Aero Contractors has refuted claims that Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) mismanaged the airline by virtue of its intervention to save it from total collapse.

The management of the carrier in a statement over the weekend, said contrary to reports in the media, AMCON has played a supportive role for a majority of the existing airlines, adding that Aero would like to acknowledge the positive impact AMCON’s intervention continues to have on the aviation industry, despite various challenges confronting the industry.

It noted that without AMCON’s intervention, the airline may not be flying today, stressing that the aviation industry has performed well over the years but like all other business segments, experiences some challenges as a fall back from the global financial crisis and the fall in global oil prices.

The myriad of challenges in the industry which is not limited to Aero alone, as well as the specialisation required in the industry, it noted, necessitated a structured and methodical approach to solving these challenges.

In order to sustain customer’s confidence and its enviable position as the flagship of the Nigeria aviation industry, and potentially Sub-Saharan Africa, especially in the area of safety and on-time performance, the airline disclosed that the firm has invested hugely in replacing its ageing feet.

“Orders have been made and we are awaiting delivery. Staff issues are being addressed in line with industry best practices, and the airline does not plan to allow staff/unions to manage its affairs.”

“Aero has been known for quality of service and to this end the airline will continue to ensure a thorough and timely training and re-certification of its human assets to ensure the enviable safety of Aero Contractors.

kuru

NLC holds emergency meeting tomorrow CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

to adopt measures against those behind the diversion of the ideals of the subsidy rather than punishing innocent Nigerians for the fraud.

He said the TUC was ready to collaborate with the NLC and the civil society movement in the country to resist the conspiracy against the subsidy.

He said, “We are against the

removal of the subsidy. The rich few who are behind the subsidy scam should be punished and not the innocent Nigerian citizenry. We are saying this because the moment you remove it, the prices of all essential commodities will increase.

Transportation, housing and other essential services would increase.”

ridors of standard gauge railways in the country, the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, has said.

Amaechi made the plan known in Port Harcourt at the inauguration of Port Harcourt – Aba Mass Transit Train Services.

He said the initiative was a public-private-partnership which sought to modernise and expand railway transportation across the country.

“This initiative is aimed at

remodeling and redevelopment of our major railway stations within the country.

“Under the rail modernisation programme, government will open new railway lines to achieve an efficient rail network.

“The Ministry of Transportation has carried out feasibility studies to create seven additional rail corridors of standard gauge railways under the public-private-partnership initiative,” he said.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

B3 Money Market

Diamond Bank, Total Nigeria to deploy ATMs across service stations In a bid to make financial services more accessible to customers, Diamond Bank Plc, and Total Nigeria PLC, have partnered to provide Diamond Bank Automated Teller Machines (ATM) at select Total Service Stations across Nigeria.

Total Nigeria PLC is a marketing and services subsidiary of Total, a multinational energy company. It has remained the leader in the downstream sector of the Nigerian oil and gas industry with an extensive distribution of over 500 service stations nationwide. A total of twenty-one kiosks Speaking at the launch which held at the Total Service Station, Lekki-Ajah Expressway in Lagos, PremierOiwoh, Director, Operations and Technology, Diamond Bank PLC, who represented the MD/CEO, noted that the initiative was aimed at deepening customer satisfaction among customers of both organisations by providing them with convenient lifestyle solutions.

He said: “We are pleased to flag-off this partnership between Diamond Bank and Total Nigeria PLC, two notable, customer-centric brands, that have come together to provide secure and convenient lifestyle solutions to customers in Nigeria.”

L-R: Maxence Bourgoing, Network Development Manager , Total Nigeria Plc; Olufemi Babajide, General Manager, Sales and Marketing, Total Nigeria Plc; Chizoma Okoli, Head, Corporate Banking Directorate, Diamond bank Plc; Jefferson Nnemani, Executive Director, Strategy , Total Nigeria Plc; and Aishah Ahmad, Head, Consumer and Privilege Banking, Diamond Bank Plc at the Launch of the Diamond/Total partnership to provide ATM machines in Total Service stations across Nigeria held in Lagos recently.

Ï dƎƄƍƉƆ Ƃ ƈ ƄƎ hits N1trn in 10 years Stories by Motolani Oseni As some of the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in thier nine month ended September 2015, recorded struggling profit, indications have emerged that about six banks may likely seek mergers and acquisitions in the year 2016. Due to the shock created in their assets and balance sheet sizes in the face of economy downturn and sharp drop in profits.

Nigeria as a mono economy with high dependency in the oil revenue, which has fell drastically below its benchmarck of $38per barrel to as low as $35.11 per barrel from over $110 per

Profit shortfall: Six banks may merge in 2016 barrel a year ago. And this has adverse effects on the economy and most importantly the DMBs’ oil assets.

The Managing Director/CEO, Sterling Bank Plc, Yemi Adeola, disclosed this in Lagos recently at the annual press conference of the Bank, that there are possibilities of reduction in the number of banks in the country comes 2016, because there are moves suggesting that trend.

The bank chief said two international banks were discussing with local lenders on possible acquisition, adding that if the opportunities arise for banks to

BDCs closing shops over CBN stringent policies The year 2015 has been a tough one for both the regulator and the operator in the money market. Looking at the continuose efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to further tighten the sub sector’s regulations and curb speculation on the nation’s currency, naira. Investigations by Daily Times Nigeria have shown that some foreign exchange operators have started closing thier shops due to CBN strigent policies.

The CBN has categorically disclosed recently that henceforth, hawking of foreign exchange on the streets and other open places, which is commonly in Lagos, Ogun, Abuja and Port Harcourt, among major cities across the country, would no longer be tolerated.

Though, the latest forex directive by the apex bank will come into effect in January, 2016. But in

our correspondent fact findings, showed that some of the forex seller have already closing down thier shops due to too many rules and regulations by the CBN. When Daily Times visited Allen Round- About in Ikeja, Lagos State, where there are many forex hawkers. We discovered that an operator popularly identified as Malaam Ibrahim was no longer where he use to be but while contacted on phone, he disclosed that the business is no longer profitable and he has recently returned to his former hand work, fashion designing.

According to him, the truth is that I can no longer continue with a business where there are too many restrictions and rules to follow, which is invariably killing me gradually. ‘‘When I discovered that I’m running into a huge debt I have no other option than to quit the

business, because i use to borrow a lot of money to invest but since the beginning of this year, I have been struggling to remain in the business, which to me no longer profitable and very difficult to continue,’’ he explained.

Also, Alhaji Isiaka, an operator in Sango area of Ogun State, said: ‘‘do you expect me to remain in such business? A business that is over regulated, i can no longer continue such business. Don’t border to check me at my usual place, because I’m no longer there.’’

Emefiele

pursue further consolidation, we could see two or three.

According to him, I also know that one or two international banks are interested in pursuing acquisitions in Nigeria and they are indeed having discussions already.

