Daily Times of Nigeria Newspaper

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 2nd March 2015.

EXCHANGE RATES AS AT 27th February 2015.

Currency

Buying(NGN)

Central (NGN)

GAINERS

Selling(NGN)

LOSERS

US DOLLAR

197

197.5

198

MOBIL

153

3.00

1.96%

NESTLE

815

-5.00

POUNDS STERLING

304.1483

304.9203

305.6922

NB

143

3.00

2.10%

FO

210

-3.40

-1.62%

154.5

-2.48

-1.61%

38.36

-2.01

-5.24%

EURO

221.2113

SWISS FRANC

221.7728

207.5651

208.0919

222.3342

GUARANTY

24.19

0.69

2.85%

7UP

208.6187

INTBREW

18.5

0.51

2.76%

UACN

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NIGERIA

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N150

TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.57

ABUJA

ENUGU

Low 23°C High 39°C

KANO Low 20°C High 38°C

Low 26°C High 37°C

LAGOS Low 27°C High 34°C

MAIDUGURI

-0.61%

P/HARCOURT

Low 23°C High 37°C

Low 23°C High 32°C

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ÏÏÏ The tears have refused

to dry; the blood flowing ceaselessly. Twenty villages set ablaze, about 30 persons killed.

You are welcome to Tse, Chembe, Ikyunkyundu, Akuur, Atoga and several villages in the Agatu Local Government area of Benue CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

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I won’t be intimidated, defeated – Jonathan P.6

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Life&

TIMES Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Banish Intercourse L3 pain P

Lami Philips

Unveiled like never before Wardrobe staples for men

L2

P

L4

P

Teacher infects 13 girls with HIV in Yola 5

CƆ

Jega’s tenure ends, legally, March 24

BACK PAGE

INSIDE MATIC GETS £100,000 WEEKLY PAY RISE

Poster!

STEFFI GRAF

X8

X4,5 Tuesday, March 3, 2015

INTERVIEW

KROOS:

REAL MADRID IS TOP-CLASS CLUB X6

ACCEPT CONTRACT OR QUIT, X2

ANYANSI tells KESHI

Anyansi

NCC earmarks N11m for tennis tourney

X3

2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Politics Page Three

3

s

Editorial The northern elite and education

E

ducation has been described as the greatest legacy any society can bequeath to its citizens.

Human civilisation would not have attained such dizzying heights today without the benefits of education. For example, education does not only liberate individuals from the shackles of ignorance and superstition, but also empowers them to challenge long held orthodoxies with a view to giving reign to freedom of thought and action.

There is no gainsaying that the gap existing between the developed and developing countries is a function of qualitative education. While the developed countries have succeeded in making education an inalienable right of the citizens, those in the Third World still see it as the privilege of a reserved few. Even within societies, educational gaps still exist. Unfortunately, that situation is responsible for the lopsided nature of developments found in them and the deleterious consequences for the polity. Sadly, Nigeria remains one of the most educationally unequal societies in the world. This sad situation is being accentuated by the increasing gap between the North and the South.

Recent data by the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) show that Nigeria has more than 10 million outof –school children. According to the agency, more than 65 percent of these live in the north. For long, Western education in that part of the country has been viewed with suspicion and

even utter disdain. Rather, a culture that encourages the Almajiri syndrome has been allowed to flourish over the decades. These children are a common sight in many northern states. In the end, the bulk of them are left to fester at the margins of society throughout their lives for no fault of theirs. Most of the children recruited by Boko Haram insurgents are believed to belong to this group.

Matters are not helped by the fact that tertiary education in the South has been expanding at an exponential rate as a result of private-sector intervention. Gone are the days when governments had the monopoly of establishing universities and polytechnics. Today, many private universities are springing up in the South to avail those qualified the chances of gaining admission and pursuing their educational careers. The consequence is that some states in the South have been producing far more university graduates than the entire geopolitical North put together. This does not bode well for the country.

The northern elite must step in to stem the dwindling fortunes of education in the region. For long, governments in the region have been responsible for the few tertiary institutions there. That has posed handicaps to those seeking higher education. That is why we commend the efforts of former vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida for establishing private universities in the North. We call on others to emulate their example.

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Time to treat a malignant tumour Sam Nzeh ÏÏÏThe

return of long queues at filling stations in Lagos, Abuja and other cities across Nigeria at the weekend has once again brought to the fore the need to curb the excesses of oil marketers.

These marketers and indeed workers’ unions in the petroleum sector have formed the habit of blackmailing both the government and the citizenry at the slightest opportunity by inducing artificial scarcity of petroleum products as well as embarking on

strikes over largely frivolous matters.

This is the case with the current fuel scarcity which has resulted in untold hardship to motorists, commuters and businesses.

Purposely-induced, the current fuel scarcity, according to reports, resulted from the desire of the oil marketers for a jack-up of fuel price, because in their view, the current price of N87 per litre is no longer realistic.

The marketers said they were no longer interested in importing the product in view of the rising exchange rate of the dollar to the Naira as well as to protest delayed subsidy payments and rising interests on loans from banks.

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All these appear logical but in self-interest. Having realised how central fuel is in our lives and the economy, oil marketers use every opportunity to inflict pains on Nigerians while smiling to the banks.

This must not continue.

For it to stop, government must summon the political will to end the perennial importation of petroleum products. This will mean enhancing the capacities of existing refineries and new ones coming to life via the creation of a conducive environment, including full deregulation of petroleum products. For all this to happen, there is need for government and the citizenry to be on the same page.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

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Group Managing Director

Editor, Standard, Archives and Special projects

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Doyin Awomosu

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Yinka Olujimi

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Group News Editor

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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.

Chinua Achebe

Thomas Hardy

Albert Einstein

A functioning, robust democracy requires a healthy, educated, participatory followership and an educated morally grounded leadership.

The offhand decision of some commonplace mind high in office at a critical moment influences the course of events for a hundred years.

The world is a dangerous place not because of those who do evil but because of those who look on and do nothing

4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

5 News

PDP, APC in war of words over fuel scarcity Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), on Monday, attributed the sudden fuel scarcity in many parts of the country to sabotage by the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), which has infiltrated the ranks of the fuel marketers.

In reaction, the opposition party accused the PDP of shifting blames and declared that the fuel crisis is another proof of the cluelessness of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The PDPPCO also alerted the nation to the alleged lingering plot by the opposition elements, who it said had been sponsoring

their agents of destruction in the power sector, to vandalise critical infrastructure, in order to reduce the megawatts of electricity that is being generated.

The Director of Media and Publicity of the PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in Abuja, said that the fuel marketers had taken a sub-contract from the opposition to frustrate supplies of petrol to fuel stations as part of a grand plan to create tension in the polity.

According to him: “We know who the fuel marketers are. We know the relationship that exists between one of the biggest fuel marketers and a national leader of the APC. “These unconscionable opposition elements infiltrated

the ranks of the fuel marketers, whom they have contracted, in a calculated attempt to frustrate the good efforts of government.

“Why have they taken this time when all hands are on deck for the March 28 elections, to cause this artificial fuel scarcity?

“The situation is so bad that they are not importing the product. They are even threatening tank owners not to release any fuel in their depot in order to sustain the shortage.

“We are aware that the tank owners have reported the threat to the police and other security agencies.

“This shows how desperate and wicked the opposition APC can be in its quest for presidential power. Must they make Nigerians

suffer simply because they want to rule? They must desist from this act of sabotage.

“The opposition should not take delight in celebrating the pains and sufferings of Nigerians, as they have continued to do with the Boko Haram attacks on our people and nation. “ The APCPCO described the President Jonathan led PDP government as a “badly scripted jaded comedy of blame-game.”

The APCPCO in a statement signed by Malam Garba Shehu last night said that it was ludicrous for the ruling PDP and the Jonathan government to make holding others but themselves accountable for every mess of their administration a comic pastime.

Shehu said it was laughable for

I never accused Jonathan of offering N4m bribe-- Edo CAN boss Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏIrked

L-R: Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Boni Haruna; overall winner of NYSC 2014, Ojii Scholastica Chinenye; that of 2012, Ikudehinbu Oluwaferanmi Justina; President Goodluck Jonathan; Vice President Namadi Sambo; NYSC 2013 Overall Winner, Jacob Williams Okpe; NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Johnson Olawumi and Chairman, NYSC National Governing Board, Chief Gordon Bozimo, cutting a cake at the 2014 President’s NYSC Honours Award, in Abuja … on Monday.

Nigeria loses $2bn to election shift Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏThe

acting Managing Director of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company ( NAHCO ) Aviance Plc, Mr. Norbert Bielderman, said, on Monday, that Nigeria had lost over $2billion worth of foreign direct investment to other countries due to the postponement of the general election from February 14,

Bielderman

March 28, 2015, respectively .

He said the postponement had occasioned the loss of confidence for existing and new investments, which had been diverted to other countries.

Bielderman spoke in Lagos at a one-day Nigeria cargo summit organised by NAHCO. He said the business environment in Nigeria had become more challenging, in the face of the high costs of doing business, as well the devalued Naira.

He said:”’Election postponement impact on the economy is estimated to be over $2billion as cost and investor loss of confidence for existing and new foreign direct investment that may have found its destination to other countries.”

He further said: “There has been travel bans from many Eu-

ropean countries and this has negatively impacted on the aviation sector. Nigeria’s foreign reserves is significantly depleted and our national account is in deficit.

“The crash in oil price and consequent impact on the nation’s revenue earnings, exchange rate move from N155 to N205 to the dollar, within a six month period, at the interbank and Central Bank of Nigeria’s final closure of the Royal Dutch Auction System, are evidence to the fact that all is not well with our economy.

“Implicitly, the Naira has been devalued by between 30-40 per cent and this will cause inflation, if government does not put in place deliberate measures to mitigate an upsurge in price across industry.

by the allegation of sharing from the alleged N7 billion largesse given by President Goodluck Jonathan, Edo State Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Peter Imasuen, has denied any knowledge of such money.

He stated this, while reacting to the allegation raised by a Bornobased pastor, Pastor Kallam Musa-Dikwa, that N3 million, from the largesse, was given to the state chairman of the association.

“I am not a politician; what we owe the country is prayer. So, I don’t know anything about (the) money.

“They didn’t give me any money and I was not even there when we had the last CAN meeting. At that time, we were having the standing committee at Ugheli (Delta State). So, how would they have given me money when I was not the meeting?”

Asked if he would have benefited from the alleged largesse, if he had been present, Imasuen ask: What would I have used the money for? We are men of God; we are to pray for the peace of the country.

“If you take such money, how will God answer your prayer? I don’t run after riches. I run after blessing; riches come and go, but blessings remain.”

He noted that he was only interested in performing his responsibility as a cleric, rather than engaging in partisan politics.

the PDP and its government to point accusing fingers at the APC for the current fuel scarcity when they were fully aware that it was only a matter of time before the politically-motivated stop-gap policies they had put in place would come haunting them.

The APCPCO Spokesman said that the latest tirade from the PDP offers the clearest indication of the incompetence of the Jonathan government for which Nigerians are ready to vote them out on March 28.

“To say the least we at the APCPCO see this latest antic of the PDP and its government as a comic relief for which discerning Nigerians are not amused at all.

It has become the signature tune of the PDP and its government to blame the APC and its presidential candidate and party stalwarts for every mess they have made of the lives of Nigerians in virtually every facet.

“With the latest cry-baby antic Nigerians can now see the PDP and its government for what they truly are: incompetent and clueless. What else are they going to accuse the APC and its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari of ?

“Will they accuse Buhari and APC of being behind the erratic power supply for which manufacturers are threatening to shut down their plants and for which jobs have already been lost?,” Shehu queried.

Randy teacher infects 13 girls with HIV in Yola Wale Akintunde Yola

ÏÏÏA

teacher with TappareGanye Community Islamic centre, in Yola, Adamawa State, Alhassan Adamu, is cooling his heels in police custody for raping and infecting students with the HIV/AIDS virus.

The Adamawa State Police command confirmed that the teacher had been arrested.

The command spokesman, DSP Othman Abubakar told reporters that the randy Islamic teacher was in their custody helping the police in their investigations. He said as soon as investigation was concluded and the suspect found culpable, he would be charged to court.

However, he warned female students to be wary of teachers who would lure them under the pretext of awarding them cheap, unmerited marks.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

I can’t be intimidated, PDP won’t be defeated, says Jonathan Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏPresident

Goodluck Jonathan on Monday declared that neither he nor his party could be intimidated by the opposition.

He therefore urged members of his ruling Peoples Democratic

Party (PDP) to stand firm on their convictions.

A former national chairman of the party, Alhaji Ahmadu Ali, who expressed support for the Jonathan administration, attributed the recent spate of criticisms of the Nigerian government to the refusal of the administration to endorse same sex.

The President, who made the declaration at the unveiling of the PDP’s Volunteer Scheme at the State House, Abuja, urged them to be proud of their party and stand in its defence at all times.

He also stated that no political party in the country is as formidable as the PDP, adding that the ruling party is simply unstoppa-

L-R: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Mrs.Dolapo Osinbajo and Trainee, Adewunmi Yusuf during the presentation of certificate to Yusuf at the closing of third phase of the Economic Empowerment Programme of the Lagos State Government held at the training centre, Agungi, Lekki, Lagos recently.

ble and would coast home to victory in the rescheduled general elections.

Jonathan also decried what he called poor marketing of the PDP by its members, saying that besides its numerous achievements, only the ruling party could guarantee unity and peace of the country.

Accordingly, he charged PDP stalwarts to work hard in marketing the party especially at the grassroots, especially using the media so that the elections would be a walk-over.

He said: “PDP is not just the largest party in Nigeria, but it is the only party that has members at all voting units; there is no other party whether two, three, four, five parties coming together, they cannot reach that level.

“PDP has members in every voting unit in this country. And PDP has done well over this period. I’m happy that our states houses of Assembly, some of them are here, the local government chairmen of the party are also here.

“PDP has done very well, but we have not been marketing the achievements of our party. Sometimes you see people that have done nothing coming to intimidate us.”

Continued on page 12

20,000 youths rally in support of Elechi Moses Oyediran Abakiliki

ÏÏÏOver 20,000 youths on Mon-

day staged a peaceful rally in support of Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi State, warning against his removal from office.

The protesters who carried placards with various inscriptions such as ‘Elechi is man of peace’, ’Elechi has fulfilled all his electoral promises’, burning of Ebonyi State House of Assembly will not make someone governor’, ‘Ebonyi is not for sale’ among others, were guided by security operatives.

The rally which commenced at the Abakaliki Township Stadium was attended by a mammoth crowd which caused heavy vehicular traffic along the old Enugu road.

Members of various political parties including the PDP, Labour Party attended the rally.

They expressed anger at the impeachment threat to the governor even as they resolved to support President Goodluck Jonathan.

Continued on page 12

In Benue, it’s rain of sorrows, tears, blood Ogun INEC gets 63% PVCs Continued from page 1 State where herdsmen have continued a reign of terror.

For over six years now, several communities in the state have been under attack by armed Fulani herdsmen with the attendant destruction of farmsteads, loss of lives and displacement of large numbers of inhabitants.

From Kwande, Gwer West, Makurdi, to Logo and Agatu local government areas, the pastoral Fulani have continued to torment and maim innocent and defenceless locals.

Horrendous as the Boko Haram killings are, the blood-letting in clashes between farmers and herdsmen may actually be worse as it is a nationwide menace.

The primary cause of these conflicts is grazing during which herds of cows stray into or are deliberately led into farmlands with resultant large-scale destruction

of crops.

Among the several efforts to stem these conflicts in Benue was the setting up by the Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, of a Peace and Reconciliation Committee headed by retired Brigadier General Atom Kpera. The committee, comprising many top political leaders in the state went round the state meeting Fulani and community leaders with the aim of brokering permanent peace.

Unfortunately, these efforts have yielded little or no results, as the conflicts continue to create more orphans and widows.

Last month, the herdsmens intensified their attacks in Logo, the very hometown of the state governor, Suswam, ransacking villages likeTse Chembe, Ikyukyundu, Akuur, Atoga and many others.

The dust was yet to settle when 20 more villages were set ablaze

by the herdsmen who were well armed. About 30 persons were killed in the attack.

While the attacks in Logo and Kwande local governments persist, a bloody encounter occurred in Agatu Local Government of Benue South between farmers and the nomadic Fulani who trespassed into the farmlands of farmers destroying farmlands extensively.

The situation in Agatu and the neighbouring Gwer West Local Government areas was so horrible that the locals had to relocate to Kogi State or seek refuge in the internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.

Although political leaders, including the Senate President, David Mark and Suswam in different instances have waded into the crisis, the measures are yet to yield the desired results.

Continued on page 12

Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÏÏÏThe

Independent National Electoral Commission on Monday cleared the air on the conflict in the total number of registered voters and the number of the PVCs collected so far from Abuja, for Ogun State, saying the number remained 1.370,340 as it had distributed 860,076 PVCs. The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Timothy Ibitoye while reacting to the conflicting reports said the correct figure of the registered voters in the state was 1.795,794 and not 1.829,534 which he said had been published.

He said: If we base the percentage of PVCs on registered voters, we have received 63 per cent. But, if we base it on the figure of the registered voters,

it is 47 per cent.

“We are expecting 425,454 PVCs from Abuja. But, the PVCs yet to be collected is 510,264”.

Ibitoye said INEC has discovered 555 Permanent Voter Cards belonging to dead people between 2011 and 2015 in the state.

The commission however, said it had set aside the PVCs, saying investigation was still on-going with a view to knowing the actual figure of the people who had registered during the exercise, but had died.

Speaking on how the commission discovered the PVCs belonging to the dead people, Ibitoye explained during a press conference held at the commission’s Headquarters in Abeokuta that it was discovered shortly after the commission had displayed the names of those that were yet to collect their PVCs.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Anambra Rep candidate flays sick report Dilionye Dilibe Onitsha

ÏÏÏContrary

to newspaper report that the member representing Onitsha North II Constituency in the Anambra House of Assembly, Engr. Emeka Idu, was not medically fit to stand any future election as a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he has declared such a

report a ploy by his detractors to intimidate him out of the National Assembly contest.

Idu, who spoke to journalists at a campaign rally in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, said that all the antics and protests by his fellow contenders were to discredit him and have a mediocre as a candidate of the party for the race. He asked: “Does a spinal cord injury patient move about freely, standing and addressing the electorate at political rallies? Here I am talking to the electorate.

“The people are now wiser as they will vote for credible candidates. My past achievements as a law-maker in Anambra State will speak for me. A lot of youths and widow empowerment programmes and provision of social infrastructure are my added advantage,” he said.

7 News

People waiting to collect their Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) at at the Primary Health Care centre, Amarata, Yenagoa, Bayelsa …on Monday

Northern elders caution INEC against PDP assures Kwara workers disenfranchising eligible voters of improved welfare Ola Yekeen Ilorin

ÏÏÏThe

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has assured Kwara state workers of enhanced welfare package if voted into power in the forthcoming general election.

State Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Rex Olawoye, gave the assurance on Monday, while featuring on Harmony FM radio programme: “PDP on the move in Kwara”.

He said the need to look into

the workers’ welfare became necessary in view of the fact that the salaries of Kwara civil servants were the lowest in the North Central geo-political zone and other neighbouring states.

Olawoye further noted that public servants hardly enjoy leave bonuses and normal career progression as at when due.

He lamented that the All Progressives Congress-led government was fond of approving marginal increase in the workers’ salaries only at the approach of elections.

Daniel Jolly Bauchi

ÏÏÏThe

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been called upon to ensure that it did not disenfranchise any eligible voter by allotting limited time for casting of votes during elections.

This call was made by a senior member of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), the Wazirin Bauchi, Alhaji Muhammadu Bello Kirfi, who explained that it would be an infringement of voters’ right to stop them from voting under the pretext that the time allotted for voting was up.

Senator urges SURE-P to explain N90m publicity budget Sunday Isuwa Abuja

ÏÏÏSenate Deputy Leader and

Chairman, Senate Ad-hoc Committee on SURE-P, Abdul Ningi, has asked the management of SURE-P Graduate Internship Scheme (GIS) to explain how they spent N90 million for publicity.

Speaking during budget defense on Monday, Ningi said there was no way the management of GIS would have spent N90 million for publicity outside what was budgeted for in the entire SURE-P publicity.

Ningi had, in 2013, called for

the scrapping of SURE-P programme, when it was alleged that N500 billion realised from the subsidy programme of the Federal Government was missing.

“We need more explanation.

There is no way you can spend N90 million for publicity outside the budget for publicity in the name of SURE-P. You have to come back on Tuesday (today) for more explanation and proof of payment,” Ningi said.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Mrs. Anastasia Mabi Daniel-Nwaobia, told the committee that the money was used for jingles and other

Ningi

media activities.

She said the stipends paid to GIS beneficiaries had increased from N25, 000 to N30, 000.

“This approach might be used in opposition states, but I think it would be wrong. If it comes to that, I think it would be an infringement of the victims’ right,” Kirfi said, at a press conference held in Bauchi at the weekend.

Kirfi also implored INEC never to collaborate with the ruling party to cause delay in delivery of elections materials to local government areas or designated polling stations across the states with the sole aim of disenfranchising voters.

“They may create delay in the delivery of voting materials. When it is said that voting

Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÏÏÏAll Nigerians – including

politicians and religious leaders – have been told to promote religious harmony among their followers, while at the same time educate them on the need for religious tolerance.

The Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, made the appeal on Monday, while briefing newsmen on the activities lined up for this year’s Lisabi Day celebrations.

He urged political leaders to see religious harmony as their collective responsibility, by ensuring that nothing was done to ignite religious crisis in the country, adding: “All of us have the responsibility to promote religious harmony in the general

will commence from 8 a.m., INEC officials may not turn up until around 2 p.m. and, in few hours later, the officials would declare voting over, while many voters might still be on the line”, Kirfi alleged.

He observed that because of the interest generated by the 2015 general elections, there would be massive turnout of voters on the election days.

He explained that it was the denial of voters’ right to vote or disenfranchising them that often led to crisis and subsequently violence.

“INEC must take account of this if it wants peaceful elections,” Kirfi advised.

Alake calls for religious tolerance interest of the country” The royal father, who stated that the main aim of the celebration was to foster unity among his subjects, expressed joy that there had always been religious harmony in Egbaland.

Referring to those whose utterances and practices promote religious crisis, Oba Gbadebo said: “The government must ensure that those who make things difficult in a decent society are taken away and kept behind bars.”

8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Politics

Jega

Hope rises for peace as Niger Delta, Northern Youths sign peace accord

s Victor jibrin Kaduna Amidst rising fear and tension in the land ahead of the forthcoming polls, there are indications that the election will come and go peacefully. This is sequel to the understanding and accord for peace during and after the elections, reached by the Niger Delta Youth Council and their northern counterpart, in Kaduna.

Speaking in an interview shortly after a one-day meeting jointly organized by the two non

partisan organisations, to sensitise their members, the President, Ijaw Youth Council, Engr.

Udengs Eradiri said he was in Kaduna to meet and discuss with their northern counterparts, peace during and after the forth coming elections.

