Dtn 25-5-15

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 22nd May 2015.

EXCHANGE RATES AS AT 22nd May 2015.

Currency

Buying(NGN)

Central (NGN)

GAINERS

Selling(NGN)

LOSERS

US DOLLAR

196

196.5

197

BETAGLAS

36.4

1.73

4.75%

FO

177.8

-9.19

-5.17%

POUNDS STERLING

306.544

307.326

308.108

OKOMUOIL

30.26

1.36

4.49%

SEPLAT

350

-4.53

-1.29%

146.03

-4.48

-3.07%

155.72

-2.33

-1.50%

EURO

218.8732

219.4316

219.9899

NESTLE

881

1.00

0.11%

TOTAL

SWISS FRANC

210.03

210.5658

211.1016

JBERGER

52

0.30

0.58%

GUINNESS

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NIGERIA

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MONDAY, MAY 25, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.113

ENUGU Low 25°C High 35°C

KANO

MAIDUGURI

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APC: g 4 Jonathan has stopped governing

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Nigeria g 4 badly run in the last eight years – OBJ

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

3

Politics Page Three Æ s Editorial States and revenue generation

O

f recent, Nigerians have watched in utter amazement the daily singsong by state governors at the lack of funds to meet the statutory obligations in their respective jurisdictions, especially for the payment of workers’ salaries. These governors have consistently pointed accusing fingers in the direction of the Federal Government as the main culprit in this curious saga. Be that as it may, the outcries by the state chief executives are coming at the tail end of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, as this has called into question the veracity or otherwise of their accusations.

We are saying this because in the five years of the administration, Nigerians were made to believe that all allocation to states from the federation account was duly handed without holding back any part thereof.

So, it is becoming difficult for Nigerians to now understand the present show of public outcry. In the absence of any clearer picture on who should be held responsible for the present predicaments, it is proper that state governors, especially those that will assume office on May 29 to look for other ways of internally generating revenue.

We are aware that the country’s constitution gives the central government an overwhelming influence in fiscal matters in comparison with the constituent states. A number of factors account for this, which include the growing importance of crude oil, the civil war, military incursion into politics, and state creation exercises

which has reduced the geographical size of the former regions and made them inherently weak and excessively dependent on statutory allocation.

Because of this, revenue sharing and allocation between the federal and other tiers of government have become the most contentious issues in Nigeria’s fiscal federalism.

For example, the current revenue formula has the federal government getting over 40 per cent of all revenue; the 36 states get over 30 per cent, while the 774 local governments get the remaining. However, until a new revenue sharing formula comes into effect, the states must make do with what the constitution entitles them. It therefore behooves governors to seek out creative ways of generating more revenue for their states. The difference between the revenue generating capacities of individual states is a function of the abilities of each governor to see opportunities where others would normally see threats.

On the other hand, we are at a loss knowing why some governors have become spendthrifts in the face of dwindling revenue. Rather than engage in productive ventures to raise revenue many of them are indulging in Byzantine lifestyles that would make ancient Pharaohs cringe with envy in their graves. Even at this, Nigerians need a constitutional reform that will launch the federating units into the productive industrial orbit; not one that would reduce them to indolent unproductive beggars that will go cap in hand to Abuja for monthly subventions.

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PDP: What manner of NWC members?

Sam Nzeh

ÏÏÏThat

members of the National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been putting the wrong foot forward since leading the party to its worst electoral outing in the recently concluded general election is a fact known to all.

However, what is baffling is that instead of beating a retreat to analyse reasons for the party’s woeful performance and charting the way forward as the leading opposition party in the country come May 29, 2015, the NWC is busy exacerbating the crisis in the PDP, thereby making the party’s wounds not to

heal.

Another of such actions is the NWC decision last Wednesday directing the Osun State chapter of the party to investigate the membership of former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, the Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council (PDPPCO), with a view to sanctioning him where necessary.

How belated! What moral right do the NWC members have to order such action?

Are they implying that they are just waking up from sleep with regards to FaniKayode’s membership of the party? Are the NWC members saying that they have been outside Nigeria since last year when Fani-Kayode dumped the All Progressives

Words On Marble :

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Congress (APC) to return to his erstwhile party, the PDP? In fact, there are many questions to ask the NWC. So, it is not out of place if people say that the PDD national executive members are just showing how frustrated they are over FaniKayode’s allegations regarding their roles in the defeat that the party’s presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and other candidates suffered in the poll.

Directing their frustration on Fani-Kayode is clearly misplaced. Members of the NWC cannot exonerate themselves from crisis that has engulfed the party since the last election. The honourable thing they all should do is resign, allow the party to breathe fresh air, and move forward.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

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

Marcus Garvey

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Marian Anderson

There is a great deal of work to do and it calls for sacrifice and determination on the part of those who are leading, and if men believe that money should be the only consideration for leadership, then there can be no successful achievement.

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a moulder of consensus.

Leadership should be born out of the understanding of the needs of those who would be affected by it.

News 4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

APC: Jonathan has stopped governing Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏThe All Progressives Congress

(APC) on Sunday, accused the outgoing Federal Government led by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of running the country aground, electing to leave urgent matters of state unattended to.

Also on Sunday, two communications companies, MTN Nigeria and Airtel Nigeria, alerted their customers that the crippling energy crisis in the country could affect their operations.

The APC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji

Lai Mohammed, said that President Goodluck Jonathan is handing over a nation in deep crisis, adding that his administration has continued to contrive more crises without making any effort to solve any of them.

It appealed to Nigerians not to lose hope, “despite the daunting challenges they are currently facing in this atmosphere of contrived chaos,” pledging that help is on the way.

Mohammed said: “In a few days’ time, President Jonathan will hand over to President-elect Muhammadu Buhari. Never in the history of our country has any government

handed over to another a more distressed country: No electricity, no fuel, workers are on strike, billions are owed to state and federal workers, 60 billion dollars are owed in national debt and the economy is virtually grounded.

“Today, Nigerians are roaming the streets, jerry cans in hand, searching for everything from kerosene to fuel to diesel to power their homes, keep their vehicles on the road and keep their businesses going. They are paying as much as 300 Naira per litre for fuel, if at all they can get it. Yet their government is not saying a word about the situation”.

APC Chieftain, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu (middle) during the Ebonyi APC Pro Buhari rally at the weekend

Boko Haram beheads victims in Adamawa Tom Garba, Yola & Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

relative peace in the Northern part of Adamawa State was on Saturday shattered by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect who were said to be hacking down victims.

They attacked a village in Madagali Local Government Area of the state called Kwamda-Kobla and killed 10 people.

The Daily Times learnt that about 20 Boko Haram members attacked the village at around 5am, attacked hacking down men with knives and axes.

The chairman of Madagali Local Government Council, Maina Ularamu told reporters that the attackers did not shoot; they beheaded their victims.

According to him, members of a vigilance group had gone after the attackers before they escaped to their hideouts in the surrounding villages.

“The village is five kilometres

from Gulak town but there is no security presence there as soldiers are deployed to Madagali town and Gulak only”, he said Meanwhile, the military on Sunday claimed more successes in its campaign against insurgents in the Sambisa forest.It claimed to have overrun four more terrorist camps, two ammunition dumps and destroyed over 10 vehicles.

It added that the offensive resulted in the death of several terrorists and as well as a soldier.

Ten soldiers who were wounded when they walked into large number of land mines that littered the Sambisa forest have been evacuated for treatment, the military added.

A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade said that despite the obstacle, troops had forged ahead with the ongoing offensive operations as scores of the terrorists died in the assault on their bases on Friday.

Several of terrorist’s weapons

and equipment perished after the encounter, he added.

Some equipment were also damaged or affected by the detonation of land mines in several points in the forest, he said, adding: “A total of 20 women and children were rescued at the end of the Friday operation.”

He disclosed that the rescued women and children had all been airlifted out of the forest, while the wounded soldiers had also been moved out for necessary treatment.

In another development, cordon and search around Bitta have been intensified following an incident where two young boys were wounded after picking up a grenade from a refuse dump, he said.

The weapon is believed to have been abandoned by terrorists that fled the town which is not too far from Sambisa forest.

Aggressive patrols and surveillance by land and air are also being maintained in the general area.

The APC said that while the Jonathan Administration had “arrogantly” told Nigerians that it remained in office and in power till May 29th, all it had allegedly been doing is sacking people and making new appointments “as if it had been deprived of the opportunity to do so in the past six years.”

It stated further: “They are not interested in how to end the fuel scarcity that has paralyzed the socio-economic lives of Nigerians, they are not interested in how to raise electricity production from its unprecedentedly-low level of 1,327 megawatts, they are not doing anything to end the strike by blue and while collar oil workers, or to stop the impending one. ”They say they are in office till May 29th, but they do not care how workers in 18 states, who are owed a total of 300 billion Naira in salaries under their watch, or federal workers who are owed 400 billion Naira, will be paid. Yet they are running a budget of 1 trillion Naira deficit.”

Mohammed was not done. He stated: ”They have deliberately stopped meeting their obligations to oil marketers, which is now around 200 billion Naira, hence no one is lifting petroleum products anymore. If the current energy crisis

is not solved soonest, the telecommunications sector could even be grounded in a matter of days as service providers will have neither electricity nor fuel to power their base stations. Of course the aviation sector has already been left comatose by the fuel crisis.”

Arguing that the whole scenario reeked of sabotage, the APC added that before the “spin doctors” of the PDP and Jonathan administration distort its message, “it is important to let Nigerians know that the party (APC) is not engaging in lamentations but simply keeping the citizenry informed of the situation on the ground, with just five days to handover date.

It added: ”If we thought the nation was being well managed and there was no problem, we would not have embarked on a campaign of change.

“While we are ready, willing and able to begin to address the mammoth challenges facing us as a nation as soon as we assume office at the centre in a few days’ time, we will not hesitate for a second to keep Nigerians informed of how we have been brought to this sorry pass, with a view to avoiding such a tragContinued on page 6

Nigeria badly run in the last eight years, says Obasanjo Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÏÏÏFormer President Olusegun

Obasanjo on Sunday declared that Nigeria had been badly run in the last eight years, but added that President-elect Muhammadu Buhari has the required experience to fix the country’s various problems.

Buhari is not a novice in governance, he added.

Obasanjo, however, also advised the President-elect not to take Nigerians for granted in administering the country from May 29.

The former President said these while playing host to a delegation of South West women leaders under the leadership of the Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief Alaba Lawson, at his Abeokuta, Ogun State, home.

He told the visitors that he believed in the political acumen of the President-elect in leading Nigeria aright.

While urging Buhari to be as honest as possible in overseeing the country, Obasanjo described the people as clever ones that could not be deceived.

He also appealed to Nigerians to pray for the success of the Buhariled government and also to cooperate with the in-coming government.

Obasanjo noted that the country had been poorly managed in the last eight years contending that it would take a time for Buhari’s government to correct the anomalies, asking the President-elect not to be frightened with the situations.

He maintained that Buhari has the experience having ruled the country as a military Head of State from 1983 to 1985.

His words: “When I came in, in 1999, there was no fuel and power.

The situation was like this and I thought we had put that one behind us. The man that is coming on board has a lot of experience in terms of governance.

“He is not a greenhorn. We have both worked together in administering, then as a military Head of State and we did it well. Nigerians need to exercise patience because what has been destroyed in eight years cannot be re-built in a day.

Continued on page 6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

5 News

Fuel, power grind Nigeria to a halt Nkiru Nwagbo, Awka Chijioke Kingsley, Jos Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The lingering fuel scar-

city appears to be taking a toll on Nigerians, as they groan under a worsening situation.

Across the country, the scarcity or near unavailability of the product, towards the tail end of the Goodluck Jonathan administration has left Nigeria grounded in all spheres of endeavours.

In Ilorin, Kwara State and its environs, it was gathered that the commodity sold for N200 per litre by the few marketers who sold while most of the filling stations, in the state capital were under locks for lack of the petrol. It was also reported that people from Ilorin and surrounding communities travelled as far as Ogbomoso, in Oyo State, and Jebba, in Niger State, in search of the commodity.

Taxi drivers in the metropolis were reported to have tripled their fares, while many commuters had to resort to trekking long distances to their destinations.

Also, in Benue State, it was reported that no major marketer was selling the product on Sunday, while only two

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle); his wife, Dame Patience, Vice-President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (3rd left); his wife, Dolapo; Senate President, David Mark (left); former Head of State; Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd) 2nd left; President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor (5th left) after the 2015 presidential thanksgiving and inauguration interdenominational church service held at the National Christian Centre, Abuja… on Sunday

ment, the minimum cost of transportation has increased from N100. 00 to N200.00 on commercial motorcycles, popularly called Okada.

Also, hotels and others in the hospitality business have hiked the cost of their services to cushion the effect of the fuel crisis.

There is apprehension that the situation may worsen, in

the days ahead, if the scarcity persists.

This has led to panic buying and caused long lines of vehicle at filling stations in Awka, Onitsha and Nnewi.

The crisis has also crippled activities in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Motorists are seen in felling stations with no sign of petrol attendants in sight.

I spent N105b executing federal projects in Rivers — Amaechi

250 Ebola volunteers return to Nigeria, EVD free

Lateef Ibrahim

ÏÏÏ No fewer than 250 Ebola

Senate presidency: 37 Senators back Ahmad/Akume joint ticket

Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Governor of

Rivers State Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on Sunday revealed that he spent N105 billion doing federal roads in the state.

Amaechi also said that because of the sharp disagreement between him and President Goodluck Jonathan, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government has ceaselessly embarked on smear campaigns against him.

The Governor stated that at the time his disagreement with the federal government was at its peak, the Police, Military and other security agencies were reporting to the wife of the President, which made him fight such a system, since he was convinced it will not

independent marketers were selling in the state capital.

As at Sunday, the commodity was reportedly sold for between N120 and N130 per litre.

Queues of consumers were said to stretch for miles round the Makurdi, the state capital, while commuters were made to head to the few filling stations with the commodity as early as 4:30a.m.

make Nigeria grow.

Amaechi, who said this in Abuja, pointed out that it was a period Nigeria should not go back to again, stressing that public officers should learn to lead by the rule so as to avoid abuses as wives of incumbents were not elected and allowing them step their bounds naturally leads to abuse of office.

The Governor stated that his achievements speak volume, stressing that all he did in Rivers state were not for selfglorification but to bequeath a legacy for successive administrations in the state to sustain.

He however added that 90 per cent of the people who worked with him betrayed him.

He further showcased series of achievements spanning all sectors, wondering why the federal government was desperate about painting his administration in bad light even

In Makurdi, it was gathered that the effect of the fuel scarcity has led to power outage in the last four days, while business activities have been paralysed.

In Anambra State, the biting cost of petrol continues to deal a terrible blow on motorists as the petroleum product sold at N170. 00 per litre as at Sunday.

As a result of this develop-

when he spent N105 billion doing federal roads.

He stated that he was not afraid to face the barage of forces but said because he kept his books well, he had the courage to sustain the struggle, expressing joy that history will vindicate him in the end.

In the documentary which featured his giant strides in security, works, agriculture, works, education, transportation, health and social development, Amaechi’s administration was projected as not only as having positively transformed the state, but provided opportunities for the indigent to climb to the apex of their potentialities.

In particular, Senator Magnus Abbe, explained how Amaechi pioneered the amnesty programmes through which unparallel insecurity in the state was drastically reduced.

volunteers from Nigeria arrived the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Sunday morning alive, hail and hearty, amidst shouts and songs of victory.

The volunteers joined in the fight against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease in some countries in the West African subregion.

A chartered Ethiopian Airline, carrying the returnees, who helped in the containment of EVD in Liberia and Sierra Leone, landed in Abuja after being delayed for about nine hours in Freetown over documentation problems.

The flight was scheduled to arrive NAIA, Abuja by 7.30am on Saturday, but was not airborne until three hours later in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone.

Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏ As the campaign for the

Senate presidency gathers steam, a group of senators, under the aegis of All Progressives Congress APC Unity Forum, has revealed that 37 senators had agreed to support the Lawan/Akume joint arrangement.

The members of the APC Unity Forum, comprising Senators from the North East, North Central, North West and South West, said they had reached a resolution to support the Senator Lawan Ahmad and Senator George Akume ticket for the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, respectively.

This collaboration, they said, was encompassing and accommodating of all the tendencies within the APC in the overall interest of the party and Nigeria.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Buhari needs your prayers more than me – Jonathan Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏPresident Goodluck Jonathan

on Sunday urged Nigerians to pray more for his incoming successor, Gen Muhammadu Buhari than for him.

Speaking at the 2015 presidential thanksgiving and inauguration service held at the National Ecumenical Center, Abuja, Jonathan noted that the incoming leaders would be saddled with managing the lives of all Nigerians and therefore require the prayers and support of all.

The theme of the service was: “Give thanks in all Circumstances”.

He noted that on Friday he would hand over to Buhari and go

into private life while Buhari and the incoming Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo, would begin to manage the country’s resources.

He said: “Pray more for the incoming government, we are going out to manage our private lives but they are coming to manage the nation’s wealth. All we need as Nigerians is unity and peace”.

Jonathan who explained that the service was actually for the incoming government, noted that he and his wife with other members of his cabinet were just there to say goodbye to Nigerians.

The event was also attended by Professor Osibanjo and his wife.

To Osinbajo, he said: “in 2007, I was here just as you are. The difference is that it was a handover from PDP to PDP, now it is between PDP

to APC. Osibanjo, accompanied by his wife during the service, led in praise and worship songs in the three Nigerian major languages.

He also prayed for God to grant mercy on the outgoing president and his family.

The Vice President-elect prayed that God would cause Nigeria to be what it was created to be as the new government takes over.

In his homily, Archbishop Nicholas Okoh, Primate of Anglican Church if Nigeria extended gratitude to Nigerians who he said were the actual winners in the just-concluded elections.

Okoh who centred his message on forgiveness, and giving thanks to God, said on the eve of leaving office, it was right for President Jona-

than to reflect on what he had done wrong like King David in the Holy scriptures who would always seek forgiveness from God. Archbishop Okoh noted that while serving the country, God healed the outgoing President and his family many times when they were tired and stuck in taking different decisions.

He also prayed that God would heal Nigeria and rebuild relation-

ships among Nigerians.

Other notable figures at the service were former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, former Bayelsa governor, Timipre Silva, Chief of Defence Staff, Alex Badeh who led other service chiefs , former Minister of Petroleum, Professor Tam David West and National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun.

‘Nigeria badly run in the last eight years’ Continued from page 4 “Let’s give him time. Let’s pray for him and let’s cooperate with him. We are all concerned about the present situation of Nigeria. The expectation is very high but at the same time, there is a lot of goodwill internally and externally for the incoming government.

“Once the in-coming administration realises this and takes every step, particularly in the first three months, when people will be watching and counting, I think for me, we will get there.”

The former President further said that with Buhari at the helm of affairs of the nation, the citizens would have a new opportunity.

He said: “God has provided a new opportunity for Nigeria and Nigerians and I believe God does not make mistake. One of the good things about the in-coming President is that he is not a green horn.

“There are two things I believe the in-coming President appreciates. One is that he knows that the expectations of Nigerians are high and that he should not be frightened by the situation on ground.

‘Jonathan has stopped governing’ Continued from page 4

Former Vice President and chieftain of APC, Alh. Atiku Abubakar (middle);Sen Bukola Saraki (4th left) during the visit of Senators and Senators-elect to the former Vice President’s residence in Asokoro, Abuja… on Sunday

ic turn in the future,” the party said.

It expressed sadness that the nation has been on auto pilot for the past several weeks, as the outgoing administration has shown neither the capacity nor the willingness to resolve any of the crises it has con-

trived and foisted on the nation. ”This is the most vivid manifestation of the old saying that literally translates to a departing office holder defecating on the chair he is vacating,” APC said.

MTN made the disclosure on its twitter handle, while Airtel sent short messages to its customers.

Buhari stranded for 30 minutes during visit to Cameron – PDP Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Peoples Democratic Par-

ty (PDP) on Sunday accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of being ill-prepared for governance, claiming that Presidentelect Muhammadu Buhari was left almost stranded for about 30 minutes during a visit to the British Prime Minister David Cameron at the weekend.

The PDP also accused Buhari of snubbing inauguration plans, organised for him by the Federal Government.

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary Olisa Metuh, the PDP wondered if the APC was all about propaganda and no plan for governance.

The party said that it viewed with disappointment the apparent

snub of the handover programme by the President-elect, arguing that such behavior was a measure of lack of democratic discipline.

It said the President-elect owed Nigerians explanations on why he snubbed the prayer sessions scheduled for Friday and Sunday for Muslims and Christians respectively to usher in four years of his in-coming administration as well as the embarrassing protocol gaffe and low-down treatment that characterized the visit to Cameron last Saturday.

The PDP said it was disgraceful that due to poor coordination and crass ineptitude in the handling of issues, the President-elect was left almost stranded while waiting for about 30 minutes before he was received by the British leader and wondered if such was a foretaste of the muddling to be experienced

under the APC administration.

It said: “Nigerians, as citizens of a sovereign nation, were thoroughly embarrassed when they saw their President-elect cheapened and kept waiting at the door of 10 Downing Street to see the British Prime Minister due to shoddy arrangements by his handlers.

“Indeed, they are becoming increasingly worried about the frightening unpreparedness of the APC for governance and the huge embarrassments they have been attracting to our nation.

“We know that the APC has been lying over issues. We also know that the APC and the Presidentelect have been flip-flopping and reneging on their campaign promises; but to embarrass the nation by embarking on such a sensitive visit without adequate prepara-

tions is shameful and completely unacceptable.

“We share the fear of wellmeaning Nigerians on how a party, which cannot adequately handle a simple task of organizing a diplomatic outing, will effectively administer a country as complex as Nigeria.

“The APC has continued to give signals that it lacks capacity to face the challenges of governance.

Such has been evidenced in the uneasiness of the President-elect who in apparent loss of confidence in himself has started reneging on his promises of quick fixes while confessing in a meeting with APC governors-elect on May 5, 2015 that he has ‘started nervously to explain to people that Rome was not built in a day.

“Instead of settling down for governance and working out how

to fulfill its promises of making the naira the same in value with the dollar, paying N5, 000, 000 monthly to 25 million poor Nigerians, providing electricity on 24/7 basis, providing free meals for school children and allowances for discharged but unemployed youth corps members among others, the APC is busy inventing excuses for failure and blaming everyone else but themselves.

“We hope they will not blame the PDP for their Saturday’s embarrassing outing at 10 Downing Street.

“Furthermore, we find it curious and more than a co-incidence that the nation is experiencing an acute shortage of fuel and electricity supply at this point in time, when such has not been the case under the current PDP-led administration.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

7 News

Abia govt explains absence at Chukwumerije’s burial Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏ

Abia State government, on Sunday, explained why it was not represented at the burial ceremony of late Senator Uche Chukwumerije, stating that it was in respect of the wishes of the senator.

Briefing newsmen, in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Dr. A.C.B Agbazuere, disclosed that Chukwumerije’s family stopped the state government’s participation in his burial.

Agbazuere recalled that no member of the Chukwumerije family bothered to inform the state government that the late senator had serious health challenges.

“Notwithstanding that, when the news of the death of Chuk-

Cleric asks Amaechi, Wike to sheathe sword

ÏÏÏA cleric, the Archbishop of

the Diocese of Niger Delta North, Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey, has called on the out-going Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, and the Governor-elect, Nyesom Wike, to reconcile their differences.

Kattey made this call on Sunday during his sermon at a thanksgiving service to mark the beginning of the inauguration programme of the Governorelect and his Deputy, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, at Saint Paul’s Anglican Church, Port Harcourt.

Decrying the partisan position taken by some traditional rulers and clerics during the general election, Kattey urged Amaechi and Wike to begin to see each other as brothers.

“Pastors, men of God and traditional rulers should be nonpartisan. They should not take side in politics. Amaechi and Wike are all Rivers people,” Kattey stressed, urging Wike not to abandon God.

Wike

wumerije was received, the Governor of Abia State, Chief T. A. Orji, through his Chief Press Secretary, sent out a condolence message which was widely published by both the print and electronic media.

“The Governor equally sent the Liaison Officer, in charge of Abuja, Mr. Ogbonna Agbiri Anyaocha, to the Chukwumerije family, as protocol demanded, to inform them that he was coming to visit the family at their Abuja residence. The request was turned down by the family,” Agbazuere said.

L-R: Chairman, Nigeria Prisons Micro Finance Bank (NPMFB), Chief Akogun Oyediji; Controller-General Of Prisons, Dr. Ezenwa Ekpendu; Managing Director of Ibadan Branch of NPMFB, Mr. Yusuf Afolabi and Contoller of Prisons, Enugu State, Mr. Alloy Uchenwa, at the inauguration of Enugu branch of the NPMFB… at the weekend

About 30 states are ‘broke’- Gov Uduaghan Joe Ogbodu Warri

ÏÏÏDelta

State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, has said that, currently, about 30 states including the federal government, appeared to be ‘broke’, since, according to him, they were either not able to fund recurrent cost – alongside payment of salaries or had to borrow money to pay.

He spoke at the weekend, in Lagos, at the presentation and launch of a book entitled: “Delta Beyond Oil: A legacy of Sustainable Development”, written by Editor-In-Chief of The Nation newspaper, Mr. Sam Omatseye, at a forum organised by Nigeria In-

stitute of Directors.

According to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Sunny Ogefere, Governor Udughan said that it was necessary for the Federal Government to ensure stimulus package for states and local governments as a quick measure to bail out the governments from the present economic quagmire.

He contended, however, that the stimulus package had to be discussed and attended to quickly because, according to him, currently about 30 states, including the federal government, were either not able to fund recurrent cost including payment of salaries or have to borrow money to that effect.

“I stand with those asking for

stimulus package for the states and local governments. This has to be discussed and attended to quickly”, he stated.