“To say that everything will be rosy in 2016 will be deceiving ourselves. So, you could see a combination of one or two international banks taking over one or two Nigerian banks or merging with them. And nothing also stops two or three Nigerian banks having merger discussions in 2016.”

A lthough, he, explained that Sterling bank has showed resilient growth in the last 10 years of its existence, recording increased in its asset base (including contingents) from about N110 billion in 2006 to about N1 trillion in 2015.

However, the bank is ready for either a merger or an acquisition, provided it will add value to stakeholders. “For us at Sterling Bank, we are always open to mergers or acquisitions. We are open to anything that can give us scale. Whether it is a merger or acquisition, we are open, but the synergy must be there.

Ultimate Microfinance Bank, Ipaja, Lagos has recorded a net profit of N67,737,864 million in year 2014 as against the N21million profit declared in the preceding year.

The Bank’s Chairman, Mr. Wale Odunayo disclosed this at the 6th Annual General Meeting and 2014 annual report and accounts of the Bank.

In his opening remark, Chairman of the Bank, Mr Wale Odunayo said it is a cheering news that the Bank has coped in the face of the country’s business environment while operational costs and matters incidental remains high.

He said this is reflected in the high cost of maintaining and fueling the generating sets of the Bank same for the operational vehicle, cost of marketing and other activities of the Bank alongside electricity tarrifs for epileptic power supply and maintenance of official telephone lines.

Ultimate Microfinance Bank records N68m PAT He noted that during the year under review, additional shares were allotted to the bank by CBN which raised from N50million to N100 million while the operating environment and cost of doing business in the country remain high.

Odunayo said in an effort to increase the share capital of the Bank, the Board has made it mandatory that before a loan is approved to any customer, the customer must purchase a minimum of 10,000 unit of share adding that the initiative has started yielding positive result.

Capital Market B4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Stock market weekly report NSE index declines by 1.54% Lead Indicators of Nigerian equities market segment closed the week on a negative note as they fell by 1.54 percent against 0.02 per cent gained previously, bringing the All Share Index 415.69 points lower than previous closing value of 26,953.05 points to close at 26,537.36 points.

Market capitalization likewise declined by N142.9 billion to close at N9.124 trillion against N1.6 billion added the previous day to close at N9.27 trillion.

Market breadth closed negative with 20 gainers against 29 losers. Honeywell Flour Mills Plc., led the gainers table with an increase of 9.77 per cent or 17 kobo to close at N1.91 per share followed by Tiger Brands Plc., which added 7.89 per cent or 9 kobo to close at N1.23 per share, while Julius Berger Plc., gained 4.99 per cent or N1.98 to close at N41.68 per share.

Oando Plc appreciated 4.95

per cent or 27 kobo to close at N5.73 per share, while E-Tranzact Plc., increased by 4.89 per cent or 13 kobo to close at N2.79 per share.

On the other hand, UACN Plc led the losers with a decline of 7.00 per cent or N1.43 kobo to close at N19 per share, trailed

by Cadbury Plc., which depreciated by 5.00 per cent or 95 kobo to close at N18.05 per share, while Transcorp Hotels Plc., dropped 4.98 per cent or 32 kobo to close at N6.10 per share.

Learn Africa Plc., also lost 4.94 per cent or 4 kobo to close at 77 kobo per share, while Capital Hotel Plc., fell 4.91 per cent or 20 kobo to close at N3.87 per share.

At the end of Friday’s transactions, investors on the Nigeria Stock Exchange had in 2,412 deals traded a total of 480.4 million shares valued at N3.031 billion compared to a total of 172.7 million shares worth N2.62 billion exchanged in 2,480 deals on Thursday.

L – R shows Mr. Olufemi Shobanjo, Head, Broker Dealer Regulation, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON, Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Ms. Tinuade Awe, Head, Legal and Regulations Division, NSE and Mr. Olumide Lala, Head, Transformation and Change, NSE at the Launch of Broker Oversight and Supervision System (XBOSS) at the Exchange.

NSE lists NMRC N8b 15-year bond Nigeria Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC) Plc, Nigeria’s first and only mortgage refinancing company has listed its 15 year N8 billion bond on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which carries a coupon rate of 14.9 per cent, will be due in July 29, 2030, and priced at a spread of 64 bps above the comparable FGN Bonds.

It should be recalled that the NMRC had earlier listed its N8 billion bond on the FMDQ OTC Plc., bringing it to a total of N16 billion. According to the company, the N8 billion bond is part of the company’s N140 billion Medium-Term Note Programme.

The Managing Director of NMRC, professor Charles Inyangete, noted that the listing of NMRC bond is expected to bring numerous benefits to the Nige-

rian capital market; “it will further improve the market capitalization as well as increase the participation of Pension Funds among others. It is on record that 78 per cent of the N8 billion raised by NRMC in July was subscribed to by Pension Funds”.

With this listing, NMRC has joined the likes of DANA Group Plc, Tower Aluminium Group and LA CASERA that have their Debt instruments listed on the NSE. Experts have expressed the view that listing the shares of NMRC will further strengthen as well as avail it cheaper funds to invest in the mortgage industry.

Commenting on the listing, the CEO of NSE, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, said the Exchange will continue to work with these set of companies to increase their

participation on the Exchange with a view to getting their equities listed on any of its boards.

He said, “The NSE will continue its engagement with the companies and provide adequate thought leadership to drive its listing objectives”.

NMRC is licensed by the CBN to conduct mortgage refinancing business in Nigeria. The company was established with the public purpose of developing the primary and secondary mortgage markets by raising longterm funds from the domestic capital market with a mandate to encourage and promote home ownership in Nigeria by providing long term financial facilities to the mortgage lenders, thereby increasing the availability and affordability of mortgage loans to Nigerians.

NSE launches broker oversight, supervision system Stories by Adesola Akindele The Nigerian Stock Exchange (“The Exchange”) has launched the Broker Oversight & Supervision System (“X-BOSS”) as part of its efforts to maintain a fair and orderly market based on just and equitable principles.

X-BOSS is a system that redefines the compliance and regulation experience between The Exchange and its Dealing Members. It also introduces a secure central repository for information about dealing members of the exchange.

The Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON explained that the system would automate the regulatory and over-

sight function of the Exchange over its Dealing Members and ultimately enhance the regulatory experience.

Onyema noted that as a SelfRegulatory Organisation (SRO) the web based system does not mean that they will not continue with their on-site supervision of dealing members. Stressing that Sub brokers in the market will have to go through their parent firm in terms of filing their reports.