Udengs blamed the tension that the 2015 election is generating on the parochial interest of both the Niger Delta and northern political elites and declared that with their common understanding and resolve from the meeting, they hope to be sitting

together eating and drinking on election days and celebrating results rather than carrying arms.

He said from all indications, “we felt that there is enough of blackmail on the part of northerners. Therefore, we said let us come and meet with our brothers and get a pact for peace. That is what informed this meeting.

“The fact is that when there is crisis, it is the children of the poor that will suffer, children of the rich people will leave the CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

I’ll learn from mistakes of OGD, Amosun – Paseda Prince Olatunde Rotimi Paseda, Ogun State’s governorship candidate of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) is an astute businessman based in the U.K. but hails from Omu-Ijebu, Ogun State.

His stream of businesses cut across engineering, manufacturing and farming. Prince Paseda’s or ORP as fondly called by people across the globe, has an innate passion and genuine commitment for the people of Ogun State which are some of the propelling factors that encouraged his venture into politics.

As he puts it, “for me, doing good for my people is altruistic”.

ORP, as an avid believer in people’s emancipation from poverty, which he lamented has permeated the nooks and crannies of Ogun State, says he is now poised, more than ever, to reposition the erstwhile economic vibrancy of the state.

He represents the most needed bridge between the old and the young generations with requisite experience, which according to him, gives him a far-reaching edge above other gubernatorial

candidates in Ogun State.

To ORP, Ogun State, known as the Gateway State has no business to be in financial bondage.

It has always be the home of Nigeria’s best leaders in all human endeavors both in the past and present.

A strong believer in job creations for the youths, economic upliftment for the women, egalitarian society, free and qualitative education for all, Prince Paseda spoke to TUNDE ATOBATELE at his Ijebu-Omu home. Excerpts:

PRESIDENTIAL RACE:

Nigerians, especially the youths and women, have been advised to take their destiny in their hands by voting for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan come March 28, in the spirit of continuity.

Senator Nenadi Esther Usman representing southern part of Kaduna State, and the financial director, Jonathan Campaign

Senator Usman advises women, youths to vote Jonathan

It is observed that you have adopted the old UPN’s four cardinal programmes. How effective would you manage the somewhat limited income portfolio of the state to achieving these, particularly the proposed free education at all levels?

With a giant leap of faith, I believe it is achievable. That’s why I differed on my opinion with my fellow gubernatorial candidates who at a joint debate said free education was not possible.

You would recall that Papa Awo (Chief Obafemi Awolowo) made it

possible through a systematic and thorough planning. Let’s examine the present administration. I envisioned free Health for children and the aged in Ogun State, which I likened to a contributory Health Insurance. First, I will ensure I plug all the waste in the cost of governance. For instance, the infrastructural development shall only be undertaken to meet the public needs and not for frivolities, as against the whooping sum of N160 billion that the present administration budgeted for it.

Whereas, free Education in Ogun State will only cost us, hypothetically about N1.4 billion a year.

I believe that where there is a will, there will be a way. The second step my administration would do is what I call “financial re-engineering”.

Also, in the course of providing free and qualitative education for our people in Ogun State, we shall support and promote entrepreneurship as a further effort at equipping our people for self reliance.

That is why I said, I would take CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Organisation gave the advice at a meeting she held with over 300 support groups undertaking a door-to-door and neighbor-toneighbor campaign in Kaduna for the re-election of Jonathan as political horse-trading ahead of the rescheduled elections intensifies.

Speaking at the occasion which featured three persons representing each group, Usman, a former

Paseda

Minister of state for Finance cited policies and programmes of the Jonathan administration affecting women and youths with a view to giving them a sense of belonging and improving their living conditions, hence, they must give their votes to Jonathan.

Apparently assessing successive leaders, the law maker said in comparison, women have

fared well under the leadership of President Jonathan in terms of appointment into positions of authority just as she argued that the north has never got the number of universities they got now in any administration.

Thus, while stressing the need to re-elect the incumbent presiCONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

9

Politics

Peaceful polls as Niger Delta, Northern youth sign accord CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

country and then they prepare the ground violence among ordinary young people. So, if there must be peace, young people must be part of the process of peace. But how do we do that, we thought we must reach out to our people”.

Speaking further, he declared: “for us in the Niger Delta, we condemn violence. There was no time we said that if the president does not win, there will be war”, he denied saying “it was never said. It was misconstrued.

“As president of the Ijaw Youth Coucil, I have come to the north myself to begin this process of reaching out to young people in the north in order for us to have a pact that will see peace during and after the election. Our aim and mission here is to solicit for peace and also build consensus with the northern youths”.

While soliciting the support of his friends in the north for Jonathan, he said “let us x-ray the candidates. President Goodluck Jonathan has done a lot in the area of agriculture; almajiri schools that, ten years from now, you will hardly find young people on the streets in the north because of the educational sector that this president has invested in for the good of young people”.

Thus, “the best we can do is to send this message to the grassroots. Let us not be the bond on the kept game when leaders will have their children abroad. So if we don’t work together, there will be no peace”, Reacting to the idea that the deal he was out to strike is not belated, the Ijaw youth leader declared: “no” stressing “it is better late than never. We have left everything for politicians. As Ijaw Youth Council, we are non partisan, we are a movement for justice in the Niger Delta but with the way things are going, politi-

Jonathan

cal leaders, both in the north and in the south, even your northern leaders as well, who have so much benefited from the president, don’t get back home to the grassroots and so you see the discontentment from the people.

“We have identified that and our duty is how to bridge that gap so that the followers can understand that it is not the president’s problem but those who say they are our leaders from the various sectors of the society and so, let us look beyond the president and support him to complete the programmes that he has put in place.

“We believe strongly that if these programmes see the light of the day, Nigeria will never remain the same, the north itself will never remain the same, it will be enough for progress. Agro based nations are the greatest nations in the world. The policies in the agricultural sector are moving Nigeria to be one of the greatest nations in Africa and these are the issues that are making the west not happy with the president.

“The auto policy has seen Nigerian completely built vehicles”, he said stressing “I have seen car manufacturers moving their facilities and plants to Nigeria and that has given us the opportunity to create jobs and also to stimulate the economy for growth. These policies that the president put in place, in the long run, will change the country.

“They said he doesn’t fight corruption, before today, did we know that 65,000 people will be ghost names in the civil service. That is the systematic fight against corruption. With this, he has saved this country so much money. The pensions scam, they have stopped the fraud that have seen a lot of our elders died. That is the systematic fight against corruption. ”The petroleum scam, the subsidy scam was unraveled by president Jonathan and that money

Jega

“Our last message to the north is that the way you have always supported us, we have always had very cordial relationship, the same way you will support us so that in the 2019 we will have a younger generation politician from the north that will “They said he doesn’t succeed Jonathan”

fight corruption, before today, did we know that 65,000 people will be ghost names in the civil service. That is the systematic fight against corruption”

has been used to invest in agriculture, railways, education and today the money they used to steal over the years, this president has been able to save that money and has used it to better our economy for good”, adding. For our best interest, “the best we can do is to give him support and drive the message to the grassroots.

Earlier, he lamented, “tension was raised but we thank God that the INEC shifted the election. We pray that the PVCs are evenly distributed and Nigerians be ready for a free and fair election.

We want to, on Election Day, vote

“Earlier, he lamented, “tension was raised but we thank God that the INEC shifted the election. We pray that the PVCs are evenly distributed“

and drink beer with our northern counterpart and after the election party around the country because we believe that if Goodluck wins this election, Nigeria, in the next four years, will be a better place.

“Our last message to the north is that the way you have always supported us, we have always had very cordial relationship, the same way you will support us so that in the 2019 we will have a younger generation politician from the north that will succeed Jonathan because you people have very good politicians who have done very good as two times

Jega

Politics 10 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

a giant leap of faith on education.

Infact, immediately the votes are counted and I am declared the winner of the election in April, I shall instruct a stop in the payment of all educational fees at all levels in the state.

Olokola Free Trade Zone has been widely said to be the state’s likely future economic fountain, what’s your take on its concept and near total neglect by the present administration?

The concept is a very good initiative from the immediate past government (OGD). But I dare say, questions should be raised about its neglect by Gov. Ibikunle Amosun.

That is part of my economic plans to re-engineer the state’s financial portfolio. Under my administration, Olokola Free-Trade Zone shall never be neglected, not even with the huge capital that the concept has gulped, let alone the consideration of its vast potentials.

I shall revisit all abandoned projects by the immediate past and the present administrations in Ogun State. But, the continuation of each project shall be basically justified on the exact payment disbursed before such is abandoned.

Even, our youths should be empowered for self sufficiency.

There are a lot of anomalies in the successive administrations.

Imagine a governor who has in place a large number of special advisers, what are they advising?

For instance, in China, youth empowerment is made the bedrock of the economy. All the i-pads, phones e.t.c. that we buy in Africa are made by the youths in China, probably just within the four walls of a room.

Any plans for Agriculture?

In Ogun State, we all know that the neglect of Agriculture by successive governments has been a major bane for us since the end of UPN-led government in the late 70’s. The days of timber, rubber, cocoa and kolanut harvest have since gone, even the farming institutes that were established by UPN-led government are moribund.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

PASEDA: I will plug all wastes in governance work for them and the government for a mutual gainful end.

Paseda

“When we want a change, we should have positive change. We should change for something better and not for something that is worse” My government shall look beyond federal Allocation and delve more into mechanized Agriculture while lending great supports for our small scale farmers in all areas of agriculture. Respectively, I shall harness all areas like plantations, arable farming, fisheries

and the likes.

As a businessman of repute, who is into many ventures, agriculture inclusive. I shall leverage on the vastness of our land mass, engage the traditional land owners, not with the intent to annex their lands but rather make it

For Ogun State Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), any paradigm shift?

I will learn from the past mistakes of OGD and Amosun, leverage on the corrections to govern Ogun State. Stepping up Ogun State’s IGR shall be a cardinal principle of my government. I believe for a state to be robust and be put on the lane of stability, there must be an effective entrenchment of self-sufficiency. If we look more inwards, Ogun State has many virile areas that can be tapped for revenue generation without necessarily upstaging the financial convenience of the down trodden.

As I speak to you here, my party has a working and friendly formulae to be adopted to increasing the present IGR by 5%. One of the steps is to re-address the contracts so far awarded and elicit a friendly understanding with the concerned stakeholders.

And do not forget that, re-awakening some vital economic areas like Agriculture that I mentioned shall yield us a monumental dividend too. My commitment to the growth of our economy in Ogun State is unshaken, that’s why as someone who God has glorified to be successful in business, I shall stop at nothing to bring my expertise to bear in redirecting and refocusing the economy, of our dear state to its erstwhile enviable position.

If at that old time, Chief Awolowo could do it, we shall repeat the feat. Most importantly, I shall rule this state with integrity and utmost sincerity, putting people first and I shall never adopt an elitist style of governance.

What would be your reactions to the recent statement credited to Pa Fasoranti that, the current UPN leadership

does not share same visions with Pa Awolowo and therefore are not genuine?

Everybody is entitled to his opinion. Since I am an ardent believer of Pa Awolowo’s visions, my resolve to emulate his long enduring legacies is unparallel. If a son resembles his father physically and even practices what he does, you don’t call him a bastard.

What I want our people to know is that, the current Awoists are out to build and further spread the egalitarian concept and visions of Pa Awolowo. So, since we believe, practice and tow his (AWO) legacies with a view to even doing more, coupled with the rock-like supports of Mama HID then, the legitimacy of the present UPN members across the globe is incontrovertible.

Sir, as you are aware that security is a burning issue in Nigeria today, what would your government do in this respect as Ogun State governor?

The first and most important is to gainfully engage our youths and re-orientate them on the need to be responsible to themselves, the community and the state. By this, the job would have been half-done.

Closely linked to this, is to ensure that all security agencies are adequately taken care, not only in the area of procurement of modern equipment but necessarily too, welfare. I believe if security personnel are generally catered for in such a manner to lifting up their spirit, the society shall not only be safe but sane too. Under my administration as Ogun State governor in the next disposition, I will put an end to ill-equipped security and personnel de-motivation in the system. I make bold to say emphatically that Ogun State shall turn into an investment hub as everybody would be in haste to court the environment for the serenity we will entrench.

USMAN: Say no to negative change CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

dent, Senator Usman who commended the performance of Jonathan in education, power supply and transport sectors, enjoined her audience to work for the return of the president, saying one does not change from a good thing

to bad thing.

“I understand there are over 300 support groups for PDP in Kaduna state and when I was told that they have been working for the success of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the polls come 28th March here in Kaduna, I thought I must take

my time to come, see the leaderships of those support groups and say thank you for the good job that you are doing.

“I think if you are talking of change, you cannot change from a good thing to a bad thing. That is a negative change. We should resist it, we should not accept

it. When we want a change, we should have positive change. We should change for something better and not for something that is worse.

“Since this man became president, power supply is more constant than it has ever been in the history of this country.

You will also agree with me that since we have been having governments, they have never been a time when the north was ever given universities up to fourteen in number until now. If somebody has done something like this, you too should praise him”, she said.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

11 International Politics

Fear envelops Russia after murder of Putin’s critic, Boris Nemtsov About two weeks before he was shot and killed in the highest-profile political assassination in Russia in a decade, Boris Y. Nemtsov met with an old friend to discuss his latest research into what he said was dissembling and misdeeds in the Kremlin.

He was, as always, pugilistic and excited, saying he wanted to publish the research in a pamphlet to be called “Putin and the War,” about President Vladimir V. Putin and Russian involvement in the Ukraine conflict, recalled Yevgenia Albats, the editor of New Times magazine. Both knew the stakes.

Mr. Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister, knew his work was dangerous but tried to convince her that, as a former high official in the Kremlin, he enjoyed immunity, Ms. Albats said.

“He was afraid of being killed,” Ms. Albats said. “And he was trying to convince himself, and me, they wouldn’t touch him because he was a member of the Russian government, a vice premier, and they wouldn’t want to create a precedent. Because as he said, one time the power will change hands in Russia again, and those who served Putin wouldn’t want to create this precedent.”

On Saturday, it was still not clear who was responsible for killing Mr. Nemtsov. Some critics of the Kremlin accused the security services of responsibility, while others floated the idea of rogue Russian nationalists on the loose in Moscow.

The authorities said they were investigating several theories about the crime, some immediately scorned as improbable, including the possibility that fellow members of the opposition had killed Mr. Nemtsov to create a martyr. Mr. Putin, for his part, vowed in a letter to Mr. Nemtsov’s mother to bring to justice those responsible.

As supporters of Mr. Nemtsov laid flowers on the sidewalk where he was shot and killed late Friday, a shiver of fear moved through the political opposition in Moscow.

The worry was that the killing would become a pivot point toward a revival of lethal violence among the leadership elite in Moscow and an intensified climate of fear in Russian domestic politics.

“Another terrible page has been turned in our history,” Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, the exiled former political prisoner, wrote in a statement about the

“He was afraid of being killed,... they wouldn’t want to create a precedent.

Because as he said, one time the power will change hands in Russia again, and those who served Putin wouldn’t want to create this precedent.” killing.

“For more than a year now, the television screens have been flooded with pure hate for us,” he wrote of the opposition to Mr. Putin. “And now everyone from the blogger at his apartment desk to President Putin, himself, is searching for enemies, accusing one another of provocation.

What is wrong with us?”

Vladimir Milov, a former deputy minister of energy, and co-author with Mr. Nemtsov of pamphlets alleging corruption in Mr. Putin’s government, said he was concerned that the state could now target former officials like Mr. Nemtsov — or like him — deemed disloyal.

This comes as analysts of Russian politics say the Kremlin could be worried about, and intent on discouraging, further defections to the opposition, given reported high-level schisms between hard-liners and liberals over military and economic policy. The government is already under strain from Russia’s unacknowledged involvement in the war in Ukraine and runaway inflation in an economic crisis.

Mr. Milov posted an online statement saying, “There is ever less doubt that the state is behind the murder of Boris Nemtsov,” and that the intention was to revive a culture of fear in Moscow.

“The motive was to sow fear,” he wrote.

Irina Khakamada, a former member of Parliament, suggested in an interview with Snob magazine that splinter groups in the security service intent on retaining Soviet practices, or “radical frozen ones, who think anything is allowed,” could be to blame.

Russian authorities said on Saturday that one line of inves-

Nemtsov tigation would be to examine whether Mr. Nemtsov, a 55-yearold former first deputy prime minister and longtime leader of the opposition, had become a “sacrificial victim” to rally support for opponents of the government, the Investigative Committee of the Prosecutor General’s Office said in a statement.

The statement, the fullest official response so far to Mr. Nemtsov’s killing, said the police were pursuing half a dozen leads in the case, the highest-profile assassination in Russia during the tenure of Mr. Putin.

The committee also cited the possibility that Islamic extremists had killed Mr. Nemtsov over his position on the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris, saying that security forces had been aware of threats against him from Islamist militants. The committee also said that “radical personalities” on one or another side of the Ukrainian conflict might have been responsible. The statement said the police were also considering possible business or personal disputes as motives.

“The investigation is considering several versions,” the statements said. The first it listed was: “a murder as a provocation to destabilize the political situ-

ation in the country, where the figure of Nemtsov could have become a sort of sacrificial victim for those who stop at nothing to achieve their political goals.”

This explanation echoed and elaborated on a statement posted overnight on the Kremlin website, which also characterized the murder as a “provocation.”

“The president noted that this cruel murder has all the signs of a contract killing and carries an exclusively provocative character,” the Kremlin statement said.

“Vladimir Putin expressed his deep condolences to the relatives and loved ones of Boris Nemtsov, who died tragically.”

Mr. Putin, in a message to Mr. Nemtsov’s mother released by the Kremlin, said, “Everything will be done so that the organizers and perpetrators of a vile and cynical murder get the punishment they deserve.”

Initially, Russian news media reported Mr. Nemtsov had been shot from a passing car. On Saturday, however, a television channel, TVTs, broadcast a surveillance video purporting to show the murder, though from a distance.

Mr. Nemtsov had left a restaurant in the GUM shopping center on Red Square and was walking with his girlfriend, Anna Duritskaya, a Ukrainian model.

A snowplow blocked the scene.

But the video, which has not been independently verified, appears to show the shooter was hiding on a stairway on Moskvoretsky Bridge waiting for Mr. Nemtsov and Ms. Duritskaya to pass.

Later, the figure of the supposed shooter runs to a getaway car that pulls up on the bridge.

After laying flowers on a floral mound already chest high and kneeling in respect before the blooms festooning the sidewalk on a rainy, glum mid afternoon, Anatoly Chubais, a co-founder with Mr. Nemtsov of the Union of Right Forces political party, scorned the investigators’ claim.

“Today, we had a statement that the liberal opposition organized the killing,” he said. “Before this, they wrote that the liberals created the economic crisis.

In this country, we have created demand for anger and hate.”

“Everything will be done so that the organisers and perpetrators of a vile and cynical murder get the punishment they deserve” Putin

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

PDP can’t be defeated, says Jonathan Continued from page 6 The president said further: “It is only in PDP states that things are working. If I compare the quality of Government Houses and Presidential Lodges, the ones in PDP states are better in quality, even state universities opened

by PDP states are better, the PDP states are committed to education, but sometimes people come and say we have done nothing, and the intimidation is more to the extent that even in the states where we are more, where we even have PDP governors, they come to intimidate us, and we

have to resolve that we cannot allow people who are not up to us to intimidate us.

“At the state level and at the national level. Well … at the national level we cannot compare our standards with theirs, because they have not had the experience and we will not give them the opportunity, but I know they will not do well.”

He added: “PDP is the only party that brings about peace in this country. And I always say that when you see people talking and you see the bitterness in their hearts, you see the frustration, the anger, and you see them

as people who are already feeling guilty. If you don’t have a forgiving heart, if you don’t have a clean heart you cannot rule Nigeria, because you cannot give out what you don’t have.

“We should all be proud of our party and we should not allow others to intimidate us. We must all collectively protect and defend the interest of our party.”

According to Jonathan, the consistent attacks on his person and the party are a strategy by the opposition to destabilise him since he remained the first image bearer of the party and government.”

Other speakers at the event including Professor Jerry Gana and Chief Tony Anenih, Chairman of BoT both of whom harped on the need to strengthen the party at all levels and for members to be team players.

The PDP Ward Scheme Volunteer is a campaign strategy targeted at the grassroots using about a million foot soldiers to be known as volunteers.

In his address, Ali pointed out that the West has been angry with the Jonathan government because of Nigeria’s refusal to accept same-sex marriage.

He insisted, however, that the country would stand by its decision no matter the odds because the practice runs contrary to African tradition and culture.

Ali said: “People talk about security, this has been going on, it’s not the first time. Shehu Shagari had to deal with the Maitatsine riot in Kano.

“Now, what is happening is an international thing. The ISIS are all over the world. They are in Iran and Lebanon. This is a branch of them. You can see their flag.

“It does not matter what our former partners feel because we passed the same-sex bill. We have culture we have tradition We have taken our decision and we will abide by it. Believe you me, the whole of Africa are looking up to us. Democracy is not a panacea for all cultures. Every culture has to interpret a bit of its own culture into it for it to be able to understand and work it.

“For us to think what is happening there must happen here is wrong. We must be able to nurture democracy from our own perspective and that is what we are doing.

“We may fall and falter, they have been there for more than 200 years. They are still faltering.”

Rain of sorrows, tears, blood in Benue Continued from page 6

A cross section of the destitute at Sango Ota, Ogun State… on Monday.

Photo: TAOFEEK BABAJIDE

Ebonyi youths rise for Elechi Continued from page 6 Reading the protesters stand, spokesperson of the group; Leonard Igboke, said the recent political crisis in the state “borders on the ambition of one man to be governor and that particular ambition has been overstretched that all branches of mischief, lies, propaganda, vendetta, brigandage, scavenging, innuendoes, pyrotechnics, horse trading, buccannerring, Machiavellianism, cultism, killings, maiming, blackmailing and all known negative tendencies have been employed to achieve this ambition”.

They described the impeachment plot and burning down of the State House of Assembly as a threat to peace in the state and country and called on the National Assembly, CLOs, international community and the Nige-

ria Bar Association to intervene on the matter.

The protesters assured President Jonathan of total support in the general election and called on him to also intervene.

They said:“With the deliberate, well orchestrated burning of the state House of Assembly and the plot/threat of impeachment on the peoples’s governor, Chief Martin Elechi, Ebonyians now feel that what hitherto had looked like a joke is now assuming the dangerous dimension of being seen as a threat to the entire peace, unity and surviva of the state” “Why the impeachment? Why the accounts section? Whose vouchers are there, the Governor’s or the Speakers and his cohorts’? Why single out the offices of the Deputy Speaker and the Leader of the house, who are acolytes of the governor for

burning?”, the queried.

“We can no longer seat with our hands akimbo and watch while some selfish politicians who never knew the bitter days and years of the struggle to scuttle our collective aspirations, and destroy the hard earned reputation of our able distinguished Executive Governor”.

“Our stand for Jonathan’s reelection is 100% and unequivocal but on the governorship, an Ebonyi man will be elected by Ebonyi People based on human merits and expectations of the people. We know what we want” the added.