Uduaghan said that the failure of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at the centre to grow the nation’s economy to the desired height was attributable to lack of national consensus.

His words: “I am sure many of us in the audience will recall several attempts that were made by the PDP government at the centre to ensure that we build up our fiscal buffers, reduce our foreign debt, invest in foreign assets through sovereign wealth fund and have something for the rainy day, but somehow lack of national consensus made that impossible.”

“Is it a PDP failure alone? No, it is not. It is a collective failure.

Many chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who are basking in the glow of winning power at the centre were main the actors in the politics that stalled further progress in that direction,” he said.

He therefore enjoined the incoming government at the federal level to forge a national consensus on economy direction, if Nigeria must move forward.

A cross section of prominent Deltans at the event to included Pa Philip Asiodu, Professor Grace Alele-Williams and Pa Sam Amuka of the Vanguard newspaper amongst others graced the occasion.

Constitution: S’Court hears NASS motion against Jonathan’s suit today Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Supreme Court will to-

day (Monday) determine whether or not to discharge its interlocutory orders of injunction made on May 7, 2015, barring the National Assembly from overriding President Goodluck Jonathan’s veto on the Constitutional Amendment Bill.

Jonathan had through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), on April 22, 2015 filed an originating summons, in respect of the case, praying the apex court to stop the National Assembly from overriding his veto on the bill.

The court later ordered the parties in dispute to maintain the status quo and adjourned further hearing till June 18, 2015.

Aggrieved by the development, the respondents (National Assembly), which was not

represented in court when the orders and adjournment were made, asked the apex court to re-list the suit and determine it before the tenure of the 7th National Assembly ends.

The National Assembly’s counsel, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN), in an application, asked the apex court to discharge the interlocutory orders of injunction made on May 7,

2015, which barred the lawmakers from overriding the president’s veto.

Awomolo also asked the court to dismiss the AGF’s originating summons for lack of competence describing it as “an improper and or reckless invocation of the original jurisdiction of the Supreme Court.” He further argued that the AGF was not competent to invoke the orig-

Buhari urged to be decisive on fight against corruption ÏÏÏThe

incoming administration of General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), has been told to fight corruption to a standstill, because that is the only way to improve upon the economy, as well move the nation forward.

The General Overseer of the

Christian Fellowship Evangelical of Nigeria (CFEN), Rev. Abraham Aluke Adams, made the call, at the weekend, during the funeral ceremony of Pa Wada Ashiga, at Agojeju-Odo, in Omala Local Government Area of Kogi State.

inal jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under the Supreme Court (additional jurisdiction) Act. Awomolo, had also informed the court that the suit was time bound as the 7th National Assembly was inaugurated on June 6, 2011 for a term of four years that would terminate on June 6, 2015, adding that the case would, thereafter, become indefensible.

He said that the incoming government must set an enviable standard, devoid of blemishes, for others to follow, saying that Nigerians were a very obedient people.

According to him, those in position of authority should know that they will account for their lives to God one day, calling on the incoming government to carry the people along and ensure that the well-being of the citizenry remained its utmost concern.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

8

Politics

Æs

SULEIMAN:

Suleiman

Women deserve vital positions in the society

She is a woman with special abilities, an amiable personality and a perfect combination of beauty and charisma. She is the woman leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State and plays a vital role in the mobilization of women when it comes to politics in the state. She spoke with KEHINDE AKINPELU, on the controversy surrounding office of first lady in Nigeria as well as the roles, place and responsibility of women in politics. Excerpts:

Can we meet you?

I’m Hajia Nimota Sulaiman, the woman leader of APC in Kwara State.

What are expectations of women from the incoming President, Muhammadu Buhari?

Firstly, I thank God that the President that will rule Nigeria is from our party. Our labours at campaigns were crowned with success at the state and federal levels. Having said this; I want to plead with President Muhammadu Buhari to fully implement

the 35 percent affirmative action for women. No doubt, our women played significant role in the electioneering campaign and so they deserve the right place in the scheme of things. By way of appointments, empowerment, social security to the aged and to women in general. In addition, we need to know that women constitute the largest percentage of Nigerian population, so with this, we expect that women are accorded better respect in naCONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Lagos member elect kicks against plot to impose speaker

Ikuforiji

2019:

22 political parties move to stop oneparty state

Following fears expressed in many circles that the continuous decamping of many politicians to the rave of the moment, the All Progressives Congress (APC) may lead to a one-party state, 22 political parties have commenced moves to put an end to this possibility.

Towards this end, the parties are to commence joint discussions with the Independent Na-

Majority of members-elect of Lagos 8th Assembly have kicked against an attempt to anoint an unpopular candidate to the Speakership seat of the next Assembly by some powerbrokers in the state.

It was learnt that recently, members-elect disagreed at a meeting held at the instance of an acclaimed kingmaker in the House to anoint a candidate for the Speakership seat before the June 4th inauguration.

The members-elect were said to have came out point blank that they were not willing to go on relegation in the league of State Houses of Assembly in the country by taking the risk of experimenting with its leadership position but would rather consolidate on its prime position that has taken years of hardwork, selfless services and quality leadership of the

pro-active successive Speakers of the House and their team to build by throwing their weight behind the best candidate among those currently jostling to succeed the out-going Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji who will be leaving behind a legacy of legislative excellence that has become a barometre for measuring parliamentary success in the State legislatures n Nigeria.

“Lagos Assembly has over the years, become a role mode and envy of other States Assembly even among members of the National Assembly as a result of its excellence kin legislative performances. To now contemplate compromising the standard for whatever reason(s) will not only be a shame on the members but a great diservice to majority of Lagosians who have been en-

joying good governance in the state as a result of the legislative activities of the House under a competent leadership and have voted for continuity in that tradition as well as consolidation of the achievement that has continued to guarantee good governance for the benefit of the people of the state.

“We shall resist any attempt to foist on members and by extension, the people of the state who have been the major beneficiaries of good legislative activities under a competent leadership an incompetent as well as unpopular candidate as the next Speaker of the House,” a member disclosed.

Another member who said he was not happy about the activities of one or two elders of the House whom some of them look up to, and advised them

tional Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure the continuation of a multi-party democracy in the country.

What is worrisome to the parties included the fact that the last election reduced the number of parties that won seats to just barely four, down from 10 parties in the previous election.

Spokesperson of the meeting who is the Secretary-General of

Inter-Party Advisory Council and national Chairman of Progressive Peoples Alliance, (PPA) Chief Peter Ameh, said the meeting was aimed at articulating ways to improve electoral process in Nigeria.

Ameh said, “But despite that, we looked at issues on how to re-strategise and create a better environment for the electoral process in 2019, an environment

that will encourage multi-party democracy and encourage more parties to win elections because this last election was not really encouraging. It has reduced the number of parties that won election in 2011 from about 7/10 parties to just about 2/3 parties.”

According to him, the rat race between the two major political

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

9

Politics

Buhari should implement 35 percent affirmation action for women CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

tional matters.

I am particularly saddened by what happened in Taraba to our only female governorship candidate, Senator Aishat Alhassan. I see it as men rising against her, it is very bad. We should have a situation where men and women operate on equal right and platform in the scheme of things.

Women have all it takes to compete favourably with men, It is high time Nigerians get matured in politics like America where Hilary Clinton, is warming up for the 2016 general elections. In Germany, the Chancellor is a female and has won the seat for a second term. Our case should not be different here, and why can’t the men give one seat to one woman out of 36 state governors? It is too bad. So I’m appealing to the President-elect to look into the issue of women and place them effectively where they will be able to render their supportive roles effectively, not just women affairs; It has always been men alone occupying chairmanship of boards, parastatals etc, if you empower a man, you empowered just one person, but if its a woman, you have empowered a nation; if you educate a woman you have educated a whole nation not necessarily just 35% placement, it can be more even up to 45%. What women went through during the campaigns is enough to make them earn a good place in the scheme of things. Whatever you give to a woman is not a waste but an act of nation building. Though they say men are

bread winners but it is the women who know where the shoe pinches. We women are the ones left at home with the children. At work, we are the ones the men look up to for peace to reign and for support. So adequate empowerment is what women deserve, nothing less. When there is a crisis, the women are at the receiving end, so women are no nonentities but invaluable partners in planning and execution of national development plans.

If the men folk push us better into limelight, they would enjoy the contributions we can make in helping their efforts. What a man can do, a woman can do it much better in our own way. So I am imploring the President-elect to give women a try and see how we would deliver to expectations and

“To be sincere, the office of first lady is not constitutionally created but the supportive roles being played by the first ladies to their husbands cannot be under estimated”

all will be well for this nation.

But we have seen women also being at the forefront of corrupt practices in Nigeria, so..? (cuts in) What is the ratio of men in corrupt practices compared to the number of women?

Less than one percent if not less!

I need not mention names, we all read in the papers and hear in the news, and the evil acts of men are not heralded as that of women. Even religious places of worship celebrate these thieving men, the society celebrate them I am not saying women should be spared when they betray public trust, such women are no good representation of women and that negligible proportion of bad eggs among women should not be used as a yard stick to condemn women from exhibiting their God given potentials. So those women who are fingered in corrupt practices are on their own, it is their cup of tea. Corruption is not in the character of women, we teach our children good morals and decent upbringing, so when you see isolated cases of women in corrupt practices; know that it is an abnormality. Women are known for uprightness, transparency and sincerity. Women have large heart and have passion for whatever they do. When it comes to trust, it is the women that you can rely on; if you have a duty to perform and you need people, by the time men had left you, you cannot know, they will still pretend, but when a woman is with you, it is easy to know and when she departs, she would openly display it; women don’t betray trust. The Almighty Allah has a

Buhari

valuable place for women, so our men should take a cue from this.

The President-elect was quoted as saying he might not recognize the office of the first lady, how do you react to this?

General Muhammadu Buhari is a man of high integrity and wisdom; being who he is, he might have his own reasons that are his belief and his passion. To be sincere, the office of first lady is not constitutionally created but the supportive roles

being played by the first ladies to their husbands cannot be under estimated. It is these women that relate with other women, giving succor to the women, thedown trodden, but if the Presidentelect decides otherwise, I wont blame him. Going by the experience with the outgoing first lady, I don’t want to mention names; by her conduct she created so many problems for women in this country. She abused her office to the detriment of the down CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

2015 ELECTIONS: Our feat proved doomsday predictions wrong –Jega

Jega

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, has said that some predictions, especially in some international media organizations suggesting that the outcome of the recently concluded 2015 general elections may lead to the end of the country, have proven to be false due to the generally free, fair, credible and peaceful conduct of the elections.

The INEC Chairman disclosed this at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja when

he received a delegation led by the Ambassador of Mexico in Nigeria, Marco Antonio Garcia Blanco.

His words: “We are indeed very happy that our elections turned out to be well and to have been recognized both nationally and internationally as free, fair, credible and also peaceful.

Leading to the election, some impressions had been created, particularly in the international media as if this may be the end of our country. Thank God it was doomsday prediction which turned out to be false”.

Professor Jega, who expressed delight by the offer to share experiences with the other countries, explained that though the 2015 elections, were not perfect, they were much better than that of 2011, admitting that there was room for improvement.

The INEC Chairman said: “We know that the election has not been perfect; we know that it was better than 2011; but there is also a lot of scope for improvement and that is why we welcome every opportunity to visit other countries and

to see how they do their own elections and to be able to exchange ideas and to also learn good practices which we can continue to adapt to our own circumstances for continuous improvement of our own electoral process”.

He appreciated the efforts of the Mexican High Commission in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between both countries in sharing electoral experiences and urged that such bilateral relationship CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Politics

10

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

‘We operate a multi-party democracy in Nigeria’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

parties went a long way in affecting the electoral victories of other registered political parties.

To correct this perceived anomaly in subsequent elections, the PPA chairman said the political parties would have to sit down with INEC and offer suggestions on how to improve the electoral process.

He said, “We are going to sit down with INEC and discuss, we are going to look at how to improve the voting system and make it right because the Option A4 of 1999 is still greater and more transparent than what we have today. We are still going to look at better ways to improve the electoral process.

“If we are going for full-blown electoral voting system, we should go for it to protect the interest of all registered political parties. In doing that, the mandate of parties which won election will not be lost. Also for parties which lost election, they will see it as a transparent process that will encourage acceptance of the results and include participation in the electoral process.”

No fewer than 22 political parties which participated actively in the last general election met at the meeting which held in Abuja with a resolve to launch themselves back to power in the 2019 polls. They brainstormed on how to correct the mistakes of the past that led to their failure and chart the way forward.

Among the parties that attended the meeting were Democratic Peoples Party, Peoples Party of Nigeria, Unity Party of Nigeria (represented by the founder of Oodua Peoples Congress, Dr. Fredrick Fasehun), Labour Party,

JEGA:

There is lot of scope for improvement

Alliance for Democracy, Peoples Democratic Movement, United Progressives Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Social Democratic Party and African Democratic Congress.

The issues discussed include how to liaise with the Independent National Electoral Commission with a view to improving the electoral process and marshalling out a blueprint for the incoming administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.

Ameh said: That in the IPAC Code of Conduct, the meeting of Executive General Assembly comprises all the registered political parties.

“We have decided to meet to discuss all the other issues affecting political parties, their growth and development. As you know, we operate a multi-party democracy in Nigeria and we have a council that protects the growth and development of political parties. So we called a meeting, reviewed the issues and discussed collectively and brainstormed on other issues on the relationship that will exist between those who won election and those that lost”, he said.

Asked whether there were discussions on how to recapture power in 2019, the IPAC scribe said issues were discussed at inter-party level because recapturing power is an interest that will preoccupy all parties.

The national chairman of IPAC and chairman of National Conscience Party, Dr. Tanko Yunusa, called on the incoming administration to be committed to its promise to fight corruption and carry other parties along. He said IPAC would cooperate with Buhari’s administration for the overall interest of the country.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

should be extended to other sectors.

“You facilitated the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding which has been very useful, many of our staff have benefited by participation in some conferences. All these experiences have been useful and beneficial and we cherish the opportunity,” he said.

Lagos speakership seat: We are not ready to experiment –members elect tell kingmakers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

not to bring the next Assembly into a ridicule by trying to harass and intimidate members to support their favoured but not the best candidate for selfish reasons but to put the interest of the generality of the people of the state as the topmost priority saying the APC-led government can not afford to let the people down, stressing that there should be no excuse for failure.

“We, members of the House have been together for sometime now and we know the leadership competence and ability of every members including members’ ability to grammatically express his or her view when it matters most.

Lagos is noted as the centre of excellence and we should always put our best forward and never at any period second rate ourselves.

“Members can substantially rate the contenders to the Speakership seat in terms of their competence, ability, creativity, educational background and most importantly, acceptability and popularity among members. Therefore, I appeal to members to rise above personal interest and other sentiments by throwing their weight behind the best among them for the tradition of good legislative excellence to continue in the state, Lagosians are watching”, the two term lawmaker pleaded.

Odigie-Oyegun

Fasehun

Earlier, Ambassador Marco Antonio Garcia Blanco had said his mission to the Commission was to “transmit congratulatory message for a great job that the Commission did in the last electoral process”, adding that everybody recognized the key role played by the Commission in the successes achieved in the last electoral process.

He called on the leadership

of INEC to share experience with his country which he said is very important in improving the electoral process in Mexico, stressing: “Your expertise, knowledge and wisdom will be a great asset to our electoral body. With experience sharing, Mexico will benefit a lot”.

He advocated for continuous strengthening of existing bilateral relationship between both countries.

Ambassador of Mexico in Nigeria, Marco Antonio Garcia Blanco

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

11

8TH Presidency:

Why the cap fits Akume Freddie Adamgbe The 8Th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will on June 6th, 2015 be inaugurated following which the leadership of the Red Chambers will be unveiled.

As expected, several interest groups and individuals have sprang up each drumming support for one of their own and trying to outdo opponents using narratives that are sometimes baseless.

As things stand now, the leading aspirants to the third most powerful political office in the country are ; Sen. George Akume from Benue State and Sen. Bukola Saraki from Kwara State both who hail from the North Central and Sen. Garba Lawan from Yobe State who is from the North East.

Agreed that the trio are all competent and knowledgeable enough in their own rights to lead the 8th Senate, certain considerations must be given critical thoughts as opposed to supporting them in return for spoils of office which used to be the practice then.

Using such parameters as individual competence, confidence, integrity, knowledge, experience, track records, versatility, reliability, networking and commitment to assigned duty, Sen. Akume, a progressive in thoughts and deeds comes around as the best material to pilot the affairs of the Red Chambers to give it the needed direction at this period of the Common Sense Revolution.

A thorough bred technocrat with integrity, Sen Akume grew through the ranks in the Benue

State civil service to become Permanent in several ministries before venturing into politics in 1999.

While serving in his home state of Benue, he was beckoned upon to deliver services at the Federal Ministry of Education in the capacity of Special Assistant to then Minister, Dr Iyorchia Ayu. This was prior to his heading the Lagos Liaison Office of Benue State.

When he became governor of Benue in 1999, Sen. Akume used his God given humility to endear himself to both the old and young across the state most of whom benefitted from his uncommon political benevolence.

He made the locals, for the first time, to feel the impact of government as against the old trend when people in the local areas only see posters of politicians on election eve as the only presence that a government is in place.

Sen. Akume effectively used the office to connect with the high and the mighty attracting development in all spheres of human life in Benue State.

He once headed the Northern Governors’ Forum and was vehement in opposing Third Term bid of the then President Olusegun Obasanjo which was against the wish of the people of Nigeria and earned him national honour and accolade.

After the expiration of his second term tenure as governor of Benue State, the good people of Benue North West Senatorial District unanimously decided to concede the senate seat of the area to him to appreciate the good work he had done for them.

At the inauguration of the 6th Senate, Sen. Akume looked good to clinch the Senate Presidency as a first timer only to be played out by forces of retrogression.

Whence in 2011, the ship of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) started sinking, Sen. Akume discarded the tattered umbrella and identified himself with the progressive Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) which metamorphosed into All Progressives Congress (APC) where he emerged as the Senate Minority Leader and has continued to render selfless service and provide direction to the new governing party in the making.

Sen. Akume is the one who has for the first time since the creation of Benue State in 1976 single handedly led the opposition to break the jinx of loosing election to ruling party which top opposition leaders such as Wantaregh Paul Unongo, Paul Belabo, Prof Daniel Saror and Prof David could not achieve.

History has shown that defeating a sitting government in Benue is as difficult as passing through the eye of a needle until Sen. Akume proved otherwise and demystified the once untouchable enfante terrible of PDP in the state.

From the drums of supporters’ fire balls that came to the public knowledge, one can deduce that the political analysis above is working favourably for Sen. Akume instead of Lawan or Saraki.

One must not lose sight and sense of the fact that during the 2015 electioneering campaigns, there had been fears that APC is

Akume

“History has shown that defeating a sitting government in Benue is as difficult as passing through the eye of a needle until Sen. Akume proved otherwise and demystified the once untouchable enfante terrible of PDP in the state.”

Politics a Muslim party parading “Janjaweed ideologies” going by the composition of its National leadership which on the surface value appeared one sided in terms of religion.

Given the fact that Sen. Akume did not create disaffection in the senate and pose any threat to Senate President David Mark even as he contested for the plum seat with him and even emerged as Minority Leader, but his supporters see this as a clear indication that he is a matured political leader.

It was based on this premise that two political leaders in the state, Dr Sam Odeh and Arch Joe Ikyaagba amongst others recently called on Senate President David Mark not to remain neutral but come out openly and declare support for Sen. Akume to clinch the number three position particularly that he is a Benue man.

It is on record that Sen. Akume played a major role in Sen. Mark’s three times return to the National Assembly while he ( Akmue) was governor despite vehement rejection Mark faced from his people then.

So, people feel it time he reciprocates that kind gesture rendered to him by his former governor.

A political commentator, Mr. Peter Hir who spoke to our correspondent noted that given the fact that Sen. Akume has overwhelmingly delivered the entire North Central to the APC, he needed to be compensated for the feat.

He observed that “the political antecedents and pedigree of the former governor and three-time Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria speak volumes for him as a credible leader with impeccable credentials capable of stabilising the 8th National Assembly.

“Akume has contributed immensely to the growth of APC to what it is today and I believe his ideas will help the President-elect in pulling the country out of its political doldrums”, he stressed.

Corruption is not in the character of women – Suleiman CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

trodden women in Nigeria. She amassed wealth for herself adding salt to the injury of women in Nigeria. You cannot compare this woman with the likes of Hajia Turai Yar’Adua and the woman who brought us out of the kitchen, Mrs Maryan Babangida of blessed memory. See the way she comported herself with decency and carried her Better Life for Rural Women project in a way that all women even in rural areas know that something is

happening in Abuja. That woman demonstrated vision and she used the opportunity given her to do things the way we can never forget her. So if you place Maryam Babangida side by side with what Patience Jonathan is doing now you will see a wide gap of incompatibility. We have never had it so bad in this country; let me be frank with you, this woman created most problems for her husband and she is a major factor in the failure of her husband. She is too vocal; she wants to be heard

where wise women would keep quiet and just observe things.

She would put her mouth where she has no business talking. She went ahead imposing candidates for governorship. Imagine the first lady of the nation keeping grudges with governors of so many states, what is her business in that? An office that is not backed constitutionally and should be run on low profile, she was running with impunity. That office is an office to display social responsibility towards women

folks, the down trodden and the less privileged in our society. It is not an office to hijack power from the Governor or the President.

So, General Muhammadu Buhari knows what is good for Nigeria, he has been there before and knows what to do appropriately at least he knows that women supported his course very much.

But there is this notion that women should not participate in politics, what is your take on this?

I don’t believe in such! How

would people say women should not participate in politics, can the men do it all alone? Politics is not meant for men alone. God created us equal but with different roles to play for the society to move forward. Whether you are male or female, every one created by Almighty Allah deserves the right and opportunity to serve their people; we all have a responsibility to our society. We have social responsibility, corporate responsibility as well as all possible responsibility ordained by God.

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Senate Presidency: Omotosho backs Saraki

Yero, el-Rufai hold prayer session for smooth transition

Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin

ÏÏÏThe

gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2015 general election in Kwara State, Dr. Mike Omotosho, has declared his support for the aspiration of Dr. Bukola Saraki, to become the Senate President in the 8th National Assembly.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Ilorin, and signed by his Special Assistant on Youth and Student Matters, Comrade Charles Olufemi Folayan, said Omotosho’s ambition was to contribute meaningfully to the development of the state.

The statement said Omotosho, pledged to support any matter that will better the life of the people of Kwara State through direct empowerment and good governance which he will continue to do with or without occupying any elective office.

He said having a Senate president of Kwara origin, will help in uplifting the state to enjoy more dividends of democracy from the federal government to the benefit of the good people of the state.

Ajimobi orders a low-key inauguration in Oyo ÏÏÏThe

governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, has directed that the May 29 inauguration in the state should be low key.

In this respect, the governor ordered all his aides in charge of the inauguration ceremony, to ensure that they organise the ceremony, devoid of fanfare to herald his historic second term in office, in view of the pervading parlous economy of the country.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, conveyed the governor’s decision through a press statement, on Sunday.

Given the paucity of fund across the country, from which Oyo State is not exempted, the governor stressed the need for modest celebrations as he continues in office for another four years this Friday.

Sunday Isuwa Kaduna

ÏÏÏThe

Akwa-Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio sandwiched by a mammoth crowd at the thanksgiving to mark the end of his tenure in Akwa-Ibom State… on Sunday

Stop blaming Obasanjo, Bode George, NDLEA tells Kashamu Segun Adio Group News Editor

ÏÏÏThe

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), on Sunday, advised the embattled Ogun Senator - elect, Buruji Kashamu, to concentrate on the facts of his alleged drug case, and stop dragging former President Olusegun Obasanjo as well as a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George, into his problems.

This Agency’s advice to Kashamu was contained in a press release issued by Mitchell Ofoyeju, spokesman for the NDLEA and made available to the Daily Times.

Ofoyeju said that rather than engage in the blame game, Kashamu, as a distinguished Senator-elect, should act honourably, demonstrate ample confidence in the Nigerian judicial system instead of shifting blame

on the duo of former President Obasanjo and former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief George, for the crime he committed.

The release read in part: “Kashamu has been on the wanted list of both the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

“Kashamu was indicted in the Northern District of Illinois, United States on charges brought against him by ICE. According to the United States court documents, Kashamu in his days as the leader of a prolific heroin trafficking ring, based in Chicago, Illinois, was known as “God,” “Daddy,” and “Kasmal”. He is wanted to stand trial on charges of conspiracy and importation of controlled substances, namely

heroin, into the United States dating back to 1994.

“Kashamu, who holds dual Nigerian/Beninese citizenship, has taken multiple pre-emptive actions to thwart U.S. extradition efforts such as making fanciful claims that his is a case of mistaken identity, and that his deceased brother is responsible for the crimes he is being sought after in the United States. He has filed injunctions at the federal court, both in the Northern District of Illinois, United States, and in Nigeria, to prevent his arrest and prosecution.

“These are issues that Kashamu should prepare to address rather than point accusing fingers at eminent elder statesmen who have no connection with the ongoing investigative process. The Senator, who was placed on house arrest last weekend, is expected to appear in court in less than 24 hours.

out-going governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and the state governor-elect, Mallam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai at the weekend, prayed together to kick-start the inauguration activities for the incoming government of Kaduna State.

The spokesperson of the governor-elect, Samuel Aruwan, who disclosed the development, said other top government functionaries attended the prayer session.

The duo, the statement added, attended Friday prayers at the 44 Comilla Barracks Mosque, Kaduna, organised

by Kaduna State Government Transition Committee.

