Dtn 23 10 15

^ è ^#^ Ɠ ƐƏƆ Ɛ # Ə ƅ ƐƈƐƑƐƆ Öƣ 6 Ƒ Ɔ ƅ ƌƌƈƐƐƆƆ Henry Omunu, ƄƑƉ

ÎÎÎThe All Progressives Congress (APC)

and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucuses in the House of Representatives tested their strength on Thursday when

Speaker Yakubu Dogara announced the constitution of 97 standing committees of the House with the majority APC produc-

ing 48 chairmen of committees and the miContinued on page 2 www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.215

GAINERS

N150

LOSERS

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 16th October 2015.

FO

280

10.00

3.57%

ZENITHBANK

17.51

0.66

3.77%

MOBIL

148

-7.00

-4.73%

TRANSCOHOT

6.42

-0.68

-10.59%

UACN

28.05

1.20

4.28%

GUARANTY

23.51

0.47

2.00%

GUINNESS

150

-1.00

-0.67%

ETI

18.3

-0.55

-3.01%

Senate keeps Amaechi waiting Ï ^#^ dƆ Ɛ Ə ƏƆƇƑ Ɔ Ɛ ƏƈƋƋ ƆƔé ƒ Ï ƌ Ɔƅ ƈ ƌ ƄƄƆƗ Ƅƕ ƓƆƋƋéƓƈ ƆƏ Ï `ƈƒƆƏ ^ Ɛ Ɗ dƆ Ɛ Ə è Mƈ ƆƏƈ

Olufemi Samuel, ƄƑƉ

ÎÎÎAfter much horse-trad-

ing and rigmarole, the Senate on Thursday formally screened former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, as a ministerial nominee.

His screening was however not without drama as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senators said they could not ask him any question since the report of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions which handled the Continued on page 2

MASSOB: 8 Plots to remove Uwazuruike fail as South East govs disown protest 17 NNPC to award coastal bunkering contract to 91 local firms

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Oluwaseun Babajide on Photography marketing

L1

News 2

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Senate: Amaechi’s fate still hanging Continued from page 1 petition against him had not been debated by the Senate.

Amaechi’s confirmation as a minister will now depend on how he will be able to muster majority support from the Senate next week when the process of confirmation would be thrown to Senators in a voice vote.

His main opponents among Senators are the PDP Caucus who are expected to make stiff efforts in overwhelming the ruling APC in a voice vote, as they demonstrated penultimate week when the spokesperson of APC, Alhaji Lai Mphammed,

was to be confirmed.

The PDP Senators had raised their voices louder than necessary in shouting neeey… when the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, read out his name for confirmation, but the APC members drowned the PDP with louder shout of ayees..

The entry of Amaechi to the National Assembly sent the entire complex agog, as supporters and well-wishers struggled to catch a glimpse of him in open sympathy based on the media hype over plots to prevent his screening by political opponents.

The former governor even

had a hectic moment in finding his way out of the National Assembly complex, even as staff of the Assembly abandoned their offices, mobbing him in the process in show of solidarity, all chanting, ‘Amaechi, you don win, you don win..”

He was eventually spirited out of the complex with combined efforts of security men and women who were on guard.

Amaechi’s screening had been scheduled twice and had twice been shifted amid political intrigues aimed at preventing his emergence as a minister, first from the government of Rivers State

and the PDP caucus in the Senate.

Amaechi had hardly been invited for screening when the PDP shoed opposition to his nomination with insistence that the report of Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petition should be laid the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Sam Anyawu for consideration.

The Minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio had to this effect raised a point of order to raise issues against the screening of Amaechi, but he was countered by Senate Majority leader, Senator

that the report on petition against the former governor had already been laid, assuring that it would be distributed to senators for consideration.

Akpabio had said the opposition will not ask any question from Ameachi unless the report laid by the Committee is considered.

To avoid subjecting the screening of Amaechi to further intrigues, the Senate Leader, Ndume, moved a motion seeking to let go of the former governor who he said is also a former Speaker, urging the Senate to ask him to ‘bow and go’.

Responding to question on corruption allegation against him, the former Rivers State governor said he was never indicted by any panel on corruption while he urged the lawmakers to check the report of the Senate Panel on petition against him.

He also told the Senators that he had never taken

bribe in his life.

When asked to define corruption, Ameachi said, “Corruption is very difficult to define. If you are a public officer people believe you must take bribe. I have never taken bribe in my life. But if they send a girl to you and you sleep with the girl and do her favour, you are corrupt. ‘’Corruption is a very wide concept. If people are contesting for a position and you offer your son, brother or sister an opportunity to hold that position, probably the person is not qualified, you are corrupt. So, it is difficult for me to define corruption’’.

He also said that he decided to join All Progressive Congress (APC) when he discovered that former President Goodluck Jonathan was not suitable for the task of developing Nigeria.

He said he and other members of APC felt the need to tackle corruption in NigeContinued on page 6

Again, Nigeria ‘hires mercenaries’ to battle Boko Haram – Report Ï M Ƒƅ ƍƋ è ƕ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ ƅƕ Monday Agu Jr. Abuja L-R: Executive Secretary, Association of Bureau de Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Mr. Uduma Cletus; Vice President, ABCON, Mr. Azubuike Igbokwe; Acting President, Alh. Aminu Gwadabe; Director General, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mrs. Roli Bode-George; Director, Technical Services, NDLEA, Mr. Femi Oloruntoba and Director, Assets and Financial Investigation, NDLEA, Mrs. Victoria Egbase during the courtesy visit of ABCON team to the NDLEA’s Headquarters, Ikoyi, Lagos… on Wednesday.

Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

APC, PDP show strength as Dogara constitutes 97 House committees Ï dƍƆ ƊƆƏô ƌƆ ƆƐ ƉƑƈƅƕ ƍ Ɛ Continued from page 1 nority PDP having 45 committee chairmen.

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) both have one committee chairmanship position respectively. While the APC has 55 deputy chairmen positions, PDP has 39 deputy chairmen with APGA having two deputy chairmanship positions.

Our correspondent reports that the intense lobbying and horse-trading which had been going on for weeks amongst lawmakers within

the APC and PDP caucuses in the House had delayed the formal announcement and constitution of the standing committees by the speaker.

Announcing the constitution of the committees on Thursday, Speaker Dogara named Rep. Abdulmumin Jibrin (APC-Kano) as chairman of the powerful committee on Appropriations; Rep. Orker Jev Emmanuel (APC-Benue), chairman, committee on Rules and Business.

Similarly, Rep. Samson Okwu was named as the chairman, House committee on Air Force; Rep. Roma

Shawalu, Army; Rep. Onyejeocha Nkeruika Chiduben, Aviation; Rep. Chukwudi Victor Jones, Banking and Currency; Rep. Yusuf Tajudeen, Capital Market and Institutions; Rep. James Falake, Customs and Excise; Rep. Mukhtar Aliyu, Defence; Rep. Aishatu Dukku, Electoral Matters and Political Party Matters, and Rep. Ossai Ossai, as chairman, Ethics and Privileges committee.

Other committee chairmen include Rep. Herman Hembe, Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Rep. Aminu Shagari, Federal Judiciary; Rep. Babangida Ibrahim, Finance; Rep. Elendu-Ukeji Nnenna, Foreign Affairs;

Rep. Aged I Frederick, Gas Resources; Rep. Mustapha Dawaki, Housing; Rep. Nasiru Babale Ila, House Services; Rep. Chime John Okafor, Healthcare Services and Rep. Sani Zorro, IDPs, Refugees and Initiative on North East.

Also named as committee chairmen by the speaker are Rep. Abubakar Moriki, Industry; Rep. Jagaba Adams Jagaba, Interior; Rep. Razak Atunwa, Justice, Rep. Amin Isa, Land Transport; Rep. Mohammed Bago, Maritime Safety, Education and Administration; Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas, Media and Public Affairs; Rep. Jephter Continued on page 6

ÎÎÎThere

were indications on Thursday that about 250 mercenaries from South Africa may have been hired by the Federal Government to boost the military’s effort to crush Boko Haram insurgents.

This is even as the Presidency on Thursday denied the report.

According to a report

by Turkish news agency, Anadolu Agency, the mercenaries hired from South Africa-based private contractor, Specialized Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection (STTEP), are being deployed along with fighter jets in Operation Fire Force, a source at the Defence Headquarters said on condition of anonymity.

“The mercenaries have been reengaged and their platforms are being deployed,” the source said.

“By platforms, I mean fighter jets, helos [helicop-

ters], coms [communication], surveillance, medics, etc.”

Another army source confirmed the development to Anadolu Agency.

“There is definitely something happening in that direction,” the source said, again on condition of anonymity.

Asked why the Buhari administration is again deploying mercenaries, the DHQ source said it appeared to be the most practical option if headway was to be made against insurgents whose guerilla tactics are new to the Nigerian military.

Director of Defence Information, Col. Rabe Abubakar, did not respond to text messages sent to him for confirmation of the story.

However, Senior Special Adviser to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, denied that the administration was engaging mercenaries again.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Politics Page Three

3

s

Editorial Rising cardiovascular diseases in Nigeria

R

ecent research has shown that cardiovascular disorders have overtaken infectious disease as Nigeria’s number one killer.

Making this assertion, a Professor of Cardiovascular Diseases at Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, Kamar Adeleke listed the health challenges to include Stroke (Cerebrovascular Accident) hypertension, heart failure and heart attack (Coronary Artery Disease).

He said the diseases have taken over from Malaria as the nation’s leading killer disease. Kamar lamented that the increasing incidence of the diseases is seriously affecting life expectancy in Nigeria, which now stands at between 51 and 52 years, thereby ranking the country among the lowest in Africa.

Cardiovascular diseases are a generic term encompassing an array of conditions for coronary artery disease, and are now a leading cause of death. In 2008, 30 percent of all global deaths were by cardiovascular diseases. Deaths by the diseases are also higher in low and middleincome countries as over 80 percent of deaths caused by the diseases occurred in those countries, even as it is estimated that by 2030, over 23 million people will die from cardiovascular diseases each year.

In Nigeria, undetected hypertension or high blood pressure was the major reason why more people are suffering and dying of stroke and heart disease.

Medial experts say cardiovascular diseases are caused by a buildup of plaque in the arteries that supply blood to the heart, which in turn can lead to chest pain, arrythmias, heart attacks and heart failure.

Other causes include years spent in a noisy workplace, which takes a toll on both hearing and heart health.

Cardiovascular diseases are also

known to rise dramatically among people who spend two or more hours a day sitting in front of a computer screen, television or video-game box, including those suffering from high blood pressure. Others causes are smoking, diabetes, insulin resistance obesity and family history of heart disease.

It is fact that many Nigerians with heart diseases do not know that they have high blood pressure until their hearts start failing. We are not just worried that the number of cardiovascular disease is going up, it is of concern that many Nigerians do not know how to manage them. Aside the fact that about 50 percent of Nigerians are at risk of cardiovascular diseases, 30 to 50 million of them in their reproductive age are more at risks. Incidentally, because the diseases have no symptoms, it is possible for majority of people to be victims Therefore, early detection will go a long way in ameliorating the complication. However, studies reveal that healthy lifestyles can help reduce cardiovascular diseases, as evidences show that eating oily fish (herring, sardines, mackerel, salmon, kippers, pilchards, fresh tuna, etc) helps to protect against heart disease. In addition, fruit and vegetables, as well as being low in fat, also contain antioxidants and vitamins, which may help to prevent atheroma from building up.

Regular exercise can help to lower stress levels and decrease incidence of cardiovascular disease. Most importantly, there is need on the part of government to create more awareness on the dangers of the disease. We are therefore calling on the government and other stakeholders to improve the capacity of health care workers by engaging them in regular training in order to check the increasing killer disease in the country.

Why Deji of Akure should tread with caution Segun Adio

ÎÎÎIn

Yorubaland, traditional rulers are seen as agents of the Almighty on earth whose laws and wishes are unquestionable and beyond existential interpretation.

Everyone, including sojourners are supposed to respect an Oba and also get same in return.

That may not be happening in Akure, the Ondo State capital, at the moment.

A dangerous scenario is now playing out again in Akure calling for quick resolution. We all remember how a Deji was reported to have brutalised his wife with ignominy, apparently

enthused by his power as a monarch. The rest is history.

Again, another Deji is under the spotlight, drawing flak from within and outside the country, all for the wrong reasons.

It was reported that the Eze Ndigbo of Akure, Gregory Iloehike, had disrespected the Deji. But rather than allow the instrument of state to intervene and, if necessary, reprimand Iloehike, the Deji allegedly ordered that the Eze be flogged and de-robed.

Even when Governor Mimiko called for a truce meeting, the Deji would not budge in his fury against the Eze, issuing near impossible conditions for peace.

Words On Marble :

Among others, the Deji was said to have banned the title of ‘Eze Ndigbo’ in Akure, calling for a three national newspapers’ apology as well as on broadcast stations for the same purpose. Iloehike was also ordered to write a letter of apology to the monarch and the Deji-in-Council.

That was not all.

Given that the Deji has some rights over his domain, yet his actions calls for caution. The Eze is an ambassador of his ethnic nation in Akure and should be treated as such.

There is no need for excessive brigandage as is being witnessed in Akure.

The Deji needs to learn from recent history and let the matter come to a rest.

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Ayo Fayose

Oby Ezekwesili

Ibrahim Lamorde

“When I believe in a cause and trust somebody as my leader, I don’t show disloyalty. I will stand by you till the end.”

“Nigerians must realise that we cannot afford to permit our public officials to continue with the habit of privatising democratic institutions.’’

“When corruption and impunity become the order of the day, human rights abuses flourish.”

4

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 16, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Plateau govt to embark on schools renewal projects Chijioke Kingsley Jos

ÏÏÏGovernor

Simon Lalong of Plateau State has reiterated his commitment to creating a conducive learning environment for pupils and students the state.

The governor gave this commitment in Jos, on Thursday, at the 2015 Annual Conference of

Lalong

National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS).

Said he: “The government of Plateau State shall embark on Schools Renewal Projects (SRP) with the view to create a conducive learning environment for our children and we will not waver from that, as we shall begin with public schools", he said.

Governor Lalong also urged school proprietors in the state to put heads together with their various Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in a bid to come up with worthy initiatives as that will move education forward in the state.

The governor, however, cautioned proprietors of private schools to find ways

to curtail the proliferation of schools in the state. He also lamented that financial gains were often the motive behind some people setting up schools, a move he said would have a backfire effect in the long run on the educational advancement of the state.

The governor also lamented the lack of adherence to standard by some private schools in the state, stating that government would carry out a re-verification exercise of all private schools operating in the state with a view to enforcing standard.

He continued, "We will not fold our hands and allow our educational sector suffer through unethical and substandard schools," he emphasised.

Imo govt promises to rescue flood victims

ÏÏÏThe Imo State Govern-

ment has promised to do everything within its power to ensure that the flood victims in the riverine areas of Oguta Local Government of the state are rescued to ease their loss and pain.

The victims had lost property and farmlands to the ravaging flood and had been rendered homeless.

Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, said this when he visited Omachishi community of Oguta to take stock of the level of destruction caused by the flood menace.

Madumere, while delivering Governor Rochas Okorocha’s message, commiserated with the victims, describing the flood incidence as a disaster which

had caused pain and huge loss to the people. He however urged them to keep off from the bank of the river so as not to be submerged in the flood.

The deputy governor said that health workers and environmentalists will be deployed in the area so as to provide medication and make effort to prevent any epidemics that may arise from the flood.

Speaking further, Madumere said he was in the know that the Deputy Chief of Staff to the state government, Mr. Kingsley Uju, had visited with relief material but that other relief items are on the way to serve as palliatives.

He maintained that the officials of the National

Katsina Emir welcomes new role as UNILORIN Chancellor Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin

ÏÏÏThe Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, has said that his appointment as the Chancellor of the University of Ilorin has further confirmed his long standing relationship with the Ilorin Emirate.

The Katsina monarch added that he was pleased

with the news of his appointment where he had been seconded from the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, to the University of Ilorin as Chancellor.

Alhaji Usman, who spoke at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, shortly on his arrival to the state said, "Ilorin is my home. I thank God I am back home."

Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) would also ensure that they are properly settled to avoid any avoidable pain.

He, therefore, assured the people of the area that the state government would liaise with the Federal government to ensure that they get necessary relief so as not to feel the heavy impact of the destruction.

Earlier, one of the victims, Sabinus Asuzu, had decried the huge losses incurred due to the ravaging flood as their farms and homes have been submerged in water. He feared that the incident might portend untold hardship on the people of the area who are largely farmers.

He, however, expressed sadness over the demise of the late Oni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade, stressing that, "I had a very nice time with him. We were very close during his lifetime.

"But coming back home, I thank God and I could remember that the last time I came to Ilorin was 1969.

The honour and royalty I enjoyed today further confirmed that Ilorins are Katsinawa. So, I am not in anyway surprise.

5 News

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Five arraigned in court for Nyanya, Kuje bombings Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÎÎÎFive members of

Boko Haram sect who were arrested for detonating bombs in Nyanya and Kuje on October 2, 2015 which killed scores of people and maimed several others were on Thursday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on five counts terrorism charges.

The accused persons Abdulazeez Muhazab, Ishaka Salihu, Mohammed Jimoh, Abdulwaheed Nasiru and Abdullahi Nasiru pleaded not guilty to the charges except Mohammed Jimoh who pleaded guilty to count 5 only.

The Director of Public Prosecution, Mohammed Saidu Diri, told the court

that 12 ready-made bombs and bomb making devices comprising 27 detonators, aluminium powder, Hexomine, Hydrogene Peroxide, Sulphure Power, Sodium Axide plus Nitrate, soldering wire, Sodium Carbonate, Thermometer, PH Litmus paper and a bag of fertilizers were also found in their possession on October 6.

Diri said that investigation on the crime allegedly committed by the accused persons has been completed and that his team was ready for prosecution.

But he pleaded with the trial judge, Justice Abdulkadiri AbdulKafarati, to oblige his prosecution team a short adjournment to assemble his witnesses and ex-

hibits for the trial.

Attempt by the defence lawyer, Mr. Nureni Sulyman, to apply for bail of the accused person orally was unsuccessful.

They were charged with conspiring contrary to section 17 of the Terrorism prevention Amendment Act 2013, act of terrorism contrary to section 2(a) of the same Act, act preparatory to an act of terrorism contrary to section 2(b) of the same Act and accessory to an act of terrorism contrary to section 2(g) of the same Act also.

Count one of the charge read: “That you Abdulzeez Muhazab, Ishaka Salihu, Mohammed Jimoh, Abdulawaheed Nasiru, Abdullahi Nasiru and others (now at

large) on or about the 2nd October, 2015 at Kuje town and Jikwoyi Park, Nyanya in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja conspired amongst yourselves to carry out a bomb attack by the use of Improvised Explosives Devices being an act punishable under section 17 of Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013.

“That you Abdulazeez Muhazab, Ishaka Salihu, Mohammed Jimoh, Abdulwaheed Nasiru, Abdullahi Nasiru and others (now at large) on or about the 2nd October, 2015 at Jikwoyi Park in Nyanya in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja did carry out a bomb attack using Improvised Explosives Devices (IED) which resulted in the

death of scores of innocent citizens and many others sustained various degree of injuries as well as destroying

properties being an act punishable under section 2 (a) of Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act 2013”.

APC, PDP show strength as Dogara constitutes 97 House committees Continued from page 2 Foingha, National Planning and Economic Development; Rep. Abdulssamad Dasuki, Navy; Rep. Nicholas Ebomo, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC); Rep. Hassan Shekarau, Pensions and Rep. Akinlaja Irnola, Petroleum Resources (downstream).

Rep. Victor Nwokolo, Petroleum Resources (Upstream); Rep. Haliru Jika, Police Affairs; Patrick Asada, Ports, Harbors and Waterways; Daniel Effiong, Power; Ahmed Yerima, Privatization and Commercialization; Kingsley Chinda, Public Accounts; Busayo Oke, Public Pro-

curement; Abonta Nkem, Public Petitions; Nasiru Zango Daura, Special Duties; Goni Lawan, Sports; Idrisu Lawan, Steel; Saheed Fuabi, Telecommunications; Aminu Suleiman, Tertiary Education and Services; Aliyu Ahman Pategi, Water Resources and Tobi Okechukwu, Works, make up those appointed to juicy committees.

However, the choice of who chairs the committee on Niger Delta Affairs appears contentious as the position remains vacant, but Rep. Nassiru Ali Ahmed from Kano State was named as deputy chairman of the committee.

Senate keeps Amaechi’s fate hanging Continued from page 2 Iyalode of Egbaland, Chief (Mrs.) Alaba Lawson ( 3rd left) leading as delegation on condolence visit to the home of late HID Awolowo residence at Ikenne, Ogun State... recently.

Cholera epidemic looms in Ekiti Ï ƢƠƠ 01 ƐƑƗƆ Ɛ ƏƆ ƍƈƐ Ƌƈ ƆƗ Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

ÎÎÎCholera epidemic looms

in Ekiti State as no fewer than 300 students of the Federal Government Girls’ College in Efon Alaaye, Ekiti State, are currently been hospitalized.

Our correspondent reliably gathered that the affected students who are currently receiving treatment at various hospital across the state including the state Specialist Hospital, Ado Ekiti, were not infected at the same time, but they were taken to the hospital in batches since last week.

Already, the development had triggered serious panic across the state, as parents

whose wards are in the school rushed to the school in droves to identify the victims.

It was also reliably confirmed that the signs had started manifesting since October 10, when some students were vomiting and stooling uncontrollably, which sparked up fear among the staff and students.

The Principal of the college, Mrs. Grace Ogunyomi, who initially managed the situation had to run to the state government for possible assistance when she realised that it was getting out of her control.

The State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, who promptly attended to their case, had ordered the Commissioner

for Health, Dr. Olurotimi Ojo, to deploy professionals and drugs to help in stemming the tide of the epidemic.

In a chat with Health commissioner, he allayed the fear being exhibited by parents, stating that it was a gastrointestinal infection popularly called diarrhoea.

It was reliably confirmed that about 31 of them were still being hospitalized at the Efon General Hospital, while many had been treated and released, having responded to treatment in time.

Daily Times further gathered that what the teachers had earlier suspected was that their food and water must have been contaminated, leading to outbreak of the

epidemic in the school.

But a teacher of the college who spoke with newsmen under anonymity confirmed that medical examination of the samples of their water and food later confirmed that the infection did not emanate from those sources.

“What we felt was that, we thought their food and water had been infected, but we later gathered that it was not from that source.

When contacted, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Folakemi Olomojobi, who spoke on behalf of the Commissioner, disclosed that the disease had attacked about 300 students, but pointed out that only 20 of them are still being attended to while others have been discharged in batches.

ria, a reason they supported the candidature of Muhammadu Buhari for election as President on the platform of the APC. He said: “We sold to the public the fact that there was massive corruption in the system. And there was the need to fight that corruption. And the only way to fight that corruption is to put a new government. And we had to get a signpost candidate. ‘’The signpost candidate is a man who the Nigerian public has seen as an incorruptible President. And that was why the party had to put President Buhari forward.

And we thought that there was a need to do things differently. I thought that as good as the former President may have been, I don’t think he was suitable enough to pursue the growth and development of Nigeria. So, we needed to offer opportunity to somebody we believe is better than the former

President.”

Amaechi promised to complete the construction work on the East-West road which according to him is not just for the Niger Delta but an economic route but will catalyse the economic prosperity for Nigeria if completed.

After almost an hour of being drilled by Senators, he was eventually asked to bow and go.

However, other ministerial nominees screened along with former governor were Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, Cladius Omoyele Daramola Folorunso, Baba Shehuri Mustapha and Ocholi Enojo James.

Meanwhile, speaking before the former Rivers State governor appeared for screening, Senator George Sekibo, one of the senators opposed to his nomination, said the battle is not yet over.

Sekibo, who represents Rivers east in the Senate, said “screening and confirmation are two different things”.