Onyema Stated that “it allows dealing members to maintain and update their firms details and details of approved persons, submit regulatory filings, request for transfers of authorized dealing clerks, register for training workshops, and view information on

payments made to the exchange amongst a host of other things” He noted that the system would enable the secure and electronic dissemination of Dealing Members’ information in a structured and sustainable manner, which would reduce the burden and inconvenience of a manual system. He also noted that it is a major step towards attaining The Exchange’s vision of becoming “the leading Stock Exchange in Africa driven by regulation, efficiency, liquidity and innovation,” demonstrating The Exchange’s ambition and commitment to implementing global best practices to increase efficiency, improve transparency and drive operational excellence.

The General Counsel and Head

of Regulation at The Exchange, Ms. Tinuade Awe summarized the system as a marriage between cutting edge, twenty-first century technology and robust, comprehensive regulation, both of which are essential elements of a thriving capital market.

She noted that the system is designed to promote compliance as well as reduce the financial and operational burden of complying with regulatory requirements.

She asserted that the system will provide a secure central repository for information about Dealing Members of The Exchange, which is critical from a regulatory perspective. The system would also ensure that Dealing Members are abreast of their regulatory obligations at all

times.

On the issue of primary users of X-BOSS, which comprises of Compliance Officers, Chief Finance Officers and Chief Executive Officer of the dealing firms, Tinuade Awe explained that the training for the users is not meant for training the trainer, while she pointed out that there is no fee attached to the usage of the system for dealing members.

Mr. Olufemi Shobanjo, Head of the Broker Dealer Regulation Department remarked that the system will enable the secure and electronic dissemination of dealing members information in a structured and sustainable manner which reduces the burden and inconvenience of a manual system.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

B5 Capital Market

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY ( EQUITIES) 18-12-2015

Thought Leadership B6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Tax amnesty - A viable option for boosting revenue Ehile Adetola Aibangbee and Tozaye Balogun It is no longer news that the relevance of internally generated revenue (in effect, taxes) to the Nigerian economy has increased considerably since the oil and gas sector fell on hard times. To keep the economy afloat, the Federal Government has, through its revenue collection agency – the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), initiated several measures to increase revenue generation through tax collection. These measures range from changing the prevailing tax practices and improving tax administration, to introducing new taxes and levies. Some have been worthwhile, others have proven to be limited in practicability and the rest, flat out ineffective.

The current strategy will at best, achieve modest improvement in tax revenue, as it is focused on existing taxpayers. It could also potentially increase the cost and burden of tax compliance. An example of this is the recent shift from taxing non-resident companies on deemed profit basis, to actual profit basis, with the latter requiring audited financial statements. The deemed profit basis is generally considered to be simple and certain. Whereas, the case for preparing and filing returns on actual profit basis is unproven, especially when one considers the greater administrative burden placed on both the taxpayer and the FIRS. Traditionally, non-compliance with tax obligations is a common challenge for many tax authorities. During a presentation to the World Bank in 2013, the Federal Minster for Finance (Minister) stated that 75 per cent of the companies registered in Nigeria are not in the tax system. Thus, one may argue and rightly so, that increasing tax rates will not necessarily yield sustainable revenue growth, where taxpayers remain non-compliant. Furthermore, to do so will not only be punitive to the few compliant taxpayers, but will also have an undesirable effect on the economy in the long run.

A case in point is France, where the high corporate tax rate is credited with contributing to the falling competitiveness of French industries in the global market and its growing trade deficit. The high payroll and social tax imposed on French companies is also perceived to be one of the reasons for offshoring and the high level of unemployment in France1.

Bearing in mind the disadvantages of increasing the tax rate, the obvious way forward would be

to focus on increasing the number of companies in the tax net. The FIRS might want to achieve this by embarking on an aggressive drive to identify non-compliant companies. Given the limited capacity of the FIRS, the outcome of such an exercise will at best, be modest. What is needed therefore, is a model that enables companies voluntarily step forward into the tax net. But the question is, at what cost to the taxpayer?

Take the case of Mr. Domingo, who started a small-sized business some ten years ago. The business has been very successful. Mr. Domingo is now considering the next phase of the business, including inviting institutional investors.

To do this, he realizes that the tax compliance of the company is one of the things that will be reviewed during a due diligence exercise.

He asks his accountant to run the tax numbers for him. On getting the numbers, Mr. Domingo’s enthusiasm evaporates, as he realizes that the tax bill (including interest and penalty charges) will create a big financial risk for his business. He has no choice but to put off the idea of voluntary disclosure. He has become a victim of his past.

How many Mr. Domingos might be out there? How can such people be encouraged to voluntarily come into the tax net, without fear of ruining their business?

In our view, a way to achieve this, would be to ‘incentivize’ previously non-compliant taxpayers to voluntarily become compliant.

This can be achieved through a tax amnesty program.

A tax amnesty program is one where non-compliant taxpayers are given a window of opportunity to pay an outstanding tax debt in exchange for forgiveness of a liability relating to a previous period without fear of penalty or prosecution. In 2007, Russia re-

covered about US$ 130 million in previously lost tax revenue from its amnesty program within the first six months. The Italian ‘tax shield’ program was reported to have generated revenue of about US$ 80 billion in 2009, while a record US$ 5 billion was collected from about 30,000 voluntary tax disclosures made under the United States’ IRS offshore voluntary disclosure program. Ghana, in 2013, with a view to increasing its tax base, granted unregistered and non-compliant taxpayers amnesty for a period of 9 months.

Although the revenue generated from this exercise is unreported, a good number of taxpayers were registered during the period.

Because granting amnesty is discretionary, governments are at liberty to determine the terms and conditions of their tax amnesty program. Nevertheless, there are common factors critical to the success of all tax amnesty programs.

The first and perhaps most important is the enactment of legislation to give backing to the program. Such legislation should speak to the basic principles of the amnesty and at the minimum provide information on the: • type of taxes, years covered, and duration of the amnesty • extent of tax relief or protection to be granted. For instance, whether the relief includes full or partial waiver of the outstanding liability or should be limited to a waiver of interest and penalty charges • companies or persons eligible for amnesty. For instance, taxpayers who had previously been granted amnesty can be expressly excluded • process, timeline and information required for application • approval process and grounds for disapproval or revocation of amnesty

• Procedure and timeline for settlement of the agreed liability • implications for taxpayers who decide to take advantage (or otherwise) of the amnesty program • whether or not liabilities that are currently the subject of a dispute are covered, etc.

The importance of a supporting legislation to the success of an amnesty program cannot be overemphasized. A legal framework will boost taxpayers’ confidence in the objectives of the program, encourage their willingness to participate, and guarantee protection from penalization and tax investigations.

Another common factor is the objective of the amnesty program.

While raising large sums of revenue in the immediate term may be a target, the overriding purpose in most cases, is to broaden the tax base and secure a constant stream of revenue from that wider base on a going-forward basis. Information provided by previously non-compliant taxpayers to the revenue authority will ultimately serve as a useful tool for tightening leakages, monitoring tax compliance, and recovering liabilities in the future.