The governor-elect, in his comment shortly after the prayers, was quoted as saying, “We are grateful to Almighty God for his kindness and benevolence. We pray for a successful transition in our state, for peace, development and harmony among our people.

“We are appealing to all citizens of Kaduna State to join us in prayers and work together for progress. We pray Allah to bless our state and uphold us as we strive to provide purposeful leadership for our state.”

Similarly, the out-going deputy governor of the state, Ambassador Nuhu Audu Bajoga and the deputy governor-elect, Arc. Bala Barnabas Bantex, on Sunday, attended service held at the ECWA Church, Prison Barracks, Kaduna.

Wada seeks amicable resolution to Kogi, Anambra boundary crisis Ibrahim Obansa Lokoja

ÏÏÏKogi State Governor, Capt. Idris

Wada (rtd) has said that his government is prepared to welcome suggestions that can lead to the final resolution of the lingering boundary crisis between Kogi and Anambra states.

Wada stated this at the weekend when he received the Director General of the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and his team, who were in the state for an advocacy

visit.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Yomi Awoniyi, said the visit of the advocacy team would have far reaching effects in resolving the boundary dispute between Kogi and Anambra states.

Wada assured that the state will continue to preach peace to its citizens living around the disputed boundaries, noting that Kogi State was ready for the final boundary demarcation of the disputed lines.

The governor said Kogi people

have accepted the olive branch of peace, from their Anambra counterparts, saying that the state was prepared to embrace ideas and suggestions that will lead to the boundary demarcation of the disputed boundary.

Wada described the time as most auspicious for the NBC to carry out the demarcation, urging the commission to put a closer look on the boundary issue between Ette community in the state and their counterparts in Enugu State.

The governor equally asked the commission to put in place a mechanism to help resolve the boundary disputes between Kogi and Okpella in Edo State, and those between it and Ondo State.

Wada, who commended the NBC for its interest in resolving boundary issues relating to the state, assured that the state will put in place all necessary mechanism to ensure that the people are well prepared and to allow for a peaceful demarcation exercise ahead of June 13, 2015 date.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Gunmen kill Burundi opposition leader

Police and protesters have fought running battles during a month of demonstrations against Nkurunziza and his plan to run for a third term. The president's decision triggered a failed coup and sent more than 100,000 people fleeing the country.

In another development Friday, the U.N. refugee agency said an outbreak of cholera has killed 29 Burundian refugees who fled

to Tanzania to escape political unrest at home. It said that two Tanzanians have also died in an outbreak that has affected 3,000 people in the Kagunga area, near Lake Tanganyika.

Officials have brought in clean water, medicine and other supplies to halt the outbreak.

The U.S. State Department said Friday that the United States has not scaled back its military funding for Burundi. Spokeswoman Marie Harf said members of Burundi's military "have largely acted professionally and neutrally during the recent protests."

She said, however, that continued violence in Burundi could jeopardize the country's ability to contribute to U.N. peacekeeping missions, and said some U.S. training for U.N. missions has been temporarily halted because of the insecurity.

More than 20 people have died in Burundi since the protests began in late April. The government crushed a coup attempt last week while Nkurunziza was out of the country.

Critics of Nkurunziza said a third term would violate the twoterm limit in Burundi's constitution. His supporters argue a third term is permitted because he was elected by parliament, not voters, for his first term in 2005.

idly growing city of more than 3 million residents.

But the winner of this poll is all but certain: the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front has ruled since 1991 after taking power in a coup against the former Marxist government.

Opposition parties won only a single seat in parliament during the last elections five years ago.

This is the first vote since the death of longtime prime minister, Meles Zenawi, in 2012. Meles’ successor, mild-mannered former academic, Hailemariam

Desalegn, went to his rural village in southern Ethiopia to vote.

Hailemariam’s party recently voted to observe two term limits for prime minister, meaning that if he wins, this could be his final term.

In the capital, construction worker Tageyn Waza, 30, listed her job as a construction worker and the rapid pace of development as her reasons to support the EPRDF. “Nice, very nice. Good, this government. Nice, good, all nice,” she said.

Relatives and friends gather around the covered body of Zedi Feruzi, the head of opposition party, UPD, in Bujumbura, Burundi... on Saturday

ÏÏÏ

The leader of an opposition party in Burundi has been shot dead by unknown assailants in Bujumbura, according to witnesses and residents.

They said Zedi Feruzi, the head of the UPD party, and at least one of his bodyguards were killed in a drive-by shooting Saturday in the capital's Ngangara district.

Few other details were immediately available. The attack is the

...as Ethiopians go to polls, ruling party in early lead

latest violent incident in the country following President Pierre Nkurunziza's bid for another term in office.

On Friday, attackers threw grenades into a crowded Bujumbura marketplace, killing at least two people. Meanwhile, anti-government protests continued in the capital on Friday. Police fired teargased at protesters who threw stones and burned tires.

ÏÏÏEthiopians

voted Sunday in the first national election since the 2012 death of longtime leader, Meles Zenawi. But critics say little has changed since Meles' death — his party is again heavily slated to win, and the opposition said the government has maintained its heavy-handed repressive tactics, making this election a non-event.

The voting lines formed well before sunrise in Addis Ababa on Sunday. People thronged to polling stations set up in tents, public halls and schools across this rap-

Liberia struggles with violence along insecure I’Coast border ÏÏÏIn February last year, a gang

of men with machetes ambushed two villages in western Ivory Coast, disembowelling a soldier and pulling out most of his organs before slaying three of his colleagues.

The attack marked the brutal resumption of a campaign of violence blamed on militants crossing from Liberia that has displaced thousands and claimed dozens of lives in the border area.

Experts have warned that the violence could intensify in the

months ahead of presidential elections due to take place in Ivory Coast in October.

The crisis was ignited by former Ivorian president Laurent Gbagbo's refusal to accept election defeat to Alassane Ouattara in 2010, leading to a four-month conflict that claimed some 3 000 lives. Thousands of Gbagbo's supporters fled the far west, which was hit particularly hard, across the 700km border into neighbouring Liberia when he was captured in April 2011.

Observers said the pro-Gbagbo political elite, now mostly in Ghana or elsewhere in West Africa, are funding incursions into western Ivory Coast by Liberian mercenaries and Ivorians recruited in Liberia's refugee camps.

The cross-border violence saw a significant spike in 2012 that saw more than 40 people killed.

In the worst incident, seven UN troops from Niger, 10 civilians and at least one Ivorian soldier were killed while patrolling villages south of the town of Tai.

Thirteen Liberian nationals were jailed for life but critics dismissed the trial as a witch hunt against the Krahn - the ethnicity of former president Samuel Doe who was assassinated in 1990, sparking 14 years of civil war.

Quattara

13 Africa Northern rebels claim capture of 19 Mali troops ÏÏÏA

Tuareg-dominated rebel coalition said on Saturday it was holding prisoner 19 Malian government soldiers captured in fighting a day earlier, amid growing violence in the north that threatens to derail U.N.-brokered peace efforts.

Army sources confirmed that soldiers were missing following clashes late on Friday that saw the Coordination of Movements of Azawad (CMA) briefly seize the small town of Tessit, in Mali's northern Gao region. They declined to give further details.

A spokesman for the CMA said its fighters had withdrawn from Tessit by Saturday morning, taking with them captured weapons, ammunition and the prisoners.

"They are Malian soldiers and there are 19 of them," Almou Ag Mohamed told Reuters.

Photos seen by Reuters from a CMA fighter involved in the fighting in Tesssit showed at least a dozen men, most in civilian clothing, with their hands tied behind their backs and surrounded by rebel fighters.

Horn of Africa's Djibouti dreams of becoming 'new Dubai' ÏÏÏFor years, the Horn of

Africa nation, Djibouti, was seen by foreign powers as a far-flung military outpost overlooking the Gulf of Aden.

Now the strategic port wants to capitalise on its key position on one of the world's busiest shipping lanes, the gateway to the Suez Canal.

Djibouti offers an African base across from the Arabian Peninsula at the crossroads for cargo traffic between Asia and Europe.

It may be a tiny country of around 850 000 people, but it has a bold ambition to become the commercial hub of eastern Africa, building on its role as the main port for landlocked Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country. To achieve that, the former French colony has embarked on a series of infrastructure projects expected to cost some $14bn.

Offshore from the historic Djibouti city, the waters are crowded with a mix of hulking warships, giant container cargo vessels and the traditional wooden fishing dhows that have plied the seas here for centuries.

World 14

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Koreas’ women activists cross demilitarised zone

U.S. activist, Gloria Steinem, seventh from right, two Nobel Peace Prize laureates and other activists march to the Imjingak Pavilion along the military wire fences near the border village of Panmunjom in Paju, north of Seoul, South Korea ...on Sunday

ÏÏÏCrossing the Korean penin-

sula’s demilitarised zone is normally strictly forbidden for all travelers. However, the governments of North and South Korea gave an international delegation of women peace activists permission to pass through the heavily fortified boarder on Sunday. But some critics said their symbolic crossing only benefits Pyongyang.

After crossing the DMZ from

Russia: Putin moves against foreign organisations ÏÏÏPresident

Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law giving prosecutors the power to declare foreign and international organisations "undesirable" in Russia and shut them down.

Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have con-

Putin

North Korea by bus, the group of about 30 women from 15 countries arrived at a South Korean transit office. The activists spent 5 days in the North where they said they discussed women’s issues, human rights and possible peaceful solutions to tensions on the divided peninsula with their hosts.

Some of the women who made the journey include Nobel Peace Prize winners - Mairead Maguire

demned the measure as part of an "ongoing draconian crackdown which is squeezing the life out of civil society".

The law is part of a Kremlin campaign to stifle dissent that intensified after Putin began his third term in 2012. His return to the presidency had been accompanied by mass street protests that Putin accused the United States of fomenting.

Russian suspicions of Western intentions have been further heightened because of tensions over Russia's role in the conflict in Ukraine.

The new Russian law allows prosecutors to declare an organisation undesirable if it presents a threat to Russia's constitutional order, its defences or its security.

Laws passed in recent years already have led to increased pressure on Russian non-governmental organisations, particularly those that receive foreign funding.

Rights activists fear the new law could be used to extend the crackdown to Russian branches of international groups and the Russian activists who work with them.

of Northern Ireland and Liberia’s Leymah Gbowee.

U.S. activist, Gloria Steinem, spoke during the welcoming ceremony for Women Cross DMZ at Imjingak Pavilion near the border village of Panmunjom in Paju, South Korea, on Sunday.

She told reporters that during their visit, they had open conversations with North Korean women about these issues.

“I know we had real human ex-

Thousands flee after landslide blocks Nepal river

ÏÏÏThousands of panic-stricken

villagers fled their homes fearing flash floods after an overnight landslide blocked a river in quakehit Nepal's mountainous northwest, officials said on Sunday.

The landslide, which occurred at around midnight, sent mud and rocks surging into the Kali Gandaki river in Myagdi district, causing water levels to rise by 150m, local official Yam Bahadur Chokhal said.

"We have evacuated about 100 people from the affected area, people in other villages don't need immediate rescue but thousands have left on their own," Chokhal told AFP. The region has witnessed several small landslides in recent days,

changes with North Korean women. There is nothing like sitting in a circle and telling each other our human stories,” she said.

Steinem said the artificial barrier that has kept people on both sides of the peninsula apart, must come down.

To do that, the women said South and North Korea must sign a peace treaty to officially end the war that concluded with only a cease-fire agreement in 1953.

according to local official Trivikram Sharma, based in the district headquarters of Beni, 185km west of Kathmandu.

"After the two quakes, villagers have reported several minor landslides and late last night, they said the hill just came down," Sharma told AFP. "We cannot immediately assess the risk of flash floods but people are obviously scared that the artificial dam will burst suddenly and submerge their homes," Sharma said.

No one was hurt or killed in the landslide, according to officials.

An army helicopter carrying soldiers and experts was on its way to help open the blockage and drain the artificial lake created by the landslide.

Police have issued an alert for villagers living along the river, which begins near the Nepal-China border and flows into northern India, eventually joining the Ganges.

The snow-fed waters are also the site of Nepal's largest hydroelectric project that generates 144 megawatts of power, located south of the landslide-blocked area.

30 mass graves discovered in Malaysia ÏÏÏMalaysian

authorities on Sunday said police have found 30 mass graves containing the remains of people believed to be Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants from Myanmar.

Home Minister, Zahid Hamidi, told reporters that the graves had been found along the border with Thailand near villages that had been used by human traffickers.

"The IGP (Inspector General of Police) and his deputy are currently at the Malaysian-Thailand borders for confirmation and identification of the bodies in the mass grave. The mass graves area has been identified by VAT 69 (special police force) and PGA (general police force) as being used for human trafficking activities of refugees," he said.

Local media reported that the graves containing hundreds of skeletons had been found in and near detention camps used by human traffickers of Bangladeshi and Rohingya migrants.

Iraqi forces lack will to fight – US ÏÏÏUS Defence Secretary, Ash-

ton Carter, has said the rout of Iraqi forces at the city of Ramadi showed they lacked the will to fight against Islamic State.

Carter told CNN's State of the Union the Iraqis "vastly outnumbered" the IS forces but chose to withdraw. The head of Iraq's defence and security committee said the comments were "unrealistic and baseless".

On Saturday, the militiamen retook Husayba, east of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, with heavy fighting continuing in the area on Sunday.

The US has invested in a policy of training and arming the Iraqi forces since it withdrew its combat troops at the end of 2011.

But Iraqi forces have suffered a number of defeats at the hands of IS over the past year, leaving behind US-supplied materiel.

Carter said of Ramadi: "What apparently happened is the Iraqi forces just showed no will to fight.

They were not outnumbered. In fact, they vastly outnumbered the opposing force."

Describing the situation as "very concerning", he added: "We can give them training, we can give them equipment - we obviously can't give them the will to fight."

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

15 Opinion

Buhari: Beware of our Pharisees and Sadducees

H Farouk Martins Aresa

ere we go again!

Buhari, beware of Nigeria’s pandering Pharisees and Sadducees.

Political jobbers that brought us to our knees and disappointed the black race are at it again. Same folks exaggerated your insubstantial flaws as a major distraction. If Buhari has any doubt, he must dig into the end of the prophets, the fall of Hausa states or better still, the palace coup that overthrew Buhari the First. Their main goal is to kill the fight against corruption.

Then preach how to save us. They do not fight just to entrench corruption as business as usual; they annihilate whatever it is in their way.

Buhari must learn from his past as a former Head of State. Favour to any section no matter how much they donated to his election, the glory of their blood and state must not override fairness or at the expense of the country. We need assurance better than that of OBJ that all those that invested in him should consider their investment lost. While Buhari has acknowledged overwhelming high expectations from Nigerians somehow, he must act decisively,

even if he has to tread on toes.

The first 100 days must give us an indication of who is back in power, otherwise he may lose momentum.

Luckily, his strongest point is his known distaste for corruption. It takes guts, decisive alacrity to send that message. It is opposite of the fish that rot from the head. Once message to end greed and avarice is sent by transparent sense of duty, the rest of the people will get it.

If there is a lesson here: Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba need to learn from their past so that mistakes of those days are not lost during celebration of a single election. This is why the Pharisees and the Sadducees will be fighting for their selfinterest. Some are vultures others are spoilers while the rest are praise singers looking for crumbs from the masters’ table.

Yoruba must learn from what the Western Nigeria achieved in opposition and many of those Nigerians that benefited that were not even Yoruba. As soon as Yoruba moved to the centre of government, they lost their skillful manager in Ibadan.

The West has never been the same.

It resulted into internal squabbles, hate and rancour. The same region, all other regions competed with for

excellence and progressive ideas, lost everything with the rest of Nigeria.

Just as the Igbo have nothing to fear, Hausa and Yoruba have nothing to celebrate in a country suffocating in its own vomit. Democracy has always been a game of numbers.

There is nothing Yoruba did that Igbo had not done in forming the government at the centre. The fact that Hausa has ruled the country for so many years has not trickled down to the talikawa. Only fools that do not realise the commonality of looters amongst the leaders will celebrate any party.

It is widely believed that Ndi-Igbo voted for the party that lost. Well, what about those Igbo that voted for the party that won? Corruption affects the Igbo as much as it affects Hausa, Yoruba and the minority ethnic groups that make up the rest of Nigerians. There is nothing else that can unite Nigerians right now more than the fight against intentional waste, mismanagement of public funds, slush, and deliberate sabotage of files by government officials.

During the election we heard from both PDP and APC stalwarts preaching to us to beware of the other.

If Jonathan had won the election,

there would be those asking him to beware just as Buhari is now asked to beware of them. There are also some that are crossing to the winning party. They would do anything to gain favours. Any Party In Power!

Despite the graceful concession by Jonathan, there are some unpatriotic Nigerians praying that Buhari fails for no other reason than to prove themselves right at the expense of the whole country. So if they have a way of contributing to his success, they will throw monkey wrench into the machinery of the government Buhari leads. They do not care if the house falls on all of us, as long as they get their way catastrophically. It is not going to happen.

Unfortunately, there are those trying to heighten the fear of uninformed Nigerians by drawing attention to the voting pattern in the old Eastern Nigeria. They did not stop there; they have included the old Mid-West to form formidable partners. It is so convenient to forget so soon the coalition of people that brought Jonathan to power from North to South. Many of us used that to berate Buhari when he lost.

He lost too many times before his lucky number came up.

NLC: Comrades or opportunists?

I Denja Yaqub

t was clear by Sunday, 8 February 2015 that the build up to the execution of attempts to silence Nigerians had heightened, perhaps the executioners were unaware of the mortgaging effect on individual and collective future of not just the immediate environment and circumstances, but the people and the country.

The obvious resolve to ensure the Nigeria Labour Congress is disorganised became evident from the pre-National Delegates Conference’s National Executive Council meeting held on Sunday 8th February 2015 at the headquarters of the NLC, culminating in the 11th National Delegates Conference of the congress from 9 to 11 February 2015 at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

If anyone was in doubt that there were serious attempts to destroy the only organisation left to speak and act in the interest of the Nigerian people, that Sunday meeting of the pre-Delegates Conference NEC clearly points the way. There were lots of debates and clearly, the trend defined what eventually happened, first on Thursday 12th February 2015 and late night of Friday, 13th March 2015 when ill health was feigned and the “sick” preferred to be taken to the arena where votes were being collated rather than enter an ambu-

lance to the hospital.

Before now, vibrant mass organisations have been destroyed by opportunists who converge in the crowd of patriots that are committed to the struggles of our people.

A major victim and perhaps the first in contemporary history is the student’s movement, which have been totally annihilated by a combination of state attack and ideological contradictions.

Other mass organisations like the Campaign for Democracy (CD) that was a major rallying centre for serious pro-democracy activists that fought military dictatorship until the advent of civil rule but now dismembered. We had the Women in Nigeria (WIN), a leading voice in gender equity struggles, now laid to rest because of contractions and opportunistic drives.

Despite all these, the NLC has sustained the struggle along side what is left of progressive civil society groups, but there have been attempts to destroy the NLC either consciously or unconsciously by people who through opportunistic excuses have also offered themselves as the ready agents on a mission to destroy.

It is though not the first time an attempt would be made to destroy the NLC, it is the first time the attempt lacks any ideological motif. The first in 1988 by a group led by Takai

Shamang, who incidentally was of the National Union of Electricity Workers, was a struggle between the Progressives and Democrats in the labour movement. While the former was Marxian inclined, the later was obviously in support of the status quo Structural Adjustment Programme, SAP and other neo liberal interests. That attempt led to the intervention of the Babangida regime in the affairs of the labour movement by the sacking the leadership under Comrade Ali Chiroma.

The trade unions remain the only organisations anywhere in the world with the best tradition of effective internal democracy.

That some Comrades decided to step out of Congress to announce themselves leaders of Congress after losing at the constitutional National Delegates Conference of the NLC exposes them as opportunists. Unfortunately, these are not comrades that anyone would wish away.

The NLC, the largest labour centre in Africa, is faced with several more serious challenges locally and internationally than for any conscious comrade to offer himself as a driver of unnecessary discord.

Being the highest decision making organ, the National Delegates Conference in Session gave everyone the opportunity to speak and move motions on any contentious issue(s).

Each of them did.

Therefore, you would wonder why ballots were destroyed on Thursday, 12 February, even when they could easily have raised objections and agreed on correcting whatever was wrong. Even before the conference, there were strange campaigns under ethnic banners, which are clearly anti workers. The campaigns merely exposed the sponsors as befuddled elements with limited understanding of the working class.

The crisis of development in Africa; the negative effects of globalisation; job losses; political turmoil; severe economic crises; mass poverty; decline in human values etc., are enough worries for trade unions, and the quest to hold offices shouldn’t be the excuse for abandoning the collective struggle against these crises.

It is significant that the attempt to destroy the NLC came soon after the second largest labour centre in Africa, the Congress of South African Trade Unions, COSATU, allowed its tripartite alliance with the ruling party, the African National Congress as well as the South African Communist Party to deflate its strength.

Today, the biggest trade Union in South Africa, affiliated to COSATU, the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa, NUMSA, has left COSATU.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

At Acorn Petroleum, we remain committed to delivering unrivaled products and services to our customers. Acorn Petroleum Plc., your new energy

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Business Times Æ s

17

Business Editor: Emmanuel Ogbonnaya Email: emmanuelogbonnaya@dailytimes.com.ng

CACOL dares finance minister to make public excess crude account Joy Ekeke The Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL, has dared the Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi OkonjoIweala to make public, the details of the Excess Crude Account.

This came on the heels of the face-off between the minister and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on how $20bn that allegedly accrued to the ECA was disbursed.

The forum had said in a statement it issued after its meeting that a sum of $20bn was paid into the ECA between June 2013 and April 2015.

In her reaction, the Minister of

Finance noted that the details of ECA are published every month along with the allocations to the three tiers of the government.

The Minister also threatened that her ministry, in the interest of transparency and accountability, will publish details of the ECA for the last four years.

Reacting to the news, the Executive Chairman of the Coalition, Mr. Debo Adeniran, who noted that the ECA is an illegal account, averred that Nigerians are eagerly waiting for the statement of the account.

He said, “In the first instance, the Excess Crude Account is illegal. It is the recklessness of some politicians that necessitated the

establishment of the account.

The Minister of Finance should know that Nigerians could not wait any more to have the full details of the Excess Crude Account, not just for the last four (4) years, but since the inception of this profligate government she oversees its economic team.

It is a known fact that huge amount of money has been frittered away from the federal coffers by this present administration without anyone being queried or made to face the wrath of the law. It is also known that this administration penchant for lying is so ridiculous that whatever said by any member of the government should be taken

Augstine Aminu and Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

Okonjo-Iweala

with a pinch of salt. Hence, we are calling on Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala to make good her promise by making public the details of the ECA as soon as possible.

PenCom urges stakeholders to support new Act Anohu-Amazu

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja The National Pension Commission (PenCom) hsa called on stakeholders in the Pensions administration to support the Pension Reform Act 2014 in order to consolidate the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) and reposition the pension administration in Nigeria.

Director General of PenCom, Chinelo Anohu-Amazu made the call in Abuja during a stakeholders’ sensitisation conference on Pension Reform Act (PRA) 2014.

According to Anohu-Amazu, this is a testimony of the encouraging support from stakeholders and an indication of the confi-

dence reposed in PenCom as it strives to consolidate the Contributory Pension Scheme.

She noted that ten years ago, the Pension Reform Act 2004 was enacted to govern the Nigerian pension reform, however, based on a comprehensive review of its implementation, it was therefore, repealed and signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan in the year 2014.

It was appropriate to note that the PRA 2014 re-enacted the fundamental provisions of the repealed PRA 2004, which included the establishment of the contributory pension scheme, uniform standards for pension administration as well as the National Pension Commission as the regulator and

supervisor of pension matter in the country, the DG further noted.

She said that the purpose of the conference was to sensitise its stakeholders on the new provisions and developments ushered in by the PRA 2014.

“The first run of the sensitization conference was successfully held in Lagos in October, 2014 where experts discussed the provisions of the PRA 2014 with emphasis on issues relating to investment of pension assets,” Amazu stated.

The Director General disclosed that the Abuja conference was the second in the series of such conferences scheduled to held in all the six geopolitical zones adding that it will also focused on public

Former PHCN workers besiege BPE, demand settlements

sector issues including the roles and responsibilities of government agencies under the 2014 ACT. The PenCom boss further noted that the new ACT of 2014 has introduced a provision that allows contributors seeking to own their primary homes to apply part of their retirement savings account balances as equity contribution for residential mortgage, subject to the guidelines issued by the Commission.

She stated that the process of issuing the guidelines was at advanced stages saying “it is our expectations that as soon as implemented, this development would assist in bridging the housing deficit in Nigeria.”

Former staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) on Thursday besieged the entrance of the Bureua of Public Enterprises (BPE) to push on their demand for payment of their severance package and entitlements from the BPE. The workers who are members of the National Union of Electricity Employees of Nigeria (NUEE) told Daily Times in Abuja that for the past 16 months they had undergone series of physical and biometric exercises with assurance that the money would be paid soon after the exercise yet nothing was done to that regard.

National President of the union, Engr. Mansur Isah said they are tired of hearing same explanation from the federal governing adding that all they needed was to be told the accurate date payment will be made to the members.

Musa who decried the non-payment of the severance benefits to some of the affected former staff members, said the delay in the payment had caused untold hardships on the yet-to-be-paid former staff of the company.

Addressing the protesting crowd, Director General of BPE, Mr Benjamin Dikki disclosed that the federal government had already remitted the sum of N363 billion to the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation for onward disbursement to workers.

Dikki

Aviation18

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Bi-Courtney boosts online transactions with MMA2 KIA Race Following the successful inauguration of its state-of-the-art check-in facilities and other technology innovations, Bi-Courtney Aviation Services Limited (BASL), operators of the Murtala Muhammed Airport Terminal Two (MMA2) is set to score another first with the a novel online competition, titled: MMA2KIARace.