Dr. Ojo said the ministry had brought in environmental health officials, while many profes-

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Akor Ejumene Abuja

ÏÏÏChairman

of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, Mallam Bashir Yusuf Ibrahim, has described the appointment of Prof.

Mahmoud Yakubu as the new Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as a well- thought-out decision, which would guarantee that the preservation of the legacy of Prof.

Attahiru Jega, the immediate past Chairman of the Commission.

In a statement issued, in Abuja, after the National Council of State rose from its meeting in Aso Villa, at which the appointment of Prof.

Yakubu and five other INEC Com-

IPAC lauds choice of Yakubu as INEC chair missioners was presented by President Muhammadu Buhari and ratified by the Council, the IPAC Chairman described Buhari’s decision to appoint Yakubu as patriotic and consistent with his commitment to appoint only people of unquestionable character and proven integrity into public office.

Ibrahim described Yakubu as an extremely fair-minded technocrat, an academic of international repute and a skillful administrator who was cut for the INEC job.

FCTA takes campaign of killing twins to Area Council

Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

FCT Administration has frowned against the stoneage practice of killing of twins referred to as infanticide, which is still going on in some remote villages of the Federal Capital Territory.

In order to completely phase out the practice, the FCT Administration Ad-hoc Committee on Infanticide and Twin-killing took its campaign to four Area Councils of the Territory namely Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada and Kuje.

In a press statement issued, on Wednesday, in Abuja, the FCT Director of Information and Communications, Mrs. Stella Ojeme,

Olajide Dolapo

ÏÏÏActivities in the Nigerian avi-

ation industry may be grounded to a halt by next Monday following the threat by the two leading unions in the country’s aviation industry to shut the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The unions, National Union of Air Transport Employees, (NUATE) and the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), in a letter dated October 21, 2015, accused the NCAA of not adhering to the condition of service with respect to promotion of workers and other welfare issues.

The letter jointly signed by the Secretary General NUATE and Secretary General NAAPE, Comrades Olayinka Abioye and Aba Ocheme, respectively, threatened to shut down the agency from midnight on Sunday until further notice.

The unions insisted that the withdrawal of service by the workers became paramount in order to safeguard the integrity of the NCAA condition of service.

The unions said that the action of the Director-General, the

7 News

had led the three-week advocacy campaign against the scourge to Yaba, Gulida, Gomani, Tepase, Dawaki, Warambi, Kiyi and Shetuko villages.

Ojeme, who was represented at the campaign by Assistant Director Information, Muktar Ibrahim, berated the residents of the territory, who were still practicing such inhuman cultural practice.

Ojeme used the occasion to stress a need for parents and guardians to take their children and wards to school to improve their living standards.

She explained that it was ungodly to kill twins, who were God’s creations and blessings to their immediate families and society at large.

Aviation unions to shut NCAA activities by midnight Sunday NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, was in violation of Section 3(4) of the Condition of Service, adding that all efforts to discuss with the management had been futile.

The letter added, “By the copy of this notice, the general public is hereby informed of this development and the implications that all safety regulations activities of the NCAA will be unavailable from that time and date.

“The above notice will remain in force until otherwise directed by the secretariat of our unions.”

It would be recalled that the unions had, sometime last month, issued a 14-day ultimatum to the management of the NCAA to effect promotion of workers in-line with their terms of engagements or face its wrath.

The unions led by NUATE had accused the NCAA management of dilly-dallying with the promotion of its members, which had been due since January 2015.

R-L: Vice President Nigeria Institute of Public Relation, Malam Muktar Suraju; FCT Chairman NIPR, Mr. Ohenri Osondu and Publisher of Blue Print Newspaper Alh. Idris Abubakar during tha FCT NIPR AGM Conference in Abuja... on Thursday Photo: Temitope Balogun

Crisis: Ambode vows to deal with law-breakers Olajide Dolapo

ÏÏÏLagos

State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Thursday, inaugurated a five-man Tribunal of Enquiry to investigate the civil unrest in Ibeju-Lekki area of the state, on October 12, which led to the gruesome murder of the Managing Director of Lekki Worldwide Investment Limited, Alhaji Tajudeen Disu.

Disu was reportedly killed while resolving a land dispute between members of Okunraye Community and some private companies embarking on various massive projects within the Lekki Free Trade Zone (LFTZ).

Ambode said that as a responsive and responsible government, it had become necessary for his administration to set up a tribunal

to investigate the remote cause of the unrest with the view to forestalling a repeat.

He said the unrest, if not properly managed and addressed, could lead to total breakdown of law and order, adding that the government was desirous of protecting the lives and property of the citizens.

Her added that as a responsible government determined to enforce the rule of law, it was his duty to take firm and purposeful steps to inquire into the origin, factors and circumstances that led to the disturbances at the LFTZ, so as to avoid a recurrence.

According to him, “At a time when this government is attracting a lot of foreign direct investments (FDIs) and opening up the economy of our state, we cannot

afford to have such disturbances.

We will not tolerate any violent acts which disturb the security of lives and property in the state.

“Having sought advice from the Attorney-General of the State, a Tribunal of Inquiry has been constituted to investigate the remote and immediate causes of this incident and other recommendations therein,” Ambode said. The State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, said in the exercise of the powers conferred on the Governor

by Section 1 of the Tribunal of Inquiry Law, Laws of Lagos State, 2003, and considering the recent civil disturbances at the Lekki Free Trade Zone, it has become necessary to constitute a panel of enquiry to investigate the unrest.

Sylva faults PDP’s claim of plot to use federal forces in Bayels guber poll Akam James

Yenagoa The Youth Wing of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, on Thursday, dismissed as “laughable” and “show of fear” the claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the

ÏÏÏ

Sylva

APC was plotting to deploy federal forces to rig the forth-coming governorship election for the standard-bearer of the party, Chief Timipre Sylva.

According to the APC youths, though the Federal Government had the constitutional duty to deploy federal forces, including the men of the Nigeria Police and the Department of the State Security Service for a free and fair poll in the state, the claims that the forces would be deployed for the use of APC was laughable and a deliberate show of cowardice by the PDP. In a statement issued in Yenagoa by the National Co-ordinator of

the Chief Timipre Sylva Support Group, Comrade Melford Esinte, said the APC Sylva were prepared with a well-structured campaign organisation and needed voters support based on past achievements and sound programme campaign manifestoes.

Esinte said the PDP should, instead of making false claims on the alleged deployment of federal might, focus on proper campaign and presentation of achievements to the people of the state, adding that “Sylva’s track records of infrastructural and manpower development will speak eloquently and massively for him at the polls.

8

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Politics

s

Report: INEC got N5 billion from partners for 2015 polls Jonathan

Jega

Development partners supported the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with over N5 billion in the conduct of the 2015 general elections, a report has said.

This is contained in the INEC 2015 General Elections Report that was presented to the public by the former acting Chairman of INEC, Hajiya Amina Zakari, on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to the report, N5, 207, 260,433 was provided by nine development partners to support some activities of the commission.

The report said that the sum of N165 million ($1m) was provided by the Ford Foundation to support Business Process

Re-design (BPR) and Voter Education.

It also puts UNDP/DGD Grant at N177,045,935.55 ($1,073,005.67) to support Election Management System (EMS) and training for security officials.

The sum of N13,986,060 from the Open Society for Initiatives for West Africa (OSIWA) was also received to support prosecution of election offences and gazette of election regulations.

The report further revealed that the sum of N1,525,129,488 was used to support voter education and enlightenment from EU, through UNDP/DGD. The report noted that the sum of N10 CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

MASSOB: Plots to remove Uwazuruike fail as South East governors disown protest South East governors and other leaders of the zone have dissociated themselves from the protests embarked upon by loyalists of the rival group of Movement for Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in some states in the zone on Tuesday.

This is coming as plots by another faction to unseat the Ralph Uwazuruike led-MASSOB suffered a setback.

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, who made the declaration on behalf of the leaders in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said they were not in support of such act principally because of the arrest of the Biafran Radio director, adding that such is not and cannot be in the best interest of the zone.

The statement, titled “Governors and leaders of South-East not in support of any protest in the name of Biafra”, reads in part: “Imo State Governor and Chairman of APC Governors’ Forum, Rochas Okorocha, has said that the reported violent protests in some states’ capitals, including those of Rivers, Anambra and Delta, in the name of Biafra do not in any way have the support or blessing of the governors and leaders of the SouthEast geo-political zone either directly or indirectly.

“The reported protests in the mentioned states’ capitals which turned violent were said to have been carried out over Radio Biafra and the arrest of its Director by security agents. “ Okorocha said the ugly devel-

Okorocha opment was highly regrettable, especially when it was clear that such violent protests in the name of Biafra wouldn’t add any value to the development of the SouthEast and the progress of the peo-

Uwazuruike ple of the area. “ The governors and leaders of the South-East condemn the protests, especially when they were carried out in the name of Biafra. If a section of the people

Kanu in the South-East or even the whole people in the geo-political zone protest over the bad shape of the federal roads in the area or protest over the total negligence of the geo-political zone, every

governor and leader in the area would support that, but not to protest over an issue that is neither here nor there.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Agenda for new INEC boss – CHRSJ

Prof Yakubu

Following the approval of the appointment of the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmud Yakubu by the Council of States on Wednesday, a human rights activist and Chairman, Centre for Human Rights and Social

Justice(CHRSJ), Comrade Adeniyi Sulaiman has urged the new boss of electoral umpire to improve on the success recorded by his predecessor in office, Professor Attahiru Jega during the 2015 general elections.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Buhari

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

9 Politics

Kogi in Diaspora backs Audu Kogi State indigenes in Diaspora have endorsed the candidate of All Progressives Congress, (APC), Prince Abubakar Audu for the November 21 governorship election in the state, just as the candidate promised to attract foreign investments into the state.

The group, however, called on the electoral empire, the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), and the security agencies to provide a level playing field for all the candidates of the political parties taking part in the election so as to ensure a hitch-free poll.

In a statement, the group also resolved to send delegation to monitor the conduct of the election, which it described as vital to the soul and emancipation of the state.

The Kogites in Diaspora, operating under the aegis of Kogi Renaissance Forum, KRF, in the statement signed by the Coordinator, Mr. Acheneje Marcus, said the group was confident in the workability of the blueprint for developing Kogi presented to it by Audu.

He noted that in addition to the blueprint for development, sense of judgment, experience, exposure, track record and intellectual ability of the personality encouraged them to support the candidate of APC in disregard to sentiments along the line of majority and minority tribes.

According to him, “It is time to celebrate people like Audu, who even in the face of harassment, intimidation and threat to life remained focus and unperturbed in the pursuit of his resolve to rescue the state from melancholy.

“We have being in pains over the unfolding ugly trends as it affect the people and Kogi State, particularly the rising crime

Report: INEC got N5 billion from partners for 2015 polls CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Audu rate on the part of the youth.

“This could be as a result of lack of employment opportunities among the teeming youth population in the state, which we blamed on administration of incumbent Mr. Idris Wada to offer succour to the youths.

“We have sat and reviewed the situation including the lack and decaying state of existing infrastructure in our beloved Kogi and arrived on conclusion that urgent steps must be taken to prevent the situation from further deteriorating.

“And after intensive crossexamination of the document handed to us by APC candidate Prince Abubakar Audu, we are convinced the ex-governor and an astute politician of note and accomplished administrator can rescue and restore Kogi.

million from UNDP/GDG was for sponsorship of pre-election and post election workshops for accredited observers.

The UNDP/GDP, according to the report, also provided the sum of N2,896,118,940 for the sponsorship of INEC engagement with relevant and strategic stakeholders.

It noted that N114 million was received from the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES) for training.

The MacArthur Foundation also supported INEC’s civil education and elections monitoring through Yar’Adua Centre with N264 million ($1.6 million).

It added that the commission got fund from International IDEA for preventing conflict and electoral violence totally N41,980,000 (209,900 EUR) It puts exchange rate at N165 per dollar and N200 per EUR as at the time of the donation.

The report, which did not state how much commission spent in the conduct of the elections, showed that the sum of the sum of N108,851,683,313.93 was appropriated for the 2015 election.

It also advised the commission to revisit the issue of delineation of constituencies and creation of additional Polling Units and see to their implementation ahead 2019 general elections.

On e-voting, the report advised the commission to work with critical stakeholders, consider the prospects of introducing electronic voting, which is currently prohibited by law.

“This could take the electoral process to a higher level,” the report added.

MASSOB: Plots to remove Uwazuruike fail as South East governors disown protest CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

“The South-East is an integral part of Nigeria and the governors and leaders from the area so much believe in the unity of the country and would always work towards sustaining the unity. And as far as the governors and leaders of the South-East are concerned, those behind the campaign for Biafra have their ulterior mo-

Okorocha

Uwazuruike

tive, which has nothing to do with corporate interest of NdiIgbo in Nigeria of our collective dream.

“The concern of the governors and other South-East leaders is to get what is due for us in our country, and any other quest especially for Biafra is diversionary.

“Governor Okorocha called on those behind all these protests on the basis of Biafra to give

peace a chance and expressed regret that some Igbo people could get involved in a protest the end – result of which won’t benefit Ndi-Igbo in any way, but could lead to the shooting of some of them.

“The Imo governor said that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable, and the South-East people strongly believe in that unity and would work assiduously to ensure its sustenance.”

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Obasa, others hail Supreme Court verdict on Ambode’s victory The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has described the Supreme Court verdict on the governorship election in Lagos State as the final nail in the coffin of the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Reacting to the verdict by the nation’s highest court affirming the state Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode’s victory in the election, Rt. Hon. Obasa stated that the court verdict has put the final legal seal on the victory of the governor in particular, and the party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in general in the election.

“That the people of Lagos love Ambode and APC is not in doubt. Thus this Supreme Court victory is a final legal seal in the victory of our governor and the party at large,” he

said.

The Lagos Assembly Speaker stated further that the people of Lagos are happy with the performance of the party in the state hence they will continue to vote for the party and its candidates. “Our party has been tested and Lagosians have come to trust us hence their support for us.

By going to court, the PDP and its candidate wanted to exercise their legal rights and thank God, the courts have proved to them that the mandate the Governor and our party is holding is legitimately given to them by the people of this state. It is final nail in their coffin,” he said.

Rt. Hon. Obasa congratulated the Governor and the party on the victory noting that it is the right tonic for the newly swornin executive council members to begin their work.

Ambode

Obasa

Agenda for new INEC boss – CHRSJ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Besides, he also want him to correct the flaws discovered during the last elections where under age children were allowed to cast votes in some parts of the country.

Comrade Sulaiman however observed that the people of the country expected that the new INEC boss would have emerged from the South Western Nigeria, because nobody from the region has ever been appointed to head the Commission in the last three decades.

He added that the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states would be the litmus test for the new boss of the commission.

In a statement in Lagos, the CHRSJ boss urged the don to bring his wealth of his experience in public service to bear in the new task without fear or favour and saluted the courage of Nigerians that spoke against the illegality of the acting Chairman for the commission which made the President Buhari-led Federal Government to change its stance on the issue.

He advised President Buhari against the appointment of a controversial personality like Am-

bassador Rufus Akeju as State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in nearest future because of the credibility of the commission.

He urged Yakubu to solicit the total support of the stakeholders in the electoral process in the country as soon as he assumed office, by conveying the meeting of all the stakeholders including, those who were disgusted over the appointment of Amina Zakari as the acting Chairman.

According to him, “The ratification of the appointment of Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmud Yakubu by the Council of States is a welcome development at a time the appointment acting Chairman has thrown constitutional challenges for the Commission.

Nigerian People thought that the new chairman of the electoral umpire will emerge from the South-western Nigeria. But Professor Yakubu should let his wealth of experience to bear in discharging his duties without fear or favour and he should know that the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States will be a litmus test for him and the Commission”.

On the forthcoming governor-

Prof Yakubu ship election in Bayelsa and Kogi states, Sulaiman urged the don to ensure that free, fair, credible, transparent and acceptable elections were conducted in the affected states by creating level playing field for the candidates that would participate in the elections so as to repose the confidence of Nigerians at home and abroad in the electoral commission.

Buhari He advised the stakeholders in the nation’s electoral process, particularly, in Bayelsa and Kogi states, to continue to partner with the commission to ensure that the forthcoming governorship elections were peaceful, credible, free, fair and successful, adding that Professor Yakubu should also bring his wealth of experience to bear by surmounting uncommon

courage to face the herculean challenges of the Commission.

Sulaiman then urged Professor Yakubu to look into the salary structure of the Commission’s staff for better productivity, praying that God would give him the Solomonic wisdom to pilot the affairs of the commission to an enviable height.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

11 Politics

The Awo legacy and the challenges of political leadership and governance in present-day Nigeria Professor Akin Mabogunje

Let me start by joining in welcoming you all to this special celebration of the Atayese Association to mark the 58th anniversary of the self-government of Western Nigeria in 1957. I note that the vision of the Atayese Association is “to promote a culture of governance to that in which the individual human being and the family (both nuclear and extended) become the focus and the measure of political activity and improvements to the quality of life of citizens”. In order to promote this vision, the Association sets itself the mission of encouraging civil and public officials to be mindful of three fundamental principles of governance. First, is the importance of sustaining public trust in government through ensuring that in all government business, strict codes of conduct and ethics are enforced, and leadership throughout the government hierarchy provides an impeccable example for others to follow in honor and integrity as becomes “an OMOLUABI”.

Second, is the principle that effective governance entails a responsive system that strives to bring decision-making closer to the end user through democratic involvement and accountability of elected officials. And third is the principle that effective governance is one which inspires and empowers innovation and productivity through equipping and empowering civil servants and other public officials with a modern mindset and ensures fiscal responsibility through the creation of a results-oriented government where productivity, accountability, integrity and honesty are reflected in the actuality of all elected and permanent officials.

In many ways, Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the twilight of the colonial period between 1952 and 1959 provided something of a template against which to evaluate what is happening in the country today. Both in his role as leader of a political party, that is the Action Group and the leader of government in the then Western Region of Nigeria, he exemplified what we expect of a political leader and a statesman. Of course, even before assuming either of these roles, Chief Awolowo had made his position abundantly clear that the only path to Nigeria’s freedom and development is through the adoption and serious commitment to a federal system of government. Today, there are many who will argue that the seeming failure of Nigeria

Awolowo to make significant progress in its socio-economic development is the departure from this system of government occasioned largely by the imposition of military rule on the nation for the greater part of the last five decades.

I have, therefore, divided this paper into six parts. First, I revisit the issue of Federalism and how critical it remains as a system of government for a country like Nigeria with such diverse ethnic groups and differing levels of socioeconomic development. Secondly, I evaluate the role of Chief Awolowo in ensuring the installation of a federal system of government in Nigeria and what this tells us about the nature of the struggle for this cause within a national polity like ours. Third and fourthly, I examine the impact of the adoption of this system of government on both the nature of political leadership and governance of a region under him.

Fifthly, I comment on the incompatibility of such a system with a military system of organization and the fact that the nation’s socio-economic development continues to be hampered because of a deliberate disregard of the various distortions and misapplication that this incompatibility has inflicted on the polity. My sixth section then presents the various challenges that political leadership and governance that Nigeria continues to face in post-military Nigeria, especially

the fact that neither the political leadership nor the informed segment of the populace seems to care about returning to the path of true federalism. I conclude by offering some propositions as to the way forward for Nigeria, bearing in mind that much has changes in the country and the world at large since Chief Awolowo’s time but that there are still concrete lessons to be learnt from his legacy not only in the area of political leadership but also of effective governance.

Federalism as imperative to Nigeria’s development and greatness

It took a number of meetings of the pre-independence London Conference for the proponents of a unitary system of government for Nigeria, exemplified by the advocacy of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), to accept that, given the ethnic diversity and different levels of socio-economic development of its peoples, federalism was imperative for the unity and progress of Nigeria.

Federalism, however, must not been seen as simply a matter of dividing a country into sub-national entities or aggregating these entities into one national system. Its significance depends first, on the relative size of the federating units

and second, on the powers that inhere in those entities vis-a vis the central or federal authority. The issue of relative size is important in a federation like Nigeria since, for equity, it is argued that no one unit should be so large as to be able to subvert the will of the other units combined. This was the initial Achilles heel of the Nigerian federation with the Northern Region being so much bigger than the two other two regions put together.

This, was, of course, what the British liked and until the Northern Region was broken up into six states on the eve of the Civil War in 1967, the asymmetry of size was a factor in the collapse of the first Republic.

The issue of the powers that inhere in those sub-national entitites vis-à-vis the central or federal authority, relates to whether we have a strong or weak federation. Theoretically, for a strong federation, the powers of the federal government are spelt out in an exclusive list whilst the sub-national entities have some concurrent powers to regulate their affairs, promote and enhance the development of all their nature-given resources both above and below the soil, and foster the socio-economic development of their citizens as well as residual powers to deal with issues not specifically stated. The federal government is usually assigned such exclusive powers as those to determine foreign policy, make treaties, declare war and control imports and exports whilst the states have powers to ratify the constitution.

Most governmental responsibilities are thus shared by state and federal governments with both levels of governments being involved in such policy areas as taxation, business regulations, environmental protection and civil rights. Experience, however, indicates that the balance of power between the federal government and the states is often a matter of political bargaining over time.

In Nigeria, for instance, one of the most defining features of the pre-military constitution was the flexibility that allowed the exploration, exploitation and development of mineral resources in the hands of both the Federal and the Regional Government. It was this flexibility and constitutional mutuality of interest that allowed the Federal Government to continue to exploit the colonial tin mines in Jos and the coal mines in Enugu and establish the first cement factory in Nkalagu, Eastern Region whilst the Western and Northern Regional governments could also go on to establish their own cement works

in Ewekoro and Sokoto respectively. It was the understanding, up to the 1963 Constitution, that 50 per cent of royalties from such mineral exploitation belongs to the Region whilst 30 per cent goes to the distributable pool to even out development in the country and 20 per cent goes direct to the Federal Government. The enormous royalty from petroleum exploration, coming during the unified command of a military regime when the country was virtually operating a unitary constitution, was to force the country to deviate from this equitable relationship and plunge the country into its first series of militant insurgency.

Awolowo’s Action Group & the Struggle for the Installation of a Federal System of Government

Within the framework of a colonial government, a unitary administration was, of course, inevitable. To install and implement a federal system of government in such circumstances can be seen as the product of a well calculated step-by-step struggle by the Action Group Government under the leadership of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Although the Richards’ Constitution of 1948 had regionalized the country and had resulted in the McPherson Constitution of 1951 which formally instituted a federal-type system of government in Nigeria and called for elections through electoral colleges to the regional Houses of Assembly, the intention was to see these Houses not much different from the former Legislative Council in Lagos which was no more than a talk shop, allowing Nigerians to ventilate their views on various policies provided by the Colonial government. As such, the Assembly Chamber was arranged like a debating platform with no distinction as to the government and opposition benches for the majority and minority parties respectively as in a proper parliamentary system of government. When the Western House of Assembly, was inaugurated in 1952, the Action Group, being the majority party, refused to participate in the inauguration unless the seating arrangement in the House was re-arranged to give recognition to the existence of a government and an opposition party. This was the beginning of the real struggle for installing a truly federal system of government in the country but there was still a long way to go.

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Friday October 23, 2015

Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders to progress, says Buhari Henry Omunu Abuja

ÏÏÏPresident

Muhammadu Buhari has said that the country needed Godfearing leaders if she was to make reasonable progress in achieving set developmental goals, and warned that the result had been disastrous when godly leadership had eluded nations.

Buhari, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Office, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, made this assertion, on Thursday in Abuja, when delivering the keynote address at the sixth National Prayer Breakfast meeting, organised by Christian Legislators of the National Assembly.

He said the need of a godly leader in our ever-chang-

ing world needn’t be stated repeatedly, adding that the time had come for Nigeria to have leaders who had a genuine intent to press public good.

He said the theme of the prayer session: “Godly leader in a changing world”, was not only timely, but well-thought-out, as it was in line with the change agenda of his administration from the spiritual perspective.