It is also the norm for governments (and revenue authorities) to follow through on granting all the reliefs provided for in the tax amnesty legislation. This commitment is often supported by issuing a document that releases taxpayers, who have taken advantage of the amnesty, from all previous liabilities (or specific liabilities) and to bar the authorities from further investigation into the transgressions of taxpayers.

This will go a long way to guarantee the success of future amnesty programs, should they become necessary.

Lastly, amnesty is granted sparingly and for a short period of time, perhaps to ensure that the

government reaps maximum benefit from the program and to limit the administrative cost to the authorities. In addition to the aforementioned common success factors, the FIRS must be adequately capacitated to handle tax cases professionally and expeditiously.

There should also be a robust data management system for coping with the influx of taxpayers and for interrogating information received during the amnesty period, which can be used to uncover companies that remain outside the tax net.

Tax revenue currently contributes a meagre 7% to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)2, when compared to the 15% tax revenue to GDP contribution recommended by the IMF for low to middle income economies, it becomes clear that Nigeria has a lot to achieve where tax revenue generation is concerned. It is encouraging to know that with improved tax administration, the FIRS can generate additional revenue of N460 billion (over and above the 2014 level) between 2015 and 20173, from existing taxpayers (and perhaps newly discovered taxpayers). That being said, tax revenue will soar even more, where the FIRS’s effort to improve on tax administration is matched with voluntary compliance by taxpayers.

In view of the importance of tax revenue to the Nigerian economy, it is necessary to include as part of the strategy for increasing tax revenue, a tax amnesty program.

Such a program will spur hitherto non-compliant companies to becoming compliant taxpayers.

The much deeper pool of taxpayers so created, will go a long way in diversifying government’s revenue base away from oil.

1. About-France.com: Overview of the French Economy 2. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Presentation at a spring meeting of the World Bank and IMF in Washington DC 3. Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Public presentation of the proposed Federal Government Budget for 2015

By Ehile Adetola Aibangbee, Associate Director, and Tozaye Balogun, Senior Consultant of the Tax, Regulatory and People Services, KPMG Advisory Services, Lagos, Nigeria. © 2015, KPMG Professional Services, a partnership registered in Nigeria and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (‘’KPMG International’’), a Swiss entity.

All rights reserved .

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

B7 Insurance

PenCom moves to boost CPS in states, local govts Stories by Isaac Agber Worried by the slow pace at which the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) penetrates the nation’s 36 states, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has, in a passionate move to uphold its mandate, appealed to all states and local governments of the federation to immediately adopt and implement the scheme, considering the numerous benefits their employees stand to gain.

Director-General PenCom Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, made this appeal in Kaduna recently, saying the Pension Reform Act (PRA) of 2014 gives additional impetus for participation in the CPS by explicitly prescribing the coverage of States and Local Government employees, in addition to the Federal Public Service and private sector.

According to her, the scorecard for the North-West Zone is somewhat encouraging, as three States in the Zone, including Kaduna, have commenced implementation of the CPS but noted that

adoption of the scheme by all the states would be a milestone the commission is out to attain in a near future.

“There are some implementation milestones that should be attained by respective States. I would, therefore, like to fervently appeal to all the States and Local Governments in the North-West Zone that are yet to adopt or implement the CPS to immediately comply in order to avail their employees of the numerous benefits of the Scheme, while avoiding huge future pension liabilities,” she said.

She posited that the need for more efficiency in managing finances has never been greater than now, given the lean available public resources. She noted that the adoption of CPS by States is one effective tool of managing finances by paying monthly pension contributions into employees’ RSAs as opposed to settling these huge liabilities at the point of retirement, being the case in the Defined Benefit Scheme.

The PenCom boss said in the

L-R: Chairman, Joint National Association of Persons with Disability, Imo State, Barrister Clinton Amaechi; Beneficiary of the MTN Foundation, Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme, Mr. Obierika Chibuzor; MTNF Director, Mr. Dennis Okoro and Manager, MTNF Economy Empowerment Portfolio, Ms. Foyinsola Oyebola during the MTNF Science and Technology Scheme award ceremony in Owerri recently.

quest to assist states in guided implementation, the commission has established functional offices in the six geo-political zones, including Kano for the North-West Zone. According to her, these offices have been equipped to provide the required technical

assistance to States and Local Governments in their efforts to adopt and implement the CPS, owing to its tenets that are very beneficial.

Anohu-Amazu said the Commission recently made a presentation to the National Economic

Council (NEC) where it highlighted the numerous benefits that States would be availed under the CPS, stressing that based on the feedback at the presentation, the Commission would also enhance its technical support to the States for speedy compliance.

NAICOM, FMBN agree on mutual terms to insure mortgages

Kari

Greed, lack of transparency breeding unethical insurance practices —Efekoha

Nigeria’s insurance industry struggles between managerial incompetence and unethical practices as resultant causes of unwholesome attitudes like greed, lack of transparency, peer pressure, societal influence, poor mentorship and unhealthy competition traceable to employees, the Managing Director of Consolidated Hallmark Insurance, Eddie Efekoha, has observed.

Efekoha, disclosed this at the graduation and awards ceremony

Commissioner for Insurance/Chief Executive of National Insurance Commission (NAICOM), Mr. Mohammed Kari, has commended the partnership between NAICOM and the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN) as the two agencies have agreed to work together towards ensuring that all mortgages are properly insured.

The two watchdogs further agreed to enforce compliance with Section 5(2) of the NHF Act, which “prescribes that every registered insurance company shall invest a minimum of 20 percent of non-life funds and 40 percent of life funds in real property development of which not less than 50 percent shall be paid into the NHF through FMBN.” The landmark partnership

would provide mutual benefits to both parties by helping on the one hand, to boost insurance penetration and the other hand, provide scarce funds required by the National Housing Fund to enable it try to bridge the huge housing deficit among others.

Speaking recently in Abuja during a meeting between both organisations the Commissioner for Insurance while commending the initiative said that he think the most important thing is the synergy that is being created to ensure that what is due to the mortgage sector goes to the mortgage sector.

He noted that the Managing Director/Chief Executive, Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), Mr. Gimba Ya’u Kumo had “promised us that all mort-

gage must be insured which is what the law expects but has not been enforced.”

He said: “The primary mortgage institutions, through his organisation will ensure that every mortgage is insured properly and every finance in that sector is insured properly. And that is going to be a big boost to the insurance industry as it’s going to increase penetration and provide more funds to the national housing fund to be able to invest in their projects.”

He said: “So we will see it as a win-win situation. And what we can do as a regulator is to ensure that all our operators comply with the law, whether they like it or not-that’s what laws are for and we believe it will help also in reducing the deficit in housing.”

organised by the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) in Lagos, stressing that without ethics, integrity and proper conducts worthy of emulation, operators are mere paper peddlers on the streets with nice suits and shoes.

He posited that unethical practices in the industry include: rate cutting, unhealthy competition, rebates and illegal payments to intermediaries and refusal to pay claims to clients.