The MMA2KIARace, which is instagram-driven, can be accessed by fans on the new MMA2

corporate website: www.mma2. com.ng, its Twitter handle: @ MMA2Bicourtney and Facebook page: MMA2Bicourtney.

According to Mr Remi Ladigbolu head corporate communications MM2, the first-of-its-kind competition, designed by Gr8n, a marketing communications company, aimed at further encouraging the general public to embrace available online resources to conduct their businesses and social interactions.

He explained that Participants were expected to follow the MMA2KIARACE handle on instagram @mma2kiarace, repost and simply follow the given instructions.

“The competition, like past innovations by BASL, is inspired by the conviction that Nigeria can no longer afford to swim against the tide and must fully embrace the digital media for all its transactions and interactions, as is the case in developed parts of the world. This will, undoubtedly, save a lot of time and resources currently being expended doing businesses that can easily be conducted within the confines of our homes and offices.”

He said it was in the pursuit of these objectives that BASL has redesigned the MMA2 website,

with a vision to developing it into a one-stop platform for anything and everything aviation and much more.

“For the competition, BASL is partnering brands such as Dana Air, Le Meridien, Microsoft Lumia, Levi’s, Swatch, TM Lewin, KFC and Pepsi, all in its bid to make the competition highly rewarding for not only the winner but also participants. The star prize is a new KIA Rio.” It will be recalled that the technology innovations introduced at MMA2 by BASL, which include the self-check-in kiosks, automated access gates, baggage reconciliation system (BRS), are geared towards enhancing passengers’ experience and making airport processing faster and more convenient.

Chairman, Airpeace Airline, Barr. Allen Onyema, (middle) receiving an award as Patron and Global Youth Leader of Independent Pan-African Youth Forum (IPAYF) from President, Independent Pan-African Youth Support Forum (IPAYF), Comrade Obinna Sixtus Nwoke, (right)and Chief Operating Officer/ Managing Director. Toyin Olajoide at Airpeace office, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

Expert faults designation of more foreign routes to operators Stories by Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo An aviation expert, Mr Olumide Ohunayo has faulted the designation of indigenous carriers on additional international routes by the Federal Government.

Ohunayo, head of strategy at Zenith Travels an aviation consulting firm said government did not act well by such decision because the benefitting carriers have not shown that they have capacity to perform in the few routes they have been designated to warrant additional routes.

He spoke against the back-

ground of the designation of Medview Airlines by government o. Additional routes including: London, in the United Kingdom and nine other routes.

The routes include: London, in the United Kingdom, Lisbon in Portugal, Douala in Cameroon and Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of Congo.

Other routes are; Abidjan in Cote d’Ivoire, Bamako in Mali, Monrovia in Liberia, Conakry in Guinea and Freetown in Sierra Leone.

Olumide said in an interview:” This should have been a cheering news but for the non-utilisation of Jeddah, Dubai and Singapore routes given to the same airline

some time ago shows lack of sincerity in the allocation international route slots. Why give them a second tranche of foreign routes to keep in the same un- utilised basket.

“I need to state that an airline that is keeping all these routes in its kitty and their CEO going on air at every single opportunity to ask the Government for a national carrier shows clear contradiction of corporates goals and Government designation of private airlines as flag carriers “The Management of Medview Airlines should reduce their press celebration and address this lacuna. It’s a surprise that with a glittering middle east

CV they are yet to start Jeddah and Dubai route “The designation of Medview on Singapore- Enugu route ignited a quick response from Ethiopian Airlines they jump started the Enugu route and renegotiated their bilateral with Singaporean authorities.

“If Ethiopian Airlines action gave the airline some issues what are the issues holding them from operating jeddah despite having vast experience in umrah and cargo flights on that route?

“Is Medview holding the route so it can position itself as the national carrier with routes allocation but no operational prowess?

Time will tell.”

AfBAA restructures, admits professional members The African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA), said that it has been restructured by adding professional members to its membership categories.

The Founding Chairman, Tarek Ragheb, who disclosed this, said that the decision to include professional members followed a restructuring of the membership options.

He said that the restructuring was aimed at making its services available to the complete spectrum of the African Business Aviation community.

According to him, “We want the membership structure to be inclusive so that any individual who wants to contribute to the development of Business Aviation in Africa can be a part of AfBAA. We would like to offer the complete aviation community in Africa a voice that can shape the future development of the continent’s economies.”

The Professional status, he explained was targeted towards individuals that have an interest in African Business Aviation, but are not necessarily part of a company or corporate structure.

He explained that pilots, flight attendants, private owners, freelance media, aviation educators, individual consultants, commercial operators with an interest in executive aviation and anybody with an interest in African Business Aviation, from a personal perspective, would be encouraged to join in their own name.

Professional members, he further explained would be entitled to limited access to the data and research produced by the association, discounts where available on AfBAA services and the networking opportunities provided by the AfBAA events.

The new option, the Founding Chairman, pointed out would complement the restructured premium, corporate and affiliate membership categories, adding that premium members would have access to premium features enabling heightened brand awareness, in addition to special products and services access.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 18, 2015

19 Money L-R; Representative of the Commissioner for Commerce & Industry, Lagos State, Mr. Olaseni Ajala; Head, EMEA Bayer, Ingrun Alsleben; Managing Director, Bayer Middle Africa Ltd, Mohammed Jimoh; Deputy German Consul-General, Jorg Steckhan; Board member, Bayer AG, Michael Konig and Managing Director, Bayer West-Central Africa, Amechi Nwachuku during the inauguration of Bayer Middle Africa Ltd in Lagos.

Decisions by African business leaders must promote growth— Elumelu African businessman and philanthropist Tony Elumelu has called on business leaders to make decisions that will increase economic and social wealth, and promote development in the communities and nations in which they operate.

Mr. Elumelu, the Chairman of Heirs Holdings and the Founder of the Tony Elumelu Foundation, stated this in a closing keynote speech titled, “Africapitalism as a Catalyst for Development in Africa” delivered at the Oxford

Africa Conference, Oxford University on Friday, May 22, 2015.

Prof. Peter Tufano, the Dean of Oxford University’s Said Business School, introduced Tony Elumelu to a packed audience at Oxford. Addressing them, Mr. Elumelu discussed what alreadyestablished businesses could do to advance Africa’s development through an economic philosophy he calls “Africapitalism” – which focuses on the private sector’s critical role in driving economic and social development across

Africa.

“Africapitalism means we cannot leave the business of development up to our governments, donor countries and philanthropic organizations alone,” he said.

“We in the African private sector must wake up, recognise and embrace our role in driving the economic growth and the social development of Africa, and we must act on that responsibility in tangible ways.”

The Oxford Africa Conference is a leading annual African con-

ference organised by members of the Oxford Africa Society and the Oxford Africa Business network of Saïd Business School, Oxford University. The President of the Republic of Ghana delivered the opening keynote of this year’s conference in the morning.

Earlier in the week, Tony Elumelu also championed the cause of access to power at the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Global Advisory Board meeting in New York. The board is

co-chaired by the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim. “Good governance is good for Africa,” Tony Elumelu said.

“Our continent is open for business. There are lots of opportunities and the return on investment is extremely high.”

Africa’s power deficit is huge and may not be cleared in the next couple of years, Elumelu said. “The power sector is therefore a goldmine for investors.”

Bayer boosts multi-sector presence in Nigeria Emmanuel Ogbonnaya Global brand Bayer has strengthened its presence in Africa with the inauguration of its subsidiary Bayer Middle Africa Limited in Lagos to serve its broad based customers in Nigeria.

The aim of this subsidiary, the company said, is to support and develop the business of the three sub-groups of Bayer in the country: Bayer HealthCare (Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Care, Medical Care, Animal Health); Bayer CropScience (Crop Protection, Seeds, Environment Science) and Bayer MaterialScience (Polyurethanes, Polycarbonates and

Coatings). To enable her serve her customers in Nigeria better, the company had opened an office in Lagos. Bayer Middle Africa Limited currently has more than 20 employees and is planning to grow to over 30 employees by the end of 2015.

Speaking at the inauguration which was held in Lagos and attended by captains of industry, Mr. Michael König, a member of the Board of Management of Bayer AG said the company, which celebrated its 150th anniversary two years ago, has a long history in Africa, a legacy that goes back as far as 1896 when Bayer first started trading on the continent.

According to him, Bayer is now

located in 13 different African countries and as an important part of the Group’s strategy, it was decided that the company should have a more direct presence in the priority markets on the continent.

He stated that in 2014, under the region of West-Central Africa, the company established two new legal entities in Lagos, Nigeria and in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

A similar legal entity was set up in the East African country of Tanzania and a representative office in Ethiopia. “Together with the companies in Morocco, Kenya and South Africa as hubs for the Bayer country groups in North, East and Southern Africa, we now have the infrastructure in place to

make this increased footprint a reality”, he said.

On job creation and human capital development, Mr. König said the Group has over 1000 employees across the African continent.

In her address, the Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Olusola Oworu, represented by the Director of Finance, Mr. Olaseni Ajala commended Bayer for taking the initiative to establish its newly improved subsidiary, assuring the firm of a fruitful partnership with the state government.

“The opportunities your organisation stand to gain from making Lagos State its prime investment location are quite enor-

mous and key among them is an enhanced business environment, which is being engendered as a result of continuous reforms and incentives aimed at facilitating trade, investment and accelerated industrial development in the State”, she said. Mrs. Oworu said with Bayer’s enviable track record in her parent country, Lagos State can only expect great yields of improved healthcare and qualitative living standards, gainful employment for her experienced and expert labour force, value addition to her local micro, small and medium enterprises and cottage industries as well as increased revenue and enhanced Gross Domestic product.

Money 20

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 18, 2015

CBN grants merchant banking license to FBN’s Kakawa discount house Adesola Akindele

L-R: Company Secretary, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc , Mrs. Chioma Madubuko; Chairman, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Aliko Dangote; Group Managing Director, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Mr. Graham Clark; and Deputy Group Managing Director, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Engr. Abdulllahi Sule at the 9th Annaul General Meeting of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc in Lagos.

Minister of Agric, Adesina honoured by Purdue University Charles Okonji Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, in the United States, has bestowed its prestigious honorary Doctor of Agriculture degree on Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina.

The award was conferred on him during spring commencement ceremonies in the West Lafayette campus’ Elliott Hall of Music.

Dr. Adesina was one of the two awardees for Honorary Doctorate degree awards during the ceremony, the second being William “Bill” Dudley Jr., president and CEO of the Bechtel Group, who got Doctor of Engineering degree. Both Adesina and Dudley are Purdue alumni.

While conferring the award on Adesina, the President of Purdue University, Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. paid glowing tributes to Adesina for his exemplary performance as a minister, which earned him recognition as one of the honorees. Earlier on Fri-

day, Dr. Adesina was honoured in the College of Agriculture, where he gave a lecture on lessons to learn from Nigerian agricultural transformation.

Dean of the college, Dr. Jay T. Akridge, commended the Minister for deploy his intellect into transforming agriculture under his watch as a minister and was glad that an alumnus of Purdue lived up to their expectation.

Dr. Adesina, in his presentation to the college, underscored the importance of inclusive growth in agriculture, which has taken a turn for the better under his watch as a minister.

Among the major achievements outlined by Dr. Adesina, in his presentation, are the impact of fertiliser and other key input subsidies, reaching out to 2.5 million women farmers under the Growth Enhancement Support scheme, the establishment of Nigerian Agricultural Payment initiative, the introduction of near field communication system for farmers’ data gathering, growth in the number of local private sector-based foun-

dation seed companies and development of Staple Crop Processing Zones., On his bid for AfDB presidency, Dr. Adesina outlined his cardinal programme on assumption of office. According to him, Africa needs energy, ICT and urban and rural infrastructure. He identified youth employment, venture capital development and private equity as key to Africa’s development. Adesina pointed out the importance of reviving the rural economy through agricultural transformation, explaining that regional integration is also important for the continent.

Adesina informed the university community that Africa must avoid aid dependency and that “overseas development assistance (ODA) must be used to leverage domestic resources at scale.” He expressed worries on how improperly managed foreign aid could be inimical to the survival of fragile states. Dr. Adesina said climate change poses real problem for developing economies and needs to be discreetly managed.

The central bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved the merchant bank licence for the newly acquired Kakawa discount house by FBN Holdings. The Group’s Managing Director, Mr. Bello Maccido confirmed this at its 3rd Annual General Meeting held in Lagos on Thursday, 21st May. The full acquisition of the kakawa discount house from 46 per cent to a 100 per cent was a strategic move on the part of the group, as it created an avenue for the Group to apply to the central bank of Nigeria to grant the kakawa discount house a merchant banking licence, for the creation of more funds and capital, much needed towards the achievement of the basel ii requirements which the group has almost completed.

The Group’s Managing Director, Mr. Bello Maccido, announced that: “Just two days ago, we received a letter from the Central Bank of Nigeria, approving the merchant banking license for Kakawa Discount house, which is now providing us additional avenues to provide new value offerings in investment banking through different product launch-

es”.

Amidst the numerous challenges and tightening monetary stance of the Central Bank of Nigeria confronting the banking industry, First Bank Ltd; the groups commercial banking franchise is expected to strengthen it’s dominance in the market by driving transaction volumes through its extensive retail infrastructure, regional expansion of its commercial banking business and risk asset portfolio diversification into the high yield segments of the wider financial services sector with increasing efficiency towards enhanced profitability.

“The extensive business breadth as a result of the holding company structure has proved a master stroke, providing a natural hedge against regulatory headwings.” he added Speaking further he noted: “All our key business lines have done remarkably well flanked majorly by our crown jewel, commercial bank leaders; First Bank ltd which posted a profit of N92.9 billion for the financial year ended December 31, 2014 as against N91.3 billion recorded in the same period of 2013 in spite of the highly challenging operating environment and the bank’s loss of N68 billion to CRR in 2014 alone.

Sterling Bank unveils Children’s Day reward package Adesola Akindele In furtherance of its commitment to enriching lives and fulfilling its promise to continuously reward customer loyalty, children with Sterling Bank Plc’s I Can Save account, one of the bank’s novel products have been assured of exciting times ahead of the 2015 Children’s Day in Nigeria.

Top on the agenda is the presentation of gifts to eligible customers and the promotion of a social media campaign encouraging parents to post “selfies” taken with their children; following which followers/ fans are encouraged to vote and the top three posts are awarded prizes.

A selfy is a photograph taken of oneself with a smartphone or webcam and shared via social media.

The social media angle, according to the Bank, was included in recognition of the growing importance that social media plays in not just the lives of the parents

but the children. The events, according to the Bank will start on Friday May 22, 2015 and end on Wednesday June 27, 2015 Specifically, the Bank will celebrate the Children’s Day with lucky pupils/students in their various schools in fulfilment of one of the features of the I Can Save product. A similar event was organized to celebrate 24 account holders during the 2013 edition of the Children’s Day. Explaining the selection criteria, the Bank in a statement said that 300 accounts with the highest average balances over the last six months will be selected. The winners, according to the Bank, would be given special presents and gift packs along with Sterling Bank’s branded items. “Other classmates would also receive gift packs along with Sterling branded items. Letters to parents of the other pupils introducing the I CAN SAVE account would be included in the gift packs along with the account opening package”, the Bank added,.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

21

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22

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Today in History Æ s Compiled by ‘Tunji Okegbola

Cartoons from our Archives

1861 President Lincoln suspends the writ of habeas corpus during the Civil War John Merryman, a state legislator from Maryland, was arrested for attempting to hinder Union troops from moving from Baltimore to Washington during the Civil War and is held at Fort McHenry by Union military officials. His attorney immediately sought a writ of habeas corpus so that a federal court could examine the charges. However, President Abraham Lincoln decided to suspend the right of habeas corpus, and the general in command of Fort McHenry refused to turn Merryman over to the authorities.

Federal judge Roger Taney, the chief justice of the Supreme Court (and also the au-

1961

thor of the infamous Dred Scott decision), issued a ruling that President Lincoln did not have the authority to suspend habeas corpus. Lincoln didn’t respond, appeal, or order the release of Merryman. But during a July 4 speech, Lincoln was defiant, insisting that he needed to suspend the rules in order to put down the rebellion in the South.

Five years later, a new Supreme Court essentially backed Justice Taney’s ruling: In an unrelated case, the court held that only Congress could suspend habeas corpus and that civilians were not subject to military courts, even in times of war.

JFK asks Congress to support the space program

On this day in 1961, President John F. Kennedy announced to Congress his goal of sending an American to the moon by the end of the decade and asks for financial support of an accelerated space program. He made the task a national priority and a mission in which all Americans would share, stating that it will not be one man going to the moonit will be an entire nation.

On April 12, 1961, the Soviet Union had become the first country to send a man into space with the successful mission of Yuri Gagarin in the spacecraft Vostok 1. On May 5, American Alan Sheppard flew into space, but did not orbit the earth as the Russian cosmonaut had. At that time, the

U.S. and the Soviet Union were already locked in an arms race.

Not to be outdone by America’s Cold War rivals, President Kennedy pledged in 1961 to support an American space program that would eventually dwarf the Soviet program in technological achievements and investment.

In a speech before Congress on May 25, JFK linked the need for a space program with the political and economic battle between democracy and communism. He urged Congress to mobilize financial resources to speed up the pace of the space program’s progress, insisting that America should go into space because whatever mankind must undertake, free men must fully share.

1969 National Democratic Front formed in Saigon South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu assumed personal leadership of the National Social Democratic Front at its inaugural meeting in Saigon.

Thieu said the establishment of this coalition party was “the first concrete step in unifying the political factions in South Vietnam for the coming political struggle with the communists,” and emphasized that the new party would not be “totalitarian or despotic.” The six major parties comprising the NSDF coalition were: the Greater

Union Force, composed largely of militant Roman Catholic refugees from North Vietnam; the Social Humanist Party, successor to the Can Lao party, which had held power under the Ngo Dinh Diem regime; the Revolutionary Dai Viet, created to fight the French; the Social Democratic Party, a faction of the Hoa Hao religious sect; the United Vietnam Kuomintang, formed as an anti-French party; and the People’s Alliance for Social Revolution, a pro-government bloc formed in 1968.

Daily Times May 25, 1961

1975

Grizzly bear is classified as a “threatened” species

In 1975, the grizzly bear-once the undisputed king of the western wilderness--was given federal protection as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Before the Anglo-Americans began invading their territory, the grizzly bear inhabited most of the country west of the Mississippi from Mexico north to the Arctic Circle. Its only serious competitors for food were the Native Americans, who considered it a sacred animalalthough they did hunt the bear as a test of strength and its long claws were prized symbols of status.

Because of the grizzly’s fearsome size and aggressive nature, most early European explorers of the West noted their encounters with the animal. During their expedition to the Pacific, Lewis and Clark encountered many of the bears and were awed by their impressive speed and power. On July

1, 1805, while the expedition was making the slow portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri River in Montana, Lewis wrote in his journal that grizzlies were all around their camp. “We have therefore determined to beat up their quarters tomorrow,” he continued, “and kill them or drive them from their haunts about this place.”

Because of such hunting and the general destruction of their habitat, the grizzly began to disappear in concert with the settlement of the West. California, which is estimated to have once been home to 10,000 grizzlies and placed the animal’s image on its state flag, no longer had any of the bears by 1924. During subsequent decades, grizzlies gradually disappeared from their native homes in Texas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, the Dakotas, and probably Colo-

rado and Washington. Outside of Alaska, by the 1970s small populations of bears remained only in a few isolated wilderness areas and national parks in Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho.

In a last ditch effort to halt the decline, Congress designated the grizzly a threatened species on this day in 1975. Protected from hunting and trapping, grizzly populations have slowly begun to recover. However, there are still probably fewer than 1,000 grizzlies in the lower 48 states today, nearly half of them in Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

Recently, plans to reintroduce the species into two wilderness areas in Idaho and Washington have met with controversy. The future of the grizzly bear will depend on human willingness to share their habitats with the bears and set aside areas of wilderness large enough for them to survive.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

APGA, PDP chieftains defect to APC in Ebonyi Jacob Mbam Abakaliki

ÏÏÏ The governorship can-

didate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Tony Agbo, fomer chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mazi Ben Akpa, and thousands of members and supporters of the Labour Party (LP) in Ebonyi State have decamped to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Other decampees are eleven out of thirteen local government care-taker committee Chairmen, a PDP governorship aspirant and former Commissioner for Works, Transport and Environment, Dr. Paul Okorie, a former youth leader of the PDP, Comrade Chinedu

Ogah (OON) and Ebonyi South Chairman of the party, Mr. Walter Akpa.

Also among the decampees are APGA House of Representatives candidate for Ebonyi/Ohaukwu Federal Constituency in the last general election, Mr. Nwannne Ominyi, his LP counterpart, Mr. Bede Nwali, two members of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Oliver Nwachukwu and Lilian Igwe, LP and APGA House of Assembly candidates during the general election, members of the Ebonyi Youth and Women Assembly among others.

Comrade Ogah said they were forced into the APC because of the qualities of the national leader of the party and former governor of old

Abia State, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, who hails from the state. He described Onu as detribalised Nigerian, who accommodates everyone in all he does, adding that they decided to join him in the party to continue to contribute his best to the development of the country.

Ogah explained that they had been receiving threat on their decision to join the APC and called on the party to carry them along in the scheme of things.

Receiving the decampees, the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Oyegun represented by the South-East zonal Chairman, Emma Enukwu, said he was sent to come and receive the decampees, who joined the party because of

Onu to build a united and strong APC in the state.

He likened the APC to a church, with a perfect man of God, which he said was why people from other political parties were trooping into it and commended the decampees for joining the party. Enukwu called on the decampees to rally round Onu to position the party in the South-east to ensure it emerges victorious in 2019 elections.

“We must come together and rally round our leader in the state, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, to deliver Ebonyi to APC in 2019. APC has come to change Nigeria for good, it is not promising. PDP makes promises; APC keeps promises and will be known for action,” Ekwu said.

23 News

Titus Akhigbe

Benin

ÏÏÏThe

organised labour has called off its proposed 3-day warning strike in Edo State following agreements reached after a closed-door meeting with the state government.

The executives of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and Joint Negotiating Council announced the suspension of the proposed strike shortly after a meeting with Governor Adams Oshiomhole, on Friday.

Speaking on behalf of the organised labour, Chairman, Joint Negotiating Council, Mr. Shaka Otoide said, “in view of the notice we gave to Edo State Gov-

Disengaged PHCN staff protest in Ondo 'Tosin Ajuwon Akure

ÏÏÏ The disengaged workers of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), in Akure, the Ondo State capital, at the weekend, protested against non-payment of their severance allowance by the Federal Government.

The aggrieved workers,

Edo workers call off planned strike

ernment to embark on a 3-day warning strike with effect from Monday, May 25, 2015, after a meeting between the Edo State Government and the Joint Negotiating Council including the Nigerian Labor Congress, Trade Union Congress, the strike action has been suspended.”

Otoide thanked Governor Oshiomhole for his quick intervention and for always standing by the labour movement at all times. who were mainly contract staff as at when they were sacked, told journalists that they were all laid off verbally without an official letter to that effect.

Daily Times gathered that the protesters were among those disengaged from service in October last year following privatisation of the power sector.

Chanting solidarity songs, the aggrieved former workers carried placards bearing different inscriptions such as “We are dying, please help us”, “We served for over 15 years without payment and benefits”, “This is an injustice to lay us off without pay” among others.

El-Rufai’ll take hard decisions for masses’ interest – Bantex L-R: Members-elect, House of Representatives from Niger State, Mr. Mahmud Mohammed; Cross River, Mr. Jarigbe Agom; Benue State, Mr. Mark Gbillah; and Abia State, Mr. Darlington Nwokocha, during a meeting of new House of Representatives members forum in Abuja … at the weekend.

Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

PDP crisis: Kinsmen rise in defence of Fani-Kayode Sodiq Adekunle Osogbo

ÏÏÏThe leadership of

the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ile-Ife, the home town of the Director of Media and Publicity of the party’s Jonathan /Sambo Presidential Campaign, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode (FFK) has risen in his defence.The chairman of party in Ward 005, Iremo, Ile-Ife, Mr. Rasheed Ojikutu, while addressing a press conference, in Ile-Ife

said the party was in support of Fani-Kayode, whom he described as a committed and financial member of the party.

Also, the PDP leader warned members of the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party to stop victimising the former Aviation Minister and allow him to remain in the party. The PDP leader stressed that the Fani-Kayode’s commitment to the sustenance of the party in Ile-Ife and Osun State at

large was unequivocal.

He said: "Chief Femi Fani-Kayode is a loyal and bona-fide member of the PDP. He was issued a membership card of the party in our ward, here, in Ile-Ife, his home town, when he returned to the party, following relentless and intense pressure from us, and since then he has been contributing immensely and generously far above the statutory required levies, both in cash and in kind to the continued growth of our

party at all levels.

"It came to us as a surprise that despite the immense and contributions of Chief Fani-Kayode to the PDP at all levels, the National Working Committee of the party is seeking disciplinary action against him just because he joined other great party leaders like Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state in calling for NWC members to go home after leading the party to its worst election in its 16 years of history.”

Sunday Isuwa Kaduna

ÏÏÏ Kaduna State DeputyGovernor-elect, Mr. Barnabas Bala Bantex, said on Sunday that Governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai’s government would take hard decisions in the interest of the masses.

Bantex, who was speaking at the Transition Church Service held at ECWA Gospel Church Marafa, in the Kaduna metropolis, added that every decision that would be taken by their administration would be in the interest of the of poor. He described the out-going Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Ambassador Nuhu Audu

Bajoga, who was present at the church service, as a long-time friend, adding that their only difference was political party.