Buhari said a godly leader was marked by a servant attitude, transparent integrity, godly character, and faithfulness among others, for as he put it “godly leaders need to base their security and identity upon God, not in false sources of security. Godly leaders need to be examples worthy of emulation; godly leaders serve

others, instead of demanding to be served; they need to accept the responsibility which God has given them.

Godly leadership is marked by a servant attitude, and a godly leader must be a man with godly commitments.”

Furthermore, Buhari said the world was changing fast, every day, and nations, as well as leaders, were being compelled to be abreast of the changes or get left behind.

He added that, “We are living in a world that is changing at an extremely rapid pace. Leaders everywhere confront a set of irrevocable imperatives; changing realities driven by profound social, political and technological changes.

We face continual increases in computing power, the rapid diversification of the

work-force, the globalisation of the economy, and the relentless upward pace of business – all at an everaccelerating rate of change.

All these changes, which impact institutions of all types, put new stresses on leaders, and require not simply new strategies, but new levels of being in relationship with their communities, with themselves and their Maker.”

The President of the Christian Legislators of the National Assembly, Senator Barnabas Gemade, said the body was formed to enable Christian legislators and those that work with them to impact, positively, on their work environment and also on those around them, and help provide godly leadership in national life.

L-R. Staff of LG Air Conditioning and Energy Mr Sandeep Koul ; General Manager of Blue Ocean Innovation Insights, Mr. Anupam Ghosal General Manger of LG Air Conditioning and Energy Mr. Cholyong Richard park; and Marketing Head of Blue Ocean Innovation Insights Mr Jennifer Onoyom at the African hotel &Resort Expansion Forum held in Sheraton Hotel Lagos…on Thursday . Photo OLAWALE ROTIMI

APGA berates INEC over tribunal verdict

Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏThe leadership of

the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), on Thursday, lamented that the outcomes of the various election petition tribunals were working against its vision of building a great party.

It decried the dismissal of election petitions on grounds of what he described as flimsy excuses of technicalities.

Its National Chairman, Mr. Victor Oye, while speaking at the party headquarters, when he presented Deacon Christopher Enai, as the party’s governorship candidate for Bayelsa State, also

raised the alarm that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was yet to issue certificate of return to its candidate and member of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, whom he said was returned as the winner of the state assembly poll.

He cautioned that there was no way the party would sit back and watch unnecessary chastisement of its members across the country.

“We have to cry out let the world hear us. Our member won an election, convincingly, and the tribunal has returned him as winner.

Why has INEC refused to give him his certificate of

return, where there are no more impediments on his way to victory?, he demanded.

He insisted that something had to be done to review the Electoral Act 2010, in order to make it amenable to environmental needs.

Oye stated that the electoral law was draconian, inhumane and uncivilised, and cautioned that the country should not go into the 2019 general elections with the law.

According to him, the clause which mandated petitioners to prove their cases beyond reasonable doubts was ambiguous, adding that APGA was ready for governorship polls in Bayelsa and

Kogi states, as well as re-run and Council elections in Borno and Niger states, but noted APGA appealed the judgment in its governorship petition in Nasarawa State, since it believed there was a travesty of justice in the case.

He called for caution on the crisis was rocking, lest it gets to damaging or the country.

Oye said that the party was never scared about who was appointed national chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its interest had always been to win elections irrespective of who headed the electoral umpire.

Lagos Attorney General tasks law officers on new challenges Titilope Joseph

ÏÏÏThe newly-elected At-

torney General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, has tasked all the law officers at the maiden management gathering to be proactive, innovative and get adapted to the use of modern technology in communicating with other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), so as to perform more effectively.

He charged the law officers in other MDAs to ensure that they liaised with the Ministry of Justice, and

Barber docked in Ondo for killing friend 'Tosin Ajuwon Akure

ÏÏÏA

Chief Magistrate Court in Akure has remanded an operator of barbering salon, Oluwaseun Ojo, in prison custody, for alleged killing his friend.

The deceased identified has Shola Omotayo was said to have been allegedly murdered by Ojo over the ownership of noodles.

The accused person, of No.10 Familusi Gaga Area of Oke-Aro, Akure, was facing a one-count charge of

Hussenat Ohize

ÏÏÏPresident

Muhammadu Buhari has directed that work begins on the upgrading of the Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport to an International Cargo Airport.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Hajia Binta Adamu Bello, who visited the airport on inspection, said that works would commenced immediately.

She said the super structures of the cargo terminal would soon arrive, explaining that once the foundation was completed, the super structures would be fixed.

She disclosed that all the contractors handling the cargo terminal had been paid up to 80 per cent of the total sum of the contracts.

According to her, apart from the fact that the new status of the airport, when fully completed would increase economic activities, it would also create employment opportunities among other benefits.

responded to requests made on state matters on time, in order to portray, promote and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the ministry.

He also noted that the Ministry of Justice was regarded as a professional one charged with different responsibilities, which included rendering legal and advisory services to other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), for which it must ensure that there was prompt response to all state matters. murder.

Police Prosecutor, Pelumi Adejuwon, told the court that Ojo stabbed Shola with broken bottles at the chest and back while arguing over noodles cooked by the deceased, adding that the action of the accused resulted in Ojo’s death.

Daily Times gathered from the court that the duo lived together.

His offence is contrary to section 316 and punishable under Section 319 of the Criminals Code Cap 37 Vol.1 Laws of Ondo State of Nigeria, 2006.

The plea by the accused’s counsel, Mrs. Obanigba Grace, was not taken by the court.

FG approves upgrade of Imo airport Governor Rochas Okorocha said the long-time dream of the people of Imo State to see the airport upgraded to International Cargo Airport was about to be a dream come true, and thanked Buhari for seeing the need to upgrade the airport.

Okorocha

Daily Times Nigeria Friday October 23, 2015

13 International

30,000 S’Sudanese risk starvation, says UN ÏÏÏA new report says 30,000 peo-

ple in South Sudan's Unity State are on the brink of starvation and death amid growing hunger in the war-ravaged country.

The report from U.N.-backed food security experts warns four Unity State counties could slide into famine conditions by the end of the year without immediate humanitarian assistance.

Nearly four million South Sudanese in all, about a third of the population, are said to be in a food crisis or emergency, mostly in Unity, Jonglei and Upper Nile States.

A joint statement from three U.N. relief agencies (UNICEF, the FAO, and the World Food Program) called for South Sudan's warring parties to allow unrestricted access to the affected areas.

South Sudan's government has been battling rebels led by former vice president Riek Machar since December of 2013. The fighting has displaced an estimated 2.6 million people.

The new report was produced by analysts with the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification program. The researchers said while hunger may decrease somewhat

Islamist militants kill 8 villagers in Cameroon ÏÏÏEight

villagers in Cameroon's Far North region were killed and nine injured in a raid by Nigerian Islamist group Boko Haram that was followed by a gun battle between militants and security forces, a government official said on Thursday.

Boko Haram wants to create a caliphate and impose a strict version of Islamic law in adjacent northeastern Nigeria and has carried out cross-border raids in neighbouring countries.

"Wednesday's attacks killed eight and wounded nine," said Babila Akaou, prefect for the Mayo-Sava district, referring to the overnight attack in the village of Doulo. "For security forces and Boko Haram militants, we do not yet have a death toll," he said.

Boko Haram had used Cameroon's north to stockpile supplies and recruits until a government crackdown last year, but the militants have responded this year by ramping up attacks in the area.

Cameroon is part of an 8 700-strong regional force, led by Nigeria, that is still preparing to fight the militants. The United States also announced it would be sending troops and drones to help the fight against Boko Haram.

Mugabe wins China's 'Nobel Peace Prize' ÏÏÏZimbabwean President Rob-

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after they address the media before holding a bilateral meeting in Berlin, Germany, Oct. 22, 2015.

during harvest season, the number of food-insecure households is almost 80 percent higher than at this time last year. It said fami-

lies are struggling to cope with the violence, erratic rainfall, depleted livelihood options, and high prices for food and fuel.

The government and rebels signed a peace deal at the end of August but each side has accused the other of repeated violations.

ert Mugabe has been awarded China's alternative to the Nobel Peace Prize for what the prize committee called his inspired national leadership and service to pan-Africanism. The 91-year-old Mugabe is the latest in a series of critics of the West who have received the Confucius Peace Prize, first awarded in 2010 amid Beijing's anger and resentment over the granting of the Nobel Peace Prize to imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo.

Mugabe has "overcome difficulties of all kinds and has strongly committed himself to constructing his nation's political and economic order, while strongly supporting pan-Africanism and African independence," the committee said in announcing the award.

Mugabe, Africa's oldest head of state, is a resilient leader who fought in a guerrilla war, denounces the West, crushed or co-opted dissent at home and has been in power for 35 years with no clear successor.

Kerry optimistic about Israeli-Palestinian violence solution

Russia announces military plans for disputed Kuril Islands

ÏÏÏU.S. Secretary of State John

ÏÏÏRussia's

Kerry voiced a "cautious measure of optimism" that a solution can be found to defuse deadly IsraeliPalestinian violence.

Following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Berlin, Kerry said it is time for both sides to move beyond "condemnations and rhetoric."

He added both sides must take concrete steps to stop the unrest, which has left at least eight Israelis and about 50 Palestinians dead.

Netanyahu reiterated his charge the violence is a direct result of Palestinian incitement, blaming Hamas, the Islamist movement in Israel, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He cited a Thursday incident in which he said “two terrorists tried to murder a bus full of school children.”

Israeli news reports say two Palestinians stabbed a Jewish man in Beit Shemesh, after initially trying to board a school bus.

Kerry stopped short of assigning blame for the ongoing violence as he began the talks with Netanyahu. “It is absolutely critical to end all incitement and all violence and find a road forward,” he said.

The top U.S. diplomat plans to meet with Abbas on Friday in the

Jordanian capital, Amman.

The violence, which erupted nearly a month ago, has stemmed mostly from Palestinians using knives, guns and vehicles to attack Israeli civilians and soldiers, followed by Israeli defense mechanisms and retaliation.

On Wednesday, U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon said he was "not optimistic" after his talks with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders.

He urged both sides to pull back from the brink of what he says could erupt into a full-blown Palestinian uprising.

"We will continue to support all efforts to create the conditions to make meaningful negotiations possible," Ban said after meeting with Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah. "Our most urgent challenge is to stop the current wave of violence and avoid any further loss of life."

Netanyahu has said Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian leadership must stop “lying” about Israel - specifically, rumors that Israel is planning to take over an East Jerusalem holy site revered by both Jews and Muslims.

Israel says it has no intention to change the long-standing rules

overseeing what Muslims call the al-Aqsa mosque or Noble Sanctuary, and Jews call the Temple Mount.

"The continued occupation and aggression against Christian and Muslim holy sites in east Jerusalem, particularly against al-Aqsa, opens the door to a religious conflict," Abbas said Wednesday. "We don't want it and we are warning over its consequences."

The violence also stems from young Palestinians tired of the dim outlook for peace, little economic opportunity and Israeli settlements in lands they want for a future state.

Ki-moon

defense minister says Moscow plans to build a military base on the Kuril Islands, along with four Arctic bases that should be completed by 2018.

Sergei Shoigu told Russian news agencies Thursday the military is planning to put a large modern base on the islands with equipment necessary for border protection.

Shoigu said Russia has nearly completed several new bases with the largest on Kotelny Island in the Novosibirsk Archipelago.

Shoigu said there will also be military bases placed on Cape Schmidt, which is on the eastern coast of the Chukchi autonomous region, and Wrangel Island, which lies to the northeast of the mainland in the Chukchi Sea, a that a base on the Franz Josef Land Archipelago is near completion.

The new Russian bases are just a few hundred kilometers from the westernmost U.S. coastline.

Shoigu also announced six Arctic airfields are being modernized, and should be completed by 2017.

The Kremlin announced its intentions to deploy its military to the Arctic in 2008, but has not stationed troops there yet.

News14

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Police disrupt FRSC, NDLEA ‘ember month’ campaign in Ogun ÏÏÏAbout

50 heavilyarmed policemen from the Ogun State command, on Thursday, disrupted the “ember month” enlightenment campaign cum seminar organised for commercial tricycle and motorcycle riders in the state.

The security operatives, drawn from different units within the Command, stormed the Omoyinmi Hall, venue of the campaign, which is located along the Ayetoro road, in the Abeokuta metropolis, and ordered the close to 3, 000 participants and their Abuja guests to vacate the premise or risked being attacked. The National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NACTOMORAS) had organised the seminar which has as its theme: “Road Accident Prevention/Control and Drug Abuse”, where the state’s Sector Commander of the

Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Adegoke Adetunji, was scheduled to lecture members of the transport unions.

While the event was about to start, armed plain-clothes policemen stormed the hall, where the FRSC Sector Commander was already seated along with other state and federal agencies, which included representatives of the state-owned Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), the National Association of Seadogs, popular known as the Pyrates’ Confraternity, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), as well as media practitioners and chased out everybody from the hall.

The armed, plain-clothes security officers were later joined by armed uniformed policemen and chased away over 1, 000 members of NACTOMORAS. While attempting to per-

suade the armed NDLEA officers who were also billed to deliver lecture at the seminar, the intruding armed security operatives claimed that they were ordered by the state government to stop the workshop.

Thereafter, the security operatives cordoned off the area.

One of the facilitators at the botched workshop, Alhaji Sikirulahi Ogundele, who is also a member of the Pyrates’ Confraternity said NACTOMORAS invited the organisation to join the FRSC, the NDLEA and others to enlighten its members on road safety during the ‘ember months’. He noted that the Pyrates’ Confraternity, which had members who were professionals in various endeavours, honoured the invitation to the workshop because of its primary concern with the preservation of lives.

Also speaking with jour-

nalists, NACTOMORAS’ Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Jubril Bada, claimed that the association got the necessary permissions from the police and other relevant bodies before embarking on the campaign.

“We don’t know what has really happened; nobody has told us anything. We informed all the necessary agencies about the workshop. We have very good intention. If we did not have good intention, we would not have invited the FRSC, NDLEA, the Pyrates’ Confraternity and the media,” Bada said. Reacting on the incident, Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi explained that the command got a tip-off that there was going to be a breakdown of law and order between the organisers of the programme, NACTOMORAS and the two transport unions recognised by the state government.

L-R: President/ Vice Chancellor, Babcock University (BU), Prof.

James Kayode Makinde; Pro Chancellor, BU, Dr. Oyeleke Owolabi, former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Sanusi; Chairman, Tristate Heart Foundation/ former Interim Chairman of APC, Chief Bisi Akande; Sarkin Kano, HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II and President/CEO, Tristate Cardiovascular Associate, Prof. Kamar Adeleke, during the inspection tour of the facilities commissioned at Tristate Heart and Vascular Centre, Babcock University Teaching Hospital, IlishanRemo ...on Thursday.

Kehinde Akinpelu

ÏÏÏThere

was an atmosphere of anguish and pain at Ogbondoroko, in Afon community, in the Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State, as residents mourned the passing away of a man and his three kids.

It was gathered that the incident occurred between the midnight of Friday and early hours of Saturday, last week, in the family of a man popularly called Baba Mokudi.

As was told, just as Baba Mokudi entered the room where the children were asleep, he felt dizzy, fell gave up the ghost.

The wailing by the mother of the kids woke up the

Babalola Oluwaseun

ÏÏÏYouths

belonging to a body known as Ondo National Youth Front (ONYF), on Thursady, warned management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), to desist from issuing arbitrary bills to electricity consumers in Akure and its environs.

It said it would no longer take it easy with staffers

of company if the trend of ambiguous and unrealistic monthly bills and charges did not cease.

A statement by its Coordinator, Olusegun Adegbola, said it became necessary for BEDC to regulate and normalise its billing system to reflect accurate charges rather than cheating innocent customers.

The statement said: “The current billing system of BDEC has become a matter

of concern to the residents and electricity consumers in Ondo State. It calls for urgent review and adjustment. But the company has remained nonchalant to the yearnings of the people for months.

"We, as a youth group in the state, can no longer fold our arms when our parents, brothers, sisters and colleagues continue to suffer unjustly in the hands of BDEC. We paid bogus elec-

tricity bills, even when no electricity was consumed during the period under review.”

The group called on BDEC to restore electricity supply to the Southern Senatorial District of the state which had not been supplied electricity for over a year ago.

It said the entire district could not be thrown into perpetual darkness over unsubstantiated debt.

whole community. By the time some members of the community got to the residence of Baba Mokudi, the situation had gone beyond redemption.

Investigations also revealed that the children were aged between 11 and 12 years.

Some people in the community said that the deaths could have been caused by the meal of cassava consumed by the family members the night preceding the incident, which they said contained a harmful chemical.

Court orders town planners to measure bank’s building in N10b Braithwaite suit Titilope Joseph

ÏÏÏJustice Doris Okuwobi of Lagos High Court, sitting in Ikeja, on Thursday, gave an order that the President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners should prepare a comprehensive report that would contain the findings and measurement of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Limited, a 14-floor commercial building located at 142 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, to the house of elder statesman, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite.

Justice Okuwobi made the order in the N10 billion suit filed by Braithwaite against the bank for constructing a 15-storey build-

Niger NUJ seeks removal of CPS to Gov. Bello Pita Chikwem

Ondo youths warn BEDC over arbitrary bills

Family of three die in Kwara community

Minna The Correspondent Chapel of Nigerian Union of journalists, (NUJ) Niger State Council, has called for the removal of Ibraheem Dooba, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, to avoid tarnishing the image of the state.

Dooba, it was said, had, for some time, been showing unprofessional attitude towards journalists in the state.

This was contained in a letter, on Thursday, signed

ing and a multi-level car park opposite his residence with an alleged illegal permit.

The order also followed an application filed by Braithwaite, dated October 6, 2015, seeking an order of court “directing the President of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners to enter the defendant’s commercial building of 14 floors comprising a five-level car park at no. 142 Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island, Lagos, the subject-matter of this suit, in the presence of the parties, herein and/or their counsel, to undertake physical measurement of the setback and airspace of the said defendant's building, etc.” by the Chairman and Secretary of the chapel, Mr. Wale Mosadomi and Mallam Mustapha Bina respectively, and addressed to Bello.

According to the letter, “We, the leadership and membership of the Correspondents Chapel of NUJ, Niger State Chapter, feel saddened to report the verbal onslaught of the CPS, Ibraheem Dooba, against our members since his appointment as your CPS.

Bello

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

15 Opinion

Marriage Clinic (Part 3)

The Principles of a Joyful marriage

“T

he

Omotoso Samuel

heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no spoil; She will do him good and not evil all the days of her life’’(Proverb 31:11,12) Marriage is a lifetime contract that nothing else should separate according to God’s creative plan” Until the death do them part”. It is very sad today; many live inside their marriage as a living corpse, because there is no joy from morning until night.

I pray for as many experiencing sadness in their marriage, may you regain your joy fully in the name of Jesus. A marriage can only enjoy a lasting relationship when the following principles are

observed: prays stays together. When you raise an altar unto God by having consistent family devotion both in the morning before you go out and in the night before you go to bed. together: As a Godly couple, you are expected to set aside a time everyday to study the word together. marriage must be a place where husband and wife serve one another. It is a clarion call to service and not to dominate one another.

Total Submission of a wife to her husband only guarantees a sustainable and joyful marriage (Ephesians 5:21). This reminds me a case of a sister that nearly broke her home by using an abusing word on her husband until the time she later realised that

her mouth needs to be bridled for joy to reign. tionally: The only language that a good marriage understands is that has no conditions attached to it. It is a kind of love that does not base on if and if. Even though what your spouse is doing does not warrant you loving him or her, you still need to love. Does your communication in that marriage shows that you have highest regard for your spouse. Godly children are being raised through a selfless communication. less relationship: As a couple, you are committed to one another in rendering a lifetime heart devoted service. riage that lacks trust, such a marriage will not survive the test of times. The moment, a couple

begins to suspect one another either for genuine or trivial issues, that marriage has become amusement park where people go and waste their time. riage in asunder: It is not just a ding line. It is God’s desire for a marriage. Great couples strive to allow no one—even children— even in-laws—to get in the way of building a healthy marriage.

Wow! Isn’t this a hard one? Yet I can’t tell you how many marriages I have seen ruined because the children came first or the in-laws interfered. I have seen marriages ruined by friends—sometimes coworkers—who had little regard for the integrity of the marriage, and so they built a wedge between the couple. As hard as it is sometimes, great couples work to protect their marriage from every outside intervention.

Errors of Amaechi and weapons of his enemies

W

Emmanuel Asiwe

hatever once the power to float your boat can still rock your world.

Today’s friends can become tomorrow’s enemies. The ones who once put an hedge around to protect you from danger can also break the hedge and push you to the edge of the cliff.

Often times, those who engage in extreme morality are prone to attacks and eventual fall, just as a mango tree with ripened fruits are bound to attract the stones and sticks of a desperate eater. It is no longer news that the former Governor of Rivers State and ‘strongman’ of the opposition PDP, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi is the most trending politician in Nigeria today. This two time Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and a two time governor of the state seems to be in the eye of the storm.

Amaechi is currently facing a hard time in the muddy political rivers of his state as the current government in his state headed by Nyesom Wike, his former man Friday and Chief of Staff is on a vendetta mission to not only cripple him politically but to ensure that he adorns the prisoner’s clothes.

The government of Wike is standing on the threshold as it faces judicial litmus test over its scandalous victory at the Election Petition Tribunal. No right thinking politician worth his salt would fold his hands and watch such a man assume a powerful position again. Wike understands the true colour of Abuja power or what many call federal might. Therefore, he must fight albeit dirty to ensure that Amaechi does not come close to that position. He has this employed all arsenals at his disposal to achieve this goal. Though his traducers are mostly those, he had shown exceptional magnanimity, Amaechi’s ordeal stems from his errors while in power.

The things he failed to do are the things his political enemies are doing today. In 2007, when he came to power through a landmark judgement of the Supreme Court, he should have wielded the big stick against those who fought against his candidature. Amaechi’s Chief political adviser cum Chief of Staff, Nyesom Wike has urged him to implement the report of the Justice Kayode Eso panel of the Truth and Reconciliation Panel which had indicted former Governor Peter Odili and former SSG, Abiye Sekibo among others. But the ex governor would not yield to such

pressure. However, that was not to be as Amaechi practically refused to implement the report of the panel.

He had hoped that his reason for setting up the panel which was for the purpose of reconciling Rivers people after a turbulent era of communal clashes, militancy and kidnapping, youth restiveness and the gruesome murder of two prominent sons of the State, Marshall Harry and A.K. Dikibo of blessed memory. On the contrary, Wike wanted their prosecutions. No, Amaechi would not hard to any such advice. He could not for the same of his political father, Odili. Not even an attempt was made to stop Odili from securing an injunction against the state government. Even when he succeeded, Amaechi failed to assemble his legal team to vacate the order through the Appeal Court. Today, those he set free are part of the grand design to indict him through a White paper, ostensibly to put him behind bars. Amaechi failed to stiffle his enemies of funds. Again, Amaechi failed to divest the shares of the Rivers State Government from AIT, a larger chunk of money invested in the then ailing television house.

There was enormous pressure by the then Chief of Staff and today Governor as well as

his lawyers to either withdraw the state funds from AIT or change the Rivers Reps in the Board of Directors namely Emma Okah, Toru Ofili and Sheddrach Akolokwu. However, he refused because it would seem as a vendetta against the trio. Today, AIT leads the pack of the section of the media running hate documentaries against him. Amaechi had the opportunity of allowing Felix Obuah, the State PDP Chairman to die when he was shot by assassins who left him half dead with bullets shattering his lower body. He quickly ordered that Obuah betaken to South Africa in an Air Ambulance for medical treatment. Despite the fact that Obuah had abandoned him after the K-leg to publicly, pledge his support for Celestine Omehia, Amaechi’s rival. When it was time to stop Senator George Sekibo as a second time Senator in 2011, Rotimi Amaechi misfired. He conceded to the pressure from Patience Jonathan to allow Sekibo her kinsman a second chance. Amaechi ‘s ally, Andrew Uchendu desires to replace Sekibo but was stopped.