One of the speakers, Dr. Mike Okoro, said: “Should the planned impeachment of the Governor, who has been described as one of the most responsible among his peers, go through, then something is wrong with Nigeria”.

Though the Atom Kpera-led reconciliation committee had late last year submitted its reports and recommendations, there have been no let-up in the attacks, many of which are perpetrated by the herdsmen without provocation.

Worried by this continuous invasion of Benue communities, Senate President, David Mark, while donating relief materials to displaced persons at Obagaji, Agatu Local Government recently, assured that the federal government was taking concrete steps to completely stamp out such ugly incidents in the country.

Represented by the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, David Mark urged the feuding parties to sheathe their swords and embrace peace. ‘’It is heart-rending to see the ordeal our people are going through as a result of these skirmishes’’, the Senate President lamented.

Despite these assurances and efforts by the government at the state and federal levels, the role played by some traditional rulers rather compound the crisis.

Rather than keying into the efforts of government to tackle the crises, they sell out, without proper clearance, parcels of land

in their areas for grazing to the nomadic Fulani for a token. This has often made the herdsmen assume ownership of lands which are not unanimously recognised as theirs.

Often, the crises occur because of the insistence on the part of the herdsmen that their cows should graze without hinderance since they have adequately compensated the traditional rulers.

Sometimes too, conflicts are instigated by inhabitants who benefit from the crisis situation.

They spread false rumours to create crises or scare residents with rumours of impending attacks only to turn round to loot their own people’s property then set the houses ablaze.

These hoodlums go to any length including cattle theft (rustling) to create bad blood between farmers and herdsmen.

There are many instances when some indigenes collect from the herdsmen, money recharge cards, motor bikes to act as informants to the invaders to the detriment of their own communities.

Apart from the establishment of military bases or police barracks in flash points, government should, through legislation, establish grazing reserves throughout the country as done in other parts of the world.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

13

International 14

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Kerry, Lavrov meet in Geneva over Ukraine crisis ÏÏÏUS Secretary of State, John

Kerry has met with his Russian counterpart for the first time, since he accused Russia of lying about its role in Ukraine’s war.

The talks with Sergei Lavrov in Geneva coincided with a UN report on human rights violations and the humanitarian crisis in east Ukraine.

The UN says the conflict has claimed at least 6,000 lives, with hundreds killed in the past few weeks alone.

A fragile ceasefire is holding despite some fighting in recent days.

At his meeting in Geneva, Mr Kerry is also expected to raise the brutal murder of a Russian opposition politician in Moscow on Friday.

Boris Nemtsov, who was shot on a bridge near the Kremlin, had been planning an anti-war rally and was said to be working on a report to expose the presence of Russian troops in Ukraine.

Flowers and condolence messages were placed with a portrait of Boris Nemtsov at the site where he was gunned down near the Kremlin 2 March, 2015. Tens of thousands of people marched through central Moscow in memory of Boris Nemtsov on Sunday.

His allies accused the Kremlin

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, right, shaking hands with Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov on Monday.

of involvement but Russian President Vladimir Putin condemned the murder as “vile” and vowed to find the killers.

Mr Kerry will press for an in-

vestigation that he said should examine not only who pulled the trigger, but who ordered, funded and co-ordinated Mr Nemtsov’s murder.

Mali Govt signs peace deal as Tuareg rebels urge shift ÏÏÏMali’s government signed a preliminary peace deal with some of the country’s northern separatis groups, but the main Tuareg Rebel Alliance has asked for more time for consultations before agreeing to the accord.

Members of the Tuareg Rebel Alliance, which includes the National Movement for the Lib-

Namibian President, Pohamba wins $5m Mo Ibrahim prize

eration of Azawad, attended Sunday’s signing ceremony in the Algerian capital, Algiers. Alliance representatives said they would continue with dialogue, adding that a “reasonable delay” was requested.

The United Nations-brokered deal is aimed at ending decades of instability in northern Mali.

ÏÏÏThe

outgoing Namibian President, Hifikepunye Pohamba, has won the world’s most valuable individual award, the Mo Ibrahim prize for African leadership.

The $5m (£3.2m) award is given each year to an elected leader who governed well, raised living standards and then left office. But the previous award

Mali has been unstable since Tuareg fighters launched a new insurgency at the start of 2012 -an event that triggered a coup in Bamako, a takeover of the north

by Islamist militants, and the intervention of French and African forces in early 2013.The two sides agreed to a roadmap toward negotiations in July 2014.

was the fourth in five years to have gone unclaimed.

Mr Pohamba, a former rebel,who fought for his country’s independence, has served two terms as Namibian president.

He was first elected in 2004, and again in 2009. He is due to be succeeded by President-elect, Hage Geingob.

Fighting began in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions last April, a month after Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula.

The UN estimates that at least 1.25 million have fled their homes, and believes that the real number of fatalities could be considerably higher than the 6,000 it has given.

In its latest report, released on Monday, it refers to credible accounts of heavy weapons and foreign fighters continuing to flow into eastern Ukraine from Russia.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein said the report painted a picture of “merciless devastation of civilian lives and infrastructure”.

An elderly woman walks across a destroyed bridge near the airport in Donetsk, Ukraine - 1 March 2015 The ceasefire has been holding in much of eastern Ukraine but there have been sporadic clashes The Ukrainian government, Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that Russia is helping the rebels with heavy weapons and soldiers.

Independent experts echo that accusation but Moscow denies it, insisting that any Russians serving with the rebels are “volunteers”.

ISIS frees 21 kidnapped Christians ÏÏÏA Syria watchdog group says

21 Assyrian Christians, elderly men and women, abducted by the Islamic State (ISIS) have been released.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which maintains a network of sources throughout the country, reports some of the kidnapped residents of Tal Koran were freed Sunday.

Local militias say at least 150 people were taken when IS militants attacked villages along the Khabour river in northeast Syria last week, overrunning several predominantly Christian towns.

Meanwhile on Sunday, rebel forces in Aleppo rejected a United Nations peace plan to quell Syria’s internal conflict, saying it “falls short an initiative to resolve the humanitarian crisis.

Brazil beefs up security to quell truckers’ protest

ÏÏÏThe

Brazilian government dispatched extra police on Sunday to quell a strike by truckers opposing rising fuel and freight costs, after demonstrations turned violent.

Nearing its second week, the strike has hit 11 of Brazil’s 26 states. The southern regions of Rio Grande do Sul, Parana and Santa Catarina have been hit especially hard.

One driver was killed when he was run over during a Saturday demonstration in Rio Grande do Sul as a lorry driver opposed to the action tried to break through a blockade.

“The federal government regrets the use of violence in the demonstrations, with vehicles looted and coercion against drivers who want to work,” a statement from the presidential office read.

Lesotho PM takes early lead in polls ÏÏÏThe

results of Lesotho’s snap election, following an alleged coup attempt last year, trickled in slowly on Sunday, with Prime Minister, Thomas Thabane taking an early lead with a quarter of the vote tallied.

Saturday’s parliamentary poll, which was called two years ahead of schedule, passed without incident according to observers.

But hampered by manual counting and Lesotho’s mountainous terrain, the results were slow to come in Sunday.

The small mountain kingdom has been in crisis since June 2014, when Thabane suspended parliament to avoid a motion that would have seen him ousted from power after his fragile coalition government fell apart.

Soldiers attacked police headquarters on 30 August, looting weapons and killing one officer.

Thabane described the violence as a coup attempt fuelled by the opposition and fled to neighbouring South Africa.

Thabane

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

15 Opinion

Looking beyond electoral promises

I

Obi Onochie

t is extremely difficult to count your eggs before they are hatched.

Elections are much like the theory of eggs and hatchery, riddled with disappointments, shocks and miscalculations. In the wake of this election postponement, to whose advantage and to whose disadvantage cannot be expressly determined or calculated until the last hour. However elections in Nigeria have never been conducted before without innocent blood soaking the soil. This election is not likely to be different.

Setting aside the discussion of how civilised or barbaric our conduct of election is and focusing on the major candidates, is genuinely in line with that of every electorate in deciding the direction of our future.

It is a fact that the continuity of President Goodluck will certainly take Nigeria through a definite path, equally bringing Buhari to power will also certainly take Nigeria through a definite different path as well. How good each path is for Nigeria is hugely dependent on what one sees, chooses and wants to see. This is why looking into the past history of every candidate is where the discussion of issues begins. Before that there is need to state the fact that the personality of each candidate is more important than what they say they will ac-

complish if elected. Either of them is going to take the mantle, which comes with it the power to take decisions that play pivotal roles in deciding the fate of Nigeria.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan a PHD holder, prior to 1999, was a lecturer at the University of Port-Harcourt. He became deputy governor to Diepreye Peter Alamieyeseigha from May 1999 to December 2005 when his boss was removed under controversial corruptionrelated circumstances.

It was said he was nearly forced to take over power after his boss’ removal; a move an average Nigerian politician will jump at. This left an estimable truehearted imprint in the then President Olusegun Obasanjo who was alleged to be behind the whole brouhaha. His dedicated loyalty endeared him to many which was the deciding factor for his choice as Ya’Adua’s running mate in the 2007 presidential election. Again, his boss did not finish his tenure in office as the cold hands of death snatched him away. His becoming acting president through to getting elected in 2011 have been immersed in the kind of strong opposition that did not recognise nor respect the sanctity of human life.

Brutal hegemonic opposition has been established ever since some northern politicians vowed to make his government ungovernable.

Some of these threats saw to the

upsurge of the BokoHaram insurgency in the Northeast.

On the other hand,General Muhamadu Buhari is a septuagenarian Sunni Muslim who overthrew a democratically elected government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari on 31st December 1983 and enthroned an iron fisted brutal regime. His government was reminiscent of arrests and backdating of military decrees.

The regime was noted for the failed illegal attempt to kidnap Umaru Dikko, a former transport minister and an adviser in the government in London. His regime’s huge appetite to hunt down and arrest people hobbled it from the real administrative business of governance. Under his government, Nigeria became a frozen terrified country and an undesired destination for international diplomats and tourists.

Thirty years after being dethroned in a coup he never enrolled in any self-development programme, in fact his purported highest and last known certificate is still missing.

The brouhaha surrounding his certificate has prompted a lot of people to start asking questions like, “if he cannot provide the minimum requirement for the office he is vying for, shouldn’t he be disqualified?” Also,he has been battling the negative image of religious zealotry.

Winning the election this time and ruling Nigeria appears to be his last opportunity to public life considering his age.

But when Buhari was in power, he never introduced or facilitated any policy that suggested he desired Islamisation of Nigeria rather it was Babangida’s regime that registered the country as a member of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Buhari has not directly proven to be a religious extremist but earned the Moniker, “religious bigot” through his unguarded comments. He made other comments filled with threats that many believe triggered riots and killings after the 2011 elections.

Build up to this election preparation, President Jonathan lost the media war. His media aides ought to have since been sacked. His achievements in office went under reported making one to believe that his media officials are either incompetents or simply compromised. Another pitfall of Jonathan’s government is myriad of corruption allegations his government has been facing in which many of them are either exaggerated or fictitious.

His media team failed to match or tame the trend of accusations. What is amazing about the entire corruption allegations is that most of accusers were public office holders who looted their respective state’s treasuries and are yet to return their loot as sign of repentance.

They adopted Hitler’s propagandist method which entails telling lies over and over and over again and people will believe it to be true.

On military deployment for elections

A

Adewale Kupoluyi

major issue dotting our political architecture is whether or not the military should be deployed to provide security at the polls. As accusations and counteraccusations continue to trail the proposal, there are insinuations that politicians are busy recruiting private armies and equipping them with weapons to unleash mayhem on real and perceived enemies.

While the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has supported the move, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, insist that the use of the military is undemocratic because it is believed that soldiers have the tendency to violate fundamental human rights of the citizenry by scaring voters away. An attempt by the APC to stop the Federal Government from using the military suffered a setback at the House of

Representatives, while the Senate President, Senator David Mark, also rejected the demand as well as an attempt at summoning the security chiefs and the National Security Adviser to explain their roles in the alleged interference with the operations of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Then we need to ask these questions: Can’t the Nigeria Police enforce law and order during the forthcoming polls? Are the politicians and political parties kicking against the use of the military ready to obey the rule of law during and after the exercise, irrespective of the outcome? Those who criticise military deployment argued further that it would suppress voters’ independence, saying it’s an attempt at manipulating the process in favour of the ruling party, while the supporters of military deployment also point to these two factors. First, the general insecurity in the country, especially in the Northeast, which exposes the lives of electoral officials and party agents to serious

danger due to the Boko Haram insurgency. Second, the possibility of rigging through ballot box snatching, thuggery and irregular movement of election materials.

Advocates of deployment have equally claimed that the President is empowered by law to deploy the military for operational purposes.

Section 8 of the Armed Forces Act ,specifically states that the President shall have the power to deploy the armed forces. The then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) candidate in governorship election in Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, once commended President Goodluck Jonathan on this saying, “what the Edo election has confirmed is that when the President and Commander-inChief puts the country first and he conducts himself as a statesman not just as a party leader, credible elections are possible. This is because people were apprehensive that the Nigerian Army could be misused. But of course, I told them I didn’t think they were right”.

In what could be described as a clear departure from this

provision, Section 215 of the 1999 Constitution (As amended), states that the maintenance of internal security including law and order during elections shall be the duty of the Nigeria Police Force.

Similarly, two different courts have also ruled that the Federal Government should desist from deploying the armed forces in the conduct of elections. A judgment delivered by Justice R. M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Sokoto, in the suit marked: FHC/S/ CS/29/2014 among others, had restrained the President and INEC “from engaging the service of the Nigerian armed forces in the security supervision of elections in any manner whatsoever in any part of Nigeria, without the Act of the National Assembly”. Justice Abdul Aboki, in his lead judgment during the Ekiti State Governorship Election Appeal on February 16 also held that “the President of Nigeria has no powers to call on the Nigerian armed forces and to unleash them on peaceful citizens, who are exercising their franchise to elect their leaders”.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

17

18

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Tech Future Thoughts of a Nigerian Technology Genius, Jelani Aliyu (2)

Last week, on this page, TECH FUTURE published part one of the Thoughts of a Nigerian Technology Genius.

This week concludes the publication and is focused on: Creating Market Opportunities for Nigerian ICT Products and Services: The Philosophy for Success. Excerpts…

s There are two incredible creatures, one mythical, one real that will forever be associated with the history, culture and achievements of Asia, these creatures are the dragon and the tiger.

Whereas in old Europe dragons were believed to be fire breathing flying monsters that needed to be hunted down, in Asia the dragon is a symbol of power, leadership,

Inye Kemabonta, Editor, TECH FUTURE inye@technologylaw.com.ng

and new beginnings. Although mythical, it occupies a position of strength in the minds of Asia, so does the tiger.

Which in itself is an unbelievably powerful creature, the perfect balance of brute force and flexibility, calm and ferocity, when it hunts it does so with calculated strategy, utter focus and unyieldCONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Aliyu, MFR Detroit, U.S.A

In support of localisation of govt data If I titled this article something like China’s Delisting of Foreign ICT Products from Approved list: Lessons for Nigeria it would still be very appropriate. In fact China has just done that. That emerging technological world power has recently taken off CISCO, Apple, McAfee and other big American companies’ products from the list of approved products from which government Agencies and Departments could equip their offices and power their operations.

As appropriate as that title might have been, I chose In Support of Localization of Government Data over it for a number of reasons. First, Nigeria has already ‘learned’ the lesson, even if partly, by the publication in 2013 of the Guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT. It is important for us as a nation to consciously identify and celebrate positive actions by our own government and people. Indeed, it is part of the editorial policy of TECH FUTURE to help develop the indigenous ICT industry through editorial emphasis on local content in technology.

In this particular instance, NITDA and its supervising Ministry (the Federal Ministry of Communication Technology) must be commended for the publication of the Local Content Guidelines. It is the only industry after Oil and Gas to do so.

ICT is hot on the heels of Oil and Gas. With the current slump in the price of crude oil and the subsequent drop of that sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP to below 9% ICT may have caught up with Oil and Gas sooner that was predicted.

The second reason why I think that In Support of Localization

of Government Data is a better title is that it draws attention to the vexed issue of mandatory local hosting of government data in the Guidelines for Nigerian Content Development in ICT. Quite a few foreign companies have vehemently opposed that provision in the Guidelines.

Google leads the pack.

Article 14.1 of the Guidelines makes it mandatory for Data and Information Management Firms to “Host government data locally within the country and shall not for any reason host any government data outside the country without an express approval from NITDA”. MDAs have eighteen months to comply. By June 3 this year MDAs will be in default of the NITDA regulation and risk severe sanctions. Article 14.3 goes on to enjoin NITDA to “Promote and support local data hosting firms and set appropriate service level requirements and standards for data service provisioning for such firms”.

China’s action ( like that of NITDA and its parent Ministry) is an effort to consolidate the growth of its local ICT industry and further empower its local companies. In fact the order to take off foreign products from official China government list included the immediate replacement of the products with those from Huawei and ZTE, two of the country’s local brands.

Apart from promoting the indigenous industry, there is also the question of security. Every advanced country has become nervous about espionage since the Snowden ignominy. This is the simple reason why I almost

Peter Jack could not resist the urge to title this article “… Lessons for Nigeria. Indeed, there are grave lessons for Nigeria! Our economy and government operation run on routers from CISCO and Huawei, for example. In fact the nativity of our critical information infrastructure is part Chinese and part American. It is certain that the home countries of these companies have far more data on Nigeria than our

ICT is hot on the heels of Oil and Gas

own government has. Like the common whore, our backside is easy access to the West and the East (forgive my language).

NITDA is in the best position to rise up to the occasion, and it must. Its Local Content Guidelines requires it to. The first step of mandating local hosting of government data has been taken. The next step, which is not specifically provided in the Guidelines but which is critical to the issues of standards, security and capacity building

is the establishment of Reverse Engineering and Deformulation Labs.

The widely held view is that reverse engineering is intended for the replication of products and can often infringe on intellectual property rights. But in reality, replication or duplication is only one of over eight possible reasons for reverse engineering services. Among the other reasons is the need to discover “impurities”, harmful components and substandard systems. As a country we need to define “impurities and harmful components” very widely and make that a reason for setting up reverse engineering labs with the very active support of NITDA. Every technology product that comes into this country needs to be reverse engineered for the reasons mentioned and more!

The security agreements signed sometimes by government with product manufactures do not go far enough to offer anything close to the potentials a country-inspired reverse engineering services can achieve. What such labs can achieve in the short and long term is to ensure that the products from Asia, the Americas and indeed from any part of the world are not only “fit for purpose” but do not pose any kind of threat to national security.

Also the reverse engineering process is an unparalleled capacity building model for any technology-focused society. It will be the foundation for further and continuous development of our local ICT industry.

Inye Kemabonta, inye@technologylaw.com.ng

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

19 Tech Future

Aliyu: The philosophy for success in ICT 4 teachers represent Nigeria at

Microsoft education global forum

Aliyu, MFR Detroit, U.S.A CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

ing tenacity. These are also the exemplary characteristics of four unique Asian countries which have exhibited so much achievement that they have now come to be called the ‘Asian Tigers’, these are the countries of Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. Four countries that have created nothing short of a miracle: within a relatively short period of about thirty years, from the mid-sixties to the nineties, they would transform themselves from underdeveloped economies into some of the world’s most advanced nations, moving their populations from a life of hardship to that of prosperity.

How did they do this? They employed a number of strategies, key amongst which were intensive education that led to the development of a highly skilled work force, free enterprise and the aggressive manufacturing of goods exported to the West.

They had a concerted effort to make primary and lower secondary school education compulsory. A strong curriculum was put together, teaching was made an important profession and the best graduates were encouraged to go into that field. They were trained to create highly competent and enthusiastic faculties at all schools. Salaries of teachers was made competitive with other contemporary professions.

The governments of the Asian Tiger countries supported major corporations and public initiatives to establish strong ICT solutions that were deployed directly within the country, enabling the successful establishment of the new systems on a massive scale before further scaling up globally.

In the case of Taiwan, the country moved from a virtual nonexistent ICT sector in 1960 to a powerful global player by the 90s, and it has continued to be in that league. The government created two mega companies in the heyday of the country’s ICT development, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Limited (TSMC), the world’s first dedicated semiconductor foundry, and United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), with such momentum the country became the research and development hub of the Asia-Pacific region.

With South Korea, their technology initiative led to the development of one of the world’s most successful and actually the first 100-percent electronic customs e-government information systems in the world, The Korea Customs Service’s Universal Pass, known as ‘UNI-PASS’. It has since been exported to a number of countries around the world.

South Korea also gave priority to Industrial design, the concept of creating new products that are solutions for everyday applications and economic growth, this

enabled a strong industry that designed, manufactured and exported these solutions overseas, especially to the United States.

The Asian Tigers moved from just manufacturers of ICT products to pervasive nationwide users of it, integrating the technology in all aspects of government and social life. They developed a highly skilled workforce which in turn fostered strong innovation and entrepreneurship, bringing unprecedented progress to their populations.

Can we emulate this miracle of the Asian Tigers as they did with their leap from poverty to prosperity, can we also emulate their success as high caliber ICT global innovators and exporters?

We, as Nigerians, are now at an exciting moment in our country’s history, we have never been ordinary, we may have had challenges, but we have never lost our zeal. It is now our turn to muster and leverage all our capabilities and usher in a new era of advanced progress and abundance, in effect, to bring back the greatness of our people, to recapture the magic and prosperity of our histories, cultures, kingdoms and empires. To bring back the era when our societies engaged the authentic capabilities of all citizens and prospered.

And so the answer is yes, just as the Asian Tigers transformed their economies and became crucial players in the global ICT sector, we too can do the same, and must be done in an even shorter period.

Our greatest enabler is Intelligent Technology, technology that is in tune with Africa, technology in tune with our culture, histories, climate and geography. And the encompassing phenomenon to bring about this transformation is a nationwide development and adoption of the most advanced ICT. So, who are we? Who are the Nigerians? Environmental consciousness has become an integral part of global development, nature is now once again no longer seen as a force to conquer, but rather, it is seen as a medium from which to learn, efficiently draw energy from and live in harmony with.

And when we do observe nature, we see that we live on a truly magical planet, a gigantic orb of life hurtling through space, everywhere we look around us, we are surrounded by wonders of our natural world, from the tiny leaf only fractions of a millimetre thick and yet a highly efficient factory to the amazing sea rays CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Tony Nwakaegho Four Nigerian teachers flew the country’s flag at the just concluded Microsoft in education global forum held in Grand Hyatt, Dubai.

The two day forum saw the coming together of education stakeholders from around the world to discuss how technology can significantly address key challenges in education for the 21st century.

The four teachers that attended the forum from Nigeria were: Nwakaego Justina Chukwu of Government Secondary School Tudun Wada, Abuja, Olalekan Adeeko of Baptist Boys High School, Abeokuta, Sanyaolu Stephen Oyelola of Government Secondary School Wuse, Abuja, and Veranique Obiakor of Government Secondary School Kubwa, Abuja.