Bajoga said their administration would forever be grateful to Kaduna people and pledged to support the incoming administration.

Bajoga also thanked the security agencies for the role they played in their government.

el-Rufai

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

S' Court overrules Court Martial, discharges Captain Andrew Orolua

ÏÏÏThe

Supreme Court, at the weekend, in a unanimous decision set aside the two years’ sentence passed on Captain Y. U. Zakari of the Nigerian Army, by a court-martial, on January 10, 1997.

It also upturned the concurrent findings of the Court of Appeal and the Nigerian Army Court Martial, which tried and convicted the army officer of a one count charge of conduct prejudicial to service discipline.

A five man panel of Justices of Supreme Court said that Zakari was tried and convicted by the Army Court Martial that lacked jurisdiction to try him in the first place.

Although, Zakari who

was charged for gratification, admitted at the trial to have taken an envelope containing the sum of N40,000 from the Managing Director of Chayoma Ventures, who was being investigated, but the apex court found that the Court Martial was not properly constituted.

The conveying officer failed to set it up in line with Section 133 (1) of the Armed Forces Act, which stipulates that all members of the Court Marshal shall have seniority over the accused.

The apex court said the fact that a junior officer, Captain I.D. Bashir, with service number (N/9493) served as a member of the Court Martial that tried Zakari (N/9043) robbed the court of its jurisdiction.

In her lead judgment, Justice Mary Peter-Odili also agreed with the appellant counsel, Chief Theo Nkire, that it was immaterial whether or not the issue of jurisdiction was raised at the trial court.

She said “the issue of jurisdiction can be raised at any time even if at the Supreme Court for the first time.”

Justice Peter-Odili said that the argument of the respondents that the appellant had waived his right when he consented to the trial, “would not stand in the light of what is required for the jurisdiction of a court properly constituted as it has become trite.”

The background facts of the case was that Zakari was deployed to Iponri NITEL Exchange, in Lagos, to

investigate the allegation that certain NITEL lines were used for illegal (419) businesses He arrested the culprit and handed him over to Odibo Issac the Customer Engineering Manager NITEl Iponri to investigate the file of the company and he left.

On his return, Odibo Issac presented to Captain Zakari an envelope containing the sum of N40, 000 from the Managing Director Chayoma Ventures. He took the money and in appreciation gave Odibo Isaac N5, 000.

They were arrested and Zakari claimed the N40,000 was an appreciation. Nigerian Army said the money was a gratification for the release of the arrested staff of Chayoma Ventures.

Razed Kwara market centre to raise N13m Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin

ÏÏÏThe people of

Offa, in Kwara State, have, so far, raised N13 million to rebuild the Owode market,

which was razed by fire, two weeks ago market.

The Oloffa of Offa, Oba Mufutau Gbadamosi Esuwoye 11, disclosed this on Sunday, while receiving a delegation from Senator Bukola Saraki, led by Engr.

Musa Ayinla Yeketi.

Oba Gbadamosi expressed appreciation to Saraki for his deep thought and leadership initiative for sending the high powered team that comprised some of his political allies.

2 killed, several injured as rival OPC clash in Ibadan Remi Oladoye

ÏÏÏ

Two people were reportedly killed, while many others were injured, on Sunday, in a fierce battle that ensued between members of the Yoruba militant group, the O’dua People’s Congress (OPC).

The clash which started around 2 p.m. at the Apete Garage claimed the life of one man, popularly

known as Eranla and others, while another popular member called Bendel was among the people that were brutally injured. There were sporadic gunshots and display of weapons during the clash, which lasted almost an hour, before security agents waded in to make some arrest and stop the fight.

Tension in Bayelsa PDP as committee summons Jonathan’s men Akam James Yenagoa

ÏÏÏThe last may not have

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (middle); his wife, Sheila; State Deputy Governor, Prof. Amos Utuama (3rd left) in a group photograph with clergymen during the 2007-2015 End of Tenure Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service at St. Peters Anglican Cathedral, Asaba, Delta State… on Sunday

Osun SDP asks Aregbesola to resign as governor ÏÏÏThe Osun State Chap-

Aregbesola

ter of Social Democratic Party (SDP) has called on Mr. Rauf Aregbesola to vacate the state governor’s office over what it called the present pitiable situation of the state.

The party stated that Aregbesola’s resignation had become bind-

ing, based on the current dismal position of the state economy, education, health and public infrastructure and the inability of his administration to meet several financial obligations of government.

The state Chairman of SDP, Mr. Ademola Isho-

la, who spoke after the party’s general meeting, held at the weekend, in Osogbo, expressed shock at the way and manner Aregbesola had been running the affairs of the state, since his re-election last year, accusing him of impoverishing the indigenes.

been heard of the outcome of the disciplinary committee set up the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State to investigate alleged anti-party activities during the just- concluded general election in the state.

The committee has summoned the seven key political associates of President Goodluck Jonathan in the state – including the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Domestic Matters, Dr. Waripanmowei Dudafagh.

Others summoned by the body include the Senator representing Bayelsa Central Senatorial District, Mr. Emmanuel Paulker, the former Senator representing Bayelsa East Senatorial District, Mr. Nimi BarighaAmange, the suspended State Chairman of the PDP, Col. Sam Inokoba (rtd), the former Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu and former Speaker

of the State Assembly, Mr. Nestor Binabo.

Barigha-Amange, Seibarugu and Binabo had, last week, shunned the sitting of the disciplinary committee, describing the summon as laughable and a deliberate act of witch-hunting.

The Chairman and Secretary of committee, Mr. Cleopas Moses and Mr. Dede Ofulu John, respectively, said the panel was not out to witch-hunt anybody, but was intended to sanitise the party, as well as ensure discipline and loyalty on the part of its members.

Jonathan

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Dangote Cement to commission $480m factory in Ethiopia Ă?Ă?Ă?In

furtherance of its expansion plan in African countries, leading Cement manufacturer, Dangote Cement Plc, will next week Thursday, commission its 2.5million mtpa cement plant in Ethiopia, as the company inches towards the mark of 40 million mtpa total production capacity globally before the end of 2015.

Located in Mugher District, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Mr. Haile Mariam Desalegne, is expected to perform the opening ceremony, at an event that will be graced by top members of Nigeria business community.

A statement from the

Ondo police on red alert over rising rate of kidnap ‘Tosin Ajuwon Akure

Ă?Ă?Ă?Security

measures have been put in place to ensure adequate safety of lives and property of residents in Ondo State, Police Commissioner, Mr. Isaac Eke, has said.

Speaking at a briefing with journalists at the weekend, in Akure, the state capital, Eke asked all residents to continue with their private and business activities uninterrupted, with guarantee that security officers are on red alert.

He said the state police is working closely with other sister security agencies of government, and maintaining a proper synergy, to nip it in the bud, the nefarious activities of kidnappers who are now threatening border towns. “We are always on red alert. It’s all about intelligence. There is no need for residence to exhibit fear. We have put in place security measures that would nip in the bud the issue of kidnapping in Ondo State�, he said.

Eke added that more security officers would be deployed in various divisions to intensify patrols in flashpoint areas of the state.

Dangote Group, indicated that the government and the people of Ethiopia are excited about the timely completion of the project and the economic prospects of having such a huge company in that area of the country.

An invitation letter sent by the Dangote Cement to the Chief Executive Officer of one of the commercial banks, showed that Nigerian guests would be flown to Ethiopia next week Wednesday, June 3, to witness the event on Thursday, June 5, and would be brought back to Nigeria on Friday, June 6.

The Dangote Cement plant, said to be the single largest investment by an African, will be the fifth in the series of the offshore plants

of the company that have rolled out cement within the last one year in African continent, coming after Senegal, Cameroon, South Africa and Zambia.

Nine other countries are on the card as the cement plants are in various stages of construction.

The company is investing $5 billion to build an African cement empire, with factories plants in 14 African countries.

Recently, its $300 million Greenfield cement plant in Senegal, rolled products into the market with the Senegalese government promising all assistance for Dangote Cement to perform maximally as its entry into the Senegal has stirred up

economic activities.

Nigeria Ambassador to Senegal and Mauritania, said: “I am very proud of what Dangote is doing by promoting intra-African investments, promoting regional development, industrialisation and cohesion among African nations with his investments. We need more Africans like Dangote to be at the forefront of promoting intra- African investments� .

According to her, Dangote Cement had done Nigeria proud with the commencement of production and that she was happy that Dangote Cement has been instantly accepted in the market because of the high quality grade.

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25 News

Oyo, Chinese firm sign MoU on light rail

Ă?Ă?Ă? The Oyo State govern-

ment has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Chinese firm, CCECC, for the construction of a light rail transport system covering about 24 kilometres within Ibadan, the state capital.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, which took place at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor’s Office, Ibadan at the weekend, Governor Abiola Ajimobi, described the development as another milestone in his administration’s quest to modernise major cities in the state.

He said that the project was long overdue for the state with a population of over 10 million, stressing that any city with a population of at least two million required a light rail system of transportation. ``We believe that in our quest to modernise Oyo State, particularly in the area of transportation system that will consequently

Don tasks youth on development

Remi Oladoye

Ă?Ă?Ă?Nigerians youths have

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been urged to be productively engaged and contribute their mental and moral capability towards building a safer and more just society.

Prof. Ayo Hammed, a Lecturer at the Department of Guidance and Counselling, University of Ibadan, stated this in a lecture entitled, "Challenges facing the Muslim Youths in the 21st Century" delivered at the inauguration of Bodija Muslim Youth Forum (BOMYOF), held in Ibadan on Sunday.

Hammed stressed the need for investment in the youths during the childhood and adolescence, adding that it was the time lifelong patterns of behaviour begins.

He highlighted some of the challenges youths face in the country, which include, lack of parental care, fragile livelihood, sexual abuse, substance abuse, unemployment, poor moral

lead to the economic development of the state, having a light rail system is a sine qua non. ``Ibadan as a city, and indeed, Oyo State, with over 10 million people, is overdue for a rail system that can move people in large number from places to places. Rail is the largest and most effective transportation system to achieve this. ``In our repositioning agenda, we believe that transportation plays a major role in the economic development. Apart from the road network that we have established, we are also committed to the construction of the light rail system,’’ he said.

Ajimobi said that the state was moving up a notch with the provision of the light rail system to ease traffic congestion and reduce the cost of transportation for individuals as well as small and large scale businesses within the Ibadan metropolis. standard, lack of spiritual commitment, abuse of technology, crime and violence and other various challenges affecting youth development.

He called on leaders, parents and other stakeholders, to guide the youths aright productively at this period when the world was technologically advanced.

The don also emphasised that stakeholders should join hands in empowering and strengthening the youths, while also engaging them in policies, programmes and decisionmaking.

His words: "Youths constituted the largest percentage of the world's population. Currently 62percent of youths live in Asia, while the next proportion of 17 percent lives in Africa."

The Chairman, Bodija Muslim community, Alhaji Tiamiyu Giwa, in his welcome address, described the inauguration as a dream come true, saying the planning of the forum started in 2006. He added that "it was the right time for the establishment, considering the population of youths which was more than half of the country's population, and were yet to be catered for".

Public Notice 26 CEREBRAL PALSY FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

SPIRIT DIVINE CHURCH

NDOKWA CLASSICS CLUB

Notice is hereby given that the above named ASSOCIATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for Registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

Notice is hereby given that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for Registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named club has applied for registration to corporate affairs commission under part c of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990

The Trustees Are:(1) Ikpea Oyemeda Samuel Rev (2) Uwazie Chidozie Jude (3) Okediadi Ikwuamaka Deborah (4) Amakor Patricia Timi (5) Adenuga Adegboyega Ganiu

THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1) Aruh Samuel Ogbonnaya (2) Samuel Chidinma Confidence (3) Isaac Ejindu (4) Aruh Chidiebere Onyejuru (5) Kalu Celestine (6) Uka Agbeze Egwu

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. George Obonodi-Lord Mayor 2. Trevina Onyah-Ajeh-Deputy Lord Mayor 3. Sylvester A. Abamba-Chief Scribe 4. Friday Ogini Ossai-Deputy Sctibe 5. Patience E. N. Aina-Financial Scribe 6. Patrick Ochade - The Exchequer 7. Raymond Ngwei-Director of Socials and Public Relations 8. Barry E. O. Madu-Ex-Officio.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:- .

(1) To develop the spirit of friendship and mutual assistance among players and members (2) To enhance popularity in sports and develop new source and manage sport through a systematic planning process.

(3) To encourage the development of high performance in sports in person with disabilities and assist in sports training.

(4) To encourage players, coaches and officials to showcase their spirit positively.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:- .

(1) Evangelizing, exhortating, building & raising a heavenly racing team (2) Communicating the core values of life through the word of God (3) Administering God’s grace in its various forms

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:To promote mutual understanding, unity, progress and love among members

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent off Aguiyi-Ironsi street , maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED BY:- SECRETARY

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent off Aguiyi-Ironsi street , maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED BY:- Pastor Aruh Samuel Ogbonnaya (President)

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

Signed: Trustees

DUNAMI HOMELAND & HELPS FOUNDATION

IKE OLUWA PERISHABLE FOOD TRADERS AND MARKETERS ASSOCIATION

This is to inform the general public that the above named foundation has applied for registration to corporate affairs commission under part c of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. Akuchie Victor Ugoch- President 2. Akauwa Charles Ezenwa- Vice-President 3. Akuchie Tolulope Charles - Secretary 4. Blankson Mary- Ama - Treasurer AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:To assist the less privilege Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: SECRETARY.

EVERLASTING ROCK OF CONTROL INT’L CHURCH

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

COVENANT ARK OF GRACE CHRISTIAN CENTRE This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to corporate affairs commission under part c of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. Cheif Adesina Oyegunle - Chairman 2. Dr Adeolu Akeem Oyegunle - Secretary 3. Mr Adedapo Azeez Oyegunle - Publicity Secretary

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. Pastor Aiyetoro Rotimi 3. Pastor Shola Oladimeji 5. Pastor Christopher Ehimare

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:1. To create an enabling marketing environment for her members 2. To see to the welfare of her members 3. To guide and protect the interest of her members 4. To ensure and enforce cleanliness within and environ of the market

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:1. To propagate the gospel of Jesus Christ 2. To raise Christians with integrity and fear of God 3. To teach the word of grace in its totality 4. To prepare Christians for heaven

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

Signed: CHEIF ADESINA OYEGUNLE CHAIRMAN

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

Signed: Secretary

SEASONED POT CATERERS LIMITED

2. Pastor Mary Bosede Aiyetoro, 4. Pastor Ayo Aderogbin,

AGAPE BUNDLE SCHOOLS PARENTS TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

This is to inform the general public that the above named church has applied for registration to corporate affairs commission under part c of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. Obimka Joseph Izuchukwu 2. Obimka Kate Nkechi 3. Kelvin Ndubisi Ogbonna

The Trustees Are: 1. Samuel Olanrewaju 2. Daramola Nkiru Cynthia 3. Caulcrick Yewande Ajoke 4. Alamu Olubukola Olugbenga 5. Sam-Aghedo Oluwemimo

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:To preach the gospel of Christ to the mankind.

Aims and Objectives: To protect the interest of members.

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

Signed: Chairman

NNUOLA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS LTD

PLOT 860 EGBADE IRETTE FEDERAL HOUSING ESTATE, ABUJA (08037332991) IN THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS DECREE, 2004 COMPANY LIMITED BY SHARES SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF NNUOLA INTERNATIONA SCHOOLS LTD (RC: 1039923) MEMBERS VOLUNTARY WINDING UP SUBJECT TO SECTIONS 457(B) & 464 (1) OF CAMA At the Extra-Ordinary General Meeting of NNUOLA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS LTD, held at its office Plot 860 Egbade Irette Federal Housing Estate, Abuja on the 24 day of May, 2015, the following resolution was proposed and passed That the Company, NNUOLA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS LTD be voluntarily wound up by its members.

That the statutory procedure(s) for the winding up be commenced on.

That all assets and liabilities (if any) be taken care of by the liquidator.

That all the necessary documents and notices to this effect be filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja Dated the 24 Day of May 2015 Signed DIRECTOR

Signed SECRETARY

EVER TESTIMONY OF GOD MINISTRY

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

Signed: TRUSTEES

GO YE CHRISTIAN ASSEMBLY

This is to inform the general public that the above named Club has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Adekunle Adebola Adebambo 2. Imelda Ekamma Adebambo

Trustees.

1: Chinedu Ibiakor, 2: Prince Okechukwu Obitube, 3: Udoka Onyejindu, 4: Pius Okereke.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To spread the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. To bring salvation, healing and deliverance to the lost souls.

3. To mend and reconcile broken marriages/homes through the word of God. 4. To encourage the study, understanding and practical application of Biblical truths in everyday life.

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

Signed: OLUFEMI OLUTIMEHIN & CO. Suite 303 Anbeez Plaza, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja

THRIVE IN CHALLENGE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

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 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named Foundation has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Board of Trustees: (1) Pastor Oliver Chukwuma (3) Mr. Paul Isaac Imo (5) Elder Ominuta Idebaneria Monday (7) Mr. Nzenwata Chidiebere Bright

Trustees 1. Abubakar Maryam. - President, 2. Ajagbawa Henry, 3. Egbase Gerald.

- ESQ.

(2) Mrs. Ifeoma Chukwuma (4) Mr. Godwin Chibueze (6) Mr. Ijeomah Nwankwo

Aims A. To promote the ideals and values of Christendom.

B. To spread the knowledge of Christ through evangelism, preparing Christians for the second coming of Christ.

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

Signed: Barrister Blessyn Emegha 08036579844

“INFINIX FRIENDS CLUB OF NIGERIA”

This is to inform the general public that the above named Church has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Aim and objective 1. To create awareness on autism and how to take care of children with disabilities.

2. To provide network support to parent with Autistic children.

3. To provide educational support and teaching aid to Autism children.

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

Signed: VICTOR BENISON MOMOH. - ESQ. RICH BENISON LAW FIRM SUITE A46 AREA 11 SHOPPING MALL

AIMS & OBJECTIVE: 1: To promote peace and unity among members.

2: To seek the welfare and protect the interest of our members.

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

Signed: Popoola Olugbenga David. (ESQ) Suite A14, Zampoles Plaza, Gwagwalada-Abuja.

RIVERS WOMEN FORUM This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Trustees 1. Judith Amaechi.

2. Elima Dakuku Peterside.

3. Ogechi Okocha.

Aim and objective To foster peace and unity among rivers women.

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

Signed. Trustees

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Capital oil moves to end fuel scarcity, loads over 13 million litres ÏÏÏ Capital Oil and Gas

Limited on Sunday commenced loading of over 13 million litres of petrol from its depot in Apapa to various states of the nation to avert scarcity.

Mr Ifeayin Ubah, Chairman of the company disclosed to the newsmen in Lagos that over 20,000 trucks has been pencilled down for loading before May 29 to boost economic activities of the nation.

According to him, our facility has the capacity to load over 13 million litres of product before of today operation. `` This comes to approximately about 500 trucks

of petroleum products on day basis, with this act, it is our belief that once again our citizens will begin to smile, return to normal family and work life. ``We call on other petroleum marketers to follow suit and save our nation from this impending economic and social crisis,’ he said.

Ubah said that the company on May 16 received an SMS ordering the suspension of loading activities in all depots from Monday, May18.

He said that the company later realized that this directive was as a result of unpaid funds owed to transporters by oil mar-

BRIGHT FUTURE INDOMITABLE FRIENDS CLUB , ABUJA

keters who in turn are owed by the Federal Government.

The chairman said that this development has resulted in immense hardship to our fellow country men and women. `` We believe that a better solution can be pursued towards solving this problem in a way that does not adversely affect our dear citizens. ``We also call on striking bodies to call off the strike action, let us work together for the betterment of our people. `` As we brief you this moment, our truck park, port reception facilities and our depot complex

have been ordered opened, we are ordering and resuming discharge of products from vessels at our berths. ``We have ordered our trucks to commence loading of products and move overnight to every state of the Federation,’’ Ubah added He lauded NNPC and PPMC for their steadfastness in ensuring the availability of petroleum products.

He said that current PPMC stock level in our storage tanks and buffer stock on vessels awaiting discharge at our jetty is capable of meeting the nation’s need for 15 days.

GUSAU MUTUAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

This is to inform the general public that the above named Club has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named association has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Trustees 1. Ebuka Ike. - Chairman.

2 Samuel.

- Secretary.

3. Anayo Okonkwo.

4. Ebuka Nkogbu.

Trustees 1. Abubakar Salihu.

2. Fatima Abubakar.

3. Raliya Abubakar.

4. Nafisa Hassan.

5. Sanusi Hashimu. (MON.)

Aim and objectives 1. To promote the spirit of brotherhood among members.

2. To promote peace, unity and progress amongst the members.

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

Signed: Josephat C Egwu. Esq. 08062427121

ZURMI MUTUAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

27 News

Anambra judicial workers resumes strike Monday Nkiru Nwagbo Awka

ÏÏÏ Members of the Ju-

diciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN), Anambra State chapter will resume their industrial action today.

The renewed strike is as a result of the state government’s failure to comply with the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed with the workers earlier, which made (JUSUN) to call off the strike.

Buhari mourns Imam of Jos ÏÏÏ The President-elect,

Muhammadu Buhari, has described the death of the Chief Imam of Jos, Alhaji Balarabe Daud as another great loss not only to fellow Muslims, but also to those Nigerians who have been committed to peace and harmonious coexistence in the country.

In a passionately wordAGBOOLA RACHAEL ABOSEDE

Aim and objectives 1. To provide good health care for the people in the community.

2. To provide affordable health care facilities to the less privileged in the society.

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

Signed: JEMIMA ANIGBORO. 08023619207.

KANO MUTUAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

According a notice of another strike to the State Government, chairman of JUSUN in the state, Comrade Mark Ifezue, said if by Friday May 22, 2015, the state government failed to implement the agreement, the workers would embark on strike to press home their demands for the implementation of the a Federal High Court judgment that the state judiciary in the country should be granted financial autonomy.

I, formerly known and addressed as Rashidat Abosede Rachael Agboola now wish to be known and addressed as Agboola Rachael Abosede. All documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

ed statement issued in Abuja on his behalf by his media team, Gen. Buhari recalled that Imam Balarabe Daud, “was not only an outstanding teacher, preacher and a leader par excellence, but also a remarkable exponent of religious tolerance.”

The statement signed by the Head of Buhari Media Team, Malam Garba Shehu, said the Presidentelect was deeply touched by the death of such a religious leader who demonstrated an amazing commitment to peace, unity, harmony and progress.

SHINKAFI MUTUAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION

This is to inform the general public that the above named association has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named association has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Trustees 1. Jamila Abubakar.

2. Shamsiya. Saidu.

3. Hajara. Attahiru.

4. Mannir Hashim.

Trustees 1. Auwal Abdu Maje.

2. Ibrahim Abubakar.

3. Amina Abubakar.

4. Murtala Saidu.

5. Lawal. Abubakar.

Trustees 1. Nura Umaru Shinkafi.

2. Mujaheed. Abubakar.

3. Yasir Abubakar.

4. Zainab Abubakar.

Aim and objectives 1. To provide good health care for the people in the community.

2. To provide affordable health care facilities to the less privileged in the society.

Aim and objectives 1. To provide good health care for the people in the community.

2. To provide affordable health care facilities to the less privileged in the society.

Aim and objectives 1. To provide good health care for the people in the community.

2. To provide affordable health care facilities to the less privileged in the society.

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

Signed: JEMIMA ANIGBORO. 08023619207

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

Signed: JEMIMA ANIGBORO 08023619207

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

Signed: JEMIMA ANIGBORO 08023619207

25th CENTURY FOUNDATION The general public is hereby notified that the above named foundation has applied to the corporate affairs commission Abuja for registration under the part c of the companies and allied matters act 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Atabor Israel Paul Stanley 2. Atabor Blessing Aims and Objectives: 1. Taking the girl child off the street by providing homes for the homeless and rehabilitating them mentally, socially, physically and educationally.

2. Fight against child trafficking, street hawking, prostitution, rape and domestic violence.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar general corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off aguiyi ironsi street, maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: BARR ANULI ODIBENUA 08032186666

BREAKFORTH WOMEN’S OUTREACH The above named ORGANISATION WITH HEADQUARTERS IN LAGOS has applied for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Decree 1990.

The Trustees are: 1.Busola Omosola Shogbamimu 3.Grace Aitebi Okonkwo 5.Eniola Oke

2.Adeline Ogunnowo 4.Ayoyinka Owairu

The Aims and Objectives are: 1. Promote Health and Wellness initiatives for Women and Girls through various health programmes.

2. Increase Women and Girls Participation and Leadership through Capacity Building, Mentoring Programme, Training and Community Education.

3. Promote the Advancement of Women and Girls Education (Formal/informal), through various educational initiatives and Advocacy.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Of Aguyi Ironsi Street, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: Mrs. Omonigho Ogbe (Secretary)

This is to inform the general public that the above named association has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

JESUS CELEBRATION CENTRE This is to inform the general public that the above named centre has applied for Registration to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

Trustees.

1. Juliet Uchechi Emeji. - Chairman.

2. Blessing Orji. - Secretary.

3. Nkem Prisca Emeji. - Member.

4. Uchenna Okeke - Oraeki. - Member.

5. Grace Ugborgu. - Member.

The Aims and Objectives 1. To celebrate love of Christ amongst the brethren.

2. To propagate the word of God to all the nations of the earth.

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

Signed: STANLEY ASONNADI. - ESQ

28

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Our Heritage Æ s Book dissects foundations of shipping operations Book Title: Foundations of shipping operations and transport management Author: Obed Ndikom Pagination: 505 pages Reviewer: Hassan Bello, Publisher: University of Ibadan printing press The book under review, Foundations of Shipping Operations and Transport Management by Obed B. Ndikom, a lecturer in the Department of Maritime Management Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) is one in the series of books written by the author.