Today, Sekibo whom he graciously supported against the wish of most of his supporters, is the devil’s advocate in a bid to stop Amaechi’s ministerial confirmation.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Business Times Augustine Okezie Abuja Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC has said0 a total of 91 companies consisting largely of indigenous vessel owners are vying to secure contract for the provision of Coastal and Bunkering Vessel Services for the operations of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, a subsidiary of the NNPC. A statement released to newsmen which was signed by the Group General Manager Public Affairs, Mr. Ohi Alegbe said the exercise which was conducted at the corporate headquarters of the NNPC in Abuja in the full glare of representatives of the bidding companies also had officials of the Bureau of Public Procurement, (BPP) and the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

s

NNPC to award coastal bunkering contract to 91 local firms as independent assessors.

The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu who expressed delight in the massive turn out of indigenous Nigerian Companies and vessel owners in the bid process said: “I am happy that there is much show of interest in this process.

The Process is going to be transparent from the beginning to the end and we want the best yield in terms of value addition and best services and obviously we are going to grow the Nigerian Content in this regard. I am hoping that you are going to be part of the journey that we are taking NNPC through.’’

He further pledged to sustain

the ongoing reform process in the Corporation which has witnessed the monthly publication of NNPC Financial and Operational Transactions for public scrutiny and the recent public harvesting of bids tendered for the new Offshore Processing contracts among other initiatives.

Under the scope of work, the Coastal Vessel is designed to provide the following services; evacuate petroleum products from NNPC coastal refineries to various discharge ports in Nigeria or outside Nigeria as may be designated by PPMC, delivery of petroleum products to water fed depots with restricted draft jet-

ties of 6.0 to 11metres as well as conduct ship-to-ship transfer of cargo from import tankers and discharge same at waters depots among other functions .

The contract entails: loading of Automated Gas Oil AGO and Low Pour Fuel Oil LPFO from water-fed refineries for bunkering purposes, supply bunkers to NNPC owned and chartered vessels as required on a monthly basis, keeping accurate accounts for AGO and LPFO loaded and supplied to NNPC Vessels, forwarding records of the bunkering activities to Marine Transport department of the PPMC on a monthly basis among other activities.

Adeshina Oluwaseyi

L– R: Mr. Oluwatosin Abe, Acting President, Chartered Institute of Stock Broker (CIS); Mr. Ese Onosode, the eldest son of Dr. Gamaliel Onosode and Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, OON, Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) at the Service of Songs & Night of Tributes in honour of Deacon (Dr.) Gamaliel O. Onosode held at Civic Centre, Lagos recently.

Vetiva Fund managers launch Vetiva Sector Series ETFS Adesola Akindele Vetiva Fund Managers Limited has announced the listing of the Vetiva Sector Series Exchange Traded Funds, a suite of three Exchange Traded funds comprising of the Vetiva Banking ETF, the Vetiva Consumer Goods ETF and the Vetiva Industrial Goods ETF. The Vetiva Sector Series ETFs are open-ended equity-based

17

sector exchange traded funds which are designed to individually track the NSE Banking Index, NSE Consumer Goods Index and NSE Industrial Index.

The investment objective of the ETFs is to replicate the price and yield performance of the relevant Indices.

The Vetiva Sector Series ETFs are the first sector-based ETFs to be listed on The Nigerian Stock Exchange following

the listing of the Vetiva Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund (the first equity ETF to be listed in Nigeria) in March 2014.

The Managing Director of Vetiva Fund Managers Limited (Fund Manager to the ETF), Mr. Damilola Ajayi, commented that the Vetiva Sector Series ETFs would give Investors an opportunity to express sectoral preferences in their asset allocations.

Commercial banks have been advised to devise methods of ensuring the highest possible security and protection from attacks on their e-banking platforms, beyond developing attractive electronic financial products for their clients.

The call was made by Mr. Ibrahim Shazali of the Bank Fraud Section, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), in a paper presented yesterday at the on-going workshop for financial journalists organized by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Commission (NDIC) in Ilorin.

Specifically, Shazali advised banks to adopt corporate controls such as internal audits, rotation of personnel and physical IT security procedures. This, according to him should be coupled with intensified fraud risk mitigation, assessment and management.

In addition, he stressed the need for corporate culture in financial institutions, in which personal integrity and ethics are consistently emphasized and visibly rewarded.

“Whistle-blowing policies and procedures should be clearly laid out and whistle-blowers should not be victimized or shamed for doing the right thing. Finally, banks must ensure that their in-house Know-Your-Customers procedures and processes are consistent across all their different platforms to ensure uniformity of information and allow

kachikwu

Banks tasked on strategies to combat e-Fraud for easier detection of identity duplication or theft and possible fraudulent activities by customers,” he added.

He, however, pointed out that the on-going bank verification number would also play a major role in the fight against e-fraud, noting that the Central Bank of Nigeria has been actively taking steps to improve the process of monitoring electronic transactions.

Nigeria has experienced a remarkable increase in adoption of electronic transactions with volume and value accounting for 86 per cent and 82 per cent of all transactions respectively in 2014, up from a mere six per cent in 2013. Data showed that Nigerians are increasingly embracing cashless transactions.

ecom-fraud

Business News 18

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

TUC, others call for lifting of economic blockade on Cuba

Sosa

Joy Ekeke Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) and its civil societies in collaboration with the Nigeria-Cuba Friendship, Business and Cultural Association have appealed for lifting of economic ban on Cuba by the US government.

They made the call yesterday during the visit of Cuban Ambassador, Mr. Carlos E. Treso Sosa and his deputy, Mrs. Miriam Morales Palmera to the congress in Lagos.

Speaking, Mr Carlos Sosa, Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria said that the US placed an ò98 blockade on Cuba because it refused to adopt the US model of operation in Cuba.

According to Sosa, Cuba is known for being advanced in medicine and needed to interact with other parts of the world to

President Arewa forum faults FG on aids to farmers

be able to develop and grow its economy.

He said that the situation had become worse as Cuba could not transact business with members of the UN and the third world countries. ``Things have become worse today than before with the present US government. The US government collected 40 million dollars as fine from a third world country that had business deals with us. ``Anything we buy from the US we pay in advance but we cannot sell our products to the Americans. We are also not allowed to spend dollars in our country,’’ he said.

The Cuban ambassador said that the relationship with Nigeria started in 1805 but because of the blockade, countries who have relationship with the US would not want to associate with Cuba.

He said that the Cuba was de-

Charles Okonji A practising farmer has faulted the Federal Government on aids to farmers and explained that the fertilizer deal was graced with unprecedented fraud by government agencies.

Alhaji Ado Shuaibu Dansudu, who is the national president of Arewa United, a consultative forum, and a practising famer, stated this recently in Lagos, during an interview with Daily Times.

He said, “What you are seeing on the screen, on the papers and

veloping in terms of health care production and needed to reach out to other countries of the world.

He said that because of its advancement in medicine, Cuba has the lowest mortality rate in the world.

In his remark, Mr Abdulkareem Motajo, President of the association called for the lifting of the embargo on Cuba, because the people are Africans through history.

Motajo said that labour in Nigeria was campaigning for the freedom of the Cuba because some Africans and Nigerians were transported through slave trade to Cuba.

He said that the people of Cuba had suffered for 50 years and needed economic freedom so that their country could grow.

Also, TUC President, Mr Bobboi Kaigama in his remark condemned the act, noting that some other countries would also suffer as a result of not buying health care facilities from Cuba.

Kaigama who was represented

by Mr Simeso Amachree, a senior official of TUC said that US not allowing Cuba do business with other countries contravenes the act of interdependency of nations.

He also urged the Nigerian government not to reverse the ban on importation of some items by companies s o that indigenous companies could grow and create job opportunities.

Mr Abiodun Aremu, Chairman, Joint Action Front (labour Group) said that the blockade against Cuba was against humanity.

Aremu said that a country with integrity must be ready to be self reliant, sovereign and independent.

The Republic of Cuba is a country with the largest island in the Caribbean and, with a population of over 11 million.

on the radio is totally lie. Even the fertilizer does not get to the farmers in time, there is politics on it, there is hanky-panky on it, and there are selfish interests on fertilizer. How they share the fertilizers, there is sectionalism on it, tribalism and too much sentiment on fertilizers.”

“If we want to be frank and realistic, we have different types of land in Nigeria. The South West does not need fertilizer for farming, why is the FG sharing fertilizer to them; there is an area in some of the eastern parts that do

Gwarzo

Charles Okonji

SEC kick starts investor education partnership with labour unions

Apex regulatory body of the Nigerian capital market, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has launched a financial literacy and investor education drive targeted specifically at Nigerian workers.

The campaign effort which is tagged “SEC Investor Education Partnership with Labour” intends to enhance personal financial planning skills among Nigerian workers and to instill a culture of saving and investing in the vitally important segment of Nigeria’s citizenry that is the work force.

This was contained in a press release issued yesterday by the commission, which states that the labour–focused investor education campaign was derived from the market development mandate entrusted to the SEC by its enabling law, the ISA 2007.

The release stated, “This mandate has been reinforced by the 10 – Year Capital Market Master Plan which the SEC is currently leading the Nigerian capital market industry to implement and by the flagship role assigned to Nigeria in the strategic blueprint of IOSCO, the global umbrella for securities market regulation, as the Africa and Middle East regional hub for education, training and research for the securities market.”

“Moreover, the “Investor Education Partnership with labour” the SEC is sharing actionable information and building skills on “Personal Financial Planning”, “Investment Opportunities in the Nigerian Capital Market” and “The Investor Protection Role of the SEC” with members of organized labour as represented by the 26 affiliate unions of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), as well as the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigeria’s two labour movements.”

According to Obi Adindu, Head, Market Development Department, the strategic objective of the SEC is to stimulate a pool of investible resources derived from the savings culture of Nigerian workers which may then be channeled to the Nigerian capital market since the most successful capital markets are auto centric and dependent on the participation and patronage of their country’s nationals.

“The ultimate goal of the SEC is to build a solid partnership between the Nigerian worker and the capital market in which the latter will constitute an avenue for channeling the former’s savings and investment leading to wealth creation while the capital market will, in turn, gain resilience, depth and robustness on account of participation in it by the Nigerian worker.”

not need fertilizer because they also have very good land. So, that is the sentiment and selfishness attached to the fertilizer deal.”

He lamented that that majority of the beneficiaries in Edo and Osun states call farmers from the North to buy-up the fertilizer allocated to them, stressing that they do not need it.

Dansudu noted that those who need fertilizers are the people in the Northern states, saying that they have dry land and shorter period of raining season, which is the reason to fertilize the soil

quickly before the rain start.

He added that the south west and south east experiences a longer period raining season and has soft soil, which does not require fertilizer for farming.

“The fertilizer is for all of us, if it goes to the north and if the famers have the fertilizer at a very cheap rate and at the appropriate time, there would be more food and at the long run, Nigeria as a whole will benefit. This is because it will bring the prices of food items down. So, why are we putting up selfish interest?

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

19 Business News

OPIC partners Lumos on $15m off-grid power for Nigeria Joy Ekeke Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S.government’s development finance institution, has signed an agreement recognizing a $15 million commitment by OPIC to finance Txtlight Power Solutions, Ltd. doing business as Nova-Lumos (Lumos), to scale up its operations in providing solar electricity to homes and small businesses throughout Nigeria.

The signing was part of Secretary of State, John Kerry’s Climate and Clean Energy Investment Forum.

“We are very excited about this major financing milestone in partnership with OPIC, which will enable us to accelerate our growth in Nigeria and improve the lives of millions,” said David Vortman, CEO and Co-Founder at Lumos.

“Having the backing of an institution such as OPIC provides a vote of confidence in Lumos’ innovative core technology and our unique business model that drives most of our value as a company,” he added. “We look forward to expanding our relationship with

OPIC as we grow in Nigeria and other territories.”

“Lumos brings vision, innovation, and sound business sense to address the power access challenge in Africa,” said Elizabeth Littlefield, OPIC’s President and CEO. “With a dedication to those who live off-grid or have unreliable power access, Lumos’ creative business model will positively impact millions with new affordable electricity access in homes, businesses, medical facilities, and schools.”

With this OPIC financing, Lumos will be able to increase power access to the nearly 90 million Nigerians who currently live without connection to the electric grid. The Lumos service includes a home solar panel linked to an indoor storage and connection unit that allows customers to access significant amounts of power ondemand, day or night. The affordable Lumos service allows customers to utilize a “pay-as-you-go” model, in small amounts, by text message.

Lumos’ business model is highly scalable in large part due to the company’s partnerships with incumbent mobile operators. In Ni-

geria, Lumos has partnered with MTN, Nigeria largest telecommunications company with over 60 million subscribers base.

This is the largest OPIC investment to the off-grid power sector in Africa, a key component of increasing energy access in a region where people are not gridconnected and the need for reliable power is especially acute.

Lumos was also a recipient of early-stage catalytic funding through OPIC and the Africa Clean Energy Finance initiative (ACEF), a partnership with the U.S. State Dept. that provided crucial start-up capital for 30 innovative clean energy projects across 10 African countries, designed to help projects to progress to a financially viable stage.

OPIC’s financing to Lumos proves the catalytic model of this program.

Lumos recently became an official private sector partner of President Obama’s Power Africa initiative, a partnership among more than 100 public and private sector partners to bring new power access to the more than 600 million Sub-Saharan Africans that currently live without

Kerry

electricity. And as a key part of Power Africa, OPIC financing allows private companies like Lumos to scale up business models and broadly increase new power

Unilever to partner ABUCIMA over unemployment Augustine Okezie Abuja Management of Unilever Nigeria Plc has expressed its willingness to partner with Abuja chamber of commerce and industry (ABUCIMA) in tackling the challenge posed by unemployment to the growth and de-

velopment of Nigeria’s Economy The Director Corporate Services of the company, Mrs. Soronedayo George who made the above declaration yesterday in Abuja, while on a courtesy call on the management of the Chamber said her company is ready to collaborate with pro-

active organizations in the organized private sector just as it is currently doing with Lagos Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Economic Summit Group She said ’’We have therefore decided to apply for membership of the Abuja Chamber of com-

merce and Industry to enable us work together with you on your programmes for the overall benefit of the members of the chamber and our national Economy.

We hope to be very active participants in the activities of the Chamber while positively contributing to enhance the work of the chamber.’’

Perm Sec debunks negative label on Nigerian airports Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

Binta Bello

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Hajia Binta Bello has faulted a recent rating published and making rounds that Nigerian airports are bad and rife with so many challenges.

This is just as she said compromises among players in the aviation industry have to be made in other to achieve a balance and a situation where everyone is satisfied to a point without rancour Hajia Bello was speaking at the 21st Annual League of Airports and Aviation Correspondent (LAAC) with theme “Achieving a Win-Win Aviation Sector in Nigeria” Responding to the ratings Binta explained that there are ongoing

works in and around some of the airports and everything would be in proper shape once the works around the airports are done.

She said, while speaking on the rating,”It is up to the leaders to agree or to disagree on the rating.

When I saw the rating, the question I asked is that: do we still have touts at the airports? Are our airports dirty? Are we corrupt? Do we agree with all those questions?”

“It is something that I cannot categorically say yes we are corrupt, our airports are not clean, our airports are congested, and so on. I am sure you can actually say if these airports are actually dirty, if this airports are full of touts, if these airports are chaotic, this morning I flew in from

Abuja airport about five airlines were boarding at the same time I did not see any chaos there, it was a smooth operation, passengers were going into their various aircraft of the various airlines operators and the whole operations was very smooth so I cannot accept that the airports are dirty” “I cannot accept that the airports are congested, if we have a temporary challenge, it is because of the constructions that is going on at our airports, In Abuja for instance, we have work going on there and when all these are done, all will be in proper shape.

In her keynote address, Bello said that all stakeholders need to take into account the way that their own decisions and choices affect all others.

access across Africa.

Lonomics, a New York City based impact investments firm served as the transaction advisor to Lumos.

Expert to host free forex training Mutiat Alli Investment Mastery Trading Limited, a well respected U.K Forex Trading Institution, is set to return to Nigeria next month to offer free seminars on Forex Trading.

The founder of the firm, Marcus De Maria is to host the seminars and he would be teaching on how to trade the $5.7 trillion currency market.

The two-day seminar will show interested investors and experienced traders how to use the Forex Market as a vehicle to financial freedom via strategies and techniques that De Maria will be disclosing to participants.

“Most people never learn to trade the market, they have no strategy or idea about risk which is the most important thing. I’ll personally be showing how to trade the market and how use the financial market to make consistent profits in order to become financially free,” De Maria said.

Real Sector Digest 20

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

ECOWAS offers to partner Nigeria on TSA implementation Joy Ekeke

AB InBev, SABMiller planned merger may heighten beer war in Nigeria Siaka Momoh For AB InBev, the SABMiller deal will give it more breweries in Latin America and Asia and an entrance into Africa at a time when some of its home markets such as the United States are weakening as drinkers shun mainstream lagers in favour of craft brews and cocktails.

As the world’s top two brewers, Anheuser-Busch InBev (ABI.BR) and SABMiller (SAB.L), have agreed in principle to one of the biggest mergers in corporate history after a near month-long courtship resulting in SABMiller accepting an offer worth more than $100 billion, the hitherto tough competition in the Nigerian beer market may get stronger soon.

According to a Reuter’s recent report, the planned combination announced on Tuesday October 13 would marry AB InBev’s Budweiser, Stella Artois and Corona brands with SABMiller’s Peroni, Grolsch and Pilsner Urquell and brew almost a third of the world’s beer, dwarfing other major producers like Heineken (HEIN.AS) and Carlsberg (CARLb.CO).

If it goes through, according to the report, the deal would rank as the fourth-biggest takeover in history and the largest deal for a UK company. It also breaks all records in the consumer sector

and comes only days after news that Dell Inc [DI.UL] and EMC (EMC.N) have agreed to the biggest ever deal in the technology sector.

For AB InBev the SABMiller deal will give it more breweries in Latin America and Asia and an entrance into Africa at a time when some of its home markets such as the United States are weakening as drinkers shun mainstream lagers in favour of craft brews and cocktails.

It will be recalled that SABMiller, South African world brewing giant, in 2009, bought Pabod Breweries, Port Harcourt where it owns 57 per cent and Voltic Nigeria Limited (Voltic produces table water), Lagos owning 80 per cent of the company, and Standard Breweries in Ibadan, using these companies for soft landing in Nigeria. For over five years or thereabout, this world number two brewer tried to open shop in Nigeria. In its quest to tap into a $3 billion informal market, the giant brewer is encouraging farmers to raise cassava and barley for its new discounted beers.

But in an apparent response to SABMiller’s entry into the Nigerian market, Heineken N.V., Nigerian Breweries Plc parent company has stepped up the struggle for domination of the Nigerian beer market in Nigeria with its

acquisition of two holding companies from the Sona Group which has controlling interests in five breweries in Nigeria.

This Heineken’s move was clearly a smooth move to puncture SABMiller’s soft-landing strategy – entry into the Nigerian beer market from the fringes, what with acquiring breweries in Onitsha, Uyo, and Makurdi.

SABMiller is currently operating from Port Harcourt, moved Voltic Nigeria Limited from Lagos to the South East, and it has put up a brewing plant in Onitsha.

And Guinness Nigeria Plc, the local unit of Diageo Plc (DGE), was quick to join the fray so to say, by spending $335.8 million on expanding brewing capacity in the country. The Guinness move, was an apparent response to the Heineken N.V.’s acquisition of two holding companies from the Sona Group, which has controlling interests in five breweries in Nigeria and SABMiller Africa’s entry into Nigeria.

Africa is expected to see a sharp rise in the legal drinking age population in the next few years and a fast-growing middle class which prefers branded lagers and ales to the illicit brews which have long been a feature of markets there.

An agreement between AB InBev and SABMiller was reached

on Monday October 12 evening, just two days before a deadline that would have forced AB InBev to make a formal bid or walk away for six months.

The breakthrough came when AB InBev bumped up the main offer price for a fourth time, to 44 pounds in cash per SABMiller share, as well as raising the value of a partial share alternative offer from four percent to 39.03 pounds per share.

The partial share offer was expressly designed to suit SABMiller’s two biggest shareholders, cigarette-maker Altria (MO.N) and the Santo Domingo family of Colombia, who together own nearly 41 percent of the company.

SABMiller said its board was now prepared in principle to recommend the main cash offer to shareholders and has asked for a two-week extension to the deadline, which is now Oct. 28.

Altria, with a 26.6 percent stake, said it was pleased with the deal, although it had also endorsed an earlier lower offer last week. The Santo Domingos, seen by banking sources as the holdouts who helped secure the higher offer, have not made any public comments.

Meanwhile South Africa said it would need to assess the tax implications of a merger and could “in the extreme” try to block it.

Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has offered to work with Nigeria and other member countries to secure the databases of their Treasury Single Accounts as well as other strategic databases.

The Commissioner for Telecommunications and Information Technology at the ECOWAS Commission in Abuja, Dr. Isiaias Bareto, conveyed the offer at the 6th International Annual General Meeting of the Information Systems Audit and Control Association, which has opened in Abuja.

Represented by Mr. Temple Iheanacho, Bareto regretted that information systems were porous in Abuja sub-region, but added that the commission would work with every country in the subegion to ensure the security of their information assets.

He said, “We want to work with information technology professionals to see how we can improve the confidentiality of information systems and availability.

“Recently, some of our member states have announced single accounts. The question is if a hacker has access to one of these single accounts, what happens?

So we should come up with strategies; we should come up with secure processes that will help us to safeguard this information asset.

“Our information asset, particularly in this region, is very porous and open. We need to work with developed countries; our experience is really nothing to write home about. In this region, we challenge us to please optimise our solutions and optimise our resources to work with the level of infrastructure that is available to us.

“We are looking at cybercrime issues. We are working with member states to develop a computer emergency recovery team and to develop some public key infrastructure for them. Our funds at the ECOWAS Commission are dwindling but information needs are rising.”

Bareto

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

21

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

News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

CBN rules out BVN registration deadline extension Hussenat Ohize

ÏÏÏWith the October 31,

2015, deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for all bank customers in the country to be registered under the Bank Verification Number (BVN) registration exercise a week away, the apex bank on Thursday called on all bank customers yet to be captured to do so, warning that there will not be another extension.

It would be recalled that the BVN exercise which had been on for over six months initially ended on July 30th, but was extended by additional three months following calls from many bank customers who could not register within the period CBN’s Deputy Director, Consumer Protection Department, Hajia Khadija Kasim, who addressed stakeholders at a one-day CBN sensitisation fair in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, appealed to those not yet captured under the exercise to ensure they do not miss out on the re-scheduled deadline, stating that there

is no need for people to wait until the last day before they go for the registration She said the BVN coupled with the cashless policy will go a long way to help the apex bank and other banks in the country tackle the issue of money laundering She said, “The initial deadline was June 30th before we extended it to end of October. By now, we expect all Nigerians to go their banks before the expiration date and get their Bank Verification Number. Nigerians should come out and ensure that within the few days left for the registration, they are registered for the exercise.

JAMB boss canvases for polytechnic education Babalola Oluwaseun

ÏÏÏThe

Federal Government has been urged to develop polytechnic education to enable Nigeria compete with developed countries.

The plea was given by the Registrar, Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Dibu Ojerinde, at the 2nd Education Summit of Igbajo Polytechnic, Igbajo, Osun state.

Ojerinde, who presented a paper titled “Polytechnic Education in Nigeria: Prospects and Relevance, decried attitude of many admission seekers who would prefer to stay at home than going to polytechnic.

He insisted that polytechnic education needed to be

repackaged to ensure technical advancement of the country.

He said: “For Nigeria to be advanced technologically and scientifically, the political will to implement national objectives and plans must be formulated and implemented. Nigeria must get serious with the issue of technological and science-based education, because this is where to begin.”