Others vices, according to him,

are: claims purchasing, poor representation of clients, collusion with clients to exaggerate claim amount or claim for uninsured losses and leasing of AIIN certificates for fee. Efekoha said bad public perception hinders career growth, leading the organisations to corporate graveyards. According to him, corruption of the entire insurance system has had too much damaging effects on the ethics of the profession.

Suggesting the way forward,

he said there should be collective responsibility to determine the future of the industry through professional and ethical practices.

And that operators should invest in personal education beyond what their employers provide.

He urged operators to imbibe the spirit of professionalism in the discharge of their duties and that they must constantly ask themselves everyday – “Have I acted in my line of duty as a professional today?”

Business Interview B8

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Be consistent in welfare policies, TUC president tells FG Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama is the National President of Trade Union Congress (TUC). In this interview with Joy Ekeke, he spoke on the negative impact of government’s policy somersault on the economy, casualization, healthcare privatisation and the need for a Labour Advisory Council to improve dialogue between government and the organised labour.

Kaigama

How does TUC see the proposed return of toll gates?

We are not against bringing back of toll gates, our concern is this issue of policy somersault, a factor which is responsible for our under development.

The Obasanjo regime when he came in decided to demolish the toll gates, the cost of demolition as at then was even higher than the cost of constructions of such toll gates, and here we are in another regime that is encouraging the reconstruction of these toll gates.

What we are saying is that we are in the same country, government should have consistent policies whether its PDP or APC certain policies that affect the welfare of Nigeria or the issues of infrastructure development should be sustained,we should look at government policies beyond political affiliations so that they will we be

able to deliver good governance to the citizens.

What do civil servants expect the new Minister of Labour and productivity to tackle first?

We have highlighted in our communiqué that we have this cases of casualization, contract staffing, issues of indiscriminate employment in the federal civil services, so we will look forward to where the Minister of Labour will call a meeting of critical stakeholders, we would have loved the labour advisory council to be put in place so we can sit from time to time when it is constituted to address labour Issues.

Causalization in this country particularly by these foreign companies have been so high to the extent that Nigerian workers are not only faced with the problem of casualization but victimization, molestation by

some of these expatriate and the issues of the local content where it is expected by Nigeria law that junior workers in all multi- national companies are duly employed.

Nigerians are employed as junior workers of these multinational companies but in the practical sense some of these expatriate firms particularly Chinese, come with their drivers, gardeners, cleaners and theirs cooks, so we are talking about job portion, if these people will come and there are no jobs for Nigerians in their companies, how do we create jobs?

So these are issues we are going to put on the front burner to the minister of labour and productivity.

On the issue of privatising Federal Teaching hospital, what’s your say about it?

We reject in totality the proposal by the Federal Government of Nigeria to privatise or commercialise the services of the tertiary health institutions across the country. The introduction of such a policy will undoubtedly remove healthcare services from the reach of the common man in Nigeria.

We however call on the Federal Government to address the issue of improving the standard of Healthcare.

What is TUC’s position regarding state governors’ plan to reduce Minimum wage?

The governors are merely being true to their tradition in concocting flimsy excuses when the interests of workers and the masses are in contention.

The fact remains that, probably if the Chairman of the Governors Forum does not know about the minimum wage he should go back and look at the statutes, first, it was not forced on them when oil sold for $126 per barrel against the present price of $41 per barrel and so the question of imposition does not arise since the negotiations leading to the enactment of the minimum wage passed through all the tenets of the International Labour Organisation’s tripartism.

This is so because the employers – both private (NECA) and public (government) – as well as the organised labour and government (as regulator) were all involved.

The law has not been rebuilt so there is no way somebody in the name of a Governor can say they cannot pay and suddenly reduce the minimum wage.

Probably his Attorney General doesn’t brief him right, he should check the National Min-

Pay us before Christmas, Pensioners tell Okorocha Joy Ekeke The Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Imo State, on has called on Governor Rochas Okorocha to pay all pensioners that have not received their arrears before Christmas.

A communiqué issued by the union in Owerri after the 2015 Pensioners Day, regretted that after the recent verification exercise conducted by government more than 70 per cent of the verified pensioners were yet to be paid.

The statement, signed by Chief Gideon Ezeji, and Livinus Asiegbu, State Chairman and Secre-

tary respectively, appealed to Okorocha to restore the pensions of retired primary school teachers in the state as soon as possible.

It was learnt that Okorocha recently announced that government had set aside N5.7billion to clear arrears owed Imo pensioners. But Ezeji claimed that majority of the pensioners were yet to be verified and paid.

“If you visit any of the local government areas and see the number of pensioners yet to be verified, you will agree with me that government still needs to do more.

“The state governor should take immediate action to harmo-

nize the pensioners based on the six per cent of 2003, 15 per cent of 2007, and 33 per cent of 2011,” the unionists added.

The NUP unanimously rejected the governor’s proposal to spread the arrears of pensions to over 36 months and called on government to clear the arrears without further delay.

While threatening to secure legal services to ensure that all Imo pensioners get their outstanding arrears, the union also resolved to hold monthly prayer summits in all the 27 local government areas in the state to seek the face of God over the refusal of government to clear their pension arrears.

Okorocha

imum wages rule.

They have forgotten before oil, government were paying workers, they have forgotten that they have been so lazy that they can’t think outside the box.

We have enough agricultural resources, Mineral resources, tourism potentials, particularly government has relied so much on oil that at the end of the month they collect their money go into the comfort of their office or family houses to spend it, wait for another month and they will go to Abuja and collect another one.

Nigerians have become wiser and we call on such governors if they are not prepared to govern they should honourably resign and allow Nigerians with vision, programs, who have the zeal to come into the act of governance.

Is there a justification for an upward review of the minimum wage?

Firstly, the current N18,000 cannot take ordinary Nigerian workers to the next bus stop and secondly five years down the line it is overdue for review.

We are supposed to therefore commence the negotiation of a new National Minimum wage.

Despite the antics of the governors, labour will go ahead to submit a proposal for review.

Life&

TIMES Monday, December 21, 2015

Iyabo Ojo: Achieving new heights as an entertainer

L2,3

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

IYABO OJO:

Piracy is a major reason why Nigeria’s movie market is not smiling Known to be one of the most popular actresses in English movie sector before she eventually traced her roots back to her Yoruba origin, Iyabo Ojo is a popular actress in Yoruba segment who started with Keppy Ekpenyong when she was introduced to the veteran actor by Bimbo Akintola in 1997. She made her debut in 1998 with a sub lead role in “Satanic” and ever since, this petite mother of two, a graduate of Estate Management from Lagos State Polytechnic has not looked back. Being one of the busiest celebrities in 2015, Iyabo Ojo has produced four movies in the year that includes Silence, Beyond Disabilities, Black Val and Astray. In this chat with MUTIAT ALLI, the Fespris World CEO disclosed how excited it was playing alongside Hollywood star, Dorien Wilson, work and other sundry issues. Excerpts:

Life&

T E A M

You won two awards “Back to Back”; do you still see more coming before the end of the year?