The author, who holds a Doctorate Degree in Maritime Management Technology, specialising in Shipping Management, Port Reform and Operations from the Federal University of Technology Owerri, is a prolific writer.

He has written close to five published books in maritime and transport management, and over 55 published articles in foreign and local peer-reviewed journals.

A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics Transport (FCILT), London. With his depth of knowledge and experience having worked in various capacities, he had no difficulty in coming up with the book and more importantly in choosing an appropriate title. What informed the author to embark on this literary exercise is to address the paucity of professional and technical literature required to guide not only policy makers in making positive decisions especially in a dynamic world of shipping but also for students of maritime studies as well as stakeholders in general.

The book, which is a 22 chapter master piece with 486 pages is segmented into shipping operations and transport management, international trade and shipping services, shipping market, shipping and port finance, shipping demand, human resource management, strategic management, port production, maritime labour,

sea transport geography among others.

The author did not leave his readers in suspense as to the correlation between shipping and international trade. And in a very lucid language, he posits that shipping is a cardinal component of international trade. Without shipping and other shipping related activities he argued, it would be difficult for a meaningful international trade, commerce and commercial related transactions between nations to triumph.

Other principles and concepts of international trade including the 1996 import guidelines and procedures as well as the impact of international trade on maritime environment were extensively dealt with by the author, in the first chapter with a title, International Trade and Shipping services.

Chapter 2 went deep into Transport Demand and Shipping services. He x-rayed the role of maritime transport in National Development, Demand for Sea Transport, and Supply of sea transport as well as shipping market amongst others.

The author went back into historyof thenation’sportindustry since 1960 while discussing Seaport Concession and the

National Economy in chapter three of the book. While stressing on the inconsistency in government policies, the author in this chapter argued that such must have been responsible for the serious operational vices and sharp practices witnessed in the system. The Port Reforms, Seaport Concession as well as the impact of government policy on port reform got the author’s attention and were extensively handled by him.

He concluded the chapter by saying that the reform policy has led to infrastructural development in line with the current globalisation of port services. A note of warning however was what he left behind for his readers on the need for control to prevent needless competition, duplication of efforts and measures that may harm the overall development of the industry and above all the reconciliation of public interest with economic efficiency and financial soundness.

The next chapter that attracts much attention is on Transshipment Process and Operations.

He categorised the purpose of transshipment, the major determinants of CONTINUED ON PAGE 29

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

29 Our Heritage Editor: Agozino Agozino Email: emmanuel.agozino@ dailytimes.co.ng

Why my father never romanced with any Arts icon government –Ikechukwu Ekwensi Jr The name Cyprain Ekwensi is not new to the literary world and African literature in particular. Though the man popularly known as Jagua Nanah is late, but in this interview with Nkiru Nwagbo in Awka, one of his eldest sons, Ikechukwu Ekwensi Jr spoke about the life and times of his father. He explained why the late veteran writer never romanced with any government in power during his lifetime When you introduce yourself as Mr. Ikechukwu Ekweusi, how do people around you react?

Cyprain Ekweusi is of the old and the younger ones do not know him. Most of his books are somewhat old because they are not being used in the school curriculum. But the older ones can always remember those books that they read in those days.

They still have their respect for my father and those books that he wrote while he was alive. Our family is not a political family and we are not into politics. Though you may say I am into politics but I am not that as active as other politicians. Yes I am a card carrying member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) simply because of a man that I call my mentor, Sen. Chris Ngige, and I strongly believe in him. I know him as a person who can move the South East forward in this coming dispensation.

But all in all, I remain Engr.

Ikechukwu Ekwensi and am that kind of person that wants to carve out my own niche myself and not on the backs of somebody or my father. So how people feel when I introduce

myself as Cyprain Ekwesi’s son does not matter to me because I am a full grown man, body and soul. Any man that wants to enjoy the patronage of his father to stardom is not man enough.

Can you describe your father late Chief Cyprian Ekwensi?

My late father was a very sincere man. He belongs to the age of such people like Adeniran Ogunsanya and others. They are disciplined and they are contented with what they have at all times. They are not like today’s politicians who want to loot the country and rip-off the nation and ultimately plunge us into economic crisis. That is why I am supporting someone like Muhammadu Buhari who has only one house in Kaduna built by government. The house is not beautiful and I can bet you that he has no house in Abuja.

But go to the homes of these other politicians and you will discover their mansions all over the country. They have houses in every part of the world and these houses are built with Nigeria tax payer’s money. My Father has only one house in Ojuelegba road in Lagos and if I tell you how many years it took him to build that house you will be surprised. This is a man who had the opportunity of building big houses but he rejected it. I must say that he was a simply man and very contented all through his life.

Your father studied pharmacy, ventured into Journalism and also wrote a lot of books. How was he able to achieve that?

My father was a very good man, and he cared a lot for others. He is a person that can

remove the shirt off his back to put a smile on your face. He was not money minded like I said before. Ekwensi was a very loving man. He was kind, he fights other peoples fight but he refused to join government and he had his reasons. I remember in those days during Olusegun Obasanjo’s first tenure as president and the then president was calling him because they were good friends, even when Obasanjo was in prison, he was going there to visit him. But while Obasanjo was in power, my father never wanted to be in government, despite all the pressures from his friends.

He preferred a low profile and lived his life. When I came back from America, I went to the

Ikechukwu Ekwensi Jr

Obasanjo’s Otta farm in Ogun State, and I saw them talking.

They were very close friends but my father stood back when Obasanjo became president.

He is a man who doesn’t want anything to trouble him so much or occupy his time. This is a man that will be driving down the road and once he sees people roasting corn, he would stop and buy some. He was so free with himself and not about convoy of cars with pilot blowing siren and all that. He was not an establishment man at all. He would drive around Ojuelegba on daily basis to do one thing or the other and without considering how popular he was then. That simplicity was a blessing to him and it made him to live long before he died at the age of eighty-seven.

Your father wrote several books like the Burning Grass, Jagua Nanah and all that, where did he derive the inspiration?

Do you know when the Burning Grass was written?

I think it is 1956 0r 1958. I was not even born by then. These books are old and it was not our generation that met them.

The younger ones did not meet those books. Most of the books, you saw Cyprain Ekwensi wrote were out of inspiration of things that happened while alive. They were written as fiction but they actually happen though the names may not be real. You know of African Night Entertainment and you know of Samankwe and the High Way Robbers, all those books were things that happened around him while he was alive.

series

Bruce Onobrakpeya

ÏÏÏ A printmaker, painter and

sculptor, Bruce Onobrakpeya is one of Africa’s best known and most highly respected artists. He has been described as a ‘living legend’ who was ‘responsible for the renaissance in contemporary art in Nigeria’. With a career spanning several decades and many notable exhibitions at the Tate Modern Gallery, London, National Museum of African Arts, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., and Malmö Konsthall, Sweden to name a few. Bruce is a well renowned and established name in art circles around the world.

Onobrakpeya born in Agbarha-Otor, Delta State, in 1932, is also one of the artists that became known as Zaria rebels, a group of painers and artists that emerged from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria.

Foundations of shipping operations CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28

transshipment such as availability of an array of high frequency feeder services connecting the hub with its network of feeder ports, availability of modern high-tech infrastructure (e.g. berths, cranes and container storage space) as well as equipment that allow for a quick turnaround time of large vessels.

Chapter five of the book dwelt on ship to ship transfer operations which according to him is also known as lightering operations in which crude oil or petroleum products are transferred between two seagoing tankers that are moored alongside each other at high sea.

He went ahead to highlight the significance of the operations to the overall earnings of a port in terms of both revenue, port efficiency, effectiveness, output, operational performance, etc.

The author however in the subsequent chapter painted a gloomy picture of Nigerian Ports as he focused on the delay factors in the ports. He opened the chapter by saying that the ports have been meshed in serious congestion problems, fraudulent and sharp practices that have led to inefficiency and unproductiveness. He went further to enumerate some of the causes of port operational inefficiencies such as berth

congestion, yard productivity, cumbersome documentation and clearing procedures, among others.

Chapter 7 dealt extensively on ship finance, government intervention in shipbuilding, credit, and demand functions of the shipbuilding market as well as the technical aspects of ship management and financial aspects of ship management.

He concluded the chapter with investment aspects of ship management.Port Finance, Costs and Charges were also extensively treated.

The author opened chapter eight of the book which has the title Port Finance, Costs and

Charges with an assertion that the Nigerian maritime industry and its port sub-sector have, over the years, suffered seriously from lack of funding and proper financial investments in infrastructures and equipment.

Similarly, port charges and dues, which according to the author is principally referred to as the price required by any ports authority for services rendered would make an interesting reading.

The author engaged the attention of his readers in chapter nine with an analytical expose on port productivity strategy. He explained that port productivity is considered as the level of efficiency, effectiveness

and vibrancy, which a particular port is operating at and of course within the confines of the law.

The author further stressed in the chapter that issues regarding to high tariffs in Nigeria, which over the years, have been the highest in West and Central African sub-region also compounded the problem of low productivity and operational efficiency. This chapter on Maritime Labour Strategy traced the history of dock labour in Nigeria, which before 1949 was casual and not regularised. Reforms according to the author came the way with Decree 37 of 1999 that set up the Joint Maritime Labour Industrial Council (JOMALIC).

30

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

Features Æ

Features Editor: Gbubemi God’s Covenant Snr. Email: gbubemi.godscovenantsnr@dailytimes.com.ng

Morality is a matter of individual responsibility— Yeni Kuti It is unlikely one will find a Ransome-Kuti descendant who is not witty and unpredictable. Yeni Kuti (YK), Fela’s first daughter by his only legal marriage proved to be that and more. In this exclusive interview with Daily Times, GBUBEMI GOD’S COVENANT, SNR observed a subtle Yeni that chose her words with the radicalism synonymous with the Anikulapo variation of the Ransome-Kuti ancestry.

1961, the year Lady Yeni Anikulapo-Kuti was born was not an internet age. Computer was rare and the colour television with all the Western intrigues had not invaded the innocence and purity of Africans of that generation. So it was unusual for a five year old of that time to be drawn into dancing, let alone practice it to the knowledge of the family, but such was the story of today’s vivacious lady of the Africa Shrine. Not for the first time, YK made a personal introduction: “I am Yeni Kuti; a mother and a professional dancer. I started dancing at age five. My father’s first afro-beat dancer, Dele was a fantastic dancer and was my inspiration. She took me through dance lessons when I was 5 years old.”

So, what kind of a girl was Yeni while growing up?

“Quiet,” she said promptly.

“A shy and very personal person: that was who I was.”

That is far from who you are today: at what time did the boldness transform the little shy girl of the 60s?

I was about 21, 22 years old, I think. The shyness metamorphosed into boldness that just erupted from within, and that is the personality that is me ever since. I think traces of both are in my nature because I can be very simple, and can be very bold to the extreme. That’s me.

How did she grapple with school, seeing Fela concluded

Yeni

‘‘I don’t call anybody decadence; I’m not a judge. I don’t believe in judging people because morality is a matter of individual responsibility; but I can only advise the young ones to work hard, because it’s by working hard now in life that they can succeed in the future.’’

that education was a waste of time?

School was very enjoyable to me; I thoroughly enjoyed myself in school. I went through nursery, primary, then onto secondary school. I took a diploma at the Institute of Journalism too, and I went to a secretarial college. I even did shorthand.

How did she manage the larger-than-life image of Fela when she was in school?

It made me very popular; as a result I had a lot of students who wanted to be my school daughters. Of course I knew it wasn’t about me as a person; it was because of my father, so I had so many of them and I did my best to accommodate them all.

There was not much known about your marriage: how did you meet your husband?

At a party; that’s where I met him.

Can you tell us a little about him, and your relationship with …

(A firm) ‘No’, (and her countenance changed.)

Okay. Tell us how you coped as a dancer when you were pregnant of your daughter.

I wasn’t dancing during my pregnancy. I took a break.

So you have a daughter. What would you wish for your daughter then? The suspicion went away, and she nodded with enthusiasm.

Oh, all the success she can get. She has a place she’s working now in England, but she’s going to have to leave it to do her Masters, and after that, I think she’ll get a very good job, so I just wish her lots of progress.

At the end of her studies, do you expect she’ll embrace your ideology and return home to step into your shoes?

(She was thoughtful for a moment) I can only hope so. I earnestly hope she’ll come back to Nigeria; but the way she’s going, it doesn’t look as if she’ll come back.

You have travelled far and wide and had the opportunity of living abroad. Why didn’t you?

Because I am a thoroughbred African; Nigeria is my home; I’ve been saying all along that Nigeria is my home. There’s no FELA-ON-BROADWAY Fela on Broadway show was a phenomenal success of which I am very proud. It put Fela back in the limelight again and made us believe when Fela said that he will never die, this is what he meant: he will never die.

What the Broadway did for him was that Fela was as visible and serious in death as he was in life. I’m very happy and very proud of the show and I enjoyed the show so much. I’ve watched it many times. In Nigeria while it was here I watched it every day that it showed; I’ve watched it in America, and I watched it in England.

What would you like to be remembered by as a person?

As an honest individual; somebody who believed in what she did and did it well, especially as a good dancer, because that is my passion.

Are you grooming successors who will continue this passion when you retire?

Yes I am, we have many dancers that we train every day; I train with them. I have set that standard and they are doing very well. If you watch them, you will know they are good.

Let’s look at the larger world. What do you think of gay marriage?

I don’t comment on social issues like that. Everybody is an individual and they are free to do what they want to do. Gay marriage or gay rights is a controversial issue I don’t comment on please.

On moral decadence that’s almost a vogue, what will you advice the younger generation?

I don’t call anybody decadence; I’m not a judge. I don’t believe in judging people because morality is a matter of individual responsibility; but I can only advise the young ones to work hard, because it’s by working hard now in life that they can succeed in the future.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 31

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, May 25, 2015

31 Features

‘I’ve not yet seen any visible change from Fela’s music’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 30

All the works of Fela were directed towards changing the evil in the system of government for the good of the common man. Looking at the system today, have you seen the kind of change your father campaigned for?

I haven’t seen any visible change, but I am hoping that it will change sometime. I don’t know if they’re listening; you know that when Fela was alive, people didn’t listen to him; they just danced to his music and danced all his words away; but they should have listened. That was why, when Fela was alive and they clap when he was talking, he will tell them, please don’t clap for me: listen to me, because when you clap, you clap everything I have said away. So nothing has changed yet, but I still hope it will change in our time.

Tell us one thing you will like to see right in the Nigeria of your dream.

Let me tell you something, if they can get power, that is, electricity problem right and we begin to see light in every part of the country, then they will be walking in the right direction.

Also, if they can solve power problem, then they would have solved the biggest problem, which is corruption.

The second thing I will like to see put right in Nigeria is water, because that is the most essential thing in life. Light and water are the necessities of life; they go together and this country is lacking it.

On the lighter side, what is a day like for Yeni?

When I wake up, if I’m not lazy, I exercise my body. Next, I get ready for work. When I get here (Afrika Shrine), I look through my books and sort out what needs to be sorted out before I settle down to work.

When I finish at the end of the day, I close. Sometimes I close at 6, most times I close at ten; a day like this when we have our show, I close at 2 a.m.

What kind of foods keeps you this young?

I love food very much for what it is, but I don’t think it is food that’s keeping me young. The only food I don’t like is plantain,

whether fried or boiled or roasted, except plantain chips of course, I love that, but plantain like dodo, boli, or boiled plantain, I don’t touch them. Also, I don’t like banana at all, but any other food, I love it.

I love amala, I love pounded yam, eba, rice, white or jollof.

More so I love potatoes, efo (vegetables), oha, edikaikon, and yam: just about anything eatable I love it. Oh, before I forget, I don’t like semovita. (Laughs) Tell us one thing you will very much like to see in a person.

Honesty, and hard work; I love hard working people.

And what does Yeni hate to see in a person?

Dishonesty and laziness. I don’t like to see such people around me.

If you have the opportunity to correct one thing in your life, what would it be?

Hum. (Thought for a while, then) I think it will be my stomach.

Why your stomach?

It’s too big. Yes, that’s what I will correct. It’s my stomach.

I won’t ask if you’re a Christian, but do you believe that man is accountable to God? I believe in the Creator, and I do not talk about religion because it’s an individual thing.

Every individual’s belief should be respected and not discussed on the pages of newspapers, so I don’t talk about religion in any interview.

Throughout the hour long interview, Yeni showed decorum and good discipline. Quality management of Africa Shrine under her is very much in evidence as her immediate staff came in with reports of assignments, collection or delivery of one thing or the other. An instrument thought to have been stolen was found not to be stolen after all but removed from public reach by a staff and the report was good.

The large outer hall had Shrine devotees ministering to the ‘stuff ’ or it was the stuff ministering to them while resident band men adjusted their instruments. The sound of the saxophone rehearsing brought memories of the late afro beat king in the days when he rehearsed with the band on Tuesdays at the old Africa Shrine.

Everywhere, from the gates

Yeni

to Yeni’s office were beautiful exhibitions of paintings, photographs and marbles driving home the message of black heritage. Photographs and paintings of the Anikulapo dynasty dotted Yeni’s office and lobby. A particular photograph of Shola, her late younger sister hung in her office looking more real than Leonado da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. All showed images and passages in the transcendental pilgrimage of life, defining Yeni’s conclusion in retrospect that life is short. Indeed it is.

‘‘I believe in the Creator, and I do not talk about religion because it’s an individual thing. Every individual’s belief should be respected and not discussed on the pages of newspapers, so I don’t talk about religion in any interview.’’

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Arewa songs of conquest (2) ÎÎÎ As Solomon in the Bi-

Yinka Odumakin

ble carried out all possible experiments on behalf of humanity and documented it all in the Book of Ecclesiastics. Those immovable truths have proved inviolable to date. In like manner, Prophet Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo who created ethnic pride for the Yoruba country carried out loads of experiments with the Nigeria project and like Solomon and documented his findings in his various publications.

Unfortunately the Yoruba political landscape of today is littered with men who have never read a book from Awo even when they are in love with his glasses without his vision and his cap covering brains they never engage in thought.

It is not that difficult for such men to remove the ancient landmarks which their fathers have set and thus become a plaything and song themes on the lips of Arewa children like the gentleman I quoted extensively last week.

The summary of all Awo findings is that a multi-ethnic Nigeria can only prosper with its constituent units living in peace and happiness if

Awolowo

it was run along federal principles. That was what Awo fought for all his political life that denied him “power at the centre” but he remains at the centre of political discourse in Nigeria, 28 years after his transition to higher glory.

And within those years arose strange children in Yorubaland who, buoyed by unearned wealth, felt the Awo way was not for them. They chose the Akintola road and with their media power they blackmailed those who

insisted on the Awo path.

They were able to mobilize a generation of angry and disoriented youth who were totally bereft of knowledge to act against their own enlightened selfinterest. Like bewitched Galatians, they confused their own desires for good governance with Arewa quest for CHANGE of baton. In a matter of weeks, Arewa spokesmen are making it clear that the March 28 removal of the virus that entered their power computer was the

only common denominator and hangers-on should find their level.

What a tragedy of victory! The stiff-necked adventurers who uncritically assumed a day would come when Arewa would embrace power sharing are now doing what Yoruba call “aramora, iso kijipa”, like you are being whipped but you can’t afford to drop any tear. The children of Oduduwa who gave an identity and the formula to engage all nationalities with pride are now hovering like Almajiris in Abuja because they sacrifice their core values to play at their traducers’ area of strength.

The gloom on their faces is worse than those of who lost elections. They are now busy tearing themselves into pieces jostling for who will be the senior in the slavery they have just sold themselves to.

Like Fela Anikulapo Kuti around this time in 1984, “I just dey look and dey laugh”.

These folks lack any institutional memory to even understand the subtlety of those they are engaged in power game with.

They are in a game whose rules of engagement they don’t have the faintest idea

of. They didn’t know that the power of cash becomes immaterial when the key to the treasury is handed to those you thought you were funding. Some folks are so poor despite having tons of cash.

In 1962, Obafemi Awolowo in the course of the legislative sitting passed a note to the then Prime Minister of Nigeria, Tafawa Balewa. The content was “when can we see?”

The response was instant “why not now?”

Pronto the Opposition Leader and the Prime Minister moved to his office and Awo stroked the frame of his glasses and looked straight into Balewa’s eyes, asking: “Mr PM, what is it I’m hearing about plans to impose emergency rule in Western Nigeria today?” Balewa laughed haughtily and said, “Come off it Chief Awolowo, how would you countenance such a wicked rumor? Do you not know how long a process it takes to do such a thing?”

Meeting ended and both men returned to the chambers. By the evening of that discussion, a state of emergency was declared in Western Nigeria. .......To be concluded!

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

Life&

TIMES Monday, May 25, 2015

Men’s trend: The well dressed rebel L3 P

Toyin Kolade A passionate

business mogul

L2

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday May 25, 2015

Women are better business managers - Princess Toyin Kolade Isaac Oguntoye

lems keeping tab with all of them.

She is not only a successful woman by all standards who operates in a male dominated terrain, Princess Toyin Kolade is also a notable socialite who commands deep respect from all and sundry. The CEO of Fisolak Global Resources, who made her first million at the age of 21 opens up about her business empire and why she now parades a very trimmed look, a sharp contrast from how she looked a few years ago.

How are you able to manage all of your numerous businesses without loosing track of any?

Quite a lot of people have asked me this same question over and over again. Let me quickly tell you that I have lots of capable hands running the day to day activities of my businesses, so I don’t have problems keeping tab with all of them.

Some people see you as a socialite while others know you better as a business woman.

How would you describe yourself?

Well, I’m Princess Oluwatoyin Kolade, the CEO of Fisolak Nigeria Limited, an active participator in the maritime sector of the economy. I am basically involved in import and export businesses, clearing and forwarding, oil and gas, marine consultancy, interior furnishings, construction and the hospitality business. We are also involved in the importation and sales of electronics with a franchise with Samsung in South Korea.

So yes I am a business woman but at the same time, I like to honour friends and associates’ invitations, so people are quick to label me a socialite.

You are in a business dominated by men. Do you sometimes get intimidated?

As I speak to you now, it is no longer dominated by men. The ratio is now 50/50 and that is because we women are doing better than the men. People rely more on women than the men because we are good business managers.

Life&

T E A M

How are you able to manage all of your numerous businesses without loosing track of any?

Quite a lot of people have asked me this same question over and over again. Let me quickly tell you that I have lots of capable hands running the day to day activities of my businesses, so I don’t have prob-

Who would you say inspired your business acumen?

My mother was a big time business woman who traded in soya beans, yam flour, beans, rice and corn in bags and it was always with great delight that I helped her in her trading business while my mates did what children were expected to do, play. I learnt the ropes in business from her. I remember that I used to travel on her behalf up North to buy these things. With time, I started doing my own personal business, buying and selling and by the time I was 21, I had almost N5m in my bank account.

What else would you have been doing if you weren’t in business?

I would have loved to be in the medical line, I mean, to be a medical doctor. I just have this natural passion for the profession. However, since I was able to identify that my potentials and destiny was in business, I decided to follow it up.

What are some of the challenges you encountered growing your empire and how were you able to handle them without loosing focus?

There has been the good, the bad and the ugly. First, I had the challenge of having true friends, I mean people I can leave my issues with and go to sleep. I have met bad people that I can never trust again while some people can be full of lies.

For instance, some time ago, I travelled to Dubai with a friend of mine.

Though I had another business in mind, she encouraged me to buy something else, which she said she

Editor Nkarenyi Ukonu n.ukonu@dailytimes.com.ng 08029030427

Music Correspondent Akintayo Opeoluwani o.ogunjimi@dailytimes.com.ng 08126223784

was a need and that I didn’t need to look for buyers for the goods. I believed her and bought the goods.

When we came back to Nigeria, she started avoiding me. Eventually, I sold those goods at a loss. There’s also the challenge of electricity as well as others too numerous to mention in terms of business activities and development. I pray God help us in this country.

Does your husband feel threatened by your success?

No! I have a supportive husband.

He is an asset to my various businesses with his invaluable inputs.

You see, I’m happily married to the best man in the world, the love of my life. I love my husband and I have devoted all my love to him till death do us part because he has also done the same for me. He loves me, he is and has always been there for me as a man in terms of anything a woman could think of. He is a good man, very trustworthy, hardworking, loving and understanding. If I come back to this world again, I will definitely go for him because he has justified all I ever needed in a man. So what else can I ask for again?

What do you like most about your husband?

I like everything about him.

Disagreements are bound to happen between you two.

How do you sort out your differences?

Like every marriage, we have also had our own challenges, our ups and downs but we’ve been clever enough to manage our home without the intervention of a third party.

You see, understanding is the key to any successful marriage. As a wife, you need to be submissive and learn how to say sorry whenever the need arises.

How do you give back to the society?

I spend a lot giving back to society because I hate seeing people suffer around me. But I would not like to mention how I carry out my philanthropic activities.

Movie Correspondent Mutiat Alli m.alli@dailytimes.com.ng 08115557378

Let’s talk about your new look.

You have lost some weight which makes you slimmer than you have always been. What’s really happening?

There is nothing. I don’t have any health challenge. I don’t have any terminal disease. I thank God for that. A lot of people have been asking me similar questions and I keep telling them, there is nothing wrong with me. I just changed my diet by eating fresh food, like carrots, cucumber, green tea etc. and it’s really working for me. The pressure of this job is too much for me not to take care of myself. By taking fresh food, you will live longer and have sound health. What I mean by living food is that when you wake in the morning, you take green tea, carrot, cucumber. As for me, I don’t eat meat again, I don’t eat yam and rice also because all these foods are cooked.