Prof. Ojerinde noted that polytechnic education because it emphasises on practice-based learning and the acquisition of certain life skills is important, adding that “cognizance should be taken of the policy of the Federal Government as it

PROCLAIM & WORSHIP MINISTRY This is to inform the General Public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

Emefiele

ADE-DANIEL ABIOLA ELIZABETH

OLUWAKEMI ADEBISI TOGUN

I formerly known as Adeyemi Nimota Abiola, now wish to be known Ade-Daniel Abiola Elizabeth. All former remain valid. Lagos State University and General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Oluwakemi Adebisi Adesanya , now wish to be known and addressed as Oluwakemi Adebisi Togun. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Immigration Services and please take note.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Udobong Moses Anderson - Founder/G.O 2. Osagie Emmanuel - Chairman 3. James Abel Ojochenemi - Secretary 4. Udobong Imoh Moses - Financial Sec 5. Sunday Grace Ekaette - Treasurer 6. Akpan Benard Ambrose - PRO AIM AND OBJECTIVE To preach the word of God Any objection to the Registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja within twenty-eight (28) days of this publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

affects the encouragement given to technical education in Nigeria.”

In his paper titled “Polytechnic Education in Nigeria: What Future”?, the Rector, Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke, Engr.

Oluyemi Oke, urged the federal government to replace Bachelor of Technology to replace the current Higher National Diploma, HND. Oke said if the national aspiration and quest for technological development is to be realized, polytechnic education should be developed and all the polytechnics in Nigeria should be statutorily empowered to award Bachelor of Technology Degrees.

“There must be a change

in the perception of the polytechnics, their lecturers, students and eventual products. Society should stop looking at students who opted for polytechnic education as those that cannot make it to the university or have failed academically.

“Government should stop treating Polytechnic lecturers as second-class citizens in terms of remuneration, recognition and national assignments.

“Lecturers in the polytechnics, with required academic qualifications should be allowed to pursue their career up to professorship level like their university counterparts,” he concluded.

THE ASSOCIATION OF OLD STUDENTS OF MAYFLOWER SCHOOL. IKENNE This is to inform the general public that the above named association has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No.1 of 1990 Board of Trustees: 1, Dr. Wale Omole 3, Mr. Abiodun Dada 5, Mrs. Tokunbo Sanni 7, Mr. Adetunji Sunday

2, Mr. Olalekan Adeniji 4, Mr. Adetola Adebayo 6, Dr. Akinlesi Rotimiolu 8, Mr. Martins Olajide

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1, To promote the good name of Mayflower School, Ikenne and cherish, uphold, and strengthen the traditions of the School.

2, To initiate and finance or assist in financing any deserving project or activity aimed at enhancing the development, progress and good image of the school.

3, To foster unity, promote understanding and ensure good relationship among members.

4, To maintain contacts and cooperate with other organizations whose aims and objectives are similar to those of the Association in bringing development to the school.

5, To carry out any other objectives that are in furtherance of the purposes of the Association Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, PMB 198, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: O. O. SOMOLU AND CO.

PUBLIC NOTICE

HOLYLAND EVERGREEN MINISTRY

UNITED WATERWAYS PASSENGERS ASSOCIATION

This is to notify the general public that the Original

This is to inform the General public that the above named ministry has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No.1 of 1990

This is to inform the general public that the above named association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

document of Deed of Assignment and Partition of plot 15, Block 98, Lekki Peninsula Residential Scheme 1, Eti Osa L.G.A. Lagos-state. Registered at Land Registry as No. 35, Page 35, IN VOLUME 2226.

THE NAMES OF THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1)Young Eze (2) Preciouse Eze (3) Bulus Ashafa (4)Jane Henry (5) Ifeanyi Ogbomeh (6)Blessing Patrick (7)Jane Oyelade..

The Trustees Are: 1. Adegboyega Solomon Adedotun, 3. Adbulrahman Habeebah Abdulkadir, 5. Oguntola Abdulganiy Adedayo

2. Agbude Tunde Pius, 4. Adeyoola Akeem Ademola,

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:(1) Preaching the total gospel to all mankind (2) Teaching the body of Christ to know the Lord their saviour (3 )Healing the sick and feeble ones in the society and ministering deliverance to the captives (4) Caring for the needy ones within and outside the church

The Aims and Objectives Are: 1. Promote the safety of all water ways passenger in all local water transportation routes in Nigeria 2. Push for the provision of adequate facilities to support the case of passage along all water transportation in Nigeria.

3. Ensure the overall welfare of all passengers of WPA. 4. The passenger come together to ensure their welfare is ensure and interest is protected by all shake holders in marital and waterway transportation service.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to The Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Secretary

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission 420 Tigris Crescent, Off AguiyiIronsi Street, Maitama, and Abuja within 28 days of the publication.

Signed: Secretary

GOLDEN HEART INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

SCULPTURAL ARTIST ASSOCIATION OF OYO STATE NIGERIA

ONIKOYI CENTRE FOR CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND PEACE INITIATIVE

This is to inform the general public that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named ASSOCIATION has

This is to inform the general public that the above named INITIATIVE has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Mr. Hakeem Adeola Shodiya 2. Mrs. Folashade Adunni Shodiya

The Trustees Are:

Belonging to Mr. Osayande Jos Bazuaye got missing in transit. All effort to trace it prove abortive. If found please contact Mr. Osayande Jos Bazuaye of 25, Awudu Ekpekha By, off Admiralty Road, Lekki 1, Lagos-state.

General Public Take Note.

Aims and Objectives: 1. To engage youth in fruitful enterprise with emphasis on provisions of facilities for vocational and remedial training for educational and financial empowerment.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission 420 Tigris Crescent, Off AguiyiIronsi Street, Maitama, and Abuja within 28 days of the publication.

Signed: Trustees

applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990.

1. Adeoye Adekunle Folorunsho 2. Taiwo Anthony Kayode 3. Ajiferuke Babajide 4. Yekini Kabiru Oluwaseun Aims and Objectives: 1. To promote love and unity among its members.

2. To cater for welfare of members.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission 420 Tigris Crescent, Off AguiyiIronsi Street, Maitama, and Abuja within 28 days of the publication.

Signed: Trustees

The Trustees Are: 1. Alh Morishelade Kolawole Balogun - President 2. Com. Suliat Toyin Balogun - women Coordinator 3. Com. Abiodun Sikiru - Chief Whip 4. Mrs Modinat Yetunde Alimi - Member 5. Barr. Ahmed Olabode Olayiwola - General Secretary 6. Prince Sunday Aderemi - P.R.O Aim and Objective: 1.To protect conflict and initiate peace for the nation to become one generation away from total anarchy.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission 420 Tigris Crescent, Off AguiyiIronsi Street, Maitama, and Abuja within 28 days of the publication.

Signed: Trustees

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Gbajabiamila absolves APC from Saraki's ordeal Egena Egena

Abuja ÏÏÏLeader of the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday, distanced the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) from the travails of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki. He said the current ordeal of Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal was essentially a judicial issue which was being handled by his legal team, stressing that the party had nothing to do with it.

He also dismissed reports of leadership crisis in the National

Assembly, insisting that the leaders at both chambers were working in harmony.

Gbajabiamila spoke to State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after he met behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said: “Everything that has a beginning, has an end. I don’t know if there is any leadership crisis in the National Assembly.

"But the little I understand is that there is an issue involving the Senate President. That has nothing to do with the APC. That has

to do with the issue of law and I’m sure the Senate President is being surely represented and he will have his day in court. It’s not an APC issue”, he said.

Gbajabiamila further said that not even the upcoming constitution of membership of the House committees would cause any friction, because of his conviction that the exercise would be properly handled by the leadership with justice and fairness.

“It would be handled by members of the House. The correct thing is that justice is done, equity

is done; and once that is done, there won’t be a problem,” he submitted.

He disclosed that he was at the Presidential Villa along with three other Representatives to discuss the 2016 Budget and other issues to further cement the relations between the law-makers and the Executive. Gbajabiamila further declared the support of the federal legislature for President Buhari’s anti-corruption war.

“May God help any member of the NASS that is not disposed to it. This is the most critical cankerworm that is destroying the fabric

Fayose appoints Bandele EKSU VC Gbenga Sodeinde Ado-Ekiti

ÏÏÏEkiti

State Governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, has approved the appointment of Professor Samuel Oye Bandele as the new ViceChancellor of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti.

In a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in Ado-Ekiti, on Thursday, the governor acted on the recommendations of the Governing Council of the university, which said that Bandele came first out of the three candidates who were interviewed for the job.

Bandele’s appointment takes effect from December 2, 2015, as the tenure of the ou-tgoing Vice-Chancellor, Professor Oladipo Aina, expires on December 1, 2015.

Fayose urged Bandele to improve upon the good work of the out-going VC and take the university to a lofty height.

Fayose who also thanked Professor Aina, who he said had contributed immensely toward the growth of the university physically, socially and economically, however prayed that God should be with the outgoing VC in his new endeavour after leaving office.

From right, HRM Oba Yisa Olanipekun, Zaki of Arigidi Akoko, Ondo State, Prof. Muyiwa Falaye, Dean Faculty of Art UNILAG and The Guest Speaker for Olokun Festival 2015, Dr Sally Mbanefo, DG, NTDC, Otunba Gani Adams, Chief Promoter, Olokun Festival Foundation and High Chief Owheton Ahungbe, The Agoloto of Badagry, representative of Akran of Badagry at the grand finale of Olokun Festival 2015 at Suntan Beach, Badagry

Adopt regular hand washing, Lara Oshiomhole advises students Titus Akhigbe

Benin ÏÏÏThe wife of the Edo State Governor, Mrs. Lara Oshiomhole, has called on people of the state to imbibe the culture of regular hand washing, in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Speaking at the 2015 Hand Washing Day organised by the European Union (EU) and UNICEF in conjunction with the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, in Benin City, Mrs. Oshiomhole said regular hand-washing was one of the surest ways to avoid infections, especially among school children.

While commending the students of various schools in the state, who participated in this year’s hand washing campaign exercise, she said, “It is important to wash our hands even though it is clean, so to prevent diseases. So you use soap and clean water to wash your hand. Now, you know how we should wash our hand, when we should wash our hands and where to wash our hands.”

She monitored the demonstration of hand-washing by some pupils and gifts were later presented to pupils and schools that participated at the exercise.

The State Commissioner for Energy and Water Resources, Mr. Washington Osifo, who also addressed the students said regular hand-washing was a sure way to avoid the dreaded Ebola disease

Lawmaker indicts Ngilari, Fintiri for Adamawa woes Tom Garba Yola

ÏÏÏA serving member in the Ad-

amawa House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulraham Isa, has said that the past administrations of Mr.Bala Ngilari and Mr. Umaru Fintiri had bastardised the state with their sentimental ideologies and selfish interests.

Isa frowned upon the failure of both men to revive the Sukur king-

Prof. Luke Uka Uche passes on ÏÏÏThe

Fayose

23 News

death has been announced of Professor Luke Uka Uche of the Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos. Uche passed on peacefully at Illinois, Chicago on October 6, 2015 after a long battle with cancer.

He was an erudite scholar and

dom that was picked by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a World Heritage centre, but left office fighting among themselves over leadership without contributing meaningfully to the development of the state.

Said he: “I am disappointed in the leadership of Bala and Fintiri, who failed to revive the only international heritage site that we have

in the entire North-East, but busied themselves fighting until they left office.”

Sukur kingdom, which is in Madagali Local Government Area and is where the two past governors happened to come from, was rated as one of the best seven UNESCO Heritage Sites in the country, because of its rich ancestral and culture heritage. Despite all that the place did not receive

any government attention from Bala and Ngilari.”

Isa, who is also the Chairman, Committee on Budget and Appropriation, and Chairman, Integrity Group, maintained his stand to fight any form of misappropriation that would come from the Executive. He also called on the state government to give different market days to Mubi and Girei, in the interest of commercial progress.

acclaimed advocate of communication as agent of development process.

A Fulbright fellow and author of many scholarly books on Development Journalism, he served variously as Head of Department, Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Editor-in-Chief Pan African News Agency (PANA), Radio Nigeria Kaduna and was external examiner to many universities including Liecester University, United Kingdom.

Left behind to mourn him are his wife of over 40 years Mrs. Joyce Chibuzo Uche, a retired director in the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, four children and five grand-children among who are Ugochukwu Uche, Adaku Uche Ekpo, Uzodinma Uche and Nnanenyem Uche.

He will be laid to rest at his country home in Abayi, Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area, Abia State, on Friday November 6, 2015.

Uche

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Amnesty boss spells out obligations, sues for peace Akor Ejumene Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Co-ordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, General Paul T. Boroh (rtd), has solicited the co-operation and assistance of all in the effort to ensure continued peace and sustainable development in the region.

He said that the pro-

gramme was doing everything possible to meet its obligations.

The statement of the programme signed by the Head, Media and Communication, Mr. Owei Lakemfa, on Thursday, said that the sustenance of peace in the region was the first priority of the programme, calling for joint effort and collaboration of well-meaning Nigerians to achieve the feat.

Lakemfa said that the agency had paid the monthly stipend of the beneficiaries under the programme through the banks, adding that if there was any case of under-payment or deduction, such a case should be brought to the notice of the agency for rectification.

On the protest by those who complained of being left out of the programme, Lakemfa clarified that the mandate of the Amnesty

Programme was to cater for the 30,000 ex-agitators documented at the Disarmament Stage.

He said the programme had since passed the Demobilisation Period to the ongoing Reintegration Phase, noting that the Amnesty Office had no powers to either expand the programme or make new intakes. It said that any such approval would be purely at the discretion of the Federal Gov-

ernment.

As a result of the change in administration, he said some delays were inevitable, which were quickly rectified following the appointment the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Co-ordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme.

For the beneficiaries who claim that their housing allowance or hostel fees had not been paid, the Office

clarified that the issue was being addressed.

Lakemfa reiterated the readiness of the programme to receive suggestions and enquiries through the call centre, where individuals could make enquiries on issues bordering on the programme.

The numbers according to Lakemfa are 0703-5611-612 and 0809-0088-337 and the email is:osapndcallcentre@ gmail.com.

Plan to reschedule Niger LG polls suffers setback Pita Chikwem Minna

ÏÏÏThe meeting of the Ni-

ger State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) and registered political parties, on Thursday, over the plan to postpone the local government elections scheduled for November 7 ended in a deadlock.

The meeting, which was at the instance of Niger State SIEC, was attended by 25 of the registered po-

L-R Corporate Relations Director, Sesan Sobowale; Sales Director, Paul Costigan; both of Guinness Nigeria; Managing Director, Edinho Nig. Ltd, Chief Edmond Okafor; Supply Chain Director, Cephas Afebuameh and Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Guinness Nigeria, Peter Ndegwa at the Guinness Nigeria's Distributors Conference, tagged 'Partners for Growth' which held at Classique Events Centre, Lagos... on Thursday

Ogun govt shuts down illegal mortuary, relocate corpses Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÏÏÏThe

Ogun State Government has sealed off an illegal morgue facility at No. 6, Church Street, Orudu Road, Gbogbolowo Bus Stop, in Ifo Local Government Area, as its activities posed serious health hazard to the community and its environs.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Daisi Odeniyi, while sealing off the morgue, alongside security operatives said the step was to deter other members of the public from engaging in such act to desist from such illegality and follow due process by registering

Amosu

private hospitals, maternity homes, laboratory centres and other health facilities with the Ministry of Health.

Odeniyi said three corpses were evacuated from the morgue, adding that the structure housing the corpses did not have building plan approval and would be served demolition notice by the relevant agency.

Represented by Dr. Solomon Sokunbi, Odeniyi said the three bodies recovered from the morgue would be deposited to the state-owned mortuary, explaining that the corpses would be released to their owners, a after proper identification and documentation.

According to him, “Ogun State has zero tolerance to quackery and would not condone the operation of any illegal health facility in and around the state, and anyone caught engaging in such illegality would be arrested and prosecuted.”

The Area Co-ordinator of the Community, Mr. Funso Williams, confirmed that the morgue had been sealed thrice by the officials of the Ministry of Health, adding that the operator of the facility, Mr. Martins Ikharo, usually break government seal on the facility.

He, therefore, called on the government to find a lasting solution to the problem, saying that such an illegal facility could cause serious health hazard in the community as there were schools, churches, hotels and buildings around the morgue.

Also speaking, Senior Pastor, Celestial Church of Christ, Oluwaseyi Parish, Adiyan, Mr. Falola Olabode, said the morgue had a negative effect on socio-economic activities of the community, adding that chemicals used in preserving the dead bodies were deleterious to the health of the people.

Ondo landlord jailed for defecating in own premises ’Tosin Ajuwon Akure

ÏÏÏA mobile court in Ondo

town, Owo West Local Government Area of Ondo State, has sentenced an 83-yearold man, Saliu Oteniya, to nine months imprisonment for allegedly defecating indiscriminately around his

litical parties operating in the state and came almost 24 hours after Governor Abubakar Sani Bello had told a stakeholder-meeting, at the Doko Hotel, in Minna, that the election “will go ahead as planned.”

Daily Times learnt that immediately the meeting commenced at SIEC’s headquarters, its Chairman, Alhaji Ibrahim Danlami, told the gathering that the major issue for discussion was the plan to postpone the

election for lack of funds.

Danlami also said that the elections had to be postponed to January 16, 2016, because the card readers needed for the conduct of the elections were not available.

He emphasised that so far government had released only 40% of the needed funds for the election to the commission, while the card readers were still at various election petition tribunals serving as exhibits.

premises thereby causing air pollution.

Also, some landlords numbering about 15 in the same community, were also sentenced to nine months in prison for committing various environmental offences.

Prosecutors in charge of the case, Elizabeth Akinfemisoye and Adejoke Olanrewaju, told the court that Oteniya, whose residential building was situated at No. 23, Lokun Street, had been endangering the health conditions of other residents in the area, which might lead

to disease outbreak.

The duo also accused 15 landlords of failing to provide sanitary dustbins and latrine in their places of domicile, since the existing one were filled up and liable to cause disease outbreak in and around the places.

“They failed to renovate the dilapidated buildings and failed to provide sanitary kitchen and bathrooms in their places of domicile, since the existing one were unsanitary,” the prosecutors said.

FG urged to reform education sector

Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin

ÏÏÏFederal

Government has been advised to urgently reform the nation’s public educational system, in order to ensure that private and public institutions can prepare students equally to become citizens of a new Nigeria.

A lecturer and Professor of Comparative Religions Studies at the Havard University, Cambridge Massachusetts, USA, Jacob Olupona, stated this while

delivering the University of Ilorin 31st Convocation and 40th anniversary lecture at the university’s auditorium, on Thursday.

Daily Times gathered that no fewer than 69 of the 6710 graduands bagged first class honours, while the Chancellor of the university and 50th Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman, was also officially installed.

Olupona said that, “Private schools, by and large, treat education as a commodity. This, in itself, does

not present a problem, when too much of the educational burden is placed on private institutions.

The idea that education is a constitutional right and a public good is severely undermine “As we are all aware, the private sector has been growing rapidly over the years, and while I appreciate the great contributions that private institutions have made, the fact remains that the public school system should be viewed as the standard with private schools are viewed as an alternative for those who can afford a world-class education.”

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Features

25

s Still, the buildings keep crumbling...

Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode and his housing Commissioner, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal, are grappling with the rudiments of leadership barely five months after coming to office. Between May 29th to Wednesday October 21, 2015, one tragedy too many has hit the City of Excellence from all quarters - from tragic trailer-tanker related accidents, infernos on the Island and Mainland and multiple buildings collapses, to mention only a few. GBUBEMI GOD’S COVENANT SNR reports the collapse of a 3-storey residential on the Island

Collapsed three-storey building

and another at Osapa London in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state just three days ago.

Disquiet hit residents of Odun Ifa Street, by 100, Adeniji Adele Street, Lagos Island on Wednesday morning following the collapse of a heavily populated three-storey building, leaving scores dead and many others trapped under the rubbles.

On the same Wednesday, a second building yet under construction located at Osapa London, Agobi in Lekki in Eti-Osa Local Government of the state CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

BREAST CANCER PREVALENCE

Advocates preach early detection With one out of every eight women reported to be affected by breast cancer at a point in their lives, it is therefore not surprisingthat a day is set aside in October worldwide to raise awareness on this deadly disease.With the pink ribbon as a symbol, medical practitioners, victims and cancer advocates recently gathered at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos to present a common force against the malady. BABAJIDE OKEOWO was there and reports.

Each had a compelling stories; similar but yet different. It was a story of pain, courage and survival in the fight against breast cancer, a story of women who have engaged the killer disease in a battle of grit, and survived.

Mrs. Oluwakemi Oyegbile’s battle with breast cancer started after the birth of her child in 2003.

Her happiness on the arrival of the tot was however truncated when in the course of breast feeding the bundle of joyshe found out that she had a lump in one of her breasts. She consulted with different people who dissuaded her from seeking medical opinion, but as the pain persisted, she eventually took a trip to the hospital where her worst fear was confirmed: she was diagnosed of breast cancer, but the treatment

A cancerous breast

did not start until 2004.

What made the difference for her was the early detection.

For Veronica Okafor, the story could have been different if she had adhered totally to the illadvice she got from her matron.

When she noticed the lump in her breast, she called the attention of her nurse who deftly asked her to ignore the symptoms; but as the pain persisted, she was forced to seek a second opinion; this time, from another medical practitioner who, without carrying

Any lump which is usually painless, any change in size or shape of the breast, discharge from a nipple, one breast becoming larger than the other, puckering or dimpling of the skin around the breast and changing shape or position of nipples should not be ignored. – Dr. Nwaneri

out any test, told her that it was nothing to worry about as it is just ‘a kind of boil’ in her breast.

She was however placed on some drugs and injection with the assurance that all will be well.

Veronica was on this ‘treatment’ for almost a year without any relief; when she couldn’t bear the pain anymore, she went back to her doctor who still insisted that there was no cause for alarm.

In due time, common sense prevailed and she eventually took her case to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), IdiAraba where she was eventually diagnosed of breast cancer, she started her treatment in 2010 and today she is alive to tell her story.

However, there are many who were not as lucky like Veronica and Oluwakemi.

Causes and symptoms Breast cancer, according to Dr. Obinna Nwaneri, Consultant Medical Oncologist, St. Nicholas’ Hospital, Lagos, is a malignant growth that begins in the tissues of the breast. “Cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow in an uncontrolled way. It is the most common cancer in women, but it can also appear in men” he said.

Speaking on how to detect breast cancer, he said “any lump which is usually painless, any change in size or shape of the breast, discharge from a nipple, one breast becoming larger than the other, puckering or dimpling of the skin around the breast and CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

Features 26

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Early detection makes the difference

In mothers and siblings has been associated with the risks of getting breast cancer taking birth control pills for more than ten year, alcohol consumption, not having children or having your first child after age 30 are some of the factors — Dr. Omolola Salako

Creating awareness for breast cancer CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

changing shape or position of nipples should not be ignored”.

On possible causes of the dreaded disease that has claimed the lives of so many women, Dr. Omolola Salako, a consultant Radiation Oncologist said there are many factors that are responsible for breast cancer.

“There are many risk factors that have been associated with breast cancer: being a female is one of the factors we really cannot do much about, the chances of getting it increases with the age of the woman; the older women get the more their chances of getting breast cancer. As with any other genetic diseases, a history of breast cancer in close relatives especially in mothers and siblings has been associated with the risks of getting breast cancer taking birth control pills for more than

Dr. Salako

ten year, alcohol consumption, not having children or having your first child after age 30 are some of the factors” she said.

Mind boggling statistics According to the World Health

Organisation (WHO), 1.38 million new cases of breast cancer are recorded yearly with 458, 000 of that figure resulting in death worldwide.

On the home front, it is even

Unending building collapse in Lagos CONTINUED FROM PAGE 25

also collapsed the same morning.