I pray so. I’m about going for one at least I was nominated, so if I win fine, if I don’t I’m still a winner because being nominated is as good as been a winner too.

What project are you currently working on?

Currently you know I have four movies out that I’ve produced. One is out and I have three more to go.

“Beyond Disabilities” has already gone through cinema and it’s in the box office and also on online TV, so hopefully we’re trying to release it either late January or early

February 2016. Also, I’m planning to launch my other two movies “Black Val and Astray”. Astray is the one I featured alongside musician, Sean Tizzle; so I’m planning to launch both together one English and one Yoruba movie.

Why the choice of Sean Tizzle in that particular movie?

It’s because the character needed someone like Sean Tizzle and he already showed interest and I also heard he’s a theatre art graduate; he showed a lot of interest and you know the job you need to love it. The character goes with his kind of looks and not the person the character is much different from what he played. We needed

Movie & Music Correspondent Mutiat Alli

an upcoming artist even if he’s already there at least he started from somewhere, he’ll understand how an upcoming artiste will behave and he had all the qualities we needed, so, we picked him for the shoot.

Will you say he actually nailed it on set?

Oh he did. If there’s anything like over nailed because that was his first time, so he did perfectly well.

You know he was dedicated before he got on stage, he already knew all his lines. It was just for the director to give him direction on how to deliver his lines, how to stop, gestures, the key things he wanted to know and so it was so easy

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

because he wanted learn, so when he was corrected, he took it. He connected well with everybody. He just came in and became a family and everything just went well, so he nailed it 100 percent.

You have over four movies this year, what will 2016 look like in terms of production?

I don’t know, Silence was shot in 2013 and Beyond Disabilities was shot 2013/2014. Then the other two movies were shot after.

Well I thank God, we should just keep thanking God in whatever position we find ourselves. I have about seven or eight movies that I want to shoot. We’ll commence shooting one after the other but

Graphics Sunday O. Emmanuel

the only problem is that piracy is not helping us, hence the market is not smiling. I don’t mind shooting once every three months but we also have to slow down because of the market. We have invested so much, so we need to get the money back and that why I said we’re waiting to release ‘’Beyond Disabilities and also premiere Astray and Black Val and try and see if we can raise little funds and then put those ones too online and then put them into market and start shooting. So next year, I’m dreaming big. I want to shoot an international movie. I’ve always wanted to

CONTINUED ON

L3

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

L3 Interview

‘I have a man in my life; am not open to relationship’ CONTINUED FROM

L2

shoot an international movie but when I went to shoot ‘’The Mask’’ in America which I starred alongside with this Hollywood actor, Dorien Wilson, it was fun I really enjoyed working with them. I have promised myself that when next I want to shoot my next movie, I will travel down there and other African countries.

How does it feel to be working with a Nollywood star?

I felt really good working with a known face, that was a big one for me and you know he was so humble, he was so into his work and you know there was a lot of chemistry. He nailed it and I know I did my best.

How do you feel seeing your children toe your own path?

I am grateful Priscilla was nominated this year’s at the Best of Nollywood Award. I am grateful that she’s doing fine though my son is in between, he’s not fully gone into it. I can see him pick a bit one or two interest in. I’m happy as long as it’s what he loves doing. I’m not forcing them to do it.

Priscilla loves it; she said mummy I want go study Theatre Arts and she keeps repeating it, so I can see she wants to walk that path and I’m going to want her to walk it greater than I had because that’s every mother’s prayer for her children to be greater than her.

Don’t you feel a little bit threatened that your daughter may want to overshadow you in the industry?

Ah!! Make she overshadow me make I rest oh. That’s what I want if I could help the upcoming to grow.

Why won’t I want my own daughter to grow; I want her to grow beyond where I am I don’t mind if she does Hollywood so that I’ll just be

her manager but me I no go collect 10 percent, na 20 percent.

2015 is just few days away, what will your 2016 resolution?

December is my month because that’s the month I was born and on my birthday what I do is sit down a day before my birthday, I just say how do I want the next year to be and I always say that God you know how that next year will be, just lead me. I have lots of dreams. I dream so big I want to grow beyond where I am, so you know I just hope God will do it for me so that’s the way it is. When you put God first, everything just falls in place. I cannot design this how I want my life, I know I have projects that I want to release next year. I want to shoot the greatest movie, work with international bodies because that has been my dream from on set and having to bring Nollywood and Bollywood and Hollywood all the “woods” together to unite as one and undertake great projects.

As a mother, producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, when do have time for the home front?

It’s not been easy for quite some time now. However, it seems easy because I’ve been doing it for a while. When you start, everything seems so difficult. That’s why I take my time to do everything. I don’t rush into everything. I take my time, I do everything one step at a time. The only thing I know comes first are my kids. They always come first in everything that I do. In my heart, in my way, God comes first but when it comes to my duties, my children comes first.

I had to see to them that they are okay. I don’t sleep out except I’m out of Lagos. If I’m within Lagos, no matter how far the location is, I always go home to make sure that I see them. I talk to them, some-

times if they’ve slept, I will wait for them to be awake and then I talk to them- how was school life, so I get involved in their lives. My weekends when I’m not busy doing anything, I’m home sometimes during the weekdays. If I’m not working or I don’t have any location, I take out time two, three days, I stay at home with them. When they come back from school, they meet me at home, you know you just have to

plan it, you have to have professional hands. That’s why when I’m working, whenever I do my business, I need professional hands so that when I’m not there, I know they will handle it even more better. It’s just having to understand what to do. Acting to me is a hobby right now; producing movies is like my second passion. If you plan everything, you have to know how you draw out your calendar and

plan it and you find that it will work out for you as you have planned.

Are there plans of taking a shot at marriage again?

First, let me say that I am not open to relationship; but I have a man in my life that I love, that I respect and we’re good and I’m happy. I’ve already said that happiness is what matters to me and I’m having that happiness and I’m fine.

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

L5

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Wellness L6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

When life kicks you hard!

Give

Ann Izedunor

it a smile!

Many see smiling simply as an involuntary response to things that bring you joy or laughter. While this observation is certainly true, what most people overlook is that smiling can be just as much as a response to a conscious and powerful choice. Smiling may seem like an unnecessary response to something cute or funny but it is much more than that. Smiles do a lot more than simply let the world know you’re happy. They don’t even have to be genuine to have some effect, but truest smiles do you the most good. Most people can spot a fake smile, even if they can’t say how they know. Fake smiles usually use fewer muscles than genuine smiles, which involve muscles around the eyes.