The moment they are cooked, they are dead. And if you eat them and

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye i.ogundoye@dailytimes.com.ng 08069489893

Photography Quadri Olowolagba q.olowolagba@dailytimes.com.ng 08029745478

you don’t take good care of your health, it may lead to premature death. I am using this medium to advise everybody out there to start eating more living foods. That’s a sure secret of longevity and sound health.

But above all, one should be very close to God. Without Him, nothing is possible. I really thank God for being there for me all the time.

How do you feel now with the change in diet?

I thank God for my looks now. I am very light and look younger than my age. Let me also tell you this. When you want to eat fruits, eat them about one hour before your regular meal.

Don’t eat fruits after the regular meal.

All these little tips have their benefits in terms of health. For instance, if you want to eat watermelon, make sure you also eat the seeds and the back.

Everything in watermelon is medicinal. You can see I am looking young and fresh The secret is living food and then God.

Graphics Austine Agbovi a.agbovi@dailytimes.com.ng 07060402397

Daily Times Nigeria

Monday May 25, 2015

L3 Men’s Trend

dressed rebel The well

Nkarenyi Ukonu

1

Be a man, wear jewelry People tend to think of jewelry for men to be extreme but it shouldn’t be. It should look like you’ve been wearing it for years, something you picked up along the way, somrthing that makes you look comfortable and make you feel like yourself with it. Want to get into jewelry? Start with a wrist piece and add to it over time, with a necklace and a ring or two.

4

Victor

2

Tame your tux You can dress up a tux in such a way that it would look formal from the waist up and nontraditional from the waist down. It’s the perfect balance between luxe and edge.

There’s still a fashion component to it, but the way you put it together, makes all the difference. To pull it off, you have to make sure to keep the lines from the jacket to the jeans and the jeans to the shoes in proportion. They should be in perfect sync with each other.

1 D’banj

3

Short-change yourself When you wear a blazer with shorts, you get the feeling that you’re dressed up, but you’re still casual. It takes a brave man to wear a tailored jacket with tailored shorts. But that’s the point, it’s something you’re not ‘supposed’ to wear. That’s rebellion.

4

6 Uche Nnaji

Stick your neck out Wearing a collar pin is elegant and a little old-school, but back in style. Even though you don’t have collar-pin holes in your shirts, you can create them. Do let your collar pin be in sync with the rest of your accessory. For instance, if you wear a gold watch, you wear a gold collar pin The objective is to not look like you’re wearing a head-to-toe costume.

2

David

5

3

Show some ankle Rolling up the cuffs of your pants is a really good way to show off your sense of style. You give of a cool vibe

6

Wear it on your chest One part of your outfit that you should have fun with is your pocket square. Be able to push the envelope with your collection. Go for pieces that pops against colors. Your pocket square should complement your tie, not match it exactly.

Jim Iyke

Nutrition L4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday May 25, 2015

Mangoes:

Healthy and sweet-tasting Judith Frank- Edet

Judithjudith463@yahoo.com Lush, succulent, and delicious, the king of the fruits, mangoes, are back in season again. Though it is widely believed that whatever is tasty can never be healthy. Mangos are rich in the goodness as much as it is in the taste. They have many health benefits. All seasonal fruits have special nutrients for the season.

Mango is a member of the drupe family, a type of plant food in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell with a seed inside. They also belong to the genusMangifera, consisting of numerous tropical fruiting trees, cultivated mostly for edible fruit. There are different species of mangoes that range in color, shape, flavor and seed size. While the skin color of mangoes can vary from green to yellow or orange, the inner flesh of the mango is mostly a golden yellow.

They have a sweet and creamy taste and contain over 20 vitamins and minerals.

Some of the possible health benefits of consuming mango include a decreased risk of macular degeneration, a decreased risk of colon cancer, improvement in digestion and bone health and even benefits for the skin and hair.

Daily consumption of mangoes can help manage high blood sugar, particularly in obese people. According to a study which included 20 adults, both men and women, it was determined that mangos considerable reduced their blood glucose levels. However, researchers couldn’t identify the actual mechanism in mangoes that helped this occurrence.

In another study, researchers at the College Station, Texas-based university’s Institute for Obesity Research and Program Evaluation, revealed that compounds, such as those found in mangoes, possess cancer-fighting properties.

A 200g serve of ripe mango (the equivalent of less than one mango) provides you with up to three times your recommended daily intake of Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Vitamin C, an antioxidant important for protecting the body from infection, is re-

quired in the formation of collagen, a protein that gives structure to bones, cartilage, muscle and blood vessels.

Vitamin C also aids the absorption of iron, necessary for transporting oxygen from the lungs to cells all around the body.

Mangoes are very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. They are also an excellent source of dietary fiber and vitamin B6. Mangoes are rich in minerals like potassium, magnesium and copper, and they are one of the best sources of quercetin, beta-carotene, and astragalin.

These powerful antioxidants have the power to neutralize free radicals throughout the body.

Mangos are good for the eyes.Being an excellent source of vitamin A, mangoes are one of the best foods to consider maintaining optimum eye health. They also slashes Blood Cholesterol, because they are rich in pre-biotic dietary fiber, pectin and vitamin C, mangoes help lower blood serum cholesterol levels and cut the low density lipoprotein content, thereby reducing the amount of bad cholesterol in the body.

It is a common notion that mangoes are bad for diabetics. In fact, it is also widely believed that diabetics should avoid many types of fruits.. However, according to Yemisi Olowookere, a Nutritionist in Garki Hospital, diabetics could benefit from eating fresh mango due to the fruit’s positive effect on the arteries.

Mangoes can also help improve digestion as they contain certain enzymes that speed up the breaking of protein. They strengthenthe Brain and boost concentration and memory due to theglutamic acid present in them.

In India,raw mangoes soaked in water were a cure for heart ailments like stroke and cardiac arrest. All you had to do was soak the green mangoes in water in an earthen pot and then drink it.

Mangoes are rich in iron, which makes them beneficial for people suffering from anemia. A regular, moderated intake of mangoes can help eliminate anemia by increasing the red blood cell count in the body.

Mangoes are also very beneficial for pregnant woman, since the iron

requirements during pregnant is extremely essential.

However, as a note of caution, the temptation to eat too muchmangoes may come with some side effects.

Too much of mangos may lead to diarrheaif you have Dietary Fructose Intolerance,( DFI). The condition is a common cause of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is characterized by intestinal gas, bloating, abdominal pain and cramping, nausea, and diarrhea or constipation. People with DFI can also have indigestion and excessive belching. Mangoes are one of many foods that can increase symptoms of IBS because they are higher in fructose, or fruit sugar, than they are in glucose.

The fructose in mangoes is problematic for some people because of the way it’s absorbed. In those suffering from DFI, fructose is absorbed poorly; as a consequence, it gets transported to the large intestine where it’s broken down by bacteria in the colon, resulting in the production of methane and hydrogen gas.

At the end, it may lead to a noticeable increase in intestinal gas

Selection and storage When selecting mangos, choose a fruit that is firm and exhibits a sweet aroma. There should be no sap on the skin. Mangos should be handled gently, as it bruises easily. Pick it up and gently press your thumb against the flesh, it should really sweet smell.

A very ripe mango will often have some black speckling outside or a little bruising. Don’t worry about that but avoid mangoes that are black all over.

Always use your nose when you’re choosing mangoes. 99per cent of the time, a mango that smells wonderful tastes wonderful. If the stem end smells sour or acidic, reject it. If a mango is firm and green, it won’t have any smell, but if it looks good, you can take it home and ripen it yourself.

Leave a firm, unripe mango out on the counter for a few days until it colors, develops a sweet aroma, and is a bit soft when you press it very gently. But never refrigerate a mango.

Storing a mango below 50 degrees for any length of time will take the fla-

vor out. They can be stored at room temperature for one to two days.

How to make mango chutney Mangos are mostly eaten fresh and raw. But there are more creative ways to use mango. They can be used for fruit salads, salsa, as mango juice and in ice creams and sorbets. They can also be used to make mango chutney using semi ripe mangoes which gives a sweet and tangy taste to the chutney. Mango chutney is native to India and can be served as a side dish along with a main course meal.

Ingredients • 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and chopped • 2 large mangoes, peeled and chopped • 1/2 medium sweet red pepper, chopped • 1 1/2 cups (375 mL) granulated sugar • 1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped onion • 1/2 cup (125 mL) golden raisins • 1/2 cup (125 mL) white vinegar • 1/4 cup (50 mL) finely chopped peeled gingerroot • 1 tablespoon (15 mL) lemon juice

• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) curry powder • 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) of ground nutmeg and salt

Preparations 1.

Peel and finely chop the mangoes.

2.

If the mangoes are very juicy and fibrous, you can just remove the pulp.

3.

Combine apples, mangoes, red pepper, sugar, onion, raisins, vinegar, and gingerroot in a large stainless steel or saucepan.

4.

Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, and boil gently, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until fruit is tender and mixture is thickened, stirring occasionally.

5.

Add lemon juice, curry powder and nutmeg.

6.

Boil gently for 5 minutes.

7.

Add salt to taste.

8.

Don’t overcook as the mixture will become thick.

9.

Remove the mango chutney in a bowl.

10.

Serve mango chutney warm or at room temperature as dip or spread.

11.

Mango chutney stays good for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Daily Times Nigeria

Monday May 25, 2015

Pot belly or something else?

Judith Frank-Edet

Judithjudith463@yahoo.com If you are a man, close your eyes and imagine you were dressed as a woman, wearing a tight fitted dress, makeup, wig and high heel shoes. Would people think you were pregnant due to the hefty load you are carrying in the midsection? If so open your eyes and accept the reality that you have a pot belly. You may laugh at this but gone were the days when potbelly was considered a sign of wealth and success, when the rich in the middle ages wore their bellies as a badge of honour. Times have since changed. Nowadays being lean is a status symbol and hang-over-the-belt bellies are no longer in vogue. Whether you refer to it as your pot belly, beer belly, beer gut, spare tyre, bulldozer or clinically as central obesity, stomach fat is hazardous to your health. According to Harvard health, it impairs the body’s responsiveness to insulin, raising blood sugar and insulin levels and contributes to major causes of death and disability, including heart attacks, strokes, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, osteoarthritis, fatty liver, and depression.

Abdominal obesity, is when excessive abdominal fat around the stomach and abdomen has built up to the extent that it is likely to have a negative impact on health. It’s commonly assumed that there is a direct correlation between the amount of beer men consume and the size of their beer bellies, but not all beer drinkers have them. So what really causes men, and some women, to develop the infamous stomach? It’s not necessarily beer but too many calories that can turn your trim waistline into a belly that protrudes over your shirt. The calories could come from alcohol, sugary beverages, or oversized portions of food. However, alcohol does seem to have a particular association with fat in the midsection.

However, according to Mayo clinic, alcohol intake is associated with bigger pot bellies because when you drink alcohol, the liver burns alcohol instead of fat. Another thing with beer is that they are so easy to overdo. A typical beer has 150 calories and if you drink several in one sitting, you can end up with serious calorie overload. Alcohol increases your appetite.

Why fat accumulates in the belly When you eat more than you exercise, the excess calories are stored as fat. But how your body decides to store the fat is partly determined by your age, sex, and hormones. While growing up, little boys and girls start out with similar fat storage patterns, but puberty changes that. Women have more subcutaneous fat (the kind under the skin) than men, so those extra fat calories go to their arms, thighs, and buttocks, as well as their bellies. But men have less subcutaneous fat, so they store more in their bellies. However, aging plays a role. Pot bellies tend to be more prominent in older people because

as you age, you lose muscle, especially if you’re not physically active. Loss of muscle mass decreases the rate at which your body uses calories, which can make it more challenging to maintain a healthy weight. In addition, in some men, fat cells in the arms and legs lose the ability to store fat, which causes any excess fat to go to the abdomen.

Your genes also can affect your chances of being overweight or obese, as well as play a role in where you store fat. As hormone levels decline in men and women as they age, they’re more likely to store fat around

L5

the middle. Apart from the fact that belly fat can make you look less attractive, devaluing your physique, it has some health consequences. According to the world health organization, major risk factor for obesity include noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), diabetes; musculoskeletal disorders (especially osteoarthritis - a highly disabling degenerative disease of the joints) and some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon). Carrying extra pounds in your thighs or hips is less risky than carrying them in the abdominal region because subcutaneous fat, the fat around your waist, thighs, hips, and buttocks is not as dangerous as the visceral fat that’s found deep within the abdominal cavity surrounding your organs.

Measuring abdominal obesity The most accurate way to measure visceral fat is with computed tomography (CT scanning) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). But a simpler technique by experts is waist circumference. According to scientists, when waist circumference exceeds 35 inches for women and 40 for men, it is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, metabolic syndrome, and overall mortality. So it’s best to keep your waist size below these numbers.

Losing your pot belly The tried and true method of losing belly fat is eating healthy and getting more physi-

Wellness cal activity. According to the world health organization, to fight obesity, one must limit energy intake from total fats and sugars, increase consumption of fruit and vegetables, as well as legumes, whole grains and nut and engage in regular physical activity; 60 minutes a day for children and 150 minutes per week for adults. According to an article by webmd.com, because of the link between alcohol calories and belly fat, drinking less alcohol is a good place to start.

Avoid binge drinking, which puts you at risk for liver damage and other serious health problems.

Heavy drinkers should opt for light beers with 100 calorie or less, and limit the number they drink per day. Another option is to drink alcohol only on weekends, and to alternate alcoholic drinks with low-calorie, non-alcohol beverages. Also avoiding cigarettes is important because nicotine speeds up metabolism, thereby burning more kilojoules. According to a study published in obesity research, individuals who never smoked had the smallest waist-hip ratio, smokers had the largest.

Exercises like sit-ups, crunches, or other abdominal exercises are famous for strengthening the core muscles and help you hold in your belly fat. Aerobic exercises like running, swimming, cycling, and tennis are some of the best to help reduce body fat. So stop blaming your pot belly on the delicious food you eat or on your desk job, begin a exercise routine today.

Music Gists L6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday May 25, 2015

Fayrouz L’original audition moves to UNIPORT

Opeoluwani Akintayo

How Davido got us all fooled!

Besides the fact that Davido, has been spotted with quite a number of ladies since he came to limelight, we never had a clue he would soon join the league of single fathers like Timaya, Wizkid, Ice Prince, Olamide and others. To further add to the surprise element, it turns out he was actually dating one of media mogul, Dele Momodu’s cousin, Sophia, when all eyes were actually on a beautiful young lady called Sira who he flaunted on social media few months back. Suddenly, news filtered in last week about the birth of his baby boy. No one ever spotted them both together talkless of suspecting he could father a child through her. So there you have it, Davido is now the newest father in the music industry. both Davido and Dele Momodu made the announcement via their social media handles. Davido made a subtle announcement of the arrival when he posted a photo of him holding the hand of the new born alongside a caption, ‘God is great . New life, new beginnings, new album , it’s our year’.

Following the success recorded at the University of Ibadan, Fayrouz L’Original Expression Show competition, has moved its audition train to the University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State. The auditions, billed to hold on Saturday, May 23, 2015 at International Student Center Conference Hall, University of Port Harcourt, will have talented students from within the campus and other cities within the South Region, come out to showcase their artistic talents in the areas of fashion designing, modelling, photography and make up artistry. Like the previous audition, the jury comprises of grounded fashion experts like ace photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, National Retail Artiste House of Tara, Rhema Akabuogu and renowned designers, Mai Atafo and Kunbi Oyelese of April by Kunbi. The winning team will be chosen to represent the region and contest with four other teams at the semi-final stage of the competition holding at the Obudu Cattle ranch, Calabar, in June. The train will make its next stop at University of Nigeria, Enugu on Saturday, May 30, 2015 before stopping at University of Lagos, on Friday, June 5 and Saturday, June 6, 2015. Sponsored by the natural premium soft drink, Fayrouz, the Fayrouz L’ Original Expression Show competition aims at rewarding young creative talents. It kicked off in 2014 and has since being credited as one of the most followed urban and lifestyle competitions.

Yemi Alade, Wizkid,

battle South African rapper, AKA for BET 2015 Music sensation duo of Wizkid and Yemi Alade must be jumping for joy right now because the duo just got nominated for the upcoming 2015 Black Entertainment Awards (BET). Seeing that the stage is almost set, there is much contention as the duo battle the likes of South African rapper, AKA, FallyIpupa (Dr Congo), Sarkodie (Ghana), Sauti Sol (Kenya), Stonebwoy (Ghana) and The Soil (South Africa), in the Best International Act: Africa category. This is AKA’s first nomination at the BET awards, while Davido won the category in 2014. The awards will be held at the Nokia Theatre on June 28 in Los Angeles, just ten days after the Kilimanjaro Awards.

Yemi Alade

New single alert!

Western Boy debuts with Ori

Despite the massive influx of budding talents unfolding in the Nigeria music industry, there are still some upcoming artistes churning out good music. Oluyoye Oluwatobi Abiodun, whose stage name is Western Boy, is a talented artiste and song writer, who relocated from South Africa to pursue a career in music. The artiste just released his debut track titled “ORI”, currently receiving airplay on radio. The song is an appraisal for the Creator which is the “head”. He released the track under the record label imprint of Explicit Record but his yet-to-be released tracks, will be dropped under his own record label imprint “Western Record”. He is currently teaming up with upcoming producer, Latham for his next two tracks titled Only You and One for Me. Western Boy

Rayce drops new album One of Nigeria’s most talented musical artistes, Rayce and his record label, Soundcore, headed by veteran music administrator, Tony Nwakalor has finalized plans on the release of his new EP which is a follow up to his debut album, Get Lifted.

The EP titled DCMR is an eleven tracker album with tracks such as Ringo, Omoge Marina, Property, Wetin Dey, African B, For You and Tetela. He collaborated with fellow artistes, Seyi Shay and General Pype on two songs, Fire and Higher respectively. The EP has the production imprints of talented young producer, P Loops who produced 70 per cent of the songs and Rayce himself with his Admire Beats production imprint.

The DCMR EP which has now been officially released is also available on iTunes for downloads. It has been described as a spectacular music compilations and a must have for every lover of good music by the few people who have been opportune to listen to the songs. Rayce has over the years proved his deftness and in-

genuity with chart topping songs and etched his name as one of Nigeria’s finest talents.

Ahead of the release, Rayce earlier released videos for two of the songs on the EP, Ringo and Tetela. According to Rayce management, they will embark on a promotional tour for the EP by June 2015 to further publicize it and create more demands for it.

Real names Rayce Amoni Kingsley is a multi-talented musician with skills in singing, songwriting/arranging and production.

He has demonstrated a rare ability to infuse the feel and vibe of classic R&B music with the edgy flavor of hip-hop and Afro HipRayce hop.

Daily Times Nigeria

Monday May 25, 2015

Mutiat Alli

Omotunde Monsurat bounces back

Omotola, Waje, Yemi Alade, others unite to fight poverty An outstanding line-up of top women musicians from across Africa including Waje, Omotola and Yemi Alade have joined forces with ONE to create a brand new song called Strong Girl, a rally cry to empower girls and women everywhere.

Nine artists from seven African countries came together in South Africa earlier this month to write and record the track. They were joined by Nollywood superstar actress and activist Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, who stars in theStrong Girl video. The women are calling for action because poverty is sexist, and we won’t end it unless world leaders act now to help girls and women reach their full potential. The track and video was released on May 13, 2015 along with a global day of action amplifying the songs message and recruiting thousands worldwide to the fight for justice.

Nollywood actress, Omotola Jalade said “I am fortunate to be a young woman living her dreams and a trailblazer of my generation but I also recognize that many women and girls are not so fortunate. Women and girls are disproportionately affected by the injustice of poverty and inequality.

According to singer, Waje’ this is one of the most profound things I have done in my life. I am doing this for the African woman so she doesn’t have to die in childbirth. I am doing this so that girls in rural Africa can complete primary school education”.

ONE’s call to action is already backed by more 36 of the world’s most powerful women, including Beyoncé, Meryl Streep, Lady Gaga, Angelique Kidjo and other leading women from the worlds of business, arts, politics and activism.

Van Vicker, Yvonne Nelson lead walk against electricity crisis Actor, Van Vicker and Yvonne Nelson led thousands of Ghanaians to march peacefully through parts of the capital Accra to protest the government’s failure to solve a three-year long electric power crisis that has shattered businesses and hindered economic growth.

The march which had a vigil session before the main event with the theme, ‘Dumsor Vigil’, drew civil servants, business owners, academicians etc, to walk half a kilometer through the streets of the eastern districts. All clad in black and red, participants held candles and kerosene lanterns as they chanted anti-government slogans. Van Vicker was the cynosure of all eyes as the actor broke down in tears saying that it was disheartening to see Dumsor babies with heat rashes all over them as a result of the epileptic power supply.

L7 Movie Gists

After battling acute fibroid some months back, Omotunde Monsurat fondly addressed as Mulika is back on her feet and storming several movie locations in other to cater for her children’s upkeep. Spotted at an event, the actress disclosed that all is now well after undergoing a successful surgery and back to her first love, acting. Recalling her experience on the sick bed, she noted that it was indeed challenging for her ever since she lost her husband three years ago.

Omotunde Monsurat

PHOTO SPEAK Actor Kelvin Ikeduba and Charles Okocha undergo gender transformation

Van Vicker

ON Set

Movie title: Aniwura

Movie title: Tipa Tipa

Directed by: Titi Jeje Produced and written by: Seun Omojola Cast: Adeniyi Johnson, Juwon Adewunmi, Jaiye Kuti, Bayode Babatope, Biodun Bankole, Temitayo Adeniyi Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Directed by: Afeez Owo Cast: Kemi Afolabi, Fathia Balogun, Afeez Abiodun-Owo, Tunde Owokoniran Location: Lagos, Nigeria

Script rehearsal

Adeniyi Johnson and Seun Tayo Adeniyi, Seun Omojola Omojola and Juwon

Fathia Balogun and Kemi Afolabi

Kemi Afolabi and Afeez Owo

Tunde Owokoniran

Daily Times Nigeria

Monday May 25, 2015

L8 Television

Showing on

Showing on

166 Z WORLD Channel

127 SONY Channel

01:00

02:10

Mon, 25 May | 16

Mon, 25 May | PG

‘S1/E13 - 1/13’. Daljeet’s mother and Sahiba get off on the wrong foot. He then takes the opportunity to tell his Mother what Sahiba means to him. Ranveer finally finds a way to reach out to Sahiba.

101 M-Net West

‘S1/E7 - Blazing Fury’. Nikki McPhatter had just begun a torrid romance with a man she met online. But Nikki’s love life took a horrifying turn when she suddenly went missing.

120 BBC Entertainment

118 Telemundo

128 SONY MAX

00:05 New Tricks 01:00 The Cube 01:45 Come Dine With Me 02:35 Downton Abbey 03:30 EastEnders 01:30 I, Frankenstein 03:05 The Calling 05:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 06:00 Modern Family 06:30 Blue Bloods 07:30 The Fixer 08:30 Gambit 10:00 Entertainment Now! 10:30 2 Broke Girls 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 12:00 MasterChef Australia 13:00 Nashville 14:00 Arrow 15:00 Marvel’s Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. 16:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 17:00 The Goldbergs 17:30 The Voice 18:30 Grey’s Anatomy 19:30 Mysteries Of Laura 20:30 Elementary 21:30 Carte Blanche 22:30 The Frozen Ground 23:00 Strike Back 23:00 Strike Back 23:50 Rome

04:00 EastEnders 00:30 The Impostor 01:20 The Impostor 02:10 The Impostor 03:00 The Impostor 03:50 The Impostor 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Labour Of Love 07:00 Part Of Me 07:50 Queen Of Hearts 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Labour Of Love 11:10 Part Of Me 12:00 Queen Of Hearts 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Labour Of Love 15:20 Part Of Me 16:10 Queen Of Hearts 17:00 The Impostor 17:50 Forbidden Passions 18:40 Labour Of Love 19:30 Part Of Me 20:20 Queen Of Hearts 21:10 The Impostor 22:00 Forbidden Passions 22:50 Labour Of Love 23:05 Would I Lie To You?