An eye witness told Daily Times that about six were rescued by neighbours before the state government emergency personnel arrived the scene.

One of the emergency rescue volunteers who gave his name as Niyi Adejobi told Daily Times that the sound of the collapse brought many of the neighbours out immediately.

“Help was slow in the begin-

ning but we mobilised ourselves and did our best while some people made frantic calls to the State Red Cross, Area Commander of the Police, Fire Brigade and LASEMA.” For Ganiyat Rufai, a resident of the three-Storey building located at 87, Odunfa Street, off Ad¬eniji Adele Street in Lagos State which col¬lapsed around 9 am on Wednesday morning, she has providence to thank for sparing her life and that of her 9-year old son.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

People at collapsed building

more alarming with 27, 000 new cases being diagnosed yearly and 13,000 of that number resulting in death, this is according to Dr. Omolola Salako, a consultant Radiation Oncologist.

It is also reported that breast cancer affects one in eight women during their lives and is responsible for 47 percent of cancer related deaths.

Early detection is key In order to survive the onslaught of breast cancer, Dr. Salako advocates early detection. She

said that the chances of survival is boosted by the early detection of the cancer.Late presentation of patients at advanced stages when little or no benefit can be derived from any form of therapy is the hallmark of breast cancer in Nigerian women. According to her, the stage at which most of the victims present their case have always been stage three and four, lamenting that this as always been the practice ten years ago and it is still the same today.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

27 Features

Yet, another building collapse in Lagos CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Here is her account of what happened just before the building went down, “I left for my shop very early in the morning and when I waited for my son and I didn’t see him, I rushed back home to hasten him up as he was getting late for school.

Hardly had I gotten back to my shop when we heard a noise and people screaming, I rushed out of the shop to find out what was going on only to see that it was our building that just collapsed. I thank God for sparing my life and that of my son,” she said We thank God that most people have gone out before the collapse - Residents The building went down at around 9 am when most of the residents were either at work,

market place or school. Very few people were at home at the time the building collapsed; this was why the incident recorded no casualty as at press time as rescue operation was still ongoing.

“The incident oc¬curred at about 9a.m, there is the possibility that the oc¬cupants may have gone to work and the children gone to school before the building crumbled. We believe those rescued were the people in the building as nobody has reported any missing per¬son.”

This is the position of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) spokesman Ibra¬him Farinloye while addressing journalists during the rescue operation.

“So far, rescue operations initiated to get out the trapped occupants have turned out five

Continued on page 28

Painful, ravages of breast cancer CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Corroborating the stance of Dr. Salako, Dr. Obinna Nwaneri decried the level of awareness in the battle against breast cancer; he said most cases are brought in at either stage three or four. According to him, stage one and two are quite manageable while stage four is incurable. He painted a very scary scenario:“the cancer cell is present in the body for a period of two to five years before exhibiting any symptom, and it starts as a microscopic disease before getting bigger. If it is discovered when it is still small it could easily be taken out but when it gets bigger and has spread to other parts of the body, it becomes difficult.”

He however enjoins women between the ages of twenty to forty to be accustomed to their body and carry out a monthly breast self examination to be able to detect any abnormalities in their breast. He also called on women who are above the age of forty to ensure that they get a Mammogram examination done at least yearly.

How to detect breast cancer (self examination) The breast self-exam is a way that you can check your breasts for changes (such as lumps or thickenings). It includes looking at and feeling your breast. Any unusual changes should be reported to the doctor. When breast cancer is detected in its early stage, the chances of surviving the disease are greatly improved.

The first step in effective self breast examination requires you stand before a large mirror in a

A breast infected with cancer

well lit room. Look closely at your breasts and be careful not to panic if they don’t look equal in size or shape. Most women’s breasts aren’t. With your arms relaxed by your sides, look for any changes in size, shape, or position, or any changes to the skin of the breasts.

Look for any skin puckering, dimpling, sores, or discoloration.

Inspect your nipples and look for any sores, peeling, or change in the direction of the nipples.

Place your hands on our hips and press down firmly to tighten the chest muscles beneath your breasts. Turn from side to side so you can inspect the outer part of your breasts; bend forward toward the mirror and roll your shoulders and elbows forward to tighten your chest muscles. Your breasts will fall forward. Look for any changes in the shape or contour of your breasts as you do these.

Now, clasp your hands behind your head and press your hands forward. Again, turn from side to side to inspect your breasts’ outer portions. Remember to inspect the border underneath your breasts. You may need to lift your breasts with your hand to see this area.

Check your nipples for discharge (fluid). Place your thumb and forefinger on the tissue surrounding the nipple and pull outward toward the end of the nipple.

Look for any discharge. Repeat on your other breast.

While under the shower, feel for changes in both breasts. It is helpful to have your hands slippery with soap and water. Check for any lumps or thickening in your underarm area. Place your left hand on your hip and reach with your right hand to feel in the left armpit. Repeat on the other side

Continued on page 28

Dr. Obinna Nwaneri

1.38 million new cases of breast cancer are recorded yearly with 458, 000 of that figure resulting in death worldwide. On the home front, it is even more alarming with 27, 000 new cases being diagnosed yearly and 13,000 of that number resulting in death — Radiation Oncologist.

Features 28

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Ending frequent building collapse CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

persons, including a 15-yearold boy and an elderly wom¬an believed to be in her early 80s.

The octogenarian was rescued at about 1:45 pm with her body covered in dust and taken to the Lagos Island General Hospital where she is currently being treatment.

Farinloye said the agency was not expecting further rescue of occupants as most of the occupants of the three-storey building “appeared to have miraculously left be¬fore the building collapsed,” he said.

Structurally defective building will be pulled down - Lagos State Government.

Investigations showed that the building which is over 30-years old was structurally defective with visible cracks all over it.

Another resident in the building, Mrs. Lara Olajobi lamented that the house ought to have been marked for demolition by the government.

“I have been living here for five years now and all the while, all of us in the eight mini flats on the third floor alone have seen that the house has been distressed, but not marked. We have told the developer several times to renovate the building, but he said he

would only renovate the pillar of the house.”

Lara told our correspondent their saving grace was that they go to work in the morning and come back in the evening. “We thank God the incident did not happen in the night. What would have happened to us all?”

In his reaction, the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Shola Aderibigbe, said the building was marked for integrity test while a 14-day ultimatum was served on the occupants.

“For this building, we served them a 14-day ultimatum, which expired before today. We asked them to conduct structural stability test and they agreed. We were still waiting for them to conduct the test before the building collapsed. The test would have helped us to ascertain if the building was distressed or not.”

Aderibigbe observed that some buildings can be defective but when test is conducted, they are able to know if the building should be renovated or demolished.

“Some of the structurally defective buildings around the area have been identified and marked for demolition.”

The scourge of breast cancer bites harder CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

and check both sides for lumps or thickenings above and below your collarbone.

With your soapy hands, raise one arm behind your head to spread out the breast tissue. Use the flat part of your fingers from the other hand to press gently into the breast. Follow an up-and-down pattern along the breast, moving from bra line to collarbone. Continue the pattern until you have covered the entire breast. Repeat on the other side.

Lady down and place a small pillow or folded towel under your right shoulder and put your right

hand behind your head. Place your left hand on the upper portion of your right breast with fingers together and flat. Body lotion may help to make this part of the exam easier.

Now, think of your breast as a face on a clock. Start at 12 o’clock and move toward 1 o’clock in small circular motions. Continue around the entire circle until you reach 12 o’clock again; keep your fingers flat and in constant contact with your breast. When the circle is complete, move in one inch toward the nipple and complete another circle around the clock. Continue in this pattern until you’ve felt the entire breast.

Make sure to feel the upper outer areas that extend into your armpit.

Place your fingers flat and directly on top of your nipple. Feel beneath the nipple for any changes. Now, gently press your nipple inward and observe that it should move easily.

One of the survivors of breast cancer, Mrs. Oluwakemi Oyegbile however call for government to provide more cancer screening centers and urges government to subsidise the cost of treatment.

According to her, “we still have a long way to go in the areas of accessibility, finance and facility” she said.

JUST HUMAN

7.45 am OPC Junction, Idimu, Lagos. Photo God’s Covenant Snr?093

4.20pm. Egbeda bus stop, Lagos. Photo God’s Covenant Snr/094

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Art Review

29

s

Gallery of tributes for Ofeimun’s poetics Poet Odia Ofeimun, exhibits 42 books in a unique show that situates his love for literature and preservation of records for the future generation.

Agozino Agozino The 42 different books, which portray an exquisite symphony of struggle for justice and the poet’s love for literature, unfold the poetic bashing for military rulers and politicians who are allegedly responsible for running the country aground and understandably too, considering the polemic nature of the writer.

The books remain sparkling with the desire to make Nigeria a beautiful place in reality.

The consensus of opinion at the exhibition, held recently at the Agip Hall, Lagos, was that a land of diverse cultural differences and ethnic upheavals like the contemporary Nigeria needs more writers like Ofeimun.

Unlike past years when he presented one book, the exhibition featured his 18 old works and 22 new books, as well as five copies of his old works were also on display. They are poems, anthologies, essay and letters, an icing on the life of a man who gave himself fully to literature.

Far from controversial appellations he has acquired from living on the front lines, the books captures intimate interventions from Ofeimun’s engagement with the Nigerian state. That, perhaps, is why Dr. Obari Gomba, literary scholar and the books reviewer described day as a sweet moment not only for himself but also for the writer whom he said has contributed to Nigerian literary growth.

Present were former Ogun State Governor, Chief Segun Osoba, Permanent Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Communication

and Technology, Dr Tunji Olaopa, Prof. Kole Omotoso, Chairman of The News Magazine, Mr Kunle Ajibade, and founder of Splendid Literature and Culture Foundation and the Women Writers Association (WRITA), Mrs Mobolaji Adenubi, among others. The former Minister of National Planning Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman who represented former President Goodluck Jonathan lauded Ofeimun, saying he has made significant contribution to the growth of Nigerian literature.

While commending Ofeimun’s contributions to the development of this country politically, Osoba revisited the issue of the leakage of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s letter to former President Nnamdi Azikiwe.

“I am here to honour Ofeimun and make clarifications of your good name you are making. Odia has served this country. He has shown tenacity and the ability to hang on to what he believes in despite the vicissitudes of life. And despite the fact that he is not making money, he has not given up.

People talk about his writing but his contributions to this country, politically, are immeasurable,’’ said Osoba.

For those who do not know him, Ofeimun actually came to limelight when his earliest poems were published in the iconic postcivil war journal, Okike and in Poems of Black Africa (edited by Prof. Wole Soyinka).

Apart from being the only poet of his generation to feature in that anthology, he was also published in Opon Ifa, Idoto, the Festac Anthology of Nigerian New Writing (edited by late Cyprian

Ekwensi) and many others. Most of the 42 books exhibited address several issues.

The Poet Lied, one of the books exhibited, shows how the writer was pitched against the more mature Prof. J.P. Clark, just as his creative works were about gaining international recognition when Longman Publishers released his first poetry collection in 1980. The book’s title, however, stirred controversy because it raised a critique on poetry’s involvement with the public space.

Although, Longman, eventually, censored the book to prevent a legal dispute, the message around the book is that of challenge to

what Ofeimun considered not as a truth. It is certain that The Poet Lied enjoys a prime place in Nigerian poetry. His poetry is deeply “implicated” in the struggles of society.

A Handle for the Flutist, another creative effort by Ofeimun, was also exhibited at the event. A rather colourful collection of poems, begins with a “Matriarchate” section that reveals the poet’s fascination with the mother-motif.

The poems touch a number of subjects from Soyinka’s mother in “Our Wild Christian” to “Medina of Greece”. The rural woman is also extolled in “To Mother on Mothers’ Day”. A Handle for the

Flutist mocks those who aim to “banish poets” from the People’s Republic”.

Go Tell the Generals, another collection of poems written during the military era, extends to subjects beyond that era. In After The Coup which is dedicated to Chinweizu, Ofeimun displayed his mastery of language, notwithstanding his famous disagreement with Chinweizu is still fresh in the minds of writers.

I Will Ask Questions with Stones If They Take My Voice is another book with five sections.

It opens with the haunting poem in “The Returnee Section.” Its persona returns home at the moment of angst. The poems depict the atmosphere of uncertainty that characterised the reign of the late Gen. Sani Abacha. The subject matter connects with the personal history of the poet who “returned” from the United Kingdom “while so many were fleeing” from Nigeria as in “The Returnee”, only to find that he is “homeless” in his “own house”.

As always in his poetry, there is a heightened sense of commitment in this book but it goes beyond the political.

A Boiling Caracas and Other Poems take its main currents from the capital city of Venezuela, a city in turmoil then, which the poet visited in 2004 and informed the images of confrontation in the collection, but, it is, essentially, a poetic journey.

London Letter and Other Poems has a title that gives primacy to an international slant but it begins with poems on Lagos. The first section has poems like “Lagoon”, “Full Moon”, “Demolition Day”, “Self Portrait of Lagosian” and “Eko, My City by the Lagoon”. The poet had come to Lagos in 1969 as a young man at 19 and had been in love with the city since then. It is the kind of love that is not blind to the minuses of the city.

100,000 prize for best reviewer of Saro Wiwa’s book The organisers of the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) have launched a new incentive prize for the best review of any of Ken Saro Wiwa’s fiction and drama during this year’s Lagos festival begining on November 13, at

Freedom Park, Broad Street, Lagos.

The prize for the best review for any of five works of Wiwa’s fiction and drama which includes Sozaboy, A Forest of Flowers, Adaku and Other Stories, Prisoners of Jebs,

or a joint review of Basi and Company and Transistor Radio will receive a 100,000 Naira prize money at the opening day of the Festival.

The competition is open to Nigerians aged between 18 and 41, especially those who were

either not born, or were just teenagers or at most aged 21, at the time of the death of this Nigerian literary icon.

The entries are to be submitted to Mr. Toni Kan, chairman of the panel of judges, on or before 5pm on November 6. Mr.

Kan is the author of Nights of The Creaking Bed and brand ambassador for the Samsung Galaxy Note 5. Each review should not more than 1,000 words and typewritten and sent via email to tonikan11@ gmail.com.

Art Review 30

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Agozino Agozino Sandra Mbanefo Obiago was already busy mounting some art works in Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, when I arrived for our scheduled meeting.

“Hi! Agozino?”

“Hi! I replied.

The tall, fair-skinned beautiful lady that could be mistaken for an African-American, with a bit of American diction, offered her hand in a handshake and nudges me take my seats inside the highbrow hotel where she had been waiting for me.

Sandra is a scion of the popular Mbanefo dynasty, (not Odu Arthur Mbanefo) from Onitsha, Anambra State.

With the beautiful ambiance, surrounded by large screen plasma television, the soft-spoken amazon regaled me with stories of her initiation into the curatorial world of art and film.

Although born and bred in the United States of America, where she also had her early education, Sandra, who is, equally, married to popular art patron, Joe Obiago, had produced and directed many films, apart from being a passionate art enthusiast, who believes that art can actually become Nigeria’s gold mine, if the government could give more priority attention to the sector.

“I am proud to be associated with Nigerian art and artists”, Sandra says with a smile.

“I am an independent art curator and I am, at present, holding an exhibition at the Wheatbaker Hotel. The first part of my career was doing educational television and film, which focused on environment and developmental issues. I established the Communicating for Change (CFC) which I ran for 16 years. During this time, we did works ranging from girlchild empowerment to campaign against female genital mutilation, all aimed at empowering young people to tell their stories. But I think my first artistic endeavor was film, ’’ she said.

Sandra spent 16 years running a non-profit organisation making documentary films for developmental goals such as health and community activism. The initiative was called Communicating

Sandra

Sandra in the world of arts for Change (CFC) The last popular film she produced was a fivepart documentary series on 17 Nigerian artists called Red Hot. The film showed the vibrancy, creativity and range of the world class talents that can be found in Nigeria.

Is Nigerian art, actually, doing well and should government give more support to the sector?

She answers, “The international art world is beginning to look at Nigeria with very keen interest. When it comes to music and film, Nigeria is already seen as

number one. Nollywood has put on the map in terms of the largest film industry in the world. In the visual arts, there are a lot that are taking place and there is an increasing interest in Nigerian contemporary art.’’

She had also held many exhibitions for young artists, sponsoring solo and group exhibitions. The two of these were the beginning of what Sandra called Collectors’ Series, including the on-going one at the Wheatbaker Hotel, Ikoyi.

Each exhibition is designed to showcase one or a group of artists

for the public. What she is doing now, according to her is using hotel and public places to showcase the best of Nigerian art, since many people find it difficult to go to the gallery or museum. “We had an exhibition last year that included photography and dance.

Because many Nigerians don’t go to the museum, that is why we are using hotels as a platform to showcase the arts,” she said.

On what inspires her, Sandra, with a chuckle said, “Everything about arts and creativity inspires me. I am an artist. I write poetry,

I do photography. So, over the years, I found that there is a huge gap in the industry; you see artists trying to promote themselves that are very frustrating, because it takes them away from creative focus to commercial. So, there is a need for experienced and professional curators to come into the industry. And for me, I love it, because it allows me to merge my experience with film, poetry and writings to write about the Art and push incredible talents to new heights.

We need to also encourage people to invest in arts. Though, some people think it is all about money, but it is not so.’’

“Art gives hope. It helps us to appreciate our own identity. Beyond providing employment and creating wealth, it has also created an understanding within a society of their significance to the world.

Recently, interest in Nigeria art is growing worldwide. Recently, the last art auction at Africa Now sale in Bonhams, London saw Ben Enweonwu’s sculpture, ‘Anyanwu’ fetch a staggering £74,500. His Africa Dances painting sold for £68,500.

It was not unusual for Enweonwu’s pieces to receive such attractive bids; nor those of Yusuf Grillo, who, equally, dominated the auction.

Giles Peppiatt, Director of African Art at Bonhams, said after the sale, “Once more, records fell in our Africa Now sale. The strength of demand from buyers for this newly appreciated art is growing steadily”.

Sandra is a development communications specialist and documentary film producer.

Her primary focus is on developing Nigeria’s creative industry, organising conferences, workshops, and symposia for Nigeria’s growing art and film industry. She received a Bachelor of Education degree from the University of Manitoba, Canada and a Master of Arts degree in Telecommunications from Michigan State University, USA. She is a Fellow of the Second Class of the Africa Leadership InitiativeWest Africa and a Member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.

A decade of Africa-in-Motion goes on stage All is set for this year’s Africa in Motion, Scotland’s major yearly celebration of African cinema, which is set to celebrate ten years of thought-provoking and creative cinema from the African continent.

This year’s programme will be

hosting a Nigerian-Scottish Film Odyssey as part of the United Kingdom-Nigeria Season, supported by the British Council.

The Nigerian-Scottish Film Odyssey will explore the similarities and differences between independent film making in both coun-

tries, looking at funding opportunities, production, distribution and storytelling practices.

Red carpet premieres will showcase the latest films from two of the young Nollywood filmmakers, C.J. Obasi, who will present his Zombie horror film, Ojuju, and Stephanie

Linus, with her new film Dry. The filmmakers will also have the opportunity to meet and engage other young filmmakers from Scotland and key industry stakeholders in discussions on the state of independent filmmaking, including production, funding and

distribution. These discussions will then feed into an industry day to be held at the Lighthouse, Glasgow, where leading professionals from both countries will engage on storytelling practices, audience development and production.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

31 Opinion

The Age of The Never Dead

ÏÏÏBoredom is never a

good place to be, neither is it a place of desire nor a place of attraction to those who labour for the gains, benefits, profits, surpluses or rewards of their hands, yet it remains a familiar place to be when labour is shed of its meaning and the labourer seeks salvation from the drudgery of working between the waking and sleeping hours. To be bored or not to be is a choice one makes to find that vacant room of selfabsorption, of gloom, of indulgent preoccupation with one’s own interests, or to attain that state of being where one waits for oneself, that great moment of ennui when one takes time to explore or discover fresh ideas, walk on the avenues of thought to seek yesterday that is gone and tomorrow that is yet to arrive, or one looks for something of interest that one cannot resist once that state of being is attained. Whatever

choice one makes, one either becomes the bane of oneself- the workshop of being where the devil frames every contemplated vice of the mindof one’s emotions and interests or one simply becomes the one vice that is ugly and foul, to paraphrase Baudelaire.

In the weeks running up to the March presidential poll, I found myself in the quarters of boredom. At first, it wasn’t a good place to be; but as the seconds turned into minutes, into hours, and later into days and nights, I turned away from the lies politicians told unsuspecting voters to secure their inked thumbs to the avenues of thoughts and boredom became my motivating factor for seeking the tales of “the never born and never dead” and to uncover that “beautiful world” that TS Eliot famously attached beauty, ugliness, horror and glory to. In seeking “the never born and never dead”,

yesterday that was long gone and the future that is yet to arrive, I returned to do the re-read of Baudelaire’s Flowers of Evil and Eliot’s Wasteland.

Between reading both masterpieces, I found a piece, titled, “Nigeria: Looking Beyond Electoral Promises”, written by a certain Obi Ebuka Onochie. I tried to turn away from it, but the opening paragraph held me back.

This is it: “ in 1973, the then Nigeria Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon went to Canada on a state visit.

On that visit, something significant to both countries happened that is worth taken (sic) cognizance in our political decision today. The then Prime Minister, Pierre Elliot Trudeau who had become of their best Prime Ministers of all times had a little toddler named Justin Trudeau.

General Gowon...met him with his Prime Minister dad and shook the toddler’s hand”. I made a simple search for the photograph on the internet and subsequently saved it.

This week, the toddler, Justin Trudeau, was elected Prime Minister of Canada, having led the less fancied Liberal Party for two years. On hearing the news of Trudeau’s stunning victory, I fetched the photograph from where I stored it. Here it is: two years old Justin Trudeau standing on the blades of grass,

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the small geography of his right palm hidden inside the vast grip of the thirty-nine years old ruler of the most populous black nation on earth. A few minutes later, I tweeted the photograph with the caption, “ Circa 1973. General Gowon and baby Justin Trudeau in handshake.

Today, Justin is the Canadian Prime Minister.

Where are our youths?”.

The tweeted photograph went viral within a few hours, notching close to a million retweets. The photograph is profound in two aspects. First, it points to that glorious past, that once-upona-time in our country when youthful putschists peopled our quarters of political governance. Neither the ages of the putschists counted for too little nor their experiences for too much during that period. Second, that Justin Trudeau could emerge Prime Minister of that powerful North American country two months to his forty-fourth birthday implicates and shames Gowon’s generation of the never dead- a generation that denies succeeding generations the exercise of real power that preceding generation never denied it.

That age does not serve as a bar to a nation of people seeking new ways of thinking and refreshing avenues of thoughts and actions, in order to confront the challenges of modernity and the complexities of

state and nation building makes the triumph of Justin Trudeau at the Canadian poll more profound. Yes, experience in the job is as important as the vitality and the strength of character that youth offers. Like the mother hen, the experience of hatching its eggs comes with incubation- the sitting on the eggs. Inexperience cannot be used as a bar to attaining the highest political office anywhere, including our own dear native land. Justin Trudeau is lucky and he is truly lucky, doubly lucky to enjoy the providence of God and country and be saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the affairs of the Canadian state and his fellow citizens, not minding that he is the son of a former Prime Minister.

This is beside the point, but I make it here for the sake of emphasis: if Justin Trudeau were a Nigerian, the grandees of the never dead generation and their hirelings would have reminded him of his age and his lack of experience. “Wetin your Fada forget for Aso Rock wey you wan go collect?”, they would have asked him. Here, too, dimwits would have rephrased the Jeremiad, “the fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children’s teeth are set on the edge” as your father, Pierre Elliot Trudeau, ate sour grapes and your teeth are set on the edge to remind him of the cir-

cumstances of his birth.