The Microsoft in Education Global Forum is an indication of Microsoft’s strong engagement and support to the Middle-East and Africa (MEA) region and a flagship event for the firm, providing an opportunity for education stakeholders to collaborate, and discuss needed change in their own countries, schools and communities, providing real impact for better learning outcomes, and prepare learners for work and life.

The forum gathered Education stakeholders to discuss Education Transformations in relation to workforce and as an enabler for competitiveness and Economic

Salcito, Vice President, Worldwide Education, Microsoft

growth.

It also focused on innovative practices using technologies that can help drive rich learning experiences and underscore the achievements of teachers and schools from around the Middle East, Africa, and India, who are effectively using technology to engage their students and prepare them for the future.

The forum featured vibrant speaker program, including elites from UAE Ministry of Education, leading education figures and Microsoft executives.

Key discussions at the forum focused on the latest innovations in teaching and learning, and how technology can be used to solve education challenges around the world and in the MEA region.

In his key note address, Vice President, Worldwide Education, Microsoft, Anthony Salcito, said,” The Global Forum in Dubai is an opportunity for education professionals to discuss how technology can address key challenges in education for the 21st century.

Airtel emerges fastest growing mobile operator Tony Nwakaegho Airtel Nigeria, leading telecoms operator has emerged the fastest growing mobile operator in the country, according to the latest report published by Nigerian Communications Commission’s (NCC) corporate website.

According to the report Airtel recorded the highest growth in new customers in the last quarter of 2014, securing 32 per cent of total new customers between October and December, 2014.

The Nigerian telecoms industry is said to have recorded a total of 4, 766,511 new customers in the last quarter of October to December, 2014, while recorded new consumers for MTN, Etisalat and Globacom and Airtel to be 1,434,119, 1,222,36, 607,736 and 1,502,293 respectively for that pe-

riod.

The summary of new consumers in percentage terms indicated that Airtel finished the last quarter as the fastest growing mobile operator in Nigeria with 32 per cent of new customers market share, with MTN, Etisalat and Globacom coming at a distant with 30 per cent , 26 per cent and 13 per cent respectively, in terms of new customers recorded in the period.

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya in his reaction to the company’s feat, thanked Nigerians for choosing the Airtel Network ahead of other operators, adding that Airtel has been consistent in its effort to create real value for customers in line with its vision of becoming the most loved brand in the daily lives of Nigerians.

Tech Future 20

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Why right tech is crucial, by Aliyu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

that glide within the deep waters of the Atlantic, planet earth is a perfect balance of beauty and practicality.

And so in these days of environmental consciousness, sustainability and renewability, who more environmental than the African, who more sustainable than the Nigerian? Who better to understand this global movement and position themselves as high calibre creators of world class solutions than Nigerian innovators?

Africa is a unique continent, with extreme climates and geographies, extreme heat and rough terrain, but these are not problems, they are not negatives, these are what Africa is. They are the beauty of Africa, and are the magic and the characteristics that have for millennia engaged a people and crafted them with immeasurable wisdom, virtue and prowess, characteristics that have fashioned a continent full of wonder, awe and adventure, and given us the magnificent Obudu hills, Serengeti and Ngoro Ngoro, the incredible Zambezi River, and the beautiful landscapes of the Sahel.

Yes, there are challenges in infrastructure, energy supply, transportation, and education.

But that is just what they are, challenges, they are not us, we are bigger than them.

Having the right technology is crucial in any society or locality.

A major reason for the failure of a lot of infrastructure and systems in our nation is because they were not fundamentally designed for our applications, they

do not fall within the critical physical and mental patterns that are natural for Africa, and so they don’t fail because of an inherent lack of local human support. It is no surprise that our physical environment is absolutely different from the conceptual birth place of a lot of the technology that finds itself transplanted into Africa. From time immemorial, Africans have had tools, systems and technologies that have assisted them in their daily lives.

These technologies had been developed and evolved over time to be the most conducive for our people and environment. For example, most of Africa is hot, and historically homes have been built to be comfortable with local natural materials and passive cooling technologies without the need for added energy. In the last couple of decades we have equated progress with completely disregarding and forgetting a lot of our local and very effective technologies. This is not right, we must not dismiss them, but rather we must build on them, so as we progress, we must leverage advanced product development and intelligent Information Technology, coupled with our honed inherited understanding of extreme circumstances, to create advanced new systems that best suit our terrain, climate, psyche and histories. Therein will lie the secret to the success of our ICT products and services, making them authentically African for the unparalleled extreme African solution and hence effective for the world.

And so, imagine integrating these advanced effective solu-

The Asian Tigers moved from just manufacturers of ICT products to pervasive nationwide users of it, integrating the technology in all aspects of government and social life. tions into our cities, infrastructure, institutions and patterns of life, making them the pride and jewels of modernity while upholding the very core values of our heritage and our respect for the magnificent natural world around us, for example: 1) Based on our cultures and ways of living, we have millions of children spread all across the country who cannot come to a traditional classroom because they are an integral part of their family’s vocation, some are not even in their towns or settlements but out there farming, herding, fishing and hunting, so how do we take education to these kids wherever they maybe?

How do develop a self-adapting and un-tethered educational system, with intelligent networks, specialized sustainable hardware

Aliyu, MFR Detroit, U.S.A

and software that would reach and engage these students while they are out there farming, hunting and fishing?

2) A majority of our citizens live in rural areas with no access to public or modern private services. Delivery of medicine, goods and needed supplies is a challenge over inhospitable terrain, across unbridged rivers and impenetrable forests. How do we provide intelligent logistics systems that can autonomously and safely service every town, village and settlement, making irrelevant the lack of roads to any of those places, to operate either

by air or by land, perhaps autonomous delivery drones or selfdriving off-road solutions with the capability of efficiently and expediently traversing any natural terrain and leaving it pristine and undisturbed?

The two examples mentioned above are but a window to the advanced future of Nigeria and Africa, without expensive roads crisscrossing and destroying natural habitats we can reach every citizen of this country with essential goods and services, without building a physical school in every village and settlement we CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

Glo empowers Man O’ War officers, others with CUG lines Tony Nwakaegho

L-R: South West Regional Commander, Man O’ War Organisation, Mr Popoola Olajide; Director General, Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, the regulatory parastatal for the Man O’ War Organisation in Nigeria, Mr Mike Fawole and Head of Public Sector Sales, Globacom, Mr Tunde Amunikoro at the launch of Close User Group lines for Man O’ War officials in Abuja recently.

Globacom, a telecommunication giant, has placed thousands of Man O’ War Officers across Nigeria on Globacom’s Close User Group (CUG) platform in order to avail them seamless communication among themselves and their families.

The company has similarly extended this communications package which kicked off with an initial 5000 lines to all staff of the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, a parastatal under the Ministry of Youth Development, which supervises Man O’ War, and across all for-

mations and departments of the parastatal around Nigeria.

The CUG will assist the organisation to effectively perform their duties through seamless, qualitative and cost-effective communications with one another and the Headquarters of the ministry in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Particularly, it will enable the beneficiaries to send or receive alerts and reach out to critical stakeholders, particularly in the line of business without being encumbered by non-availability of recharge cards, even in the hinterlands of the country.

Speaking at the launch of the project in Abuja, Director

General of the parastatal, Mr Mike Adewole said that the CUG would allow free flow of information between the ranks and file of the Citizens & Leadership Training Centre without the pressure of low or reducing credit, adding that it would also facilitate easy and detailed situational report from the Man O’ War operatives from any part of the country.

He expressed his excitement that Globacom’s CUG would help the parastatal in determining the number of active officers as they activate and renew their Monthly Service Rental CONTINUED ON PAGE 21

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

MTN Business offers platform for mobile advertising in Nigeria MTN Mobile Ads service is said to offer the next viable platform which marketing professionals using mobile devices today cannot afford to ignore in delivering effective integrated marketing communications campaigns in the world.

This is the kennel of the recent Mobile Media Advertising Opportunities Forum, organised in Lagos by MTN Business, the business-to-business unit of MTN Nigeria, in partnership with InTarget Africa.

In his speech, acting Chief Enterprise Solutions Officer, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Tsola Barrow, described mobile advertising as a targeted and effective engagement platform, adding that the MTN Mobile Ads service offered a world of opportunities together with the benefits associated with other traditional means of advertising.

“This service leverages the combined potential of the mobile phone, the world’s most personal device, and the largest family of mobile subscribers in Nigeria to provide new ways for businesses to engage customers. MTN Nigeria is committed to adding value to lives and helping to drive the growth of Nigerian businesses by delivering tailor-made, productivity-enhancing solutions to every part of this vast country,” Barrow said.

On his part, the Chief Executive Officer, InTarget Africa, Mr. Lazarus Muchenje, explained the business imperative for brands and marketers to adopt mobile advertising as a cost-effective means of reaching a profiled target audience and deliver comprehensive and watertight integrated marketing communications plans on a budget-friendly platform.

ITU allows 30 African nations to delay digital TV migration

BCG building

Sub-Saharan Africa’s mobile-money market could grow to $1.5bn by 2019 –BCG Stories by Tony Nwakaegho According to research published by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), -the use of mobile financial services in subSaharan Africa to do such things as pay utility bills and sending money to relatives could produce an estimated $1.5 billion in fees for mobile-money providers by 2019.

Sub Saharan Africa is said to be adopting mobile financial services at a rate seen in few other places, presenting banks and mobile network operators (MNOs) with a set of strategic choices that will go a long way toward determining their success in the region.

The report noted that sub-Saharan Africans are looking for more-secure ways to borrow and save money and are open to other financial products delivered using mobile phones, including loans and insurance.

Even though mobile financial services are rising all over

the world, sub-Saharan Africa’s unique circumstances which is a combination of a mostly “unbanked” population and heavy mobile-phone penetration have turned the region into an early adopter of mobile banking and a test bed for the technology’s potential.

Eight of the ten countries that make the most use of mobile financial services are in Africa, and sub-Saharan Africa has the highest proportion of active accounts which is 43 per cent.

Again, with the population in sub-Saharan Africa growing and becoming wealthier, the number of people aged 15 or older with an individual annual income of $500 or more will rise to more than 460 million by 2019.

This development is likely to be reinforced as governments in sub-Saharan Africa increasingly focus on their education, health, and security systems while enhancing the potential for long-term economic growth in their countries.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has proceeded to allow 30 African countries to extend their digital migration beyond the original global deadline which has been set for June 2015.

Accordingly, there are a number countries that have been given an extension, including: Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Ethiopia and the Sudan among others.

Director-General of the Communications Authority (CA), Kenya, Francis Wangusi said that this development essentially contradicts an argument that Kenya must migrate by June 2015 or it would attract sanctions.

Wangusi stated that Kenya had made a commitment to adhere to the ITU deadline; hence millions of Kenyans have not been able to access information through their TV sets for more than a week since the government shut down

Zhao, ITU Sec. Gen.

analogue broadcasts on 14 February.

He insisted that Kenya will not seek an extension because Africa belongs to Region One, which is slated for migration in 2015, adding that CA is expected to penalise the African Digital Network, after its members went off air on 14 February, 2015.

Glo lifts Man O’ War officers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

(MSR) regularly encouraged every officer to acquire their own lines and for their families as this kind of package is not only unprecedented, but comes at an unbelievably low cost.

“Glo CUG is a sort of welfare package for the rank and file and families of Man O War officers; the network is also aiding national security by facilitating free flow of communication from anywhere in the country, at little cost,” Adewole said.

Also speaking, Head of Public Sector, Globacom, Mr. Tunde Amunikoro, noted at the launch

that CUG package was meticulously designed to also make life easier for families of Man O’ War officers across the country with the aim of enhancing onthe-job effectiveness through seamless communication among them.

He noted that millions of Man O’ War officers gets regular redeployments to states outside the FCT whereby they leave their families behind at various commands, adding that “this scheme will certainly reduce the communication gap while on such postings.”

Role of ICT in national dev, by tech genius CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20

Ikpoki, CEO, MTN Nigeria

21 Tech Future

can give world class education to each and every Nigerian child.

While maintaining the natural environments of Africa we can, through leveraging strategic ICT solutions, create advanced nations where our people will once again live in harmony with nature, in abundance, peace and prosperity.

Once we pioneer and develop these types of advanced and highly applicable ICT solutions, we can very easily scale them up and provide them to the world. And so, what are some of the enablers

to creating these Africa conducive ICT solutions? knowledgment of the miracle that we have all around us: the magic that is Africa that must be preserved. sign courses and making the profession an integral factor of ICT and general technological development, through its discipline of creative hardware innovation and development. To set up departments at tertiary institutions, and integrate the course in the curriculum of secondary

schools. and Artificial Intelligence courses right from secondary school to degree courses at universities, polytechnics and specialized schools. sionals in the diaspora in collaborative initiatives and projects, to merge their collective international experiences and contacts with Nigerian based experts and opportunities. a) Engage in collaborative advanced Research and Development, and

b) Organize exciting local challenges and competitions to expose our local talent to the international community.

It is an exciting new world, and we must be strong valuable members of it, we must go for the seemingly impossible and make it reality. We must brave new paths with no fear, we must all come together and courageously strive towards the achievement of all that which will positively and most dynamically impact multiple facets of the Nigerian human experience.

22

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Today in History Cartoon from our Archives

s Compiled by ‘Tunji Okegbola

1945

Daily Times March 3, 1961 1820 Congress passes the Missouri Compromise After months of bitter debate, Congress passed the Missouri Compromise, a bill that temporarily resolves the first serious political clash between slavery and antislavery interests in U.S. history.

In February 1819, Representative James Tallmadge of New York introduced a bill that would admit Missouri into the Union as a state where slavery was prohibited. At the time, there were 11 free states and 10 slave states. Southern congressmen feared that the entrance of Missouri as a free state would upset the balance of power between North and South, as the North far outdistanced the South in population, and thus, U.S. representatives. Opponents to the bill also questioned the congressional precedent of prohibiting the expansion of slavery into a territory where slave status was favoured.

Even after Alabama was granted statehood in December 1819 with no prohibition on its practice of slavery, Congress remained deadlocked on the issue of Missouri. Finally, a compromise was reached. On March 3, 1820, Congress passed a bill granting Missouri statehood as a slave state under the condition that slavery was to be forever prohibited in the rest of the Louisiana

Purchase north of the 36th parallel, which runs approximately along the southern border of Missouri. In addition, Maine, formerly part of Massachusetts, was admitted as a free state, thus preserving the balance between Northern and Southern senators.

The Missouri Compromise, although criticized by many on both sides of the slavery debate, succeeded in keeping the Union together for more than 30 years.

In 1854, it was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which dictated that slave or free status was to be decided by popular vote in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska; though both were north of the 36th parallel.

1863 Congress passes Civil War conscription act During the Civil War, the U.S. Congress passed a conscription act that produces the first wartime draft of U.S. citizens in American history. The act called for registration of all males between the ages of 20 and 45, including aliens with the intention of becoming citizens, by April 1.

Exemptions from the draft could be bought for $300 or by finding a substitute draftee. This clause led to bloody draft riots in New York City, where protesters were outraged that exemptions were effectively granted only to the wealthiest U.S. citizens.

Although the Civil War saw the

first compulsory conscription of U.S. citizens for wartime service, a 1792 act by Congress required that all able-bodied male citizens purchase a gun and join their local state militia. There was no penalty for noncompliance with this act. Congress also passed a conscription act during the War of 1812, but the war ended before it was enacted. During the Civil War, the government of the Confederate States of America also enacted a compulsory military draft. The U.S. enacted a military draft again during World War I, in 1940 to make the U.S. ready for its involvement in World War II, and during the Korean War. The last U.S. military draft occurred during the Vietnam War 1918 Russia makes a separate peace Bolshevik Russia signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with the Central Powers, abandoning the Allied war effort and granting independence to its Polish and Baltic territories, the Ukraine, and Finland.

Russia’s disastrous involvement in World War I was a primary factor that led to Vladimir Lenin’s successful Marxist revolution in November 1917. In December 1917, Germany agreed to an armistice and peace talks with Russia, and Lenin sent Leon Trotsky to Brest-Litovsk in Belarus to negotiate a treaty.

Finland declares war on Germany

1945 Finland declares war on Germany On this day, Finland, under increasing pressure from both the United States and the Soviet Union, finally declared war on its former partner, Germany.

After the German invasion of Poland, the USSR, wanting to protect Leningrad more than ever from encroachment by the West—even its dubious Nonaggression Pact partner Germany—began demanding control of various disputed areas from Finland, including part of the Karelian Isthmus (the land bridge that gave access to Leningrad). Finland resisted the Soviet pressure. Soviet Premier Joseph Stalin responded by enacting the “small print” of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Nonaggression Pact the USSR had signed with Germany back in August, which gave the USSR free reign in its “sphere of influence.” The Soviets invaded Finland on November 30, 1939. (Stalin claimed that Finnish troops opened fire on Soviet troops.)

The Finns stunned everyone by beating back the initial Soviet offensive. Although their resistance consisted of only small numbers of trained soldiers (on skis and bicycles!) the refusal to submit made headlines around the world. President Roosevelt quickly extended $10 million in credit to Finland, while also noting that the Finns were the only people to pay back their World War I war debt to the United States in full. But by the time the Soviets had a chance to regroup and send in massive reinforcements, the Finnish resistance was spent. In March 1940, negotiations with the Soviets began, and Finland signed the Treaty of Moscow, which handed over control of the Karelian Isthmus.

As tension increased between Germany and the USSR, Finland saw in Hitler a possible ally in gaining back its lost territory.

German troops were allowed on Finnish soil as the Germans prepared for their invasion of the Soviet Union—a war that the Finns joined.

1991

Police brutality caught on video

1991 Police brutality caught on video At 12:45 a.m. on March 3, 1991, robbery parolee Rodney G. King stopped his car after leading police on a nearly 8-mile pursuit through the streets of Los Angeles, California. The chase began after King, who was intoxicated, was caught speeding on a freeway by a California Highway Patrol cruiser but refused to pull over. Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) cruisers and a police helicopter joined the pursuit, and when King was finally stopped by Hansen Dam Park, several police cars descended on his white Hyundai.

A group of LAPD officers led

by Sergeant Stacey Koon ordered King and the other two occupants of the car to exit the vehicle and lie flat on the ground.

King’s two friends complied, but King himself was slower to

respond, getting on his hands and knees rather than lying flat.

Officers Laurence Powell, Timothy Wind, Ted Briseno, and Roland Solano tried to force King down, but he resisted, and the officers stepped back and shot King twice with an electric stun gun known as a Taser, which fires darts carrying a charge of 50,000 volts.

At this moment, civilian George Holliday, standing on a balcony in an apartment complex across the street, focused the lens of his new video camera on the commotion unfolding by Hansen Dam Park. In the first few seconds of what would become a very famous 89-second video, King is seen rising after the Taser shots and running in the direction of Officer Powell.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Abia health workers resume work Ifeanyi Onwuneme

Umuahia

ÏÏÏWorkers in public hospitals

in Abia State have suspended their almost four-month strike and resumed work on Monday.

This followed an agreement between the State Government and the state branch of the Medical and Health Workers Union (MAWUN) at the weekend.

The workers had gone on strike under the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESUN) in November, last year, claiming that government failed to implement an agreement with the union, bor-

dering on their welfare, among other issues.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Times in Umuahia on Monday, state Chairman of MAWUN, Comrade Uche Obigwe, explained that the suspension was only temporary. “We have only suspended the strike for a period of one month to give the government time to look into our grievances as it promised to do”.

He disclosed that at the meeting, a five-man committee was set up to broker peace between the two parties. Also in attendance was the JOHESUN state chairman, Comrade C.N. Nwaneri.

Patients at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia and General Hospital, Amachara, expressed joy at the restoration of full medical services and urged both parties to reach a compromise soon to ensure uninterrupted services this year.

23 News

Soldiers’ involvment in democratic elections, alien - Prof. Ango Daniel Jolly Bauchi

ÏÏÏThe Northern Elders Forum

(NEF) has said that the participation of soldiers in supervising elections is totally alien to any democracy and similar to bringing the military into politics.

“Military presence in elections is totally alien, it connotes violence and war, this is why they should be kept away from this kind of civil exercise, particularly politics”, the forum said through its spokesman, Professor Ango Abdullahi, at a press conference in Bauchi.

NEF recalled, over the week-

end, that, “already, there is a court decision that military should be kept out of the 2015 elections.

“Of course, those who want to use the military for rigging the elections have appealed against the decision of the court, we are aware of this, but, there is no reason for military involvement, since elections are not war situations for the military to appear with guns”, the forum added.

Abdullahi also noted that in some developed democratic countries, the police appear at polling venues without guns or other forms of weapons. “So we

have always believed that this is a civil event and it should be supervised by civilian security forces that are close to the people and this is the Police.

“The Police should be enough to supervise elections, they can be supported by other security personnel, the Civil Defense Corps, Customs, Immigration, they all wear uniforms, but military presence during democratic elections is, totally, alien”.

Abdullahi reiterated that unless security situations were really out of control, the military would never be called in to deal with civil matters, such as democratic elections.

Local hunters kill suspected suicide bomber in Adamawa Wale Akintunde Yola

ÏÏÏWhat could have led to the

death of early worshippers at a mosque in Gombi town, Adamawa State, on Monday, was averted when local hunters and vigilance groups shot dead a suspected suicide bomber, while headed for a mosque at Tashar Marghi area of the town.

A resident told Daily Times that “in the early hours of Monday, during the dawn prayers, a suicide bomber, carrying two explosives was shot and killed by local hunters.

“The development has heightened tension in the area follow-

Court affirms Ugwuanyi as Enugu PDP governorship candidate Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏA

Federal High Court in Abuja has held that Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi is the authentic governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in Enugu State for the April 11 election.

Justice Evoh Chukwu affirmed Ugwuanyi’s candidacy on Monday, while delivering a judgement on the suit filed by Senator Ayogu Eze, challenging the primaries that produced Ugwuanyi.

The judge dismissed Eze’s suit for lacking in merit after the court

ing the suspected bombs deposited behind the Walawa Hills by military aircraft,” a resident of Gombi said.

Meanwhile, fear has gripped Gombi town, as residents claimed to have sighted an aircraft with military colours, depositing bombs in the surrounding bushes.

The people became suspicious of the said aircraft, as it kept encircling the town for a long time, which made them to be alert and monitor it.

“However, after a long time of hovering over the town, it finally deposited weapons, suspected to be bombs, behind the Gombi hills,” a resident said. had found that the plaintiff was unable to prove that the list of candidates brought by King Asara Asara, PDP Primaries Election Committee chairman for Enugu was not authentic.

Justice Chukwu also held that the only governorship primary conducted by the PDP in Enugu, based on the harmonised delegates’ list, which was held at Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, Enugu produced Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

The court said that there was no parallel primaries held in Enugu as claimed by the plaintiff.

Besides, Section 87(4) of the Electoral Act empowers the National Executives of the political parties to organise the primaries.

The plaintiff, the court further held, was unable to show any infraction on the conduct of the said primaries. “I hold that only one primary election was conducted

by PDP’s NEC and I so hold”.

Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (middle) during a campaign rally at Okitipupa, Ondo State at the weekend

Bode George denies blocking Obanikoro’s screening Jonathan Eze

ÏÏÏFormer

Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George, has said that there is no rift between him and the erstwhile Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.

He added that he was favourably disposed to the nomination and confirmation of Obanikoro as a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

While reacting to news reports that he led some PDP leaders in Lagos State to a meeting with some opposition lawmakers, who were to prevent Obanikoro’s nomination, George said

whoever was linking him with such move was only trying to divide the party.

Speaking on Monday, through his Media Adviser, Prince Uthman Shodipe, the PDP chieftain said he had nothing against Obanikoro, adding that the postprimary crisis in the party had been resolved.

“The man (George) has been out of the country for the past two weeks and I’m wondering how and why any right-thinking person will link him with Obanikoro’s ordeal.

“For the records, George has nothing against Obanikoro. He comes around to greet Baba and we always meet at (political) rallies. There is no crisis in Lagos

George

PDP. The common goal is for us to take over Lagos State and in all fairness, Obanikoro has been doing well for the party and it will be a big leap for the party, if he becomes a Minister.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Buhari is surrounded by snakes, vampires, says Fani-Kayode Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Director of

Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, (PDPPCO), Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has said that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) General Muhammadu Buhari is surrounded by snakes and vampires within the party.

Fani-Kayode urged APC leaders to purge themselves of their obvious obsession with him (Fani-Kayode) and pray that God would keep Buhari safe from the enemy within.

According to Fani-Kayode, while speaking in Abuja on Monday, “Whether the APC wishes me well or not, I shall live long and prosper. What they think about me is neither here nor there and I lose no sleep over it.

“It is only what God thinks

about me that matters and they are not God. They do not like me and I do not like them and that is fine by me. “We do not need to like each other and all we need to do is to meet on the field.”I do not need their good wishes and neither do I crave their goodwill.

“We suggest that the APC people purge themselves of their obvious obsession with me and, instead, pray for the fortunes of their candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, because he is

in trouble and he is surrounded by snakes and vampires.

“They should pray that God will keep General Buhari safe from the enemy within.”Rather than continuously talking about me and making infantile and primitive statements, they should spend their time praying for the soul of the late and great PDP leader, Chief Funso Williams, who would have been governor of Lagos State, who was mysteriously murdered a

APC threatens to sue PDP over Osinbajo, Tinubu ÏÏÏThe

Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (right); presenting a plaque to General Officer Commanding, 2 Mechanised Division of the Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General Sanisi Nasir Muazu (middle) during the GOC ‘s visit to the governor in Osogbo, Osun State. With them is the Deputy Governor, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori … on Monday.

Obi castigates APC, APGA, canvasses votes for Ihedioha

Dilionye Dilibe Onitsha

ÏÏÏThe

former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has urged Imo State indigenes to vote for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha and other party candidates in the coming elections.

Speaking at a campaign rally held by Imo State indigenes residing in Onitsha, in honour of Ihedioha, Obi criticised the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in Imo State, which,

he said, was owing about N30 billion.

He boasted that while he was the governor of Anambra State, he never borrowed any money to accomplish the numerous projects his administration executed.

Obi stated that, rather, he left $165 million and another N3 billion which were deposited in various banks in the country and urged the electorate not to vote for the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and APC candidates in the coming elections.

He warned the electorate that any vote for the APC presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu

Buhari was a vote for retrogression, adding that a 70-year old man had nothing else to offer the nation.

Ihedioha, accompanied by Minister of State for Education, Prof. Viola Onwuliri: PDP Women National Leader, Chief (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe and National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, described the warm reception accorded him

by Imo State indigenes as a testimony that the people needed a change at the Government House and swore not to let them down if voted in as the next governor of the state.

All Progressive Congress (APC) has asked the Peoples Democratic Party and its Presidential Campaign’s Director of Media and Publicity Femi Fani-Kayode to produce evidence on their purported claims of oath-taking and resignation of Prof Yemi Osinbajo for national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in the event that General Muhammadu Buhari wins the March 28 presidential election.

The APC Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO) in a statement on Monday by its Director of Media and Publicity Garba Shehu, warned the PDP and Fani-Kayode to either show evidence of the oath-taking or retract what it called the libelous claims within 72 hours or be ready to be charged to a court of law.

“For the PDP through FaniKayode to state publicly that an erudite Professor of law, a Se-

APA candidate vows to end Boko Haram, N’Delta militancy Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏThe

Presidential candidate of the African People’s Alliance, (APA), Alhaji Musa Ayeni, has hinged the menace of Boko Haram insurgency and militancy in the Niger Delta on pervasive injustice that has permeates the

few years ago by a group of evil, power-hungry and callous men, and who was a formidable political adversary of Tinubu.

“We pray every day that God should avenge Funso Williams and bring those that killed him to justice. ”The problem with Tinubu’s wing of the APC is that they are so used to dishing out rubbish about other people, that it has affected their minds and their ability to say anything reasonable or rational”, he said.

nior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a reputable Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God swore an oath to vacate his seat as the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria for the National Leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, should the party win the forthcoming election is an attack on the hard-won integrity and the reputations of these great Nigerians and APC stalwarts ,” said Mallam Garba Shehu, Director, Media and Publicity of the Campaign.

In another statement on Monday by Shehu, the APCCO’s Director of Media and Publicity, described the Federal Government’s commencement of an independent revenue e-collection scheme under the Treasury Single Account initiative as too little too late and only predicated on the anticipation of an inevitable win by Buhari in the coming elections. “These are obviously lastminute attempts by the President Goodluck Jonathan government to plug loopholes in federal revenue collection by centralizing the process, a clear reaction to their expectation of General Muhammadu Buhari’s coming to power,” Malam Shehu said.

Nigerian society, promising to end the menace if elected.

Ayeni, a former Deputy Governor of the old Ondo State, promised to address the shortcomings in the 6-3-3-4 system of education that had been a clog to the sector for Nigeria to become a beacon to other African countries in scholarship. Speaking in Ado Ekiti on Monday, on his plans for the country, Ayeni said the militancy in the Niger Delta came into being because the area was not being fairly treated despite contributing about 92 % of resources to the federal revenue.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Okonjo-Iweala, others rate Jonathan high Mathew Dadiya

Ă?Ă?Ă?The

Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and five other ministers serving in the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan have said that the president had

performed creditably well above his predecessors, hence the need for Nigerians to vote him back for a second term, come March 28, 2015.

Iweala said this on Monday, while making her presentation at a town hall meeting, organized by the National Orientation

Agency (NOA) at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.

She stated that the government has done this in many ways through its various programmes and initiatives like YOUWIN, which is an entrepreneurial initiative to help entrepreneurs create jobs for

themselves and other citizens, as well as viable and reliable pension scheme.

The coordinating minister added: “Look, Nigeria’s economy has been growing at 7 per cent per annum; that is what you need in order to cut poverty, which is one of the fastest growth rates in the world.

INEC justifies use of military for elections Tosin Ajuwon Akure

Ă?Ă?Ă?The

Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Ondo State has admitted that military participation during election was to encourage more people to come out to vote, as they feel a sense of security.

This was disclosed on Monday in Akure, the state capital, by the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Mr. Olusegun Agbaje, at a town hall meeting on non-violent electoral participation.

Agbaje disclosed that while some PVCs were still being awaited from INEC headquarters, others were yet to be collected by their owners.

He also noted that a higher number of people came out to vote when military personnel are used on election days, adding that the military personnel do not go to polling booths, but are only stationed to enforce the no-movement order, citing the Osun and Ekiti example, which, he said, led to a successful outing.

He noted that the electoral body was considering how security personnel, observers and Nigerians abroad could be incorporated into the system so that they too could vote, probably on a special day.

The REC noted that the collaborative efforts of the civil society organizations (CSOs) have assisted the commission, especially in the area of knowledge sharing workshops, voters and civic education, among oth-

ers.

Abaje also said that a total of 1,073,904 PVCs had been distributed to voters in the state, representing 71.87% as at February 25, 2015, while 420,265, representing 28,13% were yet to

be collected.

On the issue of violence, he called on all individuals to shun violence or attempts to be used by any politician, who will only use and dump them. He said it was the responsibility of all to say NO!

to violence, during and after the election. “Every one of us must take a stand against electoral violence. We can’t afford to be on the fence, you and I have a role to play if we must say NO! to violence,� he said.

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25 News

Lara Adejoro

Ă?Ă?Ă?The

Heritage Bank Plc. has said it plans to adopt the Cerebral Palsy Centre in Surulere, Lagos, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR).

This was recealed at the presentation of a shuttle bus to the centre.

The bank stressed that it was important to show commitment towards the well-being of the physically challenged children in the society.

Presenting the keys of the vehicle to the management of the centre, a senior staff member of the bank, Davidson Regha, said they were delighted to be part of the life-saving efforts of the centre, adding that every child deserves care, irrespective of his or her condition. “We are committed as a bank and we would see how we can adopt the centre as one of our corporate social responsibilities to the society.� “We believe that when people are small, we take them from the infancy level to be able to grow them from when they go through education, when they start

Ola Yekeen Ilorin

Ă?Ă?Ă?A gang of armed rob-

working, get married and begin to create wealth. “The culture of Heritage Bank is creating and transmission of wealth and that can only be achieved after identifying people, regardless of their social class or status,� he said.

Expressing her gratitude, founder of the centre, Nonye Nweke, said: “We appreciate this landmark donation by Heritage Bank to enhance our operations.

May God reward you abundantly, and we pray that your efforts aimed at consolidating your presence in the financial industry will succeed beyond imagination. This is a timely and timeless gift.�

However, Nweke said one of the challenges of the centre was funding.

Robbers raid church over fund raising proceeds

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bers, in the early hours of Monday, invaded Emmanuel Baptist Church Cathedral, Sabo Oke in Ilorin, Kwara State, allegedly looking for the proceeds of an earlier fund raising by the church.

Our Correspondent reliably gathered that the robbers, said to be six in number, scaled the fence of the church from the back and overpowered the five private security guards on duty.

The robbers tied the security guards with ropes and commandeered one of them to lead them to the church strong room.

It was gathered that the robbers subsequently used axes, diggers and sledge hammers to break the safe but met the safe empty.

Apparently disappointed, the robbers allegedly

ordered the security men to lead them to the vicarage and ordered the vicar (names witheld) to produce the church money, or be shot dead.

The source further said that it took a plea and explanations from one of the security guards to save the life of the pastor.

The guard was quoted to have told the hoodlums that as a Baptist pastor, he did not have anything to do with the church money.

The robbers, who reportedly operated from 2 to 5am, out of anger, thereafter, dispossessed the entire resident in the vicarage of their belongings such as laptops, trinkets and cash.

A source in the church told this reporter that the matter had been reported to the police.

When contacted, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Ajayi Okasanmi, said his office had been informed about the incident.

26

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Law

s

Removing Jega is sowing seed for major crisis — Agbakoba Dr. Olisa Agbakoba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, (SAN) and former President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), recently hosted journalists to an interactive session, where he spoke on the forthcoming general election and the weak campaign strategies adopted by the political parties.

Besides, he spoke on the delay in dispensing justice and other salient issues. PETER FOWOYO was there.

Some Nigerian youths were captured on video demonstrating when the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari was making his presentation on the state of Nigeria at the Chatham House, London last week, but many of them did not know why they were there.

What is your view on this?

Everybody knows that both parties (APC and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP) are organising thugs, we all know it. All those people you saw in London were hired groups. If you go to the APC stand, PDP would come and pretend they are part of APC and be booing whoever, we know it and that is because political parties are not focusing on issues, they have nothing to say, so, they raise crowds. In fact, I will not be fair to the political candidate, in whom I had the greatest disappointment watching on television, at the end of a campaign rally which was so monotonous; you build a platform, come, talk and go; that is not a campaign. These youths, who have been hungry, over the last five years, are being given money, so, they take your N1,000, N2,000, N500. Imagine those young ones in the UK, no jobs for them, so there’s enough men and materi-

als to be used by the political parties to pretend that they are the popular ones. Our political parties’ experience is a burden, there should be issues that will make the parties to be focused, and tell Nigerians about how they intend to solve them. I challenge any of the parties on whether they have told us ‘here is how we intend to go about these issues’, they have not and it’s less than 18 days to the election.

Does it mean that people with ideas don’t get to power or when they do they don’t have good advisers?

The political elite are motivated by their greed and not by the desire to do well, which is the problem, so, immediately, they get elected, whether at the local government or House of Assembly level, they are thinking about the resources they can acquire personally. I can tell you that this law firm had submitted over 50 legislations to the National Assembly, apart from the Cabotage Act, I don’t think any one of them had been passed, because that is not their interest. They are interested in how to line their pockets while they are in office, they don’t do anything for you. Those are the issues we should be putting to the PDP and APC, especially. It is a shame that, rather

‘‘The only improvement with PVC is that it’s an electronic chip, but, if a single Nigerian does not have a PVC, then he ought to be allowed to use his TVC’’ than for Buhari to take part in a debate here, he ran to the Chatham House, London, to talk, I find that, absolutely, incredible, when he ought to be here. The UK is not the venue to canvass for votes, you canvass for votes in Nigeria, so, it’s a big shame that neither the PDP nor APC had presented us with a platform to ask, precisely, the question you have asked. Why do you assume office and do nothing? Because there has to be something driving you to become a legislator or a governor or the president, so, if you get there, you do, absolutely, nothing,

then, when the circle is about to end, you now come back, rather than hold on to the good works you’ve done, you now hold money to bribe, because anyone who has done well keeps returning and I can name a good example in Abike Dabiri. She’s very active. 90 per cent of the people in the National Assembly have never said a word, they didn’t say a word, they don’t even come, but, what are we doing about it? We don’t call them to account, so, at least, we have the APC to thank for making the PDP sit up, because, before, it was terrible, it was, absolutely, terrible, when you’ve only one party clapping with one hand, but, now we have two, so, the first building block of a successful democratic experiment is in place. The second one is vision and leadership, which neither party has shown.

Are you not worried that most of these political parties do not have internal democracy. What can be done to address this issue?

It leads to the issue that I’ve been talking about. The reason many people are in politics is to make money, so, Amaechi lined up to be governor of Rivers State on the PDP platform, Celestine Omehia, who didn’t take part, but, because the internal democ-

racy of the party reversed itself, the man who took part and won was removed and the man who did not take part was pushed in. This is happening across the parties, because of our greed. I don’t think you understand the tremendous impact that winning an election in Nigeria makes to your life, you underestimate it.

Here’s a man who can go from zero naira to become a billionaire. These people are prepared to kill; they are prepared to do anything. I think the blame goes to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), because they ought to be a strong referee that controls the match; a strong umpire controls the elections. INEC has been a great part of the blame to bear because it is the body with the power to accept.

In every primary election, INEC must be there to make observations. What I noticed is that INEC does not play that regulatory role, which is why at the Uwais panel committee, we recommended that INEC ought to be unbundled, I think that should happen, INEC is doing too many things. INEC is the biggest printer in Nigeria, I hope you know that, it registers political parties, it prosecutes electoral offences, and it does the

Continued on page 27

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

27 Law

‘No Nigerian should be deprived of voting’ Continued from page 26 most crucial, which is conducting the election and declaring the winner. Everything around INEC that is not central to that function should be removed. If INEC can actually use the whip, the issue of internal democracy will be over.

Are soldiers supposed to take part in the conduct of elections?

Soldiers, generally, are not supposed to take part in any civil service that the police can do. The first thing will be, if soldiers are required, because the police are overwhelmed, the Geneva Convention Act, authorises the roles for the armed forces, in the face of a civil war. Like it or not, Nigeria has been a low grade civil war in the past years, Nigeria has suffered the greatest casualties, in terms of civil war, even more than Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan. A large part of our country is inaccessible. So, in a country that can be said to be in a low grade civil war, it will be foolhardy to expect that soldiers will not be involved in an election. I will not say that soldiers should be deployed, but, if there’s an insurrection that is beyond the containment of the police force, of course, the Geneva Convention Act authorises the President to deploy such a force.

Let us hope there is none, but, if there is, even the police have two kinds of forces, unarmed one, that are around the ballot papers, then the armed one, that is behind the scenes. Let’s hope that everything go well and that the deployment of soldiers would not be unnecessary.

The 2011 Electoral Act prohibits electronic voting, but, the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) for accreditation, which is the foundation for all elections, will be used for the 2015 general election. Is this not a contradiction of the Act? No, the PVC is not an electronic voting. There’s a major misconception, if you want to access your money on-line, you use your card, but, in order for you to be authenticated by the remote banking, you put it into a card reader, to say ‘yes, this is the same person’. The fact that you are using that card doesn’t mean it is used electronically. I can go to my bank and use the card to withdraw cash, I can stay in my home and use my card to withdraw cash so, it is not electronic, it is, absolutely, manual, because you’re going to go to the polling booth, so, that is not electronic,

of a good judge, he can finish a case in one day. The judicial function is equivalent to a man going to see a medical doctor and no one wants to take nine years going to see the doctor. So, lawyers are not the problem. Lawyers file an objection, what does the judge do?

But lawyers are known to file appeals even in the issue of preliminary objection just to frustrate a case…

‘‘Removing Jega now is sowing the seed for a major crisis, the best thing is to allow Jega stay, and his tenure is ending, anyway’’

we are not doing remote voting, but, manual voting, through the PVC. Speculations are rife that the Jonathan administration may send Prof. Attahiru Jega on terminal leave in order to bring in another INEC boss that will do the ruling party’s bidding. Do you share this view?

I can’t answer it, because I am not in PDP nor am I in government, but, it will be unfortunate, I don’t think that will be right. I think everything possible should be done to ensure that the elections are seen, not only seen, but, must, manifestly, be seen that the elections are free and fair. One thing that will happen and not make them free and fair is another postponement, which cannot be taken, Nigeria will go down the precipice. Removing Jega now is sowing the seeds for a major crisis, the best thing is to allow Jega stay, and his tenure is ending, anyway, so, that is why these rumours are coming, but, allow Jega to conduct these elections, within the framework of the constitution. Let both political parties stop all these twisting, let them face the people and account for their good and bad deeds. We are the ones who will determine whether they will get in or not.

So, what I hope will happen is a smooth sail, INEC rolls out all its materials and gets ready on that day, barring the political challenges which I mentioned, people will stay on the line, feel angry, insult each other, but, eventually, cast their votes, INEC will be late in announcing the results, but, eventually, it will be announced, one person would lose and be angry, pour venom and say it was rigged, then that man will go to court, make lawyers rich, but, eventually, we will settle down.

That is not my problem.

My problem is that whether,

Agbakoba

you, now at 40 or 45, want the same question to be asked, because I am 61 years old and I’ve seen it since 1960, nothing has changed, so, that is the seriousness of this issue. For you that are younger than me, do you want the same question being asked, are you not tired? That is the issue.

Is the country practising federalism?

I have said it; it is not and that is why I told you not to be disappointed if all I described occur.

You will see the time for election will be 8am, they will not come until 11am, don’t worry about that, worry about casting your vote, whether it will end at 4pm or it will not end, people will still be on the line, whether the results will be announced or not, so, all that is going to happen, but, let us hope that this is the last, let us hope that we can now elect a statesman that can practise true federalism. Anybody who wants to be president, who doesn’t have a clear idea of what he is going to do on June 1, should better step back. Federalism means we must distribute power. Look at the structure you have in Daily Times, the mission that binds most journalists is to the paper to go to sleep, isn’t it? Do you know the energy it takes to get the paper published and distributed every day? I wish these politicians will think of that, because it means that the Editor is already thinking even before he reached the office, of how he’s going to contact all his correspondents, that is the

distribution of power. He can’t be here conducting this interview.

He distributes power. Why do we have only one president, whereas, you can have, at least, seven presidents? One in Abuja, six in the various geopolitical areas, it will make the work that I described, the 98 items of power easier and simpler.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria has raised the alarm that over 5,000 cases are pending before the Supreme Court. How do you think this issue can be handled, can there be speedy justice?

It is their fault. What do they do? The CJN comes in, makes a nice speech about the problems, does nothing until he’s leaving and then in his valedictory, he tells the incoming CJN ‘this is what you should do’, that is the problem. What has he done? I was on the NJC myself, what has he done? It is talk, talk, talk, too much talk, we don’t do anything, but, just talk. Let our political leaders work the talk.

But a few days ago, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court said that lawyers are the biggest problem causing the delay. How true is this?

That is not true. Please, it’s not true. Now tell me, Even when John Mikel Obi accused Catton of racial discrimination, what happened? The judge is the master of his court. One of my good friends, who has some challenges with his appointment as a judge exhibited, for me, the true colour

Who is the judge in charge?

Does a lawyer make a decision?

But lawyers are known to be petition writers against these judges…

When I was on the NJC, I never encouraged frivolous petitions.

You’re talking about effective judiciary, not so? Yes, the judiciary must work in tandem. We must know those lawyers who cause trouble. There was one application that was brought before a judge, through this friend of mine, in respect of a newspaper that owed. He said: “You want to wind up this newspaper, but, I read it every day, maybe, the man owes you, it’s not a winding up matter, it’s a debt recovery and I will not be used in this way, then, he struck it out. In the old days, when we used to practise law at the Bourdillon Court of Appeal, the experienced Appeal Court judges would have looked at the case, you, as the appellant, means that you should talk first, not so?

Yes. They will say, ‘we don’t feel we should call you to say anything. Respondent, tell us why we should not grant his request’, then you would start shaking.

The whole thing has gone down, in the old days of strong judges and before they come out they already know so, they give you judgment on the spot. Our problem is the weakening of institutions across the field. So when the CJN said there were 5, 000 cases pending at the apex court, I asked him: what is he going to do about it?

In England now, the Supreme Court does not robe; they discuss cases with lawyers in a room, it is very informal. Our judiciary needs to have the international best jurists to do their work. Most of these cases you see, there is nothing in them, they are a few bad cases, but, lawyers cloak out the cases and ineffective judges, who don’t know what to do, make them sound as if they are very big. Across the board, we have less than competent people, whether political, judicial or legislative, and this ought to stop for Nigeria to be a good country.

28

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Business Times

Acting SEC D-G, Gwarzo, now heads Africa/Middle East committee Adesola Akindele The Acting Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Nigeria, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, has been elected the Chairman, Africa/Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

SEC, in a statement, said that Gwarzo’s election took place at the ongoing annual conference of the regional body in Muscat, Oman.

Gwarzo, it said, would hold the office for two years.

It also said that Gwarzo would serve on the Executive Committee of IOSCO, the highest decision making organ of the global securities regulatory organisation.

The statement also quoted

corded by IOSCO in global securities regulation.

The statement said that the new Chairman advocated improved participation of AMERC members in IOSCO to enhance confidence and visibility. ``The essence of our membership of this organisation is not limited to setting standards only.