04:30 EastEnders 05:00 Spy 05:25 QI 00:35 Ten Tigers Of Kwangtung

06:00 Fool Britannia

02:05 Most Shocking

06:25 EastEnders 07:00 Antiques Roadshow

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

03:00 Most Shocking

07:55 The Weakest Link

17:10 The Cube

04:00 Exposed

08:45 The Chase

18:05 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

04:30 Exposed

09:30 Total Wipeout UK 10:30 The Cube

19:00 Celebrity MasterChef 20:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA

11:20 New Tricks

21:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA

12:20 Top Gear 13:10 Come Dine With Me 14:05 Total Wipeout UK 15:05 The Weakest Link

21:50 The Graham Norton Show 22:40 Would I Lie To You? 23:45 Tanked

00:00 The Patient 01:10 Rovieno 02:25 53 Extra 03:00 Good Morning Africa 04:10 Coco Bill 04:30 Perfect Imperfection

05:25 Exposed 05:50 Exposed 06:15 Video Zonkers 06:40 Repo Games 07:10 World’s Wildest Police Videos 08:10 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol

16:00 EastEnders

155 AfricaMagic World

09:10 South Beach Tow 09:40 Most Shocking 10:40 Most Shocking 11:40 Video Zonkers 12:10 Repo Games 12:40 World’s Wildest Police Videos

154 AfricaMagic Family 06:00 Good Morning Africa 07:00 Star Gist 07:25 Rovieno 08:40 Living With Trisha 09:30 The African Child 10:00 Good Morning Africa 11:00 Tinsel 11:30 Star Gist 12:00 Music Block 13:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 14:00 Prem 14:30 Goge Africa 15:00 Family Ties 15:30 At Home With Michelle Attoh 16:30 Living With Trisha 17:30 Comfort Zone 18:00 Meet The Adebanjos 18:30 Jane And Abel

05:00 Criss Angel Mindfreak

13:40 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 14:40 South Beach Tow 15:10 Exposed 15:40 Criss Angel Mindfreak 00:40 Good Morning Africa 01:40 The Dzigbordi Show 02:30 Good Morning Africa 03:30 Good Morning Africa 04:30 Prem 05:00 Good Morning Africa 06:00 My Good Will 09:10 Good Morning Africa 10:10 So Wrong So Wright 10:35 So Wrong So Wright 11:00 Lies That Bind 11:30 Lies That Bind 12:00 Jara 12:30 Jara 13:00 Music Block

14:00 53 Extra 14:30 53 Extra 15:00 Kakibe Ki 15:30 Noose Of Gold 16:00 Foot Print 16:30 Lies That Bind 17:00 Lies That Bind 17:30 Star Gist 18:00 Star Gist 18:30 Star Gist 19:00 Prem 19:30 So Wrong So Wright 20:05 Revelation 21:30 Jara 22:00 Music Block 23:30 Looking In, Looking Out

16:10 1000 Ways To Die 16:40 Video Zonkers 17:05 Repo Games 17:30 World’s Wildest Police Videos 18:30 South Beach Tow 19:00 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 20:00 CB4 21:25 Poorman’s Bikini Beach 21:55 Sexy Car Wash 22:25 Most Shocking

Mourinho

I am in Abramovich’s hands g X6

Poster!

STEVEN GERRARD 5

g X4,

Barthez: Football is my life g X7

Monday, May 25, 2015

Simon clinched Belgium league title

g X3

Ronaldo is so good we lost count of goals

–Ancelotti g

X6

X2

Monday, May 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

Keshi will have to start from scratch –Kanu

Akwuegbu warns against much expectation from Eagles

Mourinho

F

Stories by Mike Otanwa

A

head of the qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations which starts with a home game against Le Sao of Chad in Kaduna, former Nigeria captain, Nwankwo Kanu says he doesn’t believe the Super Eagles have a team, and as a result, they will be starting from scratch.

The 38-year old former Eagles skipper says Nigeria had a team when they won the Cup of Nations in 2013 in South Africa, but says that is no longer the case.

“We had a team when we played and won the Cup of Nations in 2013,” he said.

“All we needed to do was to continue with that but we started bringing in different players and were experimenting and I thought that really affected us.

“And if you ask me whether we have a team now, of course we do not have a team now. It’s like we are starting from scratch because Keshi needs to bring the players in and ensure they play to his philosophy.

“And you have a feeling it’s not going to be the same team that won the Cup of Nations and with the new faces, it is left for him (Keshi) to know what his plan is,” Kanu added.

I am in Abramovich’s hands –Mourinho

J

ose Mourinho is planning a long stay at Stamford Bridge but he has admitted that he would join another English club if he was ever replaced at Chelsea.

The Special One insists that he would not choose to leave his current employers but he would be determined to stay in the Premier League if he did lose his job.

“I see myself coaching another club, yes, but I love Chelsea and I am in Abramovich’s hands and until then I am here,” Mourinho said.

“The day Abramovich thinks I am not good enough for Chelsea, I want

to work, and if possible in England too.

Mourinho, who left Chelsea in 2007 after his relationship with owner Roman Abramovich broke down, returned to Stamford Bridge in 2013 after spells with Inter Milan and Real Madrid and he is determined to remain in office for many years to come.

“Until Abramovich says, I don’t see myself going. Any club comes to me now and offers me a fantastic project, offers me twice my wages in the contract at Chelsea, no chance,” said the 52-year-old.

ormer Nigeria international Benedict Akwuegbu has said Nigerians should be patient with the new Super Eagles under Stephen Keshi and should not expect the team to be flying from the start.

Keshi has said he will rebuild the team in his second stint in charge.

Gratkorn FC of Austria manager Akwuegbu said he therefore expects a new team, who need time to play together to understand themselves and so play as a team.

“I know that Nigerians want the Super Eagles on top, performing

well again to the admiration of Nigerians, but I am calling on the fans not to expect too much from the team yet,” Akwuegbu said.

“This is a new-look team for now as many new players both home and abroad are being called into the team and because the players are new to themselves, they need time to train together, understand themselves and play like a team.

“As time goes on they will form a good understanding and be the Super Eagles we can be proud of again.”

Nigeria’s F/Eagles youngest at U-20 World Cup

N

igeria’s Flying Eagles will be the youngest team at the 2015 World Cup in New Zealand with an average age of 18 years nine months.

The core of the African champions is the team who won the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates two years ago under Manu Garba, who is now coach of the U-20s.

Graduates from this U-17 conquest include Taiwo Awoniyi, Chidiebere Nwakali, Dele Alampasu,

Musa Yahaya, Zaharadeen Bello, skipper Musa Mohammed, Isaac Success, Kelechi Iheanacho, Chidera Ezeh, Godwin Saviour and Akinjide Idowu.

Two players from the Nigeria also featured at the 2013 U20 World Cup in Turkey – defender Wilfred Ndidi and striker Moses Simon.

Hosts New Zealand will also parade one of the youngest teams at the tournament, which gets underway on May 30 with the home team welcoming Ukraine.

Monday, May 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

NIGERIAN PLAYERS ABROAD

Michael

not carried away by transfer talks

N

Kayode

Why I chose jersey No.8

–Kayode A

ustria Wien new striker Olanrewaju Kayode has revealed to AfricanFootball. com why he requested for jersey number 8.

Kayode joined the Austrian club on a three-year deal and he has been assigned jersey number 8 which he asked for after passing a routine medical.

“I have jersey number 8 which I requested for. I asked for it and they promised to give me which they have fulfilled. I asked for it because it is my lucky number,” Kayode said.

“I wore jersey number 8 at Maccabi Netanya and I scored goals, so I feel it’s a lucky number for me, so I decided to stick with it.”

The former U-17 and U-20 star scored 13 goals in 2013/2014 season to help Maccabi Netanya secure promotion and scored same number of goals in the Premier League to keep their position at the top wearing jersey number 8.

He also expressed his desire to surpass Benedict Akwuegbu’s record in Austria.

“I am here to do my best and make a statement. I wish to do better and create a better record than Benedict Akwuegbu did during his time in Austria by the grace of God,” he said.

Akwuegbu was named ‘The Austrian Bomber’ on account of his exploits for Grazer AK.

Simon

igeria forward Babatunde Michael scored a goal and provided an assist for Ukrainian club Volyn in a 3-1 win at Olimpik Donetsk Saturday and after which he insisted he will not lose focus because of speculations about his future.

“I am not distracted for any reasons, there lots of things to prove than bothering myself with transfer speculations which is normal in football,” Michael said.

The 22-year-old Michael, who was a star for Nigeria at last year’s World Cup in Brazil, scored a goal in the 72nd minute to restore his side’s lead at 2-1, after he assisted Bicfalvi in the 23rd minute for the opener.

He said, he is happy to get another goal after he scored his first in Volyn’s 4-2 win over Hoverla Uzhhorod last weekend.

“This is absolutely not my best but a tip of the iceberg. I know what it is at stake and I have every reason to keep the performance alive,” he said.

“Two goals is not enough for me to rate my form, it is a gradual thing, looking back, I think I have not done enough yet. But I believe I am poised to make up for lost time.

“Yes, I am very happy to score another goal, it is not me but God. Of course, I want to capitalise on the tempo and keep working hard in training. I have a lot of things in mind but I think this is just one of it, to keep fit and work hard on a daily basis. And I think it is really working for me and the team.

M

oses Simon clinched the Belgium league title over the weekend with his club Gent and says he now hopes to round up a perfect year by helping Nigeria win the U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

The 19-year-old lasted 74 minutes in Gent’s 2-0 title deciding victory over Anderlecht and said after the victory celebrations that winning the World Cup will be the perfect way to round up an eventful year for him.

Simon secured a big money move to Belgium in January from Slovakia where he had a stunning campaign

with AS Trencin, especially in the Europa league. He continued his fine form in Belgium leading to him making his senior national team debut all in less than a year.

“I can’t thank God enough for the type of year have had regarding my career but my last one wish to my helper is to help me add the World Youth Championship trophy to the league title and it will be a perfect year ending for me,” he said.

He is expected to depart Belgium on Sunday to New Zealand where he will join up with the rest of his Nigerian colleagues ahead of their opening game against Brazil on June 1.

WITH MIKE OTANWA

ESITI, MBAKOGU

set for Eagles Call-Ups E

Isa Mbakogu

storil midfielder, Anderson Esiti and Carpi forward, Jerry Mbakogu are set to be named in the Super Eagles squad for the Afcon qualifier against Chad.

The home based players invited for the game are already in camp and Esiti and Mbakogu are two names already penciled down by the “big boss” for the game.

The duo are set to be among the list of foreign based players expected to be announced this week for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Chad in Kaduna.

Esiti made 16 appearance in the Portuguese league for Estoril and eight in the Europa league where his fine performances has lead to talks of a move to Monaco.

Mbakogu scored 15 goals to help modest Serie B outfit gain promotion to the Serie A and he is expected to boost the Eagles forward-line that has been lacking goals of recent.

The 22-year-old is heavily tipped to depart Carpi, with recent reports suggesting Udinese are leading the chase for his signature when the transfer window opens.

regrets Cup final mistakes

E

clinched Belgium league title

Michael

X3

x-Nigeria youth international, Sherif Isa, has lamented that his club Olimpik Donetsk made mistakes to miss out on playing in an historic Ukrainian cup final after they lost 4-1 in a semifinal second leg.

The former Kano Pillars star said his team wasted many chances against the better fancied Dynamo Kiev.

“We didn’t play badly against Dynamo Kiev, I can say we were unlucky to lose because they didn’t outplay us. Rather we made a lot of costly mistakes and we paid for it,” regretted Isa. “This is the first time we are reaching Ukrainian cup semifinal and so we could say we achieved something.”

Isa

Personal life Gerrard is a practising Catholic. He and his wife, Alex Curran, married in a Catholic ceremony in Wymondham on June 16, 2007. He has an older brother, Paul (not to be confused with former Everton goalkeeper Paul Gerrard), and his cousin, Anthony Gerrard, plays

Steven George Gerrard, MBE (born 30 May 1980) is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He has played much of his career as a central midfielder, but he has also been used as a second striker, holding midfielder, attacking midfielder, right back and right winger.

He has spent his entire career at Anfield, making his debut in 1998, cementing his place in the first team in 2000, and succeeding Sami Hyypiä as team captain in 2003. His honours include two FA Cups, three League Cups, one UEFA Champions League, one UEFA Cup, and two UEFA Super Cups. He has signed a contract to join MLS club LA Galaxy in July 2015, following the conclusion of the 2014–15 season with Liverpool.

About Steven Gerrard

X4

EXTRATIME

Monday, May 25, 2015

England U-214 England 114

National team 1999–2000: 2000–2014:

Gerrard

Steven

1 21

Later Liverpool career (2012–2015) Gerrard during his testimonial on August 3, 2013.

On August 18, 2012, Gerrard played his 250th match as Liverpool captain. He scored his first Premier League goal of the season on 23 September 23, 2013, opening the scoring in a 2–1 defeat against Manchester United.

Style of play A versatile and well-rounded player who is regarded as one of the best midfielders of his generation, Gerrard is capable of playing in a number of positions. A hardworking box-to-box player, he is usually deployed as a central midfielder, but he has also been used as a second striker, a holding midfielder, an attacking midfielder, a right back, and a right winger.

Team Apps Liverpool 503

Youth career 1987–1998: Senior career Years 1998–till date: (Gls) 119

Liverpool 8

Club Information Current Club: Number:

Liverpool

Early life Gerrard started out playing for hometown team Whiston Juniors, where he was noticed by Liverpool scouts. He later joined the Liverpool Academy at the age of nine. He then had trials with various clubs at fourteen, but his success wasn’t immediate. He never made it into the England schoolboys’ team.

Gerrard’s trials included Manchester United, which he claimed in his 2006 autobiography was “to pressure Liverpool into giving me a YTS contract.”

He signed his first professional contract with Liverpool on November 5, 1997.

Steven George Gerrard May 30, 1980 Whiston, Merseyside, England 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) Midfielder

Full name: Date of birth: Place of birth: Height: Position:

Personal Information

for Huddersfield Town. Steven and Alex have three daughters, Lilly-Ella (born February 23, 2004), Lexie (born May 9, 2006) and Lourdes (born November 2, 2011).

In September 2006, Gerrard published his autobiography, Gerrard: My Autobiography, ghostwritten by journalist Henry Winter, which went on to win the Sports Book of the Year honour at the British Book Awards.

Monday, May 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

X5

X6

Monday, May 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

Xavi

Dortmund claim Europa place on Klopp’s home bow

Breaks down in tears after standing ovation

X

avi Hernandez was given a standing ovation from entire Camp Nou as he walked off the pitch for his final league appearance on Saturday.

The Catalan legend was taken off with just a few minutes remaining, and he kissed and waved to the fans as he made the long walk to the sideline.

By the time he’d reached the bench, it was all too much for him, as he shed a few tears to himself and contemplated the magnitude of the moment.

Barcelona said goodbye to Xavi in style as they unfurled an incredible banner dedicated to the legend on his final appearance.

The Spanish star led out Barca for the last time as his side took on Deportivo at the Camp Nou on Saturday.

Xavi revealed on Thursday that he’s calling time on his 24-year career with the club to take up a new challenge with Qatari side Al Saad.

He finishes with 826 appearances in all competitions and having won eight La Liga titles, two Copa Del Reys and three Champions League trophies.

Just like Steven Gerrard’s big send-off at Liverpool, it’s an emotional time for Barca fans as they face life without the icon.

They showed him just how much he means to them with this huge banner display as the teams walked out against Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.

Xavi

Ronaldo

Borussia Dortmund earned the chance of a Europa League place next season with a 3-2 win over Werder Bremen as coach Jurgen Klopp signed off his final home game.

Dortmund finish seventh to go into the qualifiers for the Europa League, but can claim a direct place in the group stages if they beat Wolfsburg in next Saturday’s German Cup final in Berlin in Klopp’s final match as Borussia boss.

Klopp walks away after seven years in charge having won the 2011 and 2012 German league titles, plus steering Dortmund to the 2013 Champions League final, and will be replaced next season by exMainz coach Thomas Tuchel.

The 47-year-old can now sign off with the cup title he craves if they beat Wolfsburg in the Berlin cup final this week Saturday.

“It was a great game, we had a good system and options galore, but I have no complaints, seventh place is the best we could have hoped for,” said Klopp, whose side were bottom of the table in February.

Khedira

is so good we lost count of goals

–Ancelotti R

Ancelotti

eal Madrid boss, Carlo Ancelotti, insists that Cristiano Ronaldo has been excellent this season despite the criticism, saying he has lost track of how many goals he has scored.

The Italian boss rubbished the criticism that Ronaldo has received this season, saying that he has been so excellent that he has lost count of many goals the 30-year-old has scored.

“Ronaldo has reached a point where one does not know how many goals he scored,” he said at a pre-match press conference.

“I know I’ve lost the count.

“He has done the most for the team to win titles.

“Ronaldo cannot be asked more than he has done this year.”

Ancelotti was asked about Juventus’ star midfielder, Paul Pogba, saying that the Frenchman is currently one of Europe’s brightest talents.

“Pogba is a great player, he’s young and he’s going to have a great future,” he added.

“He would be good for Real Madrid because he would be good for all teams.

“He is one of the best young players in Europe right now.”

Rumours have suggested that Ancelotti’s future as Real’s boss may be in jeopardy, as a trophyless season comes to a close.

Ronaldo has been in rampant form despite his side’s poor season, scoring 58 goals from 53 games, while he’s assisted a further 22 times.

Madrid forced me out –Khedira

S

ami Khedira has accused Real Madrid of forcing him out of the club, claiming that coach Carlo Ancelotti was instructed not to pick him.

The Germany midfielder has decided to leave the Santiago Bernabeu when his contract expires at the end of a season in which he has made only seven starts for the Spanish giants.

The 28-year-old World-Cup winner has been troubled by injury, but stressed that fitness problems have nothing to do with his lack of game time.

“You always have to tell the truth. I did have a small injury, a pain in my right heel, but that wasn’t why I wasn’t playing. It wasn’t a complicated injury, I was able to play,” Khedira said.

“I’ve always felt that I’ve had the coach’s backing, but the message indirectly came through to me that I was no longer needed, I was frozen out and wouldn’t have a chance to continue playing.

“Nobody from the club said anything to me directly. It’s all feelings, incidents and comments saying I wouldn’t play anymore. But nobody approached me.

“There were many meetings. The last one was in October. After many conversations, I wasn’t sure about extending my contract by four years.

I had doubts and in December I decided that it was better to go down another path and take on new challenges.”

Khedira also hit back at critics who questioned his attitude as he prepares to end his five-year stay with the European champions.

Monday, May 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

Describing himself as a man who loves life’s many pleasures, Fabien Barthez likes to live in the fast lane.

Following a trophy-laden career in which he won the UEFA Champions League with Olympique Marseille, two Ligue 1 titles with Monaco, the English Premier League on two occasions with Manchester United and the FIFA World Cup and UEFA EURO trophy with France, the flamboyant keeper now devotes his considerable energies to motor racing.

The career change has been a successful one too, with Barthez winning the 2013 FFSA French GT Championship title and taking part in a number of other motorsport events since then, including the prestigious Le Mans 24-Hour race last year.

He told FIFA.com in an interview, while racing is a major passion of his, football remains the be all and end all in his life.

That devotion was clear for all to see when Le Divin Chauve (The Divine Bald One) returned to the pitch at the recent Match Against Poverty, turning in a typically energetic performance alongside the likes of Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo.

FIFA.com caught up with the French entertainer, whose face lit up as he recalled a truly glittering career.

Do you feel that the art of goalkeeping has evolved over the last few years?

It hasn’t evolved enough. There are a lot of keepers in Europe’s major leagues who aren’t very good with their feet, for example. The likes of Manuel Neuer, Thibault Courtois and Hugo Lloris all play pretty high up but most keepers still lack depth in their game. We’re almost going backwards. In the 1980s keepers had to be big. They had to take up as much space in the goal as possible, and we’ve gone back to that a little bit. Obviously, for me personally, that’s not how I see the job of goalkeeping. I think it’s a little bit more important than that.

Manuel Neuer played a big part in Germany’s FIFA World Cup win.

Were you disappointed he didn’t win the FIFA Ballon d’Or? It didn’t really surprise me. The fact is that goalkeepers are always in the background. They’re not in the limelight that much. I’ve often heard coaches saying that to build a team you need a good keeper and a good striker and that you create everything else around them. Coaches aside, though, it’s not a position that gets that much recognition. Keepers have been undervalued for as long as people have been playing football.

Think about it – when kids have a kickabout, it’s always the worst players who go in goal.

Don’t tell us that’s how you started out.

No, I was a decent outfield player, and I’m not being big-headed about it. I’m just talking in general.

In the 1980s and 90s, you didn’t

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have goalkeeping coaches, which also says a lot about the lack of recognition the position has always suffered from. But that’s the way it is! People prefer the guys who score goals to the ones who stop them. It’s more entertaining.

Which of today’s keepers do you admire?

I like Hugo Lloris a lot, and not just as a goalkeeper. I like him as a person too. Then there’s Thibaut Courtois. To my mind, he’s the goalkeeping great of the future. And I think he’ll maintain that status for a few years too.

Who did you dream of emulating when you were young?

Joel Bats (France keeper from 1983 to 1989). He was a left-footer like me, and he was very neat and tidy in everything he did. He came out a lot too at set-pieces. He was always my role model.

Is there one match that you’re especially proud of from your career?

(Pauses) The UEFA EURO 2000 semi-final against Portugal is among my happiest memories. It was a very intense match and the pressure was really on. The game went into extra time and Zinedine Zidane scored a golden goal. Then there was the 1998 World Cup Final and the 1993 Champions League final with Olympique Marseille. There were quite a few nice games.

Did you feel invincible with Laurent Blanc, Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu in front of you?

It wasn’t so much invincibility as feeling at ease. We really worked well together. That was our strength.

We read each other’s games and we knew exactly how each of us played.

Which forwards gave you the biggest problems?

Pauleta and Ronaldo. On the international scene it was more or less equal, but it was a different story at club level. I remember two very painful games for Manchester United against Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-final in 2003 where Ronaldo really hurt me.

You’re a racing driver now. What are the things you’ve learned from football that have helped you at the wheel?

As an elite sportsman, I’m able to listen and I’m grounded. They’re the kind of attributes you need to

Barthez

Driving is passion of mine but, football is my life

–Barthez perform when you play a sport. And there are reflexes and anticipation too, of course.

Would you describe yourself as an adrenaline junkie?

No, I’m a junkie with all the good things life has to offer. I’m a pleasure-seeker. I live the moment

to the max.

What do Barthez the driver and Barthez the goalkeeper have in common?

They both take calculated risks. I thought about every dribble I went on in the penalty area and the same was true every time I ventured outside the box. I never did things

just to entertain. It’s the same with racing. And then there’s the passion of it all.

Is there one that holds sway over the other?

Yes. Driving is a huge passion of mine but football comes first.

Football is my life.

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Monday, May 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME BOXING:

Oquendo gets $800k, rules for Chagaev rematch

S Oquendo

ATHLETICS:

Lagger hopes to make more history

B

etter known as a winter sports nation, Austria is yet to win a medal at a global age-group athletics championships.

But that could all change at the IAAF World Youth Championships, Cali 2015.

Earlier this month, 15-year-old Sarah Lagger became the youngest athlete to surpass the 6000-point mark in the youth heptathlon, scoring 6014 at the Open Styrian Championships in Leibnitz on 16-17 May. It’s the highest heptathlon score ever achieved with the new lighter throwing implements – a 3kg shot and 500g javelin – that were introduced a few years ago.

The previous world youth best of 5991, set by Tatyana Chernova in 2005, was with the senior throwing implements.

Several other youth athletes have scored in excess of 6000 points with the senior heptathlon. China’s

Shen Shengfei scored 6185 in 1997, then three years later Carolina Kluft scored 6056 to win the world junior title while still a youth athlete.

Britain’s Morgan Lake was also still a youth when she won the world junior title last year with 6148, again with senior implements.

would be at stake, other than such a bout between Oquendo and Mr. Chagaev.”

On May 12, 2015, Chagaev participated in a press conference with Francesco Pianeta to announce a bout on July 11, 2015 at the GETEC Arena in Magdeburg, Germany for the WBA World Championship. On May 14, 2015, the Court issued an order for Terek to show cause why it should not be held in contempt of court for violating the Court’s preliminary injunction prohibiting Terek from promoting or managing Chagaev in a WBA title bout other than a rematch with Oquendo. The contempt of court proceedings are scheduled to be heard on June 4, 2015.

Mcllroy

Lagger

GOLF:

Golf is a very fickle game

TENNIS:

I never really felt comfortable on Clay

–Murray

A Murray

But that’s not to take anything away from Lagger, who has become the first Austrian athlete to set a world youth best, some 34 years after fellow Austrian Sepp Zeilbauer set a world junior decathlon record of 7783 at the 1971 European Championships in Helsinki.

quare Ring Promotions and Hitz Boxing has announced that District Court Judge Ronnie Abrams for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York issued a 41-page final opinion and order in Oquendo vs. Terek Box Event (Case no. 14cv-9835) awarding Fres Oquendo damages and interest in excess of $800,000 against Chagaev’s promoter, Terek Box Event, and a permanent injunction enjoining Terek from, among other things, “promoting or managing Ruslan Chagaev in any bout for the World Boxing Association (“WBA”) World Heavyweight Championship or in any bout at which his WBA championship

ndy Murray admits he is in the form of his life on clay as he tries to win his first French Open title in Paris.

Murray won his first title on clay in Munich earlier this month before beating ‘King of Clay’ Rafael Nadal in Madrid. The Scot ultimately

withdrew in Madrid due to fatigue but he is now fit and ready ahead of Roland Garros.

Murray had never beaten Nadal on clay before and he may have to beat him again if he is to reach the French Open final. He will face Argentine Facundo Arguello in the first round but ahead of the match he admits he is happy with his form.

“It’s probably the best I have played on clay, for sure,” Murray said. “I never really felt particularly comfortable on the surface.

Sometimes by the time I got to the French Open I started to feel good, but obviously winning tournaments and beating good players helps with the confidence. “I just feel like I have an idea of what I’m doing on the court. This year it doesn’t feel like that. I feel like I’m moving well. I feel a lot freer on the court, my body feels good. That’s positive.”

–Mcllroy

T

his week he was asked if he felt invincible. Now, as far as the BMW PGA Championship is concerned, Rory McIlroy will be invisible after missing the cut by some distance at Wentworth.

‘Golf is a very fickle game and it can humble you quite quickly,’ McIlroy had replied on Wednesday.

Yet who imagined it would be this quick, after he turned up here on the back of two wins in three weeks in America and lapping the field at the top of the world rankings?

All that counted for naught as his title defence fizzled out miserably following rounds of 71 and an errorstrewn 78.

This was clearly a couple of

rounds too far for the Northern Irishman, after that busy spell on the other side of the Atlantic and a packed programme since he arrived in this country.

There was no shortage of effort and no examples of him losing his temper either, for those who wish to make meals of these things.

The plain fact is, there is never been a golfer born who has not had tournaments like this and here it was Rory’s turn, not for the first time and certainly not the last either.

A weekend off will surely prove a blessing in disguise, with him hosting the Irish Open this week and then travelling back to America for next month’s US Open.