In spite of the narrowing of political opportunities, the youths of our country draw on the sad experiences of yesterday and the sadder experiences of today to map their uncertain future while still believing that “one day monkey go go market and im no go return”. Here is the breaking the news: monkeys that live in the banana plantation of our country will never go to the market in search of honey. Concluding, I imagine how my kindred-poet and good friend, Professor Pius Adesanmi, is feeling right now. That the forty-three years old Professor of English and African Studies at Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, renowned for the knowledge he produces and reproduces in and out of our public space, cannot have a look-in in his homeland while his peer, his contemporary, and his age-mate, Justin Trudeau, rules the roost of that country he has found intellectual fame and respect exposes the lie that “our youths are the leaders of tomorrow”. Will the self-absorbed and the never dead generation of leaders ever give up their tomorrows so that the Justin Trudeaus of our nation can possess today, so that the never born can have a rebirth?

Will they ever be bored of power? Will they ever relinquish it? Time shall tell.

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Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. website: www.dailytimes.com. ng; email: info@dailytimes.com.ng. Tel: 018447948. NEWS EDITOR: SEGUN ADIO News Hotlines: 08138773277, 08173901838. Advert Hotlines: 08086296714

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2015

VOL. 1. NO.215

Price: N150

NAVAS TARGETS MAN –X7 Y T I C DOUBLE

ANDREW EKEJIUBA WITH AGENCY REPORT

A

payment made to FIFA during the World Cup 2006 bidding process was to secure “additional organisation funds”, the German Football Association (DFB) president Wolfgang Niersbach, has said.

A report in the foreign media last week alleged that a slush fund - provided by former Adidas chief Robert Louis-Dreyfus - totalling close to $6million had been established by Germany’s World Cup bidding committee, intended to secure votes in their favour for the tournament.

DFB boss, Niersbach, it was claimed, was aware of the fund at the time of the bidding process, along with former West Germany captain and Coach Franz Beckenbauer, who led the bid committee.

But Niersbach, speaking on Thursday, has again denied any wrongdoing on the part of the DFB and claims the money paid to the FIFA finance committee was simply to bolster their funding for the tournament, rather than to win votes.

Beckenbauer offered to make the payment, totalling 10 million Swiss Francs, from his own personal fortune in a private meeting with FIFA president Sepp Blatter as he expected the tournament bid to be on “sound economic footing”, Niersbach stated.

Louis-Dreyfus eventually made the payment himself and was repaid by the DFB via FIFA, according to Niersbach, who insists he was unaware of the details until earlier this year.

“The issue is very complex and I would like to take this opportunity to present things in all openness and honesty. The key message: in the award of World Cup 2006, everything was done fairly,” he said.

“We have won the rights with 12 votes to 11. We don’t know who voted for us. The claims were definitely wrong.

There was no slush fund, there were no votes bought.”

Niersbach added that he only learned of the payment in June this year after visiting Beckenbauer, who assured that the figure “appears on all financial statements”.

NIERSBACH

BACKS BECKENBAUER, EXPLAINS WORLD CUP PAYMENT CHILE 2015: Y E S RA M COLOMBIAN out with hamstring injury –X7

–X2

OFFICIALS FOR EAGLETS, CROATIA TIE

Life&

TIMES Friday, October 23, 2015

Oluwaseun

BABAJIDE on Photography Marketing

L2

P

Society Feature L2

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

We’re creating the first ever

– Oluwaseun Oluwaseun Babajide is the CEO of SnapHubr, a brand new concept in photography marketing. The young and vibrant entrepreneur is no doubt taking photography to the next level with his photo app. In this interview, he spoke on his journey into photography and his motivation. Excerpts: What motivated you to build a photography app?

One of the main purpose of Snaphubr. com is to create jobs for people in Africa; that is one of my main long and short term goals. And again, it is just a platform where people can upload and is happening in Nigeria, it has never happened before.

What we are trying to create is

Life&

T E A M

e v e n t photography market-

Music Correspondent Akintayo Opeoluwani

Movie Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye

place. For example, if you are having a wedding, sometures are taken and it gets lost, the owners never see it. The idea Snaphubr is selling is that the invitation card will read that all the pictures at this wedding is exclusive to Snaphubr. com, so after the wedding, people can visit Snaphubr.com pick their preferred pictures, download it, pay for it and they get it immediately in their email and if they order for print, they get that within 14 days regardless of the location in the world.

Are you a photographer?

I am not a professional photographer, I am the guy who likes being photographed! I am the kind of person who you will see everywhere being lively, plus I take a lot of pictures. I have them everywhere, on Instagram and Facebook. Like I said earlier, the main purpose for creating this website is for job empowerment, not necessarily

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

Graphics Onyemali Kingsley

because I enjoy photography or am a professional photographer.

Can you explain the process a little more?

It is very easy, the whole concept has been made very easy. Anyone can log on onto the website and upload bulk images which can be viewed all over the world.

There a lot of categories ranging from award ceremonies, weddings, to nightclubs and so on.

All you have to do is to upload pictures under any category you want and publish, or you can set images privacy. Another purpose that the website serves is to sell these images to their respective owners. So if you set an image as private, a lot of people can see it, but they cannot buy it. Only the people with pass-

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

L3 Society Feature

photography market place

Babajide

words can buy the image. Once you upload, you publish, we already have set prices on all images. So we do the printing, shipping and what the photographers get is 45 percent of the images sold.

Do you have competitors?

We have not had competitors, because we cater strictly for events.

But in the space of e-commerce in general, we will have a bit of competition.

How long will this application last?

I spent over two years working on this application. We have competent developers that are in charge of its upgrade and maintenance. This is a long term project and since Snabhubr launched, it has garnered positive reviews. We have had a lot of investors, LIKE..... will ever exist exclusively to African photographers and with the plans already in motion, it will be a huge income generator and also create a lot of jobs for people in Africa.

How will you be able to measure the success of the app?

There are a lot of metrics in place. For instance, google analytics that will give us the demographic view. It will enable us to know the countries that use the site regularly.

We will also have the opportunity

to know what the media has to say about the platform.

Do y o u t h i n k Africa is ready for Snaphubr?

Yes. With the feedback we have gotten so far, with the partnership requests and with the interviews we have had, I am for this new invention.

This is also true as it is going to create jobs for Africans and empower the photographers by giving them value for their money, I have no doubt that people will embrace this.

Interview L4 Isaac Oguntoye

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

It’s time to appreciate

Nigerian Journalists

– Shehu Sani

a

More than 50 years since Nigeria attained independence, a struggle which journalists spearheaded and painstakingly saw to its desired conclusion, the country and of course, successive political leaders are yet to acknowledge and appreciand the effort of its practitioners in what eventually beThis has been the thinkcerned Nigerians within and

is Shehu Sani, a senator of the federal republic currently representing Kaduna Central In

1960,

precisely

profession

of nation through Newspaper, Magazine, Radio a n d Televis i o n with a v i e w to sensitizing the society to cer-

the struggle for self rule, -

the press war had continued and that was what brought us to what we are today – an

in review, Senator Shehu Sani, in appreciation, confessed that “any student of history that was part and ocratic process knew very well that journalists played pivotal role unequalled to

junta to see the need to quit

phasized, you cannot have pect that journalist should report what you think should port what they feel should be reported, that is our basic responsibility, not what you want as an individual giving

In what looks like giving

Consequently, he said “those

Even after the independence, journalists did not abdicate their responsibility but continued to wage war

is due, Senator Sani said -

hard work which you journalists have put in over the

holding the previous govern-

or holding a belief in equal ter put, the press, is labeled the eyes, ears and voice of -

when and how Nigeria bekudos to Nigerian journalists saying their steadfastness in the struggle gave birth to the country and sustained But then, he regretted that they (journalists) have never been accorded the deserved recognition and called on the present crop of leaders to change the country is going through, in the lives of Nige-

lass, arrow and bows, their weapons were newspapers at their disposal which they used to draw support for the

It would be recalled that to stop the agitation for self

laws which saw to the incar-

of the few of its kinds in Nigeria which have to do with the less privileged that Nigerians are really relying on but unknown to the society, there are lots of challenges associated with the profession especially in the area of

ber of Journalists that have suffered detention and jail

when it was granted inde-

no loss of life reported, the ic experience for the coura-

If you look at all the professions today, it appears that

lost their lives in the cause of their professional duties leaving their dependants behind struggling to survive

restoration of the dignity of

In the wake of 2015 celdependence anniversary, Senator Sani had an opportunity to interact with Kaduna

us during the struggle and shared with us the turbuwhich is known to everybody, is not that of a typical politician but of a journey of

“My success story in this corded, could not have been

federal republic, an addition-

Bagauda Kalto of the News

For a better understanding of the issue at stake, it selves, particularly those of us that are not student of history that the struggle for self cally, that was the era of the

quently suffered loss of lives before they were granted their desire, Nigeria got its -

we could not have achieved the change that we had few

by your efforts”, the rights activist turned active politician

1st

country of the world, the anniversary celebration is an-

have been an independent dia, Nigeria could not have

-

Sani are asking is whether they are acknowledged and appreciated for the services

went to war with their colo-

the ruling elites to begin to appreciate Nigeria journal-

-

as journalist, it is our own responsibility and in this case, we have excelled” because “we have been in the forefront in the advocacy of

Nigeria Union of Journalists

concerned with reporting the

with the position of Shehu

one journalist in the country

assess the state of the nation, he awarded his constit-

the analysis I have seen and heard, I think we journalists have done and we are still doing very well” in the devel-

in whatever it does, hence -

cians is because we did not

-

kept dates with prison in the cause of his activities said “as I have always said, it is

what they know best, a reporter with a Kaduna based

concerned, I believe nothing is enough to pay you back for

while trying to cover a violent

this country”, he further ac-

experience of journalists that were assaulted during the eras and vehicles were de-

Speaking further, Sani, one of the top ranking huria confessed that “I have followed with keen interest how you people are being treated

Herbert Macaulay lightening the public with a view to advancing the cause

litical history of this country -

press has served and is still serving as a vehicle not only to political power but for peace and unity in Nigeria, giving its ability to

within and outside civilian reciation and gratitude for the -

preciation of this notion that Shehu declared that it is

understanding and activities that brought about the turn of events which Nigeria has today witnessed politically for

In the spirit of change occasioned by the birth of the to journalists, Senator Sani politicians to “begin to appreciate Nigeria journalists”

“Frankly speaking, I besense of belonging and enthe political class, particularly

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

3

The

L5 Society Gist

r a t i thrill tomorrow at One Nite ’toGu

rd

D

edition of Ambassador Charity Awards is set

Live &Unplugged

NMO Management & PR has revealed that super talented Tosin Alade fondly known as Hopewell, Victoria Island Lagos. tion but few.

to you all the thrills and frills from the show tagged an evening of classic soul music.

It is important to note that One Nite: Live &unplugged is coming from the stable of LoudNProudLive productions.

Ambassador Charity Awards which is an annual Charity Awards event that recognises philanthropist, humanitarians, charity Homes and Foundations in our society. It is meant to recognise those who have added value to humanity by showing love, donating, caring for the less privileged and the vulnerable in our society. However, such Ambassador Charity Awards for their philanthropic and humanitarian works.

supports and sponsorship.

Mixed reaction as Eedris Abdulkareem calls Obasanjo a t***

ated series of controversy was later banned on the radio and television stations within the country. As if that was not enough, the former president re-directed the song and the lyrics back to Eedris -

Olusegun Obasanjo and Eedris Abdulkareem need little or no introduction when it comes to music and politics are synonymous with controversy. Obasanjo is believed to be a no nonsense politician while Edris is self-acclaimed

Abdulkareem usually used every opportunity to tell Nigerians how highly corrupt Obasanjo is. Recently at this forming on stage, Eedris also used that opportunity to reach

through music. This he did during the Obasanjo tenure as President of Nigeria when he released his popular hits The single, which gener-

Students battle it out at 2015 Olokun Festival Foundation quiz competition In a bid to improve on the language barrier amidst students, the Olokun Festival Foundation is leaving no stone unturned. It was celebration galore as this year Olokun Festival Foundation competition among students from secondary schools across the country.

competition which took place

schools respectively. Other contestants also went home

president is usually referred to telling the youths present Obasanjo is the most corrupt leader in Nigeria saying He also said the current hari was the one that jailed This statement, has been generating different reaction on the social media as some youths believed his assertion while some have started calling for his head.

geria, you must respect the person of Obasanjo, because he is a former president, an elderly statesman, longest serving president who achieved so much to Nigeria as a nation; the only man who can stand by the truth even if it would not favour him.

While another youth, Chi-

should never be celebrated

Thugs bath Hon. Bartola’s wife with hot pepper soup

-

the same vein, Miss Onayemi cock University emerged the

It was shocking and tragic as some boys allegedly poured hot pepwife who is the Iyaloja

-

while Miss Oduneye Olamide and Miss Folusho O. Amos -

Questions were picked from ruba numerical system.

ingly.

and is a member of the Volta-Niger branch of the NigerCongo family of languages. It people in southwest Nigeria,

gos. According to reliable sources, a Lady called allegedly hired some thugs rumoured to be the boys of a popular area boy, to pour hot pepper soup on the Iyaloja of the market, Chief Monsurat Oluwayemi Owolabi for disallowing them to display their market on the road side. It was gathered that

earlier that morning, the

and chased those selling by the roadside and instructed them to move into Tejuosho Market. As the left, some of the market women came immediately to display their goods, while the Iyaloja came and instructed them not to so as instructed by the Task Force as refusal to adhere to the instruction will be penalised and she would be blamed for non compliance.

Events L6

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Afolabi Omobolaji

Where & When

The goat concert 2015 @ The Shell Hall of the MUSON Center.

November 14 2015

Oga madam live 2015 @ Muson Center, Lagos - Nigeria by 4pm on Sunday, 1 November, 2015

Lagos International Poetry Festival Muson Center, Onike Lagos when: 7 PM Friday, October 30th and Saturday, October 31st Lagos photo festival @ Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

October 24th-27th 2015

All Africa Music Awards (AFRIMA) @ Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

Sunday, 15 November, 2015

Baba Ijebu bags chieftaincy title

Why Ayo Alaafinorun Missed Top Business Woman, Yoruba Nativity Day Celebration Yetunde Dada is

missing

entire family of Dada, Ekiti based business woman has been declared missing by family members.

According to information, the easy going woman who hailed from IfakiEkiti in Ido-Osi local government area in Ekiti State left home since the death of her parents and siblings in Jos, Plateau State on May

Steve Ayorinde’s new appointment

home.

At this moment, no one could ascertain her whereabouts. This has Penultimate Sunday, Evang. Samson been giving the family members sleepless night. to perform alongside his band at the just concluded “Yoruba Nativity Day Celebration” which took place at Living Faith Church Worldwide popularly known as

That Steve Ayorinde has been appointed as the new Lagos State commissioner for Information is no more news, but what makes news here is what colleagues and friends have been saying about the renowned journalist. Some people have described him as a jinx breaker.

Immediately the dynamic and

beyond our imagination. We have been rehearsing for this event for several weeks to make sure we gave our best.

While we were on our way to Ughelli for the most publicized event, we ran into potholes around Ibadan Expressway very close to Redeemed Camp and our bus started overheating. All efforts to get another bus proved abortive.

by the Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, he announced it on his Facebook wall saying “other chapter begins today, my heart is full of gratitude to the Almighty God, H.E Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Lagos State lawmakers, party leaders, my family, friends and colleagues.

Last Thursday, the entire family of Adebutu Kessington, the Chairman of Premier Lotto Limited and well-wishers gathered at the palace of Oba of Lagos, Oba Akiolu to witness the conferment on Adebutu who is popularly known as Baba Ijebu the title of the Asoju Oba of Lagos. The octogenarian who is a philanthropist to the core is a well-known and highly respected businessman who has over the years amassed a great amount of knowledge in Project Management and Business Development. With this new title, the CEO of an oil palm plantation and currently the Financial DiFuji icon, Dr Adewale Ayuba is set to rector of Premier Lotto Nigeria Limited has joined the league marriage. According to information, Tiwa of other socialites who are titled is based in Canada and will be back chiefs. home to tie the nuptial knot in style. We also gathered that the wedding will take place on December 28, 2015 at Red Carpet event hall, Oniru, Lagos. Tiwa

Ayuba’s daughter, Tiwa Lade set to walk

down the aisle

known as Ayuba, Mr. Johnson and the tation and distinct voice changed the face of Fuji Music.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

L7

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, October 23, 2015

Showing on

141 Eva Channel

23:00

Showing on 150 Africa Magic Showcase

02:30

Fri, 23 Oct | PG13

101 M-Net West

118 Telemundo

154 Africa Magic Family

L8 TV guide

Fri, 23 Oct | 16

120 BBC Entertainment

155 Africa Magic World

128 SONY MAX

LAY-OFF X3

CHILE 2015: COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS FOR EAGLETS, CROATIA TIE

Dolphins are upbeat ne not doomed, ahead of d e r by a m u g E says

X2

X3

KENENISA BEKELE

Kenenisa Bekele Full name: Ethiopian Nationality: June 13, 1982 (age 33) Born: Place of birth: Bekoji, Ethiopia 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) Height: Weight: 123 lb (56 kg) Athletics Sport: 5000 metres, 10,000 metres Events: Achievements and titles Personal Bests: 5000 metres: 12:37.35 (WR) 10,000 metres: 26:17.53 (WR) Olympic Games Record 2004 Athens (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2008 Beijing (5000 m) Gold medal: 2008 Beijing (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2004 Athens (5000 m) Silver medal: World Championships Record 2003 Paris (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2005 Helsinki (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2007 Osaka (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2009 Berlin (5000 m) Gold medal: 2009 Berlin (10,000 m) Gold medal: Bronze medal: 2003 Paris (5000 m) World Indoor Championships Record 2006 Moscow (3000 m) Gold medal: African Championships record 2006 Bambous (5000 m) Gold medal: 2008 Addis Ababa (5000 m) Gold medal: All-Africa Games Record 2003 Abuja (5000 m) Gold medal: World Cross Country Championships Record 2002 Dublin (Long race) Gold medal: 2002 Dublin (Short race) Gold medal: 2003 Lausanne (Long race) Gold medal: 2003 Lausanne (Short race) Gold medal: 2004 Brussels (Long race) Gold medal: 2004 Brussels (Short race) Gold medal: 2005 Saint-Galmier (Long race) Gold medal: 2005 Saint-Galmier (Short race) Gold medal: 2006 Fukuoka (Long race) Gold medal: 2006 Fukuoka (Short race) Gold medal: 2008 Edinburgh (Long race) Gold medal: 2001 Ostend (Short race) Silver medal:

Bekele

Kenenisa

same season, (5000 m) in the League events a total of US$83,333. which earned him the indoor world of 2007, he broke On February 17, m in Birmingham, with a time record over 2000 4:49.99.

Bekele took on 2015 Kenenisahad to retire from On January 23, where he the Dubai Marathon, km. the race after 30 2015 London to compete in the He also planned to withdraw due to a persistent Marathon but hadAchilles tendon. injury to his right

his mentor Haile Kenenisa has facedin road competition, once the track.

Gebrselassie twice and six times on in cross country,Bekele on the track in the 2000 Haile defeated metres, the 2001 Great Ethiopian Nurnberg 5000 2003 over Bekele in Hengelo 2001, but lost to to 26:54), Rome 2003 over 10,000 m (26:53to 13:00), Paris 2003 World 5000 m (12:57 over 10,000 m (26:49 to 26:50),in to 27:27), Championships Games (27:05 Olympic 2004 Olympic Games Athens half the Beijing 2008 the 10,000 m in and in the Great North Run 60:41).

(27:01 to 27:06), 2013 (60:09 to marathon in September

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Poster! in Athletics Championships At the 2009 World s. Over the same championship 10,000 m title atalso won an Olympic silver (2004), two African 5000 m he has p bronze (2003), Games World Championshi at titles and one All-Africa Championship also won the 3000 metres title gold medal. He Championships in 2006. the World Indoor one of the greatest world several Kenenisa is considered of all time, owning distance runnersarray of medals. records and an the sixth fastest produced he 2014, eligible course On April 6, ever on a record marathon debutat the Paris Marathon, in a course of with his victory2:05:04. He is the older brother record time of also an accomplished world-class Tariku Bekele, distance runner. accelerate very for his ability to He is renowned of a long distance race; in quickly at the end Bekele chased after Kenyan Oslo in June 2003, on July Again in Lausanne the the race in 12:52.26. a 200 m segment during in 12 1, 2003, he recorded and a 100 m section last lap in 24 seconds

1982) is an (born June 13, the Kenenisa Bekele runner, who holdsthe in both Ethiopian long-distance Olympic record world record and 10,000 metres events. He 5,000 metres andthe 2008 Summer Olympics won a double at he also won the 2004 Olympic in these events; m. He is married to Danawit title over 10,000 Gebregziabher. runner in IAAF accomplished Bekele is the most Championships history, World Cross Country m title He won the 10,000 four km) course titles. ps in Athletics (matching at the World Championshi 2009 to 2003 times running from his debut in 2003 10,000 m from unbeaten over

KENENISA BEKELE

X4,5 About

OBI DELIGHTED TO RETURN AFTER INJURY X4 Friday, October 23, 2015

EXTRATIME

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Friday, October 23, 2015

Messi

plays down Ronaldo rivalry X6

De Bruy

X7

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Friday, October 23, 2015

X2

Friday, October 23, 2015

EXTRATIME

Golden Eaglets striker, Victor Osimhen (right), on the prowl against USA at the ongoing FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.

CHILE 2015: COLOMBIAN OFFICIALS FOR EAGLETS, CROATIA TIE Andrew Ekejiuba

F

ootball’s world governing body, FIFA has appointed Wilson Lamouroux as the centre referee for the match between Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets and Croatia tonight. The 36-yearold Colombian has been an international referee since 2013 and he would be assisted by compatriots, Alexander Guzman and Wilmar Navarro. The fourth of official is Reyna Oscar from Guatemala.

FIFA also affirmed that Eaglets will don their traditional home colour with players in green jersey, short and socks while the goalkeepers would be in purple attire. Croatia will be in red attire.

Meanwhile, the Golden Eaglets have yet been told that tonight’s FIFA U-17 World Cup match against Croatia at Estadio Francisco Sanchez Rumoroso in Coquimbo is a must win.

Head Coach Emmanuel Amuneke said as much during Thursday’s training session at Compejo Despotivo La Alpina.

“Our match against Croatia is a must win and we have to approach the match with all seriousness,” he said.

“We should not get carried away because we have won our first two matches against USA and Chile.”

He continued: “Don’t forget, it was Croatia that denied us the opportunity of winning the Suwon U-17 Tournament in

Korea last month; so it is an opportunity for us to show them we are better than them, but unlucky then.”

Eaglets would be without defensive midfielder Udochukwu Anumudu who was booked against USA and Chile as well as striker Funsho Bamgboye who saw red against Chile on Tuesday, but Amuneke said there are capable replacements: “All of you must be ready to play and that is why we are all here,” he stressed.

“We must remain focused because the match today is very important; we thank God for success in the last two matches but the match tonight is also very important for us.”

Basetsana arrives Abuja for Falconets T

he delegation of U-20 Women National Team of South Africa, Basetsana, landed in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Thursday, ahead of Saturday’s 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup qualifier against the Falconets of Nigeria.

Also on Thursday, Falconets’ Head Coach, Peter Dedevbo said that the reigning world vice champions are ready to make Nigeria proud on Saturday, as they target a handsome win that will make the return leg in Johannesburg a comfortable session.

The South African delegation, led by Mr. Ndlelo, with Head Coach Elizabeth Migchelsen and assistant coaches Sheryl Botes, Maud Khumalo and Cameron Cox, arrived aboard an Emirates Airline flight from Dubai.

Notable among the 20 Basetsana players on the delegation are Thato Letsoso, Mosili Makhoali, Thembi Kgatlana, Amanda Mthandi and Linda

Motlhalo.

The match, which is the first leg of the African final qualifying round, will start at 3pm at the National Stadium, Abuja.

Falconets, who emerged runners-up at the last FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada in 2014, whipped Liberia 14-1 on aggregate in the first round, before routing Democratic Republic of Congo 4-1 in the last round.