Gwarzo

Gwarzo as commending AMERC members for the vote of confidence reposed on him, adding that his election would enable him to build on the foundations laid in advancing IOSCO and AMERC. It quoted Gwarzo as saying that there was still a lot of work to be done in spite of the progress re-

``As critical as standard setting may be to IOSCO objectives, we also have a responsibility to build the required capacity and be able to deploy these standards for optimum results. ``We shall also find ways to take full advantage of the numerous opportunities which abound within IOSCO, either in the area of capacity building, enforcement cooperation and information sharing,” the statement added.

s New local content law will bridge metering gap - Manufacturers Tony Nwakaegho For encouraging local manufacturers in the electricity sector through a law that mandates patronage of indigenous products, Electricity Meter Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN), has heaped praises on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC).

EMMAN’s commendation was contained in a statement released in Lagos by the Executive Secretary of the association, Mr. Muyideen Ibrahim, at the weekend.

The statement said the local content law would not only protect the indigenous players in the evolving Nigerian power sector but also impact positively on the economy by raising the Gross Do-

Nigeria’s agricultural policies ambitious but achievable – Owoeye Charles Okonji A former critic of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) and the Managing Director of Elephant Group Africa, Mr. Tunji Owoeye, has disclosed that the objectives of the ATA programmes were not only ambitious at inception but had been proven to be realisable.

Owoeye advised politicians to desist from playing politics with agriculture, warning that it could have dire consequences on the country.

He made this plea while hosting the executive members of Nigerian Association of Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ), who paid a courtesy visit to his office in Lagos. He said politicising agriculture will adversely affect several revolutionary policies of the present government which are impacting positively on agri-

culture in Nigeria.

The Elephant Group CEO described himself as one of the pessimists, who opposed the policies put forward by the Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adeshina, because he thought the policies were aggressive, ambitious and unachievable but added that four years down the line, they were not just achievable but are already yielding results that a lot of countries want to come to Nigeria to copy the agricultural policies of the country.

Owoeye however announced that his company had acquired 20,000 hectares of land for rice production with investment in billions of naira. He estimated rice consumption in Nigeria to be between five to six tonnes of rice.

While lauding President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration for dealing with multi-billion

naira fertilizer fraud, he urged Nigerians to make use of financial facilities put in place by the government to boost agriculture in the country.

In his contribution, the Executive Director of the Group, Akin Ogunbiyi, called on the government to review the Land Use Act so as to lessen the difficulty in acquiring land for Agricultural purposes.

He also reiterated the need for Bank of Agriculture to relax some of their policies so that many farmers can have access to the facilities quicker.

Earlier, NAAJ President, Stanley Ihedigbo, lauded the Elephant Group for its contributions to the economy of the country especially in the area of agriculture. He said the association, which was formed to promote agriculture, was in the company for facility tour and to have firsthand knowledge of its operations.

Owoeye

mestic Product (GDP).

It said that it would also provide employment and business opportunities for Nigerians.

It further added that the local meter manufacturers had the production capacity to bridge the wide electricity metering gap in the sector.

“They can also supply world class meters to neighbouring West African countries and Africa at large”, the statement said.

“On behalf of the Electricity Meters Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (EMMAN), I will like to commend the Dr. Sam Amadi-led Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), for the bold step in the right direction”, Ibrahim noted.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

NAHCO to host first Nigeria air cargo summit

29 Aviation

NAMA boosts capacity as three ATCs fail rating Three out of the 43 Air Traffic Controllers that took part in the rigorous rating examinations held between November and December, 2014 on Aerodrome Approach, Approach Radar, Area/Airways and Area Control Surveillance, have failed.

A statement from the acting general manager public affairs of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency NAMA, Mrs Olajumoke Adetona said, forty were successful in the exercise.

According to Mrs Adetona the critical manpower capacity

The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO Aviance) has concluded plans to hold the first – ever Air Cargo Summit in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Company announced in Lagos that the event would be a gathering of the key players in the Nigerian aviation industry as major stakeholders are set to brainstorm on the way forward for the industry.

The Chief Commercial Officer of the Company, Mr. Seyi Adewale, said that although some progress had been made in the development of the sector in recent years, what operators in the sector had been doing basically was to scratch the surface. He stated that the Summit would explore

ways to expand and grow the industry beyond what operators had ever imagined.

He disclosed that the industry regulator, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), had been requested to chair the occasion so as to make regulatory pronouncements which the Summit would use as a guide in in its discourse.

Adewale was quoted in the statement by NAHCO Aviance as saying, “This Summit would allow government to see areas of opportunities, ensure better engagements amongst stakeholders, highlight areas of concern within the air cargo business and lastly, discuss l way forward for better safety & air cargo security.”

According to him, air cargo is

a major driver of the Nigeria’s economy and is in fact, also a potential high earner of foreign income for the nation as oil export earnings have been downward.

He said further, “Safety is a primary issue within the industry and we have to keep reinforcing ourselves for potential challenges ahead and get the buy-in of Cargo Agents too! They will be well represented at the Summit.”

Adewale however warned that there are sacrifices to be made for the industry to get to the desired destination. “There are sacrifices to be made in the days ahead from our estimation and we could all agree to the sacrifices that must be made to assure safety, security, efficiency etc.,” he pointed out.

Arik gets assurance from Police on tightening of Airports’ security Arik Air has called on the Federal Government to deploy armed policemen at the nation’s airports to tighten security in view of the growing terror threats in the country and across the globe.

The airline made this known when the new Commissioner of Police, Airport Command, Dorothy Gimba paid a courtesy visit to Arik Air headquarters in Lagos.

The Deputy Managing Director, Captain Ado Sanusi who spoke on behalf of the airline

Abba, Police IG

said to further tighten security at the terminal buildings and the airside, there was need to have armed police officers at

these areas, especially at this time when insurgency is threatening peace in the world, forcing various countries to restructure their security system, including airport security.

Sanusi also said that the presence of armed police officials is necessary in order to checkmate disruptive passengers who overreact when flights are rescheduled or cancelled, adding that cancellation and flight rescheduling are a trend in international air travel, which passengers should be familiar with.

Abdulsalam, MD, NAMA

of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, (NAMA) has attained another giant leap with the rating of the 40 Air Traffic Controllers by the Nigerian by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, (NCAA).

She said the Air Traffic Controllers who cut across different cadres got their ratings after successfully passing the oral, practical and written examinations conducted in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt as well as Benin airports and supervised by the regulatory authority.

Averted crashes: United Airlines issues safety warning to pilots Due to a number of inflight near-misses, United Airlines has urged pilots to be more vigilant.

The memo is reported to say that the airline has experienced “what we would categorise as major safety events and nearmisses” and although no fatalities have occurred, United used strong language to convey the safety message to pilots.

The memo reads: “Every time we enter the cockpit with the intention of performing our pilot duties, we evaluate risk. Every pilot must be willing to speak up if safety is in question. In the same vein, every pilot must also accept the input of their fel-

United airlines

low crewmembers on the flight deck. In most cases, one of the pilots recognizes an unsafe situation. In some cases, a pilot’s input is ignored. This is unacceptable.”

The memo adds that the current high turnover of pilots in the group due to retirements, seat movements and new hires, which the airline states “introduces significant risk to the operation”.

“Bottom line: United is at a critical juncture in its history and we as aviators must adhere to the policies and procedures outlined in the Flight Manuals, FOM, WOM and ALPA Code of Ethics.

30

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, March 3, 2015

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Legally, Jega’s tenure ends March 24

Aloy Ejimakor

If, however, he is emboldened to sit tight, he has to know that any extra day he spends in office beyond March 24 is not by any force of law but by the sheer good graces of President Jonathan.

ÎÎÎIn the interest of

full disclosure, let me say from the outset that this piece is nonpartisan. It is, instead, an apolitical academic exercise, primarily intended as a simple legal treatise, without being personal, on the legalities of tenure of Prof Attahiru Jega as INEC Chairman. Having said that, let me then give reasons why Jega’s tenure legally or actually comes to end on March 24, 2015, instead of the presumptive June 24, 2015.

Jega was appointed

by President Jonathan on June 8, 2010, and confirmed by the Senate on June 24, 2010. Under the law, his tenure runs for five years. Mathematically, therefore his tenure ‘exactly’ ends on June 24, 2015, counting from the date of Senate confirmation.

But accordingly to extant rules and our timehonored conventions, his tenure ‘actually’ comes to an end on March 24 because he is required, without more, to compulsorily proceed on terminal leave three months to the math-

ematical end of his tenure.

And this is being very generous because, if you go by the ‘doctrine of relation back’, a strong case can be made that his terminal leave shall commence on March 8 (the date he was appointed), instead of March 24 (the date he was confirmed).

For those who might argue otherwise, there are legions of precedents, including, most notably, that of Jega’s predecessor, Prof Maurice Iwu. Iwu’s tenure was due to expire on June 13, 2010. However, on April 28, 2010, then acting President Jonathan, ordered Iwu to proceed on terminal leave. That Iwu’s own terminal leave was less than three months to his mathematical five years was probably a matter of expediency of that turbulent era and presidential grace, to boot.

In recent times, we have seen other equally constitutionally-tenured public servants proceed on terminal leave before the exact date of expiration of their tenure. Here are few examples. Former

IGP Abubakar’s tenure was due to end on July 30, 2014 but he proceeded or was sent on terminal leave on May 12, 2014. Former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Musdapher voluntarily proceeded on terminal leave three months before the constitutional or mathematical end of his tenure. Ditto for former PCA, Justice Salami, even though his own was somewhat exceptional because he was on suspension when his terminal leave clock began to tick. I might add that Salami fought his for its exceptional equities but still lost. Jega has no such equities.

To underscore that there are no exceptions, the Federal Government, in a wellreceived circular issued by the former Head of Service, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, had “called on those affected to comply with immediate effect by observing the three months terminal leave as provided for in the extant Rules”. Unarguably, those affected included, without exceptions, all public servants that have consti-

tutional or legal tenure, either based on fixed tenuretrack, as in the case of Iwu, Jega, etc; or straight retirement based on 35 years service (the IGP) or age (Justice Musdapher).

According to the circular, which is captioned ‘Three Months Pre-Retirement/Terminal Leave’, the government stated that “It has been observed that the mandatory notice of retirement for officers who are due to retire is not being observed as provided for in the extant rules. Accordingly, it has become necessary to reiterate the provisions of Public Service Rules (PSR) 100238 which states that officers are required to give three months notice of their retirement from service terminating on the effective date of their retirement”.

For avoidance of doubt, the term retirement, in context, applies, mutatis mutandis, to those on fixed tenure like Jega.

The circular was addressed and sent to the Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Justice of the Federation, all Ministers,

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Service Chiefs, the Inspector-General of Police, Chairman Federal Civil Service Commission, the Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Others are Heads of extra-ministerial departments, the Accountant-General of the Federation, AuditorGeneral of the Federation, Surveyor-General of the Federation, DirectorsGeneral/chief executives of parastatals and agencies.

So, as we can see from above, it is left for Jega to decide between these two options: It is either he voluntarily proceeds on his terminal leave by March 24, 2015, or he may be forced to do so by executive fiat. If, however, he is emboldened to sit tight, he has to know that any extra day he spends in office beyond March 24 is not by any force of law but by the sheer good graces of President Jonathan.

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. website: www.dailytimes.com.ng; email: info@dailytimes.com.ng. Tel: 018447948. EDITOR: YINKA OLUJIMI News Hotlines: 08138773277, 08173901838. Advert Hotlines: 08169118913, 08075038528

Life&

TIMES Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Banish Intercourse L3 pain P

Lami Philips

Unveiled like never before Wardrobe staples for men

L2

P

L4

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Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday March 3, 2015

Not true that I don’t have friends in the industry Opeoluwani Akintayo She isn’t your regular kind of singer, Soul music is her forte and she sure knows how to hold her own. Warm, calm and a jolly good fellow, Lami Philips was willing to open up about her career, marriage and sundry issues when Life & Times caught up with her on a certain busy Wednesday on Lagos Island.

What have you been up to?

Not much at the moment. I am working on my album, mixing the live portion of the album as well as the studio version. I am almost done with it. I’m doing most of the collaborations in Lagos. It’s most challenging when you have collaborations, working with your schedule and the other person’s schedule.

How many tracks do you have on it?

It won’t be more than 13 even though we’ve recorded about 25 songs.

Why? Because I think that when you have too many songs on an album, some of them won’t get the chance to breath. And I want to put just what I’m sure my fans will want to listen to now. Some of them may be of free downloads later on.

Any title yet?

I don’t want to say until we are done. I want it to have that element of surprise.

So when should your fans expect its release?

Fingers crossed, any time from next month.

You now feature in other artistes’ videos unlike in the past: Banky W and Falz’s ‘Marry Me’ video I really believe in time and chances. When I started recording for the second album, the first thing I needed to do was to chill out, spend some time with my husband and my daughter, get my bearing and find the appropriate people to work with for the second album. So now that is almost done, I feel I can do some other things. I go out more than usual although I am still selective with where I go to. I don’t show up in everybody’s video. Banky has always been my friend since when I came back to Nigeria.

He called me and gave me an hour to show up for the video shoot. He was also in one of the first videos that I shot, Nothing Do You. I gave him like 24hours notice as well.

So, there are people like that who have your back so, whenever they need you, you just have to show up.

I totally saw a new Lami in those two

videos. I didn’t know you can act. Is that an area you would like to explore?

I actually was in theatre when I was in London, and I’m presently reading some scripts right now and close to accepting some, but, it has to be the right thing for me. It’s always good for one not to settle for anything cheap.

You’ve been quite active on the social media of recent, posting pictures. You didn’t use to be like that.

Honestly, I’m not the social media type.

I’m not into chatting because it’s a lot of work for me. But the fantastic thing is that your Instagram platform allows you to post on Facebook and Twitter at the same time.

That’s why it seems as though I’m everywhere. So, it’s easy for me to just post a picture and put a comment on Instagram and then send them to my Twitter and Facebook. If you watch on my Twitter feed, you’d see that I’m not as active but I’m trying.

Why don’t you show off your husband on social media like other female celebrities do?

I do but you probably haven’t been checking but not as often as some other people. You have to prayerfully find a proper balance between your private and public persona. I see music as my job. If I was working in a bank, I wouldn’t put my husband’s picture on the checks that I sign or on documents. But once in a while, I do put it out there because I want people to know I have a fantastic husband and a good home. He’s doing his own thing and I have to respect that. I also think that sometimes when you over indulge the public, then you give them the right to have an opinion about certain thing. But when we were on vacation, I put up a lot of pictures about what we were doing but I try to put the focus on myself so it doesn’t seem too much because I’m very protective about my marriage, it means the whole world to me.

So when is your daughter getting a sibling? She’s five years already We are just taking our time, we both have very busy lifestyles and I consider myself one of the luckiest mothers in the world.

So whatever we do, we love to do properly.

She will have a sibling in God’s time.

It’s surprising that you do not have any endorsement deals. Why is this?

I don’t weigh my success with things like that. Although it’ll be fantastic to get endorsement deals. I think it’s the new fad but not everyone can be a brand ambassador.

I’m not killing myself over it. I’d rather be paid good money for the gigs I do which happens anyway so, I’m contented with that.

If you weren’t a singer, what else

Lami s Philip

would you have been?

I like working with children especially the ones between the ages of 1-4.

Do you have other businesses aside music, maybe like fashion?

I believe that whatever it is that I’m doing should be perfectly done first before thinking about other things. I don’t have any desire to have a fashion line but, if there’s anything I want to do it will be in the future but everything will still revolve around music. But I would like to setup NGOs to help the underprivileged.

What about setting up a record label for souls singers like you?

For a record label to function, it will have to be that we already have a structure which we don’t have in Nigeria yet. I won’t want to sign anybody and then mess up their future I’m sure you’d have had some embarrassing moments on the job Not really. What’s funny is that what other people consider embarrassing, I see as funny. I’m not really sensitive like that.

If a fan says something funny or stupid to me, I’d rather laugh it off. There was a time I tripped on the red carpet and my friends and I sat there the whole time and laughed over it. We weren’t embarrassed about it.

You don’t have too many friends in the industry besides Waje. Why is this so?

That’s what you think. I’m close to a lot of people. I completely adore Sasha and I have some of who we meet up at my house and hang out but we are very private people and don’t feel the need to post pictures for all to see. I’m very passionate that the women in the industry are close enough and I don’t think there’s an artiste I don’t consider my friend. They also know that I don’t get close to people easily but when I do, I do everything necessary expected of me as a friend.

So besides Waje, Omawunmi, Tiwa, Sasha, Toke, Omoni Oboli, Moet Abebe, Fade Ogunro, Toolz, Rita Dominic.

You like to wear low heeled shoes a lot despite your height I’m a shoe person and if I go shopping, I might spend 90 per cent of my budget on shoes, a few t-shirts and easy pants, it’s the way I am. I’m a simple person. I like being comfortable unless it’s a red carpet event.

But I’m short and I like the fact that I’m short(laughs), so that when I’m walking, I

walk very fast. I don’t like anything to hold me back. I like trainers a lot There are only a few Soul singers in Nigeria. Have you considered spicing things up to make you stand out?

I don’t go into the studio thinking to do soul music. I write and then put it together.

People listen to soul music and think it’s melancholy because it’s soft. But there are different types of soul music; funk soul, afro soul, rap soul and the likes. But apart from that, soul music has a really long way to go in Nigeria it is still finding its feet and not many people can quite comprehend it yet.

Even hip-hop had a long stretch before it started being acceptable. I’m not about trying to fit in because that’s boring. I want to listen to my music in like 60 years and be proud of what I’ve done. So I don’t care if it’s fast or slow, as long as it comes from my soul then, I’ll do it Is retirement in view someday?

Soul musicians never retire. Didn’t you see Pati Labelle kicking off her shoes at the Presidential inauguration. Diana Ross still sings. I will still be singing when I am 80 years and with a walking stick. It would have been a different thing if I was a rapper, but my kind of music is timeless and that’s what counts.

Are you considering doing a soul concert with Bez and Cobhams?

I haven’t but we could, it’s a good idea and I could call Cobhams to talk about that.

I’m sure we all think about things like that but too busy to follow through.

What won’t you be caught dead wearing?

I’m not skinny so whatever I wear should flatter my body. I don’t judge people who dress in a certain way. Like I see Jennifer Lopez and I’m jealous because she’s over 40 and still looks hot. If I could get myself to that stage maybe, I would want to show off my belly but it’s not a prerequisite for being classy. Being beautiful is understanding your body and packaging it well. I like my body and just want to be toned.

Does your husband restrict you when it comes to socializing?

He’s even more social that I am. He wishes I go out more often but when we are both free, I go out with him and enjoy it.

He’s my party buddy.

You are blessed with good skin. What’s

your beauty routine like?

It is in the genes, I took it after my mother and grandmother. But I’m a very simple person, I really don’t like makeup. Even my makeup artistes know I don’t like my face being caked. I use simple products like Johnson lotion. I try to wash my face before I go to bed or I use baby wipes. I don’t sleep with makeup. There are days I go without makeup What about going natural with your hair, like not wearing hair extensions?

Yes I can go without extensions but if I know that I’m going to be having gigs and I know it’s not going to be easy to manage my natural my hair, I wear my extensions, it’s easier to manage. But when I’m out of Lagos I love it when I have my natural hair on and don’t have to wear makeup What else are you looking at beside your album?

I want to travel round Africa and immerse myself in African cultures because I have to incorporate their music tunes into mine. I’ve learnt not to over plan. I just take things one at a time.

Life& T

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Editor Nkarenyi Ukonu n.ukonu@dailytimes.com.ng 08029030427 Akintayo Opeoluwani o.ogunjimi@dailytimes.com.ng 08126223784 Mutiat Alli m.alli@dailytimes.com.ng 08115557378 Isaac Oguntoye i.ogundoye@dailytimes.com.ng 08069489893 Quadri Olowolagba 08029745478 Graphics Austine Agbovi a.agbovi@dailytimes.com.ng

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday March 3, 2015

ove

L3 Relationship

Husbands please

us

Ngozi Ndubisi

ngozindubisi@yahoo.com

Last week we treated the topic hatred and we were asked to either write or boldly share with others any hatred issue. No one came forward but a letter was dropped in our suggestion box and it reads thus: Dear Sir, A friend who is also a colleague of mine visit’s my home regularly, sometime late last year she started visiting my home mostly on Sundays at the time she knows I’m in the church. I’ve begged her not to come to my house when I’m not home and when she didn’t heed to that, I asked her to stop coming to my house and took the matter up with my husband who told me he has equally, on several occasions, called her on the phone asking her to stop coming over. I hate her and also hate what she is doing to my marriage. Am I not justified in hating her? Please, what should I do next?

What would you suggest to her?

Write in your suggestions to:

ngozindubisi@yahoo.com

“Husbands love your wives…” this has been the command given to all husbands from time immemorial. Have they truly been keeping this command? I will like to share with you a joke that was sent to me by five different readers (three males, two females) 12 Nigerian husbands were asked to send a love note to their wives that they professed to love. This was the text they sent to their wives: “I love you sweetheart, can’t wait to get home.” The husbands were instructed to exchange their phones and read out loud the replies: Have you gone and got some girl pregnant again?

You want borrow money abi?

Whatever you have done this time, I won’t forgive you.

I must be dreaming.

I will kill you this time. Who is she?

God don catch you today, na me you send am to, not your girlfriend Who released this song wey you wan buy?

Meaning???

You this man, I don beg you to stop drinking.

Abeg, na who be this ooooooooo?

Do not come back to this house, am just fed up.

The text from the twelfth wife is unprintable. Her text, filled with too much rage and insults, got me thinking; what kind of a husband was he? What must have transpired in that marriage?

As I was preparing this week’s article and thinking about the letter that was read and how to help the husbands learn how to love their wives, this passage came to me: “You cry out, “Why has the LORD abandoned us?” I’ll tell you why!

Because the LORD witnessed the vows you and your wife made to each other on your wedding day when you were young. But you have been disloyal to her, though she remained your faithful companion, the wife of your marriage vows.” Malachi 2:14.

MEETING YOUR WIFE’s BASIC NEEDS In loving your wife, some basic needs must be met and it is imperative that you take steps to fully meet these needs. These include: Ï ƑƆƅƄ ƄƄƕ Ǝ ƂƄ ƃ ƄƍƆ Ƅƕ ƂƓ Ƅƍ Ə Ƃ ƕê To Cherish means to tenderly care for, nurture and value. A wife needs all of these for reassurance that she is loved by her husband.

Valuing your wife above all other persons, possessions, or activities and showing that your delight in her goes beyond the things she can do for you that make her feel secure in your love. Failure to do any of these leave her feeling insecure. A wife that feels insecure acts irrationally most times. Ï ƑƆƅƄ ƄƄƕ Ǝ ƈ Ƒ Ƅ Ɔ ƊƄƄƎƆ Ƅƍ Ə Ƃ ƕô fundamental needs.