Real smiles also creep in slower than the false ones. So, if you have to fake a smile, try to make it as real as possible, think of happy memories or visualize your favourite people and places. It makes a difference in what others see and in how you feel. Here are some reasons why you should make a conscious effort to smile every day: Ò Smiling is contagious: - Smiling strengthens the brain activity which occurs when you see someone smiling, smiles are contagious. That just seeing one person smiling activates the area of your brain that controls your facial movement, which leads to a grin. It

is certainly a beautiful sentiment and it carries a hint of truth. Smiling does not only have the power to elevate your mood, but it can also change the moods of others and make things happier. Ò Lower Heart Rate:-Smiling slows the heart and relaxes the body. This lets the heart work without overworking. People who smile and laugh often are less likely to develop heart disease. Smiling also temporarily reduces blood pressure and keeps the body going. It also enhances the body fitness. Ò Reduces Stress: - Stress is a common problem in the modern world that causes a myriad of health problems. Stress relief may be as simple as smiling a little more throughout the day. Smiling releases endorphins that counteract and diminish the stress hormones. Stress is a weakening agent that damages the body, but when you smile, you smile off the stress and you regain yourself back. So keep smiling, and by doing so you will kick stress away! Ò Better Mood: The endorphins do more than kick stress to the curb.

Endorphins lift your mood. Feeling down? Slap a smile on your face, even if it isn’t entirely genuine at first, and turn your entire day around with something simple, easy to do, and free. Ò Increase Productivity: Smiling has been shown to increase

your productivity while preforming tasks. There’s truth to the “whistle while we work” mentality. This also explains why silly internet memes and pictures of cute animals can actually get people motivated and working harder after a few moments of smiling or laughter. Ò Encourage Trust: when we smile, we gain more trust. And smiling even makes us friendly and it helps us to smile genuinely. Trust is an important part of social health when dealing with people, whether they be loved ones or simple acquaintances. Seems relationships are truly built on smiles. Ò Produce Empathy: When we’re embarrassed or caught doing something questionable, often our first response is a smile.

This instinct breaks the initial ice of embarrassment, and it promotes leniency in what others think of us, and engenders a sense of empathy since we’ve all experienced embarrassment and we want to smile along. Ò Avoids Regret: We smile to avoid feeling bad for not smiling but it sounds weird and circular, but we don’t want to hurt people’s feelings, so we smile when someone shares some story about their life, even if we don’t really care. If we don’t smile, we feel regret for failing to do so. This regret brings down our mood and boosts stress hormones.

Ò Increases Attention: - Stress limits our perceptions and narrows our attention. Our bodies kick into fight or flight mode where we can focus only on one of those things.

Smiling counteracts this and widens our attention again, opening us back up to multitasking and insights that come from the fringes of our perception and our subconscious. Ò Builds Attraction: Smiling makes people more attractive.

This seems to be especially true for women. Men are more likely to approach a woman who smiles than one who simply makes eye contact, while women aren’t necessarily drawn in by a smile alone. We are naturally drawn to people who smile.

There is a real physical attraction factor linked to the act of smiling. Not surprisingly, more severe or negative facial expressions like frowns, scowls, and grimaces actually work in the opposite manner, effectively pushing people away. Instead, use the attraction power of your smile to draw people in. Ò Earn Success: A smile can appear confident, self-assured, and on top of your work. Those who smile are more likely to earn more money through tips and raises.

They are more readily approached with business ideas and offered advancements. Smiling kicks us to another level, and it helps us in achieving great things.

Ò Look Younger: Smiles naturally lift the face, and it will make you look younger, Not only can smiling make you more attractive, it can also make you look more youthful. The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. So instead of opting for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day and you’ll look younger and even feel better. So turn that frown upside down if you want to make some friends, and even enjoy life to the fullest! Ò Longevity: The effects of a good smile extend past just the exterior good looks. People who smile more often live longer too, around 7 years longer than they were supposed to. It releases stress, helps the heart, and much more to keep you healthy longer. Ò Boost Immune System: Smiles help the body relax and this lets the immune system react more quickly and effectively against invaders. Smiling even makes the immune system stronger by making the body produce white blood cells to help fight illnesses and uninvited disease.

So people, lit up your life and start smiling. You don’t have to think about anything negative, or even open up a door for stress to come in, you just have to crack yourself up with just a smile. By doing this, you will find out it’s not so bad after all. So come on!

Give yourself a smile!

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

L7 Nutrition

Ifeoma ibe

Taste the magic of walnut Walnuts are rich source of energy and contain health benefiting nutrients, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins that are essential for optimum health. Walnuts are edible seeds from the trees of the juglans genis. They are round; it has a single seed fruits of the walnut tree.

The shell of the fruit that encloses the kernel is hard and two-halved. The seed of walnuts fruits contain significant amount of nutrients such as proteins, EFAS [Essential fatty acids], carbohydrates, Vitamins and essential minerals.

Walnuts have been considered as brain food, which contains omega-3 fatty acids, which increases the activity of the brain. Walnuts have antioxidant and protein that help in imparting multitude of health benefits. They are also considered as power foods and they provide a particular rich source of alino lenic acid, a natural plant source of omega-3. The fact that walnuts are immensely rich in nutrition and their benefits range from metabolism to heart health. Walnuts have been known to mankind since ancient times, and best seen as a symbol of intellectuality. The benefits cannot be overlooked.

Here are reasons Walnut should be part of our Healthy Diets: Ò Heart protection: Walnuts are full of nutrients that are particularly beneficial in terms of improving your system function. Some of the main heart benefits of walnuts include: The omega-3 fatty acids are known to reduce the bad cholesterol in the body and encourage the production of the good cholesterol.

Walnuts contain the amino acid l-arginine, which offers multiple vascular benefits to people with heart disease.

Eating just four walnuts a day raise blood levels of heart-healthy and walnut consumption support healthful cholesterol level. Ò Walnut serves great for your hair: Walnut is a good hair food. It contains vitamin B7 that help to strengthen hair, reduce hair break, preventing balding and making hair grow to certain extent, many shampoos contain walnut extracts and walnut oil which keeps the hair healthy and make them shine. Ò It makes your skin glow: Walnuts are very rich in vitamin B and antioxidants that prevent wrinkles and signs of ageing. If you want your skin to look radiate and glowing skin all you need to do is to eat walnut. Ò Here are the processes in having a glowing skin: Step 1: Add 4 walnuts, 2 teaspoon oats, and 1 teaspoon of honey, 1 teaspoon cream with 4 drops of olive

oil in a blender.

Step 2: Make sure you blend well in order to have a smooth paste.

Step 3: Apply it on your face and let it dry completely.

Step 4: Wash your face with warm water, while massaging in a circular motion. Get dried up and you are good to go! Ò It helps in brain health: Walnut contain a number of protective compounds, Walnuts consumption support brain health, increasing inferential reasoning in young adults.