The Basetsana were held 0-0 in Zambia but edged the hard –fighting Zambians 3-2 at the Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa in the return leg.

Ghana’s Black Princesses will clash with Ethiopia’s U-20 girls in Addis Ababa on Sunday in the other fixture, with the two winners from both fixtures qualifying for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea.

Nigeria’s Falconets have played in every edition of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup since it was launched in Canada in 2002.

Friday, October 23, 2015

EXTRATIME

OBI

EUROPA LEAGUE RESULTS Dnipro 0 - 1 Saint-Etienne Lazio 3 - 1 Rosenborg Lokomotiv Moscow 1 - 1 Besiktas

delighted to return after injury lay-off

Sporting CP 5 - 1 Skenderbeu Basel 1 - 2 Belenenses Fiorentina 1 - 2 Lech Poznan Anderlecht 2 - 1 Tottenham Hotspur Monaco 1 - 0 Qarabag FK APOEL Nicosia 2 - 1 Asteras Tripolis

I

njury-hit Heartland goalkeeper Ebele Obi has expressed delight at his to return to action for ‘The Naze Millionaires’ for the first time this season in a Week 34 game against Sharks, which they won 1-0.

He suffered a knee injury before the season started while training with Heartland, but recovered and returned to training in August.

The older brother of Chelsea star Mikel said it was it was

Obi

Schalke 04 2 - 2 Sparta Prague AZ Alkmaar 0 - 1 Augsburg Partizan Beograd 0 - 2 Athletic Bilbao FK Qabala 1 - 3 Borussia Dortmund

Dolphins are not doomed, says Eguma R

X3

elegation-threatened Dolphins coach Stanley Eguma has urged fans of the club not to give up on

the team.

Dolphins are deep in the drop zone, 17th on the table with 38 points with only four rounds of matches to be played till the end of the season.

On Wednesday, the Port Harcourt side came from a goal down to beat Kano Pillars 2-1 at the Liberation Stadium in Port Harcourt.

“We still have a chance, nobody should write us off,” declared Eguma “My boys know what is at stake and if you see the way we played against Pillars you would agree that we have improved a lot.

“We have four more matches to go and nothing says we cannot win our two away matches and home games. So, it’s not over and nobody should write us off.”

Eguma

Wolves

difficult while he was sidelined by a long-term knee injury, but he pushed through with the support of his club.

“It was a good game for me and the team, I really appreciate God for his mercy,” he said.

“Firstly, I want to thank God for making it possible for me to be back in action. I thank my coaches and general manager for having faith in me, hoping that I will recover and also do well for the club,” Obi enthused.

close in on Enyimba

W

arri Wolves have closed within three points of Nigeria league leaders Enyimba after they thrashed Akwa United 3-0 in a rescheduled game Thursday morning.

Wolves now have 59 points from 34 matches, just three points shy of leaders Enyimba with four matches to the end of the season.

The match between hosts Wolves and Akwa was re-arranged for Thursday after heavy rain rendered the pitch at the Warri City Stadium unplayable.

Joseph Osadiaye smashed a hattrick within 68 minutes against his former club.

He opened scoring after 13 minutes off a corner by Ikechukwu Ibenegbu, before he completed his brace in the 51st minute courtesy of another assist

by Ibenegbu.

His third goal was a superb curler from outside the box.

Akwa were reduced to 10 men in the 53rd minute when Konnou Paterne was sent off after a second booking.

Warri Wolves striker, Joseph Osadiaye, scored a hattrick against his former club.

‘Arrogant’ FIFA brought crisis on itself –Hershman

A

rrogance within FIFA has led to the ongoing corruption scandal in Zurich, according to one former advisor, Michael Hershman, who always anticipated the organisation’s current troubles.

Both FIFA and UEFA presidents Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini are suspended in relation to a payment of two million Swiss Francs made to the Frenchman from FIFA in 2011.

Blatter and Platini deny any wrongdoing and have appealed the decision, while proceedings relating

to acting UEFA chief Angel Maria Villar and German football legend Franz Beckenbauer are currently with FIFA’s adjudicatory chamber.

It leaves FIFA’s reputation damaged ahead of February’s presidential elections, but Hershman maintains such events were always a possibility.

Former Independent Governance Committee member Hershman added: “It was the most difficult and frustrating assignment I’ve had.

“Most assignments I’ve had to help reform governance and compliance in institutions were

successful because they were under some sort of threat.

“FIFA didn’t have that threat until recently, they refused to adopt a number of key principles that are really standard practice like term limits, transparency, and compensation.

“When they refused to adopt those I knew this was going to be a difficult road ahead for FIFA and we’ve seen it happen.

“There are people in decision making at FIFA that are arrogant and believe FIFA should answer to no-

one, that they are above the law. That absolutely needs to change.”

Tuesday saw FIFA confirm the elections would still take place in February, although Hershman suggested a new leader may not necessarily solve the organisation’s problems.

“If they can turn this around, and it’s a big if, they must bring in someone credible as leader,” he added.

“Someone respected, someone with reasonable independence, someone who is known for integrity and supported reform - it will be a big step forward.

ELE

K KENENISA BE

s in Athletics Championship ld or W 09 20 e At th r pionships. Ove 4), the same cham 00 10,000 m title atalso won an Olympic silver (2 an 5000 m he has ship bronze (2003), two Afric es on pi am m G ha ca C fri ld l-A Wor le at titles and one Al Championship also won the 3000 metres tit e H .

06. al 20 in s ip gold med sh on or Champi the World Indo the greatest orld w nsidered one of Kenenisa is co s of all time, owning several distance runner array of medals. n

, 1982) is an e le (born June 13 Kenenisa Beke-distance runner, who holds th Ethiopian long d Olympic record in both the world record an d 10,000 metres events. He 5,000 metres an the 2008 Summer Olympicspic won a double at; he also won the 2004 Olymit in these events m. He is married to Danaw title over 10,000.

Gebregziabher d runner in IAAF ost accomplishe y, Bekele is the mountry Championships histor World Cross C 10,000 m title s. He won the km) course titlehampionships in Athletics four at the World C m 2003 to 2009 (matching times running fro but in 2003 00 m from his de ,0 10 er ov en unbeat

About

PERSONAL

X4 Friday, October 23, 2015

EXTRATIME

Kenenisa Bekele Full name: Ethiopian Nationality: June 13, 1982 (age 33) Born: Place of birth: Bekoji, Ethiopia 5 ft 5 in (165 cm) Height: Weight: 123 lb (56 kg) Athletics Sport: 5000 metres, 10,000 metres Events: Achievements and titles Personal Bests: 5000 metres: 12:37.35 (WR) 10,000 metres: 26:17.53 (WR) Olympic Games Record 2004 Athens (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2008 Beijing (5000 m) Gold medal: 2008 Beijing (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2004 Athens (5000 m) Silver medal: World Championships Record 2003 Paris (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2005 Helsinki (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2007 Osaka (10,000 m) Gold medal: 2009 Berlin (5000 m) Gold medal: 2009 Berlin (10,000 m) Gold medal: Bronze medal: 2003 Paris (5000 m) World Indoor Championships Record 2006 Moscow (3000 m) Gold medal: African Championships record 2006 Bambous (5000 m) Gold medal: 2008 Addis Ababa (5000 m) Gold medal: All-Africa Games Record 2003 Abuja (5000 m) Gold medal: World Cross Country Championships Record 2002 Dublin (Long race) Gold medal: 2002 Dublin (Short race) Gold medal: 2003 Lausanne (Long race) Gold medal: 2003 Lausanne (Short race) Gold medal: 2004 Brussels (Long race) Gold medal: 2004 Brussels (Short race) Gold medal: 2005 Saint-Galmier (Long race) Gold medal: 2005 Saint-Galmier (Short race) Gold medal: 2006 Fukuoka (Long race) Gold medal: 2006 Fukuoka (Short race) Gold medal: 2008 Edinburgh (Long race) Gold medal: 2001 Ostend (Short race) Silver medal:

INFORMATION

Bekele

Kenenisa

records and xth fastest produced the siigible course he , 14 20 6, ril el rd On Ap urse t ever on a reco marathon debu at the Paris Marathon, in a co r of y or with his vict 2:05:04. He is the older brothelass record time of also an accomplished world-c Tariku Bekele, . ry distance runner to accelerate ve d for his ability He is renowne d of a long distance race; in an quickly at the en03, Bekele chased after Keny Oslo in June 20 usanne on July e g th 2.26. Again in La the race in 12:5 rded a 200 m segment durinin 12 co n re io ct he , se 03 m 20 0 1, conds and a 10 last lap in 24 se Haile ced his mentor Kenenisa has faice in road competition, once Gebrselassie tw, and six times on the track. 00 in cross countryBekele on the track in the 20opian Haile defeated metres, the 2001 Great Ethi Nurnberg 5000 lo 2003 over Bekele in Henge 2001, but lost to to 26:54), Rome 2003 over 10,000 m (26:53to 13:00), Paris 2003 World :50), 5000 m (12:57s over 10,000 m (26:49 to 26 7), in Championship lympic Games (27:05 to 27:2ames Athens 2004 O the Beijing 2008 Olympic G half the 10,000 m in , and in the Great North Run1).

(27:01 to 27:06)ptember 2013 (60:09 to 60:4 marathon in Se same season, (5000 m) in the League events m a total of US$83,333. which earned hi e indoor world 07, he broke th , with a time of 20 , 17 ry ua br gham On Fe 00 m in Birmin record over 20 4:49.99. kele took on 15 Kenenisa Bed to retire from 20 , 23 y ar nu Ja ha On hon, where he the Dubai Marat km.

30 r te on the race af the 2015 Lond d to compete indue to a persistent ne an pl so al e H d to withdraw .

Marathon but ha Achilles tendon ht rig s hi injury to

Friday, October 23, 2015

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Friday, October 23, 2015

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EURO

Messi

UEFA probes City fans’ booing, Kiev trouble

plays down Ronaldo rivalry B

arcelona star Lionel Messi has again played down his supposed rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming he does not compete with the Real Madrid forward.

The duo have been Europe’s leading marksmen year after year, breaking records in Spain and on the continent, while also starring for their respective countries on the international stage.

However, Argentina striker Messi maintains Barca’s success is all that matters to him.

“These are things that people say.

I don’t compete with Cristiano and I suppose he would not compete with me,” he said.

“What I want is the very best for my teams and that’s what I am working for.”

Messi is out of action with a cruciate knee injury sustained in September, with Barca hopeful the 28-year-old can return in time for El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu on November 21.

When asked about his progress, Messi added: “I am upbeat, wanting to get on with my recovery.

“Being injured is the worst feeling

U

Messi

in the world for a sportsman, but right from the start I accepted that I had an injury and that the only thing to do was to recover from it the best way possible.

“The most important thing for me is to be at 100 per cent fitness. I knew I was injured right from the start and although at first you are obviously worried, after the diagnosis and all the repercussions emanating from the in-

POGBA

CONFIDENT IN RETURN TO FORM J

uventus midfielder Paul Pogba says he will find form again soon, dismissing suggestions he is being weighed down by the famous number 10 jersey in Turin.

The France midfielder, having been linked with moves to Barcelona and Chelsea in the closeseason, has scored just once this term and featured in Wednesday’s drab 0-0 draw against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Having been given the iconic number 10 shirt formerly worn by the likes of Michel Platini and Roberto Baggio, Pogba maintains he has the ability to get back to his best.

“I’m not weighed down by the shirt,” he told reporters.

“It’s just a number, if it had been anything else nobody would say anything.

“I always want to do well and follow what the coach asks me to do. I’m not interested in anything else, as I’m 100 per cent focused on improving.”

Pogba came closest to breaking the deadlock for Juve in Turin with a free-kick well saved by Yann Sommer and would have had another good chance to score had Alvaro Morata passed in the first half rather than shot.

jury you understand that you have to be patient.

“I am improving every day without setting myself any targets. I have always said that I don’t set myself any dates because it isn’t up to me. As much as I would like to play tomorrow, the doctors wouldn’t let me.

“When they tell me that I have recovered completely will be the time that I will make my return onto the pitch.”

EFA has opened a disciplinary case against Manchester City after City fans booed the UEFA anthem before Wednesday night’s Champions League clash against Sevilla at the Etihad Stadium.

City have been charged with disrupting the competition under Article 16.2G of UEFA’s disciplinary code.

UEFA, who were obliged to look into the incident after the match delegate mentioned it in his report, will judge the case on November 19.

Kevin De Bruyne’s injury-time strike gave City a 2-1 win in their Group D clash, putting them in a good position to qualify for the knockout stages with three games remaining.

Meanwhile, UEFA has also opened disciplinary proceedings against Dynamo Kiev following crowd disturbances during the goalless Champions League draw with Chelsea on Tuesday night.

Kiev will have to answer a charge of racist behaviour after UEFA received reports from anti-discrimination group Fare that four black men were attacked by other Dynamo fans in a home section of the Olympic Stadium.

Blanc

Blanc

disappointed by PSG draw

P

Pogba

aris St-Germain head coach Laurent Blanc was left unsatisfied with a goalless draw against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

The stalemate at the Parc des Princes sees both sides remain unbeaten this season and level on seven points in Group A. But PSG had gone into the contest eager to show off their Champions League credentials and Blanc was disappointed to come away with just a point.

“I’m not satisfied because we didn’t get the result we had hoped for,” he said. “The first half has been more disappointing than the

second.

“We showed an improvement after the restart but we gave the ball away too easily and we didn’t make Real run. We made mistakes and bad choices in attack.”

PSG have high hopes of going all the way in the Champions League this season and winning the competition for the first time.

“We need to show that ambition on the pitch,” Blanc added. “We said we had to beat Real to send a message in Europe but it takes time to reach that level.

“We were able to compete against them and we will try to beat them in Spain.”

Friday, October 23, 2015

EXTRATIME

PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES

X7

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2015 Aston Villa v Swansea City 15:00

DE BRUYNE UPBEAT AHEAD OF DERBY

Leicester v Crystal Palace 15:00 Norwich v West Brom 15:00 Stoke City v Watford 15:00 West Ham v Chelsea 15:00 Arsenal v Everton 17:30 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2015 Sunderland v Newcastle 13:00 Bournemouth v Tottenham 15:05 Man United v Man City 15:05

Navas

Liverpool v Southampton 17:15

NAVAS targets Man City double J

esus Navas says Manchester City are eager to match the success of their 2013-14 season, when they won two major trophies.

In the winger’s first campaign in England – which was also Manuel Pellegrini’s debut campaign at the helm – the club won the Premier League title and the League Cup. Last term, however, they went

without silverware, finishing second in the league and failing to make it into the last eight of the FA Cup, League Cup or Champions League.

Navas, 29, is desperate to secure silverware again this year.

So far, City are on track to achieve that aim, sitting top of the table going into the crucial derby against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sun-

RAMSEY A

aron Ramsey is expected to miss at least three weeks for Arsenal with a hamstring injury.

Ramsey, 24, pulled up during the first half of Arsenal’s 2-0 Champions League victory over Bayern Munich at the Emirates on Tuesday night.

Ramsey underwent a scan on Thursday and Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed the Wales international will now be unavailable for selection until after the next international break.

“He had a scan today but he’s out,” said Wenger.

“I believe he will be out until af-

day.

“It is going very well for me with City in England; the truth is that I am very motivated to win the Premier League.

“The speed at which it is played, the rhythm of the games - I am very content, very happy.

“In my first year we won two trophies and this year we are motivated to do it again,” he said.

Navas insisted it is not a problem for him that City continue to spend big money on new signings, with Raheem Sterling and Kevin De Bruyne the latest expensive stars recruited during the close-season.

“No, I think it is good that there is competition,” the Spain international said.

out with hamstring injury

ter the next international break.

With the last international break, the fact that he played against Andorra certainly cost Bale and him as well.”

Wenger also revealed that goalkeeper David Ospina would miss Arsenal’s Premier League game against Everton this weekend through a shoulder injury.

But former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour says Wenger has enough cover in his squad to cope with the loss of Ramsey, who scored his first Premier League goal of the season in the Gunners’ 3-0 win against Watford last weekend.

Kompany

De Bruyne

“Probably not, it feels good.

“Obviously I know I didn’t play my best game here but I am very happy to give the team the three points and it was very important for us.”

“The most important thing was to win and that is what we did, even if we didn’t play our best game. In the end, nobody says something if you go through in the group.”

BRIEFS Matic: No problem with Mourinho!

Nemanja Matic admits confidence is low at Chelsea, but insists he has no problem with boss Jose Mourinho after a troubled start to the season. The Serbia midfielder was substituted just 28 minutes after coming off the bench in the 3-1 defeat to Southampton earlier this month, with Mourinho publicly critical of Matic’s performance. But the 27-year-old says the Chelsea boss can count on him in the weeks to come as the Blues look to improve on their disappointing return of 11 points from their opening nine Premier League games.

Ramsey

‘Kompany must start derby’ A ndy Hinchcliffe and Ray Parlour say Vincent Kompany must start for Manchester City in the derby against Manchester United this Sunday.

Kompany was left on the bench for City’s win over Bournemouth on Saturday and only came on as a late substitute in the Champions League victory over Sevilla on Wednesday.

Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala were preferred to start in the centre of defence on both occasions by Manuel Pellegrini.

The brief cameo against Sevilla was

M

anchester City forward Kevin de Bruyne says the first couple of months of his stint with the Premier League leaders have gone well than he could have imagined.

And, fresh from scoring a last-minute winner against Sevilla in the Champions League on Wednesday, the Belgian is now eagerly looking forward to Sunday’s derby at Old Trafford.

“I am very excited,” he said. “These a re the moments you live for a s a player. There will be a lot of atmosphere. Great games and derbies are the most important games for the fans, hopefully we can do well.”

De Bruyne joined City from Wolfsburg in August for £54m and has looked worthy of his price tag, scoring five goals in nine appearances.

Asked after the 2-1 victory over Sevilla if he could have wished for such a fine start, the 24-year-old said:

Kompany’s first appearance for City since he sustained a calf injury on September 15, although he did play for Belgium in their Euro 2016 Qualifier against Israel.

Former City defender Hinchcliffe further said that Kompany, who has captained the club to both their Premier League title wins, must return for the derby on Super Sunday.

“Ask any City player or fan who is the first choice centre-half and it’s Kompany,” Hinchcliffe said. “If you ask Joe Hart which centre-half is the first name on the team sheet it’s Kompany.

Monk dismisses Swansea exit rumours

Swansea City manager Garry Monk has rubbished reports linking him with a move away from the club. A run of six matches without a win has led some to speculate the former defender could soon be on his way out of the Liberty Stadium, while others believe he is wanted by Aston Villa to replace Tim Sherwood. But Monk, who saw his side lose 1-0 at home to Stoke City on Monday, insists he is unmoved by the rumours.

Pardew tasks managers, refs on reviewed games

Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew says managers and referees should meet during the week to review decisions made by officials during the previous game.

Pardew was left frustrated over what he thought was a harsh yellow card and subsequent red handed out by Mark Clattenburg to striker Dwight Gayle in last weekend’s 3-1 defeat to West Ham. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho also voiced his grievance at the decisions of officials following a shock 3-1 loss to Southampton earlier this month, criticism which resulted in a hefty Football Association fine.

X8

Friday, October 23, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME

POULTER

Football

in touch after Hong Kong dash I

LEGENDARY CRUYFF DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER N

etherlands great Johan Cruyff has been diagnosed with lung cancer.

The 68-year-old former Ajax player was told of his illness this week after undergoing tests.

Cruyff, a three-time Ballon d’Or winner, helped his country reach the World Cup final in 1974, where they lost to West Germany.

He also won three consecutive European Cups with Ajax and went on to play and manage at Barcelona, with both clubs sending out

messages of support.

Former Ajax, Manchester United, Juventus and Fulham goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, now a director at the Dutch club, said: “On behalf of the club, I wish Johan and his family a lot of strength and a speedy recovery.”

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu tweeted: “Johan, you’ll win this one too. The whole club is behind you.”

While in charge at the Spanish club, he led them to their first European Cup win in 1992 and the European

Cup Winners’ Cup in 1989. They also won four consecutive La Liga titles from 1990-91 to 1993-94.

Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, Cruyff had a double heart bypass surgery in 1991. Having been a smoker, he gave up immediately after the operation and took to sucking lollipops in the dugout.

His last managerial appointment came at the Catalonia national team, where he was in charge from 2009 to 2013.

an Poulter shrugged off the effects of his late dash from Florida to record three-under par 67 in the first round of the Hong Kong Open in Fanling.

The 39-year-old Englishman is trying to save his European Tour card and chance of Ryder Cup qualification after dropping to 51st in the world.

American Rich Beem gave up his tournament invite to help Poulter out.

Italy’s Andrea Pavan and Lu Wei-chih of Taiwan share the lead on six under, one ahead of Justin Rose who is tied third.

Poulter, who won this tournament in 2010, and had top-five finishes in 2009 and 2011, only arrived at the course at 19:00 local time on Wednesday, having set off from Orlando at 09:00 on

Tuesday.

He teed off at mid-day on Thursday and followed birdies on the second and fifth with bogeys on the eighth and ninth to reach the turn in level par, but came home in 33 thanks to birdies on the 10th, 15th and 17th.

Poulter has played in nine European Tour events this season but dropping out of the world’s top 50 on Sunday meant he would be ineligible for his planned appearance in the WGC-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, thus leaving him unable to play in the 13 events required to retain his European Tour membership.

Lu came close to retirement three years ago after undergoing brain surgery when a non-malignant tumour was discovered in 2012.

Golf

Poulter

RWC 2015: Moody to start in New Zealand semi-final

N

ew Zealand have made one change for Saturday’s World Cup semifinal against South Africa with Joe Moody replacing injured prop Wyatt Crockett.

Crockett has not recovered from the groin injury he suffered during the 62-13 quarterfinal victory over France.

Moody, 27, was only called into the squad because of a tournament-ending injury suffered by Tony Woodcock.

Winger Nehe Milner-Skudder, scorer of

five tries in the tournament, has shaken off a shoulder knock and starts.

Milner-Skudder did not return after half time in the win over France in Cardiff.

He was replaced by Beauden Barrett with Ben Smith switching from full-back to the wing.

New Zealand have been given permission to bring an extra prop, Pauliasi Manu, due to Crockett being injured.

However, the All Blacks expect Crockett to

Rugby

New Zealand’s Joe Moody (middle) will replace injured prop Wyatt Crockett in Saturday’s Rugby World Cup semi-final cracker against South Africa.

IPC World Athletics: Davies wins Athletics shot put gold in Doha

A

Davies

be fit next week.

Prop Ben Franks has been promoted to the replacements’ bench.

Richie McCaw, 34, is closing in on two new records.

He will set a World Cup record in captaining his side for the 12th time in the competition surpassing the 11 captain’s appearances by England duo Martin Johnson and Will Carling, Raphael Ibanez of France, John Smit of South Africa and Wales’s Sam Warburton.

led Davies threw a new championship record in the F42 shot put to win Britain’s first gold on day one of the IPC Athletics World Championships.

The Welsh 24-year-old, who had hernia surgery 10 weeks ago, defended his title with a best of 14.95m in Doha.

Iran’s Sajad Mohammadian was in front after throwing 14.54 but Davies’s 14.88 in the penultimate round put him ahead.

“If you had told me 10 weeks ago that I would be here and be world champion, I’d have taken that,” he said.

“I have to thank the British Athletics medical team for getting me here. The rehab was long and I only picked up the shot three or four weeks ago so to come here and deliver a half-decent throw and win, I’m happy with that.”

Davies was the first Briton in action on the first day of the 10-day competition.

“It was a tough competition for me and I wasn’t at my best,” he told reporters.

“I started panicking early because I wasn’t executing the way I would have wanted, so after the third round I just went out and tried to throw as hard as I could.

“It meant I had to sacrifice a few technical things but it all paid off and hopefully I can do the same in the discus and come away with another gold.”