A wife finds security and purpose in knowing that she is meeting her husband’s needs over and above any other woman in her husband’s life. The worst fear of a woman that leads to jealousy; is the fear of being displaced or replaced by anyone. Your wife needs to Engr and Mrs Ayodele be confident not only in your love for her but that you sincerely desire her companionship and genuinely need her assistance. After all, she’s your “help meet” Ï ƑƆƅƄ ƄƄƕ Ƅƍ Ə Ƃ ƕ Ǝ Əƍ Ƅƍê Husbands, make a conscious effort to practice the habits that would particularly bring out the best in your wife. Show her respect when you are with your family, children, friends, colleagues and when you both go out to occasions. Refraining from using crude and abusive language will go a long way to showing your love for her. Ï ƑƆƅƄ ƄƄƕ Ǝ ƅƄƄƉ Ƌƍ ƎƄƃƎƄƕ ƂƓ Ƅƍ Ə Ƃ ƕê Sometimes wives need to be protected from themselves. They need their husbands to know when to be firm with them and when to be lenient. The husband needs to be alert to the emotional, Please help me ma, I read your Daily Times blog some mental, physical strengths and weaknesses of their wife and be able while back on ‘dysfunctional erectile’ and felt you can to lovingly provide wise counsel, direction and security. Husbands help advice me on this issue of Dyspareunia that I found I protect your wives in the following areas: Inappropriate clothing suffer from. Please help me. and dressing; poor eating habits and dieting; Neglecting personal Nkem (34) – Lagos. appearance, tardiness, destructive self-criticism. Ï ƑƆƅƄ ƄƄƕ Ǝ ƐƄ Ɔ ƎƆƊ ƎƄ ƃ ƊƊƏ Ɔƃ ƎƆ ƑƆƎ Ƅƍ Dear Nkem, you are not the only one who has asked me husband. this question. So let me try and explain how a friend of mine Intimate conversation is one of the key components in maintaining got over hers. You do know that Dyspareunia is a Greek word oneness in your marriage. Your wife needs to know that she can meaning “badly mated” and for those who do not know, it safely share her deepest and darkest secrets and emotions with you. is experiencing pain during sexual intercourse, which could Establishing a regular time for talks and giving her your undivided be due to medical or psychological causes. I will advise you attention will result in amazing returns for you. When she needs to to see your doctor to know which is yours, but my friends’ is talk is not when you should be on your computer, reading or making psychological. It stemmed from the hurt she felt the first time calls and saying to her ‘talk I’m listening.’ she ever made out and subsequently, she holds herself too Ï ƑƆƅƄ ƄƄƕ Ƅƍ Ə Ƃ ƕ Ǝ Ɔ ƐƄ Ǝ Ɔ Ƅƍ ƉƆƅƄê tightly from anticipated pain. The following helped her and now, A wife needs her husband’s support and encouragement in her husband can’t get enough of her. Her husband started using learning new skills to broaden her horizon and field of interests. Your gel. She learnt the breathing exercise to relax her and loosen wife needs to know that you do not take her for granted and that her tight muscles. They indulge in longer foreplay to get her all you support and give encouragement in her endeavours. She should wet and good to go. You don’t need the gel when you are well be able to give you constructive verbal criticisms. greased from foreplay. Ï ƑƆƅƄ ƄƄƕ Ƅƍ Ə Ƃ ƕ Ǝ ƕƄƊ Ǝƍ ƎƄ ƕ Ǝ ƈƄ ƏƋ Ɔ leadership role.

Other causes of pain during intercourse: When a wife sees her husband make wise decisions, establish Ï y Ɔ Ɖ Ɔ ƅƄƃƎƆ ê j Ɔ ƃ ƏƉƕ Ɔ ƃƉƏƕƄ ƓƄ Ǝ Ɔ ƅƄƃƎƆ high moral standards and demonstrate his genuine love for her, she Ï ^ƍ ƂƉƄƊ ƑƆƎ Ǝ Ƅ ƃƄƍƐƆƒè ƋƄ Ɔ Ǝ Ǝ Ƅ ƏƎƄƍƏ will be motivated to set similar standards in her life and will willingly Ï Ɔ Ǝ ƍƓ ƅ ƍ ƋƄ ƍ ƃ ƆƉƕ ƕ ƄƒƏ Ɖ ƂƏ Ƅ submit to his leadership. Being disciplined and principled is another Ï zƄƉƉéƄ ƕ ƑƄƕ Ƌ ƍƎ Ƅƍ way of gaining the trust and respect of your wife. Ï & ƕ ƊƄƎƍƆ Ɔ è Ƌƍ ƂƉƄƊ ƑƆƎ Ǝ Ƅ Ɛ ƍƆƄ è ƋƄƉƐƆƃ Remember, your wife is the weaker vessel that needs your help to inflammation, etc. make her be the wife you need her to be and as you love your wife as My advice, see your doctor if it’s medical, but if it’s like my she needs to be loved, she will be motivated to reverence you, remain friends’ from abuse, try her methods, if no change, please see a loyal to you and if need be, give her life up for you. doctor.

Men’s Trend L4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday March 3, 2015

Briefcase

Lace up shoes Denim

Wardrobe staples for

Eyola

eyola@aol.com Blazer jacket Traditional, modern, casual, preppy, formal - blazer jackets are a universal must-have. Solid navy blue, single-breasted, one- or twobutton blazers are season less, versatile and effortlessly coordinate with most outfits. Tailoring, for this staple item, is an absolute must.

Tailored trousers Khakis and chinos are a great alternative to jeans, ideal for warmer climates with colours navy and cream the best choice for a refinedcasual look. Similar to jeans, this casual-smart essential has endless styling opportunities. These trousers are not always stain-proof, so invest in a stain-resistant pair.

Denim Avoid being tempted by jeans with unnecessary accoutrements and stick to a solid dark blue wash.

Straight-leg jeans are the perfect balance of tailored and leg room.

Burgundy (or navy) corduroy trousers are a great alternative.

The 3Ss Do not overlook the value of these three bonafide classics - a well-tailored white shirt, T-Shirt and roll-neck sweater.

Shirts Start with white and expand to shades of blue and pink, the darker the colour the less formal the shirt.

men

Opt for solid plain colours before you consider semi-solids, stripes and checks. Avoid man-made fibers and choose thick soft cottons or silks for longevity and for a professional and timeless look. Striped dress shirts are perfect for business wear although they are slightly less formal than solid whites and blues, making them less suited for conservative events such as job interviews, court appearances, job interviews and business meetings.

T-Shirts Start off with solid white, logoand wrinkle-free, crew neck and high quality cotton T-shirts. Then expand to other neutral colours and necklines. Polo shirts are a smarter alternative to T-Shirts.

Whether worn for sports or smartcasual attire polo shirts always look fetching, no matter your age.

Solid muted colours in soft cotton or wool make for a smarter look, while coarse rougher cottons and prints are the most casual.

Roll-neck sweaters Roll-neck, or turtleneck, sweaters are an acquired taste for men.

Nonetheless it is fashionable and practical for colder seasons, especially if you’re traveling to a colder climate. Wear it casually over jeans or over tailored suit trousers for a formal slant. Aficionados of the neck-roll sweater will be disappointed to learn that the turtleneck suit combination is not always accepted or suitable for conservative formal business attire.

Classic accessories A high quality leather belt and briefcase are two accessories worth investing in. It is an unwritten law in business dressing that office socks should always match your belt. Unless you are playing sports or lounging at home, keep white socks at bay. To ensure your socks go with all items in your wardrobe, pick black socks that are smooth (no ribbing) and fairly thin with reinforced toes. The popular colour of choice for belts are brown and black, so begin with these two colours. A well-crafted leather briefcase demands authority and status, a definite plus when making business deals.

Shirt

brown, tan, khaki, charcoal grey, navy blue and dark cream.

Before even picking up a suit, a touch of tailoring, to some degree, should be considered. Seek a highly skilled alterations tailor for off the peg suits or if your budget will allow get both your African (kaftan, buba, sokoto and/or agbada) and British traditional suit tailor-made by a bespoke tailor to ensure a proper fit. A well-cut suit will never go out of style. Whether navy or grey, a beautifully crafted two-piece suit is one of the most versatile garments, a two-button suit in either tone covers weddings, job interviews and board meetings.

T shirt

Tailored pants

Footwear Lace up, slim, pointed or rounded toe leather shoes will serve you well. Square toe shoes should be avoided. At least one pair of simple white sneakers, specifically intended for casual wear, is highly suggested. To keep safe while playing sports, it is wise to invest in sportappropriate and sport-specific footwear. There are different trainers for different sports with the intention of keeping your feet, toes and ankle safe while playing.

Wardrobe staple guidelines Avoid clothing burdened with unappealing accoutrements, prints or patterns and invest in eight staple colours which are black, white,

Roll neck sweater

Blazer

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday March 3, 2015

L5

Tourism & Recreation

L6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday March 3, 2015

Briefcase

Red Chinese Restaurant, the ultimate oriental experience Vanessa Obioha

vaysylver@gmail.com China is known for many things and its cuisines is one of its popular cultures across the globe. Chinese cuisines are staples in most cities of the world and Nigeria is not an exception. They are quite ubiquitous in high-rated hotels and restaurants and found in upscale environments.

Its popularity is embedded in its impressive history in the culinary business. From magical delicacies to breathtaking traditions all adds to the holistic experience. However, there are three peculiarities of a Chinese restaurants. Its ambience, food and services.

These three elements blend together to give the traditional feel of the country.

Stepping into the city of Lagos, one could be confronted with the problem of finding a good Chinese restaurant that offers that distinct Oriental experience. Red Chinese restaurant provides that unique experience for its guests. Situated in the serene ambience of Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Red Chinese restaurant is the new attraction in the hotel that reflects the hotel’s commitment to give its clients the best international standards. Occupying a vast space at the Eko Convention Centre, the Asian restaurant provides a breathtaking scenery of the waterfront and the beautiful landscape of the hotel. Its tall windows gives a panoramic view of the swimming pool and lagoon restaurant with its palm trees. The picture reminds one of an artistic painting in an exhibition.

Marked with an aesthetic designs of ma-

hogany, lights and marble at the entrance, a guest is swept in an overwhelming traditional ambience.

Perked at the doorway is the hostess.

She is dressed in a Chinese attire and welcomes the guest with a smile as wide as a slice of water melon and a bow. She gives the guest a mini-tour of the restaurant as she waltzed him/her to his/her seat, that is if you have a reservation. The manager Xiambin Sun popularly called Scott is all smiles as he introduces himself and sees to the immediate service of the guest demands.

The 62-seating capacity restaurant boasts of a lounge, a bar and the dining. The bar is shaped like a big half moon and parades all kinds of beverages. From cognacs to champagnes, vodkas, Apperitos and spirits. The bar also boasts of an impressive length that accommodates 11 seats, all in gold colour. There is also a modern espresso machine at the bar. Beside the bar is a DJ booth. According to Sun, the restaurant will have an in-house DJ that will serenade the guests with good and tasty music while they enjoy the meals.

Being a colourful restaurant, the three dominant colours in the restaurant is red, gold and black. Some of the seats are in gold while the floors are black and shiny.

The restaurant’s name is derived from China’s historical colour, red. The red colour is significant in the Oriental culture as represented in their flag. It radiates happiness and mostly used in festivals in the country.

Thus, it is not surprised to find a touch of red in the restaurant. The lounge seats are

all red, there is a red water cup in each dining set, the aesthetic design on the bar is dotted in red and of course the red cabinet.

Speaking of the red cabinet, it is a major traditional feature in a Chinese restaurant setting. The cabinet occupies cutlery and other items used in the restaurant. Sun explained that the cabinet is kept in view so that the waiters can easily access it instead of making the long journey to the kitchen where they can encounter minor accidents.

Another traditional feature in the restaurant is the seating arrangement. It is a beautiful blend of business and family seating style. The business style can occupy two to four persons in a seating. This seating boasts of a rectangular table with black and red chairs. However, the family seating can occupy six to ten persons in a seating. For the family seating, a round table is used to allow easy sharing. There is also the Lazy Susan, a prominent feature in Chinese dining. A Lazy Susan is a circular rotating tray placed at the center of a table and used to easily share a large number of dishes among the diners. Chopsticks, wine glasses, soup spoon, a small water cup, dinner knives and forks, a table mat and the folded table napkins adorns the dining table. The seats in the family setting are all gold.

Still on the traditional features of the restaurant, the restaurant is a dazzling swirl of lights. From the entrance, dazzling boxes of light sources cast a dynamic illumination on the hallway. Inside, it is a royal feast of golden and white glow. Chandeliers, luminous bulbs all adds to the warm and ritzy ambience of the restaurant.

With a Chinese chef and a manager with 13 years of experience, Red promises a wide variety of Chinese delicacies and exceptional ones too. For instance, the spring rolls which is a staple in the Asian cuisine is served in a creative artistic style. In Red, it is called the Prawn rolls because of the addition of prawns to this traditional meal. There is also the Red Special Fried Rice. This dish is a beautiful blend of seafood, vegetables and eggs. The XO Seafood Sauce- a chilly combination of dried scallops, shrimps, chilli peppers, onions and garlics- enhances the taste of the rice, giving the palettes a magical and unforgettable taste. Traditional Chinese soups are served and there are plans to have the guests witness an in-house baking of a duck. According to Sun, dumplings are part of the Chinese tradition. Having the guest take part in the dumpling ritual will create an eye-catching experience.

Red is commited to providing the best Oriental experience in Victoria Island, and beyond. It caters to tourists, upwardly mobile executives and absolutely everyone with a distinctive taste for Chinese cuisines.

It is ideal for any kind of occasion: romantic dinner, business dates, family dinners or social outings. It provides an irresistible and infectious aura with its scenic view and premium services.

Its doors opens by six pm and closes at the midnight hour daily.

Facts File about Red Chinese Restaurant

1 2 3 4 5

It is situated at Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

It provides a breathtaking scenery of the waterfront and the beautiful landscape of the hotel.

It derives its name from the red colour which is significant in the Chinese culture.

It has a 62-seating capacity and the seating style is the traditional Chinese setting.

Its menu is an array of Chinese meals including its Red Special Fried Rice, a beautiful combination of. seafood, vegetables and eggs.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday March 3, 2015

L7 Movie & Music Chart

Opeoluwani Akintayo and Mutiat Alli For this week, P-Square’s Shekini and Timaya’s Shanko, leaves the list to allow for new entries. Recall that Shekini and Shanko have both maintained first and second positions for a while now, having garnered up millions of views on Youtube, as well as enjoying massive airplay. Now, Wizkid’s Ojuelegba from last week’s 641,365 views, hit 735,520 views, making it the first on our list. Falz’s Marry Me which had 571,725 views, has risen to 617,943 views, taking it to the second place position. Iyanya’s Finito comes to the third position with 546,148 views, while Kiss Daniel’s Woju takes the position with 365,720 views. Dammy Krane’s Amin grabs the fifth place with 177,593 views.

Top 10 music chart

DTN Movie chart

Top 10 music chart

Top 10 movie chart

Nigeria

English

International

International

1. Wizkid - Ojuelegba 2. Falz Ft. Yemi Alade - Marry Me 3. Iyanya - Finito 4. Kiss Daniel – Woju 5. Dammy Krane - Amin 6. Sean Tizzle - Loke Loke 7. M.I ft. Moti Cakes - Bad Belle 8. Skuki - Peteru 128,111 views 9. PRAIZE – Heartbeat (New Entry) 10. Orezi - Shuperu (New Entry)

1. October 1st 2. 30 Days in Atlanta 3. First Cut 4 Single, Married and Complicated 5 My Life, My Damage 6 Gone Too Far 7 Alanpoza 8 Holding Hopes 9 Finding Mercy 10 Last Flight to Abuja OC Ukeje

1. Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran 2. Sugar by Maroon 5 3. All About That Bass by Meghan Trainor 4. Take Me To Church by HOZIER 5. Blank Space by Taylor Swift 6. The Hanging Tree by Soundtrack Artists 7. Chandelier by Sia 8. Uptown Funk! by Mark Ronson 9. Elastic Heart by Sia 10. All Of Me by John Legend

1. Focus 2. The sponge bob movie: sponge out of water 3. Kingsman: The secret service 4. Fifty shades of grey 5. The Lazarus effect 6. Mcfarland, usa 7. American sniper 8.The duff 9. Still Alice 10. Hot Tub Time machine 2

Hozier

Sean Tizzle

Bradley Cooper

Kiddies Nkarenyi Ukonu

Hello kids, You are most welcome to this exciting addition to the Life & Times pullout. Beginning from today, you will no longer feel left out as we are set to bring the very best to you, in a fun way every week while also sharpening your mind and broadening your language skills and creativity. Do have a swell time reading.

History

Your heros/heroines in brief

Queen Amina of Zaria

Poem Adventures Of Isabel Isabel met an enormous bear, Isabel, Isabel, didn’t care, The bear was hungry, the bear was ravenous, The bear said, Isabel, glad to meet you, How do, Isabel, now I’ll eat you!

Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry.

Isabel didn’t scream or scurry.

She washed her hands and she straightened her hair up, Then Isabel quietly ate the bear up.

Once in a night as black as pitch Isabel met a wicked old witch. the witch’s face was cross and wrinkled, The witch’s gums with teeth were sprinkled.

Ho, ho, Isabel! the old witch crowed,

I’ll turn you into an ugly toad!

Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry, Isabel didn’t scream or scurry, She showed no rage and she showed no rancor, But she turned the witch into milk and drank her.

Isabel met a hideous giant, Isabel continued self reliant.

The giant was hairy, the giant was horrid, He had one eye in the middle of his forhead.

Good morning, Isabel, the giant said, I’ll grind your bones to make my bread.

Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry, Isabel didn’t scream or scurry.

Healthy lifestyle tip Joke of the week of the week Ï Even though she was popularly known as Queen Amina of Zaria, she is also referred to as the Queen Warrior. Ï She was the greatest military strategist, warrior queen and a nation builder. Ï She was born around 1533 in Zaria, a province of today’s Nigeria to the Bakwa of Turunku. Ï Her family traded in leather goods, cloth, kola, salt, horses and imported metals. Ï She had a brother called Karama and a sister called Zaria, but little is known about her. Ï Amina chose to hone her military skills from the warriors of the Zazzau military and emerged as leader of the Zazzua cavalry winning great acco-

lades and achievements. Ï She led the Zazzau kingdom when her brother died after a ten-year rule and reigned for 34 years. Ï Throughout her reign, she boosted her kingdom’s wealth and power with gold, slaves, and new crops. Ï According to legend, Amina never married nor bore children. Ï She died during a military campaign at Atagara near Bida in Nigeria. Ï Her exploits earned her the moniker, Amina, daughter of Nikatau, a woman as capable as a man. Ï The television series, Xena Warrior Princess was modeled after her legendary exploits which represents the spirit and strength of womanhood.

She nibbled the zwieback that she always fed off, And when it was gone, she cut the giant’s head off.

Isabel met a troublesome doctor, He punched and he poked till he really shocked her.

The doctor’s talk was of coughs and chills And the doctor’s satchel bulged with pills.

The doctor said unto Isabel, Swallow this, it will make you well.

Isabel, Isabel, didn’t worry, Isabel didn’t scream or scurry.

She took those pills from the pill concocter, And Isabel calmly cured the doctor.

Riddles

Q1. What has a face, two hands but no arms or legs?

Q2. What is the easiest way to double your money?

Q3. What has a thumb and four fingers but is not alive?

Q4. What has to be broken before you can use it?

Q5. What has a neck but no head?

Breakfast is a very important meal. Just like cars, buses and trains cannot run without fuel, our bodies need energy to work. Especially after a night’s sleep, energy levels are low. So, whether you are off to school, or out playing with friends on weekends, start the day with breakfast.

Answers to riddles bottle. mirror, Q3. A glove, Q4. An egg, Q5. A Q1. A clock!, Q2. Put it in front of the

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday March 3, 2015

L8 Television

Showing on

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104 Movies Comedy

154 Africa Magic

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Tue, 3 Mar | 16

Tue, 3 Mar | PG13 SL

A man gets married for all the wrong reasons. Years later, he meets a young woman. But, getting out of his marriage will require him making a sacrifice he isn’t quite prepared for.

Ijeoma Grace Agu, Akin Lewis. (2014) Ehizioje Ojesebholo.

Chaos reigns in this hilarious and lovely romantic comedy as a writer impulsively moves to a villa in Tuscany. But nothing is as it seems and she thinks she might have made a mistake.

Raoul Bova, Sandra Oh, Diane Lane. (2003) Audrey Wells.

101 M-Net West

120 BBC Entertainment

118 Telemundo

128 Sony Max

00:00 Total Wipeout UK 00:24 Top Gear 01:13 Call The Midwife 02:06 Come Dine With Me 02:54 EastEnders 03:24 The Weakest Link 04:10 Top Gear 05:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series 05:25 QI 05:55 Count Arthur Strong 06:30 EastEnders

00:00 CSI 00:30 The Real Housewives Of Atlanta 01:40 August: Osage County 03:36 Behind The Scenes: Noah 04:00 Romeo & Juliet 06:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 07:00 MasterChef Australia 08:00 Two And A Half Men 08:30 Mind Games 09:30 Celebrity Masterchef South Africa 10:30 47 Ronin 12:30 The Middle 13:00 MasterChef Australia 14:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:00 Elementary 16:00 Blue Bloods 17:00 The Lottery 18:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show

00:00 Fearless Heart 00:30 The Del Monte Dynasty 01:20 The Impostor 02:10 Aurora 03:00 Fearless Heart 03:50 Labour Of Love 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Aurora 07:00 Fearless Heart 07:50 Labour Of Love 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Aurora 11:10 Fearless Heart 12:00 Labour Of Love 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Aurora 15:20 Fearless Heart 16:10 Labour Of Love

07:00 Antiques Roadshow 07:55 The Weakest Link 08:45 The Cube 09:35 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

10:20 Deal Or No Deal 11:00 My Family

00:00 Tough Love

11:30 Hell's Kitchen USA

00:05 Unbeatable Banzuke

12:20 Top Gear

00:30 Unbeatable Banzuke 00:55 LFL USA 2013 02:25 The Longest Yard 04:10 The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s...

252 Silverbird

05:00 My Rebelious Son 06:35 The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s...

07:20 The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s...

08:10 Most Shocking 09:00 World’s Wildest Police Videos 09:55 Criss Angel Mindfreak

154 AfricaMagic Family 00:00 Patitos Gang 00:30 Hollywood On Set 01:00 Music Africa 02:00 Boom Town 02:30 STV Sports Café 03:00 Local Movie 05:00 Symphony 06:30 Insights For Living 07:00 STV AM News 07:30 Today On Stv 09:00 Magic Morning 10:30 Sports Show 11:00 Spice 12:00 SB Lifestyle 12:30 Rhythm Of The City 13:00 Music Africa 14:05 Good Life

10:20 The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s...

11:15 The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s...

12:10 Cheaters 13:00 Top 20 Countdown: Most Shocking 13:55 World’s Wildest Police Videos 00:00 News

AIT

Midnight

00:30 Movie: 02:00 Da New Live Beats 02:30 Sports Today 03:00 Focus Nigeria 04:00 What Life Took From Me 05:00 Oremus 06:00 Kaakaki 09:00 Documentary

14:50 Shadowguard

09:30 Newman Street

16:30 Nickelodeon

10:00 Focus Nigeria

17:30 Oil And Gas Forum

11:00 The Money Show

18:00 Jonathan: Work In Progress

18:00 World’s Wildest Police Videos

18:30 One Mic

20:00 Real Husbands Of Hollywood

12:00 AIT Reports 13:00 Sports Extra

19:00 Allison's Stand

13:30 Echoes

16:10 The Smoking Gun Presents: World’s...