They are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, which is a big one when it comes to essential need of walnut for brain health. Walnut is one of the richest sources of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids. Ò Walnut help to improve sleep: This is a very essential reason why you need to eat walnut every day is for us to get a good quality sleep to get through our days and protect ourselves from stress. Walnuts contain a compound called melatonin, which is responsible for body sleep cycle and also adding some walnuts into the diet will help you to rest better at night. Ò They are good for digestion: Walnut are very rich in fiber, it is good to keep our digestive system to stay healthy. It is important to keep our stomach healthy by getting enough fiber intake each day.

Ò It helps in lowering blood pressure: Omega-3 fatty acids are high walnuts which are very useful for all aspects of the cardiovascular system. Taking walnut per day helps to reduce blood pressure. Ò Vitamins: They are rich in gamma-tocopherol, walnuts are a good source of vitamin E. which is a strong soluble antioxidants. The vitamin E present in walnuts helps in maintaining and protecting the skin. Ò It strengthen bones: One of the important fatty acids in walnuts is called alphalino lenic acids and this compound is closely related to bone health and makes the bone stronger for a longer duration. Ò It helps during pregnancy: Walnuts contain healthy vitamin E complex groups which are present in them like folates, thiamin and more. These are very necessary for a pregnant woman and the fetus. Walnut also prevent nausea during pregnancy and boost brain development in the child Ò Weight management: Walnut contains omega-3, fats, protein and fiber that help provide appetite.

Although walnuts are high in fats and concentrated in calories, but, the fat in walnut are healthy fats.

Walnuts are wonderfully versatile nuts which can be used as a sweetener in the dish of your choice or it can equally be eaten raw. Walnuts perform wonders, it is an excellent nut that never disappoints. So what are you still waiting for? Get cranky with this wonderful nut!

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 21, 2015

Tinsel

Showing on

13:30

Mon, 21 Dec | PG13

Showing on 150 Africa Magic Showcase ‘S8/E1536 - 8/1536’. Tsav takes a huge risk to deliver a personal message to Amaka. The girls adjusts their travel plans as the Baale and Prince Ojo pay a very special visit. Bimpe confronts Nina and causes trouble for Soji.

101 M-Net

L8 Television 166 Channel

Married Again

08:00 Mon, 21 Dec | PG

‘S1/E94 - 1/94’. Yash’s father is accused of having another child outside his marriage. He agrees to take a DNA test to prove he is not the father. Aarti breaks into Radha’s house in search of ammunition and is shocked at her findings.

120 BBC Entertainment

118 Telemundo

128 SONY MAX

00:20 Would I Lie To You? 00:50 The Cube 01:40 Call The Midwife: Christmas...

03:00 EastEnders 03:30 EastEnders 11:00 Ellen’s Design Challenge 12:00 The Voice 13:00 Royal Pains 14:00 Arrow 15:00 Resurrection 16:00 Ellen’s Design Challenge 17:00 The Goldbergs 17:30 The Voice 18:30 Grey’s Anatomy 19:30 Mysteries Of Laura 20:30 Elementary 21:30 Carte Blanche 22:30 Hello Ladies: The Movie

154 AfricaMagic Family

00:55 Out Of The Ghetto 02:30 Jane And Abel 03:00 Good Morning Africa 04:00 Scarlet 05:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 06:00 Good Morning Africa 07:00 Star Gist 07:25 Redial 08:30 Living With Trisha 09:25 Mashariki Mix 10:00 Good Morning Africa 11:00 Tinsel 11:30 Star Gist 12:00 Music Block 13:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 14:00 Goge Africa 14:30 Nowhere To Be Found

04:00 EastEnders 04:30 EastEnders

03:50 The Impostor 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Labour Of Love 07:00 Part Of Me 07:50 Queen Of Hearts 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Labour Of Love 11:10 Part Of Me 12:00 Queen Of Hearts 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Labour Of Love 15:20 Part Of Me 16:10 Queen Of Hearts 17:00 The Impostor 17:50 Forbidden Passions 18:40 Labour Of Love 19:30 Part Of Me 20:20 Queen Of Hearts 21:10 The Impostor 22:00 Forbidden Passions 22:50 Labour Of Love

15:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 16:00 Prem 16:30 Tenant 17:30 Mary Slessor 18:00 Jane And Abel 18:30 Jane And Abel 19:00 Tinsel 19:30 Star Gist 19:55 Paul’s Puzzle 21:00 Nowhere To Be Found 21:30 Goge Africa 22:05 Living With Trisha

05:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series

14:10 Total Wipeout UK

05:25 QI

16:00 EastEnders

06:00 The Thin Blue Line

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

06:30 EastEnders

00:30 Killer Karaoke

17:10 The Cube

07:00 Antiques Roadshow

01:30 Tattoo Nightmares

07:55 The Weakest Link

18:05 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

02:00 Most Shocking

08:45 The Chase

19:00 Celebrity MasterChef

09:30 Total Wipeout UK

20:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA

10:30 The Cube

21:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA

11:20 New Tricks

21:50 The Graham Norton Show

12:20 Top Gear

22:40 Would I Lie To You?

13:15 Come Dine With Me

22:30 Would I Lie To You?

15:05 The Weakest Link

155 AfricaMagic World

03:00 Most Shocking 04:00 Exposed 04:30 Exposed 05:00 Criss Angel Mindfreak 05:25 Exposed 05:50 Exposed 06:15 Video Zonkers 06:40 Video Zonkers 07:05 World’s Wildest Police Videos 08:05 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 09:05 South Beach Tow 09:35 Most Shocking 10:35 Most Shocking 11:35 Video Zonkers 12:05 Video Zonkers 12:35 World’s Wildest Police Videos 13:35 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 14:35 South Beach Tow

00:05 Music Block 01:10 Good Morning Africa 02:10 Deal Or No Deal SA 03:00 Deal Or No Deal SA 04:00 The Dzigbordi Show 05:00 Good Morning Africa 06:00 The Heart Of A Shepherd 07:50 Star Gist 08:25 Star Gist 09:00 Good Morning Africa 10:00 The Dzigbordi Show 11:00 Deal Or No Deal SA 12:00 Deal Or No Deal SA

13:00 Music Block 14:00 Star Gist 14:30 Star Gist 15:00 Star Gist 15:30 Lies That Bind 16:00 The Dzigbordi Show 17:00 So Wrong So Wright 17:30 So Wrong So Wright 18:00 The Dzigbordi Show 19:00 Kumwesu 19:30 Kumwesu 20:00 Revelation 21:20 Jara 21:55 Music Block

15:05 Most Shocking 16:05 1000 Ways To Die 16:30 Video Zonkers 17:00 Video Zonkers 17:30 Caught On Camera 18:30 What Went Down 19:00 South Beach Tow 19:30 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago 20:00 Enemy Territory 21:30 Poorman’s Bikini Beach 22:00 Sexy Car Wash 22:30 Most Shocking