17:05 Top 20 Countdown: Most Shocking 19:00 Most Shocking 20:30 Real Husbands Of Hollywood

19:30 This Life

21:00 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago

20:00 AIT News Hour

21:30 Poorman’s Bikini Beach

15:00 Matters Arising

21:00 Prime

22:00 Kenny vs Spenny

16:00 World News

21:30 MTV Base

22:30 Top 20 Countdown: Most Shocking

14:00 Inside Parliament

The

MATIC GETS £100,000 WEEKLY PAY RISE

Poster!

STEFFI GRAF

X8

X4,5 Tuesday, March 3, 2015

INTERVIEW

KROOS:

REAL MADRID IS TOP-CLASS CLUB X6

ACCEPT CONTRACT OR QUIT, X2

ANYANSI tells KESHI

Anyansi

NCC earmarks N11m for tennis tourney

X3

X2

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

Accept NFF contract or quit, ANYANSI tells KESHI Ojieva Ehiosun

A

FA

Sunderland defender Wes Brown (right) shows his dismay at being wrongfully sent off by Referee Roger East on Saturday against Man United.

overturns Brown’s red card

W

es Brown’s red card against Manchester United on Saturday has been overturned by the Football Association (FA).

The Sunderland defender was adjudged by referee Roger East to have brought down Radamel Fal-

cao inside the area during a 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford.

Replays showed that John O’Shea was the man to have committed the foul yet, although O’Shea protested on behalf of his team-mate, East sent Brown from the field.

However, it was announced by the FA on Monday that Brown’s appeal citing a claim for wrongful dismissal had been upheld, meaning his one-match ban has been withdrawn with immediate effect.

He will now be free to face Hull City at the KC Stadium today.

s the crisis between the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the out of contract Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi gets messier, Chairman of the NFF Technical Committee, Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, has fired a salvo at the embattled coach to either accept the terms of the contract or quit the job.

Anyansi expressed disappointment in the way and manner Stephen Keshi is going about the issue, stressing that the coach has no right to determine the kind of contract he should be given.

“We in the technical committee are not happy the way things are going. As the head of the Technical Committee team, it is my joy and priority to see that our football is at its best.

“Nobody should hold us to ransom in this regard because nowhere in the world an employee will dictate terms of contract to his employer. We cannot give what we do not have, the board has done their best, it is left for Keshi to accept or not,” he said.

He noted that Stephen Keshi is not the only qualified Nigerian indigenous coach, therefore should not drag Nigerian football backward.

ELOHOR professes love for Eagles Mike Otanwa

N

ineteen-year-old Benin City-born Barcelona defender, Elohor Godswill Ekpolo, has professed his love for the Super Eagles and has emphasised that it would be a dream come true to wear the green - whitegreen jersey of the national team.

The Torreforta product who has been on the books of Barcelona since the age of 10 was invited to

Nigeria’s Olympic Team screening exercise last December, but the Blaugranas power brokers did not authorise his trip to Abuja because it was outside the designated date for international teams’ get together.

The 19-year-old has sent a message to coach Samson Siasia, saying the Dream Team VI has always been in his heart. ‘’They invited me but I couldn’t come. By the grace of God, if they invite me again I will go,’’ Ekpolo said.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

FEDERATION WATCH

X3

With Osaretin Emuze

NCC earmarks N11m for tennis tourney

Eugene Juwah, NCC Vice Chairman

Tony Nwakaegho

A

s part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said it had earmarked N11m for sponsorship of a Tennis Championship.

Tony Ojobo, Director, Public Affairs of the NCC, disclosed this in Lagos, saying the money would be used as cash prizes for winners in the competition.

He said the maiden edition of the tourney, tagged “NCC Tennis Cup,” is billed to take place in April and would be managed by the International

Tammy Danagogo, Sports Minister

ODDS AGAINST

ILABOYA VOWS TO LIFT EDO FOOTBALL

HOSTING OF NSF IN APRIL N

O

dds are up against the hosting of the National Sports Festival (NSF) in April as scheduled.

Apart from the fact that the hosts, Cross River State, are not ready, the Presidential and Governorship election holding in March/April, states are yet to register for the festival.

Extra Time investigation revealed that the Festival that was earlier scheduled for November last year could not hold due to lack of equipment and sporting facilities by

the host state.

It was gathered that due to political activities in the state seems to have taken the time and money for the hosting of the competition.

“The facilities are still as it were in November when the National Sports Commission and Council of Sports visited.

“Elections have taken precedent over the facilities. Not until after the election nothing meaningful will be done.

“Apart from the facilities, it is possible that the Festival will hold

immediately after the elections,” a reliable source said under anonymity.

As at press time, states are yet to register for the Festival which kicks off next month, as some of them are awaiting release of funds for preparation and participation for the zonal eliminations.

Meanwhile, the Sports Ministry are pushing for the Festival to hold in May to enable them camp the athletes, discover new talent and prepare well for the All Africa Games billed to hold in Congo Brazzaville in September.

Tennis Academy (ITA).

“The objective of the competition is to positively engage tennis players and provide a platform to improve their games. “It is also to raise the standard of the game and contribute to the development of sport in the country,” he said.

Highpoint of the tourney is also to give recognition to tennis players, promote healthy competition across the country and help motivate youths to take up the game,” he said.

He further disclosed that the tennis competition is opened to club teams, street teams and company/ institution teams.

ewly elected Edo State Football Association (EFA) Chairman Frank Ilaboya has vowed to take Edo football to the next level.

Speaking to Extra Time after the swearing in ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of Sports Ville said he would work towards returning Edo football to its past glory.

“I am very happy I have won and I now have the opportunity to carry out my dream of reviving football in the state.

“We are blessed with talented footballers here, but harnessing them has been the problem,” he stressed.

The former Chairman of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria

(SWAN), Lagos State branch, opined that since Edo State is the home of culture, he will involve the Oba Palace to achieve his ultimate goal.

He called all Edo citizens to support the new FA to revive football in the state.

“We are calling on the good people of Edo State to support the growth and development of football in the state. I am also appealing to wealthy Edolites in top positions and CEO of companies to support the Edo project.

“Footballers abound in the state and my first assignment is to see that youth tournaments are revived. With proper planning Edo football will take its pride of place in the country again,” he enthused.

MORRISON SEEKS FUNDS FOR T-JOBA

A

DStv Nigeria Basketball League action.

respected basketball administrator and team coordinator of D’Tigers of Nigeria, Skambo Morrison, has revealed that T-Joba Basketball Club of Akwa Ibom State has recorded an unprecedented feat in Division One Championship during the last season’s games.

Extra Time gathered that Morrison also canvassed support for the team, saying they need to consolidate on their last season’s position when this year’s domestic championship dunks off.

He opined that reaching the top is not only key, but remaining on top, adding that for the team to remain number one in local basketball, they will require extra funding.

He commended the effort of the players and the coaching crew for their commitment to the game, stressing that it was as a result of their zealousness that has brought them this far.

He also advised them not to relent in their effort at winning more laurels.

Ilaboya

X4

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

PERSONAL INFORMATION Full name: Country: Residence: Born: Place of birth: Height: Turned pro: Retired: Plays:

Steffi Graf Germany Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. June 14, 1969 (age 45) Mannheim, Baden-Würt temberg, West Germany ⁄ in) 1.76 m (5 ft 9 12 1982 18, r Octobe August 13, 1999 Right-handed (one-handed backhand)

STEFFI Coaches:

Prize money:

Peter Graf Pavel Složil (1986–1991) Heinz Günthardt (1992–1999) $21,895,277 (7th in all-time rankings)

GRAF

QUO

“You cannot compare your a importance of children and givi ng which to grow up and en

“I don’t wake up every day and th I won and which titles I hold . It’s so –Steffi G

“I have always been guided by st I could. That is what kept me going now.”

–Steffi Gr

OTES

athletic achievement to the g them a safe environment in njoy life.” –Steffi Graf

hink about which tournamen ts omething I don’t care about.”

Graf.

triving to show the best that g in tennis and it is the same

raf.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

STEFFI GRAF’S

achievements and Titles SINGLES Career record: Career titles: Highest ranking:

902–115 (88.69%) 107 (3rd all-time) No. 1 (17 August 1987)

GRAND SLAM SINGLES RESULTS Australian Open: W (1988, 1989, 1990, 1994) French Open: W (1987, 1988, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1999) Wimbledon: W (1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996) US Open: W (1988, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996) OTHER TOURNAMENTS Tour Finals: W(1987, 1989, 1993, 1995, 1996) Olympic Games: Gold medal (1988) Silver medal (1992) DOUBLES Career record: 173–72 (70.6%) Career titles: 11 Highest ranking: No. 3 (3 March 1987) GRAND SLAM DOUBLES RESULTS Australian Open: SF (1988, 1989) French Open: F (1986, 1987, 1989) Wimbledon: W (1988) US Open: SF (1986, 1987, 1988, 1989) OTHER DOUBLES TOURNAMENTS Olympics: Bronze medal (1988) GRAND SLAM MIXED DOUBLES RESULTS Australian Open: 2R (1991) French Open: 2R (1994) Wimbledon: SF (1999) US Open: 1R (1984) TEAM COMPETITIONS Fed Cup: W (1987, 1992) Hopman Cup: W (1993) OLYMPIC MEDAL RECORD Gold: 1988 Seoul (Singles) Bronze: 1988 Seoul (Doubles) Silver: 1992 Barcelona (Singles)

X5

X6

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

INTERVIEW

KROOS: REAL MADRID

!

IS TOP-CLASS CLUB

Real Madrid players line up before a match.

Watching Toni Kroos in action, it is hard to believe that he is still just 25 years old. The technically and tactically gifted midfielder orchestrates his sides’ play with an astonishing maturity and poise, and has long been an integral part of both the teams of FIFA World Cup winners, Germany, and FIFA Club World Cup champions, Real Madrid. Kroos’ performances last year put him firmly among the elite group of players recognised as the world’s best, and his role in helping Germany become world champions for a fourth time in Brazil cannot be overstated. Joachim Low’s men completed a total of 4,157 passes at the tournament - more than any other side - and Kroos alone was responsible for 537 of those. In the Final against Argentina, Kroos found a teammate with 94 of his 114 passes and also covered a distance of 14.3 kilometres. At the end of the competition, the Greifswald native finished top of the Castrol Index - an analytical chart of the tournament’s top performers. In a fascinating interview with FIFA.com, the midfielder gives us his thoughts on the importance of mental strength, on how being relaxed boosts on-field performance and reflects on a moment in the World Cup Final that could have led to a rather different outcome at the Maracana. Excerpts: Last year was an extremely successful one for you. Was it also the year in which you cemented your credentials as a world-class player on the international stage?

It certainly was a special year, and above all it was an especially successful year. But when you achieve so much and win titles, especially the World Cup, from the outside it always looks like you’ve suddenly played far better than you did before. I’ve never believed that, though, and still don’t now. Both myself and the team were already playing at a high level; the only difference is that we had something to show for it last year. Nevertheless, I still took a step forward. After all, showing what you can do at a World Cup and then moving from Munich to Madrid isn’t easy.

So does that mean making progress in football is more of a psychological process?

The mental side of things is always important in football. When you achieve success by winning a major title then suddenly everything just seems to come that much easier to you. But to be honest, I’ve never had any problems with the psychological side of things.

One of the attributes you are often praised for is that despite your relatively young age, you have a remarkably composed and unhurried

manner out on the pitch, especially in tight situations. Where do you get that from?

I think there are two reasons for that.

I simply have faith in my ability in any kind of situation because I know what I’m capable of and therefore never need to panic. On the other hand, it’s just part of my nature that I’m aware that there are a lot more important things in the world than football. If you lose a game from time to time then that’s just the way it goes. Before every match I know that whatever happens, the worst case scenario is that you lose a game, nothing more. Of course, that doesn’t mean that I’m not focused or that I don’t want to win, but that outlook gives me a certain laidback quality.

In Germany you were labelled a wunderkind a decade ago and earmarked as a potential future No10 in the national team. Given such huge levels of expectation, are you not now a little relieved to be a World Cup winner and playing for Real Madrid?

No, because I never put that pressure on myself - that came from other people. Of course winning major titles is an objective you set yourself when you start out playing football, but I never put myself under any pressure to have to win the World Cup at some point in my career. I’d still be sitting here in just as good a mood

today if we hadn’t won the World Cup. That’s not to say it wasn’t a massive achievement. As you said, I‘m sitting here ten years down the line and I’m still not that old. That’s how I know that it’s perfectly normal for development to happen over time and that you can’t rush it, no matter how good you are.

At the World Cup in Brazil you pulled the strings in Germany’s midfield. In concrete terms, why do you think Germany were better than everyone else?

We were a very close-knit group and we had an absolutely top-class coach who prepared us extremely well for each opponent. And we knew that we’d only become world champions if we stuck together, if we attacked and defend together as a team. We didn’t have the kind of individual player you could just give the ball to and rely on him to score, while everyone else just defended. We were all aware that everyone had to be involved in defending and that we had to play as a collective team. We did that in a fantastic manner and that’s why I think we were the best team last summer.

To what extent did you grow into a leading role with Germany in Brazil?

That’s not a term I can really relate to, but whenever I’m on the pitch I always try to shoulder responsibility.

I’ve always done that as the position I play in demands it. The way I play is

to get into the game a lot and to see plenty of the ball. Consequently you’re automatically more involved.

In the World Cup Final in Rio de Janeiro there was a nail-biting moment for you when your headed backpass fell short and Argentinian striker Gonzalo Higuain was suddenly one-on-one with goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. What went through your mind at that point?

(Pauses to think) It’s still 0-0, so keep going!

Was that all?

Yes. Did you not think that it could have been all over after that?

Why would it have been all over?

That was in about the 20th minute and the score was still 0-0. Thankfully he fired his shot off towards the corner flag (laughs). No, things like that can always happen, it’s normal nowadays.

Of course that was a great opportunity for Argentina to take the lead, but we also could have done so a couple of times during the game. Overall it was an evenly-balanced match but we were just a bit luckier at the end, which we were all very happy about.

You were originally schooled as an attacking midfielder, but at Real Madrid you have more of a defensive role. How do you cope with such scenario?

At the end of the day the important

“The club has won an unbelievable number of trophies and still has a top-quality team with top-class players. I think that alone is what makes Real Madrid so interesting.” thing is that you’re able to work well in the team. We tend to play with three central midfielders and at the moment I have the more defensive role, and have done since the beginning of the season. I very much enjoy playing there. Of course the coach sets out certain demands for playing in that position, but those coincide with my own interpretation of how to play there. So in that regard I’m delighted with how things are going. Over the years I’ve been moving further back bit by bit, and that’s fine by me. In Madrid it’s important that we have the right balance. Normally we have a lot of very attack-minded players on the pitch, so for me it’s almost of secondary importance to get forward. Instead, I focus on how the game is going in the middle of the park and that we’re well positioned.

How are you enjoying living in Madrid? Have you settled in?

Yes, absolutely. At the beginning you do need to adapt a bit but in football a lot of things are the same. There are two or three differences, especially in terms of the mentality, but I’m the kind of person who adjusts quickly and settles in once I know what’s what. I consciously made the decision to take a big step and face the challenge of moving abroad and to not be able to communicate in the same way as I could in Germany due to the new language.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

BASKETBALL EXTRA

Moncho Lopez on duty.

ANGOLA TASK THRILLS

X7

With Phillips Tayo

Azouma Dike (right) of Dodan Warriors trying to dribble Afolabi Bolaji of Oluyole Warriors.

ATLANTIC CLUBS E U G A E L V T S D R O F SET

LOPEZ DUNK-OFF N ew Angola coach, Moncho Lopez, didn’t expect a call from Angola’s Basketball Federation (FAB) but he was sure glad that it came.

Angola recently offered the Spaniard an opportunity to coach their national team at this year’s AfroBasket and he grabbed it with both hands.

“Training the national team of Angola fills me with pride because we are talking about one of the best teams in the world at the level of national teams,” Lopez said in an interview.

Angola are No. 16 in the FIBA Men’s Ranking, the highest of all the African nations.

More than a decade on from leading Spain into the 2004 Olympics, Lopez now has an

opportunity to guide defending AfroBasket champions Angola back to the Summer Games, where they last played in 2008.

That Lopez finds himself in such a position is quite a story.

He knows all about the gifted athletes in the Angola squad, players that won two games at last year’s FIBA Basketball World Cup. “I have a great hunger to learn and I’m sure I’ll make the most of this experience, with the responsibility of giving my best to be worthy of representing Angola,” Lopez said. “As coach of the Spanish Federation we faced Angolan teams, on different occasions, and as coach of FC Porto I also had the chance to play against the current core of Angolan players while they were with their respective clubs.”

D’TIGERS

A

tlantic clubsides are gearing up for the commencement of the DSTV Men’s League with two of the clubsides’ coaches reaffirming their readiness.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Dodan Warriors Basketball Club of Lagos coach, Chris Nomingo revealed that majority of their players are still been retained, although there’re chances of few new additions from the Warriors Academy and Kwara Falcons “Dodan Warriors have resumed

MOUNDOU-MISSI relishes Cameroon feat

AFROBASKET QUALIFIER HOLDS MARCH 7

T

he much-expected 2015 FIBA AfroBasket qualifier clash between Nigeria’s D’Tigers and their Burkina-Faso counterpart has been rescheduled for Saturday.

The qualifier was billed to dunkoff earlier as the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) claimed that the hosts, Burkina Faso are playing hide-and-seek tactics negating the FIBA statues in relation to the organisation of international matches.

Speaking in a phone interview with Agboola Pinheiro he revealed that the FIBA secretariat intervention resulted into the new date.

“FIBA central board intervened into the scenario with the Burkina Faso Federation picked two datesMarch 3 and 7.

“Personally, I think the March 7 date is feasible because of the travelling arrangement of D’Tigers who are still camp in Abuja. With the new date, the return leg now holds March 1,” Pinheiro said.

their close camping with almost the old players returning.The few absent are still be held down maybe because of their academic commitments.

“There might be some new faces maybe some of our youngsters from the academy.We’re looking at some pros who played for Kwara Falcons last season to joins us and least I forget, the two foreignpros; Romaric Quenum and Mike Savadogo should be back by next week.The stake is higher this year,”

Moundou-Missi

he said.

In a related development, Kwara Falcons Basketball Club of Ilorin handler, Steve Onisola revealed thus: “We’ve held our in-house screening with some invited prostars across the country. Eventually, we picked new 7players to beef the squad.Also, two new coaches are joining the technical crew, while I retained my post as the Technical Adviser.

“Falcons are poise to perform better this season,” he stated.

N

o one expected Steve Moundou-Missi to make Cameroon’s AfroBasket roster two years ago when he left Cambridge, Massachusetts, for Yaounde to visit family and friends.

He was going on vacation. But when Moundou-Missi, an applied mathematics major who had two years of American college basketball under his belt at Harvard University, arrived in Africa, he made an important discovery.

“Once at home, I learned the national team had tryouts and my first thought was to go to the gym and stay in shape and see what it was all about,” he said.

“Eventually, I made the team. It was one of the proudest moments of my life.”

Moundou-Missi then went to China with Cameroon on a tour before returning to his home continent and traveling to Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, to play at AfroBasket 2013.

Cameroon had a good team and made it to the Quarter-Finals but fell to Cote d’Ivoire and ended up in fifth place.

Despite Cameroon’s last-eight exit, Moundou-Missi has good memories of that summer.

X8

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME

CHELSEA

MATIC

GETS £100,000 WEEKLY PAY RISE

N

emanja Matic is in line for a bumper new pay deal at Chelsea as a reward for his excellent season.

Serbian Matic, who misses Sunday’s Capital One Cup final through suspension, expects a pay rise of up to £1.5million a year as his weekly salary goes up from around £70,000 to nearer £100,000.

Matic has established himself as one of Jose Mourinho’s key men alongside Cesc Fabregas in midfield and is one of the first names on the Portuguese’s team-sheet for the Premier League-leading Londoners.

Such is the impact the Serb has had this season that, of the three games Chelsea have lost in all competitions, Matic did not play in two of them.

He will miss the clash on Wednesday’s Premier League clash with West Ham following his sending-off for retaliation against Burnley’s Ashley Barnes last weekend.

Matic, who rejoined Chelsea from Benfica 14 months ago for around £21m.

REVEALED!

Mourinho

I wanted to kill Chelsea staff

– MOURINHO C Matic

helsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed that he wanted to kill one of the Chelsea staff for breaking the rules on the team bus on Sunday.

Before Chelsea’s Capital One Cup final clash with London rivals Tottenham at Wembley, Silvino Louro,

focused on the showdown with Spurs.

Ultimately, Louro failed to hide the score from the Blues players, as Mourinho said: “I knew that was an impossible mission to hide the result from his players, but I didn’t want the television on in the hotel or on the bus.”

CHELSEA BACK TO BUSINESS

J

ohn Terry’s emotions were stirred on hearing the national anthem at Wembley, but the Chelsea captain has no plans to reconsider his retirement from England duty.

The 34-year-old scored his first major final goal in a 2-0 defeat over Spurs before lifting the League Cup on Sunday.

“I have missed it, playing in these big stadiums and in these competitions and I’m delighted to get back to Wembley,” Terry said.

“They started playing the national anthem before the game and I was going then.”

Asked if he was considering an England return, Terry, who earned 78 caps, added: “No. It’s the simple answer, I don’t want to go into it right now.

“Being back at Wembley, the atmosphere, the stadium, it’s one of the best I have played in, but it’s never crossed my mind.

“I have drawn a line under it and the England squad can move on now.”

TERRY

who has a general coaching role at Stamford Bridge, jumped with joy after hearing that Premier League champions Manchester City had lost to Liverpool at Anfield.

Mourinho, though, has insisted that he didn’t want his players concentrating on the City match, as he wanted his team to be fully

I

Terry

t n e m re ti re r e id s n o c re to No plans

t has taken a bit of a while for Chelsea to win a trophy after Jose Mourinho’s second coming as expectation has been mounting, given the calibre of the team and the quality of the manager. In the end it was just a mildly entertaining performance with goals at the right times to efficiently put Spurs to the sword.

Sunday’s victory was well celebrated as the first triumph in England for Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa, though their individual displays weren’t quite as good as they can be.

In the midst of all the jubilation and especially considering Manchester City’s fall at the hands of Liverpool it seems as if the real stuff is yet to come. With no disrespect levelled

against the Capital One Cup, this was probably a fixture to just get off the schedule.

Chelsea now have an opportunity to stretch their lead at the top to 8 points with just 11 games to go.

Also pending is the second leg of the Champions League last 16 against PSG which sadly is evenly poised.

With Chelsea and Everton looking like the only English clubs to still survive in European competitions this season there is an added incentive to progress so as to maintain England’s rather healthy UEFA coefficient which is very much under risk.

So with one trophy already won, it certainly looks like even more is to be done to actually call this season a successful one for Blues.